Entertainment
How Are Your Friendships Doing?
Right now, the three words I’d use to describe my friendships are: deep, happy and sporadic. I feel good about those descriptors, except for the last one…
A month after delivering my now four-year-old daughter Ella, my husband Max and I moved from our hometown of San Jose to a smaller agricultural town. The new town had a refreshingly slower pace, safe neighborhoods, amazing taquerias, and houses with mortgages we could actually afford. The only catch? It’s an hour away from all of the women in my life who feel like home.
For the first two years, with only one child in tow, I didn’t see the 60-minute drive back to San Jose to grab lunch with the girls as much of a hurdle. But nowadays, life is so full. Ella goes to daycare with her own new friends; each month finds me blocking off more squares in the family calendar for birthday parties and playdates. We also had a second baby, my ultra-kissable little squish, Emiliano. Coordinating childcare for two children with their grandparents, who also help watch our kids during the week, plus finding a day in a month that my equally busy friends are all available, feels nearly impossible.
Our group text looks like this meme.
So, at this stage in life, I’m doubling down on two hang-out methods to keep my friendship cup full:
My first method is the random phone call. I’ll initiate by texting a friend five minutes before I have a pocket of free time, asking if they’re up for a quick chat. Sometimes I’ll even cold call! Half the time, the stars align and we get to gab. I’ve been keeping up this ritual once a week with my best friend Angela while I head on walks around my neighborhood or work in the garden. During our calls, I’ve learned her go-to weeknight meal (chopped Greek salad), her work anxiety (the tariffs!), and why she couldn’t attend her grandmother’s birthday dinner (a bad cold). Knowing these details of her day-to-day life makes me feel so much closer to her. Sometimes our calls last for a glorious 30 minutes; other times, just five. Regardless of the call’s length, I always hang up feeling re-energized.
My second hang-out strategy is embracing friend dates with kids. Now I *love* nothing more than quality one-on-one time with my friends, but since scheduling that is hard, I realized I’d rather see them with my kids, than not at all. Thankfully, my friends, who don’t have kids themselves, are open to that dynamic. So, I’ll invite them over for a brunch spread at my house, or we’ll meet for a picnic at the park. Full disclosure: There are LOTS of interrupted conversations while I run around after my children. I remember the first few times we tried this method, I felt self-conscious about how many times I said, “Hold on for one second!” as I dashed to stop Ella from making a questionable jump off the jungle gym. But then I remembered: my friends are the women who held me when I cried during heartbreaks, stood by my side as I said my wedding vows, and organized meal trains for me after I birthed both my children. They reassured me that, of course, they want to be with me, even in the thick of my parenting young kids. Who am I to close them off from this new stage of my life?
Friendships are amazing and hard, and they ebb and they flow. While the way my friends and I are spending time together is different from how we’ve done it in the past, I’m so grateful that we’re finding new rhythms that work for all of us.
I’m curious: How are your friendships going right now? Are you in a season where you can see friends regularly? Do you feel booked up with work or personal obligations? Have you moved to a new place and started from scratch? I’d love to hear.
P.S. 12 great reader comments on friendship and 13 things to do with friends that aren’t dinner.
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
