New Experiments In SciFi.

I recently had a long discussion with a poet who always carries a notebook and writes down what he sees.

We were talking about where ideas come from, and we found we had different approaches to our creative minds. I talked about how I asked 'what if' to situations and events, and he mentioned his ever present notebook. I spent a week or more thinking about it before I started keeping one handy and writing down snatches of conversations, descriptions of people, places, and events. Of course you can't be an obvious voyeur, or an eavesdropper, but it's surprising how much stuff I've started noticing.

OK, so my notes are a little self-conscious at the moment, and maybe I'm trying a bit hard and they appear pretentious. But I've already had a whole bunch of ideas from them. And I find that I'm remembering things I'd have otherwise forgotten.

I worked on a story yesterday, and even dragged out my notebook to use some dialogue I could rip off.

So far, so good.  Maybe one day I'll even be confident enough to post bits of my notebook here.

Pushy Salesmen Without Manners.

It was my wife's birthday a couple of days ago, and so we went out last weekend to buy her present. A new  notebook PC.

I'd done my research, and knew what I would buy if it were for me - but personal preference comes into play with items like this, and so the best thing was for her to be with me when I bought it.

I went into one store where the salesman was so rude he lost a sale for his company. In fact, I won't be returning there.

He approached me and asked if he could assist me.  The conversation was like this.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No, thanks, I'm just looking."

"What are you looking for?"
"I don't need any help. I'm simply looking, thanks."

"And I asked you what you're looking for."
"And I said I didn't need any help."

"And I asked you what you're looking for."
"And I said I didn't need any help. I'm fine, thank you."

He'd been moving gradually forward with each question, and at this point he invaded my personal space.

"I'm just trying to be polite. What are you looking for?"
"You're not being polite. I don't need your help. Leave me alone."

"Some people," he muttered. "What is it you're interested in?"

I have spent a number of years working with IT, including a couple of years programming before this salesman was even born. so I knew what I was looking for, and did not need or want his so-called 'help'. At this point I considered saying something obscure, such as "I'm interested in a new table tennis table, which is why I'm looking at these PCs."  But I was good, and restrained myself. Instead I flipped the top of a laptop down to see if the finish was glossy or matte.  He then told me off for touching it. Other staff, seemingly senior, stood idly by and watched this almost surreal exchange.

And that was when I left, vowing never to return to that store in Nunawading. Not only did they not get a sale from me then, they've lost all future sales due to a pushy, teenage idiot with no manners. I have bought from there before and had planned on returning there shortly as I will soon be in the market for a few electronic goods.

Yes, I was polite the entire time (my wife was there with me) and I did not even raise my voice.

And despite their catchy Beach Boys' style jingles, I won't be going there again.