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I am on disability, super low-income, with poor credit. And I badly need to move to a new city. How? [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 11:34 PM PST - 7 comments

How do I become a faster graphic designer? [more inside]
posted by moons in june at 8:19 PM PST - 6 comments

I just got an office and can decorate--Yay! Only removable wallpaper allowed--Boo! Help me find my perfect wall mural! [more inside]
posted by sprezzy at 7:56 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm moving back to the SF Bay Area. Yay! I missed it! But I have no idea how to start finding a place to live, or if the horror stories I've heard are common or one-offs. The last time I looked was 15 years ago, with a partner--and we stayed in the same rent-controlled apartment we found on Craigslist for over a decade before I moved out of state. Now it is 2019 and I am solo. Any ELI5 instructions, tips, or tricks you have for finding a decent place would be welcome!
posted by rhiannonstone at 7:49 PM PST - 27 comments

I've designed websites for 20 years — but I think I'm starting to stink at it. And I'm surrounded by people much younger who are definitely better. How do I transition into something adjecent to tech products and design where I'm not necessarily pushing pixels all day? [more inside]
posted by critzer at 7:35 PM PST - 9 comments

I don’t know who else to ask objectively, but I am beyond frustrated. I was asked to be the face of diversity for an all white-identifying volunteer group. Am I being too sensitive in my reaction? POC and IBPOC perspectives especially welcome. [more inside]
posted by socky bottoms at 7:30 PM PST - 22 comments

I’ve been in NYC for one day already and the hardest thing about my trip (so far) has been deciding where to eat. How do I choose!?! Can I make this easier? [more inside]
posted by VirginiaPlain at 7:03 PM PST - 25 comments

We are suddenly about to put an offer on a house. Woot! Walk me through the next steps like I'm the First-Time Homebuyer that I am. [more inside]
posted by DoubleLune at 7:03 PM PST - 17 comments

A bin on the counter? A fruit basket? A hanging one? A tiered one? It's stone fruit season still in California for a bit longer, but the kittens have decided that all round-ish objects are toys to be batted to the ground or to be gnawed on. In order to eat the last farmers market haul, we had to cut out tooth and claw marks. I am skeptical of fruit baskets because they seem like the wire kind would bruise nectarines etc. Hope me save the fruit from the cats.
posted by spamandkimchi at 5:45 PM PST - 22 comments

For the past couple of weeks, my right ankle has been really stiff upon getting out of bed. I am assuming this is related to my general lack of strength and flexibility due to avoiding all the things I should be doing fitness-wise. It's not painful, but I wonder what the best exercises/stretches are to increase ankle mobility while I continue to procrastinate on getting the rest of my life together?
posted by Mrs. Rattery at 4:56 PM PST - 5 comments

My grandmother passed last night. My mother needs immediate assistance with issues surrounding the estate versus her niece who may have been exerting undue influence/manipulating the deceased. Grandmother's estate lawyer is out of town until next week. This is in Santee, CA.
posted by Talia Devane at 4:52 PM PST - 4 comments

After an admirably long life, the rechargeable battery for my string trimmer has expired. I hated that string trimmer and will be using this as an excuse to replace the whole operation. Please help me find one I like that can be used by left-handed people and right-handed people alike. [more inside]
posted by charmedimsure at 4:51 PM PST - 6 comments

This showed up earlier this summer in my yard. Not sure what it is or if I planted it. I’m in Wisconsin. [more inside]
posted by Slinga at 4:24 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm scheduled for frenectomy and gum graft this summer. I'm an anxious patient and want to take Ativan for my surgeries. My periodontist insists that she will only operate on me if I use her preferred sedative, and she doesn't seem to be handling my anxiety well. Should I suck it up and assume her surgical technique is better than her bedside manner, or find a new surgeon? [more inside]
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 4:02 PM PST - 18 comments

I ran across an article about black plastic being worse than other colors of plastic at likely containing harmful, unregulated contaminants. And now I'm thinking about my black phone and phone case, the black plastic lid on my coffee, the black plastic container for my takeout ... [more inside]
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 3:29 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm about 5 feet tall and have always had trouble sitting at desks, because if I bring myself up to the correct height for my wrist to rest on the desk, my feet are always dangling. Recently I have been having some aches and pains associated with my bad sitting posture, and I'd like to finally attempt to remedy this. [more inside]
posted by Forty-eight at 3:05 PM PST - 16 comments

I've tried to Google this, but I'm not having much luck in finding a good answer. In English, many Pokemon names are jokes or puns of some kind (examples: Trubbish, who looks like a garbage bag, and its evolution Garbodo; the trio of Abra, Kadabra, and Alakazam; Tentacool; Cloyster). This culminated in one of my favorite Pokemon jokes of all time. So... do the original Japanese names follow similar joking patterns? Are there puns in the Japanese names that might elicit groans the same way "Trubbish" does?
posted by hanov3r at 2:51 PM PST - 5 comments

I want to watch video content on my phone while I'm at the gym, and I need closed captioning or subtitles (in English) displaying with this video content. (Does me no good to watch without it, please don't answer the question if you're not going to address this part of it.) How can I get my device to play content with subtitles? [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:39 PM PST - 12 comments

Looking for tips of how to protect my mental health when every bit of government-related news is extremely upsetting. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:35 PM PST - 6 comments

How do high school aged people (13-18) interact with your church? Do you have programming for them that has been successful? [more inside]
posted by selfnoise at 1:30 PM PST - 13 comments

My four month old loves it when I sing, for some reason, and it's a major part of our night time routine. But I really only sing a couple of songs to her, and I need suggestions for more. Details below the fold. [more inside]
posted by nerdfish at 1:19 PM PST - 42 comments

Just what it says on the tin. [more inside]
posted by MiraK at 1:08 PM PST - 61 comments

My friend runs a successful business creating wood-brimmed hats (primarily fedoras, and his cient base is mostly men.) He uses different types of wood on hats with various colors of bands and trim. He's looking for categories/themes on naming these products. So far an idea has been naming each hat after a city/place based on the way it looks, for example, "the Caribbean" for a tropical wood/trim, etc. MeFites have always been wonderfully creative with things like this - have at it! TIA
posted by Everydayville at 12:07 PM PST - 17 comments

So we bought a new house and it has the kitchen of my dreams, except for the countertops, which appear to be a perfectly pleasant laminate. I love their color, configuration, everything, but I am a disaster of burning stuff and need something to protect them. Aside from trivets, what other options are there to protect the countertops? [more inside]
posted by juniperesque at 11:50 AM PST - 6 comments

I've got an injury that makes it painful to sit in most modern cars. I'm thinking there are probably cars out there that have been designed with the intent for the driver to sit in an upright as opposed to a semi-reclined position, and that might be comfortable for someone 5' 3". I'd like to try driving some, either for inspiration for how to modify my current seats or for a possible future car. Have you driven such a vehicle? Which cars should I be looking at? [more inside]
posted by deludingmyself at 11:41 AM PST - 11 comments

So I like popping bubble wrap, and I found a kind I really like. It's tiny and thin and soft / good for popping, and it doesn't require a lot of hand strength. I got it in the packaging of some smallish item I got from Amazon awhile back, and I'm looking for more. [more inside]
posted by cats are weird at 10:54 AM PST - 5 comments

I have an old safelight, the Kodak Adjustable Model B, that I need to disassemble to replace power cord which is now stiff and a potential shock hazard. I have been unable to find a manual for it that shows how to take it apart. Anyone have a manual or can explain how to take it apart? Thanks.
posted by tommasz at 10:53 AM PST - 6 comments

My refrigerator was having troubles and not distributing the temperature correctly. I replaced the diffuser and want to make sure the behavior I'm seeing isn't cause for further concern. [more inside]
posted by Carillon at 10:20 AM PST - 1 comment

Trying to figure out how to keep kitty litter contained in a small bathroom in a small apartment. There's not really room for a separate bathmat and litter tracking mat. Is it gross to just have one big mat in the litter-tracking texture (like this) assuming I keep it clean? [more inside]
posted by momus_window at 9:02 AM PST - 26 comments

A friend and I are talking about meeting to discuss poems together. He has a PhD in literature, and I'm ABD in English. We're both published poets, and we've both taught college literature classes. Everything I'm finding online is for high school or college students. If I search "advanced," I get AP English or 300-level college classes. I'm hesitant to buy a book that may be more of the same. What else is out there? [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 8:58 AM PST - 11 comments

I've injured a knuckle or finger in a very minor way, but I'm worried that it might not be healing properly. [more inside]
posted by washburn at 8:52 AM PST - 9 comments

Is there a way to remove a glue-based bookbinding aside from using the hair dryer/pulling out a few pages at a time method? Or x-acto? [more inside]
posted by shinyj at 8:52 AM PST - 8 comments

“I am Mexican. My girlfriend is white. Something that has been bothering me is that her home has a lot of decorations that I find to be culturally appropriative. I am wondering how to have a conversation with her that would leave us both feeling good. More inside.” [more inside]
posted by baptismal at 8:45 AM PST - 47 comments

I like reading Everyday Carry blogs and seeing pictures of what is inside people's pockets and bags. Everyday Carry leans very male and very weapons/survivalist oriented. Are there any places online that do a similar thing but with purses, or car trunks, or work backpacks? Less zombie apocalypse and more practical weird-stuff-i-use-daily type things?
posted by almostmanda at 8:20 AM PST - 15 comments

A neighboring farm does a “First Friday Potluck,” and I’m finally attending this week. Yay! I also work on a farm and am excited to get more into the community. But what dish to bring? [more inside]
posted by functionequalsform at 7:54 AM PST - 11 comments

How can I plan a daily home exercise routine for general fitness? My current regimen works for me, but it's just cobbled together from random sources that I found online. I wonder if a routine informed by actual fitness expertise would be better. [more inside]
posted by escape from the potato planet at 7:46 AM PST - 10 comments

All the psychology groups near me require a referral from a PCP. Waits for PCP visits are insane. Is there a shortcut? Or will they let me avoid the referral if I pay out of pocket? Thanks in advance for any info. This is just for counseling, nothing that's an emergency, but I'd like to get started sooner rather than later.
posted by ftm at 7:21 AM PST - 10 comments

I recently discovered that I really enjoyed deep-diving into specific research reports (as opposed to reading the news online).. querying back from a news article I found the "Center for Security Studies" at ETH Zurich and read their report on "The Evolution of Commanders Intent in the US military" which was a really strange experience and really fun because I got an insight into a whole new area of research that I had never thought about.. more in depth than a blog post, less intense/focused than a research paper. I'd like to find more sources like this.. [more inside]
posted by mathiu at 7:14 AM PST - 3 comments

Help me find an app that will keep track of the amount of time I spend on a task. I saw this previous question but it did not help. [more inside]
posted by archimago at 6:54 AM PST - 12 comments

What is a cat-safe way to get rid of mystery ants? [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 6:06 AM PST - 16 comments

I'm interested in getting a pair of Allbirds shoes. Do you own, or have you owned, a pair? Worth it or not? Anything to keep in mind? [more inside]
posted by bearette at 5:57 AM PST - 30 comments

A few years ago, I remember reading a fascinating long-form article about employers firing or otherwise penalising employees whose healthcare costs were too high. It went into detail on a couple of specific cases (IIRC one case was about a father whose daughter had cancer). I was pretty sure that I'd found this via Metafilter originally, but I've searched the archives and can't locate it. Does anyone know which article I'm talking about and have a link?
posted by littlegreen at 4:03 AM PST - 3 comments

I've been seeing this guy for 5 dates in two months. We live 1.5 hours by car away. When we're together it's good but when we're apart I don't hear from him much. Shoul I be worried? [more inside]
posted by yellowpurplered at 2:28 AM PST - 15 comments

After dental X-rays, I had to have a filling due to a cavity in the side of an upper left hand tooth, five back from the front. Ever since, on-and-off, that side of my mouth has been sensitive to food and drink of any temperature, plus I've been getting achy jaw pain at night. It's making me grumpy. Can anyone give me hope? [more inside]
posted by doornoise at 1:43 AM PST - 12 comments

Tide laundry detergent has disappeared from all my local grocery stores and pharmacies. What gives? Mysterious details inside. [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 11:17 PM PST - 13 comments

I know all the usual advice on how to relax - take a bath, do yoga, meditate, etc. But I need advice on the macro level. My normal state of being includes being under some stress/anxiety pretty much always, enough that I don't even notice it anymore really, and we learned it is likely affecting our fertility so I'm trying to figure out how to shift that baseline to become more calm as the norm. (I've been wanting that for years, anyway!) [more inside]
posted by inatizzy at 10:37 PM PST - 13 comments

I've been talking to a friend about her experience of invisibility as a femme-presenting queer woman, and want to help her brainstorm ways to be visibly out, particularly ones that work in a professional setting. [more inside]
posted by switcheroo at 7:37 PM PST - 24 comments

I'm looking for comparisons between differences in tenses in fiction, and how they can change the tone of the writing. I'm especially looking to read accounts from authors that go into how they determine which tense to use as a deliberate style choice. Does this sound familiar to something you've read? [more inside]
posted by lesser weasel at 7:21 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm debating a few different NYC neighborhoods and could use some input. [more inside]
posted by sunflower16 at 5:57 PM PST - 20 comments

I got a dress (from eShakti, specifically do avoid doing this! oh, well) and it’s a little too big. I really like it, though, and I’d like to get it tailored. How…does…that work? Bonus if you can recommend a tailor in Brooklyn. [more inside]
posted by Charity Garfein at 4:58 PM PST - 6 comments

Has anyone had the experience of receiving Remicade by infusion? If so, can you give me an idea of what it's like? Thanks! [more inside]
posted by janey47 at 4:05 PM PST - 10 comments

My maternal grandfather died in my PacNW state in the late 80s. He had moved from the midwest to live nearer to my family as he aged. After he died, my mother wanted a copy of his will. My cousin/mother's nephew, who had moved into my grandfather's midwestern house, refused to let her have a copy. According to my mom, he went so far as to hire a lawyer to have the will legally kept from her. [more inside]
posted by hollisimo at 2:41 PM PST - 9 comments

When you fly international into ATL, you have to wait outside for a shuttle bus (might be 10 min wait, might be >30min wait like it was for me today). Once on the un-air-conditioned bus, you drive about 15 minutes to the rental car center. It's rough. Who came up with this set-up? Was there a better plan (easier, faster etc) that was just not feasible? [more inside]
posted by walkinginsunshine at 2:35 PM PST - 20 comments

For movies such as MOON and HER, where the second lead is an entirely disembodied Voice, how did the Director handle the production side of it where the other lead's performance was concerned? [more inside]
posted by egeanin at 2:23 PM PST - 4 comments

We're still not rented after 6 weeks on the market, and the listing agency is low energy, has slow-walked online photo updates, a website transition related to their ownership change, and any advice to us on pricing/staging/etc. What are my options? [more inside]
posted by alittleknowledge at 2:20 PM PST - 2 comments

Two years ago I was at the U2 concert at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. I was standing near the entrance to the VIP section and saw lots of fancy people going in and out (Eddie Vedder smiled at me!). There were two guys who looked super familiar to me, but I've never been able to figure out who they are. Are they famous?
posted by GoldenEel at 2:11 PM PST - 15 comments

My exclusively English-speaking 5 year old daughter will be starting in a Spanish bilingual kindergarten in September. The school gave us a list of verbs that it would be helpful for her to know before school starts. I've made them into flashcards with pictures but am now unsure of how to proceed. [more inside]
posted by jeszac at 1:00 PM PST - 11 comments

Hello friends, I'm wondering about a meal I cooked for dinner last night. I used frozen shrimp that I thawed at home before cooking. Can I safely freeze the leftovers and eat later? And have it taste decent? Thanks!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 11:56 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm looking at buying a used electric car and have some questions. About battery degradation, makes/models, and places to find them! [more inside]
posted by overglow at 11:33 AM PST - 8 comments

My dad has got it into his head that he would really like to go to Phuket (Patong area) for about 5 days at the end of October. We will probably be joined by my aunt and uncle. What are some things for 2 old-but-fit-and-active people, 1 old-and-not-very-fit person, and 1 youngish person to do? [more inside]
posted by automatic cabinet at 11:28 AM PST - 3 comments

