I would like to take a moment to thank The Next Martha (of Twitter fame) for finding this little gem among all the sludge on the Interwebs: Watching Jon Stewart Might Make You More Creative. You could read the article, but let me just save you the trouble. It basically says that scientists did an experiment that showed that after listening to sarcasm, participants were better at solving problems that required them to be creative. So I would like to say "you're welcome" to each of you. By visiting my blog, you are each improving your creative problem solving abilities.
Don't believe me? Well, I did a little experiment of my own. You see, my husband has been listening to my siren song of creativity-inspiring sarcasm for the last seventeen years or so. So he should be really good at this. However, he is not a fan of puzzles. I, on the other hand, rock at puzzles. So, from the aforementioned article, here is a sample of a problem that requires "creative thinking":
A room has three light switches. You can switch them on and off as you wish and then go to another room where there are three light bulbs. How can you identify which switch belongs to which light bulb? You cannot return to the room with the switches, the wall between the rooms is sealed, and the door is closed.
I stared at this "puzzle" for several minutes. Nothing. Damn! Why can't I figure this out. I know why! Because Mr. Wonderful is rarely sarcastic. Damn him! He's been thwarting my creative juices all this time! So then I look over at Hubby. I read him the problem. His response is immediate. "Easy." And he proceeds to nail the solution. Quite cleverly, I might add.
Now if that isn't rock-solid evidence of my ability to inspire brilliance, then I really don't know what is.
And if you need further proof that my husband's lack of sarcastic wit has caused me to be completely devoid of creativity, look at this picture of my Lego creations from a few months back.
Sad, isn't it.
So to all of you, my dear readers, you are welcome. Be sure to come back regularly for a daily dose of creative instigation. You clearly will not be finding creative inspirations.
*****
Note: I will post the solution to the puzzle (or at least my husband's solution) in a couple days. I wanted to give you a chance to mull it over.
