Here is a scientific experiment for you to try at your home or office:

First, fill a balloon or plastic bag with neon. Not so full as to pose a bursting hazard, just full enough that you can bat the thing around in the air.

Next, add a little more neon to the balloon or plastic bag, which will enlarge and strain at its seams.

Were you not paying attention just now? The very first step of this experiment made it clear that you were not to overfill your balloon or bag and now look what you've done!

At this point you find yourself oozing guilty droplets of perspiration. Your breathing is laboured and uncomfortable. Your ears burn hot with shame. You know why? Because you can't follow the simplest instructions and you're getting the dressing-down you deserve.

Okay, so, assuming you haven't actually burst your balloon or your plastic bag, you must now seal it, either by tying a snug knot or by melting it shut with a match flame. Do be careful, though, as plastic/rubber compounds do not play well with fire.

Come to think of it, hardly anything plays well with fire. Most things just burn and even asbestos gets hot bigtime. Like, I once tried these oven mitts that had asbestos linings, and did they ever get hot when I used them to carry a big tureen full of stew. I'm talking I could have been burned if I hadn't been careful. So don't go thinking asbestos is the bee's knees because it's not.

Next, gently squeeze your plastic bag or balloon. It will offer a gentle, satisfying resistance, which will tempt you to squeeze harder. You will want more of that haunting, beautiful sensation. You will want to feel it yielding to your touch again and again.