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Recently diagnosed and looking for any advice on treating and managing MN, from acupuncture and anti-inflammatory diets to zero-drop shoes, injections and surgery. Please hope me! [more inside]
posted by Salamander at 7:22 PM PST - 15 comments

A family member went into urgent care because they have been leaking blood from their rectum for about 48 hours. Trying to understand context and what the doctor said. [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 5:51 PM PST - 16 comments

What should I expect? I know I have another neruological problems with my legs. And yes, I know there is no cure. And yes, I am old. /shrug
posted by baegucb at 5:01 PM PST - 6 comments

I just fell in love with felting (wet felting was fun, making felt balls delightful and especially delightful when we cut them in half to see the squishy swirly patterns we made inside, and needle felting straight up therapeutic). This is my first textile craft ever and I am a little muddled as to what I do next. [more inside]
posted by spamandkimchi at 2:32 PM PST - 6 comments

I practice target archery and am looking for a sight for aiming with my traditional recurve bow. I am not a hunter. Please recommend. Many thanks.
posted by Tziv at 2:29 PM PST - 3 comments

The apartment I live in has wood-style blinds, which are nice, but don't seem to completely close up, so there are still narrow slats. Can people from higher floors see through those and see what I'm doing in my bedroom? [more inside]
posted by thoughtful_analyst at 2:17 PM PST - 11 comments

Does anyone have advice or resources (such as books, articles or really anything that isn’t a google search) that helps in dealing with people who are jealous or envious of me? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:23 PM PST - 23 comments

My 70ish dad decided to become a cable cutter - he bought a Roku and turned his media bill to internet only. So far he's loving it - except he liked having CNN on, which he can't really replicate. Search for anything with "news" in the search gets news about the thing, not what I'm looking for. [more inside]
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:56 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm looking for help identifying foods that appeared in Academy Award nominees for this year, especially Best Picture candidates. Food doesn't have to be eaten on screen if it is visually prominent. Basically the same as my question from 2011! [more inside]
posted by Mngo at 9:07 AM PST - 16 comments

Technical Question: I have a series of Jupyter Notebooks (.ipynb files) that I would like to import into a Pressbooks page. For now, I've been converting files to html, and importing them into Pressbooks that way. This works, though dealing with any image files is tricky, however the formatting is lost. [more inside]
posted by Valancy Rachel at 8:56 AM PST - 3 comments

What fun, silly lyrics can I use with the traditional Happy Birthday song? [more inside]
posted by hydra77 at 8:45 AM PST - 10 comments

I am combining several PowerPoint presentations together into one. These presentations cover one machine with several different combinations of widgets. Some machines have A widget and others have B widget, some have both, some have none. I will not be giving these presentations. Is there any way to mark the slides about these widgets in the slides pane so the presenter will know that these slides can be removed if they're not in that particular configuration? Add a border, shading, something? I'd prefer not to add anything to the actual slides.
posted by kingdead at 8:25 AM PST - 6 comments

My wife and I have a fair amount of disagreements on how we parent our toddler (sleep, discipline etc). I'd like some recommendations on books/workbooks/websites/youtubes/social media accounts, that would help us navigate this better? I'm not sure the write keywords to search for.
posted by sandmanwv at 8:15 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm trying to send my Athens-based friend a time-sensitive gift. I don't live in Greece and I've been having a hard time finding places that will hand-deliver but which also accept a credit card order from outside of Greece. Any suggestions would be much appreciated! [more inside]
posted by egeanin at 7:57 AM PST - 3 comments

There's an overwhelming amount of info out there on this topic but because everyone in this community seems more helpful and to the point I thought I'd ask here... I'd like to start an ETSY shop. The shop will sell 90s-themed random stuff (t-shirts, knick-knacks, stickers, etc) that I will have to outsource to get manufactured. Does anyone have any tips on how to get started? All I have are design ideas but no clue how to find manufacturers, and figure out all the startup costs for something like this. Will the cost I'll have to pay to manufacturers make the endeavor not even worth it? Will items have to ship directly from the manufacturer to the purchaser? I know ETSY is already flooded with shops selling these same types of things... I don't have the money to start a brick and mortar business...and thought this may be easier/less expensive. Any guidance/insight here would be really helpful.
posted by matt755811 at 7:12 AM PST - 7 comments

We received this strange item in our Tabasco Sriracha sauce order via Amazon (it was in the bag with the sauces). It does not seem to interface with the bottles in any way. Seems 3D printed, the inner white piece doesn't move freely but maybe could if it connected to something else? 3.5" diameter bottom, 1.6" diameter top, by 2.25" tall (6.5cm, 4cm, x 5.8cm tall). Reverse image search turned up nothing. Any ideas?
posted by danapiper at 7:04 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm starting to explore options for obtaining a long term visa for visiting/living in Europe. If all options were available, which is actually better for me? [more inside]
posted by monologish at 6:35 AM PST - 8 comments

As per my previous question I paid for a koboReads subscription for a month because it actually has a series my son has been begging for. I also put some other books on and will side-load some other books. Ok, but now what about my kobo? Can can we keep different books on each kobo or is it going to fill my kobo with his books and books with mine? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:41 AM PST - 3 comments

TL;DR: Can I pay someone sell my stuff so that I don't have to? I'm probably going to be selling a number of household items over the coming months, and would be willing to accept a lower price for not having to do the labor of arranging the sales. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by kserra at 5:04 AM PST - 10 comments

I manage a (small) team now, and I feel entirely unequipped for it. I've done lots of training and am up on all the theory, but I need advice on how to be a good, supportive and effective manager. How can I become less conflict-averse and self-doubting? What traits should I be developing and how? What were your best managers like? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 3:17 AM PST - 15 comments

Does it make more sense to pay cash for a house or take out a mortgage with a large down payment? Is my analysis correct? [more inside]
posted by cycleback at 10:55 PM PST - 21 comments

I have a pair of ancient Kettler foam dumbbells that need cleaning after years of sweating. [more inside]
posted by whitelotus at 6:32 PM PST - 5 comments

Can one get car insurance immediately after a lapse in California? [more inside]
posted by snsranch at 4:55 PM PST - 4 comments

I foolishly signed up for an Adobe account to be able to use some PDFs, and then I even more foolishly failed to cancel during the "trial period". The software never really downloaded right so I've never even been able to use the damn thing. How can I cancel my account WITHOUT having to pay an exorbitant cancelation fee? [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:38 PM PST - 4 comments

I want to just dump random tasks into a todo.txt file and be able to edit that file on my android phone, iPad, and Macbook. I also have a Linux laptop. Ideally this would not require a subscription service. [more inside]
posted by craniac at 3:34 PM PST - 17 comments

What's the best way, if any, to register dissatisfaction with Pres. Biden's Israel policy in the CA primary? Is there another candidate I should vote for instead? A write-in of some sort? Or just leave that field blank? (I am aware that my single vote is essentially meaningless and that CA will undoubtedly go for Biden in both the primary and the November election.)
posted by miltthetank at 3:27 PM PST - 10 comments

I had a very intense deep tissue massage last Thursday, the first massage in 5 years. I was told I would feel achy the next day. I didn't. But starting Monday I started to feel flue-like symptoms, aches, frequent urination, inability to sleep. Could that be related to the massage? I wear a mask everywhere so I'm pretty certain it's not an actual virus. Thanks so much.
posted by captainscared at 3:18 PM PST - 16 comments

I’ve signed up for Medicare, picked out a drug plan and am now working to find a Supplemental Insurance plan (Medigap, NOT Medicare Advantage). I’ve been to the Medicare website to see the plans and prices available in my area. I’m wondering if there is any information that rates the insurance companies or has further information regarding this beyond the info from Medicare. Any insights on this from those Mefites who have Medicare Medigap insurance?
posted by jabo at 3:05 PM PST - 12 comments

Several months ago I had 6 can LEDs installed in my kitchen and they continue to flicker despite the best efforts of a master electrician. [more inside]
posted by deadcrow at 2:35 PM PST - 8 comments

What are some songs whose lyrics specifically reference other songs as a motif? So, not quoting a lyric from another song, but literally songs about other songs? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 1:45 PM PST - 71 comments

My 80 yo Mom's inkjet printer just gave up the ghost. Previous questions mostly recommended laser printers, which she doesn't want because she mostly uses it to print out family photos for her bulletin board - color laser would be overkill. Wireless would be great. Would like to avoid stupid auto ink refill schemes, if possible.
posted by sarajane at 1:41 PM PST - 7 comments

A group I'm in has an infrequently-used shared Gmail account. Currently 2FA is turned on and tied to a single person's phone number, but we need more than 1 person to be able to log in from time to time. What's the best way to handle this? Turn off 2FA and choose a super-long password? Share a TOTP seed so everyone gets the same code? We aren't going to pay for any solutions that cost money.
posted by Tehhund at 12:45 PM PST - 8 comments

For a variety of reasons I am stuck at my job (at least until they kick me out), and it's driving me completely around the bend. Yes, I have a therapist, yes, we're working on it, but in the meantime I'm just really casting about for anything to keep me from gnawing my own face off. Books, tricks, I don't know, for dealing with the feeling of "this should be tolerable but it isn't." [more inside]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:47 AM PST - 32 comments

What is the setting in Google navigator that asks me if I want to see what other people are ordering when I’m at a restaurant and how do I turn that off on an iPhone 14 Pro Max? Thank you.
posted by manageyourexpectations at 10:09 AM PST - 5 comments

I asked this question 3 weeks ago. My little guy is doing okay but I think the prednisone is starting to not work (he's been vomiting a bit, upset stomach.) The pred side effects have been a lot to deal with for both of us (the incontinence and peeing is out of this world.) If you've gone through this when did you decide to stop prednisone? I've already cut his dose from 40mg to 20mg (with vet's input.) Thanks...
posted by rhymedirective at 8:27 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm trying to help a friend find a book about a time traveling woman. Details (and possibly spoilers) inside the fold! [more inside]
posted by mmmbacon at 7:23 AM PST - 5 comments

In the last couple years there was an answer on here recommending a North American company where you could pick a style of casual pant, choose the fabric (many were like thick jersey) and length and then they would make the pant. Now I can’t find the original question anywhere. Maybe it was older? Does this ring a bell with anyone?
posted by pairofshades at 3:15 AM PST - 4 comments

My grandfather called me last night, distraught. He said that he had had an insurance policy with MassMutual Insurance Company for 50 years, and that he had been paying $1000 a month towards it. He said that he had frequently borrowed against it as well, and that it had a principal of $250,000. Somehow, the policy was accidentally cancelled in October 2023. He received 1099s stating he owed $100,000 in taxes because of the policy, and he's not sure how to procede. [more inside]
posted by matkline at 1:23 AM PST - 20 comments

I want to be able to listen to coyotes howling in my neighborhood (say within a quarter mile) on an outdoor, wireless, battery-powered (rechargeable would be great), rainproof microphone. I want to be able to listen with my Android phone. I want something under about $50. I tried a wireless security cam but the sound isn't good enough (as in it hardly picks up anything). I don't know anything about this subject, do any of you have a recommendation? I guess it could be somewhat unidirectional since I know what direction the coyotes howl from within about a 45 degree angle, but you tell me. Thanks!
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 11:37 PM PST - 6 comments

My Free Spirit Sunbird bicycle is a hand-me-down from a friend of family, who probably got it in the 1970s. It's vintage, but not the valuable, collectible variety, and objectively it's not the best bike. I also have a newer, fancier road bike for fun. But it has sentimental value - I've had it since I was a teenager, it was an important tool for recreation and freedom when I was younger, and was my main means of transportation for many years. I haven't ridden either bicycle much in the past several years, but want to get back into biking, and am thinking of converting the Free Spirit to be better adapted to commuting and cargo trailer pulling (most weather, for use on a hard packed dirt multi-use rail trail as well as my plentifully potholed local roads). My bicycle knowledge is over a decade out of date, however. Details of advice request are below the fold. [more inside]
posted by eviemath at 9:50 PM PST - 17 comments

I need books that teach me how to gracefully handle stupid workplace politics and people who constantly try to undermine and sabotage you. Something like Succession the show or Art of War, but a book for the modern day aspiring corporate climber. [more inside]
posted by antihistameme at 9:07 PM PST - 12 comments

Our organization has many events each month, and would like to provide a weekly schedule view to our patrons. The event calendar is kept on Google, but their utilitarian interface does not fit our aesthetic at all. How to approach? [more inside]
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:52 PM PST - 4 comments

I always have too much laundry to do because I don't have my own washer/dryer and it's a PITA to get dressed and get it all going in my building's little laundry room even when I really need to. Can you help me develop a tentative strategy to address this issue based on some of the paint points described within? [more inside]
posted by The Adventure Begins at 5:58 PM PST - 39 comments

Can anyone suggest data sources listing all of the B-17 and B-24 bombers lost on July 9, 1944? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 5:29 PM PST - 4 comments

I want to boot into my laptop, use various Linux distributions with them already customized to the packages I want and need, things like terminal and stuff configured, etc. Sometimes I want to snapshot it or revert back to base. The key is I want to install something like Plasma 6 or a nice graphical windows manager without all the stuff I don't need, everything GPU and WiFi configured and packages plus applications configured and pretty. I looked at and it seems to do what I want but it is very complex. I basically don't want distros with LibreOffice and stuff and to "just work," play around and then revert. If I need to upgrade a kernel I want I want to do that and boot a new distro rather than upgrading. What are my options? [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 4:50 PM PST - 12 comments

I need to up my Quebec french, I'm hoping that maybe some online one-on-one will help get me over the hump to speaking. Any recommendations? [more inside]
posted by platypus of the universe at 4:37 PM PST - 3 comments

I need to get insurance for my 19yo. I've never had to do this before and am overwhelmed. Walk me through it? [more inside]
posted by Well I never at 4:37 PM PST - 6 comments

This question got me wondering about microcurrent devices (not TENS) for the face. [more inside]
posted by Dolley at 2:33 PM PST - 4 comments

Every year, I play an April Fool's Day prank on my kid. I need a new one for this year. It needs to be something a clever/goofy 15 year-old would find funny, but it can't be mean-spirited. He's not overly gullible, either, so tricking him ususally doesn't work. At least not on April 1st. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:37 PM PST - 38 comments

It seems like the last instance of Nitter (the site that allows you to read Twitter without being logged in) has died, according to this. Has anyone found an instance of Nitter that works? Or a workaround on Twitter's attempt to kill this useful site? Or another service or similar way to access Twitter?
posted by johnasdf at 1:22 PM PST - 4 comments

We'll shortly be heading to London, and we're looking for a hotel or Airbnb-type place that will give us good general access to the stuff we plan to do + the person we will be seeing. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:12 PM PST - 3 comments

I run a tiny market garden. I sell most of my vegetables but donate some to a food bank. How do I balance a bookkeeping entry for that? The donation is an Expense, yes? I could have sold those veg. If I donate money it’s balanced against the Asset account the money came from. But I don’t have an Asset category with vegetables in it (and don’t want to!) Do I balance it against (forgone) Income??
posted by clew at 1:03 PM PST - 5 comments

You have a small kitchen with a small sink and hardly any counter space, but you've found a perfect dish rack solution. Show it to me, please. [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:50 PM PST - 18 comments

While I accept commercial progress on near-by land - I want to be best protect my transit and ecology concerns - What am I missing? [more inside]
posted by mctsonic at 12:23 PM PST - 11 comments

We have two 14-year-old cats who have almost always been boarded when we were away, owing to a rural location unsuited to pet sitting. We have recently moved into town, and between the ease of finding a sitter and the rocketing prices for boarding in our area, we think a cat sitter would make sense. Will this freak out cats who have rarely been left on their own for an extended time? [more inside]
posted by Creosote at 10:41 AM PST - 13 comments

Do you have a personal recommendation for a data recovery service that works on dead hard drives? [more inside]
posted by saladin at 8:52 AM PST - 6 comments

My partner and I are currently searching for our first home in a city on the US East Coast, focusing on houses priced around $1 million. We have about $250k saved in cash for the down payment and closing costs, and an additional $250k in non-retirement stock investments that we could potentially sell (paying 15% capital gains) to increase our down payment size or buy points. This would reduce our future monthly mortgage payment at the cost of having more of our total net worth tied up in our house. Should we do this? If so, how much of the stock should we sell? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:11 AM PST - 16 comments

That’s the question!
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:44 AM PST - 5 comments

Yesterday, I had an awkward interaction that I am realizing that happens more often than I want. How do I manage this? [more inside]
posted by treetop89 at 7:16 AM PST - 13 comments

The new song I'm writing is about loss of innocence. What loss can you tell me about? [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 7:02 AM PST - 11 comments

I registered for a new US branch of our small business in Delaware last year, and i need a CPA to file our taxes. Do you love your accountant? Please share your recs! [more inside]
posted by PardonMyFrench at 6:20 AM PST - 0 comments

Our air conditioner suddenly started making a knocking/clunking sound today when the exhaust fan in the kitchen was turned on. The aircon unit itself was off, and the sound stopped as soon as we turned off the exhaust fan. Does anyone know what might be causing this? It was very windy outside today so I was wondering if that might have something to do with it, but the wind has since died down and the knocking sound is still occurring every time the exhaust fan is turned on.
posted by mydonkeybenjamin at 4:59 AM PST - 7 comments

