[OGT] No one knows where these common words came from
I’m convinced you could spend the rest of your life watching YouTube videos and barely scratch the surface of fascinating educational content (not that I...
[OGT] How many Palestinians do you know?
I know many Jewish people who feel very strongly about Palestinians, yet have never met one. Think about that. If this describes you, it means you’re holding...
![[OGT] You can't die without learning how to swim](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/b57fee4a-1804-45f5-9fd9-70e06f884987.png?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] You can't die without learning how to swim
Check out this beautifully crafted, inspiring, award-winning short film. It tells the story of Madeleine, a spirited 106 year old woman who reluctantly...
[OGT] Do blind people understand vision?
Have you ever imagined what it might be like to be blind? I don’t mean to lose your sight, but rather to never have had it in the first place. I’d argue that...
[OGT] Movie Review: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
I just watched a documentary that touched my heart and outraged me at the same time. It’s the tale of Pasha Talankin, who, as the official videographer for a...
[OGT] Best Camp Ever?
I’m down with any initiative that encourages book people to spend more time with other book people. In 2018, Mackenzie Newcomb founded the Bad Bitch Book...
![[OGT] Loneliness may be killing you](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/e398c07f-25c7-4f17-8ac4-80a22031156e.png?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Loneliness may be killing you
How important do you think social interactions are? Are they just nice to have or a critical ingredient for a healthy and happy life? The video below answers...
![[OGT] As close to magic as you can get](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/eb6a50eb-f2dc-406d-88a3-9e5afed9310e.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] As close to magic as you can get
Two weeks ago, in Writing as Therapy, I wrote about how much I’ve enjoyed and profited from journaling for ten minutes every morning. Continuing that theme,...
![[OGT] Before They Were Huge](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/f8ee7d4e-0abc-4e5b-9820-0d9b47944966.png?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Before They Were Huge
If you’re a fan of classic rock, I have a video for you. In this beautiful black and white footage recorded in Denmark in 1969, Led Zeppelin performs a...
![[OGT] Writing as Therapy](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/f15f19ed-52ed-4971-b855-9eb27e3df85f.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Writing as Therapy
I’ve been journaling every morning for the last several weeks and have found it to be a great way to organize my thoughts and process some of the many loose...
![[OGT] 100 Prisoners Puzzle](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/c630776c-ebf6-4054-b91b-df3227490860.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] 100 Prisoners Puzzle
Today’s One Great Thing is a neat puzzle that falls into one of my favorite categories: on first hearing this your reaction will likely be “that’s...
![[OGT] The Death of Daydreaming](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/eae2b23c-bc31-4eec-8173-74fe0fbb61c9.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] The Death of Daydreaming
As a child, I was a world class daydreamer. By which I mean that my mind was constantly wandering, which was often commented upon with some concern by my...
![[OGT] Puddles Pity Party](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/856a89c1-5c29-479a-8674-070bc986d799.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Puddles Pity Party
The first time you see Puddles Pity Party you might be tempted to dismiss him based on appearances. How do you take seriously a gigantic (6'8”) man dressed...
![[OGT] Free the Hostages](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/241f5ed5-5c33-498f-a1b8-75cdbe63266f.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Free the Hostages
As a loud and proud Jewish critic of Israel’s apartheid regime, I’m sometimes asked this question: why don’t you spend more energy calling for the release of...
[OGT] Metal Worms
One of the best things about living in London is the pervasive and efficient train network, affectionately known as the Tube. You can get just about anywhere...
![[OGT] The Lost Art of Handwriting](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/29b7d951-c285-4e34-b753-41ffe434bce2.jpg?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] The Lost Art of Handwriting
I’ve been teaching a class at the University of Surrey in South London. During a recent lab session, a student approached me with a question and I noticed...
[OGT] An Epic Quest
Whether you’re a long time fan of Jeopardy! or not, you have to appreciate Harvey Silikovitz, who, despite having Parkinson’s Disease, won the notoriously...
![[OGT] Ask For No](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/3e21073c-2401-4eb8-8fd4-0d3bfe32dc4d.png?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Ask For No
Today’s one great thing is a short article about a powerful life hack everyone should know about. Ask for no, don’t ask for yes is a simple technique which...
![[OGT] Getting Stuck at a "Station of Despair" in Tokyo](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/657e54c7-997e-45e2-bded-c80c37fe60aa.png?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] Getting Stuck at a "Station of Despair" in Tokyo
Have you ever done that thing where you fall asleep on a train and miss your stop? If you do that in Tokyo, you might just end up at a “Station of Despair”....
![[OGT] John Lennon: Real or Imagined?](https://assets.buttondown.email/images/7fef8529-f1d9-465f-9bf2-b0bd940fa45d.png?w=960&fit=max)
[OGT] John Lennon: Real or Imagined?
If, like me, you’re a Beatles fan and you enjoy a good amateur detective story, this article will be right up your alley. It’s a first person account of a...