Play

The idea of play is interesting to me. Recently I had a discussion with an acquaintance who is going to be able to work directly with some ancient materials and he said, "I can't wait till I get to play with them" then corrected himself to say, "I mean, work with." But I think what he really did mean was play. I think the best work happens when it is play.

Mr Music give me examples of this in several areas. We were recently in Williamsburg and he got his hands on the harpsichord and was playing it, you can tell it is playing and not any sort of formal making music. Sheer enjoyment and his head is obviously somewhere in the playing.  (thanks to Miss Language for the video) He is also the best at his sports when he PLAYS them and as his mom I can tell the difference between him trying to score in whatever game or just playing... and he does so much better when he can get his head in that place of enjoyment. 

One of Miss Dog Lover's doctors has introduced us to the idea of flow theory. One researcher gives these conditions for flow, which I think is like play, to exist: 

1. Knowing what to do
2. Knowing how to do it
3. Knowing how well you are doing
4. Knowing where to go (if navigation is involved)
5. High perceived challenges
6. High perceived skills
7. Freedom from distractions

Think about it these conditions and play the next time you watch sports, or an academic at his labor of love, or a musician, or a toddler doing a shape sorter - or the same toddler once he has mastered the shape sorter and no longer has any interest in it. I am glad God has made us with abilities and interests and the ability to enjoy using our abilities. What are some areas you hit a flow state in?

One-word Quotes

Yesterday at a meal it came up that one of Miss Language's friends has just watched (sit down here) The Princess Bride for the first time. (fan yourself and recover a bit. I know. Poor deprived young adult.)

Anyhow.

We all started quoting the movie and of course came to "Inconceivable." And we began to wonder what other one-word quotes are famous. We came up with a few but I am curious about what you will come up with.

The follow-up question is this, Do one-word quotes exist in books, too? Or do they need the inflection etc of a song or movie? The only contender we came up with was So (or more accurately Hwaet), although I thought the So could be just as well Vonnegut as Beowulf. 

The final tunnel in this rabbit trail was one-word tags: Mr Music suggested for example that there is really only one place to go from "Ishmael."

Anyone here want to contribute to this discussion?  :)

Fashion Statement

Anyone who has never met me in real life probably pictures a total fashion plate. However, I am not. Hope you are not too disappointed.  :-P

But, I do wonder when I see things like a picture that came in an email of patterns from Lion yarn today. It included this hat:

with the heading: Make a statement with this crocheted beret! The fun popcorn stitch adds a unique texture, and the Mustard shade of Vanna's Choice is one of the most popular colors of the autumn season. 

I have to wonder just what that means? Exactly what sort of statement would this hat be making? And is it one I want to make?

Statements that come to mind include:
* I have been taken over by a yarn mushroom.
* I love muffins!

What does it look like to you?

Sock It To Me

Mr Music, Miss Dog Lover, and I finally did a craft I copied from a blogland friend, called Sock Monkey Portraits. Doesn't even the name sound like fun? 

Ours are not as skillfully wrought or photographed as hers, but we had a good and silly time making them. 


First, let me introduce Miss Dog Lover's Bride Monkey. I love the way she made the gown:

Then, Mr Music's Pirates player #22, Andrew McCutchen. He was so clever about cutting up old ballfield programs and got the "22" from an old calendar:

and finally, my Mom Monkey:

Hope you have fun making some, too!