mar's Desk

marcoujor: Playing the Game of Life

2/17/2016

Figuring the Solution

My sister is the only other person I know on this Earth who appreciates Logic Puzzles as I do. Everyone else looks at me as if I have two heads.

I even enjoyed the subject of Statistics in school. I daresay that logic calms me down when I am stressed out.

I love to clear my mind and challenge myself to re-focus and make lists, prioritize, eliminate, and strategize with whatever information I am given to work with.

If I am in a state of chaos or flutter, my decisions will be faulty and I have to start over. I have also learned to recognize those (few) puzzles that are simply over my head.

Being Flexible

A kind secretary told me on the first day of a challenging job: "Every day is like a snowflake. It will never be the same around here."

And now, I believe the same is true of life...

I've learned that life does not always have to be a logic puzzle.
Sometimes a gal is just in the mood for an easy-peasy word seek.
When no one understands you, it's fine to solve a cryptogram or two.
The heck with teamwork...sometimes we need to do a framework.
Instead of a disagreement, it might be better to do a crossword.

Lightening Up

Scrabble is a longtime family tradition. This game is viewed as a way of separating the men from the boys!

At the risk of sounding sexist, in our family, it is more like separating the women from the men...?! Sorry, the women just seem to win a bit more...!

Scrabble can be humbling, very much like life to me.

Sometimes, no matter how knowledgeable one is, the Scrabble tiles selected can sway the results unfavorably for that game.

Usually the time spent together is even more important than the results. A wise person is ignorant of many issues where the rules of Scrabble are concerned.

I thought I'd share an 'oldie but goody' by Queen called: "Play the Game":

Please check out the following wonderful happenings around Weeblyhood:

Finding Pollyanna Again via WarnerWords
Birds 'f A Feather via Horse Biscuits
Hush A Bye Winter via Graceful Intentions

Until next week, wishing you peace and smiles,

mar

24 Comments

Vicki link

2/17/2016 07:49:41 am

Dear Maria,
The game of life is definitely the most challenging of all the ones you mentioned! The others are very helpful as you incorporate them into the big picture though. I can really relate to you on this one.
Love the song, and your thoughts.
Have a beautiful snowflake day!
Love and hugs

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:09:51 pm

Dear Vicki,
I'm not surprised you can relate to this post...so happy you enjoyed Queen.
No snowflakes but had a great first day with a new rotation of students.
Have a peaceful evening. Love, mar

Paula link

2/17/2016 09:53:51 am

Maria.....Great musings GF! This is something I can sooooo relate to.
Thanks for the song~~I do love Queen~~that Freddy! What a voice, eh? A very unique individual.

I can seriously get into crosswords and CRYPTOGRAMS (my favorite) by the hour! I've even taken to challenging myself by using a timer. WHO says we don't know how to entertain ourselves?? LOL

Go ahead Mother nature~ freeze me out and snow me in. I'll keep busy & have fun until Old Man winter gets his cold butt outta here!

Love you Maria. Sending hugs. Paula/Effer

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:13:58 pm

Oh Paula,
Mom loved cryptograms best of all as well...what a sweet coincidence.
When she died, I found a carton of puzzle books that she had ordered at a discount rate. I shared many with my sister and now (almost six years later), I reach for one of Mom's books...I feel closer to her when I do so.
Thanks for the smiles and memories your comment brought me.
Love you and keep cozy, Maria

Charlotte Ann

2/17/2016 09:54:26 am

Good Heavens, we NEED people like you to solve puzzles! What a wonderful Gift you have! Very unique and special. I think that's great, Maria. Great reading too!

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:15:20 pm

So great to see you, dear Charlotte and thanks for the lovely comment.

Peg Cole link

2/17/2016 12:24:15 pm

Brain games are good stress reducers. When I can't sleep, I play Spider Solitaire or read a good book. I'm glad to see you like Scrabble. Me, too. We grew up playing Monopoly, chess, checkers and other board games. I wonder if many families still do this.

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:20:25 pm

Dear Peg,
Although I've never tried my hand at Chess, we also grew up with Monopoly, checkers, and Chinese checkers...
I suspect board games are viewed as old fashioned, yet we remember their lessons, value and fun factor.
I'm greatly enjoying my reading these days BTW...and I hope you know what I'm referring to... :))
Love you, mar

Ruby Fuller link

2/17/2016 12:25:23 pm

Hello Mar. Playing the game took me back to a more gentle time. Once upon a time I belonged to a scrabble club. We played in our home's once a week. We made a new rule, if anyone played a word and it was challenged, we made an extra 50 points. Needless to say we all scoured the dictionary to find little two letter words. I also belonged to a bridge club, which was not as much fun. We had an older woman who took the game seriously and slapped the hand of the person who she thought had played the wrong card. My granddaughter gave me The Living Wonders Color Art book for Christmas. I have one ear of a wolf colored. Someday I'm going to finish it. Hub Pages is demanding, but I enjoy it so much. I agree with your comment about spending time together. Take care dear one. Hugs.