Anyone done one recently? Open to all ideas! Particularly good if kid-friendly but OK if not.
posted by caoimhe at 3:48 AM PST - 9 comments

I've recently discovered that microwaves have a mute function to turn off beeps and this has provided a positive change in my quality of life. Have you got any other tips for removing minor auditory or visual annoyances? [more inside]
posted by underclocked at 2:48 AM PST - 33 comments

How do you store bread on the counter? Plastic or metal bread bin, cloth-covered basket, paper bag, waxed paper bag, etc? What are the features of your preferred storage device that keep your bread from going stale for a couple of days? I rotate all sorts of (non-Chorleywood) bread, from crusty sourdough to brioche - do you store the different types of bread differently? (Not interested in fridge or freezer storage, I have that covered)
posted by tavegyl at 1:07 AM PST - 14 comments

I have really enjoyed a few specific types of online team activities. Key features have been that you could join without assembling your own team, and that there is a list of possible tasks to tick off for a group effort at max points or other completion goal. Also key is some amount of team comradery/accountability/encouragement over chat or whatever. [more inside]
posted by lemonade at 11:15 PM PST - 2 comments

It looks like I'm in the position where I can get my school's library to order a whole bunch of graphic novels for teens and near-native language learners. I have a smattering of ideas (Sandman, Nimona, Persepolis, Lumberjanes), and we have Maus, but not much else. I'd like to get a solid assortment of graphic novels for various reading levels and interests, fiction and non-fiction. [more inside]
posted by Ghidorah at 10:56 PM PST - 32 comments

I need information for someone who is an unusually positioned expert in a topic. They are curious about creating a curriculum and possibly selling it. Where can I find information about how to do this? [more inside]
posted by bq at 9:47 PM PST - 4 comments

I need a list of absolutely killer films to share with my kid that aren't old like me -- say, 2010 or newer. [more inside]
posted by Number Used Once at 6:20 PM PST - 38 comments

Repair question: driver door locked Does this sound right?: on a 2000 V70, somehow the driver’s door has gotten locked and stuck. A mechanic finds that the problem is inside the latch, and ordered a new plastic part to replace the deteriorating one. But that plastic part connects with a metal piece (bar?) that should move but does not. The plan now is to take the driver seat out, take the door panel off, and cut through the metal piece. Make sense? If so, how to replace that metal piece?
posted by mmiddle at 5:23 PM PST - 1 comment

I have a 27" 2019 iMac (Intel). Every so often it can't maintain a connection to my home WiFi. It starts working again if I move it from the second story office (about 30' from the router) to a few feet away from the router (on the first floor), and after I return it to the office the WiFi connection is steady from any where from a few days to a few months. I repeat the temporary move every time the WiFi connection can't be make in the office. Any ideas what's going on? [more inside]
posted by ShooBoo at 3:43 PM PST - 11 comments

What can I make with mirepoix that’s not a soup or chili? relatively vegetarian preferred. my current fridge contents are described inside. [more inside]
posted by crime online at 1:56 PM PST - 23 comments

Looking for your favorite non-meat burger recipe (ala hamburgers) I can make ahead, individually freeze and cook in my air fryer for lunch. Currently cooking Impossible or Beyond burgers. Do you have something that might be a close substitute?
posted by GernBlandston at 12:22 PM PST - 6 comments

My kindergartener is suddenly getting in trouble for not listening, getting distracted with his friends, and disrupting the class. I can tell it feels very difficult and shameful for him, he feels like he is a bad kid, and I want to help him feel empowered to do better (of course, I'm already working with the teachers). I think he would respond well to stories about kids who get in trouble and then turn things around. Example I already have and love - Today was a Terrible Day. Any book / movie / tv show recommendations that are elementary-school appropriate? (more mature than kindergarten OK)
posted by beyond_pink at 12:05 PM PST - 21 comments

I love a good, European-style breakfast buffet. But U.S. hotel breakfasts have been going downhill for a while. For reasons, I want to stay in the US right now, but I want a fantastic breakfast! Where have you found one?
posted by CiaoMela at 12:01 PM PST - 24 comments

I don't know how to handle job interview requests to talk to my current supervisor when my current supervisor thinks I'm awful. Is there any way to recover from this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:49 AM PST - 20 comments

Super boring question, but I want to buy a small, simple microwave oven that'll last decades and I won't dislike the whole time like our current one. [more inside]
posted by snarfois at 10:40 AM PST - 9 comments

This is the kind of vague unsearchable question that only Ask MetaFilter can help with: I'm trying to remember a piece of children's media (likely an animated movie, but possibly live action, and possibly a TV show or book) where the protagonist meets a quirky adult male character who, courtesy of a series of quick costume changes, plays effectively every role in the town. [more inside]
posted by waxpancake at 10:21 AM PST - 15 comments

I started a new teaching position in a new district 4 weeks ago, and am already waking up each morning dreading going to work. Some parts are great, but most are not and I'm experiencing severe daily stress. Would it be a betrayal to leave? [more inside]
posted by Jangatroo at 9:01 AM PST - 13 comments

I would love to be able to draw, but I have zero artistic talent. Truly, zero. Is there any hope for me? [more inside]
posted by holborne at 8:21 AM PST - 35 comments

Hello all, a relative of mine gave me a huge bag of red onions, and I am not sure what to do with them. I know red onions are used in a lot of Indian curries and they are good in salads as well. What else can I do with them? I cannot eat eggs and I do not like seafood. I love Mediterranean, and Asian cuisine (Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese), Greek, Italian, and some Mexican (but open to other dishes with onions).
posted by RearWindow at 8:18 AM PST - 23 comments

Have any mefites out there tried the unnecessarily named Wife Pillow or the Medclin shoulder pillow system? [more inside]
posted by umbú at 7:53 AM PST - 13 comments

Had a family Zoom meeting yesterday between a computer and a phone, multiple people on each end. At one point, a "thumbs down" image (something like this but white) covered the face of one of the participants for about ten seconds. No one was clicking anything. We were unable to reproduce this phenomenon. Anyone got an explanation? [more inside]
posted by mpark at 7:18 AM PST - 9 comments

You are a US resident who is employing a freelancer overseas for a small job (think a commission for a digital art piece). They have asked you to pay via ACH into their Wise USD account. How does this work? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:59 AM PST - 9 comments

Looking for hotel recs in Times Square for a spring break trip with my teenager. I haven't been to NYC since pre-pandemic. Not considering other areas for Reasons. Websites all look alike. I would love any recent experiences either + or - with the many fine hoteliers in that area of the city. Thanks!
posted by nkknkk at 4:30 PM PST - 19 comments

I’m in search of a practical way to join several wires in parallel to an individual terminal pin on a microcontroller. There are several possible ways to do this, none of which I properly understand. I feel like I will get a better high level overview of advice here that might avoid the pitfalls of specialized forums that presume I know what they are talking about. Specifics within. [more inside]
posted by aesop at 3:31 PM PST - 10 comments

Did Ludwig van Beethoven make any payments to the estate of Friedrich Schiller for the use of Schiller's Ode to Joy in his Ninth Symphony? [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 3:25 PM PST - 6 comments

(Help - I haven't flown in 14 years, and I haven't booked a flight for myself in over 20.) [more inside]
posted by tiny frying pan at 2:40 PM PST - 32 comments

Is Instant Clear Jel the same product as Ultratex , or are they different types of thickener? [more inside]
posted by fanlight at 1:00 PM PST - 4 comments

For a section on journalism, I would like to have my 12th grade English students read compelling, well-written portraits of communities. Ideally, they would combine on-the-ground reporting and factual background. They could be neighborhoods, religious communities, communities of interest, what have you. [more inside]
posted by argybarg at 12:29 PM PST - 12 comments

Hi, I teach an online class and have a session in early April when I also have to travel to Paris for work. I don't want to roll the dice on my hotel wifi not being strong/consistent enough. Can anyone suggest a solution such as a hotel or business center that caters to this sort of thing? Or that you've recently found to have rock solid internet? Extra wrinkle: the class takes place 6pm-9pm Paris time. Thank you.
posted by moonmoth at 11:53 AM PST - 8 comments

I would love to find the equivalents of the "ask a manager" column or videos or podcasts geared toward running all-volunteer community service and social organizations. I know that some of the management and organizing strategies from workplaces transfer, but in an all-volunteer space I also feel like different strategies may be useful. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!
posted by mortaddams at 11:47 AM PST - 2 comments

I have an etched intaglio plate from the late 70s, presumably zinc or zinc-aluminum alloy. I'd like to run a few prints off it, but it's got some small raised white spots which I'm guessing are zinc oxide in places. Anyone know of a way to clean/remove these without damaging the plate? [more inside]
posted by phooky at 11:37 AM PST - 4 comments

My ~one year old mac powerbook (M1Pro, Sonoma 14.1.3) recently stopped connecting to my home wifi network. I hadn't made any significant changes or updates. All my other devices still connect to home network seamlessly, including my older pre-M chip Macbook pro, and my current laptop itself also connects normally to other wireless networks per usual, including at work and cafes, etc. It also connects to my phone via hotspot. [more inside]
posted by Rumple at 11:15 AM PST - 17 comments

I have have an iPhone13, and just downloaded Viber. I cannot see most of my contacts, despite allowing Viber access to my contacts within my Iphone settings. How do I resolve this? [more inside]
posted by walkinginsunshine at 9:50 AM PST - 0 comments

Recommend me either a high-back booster or a car seat that meets as many as possible of the following criteria: A) Prefer something with a harness (booster used as boosters don't typically have a harness, so this would technically be convertible booster/car seat). B) Airport- and Plane-friendly. So light. Ideally has a travel bag with wheels available. Happy to gate check or overhead. Could also actually use in-flight if it's so awesome that my son would be more comfortable that way than in plane seat. It would be nice if it folded up somehow, but haven't seen any with a harness that do that. C) Easy to install and uninstall in car. D) Ideally somewhat on the narrow side. Must be available in Canada. Would love to spend less than $300, but willing to consider options. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:47 AM PST - 5 comments

I just tested positive in a blood test for mono (mononucleosis, heterophile Ab, serum). According to UNL, you can be contagious for up to 18 months. I’m single. Does that mean I shouldn't kiss anyone for 18 months? [more inside]
posted by catquas at 9:41 AM PST - 3 comments

My mom's having technical difficulties with her landline and we're about ready to give up hope of the provider (Verizon FiOS) fixing them. Her internet service, though, seems fine, so one alternative I'm considering is converting her to VoIP. Challenges include that I'm out of state. [more inside]
posted by bfields at 9:40 AM PST - 7 comments

As is clear in my question history, health stuff has been rough for me the past few years. In the next three weeks, I have (hard won) appointments with each of my specialists and my family doctor. I really need to get this right, but there are a lot of complications. I could use some help seeing the forest because it feels like I'm being smacked over the head by a whole load of trees. [more inside]
posted by jeszac at 8:34 AM PST - 8 comments

I have a ~6 year old desktop computer that meets my needs and still works fine, except for one recent issue that I'm hoping you can help me diagnose/fix. In a nutshell, it starts booting up when I press the power button on the box, but stops and goes dark for a few seconds before recovering to continue/restart the booting process. This has been happening daily for less than a week, until today when it repeated this pattern three or four times, which (understandably) alarmed me. [more inside]
posted by DrGail at 7:46 AM PST - 6 comments

I have an iPhone Xr, an iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen), fairly new desktop computer and a few many-Gig thumb drives. I think I accidentally set up cloud storage (or changed something) from my iPad last year and a couple weeks ago got an emailed notice that my cloud storage had 25% space left. [more inside]
posted by Glinn at 7:04 AM PST - 3 comments

We're in the process of introducing a new cat to our home. I've read up on all the steps to do this slowly and safely, but am looking for tips for our particular circumstances. Challenge level: one extremely shy cat, and a home layout that makes it difficult to do the "let them see eachother through a barrier" step. [more inside]
posted by ersatzhuman at 6:38 AM PST - 16 comments

Started my Meditation practice about 4 years ago, but stopped (reasons below). Wanting to get back into it daily again. Need some help and guidance. [more inside]
posted by konaStFr at 6:22 AM PST - 19 comments

I'm going to be having a benign brain tumour removed. I've been told I will almost certainly permanently lose my sense of smell. I want to do whatever I can to maximize that little bit of wiggle room it seems I have. Please come inside and read what I know and what I'm speculating. Please tell me what you know and what you can reasonably speculate based either on actual neurological knowledge or plausible speculation. I'm looking to develop a plan that "won't hurt; might help" so it doesn't have to be backed by rock solid science. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:22 AM PST - 13 comments

Have you heard of any law enforcement agencies that hire part-time officers? If so, can you tell me more? [more inside]
posted by NotLost at 8:34 PM PST - 12 comments

For such a long time, 20+years, my ankles/lower legs and feet would swell every day. For so many reasons (don’t even ask!) I never got it checked out, just accepted it as a thing. I’m now a 61 year old woman. Suddenly, since about a year or so ago, this doesn’t happen anymore. I haven’t changed anything about my lifestyle at all, and I’m not on any medication either now or in the past. [more inside]
posted by Samarium at 6:17 PM PST - 6 comments

How do I balance my seeking out of new quality partners or friends with my comfort seeking of being alone most of my free time [more inside]
posted by mxjudyliza at 6:04 PM PST - 6 comments

I recently noticed an unexpected deposit into my chequing account, labelled as coming from "TRANSFERWISE." Apparently that's the former name for Wise, a money sending company. I searched for more activity on my account and saw that in the last year I had almost $3000 deposited from TRANSFERWISE! Where is this money coming from? Could this be some sort of scam? [more inside]
posted by krunk at 5:50 PM PST - 20 comments

I'm going on a trip with my 6 year old for a little over 3 weeks. We can't go to swim lessons without a pile of chapter books in the car. I cannot possibly take enough physical books to keep him happy for 3+ weeks. I want to take an e-reader (not a tablet). I don't want to spend a truckload of money. Please advise. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:48 PM PST - 12 comments

My child’s kindergarten is within 7 miles of a landfill fire causing serious air pollution. I’m looking for effective actions and essential resources to understand the risks to my child. [more inside]
posted by shrimpetouffee at 4:22 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm searching for a decent diffuser or spray that will lightly scent a room. [more inside]
posted by Czjewel at 4:03 PM PST - 4 comments

We're planning a trip to Iceland in late November/Early December and figured since we'll already be packed with warm clothing for frozen weather, it might make sense to extend the trip with a visit to one of the Scandinavian/Northern European countries to visit a Christmas Market and experience that whole vibe. Where would be the best place to go after a trip to Iceland? [more inside]
posted by willnot at 3:35 PM PST - 11 comments

I am at constant war with the flat tire indicator on my dash. It's on about 100% of the time now. Occasionally the light being on coincides with a tire going flat - but not always. What is this, and what can I do? [more inside]
posted by invincible summer at 2:38 PM PST - 18 comments

How can I sterilize these awesome cork panels if I can't heat (oven not cold enough) or bleach (they float/resist water) them? [more inside]
posted by amtho at 2:33 PM PST - 14 comments

I love the look of lip color, but have always had a hard time finding something that feels good on my lips, won't smear and/or won't dry out my lips. I know there's tons of new options out there now – do you have a favorite? I like the idea of stains a lot, but again I don't want something drying. I use lip balm all days; are there stains out there that stay even after a balm is used? Colored balms haven't really fit the bill. Other options I haven't thought of? I basically want something that I can't feel on my lips, but looks amazing for long periods of time. Lip color lovers, does this exist??
posted by Molasses808 at 12:08 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm a non-US shopper who needs to buy a 10th Generation iPad and I'm not sure what US retailers to look online for the best deal. [more inside]
posted by DarlingBri at 11:51 AM PST - 7 comments

I am late middle age and remember feeling like I spent a lot of time in high school and college "doing nothing," vegging out, wasting time, spacing out, etc before it was possible to vanish mentally online as I too often do now. However I have no recollection of how I used to waste time. [more inside]
posted by ojocaliente at 9:10 AM PST - 64 comments

You all helped me find an amazing dentist, so I'm back looking for a couples counselor/therapist ideally in the Berkeley/Oakland area. Looking for someone kind who can help foster mutual understanding and better communication. Feel free to send me a Mefi Mail if that's preferable. Thanks!
posted by 12%juicepulp at 8:34 AM PST - 2 comments

It might be Victorian. picture of purse
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 7:14 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm trying to find a podcast (or audio series) I heard once in which the narrator goes into minute levels of technical detail about historic NASA missions. [more inside]
posted by bassomatic at 6:49 AM PST - 5 comments

I have two lines (cable and phone) from the telephone pole across the street to my house that are unused. How do I remove them? [more inside]
posted by diode at 5:18 AM PST - 3 comments

My dear Lumi is approaching his 20th birthday and in the past few months has started declining in overall health. I'm trying to make him as comfortable as possible, letting him boss me around more, and minimizing all potential stressors, but my main concerns is a cat's ability to hide when they're in pain and not fully knowing their psychology (e.g., maybe he still needs some stressors for best health). Any suggestions on a general approach would be appreciated.
posted by Jon44 at 5:17 AM PST - 13 comments

Cat’s surgical site is slightly inflamed. Vet has asked me to ice the incision, but there is no way for me to do this safely. [more inside]
posted by antihistameme at 1:18 AM PST - 7 comments

