Entertainment
Hi! Welcome to the New Year!
Happy New Year! How are you doing? Hope you had a relaxing break, if you took one.
We had a cozy time in both New York and California. Since the boys were spending Christmas week with their dad this year, we did a little gift exchange the night before they left. We ordered pineapple-and-green-pepper pizza, and their two favorite gifts were Ruth Chan’s graphic memoir and a silent basketball they haven’t stopped playing with.
After the boys departed, my boyfriend Freddie and I hung out for a few days. We were thrilled to score a lunch reservation at I Sodi, which I’d argue serves the best Italian food in New York City. (Bold statement, I know!) They’re famous for doing eight different versions of a Negroni and…
…their 20-layer lasagna, which is worth alllll the hype.
My heart. I’ve talked about Freddie a little bit on Big Salad, but I’m really excited to introduce him on Cup of Jo 🙂 He’s a high school history teacher and dad of two boys, and he loves The Sopranos, neighborhood walks, bookstores with sofas, and making cheesy eggs for breakfast.
The next day, we slept in, walked around, and then went uptown to dinner at Jenny Rosenstrach’s apartment. She and her husband, Andy, made a green salad and…lasagna! This recipe was from Smitten Kitchen and had less tomato flavor and a richer bolognese. For dessert, Freddie and I brought an Italian pandoro, a milky bread over which you shake powdered sugar — have you ever had one? It looked like a snow-capped mountain.
Another evening, Freddie and I hung out with some of his relatives, and I actually met his parents, which is a story for another day! His dad told me about his firefighting career! His mom gave me slippers! I was nervous! It seemed to go well!
Then Freddie headed off to see his kids, so I flew solo for a while. I anticipated maybe feeling a little lonely on Christmas Eve and morning, but instead friends warmly welcomed me into their gatherings, which really moved me. At a service on Christmas Eve, the carols rang through the church and gardens.
For the second half of the break, the boys and I reunited in San Francisco to visit my sister, niece, dad, and other relatives. I was giddy to have them back in my clutches — when I met them at the airport, I felt like a regular-person version of Diana running to her boys on this ship, haha. Such a universal feeling!
We saw a Warriors basketball game with the cousins…
…although it ended with a tough loss.
We also went to a sports exhibit at SF MoMA…
…which had a four-way ping-pong table you could play with, and iconic sports photos through the years, including this one of Tanya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan.
On New Year’s Eve, we cherished our family ritual of visiting my sister’s late husband Paul’s grave.
The younger kids ran around, while the adults chatted and toasted with Champagne.
Afterward, we went to my sister’s house for dinner, and I saw this print-out on her fridge. The wise words, by C.S. Lewis, reminded me of her and Paul’s time together; and now that I’m falling in love, I’ve remembered how vulnerable it can feel to hand your heart to someone. How do people do it?
Finally, to close the night, we played the game Herd Mentality…
…and realized that Toby is now taller than almost all of the grandparents. (Opa’s the last one standing.)
On our way home, I marveled at my boys slowly growing up into beautiful men (especially compared to this photo!). But, of course, I still have things to teach them. At the airport, I showed Anton how to fold his socks into a ball. “Mom,” he said, trying it himself. “Not gonna lie, that’s pretty tuff.”
Hope you had a relaxing break. Anything to report? Any surprises? Any disasters? Would love to hear it all. Sending so much love for 2025. xoxo
P.S. A surprisingly fun way to do New Year’s resolutions, and the very first CoJ post.
(Photo by Yakov Knyazev/Stocksy.)
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
