Dovi's Digest Volume 197
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello all! Welcome to Volume 197 of Dovi’s Digest.
About ten years ago, I used to go to pub quizzes fairly often. Good friends, alcohol, and some trivia was an excellent combination for a quiet guy who didn’t go out much otherwise. We would often win, and the fact that this paid for the booze was an added bonus. Every few weeks I’d pull out a blinder of an answer to an obscure question, giving us the win by one point. We had a strong team, and this was by no means particular to me – we all did it – but nevertheless it made me feel special.
This wasn’t always the case. For years that arcana was a skill I kept hidden except from those closest to me. Since I was a kid, I knew I had a good memory. I’d excel at games like Match when I was a toddler, took to reading quickly, and from there devoured everything I could get my hands on. It was something that I was quite proud of until I was in high school, when one day in class a teacher asked a very obscure question, I answered, and a classmate turned to me and said “how did you know that? Are you autistic?” To a teenager in the mid-2000s who was shy and awkward anyway, this cut very deep. I withdrew further into myself after that.
I’ve thankfully grown up and surrounded myself with people who love me for my quirks, not despite them. These days I’m pretty open about my love of trivia – I write a weekly newsletter full of odd information and I’m proud of it.
I’m not autistic for the record, and even if I was it would be nothing to be ashamed of, nor is there any stigma attached anymore. With new testing and benchmarks, along with this acceptance, more people are being diagnosed with a form of neurodivergence as an adult than ever before, with this diagnosis opening people’s eyes to reasons why they’ve done things in certain ways their whole lives, struggling to deviate. Which brings us to this week’s headline article, about a man’s adult autism diagnosis, and how this made him look back at his life and his relationships with a new, softer, more forgiving lens. It’s not a long read, but one that made me feel quite warm inside. I hope you enjoy it too.
Do you know a word you think others should know about? Submit it here!
In this week’s added extras:
A voiceover artist demonstrates some of the most common tones you’ll hear on the radio.
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An interactive map of worldwide weather.
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 were ZERO correct answers to last week’s brainteaser. No answer this week, but there’s a new riddle below.
You can also read about the smallest animals known to science (article proven to make you say aww), the woman who puts 27 Dresses to shame, read one authors quest to learn how to cry on cue, parse the article about the text file that runs the internet, visit the town that requires all inhabitants to have surgery, and the story of a personal finance columnist who fell victim to an Amazon scam.
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming.
Have a great weekend,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
I Tried to Forget My Whole Life. I’m Glad I Failed.
The hindsight of an adulthood autism diagnosis.
Who’s The Smallest of Them All? Meet The World’s Amazing Tiniest Creatures
Often overlooked in favour of larger, more charismatic cousins, we asked scientists to tell us about the smallest-known species, from a nano-chameleon to a miniature frog.
The Surreal Life of a Professional Bridesmaid
For the last decade, Jen Glantz has worked as a bridesmaid for hire. Her life is a romantic comedy waiting to happen.
The Crying Game
How do actors learn to sob on cue? And can I? Oprah’s acting coach, a soap star, a clown-class graduate, and others explain.
The Text File That Runs the Internet
For decades, robots.txt governed the behaviour of web crawlers. But as unscrupulous AI companies seek out more and more data, the basic social contract of the web is falling apart.
The Icy Village Where You Must Remove Your Appendix
There’s a settlement in Antarctica with a school, a post office, and a huddle of homes. It’s like other sub-zero villages, except for one thing: families must have surgery to move in.
The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger
I never thought I was the kind of person to fall for a scam.
Quote of the Week:
“All the world’s a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.” – Irish playwright Seán O’Casey
Word of the Week:
(Courtesy of Laurie D)
Irascible
/ɪˈrasɪb(ə)l/ uh·ra·suh·bl
Adjective
having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.
"An irascible and difficult man"
Facts of the Week:
Italians use “alfresco” to mean in prison, like the US slang in the cooler.
In 2017, eight donkeys in India spent four days in prison for eating valuable plants.
Tomato plants release chemicals that turn caterpillars into cannibals.
Caterpillars are more likely to vomit when on their own.
Bats swim using the butterfly stroke.
The longest ever kayak trip was completed by a man who couldn't swim.
JK Rowling couldn't submit her final changes to The Casual Vacancy because an aardvark had chewed through a power cable.
The second Harry Potter film came with a warning that it contained “mild language and horror, and fantasy spiders”.
Spiders of the Selenops family can spin around the eight times in a second.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
(Courtesy of Tanya P)
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
Think of a country name that is contained verbatim within another country’s name. There are at least eight possible answers. How many of them can you get?
Last Week’s Brainteaser:
A list of WWE personnel
Donald Trump
Jesus
ATP Tour records
George W. Bush
A list of current UFC fighters
United States
What do these things have in common?
Thanks for reading Dovi’s Digest!