So we are located in Ireland and I HATE the rain and love to travel. My young (3,4) kids love to travel too (but only in a sensory friendly way) Our local airport is very sensory friendly and it flies to a few places- but have you been on a relaxed kid holiday or city break in Europe? More details below. [more inside]
posted by catspajammies at 11:02 AM PST - 6 comments

Our home came with not-ideal-for-Florida brick planters built against the side of the house. Damp soil held against the side of the house is problematic: leads to moisture inside the walls, provides access for insects, etc. We capped the sprinklers, removed plants. Problem solved! New problem: empty planters reduce curb appeal. What non-plant decor items would look intentional and cool around our home? [more inside]
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 10:37 AM PST - 28 comments

As a teenager in the mid-80s I used the geek’s approach to learning about new music: find a comprehensive source and soak it up. The source I glommed on to was... Rolling Stone (when it was no longer countercultural but not as corporate as it is now). Thinking back I can point to lots of interesting artists that I discovered via the back-of-the-book record-review column. I’d love to find an archive of that column from the 1980s to see if some of my other favorite bands initially came to my attention this way — and to find out what the reviewers said that piqued my interest. [more inside]
posted by sesquipedalia at 10:09 AM PST - 11 comments

I will be driving through Utah on the way to New Mexico in August and will be spending 4 days in Kanab, UT as a base to check out Bryce and Zion. I know that both parks are extremely popular, so I'm looking for some advice for hikes or trails that may be less crowded (we will also be going through Monument Valley and the Goose Necks later in the trip). [more inside]
posted by forkisbetter at 9:41 AM PST - 10 comments

What traditionally published novels had more than three authors? I’m not looking for a collection of shared-universe short stories (a la Wild Cards Or Thieves World). Instead, I’m looking for something like Naked Came The Stranger, Naked Came The Manatee, or The Floating Admiral, where there’s (more or less) a single story from beginning to end. I’d also love to see articles on the process for writing any such novels.
posted by yankeefog at 9:10 AM PST - 18 comments

We're getting a house! While we’re waiting and packing to move into our new place next month, we're planning a few small things to make the place ours on day one. One of which is putting something in the flag bracket on the front porch. I’ve picked out a New England flag that we both like, but I want to make sure I’m not saying more than I want to. [more inside]
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 8:30 AM PST - 21 comments

What are some typical pricing structures for granting access to an API that serves up a customer's data? [more inside]
posted by SpiffyRob at 8:24 AM PST - 9 comments

Can/should I take public transit to and from my colonoscopy? (I will have a responsible (non-driver) adult with me.) How soon after the procedure can I eat and what should I eat? [more inside]
posted by carrioncomfort at 7:51 AM PST - 28 comments

I purchased a used but in great shape Cozy Trike EMS-48 mobility scooter to get her out of the house (she doesn't drive) and eventually ride it outside of our neighborhood to the store or park. I read on this forum in a post: "Electric vehicles (cars, bikes, golf carts, electric bikes, scooters) are legal on non-arterial roads with a posted speed limit of 35mph or lower. Electric carts (golf) and non-plated electric or motor vehicles are never allowed on arterial roads (streets rated at 40mph and higher).". When I spoke to the local Mundelein, IL police department on the phone they were not clear in understanding this rule or law. [more inside]
posted by tdg8934 at 7:36 AM PST - 9 comments

A friend is looking for an old folk tale or song (not sure which). It has elements of the murder ballad "Pretty Polly," but it's more complex. [more inside]
posted by wintersweet at 7:27 AM PST - 9 comments

I have a number of old (50's-early 80's) 35 mm slides I would like to scan in and digitize. These days where is the best place to host/make them available on the internet for people to find/see? [more inside]
posted by Captain_Science at 7:21 AM PST - 4 comments

Other than PayPal and Venmo, how can somebody in the States get $3,000 USD to my personal Canadian bank account? They refuse to use Venmo or PayPal. Distance prohibits a cash transaction.
posted by anonymous at 6:29 AM PST - 14 comments

My spouse and I have had some troubles recently, so we started going to couples counseling. I'm pretty unhappy with how that's going, partially because I think there are some problematic aspects, but more importantly, because of the feelings those problematic aspects trigger in me. It makes me wonder whether the process can work at all, and if not, whether there's anything we can do to save our relationship. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:28 AM PST - 47 comments

Has anyone transitioned from bedside nursing to nursing home administration? Or know anyone who is an administrator? I'm currently an ER RN and it's fun but I miss my geriatric days. I'm starting to get burnt out by institutional problems effecting nursing home residents and I want to make big-picture differences. [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso at 5:34 AM PST - 2 comments

Google Scholar metrics have been released for the last five years. I can view papers ranked by category, or see the most influential papers in a specific journal. Is there a way to see the "greatest hits" regardless of category? [more inside]
posted by mecran01 at 5:11 AM PST - 5 comments

We rapidly get a ton of condensation inside food packages in our fridge. Unopened or opened tortillas, cheese, hotdog buns*, everything. It seems to be getting worse. I would like to not have tortillas that are dried out yet soaked in water on one side. [more inside]
posted by oneirodynia at 10:03 PM PST - 11 comments

You’re not my doctor, but before I see one tomorrow, what do you think this splotch/bite/infection is on my leg? [more inside]
posted by michaelh at 8:29 PM PST - 7 comments

I rescued this gorgeous pair of framed prints from a thrift store in Astoria. They looked so familiar to me, like something I'd seen before by an illustrator or comics artist I knew, but had passed up previously. But I can find no record of what they might be. They're each in a limited edition of 50, initialed MAM or MANI. The orange one is a surreal Map of the Known World, and the purple one is an adorable haunted-house rock band. Do you recognize them?
posted by limeonaire at 8:13 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm tutoring a woman who has applied for U.S. citizenship. She is waiting for a date to take her exam and have her interview. She's a native Spanish speaker who has learned to speak and read English pretty well. I'd like to have a better idea of what she might expect so I can better help her prepare. [more inside]
posted by gladly at 7:22 PM PST - 8 comments

This part of the Honneamise soundtrack is giving me a really strong Philip Glass vibe, not just being "Glass-like," but actually being like a specific Philip Glass piece. What piece is it? I thought perhaps Koyaanisqatsi, but I double-checked, and it's not that. (That said, it could be another of the big minimalist composers and since I can't remember, I've mixed it up with Glass).
posted by Bugbread at 6:42 PM PST - 3 comments

What makes a good (queer) life? [more inside]
posted by elephantsvanish at 6:37 PM PST - 3 comments

Trans and gender non-conforming people: how do you feel about being asked to say your pronouns in large group intros - when you're in a setting that is primarily cis gendered? [more inside]
posted by latkes at 6:36 PM PST - 22 comments

I am in the position of coordinating the post-death stuff - writing an obituary, planning a memorial, notifying others - for a relative who was recently killed by another relative. I have some questions. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:48 PM PST - 21 comments

I will be in Pittsburgh for a long weekend. I am an early riser and love exploring new cities before most people are up. Atlas Obscura suggests Homewood Cemetery early enough to see it in the fog, which is PERFECT for me. Anything else fun to do in the morning before my traveling partners are up? I usually just grab coffee and walk around but I would love to hear from locals if there are other good destinations to add to my list. Staying downtown, no car, happy to hop on transit or use bikeshare.
posted by look busy at 4:12 PM PST - 10 comments

Is it possible to buy this book? [more inside]
posted by Ideal Impulse at 3:45 PM PST - 6 comments

I hate shopping, and only relatively recently have had disposable income. So I'm pretty unaware of what goods and services are out there that could improve my quality of life (defining this as giving me more time to focus on other things, efficient tools, things that will bring joy into my life). [more inside]
posted by sugarbomb at 3:42 PM PST - 49 comments

My dad died in April. He left me his car. It's still at my mom's place. She lives in Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas. I live in LA. Help me get the car out of her hair, stat. [more inside]
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? at 3:32 PM PST - 10 comments

I've been loving Julia Michaels and Lorde recently. (Things I like: they make pop music that is sparsely arranged, heavily vocal-centric, not at all diva-ish, emotionally raw in thoughtful ways, but still unmistakeably pop through and through, and definitely not rock/indie/folk.) Who else might hit these buttons? Assume I live under a rock and even super famous musicians might be new to me. Both my examples are white women, but I'd be even more excited for musicians of other genders and races who do this sort of thing.
posted by nebulawindphone at 3:26 PM PST - 16 comments

Can you recommend some science podcasts? Constraints apply. [more inside]
posted by no regrets, coyote at 3:06 PM PST - 7 comments

Where can I buy Arran cheese from the Scottish isle of Arran in the Los Angeles area to have ready for a midday event Wednesday July 31?
posted by infinitewindow at 1:52 PM PST - 5 comments

So I have problems with sleep (non-restorative) and my wife has issues with her sleep too (not sure what, she just doesn't sleep well). We currently have a double bed (4 foot 6 inches wide and 6 foot 3 inches long), but have to sleep in separate rooms because we sleep so badly next to one another. (I talk in my sleep, she snores and she's also like a heater that's been turned on full and had the knob broken off.) - more inside [more inside]
posted by sockpim at 1:34 PM PST - 27 comments

I am deep in the process of promoting my book. As I work through my marketing plan, and meet independent bookstore owners, one of the first things they want to know is what platform I used to publish it. When I tell them I self-published and distribute through Ingram, they all smile. I've read that independents won't work with an author that uses Amazon's CreateSpace and so far, that seems to be true. So far, all of them have either ordered books, or have promised to consider ordering my book. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind at 1:16 PM PST - 3 comments

When I hang out with an older group of cishet people, or am in certain parts of the US, I see a lot of that memorabilia like “I traded my wife for a fishing rod” or “I love (it when) my husband (let’s me shop)” or “My wife and I were happy for 20 years. Then we met.” Is this normal because couples actually find this funny and they can still have a healthy relationship with this rhetoric? Or do married couples secretly hate each other? [more inside]
posted by socky bottoms at 1:01 PM PST - 61 comments

FML, I was in an accident last night. Mostly okay, but did go to the ER for neck pain, where I got a ct scan and it's only soft tissue "whip lash". It was the other drivers fault, but I am so broke I don't know how to navigate the little expenses and problems to deal with this. I don't know if and what i should be asking his insurance for, if I should be getting a lawyer, and wtf to do about the money I can't make right now because I was doing food delivery. More details inside. [more inside]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 12:18 PM PST - 8 comments

My mother is going through a particularly worrisome and severe bout of depression. She has a doctors appointment scheduled for tomorrow, thankfully. In the interim, she has expressed worry and sadness that she is unusual, weak, ridiculous, "not strong" like so-and-so, that her life is meaningless, etc. I have seen articles in the past that describe the unique difficulties faced by older women as they divorce, as their kids grow up and move away, as they retire from jobs and lose the activities that once gave them "meaning", as they find themselves more isolated (especially in small rural towns) and increasingly losing their support network. I think she might take some comfort in reading articles/books/anything that helps her feel less alone. Thanks!
posted by Anonymouse1618 at 12:02 PM PST - 6 comments

I've been happy with my simple setup, but guest DJs are coming in and expecting more. What are my options for supporting Serato and rekordbox DJs? [more inside]
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:49 AM PST - 4 comments

I've just finished watching Los Espookys on HBO and I loved it--especially the soundtrack! Can anyone point me in the direction of even more awesome Spanish-language goth, punk, or post-punk music I can listen to? [more inside]
posted by helloimjennsco at 11:46 AM PST - 5 comments

The kid is starting a new daycare next week and we need to pack their food for them since the center's meal plan does not have a vegan option (vegetarian, but too much reliance on dairy to substitute one item a day, so we have to opt out). It's a nut free center. I would like to expand the kid's lunch and snack options, so help! [more inside]
posted by kendrak at 11:44 AM PST - 10 comments

There are lots of websites that tell you about the important rights and responsibilities once you obtain permanent residency (a Green Card) in the US. But there is very little collated information on what the more practically useful things you can now do once you have one, like being able to get TSA Pre status, being able to contribute to political campaigns, etc. So for a new permanent resident, tell me, what are the non-obvious or hidden things a permanent resident can do that a non-permanent resident can not? [more inside]
posted by inflatablekiwi at 11:33 AM PST - 7 comments

My child was in a bloody accident, and ended up in the ER. The ER called in an ortho specialist to take a look ("we've called our ortho guy") , and that specialist sewed him up. Today as I'm scheduling a follow up with the specialist, I find that person doesn't take our insurance. [more inside]
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 10:56 AM PST - 14 comments

Pet insurance-- I know it's a contentious subject, but I'm trying to decide whether to insure my elderly dog. [more inside]
posted by geegollygosh at 10:34 AM PST - 7 comments

I have a memory of a passage from Kim Stanley Robinson's 2312 that'd I'd love to find and reread. I don't have the book anymore so I can't flip through it, it's the part about cycles and how they interconnect. [more inside]
posted by Carillon at 10:23 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm going to be on a long-haul flight in the near future, and plane air always leaves my lizard-skin feeling super-dry/like my pores are so big you could drive cars into them. I'd like to be like the cool kids and wear a sleep pack or mask. Suggestions? [more inside]
posted by joyceanmachine at 10:23 AM PST - 17 comments

What sedative would a European doctor in the year 1830 have administered to well off patients? Let‘s say he has access to the newest scientific developments and money is not an issue. [more inside]
posted by Omnomnom at 9:35 AM PST - 28 comments

Please recommend some contemporary (since 2016 probably) long form journalism about the [detention, concentration, interment] camps at the Texas border. This is for teaching undergraduates. I would like an article that includes both analysis of the crisis as it has developed (for example, showing the difference between policy during the obama admin and now), and stories of/interviews with actual refugees. Thanks.
posted by nantucket at 8:55 AM PST - 5 comments

Because there are some librarians and hitorians and such among these parts. Can you identify a sketch of a WWI fighter pilot? [more inside]
posted by zengargoyle at 8:45 AM PST - 4 comments

I have too many passions and too little time. Help me fit things into my erratic weekly schedule so that I make progress on everything. [more inside]
posted by whitelotus at 6:57 AM PST - 17 comments

I worked long and hard on a big project at work. Today the final milestone (signature of an agreement) was achieved, and this was 90% down to me, even though I am fairly junior. I have waited for and worked towards this day for about 9 months, but instead of being over the moon I feel like crap, because my superiors did not recognise my achievement beyond the bare minimum of acknowledgement. [more inside]
posted by EatMyHat at 2:30 AM PST - 42 comments

We want the party to be casual and fun and not particularly gimmicky. Quirky is fine; we've been called worse. I would love your ideas about centerpieces or party favors or decorations that go along with our theme 'still not getting married'. There will be cakes but I don't want any bride-groom figures. We're old (69 and 72) and met when we were 49 and 52. We've done a lot of traveling so we'll have a 'game' with lots of photos 'where in the world were ___&___ . Thanks!
posted by lois1950 at 12:27 AM PST - 10 comments

Our next door neighbor's apartment went up in flames a week ago. It started from his ancient air conditioner, and our entire apartment is now covered in disgusting black soot. Every single item we own now has an acrid burnt-plastic smell. [more inside]
posted by Silky Slim at 12:09 AM PST - 11 comments

I've begun reading the Diary of Samuel Pepys, and was curious if similar sources exist for other historical periods? [more inside]
posted by Alensin at 9:05 PM PST - 33 comments

My company just announced we are dumping Adobe (for which we all had licenses for their complete suite of products) to Affinity (with licenses for the basic InDesign Illustrator/Photoshop equivalents). Aside from losing all the fun, free ability to play with all those other Adobe apps, I am concerned about a) transitioning learning curve (I have accreted Photoshop and related Adobe knowledge in a haphazard way since Photoshop entered the Windows world), b) using plugins, macros etc I have accumulated and c) working with our many clients and consultants who are firmly rooted in the Adobe world. Should I be concerned?
posted by skyscraper at 7:08 PM PST - 8 comments

