Entertainment
Do You Live Near Family?
The faces of family members appear in all my early memories. When I was three and got the chicken pox, it was my tía Mimi who drew me a warm oatmeal bath and gently rubbed Pepto-Bismol-pink calamine lotion over my itchy arms and legs. At eight, I froze in the middle of a bike jump, crashing hard onto the dusty path, and it was my tío Alex who brushed the dirt off my knees. My tío Alex was also the adult who picked me up from afterschool care the day my mother went into labor with my baby brother. As I climbed in the backseat of his black Jeep, for a second I missed my mom. But as my tío turned the keys in the ignition, and the bass-y intro of the Beastie Boys’ Brass Monkey bumped on the stereo, my fears evaporated. I knew I was with one of the safest people in my life.
The reason why all my childhood stories and big and small moments feature a guest appearance of different tías, tíos, grandparents — plus first and second cousins — is because, growing up, we lived in the same city and saw each other all. the. time. For holidays, birthdays, graduations and random family barbecues. For New Years Eve, when we cleared out the living room so we had enough space for all 40 of us to dance to Maná. And when one of us kids had a soccer game, we expected to see the whole fam take over half the lawn with their camping chairs and homemade signs.
As I got older and thought about college and building my own life, I didn’t plan on staying near my family. Yes, I experienced the pros, but also the cons. Like everybody always knowing my business, and feeling like they have the authority to talk to me about it. And as an adult, I’ve also become more aware of my relatives’ faults and struggles. It’s always jarring, and sometimes a hurtful revelation.
For college, I moved to San Francisco. It was only an hour drive away, but still far enough for me to figure out who I was outside of “Jannelley,” the shy but sassy girl that my tías, tíos and cousins doted on. After graduating, I ended up moving back in with my parents so I could pay off my student loans, even though a part of me was curious about exploring new cities and new versions of myself outside of California. Every time I saw a Instagram photo of a childhood friend creating a home in a new state, I felt a strange rush of envy and pride.
The idea of moving far from home felt more real once I became pregnant with my daughter Ella. After months of looking at Zillow listings and seeing what made the most sense with both my husband’s and my careers and finances, we had two options. Try to build a life in a Midwestern state, where we knew absolutely no one. Or settle down in a small, agricultural town that’s an hour drive from our hometown.
Leading up to that moment, I always thought I’d choose the option with the most uncertainty and adventure, which obviously meant out of state. But when it came down to the wire, our decision grew very clear. So, here I am, three years later, typing away from that small, agricultural home, hearing my mother-in-law cooing to my baby, Emiliano, and watching my father-in-law playing with Ella in the backyard. My parents ended up moving here a year after we did, and now live a five-minute drive away. One of my favorite things is bumping into them at our neighborhood coffee shop, and I always look forward to Fridays because that’s our standing dinner date.
This Thanksgiving, we plan on driving the hour to our hometown and attending a Thanksgiving lunch at my grandma’s house, and then Thanksgiving dinner at my husband’s nana’s house. And while I’m excited to eat a thick slice of my favorite pumpkin pie, and watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, I’m really looking forward to seeing all my tías smother both my kids’ cheeks in kisses, and seeing my boisterous tío Nick toss Ella up in the air. These are the people I feel safest with, and I love how living close to them has woven them into the fabric of my everyday life.
Jannelle, her older brother Jordan, and cousin David.
What about you? Do you live near your family? Or would you if you could?
P.S. An easy way to bond with family and where did you grow up?
(Photo by Modern Family.)
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:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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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.
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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
