Obsessive Compuzzle.

Hello. Welcome to my first blog post. As far as introductions go, this little story should be as good as any, since it gives some insight into who I am.

I used to live in San Francisco, near the crest of Nob Hill (a really big hill, even by San Francisco standards). To catch the bus to Sausalito (where I worked) I had to trek up the rest of the hill, then down the other side. One day on the way to work, I noticed a single puzzle piece lying face-down in the street. As I passed it I wondered, what's a single puzzle piece doing in the street? Where are the rest of the pieces? How did it get there? Is someone just finishing a thousand-piece puzzle now being taunting by an empty space?

I should mention I, along with most of the males in my family, have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This was before I was on meds keeping it under control, so I was consumed with puzzle piece thoughts. Especially, what picture was on the other side of it? Forgetting about my bus, even though I had just finished the ten minute walk to the bus stop, I went back up the steep hill towards the piece.

Turning it over revealed it was no ordinary piece. It was a key piece. Imagine putting this puzzle together: Sky. Sky. Sky. Sky. Sky. Tree! Finally, tree! Such a special piece, just cast into the gutter.

I thought it had all the elements of a great landscape painting for a tiny apartment: fluffy white clouds on the lower left side, blue sky, and of course, a tree. New York City apartments being the size they are, this piece of "found art" has taken up residence in mine.