| You know I have not yet caught on to the sudoku | | | | had no college education, yet he could pound away |
| craze but from what I understand this puzzle game | | | | at these black and white diagrams until all the spaces |
| can become quite addictive. Maybe that's the reason | | | | were full. I would watch him intently as he racked his |
| I haven't dived in yet. You see, there is something | | | | brain to get that last clue and complete the grid. Little |
| delectably delightful about solving puzzles and other | | | | did I understand the fascination so one day I, the |
| brain teasers and I simply have way too much to do | | | | college boy, asked the untutored mailman, "Dad, |
| already. Yet with all my busyness, I try to get in a | | | | what is it about those stupid puzzles that you like so |
| good crossword or two from time to time, and I | | | | much?" |
| make sure to do some brain teasers. You should too | | | | My father, annoyed that he had to lift his head from |
| and here's why. | | | | the clue trail, glacially looked up and stared me down. |
| For one, these puzzles keep your mind sharp; for | | | | He responded with utter challenge: "You're the college |
| two, these games and brain stimulators keep your | | | | boy, let's see if you know a three letter word for a |
| mind from wandering into other less desirable | | | | sea eagle?" "A what?" I retorted, surprised by the |
| territories. The harder your brain works on solving | | | | question. "A three letter word for a sea eagle," he |
| such challenging mind games, the less energy you | | | | repeated. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded by |
| have to contemplate things like problems and other | | | | the question and quite challenged by the task. Within |
| time consuming frivolities. If you think this proposition | | | | a week, I too was a crossword junkie. |
| is hogwash then take me up on the challenge. Go get | | | | When I contemplate the whole concept of brain |
| yourself a brain teaser, crossword, or sudoku book in | | | | teasers, math problems, sudoku, crosswords and the |
| your nearest Borders or Barnes & Noble. Learn | | | | like, I marvel at how few people realize the great joy |
| the rules and start to do these. Watch how after a | | | | that lies in taking these challenges head-on. Maybe |
| few days--once the fever has caught on--you are | | | | this is why I turned out to be such a normal, |
| less inclined to frivol away your precious time on | | | | fun-loving guy: I had too many challenges on my mind |
| senseless and inane absurdities: like what the latest | | | | to be sidetracked by nonsense and unproductive |
| celebrity gossip is and what your neighbor across the | | | | thoughts. Try it out for yourself and see whether |
| street just did to his garden with his new chain saw. | | | | you too do not become a junkie of the highest |
| My father was an ordinary mailman yet he had an | | | | order. Indeed, we can afford more junkies like this in |
| extraordinary zest for doing crossword puzzles. He | | | | the world. |