Since the new NYC rent laws states (from what I've read on online articles) additional months upfront or additional security is illegal, does that apply to free-market units? I have a friend applying for a room (will be entering a joint lease agreement that's being renewed) in a free-market unit, and she is from the UK with US credit score and willing to pay upfront since she doesn't have a qualified US guarantor. Is the landlord allowed to accept additional months or security for approval? I've been told by someone else it only applies to rent-stabilized units.
posted by delasoull at 7:03 PM PST - 2 comments

Several years ago I watched a Youtube video about social media that was very funny, help me find it! [more inside]
posted by Joan Rivers of Babylon at 6:35 PM PST - 3 comments

Really been enjoying the Sting/Shaggy and TajMo collaborations lately. What else should we be listening to? We’re open to anything. Willie and Taylor? If it’s good, why not? Tribute compilations of kinds might be fun too.🎶
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 5:37 PM PST - 23 comments

Can you help me come up with a list of examples of uses of hardened steel in everyday life? [more inside]
posted by Otto Franz Joseph Leopold von Soxen-Puppetten at 5:16 PM PST - 16 comments

It is 85% likely I will be moving to Jakarta as of the first of January for 2-3 years. I have a number of specific questions, but general advice is also welcome. [more inside]
posted by frumiousb at 4:36 PM PST - 8 comments

My drugstore-available unscented deodorant has changed its formula to include propylene glycol. I need something new, soon. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by amtho at 3:30 PM PST - 15 comments

What other regular columns/features/series exist like NYT Magazine's Letter of Recommendation column? I want to read people writing well about things they really like. Uses This is approaching the right vein; it'd be more in line if it were "here's a column about this singular app/hardware I've been using for years and is indispensable to my work." Reviews of new music/books/etc. and Best Of the Year lists are not what I have in mind.
posted by waninggibbon at 3:29 PM PST - 6 comments

Can/do people camp out on lawn chairs and blankets and such there, as is done at some other concert venues with lawn seating? If it can be done, is it nevertheless not a great idea to do it, because the lawn isn't sloped and/or everyone stands anyway?
posted by Mechitar at 2:22 PM PST - 1 comment

Shamans often claim that they diverge from normal humans, such as through having different organs or undergoing painful bouts of asceticism. These claims promote perceptions that they are different and, in turn, help convince others of their special powers. Something similar seems to happening with many modern professionals. Elizabeth Holmes, for example, claimed to live off of green juice and salads and to sleep only four hours a day, building an image of her otherness or superhumanness. Do people know any other examples of well-known professionals performing strangeness, otherness, or superhumanness to promote perceptions of their unique abilities?
posted by mrmanvir at 2:03 PM PST - 24 comments

A few years ago (like maybe 8 years ago?) I read a great eulogy for a cat named Cat online. It had a dry tone, was funny and affectionate and very readable. I remember a line about Cat refusing to be thwarted by closed doors (or something similar). Anyone know what I'm talking about? I'd love to re-read it. Thanks!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 2:03 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm looking for a certain music video (genre: modern-day pop) featuring an elderly interracial couple flashing back and deciding to reenact their younger days on the lake. [more inside]
posted by gtrwolf at 1:36 PM PST - 0 comments

I'm leaving my PhD program and moving to NYC. After some thought, I've realized that what I really want to do is be an editor, preferably of sci-fi/fantasy literature. How do I get from A to Z? Special snowflake details below. [more inside]
posted by cosmic owl at 1:34 PM PST - 5 comments

After reading this thread, I'm curious how my fellow MeFites have started using workplace tools and practices at home. I'm more interested in generic project-management and collaboration stuff than, say, "Side-wringer buckets will revolutionize your mopping experience!" (Although mine totally did.) Happy to hear from people in any living situation, household size, etc. Particularly interested in adjustments you made to adapt a tool or practice to home use.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 12:27 PM PST - 14 comments

I'm looking for a weird-ish, vaguely remembered video I saw on youtube. It was something along the lines of an interstellar battle of the bands/worlds, but I feel like there was some apocalyptic element to it, maybe? [more inside]
posted by windykites at 11:57 AM PST - 5 comments

As a sensitive snowflake, I find all the sunscreens I've used to have annoying odors (even "all natural" ones claiming to be odor-free). I especially need something to put on my nose that won't drive me crazy. So, if any kind soul could recommend either a stick or lotion that is truly undetectable, it'd be appreciated.
posted by Jon44 at 11:27 AM PST - 21 comments

I'm a ring maker based in New Zealand. I have a decent amount of old computer/e-waste waiting for the next recycling but I'm wondering if there is a fairly non-expensive way to melt down circuit boards and recast the plastic into blanks for wood turning? I know that gold can be recycled from old computer parts, but I am not a supporter of the gold/diamond industry so I cannot really be bothered.
posted by New England Cultist at 11:15 AM PST - 13 comments

I have a six year old who likes to set up elaborate domino runs. I’d like to buy him his own set. What are the best dominoes for runs? I have seen some colorful ones with no pips on them, but I don’t know where to get those. Amazon’s offerings all have pretty mixed reviews.
posted by Ollie at 10:57 AM PST - 3 comments

I realized I really enjoy songs about bad situations and sad sacks that make me smile. Do you have any to add to my repertoire? Examples within. [more inside]
posted by ferret branca at 10:23 AM PST - 46 comments

I have tried tons of treatments for my severe cognitive anxiety but am not getting better. Do some people never get better? [more inside]
posted by Alvin80 at 9:43 AM PST - 21 comments

More specifically, if I took a screencap to a place like Kinko's, would they refuse to print it for me? If it varies, under what circumstances would / wouldn't it be possible to print the image? [more inside]
posted by Spathe Cadet at 9:34 AM PST - 5 comments

Any ideas for gifts for English teens (13, 16) who are visiting the States? We'd like to give a gift to two kinds. They've visited the States many times before, so it's not necessary to be explicitly American but I'm short on ideas. No food because they have several food allergies and aversions. Thank you!
posted by dublin at 9:24 AM PST - 7 comments

I am here, teaching kids down near Yamaguchi, and I've noticed more than of my few kids do this in class. Vigorously. And many many adults seem to have little to no shame about the act. Is this NOT a taboo here? And if so, is it going to be weird for me to come down on kids for doing it in my class? I don't want to be culturally insensitive. But I also don't want to gag. Thoughts?
posted by rileyray3000 at 9:01 AM PST - 11 comments

I have an issue in a new house with a strong smells and before I hire people that come and charge me a lot of money, I want to be informed. How do I get help with this without getting ripped off? [more inside]
posted by xarnop at 8:10 AM PST - 10 comments

I’m a bisexual (or maybe pansexual? I don’t know, I just like people) cis woman, and there’s a lesbian woman at my gym that I’m interested in getting to know better and maybe asking out. Would it be weird or inappropriate for me to wear a rainbow headband as an attempt at signaling “Hey, I’m queer, too!”? At the same time, I don’t want her to assume I’m lesbian when I’m not.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:36 PM PST - 14 comments

You know, the beginning of the song that grabs you and won't let go. [more inside]
posted by ashbury at 6:24 PM PST - 98 comments

Just invested in a $500 pair of Sennheiser headphones. My instinct has always been to listen to headphones at maximum volume, but wondering if high-end headphones might be better appreciated at lower volume(s). Thoughts? Advice?
posted by BadgerDoctor at 5:51 PM PST - 12 comments

I have had a Samsung Galaxy S2 for 3 years and it only gives me 2 hours of music streaming before dying. Could I expect much improvement by replacing the rechargeable battery?
posted by Jon44 at 5:38 PM PST - 4 comments

I have been using AirTable as a kind of common place book. Basically, I have two databases, once of sources, and one of notes on those sources, where each note is a record in the database. I am wondering if it is possible to export those notes in a format so that I can add them to an Evernote notebook. [more inside]
posted by synecdoche at 4:46 PM PST - 1 comment

I placed a grocery delivery order that included fresh shrimp. I received a bag of currently-frozen shrimp. I've had so many bad experiences with frozen seafood that I haven't cooked with it in years, but these look like decent quality. What can I make that involves shrimp but is somewhat forgiving of the texture degradation that will happen from using thawed-at-home* shrimp? [more inside]
posted by rhiannonstone at 2:24 PM PST - 21 comments

Can my previous landlord make me re-issue rent checks that he did not cash from over a year ago? [more inside]
posted by grassbottles at 12:54 PM PST - 32 comments

I haven’t written JS in anger since JQuery was the hot thing and VBScript stalked the Earth. It seems to effectively be a different language now. Can you recommend a good book on JavaScript as it stands in 2019? [more inside]
posted by a device for making your enemy change his mind at 11:15 AM PST - 12 comments

My all season tires sat in the sun and rain and snow etc for about a full year, even more, approximately January 2018 through June 2019. The kids dragged them outside to make room and to play with them, a wee bit, like cleaning them and pretending to be a tire shop while I was in treatment for an extended period. I kept the snow tires on (Honda Odyssey) for way too long since it snows in May and blew a flat. My partner thinks it’s unsafe to put them back on. I think we should go to the place where we bought them and ask them to check each tire and make their own determination. Discount Tire is pretty good about catching damage I didn’t even know about and fixing it for free. [more inside]
posted by aydeejones at 10:03 AM PST - 5 comments

Over the past few years, I've become obsessed with delta blues and chicago blues by black artists. That umbrella soon included a subset of blues, soul, and jazz artists. I need a proper fix. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by SkinsOfCoconut at 8:19 AM PST - 15 comments

I want to create more space around my home and less papers piles. What apps are out there where I can scan/enter items like pay stubs, paper bills, invoices, etc?
posted by goalyeehah at 7:51 AM PST - 16 comments

My partner and I had made plans to go for a five-day camping trip this weekend. These plans were made back in February or March. Life has been really busy/stressful and I hadn't really thought about it at all until a week ago, I started having concerns that I was really not going to enjoy the trip for a multitude of reason (see below. I have been trying to talk to my partner about my concerns/anxieties. This upsets my partner. We ended up making agreement (my giving the trip a try in exchange for a ride to a nearby train station if I wasn't enjoying myself) that I realized a day later wasn't going to work for me. I talked to my partner about my feelings, and they are saying that I've broken a promise and very significantly broke their trust/would have to work hard to earn it back. I'm feeling very mixed. I'm not sure how to interpret the entire situation anymore. How badly did I mess this all up? [more inside]
posted by Thirty7Degrees at 7:48 AM PST - 73 comments

Forgot about the vacuum sealed ground beef. It says use or freeze by 7/20 which was 7 days ago. Is it still safe to cook today?
posted by crunchy potato at 5:46 AM PST - 21 comments

In my haste to get home, I bought these flowers without checking the official names. I've tried searching online but I'm not having much luck. [more inside]
posted by lesser weasel at 3:31 AM PST - 9 comments

Difficulty level: iPad must not fall into sink. Also accepting recs for waterproof/impact-proof screen protectors and iPad iNsurance (asking for a friend). [more inside]
posted by queen anne's remorse at 8:21 PM PST - 9 comments

This year my expat brother and sister-in-law (who are longtime residents, fluent in Russian) adopted a brother/sister pair in Ukraine. We're meeting them next week at a family reunion. What's the protocol for my family to meet them to be loving, welcoming and respectful? [more inside]
posted by amoeba at 7:59 PM PST - 15 comments

Who's the dude with the hat?
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:18 PM PST - 5 comments

So a few weeks ago I bought long cotton socks to wear to bed at night, because I get cold feet and it is winter. Every time I wash them I notice they are covered in fluff and hair. Is this from wearing them to bed, or is it something else (eg lint filter in my washing machine)? I’ve changed the bedsheets and that made no difference, but there’s also no fluff on other clothes washed in the same wash. Help! [more inside]
posted by EatMyHat at 6:35 PM PST - 5 comments

My share of health insurance at my new job is going to cost a lot. I am eligible to be on Cobra at my old job for 3 years. The cost of Cobra to stay on the old job’s insurance is the same as the employer’s share in the new job. Can I ask them to pay for me to Cobra instead of switching to their plan? [more inside]
posted by whatdoyouthink? at 5:57 PM PST - 12 comments

My sister wants to try living in LA for a year to pursue her very niche career in music supervision. However she loves Portland, where she's lived the last 10+ years, and doesn't want to lose her cute 1B apartment here in PDX if it doesn't work out. A thought she had was finding a housing swap type situation. Are there resources for this that aren't easily found by googling? Barring her finding an ideal housingswap, are there artists lofts (her partner is a bonafide artist) or other affordableish/out-of-the-box living situations she might consider? Tentative move date: October 2019 [more inside]
posted by pdxhiker at 5:49 PM PST - 2 comments

[Breastfeeding filter] I had to bottle feed (expressed milk and formula) as a supplement to nursing from the time my baby was born because of a bad latch, sleepiness, and insufficient supply. Pumping after nursing each feed was exhausting, so I transitioned to exclusively pumping during the day and nursing at night a couple of weeks ago, and that seemed to be a good balance. The hope was to bring my supply up by pump and then exclusively breastfeed. However, she started to refuse to nurse last week. [more inside]
posted by redlines at 3:17 PM PST - 9 comments

Hello everyone. I am giving a Google Slides presentation via Zoom. I have the presentation done. Zoom's share screen was easy to figure out. What I can't figure out is this. If I use Speaker Notes in Slides' Present Mode, how do I know if the person with whom I'm sharing it isn't also seeing the notes and not just the Presentation? I've read articles and watched videos. From what I've gathered, I'd need two monitors. One to do the presentation. Another to see the notes. Is that true? Thanks in advance.
posted by holdenjordahl at 3:12 PM PST - 6 comments

This summer I find myself in the position of tutoring an 11-year-old boy in math once a week. He's a sweet person and a good worker, but what makes him twice as productive is the prospect of trading Pokémon (Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon) with me during the breaks he earns after each lesson. I'm a reformed gamer and was originally thrilled at the prospect of sharing the experience of this game with him, but I have come to hate the game and the process of collecting the endgame characters he's stoked on. Stoics, swamis, patient parents and teachers of AskMe, I'm looking for your help! How do you share an activity you dislike with a young person you like? Or, what are some techniques to use for doing something you find maddening without punching a wall (while maybe even gleaning some enjoyment)? Thanks! [more inside]
posted by The Minotaur at 2:54 PM PST - 16 comments

Thanks to the community I am all geared up for a road trip with my 8 and 13 year olds that includes a night each at Selkirk Shores State Park and Watkins Glen State Park before we move on to Philadelphia. (And we have tick-repellent clothing!) Please share your recommendations to see, do, and eat, as well as travel tips. [more inside]
posted by warriorqueen at 12:08 PM PST - 16 comments

My parents have taken each of the grandchildren for a special trip to Washington, D.C. the summer between kindergarten and 1st grade with exciting things like hotel pools and room service and an itinerary of the special kid's choosing. My daughter's trip has been very delayed for (unimportant) Grown Up Reasons, but it's finally her turn in August and she's been waiting a whole year and she's so excited! Now what? [more inside]
posted by cheese at 12:05 PM PST - 41 comments

I want to keep records of my manufacturing production and supervisor instructions on paper. I have snooping people around me and locked cabinets may be seen as attempting theft. [more inside]
posted by ayc200 at 11:04 AM PST - 11 comments

A couple years ago I read a piece online by an audio engineer arguing that a particular Duran Duran track and a Madonna track have better production and sound better than anything recorded since, I cannot seem to find this article now. Anyone?
posted by Cosine at 10:09 AM PST - 3 comments

I have a Canon G9x with a Sandisk 32Gb memory card. Lately I've been hitting "memory card errors" while video'ing. The error leaves a .DAT file on the card. Can I recover and view these files somehow or are they permanent duds?
posted by storybored at 9:54 AM PST - 3 comments

I live in London but need to move. I'd quite like to live in a weird or non-traditional rental if I could find something weird. [more inside]
posted by mnfn at 9:38 AM PST - 8 comments

I recently started getting a slew of messages to my email account from a number of job-search sites. My email is my first initial+last name, so I often get emails for people with similar names, but most of these new emails are coming from sites I've never heard of before. And, when I went to a couple of the sites and entered my email on the sign-in screen with the intent of resetting the password and deleting the account, there was no record of an account with that email! How worried should I be? [more inside]
posted by Meow Face at 9:05 AM PST - 11 comments

