Skip to main content

Solitaire

The game of Solitaire is a lot like life.


    - You go it alone.
    - You don’t know what’s coming next.
    - There are usually 2 or 3 moves you make that screw you up.
    - You have to play what’s in front of you.
    - It’s all about the organization.


I’m sure there are other parts of the game that can be extrapolated out to explain life but these just popped into my head.

You go it alone – I know that when playing Solitaire with real cards or on the computer someone can look over your shoulder and kibitz while you shuffle, but the plays you make are your own. There are no hints given – all the calls are yours to make.

You don’t know what’s coming next – When played on the computer, Solitaire can be set to deal one card at a time or three cards at a time. Some people can only deal with one card at a time… that’s how I grew up playing the game. I have had jobs where 3 cards come flying at me all at once – drinking from the proverbial fire hose. It’s not so much to take if you break it into smaller parts. It’s the wit, it’s my wisdom.

There are usually 2 or 3 moves you make that screw you up – I have noticed, when playing the game, that I place cards on piles and then immediately see my mistake. I can ‘undo’ the situation easily on the computer but not so much in life. I have made 2 or 3 moves in life that I’d like to take back but it probably wouldn’t lead me to where I am now – or even somewhere I’d want to be. It’s possible I could have ended somewhere worse… or better. That’s the chance we take. We can only make decisions based on past experience and what it laid out in front of us.

Which leads nicely into…

You have to play what’s in front of you – You can’t sit there and grouse about your situation. If you don’t like it, make changes. Your life can always change. Again, it may not be the change you ‘want’ but it could be the change you ‘need’. You stare at those cards and place the 8 of Diamonds on the 9 of Spades. The next card you pick is the 8 of Hearts. You know what? There’s nothing you can do about it. Keep looking until something else matches. You’ve already made your play.

It’s all about the organization – I’m a big proponent of organization. I try to use it whenever I can. I may not always be the best at it but I like it. I like things that work cleanly together. If something doesn’t fit, you find something that does. Sometimes you have to work with what you’re given (sound familiar?) and it can’t be replaced (a co-worker, for example). There is no organizing a human life. You cannot sort what you do not control. But play the cards you’re dealt and place them in their special piles. Organizing your life goes a long way towards managing your life. If you can manage YOUR life, then you can manage the expectations of others who rely on you.

Solitaire is not just a game; it’s a metaphor for life.


Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Cartoon Duo's

This time out the subject is Top 10 Cartoon Duo’s. I was only going to make this a Top 5 list but I had so many entries to work with, I added the last 5. Here’s the list is no particular order – wait, that’s not right… 10. Ren & Stimpy: Call this entry the ‘Odd Couple’ of the group. A cat and a dog (I think) living together and making their way despite their obvious instincts to be sworn enemies. I have to admit that this cartoon was hard to watch sometimes because of the ‘gross’ nature of both characters – pooping and boogers a big part of the vernacular. “Oh, Re-e-e-n?”, “Yes, Stimpy!” 9. Inspector Gadget & Penny: An uncle and his niece go around solving crimes against Dr. Claw. It was actually Gadget and his dog, Brain, that tried to solve the crimes and Penny that actually solved them. She would tell Brain the solution and that crazy dog would expend a great deal of energy trying to make the Inspector understand the solution. Finally, when Inspector Gadget would ‘stumble
Read more

High Kings vs. Celtic Thunder

I had the rare chance to compare Irish music this weekend. I caught performances by both “The High Kings” and “Celtic Thunder”. First up was HK: The show was filmed in front of an audience somewhere in Ireland. The set appeared to be a simple wooden stage that was reminiscent of a boat dock – simple and effective. There were drums on the left and a small supporting band on the right. While they played, a large video wall displayed images behind them – mostly water – setting the mood for the song they were singing at the time. The vocalists were excellent. You could tell they were really Irish by their brogues, which were honest and uncluttered. The harmonies were good and you could tell they were really singing. In the beginning of the show they made it clear that everyone should know all the words to the songs they were singing and the audience was asked to “sing up”. They started with a rousing version of “The Rocky Road To Dublin” which drew everyone in and they never let the audien
Read more

Lunch with a side of awkward

Last week I was sitting in my office wondering what to eat for lunch since I didn’t bring anything to eat. I happened to be in our break room and saw a collection of restaurant menus and began thumbing through them for suggestions. I came across a place that I had heard of but had never been to, so I decided to go there – mostly because of how close it was to the office. I walked in and looked around. The place was empty. There was a table of 4 ladies in the corner who looked like your basic bridge-playing women. Sitting in the booth next to them was another couple that looked like they were wrapping things up in order to leave. Finally a server appeared and seated me at a table across the aisle from the foursome. By then, the other couple had left. As I looked around, I noticed a lot of the place was made of or covered in wood. It’s the kind of a place you might find overlooking a body of water, but all that was outside this place was a parking lot. The server was tall, thin, dark hai
Read more