As a literary sort, I go absolutely feral with word games. Crosswords, anagrams, those ones where you have to make as many words as possible from a set of letters ... they just scratch a very specific itch in my brain. The latest trend is Wordle, a daily word guessing game that you should definitely look into if you like that sort of thing. One charming aspect of the Wordle craze is how people have turned it into a little shared routine, trading results with friends every day and discussing the triumphs and defeats therein. Some people may find it to be a bit performative, but I think it's adorable! When humans find something they like, one of their first instincts is to share and create little communities and in-jokes with each other. It's wholesome, and frankly, in a time of division and isolation, somewhat comforting too.

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Our favorites this week

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

Higher and higher
The outdoors is for everyone, and one all-Black climbing group is making sure that includes the highest heights as well. Members of Full Circle have scaled Denali, Mount Kilimanjaro and other legendary peaks. Now, they're preparing to take on Everest, the tallest of them all. Here's a breathtaking fact: of the roughly 4,000 people who have summited Mount Everest, only eight of them have been Black. That means, if the nine-person Full Circle team is successful, that number will automatically double. But there's a lot more at play here than blazing a high-altitude trail. The climbers also want to increase the visibility of mountaineers of color and the local people of Tibet who know the mountain better than anyone. For instance, early Everest climbers were lauded for their feats, but what about the hard-working Sherpas who were the first to reach the top and made those expeditions possible? When they're not practically reaching for the moon, Full Circle members like founder Phil Henderson are teaching outdoor skills, operating their own climbing gyms, or just enjoying the beauty and challenges of nature.

Photo credit: Mathias Falcone

A spritely old fellow

Next time you catch yourself thinking, "Darn, I'm old," just remember that you are still far younger than Jonathan, the oldest tortoise in the world. With 190 years under the shell, Jonathan has witnessed the rise and fall of empires. He's lived through the invention of photography, the lightbulb, the automobile, and, of course, the internet -- all while munching away on cabbage and sparing nary a thought to the rapidly changing world around him. Jonathan lives on St. Helena, a remote island territory in the South Atlantic, and has even been spotted in photographs dating back to the 1880s! He may be getting up in age even for a tortoise, but he still enjoys the finer things in life: sunbathing, fresh produce, and bisexual mating sessions with his tortoise friends, Emma and Fred. Well, well! The golden years, indeed.

Photo credit: Duncan Hines

Eat up, y'all!
Dolly Parton is releasing a new line of cake mixes and frostings with Duncan Hines, and I'm livid about it. Why? Because now I'll be craving banana pudding cake for weeks! The mixes are inspired by Parton's favorite recipes, which include the aforementioned banana cake mix, coconut cake mix (a Southern must-have, of course) and two frostings. "I have always loved to cook and, growing up in the South, I especially love that authentic Mom and Pop kind of cooking," Parton said in a release. Dolly, you're killing us! The mixes won't hit stores until March, and are already sold out online. Good luck getting your hands on some! But look on the bright side -- I bet she just inspired countless weekend baking sessions, no special mix required.

A bright idea

Photo credit: Koji Fujii

At first glance, the Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center in southern Japan looks almost like a work of art. But look closer, and you'll see the center's ethos at work. The structure is made from about 700 donated windows, and nearly every surface -- from the recycled glass terrazzo floors to the bookshelves made of harvest containers from a nearby mushroom farm -- contains something old that has been brought back to life. Kamikatzu became the first town in Japan to make a "zero-waste" pledge in 2016, and the center is an important part of that legacy. Here, residents can sort their waste into 45 different categories -- a key strategy that the town has used to bring its recycling rate to a staggering 80%.

You gotta see this

Image credit: Courtesy Nick Timm

This discovery feels like the beginning of a very cool Lifetime movie. When Nick and Lisa Timm purchased an old building in the small town of Okanogan, Washington, they knew they were investing in history. The building served as a movie theater dating back to at least 1907. It wasn't until they began tearing away the walls, however, that they uncovered a fascinating surprise. Two 60-foot canvas murals lined the original structure, depicting lakes, trees and cabins. Overjoyed, the couple went to the Okanogan County Historical Society, which was able to dig up an account of plans for the murals from 1915. Now, the Timms plan on carefully removing, cleaning, and reinstalling the hidden works of art. The murals will make a great centerpiece for the bar and event space they're planning to open, which the couple hopes to fill with even more cool local artifacts to celebrate the area's history.

Wanna get away?

What's down under down under? The Great Barrier Reef, of course. This precious wonder is the world's largest coral reef, covering nearly 133,000 square miles and providing a home for more than 1,500 types of fish, 400 kinds of hard corals and dozens of other species. It's also been endangered for years by climate change and pollution. The Australian government just pledged 1 billion Australian dollars (about $700 million) to protect the reef, which will include new climate adaptation technology, investments in water quality programs, and protections for key species. Some environmental groups say the pledge isn't enough, as larger issues like emissions remain massive threats. However, Australian citizens, celebrities, politicians and activists continue to try to find ways to revive one of the world's greatest treasures.

To your health

Looking for some meaningful new books to recommend to your favorite kiddo? (Or read yourself -- they have no age limit!) The American Library Association has announced the 2022 winners of their Youth Media Awards; the top prizes in children's and young adult literature. This year's winners span identities and cultures with tales of trans discovery, apocalypses, adventures and celebrations of heritage.

The Newbery Medal, honoring the "most outstanding contribution to children's literature," was awarded to "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

The Caldecott Medal, honoring the "most distinguished American picture book for children," went to "Watercress" by author Andrea Wang and illustrator Jason Chin.

The Coretta Scott King Book Award, honoring works that "demonstrate an appreciation of African-American culture and universal human values," was given to "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre" by author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper.

The Pura Belpré Awards, honoring Latinx writers and artists whose works "best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience," were given to "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera, "¡Vamos! Let's Cross the Bridge" by illustrator Raúl Gonzalez, and "How Moon Fuentes Fell in Love with the Universe" by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland.

The Stonewall Book Award for LGBTQ literature for young people was awarded to "Too Bright to See" by Kyle Lukoff and "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo.