☀️ Awesome Things, Volume 184: Summer of George, Pineapples and Covid brain
Another week of internet awesomeness. Awesome Things is read across 40 US states and 34 countries.
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Reflections on my ‘Summer of George’
Greetings and happy pre-Fall from Philadelphia.
The weather has (thankfully) cooled as people got back to work and school. Me, I’m still looking for the next thing. As readers may or may not remember, I left my corporate gig at the end of July. I expected it and actually welcomed it. I figured with my newfound freedom, I can finally get those 33265 ideas out of my head and onto the drawing board. Create more art. Renew my long dormant side hustles. Not have to check Teams or Slack.
Doing whatever the fuck I want to do.
Much of that is still true, but it wasn’t the ‘Zen holiday’ I’d wanted.
First, the weather was absolute shit in Philly this summer. In August, it was so hot it felt like I couldn’t even leave the house, which left many todos and places to go undone.
Traditionally, August has been a time for businesses to slow down as families take vacations and prepare for the year's final quarter. However, this year felt…different. The usual summer lull was noticeably absent, likely due to the rise of hybrid work arrangements - a lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lines are now blurred between work and leisure time due to this change in employment patterns, which has upset the usual summer rhythm. There is less of a distinct summer vacation now because timetables are more malleable, which helps businesses maintain momentum all season long.
As an upside, I did manage to take a vacation to Florida before my layoff, and I just got back from another trip last week. The summer may have been a bust, but I'm looking forward to what the fall has in store.
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On to this week’s Awesome Things:
Spain’s 'pineapple-gate' sparks hopes of romance and shop chaos
A Spanish craze encouraging single people to seek partners in supermarkets by using a fruit-based code has caused some chaotic scenes and even led to the police being called to restore order.
I’ve heard of seniors in The Villages in Florida employing a similar tactic.
Your name in Landsat
Type in your name to see it spelled out in Landast imagery of Earth.
We tried the app that brings strangers together for dinner in Denver
Making new friends as an adult can be tough, especially in our digital age. A new app is bringing people together for Wednesday night dinner dates around Denver.
The circle of life: Swiftie daughters help dads buy Oasis tickets online
“My dad has used Ticketmaster before, but not to the depth that Swifties have,” Ella Annable, 25, tells TODAY.com.
[ I’m old enough to remember when you ‘camped out’ for tickets.]
florida man
Florida Man Parked Car In Turn Lane And Passed Out After 25 Beers
41-year-old Fermin Tlapechco of Apopka, Florida was arrested last week after consuming 25 beers, then trying – unsuccessfully – to drive.
[I think we’d all be a little sleepy after 25 beers.]
Covid lockdowns prematurely aged girls’ brains more than boys’, study finds
MRI scans found girls’ brains appeared 4.2 years older than expected after lockdowns, compared with 1.4 years for boys.
[Speaking for myself, I’m definitely not the same person I was pre-covid. A little more anxious and distracted. Social media is to blame. A related thread on Reddit: Does anyone else feel like they’ve never “gotten their mojo back” since the COVID outbreak?]
From the Twittersphere
🐦 But, why? (Some days i feel like the internet was a mistake.)
🐦 Happy would-be 65th birthday to Tony Soprano from Christopher, Silvio, Richie, Livia, Junior and little Carmine (great set of impressions by @TonyLapidus)
🐦 Apple Confirms Special Release… Skinterface Pro Plus Max
Learn something new and get 1 Month Free and 20% off! When you join Skillshare, you'll receive 1 month of unlimited classes for free and 20% off your first payment.
Quotable
‘Fools learn from experience; wise men learn from history’
- Otto Von Bismarck
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