Friday, July 2, 2010

Stories from the Hairdresser, the Coffee Shop and Other Places

Yeah, I finally got around to cutting my hair today. I chopped off about 4 inches worth. The hairdresser asked me, "Are you sure you want to cut so much off?" I said, "North Carolina summer. It'll grow back in time for winter." So yeah, shoulder length and layered. MUCH cooler and easier to take care of. With 3 kids, I don't have time to fuss with my hair. Grunge Mum 101.


We chatted while she did my hair about everything. Busy times/slack times in the hair salon (high times: prom, Easter, Christmas, weddings. Low times: NASCAR races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Seriously. Everyone's at the track. No one can park at the Mall.) Interesting clients. Learned a lot about daily life as a hair dresser. Kids bouncing on mattresses and dancing to Spongebob and the Wiggles.


Filed the info away under "Possible character". Even while I'm getting 4 inches lopped off at the salon, I' m still watching and listening. Yeah, the writer in me is always on the lookout for possible inspiration from real life. They say that sometimes Real Life is stranger than Fiction, and that's absolutely true. Real Life can inspire fiction. Being a writer requires you to watch and listen...you never know who or what will inspire an story.


Coffee houses are also good places to find writing sparks. My favorite place is called Jackson's Java, an independent coffee place just down the road from UNC Charlotte. It's a college hangout, and during the year, all sorts of people drop by. I'll jot notes to myself in my notebook and maybe do a quick sketch or two of a cool set of teacups they have on sale, or maybe a bottle of coffee flavoring.


Just watch, listen and find inspiration for your writing. It'll come from the most unexpected places.



All writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010

No comments:

Post a Comment

Got a comment? Question? Please type it below! Thanks!