People Watching

         The Jack Johnson song "People Watching" set the tone for this entry!  Tis my second day off and I came to Starbucks as per custom to make this entry and to relax a little on campus.  I also have another reason for always coming to such a public place.  Some of you who read my blog may know I spend an enormous amount of time reading books on Communication (theory, techniques, nonverbal, etc.) and I am just now starting to come to places where there is a lot of foot traffic so I can practice "people watching" to really help my studying take hold.  Now the trick for me personally is to actually make eye contact with people, I have a lot of trouble with that due to my mild case of shyness.  I know that lack of eye contact, though, can suggest lack of interest or dishonesty (neither of which I wish to convey).  I always feel like when I make eye contact at all, at least for more than a second it will seem like I am staring and I get uncomfortable.  So basically you get me often looking around when I talk to you or if I try to use eye contact for an initial meeting I only use quick glances!  Well, at least I know my problem right?  I'll work at it and get better in a matter of months because I know the eyes are the most important tool at my disposal for nonverbal communication and connecting with people that are important to me.  Not to mention I have some pretty gorgeous eyes!
      In other news it is a grey slightly rainy morning here in West Lafayette.  Well I am counteracting the urge to stay in and sleep all day by using the 3 days worth of music (according to iTunes) at my disposal as well as yet another book to reread dealing with people.  I won't go too much into what the book is about because it would take four or more entries but it is called "Winning With People" so you can imagine what it might be about basically.  It is written by John Maxwell, one of my favorite authors and speakers so I would give it a look as well as his other dozen books!  As long as I keep my extremely large mind on other things I can combat my Seasonal Affective Disorder fairly handily as I move into that time of year.  By the end of the winter months I will probably have written dozens of these blog entries and read about twenty new books to be honest.  As long as I grow as a person every day in some way, learning at least one new thing or making a connection with an idea I have thought about in the past then I am happy.  Anyways, I think I better get to reading, listening to my music, and begin people watching!  Fascinating stuff this is :)