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Try not to tear up reading this fan letter from a Mexican-American about 'Coco.'

People are  loving Pixar's latest film, "Coco."

The animated movie follows Miguel Rivera, a guitar-playing 12-year-old who accidentally winds up in the land of the dead — an otherworldly dimension based on the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.


Since its release on Nov. 22, "Coco" has raked in over $100 million domestically in ticket sales and has garnered rave reviews from critics.

But it's arguably the personal connection many fans have had to the characters and their story that's truly made this film special.

On Nov. 29, "Coco" director Lee Unkrich tweeted an email that was sent to Pixar from a woman who'd seen the film.

"I will admit, I feel a little silly emailing such a large company and am pretty sure you won't even read this," her note began. "But I figured I'd give it a try."

The woman, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, explained why the movie meant so much to her:

Growing up, my parents and sisters used to watch Pixar movies all the time. The only problem was that we would have to pause the movie every 5 minutes to explain to my parents what the characters were saying because both of my parents are not very fluent in English. Of course nowadays it is much easier because we are able to select Spanish versions and subtitles. But you can imagine the difficulty in the 90s!

"But now there's 'Coco,'" the woman continued in her letter. "Not only did you make a movie for mi gente, you've also made it viewable in THEATERS in SPANISH!"

"Coco," as she noted, was released in Spanish in many theaters across the country, including in over two dozen cinemas in Southern California alone.

‌Actor Anthony Gonzalez, who is the voice of Miguel in "Coco." Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Vulture Festival.‌

"Let me explain why this means so much," she continued. "To me, last night, for the first time in my life, I took my mom to the movies. We went to the movies like real Americans do!"

"My mother had tears in her eyes. She hadn't been to a movie theater in over 30 years. She has always felt a bit out of place in the States. But last night, she forgot she was not from here. She felt at home. And of course the movie made us cry too!"

Fans of the film, many of whom could relate to the woman's story, filled the tweet replies with heartwarming messages.

"My 6 year old son said to me 'he (Miguel) looks like me!'" tweeted one person.

"It was my mom's first time in a movie theater in over 15 years as well," tweeted another.

"I felt like a film finally represented me and my culture," another tweet read.

"I felt this movie in my soul," shared another fan.

Diversity in film matters in real-world ways. From the actors and directors bringing the movies to life, to the languages and cultural narratives they tell on screen, "Coco" shows how feeling as though the story reflects you and your story can make a world of difference.

"I apologize for getting so emotional," the woman concluded her letter. "But I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, and from all Mexican-Americans, thank you. Thank you for including us. Thank you for making my mommy feel like she belongs. Thank you."

Pop Culture

Here’s a paycheck for a McDonald’s worker. And here's my jaw dropping to the floor.

So we've all heard the numbers, but what does that mean in reality? Here's one year's wages — yes, *full-time* wages. Woo.

Making a little over 10,000 for a yearly salary.


I've written tons of things about minimum wage, backed up by fact-checkers and economists and scholarly studies. All of them point to raising the minimum wage as a solution to lifting people out of poverty and getting folks off of public assistance. It's slowly happening, and there's much more to be done.

But when it comes right down to it, where the rubber meets the road is what it means for everyday workers who have to live with those wages. I honestly don't know how they do it.

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Joy

5-star Scottish resort offers whimsical afternoon tea experience with 'naughty sheep'

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes tea in the garden with adorably rude guests.

Cameron House/Naughty Sheep

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes a unique sheep encounter.

Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


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A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.


Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

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@caitlin.the.realtor/TikTok, used with permission

Wait, so 90's fashion is in, but 90's hair is out?

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?

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popular

A wild Eurasian crow befriended a toddler and won't leave his side

Crows are so much smarter than we think.

A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


Learning

Why you shouldn't throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

Dishwashers actually use the dirty water to know how to wash your dishes.

Photos by cottonbro studio and PhotoMIX Ltd. via Canva

Why your detergent shouldn't go in the bottom of the dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you're supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don't dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.

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