Poem: "Frob, Twiddle, and Tweak"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This is today's freebie, inspired by redsixwing. It also fills the "vindication" square in my 8-1-16 card for the Survival Bingo fest. It belongs to the series An Army of One.


"Frob, Twiddle, and Tweak"


"I love the society you people
are building," Darmid said as he
watched a bucket chain forming
to unload the supply ship, with
a very synchronized pattern
developing within minutes as
the workers copied each other.

"It's just frob, twiddle, and tweak,"
said Crank. "First you move things around
to see what they do. Then you guess at settings
for each of the parts. Then you fine-tune them
in relation to each other. I was surprised to find
how well mechanical concepts can apply to
social sciences, but I guess I just needed
to meet the right group of people."

"I'm impressed by how much you have
already accomplished here," said Darmid.
It makes me so excited for my son's future!
I've known plenty of social scientists and
mechanics, but none of them think
outside the box the way you do."

"Maybe it's just because we put
extra handles on our thought patterns,"
he said, flipping the frobs on his necklace
up and down. "I move this thing, and
my brain changes gears."

"Now I want one of those," Darmid said.

* * *

Notes:

Here's a basic description of "frob." I've always used this set of definitions:
Frob -- to move the parts or controls of an unfamiliar device very broadly to identify their functions/range.
Twiddle -- to move parts in smaller ways so as to estimate likely settings, usually one at a time.
Tweak -- to make fine adjustments in the settings, usually in relation to each other, to derive a final configuration.

Fidgeting is any pleasant, repetitive motions. It improves concentration, memory, and creativity especially for neurovariant people.

Stimming is an important part of neurovariant thought, identity, and culture. Unfortunately neurotypical people often disapprove and suppress stimming, sometimes to the point of abuse, even though neurotypical people do it too. Here are tips on how to stim.

Stim jewelry is designed to facilitate safe, effective fidgeting. There's even a blog for it. This chewable gem necklace has one or more silicone prisms to manipulate. Crank has this version.

Comments

Re: STIM

[ysabetwordsmith]

Other options for edges:

* Plastic craft rulers often have a square edge useful for pressing, less so for slapping as they can break.

* Plastic kitchen knives are often quite sturdy. They are semisharp, so they won't break skin easily. Don't stab yourself with the point, as that might penetrate; there are ones with blunt ends though.

* Many letter openers are semisharp and may be made of metal, wood, or other materials. Some are very durable, others more fragile.

* If you like semisharp points, check out the pet or livestock aisle. Many brushes or currycombs have points that are uncomfortably sharp if pressed but won't break skin. In fact these are popular pervertables -- you put a couple on the floor and have your submissive stand or kneel on the points. Perfectly safe, but wow does it get intense after a couple minutes.

* Crystals such as quarts have semisharp edges and points. These are fantastic as pocket fidgets if you want something to squeeze. Most are too wide to stab yourself with, although they can leave bruises if you step on one.

* Hardcore edgeplay masochists stand on Legos. Everyone else thinks of those as demonic caltrops. They are also useful as pocket squeezies. Usually they won't break skin because they are square.

Re: STIM

[alatefeline]

The kitchen store is generally full of pervertibles aka sensory toys with incidental culinary uses. Most recent acquisition: a pastry "dough docker" roller which is basically a mini rolling pin on a handle covered in blunt pointy projection. *cough cough* Ahem. It's important to avoid anything ACTUALLY sharp or hot unless thorough precautions are taken, but for "I wanna hold weird shapes/textures in my hands / run them over my skin" and relatives of that, SOOOO MAAANY options. Plus you can always cook with 'em (provided you buy two of everything so as to not mix uses, preferably) and use that as an excuse.

(Referenced item similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Orblue-Docker-Uniformly-Prevents-Blistering/dp/B00VRTHQBE/ref=pd_sim_79_1/168-2306033-8995233?ie=UTF8&dpID=418ukiaKIDL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=D2G8P9XDV1G8KNBH951Z)

>> Hardcore edgeplay masochists stand on Legos. Everyone else thinks of those as demonic caltrops. <<

LOL.

Re: STIM

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> The kitchen store is generally full of pervertibles aka sensory toys with incidental culinary uses. <<

Allow me to introduce another crucial safety concept: plausible deniability. This is essential for kinksters, Pagans, and other people who have problems with someone butting into their life in ways that hurt and may not be feasible to escape immediately. Look for things that suit your needs which have another innocuous purpose. Many kinksters use something like a ping-pong paddle instead of a BDSM paddle for this reason. Pagans may use ordinary-looking ceramic bowls instead of ones with the God and Goddess glazed on. Most people sleepwalk through life and see what they want or expect to see. This makes them easier to fool. They aren't going to look at kitchen equipment and think of it as pervertables, except for the knives and scissors.

>> Most recent acquisition: a pastry "dough docker" roller which is basically a mini rolling pin on a handle covered in blunt pointy projection. *cough cough* Ahem.<<

Neato.

>> It's important to avoid anything ACTUALLY sharp or hot unless thorough precautions are taken, but for "I wanna hold weird shapes/textures in my hands / run them over my skin" and relatives of that, SOOOO MAAANY options. Plus you can always cook with 'em (provided you buy two of everything so as to not mix uses, preferably) and use that as an excuse.<<

Very sensible.

Re: STIM

[alatefeline]

>> Allow me to introduce another crucial safety concept: plausible deniability. <<

Well phrased.

>> This is essential for kinksters, Pagans, and other people who have problems with someone butting into their life in ways that hurt and may not be feasible to escape immediately. <<

Makes sense.