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:24:57 pm

Dear Ruby,
Oh, how much fun the Scrabble club would be...you have me thinking now...!!
Sad when games are taken so seriously the fun is 'slapped' out of us...in that unfortunate case, quite literally, I see!
I love my coloring book too...in fact, I need to pick up the markers again to work on my calm focus.
You take care too ~ Love ya, mar

Martie link

2/17/2016 01:14:44 pm

Board games that challenge one's intellect, and cross-word puzzles, are also my favourites. They're actually addictive. I love those conclusions you have made ".... life does not always have to be a logic puzzle...."

Happy Wednesday, Maria!

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:28:50 pm

Happy Wednesday to you too, dear Martie...and thanks for your eagle eye too!

Now I'm smiling at the thought of us visiting with our rooibos tea, puzzles and the most excellent conversations... and I know one day it is gonna happen, my SA Sista.

Love you much, mar

Mike

2/17/2016 01:31:59 pm

Hello Maria. Brain games, puzzles, cryptograms? I get enough challenges remembering which shoe goes on which foot and how to start the chainsaw. Now as for scrabble, seems at one time I was a pretty fair scrabble player.

It is a good thing that these diversions allow you to find a moments peace between all of the demands life and students put on you.

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:31:49 pm

Dear Mike,
I love to sprinkle my life with many dashes of humor...thanks for always making me smile, even giggle... as I say to Mr Andy...'how droll you are!'
Have a great evening - your visit is appreciated. Hugs, mar

Sannel link

2/17/2016 03:17:23 pm

Dear Maria,
"Instead of a disagreement, it might be better to do a crossword." I think that's an excellent solution, and we should .all be much happier by doing it. :) Thank you for a great read, my friend. Take good care of yourself.
Love and hugs,
Sannel

Maria link

2/17/2016 05:35:10 pm

Dear Sannel,
Your positive and sweet attitude is infectious...always love when you visit... Andy sends sloppy kisses to his Swedish bro, Freddie.
Love and hugs to you too, Maria

femmeflashpoint@gmail.com link

2/19/2016 01:40:35 pm

Oh the memories of Scrabble and Queen, although not at the same time. Some challenges and puzzles I'm thankful for. They help keep the dust from settling. Fun post, Prof. Mahreer :)

Maria link

2/21/2016 10:06:55 am

Yes, femme, my Momma was a believer in keeping our minds active for the same reason...

Love and thanks for stopping by, mar

crazyhorseladycx

2/20/2016 02:15:36 am

howdy, ms. mar!

i was delighted to see that i aint 'lone with my passion fer word games. when the young'uns were comin' up, we played loads'f scrabble. 'course, i'd let'em use a dictionary. some'd call that cheatin', but it taught 'em lots 'n by the time they were in junior high were forces to be reckoned with :) if'n they used the dictionary, they had to write the word out 10 times 'n use it in a sentence, lol.

they cursed me't the time (in their sweet lil heads), but were most thankful later.

these days i do better't the word games'an the game'f life - but i'm workin' it!

big hugs 'n love to ya!

Maria link

2/21/2016 10:10:04 am

You ARE 'workin' it', Sweet Lady.

You sound an awful lot like my Momma...and I suspect your kids were just as thankful as we were...

Have a peaceful Sunday. Love you and hugs too, mar

Shauna

3/11/2016 12:37:30 pm

I love Scrabble and crossword puzzles. Notice they both are centered around words? I used to love playing Hangman, too. In Catholic school when it was raining and we couldn't go outside, we'd play Hangman during break.

Nice post, Mar. Sometimes we need to take a break from life and indulge in the simple things that take little effort.

Maria link

3/15/2016 05:50:00 am

Yes, dear Sha...I think we're both attracted to words in any kind or fashion.

Thanks for stopping by - always great to see you. Love, mar

Sageleaf link

6/8/2017 08:42:10 pm

You're a girl after my own heart. :) I love puzzles - but I think wordsearches and crosswords are my go-tos. :) I usually fail at logic. BWAHAHA. And you being a nurse, I'm glad you're good at statistics. :) Me? I once took an EMT class and I was all ready to work on the ambulance. But then I did my ER rotation and had to run for the hills. :D So, I'm bowing down to you. Hehe. Sending you hugs!

Maria link

6/10/2017 06:48:30 am

Dear Cynthia,
Thanks for this dip into my archives - I am enjoying listening to Queen again as I enjoy your sweet comment.
I'm convinced we are SFAM - I recently smiled at our mutual love of labyrinths.
And I love that you like to relax with puzzles as well. It'd be fun to work a jigsaw puzzle with you and get to know you even better.
Hugs to you too and have a peaceful day, Maria

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marcoujor: Playing the Game of Life

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