August 3, 2023

Title: "BEHAVE YOURSELF!" (Freestyle)

Constructor: Kelly Nguyen Dickson

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Freestyle: This is a themeless puzzle. "BEHAVE YOURSELF!" is a nod to NAUGHTY LIST (53A: Santa's record of misbehaving children)

Things I learned:

• PETER (25A: HIV/AIDS activist Staley) In 1985, while working as a bond trader on Wall Street, PETER Staley was diagnosed with AIDS-related complex. Three years later, he left his job on Wall Street and became a full-time HIV/AIDS activist. He has been involved with ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) since 1986, and helped found the Treatment Action Group (TAG) in 1992. PETER Staley is a primary figure in the 2012 documentary about the early days of the AIDS epidemic, How to Survive a Plague. PETER Staley's 2021 memoir is titled Never Silent: ACT UP and My Life in Activism.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• BEER HELMETS (20A: Party hats that let you enjoy drinks hands-free) A BEER HELMET is a hat (often resembling a hard hat) fitted with a contraption that holds a can of BEER on each side of the hat. Tubing inserted into the cans is used as a straw. BEER HELMETS have been around since Steve R. Nelson received a patent for the specialized hat in 1988. It occurs to me that "BEHAVE YOURSELF!" may also be a reference to this answer!
• STAPLE (27A: Fish sauce, e.g., in Vietnamese cuisine) Fish sauce is a condiment made from salted fish or krill that has fermented for up to two years. Fish sauce is a seasoning STAPLE in Vietnamese cuisine, as well as the cuisines of Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand.
• INSTAGRAM FAMOUS (38A: Like someone who gets millions of views on all their Reels) Isn't social media an interesting thing? Phrases such as "social media influencer" and "INSTAGRAM FAMOUS" remind me of a comment I heard as part of a graduation speech about 10 years ago along the lines of, "Many of you will have jobs that aren't even invented yet." (I don't remember who said this. All graduation speeches tend to run together in my memory.) Anyway, if you aspire to be INSTAGRAM FAMOUS, this article has some tips for you.  And if you're looking for a way to while away a few hours, here's a list of 30 INSTAGRAM reels that have received millions of views. 
• NORMA (44A: "Queen of Swing" Miller) At the age of 14, NORMA Miller (1919-2019) became the youngest member of the professional swing dancing group, Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. Her career as a dancer, and choreographer earned her the nickname, "Queen of Swing."
• RAREST (47A: Like February 29, among all birthdays) This is a great clue for RAREST.
• TOES (60A: Ostriches have two on each foot) Fun fact alert! Ostriches are the only birds that only have two TOES on each foot. The ostrich's decreased number of TOES (as compared to other birds that have three or four TOES on each foot) allows for greater speed while running.
• APPLE (5D: Fuji or Honeycrisp) I appreciate the reminder that, where I live, August is the beginning of APPLE season.
• POEMS (6D: Some Ocean Vuong works) I have previously written about Ocean Vuong.
• T'CHALLA (14D: Chadwick Boseman's "Black Panther" role) As I was filling in the Across answers, I noticed the letter pattern of TCH- at the beginning of a word and wondered, "Is that correct?!) It was! Chadwick Boseman (1976-2020) portrayed T'CHALLA in four Marvel Cinematic Universe movies: Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Chadwick Boseman's posthumous appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever involved archive footage, and the movie was dedicated to his memory.
• TINA (28D: Grammy winner Turner) It's only been five days since we saw TINA Turner mentioned in the puzzle. Her presence is always welcome.
• PETSIT (30D: Look after someone's animals) Although Willow is always happy

  

  Willow

  to see PET references in the puzzle, I don't think I'll tell her about this one. She's not really a fan of the times we leave and line up someone to PETSIT. 
• URSA (55D: ___ Major) URSA Major, also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation visible in the northern sky. Its main seven stars form the "Big Dipper."
• SEP (61D: Tet Trung Thu month, in 2023 (Abbr.)) Tết Trung Thu, also known as the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, is a Vietnamese festival. Celebrations include hanging lanterns, gift-giving, and making and sharing mooncake. This year, Tết Trung Thu will be celebrated on September (SEP) 29.

Geography review:

• IRAN (16A: Country with the Mahsa Amini protests) Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old woman who was arrested in Tehran, IRAN in September 2022. Her death while in custody led to widespread protests that are ongoing. I have previously written about Mahsa Amini, and the ongoing protests.
• PESO (18A: Currency of Chile) Chile is a country located on the western coast of the southern part of South America. The capital of Chile is Santiago, and the currency is the Chilean PESO.
• TAOS (42A: ___ Pueblo) TAOS Pueblo is a community located about a mile north of TAOS, New Mexico. The pueblo belongs to the Puebloan people, and is considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. TAOS Pueblo is a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO Heritage Site.
• SAMOA (63A: Country where the siva dance is performed) SAMOA is an island country located in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The capital of SAMOA is Apia. Siva is the Samoan word for dance, and siva also refers to a certain type of Samoan dance. 
• SAN (46D: ___ Andreas Fault) The SAN Andreas Fault is a geological feature located along the coast of California. The Earth's crust is comprised of a series of plates. For millions of years, these plates have been moving (very slowly!) across the Earth's surface. The SAN Andreas Fault is a place where two tectonic plates - the Pacific plate and the North American  plate - touch. Thousands of small earthquakes occur along the nearly 800 mile stretch of the SAN Andreas Fault each year. Geologists study the SAN Andreas Fault in an attempt to predict when large earthquakes may occur. 

One thing I enjoy about FREESTYLE puzzles is searching for the title inspiration while I solve. "BEHAVE YOURSELF!" is a fun and playful title, and I enjoyed the "Aha!" moment of uncovering NAUGHTY LIST. Thank you, Kelly, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Thursday!