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I havent driven a car for 11 years and was thinking of taking some refresher lessons. Can anyone recommend a driving school near Cheltenham Melbourne in Australia please? Any tips for getting back into driving?
posted by sparkle55 at 10:13 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm looking for movies not primarily about food that have scenes where food plays a prominent role. [more inside]
posted by Ndwright at 9:39 PM PST - 83 comments

Where can I find a list of the names of the people who died at the Grenfell Tower fire - and what happened to the little girl named Elsa? [Warning, possible child death below cut] [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 9:17 PM PST - 5 comments

My body likes colder temperatures. My workplace is warm. How do I deal? [more inside]
posted by picklenickle at 8:45 PM PST - 18 comments

Family members are all flying to a city for vacation. We will be renting a house. What is the best/fairest way to divide up the expenses? [more inside]
posted by msbubbaclees at 8:12 PM PST - 20 comments

Our favorite dog ever, Monty, just crossed over the Rainbow Bridge and there is a huge achy hole in our lives. Everywhere we turn in our house, we're smacked by a memory. We need to get out of town and experience things that don't remind us of the dog we'll never see again. So, it's off to the Madison (WI) art fair next weekend and then... well, this is where I need your ideas. [more inside]
posted by DrGail at 5:49 PM PST - 9 comments

I am in the process of putting in some lawn into the backyard, and am debating what type of grass. I live in the PNW, and conventional grass does pretty well here without watering, it gets brown in summer and then bounces back when the rains comes in fall, but I would love to get something that is not so conventional, but still have the look and feel of a traditional lawn (soft underfoot, fairly uniform in appearance). I am okay with mowing. [more inside]
posted by nanook at 4:53 PM PST - 8 comments

Earlier this week there was a post on the Blue featuring Ben Folds composing a new song ("These Spaces Are Designed to be Flexible") in 10 minutes during a live performance at the Kennedy Center. Ben grabbed lyrics from a program handed to him by an audience member. Including a few very popular examples below the fold, what other songs out there use partially or completely "found" lyrics from another nonmusical work? [more inside]
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:13 PM PST - 51 comments

I accidentally grew a shocking number of artichokes. This has resulted in inviting lots of people over to help eat them (usually steamed and with garlic butter). What should we drink? [more inside]
posted by centrifugal at 1:30 PM PST - 20 comments

Contracted (on-going/month-to-month) to company for over a year. Want them to hire me directly, my recruiter wants me to remain an employee of the agency. Just want to avoid shooting myself in the foot in my response. [more inside]
posted by INFJ at 1:20 PM PST - 9 comments

I have had two phone interviews: one for a place I'm just OK about working for, and one for Dream Job at Incredible, Very Desirable Workplace. Obviously I want the second job more. But competition may be fierce, I've heard they typically only do inside hires, and they move at a glacial pace. Meanwhile, job #1 is zipping through the interview process. Help! [more inside]
posted by Miss T.Horn at 1:13 PM PST - 10 comments

I just bought a cute little "File a Way" file box by Steelmaster on eBay. Not sure if I'll just want to patch her up a bit and keep the vintage look or if she'll need a new paint job. Would appreciate tips on both options, since I've never worked on metal items before. If it matters the dimensions are: 8x6x6 with each drawer measuring 1.5 inches in height. I plan to use it for mailing supplies, stamps, postcard sleeves, etc.
posted by mulcahy at 12:59 PM PST - 7 comments

Got a new job working in the ER as an RN, been there about 6 months. Lots to learn, going great but one thing that I'm struggling with is answering tough questions patients ask. The biggie being "am I going to die?" I usually have a good bedside manner so it's annoying that I can't get this right. [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso at 12:31 PM PST - 50 comments

I recently ordered a cool USB flash drive through Etsy. I just started trying to research how to make sure it's not carrying some kind of malware, but it looks like that kind of thing would be in the firmware, and I'm not sure how to handle it. [more inside]
posted by amtho at 12:31 PM PST - 9 comments

I want to buy an iPad Pro, but I'm torn between the 10.5 inch and 12.9 inch versions. If you've used one or better yet both -- is the extra screen real estate of the 12.9 inch worth the extra weight / possible awkwardness to hold? More specific questions inside. [more inside]
posted by st elmo's fire at 11:46 AM PST - 11 comments

Do you remember this comedy bit? Customer asks if merchant has sticker of Calvin peeing on Ford logo, then Chevy logo, etc. In the face of continued negative answers, the customer finally asks "Well, what do you have him peeing on?" I have the vague idea it was part of a stand-up bit, but I'm not sure. Googling has gotten me nowhere, so I turn to the Green!
posted by ewok_academy at 11:19 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm a senior manager at a small IT company. My boss and I have major clashes, which is inhibiting our ability to work together, and causing stress to dominate my life. How can I handle this professionally without unduly avoiding him or simply shutting down? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:13 AM PST - 18 comments

I've been given the opportunity to basically name the play I want to be in. I'm 50 (and I look my age, whatever that means) and the director has asked whether I have any preferences. It's been ages since I've read any contemporary scripts. I can't do sexy or flirty particularly well (in real life or on stage). What would you recommend? Any genre is fine and it can be either a one-act or full play.
posted by h00py at 10:35 AM PST - 27 comments

So I am in the enviable position of have two really great career options, but I'm confused and need help clarifying the pros and cons as to which the best option is. [more inside]
posted by Annika Cicada at 10:18 AM PST - 20 comments

There's one thing that reviews of photo book services (Mixbook, Shutterfly, Apple Photos, etc.) never take into account: how long will they last? Are they archival-quality like conventional photo prints? Are some better than others? I am looking for something that will last decades.
posted by Seeking Direction at 10:14 AM PST - 2 comments

My name is Sarah, with an H, and a handful of co-workers keep spelling it 'Sara' in emails and documents. How do I best respond to this? [more inside]
posted by knownassociate at 10:02 AM PST - 69 comments

I'm planning a camping trip in a few weeks near North Conway, NH with my kids, and I'm looking for suggestions for things to do. In particular - I'm looking for recommended/favorite hikes, waterfalls, swimming holes, etc, plus any other favorite activities, things to see, places to eat, etc. My kids are pretty good hikers (they climbed Mt Lafayette last Fall), so don't hold back! Many thanks in advance!
posted by stuehler at 9:58 AM PST - 6 comments

I've search high and low but cannot find the fate of the lamb(s) that were grown in an artificial womb. I'm just genuinely curious. Were they delivered or what? Thanks much!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 9:54 AM PST - 3 comments

My MIL babysits my two sons maybe 1 or 2 times a month for 3 hours. Offering to pay for those visits would likely offend her. But occasionally, the kids get sick and she will watch them for a couple of days; and this year there is a 4th of July daycare closure that lasts 3 days. If she spends multiple days watching my kids I'd like to come up with a nice gift at the end of it ($25-$40). What are some good ideas? Money is a bit tight but I need to do something!
posted by powerbumpkin at 9:45 AM PST - 8 comments

I am traveling to Mexico July 14 and returning to the US July 19th. I mis-read my passport thinking I had one year left, and now 2 weeks before travel I realized my passport expires on July 24th. I have called my airline, travel agent and passport agency who had told me I "should" be fine, because Mexico only requires valid passport at the date of entry, and since my passport doesn't expire until a week after my travel is complete that I will be okay. I am just concerned about this. I have googled and found that Mexico requires 6 months- but everyone else is telling me I'm fine. I have tried to expedite my passport, but the only appointment available is the DAY before my flight, and they ask you to surrender your passport which makes me extremely nervous. I would rather risk a valid passport than not have one at all and something happen. Any insight I haven't already been informed of to give me peace of mind?
posted by MamaBee223 at 9:27 AM PST - 8 comments

This morning I heard Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" and it brought to mind the shreds of a memory of some sort of comedy bit from years ago, wherein somebody (or perhaps some Muppet) singing the beginning of it gets interrupted by an explosion. What was that? [more inside]
posted by codger at 9:11 AM PST - 3 comments

I am looking for recommendations of online Italian lessons at the beginner (absolute beginner, really) level. [more inside]
posted by merejane at 8:51 AM PST - 6 comments

1.) Is it normal to freak out/have a meltdown, crying, depression) over a relatively simple change in one's life? (Though, granted, some of my behavior right now is directly caused by sleep deprivation, said change being a new job with early-early morning hours. I know for a fact sleep deprivation makes me mostly lose what control I do have over my emotions Still. My reactions, even with that stressor factored in, don't seem "normal" as I see it.) If it isn't normal, what do I do about it? 2.) I am bonded at the hip with my partner. The change that caused this post means I will spend far less time with my partner than before. The break is causing me tremendous anxiety, though practically speaking this change is a good one and I should be happy about it. How do I make this less feel less traumatic? [more inside]
posted by Crystal Fox at 8:46 AM PST - 12 comments

What's the best way to rent out a beautiful historic bank-turned-restaurant in downtown Baltimore? Capacity is 100 people (possibly more). [more inside]
posted by bluelight at 8:36 AM PST - 7 comments

I want to smell good, but I don't smell of anything. I use shower gel, eau de toilette etc but it doesn't stick to my skin. [more inside]
posted by Ziggy500 at 8:35 AM PST - 13 comments

I need to upgrade from my 2013 MBA (entry level specs) to a MBP with 16GB RAM and 1 TB SSD. I can't decide whether to get a 2015 15" MBP with those specs or a 2017 13" MBP (without touchbar). [more inside]
posted by entropicamericana at 7:59 AM PST - 6 comments

I need a new UX job as soon as possible. I'm in the interaction design/information architecture track. I've been doing this for about 6 years. Because of reasons, I don't have a portfolio. I got the job I have now through connections I don't have anymore. How am I gonna get another job? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:59 AM PST - 3 comments

I've been working in Belgium in various admin roles (office manager, exec assistant) for the past 7 years. Help me figure out the best way to break into a new career in estate and/or property management in my host country, while gaining skills to be used in the US in the future! *Expat snowflake inside!* [more inside]
posted by edarrow at 7:47 AM PST - 2 comments

Looking for contemporaryish indoor hooks or a.. nice curtain track thing, for a removable light-blocking photo curtain going in a living room ;) [more inside the more inside] [more inside]
posted by bitterkitten at 7:22 AM PST - 3 comments

In the fall I'll be entering a professional graduate program. I'm excited about it and I think that it makes sense for me. I'll be entering a relatively competitive field but I already have pretty good experience from my past education, current experience, some decent connections. Despite this, I am *already* getting anxiety about the job search that is bound to follow finishing this degree. How can I best deal with this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:05 AM PST - 5 comments

I posted this picture on Mastodon and got no useful replies, so I figured I would try over here on the green. [more inside]
posted by tobascodagama at 6:32 AM PST - 15 comments

Does anyone have a recommendation for a German, preferably Berlin-based employment lawyer?
posted by avocet at 6:14 AM PST - 1 comment

I'm taking my wife and kids ( 6 and 8 ) to Seattle for a 4 day vacation in late July. I'd like to spend a few days in the city a hopefully 1 or 2 outside of the city. Help us have an awesome vacation in the greater Seattle area. [more inside]
posted by jasondigitized at 6:02 AM PST - 12 comments

I am looking for a drink that works well in the summer. I want something cool to drink at work that is not a sugar bomb. I usually drink tea but it gets too warm in the office in the afternoon. So, a non-coffee, cold, caffeinated, low or no sugar, drink. Artificial sweeteners count as sugar in my book.
posted by KaizenSoze at 4:55 AM PST - 30 comments

Can you help me find a memo app like the one from my old LG phone? I had been using an older LGL41C phone's stock memo app (just called "Memo" on the phone) and now that I'm using a different brand of Android phone, I can not find a replacement. [more inside]
posted by cellura p at 3:55 AM PST - 4 comments

How can I support my friend from afar who is being airlifted/Med evac'd to Miami? [more inside]
posted by raccoon409 at 3:49 AM PST - 1 comment

I need to make some student loan payments to an American company (ecsi) that annoyingly only accepts payments via direct transfer from a US bank account or by check in dollars. My bank is in the UK. The solution I've found that seems best is from a company called Plastiq - apparently I pay them by credit card and they write and send off a check in dollars but they take a 2.5% cut. [more inside]
posted by hazyjane at 2:18 AM PST - 6 comments

We have a lovely 9 yr old female cat and an active young male cat. His buddies next door have moved, and he needs to play... not with our other cat. Should we get a playmate? [more inside]
posted by jrobin276 at 12:28 AM PST - 10 comments

My family member is a woman who needs her own money (separate from her husband who controls her money). Complication factors: she lives overseas, but spends in the USA when home on visits. 100% of the money she is able to save is in cash. I am based in the USA and willing to help. [more inside]
posted by amoeba at 11:21 PM PST - 13 comments

Experts seem to directly disagree on how to insulate a concrete basement foundation wall. Which insulation prevents mold in your sheetrock wall? EPS, XPS, ISO, wool, fiberglass? Faced or unfaced? Is the bigger risk inside moisture going out and condensing on cold concrete, or outside moisture going in through cracks in the wall (which is either 55 or 115 years old in my case, records are unclear)? Am I trying to block moisture migration entirely, or allow it to dry in the warm inside air of the basement? [more inside]
posted by msalt at 11:07 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for a smallish but not SUPER tiny pack to take on 3-10 mile trail runs. What do you have and use that you love? [more inside]
posted by charmedimsure at 10:52 PM PST - 11 comments

I want to close my blog, and stop paying the domain and hosting fees, but I have one particular post that I'd hate to lose. Is there a way to save it? [more inside]
posted by Youremyworld at 7:26 PM PST - 8 comments

My husband's parents are both in their 90s and live in an assisted living facility. Their finances are being drained and the next step would be for them to go to a nursing home. We would prefer them to live with us (and they are open to it) where they can spend their final years in a home with family. He is in a wheel chair and she uses a walker. Both are fall risks. What accommodations to our home do we need to make to make it livable and safe for them? [more inside]
posted by hrhcc at 7:19 PM PST - 13 comments

I'm looking to buy a new camper van (class B motorhome) from a dealership in the US, and bring it into the Canada. According to everything I've read (multiple times!) from government agencies on both side of the border this seems very doable, but I was curious if anyone had first hand experience with the process. [more inside]
posted by cgg at 5:37 PM PST - 4 comments

I've got two car dealerships in a battle for my minivan dollar: what next? [more inside]
posted by saladin at 5:17 PM PST - 16 comments

I am considering buying a Seagull S6 guitar, which retails for about $400 in the US, where I live. It's made in Canada and I'm visiting Montreal next week. [more inside]
posted by Sublimity at 5:05 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a test coming up for a job position; part of it will involve a brief period to memorize a sorting chart, and then using that memory only to sort information according to the chart, in a very short amount of time. The problem-- ever since grade school, timed tests have been my bane, causing such extreme anxiety that I mentally freeze. Help. [more inside]
posted by The otter lady at 4:32 PM PST - 4 comments

Several legal bods in the UK often give out a warning about Contempt of Court/ prejudicing a trial. Is there any Not Prejudicing a Trial for Beginners I could read? [more inside]
posted by threetwentytwo at 4:15 PM PST - 3 comments

What are some fun things my husband and I can do on vacation in (mostly south) Maui this summer that would be best enjoyed without children? [more inside]
posted by lovableiago at 3:46 PM PST - 7 comments

We've just started looking for a house to buy. One of the main things we're looking for is a house that has the space to accommodate a band practice area (in the basement most likely), since we rent a separate space for that now. [more inside]
posted by disaster77 at 2:58 PM PST - 11 comments

I'm starting a monthly-ish "supper club" / "dinner club" / dinner-party-thing - short version: once a month-ish I'll cook and invite everyone I know, capping it off at 10-12 people. They can bring stuff or not, but I'll ask that they RSVP and let me know if they are planning to bring anything. It's inspired by Friday Night Meatballs, which is a catchy name. I'm not serving meatballs, and I'm not sure if it'll be on Friday nights! But I too would like a catchy name for it. [more inside]
posted by firei at 2:53 PM PST - 22 comments

I have a few bags of flours which I purchased from the bulk section of my local co-op. Unfortunately, they do not appear to be labeled. Is there a good way to identify different kinds of flour based on they feel, smell, etc? [more inside]
posted by Deathalicious at 2:26 PM PST - 6 comments

How do you know whether you can "reframe" your way into liking a job that has requirements you always said you didn't want to do? Is it possible that part of "growing up" is learning how to take a job that doesn't thrill you because it makes you a better provider? How do people do that? [more inside]
posted by crunchy potato at 2:26 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm a US citizen, but my education took place almost entirely in Ireland. I got my Fine Arts degree from an Irish college (actually an IT, if it makes a difference) about ten years ago. I'm interested in taking classes in several subjects for my own personal information - I am not interested in pursuing any further qualifications, but rather in learning for the sake of learning. [more inside]
posted by DSime at 2:17 PM PST - 14 comments

Hi Mefites -- Looking for some suggestions for instrumentals that evoke road trips in your mind. This will be interstitial music in a public radio show episode about road trips. Thanks for your time, consideration and help.
posted by DougieGee at 1:48 PM PST - 27 comments

Do you live with a soft footed spouse who sneaks up on you and scares you regularly? Help me not have a heart attack! Seriously! Examples within. [more inside]
posted by Crystalinne at 1:39 PM PST - 34 comments

I am interested in making a slight career adjustment from consulting to being an in-house subject matter expert. There is a graduate certificate program that looks interesting that would fill in some of my knowledge gaps. Are these types of certificates worthwhile? How do hiring managers feel about them? [more inside]
posted by chevyvan at 1:38 PM PST - 2 comments

My girlfriend and I are going to Eire in August for a week, and I'd love some suggestions. I thought we would spend 3-4 days in Dublin and then take the train to Galway for a couple more days. But the only thing set in stone is that we arrive in Dublin on one Saturday, and depart from Dublin the following Saturday. We have not yet booked places to stay. What's the best use of our time? [more inside]
posted by ubiquity at 1:29 PM PST - 13 comments

My girlfriend just job a job offer for a 3 month position in Seattle, great. Problem: Neither of us know the area, and the first day is in ONE WEEK TODAY. So we need to find her a place to live within transit distance of Westlake, maybe in the South Lake Union or Belltown areas, and we need her to be able to move in very soon, by the end of next week. [more inside]
posted by Canageek at 1:29 PM PST - 11 comments

I am in dire need of watching some excellent physical comedy. Please recommend some, past and present. [more inside]
posted by Melismata at 1:20 PM PST - 48 comments

I am very much interested in being in the path of totality of this summer's "American Eclipse" (I assume the sun will turn red white and blue). However, I have some difficulties in planning for the following reasons: 1. I am very busy with a full time job and part-time masters program. 2. I'm a natural procrastinator. 3. I am easily overwhelmed by having too many choices. 4. I have a dog. I'll either have to bring the dog or board it. [more inside]
posted by runcibleshaw at 1:04 PM PST - 11 comments

What are good features to look for in an electric range? Is a probe useful? Anything else? Anything you wish you knew before you bought yours? [more inside]
posted by Mayma Hosey at 11:58 AM PST - 19 comments

We are going on a very long road trip, and would love to have some good offline games for our kiddo. Do you have any recommendations? We can probably repurpose an iphone, as well. All devices are a bit dated. [more inside]
posted by moira at 11:31 AM PST - 17 comments

My wife and I are going to a wedding in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July, and we've expanded the trip to include two days in Dublin. We've essentially got two full days in both places, once you take out the time spent on wedding stuff. What should we do? [more inside]
posted by Ragged Richard at 11:29 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm going to visit a friend in their new city and one of the things they said about stuff we could do was: "Def bring swimwear by the way. Lake and river have lots of places to swim, jump off bridges and wee bars next to the river" Sounds great! Except that I wear contact lenses all the time. Are there any smart ways to enjoy water in summer while still wearing contacts? [more inside]
posted by neilb449 at 11:17 AM PST - 24 comments

We are attending an engagement luncheon soon. The couple are in their mid-40s, and one of them has been married before. They got engaged last winter, and a wedding has not yet been scheduled. They are hosting the party for themselves, and we must travel to it. Is this a gift situation, when we expect to eventually give a gift for the wedding?
posted by Dashy at 11:10 AM PST - 13 comments

I am working on a startup non-profit organization with about half a dozen team members. We need to get our password house in order. We have accounts at places like Squarespace, Mailchimp, Survey Monkey, Twitter, etc that multiple people need to access. Maintaining a list of login credentials in a Google Doc is not the right solution. What is? [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 11:04 AM PST - 11 comments

Recommendations and suggestions. [more inside]
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 10:53 AM PST - 8 comments

We've gotten into a bad baby bedtime routine and I need help! Can anyone advise me on how to get baby to sleep without head-bonking? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 10:25 AM PST - 11 comments

A person who is no relation to us walked into a TMobile store and bought a phone on our account. [more inside]
posted by vignettist at 9:59 AM PST - 9 comments

Due to lots of family visiting in the past couple of months, I haven't had time to plan our Greece trip this summer. Now I am in panic mode. We fly to Athens on July 17th for three weeks with 3 kids in tow, 11, 9 and 6 yrs old. [more inside]
posted by drug_dealer73 at 9:56 AM PST - 3 comments

What things should I consider when writing letters to a person in rehab? [more inside]
posted by loveandhappiness at 9:25 AM PST - 8 comments

Is there a list of good organizations who are fighting the current administration (or just fighting the good fight) in the courts? If not, let's make one! [more inside]
posted by kristi at 9:20 AM PST - 6 comments

Cat-naming filter: I need help finding out what this lovely rascal of a cat's name is. Despite being a soft dark grey and white ball of fluff, he refuses to answer to Pandabear (would have been so cute for him!). [more inside]
posted by mirileh at 8:21 AM PST - 48 comments

Is there an online shared calendar I can use where I can convert an event to different calendar platforms BEFORE I invite other users? [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:21 AM PST - 5 comments

My town has a beach at the local pond. I've been a couple of times this summer, which is already more time at a beach than in the prior, oh, ten years combined. I'm not a beach person, though I'm enjoying these beach visits well enough. I'm just not very good at it--either maximizing my enjoyment, or efficiently getting us and our junk there. Do you have beach tips? [more inside]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:04 AM PST - 16 comments

What are your favorite non-Italian food restaurants & cafes in Rome? [more inside]
posted by raztaj at 7:41 AM PST - 4 comments

Help me figure out whether biking to work will work for me. Snowflakes inside. [more inside]
posted by Tamanna at 7:05 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm interested in reading literary fiction novels or short stories about breakups. Have any ideas? [more inside]
posted by cvp at 6:31 AM PST - 11 comments

So… I like my face but not the way I look from the side. I have a -really- flat back of the head (due to my sleeping habits as a baby), a tall forehead and a small nose / mouth so from the side I look like all cheeks (having recently put on weight doesn't help). From the front, it's not bad but I cringe when I see pictures of myself taken from the side. I'd love to find a cute hairstyle to bring out the inner beauty that is currently kinda obscured ;) [more inside]
posted by M. at 6:25 AM PST - 19 comments

I urgently need an alternative to this which doesn't require access to the outdoors, or a hose and which is interesting but not so dramatic or messy. [more inside]
posted by blnkfrnk at 6:20 AM PST - 9 comments

I made friends with a pretty cool group of women in a city where all of us are lonely transplants. One of them comes from a massively wealthy family (think upper .05%). I grew up on food stamps. She seems to genuinely like and care for me, but her wilful political ignorance and sense of entitlement make it hard to be patient or even honest with her. Am I being a hypersensitive, self-righteous little class warrior, or is this a legitimate problem in our relationship? [more inside]
posted by peakes at 6:10 AM PST - 44 comments

I recently found a Motorola WX416 flip phone seemingly locked to Canada's Chatr Wireless that I'd like to use with another carrier - is there a non-sketchy way to unlock it? The strict legality does not concern me (I can't imagine anyone cares at this point), but I'd like to avoid giving money to any of the scammy-looking "unlock my phone" sites out there.
posted by ryanshepard at 4:40 AM PST - 2 comments

My mother has noticed for the past several weeks that a quarter of her shoulder length hair (the right front quadrant only) has a fishy smell. The smell is gone immediately after washing but returns within an hour. For several days it was gone altogether but came back. What is going on and how does she get rid of it? [more inside]
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 4:07 AM PST - 17 comments

Baby lóóóóóóóóóóóóóóves swimming! Pools and other recommendations for travel with a baby under a year old? [more inside]
posted by iiniisfree at 3:45 AM PST - 4 comments

I have seen a few cockroaches around our house, probably attracted by the crumbs my 1 year old baby is leaving all over. We are going away for almost 2 months. What can I do so that my house is roach free when we return? Can I just put foggers in the room where I have seen them when we leave? These are European roaches. Did I say gross? [more inside]
posted by catspajammies at 3:34 AM PST - 9 comments

I made some blueberry jam the other day (yum!), but things didn't go quite as expected during the boiling process. I'd like to understand what happened and whether it will be safe to keep in the cupboard and eat after a while. [more inside]
posted by montag2k at 11:18 PM PST - 6 comments

I have been offered the opportunity to write a local publication's new website content. My skills are strong, my qualifications weak. I have freelanced drawing skills before and undersold myself. Never again. Guidance or resources appreciated. [more inside]
posted by barrett caulk at 8:00 PM PST - 14 comments

Theater Filter: What's a good theatrical play for one person to read/present to a group? As a Toastmasters assignment in interpretive reading, I need to find a play or a self-contained scene that can be done in twelve to fifteen minutes. Ideas? [more inside]
posted by storybored at 5:19 PM PST - 7 comments

My brother is taking a job at a university in Tulsa. He knows nothing about the city. What is cool there? He's into the standard fare that many younger urban people like (music, food, bookstores, coffeeshops, etc.). What else should he know going in? Thanks!
posted by persona au gratin at 4:33 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm facing a decision about my maternity leave and career situation, and would value information about people's experiences returning to work after a 12 week FMLA maternity leave as I weigh my options. More information about my specific situation, and what types of information I am looking for, below. [more inside]
posted by sometamegazelle at 4:19 PM PST - 33 comments

I will soon be without my beloved and much revered and appreciated cleaning lady (finances are changing as I'm moving to a house). I need to start cleaning my own house and I haven't done it in like 20 years, so could use some advice on some things. (Yes, I had the same cleaning lady for 20 years - she is amazing and available if you live in LA!) [more inside]
posted by bluesky78987 at 3:39 PM PST - 25 comments

