Orange Cat Who's Too Shy to Meow for Dinner Has the Cutest Workaround

Orange Cat Who's Too Shy to Meow for Dinner Has the Cutest Workaround

Orange Cat Who’s Too Shy to Meow for Dinner Has the Cutest Workaround

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Diverging Reports Breakdown

Explore Thrilling and Chilling ‘Opus’ Filming Locations Across New Mexico

Opus was filmed in Pojoaque, New Mexico. The area’s dramatic desert landscapes and secluded settings are a perfect match for the eerie and suspenseful atmosphere in the story. Some sources speculate that filming for the movie was done at Albuquerque Studios, although the surrounding desert vistas contribute to the film’s gritty atmosphere. The best time to visit the area is when there are less crowds, which typically happens in March-April or October-November. The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a great way to get around the city of Albuquerque. The Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Thunder and Homewoodites by Hilton are great accommodation options in the area. For the best experience, travelers should visit Albuquerque between September and November, when temperatures aren’t too hot for adventuring. For more information, visit Opus’ official website or click here for more information about the film and the filming locations that were used for it. The film was directed by Mark Anthony Green in his feature debut and has an impressive cast.

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Imagine stepping into the eerie world of a film and exploring the locations that bring its chilling atmosphere to life. Opus, a new psychological thriller, gives viewers the chance to do just that. It is directed by Mark Anthony Green in his feature debut and has an impressive cast, following suit with other A24 releases. It tells the story of ambitious journalist Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri) as she visits the remote compound of legendary pop star Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich). After he mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago, she is summoned to be a part of an elusive press event. The film delves into themes of celebrity and cult culture, with Moretti leading a devoted following known as the “Levelists.”

Visiting these filming locations offers fans a unique, immersive experience that brings the film’s unsettling world into sharp focus. Each setting, from Moretti’s secluded compound to the surrounding desert landscapes, enhances the film’s exploration of the darker sides of fame. Exploring these spaces allows visitors to connect deeply with the chilling narrative. The filming location of Opus offers a tangible link to the movie’s thought-provoking themes.

Where Was ‘Opus’ Filmed?

Production of Opus took place in late 2023. Some sources speculate that filming for the movie was done at Albuquerque Studios, although the surrounding desert vistas contribute to the film’s gritty atmosphere. There hasn’t been specific mention of the Albuquerque Studios being used for this film. Instead, much of the filming took place in the surrounding areas of Pojoaque and other remote spots in New Mexico. These places are known for their dramatic scenery. However, Albuquerque’s proximity to the studio and its history as a popular filming hub makes it a likely candidate for some of the production’s indoor scenes or additional shots. As with many films shot in New Mexico, the city’s diverse environments undoubtedly played a crucial role in shaping the visual aesthetic of Opus.

Pojoaque, New Mexico

Raychel Sanner/Unsplash

Key Scenes: Pojoaque served as the main backdrop for the suspenseful drama. The La Mesita Ranch Estate is where most of the plot unfolds (during the press event).

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Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Pojoaque is when there are less crowds; this typically happens from March-April or October-November.

Transportation Options: Using the express bus system in Pojoaque is the best way to get around. The North Central Regional Transit District’s (or Blue Bus) is popular for some fare-free fixed routes. There also is the New Mexico Rail Runner Express.

Opus was filmed in Pojoaque, New Mexico. The production team of the movie made use of the natural environment to enhance the film’s haunting aesthetic. Pojoaqu is where the area’s dramatic desert landscapes and secluded settings are. It was a perfect match for the eerie and suspenseful atmosphere in the story. One key location in Pojoaque was the La Mesita Ranch Estate. It is located in a stunning spot in Pojoaque known for its expansive views of the surrounding desert and mountains. Fans of the film can visit this area themselves, but it is important to wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water as the terrain can be challenging. Additionally, while many filming locations are on private property, nearby attractions like Chimayó’s historic El Santuario de Chimayó offer visitors a chance to explore the rich history and spiritual significance of the region.

Things to Do: Some of the best things to do and see in Pojoaque include the Roxanne Swentzell Tower Gallery, Towa Gulf Club and the Cities of Gold Casino.

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Where to Eat: El Parasol and Sopaipilla Factory Restaurant are two of the highest rated restaurants in Pojoaque.

