Posts left in draft...

left in draft 10 days ago..discussion, expansion, and reconsideration
Yesterday I stumbled upon these three words that seemed to be the essence of the communication process sans the outcomes in a discussion about filler words:   It was an envigorating converstation that likely has a few reconsidering their approach within certain context.  I smiled as I read a post ..

8.11.08 stories that cause laughter - best kind
12.9.09 Integrity where are you ... there is so much energy expended for what?
6.13.10  Sandbox - a reflection chaos, idealism, musings  (draft post follows)

Transcript excerpt of recent official meeting that set this reflection in motion

But it's not our job to dictate or to control how you people are going to get along in the sand box. That's up to you. We don't own the sand box. We don't regulate the sand box. You're in the sand box; we're not. We regulate only what the law allows us to regulate. So, yes, we do have ultimate authority over this request, but we don't have the ability to tell you people to talk nice to each other. That's not our job.

My real world experiences with sandboxes: at my childhood home, a sandbox with green shallow sides was shared among 6 siblings. Here we created castles and had travel adventures with toy vehicles. In later life, constructing a sandbox for my children was overwhelming; the sheer volume of bags of white sand to be purchased.  And, here were a few public park observations that engendered a delightful sense of well-being experience.

The metaphor used in the context of this meeting provoked the gut response - this sandbox was arbitrarily defined by the commercial interests of cable cowboys and politicos without any concept of who would be expected to play in it, their compatibility or shared interests or lack thereof, of playing nicely in a confined area. Aren't public sandboxes where little kids stake out their territory and big kids trample little kids castles (bullies) and rarely over time of repeated play date encounters friends or enemies are formed. My gut reactions spiralled as words in my head concurrent with the raising of my brow, swallowed silence followed by a guttural gasp of what!!.

So what is this metaphor really about. In deep dive reflection as to its game theory application  one could posit that the central context is pure, free, open to young-child imaginings.  However, game designers must account for a wide range of dynamic interactive elements in addition to free-play. The space is contained and the goal is to have fun...build castles where wars may be fought. Control of interactions is a complex, not a simple design consideration.

Social media discussions refer to the Sandbox covenant (p 7 of 12): Where open needs rules - again for interaction. This particular metaphor reference sites 2 levels: a protected place for innovation to do its value-creating experimental work and the container for the innovator's gritty sand, protecting the larger organization from the risky rough ideas.

This video explores the metaphor. (I was view 54 in 2010). It deserves more. It is described as Quasi-documentary that explores social integration in the desert through three spatial metaphors: (1) Child's fantasy in the sandbox, Marine/army training in the sandbox, and an Artist's imagination in the sandbox. Made for graduate studies course called "Mapping The Desert/ Deserting the Map" taught by Dick Hebdige at University of California Santa Barbara.

So -- where does this metaphor leave me.  Well more than a year later the sandbox is being reviewed and may be paved over.  I have yet to comment on Docket 11-08-06 of the reorganized agency PURA or DEEP.