Browsing the Galilean Library this morning, I came across a thread about a creative writing technique called “Qualities Exercise.” You try to describe the characteristics of a quality or an abstract concept as if it was a person. There’s an art to this exercise of anthropomorphism, as I found out:
Boredom is a stubborn and dedicated motherfucker that never takes a day off and works twice as hard on the weekends. He is fond of interrupting anyone, especially when they’re having a good time, and starts going on the most irrelevant subjects. Although he is rarely ever officially invited, you will always find him at any party or social event- he’s the last one to leave. If you tried to remember what he looks like you wouldn’t be able to describe him – a nondescript, mousy, totally forgettable look – but you’d recognize him right away in a crowd. Most people complain about Boredom, how he drags them down. Although some of them have figured him out and when they invite him over for tea, he turns them down flat. He lives in the basement of his brother Despair’s house, and is married to Ennui, but he hasn’t spoken to his twin Ecstasy in decades.
