Anything Goes School Of People-watching Martial Arts

I have always loved people-watching and it has been a part of my life since I was very little. Whenever I find myself in big groups I have an inclination  to remain at the sidelines and just watch those around me. But not simply watch superficially, but actually pay attention to their gestures, movements, behaviours, etc. It becomes an interesting experience, noticing the interplay of body language and personalities revealing all these subtle bits of information for each individual person. Sometimes, when I have the time, I like to go out and sit somewhere busy where you can just watch and analyze the complicated and variegated interactions between people. And whenever somebody notices me watching them so thoughtfully, it can get a tad embarrassing, but I try and brush it off with a smile and a flash of the eyebrows. The latter can sometimes have the unfortunate result that they think I'm flirting or something.

I would say that one-on-one interaction is the one realm where I find 'people'-watching most difficult. Giving all my attention to one person makes it a challenge to pay attention to his/her behaviour, let alone try and analyze what I am seeing. And when I do try, my staring and absent-mindedness can weird people out.

But yes, people-watching, if given the right amount of attention and perception, can be quite an educational experience. Just remember to do it in the most relaxed and dispassionate manner possible, unless you want people to think you're some kind of creepy stalker type -- ;-}

Cheers!