Happy New Year ,

Greetings from Thailand, where we just rung in the year 2568. New Year's Day is different all over the world, and the calendars and years vary from place to place. I wanted to share some random New Year facts with you and use this opportunity to give you a quick update about Memory Wizards.

Updates

I opened Memory Wizard a few months ago, and after getting feedback, I made some changes that I think will make the experience more enjoyable.

I'll be using the word 'Title' a lot. A topic might be:

• An event in History (The Battle of Hastings)
• A book or other piece of literature (A Tale of Two Cities)
• A language subject (Clothing in Japanese)

Here are some of the changes:

• You no longer have to unlock a title to preview the next title.
• More straightforward navigation with links from the website to the content.
• Bookmarks, Wishlists, and Recently viewed sections added.
• Quests have been eliminated. You no longer need to complete a level of games before moving to the next game. This allows you to follow a path of study that works best for you.
• Credits have been added (See below)
• I've invested in a much faster server.

Content Changes

There are now three types of information for titles

1. One-minute overviews.
2. Ten Minute Micro-Courses. (History, Art, and Literature are complete; more to follow)
3. 30 Minute Courses on selected titles.

Credits

If you have a seeker (free) account, you have access to selected files, usually the first 2 titles per section. Wizard (paid) accounts have access to the entire library.

Starting today, you can use a free credit to access a premium (paid) title. Just click on any title. If it isn't free, an upgrade box will pop up with the option to upgrade your account, add it to the WishList, or use a credit.

• Credits do not roll over, so use them and build your library.
• The title will stay in your account permanently
• You will receive five free credits a month!
• New credits are received on the 1st of every month.

Random New Year Facts

1. The celebration of New Year's dates back over 4,000 years to ancient Babylon.
2. The tradition of making New Year's resolutions also dates back to the ancient Babylonians.
3. New Year's resolutions were also made by the ancient Romans, who made promises to the god Janus for the upcoming year.
4. In many cultures, cleaning your house on New Year's Day is considered bad luck, as you may sweep away good fortune.
5. The New Year is celebrated at different times worldwide, according to various calendars (e.g., the Gregorian calendar, the Chinese calendar).
6. In Spain, it is customary to eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve, one for each stroke of the clock.
7. The ball drop in Times Square in New York City has been a tradition since 1907.
8. New Year's is celebrated in Japan with a special meal called "osechi" and the ringing of temple bells.
9. Many cultures believe that the first person to enter your home on New Year's Day can bring luck for the year ahead.
10. New Year's is celebrated in Scotland with a festival called "Hogmanay."
11. In many Latin American countries, wearing colorful underwear on New Year's Eve is customary and a sign of good luck in the coming year.
12. The most common New Year resolves to exercise more and eat healthier
13. - Many cultures believe that the first person to enter your home in the new year will bring either good or bad luck
14. In many countries, it is considered bad luck to do any laundry on New Year's Day
15. In many countries, what you do on New Year's Day is believed to set the tone for the rest of the year. (Learn something new and interesting, perhaps?)

New Content Coming in January

In about a week, we will be releasing 75+ classic Greek and Roman Literature titles, such as "Plato's Republic" and Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"

As always, feedback and requests are always welcome.

I'll be back in two weeks with more news and updates.

Again, Happy New Year's , and wish you a very productive 2025!

William