I just upgraded to a new iPhone XR and am wondering what cool, beautiful, and useful apps you like that I might want to try on this fast & beautiful new phone. [more inside]
posted by stinkfoot at 8:54 AM PST - 5 comments

We cut down the dying shrubs at the bottom of our driveway and want to raise a bed over the roots to plant something else. What is the best way to build a raised bed in this situation? Pics and details within. [more inside]
posted by helpontheway(skft) at 8:34 AM PST - 4 comments

Our highly verbal toddler seems like she's progressing faster than other kids, in terms of intellectual milestones. And for all intents and purposes she seems like an average toddler. But when it comes to being in group situations, she has a really hard time. What's going on, and what can we do to help her participate? [more inside]
posted by summerteeth at 8:14 AM PST - 28 comments

I was watching a documentary (The New Silk Road, From Kyrgyzstan to Duisburg, from DW) and I would like to find out more about the lighting display shown at 41:37 in this youtube clip. I am assuming this is some kind of projection display but I'd like to find out more details. Can you help me narrow down the location and/or the particular event or initiative this was for? Thanks!
posted by brbmaroon at 7:57 AM PST - 4 comments

We relocated for husband's job but I had to stay behind part-time for work. I don't know how to be in two places at once and it's making me crazy. How do we get through this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:35 AM PST - 8 comments

Who are they, do you think, and which of their books should I read?
posted by musofire at 7:22 AM PST - 8 comments

My partner and I are taking my toddler to NYC for two to three weeks in August. We will be living out of a hotel while we are in NYC. I am looking for your advice on hotel living with a toddler, specifically around food and laundry. I also welcome activity recommendations. [more inside]
posted by CMcG at 6:33 AM PST - 28 comments

I'm currently in Cape Town with my partner, having tacked a few extra days onto a work trip. I'm free from today through the end of the day Monday, and I'm trying to figure out some things to do, but I could use some advice. [more inside]
posted by evidenceofabsence at 2:32 AM PST - 8 comments

I'd like to look up some specific old court proceedings and police investigations. The time periods of the events I'm interested in vary (some in the 1950s, some in the 1980s, and some recently), and all of it happened on the West Coast. Are decades-old court cases and police investigations archived somewhere? And what would I have to do to request those files?
posted by sockanalia at 1:09 AM PST - 3 comments

In an article of Train Magazine (a strength training magazine) there was a table of percentage gains in strength to expect if training with a particular schedule over a particular period of time. For example “week 3 of training 3 times a week, 5% gain in lifts compared to first session in week 1”. The table actually showed percentage gains in each training session over a base session rather than it being written out in words as I have done above. Does anyone have a copy of this magazine or this particular table? Thanks
posted by lynz3020 at 12:32 AM PST - 1 comment

For reasons, an agency I work with is about to start receiving emailed documents as pdf attachments in place of faxes. The agency is going to make mistakes, because they’re used to getting paper. I want a way that the pdf attachments automatically print out on receipt, without anyone having to do anything. The program is Outlook. Is this possible? [more inside]
posted by kerf at 11:27 PM PST - 6 comments

I may have a choice to make between two different job offers and I need advice as to how long I can stall one of the two recruiters. I'm pretty sure that I'm not being assertive enough. What do I need to say? [more inside]
posted by bendy at 10:25 PM PST - 18 comments

I can't go into all the details of why (it would take days to explain), but could you share with me art, of any kind, music, film, television, sculpture, poetry, what have you, that has the following qualifications: funny, sad, knowing, kind (like fundamentally humanist), soulful but not in a woo-woo way, and smart, not cloying. [more inside]
posted by elko256 at 9:13 PM PST - 61 comments

Nineties nostalgia led me to read about web-safe colors. Okay, 24-bit color has many shades and 15-bit and 8-bit have fewer. I get that. But how do you determine if a given 24-bit color can be perfectly represented in 15-bit or whatever system? I read the Wikipedia page on quantizing but I feel like I'm missing context. And how do colorspaces like Adobe RGB or SRGB fit into this?
posted by Monochrome at 8:30 PM PST - 8 comments

Am about to go on vacation to Cancun with large group (9) and need help booking a van as well as 2 kid car seats. Is there a virtual assistant service that specializes in car rental. got to be someone willing to navigate the maze of options and sleight of hand tactics of rental companies especially wrt to insurance.
posted by lapsang at 7:23 PM PST - 4 comments

My tech-savvy 11-year-old wants to buy a fancy computer and is willing to work for it, but what can he do to earn money from people outside of our family? [more inside]
posted by ElizaMain at 7:07 PM PST - 21 comments

In Désirée's Baby, an 1892 Kate Chopin story, isn't is written is n't (with a space). Same for hasn't (has n't). I've never seen this before. Is it deliberate or a typo? How is it pronounced?
posted by mpark at 5:48 PM PST - 11 comments

I ran across this sticker. It looks like a snowflake but if you count the points, there are seven, not six. It may be related to an open-source software project. Googling "snowflake logo open-source" didn't turn it up.
posted by kindall at 4:21 PM PST - 6 comments

I have an abundance of comfrey in my garden and I want to use it to make homemade herbal salve. The recipe calls for beeswax. Is there a vegan replacement for this?
posted by jitterbug perfume at 3:32 PM PST - 4 comments

I am curious if anyone is selling a short-sleved mens' polo shirt in US size 2XL, primarily blue (anything from Royal through Cobalt, or even as dark as Navy), but with the collar (and possibly the cuffs) a golden yellow. No points for guessing which nearly defunct video rental chain's uniform I'm trying to recreate. [more inside]
posted by radwolf76 at 1:28 PM PST - 7 comments

I know less than nothing about art or materials or mediums, which is inconvenient given this very particular project I have in mind. Can you tell me what supplies I might need, what techniques I might look into, what artists I might be able to learn from? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by MiraK at 1:16 PM PST - 14 comments

I’d like to find Instagram accounts that interact with their followers in a creative, thoughtful way, and that ask followers to participate in a discussion. [more inside]
posted by Atrahasis at 1:04 PM PST - 3 comments

Recent early evening rape in a nearby campus building has crystallized a decision to acquire some personal defence devices. While a Katana was considered, carrying a stun-gun may be less awkward during the workday. Amazon lists so many, we are looking for recommendations based on personal experience.
posted by Sophont at 12:47 PM PST - 21 comments

I got thrown into being an analyst at my current job and was freakin' awesome at it. It mattered to me. Help me figure out what I need to do to get this job somewhere else full time, please! [more inside]
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 12:04 PM PST - 13 comments

I'm going to New York City shortly and I have a stupid tourist question. I have a few $100's I'd like to have broken into smaller bills. Are there any banks that I'd be able to do this at in NYC? [more inside]
posted by VirginiaPlain at 11:53 AM PST - 18 comments

Please help me with a character depiction in a story. My character lost their eyesight completely at an adult age (for magic related reasons). [more inside]
posted by Omnomnom at 9:30 AM PST - 7 comments

This summer, I notice that when I'm in the sun, it feels oddly hotter than I've noticed in the past. It feels very uncomfortable on my skin & a couple weeks ago I got mildly sunburned after only being in the sun for a few minutes. Nothing like medications has changed. I'm just very curious about this! Thanks!
posted by fairlynearlyready at 9:24 AM PST - 24 comments

I have to get my shared sewer line dug up and there's currently a 10-foot hole in my driveway. I'm thinking about shooting a little iPhone video with my wife and bunging it on a USB key or something for when they fill it in, to probably never be seen again, but you never know. Any good ideas on extremely cheap ways of future-proofing this?
posted by Shepherd at 9:12 AM PST - 13 comments

Installing an aftermarket radio in a 2002 Acura 3.5 RL and and the only thing I have left to do is connect it to the parking brake. The wiring I'm working with is in a particularly cramped area under the dash and I was hoping someone with experience in this area might provide some tips on easier access to the necessary parts? More details and photo inside. [more inside]
posted by Rewind at 9:10 AM PST - 3 comments

Our organization is onboarding a new employee who is gender non-binary next month. One of the required US Government forms that our US Government customer requires that new employees fill out has two check boxes labeled M and F for gender. I am not certain what to do in this case. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:59 AM PST - 15 comments

I am a public librarian, where can I go from here? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:58 AM PST - 17 comments

I ostensibly work as a database programmer for a nonprofit project, and I have for nearly 4 years. My work has, over the last 16 months, gradually shifted from regular programming to occasionally programming while mostly helping with the administration of our one regular project: Doing mailings (unto stuffing envelopes), documentation, occasional meetings, that sort of thing. This is due to a couple of changes: 1) due to the development of new technology, most of the people who would have requested database reports from me in the past, now solve that problem another way. 2)Until a couple of months ago, we had a person whose position involved managing the administrative paperwork. That person has moved on to a promotion, and not been replaced. I don't have a lot of free time away from work, and I feel ethically bound to do the needed work. I am paid generously. But I definitely need to maintain or grow my tech skills for my career. What to do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:58 AM PST - 10 comments

How do you choose between job offers? I am very new to my field and have happily been presented with two job offers. Both will provide me with needed experience. One is in the exact area I want to work in long-term; the other offers superior compensation and benefits. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by socks_for_all at 8:47 AM PST - 17 comments

What's my job title (small business edition)? [more inside]
posted by A god with hooves, a god with horns at 8:38 AM PST - 5 comments

I have a gaming table set up in my basement with an in-built screen for displaying digital maps when running DnD and the like. This monitor is connected to an Intel NUC box, which also outputs to a second monitor for private DM info. The rig also has a mouse and keyboard connected for control. My question - how can I cut the NUC box out of the equation entirely, and run the whole shebang over wifi to connect to my much more robust desktop PC on the other side of the house? [more inside]
posted by FatherDagon at 8:31 AM PST - 10 comments

Looking for suggestions for videos showing how things are made, but I'm picky. [more inside]
posted by skewed at 8:13 AM PST - 13 comments

Hello All. I have broken my foot/toe and have been told to stay off of it for a few days. There's a heatwave followed by torrential rain in Scotland and my partner is going away for a long weekend. So, help is needed with suggestions for newer/alternative PS4 games - I'm treating myself and would like to buy one or two, with a few caveats... [more inside]
posted by sedimentary_deer at 8:07 AM PST - 11 comments

Up until the last few days, I have been a back sleeper most of the time, sometimes switching to my right side between when I first wake up and when I finally decide to get out of bed. I like sleeping on my right side. But after my surgery, I have to sleep on my right side exclusively, and I am getting left hip pain. [more inside]
posted by cats are weird at 7:45 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm starting to get into tarot card readings (doing them myself with my own deck, so far). I'd like to find a book that gives good interpretations as well as explains types of readings to do, for a beginner. Primarily looking for books, but will take excellent website recommendations, too. [more inside]
posted by bearette at 7:12 AM PST - 15 comments

My wife is one of these fancy web programmers (Google on her resume, etc.) and her boss actually approached her to ask how much of a promotion and raise she would like. She told him she'd think about it, but she doesn't actually know how to go about thinking about it. We've read generic advice on the internet (e.g., Ask A Manager) but that doesn't account for some recent changes in management, very generous PTO, and recent personal-life issues. Hope us? [more inside]
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 6:24 AM PST - 16 comments

If dust and clutter continue to pile up in home, what are the long-term consequences and possible risks? [more inside]
posted by bunderful at 6:24 AM PST - 23 comments

The first line of a recent news article critiquing Canada’s international economic competitive advantage says “It is a well-known and uncontested economic aphorism that you will get more of whatever you officially incentivize.” What is the actual economic or theoretical term for this aphorism? [more inside]
posted by OlivesAndTurkishCoffee at 5:23 AM PST - 8 comments

Let's assume they are not roped on but that there are decent hand and foot holds on the vehicle. At what speed does it become uncomfortable? Impossible to move around? Impossible to hold on? [more inside]
posted by einekleine at 4:26 AM PST - 11 comments

I'm considering purchasing a unit in a two-lot subdivision, in Melbourne, Australia. Currently there is no shared/common insurance for the building. What insurance would I need to obtain? [more inside]
posted by milkcrateman at 2:37 AM PST - 2 comments

Can you recommend the best socks to avoid squeaky shoes from sweaty feet? [more inside]
posted by kinddieserzeit at 12:24 AM PST - 9 comments

My teen has below shoulder-length straight thick hair. No matter what we’ve tried, it’s greasy on top and bone dry at the ends. Showering everyday is a must due to sports. She would love to have shiny smooth hair. What should we try that’s available at a US drugstore or Ulta? I would say $20 for shampoo is my max.
posted by gryphonlover at 8:49 PM PST - 46 comments

I bought a lovely Tunisian bowl today, from a shop that I had previously bought a lovely Tunisian pitcher from. They match. It seems in the transit from Sausalito to home, a small crack has formed. This bowl was the last the shop had, and it matches the pitcher I have, and the company has apparently folded. So how can I fix this hairline crack so I can put things in this bowl like lemons or fruit? Hope me metafilter!
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:40 PM PST - 9 comments

So Tux (but it isn’t even cute) was our neighbor’s outdoor cat. We named him that. Promise he has the pattern to match. Neighbors moved away and he’s been visiting so we give him kibble daily. [more inside]
posted by OrangeVelour at 8:11 PM PST - 22 comments

Is there a word for this type of place OR the feeling associated with this type of place? The place in question is actually a somewhat forgotten room or area. [more inside]
posted by Sassyfras at 7:24 PM PST - 21 comments

Has anyone else had the cable for the sliding rear door of their Toyota Sienna minivan corrode and then break? Were you able to get it fixed by a dealer? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 6:43 PM PST - 8 comments

I am halfway through an expensive "post-bacc" program at a well-respected medical school, and for reasons also had to take a class at the local community college in the spring. The tuition at the community college was about 60% cheaper than the private medical school where I am seeking this post-bacc certificate, and the professor was far better than any I've had in the private program. Should I ditch the private program and complete the remainder of the pre-reqs at the community college? [more inside]
posted by erattacorrige at 6:19 PM PST - 18 comments

I'm again finding that I need to distract myself from the impending apocalypse, and after the success of this question two years ago, I'd like you all to hit me with your most mesmerizing reads of 2019. [more inside]
posted by rpfields at 6:04 PM PST - 23 comments

I have a small amount of debt, huge amount of shame and anxiety. How do I tackle my finances without falling into an anxiety spiral? [more inside]
posted by vanitas at 5:43 PM PST - 13 comments

My therapist is usually great, but yesterday she seemed flustered and distracted by something else. Wondering if I handled it correctly as a patient... [more inside]
posted by stella1 at 5:27 PM PST - 12 comments

As of 10 p.m. yesterday, I could watch videos on Hulu. As of noon today, I couldn't watch videos on any streaming site - at least, not in Chrome. Long details of what I've tried to remedy the situation are below the jump, but really long story short, how do I fix it when I've exhausted just about all the solutions? [more inside]
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 5:01 PM PST - 6 comments

On a recent trip by plane, my first leg was delayed and as a result, when I got to the gate for my (transatlantic) second leg, the boarding door had already closed, about two minutes prior to my arrival. The gate agent told me there was nothing they could do, the flight was already listed as "departed", even though the plane was still parked at the end of the jetway. I put on a very, very sad face and the gate agent took pity on me, talked to the crew on the plane, and let me on. Should I write the airline to praise this employee, or could that get her in trouble? [more inside]
posted by escabeche at 3:25 PM PST - 9 comments

I have created a small part of which I have made several prototypes. I want to get a CAD drawing of this part so that I can print it on a 3D printer and eventually, manufacture it via plastic injection mould. I can't find a local CAD drawing service. How do I go about finding someone? I see some services on the internet, just contact them? Would they need to have the actual thing? It's about 2" x 1" x 1" fwiw.
posted by falsedmitri at 3:14 PM PST - 6 comments

I'll be attending a ceramics workshop at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, TN during early October. A friend will be meeting me after, and we'd like to check out the region a bit. What should we do within, say, a three hour drive of this area? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 2:30 PM PST - 14 comments