Should I keep reaching out to a friend going through tough times in his personal life? [more inside]
posted by ljs30 at 4:01 PM PST - 10 comments

I work for an employer that offers a pension after a vesting period. I don't like my job. If I wait another 3 years to leave, I'll be eligible for a pension of about $7500-8500 a year (according to a random online calculator, but let's assume it's correct). How heavily should I weigh the pension in my decision making? [more inside]
posted by umwelt at 2:54 PM PST - 27 comments

I am looking for a small clear box/case/bin with a lid, to hold a wooden puzzle that’s a family heirloom. The puzzle is a 7.5” circle, so an 8”x8” box would be ideal. Where can I find one of those? I am able to find smaller cases like these, and larger ones like these. But I'm striking out on finding sizes in between. [more inside]
posted by jolenex4 at 1:51 PM PST - 14 comments

Sorry if this question is convoluted or confusing... I am very confused myself as it's been several years since I even touched crypto and the fact that everything feels foreign to me already is part of the reason why I want to sell them and never touch it again. [more inside]
posted by thelasttango at 12:05 PM PST - 1 comment

I am on a dubious quest to remember all the books I've read. Below is a list of scenes that I remember, from books I don't. Can you identify the book and/or author? Thanks! [more inside]
posted by Joan Rivers of Babylon at 11:51 AM PST - 7 comments

For the last few years, I've been taking riding lessons. Riding teachers like to say things that can't be true ("Make yourself heavier") or that are too vague for me to interpret ("Use your leg like a wall"). I am apparently too literal-minded for this — it doesn't offend me or anything, I just never seem to find it as clear or helpful as other students do. Is there something I can watch/read that puts this stuff in literal terms? Not to replace my lessons, just to help me out a little when I'm confused. [more inside]
posted by Birds, snakes, and aeroplanes at 10:56 AM PST - 9 comments

Ecotourism: Is the 'tourism' part sufficiently terrible for the environment that it outweighs the 'eco'? [more inside]
posted by eraserbones at 8:52 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm trying to fully extricate myself from the Googlesphere personally. I know engines like DuckDuckGo and Bing (ugh) exist, but does anyone have experience with paid search engines they could share?
posted by Shepherd at 7:30 AM PST - 13 comments

Flight lands at 8, train leaves from Atocha at 2:30. I'm planning on stowing my bag at the train station and wandering around for a few hours. Do you have a recommendation for a good place nearby to have lunch? It would have to be on the earlier side I think, probably around noon or even a few minutes earlier (just for my own peace of mind, I don't want to be running through the train station searching for my platform at like 2:25). Or is there something else I should be doing with this time? This will be on a Tuesday a couple weeks from now, and I'll be on foot. Thank you!
posted by CheeseLouise at 6:52 AM PST - 9 comments

Looking for recs to either individual teachers, studios or directories for livestreamed classes that you have to register and preferably pay for. Not on-demand because I will never demand a fitness class when the sofa is right there, please. I've searched Mindbody, google and reddit, and while I can find this for yoga, HITT, etc, what I really want is functional fitness or something low-key and not 'yay I lost ten pounds, look at my massive muscles, no pain no gain' sort of ethos. [more inside]
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:32 PM PST - 12 comments

I have a large, mis-formatted CSV file. Can you give me ideas of how to parse it? Preferably in Python. [more inside]
posted by no regrets, coyote at 3:14 PM PST - 42 comments

Throughout 2023, several claims were reimbursed at certain rates. Final claim of 2023 for same services at same [out-of-network] provider were reimbursed at lower rate. PPO insurer (Premera Blue Cross) says the earlier, higher reimbursements were "mistakes" ('we paid too much'). I am wondering if shenanigans are at play and and even if so, is it worth following up. [more inside]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 2:38 PM PST - 7 comments

I know there are many sites where, for a fee, you can ask a lawyer a specific question. Are they any good? If so, what are they? [more inside]
posted by knownassociate at 2:21 PM PST - 5 comments

I would like to buy a locket (one that can hold small photos). It's for a tween, so I'd prefer something durable but not pricey. I haven't shopped for jewelry recently. Where is good to look?
posted by medusa at 1:55 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a teen who is a little too interested in cannabis. You may remember him from his previous infatuation with David Goggins and Andrew Tate. I want to find some articles that I can share with him that are honest about the risks to his developing brain. [more inside]
posted by amandabee at 1:48 PM PST - 7 comments

Hey Boston-area folks, I'm coming from Western MA to Mass Eye and Ear in Boston for a 9:40AM appointment on Tuesday, and I'm deciding whether to park at Alewife or drive the whole way in. I'd much rather avoid driving into Boston, but how early would I have to get to Alewife these days to be sure of getting a spot? I'm open to other alternatives, too. [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 1:12 PM PST - 7 comments

Recently, my old work address showed up as a delivery option on UberEats even though I haven't seen it on my account in ages, and my lunch went there by mistake. I've been trying to delete it, but there does not seem to be a way to do so. [more inside]
posted by tzikeh at 12:52 PM PST - 4 comments

I've got the basics, but I want to completely and utterly understand Styles and how they interact with normal.dotm and embedded templates with paragraph numbering, fonts, in Word 365 for Windows desktop. I want to become a styles maven who can troubleshoot any problem that arises with my gajillion highly formatted documents of different vintages. [more inside]
posted by bluesky78987 at 12:16 PM PST - 3 comments

Could I have Cushing Syndrome? I have a PTSD diagnosis and have gone through relatively succesful treatment, but since summer, my symptoms have flared back up, with chaotic consequences. Could there be a whole other thing going on, on the side? Wall of text to follow. Don't even open if you don't have knowledge or experience, because it is boring. [more inside]
posted by mumimor at 11:30 AM PST - 5 comments

Has anyone bought any cute decorative sticky notes that actually stick? [more inside]
posted by a sourceless light at 11:11 AM PST - 6 comments

My son got a Ukelele for Christmas, so now I'm learning to play the Ukelele. I've watched a bunch of tutorials for specific songs and then when I realized I didn't get the strumming, I sought out tutorials about strumming specificially but none answer my question: How does the TIMING of strumming work? Like D DU pattern seems to be D on the first beat DU on the second beat D on the third beat etc. But WTF do I do with D DU UDU? Is it 1:D 2:DU 3:UDU? But then that's three beats. These aren't waltzes. Do you change chords between the DU and the UDU if necessary? I'm so confused. Please either explain or point me to a tutorial that explains. Also, if there's no strumming pattern how do I figure out what to do? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 10:51 AM PST - 8 comments

I have some wall mirrors and framed pictures I would like to hang without poking nails into the walls. I've hung posters and stuff with 3M strips before but these would be too heavy. I feel like there must be a simple solution out there I'm not thinking of so please enlighten me!
posted by madonna of the unloved at 10:44 AM PST - 11 comments

We want to get away to a small, secluded cabin in CA or OR soon. Where is it? [more inside]
posted by Arthur Vandelay at 8:46 AM PST - 9 comments

My partner is conflicted about marriage and it is tearing me apart. Help me find perspective and patience! [more inside]
posted by sockmeamadeus at 8:46 AM PST - 36 comments

Going to Seaview, WA with my boyfriend for a friend's wedding. We will be flying from NYC. We are car-free, very comfortable with public transit, always take public transit to/from airports even with luggage, but would appreciate some input from people more familiar with the area on whether our non-car-rental plan is feasible or if we just need to suck it up and rent the car. [more inside]
posted by matcha action at 6:23 AM PST - 10 comments

My wife has fallen in love with a particular notebook that used to ship internationally, but now only ships to the US. We're in the UK. I'd love to buy a bulk supply somehow, but am wary of the many and varied parcel forwarding services - does anyone have any experience of any of them (good or bad)? Or are there alternatives I could try? (I feel like this must have been asked and answered before, but I'm damned if I can find one recent enough to still be valid - my apologies if it's a well worn path)
posted by offmessage at 3:23 AM PST - 11 comments

Amanda Wilde used to play a song on KCMU in the early 1990s (1991 probably) that used a sampled recording that sounded like it came from a phone menu on a dating/sex phone line. The voice said something like, "Men seeking women; women seeking men; men seeking men; women seeking women." Anyone remember that?
posted by kiblinger at 9:50 PM PST - 2 comments

My 6yo daughter has sucked her middle two fingers since she was months old. I never really cared one way or the other, and figured she'd grow out of it. She hasn't, and overall I'm okay with that in principle, but I am increasingly not okay with the knock-on effects and co-behaviors they have shown up. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by AbelMelveny at 5:58 PM PST - 24 comments

A potential client just asked me if I have liability insurance. I don't, but I'd be willing to get it if this client were going to hire me. If you have this insurance, can you tell me roughly how much it costs, and also how long it takes to get it?
posted by gigondas at 1:14 PM PST - 15 comments

Due to a series of unfortunate events, I need to get some outpatient surgery done. However, I am not in a location with any friends, or family available to help. [more inside]
posted by whisk(e)y neat at 11:03 AM PST - 13 comments

This feels like a ridiculous question to ask at age 37, but how do you know when something that's happening with your body is worth asking a doctor about (or even a higher bar -- making an appointment??) [more inside]
posted by goodbyewaffles at 10:25 AM PST - 28 comments

Are those unsolicited "we'll pay you $$ to post/advertise on your website/socials" messages ever legitimate? If so, how much do they actually pay, and what are the requirements? [more inside]
posted by Unsomnambulist at 9:57 AM PST - 5 comments

I'd like recommendations for activities and food in Santa Cruz or places between San Francisco and there. [more inside]
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:33 AM PST - 21 comments

A member of our game-playing and activity group has recently pitched this long covid simulator/game. How reliable and realistic are the assumptions made by the game's design and are the data it's based on current and correct?
posted by anonymous at 9:03 AM PST - 16 comments

I have access to read Haaretz. However, recently I can't even get to the front page without getting this error 403 message. Switching on a VPN doesn't work. Changing to desktop doesn't work. Both Firefox and Chrome. HOWEVER - switching to another mobile browser (more than one kind of app) does work, as long as not Firefox. Tried emptying the cache and no change. What gives?
posted by cendawanita at 2:50 AM PST - 9 comments

In this movie, which may have been a made-for-tv movie, a character is at a place of lodging in the tropics (aloha shirts and the like) and asks to speak to the manager, to which the clerk at the counter pulls out a shotgun that has "The Manager" elaborately carved into the buttstock and sticks it into the character's face. Any ideas on the movie in question? [more inside]
posted by ujlutlihp at 6:45 PM PST - 5 comments

In reading a recent post on the Blue, the question naturally arose whether there's anywhere online to find high-quality, special-interest websites of the sort that don't fare well on Google. Is that a thing? [more inside]
posted by DebetEsse at 5:55 PM PST - 9 comments

Which science fiction or fantasy novels have been published in English since 2000 that you, an experienced SFF reader who keeps up with the genre and knows some of its roots, feel are either (a) radically new or (b) substantially transformed their respective genre? [more inside]
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:01 PM PST - 57 comments

I cannot seem to squeeze/activate my glute muscles without recruiting a whole lot of other muscles to help. Any advice? [more inside]
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 4:00 PM PST - 12 comments

Stupid question has been bugging me. She's a Canadian from Montreal... did she just... show up? [more inside]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:51 PM PST - 26 comments

How does one get the fabled service line coverage? That's the stuff where if your sewer pipe breaks you don't go bankrupt and lose your house because the repair costs $20,000. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 12:21 PM PST - 24 comments

You are: autistic/hypermobile/living with something else that limits your energy, supporting yourself financially, and not overwhelmed and exhausted most of the time. How do you make it work?
posted by wheatlets at 12:09 PM PST - 10 comments

I need to block loud construction/drilling sounds while working from home. The problem is I'm really fussy about earplugs and headphones. So I'm looking for very light, over-ear headphones that have active noise cancelling. [more inside]
posted by randomnity at 11:29 AM PST - 7 comments

My sibling is getting married in a few months. I need to be able to get on stage and make a speech, with my abuser's eyes on me. I also need to stay for the entire event. Looking for tips and therapeutic approaches to lessen the shock of being in the same space as my biggest fear. [more inside]
posted by Pemberly at 11:15 AM PST - 42 comments

I've had a recurring infection of H. influenzae bacteria since early December (2023). I switched teaching jobs partly because I believed mold was pervasive at my previous worksite, however I'm beginning to believe there may be mold in my home. Is there a possible connection? [more inside]
posted by Jangatroo at 9:22 AM PST - 4 comments

I believe the song/video is some 20 years old, artist/s is/are Spanish or Brazilian, it's visually odd, the music has a sort of chill beat to it, maybe electro-pop? The video was full of symbols, I think. There was a bit of nudity, at some point there was a swimming pool and possibly a guy on a minibike. At the beginning of the video someone launches an arrow from a gold bow or similar, they might've used their feet to draw the mechanism. Damn, I wish I could grasp more from memory.
posted by elkevelvet at 8:14 AM PST - 3 comments

I’ve been having some trouble feeling confident to walk in the current (“traditional”) shoes I have now, and some online sources say that barefoot-style shoes would be much better and the chances of re-spraining my ankle would be very little/nil. Is this true? [more inside]
posted by thoughtful_analyst at 8:06 AM PST - 20 comments

We are not close and have a 10 year age gap (me F50, her F60). She does have some OCD issues and I have done my best to accommodate that, as kindly as possible. She has history with creating drama and several other family members have indulged this over the years. I think this is harmful for me, explanation inside. [more inside]
posted by PheasantlySurprised at 7:29 AM PST - 21 comments

I've received a couple of orders for which I was not charged. What could be going on? [more inside]
posted by SageTrail at 7:22 AM PST - 5 comments

I signed up for a free credit monitoring service through Experian a few years ago after some of my data was exposed in a breach somewhere or other. Today I received an alert notifying me of an address change, and I'm not sure if I should be worried/take action. [more inside]
posted by number9dream at 6:22 AM PST - 4 comments

How would one prompt AI Photo or Video Generators to create a forced perspective image or video on 2d screen so it looks like a 3d video coming out of screen (without 3d glasses) Example of forced perspective on a 2d screen ; and here's compilation of best 3d billboard ads
posted by AODY at 11:09 PM PST - 4 comments

I left some yarn out after a day of crocheting. My cat ate an unknown amount. She’s now being prepped for surgery, and I’m not coping. [more inside]
posted by antihistameme at 8:58 PM PST - 26 comments

I designed a card game and I want to playtest it with friends. The game involves making connections between cards (it almost looks like a mind map, with cards connected by bidirectional lines). I've had fun experimenting with it in Miro -- but Miro and all the other "infinite canvas" apps I've used lack the ability to flip cards over, shuffle cards, roll dice etc. I tried Tabletop Simulator, but it's too heavy and it lacks the mindmap functionality of Miro. Any ideas?
posted by matkline at 7:45 PM PST - 5 comments

I have a new bathroom floor that is made of dark grey interlocking diamonds with a dark epoxy 1/8" grey grout in between. It looked awesome when it was installed a few months ago, but during subsequent plumbing/electrical/cabinetry work, the floor wasn't properly protected, and the floor grout became a drywall dust magnet. The grout is now a splotchy light grey, lighter in some places, darker in others. It looks bad and I am getting disgruntled. The contractors are trying their best to clean the grout but so far it's not working. What should they be doing? [more inside]
posted by oxisos at 6:00 PM PST - 11 comments

Another question that amounts to "is this safe to eat?" [more inside]
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 5:23 PM PST - 3 comments

This is a cast-iron, shoe-related ... thing that I found in the family home and do not know the provenance of, but there were shoemakers in our past. Have you seen anything like it? Was it something that might have been used by a shoemaker in 1880-ish, is it decorative, or what? Looks like it was meant to be mounted somewhere.
posted by expialidocious at 3:58 PM PST - 5 comments

Looking for recommendations for two people to travel from continental Europe to a conference center near Manchester in the UK, with a good balance between sustainability, convenience and cost. We'll be traveling in the middle of May. We've already found some options, but there might be deals that we're simply not aware of or routes we haven't considered. [more inside]
posted by demi-octopus at 2:26 PM PST - 13 comments

The other night, I inadvertently broke one of our whisky glasses. I wouldn't normally worry about it but these glasses were a set that I purchased over 20 years ago while my wife and I were dating. There is no manufacturer mark. I believe they are Italian crystal. 4.25" tall, 3.5" w at mouth, 3.0' wide at the base. Would love to find a replacement. I've included a link to pics. Many thanks https://www.flickr.com/photos/200097835@N07/53539796903/in/dateposted-public/ [more inside]
posted by mte.smiles at 12:36 PM PST - 6 comments

I saw a welwitschia recently and it triggered a very vague memory of a book or story I read where one of these plants, or something very like it, sent its leaves out miles and miles across the desert. I remember absolutely nothing else, except that it was possibly? ominous. Do you have any idea what I'm recalling?
posted by phunniemee at 11:01 AM PST - 3 comments

For some reason, boogers are always coming down/showing up in my nose. It's led to embarrassing social situations, or awkward moments when people tell me there's a booger visible under my nose. How do I stop this from happening? [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 10:37 AM PST - 11 comments