Where to Stay: The Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder and Homewood Suites by Hilton Santa Fe-North are great accommodation options in the area.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Ethan Wright-Magoon/Unsplash

Key Scenes: While Opus primarily filmed in Pojoaque, New Mexico, several scenes were shot in Albuquerque. This was done to take advantage of the city’s unique combination of urban settings and vast desert landscapes.

Best Time to Visit: For the best experience, travelers should visit Albuquerque between September and November, when temperatures aren’t too hot for adventuring.

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Transportation Options: Travelers have pretty good options for public transportation while visiting Albuquerque. The free ABQ Ride bus system and New Mexico Rail Runner Express are the most popular ways to get around. Visitors can also use rideshare platforms.

The rugged desert vistas surrounding Albuquerque create a striking, atmospheric backdrop. This ambiance contributed to the film’s tense and gritty mood. Fans can visit various locations around the city, including the desert areas just outside of town, which were used to capture some of the film’s key outdoor scenes. Albuquerque’s scenic landscapes, such as the expansive vistas at the Sandia Mountains and the nearby Rio Grande, are integral to the film’s visual identity. Additionally, visitors can explore the city’s historic Old Town. It is known for its Spanish colonial architecture. They can also head to the Petroglyph National Monument to witness centuries-old rock carvings and stunning views. When planning a visit, it’s a good idea to check for any access restrictions. Some locations may be on private property. Also, be sure to wear sturdy footwear and bring water. The terrain can be rugged and the New Mexico heat can be intense.

Things to Do: There is plenty to do while visiting Albuquerque, including the ABQ BioPark Zoo, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History and the Petroglyph National Monument.

Where to Eat: The Sawmill Market and Farm & Table are some highly rated eateries to check out while visiting.

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Where to Stay: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town and Isleta Resort & Casino are nice accommodations to stay in with scenic views and comfy rooms.

The post Explore Thrilling and Chilling ‘Opus’ Filming Locations Across New Mexico appeared first on Travel Noire.

Source: Yahoo.com | View original article

Port Canaveral-bound Norwegian Aqua christened by ‘Modern Family’ actor

Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship Norwegian Aqua docked in Miami for a christening event Sunday. Two-time Emmy winner Eric Stonestreet of “Modern Family’s” fame took on the role of godfather for the new ship. The new Prima Plus class ship is the first of four coming to NCL through 2022. NCL has had had godfathers before, including musicians Luis Fonsi and Pitbull. The ship is scheduled to arrive at Port Canaveral at the end of the month.. The top deck of the new Norwegian Aqua cruise ship. features the Aqua Slidecoaster, which is part roller coaster, part water slide, seen here while the ship was docked at PortMiami. on Sunday, April 13, 2025. It’s the first in the Prima plus class for Norwegian Cruise Line, the first ship in that class. It will be a bigger sister ship to the bigger sister NCL 2028, a bigger and more luxurious ship to come to Port Canaveral in 2022.

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MIAMI — Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship Norwegian Aqua may be coming to Port Canaveral at the end of the month, but it slid into Miami for a christening event Sunday.

Two-time Emmy winner Eric Stonestreet of “Modern Family” fame had never cruised before, but he took on the role of godfather for the new ship.

“I’ve had two fast yeses in my career,” he said from Norwegian’s terminal at PortMiami with the new ship docked alongside. “One was when Weird Al Yankovic asked me to be in a music video. I said, ‘Yes, I’ll do that.’ And the second was when I got this email to ask if I wanted to be a godparent of a cruise ship. I said, ‘What in the world does that mean, but yes.’”

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Most cruise lines have a traditional godmother, but NCL has had had godfathers before, including musicians Luis Fonsi and Pitbull.

“I love when they call me godfather,” he said. “I said, ‘Hey, I need a ring.’ I want a ring — just to walk around, in case people want to kiss my ring. That’s all I’m saying.”

He’s embraced the role by actually sailing on the brand, something that celebrity godmothers and fathers don’t always do.

“I think one of the exciting things that (NCL President David Herrera) and the team saw in me is that I’ve never cruised before, and so I get to bring my honest joy of cruising to people all around the world,” he said. “And I hope people are inspired to jump on a ship as happily as I am.”

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After NCL wheeled out the Stanley Cup on stage (NCL is a sponsor of the NFL), Stonestreet said the traditional christening words and was able to push a symbolic button while a massive bottle of champagne smashed against the hull of the ship.

“Without further ado, and I love the word ‘ado,’ I hereby name this ship Norwegian Aqua. May God bless her and all who sail upon her.” he said.

