EXPLORING THE RICH HISTORY OF SCRABBLE MY WORD!
In 1931, the Great Depression — the worst economic crisis in American history — had thoroughly dampened the country’s spirit. Amidst the crisis, Alfred M. Butts, an out-of-work New York architect, decided to create a game to take his mind off the economy. Aspiring to develop a classic to join the ranks of other timeless card and board games, Butts came up with the idea for a board-and-tile game he non-committedly named “Criss Cross,” which we now know as Scrabble. THE ARCHITECT’S PLAN At its core, Scrabble was inspired by crossword puzzles and always featured the iconic lettered tiles, each with separate quantities and point values. Butts determined the point values by surfing through his collection of local newspapers and counting how often each letter appeared. To prevent players from creating too many cheap plurals, he included only four “S” tiles in each box and assigned the letter a measly 1 point. Butts was eager to share his idea with the world, but the world was not as eager to receive it. He pitched the game to several publishers and retailers, but all rejected it. Butts had to retail it on a small scale, and the game did not become the surefire hit he expected it to be. It wasn’t until fellow New Yorker James Brunot discovered the game that things changed for the better. Brunot offered to mass-produce the game and, in exchange, would provide Butts with a portion of the profits, which Butts happily agreed to.
Strategies for Peaceful Coexistence DIVORCE UNDER ONE ROOF
There are many new challenges and changes while going through a divorce. It can be all that more complex when you are still living with your spouse through the process. Whether it’s financial conditions or to minimize disruptions to the family structure, you may be unable to move out right away for several reasons. Caring for yourself, setting firm boundaries, and communicating if this is your situation is essential. Though every couple is different, there are some ways to keep cohabitation as peaceful and prosperous as possible. SET BOUNDARIES You should quickly establish a new set of physical, emotional, and communication boundaries with your spouse to help prevent conflicts. Decide how space, items, and chores will be divided. Depending on the situation, you can schedule times for each of you to use common spaces like the kitchen to maintain some personal space. You are no longer living together as a husband and wife but as roommates and co-parents. Setting boundaries is especially important if you work from home, like a closed door means you are working. CREATE A NEW BUDGET Each of you will need to save money for the divorce proceedings, and it’s essential to establish a new budget for the household. Money can be an extremely tense topic for couples going through a divorce, so crafting a budget and sticking to it can help prevent future arguments. Plot out how you will split the bills and any other shared expenses. Strive to keep your costs separate. TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN If you have children, it’s essential not to argue in front of them and to have a conversation with them about the situation. You can take a conversation to another room or another time if necessary, but your children will psychologically suffer if they see their parents fighting through the divorce. Don’t pull children into disagreements or disputes, and don’t speak negatively about the other parent in front of your kids. Protect your heart and emotions as you go through this temporary living situation. Understand there will be strains on your mental well-being and challenges, but you can get through the tough spots with communication and patience. You should plan to get your own space, but it takes time. Always turn to your trusted loved ones for support.
BRUNOT’S BARGAIN As soon as Brunot secured the rights to the game, he began making significant changes to it. These included redesigning the board, its color, players’ starting position, and the location of various score multiplier tiles. But his most important contribution was changing its name to Scrabble! The owner of Macy’s then discovered the game and offered to carry it in his stores. Brunot went from creating 12 copies of the game an hour when he first acquired the rights to 2,000 sets per week by 1952. By 1954, millions of copies were sold. Today, the game has been translated into over 20 languages and has sold over 100 million copies. People play the game worldwide, in tournaments and living rooms alike, and it has allowed millions to share in the joy initially envisioned by a down-on-his-luck architect in a time when hope was a distant prospect.
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