A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello all! Welcome to Volume 149 of Dovi’s Digest.
I had a date this week. She was lovely. Told me all about her job, her family, what she likes to do for fun. I learned where her grandmother lives, and what her siblings-in-law do for a living. I was even told how long her commute is every morning. She was friendly and open and honest. There was one issue I had with it though: as much as I know about her now, she didn’t ask me one real question. Sure she asked me what I do for work, but it prompted no follow up questions (normally when a middle class Jewish boy tells you he’s a farmer, more context is required). The same experience was had with my family. Not even a cursory “so how many siblings do you have?”
Your takeaway could be “well, Dovi just doesn’t know how to date”, which could be accurate. Thing is, I know I’m generally a good date. I’m interested in people, and meeting new ones is always fun for me. I don’t normally have to grope for awkward questions, conversation flows easily. With this particular person it just wasn’t the case.
Thankfully, I was sent an article this week (alas too late) about giving your conversational partner proverbial “doorknobs” to facilitate moving into another “room”. It also details the difference between “givers” and “takers”, in conversations (FYI, neither is inherently bad). It has made me be mindful of the chats I’ve had this week, and what type of talker the other participant is. As a result, I’ve had more in depth, free flowing discussions the last few days and has really given me a tool to unlock better conversation with anyone. I hope you get something out of it too.
There was no second date with this particular woman, I wasn’t that keen tbh, and when she was prompted for a reason not to continue her answer was “he’s a bit too quiet for me”, go figure. 🤷🏻♂️
My editors and I have been hard at work in the background, looking for ways to improve the Digest. Of course we’d love your input as we want this to be what you readers want. So over the next few weeks, we’ll be asking you a few questions so we can find ways to make DD better for you.
Traditionally, the Digest has gone out on a Friday, as the very first edition was written on a whim on a Thursday night. This week’s question is: are you happy with a Friday read? Do you take it into the weekend with you? Or are you so swamped that you find you don’t have the capacity to get as much as you’d like out of it?
Please pick an option below:
The Dovi’s Digest Facebook and Twitter pages will keep you sated between editions, with all new content. Check it out at the links below:
There are two added extras this week, you lucky ducks. The first one is a visualisation of the biggest cities throughout history, showing the ebb and flow of global population.
The second is the winning photos from the mobile photography awards, a competition that (surprise surprise) only allows submissions taken with a cell phone. It’ll make you want to grab your phone and start shooting immediately.
Do you enjoy the Digest? Would you like it to get better? Then please consider sharing it, as the more articles I’m sent, the better it is. It only takes a few seconds, and all you need to do is click here 👇. Thank you!
There was ONE correct answer to last week’s brainteaser. Well done to Ariel Subotzky! The answer and this week’s puzzle are below.
Aside from becoming the best raconteur in your friend group, there are other things to tickle your brain. Literally, because there’s an article about being awake during brain surgery. Also find out how those “passive income” influencers are peddling lies, read about the man who hasn’t worn shoes in twenty years, the smallest sports league in the world (which has only two teams), pets that are way, way, richer than you, and how people use cell phones in prison, even though they’re not allowed. Enjoy!
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming.
Have a great week,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
Good Conversations Have Lots Of Doorknobs
(Courtesy of Tanya Perel)
Or "Spiderman Is My Boyfriend".
I Was Wide Awake During My Brain Surgery for Parkinson's. Here's How It Changed My Life
I'm one of the lucky 400 or so people a year who receive this surgery in Canada.
What YouTube Hustle Gurus Are Really Selling You
YouTube and TikTok are plagued with 20-something “passive income” bros who want your attention — and your money.
He Took His Shoes Off 20 Years Ago. He Hasn’t Put Them Back On.
Joseph DeRuvo Jr. has lived a mostly barefooted life for nearly two decades. The experience has given him a thick skin.
Isles Of Scilly: Runaway Cows And Visits From Beckham - Life In The World's Littlest League
(Courtesy of Yisroel Greenberg)
When Anthony Gibbons joined a Sunday morning kickabout, he didn't imagine it would lead to being David Beckham's body double.
The Ultimate Pet Rich List
The World's Wealthiest and Most Influential Pets.
The Many Ingenious Ways People in Prison Use (Forbidden) Cell Phones
Despite the security concerns of administrators, incarcerated people use phones to hustle, make TikToks or publicize prison conditions.
Quote of the Week:
“An archaeologist is the best husband any woman can have: the older she gets, the more interested he is in her.” – Agatha Christie
Facts of the Week:
“Groin” once meant the snout of a pig.
Dogs inhale through their nostrils and exhale through slits on the sides of their noses.
A poodle-Rottweiler cross is called a Rottiepoo, a Rottiedoodle, or a Rottweilerpoo.
All Jack Russells are descended from a dog called Trump.
Dogs visiting U.S. National parks can be certified as Bark Rangers.
The first public parks in the US were cemeteries.
In the 1840s, Mount Auburn Cemetery ranked alongside Niagara Falls as the nation's most popular tourist attraction.
To tackle the problem of expanding cemeteries in Brazil, the mayor of Biritiba-Mirim suggested that death be outlawed.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
Dictionary.com found examples of every letter in the English language being silent…except one. Which letter is never silent?
Last Week’s Brainteaser and Answer:
What row of numbers comes next?
1 11 21 1211 111221 312211
Answer:
13112221. This is a pretty diabolical set of integers known as the “Look-and-say sequence.” To get the next number in the sequence, you read off the digits of the previous item.
For instance, “1” is “one one” so the next item is “11.” From that comes “two ones,” so you write down “21” and so on. So, to get the next term in the sequence above, it would be “one three, one one, two twos, two ones.”