My brother is 46, has a developmental disability, and currently lives at home with our 83yo father. He loves swimming (public pool and water park) and works in a dish room 9 months out of the year (nearly full-time on his feet in damp surroundings). He's gotten athlete's foot a number of times, and is now getting over the second case of cellulitis between two toes (the first time was maybe 4 years ago) for which he was treated with antibiotics. I'd like to prevent a 3rd instance. [more inside]
posted by pammeke at 1:15 PM PST - 17 comments

Multistep move, probably from a house to a shorter-term rental and then back into a house. (This has to do with school start dates, job change dates, and minimizing family disruption.) Problem: House amount of stuff that probably won't fit into an apartment. But I really desperately want to use movers and not move myself. What are my options? [more inside]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:09 PM PST - 16 comments

Today I trimmed some pork spare ribs (following these directions). I'm left with quite a bit of meat (the rib tips and some other bits) containing lots of bone, cartilage, and connective tissue. What should I do with it? My inclination would be to slow cook it for tacos, but will picking out all the bones be a pain?
posted by quaking fajita at 12:44 PM PST - 7 comments

Someone I know has not been able to wear eye makeup for time but now can for [reason] and in order to celebrate [reason] I'd like to gift her a splurgey eye makeup related gift. Could be anything (consumable, tool) related to eye makeup. This person enjoys makeup as an almost-hobby and is familiar with brands, etc, but I most certainly am not. Is this doable or would I need to know more to get anything useful? Thank you!
posted by ftm at 12:44 PM PST - 24 comments

So said my three year old. Complication -- I'm brown. [more inside]
posted by heavenknows at 12:43 PM PST - 26 comments

(I'm a woman, UK-based.) I think I might have "anterior pelvic tilt". I think my belly has always protruded, even when I was underweight - although more so now that I'm at a BMI of about 20 (I feel like a lot of the weight I've put on has gone to my belly). The sticking-out part is mostly from just below my belly button downwards. I don't know how to tell if it's fat (visceral fat rather than subcutaneous - so I don't think pinching the skin on my stomach would work) or a posture issue. I *think* there's a posture problem (because my back does seem to have a fair bit of lordosis - I can slip a hand all the way through the space when standing against a wall), and maybe also a visceral fat problem in addition. I don't like my belly. What professional could I go to to a) figure out what the problem is b) help me fix it? I'm thinking a physiotherapist?
posted by tangerine_poppies at 12:27 PM PST - 15 comments

Today I, someone in Virginia, made a hotel reservation for a hotel in New York using Hotels.com. My confirmation email came to me from Hotels.com Asia. I am just curious why this was. Any ideas?
posted by 4ster at 12:20 PM PST - 10 comments

A few years ago, I was having bad back pain and was referred by my doctor to a physical therapist. After a few months of treatment with no real improvement, the therapist suggested I see one of his coworkers and said her treatment was "a little woo" but asked if I might be open to that. I'm generally a "hey, why not?" sort of person so I booked an appointment with the coworker for my next visit (this was at the same regular physical therapy clinic and was still covered by my insurance). [more inside]
posted by rainbowbrite at 12:16 PM PST - 5 comments

My mom, who had been dealing with stage IV metastatic breast cancer, died this Sunday kind of unexpectedly (we knew it was coming, just not this soon). I am feeling just overwhelmed right now but I also know that after this weekend, I need to go back to my apartment, new job, and do what I can to keep going on with life. How do people do this? [more inside]
posted by augustimagination at 12:11 PM PST - 21 comments

I've heard people say that writers make terrible editors, but I feel like I might be good at it?! I at least know that I enjoy doing it, and would like to do it more. I value critical feedback and find myself wishing for some kind of workshop to assess and build my editing skills. Does such a thing exist? How do editors become editors, anyhow? In short: How do you know if you're a good editor, how do you get better at it, and how do you find more editing work? Looking for personal anecdotes and resource recommendations. More details below the cut! [more inside]
posted by adastra at 10:56 AM PST - 6 comments

I left town for 10 days with my (home-built, previously-working-fine) desktop computer powered off and the surge protector switched off but not unplugged. I came back and now it won't turn on. Please help me figure out what the problem is. [more inside]
posted by number9dream at 10:19 AM PST - 18 comments

I'm going to India, and I love street food. And I've heard that south Asian street food is, like, special. But I don't like getting terribly ill. Is there any way that I can eat like the locals do but avoid hellacious sickness, or at least favourably skew the risk/reward ratio? [more inside]
posted by insteadofapricots at 9:59 AM PST - 41 comments

What are the best alternatives to Facebook for providing on-line events listings with RSVP, the ability to send out updates, etc.? [more inside]
posted by enn at 9:39 AM PST - 6 comments

Our 17-year-old calico (Kishiru) has always done something we call "Sock Patrol" where she brings one of Mr. altopower's socks into the living room while meowing very loudly. However, this behavior is increasing and we're not quite sure what to do. [more inside]
posted by altopower at 8:46 AM PST - 24 comments

I'm interested in products that will help make my life easier. Hit me! [more inside]
posted by mrfuga0 at 8:45 AM PST - 61 comments

Arriving in Boston (South Station) at 6pm on Monday, July 24th. Departing at 6:30am the next day on a flight from Logan Airport. What should I do during that time that's entertaining, cheap, and safe? [more inside]
posted by lucy.jakobs at 7:55 AM PST - 18 comments

I'm trying to re-activate an older-model Android phone that had been briefly lost (but subsequently found). I'm running into one stumbling block after another. [more inside]
posted by alex1965 at 7:16 AM PST - 13 comments

For various unimportant reasons, I find myself in a position where I need to organize and motivate volunteers to do things for a political organization. I know nothing about this, other than what I’ve gleaned by being an occasional volunteer myself, but having run one semi-successful campaign for my organization (and being a sucker who can’t say no) I’m now being asked to do more. I’m looking for suggestions of reading or listening material (academic work, blogs/articles, podcasts) that can teach me how to do this well. [more inside]
posted by juliapangolin at 7:09 AM PST - 2 comments

I want arduino type things (animatronics and audio "devices"), but I want someone else to build it for me (perhaps with specific elements to my design). Is there a central place I can find these?
posted by history is a weapon at 7:07 AM PST - 4 comments

I got back from a big vacation (my first in over ten years), where I took hundreds of photos on my Nexus 5x phone. I had been waiting to install an android update so that I could back them all up, but then the update installed itself... and bricked my phone. Can I recover my photos? I now have none of the trip, and I had plans for those photographs. [more inside]
posted by sockermom at 6:20 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm reading Garth Nix's Old Kingdom books again, and realised in doing so that it's been a long time since I read something that completely captivated me, and made me want to keep reading to the exclusion of other activities. I'm looking for more examples in a similar vein - YA fantasy series, with some specific likes/dislikes inside. [more inside]
posted by terretu at 6:13 AM PST - 38 comments

A while ago BBC radio reported on a journal article about conversation between men and women and how men assumed the speaker had finished their point after a much shorter pause than women did. I can't find the article just lots of stuff about men interrupting women. Can anyone with better googlefu or journal access find it for me?
posted by sodium lights the horizon at 4:34 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm 40 in a few days, and I've let myself get stuck. I'm taking care of my mom and sister while my job in a small rural town has mostly gone from bad to worse, and they've seemingly only gotten more dependent on me. I want to try to better myself, like going to school to retrain for a better job or even just finding a different job but don't know how to at all. [more inside]
posted by FireballForever at 3:44 AM PST - 13 comments

What is my job actually called in the SharePoint world? Am I an IT Pro? Power User? End User? Business? And why is none of this defined on a website? [more inside]
posted by almostwitty at 3:38 AM PST - 8 comments

I have written a book which is being self-published. People can name their own price, from zero on up, but anything they pay will be donated to a charity. Help me figure out the right way to get it online. [more inside]
posted by Orlop at 12:20 AM PST - 4 comments

My OCPD partner seems to getting worse, and I am contributing to it in part, by agreeing to their rules of conduct, but then failing to follow through. They remember every infraction, and this last infraction they seem tired of forgiving me for failing to follow simple instructions, as I just 'do it again', and worse than before. What is the best way to resolve this conflict (wait it out?), and what are the long-term strategies to not enable their OCPD behaviour? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:13 AM PST - 29 comments

I'm a supervisor in higher education, and one of my employees plans to resign in a few months. They are struggling with mental health issues so have wanted to keep that confidential. Now I'm in an awkward place, as my boss needs to be brought into the loop sooner rather than later so we can plan for a replacement, make arrangements for the Fall semester, etc. To complicate things employee will likely go on (non-essential) work-related travel in their last month. Have I already messed up by not immediately telling my boss? When am I required to tell my boss? My campus HR has not been helpful so far, and they are not good at confidentiality.
posted by anonymous at 12:13 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm turning 29 in two days. When I was a kid, I imagined 29 a lot differently than it turned out. It seems trite, but I think a little stock-taking is in order and I hope your collective brilliance would help me out! More below. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:12 AM PST - 8 comments

Hivemind: I'm looking for a small, good look'in backpack that folds flat and can be tucked into my main travel pack (Timbuk2 Command, which is only 32L) and then be used as a day pack. Please recommend away! [more inside]
posted by redwaterman at 9:40 PM PST - 9 comments

It was a plain text website that scrolled infinitely in any direction, and all text was editable by visitors to the site in real time. [more inside]
posted by wats at 9:06 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm exaggerating, but I have been doing mostly nothing for over a year, no work, no real friends, intermittent extraordinary suffering, lots of netflix. It's been really bad. But, things have been improving, and, this whole time, I've been a part of a ~30-ish person startup community containing people who really like me, and several of them have reached out saying they'd be game to help me become functional again by me working on their projects. [more inside]
posted by zeek321 at 9:05 PM PST - 7 comments

My local chain grocery store occasionally has gift cards (Visa/Mastercard gift cards, or the Gap or Amazon gift cards etc.) for sale at a discount (ex. $10 off if you buy a $100 gift card). On the surface this seems like a good deal - I'm guessing there is a catch. What is the catch? [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 9:04 PM PST - 12 comments

My skin that is generally oily has become dry at the same time, and I could use help adapting. [more inside]
posted by medusa at 8:33 PM PST - 14 comments

My job's duties and reach have changed and I need a new title to reflect what I do now. Everything I can think of seems clunky or too specific or doesn't accurately describe my responsibilities. I need help figuring out a title that is a level above where my current one is (more senior) and reflects most/all of what I oversee now. [more inside]
posted by rachaelfaith at 7:57 PM PST - 7 comments

My cousin has recently made a few semi attempts at suicide (he stopped himself each time and called 911). He's just been committed again. This has all been so sudden and my family is reeling trying understand what is happening. To complicate feelings, we're all still grieving my brother's OD about a year and a half ago. [more inside]
posted by blackzinfandel at 7:27 PM PST - 11 comments

Hi all, I've inherited a fairly horrible done site full kinks and NO ONE likes ModX, it's really a horrible CMS and not user friendly unless you got developer chops. That said, how easy are ModX to Wordpress migrations? I saw some cost around $1500 but unsure who is really proven in this space. Thanks
posted by bostonhill at 7:22 PM PST - 0 comments

Seeking your recommendations for tasty, reasonably healthy, nonalcoholic, ideally-not-too-caffeinated cold beverages. Would welcome specific brand suggestions, general categories of beverage, and/or recipes (syrups? infusions? kombuchas?) to make at home. Some preferences below: [more inside]
posted by ferret branca at 6:58 PM PST - 46 comments

Boyfriend dropped off a blazer at the dry cleaners and forgot to take out an envelope containing $1000 from the jacket pocket. We returned within 15 minutes of dropping it off when we realized our mistake. The blazer was sitting on the counter unattended, untagged, and without the envelope. The lady with whom we'd interacted earlier told us she didn't know anything (even before we told her about the missing envelope--super suspicious). We know we left the envelope in that pocket. What recourse do we have? [more inside]
posted by saltypup at 6:45 PM PST - 11 comments

I am a single woman, late 40s, divorced for almost 20 years and dating most of that time. I have a lot of newly single friends, recently divorced, new to dating. Anyway, I met this great girl, in that situation. We have been friends for about 6 months, talk or text almost every day. We have our differences, but we worked those out by just not talking about it at all (we are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, which in this particular day and age is really a big deal as we all know). Here's what I want to talk about - So she started dating after getting divorced from a 25 year marriage. She met a new guy online. He is married and "separated" for 1 year, but per my friend, he has not pursued a divorce at all. The man and his wife share a child. The man is far apart from the wife, in different cities. (Please see the extended explanation for the rest of this. Thanks.) What would you have said or done with this situation/friend? [more inside]
posted by bananaskin at 6:45 PM PST - 41 comments

I've finally scheduled an appointment for Monday. What should I do before then? What should I do during? And what should I do after? [more inside]
posted by pleasebekind at 6:31 PM PST - 6 comments

I've heard quite a bit about Shenzhen. I need a new laptop, phone and router. I'm looking for any excuse to visit while I'm living in Hong Kong. But there's always some problem.... [more inside]
posted by jago25_98 at 6:25 PM PST - 2 comments

What is the best retelling of Greek myths aimed at adults? I'm looking for something that covers a large number of stories about both gods and heroes, sticks fairly close to the original source texts, and is a little more story-shaped and entertaining to read than the work of Edith Hamilton or Robert Graves. [more inside]
posted by darchildre at 6:23 PM PST - 8 comments

Were German police departments overthrown by the Nazis, like most other institutions? Or did they meld easily into the new order? [more inside]
posted by LonnieK at 6:14 PM PST - 10 comments

Everything feels like it's on a deadline, which only exacerbates my anxiety and catastrophizing and threatens any progress I feel I've made. Is there a self-help book for that? [more inside]
posted by lesser weasel at 6:09 PM PST - 6 comments

About two years ago I was visiting the Louvre. I was in a room/wing devoted to naturalism (I believe) and came across a massive canvas depicting giants walking among dismembered humans. One of them may have been dragging a human head. Can anyone identify the painting that I saw? [more inside]
posted by craniac at 6:02 PM PST - 8 comments

I just poured a can of tomatoes into the curry that I am cooking and am slightly concerned about the can that the tomatoes came out of. The can is unlined and the metal is clearly galvanised. This seems unusual to me for a food can, but I'm not sure whether I'm just being overly paranoid. It's been a while since I've come across any cans without some kind of plastic lining. Can I eat my curry without concern?
posted by kinddieserzeit at 5:51 PM PST - 9 comments

I recently decided to try out boxer briefs after many years of wearing regular cotton boxers. I've since decided to switch over my whole rotation (I wish I'd switched sooner!). I especially like the ones that are made with moisture wicking material. Which are your favorites? I'm replacing a lot of them, so I'd like something reasonably priced (I would say about 6 to 10 per pair).
posted by codacorolla at 5:32 PM PST - 10 comments

Ottawa is going to be crazy busy this weekend. We are going to be in town, and want to see the fireworks Saturday night. Give me your suggestions for good, lesser know/somewhat less crowded vantage points - ideally those we can drive to. I know it's going to be nuts - missing the fireworks is not an option for our group. Hope me!
posted by walkinginsunshine at 5:08 PM PST - 3 comments

A few years ago, I wrote here that I wasn't focused on being happy, but instead on piling up credentials and other forms of security to protect myself. I knew I was odd in doing this, but I just thought that was the way I was. Now, I'm realizing that I feel more secure, than I used to and I'm interested in being happy. But focusing on being happy makes me anxious. Can you help me figure out how to approach this? [more inside]
posted by 3491again at 5:06 PM PST - 9 comments

My iPhone has been having issues and just deleted my message history. However, I still have all of them on the Messages program on my Macbook. Is there a way to transfer them back to the phone? [more inside]
posted by Sangermaine at 4:23 PM PST - 2 comments

Teenage daughter recently took a big interest in calligraphy. How should I encourage this? Send me resources--quick!
posted by TigerMoth at 3:19 PM PST - 18 comments

So I forgot my password to my Gmail account, and so I had to go through this process to recover it. Then I got a pass code to enter, and then another screen where I had to explain why my Gmail account belonged to me (something like that I forget). So I typed the reason "I forgot my password", and then it said a response will be sent back within 1-3 hours, and then they sent me another pass code to type a new password. I didn't know there was so much security for an unpaid Gmail account. Is the Google Accounts Team a group of actual people unlocking and analyzing Gmail accounts, or are these computers or bots programmed to monitor your email accounts? It's strange I had to type a reason to unlock my account.
posted by pieceofcake at 3:04 PM PST - 5 comments

I want to create an interactive walk-through of my college's admission processing steps for internal use. What's the best platform? And can you point to examples of this being done exceptionally well? [more inside]
posted by Caxton1476 at 2:50 PM PST - 5 comments

My freelance career involves a lot of driving from job to job. I'm curious how far I can drive for a job before I start only breaking even or losing money. [more inside]
posted by carlypennylane at 2:36 PM PST - 12 comments

Have you done ketamine infusions for depression? What were they like? [more inside]
posted by colorblock sock at 2:21 PM PST - 15 comments

I am considering relocating to Henderson Nevada. I would appreciate any information you can share given my circumstances below the fold... [more inside]
posted by ramix at 2:00 PM PST - 12 comments

We are re-doing our fireplace (cosmetically) and would love some advice on a few things. [more inside]
posted by silsurf at 1:46 PM PST - 6 comments

I am fat and so is my boyfriend. We want to see concerts and plays, but most of our local venues have tiny, uncomfortable seats that leave you holding hands with your neighbors. How do we deal with it? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:30 PM PST - 13 comments

I am a full-time independent contributor at an enterprise company. My new boss (she joined a few months ago) recently pushed me to resign (alternative being put performance plan), because I wasn't "meeting expectations". She never gave me warning or feedback about my performance beforehand, nor truly explained afterwards. I don't think I really deserved it, and I've worked with many many people across the company and have consistently gotten great reviews from my peers, and the few people I shared my situation with were absolutely shocked. I put in my notice because I had no real choice, but before I sign any final documents, I want to make sure I protect my rights (if I have any, that is). I'm mainly looking at the whether I can petition for unemployment (I'm in CA). I do not want to keep this job anymore nor do I want to cause drama. However, if push comes to shove, what should I do? What protections, rights, or power do I have as an employee? [more inside]
posted by lacedcoffee at 1:25 PM PST - 13 comments

I want a wood stripping product (solvent) that has a comparatively low quantity of methylene chloride (DCM). But these products don't list their ingredients. Do you know of a good product, or can you help me find this information? [more inside]
posted by kitcat at 1:24 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm contemplating driving from Denver to Santa Fe in a few weeks to check out Meow Wolf by myself (as part of an extended Artist's Date/Artist's Way weekend, if it matters). Will I regret not going with my husband or someone I know? I feel silly asking this question, as I am perfectly capable of having a good time on my own, but I wonder how much of it is about experiencing/discussing/absorbing it WITH someone else? [more inside]
posted by GoldenEel at 11:10 AM PST - 9 comments

All this news media distrust going around is starting to rub off on me, and it's unsettling to say the least. I figure the best thing I could do is to kind of start from scratch, and evaluate as many of the most known sources of news (newspapers, magazines, radio programs, online news sites, etc.) as I can, in the most objective way that I can. The hope is to ultimately feel confident in ignoring the less trustworthy sources and trusting the most reliable sources. So please give me ideas and resources for evaluating those sources for trustworthiness/reliability. Some fine print below. [more inside]
posted by Mechitar at 11:08 AM PST - 20 comments

I'm helping some family members divide property following a death. Is there a program I could use to generate randomized groupings of assets with each grouping having equal value? [more inside]
posted by Mid at 10:52 AM PST - 6 comments

In the next couple of years (there is no official timeline), I would like to go back to school and pursue a PhD in history or a related discipline. Before I do that, though, I want to spend time developing my research and writing skills. [more inside]
posted by delight at 10:34 AM PST - 5 comments

Is there any iOS equivalent to the fortune app? I've got a list of quotes I really like. I'd like to be fed one a day, ideally using the notifications feature of my iPhone, but I'm up for email as well. Do I need to roll my own for this, or is there an existing solution out there?
posted by leotrotsky at 10:12 AM PST - 1 comment

I have found the perfect pen. But where can I buy it again? [more inside]
posted by quadrilaterals at 10:12 AM PST - 11 comments

On Friday, my family and I are going to court to read our victim impact statements. [more inside]
posted by byjingo! at 10:08 AM PST - 19 comments

This was an animated short, released between 1999 and 2006, potentially from Korea, about the Korean Dangun/Tangun myth. This myth involves a tiger and a bear camping out in a cave and eating vegetables. The film was probably made digitally, but looked as if everything was cut from paper and stop-motion animated. [more inside]
posted by beerbajay at 10:04 AM PST - 2 comments

There's a lot of rhetoric about the healthcare bill killing the poor. Certainly it will have a disproportionate effect, but why would rich people actually want to do this, when the poor serve the rich and consume what they make? Hypothetical inside. [more inside]
posted by AFABulous at 9:49 AM PST - 43 comments

Looking for adventure-ish birthday/date ideas for adult humans within a short drive (.5 to 1 hour) of Chapel Hill / Durham, NC. [more inside]
posted by amtho at 9:44 AM PST - 7 comments

A creative team who are minor celebrities will be at San Diego Comic Con, and so will I. We work with the same medium-sized publishing company at the same level, but they're much more famous than I am. Is there a non-weird way for me to ask for an introduction? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:19 AM PST - 8 comments

This was me wondering if I should leave my toxic workplace for a new opportunity - I made my decision (YES!) but I'm still at my current place for another 1.5 months. [more inside]
posted by wannabecounselor at 7:49 AM PST - 13 comments

My kid (8) is really into machines, taking stuff apart and fixing them, and LOVED a recent bike repair workshop aimed at kids. More of the same, please! [more inside]
posted by lizifer at 7:23 AM PST - 4 comments

This is a question about cat behavior in a multi-cat household. I don't want to rehome anyone but things can't continue like this. Details and pictures below the fold. [more inside]
posted by bile and syntax at 7:01 AM PST - 13 comments

Sexual abuse survivor badly triggered by thought of airport scanners and groping + family health crisis across the country. What have you done + what do I do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:03 AM PST - 21 comments

Divorce survivors: What's the single best piece of pre-divorce advice you received? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:03 AM PST - 31 comments

I have just moved to a rural area from a large east cost city. The two jobs are so different and the pros and cons don't seem comparable so I'm pretty lost. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:03 AM PST - 14 comments

Can anyone provide links to news stories reporting any negative impacts experienced as a result of the use of smartphones (by either medical staff or patients/families) in a hospital/medical setting?
posted by joelhunt at 5:34 AM PST - 3 comments

I work at an auction house and we have received an enameled vessel with a hallmark we can't identify. Can you help? [more inside]
posted by shibori at 4:53 AM PST - 2 comments

Does what it says on the label - Is there an app that will allow me to use a (physically) secured iPad as a video intercom/doorbell in an unattended office reception environment? [more inside]
posted by LongDrive at 4:26 AM PST - 4 comments

I have had enough of my workplace and wish to escape to something less exhausting while I figure out what I want to do in life. Is this an okay move "professionally speaking"? [more inside]
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 1:02 AM PST - 8 comments

Living abroad. Underemployed and soon to be unemployed. Feeling totally miserable and frustrated. Which is destroying my relationship. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:06 PM PST - 7 comments

Every month, for 1-2 days, I get pain and bloating that goes from the bottom of my ribcage to my pubic area. It feels like I am full of air/gas. If I press on my stomach, it feels tender. After 1.5 - 2 days, the gas begins to expel, odorlessly, and I feel completely better. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:45 PM PST - 10 comments

My best friend and I talk every single day over WhatsApp for HOURS. We talk when we wake up. We send each other links and jokes throughout the day. We usually talk deep into the night until we go to bed (too late). I can tell her anything, and I do. She does the same with me. In most ways, this is GREAT. I have always longed for a friendship that is this intellectually engaged and this mutually supportive. The reliability is something I've never had before, and I would never want to give it up or take it away from her. But we're both depressive types, who, frankly, aren't doing as much with our lives as we could be, and part of me wonders if we're using the comfort we offer each other to avoid growing. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:09 PM PST - 9 comments

We're in search of ideas of restaurants to hold a Friday night wedding rehearsal dinner in February near (near-ish?) Olympic and La Cienega? [more inside]
posted by atomicstone at 8:51 PM PST - 2 comments

How do modern people sync their music to Android phones? [more inside]
posted by pravit at 6:57 PM PST - 21 comments

I'm in the US as a J-1 visiting professor. I'm required to have health insurance for my visa (details within). What's the cheapest plan that will meet these criteria? I'm in California. [more inside]
posted by zeri at 6:54 PM PST - 8 comments

My community offers free lunch and snacks for children during the summer. Should I participate in this program? [more inside]
posted by bq at 6:28 PM PST - 17 comments

What are some places for group therapy in or around Tucson,AZ or places that can help me to find any? I am in my twenties so I guess groups for people around my age would be best but I don't really care much. I just thought I might as well try it since it seems to work better than individual therapy for my friend. [more inside]
posted by WhitenoisE at 6:07 PM PST - 2 comments

We live in an area where people who have ash trees and don't want them to get cut down to avoid emerald ash borer infestation are being advised to consider having them preventatively treated. The leaves on two of ours don't look like the pictures I've seen of ash trees, but can someone confirm? Tree 1, tree 1 leaves, tree 2, tree 2 leaves.
posted by lakeroon at 5:49 PM PST - 6 comments

I want to read something to help me connect with what my sister went through in her last years. She was an alcoholic who died in her early 40s. She struggled most of her life with depression, and I knew she had a substance abuse problem, but I didn't even nearly understand the depth of it until she was gone. Nonfiction accounts are preferred. I am not sure what I want, other than just a look at what life might have been for her (physiologically, emotionally, financially, socially, etc.)
posted by AgentRocket at 3:39 PM PST - 31 comments

I posted a general career question some time back. This one is more specific. The meat of it is, as it says on the tin: how do I go from being a social worker who has done direct practice of one sort or another for a dozen years to being in a more policy-oriented job without, say, getting another damn degree? [more inside]
posted by Smearcase at 3:34 PM PST - 5 comments

How did a white carton become synonymous with Chinese takeout in the U.S.? [more inside]
posted by Perodicticus potto at 3:06 PM PST - 11 comments