A high school senior I know has three weeks / 50-80 hours to work on an independent project. They want to spend the time learning something. It should be interesting and practical. Current thoughts include Excel, web development, Wikipedia editing. They're looking for course recommendations within those areas, and also other suggestions of possible projects. They want to develop a skill that they'll apply throughout their life. [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:08 AM PST - 35 comments

The mug in the linked photos was purchased from a pop-up shop in Duluth, MN ca. 2018. It bears the maker’s mark “b π“. I recall this being a playful take on the maker’s name. I have recently cracked the mug and would like to replace it with something from the same maker. Photos here: google photos link [more inside]
posted by dbx at 5:36 AM PST - 4 comments

I know ask.metafilter loves to recommend snow tires. But would we really need them in our situation? [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 4:25 AM PST - 33 comments

This was me Or do I need to just leave it alone? My friend is in continual denial with little spots of wake-up calls, but doesn't really open up to me, and so I don't know how I can help. Our children have not played together in awhile so we have just been texting and talking on the phone a lot and occasional walks during work. [more inside]
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 8:34 PM PST - 5 comments

This was in a sci-fi anthology, must have been around 2000-2005? The protagonist keeps wondering what sordid activity the sounds from the neighboring apartment might be hinting at, until she screws up the courage to look for herself, only to find a non-human creature engaged in relations with her waifish neighbor. I distinctly remember the last lines of the story being something like "not an angel, never has been. maybe once, long, a long time ago" (probably mangled the quote through my bad memory)
posted by tigrrrlily at 8:24 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm in Kuala Lumpur and need to print a statement from a bank account with a decent amount of $'s. There are print shops here where you hand over a thumb drive and they do the printing for you, but that doesn't sit too well with me from a security angle. The best option I've found so far is this place which does self-service document printing: what is the level of risk here, or am I worrying about nothing?
posted by my log does not judge at 8:24 PM PST - 9 comments

I take a small amount of Ritalin for ADHD. It helps, but the second daily dose has been making me distractingly aroused, going on several weeks now. I've done enough experiments to confidently conclude Yep, it's the Ritalin. Is this common? Has this happened to you and how did you deal with it? [more inside]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 6:07 PM PST - 6 comments

If money has been accepted for an Eventbrite event that I organized for an organization that I'm helping out but not hired by, do I have to report that to the IRS? [more inside]
posted by Liquidwolf at 4:26 PM PST - 2 comments

Over the last two years I've suffered a series of GI issues (details below as they're semi graphic) that mean that I am now significantly sick to my stomach pretty much all the time. I'm being seen by GI but my case is confusing and they are not making headway. I'd love to hear about others experiences with what has worked. [more inside]
posted by jeszac at 3:46 PM PST - 19 comments

How does one find and purchase decent health insurance coverage on the U.S. open market in 2024? [more inside]
posted by killdevil at 1:16 PM PST - 5 comments

I'd like a slice (not a whole cake) of carrot cake after dinner for my birthday. I'll be in Vancouver. Where should I go?
posted by rouftop at 12:45 PM PST - 10 comments

My mom loves to knit blankets, ponchos, hats, scarves etc, for children. She’s been knitting and donating them to our local Goodwill so folks can purchase them inexpensively. She’s a prolific knitter and pretty talented. Her knitting is beautiful and super cozy. Her latest is ponchos with matching headbands. Are there any organizations she could donate her creations to that would give these to kids in need directly? My Google fu is failing me.
posted by spacebologna at 10:16 AM PST - 11 comments

My dishwasher isn't draining fully. Now thanks to a previous askMe I know how to force it to drain, but I wanted to also fix the problem and went poking around in the filter. i think it's clogged with chia seed gel. I put chia seeds in my son's yogurt. sometimes it doesn't all get eaten and the bowl or thermos go in the dishwasher, so now I have a problem. How do I dissolve chia seed gel in my dishwasher filter/drain/tubes etc.?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:46 AM PST - 16 comments

If you were going to take a month-long summer vacation in France or Italy -- somewhere where the heat is manageable -- where would you go? And do you have a specific Air B and B/short-term rental suggestion? For summer 2025. [more inside]
posted by Ollie at 7:29 AM PST - 12 comments

As others could see from my previous questions my titles have risen to director level but I am still stuck not making any leadership decisions and some coworkers treat me with respect while others treat me as if I’m the software developer of last resort (professionally I can’t/don’t). I am consulting and feel as if I’m truly at a dead in. In my 15+ years I’ve never seen someone non-junior and outside get promoted. Joe do I reach that next level or join a company preferably outside consulting? [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 7:11 AM PST - 15 comments

This is a question for an elderly friend of mine. I'm an informal caregiver for a couple of elders. This fellow has a telephone number that he has had since 2008. He has a new line that I got him bc of his brain injury. It has no voice mail, bc he is cognitively unable to use voice mail. He cannot FaceTime or text, or figure how to read texts on his Iphone. I have and pay for his original phone, on a number he has had since 2008, because he still gets calls, texts, notifications etc. from doctors, hospitals, and sometimes old friends on that line. How do I stop paying $25 per month for that line and still keep it going? Google voice? Forward to my phone? Other tech? [more inside]
posted by KayQuestions at 11:30 PM PST - 4 comments

I may not have enough to go on here, but it was really good and I thought it would be easy to find again. It's a male performer who sings (in a relatively high range, if I'm remembering right, not sure how high) and plays violin (in the same song I think but am not totally sure) and I believe it was a Bach aria that prominently mentions god, which I guess doesn't narrow it down much. [more inside]
posted by lgyre at 10:33 PM PST - 5 comments

This charming lass is a 3 year-old border Aussie named Holly. She's plateaued in her training, and our trainer would like us to use an e-collar. I'm having a hard time coming to terms with it, since it seems, well, cruel. Can I get opinions on e-collars? [more inside]
posted by SunSnork at 8:01 PM PST - 19 comments

I read a novel set in contemporary Brooklyn some years ago that was I think in the "women's fiction" genre (though I hate that term!) in which towards the end of the book, the wife, who is a sympathetic character, sets up her abusive husband to die by a stroke acquired as a result of diving without properly decompressing. I am hoping someone can help me remember the title of the book. [more inside]
posted by virve at 5:34 PM PST - 2 comments

We're going to have a 7-hour layover in Lima, Perú this Monday, including dinner time. What neighborhood (or specific restaurant) would it make sense to go from the airport for dinner and a quick walk?
posted by signal at 4:04 PM PST - 7 comments

Are there any good podcasts/ radio/ YouTube series about the history of EDM? I’m aware of the book Energy Flash by Simon Reynolds but I’m hoping someone has compiled all the music into an easy to listen form.
posted by poxandplague at 1:56 PM PST - 5 comments

My son takes a class just south of downtown Seattle: M 6p-8p, W 6p-7:30p, Sat 10:30a-12:30p. There isn't a great place to hang out there, so I have been going to restaurants and bakeries while he's in class and have been gaining an inordinate amount of weight. What else can I do in the area at those times that doesn't involve food/drink? [more inside]
posted by rouftop at 12:29 PM PST - 16 comments

Some years ago, this friend told me my faults and that she didn't care to be my friend anymore, although she would say hi to me when she saw me. [more inside]
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 10:58 AM PST - 19 comments

What poem our other source is this from? Is this actually Mahmoud Darwish? "Drink your coffee, embrace the silence, do not take people seriously, do not take life upon yourself, do not exaggerate your emotions, and do not please anyone against your will." So many standalone quotes are misattributed or taken out of context.
posted by gryphonlover at 9:38 AM PST - 1 comment

I am disabled by migraine and have been a stay at home mom for ten years. In five years or so I will need to support myself more. I have developed an interest in the markets etc. I have time to learn and simulate trades for years before actually trying with real money. More inside… [more inside]
posted by pairofshades at 8:11 AM PST - 27 comments

The Internet is offering info, but not very helpful info. We had plans to see friends this evening. They let us know this morning that their toddler woke up with a pink eye. There is a chance it's just irritated and not infected, but assuming he does have pink eye, how likely are we to get it if we visit them for a few hours? If we keep our hands on our laps, don't touch our faces, change our clothes when we get home and throughly wash our hands, will that do the trick? I've never had it and don't have kids, so it's hard for me to assess just how likely spread is if precautions are followed.
posted by coffeecat at 7:57 AM PST - 18 comments

For recirculating range hoods that vent through and out the top of a cabinet, what is the minimum gap between the ceiling and cabinet top? I realize exact answers will vary by model and jurisdiction, but try as I might I cannot seem to find even a ballpark answer to this question. Electric range if it matters.
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 7:34 AM PST - 3 comments

I underwent Mohs surgery 6 weeks ago, resulting in a large noticeable scar on my forehead. With an upcoming job interview, I'm seeking advice on how to handle broaching the subject without revealing too much personal information or causing discomfort. Do i just not mention it and leave it out there? Or do I proactively say something? What might I say? At 61, I'm also wary of potential bias, since this sort of health issue is common among oldsters like myself. Any tips on addressing the scar professionally while keeping the focus on my qualifications would be greatly appreciated.
posted by nandaro at 6:06 AM PST - 16 comments

I want to print some art posters on translucent film, and display them on the wall on top of a rectangle of light (probably a flat LED lightbox), as inexpensively as possible. Recommendations on where to buy vs. DIY? [more inside]
posted by rollcredits at 5:06 AM PST - 7 comments

I am watching a lot of stuff these days, mainly anime. I have various snowflake thoughts on it, and am looking for thoughts on how to frame my relationship to media consumption, especially the question of finding community, as well as passive consumption. Lots of mundane snowflake details within. [more inside]
posted by damedeshou at 4:10 AM PST - 14 comments

...that is on amazon japan (or any other japanese site with fast shipping) [more inside]
posted by wooh at 3:38 AM PST - 14 comments

What audio interface will work for both ProTools and DaVinci Resolve and run 7.1 or 7.1.2 speakers? [more inside]
posted by MythMaker at 11:10 PM PST - 4 comments

During the December holidays (which is also when my birthday is), I got a lot of packages. Combo of gifts and things I'd ordered. This included a cute dress that I immediately tried on. I figured it was from my sister in law. I don't recall seeing a name on the package. I now realize it was probably for my neighbor. How do I give it back? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:40 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm in my 70's, and need to find some work I can do from home. Does MeFi have any ideas for me? [more inside]
posted by Vegiemon at 9:01 PM PST - 8 comments

Head lice finally found us! The home visit lice specialist wants to use a safe natural enzyme derived from yeast. Anytime a mystery product is the secret ingredient, it raises questions for me. It's natural? So are arsenic, lead, and mercury. Anyone tracked down what this is?
posted by slidell at 6:44 PM PST - 9 comments

It's been a year since my last job. The tech industry looks increasingly disastrous for a job seeker. My experience doesn't seem to fit neatly into any particular box and I think this is hurting my prospects. But I know I'm smart and resourceful and can solve problems. Do I just need to start over somewhere else? (More details inside!) [more inside]
posted by chrominance at 6:12 PM PST - 18 comments

Are you a person who gets a lot of colds? Have any supplements, lifestyle modifications, etc. actually helped to reduce the frequency of your colds? [more inside]
posted by sibylvane at 6:10 PM PST - 34 comments

Where can I find pajama shorts that don't ride up? [more inside]
posted by cozenedindigo at 5:28 PM PST - 2 comments

For example, if I'm in a public restroom that has an overflowing bin (full of crumpled, used paper towels), I'll step on the top layer to squash everything down so there will be more room for future users to discard their paper towel. Or... some people are very alert on transit and yield their seat to the first person who looks like they might need to sit (elder, parents with lots of kids, etc). [more inside]
posted by spamandkimchi at 5:27 PM PST - 47 comments

I want a setup that has wireless speakers and an amp that will accept my old phono/CD. Suggestions? [more inside]
posted by CCBC at 2:59 PM PST - 10 comments

I have a household of non-drinkers or barely-drinkers. Sometimes I need a small amount of wine for a recipe, but opening a whole bottle is always a waste because it won't get finished any time soon and the remnants usually end up getting thrown away a month later. I noticed that at the supermarket near me they sell really small bottles, like the old wine coolers or even smaller. Are those okay for cooking? Or are they crap and they'll ruin my dish? Basically I know nothing about wine, so please enlighten me.
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:55 PM PST - 28 comments

There’s a classic sci-fi short story—though it may have been written as late as the 70s—about a woman testing her domestic black hole for, I think, waste disposal? The story itself, a cautionary tale I think, was written by a woman. I can’t remember the name of the story or its author, though I found them online a few years back. Search engines are proving useless.
posted by scamper at 12:56 PM PST - 10 comments

We've got a wood accent wall on the exterior of our house. It looks like the weather might be starting to affect it (a little graying, not in picture). What can I do to keep it looking good? [more inside]
posted by msbrauer at 12:02 PM PST - 8 comments

My family's biggest source of sadness and distress is that my uncle has schizoaffective disorder and is currently going through a severe psychotic episode. My mom, who bears the brunt of almost everything he's done for 40+ years, has failing health and this is breaking her. I'm not allowed to get involved because my uncle is now considered dangerous. I am struggling and afraid for my family. What can I do? [more inside]
posted by The Adventure Begins at 11:40 AM PST - 21 comments

I have to ship something very delicate across the country. What's the best way to do this? [more inside]
posted by bondcliff at 11:37 AM PST - 8 comments

I love vanilla and lemon flavors. For lemon, I've found some candies and limoncello's that satisfy that itch--limoncello especially seems to bring out all the complexities. Can someone recommend something that does the same for vanilla? (Best I have now is simple vanilla ice cream, but it's not compatible with my fitness goals.)
posted by Jon44 at 10:22 AM PST - 21 comments

For financial reasons, I'm trying to decide if I want to switch to Ghost (from Wordpress). One of their themes, Ruby, looks like it might be suitable, but I'm having trouble changing the height of the images being displayed. Can you help me figure out what's going on? [more inside]
posted by dobbs at 10:01 AM PST - 8 comments

I have two Microsoft 365 accounts and a separate Microsoft Office account on my desktop. I would like to open docs in the M365 accounts in the Desktop version of Word for a more feature-rich environment without having to change the login on my desktop version. Is my only option to download the docs? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by rednikki at 8:44 AM PST - 2 comments

If applicable, please add if you have used this and how long it lasted.
posted by Tziv at 8:14 AM PST - 0 comments

I’m making some one-off jigsaw puzzles and I’m trying to box them nicely. In my head I see thin cardboard sheets — one for the top and one for the bottom — I can print on in a standard printer that already have perforated lines for where I would fold/cut them after printing. I can’t seem to find anything out there so I’m checking with the hive mind. Alternative ideas are also welcome.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:00 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm looking for a book to give to a very special person. It should be about the art- and architectural history of spectacles. A comprehensive, well-written history could be fine. It could be an anthology. Optimally, it should be a collection of source material, both written material and illustrations. [more inside]
posted by mumimor at 7:52 AM PST - 3 comments

Help me find more musicians who do "big-sounding" anthemic pop/rock about complicated and/or dark feelings. Individual song suggestions are fine too. What I want: Bleachers (Hate that You Know Me, I Wanna Get Better), Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band (Trapped, but so much else! ), The Killers (Mr. Brightside), etc. [more inside]
posted by Knicke at 7:30 AM PST - 36 comments

Do any German speaking Mefites that have read Kafka's Metamorphosis in its original German have the precise German phrase Kafka uses for "business considerations"? [more inside]
posted by glenngulia at 7:19 AM PST - 4 comments

My main interface with the world is news media and Mastodon. The narratives presented there are dire. Inevitable climate disaster. Global authoritarianism. Societal breakdown. How can I convince myself there are 80% odds the rest of my life will be bearable? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:11 AM PST - 33 comments

If you take stimulant meds, like Adderall, what do you do if you get a panic attack? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:08 AM PST - 9 comments

Is there actual science behind the idea that lactose-intolerant people tend to be extra gung-ho about drinking milk and eating cheese despite the consequences? [more inside]
posted by creatrixtiara at 1:39 AM PST - 9 comments

Please share ideas for what I should do with all these leafy greens I accidentally have all at once! Specifics within. [more inside]
posted by Mizu at 6:31 PM PST - 32 comments

I refused to take my son to basketball practice across town and my co-parent considered it to be wrong and selfish. [more inside]
posted by CosmicSeeker42 at 2:19 PM PST - 20 comments

We need a new-to-us (probably used, late model, low mileage, smallish hatchback) car. We've had Subarus for many years, and we love how they handle in snow and when there are rain puddles. But our car sits undriven a lot, so rust has been a big problem. In terms of handling, how do other makes with snow tires compare to Subarus without them? And in terms of rust, are there some makes that deal better with being driven infrequently? [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 1:22 PM PST - 8 comments

What's the best and least toxic way to get overgrown grass/weeds off of a stone walkway? [more inside]
posted by kittensofthenight at 12:58 PM PST - 20 comments

Looking for a laptop desk, ideally with both a tapered cushion underneath and legs that fold out, with no specific mousepad, and with a stopper thing on the top surface closest to me. [more inside]
posted by SillyShepherd at 12:28 PM PST - 1 comment

I've had it with Outlook's calendar. Luckily I'm self-employed so I get to pick the software I use. If you've tried one/some, which should I try? Criteria below the fold. [more inside]
posted by bluesky78987 at 11:41 AM PST - 2 comments

