Monday, April 14, 2003

Overcoming functional fixedness: Priceless Sunday I was up to my elbows moving beds and furniture around. When the washing machine came out of balance my four year old volunteered to fix it. Why not? It was across the hall and not seriously out of kilter. The trip was quick and he returned to tell me that by opening and shutting the lid the problem went away. "Hear it Daddy? It's not broken anymore. I fixed it by..." As expected the harUMMmmdrumming began again a minute or so later, and I was lost in my task. An hour or so later I meandered into the laundry room to find my fix-it-boy had redeemed himself: I was very pleased. In capturing the moment later the creativity spilled over into silly facial decorations from wrench based mustaches, hats, telephones and magnifying "detective!" glasses: Box of odd-ball tools at a garage sale: $2. Washing machine which doesn't balance itself: $400. Overcoming functional fixedness through childish delight: Priceless.  10:35:38 PM    , comment []

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