I have a decent sized numismatic collection, but for various reasons the Excel file I use to catalogue the collection and record important and thrillingly nerdy details about each coin is becoming unwieldy. Help me jump to a new programme. [more inside]
posted by Hadrian at 3:00 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm going on a road trip in August from Manchester VT to Boston MA, but where should I stop? [more inside]
posted by larkery at 2:04 PM PST - 11 comments

I apparently have an audible credit leftover. Give me some book recs, please and thank you. [more inside]
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 1:58 PM PST - 29 comments

I love HealthMonth (yay Team MetaFilter!) but have had ongoing account problems, and the site owner/administrator is unreachable. I'm looking for a gamified, health-focused goal tracker that also allows me to set non-health related goals. [more inside]
posted by angiep at 1:42 PM PST - 2 comments

Is there a way to connect my iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) to my PC and use it to draw inside the desktop version of Photoshop or Illustrator? I know there are Photoshop and Illustrator apps for the iPad, but I'd like to use the full versions of those programs. I'm also curious if the iPad can be used in this manner. [more inside]
posted by galaxypeachtea at 12:47 PM PST - 5 comments

I would like more examples of rock songs that have a significant shift partway through and which could be considered two separate songs. [more inside]
posted by komara at 12:07 PM PST - 89 comments

A dear colleague is departing my IT shop to go to grad school, and I want to buy or make her a t-shirt that incorporates the phrase "data are...": Data are Beautiful, Data are Important, Data are Plural, something like that. Give me your ideas! [more inside]
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:01 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm wondering if there are workbooks, books, guidelines etc where I could practice Ask Culture in my daily life. Philosophically Ask Culture feels comfortable and have adapted to it, however, being from a guess culture, I feel myself slipping back. I think some of this is because I've never been good at the ettiquette around asking. For example, I have a friend who I feel like could say and ask for anything and I am never offended. I feel like it's because she knows when to use a light delivery, humor, or to give appropriate context, or to appeals to the motivation in others. These are all things I tend to miss. I would like to be good at asking for things from the sweet Barista to my scary father. I would also like to know when you just sometimes suck it up and let it go. Any suggestions or resources to practice this?
posted by PeaPod at 12:00 PM PST - 13 comments

This overgrown monstrosity is actually a flower bed. Miraculously, a series of flowers appear there every year (I guess that's, like, bulbs or something?). How do I kill the weeds while avoiding collateral damage to the bulbs? [more inside]
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:02 AM PST - 18 comments

A man who I am casually dating is in treatment for cancer. He was diagnosed after we met. He has a few weeks of treatment left and it has been really hard on him, both physically and emotionally. I've been through cancer treatment myself, so I can empathize, but I was never really sick and had no bad side effects. I send him a text message every day to check in, but asking "how are you today?" is not what I want to continue asking. I'd like things like, "wishing you peace and comfort today", as that takes the burden off of him to be happy or share what's really going on if he doesn't want to. PS He's not religious, so prayers are not an option.
posted by jennstra at 10:48 AM PST - 12 comments

How do I change things so that I have enough food at home? [more inside]
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 10:30 AM PST - 41 comments

Help me figure out a calorie-blazing cardio workout now that I'm living with a (seemingly) chronic lower back injury. [more inside]
posted by mykescipark at 10:29 AM PST - 8 comments

A good friend's 18 year old daughter hung herself while in the hospital two+ years ago. He has not coped well and is getting more and more isolated/withdrawn/disengaged. What can I do to help from a long distance? He has been diagnosed with complicated grief, depression, anxiety and PTSD following her death. [more inside]
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 10:08 AM PST - 4 comments

My octogenarian mother in Portland Oregon needs to give up her cat, as she is no longer able to deal with taking care of it. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:04 AM PST - 18 comments

My husband and kid are going to be away for a week in august so my best friend and I are also going to be taking the week off and she is going to come up and spend the week with me. We're both super duper excited. I want to make it as super fun, memorable, and ridiculous as possible, so I'm hoping the green can help me come up with different over the top things I can prepare in advance and surprise her with that will help our weekend be extra fun. Current ideas and details within. [more inside]
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 9:53 AM PST - 5 comments

How can I set boundaries with a visiting friend, without coming across as rude or unwelcoming? [more inside]
posted by jschu at 9:24 AM PST - 26 comments

Will a Worcester Uber be willing to take me to Boston on a Wednesday around 11:00PM? Looks like about a 1 hour / 44 mile ride. I've never tried a lengthy ride outside of the local "service area" like this before. I guess it's up to the individual driver? But what can I expect? Thanks for any tips.
posted by Perplexity at 9:23 AM PST - 12 comments

A friend and I are visiting Stowe, Vermont over 4th of July weekend. What are some fun things we can do there? [more inside]
posted by silverstatue at 9:10 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm an excellent cook, but a somewhat banal griller. Food comes off the grill fully cooked, and tasty enough, but it's never as notable as my indoor meals. How do I get out of my rut? [more inside]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:47 AM PST - 14 comments

My mother repeatedly insisted my upcoming wedding is a mistake. I lied and told her I'm postponing it. She's happy now, but won't be when she finds out I got married and invited everyone but her. Please help me navigate this situation (details inside). [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:47 AM PST - 43 comments

We have a new,large (4 x 3ft) magnetic whiteboard in our kitchen. I have found poetry, tetris, butterfly themed magnet sets online. What magnets/sets are on your whiteboard/fridge that are fun, useful, educational or beautiful?
posted by therubettes at 7:34 AM PST - 8 comments

My son, 15, is difficult to find books for. Despite the saying, he tends to judge them by the cover. He'll be away for a few weeks, with limited access to computers, so I'm looking to find some science fiction books for him. [more inside]
posted by bondcliff at 7:31 AM PST - 52 comments

My cousin is eating a ketogenic diet due to a cancer diagnosis. He and his wife and another couple are coming to dinner at my house in a few weeks. To add to the fun, with the exception of butter, my cousin’s wife doesn’t eat dairy. [more inside]
posted by Dolley at 6:22 AM PST - 19 comments

Is there a service that delivers tall, potted houseplants in NYC for a reasonable rate? [more inside]
posted by annabellee at 5:20 AM PST - 5 comments

I got 3 kids, one friend willing to pick us up at LAX and 13 hour layover to catch a flight to Australia at 2200 hours. What to do? [more inside]
posted by jadepearl at 4:23 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm in Delhi right now working for the next four weeks and looking for a couple of travel destinations for about ten days. There are SO MANY THINGS I'm having trouble making a decision about where to go. [more inside]
posted by orangesky4 at 2:48 AM PST - 5 comments

We're looking to sell our pokey two bedroom flat in London and buy a four bedroom house with garden that is close to good schools and doesn't take more than an hour to get to Canary Wharf and Zone 1. What websites/resources would you recommend to help us decide where to live? [more inside]
posted by mr_silver at 1:30 AM PST - 11 comments

A couple weeks ago, I went to Italy and took a train that passed a few mystery facilities (street view) near Orbetello that looked a little bit like water treatment plants, but different. What were they? [more inside]
posted by ddbeck at 1:05 AM PST - 4 comments

When I was out in Kuching, Malaysia, I heard a song in what sounded like Malay (or maybe Bahasa Indonesia?) I don't think it was English or an easily recognizable Western language. Almost every local seemed to know the words and, the second night I heard it, they did a cha cha slide-like dance to it that involved stepping forward and back and then turning 90 degrees. The other distinctive feature of the song is a "hoooooooo HA!" phrase that repeats. [more inside]
posted by that silly white dress at 10:53 PM PST - 3 comments

We're old, married, set in our ways. Are we cut out for parenting? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:45 PM PST - 58 comments

I love any and all non-fiction about magic, and would like to find more of it. [more inside]
posted by frizzle at 9:09 PM PST - 16 comments

Hi HiveMind, a while ago I found an online guide to hosting a type of dinner party for grief, where everyone brings a photo of someone close to them who has passed away and also brings their favorite food and drink. The point is to share memories about loved ones, while participating in a sensory and bread-breaking activity. I cannot find this guide anywhere for the life of me... Does anyone know what I'm talking about? [more inside]
posted by rogerrogerwhatsyourrvectorvicto at 9:04 PM PST - 3 comments

Help me make the dopest fucking apple butter. [more inside]
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 8:37 PM PST - 8 comments

I broke up with a guy after five months because he wasn't fully committing to the relationship, but in retrospect I think I acted impulsively because I was afraid he was losing interest and about to reject me. We've hung out twice since the break up and both times were amazing. I want to get back with him but he no longer will commit to being exclusive. Is there any hope of getting back into an exclusive relationship with him? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:20 PM PST - 35 comments

What are your recommendations for the best Potterverse fan fiction set in the USA? [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:06 PM PST - 10 comments

My sister-in-law and her husband are moving to Chicago next month. I'd like to get them a gift certificate to use when they get there. They'll be living in Edgewater. What's a good coffee shop or coffee roaster in the area? (Other recommendations welcome.)
posted by erloteiel at 7:46 PM PST - 6 comments

My folks have been using Moto G smartphones with T-Mobile. They’re light users, and they like the phones but they’re unhappy with the coverage. I looked into switching them over to a minimal 2GB Verizon postpaid account for better coverage, but Verizon won’t accept their phones. Verizon has a Moto G, but it’s for prepaid. Do you have any suggestions on an equivalent phone I could get them to replace their Moto Gs on a Verizon postpaid plan?
posted by Borborygmus at 7:04 PM PST - 5 comments

Is there any way to drop an “F” if my kid with mental illness missed the deadline for Withdraw? The college she is attending is University of Chicago. She took 4 courses last quarter, got 3 As. The 4th course needed to be withdraw. She was diagnosed as depression and had been on medication. She was really sick in April (the beginning of the spring quarter). She missed classes as well as exams. She was managed to catch up for the other 3 classes. For the 4th course (the hardest for her), she never showed up in the class again after her sickness. She didn’t drop the course until we found she got an “F”. This could be really related to her social anxiety and panic disorder. She automatically put a “Wall” if she feels not comfortable of answering these emails. She never replied to emails, text messages and calls from her family for several weeks when she was “sick”. The class instructor agrees to change “F” (fail) to “W”(withdraw) if the associate dean agrees. However, the associate dean believes that my kid couldn’t possibly forget the deadline because my kid withdrew courses in previous years. Also the dean think she is too “rude” to not answering emails to the professors and the staff. [more inside]
posted by mysunshine at 7:01 PM PST - 31 comments

As a public radio junkie, I hear radio hosts interview guests located in remote studios several times a week. I've always wondered what goes on behind the scenes. [more inside]
posted by eotvos at 6:55 PM PST - 7 comments

Moving to Buffalo to attend grad school at UB. I have never spent an extended amount of time in Buffalo and I have many questions, largely about apartments/neighborhoods/commutes/the two (three?) campuses. Please help. [more inside]
posted by Amy93 at 6:51 PM PST - 6 comments

How does an adult go about learning to ride a bicycle for the very first time? [more inside]
posted by Vrai at 6:32 PM PST - 16 comments

We want to plant a decorative tree -- and because it's in honor of someone, I want to do as much as I can do make this a lock. What things will best contribute to success? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 6:14 PM PST - 9 comments

Long story short: I THOUGHT I'd backed up my pictures & video to both Verizon and Google, but alas, no. I factory reset my phone because I was hoping I was having some software issues, but it turns out what I actually have is a non-functional micro-USB charging port. [more inside]
posted by JimBJ9 at 5:47 PM PST - 1 comment

I moved hundreds of miles away from my husband and his family to participate in an intensive summer class this summer. Someone central to my husband's life has suddenly died and I can't be there to help him through it. I am trying to think of ways to help his family to function during their grieving that I can perform from a distance that will ease their burden and make them feel cared for.
posted by Foam Pants at 4:23 PM PST - 4 comments

When I get into my car, my iPhone connects to Bluetooth and begins to play my downloaded songs in alphabetical order. I don't want to hear Lucinda Williams' "Abandoned" ever again. Is there a secret squirrel setting I can change to make it stop?! [more inside]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 2:57 PM PST - 14 comments

I live in NYC and want to move back to the (general) area I grew up in, about three hours north in Western MA. I have friends and some family there and I want to be close to them and away from the city, and I want to live someplace quieter, with more green space and less hubbub. I'd like to do it in the next 12 months, hopefully less. In order to do this, I will need to acquire housing and a job. I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about it. What order do I do it in? [more inside]
posted by cowboy_sally at 2:35 PM PST - 8 comments

I have some Sugardale bacon that has been stored in the freezer until today. It's best if used by date is September 2016. I was planning to thaw it and cook it for a recipe but then wondered if it's safe to consume.
posted by MeFiMouse at 2:11 PM PST - 14 comments

My husband, who is skilled at assembling furniture and has a lot of experience with IKEA, put together a LÅNGFJÄLL desk chair, and we can't figure out how to get the casters (feet) to stay on. There doesn't seem to be any way for them to lock in. They look like they're staying, and then as soon as you move a tiny bit, one or more fall out. [more inside]
posted by radioamy at 1:56 PM PST - 6 comments

The time has come for me to invest in a new everyday bag, and I’ve searched high and low but can’t find a bag that meets my basic requirements (see below). I’d like something like a messenger bag, but my current ones have been chewing up my clothes something fierce. Can you help me find a kinder, gentler bag that’s still tough enough to survive life in the big city? [more inside]
posted by rafaella gabriela sarsaparilla at 1:13 PM PST - 16 comments

I'm recording a band rehearsal tomorrow, but am limited to two channels for sound (and to two mics): what is the best approach to mic position etc? [more inside]
posted by johnsohl at 1:13 PM PST - 4 comments

Asking for a friend: (How) should one present leadership positions in political organizations on a resume for non-political positions? [more inside]
posted by Alterscape at 12:54 PM PST - 6 comments

My boyfriend and I will be arriving at LAX around 9:30 on a Friday morning and are looking for a place to have a relaxing breakfast/brunch/lunch before we have to drive for a couple hours to our final destination. [more inside]
posted by jouir at 12:38 PM PST - 14 comments

I'm need some sort of (Mac) multimedia "slide show" tool for a live theatre performance. This will be for showing photographs and playing sound cues. I could almost use Powerpoint, but I need two or three layers of audio playing simultaneously. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by grumblebee at 12:38 PM PST - 11 comments

I consider myself fairly smart and educated, but I'm nearing the end of my long education and am about to need a whole lot more skills in the areas of goal-setting, planning, and staying on task department. Snowflake details inside. [more inside]
posted by sciencemandan at 11:59 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for cinch straps, around 1 to 1.5 inches wide, at least 24 inches long that are the type that you pull the strap through a buckle, but THEN pull the loose end back over the buckle, which flips the buckle into a locking position and pulls the strap a bit tighter than you could do it by hand alone in a regular strap (usually the strap material has a bit of flex in it to accommodate this). What are these straps called? How do I find them? [more inside]
posted by buckaroo_benzai at 10:31 AM PST - 13 comments

When I get close to people, I start having powerful feelings for them. I'm married, bi, and my partner has no problem with me exploring these feelings. But I do, because I don't have an understanding of healthy relationships outside of the patriarchal hetero nuclear family. Please explain to me like I was 17 how to have healthy, queer, adult relationships. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:57 AM PST - 12 comments

I just put on a pot of green beans, which I will be eating soon with some potatoes and olive oil on pasta. This will be breakfast. As it turns out, I much prefer non-breakfast food for breakfast. It only recently occurred to me that there's no actual requirement to eat oatmeal (or whatever) in the morning hours. I did not expect to find fun in eating pasta in the morning but I do. In what unexpected areas, no matter how small, have you discovered some amount of pleasure or joy? [more inside]
posted by Bella Donna at 9:36 AM PST - 42 comments

I'm on a very low inflammatory diet for the time being. How should I eat every day to make sure I have enough energy and calories to sustain me? [more inside]
posted by Rocket26 at 9:27 AM PST - 9 comments

We've got some sort of bug, or caterpillar, or pest in our house. But what is it? Photos inside. [more inside]
posted by .kobayashi. at 9:16 AM PST - 2 comments

I am organising a non-religious Service of Remembrance for people to honour their departed dogs. I am after suggestions for appropriate poems and songs for this service. [more inside]
posted by DarlingBri at 8:30 AM PST - 14 comments

Without thinking about it, I used the word "yeppers" (meaning "yes") in an email to my mom. She'd never heard it before, and I can't think of where I might have picked it up. Where did this word come from, and how long has it been circulating?
posted by heatherlogan at 8:08 AM PST - 21 comments

We have a low stucco wall that runs along the edge of our property. I noticed recently that it has a large-ish (softball sized) hole in it, about 6" from the end of the wall. The wall appears to be hollow inside. The hole is covered by a hedge, so is virtually invisible unless you're looking for it. This is in a warm, dry climate (Southern California). Structurally speaking, do we need to do something about this, or can we leave the hole as is without risking further issues? [more inside]
posted by arnicae at 8:07 AM PST - 7 comments

My mother is coming to visit next weekend. For three days we will be working on clearing out my storage unit. For large items, I have a sense of how to deal with them: if they're coming with me, we move them. If they're not, I arrange for a donation pickup. What I don't have a handle on is the best strategy for dealing with boxes whose contents are only vaguely known. (They're pretty much all labeled with the room they came from when I moved two years ago, but they don't often have more information than that.) Help me come up with a game plan. [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco at 7:56 AM PST - 16 comments

I'm looking for a smart lock with keypad to install in my home with a few must-haves. [more inside]
posted by backwards guitar at 7:54 AM PST - 6 comments

I was at a party yesterday, where the topic came to 'cultural differences'. My conversation partner remembered once hearing about research about American soldiers dating European women after WWII, and their differences in relationship progression. Now I can't find the article.. [more inside]
posted by Thisandthat at 5:38 AM PST - 4 comments

Here's the layout: I recently purchased an Instant Pot. I made a few things with it so far and they came out edible. I'm about to start a fitness program intended for bulking up (i.e., building muscle). To achieve my goals, I'll need a stock of meals with a strong protein bias. See inside for minor constraints and a plea for mercy. [more inside]
posted by trevor_case at 4:54 AM PST - 7 comments

I apologise for the length, I want to try and include all the relevant details. [more inside]
posted by SnapperJack at 1:35 AM PST - 18 comments

I'll be in London for a couple weeks in July, with most evenings free. What is some great theatre I should check out? [more inside]
posted by acidic at 12:53 AM PST - 10 comments

What's the best app or website that I can use to manage a garage sale - both a virtual/online sale and a planned in-person sale? [more inside]
posted by otherwordlyglow at 10:12 PM PST - 2 comments

Yesterday, I finished a three week course of prednisone, prescribed by my neurologist to rule out rebound headaches. About a week ago, I developed a rash on my chest that I thought was heat rash, because that happens to me and I was outside on a hot day. But it's gotten worse. [more inside]
posted by Ruki at 8:21 PM PST - 7 comments

Is it dangerous to cook or eat boiled Nyquil? [more inside]
posted by divabat at 7:43 PM PST - 15 comments

I haven't played video games with a controller in several years. I've picked up a few PC games that really need one, and I'd like to enjoy them, but I'm terrible at basic activity with the controller itself. I finally picked up a controller - XBox 360 wired - and I'd like some recommendations for fun, probably easy, games with the sole purpose of learning how the controller works. [more inside]
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 6:21 PM PST - 14 comments

After a couple of weeks in the online dating world, I'm pretty disheartened. It just moves too fast. No one wants to invest quality time in written communication. What's a sapiosexual to do? [more inside]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:34 PM PST - 34 comments

We’re trying to find the best way for the two of us and our toddler to get to and from a wedding in LA (we are staying around Chinatown, wedding is downtown). Taxi? Ride share? Something else? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 4:07 PM PST - 9 comments

I want to buy a bunch of pairs of cotton underwear that are as close as possible to the nylon/polyester/spandex underwear I currently have, and this is proving annoyingly difficult. [more inside]
posted by skycrashesdown at 2:05 PM PST - 8 comments

Looking for someone to repair a plate in Austin, TX. [more inside]
posted by theRussian at 1:39 PM PST - 4 comments

I have no experience with white noise machines, but things like street noise really bother me and for the next 2 months I'm going to be occupying a street facing room on a moderately busy street. I've lived in back facing rooms for many years now and the quiet is really important to me. I need to find ways of soundproofing (although that goes only so far without a real overhaul - which is not possible) and so I'm looking to add ambient noise. More inside. [more inside]
posted by whatdoyouthink? at 12:35 PM PST - 12 comments

I have been undergoing a series of stressful times one after the other, and I need to figure out what kind of extreme self-care I can do to keep my recurring depression/anxiety at bay. [more inside]
posted by Ziggy500 at 12:34 PM PST - 13 comments

I ended a complicated and messy friendship a few days ago, and now I'm a wreck. I'm having enormous trouble processing my feelings and understanding where all of it is coming from, accepting that I've made my decision, and moving on. Did I overreact? Did I make a mistake? What should I be learning from this? What questions should I be asking myself? What else am I missing? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:30 PM PST - 18 comments

While looking for something unrelated on my ISP's web site, I came across a pricing document that included, in addition to normal internet products, "HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SERVICE (Not Including Internet Access or ISP Features)". What does it even mean to have internet service and not internet access? What is the use of this? [more inside]
posted by Lirp at 11:18 AM PST - 4 comments

I tried my hand at creating a sourdough starter for the first time and need some help verifying if what I have on hand right now is healthy fermentation or something that needs to be thrown out and started over. Photos inside. [more inside]
posted by nightrecordings at 11:07 AM PST - 7 comments

After fasting him for a few days, trying to feed him a blanched pea, and antibiotics, what is next step in a betta SBD treatment regimen? Should I fast him for a few more days and try a daphnia or epsom salts? Or is this likely a bacterial infection that antibiotics should fix? [more inside]
posted by Llamadogdad at 10:06 AM PST - 1 comment

I'm cleaning out my Dropbox folder. When I tried to batch-delete files from the Dropbox website, I got an error message saying "too many files--use desktop application." So I re-downloaded the application, then deleted all the files from the desktop folder, then hit "sync." I hoped that when I synched the desktop folder and the online folder, the deleted folders would disappear from the online folder. But of course what happened instead is that Dropbox re-added all the folders I had already deleted back to the desktop folder. I'm currently deleting these all manually from the online folder--is there a better/faster way?
posted by lotf629 at 9:42 AM PST - 3 comments

I have been halfway talked into auditioning for my local community theater in the fall. [more inside]
posted by Archipelago at 9:41 AM PST - 2 comments

I have a Dell Inspiron 15 3000 series. I'm running Windows 8.1.At some point (don't remember when), my laptop became slow at all things, especially waking up. I also believe it has some power issues, but when I run the power troubleshooter, it says everything is fine. I'm happy to answer questions/give details. I don't know a ton about computer things, but I can follow directions that are written clearly. More details about problems and things I've tried inside. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:33 AM PST - 9 comments

I've been supervising staff for about a year. I would, eventually, like to continue moving up the career ladder. Several people at levels higher than mine have recommended things like doing trainings or talks for other people in the organization, or other projects that would get my face out there as a "go to" person for something. Every time this is even suggested, I freeze. [more inside]
posted by lazuli at 9:06 AM PST - 8 comments

I am trying to update my Wordpress installations via wp cli, which has always worked in the past. Today it is failing. Help me? Details within. [more inside]
posted by aperturescientist at 8:08 AM PST - 3 comments

I’ve recently watched a few movies drawing on Irish/Gaelic (not sure of the difference) mythology: The Secret of Kells, The Secret of Roan Inish, and Song of the Sea. I'd like to go to the source of the myths. What books can you recommend?
posted by falsedmitri at 7:44 AM PST - 6 comments

Don't know if these are related, but when I launch a new tab in chrome on windows 10 (creators update) the tab audio is muted. I have to go into the windows volume mixer to unmute it. Also there is always a volume slider for Slither.io and I've never played that game on my PC. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling chrome to no avail. Help?
posted by mattholomew at 7:13 AM PST - 1 comment

Looking for a website (NASA/NOAA? others certainly welcome) that has downloadable tab data of raw, uncorrected daily highs and lows as reported from all weather stations (or other direct, non-proxy sources) for the 20th century up to modern day. [more inside]
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 6:06 AM PST - 2 comments

My spouse uses a glovebox at work (this is an inert atmosphere chamber - basically an air tight space that is filled with, in this case, argon). He needs to use a touch screen inside the glove box but since he's reaching inside of it with giant butyl gloves, it doesn't work. Any ideas for a good workaround? [more inside]
posted by sciencegeek at 4:47 AM PST - 18 comments

I work at a bar, and one of my regulars is a very sweet woman in her 60's (?) who has ALS. She has invited me to attend a 'celebration of life' for her (she is not close to death as far as I can tell, but wants a party with her friends while she is still somewhat communicable I believe), at her home tomorrow/today (Saturday). I'm honored to go, as I'm new and she does not like everyone that works where I do. [more inside]
posted by efalk at 1:10 AM PST - 17 comments

I have a document that I'm translating to spread far and wide, emphasis on wide. I'd like to make it truly global and cover every language where it could be widely read. Is there any good way to figure that out? Wikipedia's list of the most widely used languages was a good starting point, but I'm having trouble distinguishing which languages overlap and might be less necessary due to users generally reading in a different more common language. So what I really need to know is, which languages will give me the widest possible reach, especially including ones most likely to be used by the young and tech focused.
posted by haveanicesummer at 12:16 AM PST - 7 comments

Someone I was speaking with recently made reference to a kind of 'Munchkin' punishment in the Wizard of Oz (or similar books). The punishment involved confinement with all the best things given to the prisoner Munchkin. What book is this from and what is the context of this 'punishment'?
posted by 8LeggedFriend at 7:47 PM PST - 2 comments

I am seeking advice and possible support on how to become a great teacher of drama, (for bi-lingual youngsters aged between 11 and 17.) I would appreciate book recommendations, internet forum recommendations, web sites, anything really that is sincere and aimed at excellence. [more inside]
posted by Atom Collection at 5:48 PM PST - 5 comments

Dropbox has been sending out a notice that says after June 30 "2) You’ll no longer be able to view, create, or share photo albums on the web after this date." AND "4) You can continue to share your photos through Dropbox via shared folders or shared links." What does that mean?! [more inside]
posted by cda at 5:37 PM PST - 2 comments

I have a Playstation 1, 2, 3, and 4 and I am looking for games to play. I like third person action games. [more inside]
posted by jaybeans at 5:25 PM PST - 25 comments

Did Monty Python create a short film satirizing the CBC that aired in the 1970's? [more inside]
posted by In The Annex at 4:56 PM PST - 1 comment