Norwegian Aqua seen docked in PortMiami for its christening ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Norwegian Aqua seen with the Miami skyline in the background as the ship was docked at PortMiami for its christening ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Norwegian Aqua is docked alongside Norwegian Cruise Line’s terminal at PortMiami ahead of the ship’s christening ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Norwegian Aqua sails into PortMiami ahead of its April 13 christening ceremony. (Courtesy/NCL) Norwegian Aqua sails into PortMiami ahead of its April 13 christening ceremony. (Courtesy/NCL) Norwegian Aqua sails into PortMiami ahead of its April 13 christening ceremony. (Courtesy/NCL) Norwegian Aqua seen docked with Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas in the background at PortMiami for Aqua’s christening ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Norwegian Aqua is docked alongside Norwegian Cruise Line’s terminal at PortMiami ahead of the ship’s christening ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) The top deck of the new Norwegian Aqua cruise ship features the Aqua Slidecoaster, which is part roller coaster, part water slide, seen here while the ship was docked at PortMiami ahead of its christening ceremony on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) An aerial shot of Norwegian Aqua, the first in the Prima Plus class for Norwegian Cruise Line. (Courtesy/NCL) Norwegian Aqua godfather and actor Eric Stonestreet speaks ahead of the ship’s christening ceremony while it was docked at PortMiami on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Norwegian Aqua godfather and actor Eric Stonestreet appears on stage with Norwegian Cruise Line President David Herrera ahead of the ship’s christening ceremony while it was docked at PortMiami on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Show Caption1 of 13Norwegian Aqua is docked at PortMiami for its christening ceremony on April 13, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel)Expand

The new Prima Plus class ship is the first of four coming to NCL through 2028, and a bigger sister ship to the 2022’s Norwegian Prima and 2023’s Viva. Similar to Prima’s debut, NCL chose to give Port Canaveral first dibs for regular service as it is slated to begin seven-night sailings of Eastern Caribbean itineraries starting April 26 and running through August.

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Then it will migrate to New York, but will make its way back to Florida, although shifting to Miami from October 2025-April 2026.

About 2,000 guests were on hand for the event, which featured a taste of the prime entertainment on the ship, “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince.” The ship will also feature an updated acrobatic and magic show, “Elements: The World Expanded.”

The plus-size ship is 10% larger than Prima and Viva at 1,056 feet long, 156,300 gross tons and a 3,571-passenger capacity based on double occupancy.

The biggest change for the ship is that is has no go-kart track. Instead, the line has invested in the Aqua Slidecoaster, what it calls the first hybrid roller coaster and water slide at sea. Also new to the ship is a Glow Court, which is a digital sports complex that will shift into a nightclub in the evenings.

For dining, the line has installed its first specialty Thai restaurant, a new wine bar concept and the addition of a plant-based venue in its popular food hall.

Source: Yahoo.com | View original article

‘Black Cake’ Author Is Back With ‘Good Dirt’: Here’s More On Her New Novel

Charmaine Wilkerson’s latest novel, Good Dirt, explores themes of family, history, and legacy. The author talks about the inspiration behind the novel and the process of crafting a multigenerational narrative. Good Dirt is published by Simon & Schuster at $16.99. For more information on Good Dirt or to order your copy of the book, go to www.samaritans.org or call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255. For confidential support on suicide matters call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch or click here. For support in the U.S., go to the National suicide Prevention Line on 1-877-947-8255 or go to http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. For confidential help in the UK, call the national suicide Prevention Lifeline on 0800-950-7255 or visit http:// www.suicidesprevention Lifeline.com/.

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Charmaine Wilkerson, the bestselling author of Black Cake, returns with Good Dirt, a novel that weaves together family history, personal identity, and the enduring impact of the past. The story follows Ebby Freeman, whose childhood is upended when she witnesses a tragic event that leaves more questions than answers. Growing up as part of one of the only Black families in an affluent New England community, she and her family have spent years avoiding public scrutiny. But when her high-profile relationship collapses and makes headlines, she finds herself at the center of unwanted attention once again. Seeking distance, she moves to France, only to realize that no matter how far she goes, her past still lingers.

As Ebby pieces together long-buried family truths, she becomes fixated on an heirloom lost the same day as the tragedy—a centuries-old stoneware jar that once belonged to an enslaved ancestor. What first seems like a sentimental artifact soon reveals itself to be something more, leading her to uncover stories and connections that reshape her understanding of her family and herself.

