Sudoku & the Real World

Lessons learnt from sudoku addiction

*shudder*  - my initial reaction to a plain box filled with straight lines and augmented with a few numbers. The first time I tried to pencil in a few numbers, it was frustrating. Out of the window, went my first pathetic attempt at Sudoku.

Just numbers. That can drive you up the wall.

Fast forward to a couple of years later (yeah, it took me that long), I am beginning to get addicted to getting the right numbers into those tiny cells.

As for the reason to this sudden fascination – ‘tis only because many claim it helps the old grey cells work better. All my solitary bouts of writing and researching with the occasional human contact thrown in seems to be slowing down the thinking process. Or is  it just age rearing its ugly side?

Interesting how Sudoku has some similarities to life.

·         Being systematic helps save lots of time. Real world scenario – it pays to be organised.

·         There are lots of how to Sudoku tips online. Real world scenario – someone’s been there, & done that. Don’t bother to reinvent the wheel, unless you have a point to prove.

·         It’s addictive. Like all good things. Real world scenario – alcoholism, gambling, food binges, etc. Is there a Sudoku Anonymous ?

·         Never give up too soon. Real world scenario – never give up on a challenge as the answer may be right there facing you.

Next step. Trying to figure out how to play it on my HP that’s still cunningly outsmarting me.

Starting Over

Does the thought of walking into a roomful of strangers put you off?


And when you did finally do it, was there much awkwardness with little beads of perspiration dotting your forehead? Along with a nervous little laugh that came out of nowhere, punctuating short terse sentences? I’d hazard a guess that at least eight out of ten persons would react in this manner.


If that’s the case, would you even consider moving to a country full of strangers?


No warm safe circle of friends to hang out with. No family, much less extended family, to bicker with or go running to. No comfortable familiar places of worship to fall back on. No safe predictable job or clients to keep your financial worries at bay.


When an old schoolmate decide to pack it up and migrate to Australia, the rest of the gang just watched her with awe.


We admired her guts and determination. When the signal for an overhaul in her life went on, she took baby steps to make things better. There was no cringing and wasting away her life whining incessantly like a spoilt child.


There were mixed reactions to her move. Yearning to follow in her footsteps, a couple of the gals wanted to more details. Others muttered that such a drastic move was not their cup of tea.


Which made me wonder why those of us in the latter group were so reluctant to follow suit?


Especially when we come from a lineage (Malaysian Indians and Malaysian Chinese) that upped and left their homeland for a better life.


My own father had willingly got onto a ship sailing out to British Malaya, as Malaysia was known then, to make his fortune. Later, he returned to Kerala, bringing back a young bride to settle down for good here.


That was more than half a century ago.


Days when life was sans Internet at your fingertips, the tool that lets you practically experience life in a new land. Yet, the older I get, the more I flinch at the thought of having to take a one way ticket out of my comfort zone.


Would you do it?


To my old school pal Anne - I admire how you’ve built a new life for yourself. Here’s wishing you the very best in life.