What tree is this? Spotted in Agoura Hills, CA.
posted by caek at 3:45 PM PST - 4 comments

I heard Neil Diamond's Captain Sunshine while at a pub this afternoon in northern B.C. Or was it a cover? It had a synth streel drum solo. Help me find the Captain Sunshine with Steel Drums. [more inside]
posted by ageispolis at 3:28 PM PST - 3 comments

My 88 year old dad's pants no longer fit. He really can't go out shopping, so I've been trying to find him some new jeans. [more inside]
posted by jimfl at 3:20 PM PST - 10 comments

My wife and her under-21 sister are going to her first Chicago Pride. They want to scope out the nightlife tonight, but finding under-21 bars online is fizzling out. Any locals know of gay or gay-friendly venues that accept under 21s? [more inside]
posted by zug at 3:02 PM PST - 3 comments

How fast must I drive on the Interstate 80 in Nebraska to keep within the umbra of the eclipse mid Aug?
posted by hortense at 2:27 PM PST - 11 comments

We have been surprise-gifted with an extraordinary amount of red cabbage from a neighbor's extremely bountiful garden. Recipes needed! Bonus if the recipe somehow includes white carrots, because we have been gifted a shopping bag full of those as well. [more inside]
posted by erst at 1:45 PM PST - 29 comments

Can you point me toward any successful programs which prepare and train people with significant barriers to employment for jobs and career opportunities? I am even more specifically interested in programs which do the pre-employment prep and training as well as actually placing people in jobs with decent wages and benefits or a career ladder. [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 12:58 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm joining a bouldering gym, primarily because it is the closest place to my house offering a range of fitness classes. But, since it is a bouldering gym after all, I would like to try bouldering! Looking for any tips that can help me get off to a better start than my first time. [more inside]
posted by Owl of Athena at 12:56 PM PST - 14 comments

Which (non-touristy) Cleveland hood should I stay in for a night? [more inside]
posted by tummy_rub at 12:50 PM PST - 7 comments

A bird has taken up residence in a tree outside my apartment and its constant, repetitive calls at night are driving me nuts. I am hoping it will calm my nerves slightly if I at least know what type of bird it is. [more inside]
posted by oclipa at 12:47 PM PST - 10 comments

Asking for a friend, who's girlfriend was just hit by a New York City-owned vehicle. It sounds like a nightmare. Does anyone have experience or ideas about navagating this?: [more inside]
posted by overhauser at 12:23 PM PST - 11 comments

I met a girl on Tinder, and we talked for a week before meeting up. However after a few dates, things are getting weird... [more inside]
posted by GiveUpNed at 12:02 PM PST - 29 comments

My wife and I will be returning from a Norway cruise and docking in Amsterdam next Sunday at 7am. Our plane leaves that night at 7pm out of Schiphol. We both have small backpacks and roller bags. Important Q: Where can we stash our stuff for the day so we can enjoy the city? [more inside]
posted by rabu at 11:57 AM PST - 2 comments

Hi Metafilter! Once upon a time, I was in a relationship that ‘changed the game’ for me. I’ve been dwelling on how powerful it was ever since. We're friends again, but it's hard. Ideally: I’d like to keep the relationship, and change my attitude towards it, so that I have space to change my attitude towards life. Realistically: I know the best way would be to change my attitude towards life, and the focus on the relationship will follow. Hope me. Tough love me. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:45 AM PST - 16 comments

Restaurant recommendations around downtown Montreal? [more inside]
posted by porpoise at 11:44 AM PST - 8 comments

I've realized I need to get better at planning at work - especially for medium- and long-range projects and goals. I have no trouble finding suggested planning methodologies and documents online. Where I struggle is in understanding where and how this fits into daily working life. Can you share your planning hacks, techniques, systems and routines with me? [more inside]
posted by Miko at 11:15 AM PST - 12 comments

My friend recently moved to Florida and is lamenting the lack of good cheese available in her area. Her birthday is coming up next week and I want to get her a cheese basket or a cheese of the month type thing. Help me find one? [more inside]
posted by mayonnaises at 10:38 AM PST - 14 comments

Last time I visited my niece with my dog, he peed on her toys, jeez louise, not embarrassing at all. When not around my niece, he's never peed in the house. I'm visiting them again soon. Is there anything I can do to prep for a pee-free visit? [more inside]
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 10:36 AM PST - 21 comments

Whenever I watch a show about the American President and Oval Office, I notice that every depiction has at least two doors that appear to have no casings or door jams. Why is that? Aesthetics? Shoddy carpentry? Clearly visible in the current seasons of Veep and House of Cards.
posted by Keith Talent at 10:34 AM PST - 2 comments

I have been issued a new I-Phone at my job. I already have a personal (android) mobile phone which I do not wish to give up. I need to know how to ensure texts sent to my personal phone number are visible on my work phone, so I will not need to carry both. [more inside]
posted by BigLankyBastard at 9:26 AM PST - 7 comments

Current layout - possible plan. I've removed a couple of old cupboards and now have an empty corner in my small, sloping roofed bathroom. Would love to have a separate shower and bath, but I don't want to end up with the worst of both worlds. Lots of questions, any pointers or stories about your bathroom renovation decisions much appreciated, especially if you were dealing with limited space or sloping ceilings. [more inside]
posted by doornoise at 9:13 AM PST - 6 comments

Looking for online resources about foster care parenting and adoption. More inside. [more inside]
posted by aabbbiee at 9:01 AM PST - 4 comments

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue recently put a tax lien on my credit report for unpaid state income taxes. The problem is, I didn't live in the State of PA during the year they're claiming I didn't pay income taxes. They're not being very helpful...what should I do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:50 AM PST - 7 comments

Fantasy where people who do housekeeping/domestic/child rearing activity are awesome because of it, and not in spite? [more inside]
posted by joyceanmachine at 7:59 AM PST - 23 comments

I've been dealing with foot and toenail fungus for years and it is not getting any better. Topical solutions work temporarily but not completely. Two of my toenails have fallen off and my feet look disgusting. My right foot especially is constantly peeling and flaky on the bottom. I have no health insurance. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:05 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm making chirashizushi tomorrow. Rice, fresh fish, tofu and mushrooms are no problem, but where I live [Ireland, and not Dublin] I don't have access to some of the other ingredients that typically crop up in recipes. Do good substitutes — that are likely to be available in, say, a good Western European greengrocer's — exist for lotus root and kampyo? Alternatively, what are some good Euro-ubiquitous ingredients for chirashizushi?
posted by Zeinab Badawi's Twenty Hotels at 6:56 AM PST - 5 comments

Back in the 80s, when I was a young tween girl, I was obsessed with horses. I read this book which for some reason stuck with me for years and I've never been able to track it down. Spoilers inside. [more inside]
posted by Jubey at 4:31 AM PST - 2 comments

The BBC reported today that a whipped cream canister exploded and killed a French woman. At my house we use a somewhat-similar device that makes water bubbly. Help me, seltzer engineers, to assess what we should do. [more inside]
posted by hungrytiger at 1:55 AM PST - 15 comments

I've been submitting resumes via an online job search engine, with no responses. I live in an area with a lot of jobs; I have skills, so I'm at a loss. For reasons, I have no online presence. After poring over AskMe and Ask A Manager, I've been considering creating a LinkedIn profile, though I'd prefer not to. After searching my very unique name, I found, much to my surprise, three other people with the same name. [more inside]
posted by racersix6 at 11:42 PM PST - 17 comments

I like keeping score. I'm curious what it would take to do that professionally. [more inside]
posted by Picklegnome at 9:08 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm asking on behalf of a 22-year-old friend--my girlfriend's son. He's a full-time dishwasher, looking for a room in the $500/month range, within a 90 minute commute from downtown. What are some ways he can find a place? What are some things he can do to get more callbacks? [more inside]
posted by ErikH2000 at 8:16 PM PST - 12 comments

I have a mostly and unexpectedly free day in Chicago tomorrow - what should I do with it? Staying downtown near State + Hubbard - was at the Art Institute today. I'm interested in hearing any and all suggestions, but am especially interested in those related to music (esp. garage / punk / noise / jazz / free improvisation / modern classical), visual arts (*very* broadly defined), regional history and culture, natural history, and high quality walking / bike tours.
posted by ryanshepard at 7:45 PM PST - 11 comments

In the throes of trying to design my workplace's new website (ugh don't ask), I've found an almost perfect background. Problem is, it's by wix (first 5-6 google image results for "wix candy stripes") but we don't intend to use wix. Help! [more inside]
posted by sacchan at 7:18 PM PST - 7 comments

I am going to Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands and I want to have a phone in case of emergency. My normal cell phone doesn't offer any sort of international roaming and it is "locked" so I can't just swap SIM cards, so I think I probably need a cheap "burner" phone that works in Europe. What's my best option here? [more inside]
posted by AspirinPill at 6:57 PM PST - 20 comments

I plan on giving my two weeks' notice for an internship in a couple days. (There are a number of reasons for this -- stress, unsatisfying work, wanting to spend more time on personal work, wanting to spend more time with my partner before they leave the country, etc.) We're running hard against a number of deadlines, and when I leave I'm going to be putting even more work on my coworkers' shoulders. How do I leave without looking like a jerk?
posted by brecc at 6:31 PM PST - 16 comments

I have a friend in Seattle who's a talented (though only lightly published, web stuff and a couple of journals) writer and I'm interested in hunting out any scholarships that might get her from there to here, but I'm not sure where to look.
posted by Sebmojo at 4:18 PM PST - 3 comments

TLDR version: I'm a published author with a well-respected agent who has seriously let me down. But he's the only agent I've had, so maybe I'm being unrealistic and should just be patient. My contract doesn't say I *can't* look for new agents while he represents me, but I can't find a clear answer as to whether or not this is generally frowned-upon. Any other writers have thoughts on this? [more inside]
posted by Mismatched Socks at 4:08 PM PST - 23 comments

A new employee (~1.5-2 mo) at our company called out yesterday because of a "family emergency." At 11:30pm last night, she sent her boss an email saying she quit, effective immediately. This is a management-level employee in her 30s, who otherwise seems quite stable. She responded to some texts from her boss last night (asking about the email), but has not responded to any phone calls and has not even been responding to texts today. I am worried for her safety at this point. What is the appropriate response? [more inside]
posted by rue72 at 3:53 PM PST - 27 comments

I saw a YouTube video of one of those dancing windsock car sales mascots set to Cream's "I'm so glad" once. I lost the link. Do you know where I can find this video?
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:45 PM PST - 3 comments

One of my go-to websites for Japanese Recipes, Washoku Guide suddenly announced that they're closing up shop next week. That's not enough time to go through and copy all my favorites! Is there any way to copy/archive the whole thing myself?
posted by Caravantea at 3:32 PM PST - 12 comments

I've started seeing these round "M" bumper stickers around my part of town a lot, usually black, but today's was blue. I haven't been able to get close enough to read the url, and Google image search hasn't helped, unless people are super-into advertising the Paris Metro. I realize it could be anything, and could be regional, but does anyone know what they represent?
posted by juniper at 3:01 PM PST - 1 comment

I've been in my role as Policy Officer in a Government department for several years now but I feel like I'm no good at it. I do my best but there is nothing I seem to be good at or improving on very much. My work gets changed a lot but I can't see any logic behind the changes to learn from. Others seem to get promoted and progress a lot more easily than me. I've had other roles within the same organisation with mostly the same problem. I'm hunting for a better fit but I'm not sure what else would suit me. I was considered able at school and at university so this struggle is new for me. My performance reviews are always average - not terrible but not great either. What should I do? How can I cope with always feeling like the dull kid?
posted by anonymous at 3:00 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm working on creating good daily habits, and I'd like to incorporate some programming/CS/software dev exercises while I'm between school and work. [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 2:33 PM PST - 6 comments

I want to upgrade my skills so I can make more money. I signed up for Lynda.com, and now I don't really know where to start. What are some in-demand skills I can learn there? [more inside]
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:01 PM PST - 11 comments

How can I watch "The Godfather Saga," or "The Godfather Epic," or any of the like "Godfather Part I"-"Godfather Part II" megacuts? HBO had the "Epic" version on its streaming platforms a while back but pulled it. Is there any other streaming platform with it I'm not seeing? I don't see it on DVD or Blu-Ray either? (To be clear, this is the seven hour chronological cut of the first two "Godfather" movies, not the individual movies themselves.)
posted by jroybal at 1:02 PM PST - 4 comments

Hi All. I have finally joined a small non-profit board of directors organization. I am trying to seek some advice, tips, glossary tips, legal advice, project management, and career advice as a board of director. [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 12:22 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm planning a vacation up to Maine driving from the pocono mountains pa and would like to make some stops along the way. Looking for some recemendations and any unniqe ideas. I use a mobility cart and will be using along the way.any help would be greatly appreciated.
posted by sparks98 at 12:15 PM PST - 2 comments

We have an ancient MacMini that's our family computer. I made the mistake of upgrading it to Sierra and now it runs sooooo slooooooowly it's super-tedious to use. Guess it's time to upgrade to a new one? But which one? Pretend I'm your great-aunt and explain this to me using little words. [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:15 AM PST - 25 comments

Never been to IKEA. I'll be going soon with some family members who have also never been to IKEA. Probably won't go again anytime soon (far away). I'm looking for any tips for the experience, any items to avoid or really look for, and how to have the most enjoyable, fun time there. None of us are looking for anything specific, but are furnishing new homes or moving into new apartments. One of us has a nice-sized gift card to use (not me).
posted by Aranquis at 11:11 AM PST - 74 comments

Where can I get a quick, simple photoshop edit? I'm not in my office and need a simple mockup of the Hollywood sign. Thanks.
posted by wensink at 10:44 AM PST - 2 comments

At a four-way stop, if multiple vehicles approach the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. This is indisputably correct in the State of Florida where I reside. My question is, is "left yields to right" a universal rule throughout the United States? What about the rest of the world? More details: [more inside]
posted by Lokheed at 10:40 AM PST - 30 comments

I am planning on selling my Macbook Pro to pay for some car repairs. I have looked at Gazelle and Phobio. Does anyone have any experience with these companies? Is there a better company I haven't found?
posted by headspace at 10:27 AM PST - 7 comments

I frequently hire small companies or individual workers for small jobs around the house such as landscaping and carpentry. Occasionally they write up a contract that spells out the work to be done and the expected price. Other times they don't, or the agreement they show me isn't as detailed as I would like. [more inside]
posted by Rad_Boy at 10:01 AM PST - 2 comments

How can I be 100% sure no tiny/microscopic glass shards are embedded in a plastic/polymer object? [more inside]
posted by elephantsvanish at 9:32 AM PST - 6 comments

I'd like to use myrrh oil in an oil burner for its aroma during meditation and for scenting a room, but I'm not sure the best way to go about it. Should I use 100% for these purposes? [more inside]
posted by millions at 9:23 AM PST - 2 comments

I've been doing graphic design stuff on the side for about two years now, and as a result have amassed a large collection of digital assets--fonts, brushes, stock art, gradients, textures, patterns, actions, and more. So large, in fact, that I have no idea what I have. How do you keep track of vast amounts of assets and, perhaps more importantly, their licenses, like this? [more inside]
posted by telophase at 9:06 AM PST - 9 comments

We're going on vacation in Romania later this year (mid to late September) for about 10 days. What tips or advice do you have for us? [more inside]
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 8:19 AM PST - 6 comments

I made the decision to start job hunting a few weeks ago. I just got a positive pregnancy test. Should I stop searching? Has anyone job hunted while pregnant? [more inside]
posted by inevitability at 8:10 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm trying to find an amazing TEDx talk I watched recently about vanity, mortality and anal bleaching. An Australian comedienne. Help! [more inside]
posted by asavage at 8:06 AM PST - 1 comment

We have something like these doorknob covers/baffles (Amazon link) to keep our kids out of the pantry and the bathroom closet. They worked well on our spherical door knobs, keeping kids out and letting adults open those doors. Until recently, when the 2.5 year old guy realized he can just pry them open and get into the pantry. Other door lock reviews are hit-or-miss, so I'll turn to the hivemind: what will keep our little raccoon boys from opening doors they shouldn't?
posted by filthy light thief at 7:37 AM PST - 10 comments

I need some fonts to coordinate with Mirella Script font. I am not a font geek, so I may not use the right words, but I have Mirella Script as a sort of display font on an image, like a title. I need a similarly scripty-font for a sort of subtitle, and a non-scripty font for something more like "body text." Free for non-commercial use, or pretty damn close. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:17 AM PST - 4 comments

I need some help determining the best course of action after the recent shakeups at my company. I'd like to do what's best for me and my career, but I also care about the people I work with and respect the core mission so I'd like to do right by them. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:10 AM PST - 3 comments

Office furniture suite likes long nights under dim light and the sound of keyboard keys clicking. Searching high and low for suitable companion. [more inside]
posted by letahl at 6:54 AM PST - 8 comments

I typically grow my garden from seed. This year was a little chaotic because we're in a new house and I had to build the garden before I could plant the garden and the weather was just crazy swings up and down for a couple months, so there could be a lot of reasons for this, but I'd like to hear some of the most likely and how to avoid them next year. [more inside]
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:52 AM PST - 11 comments

Can anyone help with resources for identifying (I think) wild cotton seeds? [more inside]
posted by xarnop at 6:46 AM PST - 4 comments

What are some tips on how to be fun with younger kids without getting exhausted?? I'm spending four days at the beach next week with my partner's niece and nephews. [more inside]
posted by amicamentis at 6:16 AM PST - 25 comments

I'm meant to be attending a wedding in two months. I was invited to, and RSVP'ed for this wedding the better part of a year ago. A few months ago my long-term boyfriend and I broke up and now I'm not sure how to handle the wedding--can I cancel this late and how? [more inside]
posted by Polychrome at 3:14 AM PST - 24 comments

I've had several piercings that seemed like they were just non stop infected, but now the same symptoms in holes I know were totally healed is making me wonder if maybe metal allergy has more to do with it than infection after all? [more inside]
posted by Wanderwhale at 1:36 AM PST - 14 comments

Today I read in health news that Temple University has done a study which indicates that extra virgin olive oil may help in some aspects of some indicators for Altzheimer's. However, I can't find critical information in the paper. Do you see it? [more inside]
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 1:17 AM PST - 8 comments

A former student's sibling has died. I will be out of town for the memorial service but would like to let him know I am thinking of him. [more inside]
posted by charmedimsure at 11:02 PM PST - 4 comments

How should I organize/prepare for an important, adversarial meeting where my role is to supply facts, details and fill in any gaps while the higher-ups argue? [more inside]
posted by acidic at 8:49 PM PST - 15 comments

My doc has signed off on FMLA, intermittent. How do I announce it to my supervisor and the timekeeper? Bonus: What does intermittent FMLA look like? (Please see most recent post "Workplace Hacks for Serenity" and know that it's gotten much, much worse. Without elaborating TOO much, I have used all the DBT skills, breathing, yoga, exercise and pharmaceutical interventions I know of, and nothing gets better. Perhaps only another job is the solution.) I did FMLA in the past, but I was so sick I can't remember too much of anything, hence, this post.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 8:11 PM PST - 9 comments

A European vacation fell through this year, so we're heading north - help me plan an awesome trip to Chicago and West Michigan! [more inside]
posted by raspberrE at 8:02 PM PST - 19 comments

How do you cut notches into three discs and fit them together so they describe a sphere? Can they remain intact, or must one of them be cut in half? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 7:29 PM PST - 16 comments

I'll be in West Africa for three weeks in August/September. The first two weeks I'll be with family in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and Libreville, Gabon. I'm looking for recommendations on somewhere to visit for the last week of my trip. [more inside]
posted by ottereroticist at 6:05 PM PST - 7 comments

I am currently happily using the router/modem combo that came with my Verizon Fios service. However, I have an Apple Airport Extreme router that is gathering dust, and I am wondering if there is anything fun I can do with it. I am a geek who like to tinker, so I would love your ideas for projects that put this device to use. [more inside]
posted by 4ster at 5:59 PM PST - 2 comments

My almost-twelve-year-old is looking for books with daemons or similar companions. She loved Pullman's Materials books and is looking for something similar. She also complains that what she's generally being offered is too simplistic. She wants something a little more challenging. What are your recommendations?
posted by Stanczyk at 5:49 PM PST - 35 comments

I'm trying to set up a repeater using an old Linksys router and dd-wrt and I'm *so* close but don't know what settings to use for Wireless Security. [more inside]
posted by 7 Minutes of Madness at 5:41 PM PST - 4 comments

I have a light switch, which works fine. It is in an inconvenient location, so I would like to control it via another switch located elsewhere -- wirelessly. Thoughts? [more inside]
posted by aramaic at 5:11 PM PST - 13 comments

I've got a bunch of time to kill tomorrow afternoon in San Francisco. I'm staying on 7th Street at The Carriage Inn and my current plan is to just walk up the hill to the water, but is there something else I should be doing? I don't mind taking a taxi, but walking would be ideal.
posted by yerfatma at 5:11 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm trying to help a family member who would like to build on their land in Oregon, and possibly subdivide off some parcels as well. [more inside]
posted by yohko at 4:28 PM PST - 1 comment

Have you ever used a job club, employment adviser/consultant, HR person, or even a really caring recruitment consultant to find a part-time job or a flexible working job? I am looking for experiences that people have had, how they found the support, and what they felt could work better if they went about it again.
posted by parmanparman at 4:14 PM PST - 1 comment

The apples in question are organic Fujis from Washington State (I'm in the Midwest). They were bought within the last 2-3 weeks. I plan on making apple crisp. [more inside]
posted by Beethoven's Sith at 4:05 PM PST - 9 comments

An observation goes around the internet which says, "When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. It's only uncomfortable for others. The same goes when you're stupid". This has the sound of a universal truth. I wonder what other things about us we are oblivious to, but are totally obvious to others?
posted by alonsoquijano at 3:50 PM PST - 40 comments

Last year, I asked this question about starting a PFLAG chapter. Unfortunately, I did not get the go ahead from national because there's a chapter in a nearby town. What other options are available? [more inside]
posted by Ruki at 3:22 PM PST - 9 comments

I'll be driving down I-80 and need a motel that will allow my 100 lb dog somewhere between Omaha and Iowa City. Please help :)
posted by camfys at 3:15 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm a middle-aged single woman going hiking in Ireland with a group. We will be hiking about 6 hours a day, and the rest of the day, not sure what we'll be doing. The group size is 16. [more inside]
posted by wheeler10 at 3:14 PM PST - 16 comments

Ugh. I finally found the best product to tame my my short, thick wavy hair, but now it's been discontinued. I did buy a few jars from ebay, but I think it's time to give up and go with something new. I liked that it was a microfiber paste/balm and it didn't leave a noticeable residue in my hair. Can anyone suggest an alternative?
posted by sarajane at 3:07 PM PST - 6 comments

What clothing stores (must have a brick-and-mortar presence, not just online-only) in the SF Bay Area actively cater to or have a good selection of clothing aimed at androgynous or masculine-of-center women? [more inside]
posted by 4rtemis at 2:20 PM PST - 5 comments

Twice in the last week, despite following recommended safety handling guidelines AND the same procedures I've been using w/o incident for the last 7 months, my freshly-expressed breastmilk has seemed to "curdle" in the bottle, but not actually go bad. What happened? More specifics and pix inside. [more inside]
posted by alleycat01 at 2:13 PM PST - 5 comments

I love to sing. The happiest parts of my childhood and young adulthood were when I was singing in a choir. Work and Life got in the way and I haven't sung in a choir for about ten years. I finally have the time to get back into it...but I'm out of practice. Help? [more inside]
posted by Elly Vortex at 1:12 PM PST - 2 comments

I have about 150 hours in an illustration on Inkscape, but now I can't seem to save or export it in any other format than .svg without it losing a significant amount of detail. I've tried sending it to a friend who has Illustrator as an .eps and it won't even open the file. I have a ton of time in this, so any help would much appreciated. [more inside]
posted by AllTheQuestions at 12:31 PM PST - 9 comments

Guyagonalize has been invited to spend a pre-tenure sabbatical year in California, taking us away from our home on the East Coast. We're all fired up to go, but turns out I'm knocked up! This is our first (and very wanted) kid, and assuming all goes according to plan, the baby will be ~6 months old when we're scheduled to start this crazy adventure. What do we need to know/do to make this a success and not a disaster? [more inside]
posted by Diagonalize at 12:03 PM PST - 20 comments

What could an analytical exercise at a job interview involve? [more inside]
posted by Tarumba at 11:48 AM PST - 7 comments

My grandparents are new to streaming services. They like things like Turner Classic Movies and WWII documentaries on PBS, with the occasional "serious" modern movie (think The Big Short). What content might they like from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime? [more inside]
posted by R a c h e l at 10:28 AM PST - 15 comments

I have a couple good friends who have upcoming birthdays. Last year I got them both introductory flight lessons, which they both loved. I've done indoor skydiving and jet boat rides (I'm in Portland, OR) previously. Any other great ideas out there for around $100?
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 9:58 AM PST - 18 comments

An old co-worker once mentioned a pre-mixed jarred brand of Indian sauces (tikka masala, various curries, etc.) that was peanut and tree-nut FREE. Do you know of one? [more inside]
posted by knownassociate at 9:56 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for a countertop oven that's precise enough for baking - do you have one?! [more inside]
posted by moxiedoll at 9:29 AM PST - 11 comments

Please recommend books for help with procrastination/self-defeating thinking; specifically the feeling that "it's too late" to do anything. [more inside]
posted by Mid at 9:16 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm trying to wipe the drive of a 9-year old Dell Inspiron 1318 laptop before I recycle it and CAN'T SEEM TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. Help me please? [more inside]
posted by sestaaak at 9:04 AM PST - 13 comments

Our cat has developed the habit of consistently pooping on our bed. Sometimes we're home, sometimes not. Luckily she still pees in the litter box, but we're afraid that's going to change. We keep the litter clean and are at our wits end. I adore this cat... I love her to pieces. I'm desperate to keep her, but this behavior is intolerable and needs to stop. What can we do? [more inside]
posted by onecircleaday at 8:56 AM PST - 18 comments

I'm vaguely recalling reading a passage from some sort of Republican strategy memo--possibly authored by Frank Luntz--that contained a particularly ironic application of appealing to bipartisanship. From what I remember it advised that Americans love bipartisanship, and that Republicans should harshly criticize Democrats for not being bipartisan enough. This may have been pointed out by Al Franken, but I'm not sure. Is this ringing a bell for anyone?
posted by bdk3clash at 8:22 AM PST - 1 comment

