by Domino, from the Latin dominus meaning “lord,” is a gender-neutral title that encourages a masterful approach to all that you do. With roots in the ancient blocking game, domino also suggests a careful rule of cause and effect. This can help you approach your writing as if it were a series of domino constructions: scenes that, when played correctly, cascade to the next scene.
A domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block, with one side bearing an arrangement of dots resembling those on dice and the other blank or marked with a different arrangement of spots, called pips. Traditionally, a domino set is used to play positional games in which players place dominoes edge to edge against each other, so that the adjacent faces form an ordered total, or some other specified value. Some sets use more readable Arabic numerals on the pips instead of the traditional numbers.
Most domino sets come with a printed guide showing all the possible combinations of dominoes, as well as some popular games. You can also find online instructions for many of the more complex positions that you can create with your dominoes. A typical domino set has 28 tiles, but larger sets can be bought for more advanced players or for people who want to play long domino games.
The most common domino commercially available is the double six set, which includes 28 tiles. Larger sets are used for more advanced games, which can be divided into two categories: blocking and layout games. Layout games are similar to positional games, but the player can only play a tile that has on its face a number matching the total of one of the ends of the domino chain. Then the player can add more tiles to the chain, positioning them so that the ends of the chain match the total of the previous tiles, forming an ever-increasing sequence of points.
As a domino topples, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy (energy of motion). This energy passes on to the next domino, which is then more likely to fall, and so on. The chain continues to grow until the final domino falls, resulting in a spectacular display of physics.
The chain-reaction element of Domino is not only a good way to pass the time, but it can be an effective way to motivate employees and build company culture. This is evident in a recent episode of the CBS show Undercover Boss, where the CEO of Domino’s, Don Meij, goes undercover at one of the company’s busiest restaurants and then visits several delivery service locations to see how employees are treating customers and handling their work. He comes to the realization that he needs to change some things at Domino’s in order to increase efficiency and boost customer satisfaction. He calls his executive team to a meeting, and they decide to implement a new leadership style that will improve overall performance at the company.
