A Rewarding Way with Solitaire

Solitaire.

The very word—if I let it—would cast shame…

A card game played alone…

Why would you play a card game all by yourself?

Cards are for playing with friends and cohorts—pals, chums, jolly types.

Play cards alone? you’ve got to be desperate…bored.

The way my mother brought me up, boredom was a slap against the world…disengaging was a shame. Ma taught me that if you’re bored, you’re not paying attention, haven’t tuned into the excitement in the garden…the kitchen…newspapers…BOOKS…other people…

But here am I to tell you how I discovered that a three- to four-minute game of Solitaire can be valuable. Can launch each working day.

That is, if you work near a computer.

I do, and I’ve found those minutes prime my thinking gears.

Cameron’s gone off to school…Uschi’s had her morning walk…Bill and I’ve had our dose of news from Morning Joe…I’ve fed us breakfast…it’s time to get to work. I sit down in my big old cane desk chair, open my dear MacBook Pro, check email and messages, but my brain is not yet engaged. My head is still floating around somewhere in or out of doors (do I need to water the bonsai now—no, later)…

Then a few months ago, sitting at my desk of a chill morning, I remembered a dear friend confiding that Free Cell online got him through COVID. Oh, thought I, that was a splendid idea. Why didn’t it occur to me? Maybe I’ll just…

I tried Free Cell. Wasn’t good at it. Never played Bridge (my mind doesn’t work that way), Pokerwise my mind is marginal, although I do love it, never paid attention to Solitaire (thanks, Ma). Tried Solitaire online.

Didn’t cotton to the way the game was presented. Tried another. Meh.

One fine morning I stumbled upon what I regard as a delightfully designed game… Kings, queens, jokers are charmingly drawn. Differences between hearts/diamonds and clubs/spades are quickly distinct. But best of all are the sound effects. When a red hits a black or vice versa, there’s a whoosh. When cards fly up to the decks on top there’s a wee gust of wind—delightful lifts.

I’ve used Klondike Solitaire so often all I have to type on the navigation bar is a K and I’m there.

I also like the fact that when I win, which is roughly 75% of the time, I’m given the time I took as compared to the record time for that game…occasionally my time is the record time. Boy does that set me up.

Something else I like: when I’ve come to the end of the deck and there’s no card I can use, I stop to examine what’s where in the rows….what I can legally move. I’ve taken chances and thought, Well, they won’t let me do it if it’s not do-able, rignt? Problem solving flexes brain matter early in the morning. A good part of the time I’m pleased with myself because I do find the way to win the game. I’ll take success anywhere I find it.

Just thought you, too, might welcome a fun boost to your working day.

(I”ve kept this small exercise in self-indulgence from Bill. Just told him. He was dear about it. Of course.)