My nokia 6 phone suddenly, without warning, started freaking out. What is going on, what caused this, can it be fixed? [more inside]
posted by Cozybee at 1:59 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm in the process of buying a home in Vermont. Because the septic failed inspection, I could not close until the septic was repaired, and the job was finished yesterday (seller is paying). Unfortunately, fixing the septic meant destroying the yard, which is no longer usable. I don't know what to do and I close in 2 days. [more inside]
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:52 PM PST - 41 comments

I'm a non-birdwatcher buying a pair of binoculars as a gift, and I'm a bit stuck. I was going to get the Olympus 8x40 dpsi - but have noticed that they don't seem to be fully coated and have BK7 rather than BK4 prisms. They are well reviewed , but I wonder if the brand is speaking. There is also a pair of HUTACT HTK-62, at 10x42, with seemingly better prisms, at a much lower price - but I'm not sure of the quality of product as I don't know the brand. [more inside]
posted by johnsohl at 12:42 PM PST - 1 comment

What is the healthiest dry dog food to buy in the US for an adult small dog without any allergies or other issues? It is difficult to figure out what food is genuinely healthiest, versus just hype or personal opinion. Is there evidence-based research on this? Also, I am hearing warnings about some of the premium brands not being as healthy as one might assume. Is that correct? Any tips would be most appreciated.
posted by mortaddams at 12:37 PM PST - 13 comments

You know that scent that wafts by when you open the doors of a hotel spa or upscale gym? I have a dream that when I come home after work and open the door of my apartment, it smells exactly like that fancy spa or gym. I have some ideas about how to get there, but I'd like your help! [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 11:50 AM PST - 14 comments

We have a cold box in my lab that doesn't have a built-in emergency response button. Cell phones don't work inside. What are my options? [more inside]
posted by you're a kitty! at 11:50 AM PST - 10 comments

On our housing estate the council has recently cleared an area of scrubby shrubs and weeds, and laid down new turf lawn. It was green for about a week, and now (2 months later) it's like a brown mat with weeds coming up everywhere. And some tufts of grass here and there. [more inside]
posted by snarfois at 11:03 AM PST - 7 comments

I'd like to send some food to a friend in Waterbury, Vermont. Are there any local restaurants or markets that might deliver? Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:03 AM PST - 6 comments

We adopted a cat, Asami, 4 days ago. At night she starts to mewl, loudly, for hours. We assume that this might just be her still being nervous around us, but the lack of sleep is taking its toll on us. Do you have any strategies to calm her down, especially at night? [more inside]
posted by signal at 9:58 AM PST - 13 comments

I would like to visit Montréal, Québec this coming fall with my friend, and we do not speak or understand written French. I am wondering if most restaurants and grocery stores (ingredients) are mostly written in French and not English? I also have a food allergy to eggs, and my friend is a vegan as well. We are not sure if it would be difficult, since we only speak English. Thanks in advance.
posted by RearWindow at 9:54 AM PST - 19 comments

My child's middle-aged mixed-breed cat is somewhat, but not totally, off her food. For the last few days she has only eaten 50 - 75 % of the food we typically give her (dry, with a few chicken-flavored treats thrown in). She still meows for food in the morning, even though there is food left from the previous day. She otherwise seems exactly the same as when she was cleaning her bowl. [more inside]
posted by ubiquity at 9:51 AM PST - 11 comments

We bought a place with plans to renovate it over time. We had a test come back with asbestos. On a scale of zero (do whatever) to one hundred (don't even put a nail into the wall to hang a picture), how freaked out should we be? [more inside]
posted by rouftop at 8:46 AM PST - 3 comments

I moved to Arizona's 8th district, and the Dem challenger got within 9000 votes of flipping this R+13 district. I want to find out who I can volunteer for (I'm not in a position to donate) to get Lesko out of office. A google search doesn't turn up anything - her previous opponent is now running in the 6th district, something that I didn't realize when I emailed her campaign to ask if I could volunteer. Any resources for me to look at?
posted by thebotanyofsouls at 8:06 AM PST - 4 comments

We have a lovely little neighborhood cat that we call Nicodemus. He was part of a litter of kitties born under my neighbor's deck two years ago, and he is ostensibly owned by the folks that live across the alley now. He's been neutered and he's fed by the neighbors, but he's basically a roamer. He's also got long fur...and mats. The mats make me worried. Should I be? What should I do, if anything? [more inside]
posted by Gray Duck at 7:24 AM PST - 15 comments

I've been seeing someone who I like a lot. We have good chemistry and can talk for hours. But I'm also worried -- how much can I trust him? How do I know he's not a player or a liar? He likes to tease -- is that a red flag? Please help me get out of my own head. [more inside]
posted by rue72 at 7:18 AM PST - 16 comments

I really like pretzels (the kind from the chip aisle, not the soft bready ones). Once in a while, I’ll get a bag that has several that are thinner and slightly burnt. These are my favorite! Is there a way to source just the defective, too thin, slightly burnt pretzels? Or will they remain a mysterious and random source of joy hidden in the occasional bag?
posted by stillmoving at 6:46 AM PST - 8 comments

Considering a career shift. I've had several people encourage me to try my hand at being a technical writer, and everything about the job sounds like it might be a fit - except for what technical writers write about. Is there anything similar that's not tech-based? [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:18 AM PST - 12 comments

I need a new therapist. But I feel … guilty? I don’t think therapy should bring THIS kind of stress and I’m not confident it will change. How do I put my mental health first here? [more inside]
posted by SockWombat at 4:07 AM PST - 13 comments

My wife's best friend has a serious disease and is going to die before summer is over. We're all under 40, the disease progression is such that there's nothing left to do. I'm learning how to best support my wife through all this, and as such have what's probably a trivial question inside. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:48 AM PST - 15 comments

My (Australian) school was recently restructured as a not-for-profit company, with a board and members. The board is elected from among the members, who are the parents of the students. What techniques exist for gracefully balancing the board's duty of accountability with their legitimate concern that members will impose unworkable resolutions at an upcoming AGM? [more inside]
posted by ICanHazQuestion at 12:26 AM PST - 7 comments

Hi all. Going through a super stressful possible separation from my live-in partner. Some particular emotional, financial, and logistical logistics lie ahead. Looking for any help in how to get through this one day at a time. [more inside]
posted by IwishIwasFordMaddoxFord at 11:10 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm trying to remember a webcomic. The basics: it was on the artist's personal site where he had other ongoing comics as well. The comic was about a little girl-creature whose story started out in the laboratory of a scientist doing experiments on her. Eventually she was discarded by the scientist, whom she regarded as her father. And then it went downhill from there... [more inside]
posted by Fukiyama at 7:29 PM PST - 3 comments

A company has a financial model that is used to put a dollar amount of the inability of a person to perform tasks around the home due to injury. The company lists their publicly available data sources that they rely on for the model as well as any assumptions they've used. If I build a similar model, using similar assumptions and methodology as they have used, am I violating any copyright?
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 4:36 PM PST - 15 comments

I am planning some new piercings and wonder how to best balance them against what I have. [more inside]
posted by Iteki at 3:55 PM PST - 3 comments

In the past few weeks, my general life stress has skyrocketed in response to drama with my living situation. But I've also been enjoying a happy new relationship for a while. I'd like to limit the impact the former has on the latter and also get support from my new partner. Though I'm prioritizing self-care and though he's very patient and understanding, I'm trying to think of ways I can be fair to both of us and to our relationship at a time when stress is having a big impact on all my life. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 3:32 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm personing the booth at a professional conference with >2,000 attendees. I need to print takeaways for my company's services. How many copies of each takeaway should I print? [more inside]
posted by adastra at 3:06 PM PST - 4 comments

I have a one-on-one meeting with my manager every two weeks. It’s an open-ended discussion meant for me to bring up anything I need help with, but it’s also the only time I have to share what I’ve accomplished (he’s a high-level people manager without any insight into my day-to-day work). I am not great at tooting my own horn, but I want to be sure to advocate for myself. What are ways to communicate accomplishments in a conversational way, that doesn’t sound like bragging? [more inside]
posted by rogerroger at 2:59 PM PST - 15 comments

I’m about to work on a handbook style document in Google Docs that will have instructions for handling a variety of similar situations. The handbook will cover something like 25 different situations, but there are probably only 6 or 7 unique paragraphs of instructions that just need to be mixed and matched appropriately. How do I write each paragraph only once and then call it when needed?
posted by ocherdraco at 2:37 PM PST - 8 comments

Our neighborhood is starting to have a mild rat problem. Would introducing some lovely garter or gopher snakes be a viable solution? If so, how do I introduce them into my urban habitat? [more inside]
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 2:35 PM PST - 14 comments

I need recommendations for small, stud earrings that I can put in, (almost) never take out, not lose, and still have them look cute and hold up over time. [more inside]
posted by missmary6 at 1:58 PM PST - 14 comments

I'm interested in introducing scented oils into my life, but I'm having trouble finding ones I like. [more inside]
posted by monologish at 1:38 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm looking for show recommendations. I just completed season 1 of Mindhunter and I'm looking for new shows. [more inside]
posted by edbles at 1:32 PM PST - 15 comments

YANMD. I have seen my doctor. I may or may not have a stress fracture. I would like a foot brace or wrap to support my foot while my injury is healing. [more inside]
posted by DoubleLune at 1:17 PM PST - 7 comments

I am very lucky to have a group of friends with whom I have stayed close for many years - well into my adulthood. While I see many of my peers lose their friendships in their late twenties and early thirties, we are still going strong, and I am very grateful for that. Nonetheless, we are all becoming more busy with careers and romantic relationships, and I find myself giving much more than I receive from the people dearest to me. I have grown bitter and resentful, and am not sure how to proceed further. More under the cut. [more inside]
posted by luminary at 12:47 PM PST - 25 comments

I'm in a pretty new (8 months) romantic partnership with someone with bipolar disorder (II). They're generally stable, take meds regularly, and see a therapist. Because there are still some curveballs with this relationship that I don't have any experience with, I'm looking for vetted resources for what to expect long-term, ways to be the best partner I can be during the tough times, and ways to take great care of myself as well. Bonus if the resources also address trauma-informed partnership.
posted by sugarbomb at 11:53 AM PST - 6 comments

I hate math. I need bubble wrap. I'd like to order some from Amazon. [more inside]
posted by juniperesque at 11:38 AM PST - 5 comments

Too many artifacts on YouTube; too cheap to spend the big bucks [more inside]
posted by troywestfield at 10:42 AM PST - 12 comments

Every so often I'll do or say something that someone views as ignorant or not done well, and they will say "Aw, you're so cute". This has happened multiple times with different people. I don't know how to respond other than feeling annoyed. It feels like I'm being belittled, and that they know it has feminine connotation when they use it as an insult. (I have been called cute in kinder ways, but that term still bothers me for some reason.) Did they mean it as an insult, or is there a better way to look at it? [more inside]
posted by LovingMyself at 10:16 AM PST - 32 comments

I (USA citizen) was in an auto crash in Quebec with a long term injury. I'm looking for a good lawyer in Quebec that can handle this claim with Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec. (We are English speaking).
posted by anonymous at 9:38 AM PST - 0 comments

My DH and I LOVE curry. My fave is yellow with potato, carrot, onion, and tofu. He loves red and green with squash and some veg. We have tried making it at home and, although we sometimes come close to restaurant quality, there is always that "something-something" missing in the flavor. Dear reader, can you tell us what is missing and point us to some authentic recipes? Thank you. VERY much!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 8:53 AM PST - 36 comments

I have multiple myeloma, and I need to send my medical records out for a second opinion. The snowflakes are overwhelming me, and I could use some help figuring out the easiest way to do this. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 8:08 AM PST - 5 comments

Hi all, I would like some help finding a quote I read a few years ago. It was something like "A woman sits alone in a room. The door is locked and nobody knocks." I remember it as being a short sentence or two kind of standing on its own, not exactly a poem. [more inside]
posted by beandip at 8:04 AM PST - 1 comment

Four years ago, I moved to a new city for a job that was on a path to senior management. I also got into a relationship, pretty much right when I arrived, that turned abusive. (My ex and I didn't work together). I’ve now left the relationship and have a 10-month-old child with my ex-partner. The problem? I made an utter hash of my last position. [more inside]
posted by Occam's Aftershave at 7:57 AM PST - 8 comments

I am a freelance copywriter. The CEO of my main client, who I don't normally deal with, arranged a call with me today, billed as a catch-up. In it, he basically said that they are hiring a copywriter in-house to cover a couple of projects that I thought were going to fall to me. Reason - cost efficiencies. On a scale of 'keep an eye on it' to 'panic immediately', what would you recommend? [more inside]
posted by doornoise at 7:53 AM PST - 7 comments

I recently noticed that most of the novels I look to recommend are around 400 pages. Is this a publishing standard length or just me? [more inside]
posted by dinty_moore at 6:34 AM PST - 4 comments

I have a digital marketing course to attend. I don't understand anything and my attention just keeps on tuning in and out. [more inside]
posted by catbird at 4:47 AM PST - 10 comments

I have a wool rug, which I like very much, but unfortunately when I just rolled it up (for a whole unrelated thing) I found evidence of moth casings and larvae. I am disappointed, because whilst I knew we had moths I was hoping very frequent hoovering would protect it, and it doesn't seem to have been sufficient. Is there anything cat-safe I can treat the underside of this rug with to prevent clothes moths? [more inside]
posted by stillnocturnal at 4:44 AM PST - 19 comments

I'm a sysadmin with ADHD and have been searching for the ultimate set of OSX/iOS workflow apps. I use several tools, but getting them all to work together is kind of a pain. Staying organized at work and home is a struggle, and I need to get easier, because I feel like I spend ¾ of my life stressing about whether I'm going to get things done. And half the time I forget what I need to get done. [more inside]
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 2:31 AM PST - 13 comments

Some months ago, I saw a link to a comic strip on metafilter that compared the experiences of two young people, one with more advantages in life and one with fewer. [more inside]
posted by nirblegee at 2:18 AM PST - 2 comments

I have a flight into Madrid on a Friday and a flight out of Zurich 10 days later. Where to go in-between? [more inside]
posted by teststrip at 2:11 AM PST - 8 comments

My husband usually takes leftovers to work to eat for lunch. I have learned recently (just through reading on the Internet) that reheating fish in the office microwave is deeply frowned upon. But..what IS ok? [more inside]
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 1:23 AM PST - 40 comments

I'm an office manager. One of the attorneys at my office held a client meeting in our Legal Director's office and their client left a small chocolate stain on the couch. How do I get her to clean it up? [more inside]
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? at 11:20 PM PST - 24 comments

My husband, son, and I will be driving from Baltimore to Pittsburgh later this week. Although I'm not the driver, I would like to avoid hills and trucks, to the extent possible. [more inside]
posted by merejane at 8:56 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm looking for suggestions / how to build for a website with only one social feature. [more inside]
posted by extrabox at 6:30 PM PST - 5 comments

I work with a small nonprofit that is struggling with it's technology for task management and document management. We need a Sharepoint-like tool, but at the free price point, and we don't qualify for discounted Microsoft products because we're a professional association. What options do we have? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by philosophygeek at 5:43 PM PST - 5 comments

I mentor a man who is really familiar with Shakespeare, references plays and characters often. I know nothing of Shakespeare, so it all slides right past me. He recommended starting with Hamlet, the film production put together by Kenneth Branagh, and that was my intent. [more inside]
posted by dancestoblue at 4:38 PM PST - 23 comments

I work at a restaurant with a large banquet room upstairs, and in the summer time we do comedy shows up there every Wednesday and some Saturdays. We are having a devil of a time deciding how, if at all, to let people order food up there... [more inside]
posted by vrakatar at 4:01 PM PST - 10 comments

My insurance (Sharp Health Plan) offers mental health coverage through Psychiatric Centers at San Diego. I'm hoping to find someone to help me primarily with coping strategies for anxiety at either of the Mission Valley locations (assuming they also see adults at the Hotel Circle one). Does anyone have any experience/recommendations for specific practitioners I could request? [more inside]
posted by atruesock at 3:32 PM PST - 4 comments

Please recommend a spacious laptop bag on wheels with an extendable handle. [more inside]
posted by medusa at 2:41 PM PST - 7 comments

