Voyeurism and Creativity

[dragon wench]

There is a possibility that we might put our house on the market and move considerably closer into town.

As a result I have spent the last couple of days with our real estate agent looking at a variety of townhouses and condos. Now, I should state at this point that our realtor is actually a great guy. Unlike many of his profession, he is low-key, down-to-earth, thoroughly honest, and he has a great sense of humour. This means we spend a lot of time joking about the places we're looking at, and speculating about the people who inhabit them...
Today for example, we saw an extremely messy condo practically stacked to the brim with wine bottles and CDs. Fascinating....

Anyway, I find that looking around at the places people live in is actually very interesting, and a great deal of fun. I mean really, the only other individuals who get to do this are cops...

But, not unlike cops.. when I go into a place I can't help but start creating an image of the people who live there, just based on the decor, their taste in books, music etc. Indeed, I even go so far as to give them personalities and an entire life story. Usually by the time I walk out of the place I have about three chapters written about them in my head

I will do something similar if I see somebody who looks interesting while I'm on a bus... I'll discretely observe them, and usually by the time either of us gets off, I'll have drawn a background for them in my head.

So, is this voyeurism? A blending of voyeurism and the imagination? Anybody else ever done anything like this?

[Bloodstalker]

I really don't think it's a good idea to comment in this thread.

Let's just say that I have, on occasion, been guilty of people watching and leave it at that.

[fable]

Let's just say that I have, on occasion, been guilty of people watching and leave it at that.

Yes, but you do it to see if they've got any liquor you can steal.

I am guilty as charged, though: I like covertly watching people. It gives me ideas for description, movement, texture, etc, while writing. I guess we all have some bits and pieces of our professions in a separate mindset that comes out, every now and again. This probably sounds unpleasantly cold, though my wife, the ex-nurse, has a way of looking at times that lets me know she's evaluating people for all sorts of medical signs. Including (gulp) me.

[Bloodstalker]

I'll accept that description of my activities because it could be true, and is better than most other accusations people could have made.

To be honest, I generally watch people because they do the most amusing things. Especially if they don't think anyone is watching. I sometimes like to see if I can convince friends that I can read people just by observing them as well. I'll make stupid comments about certain actions someone doing, and it seems as long as I say it in a confident tone, people believe me.

[LeoStarDragon1]

My Two Cents!

Hey, Folks!

As a door-to-door salesman, pizza delivery driver, and census renumerator, I've had my own peeks too. It was one of the fringe benefits of delivering pizzas to girls/women/females that answered the door in skimpy attire or sans attire, while a cause to ask for hazard pay when guys did the same!

Especially around the time that movie about the pizza guy who was a gigalo came out on home video. or aired on TV, etc.

Anyway, the state of their homes stayed in my subconscious mind, as I now dream about them. Only like in that one Buffy episode, they connect together as one huge superstructure. The people are there too sometimes.

So when I wake up sometimes, I feel like I've been to work.

I don't feel so insecure about my own home, after seeing so many other's having a house in a similiar state, especially the single guys, and the women with babies or toddlers, that have toys and such scattered everywhere and pet owners. Only the rich people with tidy houses make me feel insecure.

But anyway, I know what you mean, Dragon Wench!

[Xandax]

<snip>
Today for example, we saw an extremely messy condo practically stacked to the brim with wine bottles and CDs. Fascinating....
<snip>

hey - get out of my place.

:laugh:

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Yup. All the time.

Right before I start mentally redecorating their houses the way I'd have them set up...

[Lady Dragonfly]

Meh, who cares about other people? They are all messy, silly, dull, disproportionately built, and dressed awfully.

I prefer virtual reality. You just can't compare the thrill of guessing NPC alignment and rummaging through their inventory to observing a random guy munching on his cheeseburger, let alone touring his cluttered abode. Yawn.

[Millieway]

So, is this voyeurism?

Only if;
1# You derive sexual gratification from observing actions of others
2# When drawing the "backround" it fundamentally consists of naked bodies or sexual acts
3# You do it from a secret vantage point.



Err-well, said the Orr-well.

[BlueSky]

And on the other hand,
if you notice people watching you,
a friend and I would start talking about our spy work/undercover agent/ and other far out conversations with fake names and places....

[Beldin]

girls/women/females that answered the door in skimpy attire or sans attire,

Tell....us....more....:devil:

**fap fap fap - sounds can be heard in the background**

[fable]

Tell....us....more....:devil:

**fap fap fap - sounds can be heard in the background**

And you also use that hand to write your mother...?

[Beldin]

And you also use that hand to write your mother...?

As a matter of fact I don't write with my hands...
Since they're obviously occupied otherwise, I'm having a secretary type my messages....

..and yes, she's sitting in my lap right nooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww.....