My wife is a stay at home mom and I'm wondering what happens to our cash flow if I were to die unexpectedly. We already have pretty detailed attorney-written wills, our house is under both of our names, but will my personal bank account become inaccessible until it goes through probate? [more inside]
posted by exhilaration at 8:18 AM PST - 17 comments

A once-common practice at ethnicity-specific restaurants (in America) seems to be the use of a font that evokes some aspect of the native script of that ethnicity. Three questions about this: (1) Is there a name for this phenomenon? (2) Is it generally regarded as appropriation? (3) Does it occur in scripts other than Roman (or near-Roman scripts like Greek and Cyrillic) as well? Like, are there Japanese Indian restaurants with names written in Devanagari-imitating katakana, or British pubs in Israel which have especially "Roman" Hebrew letterforms, or somesuch? [more inside]
posted by jackbishop at 7:57 AM PST - 14 comments

I'm separated, divorce almost final. In the middle is a 9 y.o. with 50/50 custody (see some previous questions for some back story). Other Parent (OP) has history of alcohol and substance abuse, was/is in AA. Child recently had a discussion with me where they basically said "OP drinks beer and wine to 'get buzzed'." How do I manage this? I'd appreciate advice from anyone who has been in any of the positions in this current situation ... Thank you! [more inside]
posted by life moves pretty fast at 7:31 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm looking for a particular animated GIF or Youtube video, but I can't find it based on my searching. Description inside. [more inside]
posted by fremen at 6:54 AM PST - 2 comments

TL;DR: After a few years of writing songs here and there, I've started writing more consistently. I'm looking for a teacher/mentor, but I don't know if the one I've chosen is the right one for me. Help? [more inside]
posted by pxe2000 at 6:46 AM PST - 1 comment

As a country gal who's always in cowboy boots and jeans, I need to start dressing business casual for a temp office job that I'll be returning to for several months to pick up some extra cash. I HATE slacks and the stuffy look/feel of business clothes. Help me keep some semblance of my typical country/western dress while conforming to business casual dress code. [more inside]
posted by Malleable at 6:25 AM PST - 8 comments

Have you ever left a pretty good job for a lower-status, lower-paying job? Regardless of whether you're glad you did or wish you hadn't, what do you wish you had known before you did? What should I consider? Snowflakes after the jump. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:05 AM PST - 17 comments

I'm taking my MTF sibling clothes shopping. I have no idea where to start. Help? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:04 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm what they call a "hard stick," and I've read the previous questions with tips for blood draws. I always drink tons of water, for instance. But there's a problem in getting the blood-drawing folks to take me seriously when I tell them I'm a hard stick. How can I be a kind, polite person, but still advocate for myself? [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 4:56 AM PST - 31 comments

I'm in the UK for a week in August, and want to spend my time there absorbing as much nature as I possibly can—I want to see the outdoors more than anything. I arrive in London and have a gig in Salisbury, but am able to travel if there's a better base from which to set up camp. I do NOT have a car, so public transit will be utilized. Where should I go, what should I see, and how do I do it? [more inside]
posted by rorgy at 4:00 AM PST - 9 comments

What it says on the tin. Do you own this cookbook? What are the best recipes in it? I find it to be very hit-or-miss. Certain staples (like pancakes) are so helpful but other recipes turn out just plain bad (I'm looking at you, tofu in tomato curry sauce). But I am just as loathe for it to collect dust. There are so many variations and tips: what are your favorites?
posted by athirstforsalt at 2:20 AM PST - 14 comments

Where was this photo of the Zombies taken? The caption says "Zombies On The Wall".
posted by dilaudid at 9:07 PM PST - 4 comments

I want to better understand the [sources of] funding of US political candidates, particularly Democratic candidates. Please disabuse me of my preconceived notions. [more inside]
posted by nightrecordings at 8:36 PM PST - 5 comments

I want this exact dress, but as a blouse (not dress length). Before I buy the dress and spend money on getting it altered to be a blouse, can anyone find a match? For now, let's say price range doesn't matter: the important things are a) denim/chambray, b) approximately the same shade, c) sleeveless, and d) looks as close to having buttons as possible without actually being a button-down blouse. [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 8:21 PM PST - 13 comments

I have inherited a pair of IMF Reference Standard Mk IV speakers. Apparently, these were/are very high-end audiophile speakers in the 1970s. What’s a home stereo amp that could run them effectively for home listening at moderate volume? More details on my gear and preferences inside. [more inside]
posted by Krawczak at 8:07 PM PST - 15 comments

I was planning on using google drive on my mac book, and my iPad. This is only useful to me if I can make whole folders available offline on the iPad, without having to go through and mark each individual file to be available offline. [more inside]
posted by MT at 7:10 PM PST - 2 comments

My daughter fell in love with this mouse plush at the toystore...I said no but want to buy it online for her birthday. Can you help me find it? Won't be able to go to that toystore again (traveling) so need to buy it online. [more inside]
posted by The Toad at 7:07 PM PST - 4 comments

MacBook Pro Sierra 10.12.5 with Firefox 54. I have an account with a medical clinic and everything's done online. Used to work fine but starting in March, I got the "user id/password incorrect" message. Tried resetting the password and got response that user id is correct and password reset successfully. [more inside]
posted by MovableBookLady at 6:31 PM PST - 11 comments

I love books, and I'm having a baby! Please explain baby books to me. [more inside]
posted by last_fall at 6:11 PM PST - 34 comments

Mrs. Z recently purchased an auction lot containing this item. My guess was it was somehow associated with the University of Alabama, but the font for the letter "A" is wrong. Any thoughts on what it is, or what S.P.O.C. might stand for?
posted by DrAstroZoom at 5:58 PM PST - 6 comments

Do you have any experience creating art assets for computer games? Please I need some advice and critique / tips to achieve what I need for a Rimworld mod I am trying to adjust (for my own needs, and to develop my Photoshop skills). [more inside]
posted by Meatbomb at 5:47 PM PST - 7 comments

Help me find a set of four books that I loved as a kid! The main character was a young teenaged girl (14?) who did Indiana Jones style adventuring. [more inside]
posted by heybearica at 5:40 PM PST - 2 comments

I would like to minimize my risk of getting pregnant as much as possible without having anything placed into my body, and without taking synthetic hormones. What has worked for you? [more inside]
posted by Avosunspin at 4:09 PM PST - 22 comments

I am not a bottle of soda... so why does the back of my neck fizz? In the last few months I've started feeling/hearing a fizzing at the base of my skull where it meets my neck. Now it happens maybe a few times a week. Google has revealed nothing. Why am I suddenly carbonated?
posted by bizarrenacle at 4:04 PM PST - 6 comments

I used to enjoy MTG but a combo of terrible players (here's to you guy who threw a deck at me while screaming racial epithets over and over!) and cost pushed me out of it, I'd enjoy watching people play but I'm not sure who's worth watching. Any suggestions of livestreams of people who both have charisma and aren't shitlords?
posted by Ferreous at 3:30 PM PST - 7 comments

I'll be spending a couple of days at the start of July at a lodge near Mount Ruapehu. I realise that winter is not particularly the best time of the year for bird watching, but even if I track down Keas only I'll be happy. I'll be staying at one of the lodges near the mountain (not entirely sure which one, as I'm tagging along with someone else) and was wondering if there are any areas in particular that will heighten my chances of doing some good bird-spotting.
posted by New England Cultist at 3:00 PM PST - 7 comments

As above! I can cook properly, but cooking by myself for myself doesn't motivate me much. I'd like to largely favour unprocessed food. I'm likely to be pretty tired initially (adapting to the 9 to 5 in London), and I'd like to keep as much of my spare time as possible for doing fun London things rather than elaborate cooking. I'm looking for suggestions and tips, e.g. "buy bags of this sort of frozen veg", and very quick and simple recipes. [more inside]
posted by tangerine_poppies at 2:58 PM PST - 15 comments

My doctor tells me I have GERD, and the list of foods she says I'm supposed to avoid comprises my entire diet. Can you give me some GERD-friendly vegetarian recipes? [more inside]
posted by goodbyewaffles at 2:45 PM PST - 14 comments

Help! At the beginning of an 11 hour flight I felt a tickle on my finger, and was horrified to flick off a small dark oval bug crawling on me. When I arrived at the airport, I mindlessly shoved my neck pillow into my carryon - presumably if there were bugs on it, now they're in the carryon too? Did I just infest my house with bedbugs? [more inside]
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 2:25 PM PST - 7 comments

I am lost and overwhelmed with a backlog of life task I cant complete because anxiety is shutting me down. My husband took his life in January. I put off/ran/delayed a bunch of tasks relating to his death because fuck, that was hard. Now I'm trying to deal with it, with my life, and I'm massively overwhelmed and can't seem to make decisions. There has to be some sort of organizer/planner/assistant type professional that can help me out, right? [more inside]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 1:39 PM PST - 26 comments

I would like to decorate a cake for my kid's birthday. I have basically no prior experience of note. I want to make a cake featuring this guy. Any tips, suggestions, and helpful hints welcome. [more inside]
posted by threetwentytwo at 1:29 PM PST - 7 comments

We're currently using DropBox, but are considering other options. What are the recommended business cloud storage options that allow multiple people to access a file at the same time? [more inside]
posted by needlegrrl at 1:20 PM PST - 3 comments

Where can I find a summary of how the education dollars are SPENT in my state? (California) [more inside]
posted by generic230 at 1:14 PM PST - 4 comments

On a regular basis, I hear a story about a girl scout or her troop, doing something for the community with larger, positive social implications. Or, how a girl scout and her friends have managed to get a bill introduced in state legislation (Today, a GS troop in Oregon got bi-partisan support for a bill to prevent animals and children from dying in hot cars). [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind at 12:54 PM PST - 9 comments

I have a functioning outdoor speaker system that connects to a currently nonexistent sound system via these wires. What I'd like is to be able to stream music from an iPad, via bluetooth, into these wires, somehow. But how? Please assume I know nothing about audio setups.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 12:35 PM PST - 3 comments

...without testing to see whether there was asbestos in it. Now I am afraid to go to their house. Should I be? [more inside]
posted by kitcat at 10:38 AM PST - 20 comments

My spouse and I have been through significant grief and loss over the past year and are hoping to schedule a vacation for some serious self-care. We prefer something on the beach and are open to international travel, even something a little more exotic. Of course, there are concerns about rainy seasons, hurricanes, etc. this time of year. Another concern is Zika, as we are hoping for a pregnancy in the near future. A non-beach vacation will not be a deal-breaker, but we are not looking for a super active vacation, rather something to heal and rest. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
posted by LinneaJC at 10:32 AM PST - 16 comments

Our company has a size limit for emails, which is normal. I administrate a server that sends scans via SMTP to users. When people scan multiple documents, it's really easy to hit the limit and not get their scans. I'd like to split up attachments into separate emails to reduce the number of rejected scans. Details within. [more inside]
posted by domo at 10:26 AM PST - 3 comments

I was in my first real-deal car accident yesterday after 16 years of accident-free driving. I was making a left on a yellow light across two lanes, dude in the left lane was pulled out kind of far, dude in the right lane was speeding to try and beat the light, car + car = accident. Nobody was hurt and the official word from police was that as long as we could move the vehicles there was no reason for them to come out. It really was a true definition of an accident- Neither one of us could see each other. Bad luck etc. We exchanged info and I made a claim with my insurance co. What happens now? [more inside]
posted by GilloD at 10:25 AM PST - 10 comments

I'd like to find a nice B&B or small hotel to stay for long weekend in early October, somewhere within a half day's drive from DC. I'm a little overwhelmed by the choices, so personal recommendations would be great. [more inside]
posted by backwards compatible at 10:07 AM PST - 16 comments

I have a whitish sofa that gets very dirty because . . . life. And because i have a dog. My mother always told me not to get white furniture and I didn't listen. Anyway, can you recommend an upholstery cleaner in NYC? First-hand recs preferred. Online advertising and reviews don't seem trustworthy. Thanks.
posted by swheatie at 9:59 AM PST - 1 comment

It's my friend's birthday next month and I'd like to create a pirate-themed puzzle hunt for her and our friends to take place around the city we live in. However, I'm stuck on the logistics and the specifics of the puzzles themselves - help! [more inside]
posted by Elmtree at 9:40 AM PST - 3 comments

My 5 year old has taken up a very annoying new behavior with movement and sounds and it's become a part of every hour every day. How do we even start to make it go away? [more inside]
posted by CrazyLemonade at 9:29 AM PST - 17 comments

If an unpaid, volunteer, representative is an issued an email under their name, do they have any expectation to privacy related to email communications? (can the company that gave them the email monitor or read the email communications at any time?)
posted by Unsomnambulist at 9:27 AM PST - 5 comments

I would like to upgrade some of my home theater/stereo equipment, and am not sure if what I want to do is possible. And to make it even more challenging I want to add a devise that won't be available until December. [more inside]
posted by terrapin at 8:51 AM PST - 8 comments

What's the best way to gain experience to have a steady career or at least find a good job in the screen printing field? [more inside]
posted by morning_television at 8:37 AM PST - 4 comments

I use the weight machines at the gym and I'm tired of trying to remember what weights I do on each machine. It's hard to sort through the available apps, since the reviewers seem to focus on things I don't need, and they mostly seem to be more complicated than what I need. Preferences inside. [more inside]
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:54 AM PST - 11 comments

Taking a big step in my physical/mental health and wanting to start a weight training regimen . . . and I know nothing about it. Hope me? [more inside]
posted by chainsofreedom at 7:17 AM PST - 5 comments

We're looking for a lightweight foldable/umbrella stroller for our monster who is almost a year old. We currently have a City Mini which we love but it's big for riding the bus and we will be taking a lengthy train ride soon and would like something smaller. We'd like it to be sturdy and, especially, have a decent sunshade. What are the best options? [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 7:14 AM PST - 15 comments

I have a 1960s screen print on tin that I would like to display on the wall and am looking for advice for the best way to hang it (process and method). [more inside]
posted by coupedloups at 6:55 AM PST - 2 comments

So in my family, as we get older we get less and less sun-tolerant. My father, at my age, bought a kind of pith helmet apparently for the sole purpose of embarrassing his children. Since I have no children to embarrass, I have more options. Hat me! (Restrictions inside) [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 6:32 AM PST - 17 comments

I'm going to Italy soon, and will be traveling on a small but organized tour through the mountains. I'm relatively introverted. What are some things I can say to the organizer, other tour members, the (small) hotel operator/staff, or even strangers... when I'm feeling the need to recharge alone, but do not want to come across as rude? [more inside]
posted by raztaj at 5:28 AM PST - 12 comments

I'm a relatively new to management, having been a worker bee most of my career. I work with a great team, but one of my employees is giving me a bit of a headache. He's extremely smart and hard-working -- but he has serious deficiencies in the interpersonal communication department. Any tips on how to help him fix this? [more inside]
posted by GorgeousPorridge at 4:53 AM PST - 19 comments

I've seen an increasing amount of people using a space either side of a forward slash over the last couple of years, which I basically never saw (unless it was an individual with an especially idiosyncratic writing/punctuation style) ten or so years ago. Is this accepted convention now, and are there any strong reasons (beyond personal preference) to favour it over the same thing but with no spaces? [more inside]
posted by terretu at 4:09 AM PST - 21 comments

What should I do on a brief visit to Indianapolis and St. Louis, and what's the best route from one city to the next? Help me make this the best 4 day vacation ever! [more inside]
posted by stripesandplaid at 3:45 AM PST - 17 comments

When people are talking about advertising on the web, and more specifically about targeted advertising, they always say they are seeing or getting ads. Where, specifically, are these ads? [more inside]
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:48 AM PST - 14 comments

My husband and I are considering purchasing my elderly dad's home to make it easier for him to afford to keep living there. But there are so many questions...some are financial, some are related to family relationships. Help. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:16 PM PST - 22 comments

I've made some progress, major diet changes, but I still have many questions. I'm sure most have been answered, but I have not had the best luck finding those answers. My searches seem polluted with chaff and many sites I have found are either not terribly useful rehashes of the obvious or they just reek of quackery. Forums, food databases, recipes, all would be welcome. Just hoping you can act as peer reviewers here and recommend the best evidence based resources you've found. Thanks much.
posted by anonymous at 11:16 PM PST - 6 comments

So my fella is in the Australian army, and deployed for 6 months to a big middle east American base (he is not a Mefi but knows my name here and I want to keep ideas a surprise). I can send parcels to him that are under 2kg to him for free (go Australia Post). He loves getting parcels from me but I need more ideas, please hope me .... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:42 PM PST - 11 comments

I recently jumped into the world of Amazon's Alexa and am having fun with it. I've set up some Smart Home plugs and enabled the Dish skill. I have used it for playing music, making a shopping list, alarm, and when I wake at night I love being able ask what time it is. However, I am sure I am missing out on all kinds of fun. Fill me in people. What are the best skills to enable? What else can I use it for? I eagerly await all of your suggestions!
posted by OkTwigs at 7:53 PM PST - 13 comments

We have a dual fuel stove (gas cooktop, electric ovens) with double ovens. It broke and needs replacing. It turns out dual fuel double oven stoves aren't cheap, so we're considering other options. [more inside]
posted by zennie at 7:42 PM PST - 9 comments

I drive a 2001 Honda CR-V. When should I stop putting money into it and just buy a new car? Looking for opinions from other 2001 CR-V owners and auto-savvy people. [more inside]
posted by monologish at 6:52 PM PST - 20 comments

Can you help us ID these hives/bites/skin marks we found on my daughter? [more inside]
posted by stevis23 at 6:42 PM PST - 8 comments

I have a coworker who says very negative things about others, making me uncomfortable. I respond minimally and remove myself from the conversation. My supervisor believes *I'm* the one who needs to improve office social skills. [more inside]
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 6:18 PM PST - 25 comments

I recently met someone named Yari, short for Yarisca. I am curious about the origin of this first name and wondering where it comes from and what it means. Any help? [more inside]
posted by bq at 6:15 PM PST - 4 comments

I have a random giant vine that I'm 99% sure is grapes of some sort growing on a fence. (They've actually migrated across my lawn to the fence on the other side, which is a different mystery). My question is: can I eat the grapes and/or the leaves safely? Pics here.. (added bonus -- all 3 of my pups in the first picture)
posted by Fig at 6:15 PM PST - 13 comments

I currently have an ancient Samsung Galaxy S4 Active. However, I'm really frustrated with the short battery life and the overheating. Otherwise, I like it just fine and it does what I need. Does the hivemind have any recommendations as of June 2017 for a smartphone upgrade model? What should I get next? Thanks!
posted by Gosha_Dog at 6:12 PM PST - 10 comments

I have been writing erotic haiku for the past eight years and would like to put some of my work out in 'zine form. Where would I find and editor for a reasonable cost? I do not have a background in English and am also skittish and vulnerable in showing my work to friends who have writing backgrounds. I would like to find an editor who I can feel supported by and who'll winnow out what works from what doesn't. [more inside]
posted by goalyeehah at 4:58 PM PST - 2 comments

I will be temporarily stranded in downtown Minneapolis sometime this week, and while I'm not particularly worried because there's a ton of food around the IDS Center, I'm more concerned about bathroom availability: Are there any public bathrooms around that area in downtown Minneapolis, or "customer only" bathrooms in cheap restaurants? Since I'll have to eat somewhere anyway, I can plan for that if necessary. Thanks!
posted by oion at 4:33 PM PST - 16 comments

Can I use a car cooler to meet my specific needs - and which one? [more inside]
posted by shockpoppet at 4:32 PM PST - 14 comments

We're getting married soon. We're tearing our hair out over the registry. We spent over 4 hours in John Lewis and beeped around 50 items. The internet tells us this is not enough, and we need 2-3 times more items then there are guests. We have 120 guests, do we need minimum 240 things?? Is that really necessary? [more inside]
posted by dumdidumdum at 3:59 PM PST - 28 comments

My family is hosting a guest we don't know extremely well. He's from another country and culture and we're not sure if we're reading his behavior properly. My wife thinks she saw him surreptitiously touch my son's ears two times. I'm at work and my son is at daycare since I heard this from her. I'm not sure what to do when I get off work and go home to meet up with this house guest. [more inside]
posted by metajc at 3:40 PM PST - 25 comments

What would've helped you to hear an adult speaker talk about at your "graduation" before summer and moving on to middle school? What do I say "inspirationally" to our departing 5th graders at there goodbye celebration? [more inside]
posted by slothhog at 2:50 PM PST - 11 comments

I enjoy playing board and card games with my 10 year old son but my color blindness often makes things challenging. Thankfully, son has not inherited my color blindness and often helps me when I play the wrong card by mistake. [more inside]
posted by Twicketface at 2:48 PM PST - 13 comments

After much duress from our very nice friends and family, my fiancée and I are setting up our gift list. We have a bunch of items picked out at a department store, but we also want to allow people to alternatively contribute towards a bigger ticket item - a dining table in this case. Ideally we'd have a simple online payment form that would let our guests gift us however much they feel comfortable. Can anyone recommend any simple services which can do this?
posted by Magnakai at 2:47 PM PST - 4 comments

So, I'm 5 months pregnant and my husband and MIL had to travel to a Zika transmission zone/country recently. I have questions about mosquitoes transmission. [more inside]
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:27 PM PST - 7 comments

My newish doctor (an MD) is very aggressively vegan, and spent over half of my appointment giving me unsolicited advice about the dangers of dairy. He believes that the popularly-held pro-dairy beliefs are basically propaganda from Big Milk, subsidized by the USDA. In particular, he thinks dairy consumption promotes osteoporosis (and other physiological evils, inside the fold). Is this or is this not true? [more inside]
posted by ClaireBear at 2:15 PM PST - 55 comments

I really want to quit a job after a few weeks. Help. [more inside]
posted by trillian at 2:06 PM PST - 14 comments

I'm leaving my alcoholic spouse and need to find a new therapist. My current therapist (a LCSW) missed a ton of warning signs related to alcoholism within my relationship and family. He even admitted this. So, I'm looking for a recommendations, preferably someone who has experience or specializes in issues of codependency and alcoholism. Thanks for your help.
posted by joebakes at 1:36 PM PST - 3 comments

I've overthought this and now I can't make a decision. I'm entirely self-taught in my field. I would benefit a lot from a focused, structured design course. But I can't find a slam-dunk reason to do it or not to do it. Pros and cons inside. [more inside]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:11 PM PST - 7 comments

Long story short: the 22RE engine on my 1990 Toyota pickup is no longer viable and repair is not an option. What is my best option in this area either for getting rid of it and possibly making a few dollars or at least not having to pay a fee? Donation, selling as-is/for parts, salvage yard, etc? [more inside]
posted by Tamagotchi at 12:52 PM PST - 15 comments

One day, every single crow in the Seattle area flies straight up into the air, disappearing from sight. They do not return the next day. What happens next? [more inside]
posted by bigbigdog at 12:47 PM PST - 13 comments

I've tried to like beans, but they always took so long to make and with minimal taste payoff. However, I just got an Instant Pot and a lot of time this summer. Help me love beans! (Slow carb recipes especially welcome)
posted by facehugger at 12:40 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm a medical student doing my required clinical rotations. Like all of my classmates, I'm absolutely exhausted at the end of the afternoon. But somehow, I need to pull it together to study in the evenings. People who have had to work through situations like this, how do you do it? How do you make your brain work when you're tired all the time? [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco at 11:44 AM PST - 26 comments

There is a bald faced hornet nest on a fence next to my house. I discovered it when I was clearing some brush and got stung. Hurt like the dickens. [more inside]
posted by zzazazz at 11:42 AM PST - 12 comments

People of Metafilter: what are your jams? I'm talking about the songs that are so instantly recognizable and hype-worthy that the second they come up at random on your Spotify playlist/on the speakers at a store/at karaoke night/at a dance party, you are 100% delighted and cannot help but IMMEDIATELY get stoked and/or dance-y. I'm not necessarily talking about favorite songs overall (although there could be overlap), but about the songs that take you from 0 to 10 instantaneously, especially when they catch you by surprise. All genres welcomed and encouraged!
posted by helloimjennsco at 11:01 AM PST - 160 comments

I have long hair that I frequently wear in a ponytail or bun to keep it out of my way. When I do this, inevitably a halo of short hairs escape the ponytail and stick up around my face. [more inside]
posted by delight at 10:32 AM PST - 11 comments

I run a longstanding blog focused on local news and issues. By and large, commenting has always been civil. A locally contentious issue came up a couple of weeks ago, was debated in a brief thread of about nine comments. Now one of the participants wants me to delete his two comments. I can't decide. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by zadcat at 9:47 AM PST - 12 comments

I've had a 3D printer for a few months. The print quality has been massively variable, ranging from “hey, that looks pretty smooth” to hairy, warty misshapen lumps with huge voids and random Z-skips. I know not to expect injection moulded quality, but I'm not even getting consistency with the same gcode file and material. How did you get to consistent output? [more inside]
posted by scruss at 9:34 AM PST - 7 comments

Half.com will be closing down at the end of August. I have about 100 DVDs listed on Half.com. When they close down, I will have to figure out another way to sell them. What other online DVD marketplaces are there? [more inside]
posted by CrunchyFrog at 9:03 AM PST - 4 comments

I have a suitcase whose zippers are tearing away at the seams. While I have a lot of history with this suitcase, it does not have any sentimental value to me -- I just hate throwing things away as a matter of principle, and would rather fix than replace. Here are some pictures. [more inside]
posted by Borborygmus at 8:57 AM PST - 7 comments

What clothing store should I shop at if I want clothes like those Torrid sells, but for straight sizes? [more inside]
posted by srrh at 8:51 AM PST - 6 comments

Woke up with a strange bite above my ankle. What did it? [more inside]
posted by thedarksideofprocyon at 8:41 AM PST - 6 comments

I have a friend in London who's just lost her sister to cancer. The sister has young kids, and so does my friend. Maybe its a southern US thing, but I always think of bringing food at times like this. Since I'm on the wrong continent, I'm having trouble figuring out how to make it work. I know London is huge - she's near the Crystal Palace Station. Any recommendations for food delivery services, or anything else that might be helpful? Right now I'm feeling helpless and far away.
posted by korej at 8:28 AM PST - 11 comments

I work in downtown Chicago and I frequently see people employed to pass out free samples of pre-packaged food or goods. What is a typical day like for people who do this? [more inside]
posted by agregoli at 8:13 AM PST - 3 comments

