"Language giant, Duo from Duolingo, dead at 27."

Don't get me wrong I live for Duolingos marketing team, but why the heck did they kill him off?! I understand we all constantly enter Instagrams' feed at our own risk, but damn I didn't expect to get set off by the same fuzzy green owl I both love and fear.

I always fear bringing up death in this way, I am always conscious of not sounding like a moaner. But I can't help but feel a little salty because Duolingo's marketing team get MILLIONS of likes and praise for their 'hilarious campaign,' but I get that sick feeling and a slightly deflated shoulder stance all day in return. It is just a further reminder that death is just not something we can prepare for, even now, a language learning app's social media campaign will have the ability to skewiff my day, just enough that I feel it. I don't think there is an answer to this, let alone a right one. I can't and don't really want to police how death is used in life. But I do have so much softness in my heart for everyone who has to deal with the aftermath of someone else expressing death light heartedly, especially when you're not expecting to have to hear about it.

But also, I know in the right settings that, that kind of humour can be healing, normalising and a gentle, helpful reminder that death is here, but it is ok. I guess that's just the Duo-ality of humans.