The Annoying Thing About Computer Solitaire is …

It just won’t let me quit sometimes.

Many days, after spending hours pounding feverishly on the keyboard, writing stuff for my clients, I’ll take a pause to play some computer Solitaire. Got to get away from the words for a while.

And just look at the pretty pictures.

So I’ll play a game or two or three, giving my brain a break.

Then … it happens.

The game won’t let me quit. Not the kind of quit like “I’m eating potato chips and can’t set the bag down until all the chips and dips are gone” quit.

Oh, no … it’s much more worser than that!

I’ll get to the end of a game when I can’t find any more moves to make. I keep flipping the draw pile cards back and forth, expecting the message:

“Sorry, no more moves. Nice try … loser. Play again?”

Okay, it doesn’t actually call me a loser. But … it’s implied.

Condescending piece of computer crap.

But the message never comes. And I keep flipping the draw deck, to no avail.

Then … it hits me.

There is a move, but it requires taking a card or two back off the foundation piles and slapping them back on the columns.

By going backwards, the move forward is now apparent.

And finally, in most cases, I get the loser message. Or I win.

Either one works …

the game is finally over.

I can play another game.

Usually I get back to the business of writing.

Life and/or business lesson … from a computer card game?

Gosh, I shudder at the thought.

But then again, it makes you think.

Sometimes when you face a roadblock, the best thing is to back up a bit and go at it from a different angle.

Just because you didn’t get the “loser message,” it doesn’t mean you didn’t lose … or didn’t win.

Either one works.

It’s just time to play it differently.

The game’s not over yet …

Play on.