I asked a very similar question yesterday, but want to broaden and follow-up today. I live in Toronto. I’d like to see the April 8 eclipse with my kid, in a place where we can see the total eclipse. What are good ways to do that, what should I know, what should I consider? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 7:59 AM PST - 10 comments

After being incredibly lucky for years, Covid has entered our household. I seem to have avoided catching it in the pre-symptom window and I'd like to keep avoiding it. What's the current best practice for determining when the ill person is no longer contagious? [more inside]
posted by platypus of the universe at 7:57 AM PST - 13 comments

Tell me some more about two types of people. [more inside]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:24 AM PST - 107 comments

I perceived this person as behaving over the line but it's always possible I'm too sensitive. To keep it simple, this person asked to schedule a call with me, then a minute or so in, I thought I heard a brusque "Hold on a second" and they were gone. Other aspects of our brief interactions turned me off, so after 15-30 seconds I hung up and then started some chores and didn't answer when they called back a few minutes later. [more inside]
posted by Jon44 at 5:44 AM PST - 43 comments

I have several Sci-Fi/Fantasy book ideas floating around in my head. If I was a writer, I'd write them. I am not. I am hoping someone else had similar ideas so I can buy their book/story/comic/manga/whatever (or just read it if it's published non-commercially) [more inside]
posted by Hactar at 3:48 AM PST - 17 comments

I'm about to start traveling by plane a lot more often than I have since, oh, 2019 or so. Now that I'm approaching 50, I need recommendations for a neck pillow thingy that won't leave me with super-strained neck muscles (migraine inducing, massage-requiring) after a long and/or overnight flight. [more inside]
posted by erst at 12:01 AM PST - 13 comments

It's "for a project". It might be for a Christian religious association. Or Dave Matthews who has a peculiarly Christ-like affectation id you ask me. Graphic is here
posted by DeepSeaHaggis at 6:45 PM PST - 6 comments

My 6 year old son fractured his leg skiing this weekend. He's in a full leg cast. He needs a 14 inch seat pediatric wheelchair (12 inch could also work). I've ordered one on Amazon, but it won't arrive until Friday night and I'd love to find him one - purchase or rental - in the meantime. I've called various wheelchair stores but no one seems to have a pediatric wheelchair. [more inside]
posted by slide at 4:43 PM PST - 7 comments

I live in Toronto. We are not quite in the path of the April 8 full eclipse. I'd like to drive somewhere to see the full eclipse. Is traffic likely to be very intense in/out of the city that day around that time? (ie - substantially more than normal because of other eclipse-seekers?) [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 3:32 PM PST - 14 comments

I’m trying to reduce sugar, simple starches, and processed food. I’m good with cooking and snacks at home. But sometimes I want to meet friends for lunch or “let’s meet for coffee” in the afternoon. What are some ways to approach these scenarios? [more inside]
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 2:23 PM PST - 16 comments

I am looking for resources (online or support groups, books, websites, etc.) to help me work through trauma and related issues from growing up with and caring for a parent with a chronic illness. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:25 PM PST - 2 comments

Looking for inspiring, incredible art workshops, either online or in the LA area. Any recommendations? [more inside]
posted by hellochula at 1:03 PM PST - 7 comments

I am going to be leading weekly meetings of a service club for the next year, and the group includes an extroverted person who is prone to dominating conversations and accidentally taking credit for other people's work and ideas. I want to try to improve the group dynamic, but this person does not pick up on subtle social cues. I will thus need to be direct. Do you have any phrases to suggest for keeping this type of person in check and helping to give credit where credit is due? Do adults tend to embrace things like a nerf ball for the speaker, or is that too childish? Strategies that can be used to acknowledge good work that was previously glossed over might also be helpful. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
posted by mortaddams at 12:47 PM PST - 20 comments

We're planning a trip for our four-person family to NZ. We're visiting family, who are native New Zealanders, and they're graciously being our tour guides, so we don't need guidance on what to do or where to go. But it looks like a dozen airlines fly there from the US. What are the best choices? [more inside]
posted by martin q blank at 10:58 AM PST - 18 comments

Is there a way to automatically filter out text messages based on words in the message rather than by blocking the sender? [more inside]
posted by jacquilynne at 9:45 AM PST - 7 comments

Have you learned to regulate your emotions and your emotional responses to unkind comments or insults? I need help. [more inside]
posted by loveandhappiness at 9:37 AM PST - 52 comments

I'm taking a Spanish class and we're using Barron's Learn Spanish the Fast and Fun Way. Question inside, for ease of formatting. [more inside]
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:33 AM PST - 6 comments

This afternoon I set up a premium bond account for my child. I just checked my phone to dismiss an Alexa notification and opened the up. It suggested the premium bond prize checker skill. This seems to be an unbelievable coincidence, so how did it know?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 8:34 AM PST - 4 comments

In an article about Tidiane Thiam, I saw this picture of him with some other members of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI-RDA). The party members are wearing these shirts made with a distinctive print that has squares filled with geometric patterns, like a quilt with a stricter unity across squares. Does this style have a name or a historical background?
posted by ignignokt at 8:25 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm using a TV as a third display for my computer to play video games in a more comfortable setting. They're connected via HDMI. Is there a way to toggle whether or not that tv is used as a display without unplugging the cord? [more inside]
posted by msbrauer at 8:24 AM PST - 6 comments

People often say things along the lines of “If you don’t take risks, you’ll regret it later in life, I wish I had listened less to my fears, etc” … and I’ve become sort of obsessed with trying to live a life that I won’t regret later. It’s hard, though, to tell the difference between fear and reasonable caution. That seems to be a difference that’s more apparent in hindsight. [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 8:19 AM PST - 10 comments

I am a product manager. I have been working in software and I.T. since 1998. I started as a web developer, moved into consulting and business analysis, have done program management, and have been working as a product manager at some well known B2B and B2C SaaS companies here in Austin for the past 10 years. It's been fun but I don’t want to be a tech bro anymore. Help me find something I will enjoy that plays to my strengths. [more inside]
posted by jasondigitized at 7:57 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm going to be leading an informal discussion on diversity in the entertainment field. But I want to avoid DEI buzzwords. What articles/commentary have you seen that use fresh language to talk about this topic? [more inside]
posted by storybored at 9:31 PM PST - 3 comments

Our terrifying bruiser of a house panther (cat tax) is very sick. We’re in the middle of rounds of tests with the vet, leading to what seems like an ominous conclusion. I guess we’re mining hopium, here. Input from vets or experienced cat owners very welcome. Snowflakes… [more inside]
posted by invincible summer at 6:53 PM PST - 23 comments

Looking for your personal anecdotes (not books or podcasts) or shorts essays of how you or someone realized they needed to change their parenting style or do something radically different. [more inside]
posted by mxjudyliza at 5:56 PM PST - 20 comments

I know this falls into the category of "talk to a lawyer" but I'd appreciate any other advice you have about my situation. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:03 PM PST - 12 comments

Hello all, I cannot seem to find any non-cotton (zero cottons) embroidery cloth with beginner patterns? (I am based in Canada). I would like to try embroidery, but I am sensitive/allergic to cotton fabric, I know linen is another popular fabric, but I cannot seem to find any beginner patterns specifically with linen or that are not cotton? The cloth can be any colour, as long as it is not cotton-made fabric.
posted by RearWindow at 2:41 PM PST - 6 comments

So, I remember seeing a clip of a toddler in a living room yelling (along with Johnny Gilbert), something like DIS IS JEBADAHH!!, or similar, but it's not the child shown here. [more inside]
posted by taz at 11:36 AM PST - 0 comments

I want to bake a loaf of whole wheat/whole grain bread full of seeds and nuts. The kind of bread you call “a slab” instead of a slice. Dense and packed full of fiber and different crunchy bits and with a chewy crust. Bread that would be served at a meal at Redwall. [more inside]
posted by skycrashesdown at 10:55 AM PST - 11 comments

What are some good ways to repurpose these old but still (mostly) functional bits of old tech? I'm using one iPod to stream music from the Spotify app into my tabletop radio via the aux input and it works really well. Other ideas I've toyed with: can I use one as an external hard drive? Can I use another as a security camera for my garage? Other ideas? [more inside]
posted by fuzzy.little.sock at 10:32 AM PST - 13 comments

I posted a question about how to get rid of ants awhile ago, and got some good recommendations. but it's gotten worse... [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster at 10:23 AM PST - 12 comments

I've experienced this with two cell phone numbers I've called recently: I am absolutely certain I have called a certain number (it appears on my outgoing display) and it somehow routes to a different number. [more inside]
posted by latkes at 10:10 AM PST - 10 comments

30 min craft ideas on a simple budget for 9yo and 5 yo. Paper, paint, and building. [more inside]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:42 AM PST - 16 comments

I've experienced time anxiety since childhood, and within the last two years, have been working on it extensively. It's much better now, however I recently started a new teaching position, and I'm wondering if these feelings are actually time anxiety. [more inside]
posted by Jangatroo at 9:37 AM PST - 12 comments

Help us name our podcast celebrating our community's inspiring people. [more inside]
posted by StacySeeWhy at 9:37 AM PST - 11 comments

For a piece I'm writing, I need to talk/email with someone who's an expert on contemporary cults in France. Below the fold, I'll include names I've tried. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:06 AM PST - 2 comments

On February 2nd, I discovered I'd been signed out of my Twitter account, and since then every time I have tried to log in, I get an error message telling me, "Oops, something went wrong, Please try again later." How can I log in again?
posted by orange swan at 8:08 AM PST - 1 comment

Is there a way to easily search for specific phrases across a very broad swath of children's books? [more inside]
posted by saladin at 7:32 AM PST - 10 comments

About two weeks ago, I (middle-aged M) had some sort of inflammation or reaction that caused me to suddenly break out with cystic acne on my chin and get an enlarged, painful lymph node above my Adam's apple. Some of the acne breakout is still ongoing, although much reduced, and the lymph node is back to normal. What could have caused this? [more inside]
posted by Don_K at 6:31 AM PST - 12 comments

I run a small company, and one of my employees has expressed the desire to move up in her career and take on a manager role. We're looking for online courses or trainings that you took and found very valuable to help you become a good manager. Do you have a recommendation? [more inside]
posted by PardonMyFrench at 6:27 AM PST - 3 comments

As a plus size person, it's difficult for me to find clothes in my size that I really like. I would like to remedy this by buying loose fabric and getting them made into clothes for me by a tailor. I have questions about this endeavour. [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 3:46 AM PST - 13 comments

My partner and I are on the autistic spectrum. We live apart and can’t see each other every day. When there are several hours of no texts from my partner when I know she didn’t have plans at that time I start to feel anxious and irritated about the silence. The inconsistency is difficult for me to cope with - one day there will be many texts telling me about her day and the next it feels like she’s disappeared and I don’t know how to interpret the silence. Are there any reasonable boundaries and accommodations we can introduce for each other in this situation? What can I do myself to help me cope when I’m triggered? Have you faced a similar situation? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:34 AM PST - 10 comments

It's a UK novel, probably published in late 1980s or early 1990s, with a title like "Exquisite Monsters" or "Beautiful Monsters" or "Exquisite Beasts" and it's about a strange family, intermingled with the Atomic Age and weird science. [more inside]
posted by chavenet at 1:08 AM PST - 5 comments

I have -- by gradually creating space for my persistent inner self to comfortably unfold -- slowly (glacially? as in, with the implacable and powerful inertia of a moving glacier) realized, then accepted, then started to embrace the fact that I'm bigender. I'm happy with being referred to as a woman, and also happy being called a man. But... what other words are out there that encompass both genders at the same time? [more inside]
posted by cnidaria at 10:33 PM PST - 15 comments

Carpenters and creative mefites, I have a steep, straight stairwell to my second story and would like to fit furniture upstairs. What can I do to make the doorway taller but keep the exiting 100-year old door and trim? Is it possible to build a removable transom? [more inside]
posted by Bunglegirl at 10:04 PM PST - 28 comments

I would like to rip a DVD from my library that’s out of print. Can I do this with my external DVD drive? [more inside]
posted by pxe2000 at 5:46 PM PST - 9 comments

Are Etsy chair makers any good? I'd like to purchase 6-8 dining room chairs with a mid-century sculptural style, made of actual wood. The least expensive option from a normal retailer I can find is this Ikea Skogsbo chair. [more inside]
posted by Number Used Once at 2:07 PM PST - 11 comments

I think there is a sound in my house that I cannot hear but that my dog does hear and it may be irritating him. Is there an app I can get on an iPhone that would help me determine if there are sounds in the house at a pitch and decibel that I cannot hear but he can?
posted by GernBlandston at 11:49 AM PST - 11 comments

Buffalo, NY mefites, can you recommend a taskrabbit-like service where I can have someone to pick up and ship some boxes from a Buffalo thrift store to CA? [more inside]
posted by zippy at 10:30 AM PST - 1 comment

How feasible is it right now to eliminate streaming services and start owning media again? [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot at 8:02 AM PST - 35 comments

I have a company in another country (Japan) whose legal name is in Japanese characters. But some systems, most notably the IRS (who needs to know about my company since I am an American citizen), do not accept Japanese characters. I've asked some accountants in both places, but haven't found one that is certain [more inside]
posted by wooh at 6:45 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm a keyboard-centric Windows user coming from a Gmail environment into an Outlook/MS Exchange mail environment. Outlook doesn't have tagging, just Categories. Are there Outlook pro tips or keyboard-centric plugins to help me sort and file mountains of e-mail? [more inside]
posted by MetaFilter World Peace at 5:36 AM PST - 5 comments

This article had nice tables with specific examples of what the learner and the coach should ask each other. The tables were blue. The paper followed some type of model for mentorship of a learner. There are so many articles on coaching in academic medicine. I cannot find the specific one that I read. The key thing is finding a paper where there are very specific examples with verbiage supplied instructing readers on exactly what to say
posted by Lucubrator at 2:56 AM PST - 3 comments

For reasons, while we’re vacationing in Portugal soon we’d like to meet a lawyer to discuss visa options for American retirees. But search engines only turn up agencies and referral sites and I have low trust in them. Can you recommend a specific firm or attorney? Or should I try to get an appointment with the relevant government department?
posted by anonymous at 11:21 PM PST - 3 comments

Frequent, extreme moves left me emotionally hurt in subtle ways, despite an otherwise happy childhood. Sounds familiar? How to explore / heal / deal? [more inside]
posted by KMH at 11:16 PM PST - 12 comments

My niece Amy will be 18 in March and done with high school a couple months later. She lives at home with her parents and two younger siblings. For about a year, she's been wanting to move out. Her parents were against that all along - they think she should stay at home while she's in school, and ideally even for the first couple years of college. I believe this is partly a financial decision: While college itself is free here, they'd have to pay for lodging. However, the situation at home is not ideal. I want to help this young adult get herself into a safe place. [more inside]
posted by toucan at 11:16 PM PST - 22 comments

I just changed jobs, and in my new position I don't get assigned a corporate mobile phone. I haven't yet turned in my iPhone 14 from the old job, and I have the option to buy it from the company if I want to keep it. Is it a better idea to buy my current iPhone 14 from my company at the current depreciated price of $500, and "bring my own device" to Verizon, or should I just get another device from Verizon with my new plan? [more inside]
posted by lockedroomguy at 5:49 PM PST - 20 comments

Seeking some new workout clothes with some specific criteria. [more inside]
posted by honeybee413 at 5:02 PM PST - 3 comments

Are there any preventative steps I can take to reduce the impact of heat on me from a weekly sports game in summer? [more inside]
posted by happyfrog at 2:42 PM PST - 22 comments

MeFi has some fab posts on this topic, so for now limiting this request to ideas around a proposed Edinburgh to Skye route over, say, a 10-day period in a shoulder month like May or September. We are two open-minded active outdoorsy women who want a balance of quirk, adventure and comfort. Plenty of mindblowing scenery a must. [more inside]
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 2:19 PM PST - 10 comments

When trying to shop local (walk) and buy less plastic, I look for non-applicator tampons. I can rarely find them in my local stores. So I end up ordering them from Amazon. Which sucks more for the for environment? [more inside]
posted by greta simone at 12:54 PM PST - 19 comments

We recently got an EV (2024 Hyundai Kona), and as we plan for a road-trip this summer, I am hoping to clear up some things that confuse me about fast charging on the road. Specifically, I want to know if I purchase one of these specific adapters if I will be able to charge at Tesla Superchargers if I *need* to. [more inside]
posted by terrapin at 9:45 AM PST - 8 comments

Whenever our dishwasher is running, various lights in the house will flicker if they are on. The dishwasher is on its own circuit, and the offending lights (which all use LED bulbs) are on two different circuits, neither of which is the dishwasher's circuit. No other light fixtures in the house have this problem. What could be going on here, and how might we fix it?
posted by Mechitar at 9:30 AM PST - 7 comments

After talking to Stranger A for a few minutes about an unusual shared interest it was clear to that we clicked, and as we became close friends over the next year, we turned out to be startlingly similar in many ways. But when I talked to Stranger B, even though we share the same unusual interest, she makes my skin crawl—even though she’s a totally fine person. What gives? [more inside]
posted by oh__lol at 8:29 AM PST - 26 comments

