Two Christmases ago I asked Santa Claus for a Koosh ball. I’m not good at holding still in general and I have tendency to pace and fuss when I’m thinking. I wanted a big softball size Koosh ball that I could toss between my hands while I paced around the house.
Unfortunately, they don’t make the larger Koosh balls anymore. It’s a vintage toy, and my Santa wasn’t about to scour eBay with the hopes of finding me one. Instead she found me a large blue ball with rubber hair in the toy section of the local drug store.  (The smaller tennis ball size Koosh ball is still available for purchase.)
Originally, the ball wasn’t going to have a name, but I while I was still home for Christmas that year, Mom referred to it as “Walter.†She meant to call it “Wilson†after the movie Cast Away. From then on, I couldn’t help but call it my “Walter ball.â€
I guess Walter has become a signature fixture on my desk, kind of like my version of Dr. House’s oversized tennis ball or Captain Sisko’s baseball. I toss it between my hands and squeeze it when I think. It is the only toy that is allowed to be on my desk. If you watch my interview on copyright infringement on Pinterest on AZ Family, you can catch a glimpse of Walter at 1:39.
Walter has been on a few adventures with me, though his size makes traveling with my unfeasible most of time. I have a world-traveling red plastic slinky that travels with me and loved one when we visit new places. Walter made the journey from my parents’ house in California to Phoenix. He also went with me to Lift Off earlier this year. I remember sitting on Pam Slim’s therapy ball and tossing Walter between my hands while I listened to her and Charlie Gilkey impart their wisdom on the best way to build my business. At one point in the weekend, we all got to draw our ideal offices. My drawing included a spot for Walter on my desk. All my other geek toys were relegated to the shelf behind me.