musicbox 1st generation author

here are some interesting tree trivia that i've found in my commonplace book recently:

- trees are the longest-living organisms on earth and never actually die of old age.
- trees can communicate with insects that attack them. some trees can fill their leaves with medicinal-like substances to protect themselves against insect attacks and other plants.
- pine trees can grow on every continent except antarctica.
- trees can lower air temperature by evaporating water from their leaves.
- if a bird's nest is attached to a tree branch, the tree can't grow upward.
- a tree's trunk grows in summer, while its roots grow during fall and winter.
- trees growing in sunny spots have thicker bark compared to those growing in shade. shade-grown trees usually have thinner bark.
- trees growing in humid areas and near large water sources have large/broad leaves. trees in dry environments with little water have small and tough leaves.
- oak trees, which can adapt to most environments, represent wisdom, strength, and loyalty.
- oak trees attract more lightning than other trees.
- oak trees don't produce acorns until they're 50 years old.
- there are about 3 trillion trees on earth. tree numbers have decreased by 46% since the neolithic period.
- pine cones have genders.
- botanically speaking, palm trees aren't actually trees - they're large woody plants.
- the locations of the world's tallest and oldest trees are kept secret to prevent tourist damage to the trees and their surroundings.
- according to botanic gardens conservation international, there are 60,065 tree species worldwide, but 300 of these are on the brink of extinction.
- trees can reduce unwanted noise by masking sound waves, particularly with their leaves and branches.
- spending time in nature around trees reduces mental fatigue and muscle tension. life is calmer in areas with more trees.
- trees help prevent air and water pollution.
- trees are just as important for wildlife as they are for humans. they provide food, shade, and habitat for many wild animals.

i'm not the kind of person who complains about everything, but here i am! this happened a while ago when i went to see dune 2. the cinema was crowded, and we all settled into our seats, waiting for the movie to start. on the right side of my seat, a woman was sitting alone. then a lovely young couple walked in and sat on my other side, each holding an xl popcorn. while they walked, the smell spread all around and it was tempting, and i thought about getting one for myself.

the moment they sat down, immediately started pouring popcorn into each other's mouths, completely unaware of the enormous amount of noise they were making. since the movie hadn't started yet, i was holding onto the hope that the noise would be drowned out once it did. wrong! they were right next to me, and somehow, they had a magical popcorn that never seemed to run out, no matter how much they kept chewing, nonstop, full speed. the lone woman i mentioned earlier couldn't take it anymore and left within the first 15 minutes.

in the end, i left the movie regretting that i hadn't just watched it at home, where i could eat my own popcorn at a fraction of the cost and in peace. is this newly developed intolerance toward people, especially when we're alone, about being jealous of couples in a masked way, or is it a legitimate complaint?

on the one hand, i want to see movies on that gigantic screen with epic sound systems, but on the other, i love my cozy place at home where i watch movies, usually by myself, without being disrupted by strangers' behaviors.

maybe the middle ground is the way to go; just see movies during off-hours on weekdays to get the best of both worlds.

such creative work from airbnb, absolutely loved them all! you can see all those icons on their homepage * basically they are custom designed places to stay to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

my favorite one is edna's house from the incredibles. the following image and its commentary, which is coming directly from the mouth of edna mode, made me laugh hard :)

image

"you might recognize that mural on the wall. it was a gift from a super whose supersuit i designed. he goes by the chiseler. exceptionally talented."

the only down part is they were only available for a very limited time, not sure why was that. they must have spent an astronomic number on those designs, to only shut them down after a month? that's crazy.

al pacino's legendary dance in 'scent of a woman,' where he plays the role of a blind man, begins with these legendary words: 'charlie, give me the coordinates of the dance floor. (see: here's the dance!)

something i enjoy doing while occupied with other tasks. it flows smoothly alongside activities like working, washing dishes, or driving.

but does it make a person better, more culturally? i'm not sure. it's like listening to the radio, no need to overly glorify it.

my favorite ones are usually history-related podcasts. (see: dan carlin) it's not like a boring history lesson, more like watching a high-budget series.

he is a next-level podcaster. the 'blueprint for armageddon' series starts with the assassination of archduke franz ferdinand of austria-hungary. but the guy never slips up, no errors in his storytelling. he adjusts his voice, tone, and emphasis so perfectly that you find yourself in the trenches of the battle of verdun, under the hail of machine-gun fire shooting 200 rounds per minute over your head.

the only downside is that this isn't the kind of podcast you can just play in the background for some casual noise. it demands full attention, or you'll miss the tactic that won the battle in a flash.

if you like history, you should definitely give it a listen.