Dovi’s Digest Volume 88
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Guten tag, buenos dias, and salaam!! Welcome to Volume 88 of Dovi’s Digest.
A couple weeks ago I wrote a little about how to make a change, and about how new year’s resolutions aren’t about going all in immediately. The most successful ones start small and build up from there. Basically, what I’m saying is that consistency is key to success and making things stick. The reason I’m revisiting this particular train of thought is because this week marked a milestone for me, one that I’m going to brag about, because well, I’m damn proud of it. On Tuesday I marked an 1825-day streak on Duolingo. That means for the last five years, every day (for the most part, there are one day streak freezes which I’ve utilised on occasion) I’ve opened the app and done at least one lesson. Now, doing 10-15 minutes a day of a language isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Let’s be honest, most of us spent more time than that on personal hygiene each day (hopefully). But to make time every day is actually not as easy as one thinks. It means every day on holiday when your mind is on other things. After long, mentally draining days at work, you must use your brain for a little bit longer and try remember/remembering new vocab or conjugations. And I’ve managed to keep this up for five years straight. For those of you who know me well, sticking with things is not usually my strong suit. I’ve changed jobs a good few times, careers almost as often, and moods more time than I care to count. The few constants in my life are my love of pizza, the fact that I may take an international trip at the drop of a hat, and my hairstyle.
There have been days where I’ve just wanted to stop, when I couldn’t be bothered to learn more about formal reflexive verbs. But I stuck with it, day by day, week by week, lesson by lesson. So, instead of my usual train of thought ramblings, or family stories, this week I thought I’d have a little brag. High five me!
If you do duo, or in fact anything that requires daily application, I’d love to hear your story! Just hit reply and let me know. And if you’d like to add me as a friend on duo, my username is @dovib.
There were THREE correct answers to last week’s brainteaser. Well done to Hazel Levine, Cheryl Geliebter, and Rachel Goldstuck. The answers and this week’s riddle (which I think is a real doozy!) are below.
As I shameless plugged myself in the intro, there is no headline article. However, there is your usual mix of unusual articles which this week include: faking being rich on the intertubes, how Pokémon avoided being a fad, and will rule the world, lovely words (by Susie Dent, a lexicographer well known to those of you who watch countdown), why sailor food wasn’t as gross as we thought, the economics of tipping, genetically engineered tomatoes, and how Willie Nelson is a modern day sage, who’s just totally rad. Enjoy!
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming,
Have a great week,
Dovi
Before the articles, are you enjoying the Digest? Then why don’t you share it with your friends? It takes a minute and it only makes the digest better! All you gotta do is just click here:
Danke, muchas gracias, and shukraan!
And now, the articles:
Pokémon Will Outlive Us All
A wildly popular Nintendo franchise, Saturday morning cartoon, and trading card game, Pokémon had all the hallmarks of a flash in the pan. Two decades later, it’s a $100 billion empire.
What I Learned From Pretending to Be Rich and Cool Online
Are you a Claire or a Massie?
From Respair to Cacklefart – The Joy of Reclaiming Long-Lost Positive Words
We have been bombarded with negativity recently; but the English language is a treasure trove of joyous vocabulary.
The Grim Food Served on 17th-Century Sea Voyages Wasn’t All Bad
Though just the sight of two-month-old salted beef may make you nauseous.
The Tipping Point: The Subtle Psychology and Economics of Taxi Fares
Passengers hate mental math — and other lessons from one billion New York City cab rides.
The Tomatoes At The Forefront Of A Food Revolution
As global temperatures increase and extreme weather events become more common, can gene editing help to tweak our food plants so they can cope with the changes?
Willie Nelson Understands
At eighty-seven, the musician knows what it’s like to lose a partner, your house, all your money, those big dreams.
Quote of the Week:
“I wonder why I don't go to bed and go to sleep. But then it would be tomorrow, so I decide that no matter how tired, no matter how incoherent I am, I can skip one hour more of sleep and live.” – Sylvia Plath
Facts of the Week:
Beetles have become 20% smaller over the last century.
The real-life policeman who inspired Sgt. Pepper didn't like The Beatles.
The police in Rome have an undercover squad that stops people jumping in fountains.
A waterside restaurant in Perth, Australia, hands out water pistols so that diners can repel the seagulls.
Australia is slightly wider than the moon.
Australia is an island 20 times the size of Japan, but with a shorter coastline.
Galešnjak is a heart shaped island in Croatia also known as “the Island of Love”.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
Your task is to make 100 by placing pluses and minus is in the string of digits 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 in that order. But that's not actually your only task. To get full credit on this puzzle, you must find the least number of pluses and minuses needed to get to 100.
Last Week’s Brainteaser and Answer:
What same three letters fit into the following five combinations to form 5 words?
S _ _ _ V E
_ _ _ D Y
A L _ _ _
N E C _ _ _
R O _ _ _ Y
Answer:
TAR.