Jigsaw Puzzles

I don't do crosswords, word searches, or sudoku; and I've only dabbled in word jumbles.

My first love are puzzles: jigsaw puzzles!

I like the 1000 piece cartoon style puzzles.

My favourite are the Wasgij type: the picture on the box isn't the picture you do, it's just a clue. Usually one character is circled on the cover, and the actual puzzle is of what he/she can see.

It's pretty straight forward.

They used to have a puzzle solution picture in a sealed envelope in the box, just in case you couldn't figure it out. Not anymore, they've gone cheap on the new series.

I go through cycles. I'll do 3 or 4 in a row and then forget about them for 6 months. Then the urge starts again, and I start visiting toy stores in search of a new one.

My friends laugh at me and make sarcastic remarks about my time wasting pointless pursuit. When they visit, they examine my puzzle and sneakily put in a piece or two with a bored expression on their face.

But I can see the glimmer in their eyes.

I like everything about the puzzle experience: from ripping the cellophane wrapper off the box to watching it fall apart as I put it back in the box after completion.

And all the steps in between:

- flipping all the pieces right side up.

- finding all the edge pieces and corners.

- completing the edges.

- joining floating sections together, like continents colliding.

- anchoring a big section to the frame.

- connecting top to bottom and side to side.

- being frustrated.

- looking for pieces on the floor.

- bravely tackling difficult sections.

- searching for that funny shaped piece with the indescribable colour.

- and gearing up for the final push until I discover where the last piece fits and insert it.

It's just you and the puzzle.

It has your complete attention; everything else disappears.

It's a " journey not the destination" activity.

It's a 100% positive experience.

Starting with chaos and finishing with harmony.

I usually keep them together for a week, unless I have another one to do.

Then it is back in the box and into the cupboard, stacked on top of all the other boxes containing pieces of my time well spent.

Routine Check-up

My life seems to be on auto-pilot: it's one big routine.

Days, weeks, months slip by with me just sleepwalking my way through them.

I usually enjoy a routine.

I know what to expect: no surprises.

Change is usually bad.

But sometimes I question my routine.

Why am I doing this?

Is it really necessary?

Is this the right way?

Should I be doing something else more constructive?

I'm not talking about Why am I here? or Is this what I really want to be doing with my life? questions.

This is on a smaller scale: just minor adjustments.

I think I usually waste my mornings: get up late, drink coffee, and go on the computer. Sometimes I shuffle around with bedhead until noon!!Once a week I do have to work in the morning and I sometimes get motivated and go to the gym, but usually I just piss my mornings away.

I'm always happy when the weekend arrives.

I don't know why: I usually don't do anything too exciting, even less in the winter.

I guess it's not what I am doing, but what I'm not doing: working!

I need to make some small changes to perk me up: maybe get up earlier, have a shower right away, avoid the computer's gravitational field, get out and about more.

I think if I concentrate on mornings for now, the rest will follow.

note: I bet you thought this was going to be about a trip to the doctor's from the title!