Pictures of Food for Thought

A couple of weeks ago I facilitated an origami workshop here at the library. I say “facilitated” because normally I “teach” a workshop, meaning I impart my knowledge and experience of a skill or activity that I am familiar with to others, but as I know very little about origami and even less about how to actually fold paper into tiny sculptures, I think “facilitate” is a more appropriate word. It was school vacation week so I wanted an activity that patrons of all ages could just pop into without needing to be there for a whole hour in order to complete the project. So, in this case “facilitate” means I collected the library’s books on origami from the art and children’s areas and got packages of very beautiful squares of colored paper and laid it all out on the table, and waited. Let me just say I was very uncomfortable with this situation.

“What if someone needs help and I (gasp!) can’t help? What will happen??”

Well, as it turns out, people did need help because (guess what?) origami is hard. And I’ll tell you what happened: we had so much fun figuring out how to fold paper into tiny sculptures!  We laughed at ourselves for not being able to understand instructions that were written for children. We laughed at the mangled legs on our first attempt at a jumping frog and we laughed when, no matter how many different ways we tried it, that frog could jump but would only land upside down with its poor little mismatched feet in the air. And when we got really good at making jumping frogs, we laughed at how much fun a group of grown-ups could have making jumping frogs and holding jumping contests. We did not get good at making anything else. We will probably never do origami again.  (Ever.  It’s, like, seriously hard.) But we had a great time.  And when we were putting our supplies away I was so excited about the whole thing I blurted out, “I’m gonna write about this in The Blog!”

I told you it was hard.

So I went to the computer and sat there staring at the screen and wondered what I was supposed to say about a workshop that wasn’t really a workshop because we didn’t really do much and we certainly didn’t accomplish anything, unless of course you count giggling. But then I realized I do count giggling! This got me thinking about adults and play and how rarely we allow ourselves to do it.  So I googled it.  And it seemed like all the legit articles on the subject were quoting a Dr. Stuart Brown, so I googled him and it turns out he wrote a book called (guess what?) Play. So I looked up Play and, wouldn’t you know, it was in the stacks of your very own Medfield Public Library!

One jumping frog is cute. Four are just plain menacing!

Dr. Brown says, “The ability to play is critical not only to being happy, but also to sustaining social relationships and being a creative, innovative person. If that seems to be a big claim, consider what the world would be like without play. It’s not just an absence of games or sports. Life without play is a life without books, without movies, art, music, jokes, dramatic stories. Imagine a world with no flirting, no day-dreaming, no comedy, no irony. Such a world would be a pretty grim place to live. In a broad sense, play is what lifts people out of the mundane. I sometimes compare play to oxygen—it’s all around us, yet goes mostly unnoticed or unappreciated until it is missing.”

The Elusive Wild Pink Panda

If you’re feeling like you could use a little lift out of the mundane, I highly recommend you check out this book. (But not for another week–It’s still mine for another week!) It will help you figure out your own “play personality” so you can choose beneficial activities for yourself (because while kids are good at figuring out how to play, adults not so much.) Dr. Brown will also tell you what play actually is in case you’re such a fuddy-duddy you’ve forgotten. If you can’t wait for me to turn the book back in, here is a list of the “Properties of Play” to get you started.  I’ve added the parenthetical bits for clarification…

My apologies to Dr. Brown for so ineloquently summarizing his research.

Play is

-Apparently purposeless (What’s the point of this? Nothing? Awesome!)

-Voluntary (You can’t make me have fun if I don’t want to!)

-Inherent Attraction (That looks fun!)

-Freedom from Time (Time flies when you’re having…you get it.)

-Diminished consciousness of self (Do I look stupid? Oh, who cares!)

-Improvisational potential (What are the rules? What? We have to make them up? Great!)

-Continuation desire (I don’t want to stop doing this even if it is dinner time!)

I felt really good all day after the origami play session. And I have watched the video of the Jumping Frog Jumping Contest several times since then and it makes me smile every time, not because the video itself is all that entertaining, but because I am remembering how good it felt to be silly. And while I don’t plan to “facilitate” rather than “teach” workshops from now on, it was good for me feel a diminished consciousness of self for a little while.

