In these trying times, many people are reading poetry and doing puzzles in order to find comfort and stay mentally fit. Thus, we offer two ancient and ever-popular exports: Haiku and Sudoku. Haiku is an ancient Japanese poetic form mastered by Basho and Issa and brought to the West in the 20^th century. It’s relaxing to write and to read (especially during National Poetry Month). Sudoku originated in Switzerland, but is a Japanese word – “su” means ‘number’ and “doku” means ‘single.’ Sudoku has deep roots in ancient number puzzles. Both Haiku and Sudoku are said to have intellectual and emotional benefits. Continue reading →