So a while back I saw this mug featured on thinkgeek.com. I told my family I needed it, and they were going to get it for me for Mother’s Day. Always happy to support my mishegas (“craziness” in Yiddish) they did as requested.
Let me tell you, this mug has been a conversation starter. I’m working at a co-working space in Oakland (more about this in another post) and people are always asking me about it or telling me how much someone they know would like it. I’ve had the chance to tell a lot of people about what I do with LEGO® bricks, and to learn about them, and have had opportunities arise which wouldn’t have otherwise arisen.
I especially like the minifigure at the rim with the red coffee cup. Very meta. And I like the skeleton (who hasn’t had coffee yet) holding the briefcase. Green, for money, right? And I love getting to play with it. I get to play with toys, drink my coffee or water, meet people, advertise, and not take life too seriously all at the same time. (The mug is not made of actual LEGO® bricks. That would probably leak, and fall apart just when the hot coffee was over my lap. This is solid, and the outside is compatible with LEGO® brand bricks. Also k’nex and whatever others there are. Just saying.)
Lots of people have coffee mugs that represent themselves in some way. Branded from their favorite cafe, or their job, or with a saying they love. What I do during LEGO® Serious Play® is, in some ways, like giving people a way to create their ideal coffee mug. It gives people a way to tell each other about themselves, and a structure so people can listen and understand. Once people get started, more and more complex, emotional, intellectual, and abstract ideas can be shared and understood. And the people who understand can share a plan about where to go with these ideas. Which is way more than a mere coffee mug can do.
Unless it’s mine. My coffee mug might be able to handle it.
Play Dates with Talia 