#sherlockiot

I really, really like learning things. While there are certain things that are less fun to learn (like health and safety policies, for example) and certain contexts in which learning is less welcome (like learning about flesh-eating bacteria just before bed), generally learning for me is the one. So, when I type in this little box that Gill White’s workshops on the internet of things were one of my favourite learning experiences thus far, you can rest assured that that’s some pretty serious typing. 

The workshops themselves were great fun and I loved the way they got me to thinking about creating in a slightly different way. As a creative writer, I’m used to a private creative process, and one that’s in my slippy grasp pretty much all the way through (particularly as an unpublished creative writer!). Working collaboratively to create a story, both through the randomised clues left by the other groups during the #sherlockiot exercise and in a more directed way in the Sherlock-murdery sort of week and the place-making week was such a breath of fresh air. It’s so lovely to get excited about stories *with* other people. It did become slightly riotous towards the end of week 1 and I had to duck out the room with a nosebleed (I never get nosebleeds! My face apparently just has a finely tuned sense of the dramatic...), but the sense of energy and urgency in the room was really special. Although a wee bit more time might have resulted in slightly more polished performances, I think there’s a lot to be said for pressure cooker fun.

Speaking of performance, personally both the drawing and the performing put me slightly out of my comfort zone. And (surprise, surprise..) I thought this was great! By the time I have giggled with my partner about my extremely rubbish drawing of a traffic-light-cum-library-self-issue machine invention (Dragon’s Den is *not* missing a great contender), a large puddle of self-consciousness has evaporated, and it’s a lot easier to be in that playful headspace where great ideas happen. So yes, thank you Gill! Hooray for playfulness and post-it notes.