I thought, 'I'm going to create a character who has all the characteristics of what you hope you aren't.' " He set up an alter ego struggle: Chuck is the handsome, successful character you project to the world, and Buck is the character who's confused and a nuisance and has nothing to offer.
"It was characteristic of you," prime minister Winston Churchill wrote to Duke, "to go up yesterday after the shocking accident".
"Part of it is an inherent characteristic of you, and part of it is a secret that you make up, like a password.
If these documents had got out earlier, if you had put on your gloves, with the momentum characteristic of you, it is possible that this matter would have never got this far at all.
These role models will only hold you back because you are not really changing any characteristics of yourself, you are simply perfecting characteristics that are already there.
Make lists if you like - lists of good characteristics, of what you see in people, of good and bad moments, of your favorite foods, etc.
By describing the characteristics of something, you invite the audience to try to unravel the mystery before you reveal the answer, forcing them to become active listeners.
By developing a basic understanding of the characteristics of beetles, you can learn to identify types that thrive in your area.
This way you remember which bottles you love, which you hate, and the characteristics of each wine you run across.
The next time you absently palm that paperweight on your desk, ponder this: The physical characteristics of the objects you touch can influence how you perceive the world.