My mom is a widower in her 70s, and while she is sharp of mind and has a desire to be independent, she has limited mobility due to multiple hip and knee operations. My middle-aged sibling, diagnosed with OCD at an early age and who has been on SSI for many years due to that issue, is hounding her unreasonably for money and support. Help. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:12 PM PST - 16 comments

Is there a web-based tool to extract foreign-language dialog and captioning from imagery-with-text? And in a perfect world, translate it to English? [more inside]
posted by j_curiouser at 2:12 PM PST - 8 comments

After 10-15 years in Silicon Valley, I'm interested in switching from technology to law. Is there a checklist to take me, a professional, from zero to legal hero? [more inside]
posted by jander03 at 2:05 PM PST - 21 comments

E.g., get a heating pad. [more inside]
posted by typify at 1:43 PM PST - 38 comments

Dear friends and their adorable pup are moving to Spokane (he's already there, she's been out for visits and is following soon). They've been living in a great Midwestern college town, are disappointed in the farmers market (so far) and haven't yet found a bakery with amazing bread. The new house will be near Manito Park. They're bright progressive vegetarians in their early fifties who love great food and wine. Please recommend anything in the area that will help make their new life wonderful. Day and weekend trip suggestions, too. Thank you!
posted by 2soxy4mypuppet at 1:09 PM PST - 9 comments

I listen to music on Spotify in English, Spanish and German and have lots of playlists with songs from all the languages mixed together. Is there an easy, automated way to create playlists of all the songs in each individual language? [more inside]
posted by neilb449 at 12:57 PM PST - 1 comment

I’m in Seattle this week (Tuesday morning through Sunday morning)! It’ll be my first time there. I love water-centric activities like swimming, sailing, kayaking, etc. and the weather will be perfect so I’m hoping to do a bunch of that. Got any recommendations? [more inside]
posted by danceswithlight at 12:36 PM PST - 12 comments

Flying into Sacramento in 3 weeks and have nothing booked but a rental car. Would like to hit up wine country and see some interesting sites. Any recommendations appreciated. [more inside]
posted by lattiboy at 12:26 PM PST - 15 comments

An old friend who lives far from me might be in an abusive relationship. She has left her family and career behind. I will be seeing her in person soon for the first time in years. What, if anything, can I do to help her? [more inside]
posted by aquamvidam at 12:23 PM PST - 7 comments

This week I am leaving my job, after nearly 8 years. I'm taking a few months off to finish education to be able to change careers. I am very happy to leave after working towards it for years and to now have time to focus on my new career. On the other hand I'm afraid I've detached so much already that I may forget important (practical or social) things that I would want to pay mind to in order to leave in a good manner and to not burn any bridges. At the moment I have some other things to deal with, that demand a lot of time and attention, so I can't think well but I should! I'd preferably process this step in my work life well, because it took me a lot of years to feel free and able to execute this change in fields. What actions (practical, social, emotional, economical) have you taken in the past, or would you do differently in the future, when leaving a job? [more inside]
posted by Mariemma at 12:11 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm a long-time iPhone user who needs to get an Android handset for a software development project. Please help me get the best phone for the best price. [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 9:56 AM PST - 12 comments

I’m camping in the desert for two weeks next month and want a better way to manage my ice chest. I want to contain and capture ice melt in a way that I can use it for drinking water. In the past I’ve used doubled up 2 gallon freezer bags to hold ice blocks, but invariably the bags develop holes and need to be replaced. I want a reusable solution. [more inside]
posted by itesser at 9:36 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm looking for insight and background information pertaining to campaigns which strive to increase suicide awareness and prevention. This could be outreach efforts, activities, events, messaging, advertising and promotion and swag, etc. I’m also interested in any portion of a suicide awareness campaign that provided significant meaning to you, and why. [more inside]
posted by captainsohler at 9:16 AM PST - 11 comments

We are getting new carpeting in our bedrooms tomorrow. After moving the various pieces of heavy furniture out, I could see that the compression marks they made on the old carpeting were worse than I imagined. [more inside]
posted by Don_K at 8:11 AM PST - 7 comments

My son will be going to university for Film Production. We're in search of a laptop that will be robust enough for the requirements of his program, last the length of his four-year studies (and beyond), and not break the bank. Also not too heavy if possible. [more inside]
posted by methroach at 7:58 AM PST - 14 comments

My library is finally in a position to host some small art shows featuring local artists. I'd like for artists to be able to sell their work if they like, but due to various factors, that's not as easy as it looks. Artists, vendors, curators, coffee shop employees, etc - I seek your wisdom! [more inside]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:14 AM PST - 5 comments

The cucumber vine is doing its thing again. I have lots of cukes, and am looking for interesting vegetarian/non-dairy ways to consume them. Eggs are okay. Thank you!
posted by carter at 7:07 AM PST - 36 comments

I bought a bike. I can still return it. Riding it feels weird and I was not totally comfortable with the sales process. Does it really feel weird or am I weird? Details within. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 6:40 AM PST - 22 comments

I am going to buy a car. I have applied for the loan, I know what car I want to go look at, but I realized I have no idea how this process actually works. How does one go about buying a car? [more inside]
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:16 AM PST - 14 comments

I was lucky to earn enough of money and in a 70s style rock blow out managed to piss it away on over the top things, along with drugs and alcohol. I have quit and luckily did not have a hard time, but blew my money and have to stay with my parents. They're mortified and have a somewhat (date in my opinion) view on alcohol abuse. Unfortunately while I get back on my feet I need to rely on them for sustenance and in doing so I'm worried the stress they're putting on me is causing me to actually want to say screw it, I guess I can't change on my own why try. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:10 AM PST - 13 comments

Job path options for a burnt out pharmacist working in a hospital setting. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:10 AM PST - 12 comments

You may recall that recently my computer crashed and then got fixed. Yay! But a Windows update is causing me a problem thanks to something they did while fixing it. Boo! Hope this is an easier fix, details inside. [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:08 AM PST - 6 comments

In a short story, I want some weird people to have John 8:44 on a placard on their door. But reading up on it, I fear there's no way to use it that won't have an (unintended) antisemitic cast to it. But then again, I'm not religious. Can you help me understand John 8 and formulate 8:44 so it's not icky? More below the fold. [more inside]
posted by angrycat at 3:58 AM PST - 10 comments

I want to get back into digital drawing, but my PC is dead and my laptop can't handle the likes of Photoshop. What other programs for Windows could my little laptop handle? [more inside]
posted by Chaffinch at 3:39 AM PST - 6 comments

I have three days in September to get myself from Ljubljana to Venice. I'm seeking advice and tips about the best route. [more inside]
posted by artisthatithaca at 1:25 AM PST - 4 comments

I recently obtained a wonderful passionflower vine (Incense) and I have a few questions about how to take care of it. [more inside]
posted by Lurch at 10:59 PM PST - 1 comment

This came out eight, possibly longer, years ago. The ending featured armed police surrounding a gangster as he came out of a building, with a funny musical number - spoof Matrix. Does anyone recognise this and know the name? Thanks.
posted by Wordshore at 10:18 PM PST - 4 comments

My father, brother, and I are going to Alaska for the first two weeks of September. We like hiking and the outdoors, unique experiences, and avoiding crowds. I have a rough itinerary; can you help me fill it out? [more inside]
posted by exutima at 8:47 PM PST - 5 comments

I’m taking my 12yo daughter to sleep away science camp! It’s a four hour drive. What are some good podcasts we can listen to on the way? Anything geeky & fun that you’d recommend?
posted by ericbop at 8:37 PM PST - 14 comments

Looking for new things to do and older things I might have forgotten. [more inside]
posted by cycleback at 7:39 PM PST - 10 comments

My grandmother-in-law found a tool in her late husband's stuff and she's curious what it is. I'm not a tool guy and have no idea. Two pictures here.
posted by Beardman at 5:41 PM PST - 15 comments

My Cantonese friend was just diagnosed with "adeno carcinoma of the left pleural space". She needs to quickly get to a cancer specialist, but because of the language barrier she and her family have trouble navigating the medical system. She has Medicare and MediCAL. Two questions: 1. What specialist should be seeing to get chemotherapy, or more info to make the decision to go on hospice? 2. Where should she go for a second opinion? [more inside]
posted by KayQuestions at 4:58 PM PST - 6 comments

I switched to a chunky (and damp) sea salt a few years ago. After messing with grinders and then moving house and having to make do without the grinder and achieving a pathetic epiphany while taking a pinch of salt, it became apparent to me that expecting salt to pour or shake is stupid. When and/or why did we start expecting that form and behaviour from salt? [more inside]
posted by you must supply a verb at 4:55 PM PST - 22 comments

1. Delicate electronics (speakers, mic, webcam) 2. Medium sized bottles (glass & plastic) of perfume & other cosmetic liquids (no original packaging for anything) [more inside]
posted by CancerSucks at 4:10 PM PST - 4 comments

I picked up some new glasses a couple days ago, and I'm not sure if the prescription is off or if I'm just adjusting. Are there ways to assess this on my own? [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 3:20 PM PST - 7 comments

When I had to move offices at work they had these wonderful medium sized cardboard boxes that can quickly seal up without tape and are easy to stack and move. I've searched amazon and tried asking the moving company where to find them, but haven't had any luck. Here are some photos: here
posted by vegetableagony at 3:20 PM PST - 9 comments

We have lived in a city neighbourhood I love for 25 years. Now we’re looking at moving to a suburb. What factors should I consider to make this a positive thing? [more inside]
posted by valleys at 2:28 PM PST - 8 comments

Working family here, late 30's, two middle school-aged children and a second grader... getting burned out in our current situation and need a breath of fresh air. I'm in tech, she's in insurance (although she has PM skills), looking for affordable living near a beach (driveable), left-leaning politically, somewhere we can relax and do our lives the best we can (raising children, activities, etc.) [more inside]
posted by MMALR at 1:16 PM PST - 22 comments

What is it like to study at Stanford? At the undergrad level and graduate level? I have always wanted to study there, after I complete an MA (Would like to do a second Joint-MA there or doctorate), but it is super competitive it seems. [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 1:07 PM PST - 17 comments

I had a great job interview and am stressing about having not heard word back yet from them. It was two weeks ago tomorrow, I guess I want to know what's a usual amount of time before one hears back? It's been years since I've changed jobs so I can't remember... I'm sure it's case by case but what do you think? [more inside]
posted by emirenic at 12:43 PM PST - 7 comments

As I conduct marketing for my new book, and send out press releases to media, I'm using Google Analytic campaign links in my email software. But I don't know if the links are working. If they are, it means nobody is clicking them. If they aren't, it means I've composed them wrong. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind at 11:46 AM PST - 2 comments

I have a lovely necklace from a friend's trip to Turkey with Arabic inscription that I can't read - I am not sure if it is something that would be culturally appropriative to wear, and I am also curious to know what it says? https://imgur.com/a/xjYufsL Thank you!
posted by MarianHalcombe at 11:37 AM PST - 2 comments

Yesterday my 2017 Windows 10 HP laptop computer was working fine. Now it won't turn on at all. Please hope. [more inside]
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 11:05 AM PST - 13 comments

So i don't know why i didn't think to ask ya'll for help with this before! I am setting up an ipad for my 7 year old nephew... the plot thickens below, BIG thanks in advance .. for some reason I am just a bit paralyzed by this task right now. The main goal of this ipad is for it to do one thing: run a piano learning app called Piano Maestro but this Question is more to do with iOS than that specifically.. details below [more inside]
posted by elgee at 10:35 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm looking for some new true crime documentaries to watch. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by bookmammal at 10:35 AM PST - 15 comments

I have about ten minutes to make dinner every day. These ten minutes are interspersed with caring for twin five month olds. I just got an instant pot. I need recipes that fit some criteria. [more inside]
posted by millipede at 8:38 AM PST - 27 comments

An apparently UK-based online shop called Thodeng (thodengoods.com) has an item listed for less than half what it would cost to buy it in the US where I live. They seem to sell a wide range of stuff, but only a few items in each category. I've never heard of this site before and there's almost no information about it anywhere that I can find. And the design of the site looks suspiciously... basic. Is this a trustworthy seller? Does anyone have any experience buying from them?
posted by theory at 1:46 AM PST - 9 comments

I got almond meal/flour for this rhubarb coffee cake recipe, which was absolutely worth it...but the recipe only used 1/2 cup of it and I had to buy it in a larger bag. It was shockingly expensive- how can I use the rest of the bag (just a few cups) before it goes rancid in a couple months? [more inside]
posted by charmedimsure at 12:15 AM PST - 33 comments

Getting rid of plastic and need to buy a water bottle/container but just for home or work. I prefer to fill a bottle with only water and drink from the bottle (no dirty cups) at room temperature throughout the day. I prefer something with a wide mouth, so it is easy to clean, and a lid or cap. [more inside]
posted by luvmywife at 10:09 PM PST - 13 comments

On a whim am recreationally chomping down on the cardamom pods from the cupboard which I'd long intended for cooking with. Did a very quick search online for dire warnings, etc. Not on any medication, but anyhow what I should know? (assume they fall under the fine-in-moderation rule?)
posted by I'm always feeling, Blue at 9:07 PM PST - 6 comments

Why does my girlfriend feel the urge to pee multiple times before she can finally fall asleep? [more inside]
posted by Dansaman at 7:02 PM PST - 30 comments

Spouse and I are vacationing in Disneyland with the in-laws. This is very much not the sort of vacation we would choose on our own, so I'm feeling completely overwhelmed on trip planning. Please help me enjoy Disneyland, find some non-Disney things to do, and suggest vegan eateries. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by Advanced_Waffler at 6:29 PM PST - 16 comments

I’m looking for an iPhone app that has yoga or Pilates exercises I could do during a long- haul flight. Must: - work with iPhone 6s - have instructions for the poses that are viewable offline, as I won’t have an Internet connection - have at least some poses that can be done in a restricted space, like a plane seat. Any ideas?
posted by EatMyHat at 6:10 PM PST - 3 comments

I have an RSI that, with aggressive rest, has finally begun to calm down. It doesn't take much walking to aggravate it right now. I have not been able to find wheelchair rentals in the areas we are traveling to. I can rent a wheelchair in my home city, but am not sure how the logistics of that would work out, hopping three flights. We are traveling with friends, and I am not willing to curb their activities. [more inside]
posted by moira at 5:55 PM PST - 8 comments

I’m looking for something like guided meditation, but for gentle weights lifting. I (mostly) love BodyPump. It doesn’t always work with my schedule. Please do not suggest a book. I own Starting Weight and got others from the library. I believe people who say books are great for them, I do not want a book. I’m also not here for any criticism of BodyPump or my goals. Absolutely no suggestions like ‘have you tried swimming?’ This is the exercise I’m going to do and it’s better than no exercise. [more inside]
posted by bilabial at 5:48 PM PST - 8 comments

The Do Not Disturb setting on my Samsung Galaxy S10 is not preventing text notification vibrations. [more inside]
posted by Diskeater at 5:27 PM PST - 2 comments

I have an opportunity to join a marketing automation agency that focuses on Pardot/Salesforce (which is among my skills). I'm not a job hopper - I was at my last company for 7 years - so I'm looking at staying there for a while. Inevitably, I think about retirement. For those who are consultants at marketing/Salesforce agencies, should I go for it? What are the pros/cons of the consultant's life I should know before making a decision at the age of 45? [more inside]
posted by producerpod at 5:26 PM PST - 5 comments

Looking for hands-on experience with pet gates, details inside. [more inside]
posted by Candleman at 5:12 PM PST - 3 comments

Visiting Death Valley during Thanksgiving break -- what's the best place to fly into if we want to minimize the chance of driving in snow? How many days and where should we stay? [more inside]
posted by serelliya at 4:20 PM PST - 5 comments

Help me find my next favorite book. The most important quality that it is funny, but it has to be a kind, generous,expansive funny that's not about being unkind or contemptuous of people. I also really enjoy things that are fairy tale-ish or magical. The stakes: I really really need cheering up right now, and being taken out of myself. I'm experiencing rather a lot of physical pain and my brain has decided that I would probably like some panicky anxiety to go with that, but my brain is wrong! I need fun light froth to occupy my brain and reset my emotions. Help me with delightful books! [more inside]
posted by Jenny'sCricket at 3:33 PM PST - 46 comments