I have a friend whose grandfather was a highly touted baseball prospect. Got hurt or something and had their career cut short with only a few appearances in the big leagues. I'd like to buy them a baseball card. It exists. I've had an eBay alert up for a few months but it never goes off. What else can I do? [more inside]
posted by dirtdirt at 7:22 AM PST - 4 comments

Betrand Russell's "A History of Western Philosophy" is not a great book, but it is a bit of a classic introduction to western philosophy for the English speaking student. Is there a German Language equivalent text? i.e. a particularly canonical history of philosophy in german that most students in Germany have read? [more inside]
posted by mary8nne at 6:55 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for written stories about people coping with grief or trauma in unhealthy ways. Non-fiction preferred (first-person essays or memoirs especially) but a good fictional tale might be useful, too. What's out there?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 6:41 AM PST - 22 comments

At a friend’s house recently, my two-and-a-half-year-old had a lot of fun playing with an old electric keyboard: a Yamaha PSS-140. [more inside]
posted by thursdaystoo at 6:02 AM PST - 7 comments

Hello all, this little nuggo is coming home with me on the 30th. Baby Kitty [more inside]
posted by Dressed to Kill at 5:29 AM PST - 14 comments

Looking for summer vacation ideas for my family from Austin. 6 and 8 year old. We've done Disney, cruises and the San Diego Zoo. Looking for some spots in the U.S. that may be off the radar or simply creative ideas for a week long vacation. [more inside]
posted by jasondigitized at 5:17 AM PST - 5 comments

Hi, I'm looking for gifs, pictures, short videos (max 2-3 minutes), or short texts that elicit sudden and/or strong emotion. Primarily looking for things that elicit positive emotion (so extremely cute, funny, happy, joyful, heartwarming, etc). However I would like to eventually build a bank of things that elicit emotion across the spectrum. So also looking for things that elicit surprise, anticipation, fear, anger, sadness, disgust, joy, etc. These will be used in therapy as emotional exposure exercises. Thanks, y'all!
posted by EarnestDeer at 5:15 AM PST - 9 comments

Towards the end of the 1980s, I recall seeing a video on MTV Europe (or maybe one of the early pan-European TV channels - it was definitely a European chart show) by a French female singer. I was convinced it was a Mylene Farmer song, but I have gone through her discography and nope. Sketchy, hazy memories below. [more inside]
posted by kariebookish at 5:09 AM PST - 2 comments

Hi Mefites, could you recommend any useful resources (websites, podcasts, books, organisations etc.) that you found useful on your MBA journey? [more inside]
posted by coffee_monster at 4:24 AM PST - 2 comments

I played an indie game a few years ago whose name I absolutely cannot remember and which I have absolutely failed to find using any search I can think of. It is an abstract platformer that messes with how 2d games and platformers work and has themes of horror and violence. More details inside. [more inside]
posted by cthuljew at 11:37 PM PST - 5 comments

Do you know of any games where two or more people compete using some string and one of them emerges "the winner"? [more inside]
posted by coleboptera at 11:18 PM PST - 18 comments

I have health insurance and I'm looking for good, attentive primary care physician references in NYC, preferably female - but either gender is fine, in Manhattan or Brooklyn. If you don't want to put the name in the thread, I'd appreciate a PM. Some details about my current doctor, and me, inside. Thanks!! [more inside]
posted by whatdoyouthink? at 9:59 PM PST - 9 comments

I've been struggling to find available campsites in driving range from the SF Bay Area over the July 4th long weekend. Does anyone have any suggestions for places to find campsite inventory or places which may not require a permit?
posted by touareg at 9:08 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm 57 and my ears are still pretty good, and though tricks abound for someone whose music collection is so important, I'm often hearing too-shrill sounds from two consecutive systems. [more inside]
posted by noelpratt2nd at 8:45 PM PST - 21 comments

I'm looking for an apartment in NYC and will only have a brief period of time in which to find an apartment and rent it. I have great credit and am willing to slightly overpay for convenience. What's the absolute fastest way to find an apartment? Can it be done in a day or two? Is there such a thing as a buyer's agent who can find it for you?
posted by 3491again at 8:19 PM PST - 5 comments

We'll be visiting the beach a lot this summer. We're several trips in and I'm not sure how to get all of the sand out of our clothes. [more inside]
posted by smashface at 8:03 PM PST - 12 comments

In the Amazon eating Whole Foods thread there are a lot of negative responses to the buyout. I agree. But after some discussing it in real life, I'm not sure why, besides being raised to distrust big companies and monopolies. Everyone I talked to was dismissive of the buyout. Who cares if a luxury grocery store is purchased by a retail giant with great customer service but poor labor history? [more inside]
posted by kittensofthenight at 5:13 PM PST - 28 comments

I purchased a Verizon mobile hotspot on Friday. I also purchased an unlimited 4G LTE data plan. I need this to do work for my actual job while my band is on tour. Apparently, I've gone over the 10GB in 2 days and I'm now throttled back to 3G. [more inside]
posted by capnsue at 5:07 PM PST - 10 comments

Is there a formal or informal standard for translating the titles of artworks named using languages other than the one you're writing in? E.g. an extensive and well-known multilingual catalog that everyone tends to refer to, rather than translating afresh every time? (Not because they can't, but just to make things easier for others doing work in the same field.) I'm particularly interested in English titles for French paintings from 1800-present mentioned in academic works, but any information on the general case would be appreciated too.
posted by No-sword at 4:47 PM PST - 5 comments

We want to go to the beach for a weekend. We live in Brooklyn and we don't drive, so we are looking on Long Island- maybe Jones Beach? We want to stay within 3 hours of Brooklyn. Give us your recommendations for hotels, beaches, transport- give us all of it!
posted by Blisterlips at 4:12 PM PST - 7 comments

I have been designing for 15 years now, using Illustrator and PowerPoint, and I have a lot of reusable stuff but I don't always remember what it was, or where I saved it, or even that it exists. I need a process (rather than a software solution) to collect these useful things and create an easily browsable and accessible collection. [more inside]
posted by b33j at 3:54 PM PST - 2 comments

This is a longshot, but I'm trying to find novel ways to improve my mandarin pronunciation. I'm trying to find people that have a trained ear who can help me improve...you'd think teachers would be good at this, but for various reasons, past a certain point they tend not to be. There are dialect coaches that work in hollywood, but not many and they're quite expensive. The "ideal" would be maybe a linguistics grad student in something related to phonetics (or perhaps someone studying to be a speech pathologist or whatnot) who is a native speaker or at least a trained ear... then they could listen to me work through charts like this or this and help diagnose and fix issues with pronunciation. I'd of course pay for this, which is why grad students might help -- I know grad students in linguistics aren't exactly rolling in money!
posted by wooh at 3:45 PM PST - 4 comments

I have trouble finding a true, intimate, reliable female-female friendship, even when dealing with those who call me their "best friend." (Ha!) Please help me rule out all potential causes, including the possibility that I am somehow repellent in ways that only women my age can detect. (Men like me well enough, as do children, Baby Boomers, and senior citizens.) [more inside]
posted by Guinevere at 2:45 PM PST - 62 comments

Got through some initial screening with the Google recruiter and my writing exercises and samples were approved, but what comes next? How should I prepare and balance the technical part with the writing part? [more inside]
posted by Irony at 1:47 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm nailing down the details of a trip to Brazil and Argentina in July. We'll be flying from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu, have 2 nights/days, then flying out of Foz de Iguazu airport to Sao Paulo. I understand that you get a somewhat different experience from each side in terms of the falls themselves, and with two days we can certainly arrange to do both. I am wondering if there is any advantage to staying in the Brazilian or Argentinian side in terms of lodging? [more inside]
posted by drlith at 1:05 PM PST - 6 comments

This is guy helped create Twitter or something like that. But what interested me most about this article is the black sweater he is wearing in the photo. It's too bitchin'. (If you like that sorta thing)... [more inside]
posted by zenpop at 12:55 PM PST - 12 comments

My boyfriend of nearly two years recently came out to his ultra-conservative, kind-of-crazy Catholic parents. They are convinced he is possessed by a demon king and is going to hell. How do we *both* navigate this incredibly stressful time? More details inside. [more inside]
posted by fignewton at 12:33 PM PST - 17 comments

Is there a PDF editor and markup tool that respects InDesign document structuring, especially with regard to grouped items and text blocks? [more inside]
posted by mwhybark at 12:08 PM PST - 4 comments

Ant was in our light fixture, must have gotten in from the ceiling. Is it a carpenter ant? [more inside]
posted by stray at 11:27 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm looking for a gift for someone who is surviving the unthinkable. She is still in the midst of it all, but is marking an important personal and professional accomplishment as well. I am looking for a simple symbol of resilience, probably in the form a minimalist necklace. I have been looking at rhinoceros or ginkgo necklaces but haven't found any that stand out as perfect. [more inside]
posted by deadcrow at 11:20 AM PST - 10 comments

I like this GIF of a samoyed running through a laundromat while dragging a pet cage/fence that is far too flimsy to have held such a large dog in place. Once, I saw a popular tweet (i think?) of the gif with a caption along the lines of “when u don’t see your fears as a constraint but as something u take with you as u navigate the world.” It was the best! Could you please find me the source tweet and original caption?
posted by Going To Maine at 10:33 AM PST - 5 comments

I got asked to bring fruit to a potluck tonight, and since I actually already have a bunch of fruit in the house, I thought I might make a fruit salad, which I've somehow never really done before! Looking for all your tips and tricks beyond "cut up fruit and put it in a bowl". Thanks! [more inside]
posted by skycrashesdown at 10:30 AM PST - 30 comments

I will be moving to my 3rd apartment in 4 years and hoping to make live there for quite a while. I haven't really felt like anywhere I've lived in the past few years has felt like home, so how do you help make an apartment when you can't make any big changes feel like home and not just a place you live? [more inside]
posted by Aranquis at 10:18 AM PST - 26 comments

I live in Washington DC, and I like taking long outdoor walks on summer evenings after work. This is especially fun with some kind of entertainment, like a museum/gallery, park, shopping options, or an outdoor concert/street festival. What's available Monday-Thursday between 5-10 PM? [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 9:54 AM PST - 7 comments

My father's day present is encouragement to replace my ageing LG G2 phone. What do I want to replace it with? [more inside]
posted by COD at 9:21 AM PST - 16 comments

I'm recently retired and, for varying reasons, want to reestablish contact with some acquaintances and former colleagues I've fallen out of touch with. I want to reach out via email but keep getting stuck on the awkward first sentence. What do I say to explain or get past the lapse in our relationship? Something breezy and light seems appropriate, but I'm at a loss for a good first line. Mefites have always been so good at wordsmithing and clever turns of phrase, I'm hoping you can help me now. [more inside]
posted by DrGail at 8:47 AM PST - 11 comments

I'd like to get some nice sweets or baked goods from New York for my family. What should I get? And how should I transport it through a 10 hour trip including a 6 hr plane ride without damaging it or running into problems with the TSA? [more inside]
posted by perplexion at 8:47 AM PST - 14 comments

A light bulb icon, floating in a thought bubble over someone's head, is now a nearly-universal graphic symbol of inventiveness & inspiration. Was there a similar visual icon, meant to represent good ideas, before the advent of the light bulb, and if so, what was it? Or was this sort of pictorial representation more or less invented with the light bulb? [more inside]
posted by .kobayashi. at 8:13 AM PST - 4 comments

I was recently assigned my first project for a job in a field I very much want to break into. It turns out, however, that this project was beyond my current ability level, and I have been unable to rise to the occasion - i.e. finish, and produce quality work. So I am going into a call tomorrow in which I believe I might be fired or demoted, or at least be told to explain what happened and give reasons as to why I should be paid for the work I did. Please help me state my case. (Snowflakes inside) [more inside]
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 7:57 AM PST - 9 comments

Single woman, in the midst of perimenopause, but not on HRT, wants to amp up her sex life and so is seeking an in-the-moment solution for...dryness. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:01 AM PST - 12 comments

Based on the photos provided inside, can I pull off a pixie cut, and if so, where in Pasadena/Los Angeles should I go to have it done? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:01 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm a novice BBQ'er and planning to host my first BBQ next weekend. So can you give me your tips and advice for best BBQing and some easy and simple recipes, both for the BBQ and for sides? There will be some vegetarians in attendance so recipes to suit their needs also welcome. It's a charcoal BBQ.
posted by roolya_boolya at 6:30 AM PST - 20 comments

I bought a house! Built in 1911, Chicago, and there's some sort of brick or stone serving as the front wall. I'd like to give the exterior a refresh, but I'm not sure how to treat this material. Can I paint it? (Pics inside.) [more inside]
posted by ohsnapdragon at 6:19 AM PST - 18 comments

I'm a Mac OS / iOS person--and also shoot with a DSLR. I do this for fun as opposed to profit, but have been thinking it might be better *not* to import everything that's on the SD card--so many photos just don't turn out. I used to think that it was better to import and then cull. A while back I met a pro photographer and we had an extended chat on the way to an event he was covering. He mentioned that he used some quick import software to review what was on his roll and then import the better ones that he would then edit. Know the package? How do handle the import then cull, or cull then import challenge? [more inside]
posted by teddyb109 at 4:24 AM PST - 17 comments

Please help me translate these two snippets related to same-sex marriage in Taiwan: one in archaic Japanese and one in Chinese! [more inside]
posted by divabat at 12:57 AM PST - 6 comments

I found a healthy-looking (well, aside from being dead) raccoon in my yard today. I don't currently have a dog, but friends occasionally drop by with their doggos and I don't want any dog friends to get something like distemper (which I understand is the leading cause of death among raccoons). If a dog visits, say two weeks from now, is there any likely danger to the pup from the spot where the racoon died? [more inside]
posted by maxwelton at 12:30 AM PST - 5 comments

I found a mysterious video game cartridge with a handwritten Japanese label, and now I'm wondering what it says. [more inside]
posted by AAAA at 8:59 PM PST - 9 comments

If I want to make a British recipe that calls for "medium oatmeal," what oatmeal product should I buy in the US? [more inside]
posted by andrewesque at 6:05 PM PST - 5 comments

Sometime in the early to mid 90s, a folk singer came to my town and performed, and I bought his album. I remember only a handful of facts about him, and a few lines from the songs. Can you identify this musician? [more inside]
posted by pretentious illiterate at 4:57 PM PST - 10 comments

I got me some of these sausages and cooked them until they were burnt on the outside but, internal temp was only like 130/140. They were in freezer forever before that. I'm paranoid about food poisoning. That is pretty rare from prepacked food right?
posted by mamamia88 at 4:37 PM PST - 9 comments

We're doing some home renovations which include replacing the central heating boiler. Partner is set on getting a smart thermostat, like Nest or Hive. I'm unconvinced as I've read that there's been at least one big glitch with Nest's firmware, and I'm not sure I trust a 'learning' system not to decide to turn off the heating just because we haven't walked past the sensor for a while. What are your experiences with smart thermostats, and would you recommend we get one? We are in the UK. [more inside]
posted by meronym at 2:42 PM PST - 19 comments

Are you finding yourself exhausted by the recent politics? If so, what are you doing to sustain yourself emotionally, physically, energy-wise, health-wise, and in any other "-wise" way during these times? [more inside]
posted by bananaskin at 2:30 PM PST - 34 comments

I've been thinking about buying a "smart vent" system for my house to regulate the temperature better and cut energy usage. I'm looking at Ecovent, Flair, and Keen. If you have one of these systems, what has your experience been? [more inside]
posted by braveterry at 2:02 PM PST - 2 comments

When should I talk to telephone survey callers? [more inside]
posted by Leontine at 1:44 PM PST - 4 comments

I've been reading about bipolar people losing a lot of money during manic episodes by, e.g., over-estimating their blackjack skills or being too optimistic about a new business idea. This apparently happens even to people who know they get manic and sometimes repeatedly to the same person. Which makes me wonder, is there no way to structure one's finances to avoid this? E.g., could I instruct my bank to require a cooling-off period or a doctor's note before allowing withdrawals larger than some size, etc.?
posted by d. z. wang at 1:20 PM PST - 16 comments

I'm looking for information about the path someone in my position would take to work as a Data Scientist. Salary? Quality of life? Length of projects? Boot camp? Etc. [more inside]
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 1:11 PM PST - 7 comments

I will be renting a 2-level house without central air. I would like recommendations from people on how many/how big/what type of window A/C units I should get. [more inside]
posted by nirblegee at 1:04 PM PST - 7 comments

Our tenth wedding anniversary approaches, and we're considering a road trip from our home in Seattle. We have family and friends in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and California, but we also want to do new/fun/weird/scenic things. Help us fill in the gaps, pick the best route, and plan our accommodations. There are lots of good previous questions about road tripping in these areas, but of course we are unique. [more inside]
posted by doift at 12:46 PM PST - 2 comments

Movie buffs and casual fans -- what are some films that have a missing or dead character that becomes a core part of the "journey" of the main characters? A good example is Apacolypse Now, with Colonel Kurtz being a driving force who we don't meet until the end of the film. Another example is Stand by Me, which I have admittedly not seen, but looks to fit the profile: "After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy." Casting a wide net, so all suggestions are welcome! [more inside]
posted by no_context at 12:17 PM PST - 65 comments

Is it worth traveling ~three hours to canvass for the Georgia 6th election? [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi at 11:55 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm currently experiencing an intense emotional crisis; I'm not in physical danger. I can pay--is there any way I can definitely get at least an hour with a licensed mental health professional today near Oakland, CA? [more inside]
posted by zeek321 at 10:00 AM PST - 4 comments

One of my oldest friends is fond of hosting earnest, awkward parties where 10-15 people who have little in common are thrown together for the evening. I am going to one of these this weekend. Please tell me your finest lines for starting (interesting) conversations with people beyond "So, how's your work going?".
posted by Lluvia at 9:05 AM PST - 49 comments

We recently bought a house. Our lot on paper is rectangular. The fence is not - it takes a 10" jog halfway along our house. In the interest of neighborly harmony, I'm inclined to let sleeping dogs lie (so am not planning to call a surveyor), but am curious about this enough to ask the internet - why? [more inside]
posted by arnicae at 8:17 AM PST - 13 comments

Hi. I'm going to be in Vancouver for a few days next week and would like to find a nice small town to stay for a night in outside of the city. No more than 2 hours drive hopefully. Any recommendations for short hikes or other things we must do would be welcome. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
posted by batou_ at 8:13 AM PST - 6 comments

Asking for a friend: is there any way to get Hangouts to look like the old Gchat? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by Tamanna at 8:04 AM PST - 5 comments

About a week every month I feel like I'm hit by a bus and that bus is driving forward and backward repeatedly. I'm otherwise in excellent health. I am beginning to wonder if I shouldn't spend 25% of my days preoccupied with discomfort, but then again I've done it my whole adult life. What do you think? [more inside]
posted by redwaterman at 7:50 AM PST - 20 comments

Our house is from the 1950s and the heating system has been hacked together over the years, so we're looking to redo the whole thing for max efficiency. I've received two offers: one to replace the zone valves, and one to install circulator pumps. Which is the better solution? [more inside]
posted by gchucky at 7:17 AM PST - 2 comments

I've had an Etsy shop (link in profile) for over a year. Despite a lot of hard work promoting it, my views/sales are suspiciously low. I've been reading about Etsy's algorithms and certain policies they have that are seller-unfriendly. Now I'm thinking about moving my shop, but I don't know if I should, and what new platform would be the best. More inside. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 7:01 AM PST - 9 comments

Again, YANMD but the internet isn't helping on this. For the past 3 weeks I've had a "stuck" feeling, literally like something's there, in my upper left ribcage area. Xray a week ago revealed matter. Basically, there's poop hanging out in the upper part of my colon. A week of stool softeners and laxatives and the discomfort (not pain) and it's still there. Now what? [more inside]
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 6:42 AM PST - 16 comments

Looking for book suggestions about the American expat experience. [more inside]
posted by princeoftheair at 6:37 AM PST - 11 comments

Our neighbors cook/fry fish pretty regularly and it often seeps through our shared wall. It's quite strong and I'm not a big fan of fish smell in general, but this smell particularly seems to hang in our house. [more inside]
posted by stillmoving at 6:14 AM PST - 11 comments

How can I convince an undead rose to cooperate and bloom? [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Rattery at 5:48 AM PST - 7 comments

How to document a request for a distribution when the need for funds is less than specific?? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:40 AM PST - 5 comments

A few years ago, we watched a UK tv series about collectors who were out of control to various degrees. I can't remember the name at all and am totally failing in searching. The most memorable guy had a Star Wars collections all still in the boxes, taking over most of his children's bedrooms. Help? [more inside]
posted by carbide at 3:30 AM PST - 2 comments

Is "donating ones body to science" just a hollywood cliche or do scientists actually really use cadavers to further research. Is it merely a euphemism for the act of med students practicing surgical techniques or is it something less prosaic?
posted by ambulocetus at 12:09 AM PST - 22 comments

I have an unopened waxed cheddar from The Fine Cheese Co. Made in England. Expiration date was the end of March (so 2 1/2 months ago). It is pasturized. To my knowledge it has been refrigerated (barring any power outages I may not have witnessed while it was in the fridge this whole time). Can I eat it?
posted by MeFiMouse at 11:54 PM PST - 10 comments

We're first time homebuyer verrrrrrrry early in the process, in a very competitive market (SF Bay Area). We're trying to figure out what a mortgage broker does and if we need one, or if we should just apply directly to banks ourselves. Explanations, links, and personal experience would all be helpful & appreciated! [more inside]
posted by matildatakesovertheworld at 9:28 PM PST - 13 comments

We figured out what was backing up our sewer line every day (see previous post). Tenant in top floor unit has a medical problem (severe intestinal disease) that causes digestive issues and 10x/hour bathroom visits. His 'flare up' started a week ago (just when the problem started) and has not subsided. How do we handle this delicately? [more inside]
posted by shew at 6:53 PM PST - 34 comments

I just got started working at a company that has founders from 3 different countries. One of them asked me to see if something like this exists already or it can be custom made elsewhere. Any ideas? Maybe custom Etsy order?
posted by bostonhill at 4:14 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm considering a new career and I'd like to hear what sort of jobs require a command of extensive knowledge but not much planning, scheduling, or project management. An example of this might be a doctor or car mechanic - they solve problems based on a broad body of knowledge, but don't usually plan out long-term projects. [more inside]
posted by HE Amb. T. S. L. DuVal at 3:29 PM PST - 8 comments

I've been living in a new house for about a month. It's an old New Orleans house, which in my previous experiences are wrought with bad wiring. For some reason, when I turn my ceiling fan on in the living room, about 1/10 times it turns off the outlet that my television is connected to. Another outlet has the WiFi connected to it, which doesn't go out. I've tried flipping the breaker and I'm at my wit's end! I currently can't turn on my TV or anything. If anyone has any suggestions that'd be great. [more inside]
posted by pineapplesunshine at 3:08 PM PST - 11 comments

I am studying the narrative structures and storytelling devices of crime stories that have been serialized. I am interested in both the scripted and non-fiction true crime variety. Can you help with some suggestions? [more inside]
posted by avrobie at 3:04 PM PST - 12 comments

My new love interest cannot be serious for ten seconds. How can I tell if he is serious about me? [more inside]
posted by Dr_Janeway at 1:14 PM PST - 21 comments

I want to know about your experiences in therapy. How did you know that you found the right therapist? How did you know that the therapeutic process was working? What were you working on? How long did it take to get over your issues? Is there any such thing as over analyzing your issues in therapy? What are some signs of a good or a bad therapist? [more inside]
posted by sheepishchiffon at 1:00 PM PST - 11 comments

A significant portion of the flooring in our home is beige/cream carpet. We are relatively new homeowners who grew up without carpet for the most part, so we haven't dealt with this before, but we have reached the point where vacuuming and spot cleaning is no longer cutting it. What makes the most sense for cleaning-- renting a machine, buying a machine (which one?), or having it done professionally? [more inside]
posted by charmcityblues at 12:28 PM PST - 19 comments

Our cat was just diagnosed as being hyperthyroid. We need some real world advice on how to move forward. [more inside]
posted by pdb at 10:50 AM PST - 22 comments

I hate car shopping but I'm in the market for a used car and there's no way around it. Please tell me: * how to deal with aggressive car sales folk * How to find a car that hits the sweet spot between super reliable and reasonable cost Car will be mostly used for city driving and occasional road trips.
posted by bunderful at 10:26 AM PST - 32 comments

Looking to start some online nanny consulting and I need a great name! [more inside]
posted by mrfuga0 at 10:10 AM PST - 7 comments

Please help me plan my Canada trip! I intend to go in early August for roughly 4 weeks. Will be flying into Vancouver, most likely flying out of Vancouver as well, but that depends on the answer to my question which is essentially: how long should I spend in BC and Alberta? [more inside]
posted by pianissimo at 10:06 AM PST - 17 comments

What is this weird tech hardware on Chicago utility poles? [more inside]
posted by Mid at 10:06 AM PST - 3 comments

I've noticed that BTC prices have recently surged to about $2,500 per coin. However, reading a bit makes it seem as though this is fairly hard to cash out into actual U.S. dollars, due to American banks being reluctant to work with BTC. If you're an american with 4 Bitcoins (for example) how much could you realistically cash that out for at a moment's notice? [Caveat: I am not at all interested in trading in BTC, just generally curious.]
posted by codacorolla at 9:57 AM PST - 7 comments

What's a good casual restaurant around West LA, Culver City or nearby to wind down after a long day of househunting, that's nicely situated to give us a glimpse of what it'd be like to live in the area? [more inside]
posted by acidic at 9:35 AM PST - 15 comments

I need to obtain an MRI of my shoulder (which I dislocated and fractured) along with an injection of contrast dye. I am in New York City. Can you recommend a location? Most places seem to have very poor reviews online, especially from patients who also required a dye injection. I have insurance. Thanks.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:11 AM PST - 8 comments

How to prepare hamstrings for sprinting? [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 9:04 AM PST - 7 comments

I use a web app at work which, for various reasons, logs me out after ~5 minutes of inactivity. Logging in takes at least a minute, which, over the days & weeks, adds up. Snowflake-y requirements inside... [more inside]
posted by slater at 8:47 AM PST - 2 comments

I'm in my mid-40s and have never done any sort of bikini area hair maintenance. Feel I should probably start. Is it something I can DIY for a first-time, or should I see a professional? [more inside]
posted by a heavy box of anvils is heavy at 8:46 AM PST - 24 comments

