When Flashing Help is on the Way

Hi!

How’s that for an introduction? This is my first blog. So, after a month-long struggle and millions of suggestions about how to launch my blog, I’ve decided to go “minimalist”. Does the reader really care about the authors biographical details? Probably not. You care about the content, and right now you’re probably wondering why this blog is called “Puzzling”. 

“ ’Cause what’s puzzling you . . . . .”, (thank you, Rolling Stones). I came up with the name from my recently acquired obsession with jigsaw puzzles. 

As I slowly, oh, so slowly, assembled a 1000-piece classic photo of the gondolas in Venice, it occurred to me that the jigsaw puzzle is a pretty cool metaphor for life. 

The picture on the box shows you very clearly what you want to achieve. 

You start by putting together the entire border – – – – “the borders of our lives” – – – – – – (thanks, Simon and Garfunkel). 

Next, you must decide on which area of the puzzle to assemble first. Along the way to completion (I’ve finished 4 since starting last December) you will be frustrated. You’ll curse the puzzle maker. At least one piece will fall on the floor and hide under the sofa, or under a cushion, or stick to your forearm, but you have no choice but to carry on. As we all know, in life, we have no choice but to carry on! 

The blog will deal with a wide range of topics – – – usually obscure, but amusing, once I dive into them. 

Take, for example, a little sign on most modern elevators which says “When Flashing Help is on the Way”. There’s no comma after “Flashing”. 

Dear Reader; read that phrase 3 times without the comma.  Sounds as if someone, experienced in the act of opening their dirty, rumpled trench coat wearing nothing underneath, will come to your rescue. 

Let’s say you can get past the missing comma, (most people can), and you’re stuck, alone, between 2 floors; do you really believe that “help is on the way”? As in life, there are things we must take on faith, but how long does your faith hold out before you begin pounding on the walls and cursing the Secretary of Agriculture (a very pleasant looking elderly lady with an assuring smile), whose photo hangs right above the “Flashing” sign. And yes, you and I are beyond puzzled, bordering on bewildered, by the Secretary of Agriculture having anything to do with failed elevator rescues. 

Hey! While I was typing, it came to me! She was handling grain elevators and they decided why notjust give her people elevators too.

Give me a minute to calm down.    

Okay. You get the idea. My blog will expose, analyze, and unpuzzle neglected issues such as this. Blog No. 2 (I’m German, therefore all blogs will be numbered) will tackle the astronomical fact that the sun does not rise!!! There’s no such thing as a “sunrise” —– the earth rotates!! 

If you smiled just a little as you read this, tell 107 of your closest friends about PUZZLING.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.