🌞 The good news about Heated Rivalry

Here are three things that made me happy this week:
1. Completing the NYT ‘Mini’ crossword in 31 seconds. Yes, I am supremely competitive.
2. Only having social media on my desktop, meaning I spend less time on my phone.
3. This photo of the first Guide Dogs NSW/ACT litter of the year 😭

The Australian Open may be kicking off this weekend, but honestly, the main event has already happened. 

The One Point Slam is a competition where tennis amateurs compete against pro players for a chance to win $1 million. The winner of each game is determined by one point. 

Earlier this week, Sydneysider Jordan Smith beat several tennis pros, including reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, to win $1 million. He also secured $50,000 towards his tennis club in Castle Hill, NSW. 

Smith had simply the best attitude throughout the competition, and confirmed to the audience that he plans to buy a house with the prize money. 

You’re never too old to be a champion. Take 92-year-old Diana Beasley as a perfect example.

This week, Beasley won a UK Scrabble tournament, the ‘Final Fling,’ with 10 wins across 15 rounds.

She told the BBC that she’s been playing for over 60 years and plans to use her prize money on more Scrabble tournaments. Now that’s true love of the game.

Here’s TDA journalist, Anju: “I only found out about this account yesterday, but it’s already become one of my favourites. Things I Have Drawn is one dad’s valiant attempt to connect his children’s drawings to real life. 

Tom takes drawings from his sons Alistair and Dom and makes digital artworks of what they would look like IRL, such as dogs with bird legs and very wonky horses and cows. 

Some of my favourite examples are a penguin with gigantic legs, a flamingo with a curvy neck, and a very strange self-portrait. 

You can check them out here.”

Feeling good starts with moving well – and MoveActive is here to make it easy

From Pilates to everyday workouts, their gear is comfy, supportive, and designed to move with you, not against you.

Whether you’re stretching, strengthening, or just rolling out your mat for the first time, MoveActive makes it feel fun, not like a chore.

This newsletter loves science-y wins, and this edition is no exception.

The American Cancer Society has confirmed that due to earlier detection, better treatment and lower rates of smoking, the U.S. cancer mortality rate has continued to decline.

Across 2015-2021, 70% of cancer patients were surviving for at least five years after being diagnosed, which the ACS called a “milestone”. 

It also confirmed that individuals with high mortality cancers had the “largest gains,” with the five year survival rate almost doubling for myeloma and tripling for liver cancer. 

SkoBots are mini robots that can respond to children in Anishinaabemowin, an endangered language spoken by Indigenous communities in North America.

Founded by Indigenous young person Danielle Boyer, the robots are free tools that are intended to supplement community language learning. They sit on children's shoulders to help them learn the language, and use language recordings from linguistic experts, children and elders.

Whether you’re chronically online or not, chances are you’ve probably heard of ‘Heated Rivalry,’ the Canadian hit TV show chronicling a secret gay romance between two rival captains, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. 

The show has taken the internet by storm for many reasons, but a main one being the representation it has provided to queer, closeted athletes in hyper-masculine sports.

Hudson Williams, who plays Shane, went on Sirius XM earlier, confirming that pro closeted athletes had reached out to him following the show’s impact. 

This week, former professional hockey player Jesse Kortuem came out as gay on his Facebook, crediting Heated Rivalry for the “spark”. He wrote that while he loved hockey, he “lived with a persistent fear,” wondering how he “could be gay and still play such a tough and masculine sport”. Kortuem also had a message for closeted athletes, telling them that they aren’t alone and “there is a life and deep happiness waiting”. 

If you’re still overwhelmed by the Heated Rivalry craze, here’s your explainer. Welcome to the cottage.