One of the best benefits of being a writer is that everything we do can be considered research. I'm most reminded of this fact when I get out and do fun things like attending a baseball game. Outdoor events are wonderful ways to soak up atmosphere (we had rain, rainbows, and beautifully cloudy skies), plus I was able to people-watch the crowd while enjoying the game. Sights, sounds, smells, feelings...all these sensory experiences are necessary to a working writer because these are the parts of a story with which the reader will connect.