In answer to the question "what can you do with 144 variously pastel-colored
translucent plastic hearts and stars that have a small opening which allows
them to be linked together?" - you can link them together. You can
link them into long, tinkly chains. You can link them into short tinkly
chains. You can link chains together. You can create entire networks of
tinkly linked chains. You can create chains that are hearts only, chains
that are stars only, chains that alternate hearts and stars, chains that
alternate two stars with three hearts, chains that are made only of emerald
hearts and stars, chains of only ruby hearts, ad, probably, infinitum.
Every meeting, especially every creative meeting, can benefit from a
finger toy of any kind. In keeping with the well-established value of
worry-beads, finger toys keep hands occupied while minds are flinging
through the cluttered cosmos of collaborative creativity. A bag or several
of Linkers adds a new dimension to finger toying. It allows for communal
toying. It creates an environment similar to that of a quilting bee, where
hands are satisfyingly busy working on a shared product. It reinforces
the sense of participation, of relationship, of commitment to a group
effort. It allows for the weaving of a non-verbal thread of dialogue that
keeps people playfully together.
Since several shapes can be linked to one, people can start branches.
Others can elect to continue adding to a branch, or starting yet another
branch. One person can link several pieces together in what she hopes
will become a pattern that others will follow, and the next person can
elaborate, or ignore, add or subtract, detach a chain from one link and
reattach it to another. And in so doing participate in a non-verbal, non-symbolic,
but truly binding dialogue.
About one bag for every two participants should be sufficient for even
the most complex collaborative contemplations.
