on basketball and Minesweeper

I mistakenly and foolishly thought that being done with college and having a job would make me think about my future less. On the contrary, the excess time I have gained now that I'm not studying for exams, reading for class, or writing a thesis has led me to contemplate about various paths in life, opportunities, etc. Nowadays, I spend the majority of my time strategizing for the future.

Normally, this feverish thinking mood would lead me to walk across the street from the lovely Currier House to the QRAC gym.
Nothing solves life's problems or allows one to vent like shooting hoops or playing a solitary round (or two) of Around the World. As long as you use the proper technique and aim for the backboard, you're bound to make at least 80% of your shots. It's a great mood booster and allows time for thinking and venting via a repetitive action. The squeaking of sneakers, the perfect shot, the high bounce of the basketball...all of this somehow adds a new perspective to your thoughts and worries.

Alas, the QRAC days are gone and this week's endless rain has precluded any extensive outdoor activity. Thankfully, I have found a substitute (a lesser one, but one all the same): Minesweeper. That game that comes pre-installed on your PC for which you hardly know the rules? Yes, that game is actually really fun. My dad introduced me to this new distraction last night and I have since played countless rounds. The game requires enough logical thinking to not be a complete waste of time but has enough repeated patterns that too much concentration isn't needed. Of course, the sound of flagging a mine or winning a game is not comparable to the perfect swish of a basketball in the hoop, but it must do for now.

Play Minesweeper! Read the rules first, though. And listen to some Laura Marling or Bonobo while you're at it. It's not bball, but it's calming.