Quite a while ago, I read a news story where the mayor if a California (I think) town was planning on shuttering the public library. Inmates at a nearby prison, where the librarians did literacy outreach raised money and shamed the mayor into reversing his decision. This would have been 10-ish years ago to my recollection, and I thought I may have seen it on the Blue, but none of my searches have shown anything, so maybe it was a librarian's site? So, can you provide useful details, of must I assume that I dreamed it?
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:19 AM PST - 2 comments

Looking for guidance on how to handle things when the axe falls. For the past 6 years they’ve been at a NYC small religious institution as an assistant office administrator. Until recently the only other office staff was their boss, and a remote part time bookkeeper. [more inside]
posted by Sophont at 3:10 AM PST - 8 comments

I want to break up with my partner, but I'm afraid I'll never find sex like this again. Is it really that bad out there? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:05 AM PST - 21 comments

Watching Tale of the Nine-Tailed and I realized I don't know...do Kdramas have anti-animal cruelty rules? Was what I watched "real" or faked? Because if it's real Netflix can flip right off... (I don't recommend this show for the reasons of animal cruelty being portrayed, obviously I'm not going into details...)
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 11:30 PM PST - 1 comment

I was reading this article in the LA Times (CW: decapitated murder victim and gated article) and it said that it was difficult to discover who the murder victim was through DNA and constructing family trees because she was an Ashkenazi Jew. Why is that more complicated than anyone else? [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 10:47 PM PST - 8 comments

I enjoyed the (sadly cancelled) Peripheral streaming series. I've read and enjoyed some of Gibson's other books, but I haven't read The Peripheral or The Agency. Since the series was cancelled I'd like to finish the story. Is there a solid spot in the book to pick up where the first/only season left off, or does it diverge enough from the book that I might as well start from the beginning? [more inside]
posted by jedicus at 3:51 PM PST - 13 comments

While many artists released "here’s how to wash your hands" songs in March/April 2020, I’m interested in work that explore specific experiences: what it was like to be an "essential worker" or coping in a nursing home or trying to teach your kids or getting sick (and not healing) or missing your co-workers or never wanting to see another human being again. I did enjoy your answers to DirtyOldTown's Quarantine Blues question back in June 2020. So, what's new? [more inside]
posted by Jesse the K at 3:15 PM PST - 27 comments

Disability diagnosis came in, and it was even more than I expected. I would like to try to apply for disability, and it sounds like having a lawyer from the get go is a very good idea. If I don't have any recommendations, how do I pick? Anything special I need to be looking for?
posted by Jacen at 1:23 PM PST - 3 comments

My (F, mid-thirties) current life is just...not great. I have the opportunity for a reset, but I don't really know how to make the reset stick. More details below. [more inside]
posted by Nieshka at 8:32 AM PST - 15 comments

The title pretty much says it all: I'm looking for the best sites to look up the value of a computer (think Kelly Blue Book for computers) as well to sell a computer. I found this CNET article but would like to know if anyone has personal experience with doing this recently and what went well/didn't. I know ebay and FB Marketplace are also options but was thinking a there may be other sites that specialize in electronics only, which might be better? [more inside]
posted by hapax_legomenon at 8:29 AM PST - 8 comments

Why isn't my portfolio PDF displaying on my website? [more inside]
posted by Thorzdad at 6:09 AM PST - 9 comments

I would like to grind oyster shells, mussel shells and other hard stuff. I thought a blender would do it, but it looks like I would need one for hundreds of dollars. What options do I have? Are there industrial ones like for crushing stone etc? Ideally with replaceable blades I guess? [more inside]
posted by Iteki at 6:09 AM PST - 16 comments

I really enjoy Ann Reardon's (How to Cook That) series debunking myths and hacks. Are there any similar series focused on debunking arts and crafts 'hacks', or at least testing them out?
posted by Braeburn at 2:23 AM PST - 3 comments

I've just been laid off from an executive director position in tech that I've held for 7 years. I'm in a 4-week transition period where I'm still working and closing things out, and I am weighing whether I should be honest and open with execs about my feelings. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:04 AM PST - 31 comments

Help me to survive and maybe even thrive in couples therapy with my SO who (I strongly believe) would actually benefit from their own sessions. [more inside]
posted by KMH at 8:43 PM PST - 18 comments

OK, I have been going to the same dental practice and felt quite happy with them for years. I am due to have an extraction next week, and was prescribed antibiotics to start 24 hours beforehand, and then given "StellaLife VEGA Oral Care" rinse to use every day before and for a week after. So, I look it up and it's a "homeopathic oral pain management system" -- this is very weird. [more inside]
posted by mmf at 5:54 PM PST - 24 comments

In time for Valentines Day: what are your favorite songs, especially ones that have music videos, about love, protest, and revolution? Finding love in the middle of a revolution, fighting side by side in a revolution with your lover, linking arms romantically while you hold joint protest signs, what have you? Any genres, any decade.
posted by corb at 3:43 PM PST - 34 comments

Some search results for me lead to what seem to be podcast stubs on WashintonPost.com, which have 1-3 opening paragraphs and then stop. Apparently they are podcast teasers. I do not like them. I would strongly prefer to see the entire article or column in text, so I can skim it quickly. Example [more inside]
posted by amtho at 12:03 PM PST - 11 comments

Help me find TV, podcasts, and movies in which people speak quietly and precisely! [more inside]
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 11:01 AM PST - 19 comments

I have some colleagues going to New York in mid-April and looking to spend 4-5 days being tourists after work stuff. What would you recommend for either NYC activities or nearby? (more specific questions below) [more inside]
posted by orchidee at 9:21 AM PST - 31 comments

I'm going to be using my slow cooker a lot more because of my new job. But several recipes call for me to saute some ingredients first before putting them in the slow cooker - something which I don't have the time to do in the morning (and it would wake up my later-rising roommate). I had the idea - how about I simply do that bit the night before, stash that in the fridge, and then dump it along with everything into the cooker the next day? Any reasons why I shouldn't, at least? [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:40 AM PST - 22 comments

My dad turns 80 this year, and as a birthday present, we’re going on a 7-8 night trip in April or May to the Grand Canyon. I’m thinking that we will fly there, rent a car, and focus mostly on landscapes and cultural sites. We’ll definitely stay overnight in the Grand Canyon, see sites around Flagstaff, and see Petrified Forest. In this early stage, I'm asking, what general route should we take, and when should we go? [more inside]
posted by TrarNoir at 7:12 AM PST - 15 comments

My sister has a disability. She is physically mobile, but cannot drive. I was providing her rides to Catholic church every Tuesday morning (I am no longer Catholic; I wait in my car) but I had to change that to every other Tuesday morning. The counselor that is assigned to my sister is putting pressure on her to secure transportation for the days I can no longer give her rides. [more inside]
posted by SageTrail at 7:09 AM PST - 30 comments

I've been using an Aveeno scrub in the shower and it has clogged my drain. I'm looking for a body wash with a chemical exfoliant. Do you have one you like? [more inside]
posted by dianeF at 7:09 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm compiling a list of digital or video games (consoles, PC, handhelds, online) (current or previous) which feature or contain some element of the cryosphere - the icy bits of Earth. So, glaciers, ice sheets, icebergs, permafrost, the Arctic, Antarctica, basically any icy part. Games where the ice feature is a significant backdrop or scenery is good; games where the players can interact with the ice in some way, or change its nature, are even better. Thank you.
posted by Wordshore at 6:00 AM PST - 43 comments

Looking for Systems/Software for academic department chairs (USA) to manage tasks, deadlines, deliverables, people? Books/resources about chairing departments? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:48 AM PST - 8 comments

I wrote to a staff member listed as handling journalistic ethics for the organization. It's been more than a week, and I haven't heard anything. Should I expect a response? If I don't hear back, is there a next step I should take? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:47 AM PST - 4 comments

I have been assigned to bring cookies for an event. This is for a crowd that would enjoy debating whether something is actually a cookie, along the lines of the soup/salad/sandwich question. So, I'm looking for inspiration of what I could bring that is arguably a cookie, but isn't the expected basic sugar/flour/butter combo. What are your favorite dessert recipes that are cookie-shaped, could be modified to be cookie-shaped, or could otherwise arguably be categorized as a cookie? [more inside]
posted by Metasyntactic at 11:41 PM PST - 58 comments

I bought some krill oil that was on sale because the expiry date is quite near. Will bad things happen to me if I take 2 x 1000mg capsules a day? [more inside]
posted by whitelotus at 10:54 PM PST - 4 comments

We have a new (Coalition) government in New Zealand and they are everything many of us tried to warn everyone else about. Apart from their general dumspster fire they are moving towards nullifying the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi TOW was signed between the English Crown & Maori to "ensure that both parties to it would live together peacefully and develop New Zealand together in partnership" [nz govt two page, refered to other issues but has quoted text in context]. [more inside]
posted by unearthed at 9:15 PM PST - 6 comments

My house has some sidewalk and concrete patio areas that are sunken, resulting in water draining towards the foundation. We're looking at having either mudjacking or polyjacking done to help this, but I'm not sure which option is best. What are your thoughts? [more inside]
posted by Fister Roboto at 2:29 PM PST - 5 comments

Twice a week I have a very fast lunch, which I've been packing sandwiches for but they are losing their luster (not that they were that great to begin with). I'm looking for alternatives, with limitations. [more inside]
posted by AzraelBrown at 2:24 PM PST - 23 comments

I love the comic Nancy and I want to buy this print of Nancy and Sluggo, which was made as a numbered series of 100 by Ernie Bushmiller back in the 1970s for a charity. There's one on eBay, but seemingly none other out there. Is there a way to set up an alert for when this exact print comes to auction or is offered for sale? [more inside]
posted by AgentRocket at 2:21 PM PST - 2 comments

Trying to find a supermarket in the Manhattan area that you know carries frozen (or canned, I guess) diced pumpkin with NO additives (i.e., ingredients list just reads "pumpkin"). [more inside]
posted by praemunire at 2:04 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm a trained reading tutor in Differentiated Reading instruction. I'd like to freelance. How do I find students? [more inside]
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 1:53 PM PST - 3 comments

Anti-homeless folks like to cite that other muncipalities like to bus their homeless to other muncipalities, but unless my search skills are failing me, I can find no concrete proof of this. How could I find proof that this is happening instead of hearsay? [more inside]
posted by Kitteh at 12:12 PM PST - 31 comments

I have a close friend I'll call Xavier here. Xavier and I have been friends for many years, including high school (so around 20-25 years). He has been under a lot of stress lately, but he's been a kind and very considerate friend. Lately, though, things seem to be changing, and he had a really bad moment last night (not directed at me), which is affecting how I feel. [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 10:49 AM PST - 18 comments

I am caretaking for my brother who has ALS. And living in his home. The walls are quite dusty in some rooms, [more inside]
posted by Czjewel at 10:37 AM PST - 12 comments

I have a bunch of very nice button-down work shirts that have small buttons and tight-fitting button holes. I also now have arthritis in my hands that’s making it painful if not impossible to button these buttons. Can I take them to a tailor/seamstress and get larger buttons put on along with corresponding larger button holes, or is that foolishness? Foolishness factors include prohibitive cost, impossibility of the task, or general ’no way to do this and make it look good.’
posted by Silvery Fish at 8:51 AM PST - 14 comments

I've recently moved into a house with a different washer and dryer than I've used before, and this set seems less effective at removing the cat hair on my boring, primarily cotton and athletic fabric laundry. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help me actually clean my clothes? [more inside]
posted by possibilityleft at 8:12 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm working on a project dealing with where you go after death (Heaven, Hell, Hades, the underworld, the land of the dead, Valhalla, what have you), and I'm looking for media to get my gears turning. Important snowflakes within. [more inside]
posted by xenization at 7:32 AM PST - 49 comments

Fidelity will send a Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD) to your preferred charity before sending the balance of the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) to you. This permits a tax benefit, even if you do not itemize on your Federal return. On the other hand, Schwab will not do this, which is a disservice to their clients. Obviously, both of them can do it. What explains their differing interpretations of the same laws and regulations?
posted by John Borrowman at 7:16 AM PST - 5 comments

Trying to find a harness for something of a pear-shaped cat-dog. [more inside]
posted by Lyn Never at 7:03 AM PST - 6 comments

What's the long-term-best network cable to stuff under baseboards? [more inside]
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 6:43 AM PST - 15 comments

In social and professional contexts I sort of two major personalities. I'm confident talkative, decisive, 'leader-ish' with folks, friends, colleagues who are less confident, more quiet, less outgoing (think tech, offs-shore, etc), but quiet, kind wait my turn for folks when they are confident, aggressive, polished, etc. (think strategy consultants, sales folks etc). I'd prefer to project more confidence with the latter group and potentially tone it down for the first group. Any strategies on doing so?
posted by sandmanwv at 6:42 AM PST - 2 comments

I started putting into motion applications and had a screening interview with a large retailer on Monday. I was supposed to hear back today but didn't. Retail is a stop-gap effort but I just came across a list of 50 top local staffing, headhunting, and placement firms. I now want to put off any retailer interest or applications until I've explored my new leads for more professional opportunities. I think that's now the best and a reasonable plan. What might you do? [more inside]
posted by Che boludo! at 5:38 AM PST - 10 comments

my reliable 4+ year old iphone XR is now burning when I turn it on and I need to replace it today urgently but am overwhelmed by choices. I would rather stay iOS for ease but could switch if the option was better. The fairphone 4/5 are only available in my country by 3rd party retailers for a 10% mark-up, but that would be my preferred choice all other things equal. I don't need a better camera or blazing speed, just a reliable smartphone. Please advise before I make an expensive mistake!
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 11:53 PM PST - 7 comments

My son (under 10) wears Crocs. He is the sort of person who tries one thing, likes it, and never wants to change, so he has been wearing Crocs since he could first walk. These are not great though for running around and probably not awesome for his feet. He needs real sneakers. Problem is, I got him running sneakers and he does not like them. He says they are too heavy. That's fine. But is there a better brand? Maybe a brand more like Crocs? This is the US. Happy to order online or in person.
posted by Toddles at 10:36 PM PST - 22 comments

I am interested in the potential design features of physical (NB. not computer) games, or tabletop style wargames, or RPGs, that can be used to simulate realistic operational activity, that are open ended, aimed at professional learning, and most importantly don't involve a combat mechanic. How do such games work? [more inside]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 8:54 PM PST - 18 comments

Lots of musicians on tik tok and instagram do these "candid" or work in progress videos where they are strumming a guitar or playing keys and singing in their bedrooms or living rooms. But the audio is pretty obviously not a raw human voice. But I have trouble imagining that these are recorded and produced with a DAW or anything super fancy; they do seem quick and organic and even singers without huge followings have this a-little-bit-improved-sounding sound. What are they doing to make their voices sound good? ELI5 please.
posted by shadygrove at 8:23 PM PST - 11 comments

what it says on the tin, more details within [more inside]
posted by wooh at 7:57 PM PST - 24 comments

Honda Civic old enough to vote recently developed significant interior mold growth. Research suggests cleaning it properly will cost close to the value of the car. How would you get rid of it? [more inside]
posted by doift at 7:42 PM PST - 9 comments

Please help me identify this vaguely remembered book series, from the late 1990s/early 2000s, featuring a slightly cranky but very sharp female investigator, set in the US but with a couple of instalments in the UK (or vice versa)? [more inside]
posted by rpfields at 6:42 PM PST - 8 comments

I have always done my taxes because they've always been fairly straightforward. This year they're not. I'm trying to figure out whether I just need to figure a few more things out or if it's worth paying what to me seems like a fair amount of money to have someone who 100% knows what they're doing do it. [more inside]
posted by less-of-course at 6:36 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for any examples of off-screen scenes (the action happens to the side of where the camera is focusing) that aren't centered around a violent act, like the cliche murder scene where the blood splatters the wall but you don't see the actual murder. [more inside]
posted by perhapses at 6:00 PM PST - 18 comments

Why do customers have so much trouble using the Self-Checkout? Often, while standing in line behind them, I see people freeze up for what seems like minutes. If it's a language problem, I give you a pass; also if it's your first time (but there can't be that many self-checkout newbies now, can there?) [more inside]
posted by Rash at 5:47 PM PST - 78 comments

I use KeePassXC on the PC and would like to use it on my iPhone and iPad. There are lots of options. [more inside]
posted by Shepherd at 5:08 PM PST - 7 comments

Yes -- just that. Want to have lunch in a nice spot, sitting outside near a HEAT LAMP! This appears hard to search for!
posted by DMelanogaster at 4:54 PM PST - 5 comments

Gold Coast Australia. I'm waiting anxiously to find out if my rent has gone up again because my income has gone down, and too big a rent increase and I either have to move to an extremely rural part of the Australia somewhere else far away from my medical team (various mental health issues, PTSD, aphasia, regular lung CTs, regular colonoscopies, arthritis) or get a tent because I will be homeless. Thanks. I hope not to need your advice. [more inside]
posted by b33j at 4:36 PM PST - 21 comments

Kind of chat-filtery, but looking for people who want to share a story about being in the best shape of your life in your 40s. How did it happen? How did/do you ward off injury? What are your favorite types of activities? What are your challenges and successes? [more inside]
posted by knownfossils at 12:59 PM PST - 42 comments

I am interested in finding a place for two adults and one child to stay for about one month in Mexico (or another beachy location). I know about airbnb, vrbo, and... not much else. Where should I be searching? [more inside]
posted by Acari at 12:39 PM PST - 4 comments