I have oak hardwood floors installed when my house was built in 1954. The wood is waxed, and some idiot painted the ceiling without a drop cloth at some point in history. Eventually I want to sand and refinish the floors, but I expect removing the wax will be exhausting, so I want to take off the paint splatters as an aesthetic stopgap. But how? Ideally without poisoning my small kid, her fish, or the creatures of Puget Sound? Personal recommendations are more helpful, as google just turns up a lot of ads. Thank you!
posted by centrifugal at 2:24 PM PST - 10 comments

Damn it - my depression is back. It's probably a good idea to address this with a pro. Have you or a friend worked with a therapist in NYC who genuinely helped? I would be eternally grateful to hear about it. Insurance: Oxford, but willing to consider out of network. Location: Live in Park Slope, work near Union Square. Totally willing to travel. Thank you!!
posted by dryersock at 2:23 PM PST - 3 comments

A while back a close friend dumped me out of the blue. I’m pretty over it at this point but very occasionally I feel hurt again, usually when I can tell a bunch of my friends are hanging with this person and didn’t invite me. How do I get over my middle school wallowing tendencies? [more inside]
posted by ferret branca at 2:00 PM PST - 8 comments

Daughter’s going to be 5 next month, and she really loves trampolines, so it’s time to jump in. I grew up in a family where I was promised compound-complex fractures for looking sideways at a trampoline — but I’ve gotten over the “whether” question, and now down to the “which” - some magical combo of fun and safe. Does anyone have recommendations for a 10-foot-ish trampoline with the cool neeting around it? [more inside]
posted by rdn at 11:53 AM PST - 11 comments

This is proving too hard to Google. I want to select a time in minutes and seconds, have a thing do a thing for that long, then stop. [more inside]
posted by ctmf at 10:39 AM PST - 17 comments

I don't have a legal background, so this might be a very naive question. I'm trying to request some actuarial reports from a court case. [more inside]
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 9:26 AM PST - 4 comments

50 years ago, we went to the moon (the fucking moon!) What are the best works, fictional or not, that depict this? [more inside]
posted by punchtothehead at 8:01 AM PST - 25 comments

Southern man does flawless monologue as a southern woman gossiping about "Miss Lindsey Graham." [more inside]
posted by miss-lapin at 7:14 AM PST - 5 comments

An item I bought on eBay was given a shipping label with a wrong/non-existing suite number. Unaware that there had ever been a delivery attempt, I let a month go by before contacting the seller. At that point, the package was considered abandoned and on its way back to UPS Overgoods. It can still be redelivered, but the Mexican shipping company -- Estafeta -- needs to request that UPS do so; however, it refuses, insisting there's nothing that can now be done. Given this response from them, what can be done?? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:16 AM PST - 5 comments

When I was very young (but an adult) I developed a relationship with someone. It was not romantic, but not platonic, either. We were very close. This lasted about 6 year and then became just a friendship, but one that I was deeply ambivalent about for reasons. The relationship changed me in many ways and has had great impact on my life. We spoke for the last time a few years ago. We didn't have a fight or anything. It was more of a petering out. I am in my mid-forties. I think about them every day. I want to stop. No one in my life knows about them or has ever known about them. I think telling someone the whole story would help. Who can I tell? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:15 AM PST - 14 comments

When my dad came east in 2013 to finish out his final days, suffering from cancer, he brought some cannabinoid extract in 2 bottles with him. I'm wondering if they have lost their potency. [more inside]
posted by sundrop at 7:34 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm an adoptee who last year got in touch with my maternal bio relatives, and more recently have identified my birth father. I have contacted a couple of his siblings and there is no question that this individual is my father. However, the last time anyone in his family had any contact with him was in the early 1990s, when he was living, as he had been for quite some time already, on the streets in Berkeley CA and struggling with serious mental health and substance abuse issues. After discovering that, I assumed he was dead by now at age 71, but I've found proof of life from about 5 years ago and some other hints that he was within the past 5-10 years living in a Berkeley-city SRO housing unit for disabled individuals. [more inside]
posted by drlith at 6:33 PM PST - 12 comments

I grew up in a super meat and potatoes (and mayonnaise and cool whip...) Minnesota food culture. Help me brainstorm my super horrible Minnesota food fest. [more inside]
posted by nakedmolerats at 6:23 PM PST - 37 comments

Should I? Outdoor show tomorrow, record temps expected, although humidity shouldn't be terrible. The cello and hollow body guitar have been in a fairly cool, climate-controlled space for months. Does it make sense to expose these acoustic instruments to some extra heat overnight, so as to avoid "shocking" them? [more inside]
posted by aspersioncast at 6:14 PM PST - 4 comments

College dorm move-in day: What is the appropriate level of assistance a parent should offer? [more inside]
posted by loveandhappiness at 2:56 PM PST - 56 comments

Do you have a favorite simple shift dress pattern? I am looking for a simple dress pattern with no waist that I can make in a few different fabrics. [more inside]
posted by vunder at 2:36 PM PST - 9 comments

Is there an app that would allow me to set a constant volume for my phone media? I'm often listening to YouTube videos on my phone right before bed. These are often interviews or Colbert/Seth Meyers/SNL monologue playlists and so the volume will change from conversational to loud to quiet again to blaring end jingle/ad. I try to set the volume just loud enough that I can follow the conversation but often end up getting startled when the volume picks up with the end-of-show tune. [more inside]
posted by M. at 2:09 PM PST - 9 comments

I have two 13-year-old indoor cats. My air conditioner is busted. The temperature is expected to hit 100 degrees tomorrow and Sunday. Should I leave town? [more inside]
posted by 2019 at 2:06 PM PST - 22 comments

My Sienna's speedometer isn't quite right. Judging by the various "your speed" signs, it says that I'm going 65 when I'm going 60, for example. I know that the speed signs aren't accurate, but they've all shown that, at various speeds, in various states -- the speedometer isn't precise. This is true for drivers of various heights. [more inside]
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:35 PM PST - 26 comments

Is Room and Board furniture worth the money? Does it last for more than a couple of years with regular use? [more inside]
posted by Janta at 12:58 PM PST - 20 comments

I've been a nude sleeper for like thirty years, but I can't always get away with that. Then I saw this, which fits into my needs if I gotta sleep in a room with non-naked company, but yeah, I don't want to spend $160 because Gwyneth Paltrow says the fabric has some sort of magical woo properties. [more inside]
posted by RedEmma at 12:42 PM PST - 19 comments

I recently read an interview with Jill Lepore in which she described how her editor at the New Yorker, Henry Finder, had helped her tremendously with an essay. I'd like to learn more about how editors like Finder think about editing-- how they approach line edits, structural edits, how they work, what they advise. Looking for articles, interviews, or other resources in which editors like Finder share their insights about editing. [more inside]
posted by Mystical Listicle at 11:08 AM PST - 5 comments

Unfortunately, I became a member of this club several years ago. I now want to apply for Social Security widow’s benefits (not SSI disability), but I’m having trouble with a question about living arrangements. [more inside]
posted by elphaba at 10:43 AM PST - 7 comments

Preferably movies. Gold star would be romantic exes learning to be uncomplicated friends, but I would also love friendships or other relationships ending, moving on from someone completely, messy stops and starts, anything that doesn't involve a couple getting back together at any point. What are your favorites?
posted by gaybobbie at 10:32 AM PST - 19 comments

I have a very annoying abrasion on the back of my thigh that is getting infected and not healing. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:57 AM PST - 17 comments

I have a relatively new group of friends at work where two people in it struggle with eating. I don't have experience with these issues but want to learn how best to support them. They are both smart people and are able to navigate the nuances of the accessing NHS services. But what can I do to help, and avoid doing that would cause more problems? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:57 AM PST - 8 comments

How do content creators do CRM? [more inside]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:57 AM PST - 1 comment

I occasionally find myself singing the chorus to a song I remember from a childhood movie. I finally googled the lyrics and I now know is actually a real song, covered by a few singers. But I can't find the movie I learned it from. [more inside]
posted by Mchelly at 9:39 AM PST - 7 comments

I don't know enough Polish to try to hunt this down. I've tried looking in all the obvious places (amazon, etc). [more inside]
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:10 AM PST - 5 comments

I have started writing book reviews on a freelance basis for literary journals and would love recommendations for books that deal with how to write a decent review. A collection of book reviews would be great too. PS: I enjoy reading reviews on the NYT and New Yorker.
posted by dostoevskygirl at 9:01 AM PST - 4 comments

What structured activities do you do with your significant other to add meaning and joy in your life? I'm looking for things that are reoccurring: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or seasonally. [more inside]
posted by grinagog at 8:28 AM PST - 31 comments

Should I stop developing crushes? If so, how? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:26 AM PST - 11 comments

I edit content for a company's blog and continually run into misconceptions and strongly held beliefs that doing X, Y, or Z is "good for SEO" and finding actual evidence of this is difficult. Specifically, I'm trying to determine if there's any truth to the widespread idea that "cross-linking helps SEO." What happens next will shock you. Um, I mean, please read on for details. [more inside]
posted by jzb at 8:11 AM PST - 7 comments

For people who are fluently bilingual in both American English and a language with gendered nouns (specifically interested in French, but others please chip in): What's the closest English equivalent (if one exists) to what it it feels like when someone misgenders a noun? [more inside]
posted by true at 7:52 AM PST - 16 comments

Hi! I have some bike-short type things I wear under dresses in the summer, but I want some better ones. I have specific desires. Help me find the perfect pair? [more inside]
posted by greta simone at 7:45 AM PST - 36 comments

I believe that I might be in for a spell of anxiety in the future. What can I do to nip my anxious thoughts and feelings in the bud before they become an actual problem? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 7:25 AM PST - 5 comments

For the first time in my life, I'm using the kind of movers who pack for you, and I want to make sure the whole thing goes as smoothly as possible. What can/should I do before they arrive to ensure that? [more inside]
posted by dizziest at 6:52 AM PST - 19 comments

Paperkid was given a new bike helmet, but it has pink blotches on it! Totally unacceptable to paperkid! They decided to cover all the blotches with animal stickers. Now the helmet looks like a maximalist masterpiece. Great! But I'm worried about the stickers coming off. And I'm worried about using a fixative that might damage the foam (which some think is the point of a bike helmet). Please, help me keep those stickers affixed without compromising the safety of the helmet!
posted by papergirl at 2:33 AM PST - 10 comments

Is here any way to like or follow things on a pixelfed instance when you have an account on another? [more inside]
posted by liminal_shadows at 10:52 PM PST - 5 comments

Might anyone recommend any particular alternatives to Uber in London? [more inside]
posted by gtrwolf at 10:30 PM PST - 12 comments

I've been addicted to Standish/Carlyon's "Critics Multiply" from their (I think) one and only album Deleted Scenes today. What is it? [more inside]
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:36 PM PST - 15 comments

I've been offered a job. I'm going to take it. It fits in well with my career goals, the money is good, I like the people there. (I'm also currently unemployed!) But it's an hour from the nearest medium-sized city. I am heavily considering moving to the suburbs of the nearest medium-sized city and just dealing with a 45-ish-minute commute. It's not the longest commute I've ever had, or the worst, but I'm feeling quite anxious that it's a terrible decision. [more inside]
posted by Jeanne at 7:54 PM PST - 38 comments

Been invited to a Julia Child party. Yay! I made a single test batch of her chocolate mousse recipe successfully (yum). Can I double the recipe for the party, or should I just make a single batch twice? IANAB. Recipe here.
posted by HaveYouTriedRebooting at 5:14 PM PST - 9 comments

Last May, a bunch of people responded to a question I posted about whether I should host a podcast about public radio. I may still do that since many of the responses were positive. But I wanted to try something different first. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind at 4:56 PM PST - 4 comments

I am scheduled for a bilateral salpingectomy in a few months. I have wanted a tubal ligation ever since I was a teen and learned about the procedure. I have never wanted kids. I should be thrilled to have a doctor willing to do the procedure and insurance that covers it, but I'm suddenly filled with fear over the procedure - specifically general anesthesia and intubation. I'm worried I'm putting my body at unnecessary risk especially given that I probably only have 10-15 more years of fertility to deal with. Help talk me back into this? [more inside]
posted by joan_holloway at 4:53 PM PST - 32 comments

Hey there.. so, my 20-something son going to school in Boston needs a new psychologist, who specializes in ADHD and can prescribe medication for the same. We can get a list from his college, but that's hit or miss, and his doctor at home doesn't have any suggestions, as they don't know anyone in the area. [more inside]
posted by rich at 4:43 PM PST - 3 comments

Around 1989 or 1990, I read a multiple-page photocopied fact sheet about the environment that convinced me that eating meat was bad for the environment. It included things like, "X acres of Amazon rainforest are destroyed each year to make pasture for cows that will become McDonald's hamburgers" and "it takes Y acres to grow the hay to feed one cow but Y acres could also feed one human." How can I figure out what that fact sheet was? [more inside]
posted by bluedaisy at 4:10 PM PST - 6 comments

Come on in if you have any tips on the best prenatal yoga/ exercise classes Silver Spring/ DC Metro Area [more inside]
posted by Champagne Supernova at 3:36 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm looking for recommendations for bookkeeping training that is available online (Quickbooks or general bookkeeping training). [more inside]
posted by entropyiswinning at 3:36 PM PST - 1 comment

Britain is getting to the point that i think i need an antiracist equivalent of the rainbow flag, something that says simply 'safe space' 'i hate racism', not a proactive fighting antifascist emblem, that could be worn as a pin or on a wall. Any ideas? Anything to bear in mind? [more inside]
posted by maiamaia at 3:34 PM PST - 18 comments

Boxes and boxes of old photos and family ephemera have defaulted to me. I've culled what can be/should be saved. What's left are duplicates, pictures of total strangers, random landscapes, and/or otherwise non-needed items. I cannot simply put it all out in the trash. I don't have any place to burn anything. [more inside]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 2:22 PM PST - 18 comments

My raspberries (PNW) have been taken over by some beetles (picture links below). They don't look like Japanese beetles; no iridescent abdomen, no green thorax. BugFinder had no luck. What might they be? [more inside]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 1:24 PM PST - 5 comments

Is there any smallish e-reader with an e-ink display (say, 7" or so) that I can hook a bluetooth keyboard up to to create text files I can save to Dropbox?
posted by dobbs at 1:18 PM PST - 4 comments

Hi MeFites, I'm looking for a way to determine whether the lights in each of 25 rooms in an office building are on or off at any given time. There are 1-4 light switches in each room if that is important. We are essentially looking for the light-detection equivalent of a smart thermostat system, with the exception that we do not need to be able to schedule or adjust the lights being on or off. That capability would be nice, but we're primarily interested in determining how long lights are left on when they do not need to be (i.e., when everyone has exited the building), and being able to see data from all 25 rooms in a single place (app or website). Room-by-room data would be ideal but aggregate data would also be okay. We are open to measuring light on/off status either as a binary variable or by determining whether light levels at a given time exceed a predetermined "dark" value. We could have someone walk from room to room at the end of the day to determine this, but the people helping to collect these data are not always the last ones left in the building, and it is not a task we are interested in delegating for various reasons. Perhaps this simple approach is truly the best, but we're interested in higher-tech solutions if possible. [more inside]
posted by shortskirtlongjacket at 1:15 PM PST - 11 comments

I have recently moved offices to an interior office with no windows. It's about 6x11 feet, maybe 6x12. Right now it's lit by overhead fluorescent lights that I find somewhat depressing and dingy. I think that my workplace will pay for a reasonably priced lamp to improve the lighting situation, but I'm not sure what to look for. [more inside]
posted by Henrietta Stackpole at 12:47 PM PST - 6 comments

It's 2019, but somehow I still don't have a go-to default template for business-y documents with headings and subheadings and the like. Font suggestions particularly welcome, but I'm also open to design or template suggestions in general. [more inside]
posted by Bardolph at 12:22 PM PST - 3 comments

Hey librarians, help me come up with a descriptive but concise(ish) new title. What would you call someone who oversees collection development, technical services, ILL, and circulation? The systems librarian is also on my team. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:58 AM PST - 7 comments

