This month I have two pieces of trivia and two personal observations to share. Here’s what I learned in December.
- Jenga was invented by Leslie Scott, a British national born in East Africa; “jenga” is derived form the Swahili word for “build.”
2. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (author of The 101 Dalmatians), published in 1948, is considered the first YA novel. (Check out the description; I’m curious to read it now.)
3. Embarrassingly, I just learned how to raise the flash on my digital camera. Sometimes I want to give up on technology altogether.
4. I finally understand what Gretchen Rubin means by the phrase “free from french fries.” I knew she meant that some people find it easier to have none of something rather than a little (abstainers vs. moderators), but it didn’t hit home for me until I tried not using my computer during the day. It actually felt freeing to not let myself open my laptop, whereas when I try to check my email just once or twice during the day, it feels like torture (and I keep breaking my own rules). Now I need to keep up the discipline during the new year!
I just introduced some of my younger cousins to Jenga. They love it. This month I learned about The Great Smog of 1952 after watching The Crown and that Spongebob was originally going to be called Spongeboy but the name was already owned by a mop company.
Number 4 is really interesting… I’ve had a hard time deciding if I’m an abstainer or a moderator. The computer thing makes sense; I assume you are checking your email in the evening, then?
The french fries in that picture look delicious! We had amazing herb, parmesan, and truffle oil french fries at a little pub/restaurant in New Hampshire on our way home from Millie’s wedding.
Unless there’s a compelling reason to go online earlier in the day… (And yum!)