Randy's New Hobby

Randy Hinshaw was waiting in Jim King's office when Jim came in. Jim King is a Senior Aerospace Engineer in Huntsville Alabama, his area of responsibility is the initial rocket launch protocols. A very high profile and extremely stressful profession in general; however, even more so for his team, since many departments are basing their work progressions on the protocols set by Jim's team.

           As Jim walked in, he could see Randy's face dealing with some stress-related issues. Jim had been watching Randy Hinshaw for a couple of weeks as the team's new member. Randy did not seem to be handling the stress of his position well. Jim reviewed Randy's file and found that he had graduated at the top in his engineering class. Somebody mentioned Randy's Master's Theses was in one of the Aerospace Engineering Magazines. So, there were no doubts about his qualifications.

           Randy did not notice Jim as he entered the room; his eyes were fixated on the shiny metal looking balls on the credenza shelves behind Jim's desk. Jim saw the opening he was looking for and said, "Hikaru Dorodango." "What?" Randy asked. Jim continued, "Hikaru Dorodango, that is my hobby and how I can maintain my calm in stressful situations."

           Jim could see a small sign of relief in Randy's expression and was sure that not talking about whatever was on Randy's mind was the best approach. He continued as if Randy had asked him questions, "No, they are not metal balls or polished stones, they started as balls of mud, and through a Japanese polishing technique, the final product is what you see."

           Randy stood up to walk behind the desk, then remembered to ask for permission. After receiving Jim's authorization, he walked behind the desk and took a closer look at the round polished spheres on the shelves. There were five ranging in size from as little as a golf ball to softball size. 

           "May I touch one?" Randy asked as he slowly lifted his right hand toward the golf ball size one. "Yes," Jim said, "However, remember they are just clay balls and require some gentle handling." Randy acknowledges that he understood and lifted the ball off of the shelf. The ball's weight and texture did not match what his mind was prepared for, based on visual observation.

           Jim saw this as an opportunity to solve Randy's more significant problem.  For the next hour, he talked to him about the process needed to take raw everyday dirt and manipulate it to the point that it was a shining sphere, reflecting different colors and degrees of brilliance. For the first time, Jim could see a calm in Randy's eyes.

           Since it was Friday, and the first tests of the new launch protocols were to be tested on Monday, Jim decided to invite Randy over to his house on Saturday, and he would show him the process. This time alone would allow him to observe Randy one on one and see how he problem solve as he worked through stages of a project. Randy agreed to come to Jim's house at 8:00 am wearing old clothes.

           Upon arriving at Jim's house, Randy expected to jump right in and learn about this thing called Hikaru Dorodango. But Jim had other things in mind because; it was more about saving Randy than just making round balls. So, they spent the first-hour and-a-half with Jim telling Randy how he got into Hikaru Dorodango; and how it saved his job.

           "Monday is a big day," Jim said to Randy, "And all eyes of NASA will be on us. Now you can spend all of your weekends worrying about Monday, or you can relax and be ready for any issues we have to deal with on Monday morning."

           Randy said, "Yes, but suppose I missed something or used the wrong algorithm in a formula?"

           That is when Jim took Randy into the garage and gave him an apron. Randy looked around in amazement because one of the garage walls, with shelves from floor to ceiling, was full of plastic containers full of dirt, clay, sand, and smaller glass containers the size of small fruit jars with what appeared to be color pigments.

           Jim gave Randy a piece of paper, which had a list of items needed from the shelves. "You see this list?" He asked Randy, "Randy indicated that he did. "The containers on the shelves are all labeled, in alphabetical order, and grouped by types of soil, clay, sand, and pigments. I will clear a spot on the table; please get everything on the list and bring them to the table.

           As Jim cleared the worktable, he watched Randy retrieve items on the list from the shelves on the wall. He observed that Randy made prudent use of his time and safely relocated items to the table. Just as Randy was selecting the color pigment from the shelf, Jim asked him about his portion of the checklist for the protocol test on Monday.

           With his attention focused on finding the right pigment on the shelf, Randy answered Jim's question, without diverting his attention from the task at hand. They spent six hours working on a Hikaru Dorodango ball for Randy. All-day, Jim would wait until Randy's concentration was focused on a critical phase in the process, and he would ask him a work-related question.

           The curing process typically takes hours for each stage, and thus the process of going from just dirt to a round shine sphere could take weeks, depending on the size and quality of the soil used. But Jim uses a cool-temp dehydrator and speeds up the time needed to dry the dirt between stages.

           While the dirtball was in the dehydrator, Jim and Randy would clean their work area from the clutter left behind after the previous stage. Jim would continue to ask Randy questions about the protocol test to be conducted on Monday. Just as it was time to add the color pigments to the ball, Jim gave Randy a list.

           It was a step-by-step list of all phases of the Hikaru Dorodango process; he asked Randy to check off everything completed thus far to ensure they were ready for the color and the final shining process. Once Randy completed the list and handed it back to Jim, Jim gave Randy another checklist. This one had all items checked off.

           Looking Randy in the eyes, Jim said, "While we were working on your sphere, we also cleared the protocol checklist, and we have checked off all of the primary items. When we return to the office on Monday, we know we have addressed known issues, and we know where to start if there is a glitch in the testing.

           A big smile came to Randy's face as he looked at Jim and said, "I feel more relaxed than I have in weeks. So, you do this every weekend?" "No," Jim Said, "I work on it just a little every day. It might be a little as fifteen minutes or a couple of hours. Just long enough to calm my mind, so I can think clearly on the problems I need to solve at work."

           By that time, the timer sounded for the ball to come out of the dehydrator. Jim gave Randy a sandwich bag with some color pigment, and he wrapped the ball in a plastic wrap also. "Here you go," He said to Randy, "Take the ball, and the pigment home, complete the final process the way you learned and bring the ball to me on Monday.

           Monday morning was full of hurried activities; everyone was going through their checklists and making sure their department was ready. Randy came into Jim's office with a big smile on his face. Jim looked up and said, "So, is all-ready in your area?"

           Randy had his hand behind his back, he pulled it around, and there was a nice shining reddish ball, with a brilliant shine to it. Randy said, "Yes, all is well in my area." With that, Jim stood and walked to Randy. Taking the sphere in his hands, he said, "Yes, you are going to be ok."

           Jim walked back to his desk, took a book off the desk, and gave it to Randy. He said, "You really should take up Hikaru Dorodango, you have a natural talent for details, and you understand the importance of process." Randy got the impression Jim was talking about more than his Dorodango ball.

           With that, Randy left Jim's office and made ready for the new protocol test. As he heard the countdown over the intercom, Randy looked at the once mud-ball and said, "I have a new hobby."