I love a routine that keeps changing – an oxymoron, yes. There is certain stuff I need to do in a particular sequence and then there are things where I regularly shake things up. Food, exercise, music and books, the set-up of my room, places and faces around are just some examples.
I think I have mentioned I love running. But I tire of the treadmill. So I hunted for other options for a change of pace and path. Now there is a running track close to my place that I have been haunting for two years now. To empty my mind, I unknowingly started making observations and filed them to memory during my runs.
And I saw the beauty routine brings. I remember faces and the company they keep. I have been an unintended witness to the transitions that they have been through. A lady who used to get a stroller for her baby now holds her hand as they walk together. Those tiny feet used to be encased in booties and now carry an exuberant talkative munchkin. I have seen the woman become a little soft around the edges and smile secretly at the antics of her daughter. She is restrained when an older lady accompanies her – perhaps her mother-in-law?
I also see a man with a big handlebar mustache who has been a regular around the track. He has changed too! About two years back, he was morbidly obese and could only walk a few steps before stopping. And now his strides are brisk, considerable pounds lighter. The only thing not changed is his set determined expression. He does not look up and nod at people unless he is at rounding a corner. He is one hundred percent focused on his walk.
Then there is a set of cute grandparents. Walking stick in each hand, a grocery bag strung over one shoulder at times – they stick to one round. No more. No less. There is a group of people they frequently run into. Grandpa is the one with the booming voice and Grandma has a gentle hum to her laugh. They look so sorted! And they always smile at me whenever I happen to pass by, calling out a “saavkash beta” (Take care child!) when I trip – which happens a lot!
Who knew I was a closeted stalker people-watcher?? Makes me wonder what guest appearances I may have made for other people, slipping in and out with no set days. What they might have seen on my face over the last two years?
Tell me a story about your observations. About those strangers who are so familiar for a few moments.
An Armchair Perfectionist 
Ha!.. guess.. i’ll go first..
first of all i have an actual
Syndrome named Asperger’s..
diagnosed at age 47.. only as
a side note of physical illnesses and
such at that age coming from severe
and chronic 2 year fight or flight stress..
yes.. for 2 years or so in the work place..
somewhat common these
days as multi-tasking
humans to
death
per efficiency.. humans
as tools has now become
a new age rule.. anyWay..
repetitive restrictive special
interests.. is a natural routine of that
syndrome.. and for me it’s a numbers
game as you may have guessed by now
already.. hehe.. moving from 18 years at the
same job at a Bowling Center.. part of 25.. working
for the government and eventually moving up a ladder
to the stress part of that and watching children grow up before
from baby to having children age then in a cheers like environment
where a significant portion of the population of the town could recognize
me as the Bowling Alley guy.. 8 years in college for 4 degrees.. before the
5th.. actually.. with kindergarten and 12 years before the 1st Associate’s degree..
Bowling Alley routine.. hey.. yep.. any job will do better than none.. haha.. and
then a close to 33 month stint without effective use of eyes and ears to
get mostly shut in like the Hunch Back of Notre Dame with the worst
pain known to humankind that went 33 months more after i started
writing one word coming to 12 million online today.. as this is
the day i celebrate that 6 year routine and numbers too.. and
yes.. another routine i picked up was responding to every
single post Prajakta has written in about 2 and
a half years now.. after meeting her
writing on dVerse.. as i enjoy
the fact that she writes
about something
different
and interesting
every time i come here
that broadens my understanding
about how she looks at life as a young
professional woman working in India..
where i find from my online adventures
that these people living there i meet in broad band way..
are almost always nice without fail.. could have something
to do with tHeir overall respect for nature.. as the monkey roams
free.. hehe.. too.. over there.. not so much over here.. and that is
kinda sad as dominate nature is kinda the rule of routine here..
ugh.. as the smoke stacks continue to pollute the air.. not
as much.. at least.. what else.. well that’s probably
enough as you know
i
could
go on..
but for now
Happy days here..
alWays a pleasure
to visit my friEnd from
India.. Prajakta.. and i like
the way that names sounds
as it seems so so original.. too..
and of course PS.. dance walking about
6500 miles now in 39 months every place
i go in public where mostly the entire metro
area has totally forgotten i was the bowling
alley guy and am now called the dancing guy.. life is good..
like Forrest Gump says too.. if you saw that movie..
as the
feather
floats
life wHeRE the flow goes..
as just another routine dances and sings..
as i ready for my 136th dance week tonight
with all the cool college age folks here
in the metro are dance hall.. and
add to my collection of
over a thousand
photos of
sweet
smiling
young
women
dancing with me around
3 AM iN new age selfie style too..
as a feather continues to get around..
in somewhat super epic
routine.. iN
SMiLes
Style.. thanks.. for giving.. i needed
this prompt today.. iT fits wRite iN.. as routines do..;)
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*metro area
(also a very
strange perfectionist
i am too..;)
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I think observing people is a great pastime. Lovely piece to read. 👍
I often find myself listening to conservations of people near me in a bus or train. Sometimes I figure out whats going on in their lives by listening. I like to listen people’s opinion on any topics and form my opinion about them silently. Sometimes our mind likes us to do innocent wickedness. 😊
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Nice read as usual. 🙂
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Haha! Cute post. Can a post be cute? Anyway. I feel you. About the routine, changing things up, and wondering how strangers may perceive you. As you perceive them? Indifferent, maybe? Who knows? It’s funny how you pass so many people every day. What things must be going on in their lives? Each has a story to tell. Perplexing and confounding. And yet, we say it’s a small world. Interesting. 🙂
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Good read Prajakta
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I am all about people watching! At the mall, on my walks…
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Routines are made to be broken or shuffle , else we will have robotic life…
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This is one of the coolest things about being a deep observer! I wouldn’t say I’ve a great observation about everything because mostly the storm in my own head is too loud for me to notice anything else but there are always some people who capture my attention sometimes during daily routines and I can’t help but wonder about their lives, their struggles etc etc. This was such a thought provoking read Prajakta 💟
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Beautiful! It’s like taking the same route on a train day after day with more or less the same people and you see changes in them too.
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[…] An Armchair Perfectionist About routines… […]
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I like this post because you painted the characters well. I like also that I sensed the fondness you have for these fellow track stars. Tell me, what do they see when they observe you?
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You seem to be thoroughly enjoying stalking them ☺️
I started hitting gym this year…so that makes me sort of your follower now.
Btw, many people are poor at observing, like me…not sure they even registered your presence.
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That was a 360 degree view of the track! 😛 Enjoyed the running read!
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There are millions of stories unfolding around us all the time. Mostly we miss them lost in our own cares and worries. Sometimes when we are open to looking, like in this case perhaps, we see many other lives and stories, each one unique and interesting. Warm read!
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Thanks a lot Ankur 🙂 I often think it is such a waste of good stories … Just because we simply cannot know them all.
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Let us try to be happy knowing the ones we do…
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“And I saw the beauty routine brings…”
From all that I read, I like to take at least one thing with me as I continue on my day..and from you, it is this.
Thanks for the post.
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When I catch myself people watching… Andy Weir’s The Egg is always quick to mind, bringing with it a different sense of empathy.
…Always makes me look at it all just a bit differently.
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Thanks a lot for your kind comments. And now that you said it, The Egg actually makes a connect with this 🙂
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