Wilkerson recently spoke to Blavity about the historical inspiration behind Good Dirt, the process of crafting a multigenerational narrative, and the ways in which history, memory, and personal discovery intersect in her latest novel.

What inspired you to write Good Dirt, and how did the story first come to you?

The main character, Ebby Freeman, simply materialized on the page as I was thinking about what it would take for a person to move forward in life after unspeakable loss, especially when their personal pain had become public knowledge through media coverage. This question was inspired by my professional past. I used to work in television news and often found myself walking into someone’s home at the worst time in their life. I would go away wondering what it would take for them to find a way to move forward with the grief or anger or confusion that they might be carrying, especially when their very personal pain had been subjected to the public gaze. Following Ebby was a way for me to explore the fact that so many people do manage to carry their pain in a way that allows them to love and laugh, and take care of their families and communities, and do useful work, despite all.

The novel explores themes of family, history, and legacy. Why was it important for you to weave these elements into Ebby’s journey?

I am fascinated by the power that stories have to shape our ideas of self, family and history. Ebby is struggling with the desire to forget painful memories from her past, but she risks losing the connection with all that she is as a young, Black woman from New England. She is the survivor of a childhood tragedy that led to the death of her big brother and the loss of a beloved family heirloom. She also has experienced a recent, very public and humiliating, romantic breakup. She feels that her identity has been dominated by these stories, so she runs off to a quiet town in France to escape everyone and everything she knows, and to open her heart to new possibilities. But her past catches up with her in France. As the novel moves forward, she will be compelled to look back at the dramatic story of that family heirloom, a stoneware jar crafted by an enslaved man, and make a connection between the past and her present.

Good Dirt is described as a multi-generational epic. How do you approach writing across different time periods and perspectives while maintaining a cohesive story?

I tend to see various elements of a story in my head at the same time, just as any one of us may be simultaneously aware of various people’s stories, or various facts in our own lives. As a writer, I tend to compartmentalize stories or scenarios with the help of my laptop. I type or write by hand in short bursts and create digital files to distinguish various scenes from one another. This can be useful as I go back and forth between the past and the present, and between one character and another. Technology is very helpful to me, but another writer might do the same thing by hand, by keeping separate notebooks, or by using sheets of paper or adhesive notepad to move scenes or ideas around in a spatial manner. I use the same approach to categorize research that I have conducted. I may go back to those files from time to time, picking and choosing elements to add to beef up a particular scene in whatever I’m writing. For example, for Good Dirt, I amassed files of research that would help me to build a variety of scenarios: The story of where the jar was made and how it ended up in New England. The places where ancestors in danger found refuge. The first woman physician in the family. The story of how Ebby’s mother was given her unusual name. And, of course, the love stories from the past. But I did not conduct research in a specific order to match the chronology of the story I was building. I would research a theme or time period or person that interested me as a question came up. It all became background knowledge that fed into my imagination.

The Freeman family’s tragedy takes place in a wealthy New England community where they are one of the few Black families. How does the setting impact the themes of race, privilege, and identity in the novel?

The Freemans are privileged in a number of ways, and their lives reflect some of the real-life, multifaceted experiences of Black families in America. They come from a long line of landowning, well-off, and professionally secure African Americans in New England, primarily Massachusetts. They experience their identity on various, sometimes conflicting levels. Ebby Freeman’s parents have the income and professional connections which make it possible for them to live in an exclusive enclave on the Connecticut coast, making them the only Black family in their neighborhood.

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Ed Freeman, Ebby’s father, has chosen to raise his young family on the coast, despite having come from the interior of Massachusetts, because he has always wanted to live by the water. He is convinced the sea is in his DNA because some of his ancestors were sailors. The historical reference to Black men who crewed sailing ships and worked as whalers, even as most African or “country born” Black men were enslaved, is one of the elements that demonstrate that the Freemans’ past cannot be separated from the present. It also is one of the dimensions of the Black experience in North America that we do not see often, if ever, in fiction.

