Coffee with Tanya - Vol. 5

Today’s volume is about:

1. Tradition - Passover - Passover Seder, Mimouna - What it’s all about?
2. Creative publication - pudding.com - discover a digital wonderland of interactive data visualizations, infographics, and storytelling that will captivate your imagination and transform how you perceive information.
3. Entertainment - shortoftheweek.com - get ready to be swept away by a curated selection of the most captivating and thought-provoking short films from around the world, featuring cutting-edge storytelling…
4. Book of the week - "Factfulness..." by Hans Rosling - the book that changed how I look at the world!! Challenge your worldview and unlock a fresh perspective on the world with this eye-opening book that reveals the surprising truth about global trends, packed with mind-bending facts that will challenge your assumptions and inspire you to see the world in a whole new light.
5. Tips and Resources - capitalizemytitle.com / tree.fm - unleash your writing prowess and have a productive day with the sounds of forests.

Now grab your coffee and enjoy!

Tradition - Passover Time

Passover, also known as Pesach, is a vibrant Jewish holiday that brings families and communities together in a spirit of joy and celebration. It is a time to celebrate the ancient story of the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt and to reflect on the themes of freedom, redemption, and renewal.

One of the most exciting aspects of Passover is the Passover Seder, a special meal held on the first two nights of the holiday. The Seder is a unique and interactive experience filled with rituals, songs, and stories that engage all the senses. From the symbolic foods on the Seder plate, such as the matzah (unleavened bread) and the bitter herbs, to the four cups of wine, each element of the Seder has a special meaning.

Passover is an eight-day holiday that typically falls in the springtime, and it is observed with various customs and traditions. One unique custom that takes place after Passover ends is called Mimouna, which is celebrated in some Sephardic Jewish communities (check this video). Mimouna is a festive gathering that marks the end of Passover and the return to eating leavened foods. It is a time for families to open their homes to friends and neighbors, and to indulge in sweet treats, pastries, and other delicacies.

Creativity - Visual digital publication

This time I present you The Pudding! The Pudding is an exciting digital publication that produces stunning visual essays on a wide variety of topics, ranging from pop culture and science to sports and politics. Their articles are designed to be informative, visually engaging, and interactive, making them perfect for readers who are looking for something more than just text-based content.

With a focus on data-driven storytelling, The Pudding features interactive graphics, animations, and data visualizations that bring the stories to life. Some of their most popular articles include visualizations of the history of the NBA, the history of music (super cool!), and the gender balance of Hollywood movies. These articles are not only visually stunning but also offer unique insights into the topics they cover.

Entertainment - shortoftheweek.com

If you’re into short films (not just the big screens:), this one is for you. Short of the Week is an online platform that focuses on showcasing and promoting short films from around the world. It’s a curated selection of short films across various genres, including fiction, documentary, animation, and more. They also have a YouTube channel.

Don’t know where to start and what to check first, so you can look at the 2023 Oscars collection with the winning videos, or just tap on one of these:

• Deja Vu - A young woman meets with her best friend in a local diner to tell him about the fantasy she recently accomplished. But when a mysterious man enters, she is struck by a feeling of deja vu. Everything around her starts to resemble a nightmare she has had.
• A story for children about death is no easy task, but Smatana has excelled with his award-winning film The Kite.
• The Sentence of Michael Thompson by Kyle Thrash + Haley Elizabeth Anderson.

Books and Podcasts - “Factfulness…”

A life-changing book! “Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think, by Hans Rosling”, is an eye-opening book, where Rosling presents ten reasons why we often have misconceptions about the world, and reveals why things are actually better than we think. Backed by years of data and research, Rosling challenges common myths and misconceptions about global trends and provides a more accurate, fact-based view of our world.

'Factfulness' is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in and is sure to challenge your perceptions and broaden your worldview. I had an incredible experience listening to an audiobook on Audible during my journey from Hanoi to Sapa in North Vietnam, back in 2018. The impact it had on me was astounding, as it completely blew my mind.

This animated short summary of the book is worth checking out, but be sure to read the full version as well.

Tips, Tricks, and Resources

Today we have two cool things:

1. Capitalize my Title - Need help with title capitalization? Look no further than this free online tool which is a game-changer for writers and editors who want to ensure their titles and headings are correctly capitalized according to different writing styles. Also helps with making presentations at work and school. You just easily input your title or heading, and then choose from different capitalization styles, such as title case, sentence case, uppercase, lowercase, and more.

2. Tree.fm (including Chrome extension) will help you tune into forests from around the world. Forest sounds around the world have been recorded so you can escape into nature and unwind wherever you are. An excellent productivity tool for focusing, studying, or reading a book. Escape, relax & preserve.

   

This Day in History - April 12

• 1861 - Fort Sumter in South Carolina is attacked by the Confederacy, beginning the American Civil War
• 1961 - Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in outer space (Vostok 1)
• 1981 - On this day in 1981, NASA launched the first space shuttle, Columbia
• 1992 - Euro Disney theme park opens in France
• 1999 - US President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit

Quote of the Week

“Remember. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” // Andy Dufresne, Shawshank Redemption

Hope you had a good time reading this volume and sipping your coffee. Feel free to like, comment and share any feedback!