"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Nelson Mandela

#WeGoAlong

Tide's in, dirt's out.

Wow. What a week it has been.

I have never felt more excited to do laundry. Something I never thought I’d say but living off of the same clothes, especially ones that have been stained by coffee and dollar store ramen will bring me to that point. 

I also didn’t think that I would have such an issue with soup broth,  but I do and here we are. I just don’t understand how without the contents of said soup, people will drink the broth.

Some things I guess I will just never understand. 

#Trending

Brick by Brick

If you mention LEGO, most people have a story to tell. It is a multi-faceted product that attracts a variety of different people who love it or hate it for different reasons. 

Some of the most popular stories are how they used to play with LEGO when they were kids. They just bought a set. (Did you know they have a typewriter design? People love to talk about the typewriter.) They have a friend who is a collector. The pain of stepping on one in bare feet has become a rite of passage for parenthood. I am not a parent but I have stepped on LEGO and attest to the emotions of pain and frustration it brings. 

Why we talking LEGO though? The retailer celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.

In March, the retailer reported that 2021 sales came in at over $8 billion. It opened 165 stores last year and is in the middle of expansion in China. Even as the world was in the thick of COVID-19, consumer sales jumped 21% in 2020, outpacing the industry's growth that year. But, the company's trajectory hasn't always been smooth.

LEGO nearly crashed and burned before it decided to bank on a very popular movie franchise in the late '90s. Star Wars. Who would have thought that a LEGO movie would yield such a lucrative return? Well, the partnership brought the company back to life, and resulted in 700 different sets, five video games, television and web series, and additional products since its original partnership over two decades ago.

Now, it leverages pop culture IP and has proven not only to be a brand for kids, but also for adults. A dedicated community has sprung up, with collectors and a vibrant (and sometimes lucrative) secondary market.

#Trailblazing

Coke Promotes New Pixel-Flavoured Cola

Not going to lie, Fortnite brings me an unmounted degree of PTSD.  My first year roommate who was the craziest kid I ever met, used to stay up to all hours of the night playing Fortnite. The coincidence about this article? I once threw an empty coke can at him because he wouldn’t turn down the sound. Why not? Because he wouldn’t be able to hear if people were approaching him. I stand by my decision and he had to drop out after first year. At heart he’s a good guy but took this game way too seriously.

Anyways, Coca Cola wants to make its shot at marketing in the web 3 era and they are utilizing gaming to do just that. Coke is quickly building its Creations platform that seeks to push new flavours out to the market on a rolling basis. The strategy emphasizes how large food and beverage brands are reworking the ways they insert themselves into pockets of consumer culture, including categories like gaming.

Rather than enact a months-long media campaign for a permanent flavour addition that may or may not stick, Creations is dedicated to limited rollouts that emphasize tailored digital and real-world experiences. The quick-hit approach follows Coke culling a large portion of its beverage portfolio. To promote the offering, Coke partnered with gaming organization PWR on a Pixel Point Island in Fortnite where visitors can hunt for hidden treasures, play mini-games and participate in other activities. Time to crack open a Coke. 

#Traveling

Weird (and wonderful) Travel Destinations

To keep up with the spirit of travel, here are a list of some places you might want to keep in mind before planning your next excursion! 

The Giant's Causeway, Norther Ireland: Sixty million years ago a huge volcanic eruption spewed out a mass of molten basalt, which then solidified and contracted as it cooled, creating the cracks that can be seen today. There are an estimated 37,000 polygon columns at this World Heritage Site, so geometrically perfect that local legend has it they were created by a giant. It's a firm contender for one of the weirdest places on earth.

Lake Hillier, Western Australia: This remarkable lake is on the largest of the islands in Western Australia’s Recherche Archipelago. The lake keeps its deep pink colour year-round, which some scientists say is down to high salinity combined with the presence of a salt-loving algae species known as Dunaliella salina and pink bacteria known as halobacteria.

Cat Island, Japan: One of the weirdest places on earth has to be the Japanese Cat Island. A short ferry ride from Japan’s east coast, Tashirojima has a population of one hundred humans who are vastly outnumbered by their furry friends. Originally the cats were encouraged since the island produced silk, and mice are a natural predator of silkworms. Local fishermen regarded them as good luck. The island even has a cat shrine, along with newly built cat shaped cabins for tourists to stay in. It goes without saying that there are no dogs allowed.

#WeeklyTopPicks

We Go Along Top Picks

#Flix
Peaky Blinders | 2013 - 2022 | Drama | 6 Seasons

Britain is a mixture of despair and hedonism in 1919 in the aftermath of the Great War. Returning soldiers, newly minted revolutions and criminal gangs are fighting for survival in a nation rocked by economic upheaval. One of the most powerful gangs of the time is the Peaky Blinders, run by returning war hero Thomas Shelby and his family. But Thomas has bigger ambitions than just running the streets. 
 

#Facts
Random fact of the week

The first mobile device to be called an "iPhone" was made by Cisco, not Apple. It allowed the user to use the voice functions of Skype without a computer. Apple announced its own product just 22 days later, and Cisco sued for trademark infringement. The lawsuit was ultimately settled out of court and both companies were allowed to keep using the name. However, you've probably never heard of the Cisco iPhone.