So, one of our favorite topics here on the blog is the bathroom, especially since I seem to spend so much time there. On my mind today is what you do to pass the time while you’re in the bathroom. Some people claim to just sit there and stare off absentmindedly into space while they go about their business. However, I will never claim that. My bathroom time is quality thinking time and must be treated as such. Whence I sit upon my throne, my finest pondering I shall do! To that end, I have an assortment of logic puzzle books located throughout all the bathrooms of the house so that I have something to do no matter where I am.
It started with Sudoku puzzles. That’s the 9x9 grid where each row, column and 3x3 mini square needs to contain all the digits 1-9. The complexity of the puzzles depends upon how many filled-in numbers the puzzle gives you as a starting point, but I admit to having gotten bored of Sudoku puzzles when I wrote a Visual Basic program in Excel that could solve Sudoku puzzles for me.
Then, I moved onto Kakuro puzzles, which are single-digit math crosswords. You will be given the “total” number and a set of blank spaces, and the digits can not repeat within any given sum. So, if you have the number “16” with two blank spaces, the digits have to be 7 & 9 (ordering to be determined by the intersection of other sums) because the only other combination would be 8 & 8 which isn’t valid.
My current puzzle of choice is Ken Ken, which you have probably seen in the pages of USA Today or AM New York. It’s a twisted combination of Sudoku and Kakuro, but it uses all four math operators instead of just addition.
Not everyone will find math as a “fun” way to pass the time, but if you like math or if you’re a geek at heart, don’t judge me until you’ve sat on the toilet and at least attempted one of these puzzles to pass the time. Feel free to do a puzzle when you visit our facilities…
So, how do you pass the time when you sit on the throne?
For me, it's escape time. I read. Magazines (TV Guide, most frequently), sometimes my latest book (currently a Harlan Coben mystery - his books are all set in northern NJ, and frequently the Ridgewood area, as he lives here).
ReplyDeleteHow are you feeling? Still fatigued and sleeping as much? Still eating? Still pooping (had to throw that in)?
Math bores me so much that I couldn't even read your entire blog that was just talking about math. Usually I just look around and think "Wow, I need to clean the bathroom!"
ReplyDeleteReading magazines is my activity of choice! Though whenever I visit the Grossman facilities, I delight in his logic puzzles! Last time I was in there so long my legs fell asleep...
ReplyDeleteAll these puzzles and reading books!!!!!Whatever happened to the good old days of relaxing in the "john" while enjoying a Playboy or Penthouse magazine?
ReplyDeleteUch, Dad!
ReplyDeleteAre writing utensils provided or do I need to go to your bathroom fully prepared?
ReplyDelete