Entertainment
A Career Move That Makes Me Teary
This past month, three women told me about a career move that left me feeling emotional…
Hanging in each of their offices is their childhood photo. The reason behind this adorable decision? Every time they look up to see their younger selves in all their girlhood glory — complete with rosy cheeks, cheese-y grins and sparkling eyes — they remember a piece of themselves that deserves the very best. Grace during times of failure. Patience in moments of frustration. The kindest encouragement. And then — here’s my favorite part — they try to treat their current selves with all that tender love.
Social strategist Peyton Dix (above) hung a baby photo of herself above her desk. “I’m often a critic and a b*tch to myself,” she told Elle. “I have to remind myself, ‘Oh, there’s a little girl that’s always learning and exploring and trying her best, and, like, be f*cking nice to her.’
When I asked Peyton how she came up with the idea, her response surprised me: “I saw a meme format on Twitter that shared various funny photos, and said, ‘When you’re being mean to me, this is who you are being mean to.’ At first, I laughed, but then I took it seriously, wrote the quote on a sticky note, and placed it below my own photo.”
Illustrator Jordan Sondler says displaying a photo of her preteen self in her apartment (above) keeps her career mission front of mind. “My biggest dream is to make art and work to help scared and depressed kids like I once was,” she told me.
Lastly, Gabriella Llewellyn, a writer and mother of three, says the collage of childhood photos she displays reminds her why she carves out time for hobbies: they bring her joy. “The reason I sew and read and garden isn’t because I’m trying to be the world’s best sewer or read 45 books in a year. I do these things to keep my inner child alive and happy. I do these things to make her proud.”
After talking to the three women, I decided to try the approach myself, and I made this photo my phone’s screensaver:
Little me with my grandpa and brother.
For the first couple days, whenever I glanced at my phone — and I hate to admit this — the feeling that flooded my mind was embarrassment. What type of person puts their own photo as their screensaver? I’d think. This should be a photo of my kids, not me.
But as time passed, when I’d glance down at my phone and see tiny Jannelle, decked out in that red beret and pleated skirt (slay), I’d smile. The other day, I even caught myself imagining how I must have felt in that moment: loved and safe. She deserves to feel loved and safe, I thought. And then it happened, so naturally. My follow-up thought was, I still deserve to feel loved and safe. A statement that should be such a given. But one, I realized, that I sometimes need help remembering. That’s why I’ve decided to keep my childhood photo front and center.
Do you display any of your childhood photos? Leslie Knope does, too! And what about yourself do you take pride in?
P.S. An anxiety trick, and what are your three core values?
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
-
Word
-
Excel
-
PowerPoint
-
Outlook
-
OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