Do you have experience with selling your SREC's from your NJ solar system? I'm currently selling SRECs from my NJ home's system via SRECTrade.com and am just noticing that there's a 10% transaction fee with each sale. I'd like to see if I can get a better deal (better price, lower fees.) [more inside]
posted by nandaro at 11:46 AM PST - 1 comment

Feeling disillusioned and lost about what to do for a living. Any guidance? [more inside]
posted by morning_television at 11:25 AM PST - 5 comments

(CW: weight stuff) I am fat and I really want to not feel bad about that. What does body acceptance look like for you? Is there a way to take the idea out of my head and turn it into a lived practice, while still actively working to improve my health? [more inside]
posted by guessthis at 11:09 AM PST - 20 comments

Hi all, I think I may have spilt some water on my Dell Windows 11 Laptop touchpad last week, and it is not working (using an external mouse). [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 10:11 AM PST - 5 comments

Hi! I remember this mind blowing link I once stumbled upon on MetaFilter. It had something to do with the secret causes of obesity, including lack of nutrients in food and other scientific info. I remember it as a very long form blog post with lots of citations. Does anyone remember anything similar? It felt more like an investigation than a typical blog post. Really want to read more.
posted by hotchocolate at 9:11 AM PST - 2 comments

I’m back to ask the same question but about your favorite artists for any kind of water-dwelling creatures (shrimp, squids, jellyfish, axolotls, whatever—any water really, not just the sea). [more inside]
posted by babelfish at 8:19 AM PST - 12 comments

Is there even a hint of a chance at law school admissions with a 2.2 GPA from long ago? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:40 AM PST - 14 comments

My best friend and I will be in Phoenix/Scottsdale in March for four nights. We're seeing a Cubs game, staying at the Biltmore, but would love other suggestions for fun. My BFF isn't a hiker, so unfortunately that's out. We're middle-aged and will have a car. Thanks!
posted by anonymous at 7:39 AM PST - 6 comments

I need to come up a short (three sentences or so) note or notes to accompany plushies donated to a children’s hospital. I know this is a simple project but I am very bad at this sort of thing and tend to default to snarky humor which is not appropriate here. [more inside]
posted by succus entericus at 7:33 AM PST - 5 comments

Many, many years ago I recall seeing, or being shown, a single-panel comic strip with a limousine, or possibly two limousines, on a road, and one unseen person saying to another unseen person something like: "How's the leg?" The caption was along the lines of "the inventor of Wite-Out meets the inventor of the Post-It". But I think I'm probably misremembering many of the significant details. What I remember of the context is that this cartoon was infamously hard to understand. Does any of this ring a bell?
posted by Kattullus at 7:32 AM PST - 2 comments

Which UK brands offer men's trousers with a mid-rise or high waist? [more inside]
posted by terretu at 6:31 AM PST - 5 comments

How can I, as a pet owner, learn to have more chill? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 5:17 AM PST - 22 comments

I have 26 hours to prepare for a presentation, most of those hours are compromised and am having a controlled panic moment. How can I get this done? [more inside]
posted by cotton dress sock at 2:47 AM PST - 20 comments

I've gotten my hands on an Alexa Dot 3rd gen, and want to use it my multi-user workshop. Apart from a general interest in hearing how to get the most out of it in this environment, I have two specific questions. [more inside]
posted by Iteki at 12:57 AM PST - 5 comments

On occasion I recall scenes from a sci-fi series on TV in the last ten years. It was neither.Fringe or the X-files but was in that vein. [more inside]
posted by y2karl at 9:08 PM PST - 2 comments

I've been self-employed as a consultant for six years. Business is slow and my life circumstances are changing... would it make sense to go back to working for someone else again? [more inside]
posted by allthethings at 6:25 PM PST - 3 comments

Made some chili using almost identical ingredients to previous batch that tasted much better, but this more recent time I did use 1 extra can of crushed tomatoes. It's certainly edible, but it is very tomato forward. Wondering what can be added now, post-cooking, to chill out that tomato taste. [more inside]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 6:16 PM PST - 20 comments

Moving to a new spot in a city neighborhood with few good internet options, and the good ones are telling me I have to wait while they build out their network. In the meantime, I saw "Xfinitywifi" as a connection option on my phone; it's their public, unsecured network but it's only $10 for the first 30 days, which may tide me over until I can get another option. How dangerous is this? If I learn to install and use a paid VPN, does that eliminate the danger? [more inside]
posted by catspajamas at 5:25 PM PST - 11 comments

We need a new water heater. I thought heat pump heaters with tanks were the best these days, but I'm seeing a lot of recommendations for tankless too. Which is best these days? I'd prefer a 100% electric option if possible but our current water heaters are gas so we have a line running to that spot if gas is clearly better. [more inside]
posted by Tehhund at 4:15 PM PST - 14 comments

Looking for recommendations for non-D&D/Pathfinder/Fantasy actual play podcasts. Preference given to Delta Green and Call of Cthulhu, especially Masks of Nyarlathotep campaigns. [more inside]
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 3:31 PM PST - 8 comments

What tips do you have to remain focused and on-track when doing solo learning for an extended period of time? [more inside]
posted by unid41 at 2:53 PM PST - 9 comments

My family of 3 (all Canadian citizens, living in the US for ~ 10 years) is moving back to Canada this spring. We're finding ourselves a bit perplexed/paralyzed by the "Personal Effects Accounting Document" that we will present at the border in order to import all our household goods/furniture/stuff. [more inside]
posted by Dorinda at 1:34 PM PST - 9 comments

I took some prescribed topical medication for acne and things did not go well. Now my skin is very upset and reactive. How should I treat it until I can see my doctor again? [more inside]
posted by Stoof at 1:25 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm looking for electronica (preferably vocal trance/around 2 beats per second), but specifically artists that only sing in French. [more inside]
posted by Eyelash at 1:14 PM PST - 5 comments

I am uncomfortable with the idea of social media and am not a regular user. Nevertheless, today I tried to create an Instagram account for a photography project, which was deleted immediately for violating their terms with no possibility of appeal. Why would this be and how can I avoid such a fate for subsequent accounts I try to create? [more inside]
posted by cincinnatus c at 12:15 PM PST - 18 comments

I'm due for new eyeglasses, and I'm ready for a change of providers. I've been using MyEyeDr for about 15 years, more or less, and I've had a range of experiences with them. I'm honestly tired, though, and am thinking about Lenscrafters. Would they be better, or more of the same? [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 12:08 PM PST - 11 comments

The new song I'm writing is about loss, especially loss that causes significant grief. For example I have a verse about the death of a loved one. What loss can you tell me about? To be clear, I'm looking for kinds of loss other than the one I mention.
posted by falsedmitri at 12:05 PM PST - 31 comments

I have a pile of women's jersey shirts (business casual) that are machine washable and dryable, but they need pressing to look presentable. I would like to outsource the washing and ironing/pressing. My drycleaners said they only do "fluff and fold" (cheap, but no ironing) and "drycleaning with spot removal" (expensive). Is "Launder this and then press it" possible these days, and what sort of establishment offers it? (Large city, US).
posted by bluesky78987 at 9:30 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm thinking of buying a membership for the 2024 worldcon in Glasgow, given how close it is to Edinburgh (where I live) by train and that it would get me away from the Fringe for a bit. However, I really don't know what to expect and what I would look to do. [more inside]
posted by Hactar at 9:14 AM PST - 5 comments

I am curious to hear anecdotes from people who entered PhD programs later in life, after years in the non-academic workforce. Things like: What motivated you to do it? Did you get what you wanted out of it? Was it a difficult transition? Would you do it again? as well as logistical questions like how you approached applying to programs would all be helpful (plus anything else you'd want to add). Thanks!
posted by btfreek at 8:42 AM PST - 9 comments

I tripped and fell in my own home wearing the wrong shoes while carrying something and sprained my ankle. Got an x-ray, sent to PT, etc. Now my health insurance has sent a 'coordination of benefits' form asking if this was an accident and if there is another at-fault party. How should I fill out this form? [more inside]
posted by epanalepsis at 8:22 AM PST - 8 comments

The local guy who made my absolutely perfect shampoo bars died unexpectedly, taking his secrets to the grave. All potential replacement bars have fallen short. Do you have one that you would recommend? [more inside]
posted by SeedStitch at 7:33 AM PST - 17 comments

I’m looking to get a quick catnap in sometime this afternoon in Manhattan, like 3-4pm. What would you suggest? Something that combines with something else (musuem, cool interior) that’s not the obvious tourist spots like the NYPL. Comfy, and not hassled by folks and can keep my bag and laptop secure.
posted by sandmanwv at 7:30 AM PST - 9 comments

I would love to do a deeper dive into this topic by looking at interesting books and articles, rather than just encountering bite-size examples. Do you know of any materials on this that are worth tracking down? Any leads would be most appreciated.
posted by mortaddams at 5:32 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm trying to learn some French and perform CPR on my high school Spanish. Looking for audio books of specific books that I already have in translation (thanks Metafilter!) and in English, electronically. Now hoping for help finding versions I can listen to and read along with. [more inside]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 5:15 AM PST - 1 comment

I have been smoking for a year or so, since it became legal where I live. I sometimes wonder if it is affecting me negatively in terms of mental health and motivation. But it is hard to tell (reverse placebo from the cultural conditioning? And when I take breaks from it, I don't notice a huge difference). Are there any warning signs to look out for that might tell me that weed isn't for me? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:47 AM PST - 13 comments

It's a bit aspirational for me to learn another language, but I think podcasts could help [more inside]
posted by I paid money to offer this... insight? at 3:44 AM PST - 9 comments

US or UK is fine. Does anyone know of a site, newsletter or mag that regularly does this? Thank you.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:24 PM PST - 6 comments

I've got this repeating refrain stuck in my head: javascript tune player thingy or audio file (m4a). Can you identify the source?
posted by moonmilk at 6:08 PM PST - 6 comments

I need to avoid using my hands with my phone or tablet as much as possible, due to... I think it's RSI, but some sort of pain I'm still investigating. I have Apple products and find that the voice control is excellent, but how exactly do people do this? [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 5:04 PM PST - 8 comments

How can I recover text that has mysteriously disappeared from an .odt file I was working on in LibreOffice Writer? [more inside]
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:50 PM PST - 2 comments

I have a pretty great idea for a shirt/other clothing, but it gets into light satire/trademark infringement with a company I have some friends that work for, who may not take it in the spirit intended. Is there a way to make/sell shirts with no trace back to me? [more inside]
posted by Shepherd at 2:31 PM PST - 6 comments

Are these sorts of BP reading swings normal? [more inside]
posted by Thorzdad at 2:19 PM PST - 9 comments

Friendfilter: one of my friend's two 17-year old dogs, adorable littermates who had rarely been apart in their lives, passed away suddenly* a couple of days ago. The other little guy was present and seems to understand and accept the loss, but my friend would like advice and tips on making her remaining time with the survivor better and easier for him. [more inside]
posted by rpfields at 1:27 PM PST - 3 comments

I'd like to explore the idea that people and groups can be entirely separate while existing in the same space. What writing, research, or theories can I learn from? [more inside]
posted by rebent at 12:43 PM PST - 12 comments

My underemployed, kind of broke, 27-year-old adult son is going to Nicaragua to work remotely for a month in a bungalow. I am not even sure where to start with all this.

1. How do I persuade myself or my spouse that travel to N. is relatively safe?
2. How do I determine if a place is safe? Its very complicated, as discussed here

[more inside]
posted by mecran01 at 11:51 AM PST - 44 comments

What website is best to sell used (but very good quality) Legal / Law texbooks? I'm more interested in quick and easy as opposed to maximum profits. As an example, this book is one I'm trying to sell. What are the best places I could sell it directly or list it for sale? Thanks!
posted by davidstandaford at 10:52 AM PST - 7 comments

I am getting a laptop soon and I am conflicted! Would you recommend one of the following four computers, or I should get something more powerful yet? [more inside]
posted by plant or animal at 10:45 AM PST - 12 comments

In Bach's d-minor invention, there's a long trill in the left hand on E. Typically, people play E and F, but I recently learned that there's at least one edition of the inventions that advocates E and F♯, which kind of blew my mind because it seems so obviously correct (given that the Fs in the right hand are all sharpened during the trill) yet sounds so wrong. Questions below. [more inside]
posted by mpark at 10:19 AM PST - 4 comments

The Place That Makes Me Happy by The Moss (2023) is currently in heavy rotation on my college radio stations. What does it remind me of? [more inside]
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:59 AM PST - 8 comments

A close family member had a DUI in his late teens in North Carolina. His license was either suspended or revoked or, I am not sure and neither is he. He is now 32, sober, in Oregon and needs a driver's license. It's crazy but I think he needs a lawyer. What kind of lawyer and where? [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:27 AM PST - 8 comments

I'll be in Miami from March 2-5 for a work event. I'll have Saturday and Sunday to myself before the event starts. I'm not of a mind to try and cram in a proper tourist overview of the city in such a short span. Instead, I'd like to slow down and relax. Seeking recs for nice places to do... nothing... to eat and enjoy a view. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:27 AM PST - 4 comments

I don't want a relationship with my stepmom for what I think are very good reasons. My dad doesn't understand and I feel very hurt and betrayed. Now what? [more inside]
posted by anotheraccount at 8:57 AM PST - 18 comments

My shelved collection of LiFePo4 (specifically not standard LiPo) 18650 cells have - all, confusingly - decided not to work for me. What can I do to revive these cells, and where can I read about it? [more inside]
posted by mhoye at 8:55 AM PST - 3 comments

My parents (early 70s) are celebrating their 50th (!) wedding anniversary mid February and are taking us (myself, my brother and SIL (40s) and their daughters, 13 and 15) to Berlin for the week. Woohoo! We're Dutch and going by train. My parents and I have been to the city previously, brother and fam have not. Give me all your recommendations please! [more inside]
posted by mirthe at 7:15 AM PST - 7 comments

You had a dog with lymphoma which you decided not to treat with chemo. What was the result? [more inside]
posted by rhymedirective at 6:58 AM PST - 9 comments

I've been scanning a bunch of old family slides and (no surprise) many need to be adjusted. Two questions - 1. Any recommendations for best tools to do this in 2024 - AI is evolving so quickly and I'm finding a lot of old recommendations and 2. Any tips for the best workflow if these are stored in Google Photos via a computer (more on this below) [more inside]
posted by beyond_pink at 6:45 AM PST - 3 comments

I've become mildly obsessed with what I think is a Chinese location for photoshoots, movies, and music videos that makes it look "American" and I want to know more about it but I can't figure out the exact name or location. [more inside]
posted by easternblot at 3:53 AM PST - 30 comments

A close friend is 60 years old and working in an office environment. She uses Metro Mobility due to MS and other conditions. She owns her home and has problems caring for it, especially in winter. Another friend said she could get in home help from the state and that they would help pay for a lot of medical bills as well. How does she get that? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 3:06 AM PST - 5 comments

NSFW question by nature, though also a pretty straightforward one [more inside]
posted by damedeshou at 1:40 AM PST - 7 comments

Hosting a handful of international toddlers for lunch. None have dietary restrictions except for, well, the preferences of being a toddler. I have boiled a whole chicken and will shred it. Enchiladas would be too unfamiliar for the guests, so I'm thinking a pasta or rice based dish, but this is not my kind of cooking. Ideas?
posted by perrouno at 1:22 AM PST - 19 comments

I’m looking for an inexpensive product to remove scratches from my acrylic crystal watches. I’m familiar with Polywatch and think it works great, but I’m looking for a more economical solution. [more inside]
posted by GlassHeart at 9:01 PM PST - 4 comments

Hormone treatment and aging are changing my skin type quite drastically, and I’m look for primer, foundation and concealer recs that might suit my needs. [more inside]
posted by Pemberly at 8:12 PM PST - 4 comments

Planning a (2nd) trip to Philly, what have we missed? [more inside]
posted by cozenedindigo at 4:25 PM PST - 19 comments

Planning to see Paris and Nice but looking for suggestions [more inside]
posted by winterportage at 3:31 PM PST - 12 comments

Help us plan a fun trip [more inside]
posted by ambulanceambiance at 3:14 PM PST - 13 comments

I made a very large batch of vegetarian chili and left it on low heat with the lid on...then proceeded to walk away and get distracted. When I took the lid off, smoke had filled the pot. The chili did not look burnt, even at the very bottom but it smells and tastes burnt. [more inside]
posted by Eyelash at 2:10 PM PST - 11 comments

I'm looking for the perfect dining chairs to match this round walnut dining table. Any suggestions of specific models would be excellent. [more inside]
posted by arcolz at 1:37 PM PST - 14 comments

I have a cat. The fur gets everywhere. Say I have two shirts or two bed-sheets, ostensibly both 100% cotton, where one acts like a powerful & tenacious magnet for the fur but the other does not: why is that so? Is it to do with the type of weave? The way the fabric has been chemically treated (or not)? Is it an electrostatic thing? When buying shirts & sheets in future, I would prefer them not to be fur-magnets: what should I be taking into consideration when purchasing?
posted by misteraitch at 1:15 PM PST - 11 comments

