Sense exercise #2
Another sense writing exercise. Taken from many writing sites. Use a familiar place and describe it using my five senses. As I write, I can see clearly which senses barely impact my conscious thoughts.
Sight
I sit down and face a large perfectly flat screen, just like the ones in the ads these days, not the old monitors that bulged towards you invitingly. A blank page, but not a real one; only an electronic simulation of a flat piece of paper, complete with shadowed edges. Reminiscent of a time when computers had barely been lifted from the realm of science fiction.
Sound
My ears strain for noises I usually block out. A faint sharp hum. But was it from the computer at my feet or the screen in front? I never noticed how annoying it could be. It's a good thing my mind normally takes care of that kind of detail and filters it out of my consciousness. I think it's from the screen. Now that I'm aware of it, it seems really loud. And annoying.
What else can I hear? The distant roar of traffic from a partially opened window, sounding like an ocean tide rushing in. Fading in and out.
A single honk. Not sudden and urgent. A simple warning. Birds? I never noticed those before. Sounds like a flock. It's gone now. Must have been on their way somewhere else. Just travellers passing through.
Other sounds I can't identify yet but it gives an impression of space. There's life out there.
Touch
The pads of my fingers lightly touch the keyboard. Smooth jiggly keys. Two tiny bumps to tell me I'm at the right place. Don't even need my mouth to verbalize, it's only my fingers doing the typing. Fingers connected straight to ideas that appear magically on the page.
I'm slouching. Not good. I should sit up. Now, there's pressure on my back. Is that good? Uh oh. A slight twinge of pain at the lower spine. I have to remember to have better posture when I'm sitting.
Smell
Can't smell anything. Oh wait. I smell the dog. Have no idea how to describe it. He must be around here somewhere.
Taste
A flat sensation. An after taste of the Coke I just had. What does it taste like now? Not quite sweet. An artificial flavour clinging to my taste buds.
Sight
I sit down and face a large perfectly flat screen, just like the ones in the ads these days, not the old monitors that bulged towards you invitingly. A blank page, but not a real one; only an electronic simulation of a flat piece of paper, complete with shadowed edges. Reminiscent of a time when computers had barely been lifted from the realm of science fiction.
Sound
My ears strain for noises I usually block out. A faint sharp hum. But was it from the computer at my feet or the screen in front? I never noticed how annoying it could be. It's a good thing my mind normally takes care of that kind of detail and filters it out of my consciousness. I think it's from the screen. Now that I'm aware of it, it seems really loud. And annoying.
What else can I hear? The distant roar of traffic from a partially opened window, sounding like an ocean tide rushing in. Fading in and out.
A single honk. Not sudden and urgent. A simple warning. Birds? I never noticed those before. Sounds like a flock. It's gone now. Must have been on their way somewhere else. Just travellers passing through.
Other sounds I can't identify yet but it gives an impression of space. There's life out there.
Touch
The pads of my fingers lightly touch the keyboard. Smooth jiggly keys. Two tiny bumps to tell me I'm at the right place. Don't even need my mouth to verbalize, it's only my fingers doing the typing. Fingers connected straight to ideas that appear magically on the page.
I'm slouching. Not good. I should sit up. Now, there's pressure on my back. Is that good? Uh oh. A slight twinge of pain at the lower spine. I have to remember to have better posture when I'm sitting.
Smell
Can't smell anything. Oh wait. I smell the dog. Have no idea how to describe it. He must be around here somewhere.
Taste
A flat sensation. An after taste of the Coke I just had. What does it taste like now? Not quite sweet. An artificial flavour clinging to my taste buds.