Jessica Nelson, Super Spy
I'm guilty.
Guilty of reading my sisters' diaries. Guilty of listening to strangers' conversations. Guilting of putting my ear to a wall and trying to hear what's happening in the next room.
My heart galloped in my chest when, in my high school years, I discovered I could listen in on my mom's phone conversations via the radio. Yep. Turned it to the right channel with the antenna pointed just so, and I could hear every word.
But my curiosity always battled my conscience. Now, instead of eavesdropping on others, I write characters who do it.
Have you ever eavesdropped? Heard something you shouldn't have? Did you regret it or enjoy it?
Guilty of reading my sisters' diaries. Guilty of listening to strangers' conversations. Guilting of putting my ear to a wall and trying to hear what's happening in the next room.
My heart galloped in my chest when, in my high school years, I discovered I could listen in on my mom's phone conversations via the radio. Yep. Turned it to the right channel with the antenna pointed just so, and I could hear every word.
But my curiosity always battled my conscience. Now, instead of eavesdropping on others, I write characters who do it.
Have you ever eavesdropped? Heard something you shouldn't have? Did you regret it or enjoy it?
Comments
Hey Jess, can you drop by my blog pretty please and tell me if I am appearing in your dashboard reader thingy. Blogger ate my post yesterday and didn't actually appear in my dashboard reader until some 6hrs after I posted. Grrr!
I love it don't you? How cool was the radio thing. I bet you had a smile on your face every time the phone rang.:)
Research is a wonderful thing. :-)
LOL! I did have a smile, but I was also hyper-paranoid I'd be caught.
The best material comes from being in public places. People say the strangest things in public.
Blessings to you...
Hi MaryBeth, I hear you on that. The only difference with me is that my curiosity won out. :-)
Tamika, you're so right. People don't pay attention to themselves, or maybe they think no one is spying on them? LOL
I always want to know as much as possible, but guilt always wins over if there's an opportunity to eavesdrop. I don't want to get caught, either!
~ Wendy
You're a good woman for not giving in to your baser desires. LOL
I once read an email my then teenage son got from a friend, in which he criticized a girl their age for wearing the same skirt I had. The friend was dissing the girl, but I felt responsible, since I had purchased that same skirt when I saw it on her and admired it!
I never read another one of his emails.
Whew, got that off my chest after 13 years. Thanks, Jess!
Um--COUGH COUGH--for research, of course. :)
But, hey, being such a good overlistening--I mean, listener--can only make a writer better at creating good dialogue, right?!
Have fun at the t-ball game!
I remember one time when I was really little, my dad picked up on a neighbor's phone convo. No idea who it was. But it was horrible! I remember it was an argument of some sort about disciplining their children.
Have you ever had an instance where it was hard not to eavesdrop? For example, on the bus to one of the Disney parks last week, this younger guy and older man were getting into an argument about how the younger guy was irresponsible and owed money for cigarettes. Younger guy didn't think he should pay and said he could make it on his own. It just went from there and was pretty comical some of the stuff the younger kid was saying. Pretty certain everyone on the bus heard it :P
Have a fantastic weekend!
I too can't imagine you doing this either! LOL. Ah, so now we know there is some you in your characters. I'm guilty of this too. Many of my chars are a portion of me, however mostly... I live vicariously through them.
I got caught eavedropping when I was eight and the relative tat cuaght me was SO mad, he yelled at me until I cried. I never did it again!
It's all good!
Blessings,
Susan :)
Robyn, I'm sorry. :-( Hopefully things will boot up soon.
Everyone else, thank you so much for sharing your guilty pleasure! LOL I wanted to respond to everyone but haven't been able to get on the computer until now.
:-( I really appreciate your comments and the way you all make me laugh. :-)
I've heard our dialogue isn't supposed to mimic real life because we ramble, repeat and can be downright boring. Yup! That's what my research has proven to be the case.
We writers work so hard to make our character's conversations sound natural, and I'm sure many readers have no idea how much of a challenge that can be at times. But it sure feels great when we get it right, doesn't it?
Your blog shows up beautifully every time :) And you post nice and early so I always catch you just before I go to bed (cause with the time difference it is about 10pm here on the night of the morning you guys are all posting :)
You have a wonderful blog, Jess. I always enjoy the visit.
Yeah, they know. I couldn't resist bragging a little after I was older and those days were behind me. Hmmm, and I seem to think the one sister caught me in the act once??? LOL I have two sisters, both kept diaries. Lucky me. LOL I kept a diary too, and kept it verrrrryyyyy well hidden. LOL
True, Patti. Ignorance is bliss, and all that. LOL
Keli,
What a great point! We need to listen to the men and cut out all the fluff to figure out what and how they say it. Thanks for the reminder! And I saw you finaled AGAIN! LOL Congrats!
You're welcome Tabitha, and thank you for your sweet comments. I was wondering how you always comment on mine right away! LOL I actually schedule posts, I'm not really up that early. Blogger doesn't hate just you. I'm paranoid so sometimes I repost my stuff. :-) That always seems to help.
Exactly Heather! Way to justify! *wink*
My sister and I used to get on the phone and listen in on my brother's conversations with his girlfriends. That made him so mad, but we loved every minute of it. *devilish grin*
The majority of times throughout my life when I heard something I wasn't supposed to, it usually ended up being something I wished I hadn't heard to begin with. Heh...
But I agree, it's fun writing characters who do the things I'm either afraid to do, or held by ethical binds NOT to do. Heehee. That's what makes our characters human, and what makes writing so FUN.
Well, go back to spying, super sleuth. And have a great Saturday! ;-D
That might be true Stephanie. I hadn't thought it had to do with me being a writer. Huh.
Anita, I agree! Our characters do stuff we don't. I'm sorry you heard stuff you wish you hadn't. That always stinks, but it's an unavoidable hazard. *snicker*
I'm horrible! I not only listen, I take part in conversations of perfect strangers! (only if they seem willing)
I'm notorious for sitting at a game or other function, hearing something interesting and jumping right in. And, can you believe it, some people give me pretty strange looks.
:)
I try not to eavesdrop because I don't want to hear something I may regret hearing....
But sometimes I do listen to strangers on the street or in restaurants or plays or whatever...
I didn't know about the radio/phone thing! THat's pretty wild! It's weird how people used to be SO sensitive about who heard them on the phone(even had closed in phone booths)! Now-I HAVE to listen to everybody on their cells! Craziness!
Kathryn, you're so polite and sweet! Your comment really goes with how you look in your pics. :-)
Penny! You just completely cracked me up! Of course it's more fun when a conversation is about us. LOL
You listen in on cell phones? tsk, tsk *wink*
Okay, some people FORCE us to listen in. Most especially when they have ear buds?
When you see a guy standing in front of the cough drops having a conversation, you naturally listen in because you wonder why he's a) talking to himself, or b)talking to cough drops.
And then you realize he's talking to his wife about what he needs to pick up at the store.
Hi Belle,
People watching is fun. The way they dress, walk, who they're with, it all adds up to wondering what their story is. You should go people-watch. I bet you'd have fun. :-)
Thank you for commenting!
MOM!!! I can't believe you brought Dad into this. *snicker*
Victoria, I've been in that position before. It's a hard spot to be in.