So, I just got a new iPad Pro and I love it. It's wifi-cellular model. Now I need to pick a cellular carrier. And it can't be Verizon because i didn't buy a Verizon iPad. I currently have AT&T on my old iPad Air 2 and it's fine. I need about 3GB a month, and I'm looking for the broadest fastest coverage, as I travel with my iPad instead of a laptop for business. Should I stick to AT&T or jump to TMobile or something else? I'm based in Seattle.
posted by bearwife at 8:07 AM PST - 5 comments

I'd like to make the Genoa Tote and I am looking for recommendations on where to buy the notions, including leather handles, a zipper, a key clip, and rivets. [more inside]
posted by john_snow at 7:53 AM PST - 6 comments

We want a food dehydrator, but it's hard to figure out what's good. Six years ago, the Ask Metafilter favorite brand was Excalibur, and I'm curious whether something better (or better for the price) has come along. [more inside]
posted by ardgedee at 7:32 AM PST - 7 comments

My office mate is switching jobs and loves sriracha. Is there a way for me to get a sriracha-flavored liquor (NOT beer) by Tuesday for a goodbye prezzie? [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 6:43 AM PST - 5 comments

I found this terrifying creature on my bathroom sink. Six legs and only about 5mm long, but it has pincers! What is it?
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:00 AM PST - 7 comments

Accommodation suggestions in England needed, old-timey a must, haunted a plus! [more inside]
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 5:42 AM PST - 4 comments

I am an artist and I'm working on an interactive installation piece that involves a sculpture submerged in still water in a vase in order to grow algae on it. I have been growing the algae well for a week or so now, but today for the first time I noticed mosquito larvae in the vase. How do I kill the larvae and not the algae? [more inside]
posted by vegartanipla at 3:07 AM PST - 8 comments

A question for anthropologists, linguists, cultural historians and other humanities scholars. What's the most thought-provoking custom, idea, metaphor or sociocultural phenomenon you've encountered in the academic literature that non-experts will probably never get to hear about? For example, the "sound-painting" of the Siwu , the absence of fiction or art among the Pirahã people [pdf], or the popularity of communism in 500 AD Persia [pdf]. Or to put it another way: in all your years of digging around in dusty old journals, what was your biggest "whoa" moment?
posted by dontjumplarry at 1:18 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm looking for stories about people who love each other and cohabitate and whose relationship is in some way unusual — such as the line marriage described in Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or the gay man who lives with his female best friend in this New York Times piece. Where can I read about other such arrangements? [more inside]
posted by actionstations at 11:11 PM PST - 16 comments

I realized I really like chapters in novels where a character is engaged in some routine, meditative, or prayerful exercise and am looking for some suggestions. [more inside]
posted by charlielxxv at 10:18 PM PST - 28 comments

I found a pair of Saint Laurent espadrille's that i fell in love with. Problem is i have no idea how they fit size wise, they're from last year maybe? so they're out of season but even if they weren't i don't have a Saint Laurent store or a store that carries the brand anywhere near me to try on. [more inside]
posted by earthquakeglue at 10:15 PM PST - 4 comments

After using OneNote since it was released for everything from to-do list management to keeping lists of my favorite quotes and pet names, I've come to a place where I find myself annoyed with the "software rental" concept, the constant drumbeat of cloud service enticements, and Microsoft's decision to make a "free" version available that will not read valid OneNote files stored on a local filesystem. [more inside]
posted by xyzzy at 10:11 PM PST - 7 comments

Who was the wealthiest single person in all of human history?
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:20 PM PST - 12 comments

Seeking books and articles on how Russia changed from a parliamentary democracy (if a weak one) to a presidential dictatorship. [more inside]
posted by thedarksideofprocyon at 8:09 PM PST - 7 comments

I won this jersey at a festival about 8-10 years ago. After I won it, several people asked me if they could have it or buy it off me. It's been in my closet ever since. I don't want it anymore. Should I pawn it, sell on Ebay, donate it?
posted by allison00 at 7:43 PM PST - 8 comments

Following Consumer Reports' advice, I bought some Coppertone Ultraguard SPF 70 and put it on my arms and neck before heading out for a walk. I showered that evening. The next day, after I'd sprinted down the block, I suddenly broke out in tiny, itchy hives on my arms in the areas I'd put the sunscreen (and nowhere else). Betrayed... by sunscreen? It seemed fine when I put it on. [more inside]
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:07 PM PST - 13 comments

Can anyone identify the musical instrument being played at the 4:11 mark in this video? It's hard to get a good look and my random Googles are not cutting it. YouTube link
posted by pixlboi at 6:22 PM PST - 10 comments

Should I warn my abuser's new fiance? [more inside]
posted by Chrysalis at 6:11 PM PST - 33 comments

We now have a spa in our backyard, and we really love it. While it works perfectly fine to wrap a towel around my body between shower & hot tub, I'd prefer a robe. Can you recommend one? [more inside]
posted by linettasky at 6:04 PM PST - 6 comments

I have a seven pound fresh picnic and I'm going to smoke it at ~225 with a wet rub in a banana leaf (braise, essentially, once it starts to release liquid) for 10 hours tomorrow. Do I need to remove the skin now? It won't be crispy/delicious but if it's in one piece I will just discard it tomorrow. If it's going to turn into some kind of falling apart, impossible to separate, skin-monstrosity I'll take it off now with a boning knife. TIA for any help!
posted by ftm at 4:46 PM PST - 8 comments

My boyfriend and I will be having a conversation this weekend about what's bothering me in the relationship. I don't know how to explain it in a productive way because it's relatively nebulous and based on my assumptions about how he feels about me. Can you help me figure out what to say? [more inside]
posted by deus ex machina at 4:25 PM PST - 27 comments

As an adult daughter or mother of an adult daughter, what quiet activities have you really enjoyed bonding with your daughter/mother over? [more inside]
posted by mossicle at 4:17 PM PST - 25 comments

We're making last-minuteish plans to go car camping in or around North Cascades National Park next weekend (23rd - 25th). How to we find a site? [more inside]
posted by SirNovember at 4:14 PM PST - 5 comments

Yesterday my boyfriend committed suicide in our home. I'm out of town, heading back. I have no idea what I'm doing. I've never lost anyone before. [more inside]
posted by meemzi at 3:48 PM PST - 18 comments

My spouse has the opportunity to take a significant amount out of a start-up they founded during their next investment round. We are looking for recommendations for who we should be talking to as we navigate this process. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:56 PM PST - 6 comments

My dad (the tech person in the household) is switching my mum from Microsoft Live Mail, to Thunderbird. He knows basically how to do it - but it seems the system exports all the emails in one 'catch-all' folder. Is there a way of transferring the data so the folders, and the emails sorted into the folders, can be transferred over? Basically, is there a way of exporting the structure as well as the data? [more inside]
posted by latnahc at 2:43 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm going to be starting an (academic) job in the fall, and I have a new shiny e-mail inbox that comes with it. What system should I set up now to keep my college-associated electronic life organized? [more inside]
posted by dismas at 2:26 PM PST - 16 comments

I'm giving a 'this is my job' talk for my 9yo son's 4th grade class in two weeks. I want to do it on programming (with python), what should I show them? [more inside]
posted by signal at 2:10 PM PST - 16 comments

I would like your best coverage of both the various legislative/judicial/executive actions of the Trump administration, as well as the best coverage of the Russia/Mueller investigations. I am looking for [content creators] that explicitly focus on the legal aspects. I.e., I know NPR sometimes has legal reporting, but I am looking for sites/reporters/podcasts that are explicitly legal in nature. Please share?
posted by OmieWise at 2:06 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a gig selling ads for a magazine, and am paid 100% based on commission. They pay me a commission on every sale I make, but that's it - I don't get a regular paycheck, they don't withhold taxes, I'm not reimbursed for travel or expenses of any kind. What can they reasonably expect from me? If you are a commission rep, what kinds of things do you have to do for work other than sell?
posted by lyssabee at 12:59 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm looking for my second software developer job. Is there a good rule of thumb regarding how many places I should be in process for at once? [more inside]
posted by hishtafel at 12:46 PM PST - 8 comments

We have two short visits to Pittsburgh planned in the next few weeks. Can you share suggestions for fun things to do? Some restrictions apply. [more inside]
posted by areaperson at 12:44 PM PST - 8 comments

I just figured out the easiest way to steam vegetables and make mashed potato is in the rice cooker. I'm not the kind to cook steak in the microwave, and it's a RICE cooker, it just never occurred to me. I'm thinking risotto is possible? I'm asking how people use their rice cooker for things other than rice.
posted by adept256 at 12:13 PM PST - 20 comments

This is a weird one- Basically, I'm looking for any kind of visual reference for a POV shot from inside of a bag, hood or sack. As if the person had been kidnapped. It can be a game, movie, TV etc. The more the merrier!
posted by GilloD at 11:53 AM PST - 12 comments

I'm currently on leave from my STEM PhD program and need a job in the interim. I'm applying to temp agencies, but need a quick paycheck while doing so--preferably something I can do from home. Are there any online jobs that pay somewhat well? My programming skills likely aren't strong enough to do coding jobs. Most online transcription doesn't pay enough. Right now I'm looking at tutoring and Lionbridge-type jobs. Is there anything I'm missing? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:18 AM PST - 8 comments

I recently got laid off. The good news is, I quickly found another job. My old coverage stops at the end of June. My new coverage doesn't start until the end of July. I need to find a way to get us coverage during the gap. We have pre-existing conditions and are on regular meds.
posted by grumblebee at 11:10 AM PST - 14 comments

Here's a photo. It appears to have eight legs and and another pair of extra-long appendages that look like legs. It's about an inch long. What is it? [more inside]
posted by compartment at 11:08 AM PST - 7 comments

After checking multiple times over multiple days with my daughter for the dates for our flight to England, I finally booked them, and two days later she tells me she can't go. What now? [more inside]
posted by idb at 11:05 AM PST - 13 comments

A couple years ago I threw away all of my socks and bought 20 pairs of Hanes cotton crews in black. They are coming to the end of their lifespan and I'm ready for an upgrade: recommend me everyday wear socks (with some stipulations). [more inside]
posted by possibilityleft at 10:53 AM PST - 7 comments

About two weeks ago I bought a fancy bottle of maple syrup as a gift (aged "bourbon style," in a wooden cask, though not containing alcohol). For various reasons I did not see the person I meant to gift it to, the moment passed and I planned to return it to the local gourmet shop where I bought it. [more inside]
posted by flourpot at 10:32 AM PST - 17 comments

I'm involved in a lowkey dispute betweene me, my husband, my sister and he boyfriend. It involves my husband growing pot plants in the backyard. [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso at 10:28 AM PST - 15 comments

I have had my anxiety under control for awhile but landing my dream job has sent it howling out. [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 9:57 AM PST - 4 comments

Wondering if anyone has any advice on the best way to design an app that efficiently sends data to an online DB in a country where folks conserve their data carefully on 10 MB/day SIM cards. Specifically I have a question about Firebase, but any relevant stories or experiences welcome. [more inside]
posted by johngoren at 9:55 AM PST - 0 comments

I have two dogs:

• Black Jack, a 13 year old male Schipperke who I adopted in February
• Licorice, an almost 5-year-old female Pomeranian/Pug/Cocker Spaniel/etc mix, who I've had for almost 2 years

After a few initial skirmishes, they coexist peacefully together for the most part, but almost entirely ignore each other. How can I (can I?) encourage them to play together? [more inside]
posted by pixiecrinkle at 9:51 AM PST - 14 comments

Okay, so I've learned how to dress my body for special events/parties and weekend life (nerdy shirts and pencil skirts, mostly). How do I dress in a way that's flattering and professional for my work life, particularly in a job where I spend a lot of time with conservative elected officials. [more inside]
posted by superlibby at 9:50 AM PST - 11 comments

I'm a guy and I've always been attracted to men and have only slept with men. Occasionally I've had crushes on women but they never went further than a kiss. I've been single for a long time and haven't had luck with men beyond hooking up. Women flirt with me much more than men. Should I see if I might actually be bisexual? Or is experimenting inherently unfair? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:27 AM PST - 15 comments

My 2013 car, which is in excellent mechanical condition and has had all the recommended routine maintenance, was driving perfectly. Then I had it professionally detailed... [more inside]
posted by schroedingersgirl at 9:20 AM PST - 7 comments

I have been collecting various awesome succulent plants to place in a container garden. I have some questions. [more inside]
posted by *s at 9:07 AM PST - 6 comments

When I was in grade school in the eighties, we were shown a strange movie. The main story was centered around a young man who was kind of a loser. He wanted to improve himself and his life, to become awesome and have lots of friends and stuff. He embarked on some dodgy self-improvement program. Step One: attend school wearing a large piece of veg on a string around the neck. This is the most memorable part of the story. It was like, a whole head of broccoli, or, an entire celery or something. [more inside]
posted by vortex genie 2 at 9:01 AM PST - 4 comments

I am in search of a new television comedy to keep me happy. I particularly want something relatively nice and light, good quality but not too demanding. My current favourites are Brooklyn 99, Bob's Burgers, and Parks and Rec. I know there are lots of similar past asks and I've looked at many of them, but I have my own snowflake requests. [more inside]
posted by pandabort at 8:57 AM PST - 45 comments

I'm trying to set up a system so that I can hang out with a family member from my iMac and their living room TV. I'm open to any system, but it seems like the easiest thing might be to get them an Xbox One + Kinect and do the chat via Skype. Will that work? Is there another way that would be easier/better? [more inside]
posted by mercredi at 8:56 AM PST - 0 comments

In a few weeks, Mrs Molerats and I will load up the pup and head from PA to Oregon in our Honda Civic. Seeking advice on our route (never driven through the western US before), and any cool things we can see with a 50-pound dog in tow. [more inside]
posted by nakedmolerats at 7:58 AM PST - 2 comments

I work at an entry-level position at a state-funded two-year college. I've noticed some odd hiring practices that are above my pay grade, and I don't know whom to ask about them. Our school will post a job vacancy notice, then pull it down 48 hours later. Without having interviewed anyone, we'll then announce the position has been filled by whomever the upper admins wanted to put there. The job notice was just for show. This seems shady at best. Any advice or insight?
posted by jackypaper at 7:56 AM PST - 18 comments

I was hired by a small non-profit 10 months ago. I love my job, but the organization is having financial trouble and has failed to make payroll several times. After a sobering conversation about the future of the organization with my boss, I applied for a job at a city government department and was just invited for an interview for Friday morning. It's likely that they will ask why I'm considering leaving. What should I say? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:06 AM PST - 11 comments

Can I block keywords from youtube recommendations? OR from being shown at all? [more inside]
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 6:30 AM PST - 7 comments

How hard is it to get a ticket at a few days to a couple of weeks notice? We'd be looking at late December 2017 until the end of January 2018 date range. [more inside]
posted by wwax at 6:12 AM PST - 3 comments

I color my hair black using home boxed color kits. I just moved into a new condo, and realized, as I was rinsing my hair color, that my bathtub is PLASTIC. The dye soaked right in and now I'm left with a stained, muddy-looking tub. Please help me with really specific cleaning suggestions. [more inside]
posted by Dressed to Kill at 5:52 AM PST - 14 comments

What computer security topics do schools cover nowadays? [more inside]
posted by metaquarry at 5:36 AM PST - 5 comments

I can't recall the name of the book or too many details. It is written by a man. He writes about his travels to Japan and the manners there. He lives in New York and I think was a guide there. He talks about the manners there too. It reads like a combo travelogue and manners book.
posted by Tziv at 5:17 AM PST - 1 comment

Statskid just turned 5 and has been a very dedicated napper. Now we're having to go no nap and are struggling. [more inside]
posted by statsgirl at 5:17 AM PST - 7 comments

My four-year relationship with a person I expected to marry ended recently and suddenly. The decision was not mine. The reasons for its end are basically good ones, but I'm still devastated. Help me get through this with music. [more inside]
posted by woodvine at 5:04 AM PST - 36 comments

Can you recommend some good fonts for data tables in PDF/print? [more inside]
posted by neat graffitist at 4:23 AM PST - 1 comment

I would like to make a WordPress site with an area only accessible via password. This area will feature a catalog of pages or posts that needs to be searchable by keyword or category or tag (preferably all three). It would also feature a couple of private forums (which would have separate passwords). What is the best method for creating this kind of site? [more inside]
posted by jammy at 4:16 AM PST - 3 comments

How do I compartmentalize my backpack? [more inside]
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 1:43 AM PST - 8 comments

I have a 2005 or 2006 Trek 7.3 FX hybrid bike that I've mostly used for local transportation. I'd like to try a bit more cycling for exercise, though, and I'm looking at 10-12 mile rides or so. I live in San Francisco and this is a route I'd like to try -- the Presidio to downtown Mill Valley. [more inside]
posted by imalaowai at 11:14 PM PST - 25 comments

These teeny bugs were spotted on our windowsills in our apartment. Any idea of what they are?
posted by katinka-katinka at 10:07 PM PST - 7 comments

I am looking for an astrologer to work with personally over the phone or even email who could check out both my tropical and sidereal (aka western and Vedic) zodiacs and make a composite chart and then explain it to me basically. [more inside]
posted by jitterbug perfume at 9:20 PM PST - 2 comments

I graduated from college over 10 years ago. Now I want to start a PhD, but I need to take two prerequisites I missed out on in undergrad. How do I go about this? Do I have to apply as an undergrad to take these two classes? I feel like this is something I should know as a college graduate, but I am clueless as to how to make this happen. I live in a large metro area with lots of colleges--how do I take classes at one of them?
posted by sunrisecoffee at 8:15 PM PST - 10 comments

So a couple of years ago I saw a news story with a quote from an aggressive prosecutor that I wish I could remember, largely because the quote encapsulated a frame of mind I vigorously disagree with. [more inside]
posted by Mr. Justice at 8:13 PM PST - 2 comments

My eight-month-old baby will not stop scratching his head. I've tried every cream, ointment and shampoo there is. What's going on here? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 7:44 PM PST - 14 comments

What things are reasonable versus unreasonable when it comes to asking for changes in a partner? [more inside]
posted by eternallyinfinite at 7:28 PM PST - 29 comments

I wish this question was more nuanced, but it isn't! We received a gorgeous, large wooden cutting board as a wedding gift. It is too big to really clean in my kitchen sink (which is an average size). It's also insanely heavy, I had to carry it home from my office today and it was an ordeal. But plenty of people have big, nice cutting boards. Do you have one? How do you keep it clean?
posted by cakelite at 6:52 PM PST - 20 comments

I just reinstated my CBS All Access and need a weekend down the rabbit hole escaping my life. What CBS shows available on All Access do you think I would like (previous liked shows inside)? [more inside]
posted by bluesky78987 at 6:03 PM PST - 14 comments

I am looking for a website that has various casual games I can play for free or cheap like pogo.com but that isn't so risky. [more inside]
posted by WinterSolstice at 4:28 PM PST - 7 comments

Throughout my childhood, my mom was diligent in taking care of my physical needs (food, shelter) and intellectual development, but has been deaf to emotional needs. It's always been a one-way street of me comforting her, and her unloading problems and anxiety onto me. In her old age, my mother has also developed paranoia, which she refuses to treat. I estranged myself from her a few years ago, and many relatives have told me that it makes her sad. I feel persistent feelings of guilt about it. How do I stop feeling guilty? [more inside]
posted by vienna at 4:11 PM PST - 12 comments

I am cutting back on expenses. I am considering suspending my smartphone service. A friend suggested that I switch to Skype. I would like the incoming calls go directly to an answering service. Is Google Voice an option for a Skype phone number? To be clear, the smartphone account will be suspended and I do not have a landline
posted by goalyeehah at 4:05 PM PST - 5 comments

I just moved to a new apartment in Hong Kong and it comes with a small roof terrace and quite a few planter boxes in my windows. There are some straggly palm-like things already, but many empty spaces. I want to plant things, but what? I am good at gardening but have little knowledge of plants for this kind of climate-- very very hot in the summer, very humid-- goes down to 50-60 degrees in the winter. Green thumbs and Experience wanted.
posted by frumiousb at 3:33 PM PST - 5 comments

I've been tasked with making the dessert course for Father's Day dinner this weekend. (Yay!) The father in question likes my rum cake, but a) I like to make it a week to a month in advance to make it extra-boozy, and b) it reads kind of fall/winter-ish to me. So what kind of boozy dessert can I make for 5-6 people that feels more summery, and doesn't need a week-plus of glazing for maximum flavor? [more inside]
posted by PearlRose at 2:19 PM PST - 36 comments

I would like to start weekly therapy. It would be from 9-10a on a weekday. How do I navigate this with my employer? Bonus: I work for the government. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:15 PM PST - 6 comments

On our way to see the eclipse in August, our family will fly into Portland and take about 10 days to get to Casper, Wyoming. We've booked nights in Cascade Locks, the Dalles, Boise, Yellowstone, Cooke City, and Cody. What should we stop and see along the way? What will help us understand the history and cultures of the areas we pass through?
posted by underthehat at 1:47 PM PST - 11 comments

This is kind of a vague question, for which I apologise: Friend of a friend of a friend is an up and coming rapper who has signed some sort of contract with another, quite famous and successful rapper who is promoting/mentoring him. Apparently the contract stipulates that the junior rapper cannot have a girlfriend, for reasons I haven't had explained to me. I haven't seen the contract (and won't), but am wondering if any such clause would really be enforceable. Not looking for hard legal info, just curious about the general concept.
posted by senor biggles at 1:40 PM PST - 14 comments

I am sort of at a loss as to what to do about a continuing - but now changing - acne problem I have, and hoping that kind metafilter members might have some good advice. Why is my acne changing in nature, and what should I do about it? [more inside]
posted by RajahKing at 1:35 PM PST - 5 comments

Help! Leaving on a road trip in less than two hours, and my Old Reliable the Original 160gb iPod has finally bit the dust. My iTunes is on my Windows 10 computer. I have an android phone (Samsung Galaxy s5 Sport). Can I put iTunes on that? I would settle in for a bunch of research on the topic but I'm on a time crunch. Hope me, Mefi! [more inside]
posted by Elly Vortex at 1:14 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm a solo practice consultant who needs to buy a subscription to a web conferencing / web presentation service that allows dialing in by phone. Must work at least on Windows and Mac (Linux would be nice too but not required ☹️). Cheaper is good, but works well is more important.
posted by Tehhund at 12:39 PM PST - 10 comments

Attention data scientists and others: I've been looking for--and failing to find--a progressive political activism events/actions aggregator. Something like travel aggregator Kayak only for progressive political action (covering orgs such as Swing Left, MoveOn, Indivisible). Failing that, a glorified calendar. [more inside]
posted by Bella Donna at 12:20 PM PST - 3 comments

I love to read medium and longform articles I find online. I am wondering how people save, organize and read link-intensive articles like this. [more inside]
posted by Brittanie at 12:12 PM PST - 4 comments

Please help me navigate the waters of retirement savings and student loans; how to tackle this loan and keep growing my savings? [more inside]
posted by sucre at 12:11 PM PST - 7 comments

So, I started putting travel reïmbursement checks in my savings account instead of checking as a way of tricking myself into saving some money. I am in my 40s and have done way too little saving for retirement. I think in about a month I will have saved about 1K. I could sock this relatively paltry amount away into an IRA or...I could do a fear of flying course I have been wanting to do. Lots of other stuff I have tried has failed but this one has an actual flight and feels like it might be the thing I need. Or it might be money down the drain. Is 1K enough $ that I should fuss with being responsible or should I just do a thing that might or might not enable me to take part in travel-mad human culture of the now?
posted by Smearcase at 11:48 AM PST - 9 comments

I am going to an 11-month accelerated second-bachelor's BSN (nursing) program in the fall. I need to take out approximately 60K in private loans to finance this, I have a lot of other life stress right now, and I'm feeling really overwhelmed at the process of trying to choose a lender. Hope me? [more inside]
posted by needs more cowbell at 11:17 AM PST - 11 comments

I want to hang a large (4' by 6') magnetic board on the same wall as my computer desk. The desk is shallow, and the computer sits just a few inches from the wall. Can I do this? Will I ruin my computer?
posted by Malla at 11:11 AM PST - 8 comments

I'd like to buy two couches. How much should I offer? [more inside]
posted by HoraceH at 11:04 AM PST - 11 comments

We are going to rip up the carpets in our new home - specifically in the living room and dining room. We are not sure what is underneath the carpets, but the realtor claims it's plywood. So if there's no hardwood under there we need to make a decision on what to put down. Looking for advice. [more inside]
posted by kitcat at 10:43 AM PST - 24 comments

For whatever reason, some of the shirts I wear seem to develop permanent creases, particularly around the collar and the placket area. How can I get it such that it stays flat, or at least doesn't show the creases after I iron them? [more inside]
posted by Carillon at 10:32 AM PST - 8 comments

This may be a bit of a lazyweb/crowdsource request. I'm shopping for a new cell phone and would like to find a great option that meets certain criteria. It should be unlocked, for use in the US with AT&T. [more inside]
posted by attercoppe at 10:28 AM PST - 5 comments

We'd like to set up a greywater system of some sort, but I'd like to hear what other people are using and liking, and issues they've encountered. [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief at 10:22 AM PST - 6 comments

Is there a way to have the background image my computer displays reflect which SSID it is wirelessly connected to? I would like to determine this information by a glance at the screen.
posted by Obscure Reference at 10:02 AM PST - 6 comments

Where in New York City might I be able to find a cheap pig pinata by Friday? [more inside]
posted by dysh at 9:10 AM PST - 3 comments

My cousin plans to come to Toronto some Saturday this month so that we can have lunch and visit the Textile Museum, which is near St. Patrick Station at Dundas St. West and University. What are some good and inexpensive lunch places in that area?
posted by orange swan at 8:32 AM PST - 4 comments

I've given notice as my less-than-ideal, toxic job . They're gettin' real weird. It's making me quite uncomfortable. I've never had to navigate this before. How should I proceed? [more inside]
posted by furnace.heart at 8:20 AM PST - 23 comments

I like maps. What are the best videos with heavy use of maps that you've seen? Political, historical, geological, geographical, sociological, cultural, anything. Changes over time or a deep dive into an unchanging map.
posted by clawsoon at 8:18 AM PST - 3 comments

I've got an apartment with a mystery plumbing problem that my seasoned sewer line cleaning company can't figure out. [more inside]
posted by shew at 8:14 AM PST - 6 comments