Can anyone help me identify a book I vaguely remember reading as a kid, probably by someone like Geoffrey Trease or Henry Treece, with a plot involving the Hanseatic League?
posted by tangerine at 10:12 AM PST - 9 comments

I would like to attach various things to my wall. The common advice seems to be that is the thing I'm attaching to the wall is heavy, I need to use a stud. But I think that the studs in my wall may not be made of wood. I have no idea how to navigate this. Help! [more inside]
posted by technotaco at 9:57 AM PST - 12 comments

My mom gets all sorts of scammy or fake "news" stories and ads, usually AI of people selling either crypto or CBD. These do not set off her fakey-fake antennae and she treats all sources as equally credible, which worries me. I have access to her google account and facebook account and could log in and google whatever and click whatever. What's the best way to retrain her algorithm?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:54 AM PST - 13 comments

How does author fan mail work these days? Are the things I can do to increase the odds of getting something back? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 9:40 AM PST - 5 comments

I have somehow become a regularly employed ecstatic dance DJ and would love to get recommendations on a particular type of song. Read the "more inside" for all the boxes the songs need to check. [more inside]
posted by lips at 9:39 AM PST - 18 comments

I would chalk this up to “bodies are weird [and amazing],” but you all are so smart, perhaps you can provide slightly deeper insight or point me to resources for further reading. [NSFW for discussion of sexuality] [more inside]
posted by shocks connery at 8:07 AM PST - 9 comments

Can I reliably restrict the use of an application to certain users on a Macintosh, and prevent other, non-admin users, from using the app? And will this work for Minecraft launcher? Details below the fold. [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 7:32 AM PST - 4 comments

Apart from Spotify's in-house playlists like New Music Friday, what are your favorite regularly-updated new releases playlists on Spotify? Any genre! [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 6:37 AM PST - 5 comments

I've realised I love fiction where a labyrinth or other extremely complicated and large structure is an integral part of the story. Think the House in Piranesi, the castle of Gormenghast, or the ship in Rendezvous with Rama. What other books might I enjoy? [more inside]
posted by underclocked at 3:28 AM PST - 40 comments

demystify PR for me! [more inside]
posted by cboggs at 11:11 PM PST - 9 comments

Leaving for Colombia tomorrow. Anybody have any tips for what to see and eat in Bogotá? [more inside]
posted by signal at 6:59 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm going to Vancouver for a quick overnight trip to celebrate my birthday with my family. We'll arrive before dinner, and leave sometime after lunch the next day (but possibly after another dinner). I and one son have no dietary restrictions, but my wife is currently on a restrictive diet -- no gluten, no dairy, no egg -- and my younger son is a super picky eater (no hot vegetables :-/). Can you help us find places where we can all eat celebratory food? We'll be in the West End.
posted by StockingMarionette at 6:33 PM PST - 8 comments

I guess that's a pretty vague question. More accurate might be "is Fjallraven still a legitimate company" or something along those lines. We're having some problems getting items we ordered from them in September. [more inside]
posted by queensissy at 6:29 PM PST - 8 comments

... in the Library. I am guessing it'll end up that the TL;DR for this could have been "What piece of software (that is NOT Google Photos) should I use for organizing my photos instead of Apple's Photos app?" but am holding out hope that someone might say, "Jerome, all you need to do is change this setting in Photos," and the behavior I seek can be achieved. [more inside]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 6:03 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm starting a historical themed newsletter and want to post (not my own, but credited when that info is available) old photographs and illustrations (roughly 1920s-1980s) alongside my text. How much do I have to know about public domain/IP/copyright law to do this? [more inside]
posted by CancerSucks at 3:28 PM PST - 13 comments

I want to learn more about the history of illuminated manuscripts, and I would also like to teach myself how to write calligraphy in the style or styles that are specific to illuminated manuscripts — so, a two-part question. [more inside]
posted by nightrecordings at 2:40 PM PST - 8 comments

U.K based here. Why do my clothes (jumpers etc) come out sopping wet after washing them on the wool cycle? [more inside]
posted by Sunflower88 at 12:24 PM PST - 12 comments

Three or four laptops ago, I had a nice match three (or more) game that used beautiful multi-coloured superballs. They made realistic rubbery squeaks as they shuffled past each other. I would like to find this again, but googly would rather tell me about football. Any ideas?
posted by fish tick at 10:51 AM PST - 3 comments

I’m a queer woman (well, womanish) in a relationship with a queer woman for the past 8 months. Everyone in my family is happy for me except my very catholic sister, who has tried to talk me out of being queer, and who is extremely resistant to the idea of my being in a queer relationship. I’m looking for things to read about dealing with this kind of situation. [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco at 10:48 AM PST - 11 comments

I adore Labour Song by Solas on their album Shamrock City. I would love 1) to find the lyrics 2) to find any additional covers. However, my internet skills are failing me. Can I get an AskMeta assist? It feels like this shouldn't be difficult and yet somehow...
posted by jeszac at 10:24 AM PST - 4 comments

In order to finance college, my grandson is considering joining the military. I think this is a horrible idea, because I think one should join the military because they want to join the military, not solely because it is a means to finance college. [more inside]
posted by SageTrail at 9:31 AM PST - 22 comments

We are going to visit my sister-in-law in Indianapolis during the week of President's Day. I haven't been to Indianapolis in over 30 years. Just what the hell is there to do that will make the week bearable?
posted by briank at 7:34 AM PST - 16 comments

Is there a not-too-technical way to hone in on the location of a phone still connected to home's wifi? The elusive handset is a quite old Android (not attached to any Google account and thus lacking Find-My-Device capacity) last used yesterday but showing on the (stock Linksys) router's network map. I'm hoping I can run something on another newish Android phone that might help triangulate and narrow the analog search?
posted by glibhamdreck at 6:53 AM PST - 9 comments

Just a short one. I've had a PC provided by the university since 2018. Today they e-mailed me about the following which sounds like nonsense... [more inside]
posted by Pyrogenesis at 6:17 AM PST - 32 comments

I'm currently staying at what is apparently an 4 star, upscale Marriott hotel in one of their king suites. For the charming price of $260 USD/night I have received very scuffed up furniture, a weirdly stained couch, a shower that only sort of works as well as a toilet AND sink that both run at random times. (Thankfully the bed and bathroom are mostly clean.) Are my expectations too high? Can I reasonably request a credit? Can I do it without talking to the front desk?
posted by The Adventure Begins at 10:50 PM PST - 19 comments

The physical buttons on my wife’s second-gen iPhone SE have suddenly stopped working. How can she get them back? [more inside]
posted by Thorzdad at 7:02 PM PST - 5 comments

Often when I travel I like to go to a place to do a specific thing like attend a music festival or something. I have been thinking it would be fun to go somewhere to take crafting lessons. [more inside]
posted by jacquilynne at 6:48 PM PST - 18 comments

I need glasses to read. I generally find that wearing bifocals works great for me, but aesthetically, I don't like the way the line looks. Progressives get rid of the line, but I find them uncomfortable to wear - I find myself having to tilt my head down to look at distant objects, and I think l'm really okay with just two kinds of lenses. What are my options? Is there such a thing as a bifocals without the visible line? Or some solution to the problem with progressives? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 6:28 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm trying to find a costume for the tap routine I'll be in for this year's recital. We're all different princess, me being Rapunzel (Tangled). [more inside]
posted by kathrynm at 5:48 PM PST - 2 comments

For reasons, I'll be hosting a friend tomorrow who does not have access to their phone. I'd like to give them mine to use in private, and although I doubt they'd snoop, I don't want them going through my email/photos/texts. Is there a way to activate a guest mode? Thanks!
posted by cyndigo at 5:23 PM PST - 4 comments

My beloved Logitech Smart Radio is on its last legs and Logitech has announced that it is discontinuing the server. I need an alternative. Specific needs/wants inside. [more inside]
posted by tafetta, darling! at 5:22 PM PST - 9 comments

I have a really hard time focusing while the internet is available. There are any number of tools to block specific sites, but what I really want to do is block almost all the sites most of the time, allowing just a few that I need to use. [more inside]
posted by lgyre at 3:09 PM PST - 4 comments

It's my friend's birthday tomorrow, and we're driving north from San Francisco for a full-day trip. What recommendations do you have for fun stops or destinations on our meandering drive? [more inside]
posted by soleiluna at 3:09 PM PST - 7 comments

I recently purchased a used Japanese-made Nikkor AF 85mm 1:1.8 lens under the impression that it would auto-focus, but it doesn't. Is my research wrong? I'm new to the D7200. [more inside]
posted by donpardo at 3:00 PM PST - 7 comments

To manage different work gigs I set up different Google Profiles on my gmail account. All good. The only problem is that on another PC I work on, those profiles don't show up. How do I get the second PC to "see" all of my gmail profiles?
posted by storybored at 2:34 PM PST - 3 comments

In the absolutely ruling Merle Haggard song "Big Time Annie's Square," he sings, "I'd heard about those sugar cubes before I ever came to find her there." What they hell does this mean? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 1:34 PM PST - 10 comments

I recently started swallowing pills again after being unable to do so for years due to a severe phobia (combined with some actual mechanical difficulties that are currently under control). My speech therapist recommended I maintain a habit of swallowing a pill every day so it wouldn't slowly creep back to feeling impossible, but now that the excitement of "conquering" the phobia has warn off, but the fear hasn't completely gone away, I really dread it! [more inside]
posted by space snail at 12:56 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm going to be flying Delta into LAX (out of JFK) next week, Feb. 6, 2024, arriving at 1:36pm PST. There's a rain forecast in LA for that day, but it's not clear at this point whether it will be a life-changing disaster that will, say, cancel the flight or divert us to another city; or whether it's just going to be ... rain, which might cause a short landing delay. [more inside]
posted by JimN2TAW at 12:51 PM PST - 4 comments

Yet another “recommend me shows!” question [more inside]
posted by maleficent at 12:04 PM PST - 43 comments

I have a microsoft outlook email address which I access through office.com. All of a sudden, the search function does not work. I have tried different browsers, different computers, erasing the cache and cookies, but nothing works! Microsoft support is also baffled. Help! [more inside]
posted by silverstatue at 8:24 AM PST - 7 comments

I was in a car accident that totaled my car. Totaled car is being held as salvage by auto auction company, Insurance Auto Auctions. IAA has offered me a few thousand dollars (which I would like!) for what remains of my car. The process for me to sign over the car to IAA (and for me to receive the money) seems scammy to me, and I am concerned from a legal standpoint about signing my car over. Otherwise, I walk away from the money. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:01 AM PST - 10 comments

Should I ask for accommodations at new job? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:00 AM PST - 7 comments

When splitting chicken wings into their three parts, do you have a foolproof method for getting clean separations at the joints, with no jagged edges? Whether with poultry shears or a knife, and despite having watched several YouTube videos, I get it right on some of them but can’t find the right spot on others. [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 5:26 AM PST - 3 comments

Why would an occupational therapist be so interested in whether or not my child can hop on one foot? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 4:23 AM PST - 8 comments

I recently heard part of a show which was about tax consolidation in Africa so that a music business could pay through one national system rather than many. This was a BBC show broadcast through WHYY (NPR), and I didn't catch the title. What's an efficient way to search the BBC? Does anyone know of the particular show?
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 3:16 AM PST - 2 comments

To be clear, I’m not talking about anhedonia or depressive disinterest, just that while I enjoy a lot of things, I’m not interested – and never have been – in what I call passion “homework”, nor do I find any of the things I enjoy particularly important to my sense of self-identity. This seems abnormal when I talk to others. [more inside]
posted by AFII at 1:05 AM PST - 48 comments

I have a bag of sundried tomatoes (the dried kind, not the packed-in-oil kind) and a desire for sundried tomato tapenade. How do I make this happen? [more inside]
posted by Tamanna at 9:48 PM PST - 9 comments

I’ve read what’s on here about broken CFL bulbs and kids. Two broke in our basement and our seven-year-old twins were right there; immediately we left the basement and spent about one minute upstairs with the door shut to the basement before leaving for the garage. I went back in holding my breath, but not thinking about I exposure, unfortunately to open up most of the windows and gather a purse and some clothes. We left and stayed in a hotel. The problem is that we didn’t clean it up and we have two cats that we did not contain. They are still at home, and I feel terribly about how this might affect them but even worse, I’m thinking about their tracking the dust/phosphorus/mercury throughout the house. So how do I clean this up now? I understand the main danger is inhaling it, but if it’s tracked, what’s to say that months from now our kids are not playing in the living room and they step on or sit on or touch or otherwise interact with a chunk of that bulb that got tracked there? Suggestions? I’ve already got a call into environmental folks and have been madly googling. Please do not just say I will be fine without actually knowing that. I’m really tired of the disingenuous. Don’t worry about it stuff.
posted by keepingreal at 9:31 PM PST - 4 comments

Why are all the icons on my taskbar jumbled (link to pic)? [more inside]
posted by Literaryhero at 7:40 PM PST - 3 comments

I just participated in a night of trivia in which one of the rounds had clues like these examples: "A telepathic superhero played by Patrick Stewert indicating where the treasure is buried on a map, a small amount of Earl Gray" and "A hot chocolate brand, an unmarried Clue suspect wedded to Colin Jost" the answers being "Professor X marks the spot of tea" and "Swiss Miss Scarlet Johansson" respectively. What is the name of such brain teasers, and where can I find more? I loved it!
posted by Grandysaur at 6:40 PM PST - 8 comments

Visiting and staying with a dear friend for days 7–14 after their top surgery. What should I know and how can I be most helpful? [more inside]
posted by w-w-w at 4:34 PM PST - 13 comments

I can positively identify places that I have been before visually with only a narrow aspect of the place being shown. For example, a friend posted a video of her walking up a staircase with only the floor and staircase in the video. Now, I get that I would have contextual information about where she might be, so maybe this isn't a good example. [more inside]
posted by mxjudyliza at 4:26 PM PST - 7 comments

Where can I purchase an infinitely reusable bottle that has the same type of thread as a 1L or 2L bottle of soda--literally the exact same thread as a liter bottle of Coke you buy in a vending machine or convenience store? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 1:38 PM PST - 9 comments

My friend is trying to convince me that MSPs are the way of the future. As a former developer who works from home my knowledge of MSPs is limited to the very locked down laptop a corporation gives me to get into whatever very specific thing I need to get done. They are talking about going into offices and servicing printers, laptops and servers. Do people outside of secure government agencies really need this level of on-prem support? [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 1:27 PM PST - 17 comments

What's the song the kids are singing at the end of 'Tokyo Story'? You can also hear it in the excerpt from this film at he end of Wim Wenders' 'Tokyo Ga' (about 1:27), which is available at the Internet Archive. Sub-titled lyrics below the fold. [more inside]
posted by Rash at 12:48 PM PST - 4 comments

I have a friendship of nine years with P, and we met in university many moons back and were much closer and tighter than in comparison to the last three to four years, and the friendship feels rather strained and one-sided, and I am not sure if I should cut all ties or try to salvage it somehow. [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 12:18 PM PST - 18 comments

I've been working my way through Bernadette Banner's historical costuming videos and now, as I ruefully eye the few I have left yet to see, I am wondering what other vloggers offer similar content. What YouTube channels can you recommend where people make, model, and comment knowledgeably on historical fashions? I'd prefer costumers who focus on the first half of the twentieth century, but am open to any period costuming.
posted by orange swan at 11:41 AM PST - 5 comments

Hello! The other day I ran into an acquaintance who was wearing the cutest black sweatpants with a white, almost Matisse-like print. Like largish organic shapes at random intervals. When I complimented them, she pointed upwards to her matching black sweatshirt and said "Nike!" [more inside]
posted by 41swans at 11:33 AM PST - 4 comments

In a previous question I mentioned needing to talk to my elderly parents about longterm planning and user basalganglia said it was "probably a whole 'nother question in itself". So this is that whole 'nother question. What questions should I be asking my aging parents about their next steps? Assume I know absolutely nothing about aging, retirement, long-term care, and so on. [more inside]
posted by robot cat at 10:41 AM PST - 21 comments

I have been attempting to hire a CPA for my taxes for the past two years but have never been able to actually get one -- few of my friends have recommendations, and everyone I've tried has been booked up, not taking new clients. It seems my only options for this year are to go it alone or go to a physical HR Block/Jackson Hewitt type place with a "tax professional," whom I'm gathering will likely not be a CPA. Would that still be better than nothing? [more inside]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:18 AM PST - 22 comments

We want to get a wall stand like this. We would specify dimensions. Is there anywhere online to order this?
posted by falsedmitri at 9:06 AM PST - 2 comments

Hey Awesome folk, so it turns out I have type 2 diabetes. Currently my A1C is ~6.5 and I am not using insulin. Since I'm not insulin dependant my doctor doesn't think insurance would cover a CGM. I've been reluctant to start pricking my pickers, but my A1C is trending higher since the previous labs and it is time to start measuring this. What is a brand/model of finger-stick driven glucose monitors that has an android app? I want to be able to track trendlines on my device. TIA. Peace and Health to all.
posted by The Vice Admiral of the Narrow Seas at 7:44 AM PST - 7 comments

I have a gross question about household odors and why I may be encountering a persistent one. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:00 AM PST - 13 comments

So, I'm in a managerial position now. I need some software, just for myself, that helps me track projects. Of which I have many. [more inside]
posted by MythMaker at 5:39 AM PST - 12 comments