The moral of the story here is that I can tell you all day long to go outside and have a water balloon fight with your neighbor (but remember, your neighbor’s participation should be voluntary), or to facilitate a workshop on something you know nothing about, or to get into the library Makerspace to play with some of our fun stuff (Shameless plug: see my previous blog post for a complete list of our toys and tools) but like Dr. Brown says, “…there is no way to really understand play without also remembering the feeling of play. If we leave the emotion of play out of the science, it’s like throwing a dinner party and serving pictures of food.”  So, go do it! Throw away those pictures of chicken wings you’re snacking on and get off the computer right now and GO PLAY!

Make One Of These and Call Me In The Morning

Welcome back to the Medfield Library Makerspace Blog!  This time, instead of talking about what we’re making over here, I want to talk about what you’re making over there. Or maybe I want to talk about what you’re not making.  Hey, why aren’t you making anything?!? Is it because you don’t have the tools or supplies and you don’t want to spend your hard earned cash on something you might not end up enjoying that much?  Or maybe you’re not sure you’ve got the time? I get it.  I have a tendency to get overexcited about a new idea and shop my little heart out and then five years later, while cleaning out the closet, I discover a bag filled with hand-dyed alpaca wool, knitting needles still in the wrapper and one million sequins…So, yeah.  Don’t do that.  But don’t let it stop you, either. I know you’ve got Creative Juices and if you don’t let them flow, you’re putting yourself at dangerously high risk for Crankiness.  Creative expression really does help relieve stress. (I promise. Go ahead and Google it.) So, even if you’re holding back because you’re just not sure what you want to make, we may have just what the doctor ordered!

(Can you blame me? Alpacas are the cutest!)

We have a lot of stuff here for you to play with. And all you have to do is come to the Medfield Library, make your way down to the basement, say “Hey” at the desk then step approximately four feet to your left and into The Makerspace! I feel it’s important to publish a list of everything we’ve got in there because last week this guy walked in, looked around and then fainted.  When he came to he was like, “Whoa.  I just didn’t understand before, but now…so many options…” and then he passed out again.  Turns out he hadn’t eaten yet that day, but still, I don’t want anyone else hurting themselves so be sure to read through the following list very carefully before you come to The Makerspace for the first time, or at least have a sandwich.

Wow! Look what happens when you Google “felt sandwich”…you can make one of these here, by the way. We have everything you need.

THE LIST

-Two Lulzbot 3-D printers

-Two Mac computers loaded with the full Adobe Design Suite including Photoshop and InDesign

-Silhouette Vinyl Cutter (and tons of vinyl colors to choose from)

-VHS to DVD transfer station

-Heavy Duty Sewing Machine and all the notions you need to complete your project including thread, scissors, needles, etc. and rotary cutters and cutting mats, an iron and an ironing board.  We also have a large selection of fabric that you are welcome to use.

– Embroidery hoops, needles, embroidery thread

-Needle felting needles, foam, finger guards and wool roving

-Crochet hooks and knitting needles of various sizes

-Knifty Knitter Looms

-Two small rigid heddle looms

-Lots of yarn!

-Jewelry making findings and pliers

-Screen printing screens, squeegees and ink

We also have supplies that will appeal to a younger crowd.  You have to be 15 years old to use the space on your own but parents and caregivers are welcome to bring the kiddos.

-Perler Beads

-Origami Paper

-Patterned Duct Tape

-Button Maker with blank templates & colored pencils, plus a great supply of old magazines to cut up

-Craft Oven for use with:

-Polymer Clay

-Shrinky Dinks

Mother-Daughter Button Making

Mother-Son Shrinky Dinks!

Proud Little Makers!

Still not quite sure what to do or how to get started?  Come by on a Monday or Wednesday from 3-5 p.m. or a Thursday from 4-6 p.m. and I (or the fabulous Matt, 3-D Printer Guru and all around good guy) will be in the Makerspace, ready to help and answer your questions.  If those times don’t work for you, drop me a line at MedfieldMakers@minlib.net and we can set up an appointment.

Still not ready? How about taking a class? We offer workshops at the library on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings. Check out our events page for a complete listing.  Still not ready?  Fine.  You’ve left me no choice.  Doctor’s Orders: GET MAKING!

Sorry.  Just kidding.  But seriously. Get Making.

See you in The Makerspace!

♥, Bri

P.S. No Alpaca or Library Patrons were harmed during the writing of this blog post.