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In the game of domino, players use 28-piece sets to play a game with one another. Like playing cards, dominoes are numbered and have “pips,” or identifying marks, on their ends. Some larger sets feature a higher number of pips than others, called extended dominoes. The maximum number of pips per end can vary from a few to several dozen, but most sets have between 28 and 55 tiles.
Dominoes are popular in many countries for both social and professional reasons. They are often used for team building, as a way to stimulate creativity, and for educational purposes. In addition to the traditional block and score games, there are many variants of these games.
A domino game consists of laying out the pieces on a table, then attempting to match them with other dominoes that have been played previously. Some variations are similar to card games; others have a very different character, such as a concentration or trick-taking game.
The origin of dominoes is unclear. Some etymologists trace the origin to a long hooded cloak that was worn by a priest with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade. Other sources say that the word was derived from the Chinese character for “dominion” or the Japanese character for tsui, meaning to knock over.
Some people use dominoes to build intricate designs. Some stack them on end in long rows and then knock them down. But the most common use of the word is to refer to a series of events that are initiated by a single action.
For example, a change to a person’s lifestyle may trigger a domino effect that leads to changes in other areas. A study published in 2012 found that when a group of adults decreased their sedentary time, they also decreased their daily fat intake.
When we are trying to make a change, it’s helpful to break the process down into smaller, more manageable steps. In this way, we can see the results of our efforts more clearly and more quickly.
Similarly, when we are trying to improve our writing, we can break it down into plot beats and work on each of them separately. This will help us focus our attention on the most important tasks at hand.
As we do so, we will be able to move forward in our writing career more easily and more quickly. And when we do so, our writing will become better and more interesting.
We can also apply this principle to our life in general. For instance, when we take care of ourselves and our physical health by reducing our sedentary behavior, we will naturally be more active and motivated in other ways.
When we think about the domino effect as a figurative concept, it is helpful to think about how the smallest actions can cause a chain reaction that leads to changes in other areas of our lives. For example, when we improve our nutrition habits by reducing our sedentary time, our other activities will follow suit and we will find that we can spend more time doing what we enjoy.
