Noticing

In last week’s workshop, we did a small exercise to see how well we noticed what Louise was wearing. I do think of myself  as someone who has a fairly decent memory. This is also a common exercise in improv classes (I have partaken in many over the years). Improv and acting exercises focus highly on the ability to notice others behaviour and appearance. So I do feel I may be trained in noticing this kind of thing a bit more than some of my peers. I managed to notice that Louise was wearing monochromatic grey aa cardigan that had polka dots (it was actually sequence but I was on the right track) and a scarf, along with grey shoes. I also managed to remember her clothing based on the fact that I had noticed them when we walked in.

I managed to notice that Louise was wearing monochromatic grey, a cardigan that had polka dots (it was actually sequence but I was on the right track) a scarf, along with grey shoes. I also managed to remember her outfit based on the fact that I had taken note of it when we walked in. Her monochromatic grey outfit made me think of an outfit in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas that Danny Kaye wears during The Best Things Happen While Your Dancing. I have an extensive knowledge of the making of White Christmas and as this is my favorite scene in the movie I know that Edith Head (the greatest costume designer of all time) designed this outfit monochromatically (and others in the film) so there would be a better flow in watching him dance.

” The discipline of noticing is a collection of practices which support the transformation of energy into deeper, stronger, and more robust noticing.” (Mason, 36)

Noticing is certainly an important practice to partake in. As shown in many of the examples in John Mason’s The Discipline of Noticing by noticing or recording things properly it can completely change our interpretation of social interactions and pieces of text.

“If we do not notice conflicts between our actions and our speech, there is nothing we can do about them” (Mason, 31)

This quote is something I can relate to and can honestly say I have attempted to put into my daily practice. I consciously try to alter my tone of voice while speaking on almost a daily basis. I’m very aware of my voice, my pitch, and my tone (or at least I try to be). I know that my voice can get unpleasantly high pitched to others and that I can slip into a condescending tone without realizing it. These are habits of speech which I try my best to break.

Reference:

Extract from John Mason, 2002, Researching your own practice: The discipline of noticing (London: Routledge)