Solving The Problems In Front of Me, but Themed!

As long as I can remember, I have loved solving problems. Even in middle and high school, one of my favorite video games was Portal 2, which is all about solving puzzles in a room using a portal that instantly transports you to another part of the room at will. I saw programming as a way to solve problems. In my corporate job, I see complex financial models as equations to solve. I even see things like optimizing shop workspace versus storage space as a problem to solve.

However, I also found that the solutions I liked the most weren’t just solving the problem at hand; they were interesting and creative, too. When my headphones kept falling off my desk at home, I wanted to solve the problem. Instead of taking a weekend to make a simple headphone stand, though, I power-carved a Deadpool head. Either solution would have solved the problem, but we both know Deadpool is much less boring.

One way I found to solve problems is by making a solution themed after my favorite things. To solve my lack-of-a-desk problem, I could have put a solid-core door on sawhorses. Problem solved! But a Star Wars-themed desk is significantly more fun to make and use daily.

The problems I want to solve the most are consistently in front of me: in my garage workshop and in my home office, both of which I want to make entirely Star Wars, or at least space-themed. Does it take more time to plan? Yes. Does it take more time to build? Absolutely, yes (apologies to my wife). However, the additional time investment in making a solution that means something to me beyond the solution itself is well worth it, in my opinion.

You may not like Star Wars, Disney, or Space, but you’d be wrong (I’ll forgive you…eventually). But, I would encourage you to solve problems by theming the solutions to something that inspires you. Solution and theming are not simple additions; they are multiplications.