| I've always liked to make gadgets and gizmos that | | | | rigging a length of electrical heating tape wound in a |
| have some function, either useful or not so useful. It | | | | large coil-shape to surround the keyboard. Tying the |
| started with the simple things that many kids make - | | | | heat tape to a large piece of cardboard keeps it in |
| slingshots, a simple bow and arrow, a toy boat. | | | | place. It does a nice job of keeping my hands warm. I |
| Occasionally I made more involved items such as a | | | | can leave the room temperature set where I want it. |
| canoe and a dune buggy. Then there was the grass | | | | As far as I know, you can't buy anything like that. |
| hut - 12 feet across, octogonal in shape, and thatched | | | | Building and inventing improves my understanding of |
| top to bottom with a thick layer of grass. I built it in a | | | | mechanical devices and materials. It gets easier to |
| remote location, near a stipmine filled with water. | | | | manipulate and modify the physical things that are so |
| Hauled the cut grass in a 1972 Volkswagon convertible | | | | much a part of everyday living. With effort and |
| with the top down. Piled the grass high in the back | | | | imagination, often new devices can be made or |
| seat. It must have taken a dozen trips back and forth | | | | existing ones improved for my enjoyment and |
| from a nearby hay field. | | | | satifaction. |
| Simple things appeal to me more than costly | | | | Both intuition and logic are used to make a homemade |
| homemade items. A small project lets me pursue an | | | | gizmo. The more the two abilities are used together, |
| interest without interfering with other goals. A project | | | | the more powerful the combination becomes. A strong |
| with a small amount of time invested seems more like | | | | partnership of reason and creativity helps a person to |
| entertainment. Time spent earnestly involved in the | | | | produce and enjoy life. |
| creation of something designed and made with ones | | | | It is fun and satisfying to conjure up and build simple |
| own ingenuity can be quite enjoyable. | | | | devices. Those created items command more |
| So now when I don't feel motivated to do more | | | | appreciation than more casually acquired, purchased |
| practical things I often turn to an idea about some | | | | items. And it feels good proving that imagination and |
| device or other that I've wanted to try making but | | | | ingenuity can make life better. |
| never got around to. I can recall many such improvised | | | | The process of invention seems magical. The mind |
| devices that gave me satisfaction and enjoyment. | | | | pieces together what it has already made some |
| Ideas for things to make come from many places. | | | | sense of into something new. It seems that even the |
| Most often the idea comes from some need. I do a lot | | | | most obscure result can eventually be produced. The |
| of keying of text using a computer keyboard. I tend to | | | | grass hut and the keyboard heater each gave me a |
| keep the room temperature a bit cool, cool enough | | | | little taste of that magic. |
| that my hands become uncomfortable. I ended up | | | | |