This week I bought a train. Specifically an n-track train. I sat at the table as I put it down, and I smiled all the time. I don't think I felt this kind of joy in a long time. I played with something I love, and loved as a little girl, pressing my nose against the glass of a really big train track somewhere in an amusement park.

Years ago I had a similar train, and I had done so much with that track, I had mountains, a complete village, all with lights, and it was magickal. Until I got depressed. And sold it for peanuts on the dutch variant of craigslist.

It wasn't until this year that I realized how much I missed that train set. It embraced a lot of aspects of me, my playful side, my creative side (I wish I had pictures of how I did some decorating, it was gorgeous), and my geeky side :)

And ever since I have the train, I am letting all of those aspects out. I can't even begin to tell you how it has helped my writing. I feel liberated now. I know, it may sound strange, but that's what it is :)

So today's playdate's question is: what's your train? What toy or what object brings out multiple sides of you? How can you use that in your writing?