We are selling our house in Minneapolis, Minnesota (and buying a new one.) What commission percentage should we expect the selling agent to ask for? Is there some percentage we should try to bargain down to? I have no idea of what's normal and/or achievable.
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 7:39 AM PST - 10 comments

I heard someone of Native American descent say how they were raised to believe that wild animals are part of their family. (They are Seneca tribe.) I am looking for stories, texts, or myths that represent and justify this kind of Native relationship with animals. Ideally in the form of stories I can share with children.
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 7:36 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm going to be in the totality of the upcoming total solar eclipse. I'd like to photograph it! Specifically, I'd like to make a homemade (pinhole?) camera and create a permanent image of, at least, the ring of the corona in the sky. How, specifically, could I best do that?
posted by 4th number at 7:24 AM PST - 2 comments

I am in the process of building an All Sky Camera. I have it basically working at this point, but I'm stuck on how to transfer the images/movies off of the Raspberry Pi that is controlling the camera and storing the images. What is a good, secure way to do this without me having to type in my password every night/morning? [more inside]
posted by Betelgeuse at 6:34 AM PST - 5 comments

What would it take to make my yard more lounge-friendly like my friend's house who has a pool? I don't want a pool, but I want that happy relaxing resort atmosphere, where people feel comfortable laying out, relaxing, tanning, etc. How can you accomplish that sans-pool? Is it even possible, or does the pool have an advantage from psychology or air temperature? [more inside]
posted by bbqturtle at 6:11 AM PST - 21 comments

We live next to some parkland, and we're being invaded by plants--native and non-native aggressive varieties. It's unlikely that the town will address the parkland (where would they stop?), so I'm looking for means to control the invaders. Any means accepted (e.g. Roundup), but my property has a lot of plantings id want to protect. [more inside]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 5:58 AM PST - 3 comments

I've switched from an old, catastrophically failed home-built PC to a laptop. But I will occasionally have use for the 5.25" R/W Blu-ray drive and I've bought a powered USB 3.0 adapter for it. But it's ugly. [more inside]
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 5:39 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm looking for books (though happy to be pointed to articles and websites too) about anti-oppressive, anti-racist, intersectional feminist, trans inclusive (and anything I may have forgotten) practice within mental health settings. Caveats: from the perspective of working within current structures rather than dismantling them, and preferably from a UK perspective (though if something's just plain excellent and fulfils neither of those, please do recommend it). [more inside]
posted by Vortisaur at 5:25 AM PST - 5 comments

Okay, I know this is ridiculous, but: in just about every book, movie, or TV show, cowboys eat beans. Chuck wagon cooks make big pots of beans for cowboys on roundups or trail rides, cowboys on their lonesome make beans in their campfires, cowboys in towns eat beans in saloons. So my question is two-fold: did real cowboys really eat beans that much (I'm guessing yes, because they'd be cheap and easy), and if so what kind of beans?
posted by easily confused at 4:27 AM PST - 5 comments

I started a Single Member LLC this year. It uses my Social. It has its own bank account. Over the past quarter I have had income coming into my personal bank account and the LLC account. Now I need to pay quarterly estimated taxes. Can I submit a 1040ES like before and use money from either account to cover the income having gone to my personal bank account AND the LLC account?
posted by spacefire at 3:59 AM PST - 4 comments

This question has come up before in MeFi (Which I found rather comforting, that I'm not the only one who does this). But I'd love more input. Details after the jump. [more inside]
posted by Nieshka at 3:50 AM PST - 10 comments

If everyone in the office really likes the following 3 songs, what other songs do you think we’ll like? Howling Wolf: Killing floor, Little Richard: I don’t know what you got, Bruce Springsteen: 10th Avenue freeze out. Specifically looking for songs, not artists or genres. Thanks!
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 2:48 AM PST - 16 comments

How do I find an agent to represent both political blogging and literary fiction? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:05 PM PST - 4 comments

A former friend of mine almost certainly has Munchausen Syndrome, and is defrauding entire communities. This has been going on for years and is getting more elaborate. Do I have an obligation to say something? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:04 PM PST - 22 comments

I'm still a relatively new driver and I've had my license for about 11 months now. Until about January/February I enjoyed driving and the freedom that comes along with driving in a car-centric community. I went through A LOT of stress in my personal life from December to March and when that stress came along, my anxiety towards driving increased significantly. The problems I was going through sort of solved itself and now I'd like to be able to get over this driving anxiety and be more "free" again. [more inside]
posted by modesty.blaise at 8:18 PM PST - 13 comments

10 years ago, I had a job that made me happy on just about every level. I knew how rare it was, and that it was a "once in a lifetime" situation. After a couple years, things changed at that company, and I've moved on to other jobs. But nowadays, even when I get a good job, I know it's not as great as it could be. I have a hard time feeling truly appreciative, and preventing myself from comparing. Any tips for dealing with this? [more inside]
posted by cheesecake at 8:13 PM PST - 9 comments

We'll be in Denver at the end of the month for Serries Fest and my wife is thinking of getting another tattoo while there. [more inside]
posted by Uncle at 7:41 PM PST - 2 comments

This year I realized that I've somehow become quite threatened by sex, nudity and a lot of "sex positive" things. I started embracing a more radical so-called "sex negative" approach and I'm starting to think it was largely due to a traumatic long-term relationship that ended last year. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:34 PM PST - 7 comments

Mr. McGee helped create a new park/naturalized area with restored prairie habitat that has just opened to the public this spring (he's been working on it for about 10 years), so we thought for Father's Day it'd be really nice to go have a fancy breakfast picnic there and then go for a hike, at the newly-opened picnic area and trails. But this requires me to come up with a slightly fancy breakfast picnic! What should I pack??? [more inside]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:32 PM PST - 23 comments

Searching for a new couch, I am in a fit of indecision, due to two conflicting motivations: 1) I am cheap and want to spend as little money as possible; 2) I also want a really nice couch. How do I figure out what is a good deal, and what is a good couch? [more inside]
posted by meese at 7:27 PM PST - 9 comments

The refrain goes: "Every Night! I have to have it Every Night!" where "every night" is pronounced "Ev. Ree. Night!" It has out-of-place world-music riffs interrupting now and again, but it adds to the disturbed nature of the song. I want to hear it more. [more inside]
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:06 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm going on a trip to Europe from late September through late October. I'm having a hard time finding my dream shoes. Comfort is a #1 priority but I can only bring two pairs, and they must match my Halle pants and possibly a long black skirt. [more inside]
posted by onecircleaday at 6:58 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm looking for instances in fiction, any media, where Shakespeare and/or the works of Shakespeare are used as a comparison point (for the benefit of the audience or explicitly for the characters) between alternate/parallel universes or alternate histories. [more inside]
posted by mixedmetaphors at 6:44 PM PST - 13 comments

Please help me find a short stanza or poem I once read discussing the passage of time--and the preciousness of time--in old age. [more inside]
posted by hhgoodwin at 6:41 PM PST - 1 comment

Comet from the Steven Universe scratches a particular musical itch for me, and I'm trying to find more. What songs sound like it?
posted by Tabitha Someday at 6:38 PM PST - 6 comments

it's gone no icon, cant get any app to see camera....Help? fone is new 1 month old going back to store thursday, need some info please
posted by patnok at 6:33 PM PST - 2 comments

As a soon-to-be college graduate who's faced with two potential careers to start, I look for feedback from those who've been there done that on career crossroads. [more inside]
posted by JYuanZ at 6:22 PM PST - 5 comments

A friend of mine and I are going to see Angels in America when the National Theatre Live recording is played in Chicago in July. My friend is 25, and I realized that she has no concept of what it was like during the height of the crisis. Help me show her so that she has more visceral context than theoretical. [more inside]
posted by tzikeh at 6:13 PM PST - 23 comments

I have just sat through another interminable business meeting where people "visioned" and "ideated" and otherwise perpetrated various other linguistic monstrosities upon the English language. I'm guessing that people wanted to be heard but didn't have a great deal to say and so we ended up with a bunch of weird verbal contortions and a lot of passive voice. I find it infuriating but it's obviously A Thing. What is this phenomenon called? And where can I read more about it?
posted by ninazer0 at 5:46 PM PST - 17 comments

I'd be very grateful for some specific examples of language I can use to clarify a guy's interest...details inside. [more inside]
posted by starcrust at 4:48 PM PST - 10 comments

I've been dating an amazing person for five and a half months. I want a committed relationship with him and I'm ready to talk about it. But the thought of saying the words out loud and being vulnerable to rejection gives me cold sweats. Help! [more inside]
posted by wreckofthehesperus at 4:41 PM PST - 13 comments

Rug Appraisal & Selling how does it work? [more inside]
posted by pipoquinha at 4:18 PM PST - 3 comments

I'd really like a very small, very light charger for my 15" MacBook Pro as an alternative to the huge 85W Apple charger and as a backup. I've been looking at the Zolt and similar, which seem cool, but I'm curious if it's possible to find something even smaller. [more inside]
posted by duoshao at 3:13 PM PST - 5 comments

For those without laundry facilities in your living space, what do you do with items you want to wash separately but don't have many of? [more inside]
posted by unannihilated at 3:07 PM PST - 19 comments

From time to time, my monitor overlays a bunch of ugly lines, it looks washed out. It's less than one year old, a Dell 27" model. When I turn it off and on again, the lines disappear. [Yes, just like the joke from The IT Crowd, I know.] What is the problem? (See pic inside). [more inside]
posted by 4midori at 2:27 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm kind of wondering what this thing I received in the mail is supposed to be. It showed up in a mailing from DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and appears to be made of some springy parachute cordage in obviously camo coloration. It's too big to be a bracelet and too small to be a headband. So Mefites, your guess?
posted by pjern at 2:25 PM PST - 10 comments

That's pretty much the question. We'll be in Jefferson County, Colorado, USA, towards the end of July. We don't have mountain bikes (this was going to be their debut weekend, but alas), but are active dirt/gravel/light trail/B road cyclists, on bikes with 40mm tires and drop bars (gravel grinders). What trails would/could you recommend? [more inside]
posted by J0 at 2:15 PM PST - 2 comments

I have a four year old Sony Xperia M which recently suffered some sort of internal meltdown. One morning I turned it on and one by one all the apps and processes shut down. I restarted the phone and it came up with a screen that says "type password to decrypt storage". [more inside]
posted by Miss Otis' Egrets at 2:08 PM PST - 1 comment

I'm one of the many women with "chub rub" (thigh chaffing) issues when wearing skirts. I've been wearing boxer briefs under them for the past few years, which solves that problem but I'm sick of how tight and HOT they feel. I want something loose and cool (that's why I wear skirts!). Specifics on my needs below: [more inside]
posted by mkuhnell at 2:00 PM PST - 33 comments

I now have a set of piping tips (star, leaf, etc) and a piping bag. What can I use them for, besides making cute little meringues and decorative frosting? I've been ignoring recipes that require these items my entire life. What have I been missing? What have you done with your piping bag/tips that was especially impressive/delicious? [more inside]
posted by everybody had matching towels at 1:52 PM PST - 11 comments

My basics questions are-- How many days should spend in Toronto? How many days should I spend at Lake Muskoka? How much time do I need to see Kentucky & Tennessee? Helpful personal details below. [more inside]
posted by hellameangirl at 12:49 PM PST - 12 comments

What are some songs whose lyrics mention "being high" as a positive feeling outside of the context of using drugs. For instance, Eddie Rabbit's I Love A Rainy Night: "I love a rainy night, You can see it in my eyes, I love a rainy night, It makes me high", or John Denver's Sunshine On My Shoulders: "Sunshine on the water looks so lovely, Sunshine almost always makes me high". The more familiar the better, but anything you might think of is great. Thanks.
posted by themanwho at 12:37 PM PST - 31 comments

I’ve been researching monitor options for a small work collaboration area, and was wondering if cutting costs by using a TV as a monitor was a good idea. [more inside]
posted by dinty_moore at 12:14 PM PST - 7 comments

I am plant-sitting my friend's "avant garden" while they are away on holidays for 3 weeks. I have the horticultural side of the commitment sorted, but I am looking for ideas to creatively share photos of the plants' progress with my friend while they are out of the country. I am going to provide them with regular status updates and I would like to send photos of the plants having a good time! [more inside]
posted by drunkonthemoon at 11:31 AM PST - 23 comments

Are there any language-learning apps that use a more traditional method of grammar-focused instruction? I like duolingo for the most part, but my brain tends to learn in a more structured manner rather than through absorption by repetition. I'm keen on a language app (or e-book) that teaches grammar, vocabulary, and includes long-form texts for reading if possible. I am learning French, using an Android device, and it doesn't have to be free.
posted by Think_Long at 10:58 AM PST - 1 comment

In the Mario games, I'm pretty sure that Yoshi is supposed to be a dinosaur but in Super Mario Run the yellow yoshi with a red saddle looks almost exactly like a red-shelled koopa with a rounded snout instead of a beak. Do yoshis and koopas belong to the same evolutionary branch? Does this mean that koopas are dinosaurs? Is Bowser a dinosaur?
posted by OverlappingElvis at 10:54 AM PST - 5 comments

New office, I have a door. Door has what is approximately a 4" wide by 24" tall window in it. Right now it's covered in plain white paper. That's boring and uninteresting. What do I do with it? [more inside]
posted by deezil at 10:44 AM PST - 13 comments

We will be taking the new ferry to Rockaway tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon. The ferry lands at Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive. We want to have a good time. It won't be boiling tomorrow (thank god) but we won't want to sit at the beach that much. Questions: [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster at 10:34 AM PST - 6 comments

I made this, and it was really, really, really good, but I would like it to be EVEN MORE CHOCOLATE-Y AND RICH AND MAXIMALIST. Tips? [more inside]
posted by joyceanmachine at 10:23 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm finally going to see a concert at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. It's a venue I've never been to, AND the first time I'm planning to drive my motorcycle to such an event. Bay Area musicophiles / riders - what's my parking experience going to be like? [more inside]
posted by hanov3r at 10:07 AM PST - 2 comments

I found these appearing occasionally on a documentary. The production company is fringe, bordering conspiracy. Flickr link
posted by Alt255 at 7:50 AM PST - 4 comments

We are getting a divorce, "amicably". We are not going through lawyers. We agree on all the asset splits which really boil down to: she keeps the residence, I keep the investment home (these properties have about the same amount of equity in them), I will sell the investment property to a) pay her off for 1/2 of my pension (which is not, and can not be made liquid) and b) possibly finance a down payment on a new home for me. How best to structure this so as to limit my/our tax liabilities? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:03 AM PST - 14 comments

A friend and now former colleague confided in me that one of the managers in our department, but not her manager, aggressively hit on her after her going away happy hour last week. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:03 AM PST - 18 comments

There's gotta be somebody on this planet who can go to the hottest places on earth wearing a winter fur coat and not even sweat. Has this person been discovered yet?
posted by querty at 6:44 AM PST - 4 comments

At the end of July, we're doing a trip based on this blog post, with a few amendments - looking for ideas of things to do and see along the way that aren't featured in the blog post. [more inside]
posted by cilantro at 4:13 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm looking for a reading for an infant baptism from a source other than the Bible. There will be at least one biblical reading, but I'd like to have at least one non-Bible reading. I'm open to both secular readings and spiritual or religious readings from sources other than the Bible. Possible themes: welcoming into the community, parents' responsibility to children, gratitude for the gift of a child, what a child brings to a family or community, things along those lines. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:08 PM PST - 10 comments

I remember going on a hike a long time ago as a kid that was somewhere in the Cascades, possibly near Snoqualmie or Leavenworth. I'd like to go back but I can't remember what it was anymore. [more inside]
posted by Orca at 9:01 PM PST - 7 comments

Looking for chords for the song "Wild Honey" off of The Silver Seas album "Alaska". [more inside]
posted by Gargantuantoe at 8:30 PM PST - 6 comments

My license renewal form has, on the bit to send in, "I certify that I have no mental or physical condition and I am not taking any medication that could impair my ability to operate a motor vehicle." Help me figure out whether or not this is true for me and if not, how else to renew my Washington State driver's license. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:10 PM PST - 10 comments

Looking for your tried and true "hidden vegetable" foods for my veggie-averse son. He's 16 months old. He used to love beets, carrots, sweet potatoes. He'd tolerate some others but now they're all met with a vigorous head shake and clamped lips. I've made my regular pancake recipe with minced broccoli and carrots and he gobbles those up. He also likes these Chicken, cheese and veggie patties. What else can I try? [more inside]
posted by erloteiel at 7:03 PM PST - 29 comments

I saw this awesome app called Happy Scale for IOS. But I have an Samsung Galaxy S7 edge running the newest version of android. How do I get this app on my phone? I looked up emulators for IOS on android and found these apps called Iemu and Cider. But all they gave me were fake apple app stores. I have an app similar to happy scale but it doesn't have all the things I want for weight tracking.
posted by starlybri at 6:52 PM PST - 4 comments

1. This song was probably on a multi-CD box set that came out 20 years or so ago from a minor soul/r&b/blues record label, like the "Fire/Fury Records Story" (although I don't think it is that compilation). I think it's originally from the 50s or 60s or 70s. [more inside]
posted by Mr. Justice at 6:15 PM PST - 3 comments

My dad is 97 and likes to read. I want to send him a small package of books and am looking for appropriate recommendations. [more inside]
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:41 PM PST - 41 comments

Give me your favorite published zero-star and otherwise negative reviews by professional reviewers of media! Mostly interested in book, music, game, and movie/TV reviews by paid reviewers, but if it's especially good then I'll accept non-professional reviews and reviews of other things. Thank you!
posted by capricorn at 4:25 PM PST - 73 comments

I've got a lot of summer running and mindless lab work planned out. Can you suggest some excellent audiobooks or podcasts to keep me entertained? [more inside]
posted by Paper rabies at 4:13 PM PST - 21 comments

Hi, Our dog has been having skin/itching issues and our vet is suggesting trying a "novel protein" diet. Does anyone know of good brands to try for dry and wet dog food?
posted by massofintuition at 3:32 PM PST - 22 comments

I am going on two whale watching trips, one in Boston on Thursday and another one in Ponta Delgada (Azores) over the weekend. Do I need a waterproof coat, a windbreaker, or just some fleece? Will my baseball cap fly off into the sea? [more inside]
posted by soelo at 2:33 PM PST - 17 comments

Wondering if anyone else has heard that arc-fault circuit breaker + wired smoke alarms = more false alarms? [more inside]
posted by kiblinger at 2:21 PM PST - 1 comment

I'm looking for shops online that sell screenprinted art! Examples: Burlesque of North America, Poster Cabaret, Etsy... thanks MeFi!
posted by reductiondesign at 2:13 PM PST - 6 comments

I just found out I can get a Washington Post digital subscription for free with a .gov email address, which I happen to have. Anyone know of any other goodies out there I could use this address to get?
posted by JanetLand at 1:30 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm planning a last minute trip to the Oregon coast with an 8 year old for next week probably and maybe a 2nd attempt in 2 weeks. We live in Seattle. We'd want to visit family in Portland for a day or two. We own no camping gear. I want to keep this cheap. Help! [more inside]
posted by k8t at 1:24 PM PST - 12 comments

Baby + tiny city centre apartment makes white noise an absolute godsend and the only reason anyone gets any sleep around here. Unfortunately I'm a clumsy fool and I stepped on and destroyed the tiny Bluetooth speaker I'd been using so I'm looking for a replacement but I have no idea what criteria I should be looking for in a speaker that's only going to play one sound (aside from being reasonably cheap) [more inside]
posted by VoltairePerkins at 1:23 PM PST - 9 comments

How do you deal with people you barely know making self-deprecating comments, and why do they do this? [more inside]
posted by Automocar at 1:17 PM PST - 35 comments

My husband and I have been considering fostering or adopting for a few years now. A mutual friend messaged my on Facebook to tell me her daughter is pregnant and wants to put the baby up for adoption. So... what do I expect next? [more inside]
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 1:05 PM PST - 20 comments

I've just finished up a PhD doing computational physics, but am looking to move out of academia, because I want to actually decide where I end up living - namely the Pacific Northwest. So I am trying to figure out what I can do, and what sort of jobs I can target, to make myself maximally employable. [more inside]
posted by Zalzidrax at 12:54 PM PST - 12 comments

Seeking movies where women work together and win! [more inside]
posted by phunniemee at 12:40 PM PST - 34 comments

I have a great new problem. Our new house has a great pool and outdoor area and we'd like to have music. How can we easily have several wireless speakers playing the same music? [more inside]
posted by ReluctantViking at 12:25 PM PST - 9 comments

Help us Train->Car->Train. [more inside]
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 12:20 PM PST - 10 comments

So we painted the bathroom a couple of years ago, made bad paint choices and it's peeling. We need to repaint, but I am at a little bit of a loss. Also, other painting questions within: [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 12:14 PM PST - 8 comments

A recent injury means I can't run with the zombies again for another couple of months. I've been using my gym's ancient stationary bike in the meantime but really missing the narrative elements of Zombies, Run. Is there anything similar for biking? I could just use the Zombies, Run app with the bike but I find it kind of weird and distracting. I don't want any gamifications that involve me doing any tasks outside the actual workout, but I do miss the story. Any suggestions?
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 12:09 PM PST - 5 comments

I would like specific outerwear clothing suggestions for our upcoming trip to Fairbanks. Coat, boots, gloves, etc... [more inside]
posted by needlegrrl at 11:57 AM PST - 7 comments

She and I are going camping! In a tent! What should we get to sleep on that isn't an air mattress, since all air mattresses are unsatisfactory what with the bouncing around and the deflating and the failure to reinflate. We are both prone to sore backs. We would like to not spend our kid's college fund on this.
posted by goatdog at 11:56 AM PST - 19 comments

Our weekend camping trip is looking like it will be rained out. Do you have suggestions for five moms and seven kids between the ages of 2 and 5 within two hours of NYC? Can be a day trip or overnight or Friday through Sunday. [more inside]
posted by valeries at 11:43 AM PST - 6 comments

I want to buy some men's button-down dress shirts, both long and short sleeved, preferably for under $50 each. I prefer shirts that look good untucked (don't like the tucked look and find belts uncomfortable). I've seen untuckit.com which has a good selection, but am hoping to find something a little cheaper but still good quality. Checkered/plaid patterns best. Recs?
posted by zeri at 11:43 AM PST - 9 comments

I've discovered my new window is just a bit too narrow for my air conditioner. Please help me make an insulated tent (or something?) to keep hot air venting outward safely and (relatively) efficiently. [more inside]
posted by poweredbybeard at 11:33 AM PST - 8 comments

All my life, I've driven crappy decade-old used cars. I never particularly cared about my cars' appearance. But last year I purchased a newer (2014) car, and I want to take care of it. Mechanically, no problems. But aesthetically? The thing seems to get a new scratch or ding every day. [more inside]
posted by kevinbelt at 11:28 AM PST - 5 comments

I would like to be able to print out an image on my Brother laser printer, and then fix it on a t-shirt with my ironing machine at home, without a t-shirt press. Is this possible? [more inside]
posted by tedious at 11:11 AM PST - 2 comments

Me, my three friends, and a dog are driving from Brooklyn NY to Asheville NC, staying in Asheville for 4-5 days, and driving back to Brooklyn over the July 4th holiday. What is the cheapest way to rent an SUV for the trip? [more inside]
posted by greta simone at 11:01 AM PST - 16 comments

I'll be in Philly tomorrow. I'd love semi-quiet place to work (so good wifi is a must) where I can also take a couple laid back conference calls (back ground doesn't have to be super quiet). working from 9ish to noon. Can spend money on coffee/food. Thoughts? Looking for something transit-able from 30th street station.
posted by sandmanwv at 10:49 AM PST - 4 comments

I like to play visual-novel-esque games with my mostly-non-gamer girlfriend (and occasionally one other friend), with me "driving" and us all discussing the plot / themes / puzzles / choices as they occur. Looking for other games that do well with this "Let's Play"-meets-book-club type treatment. [more inside]
posted by one of these days at 10:48 AM PST - 26 comments

I have a job interview pending where they require a drug screening. I take nothing illegal, but I do sometimes take Xanax, as prescribed to me by my doctor, and I take a sleeping pill, also as prescribed. I never take more than the recommended amount. I can provide proof they were legally prescribed. Will this company (large home improvement store) reject my application based on the fact that I take these medications? Thanks.
posted by Crystal Fox at 10:39 AM PST - 13 comments

I am feeling the need to revamp my kitchen... but on a tight budget. Willing to do lots of work myself, my husband is very handy, but I'm not sure where to start. Help! [more inside]
posted by JenThePro at 10:36 AM PST - 12 comments

I am currently in an IT-ish position (database manager for a non-profit, all front end stuff) and I would like to take the ubiquitous "learn to code" advice because I think I would be good at it and I would like to do a job that is more interesting and earns more money. I am looking for suggestions (as concrete as possible) about the best way to do this, but I have no idea what to learn or how to learn it and would be super, super appreciative of any advice you could give me. [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:31 AM PST - 19 comments

Heading for Maui in 10 days with family (spouse and 14/16y/o's) and can't decide whether 2 key tourist endeavors are great ideas or disasters in the making, i.e. Hana and a Haleakala sunrise bike tour... [more inside]
posted by docpops at 9:47 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm trying to make a spreadsheet that tracks my progress in my rock climbing hobby, but I am pretty clueless about spreadsheets and how to set them up/make them useful. Details of what I need inside! [more inside]
posted by carlypennylane at 9:25 AM PST - 4 comments

I am trying to decide whether I should get an SSD or Fusion drive for a new iMac. [more inside]
posted by Grinder at 9:22 AM PST - 11 comments

My son's beloved glasses broke and the frame is retired - need a similar style! [more inside]
posted by Lucinda at 8:34 AM PST - 0 comments

oops, we may have accidentally on purpose planned a Swedish vacation for 9 days in mid july. help us to plan an awesome family vacation. bork bork. [more inside]
posted by chasles at 7:56 AM PST - 12 comments

A middle-aged gentlemen with apparent car trouble approached me, a single woman on my way to work, for help. I declined, and now I'm wondering how I could could/should have handled the situation differently. [more inside]
posted by cgg at 7:53 AM PST - 47 comments

Looking for cocktail recipes to use up some homemade syrup. We have a bottle of mint, and a bottle of rosemary and thyme. [more inside]
posted by drunkonthemoon at 7:32 AM PST - 13 comments