This week is short and sweet.

I have just come from a delightful evening that borrowed from Jasper Fforde, Ian Fleming, and a host of Computer Forensics, Nanotech, and Bioconductivity researchers of the real science world. Most fun of all, I got to mix in my own musings about love and intrigue, and try to create characters for the participants that would draw them out, even though I had never met them. 

In many ways, it’s almost a guilty pleasure, something that is so much fun and light that it seems like it must have no deep or intrinsic value, even though people are compelled to reach, think, interact. 

The Lost ThingBut then, I thought of the words of the great Shaun Tan, author of some of the most compelling, lovely, powerful books I know (my favorites are The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, and The Arrival). “For me, that’s what creativity is – it’s about exploring inwards, examining your existing presumptions, squinting at the archive of experience from new angles, and hoping for some sort of revelation..” -Shaun Tan

Not everything has value that is measured by its intensity, its shock of hurt and awe. Sometimes our capacity is expanded by something completely new, a radical paradigm shift of experience, relationship parameters and modality of interaction that if it weren’t so fun would be terrifying. Sometimes, delight is what puts wings on our feet, and sends us further than we could have jumped in sorrow or fear. Sometimes, revelation is soft or sweet, or funny and delicious, or even playful and wondrous.

And sometimes, that’s enough.

PS You can read more about the great Shaun Tan here!

Or learn more about Mystery & Adventure Agency here.