As we see from this connection, the Freemans do not see themselves as separate from their history. They are proud of their heritage, from adversity to prosperity, as evidenced in a beloved family heirloom that was crafted by an enslaved man and carried north from the American South by an ancestor. This, too, is an aspect of African American history that we typically do not find in fiction. Despite their material and social advantages, they see the old stoneware jar as the most valuable thing they own, and their economic advantage as something that can be used to help other African Americans who continue to experience the negative effects of the lack of compensation or enslavement of their ancestors. They continue to see evidence of the advantages of the generational wealth which unpaid or low-paid African Americans provided to other people whose ancestors were enslavers, while being unable to reap the same economic or social advantages themselves. Again, they are aware of the connection between past and present and how class and race can enter into these dimensions. At the same time, they believe that as modern-day Americans with a long history in this nation, they should be able to live as comfortably as anyone, in the place they call home.

Black Cake was a huge success and even adapted into a Hulu series. How has that experience influenced your approach to writing and storytelling for Good Dirt or future projects?

I was pleased to see how an entire team of other artists used their creative and technical skills to adapt the story in Black Cake for the screen. I remain open to seeing my stories interpreted and extended for film or the small screen, or even the stage, as has been done with so many of the novels I have loved to read. I wouldn’t mind doing so myself, someday. But so far, I have sat down to write specifically for the printed page. I wrote Good Dirt with a novel in mind, first. I’m also working on something new for the printed page. I love the idea of being in conversation with readers who open a book.

The post ‘Black Cake’ Author Is Back With ‘Good Dirt’: Here’s More On Her New Novel appeared first on Blavity.

Source: Yahoo.com | View original article

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 13, 2025

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words” Just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints, tips, and strategies to help you solve today’s puzzle. The solution to today’s Connections #611 is…What is the answer to Connections today? See the answers to all of the NYT’s puzzles for February 13 at the bottom of the page, or click here to see the answers for today’s Strands and The Mini Crossword.

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Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

What is Connections?

The NYT’s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.

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If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT’s The Mini crossword answers for February 13

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: A model for creating something

Green: Ways to show gratitude

Blue: Expressing ability or necessity

Purple: Common phrases ending in “trip”

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Connections: How to play and how to win

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

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Yellow: Template

Green: Demonstration, As of Appreciation

Blue: Modal Verbs

Purple: ___Trip

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s Connections #611 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Template : BLUEPRINT, GUIDE, MODEL, MOLD

Demonstration, As of Appreciation : EXPRESSION, GESTURE, SYMBOL, TOKEN

Modal Verbs : CAN, MIGHT, MUST, WILL

___Trip: EGO, GUILT, HEAD, POWER

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 13

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

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 today’s Connections.

Source: Yahoo.com | View original article

What I’ve Learned: Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams is one of the most successful recording artists in the history of the U.K. He first rose to fame as a member of boy band Take That before launching a solo career. A semi-autobiographical movie about this life, Better Man, opens in select theaters on Christmas Day and nationwide on January 17. Williams, 50, lives in Los Angeles and spoke with Esquire in New York City in November. He tells Esquire: “I feel as if I’m a brand-new artist again, and I’m about to experience my business in a way I didn’t the first time around because of mental illness and drugs and shit’s not my fault.’“What I think is a musical genius is never a supply-ending genius,” he says. “What comes out of me is pure-song writer. Those things are the things of me are the pop-songwriter.” “When I released a single called “Rudebox” I was the middle of a massive mental breakdown in 2006,’ he adds.

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Robbie Williams is one of the most successful recording artists in the history of the U.K. He first rose to fame as a member of boy band Take That before launching a solo career. A semi-autobiographical movie about this life, Better Man, opens in select theaters on Christmas Day and nationwide on January 17. Williams, 50, lives in Los Angeles and spoke with Esquire in New York City in November.

I did a residency at the Wynn in Vegas, and because North America is not acquainted with what I do pervasively, I had to sell myself to the people who book the acts. I was like: Mate, I’m a swear-y Frank Sinatra with tattoos.

I’m in these stadiums doing these massive shows, but people at dinner parties are asking me if I still do music.

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I feel as if I’m a brand-new artist again, and I’m about to experience my business in a way I didn’t the first time around because of mental illness and drugs and shit.

I played the Artful Dodger in a play when I was younger and got a standing ovation every night when I came on. It was intoxicating. I wanted whatever that was.

Dad and Mum split up when I was four. Mum kept the records: Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. That was my library.

For my ninth or tenth birthday, my sister bought me two records: Pink Floyd The Wall and a collection of electro music. I didn’t get Pink Floyd at all, but this electro stuff was like Oh my God, I want to eat and drink it. So the music I heard growing up was a weird mixture of Glenn Miller and Afrika Bambaataa.

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My nan taught me what real unconditional love looked like. Without her, I wouldn’t know.

