I have two fidget spinners on my desk (I own five, total, I think). The ones on my desk are a crazy blue metal one that has amazing spin action (it’ll go for 3 minutes on a single flick) and a glow-in-the-dark plastic one that I picked up because hey, I like things that glow.
I want to say it’s more meaningful than that, but honestly I have four of the five of the spinners I have because: 1) I was curious 2) I wanted one with lights 3)I wanted one that glowed 4) I found one that had the Hulk on it. The last one, the blue one, is special because Julie bought it for me in one of my moments of overgrown childhood at Kroger.
Here’s the thing about fidget spinners. I don’t think there’s any real science to it, but in some cases, I think the lore about them helping a person to focus is true. I’m not autistic, so I’m certainly not speaking of these devices as therapy, but I am a person who fiddles with things when I am thinking or when I’m talking. I’ve been known to be the guy who taps his pen, the guy who spins his wedding ring, the guy who bought a fidget cube, etc. For one whole month, just to see how students would react, I shuffled a deck of cards while I was teaching. I think better when something is occupying my hands, something is in motion, etc.
So this blue fidget spinner does help me focus. It’s not magical. I’m not claiming that.
But holding it between my thumb and index finger and feeling the rotation helps me to think.
On this particular day, as I write, I’m not doing so well focusing. I just had a really crunchy class live-stream because I’m sick, and one of my ears is doing that thing where it aches and clogs and itches and burns. I’m starting to get the weird balance thing, too. I’m probably getting an infection, so this could end up being a lovely week.
Tomorrow is GDEX in Columbus. If you’re in the C-bus, stop by. I’ll be at the Miami booth talking that Esports and them games.