I learned how to charm a room from my dad. He worked on holiday camps—the closest thing you’d get in America is the Catskills, but it’s a trailer park. I learned that a life in the entertainment industry was possible.

I learned how to work from my mum. Real work looked real depressing, because my mum worked all the hours that God sent her. The way my mum moved up out of her economic background—the wife of cannon fodder—to owning her own shop is equivalent or bigger than what I’ve achieved.

You spend the second twenty years of your life sorting out the first twenty years of your life.

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I left school when I was sixteen with no qualifications, nothing higher than a D.

If I had been good at math, my mum would’ve pushed me to be a mathematician. As it happens, I was good at showing off, so my mum pushed me in my showing off capabilities. I’m good at getting eyes on me.

If I was born in the creator generation, I’d have been a YouTuber.

I didn’t even dream of music. I auditioned for a boy band, Take That, and got in. So this life in music has happened by mistake.

There were five boys all vying for position in life and the industry. We all loved each other, didn’t trust each other; were friends, but weren’t friends.

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And then at home, there was a two-grand contract on my head to kill me, from local people who could do that.

It was because of jealousy. Hood shit.

Literally a hundred girls would book themselves in a hotel to be with me. This is not normal, so my idea of sex and my sexual relationship with women is warped.

Whatever happens when you get the bends is what happens when you become famous.

I don’t know how much a pint of milk is. It’s not my fault.

Leonard Cohen wasn’t a pop-song writer; Thom Yorke isn’t a pop-song writer. Those are the things I wanted to write. What innately comes out of me is pure pop. I can’t help it.

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What was the first time I missed? When I released a single called “Rudebox” in 2006. I was in the middle of a massive mental breakdown. When you miss your first shot after not being able to miss, it can buckle your confidence. You can have an existential crisis, which I tend to do.

I don’t think I’m a musical genius. There is a never-ending supply of melody that I find very natural. The tapper hasn’t turned off, touch wood.

How do you write a pop song? Practice and get lucky. That’s it. I am one of the luckiest people on the planet.

If you can write a song, you can be Elon Musk.

I’ve come up with an idea for my own hotel. I’ll do the design for it. Why can I do that? Because I can write a song. That same creativity can also choose bedsheets and wallpaper. That’s not confidence; that’s knowing that I can do it.

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I used to be able to sing track seven off the album and the whole stadium would know it. These days I can sing the first single and the stadium don’t know it. It happens in everyone’s career. I don’t like that.

In my particular line of work, it’s not about you; it’s about them. I don’t want to get up and do the same songs every night, but I also want to facilitate the best evening possible because people have paid good money to receive that.

Money isn’t the top of the mountain, and the top of the mountain isn’t the top of the mountain. When you get to the top of the mountain in any profession, you have an existential crisis because it didn’t fix you.

Fame won’t fix you. Success won’t fix you. Purpose kind of fixes you.

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Money gave me the ability to sit on my sofa with a cashmere caftan on, growing a beard, looking like a murderer, smoking weed, watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and looking for UFOs in the evening. It made me lazy. But it also gave me enough space for me to realize, man, you need to do something with your life. I was thirty-two.

No fucking way I was getting married; I have, it’s been the making of me.

No fucking way I was having children; I have, it’s been the making of me.

What have I learned from marriage? That I can keep my cock in my pants. I thought that was impossible. So far so good.

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When my first kid, Teddy, arrived, it was terrifying for so many different reasons. I couldn’t look after myself. How on earth was I going to look after a precious soul?

There were like 375,000 people at Knebworth, which is like giving birth to 375,000 Teddies. Jesus. Existential crisis. Why are all these people here? What does all of this mean? How am I going to fill this stage? It’s only me. I don’t see what they see in me.

I made my legs walk to the stage when my legs didn’t want to walk to the stage.

The biggest experience of my life right now is being the captain of the good ship Williams. But I’m not overwhelmed by it now because of experience.

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This might be incredibly wrong and sick, but there’s something to die for other than my wife and kids, and it’s the job. I don’t know why I find that empowering, but I do.

The job has given me a creative output that is probably saving my life and helping my mental illness.

I feel as though I’m about to get lucky again, and this time I’m grateful and happy. I’m wide-eyed. I’m new again.

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Source: https://pethelpful.com/pet-news/orange-cat-whos-too-shy-to-meow-for-dinner-has-the-cutest-workaround

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