I’m an extroverted night owl. I have a toddler who wakes up at 5:30 am. Help me find a sleep-life balance! [more inside]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 11:43 AM PST - 14 comments

AT&T recently made some changes to their network -- in prep for 5G they claim -- that borked some of my customer's cell boosters. Did their fix also bork their location services? [more inside]
posted by terrapin at 11:16 AM PST - 1 comment

I've acquired a plywood shed built by my neighbour. I'd like to paint it to protect it and make it match my house (required by bylaw but not really enforced). I'm also busy/lazy and would like to invest a minimum of time, money and effort. Questions abound! [more inside]
posted by bighappyhairydog at 11:06 AM PST - 11 comments

My husband responded to one of those scam calls, giving away his name, zip code and last four digits of social, before he realized it was a scam. What are the steps he should be taking now to protect his identity? [more inside]
posted by peacheater at 9:40 AM PST - 14 comments

You came out as non-binary at work. It went well. How did you approach it? How did your employer approach it? [more inside]
posted by terretu at 9:31 AM PST - 2 comments

My Mom has late-stage metastasized pancreatic and liver cancer, and is stuck in bed with very low energy most of the time. I bought her an iPad, and she likes simple puzzle/word games, can you suggest any games that a senior citizen with low energy would enjoy? Also, can you suggest any things we can do or buy to help her be more comfortable? Thank you.
posted by dacoit at 8:38 AM PST - 25 comments

My original style MEC sling pod from 2007 is going into retirement. MEC's replacement version has been cheaped out so I need something new. Hope me. [more inside]
posted by fluttering hellfire at 8:34 AM PST - 2 comments

Part time adult student, should I get the meningitis vaccine? I'm a part time grad student / full time worker, and in my 40s - I'll be attending 2 night classes in the fall at a new school. For my immunization record, I have all the required vaccines (measles, mumps, rubella) but then there is a separate page for the meningitis vaccine. [more inside]
posted by RajahKing at 8:18 AM PST - 10 comments

My dear friend is about to leave their abuser. What songs, works of art and writing will aid them in this final push? [more inside]
posted by aw jeez at 7:30 AM PST - 31 comments

I'm meeting up with a friend on Sunday for an early brunch in Manhattan. We'll sort where to eat pretty easily. But then we have a couple of hours to kill before I take the bus out of Port Authority. It's also going to be 100 degrees. [more inside]
posted by HeyAllie at 7:26 AM PST - 15 comments

I have an old Timbuk2 Especial Medio backpack, and I'm getting bored of the way it looks. Any good ideas for how I can make it look more interesting? [more inside]
posted by destrius at 6:51 AM PST - 8 comments

What are the bass guitar like 'plunks' that are heard occasionally during the spacecraft audio recording for the Apollo 11 mission? [more inside]
posted by zamboni at 5:48 AM PST - 7 comments

I would like one or more small human-powered craft that one-to-three people (adults and/or teenagers) can use to explore beaches, coves, islands, estuaries, sea lochs and shorelines in general. What would work best? [more inside]
posted by rd45 at 4:57 AM PST - 13 comments

I lost my ability to enjoy telling made-up stories to myself, and I want it back. Do you have any advice/tips/success stories? [more inside]
posted by Cozybee at 4:24 AM PST - 19 comments

What are the best albums as albums -- albums with NO weak songs? Original releases only (no greatest hits). Single artist or group (no compilations). No classical. What say you?
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 12:43 AM PST - 161 comments

A few days ago we adopted this very handsome boy, but have yet to figure out his name. Help us name this cat! (More details within.) [more inside]
posted by a device for making your enemy change his mind at 10:44 PM PST - 63 comments

How do I cultivate a persona of optimism and positivity so I can become more successful in both my professional and personal lives? I'm feeling down right now but know nobody wants to see that. [more inside]
posted by greatalleycat at 9:32 PM PST - 8 comments

Serious but maybe stupid question. The market cap for Fox Corp. is $22bn. Rupert Murdoch is worth $22bn. Jeff Bezos is worth $165bn. If he really wanted to, for grins and giggles, could he take hostile control of Fox News?
posted by jasondigitized at 8:01 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm planning an eventual bathroom renovation. In around five years, I'll be able to add a few little luxuries with lighting or tile or such. But the shower surround and shower plumbing should probably be attended to sooner. One should have the eventual plan set before embarking on a two-stage renovation, of course, so I've been looking at lots of photos of bathrooms and bathroom renovations online, eg. on Pinterest.... [more inside]
posted by eviemath at 7:43 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm in NYC. He's a sweetheart, but I can't keep him, and if he doesn't have somewhere to go by tomorrow night I'll have to release him back onto the street. [more inside]
posted by unannihilated at 7:41 PM PST - 20 comments

I've been itching for a Switch for quite some time now, but until recently I've been too busy with grad school to seriously consider getting one. I graduated in June (woohoo!) and my new job won't start until end of August - is this as good a time as any to buy a Switch, or should I wait? [more inside]
posted by DingoMutt at 7:26 PM PST - 14 comments

Shoefilter: Where can I find quality, waterproof, not-too-ugly rain or snow boots for my 9.5W feet? [more inside]
posted by all the light we cannot see at 7:12 PM PST - 7 comments

What should I eat in San Francisco? [more inside]
posted by chainsofreedom at 6:18 PM PST - 24 comments

I'm rather confused by this cutting layout for the Merchant and Mills Gyo dress pattern which seems to contradict the labels on the pattern pieces and the dire warning not to cut the pieces out of the proper orientation. Pictures and more details inside. [more inside]
posted by crush at 5:47 PM PST - 5 comments

I used to make this recipe all the time -- a cold (or room temp) quinoa salad with grapes, feta, scallions and a lemon/olive oil dressing. I've been just doing it via memory for a while, but I'd really like to find the actual recipe and I seriously can't. Help. [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 5:26 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for some ideas for social groups that my mom might want to join. Please see below the fold for more details. Thanks! [more inside]
posted by Gosha_Dog at 4:51 PM PST - 11 comments

I have two friends, both of them relatively new friends, who I formed good, individual connections with, last year. For some reason, inexplicably, they’ve both ghosted on me. [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 4:41 PM PST - 10 comments

For the 2018 election, we were able to do GOTV canvassing over several months prior to Election Day instead of the more common push the weekend before the election. What made it feasible to do it so far in advance was that we gave potential voters a postcard to display in their homes as a reminder of their commitment to vote, then mailed a copy of the same postcard to them just before early voting started. We're planning much the same thing for the 2020 election, but are looking for new, inspirational text for the postcard. [more inside]
posted by DrGail at 3:44 PM PST - 13 comments

When you receive an email with a link in it, what is your process for determining if it's safe to click on? I'm familiar with basic security policies like "don't click on links from senders you don't know" but what, if anything, should or could be done beyond that? [more inside]
posted by heywheresperry at 1:18 PM PST - 25 comments

I'd like to get some guitar data: [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 12:49 PM PST - 8 comments

Can you identify this dragonfly? Spotted just after dawn this morning. It was about 2 1/2 inches long. I'm in southern Arizona. The monsoons have just arrived and it's bug city down here - I'm seeing so many little dudes I can't recognize!
posted by DSime at 11:26 AM PST - 2 comments

Okay, so we just had a question about sour lemon drops yesterday. Now I'm hoping you all can help me find good sour gummi candies. But specifically, I want sour gummies that start sour and STAY sour. Haribo Sour Bears and Sour Patch Kids start off great, but the sour is just in the coating on the surface of the candy, so once that's gone, the candy turns sweet. I want the sour to stay! Anybody have recommendations for sour gummies that are sour all the way through?
posted by sarcasticah at 10:45 AM PST - 15 comments

Example is: "a very well rounded student." [more inside]
posted by noelpratt2nd at 10:26 AM PST - 14 comments

We have a large, long parkway (300 or so feet long) and 11 tons of gravel and pebbles to spread on it. What would be the most economical way to pay to have it spread? Guys with wheelbarrows and shovels or some sort of mechanical equipment? The parkway is easy to access from the road, but there is a 10" curb, drip irrigation and landscape fabric already installed which impede access somewhat.
posted by arnicae at 10:10 AM PST - 9 comments

For the last two weeks I’ve been experiencing pain and a sort of uncomfortable irritating feeling in the ball of my left foot, closest to the area a few centimeters below my fifth toe. The best way I can describe the feeling is like just below the surface there are two layers being pulled in opposite directions and causing this sort of dull friction or like this straining sensation. [more inside]
posted by rbf1138 at 10:09 AM PST - 5 comments

What, if anything more can be done to help make the veins in my arms bigger and stronger? I ask because the machines used in my area for platelet donation have changed from a two arm system to a one arm system. [more inside]
posted by bilabial at 9:49 AM PST - 3 comments

I was sick and destitute for a long time and now my finances are a mess and I need help. I have to file three years of income tax with the CRA, I have over 10 grand in pension funds from an old employer still sitting with them, and I don't understand my new employer's pension plan at all. Who can help me with this? Snowflakes: Canada. I don't want the "right" or "best" way, I want the easiest way. [more inside]
posted by Feminazgul at 9:44 AM PST - 5 comments

TIL iOs 12 includes "Live Listen", which pumps signal from iPhone's microphone into AirPods. For those with hearing loss who haven't sprung for a hearing aid, it seems like a great low-friction step. I'm thinking of buying AirPods for this (though it looks like a waterproof, noise-cancelling version will arrive at the end of this year). BUT...there are oddly few reviews by people with hearing loss. So....can anyone out there say how well this works? Comparison to bona-fide hearing aids would be especially appreciated (I know it's not as good, but am wondering how much worse). [more inside]
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:05 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm having a trouble following one step of an example in a differential equations textbook. It's an example demonstrating solving a Cauchy-Euler equation by using a substitution to convert it to an equation with constant coefficients. [more inside]
posted by Reverend John at 9:04 AM PST - 3 comments

I have a job offer and need to crunch numbers to see which option makes the most financial sense. I do not have an accountant or a financial planner. Haven't had enough going on in my life to need either before. Who do I call? [more inside]
posted by crunchy potato at 8:04 AM PST - 11 comments

A loved one has been coughing a lot lately, and it sounds like there could be something serious going on. I brought it up to her; she informed me that she is also concerned and wants to get her lungs checked out, but has no clue what to say to her doctor since she's told him she doesn't smoke and doesn't want to disclose this information for various reasons. Could my fellow MeFites come up with a good way for her to phrase things to her doc so that she feels more comfortable? (More details inside) [more inside]
posted by BuddyBoo at 7:10 AM PST - 17 comments

I need to learn about craft beer brewing, both from an industrial perspective and a small batch homebrew perspective for a paper at University. I promise I’m not trying to get you all to do my homework for me, but I would appreciate a shove in the right direction. I’ve looked in the Ask MeFi archives and have found some good resources (Home Brew Talk, How to Brew, The Brewery) but I also think given the specific situation there may be other, more suitable (academic possibly?) resources for me out there. [more inside]
posted by BeeJiddy at 1:26 AM PST - 13 comments

The background: the remaining parent died a year ago. The brother has been sitting on the estate for a year. The other sibling lives outside the US. How to find a good lawyer in Portland? Is this a probate situation?
posted by mecran01 at 9:20 PM PST - 8 comments

Our 6-month-old poodle has developed the habit of peeing a little the moment we put a leash on her. She does it if we put her harness on, or if we just clip the leash onto the harness. She does it if she's in an elevator, in her crate, or on a sofa. She just did it when I was just scratching her under the chin on the sofa. She does it if Mrs. musofire clips on the leash, or I do. How do I train her to stop? [more inside]
posted by musofire at 8:07 PM PST - 6 comments

This post on the Blue reminded me that I am looking for a program similar to Tim Clare's Couch to 80k Bootcamp, but it can't be in podcast format. Can you help me find a similar source of writing prompts or a similar program? [more inside]
posted by corey flood at 6:05 PM PST - 2 comments

This was/still is me, now I'm back for another question regarding my brother this time. [more inside]
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 4:08 PM PST - 8 comments

I’m ready to get chipped, what do I need to know? [more inside]
posted by Iteki at 2:49 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for some new games my kid might enjoy on an iPad he has access to. Specifically, I'm looking for games that (a) an elementary school aged kid could play, (b) don't have ads (I'm willing to pay for that), and (c) aren't a fremium model of play. So what favorites do you or your kids have right now that fit the bill?
posted by noneuclidean at 1:29 PM PST - 17 comments

How do I (a non-profit middle manager) fairly assign additional work to members of my team? [more inside]
posted by sleepingwithcats at 1:28 PM PST - 12 comments

I was in a situation where multiple people, including me, mutually did unintentional harm to everyone else, to varying degrees. It was, in some sense, all out of ignorance. No one meant to hurt anybody, I guess. But, I'm furious, like, take-it-to-my-grave furious. [more inside]
posted by zeek321 at 12:58 PM PST - 10 comments

I had LASIK 20 years ago but my ability to read books has recently rapidly declined. I thought I needed simple reading glasses but a fancy eyewear place ended up doing an exam, found an astigmatisms in both eyes and next thing I know I owned $500 progressive-lensed glasses. What do I do now? [more inside]
posted by critzer at 12:43 PM PST - 8 comments

So Mr. Dorinda and I are planning to buy a house in a new city. Yay! Since we're prioritizing being in the neighbourhood we want over having the "perfect" move-in ready house, we are anticipating doing at least some amount of renovation/remodeling. But different houses will obviously need different levels of renovation/remodeling, so we're a little confused on the order-of-operations for this process, especially vis a vis conceptualizing a renovation budget. We know our all-in budget, but we're having a tough time looking at a fixer-upper and imagining what is and is not possible within our budget. Luckily there are professionals who can help us! BUT: What professionals do we contact to help, and at what point in the process do we contact them? [more inside]
posted by Dorinda at 12:32 PM PST - 12 comments

I’m at the beginning of a year that’s going to involve LOTS of time by myself, with few responsibilities (but juuuusst enough to make getting a job impractical). I’m already sliding into a place where I’m spending lots of time on my phone and making very slow progress on things like unpacking my new apartment. Help me save myself from myself. [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco at 12:23 PM PST - 17 comments

There were undoubtedly countless occasions when the Wright brothers flew over the heads of people who had no idea flight had been discovered. Do we have any eyewitness accounts of people who learned about flight only after seeing a Wright Flyer firsthand?
posted by jefficator at 11:21 AM PST - 6 comments

In the next couple of weeks I will be working on something that requires 24/7 on-call as well as travel. This is basically my worst nightmare -- I am not a good traveler, and I fall apart very quickly without my routines. Please hope me with some tips on how to make it through with my job and health and mind intact! [more inside]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:22 AM PST - 16 comments

I've realized that my favorite comedians happen to be men -- and a pretty homogeneous group at that -- so I want to know about some other funny folks to balance that out! [more inside]
posted by trillian at 9:21 AM PST - 60 comments

Our Old Boy is a stinky one. He's super sweet 14-15 year old Cairn Terrier mix with skin fungus, alopecia, and he's progressively more incontinent. All of these lead to him being a stinky dude, which in turn makes my small house (~900 sq ft + basement) really stink. How do I eliminate or even mitigate this odor? [more inside]
posted by brokeaspoke at 9:09 AM PST - 15 comments

How do you handle it when your boy/girlfriend tells you they love you but you’re not ready to say it back? [more inside]
posted by genmonster at 9:08 AM PST - 19 comments

I am volunteering with an animal rescue that has no paid staff. The woman who does most of the coordinating (tons!) doesn't have her calendar on her phone and wants it there. I'm not someone who works in IT, but I can set up a calendar. Except I have run into problems. Can you help me figure out how to best help her? [more inside]
posted by Stewriffic at 9:05 AM PST - 8 comments

I would like to get a one-way numeric pager... and am having no luck finding a company with service that has coverage in Savannah, Georgia. Anyone out there know of something? [more inside]
posted by caveat empress at 8:55 AM PST - 5 comments

Is there a Bluetooth speaker that doesn't play any status jingles, like a "startup" or (more importantly) "shutdown / disconnection" sound? [more inside]
posted by Monster_Zero at 8:53 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm building a website for work. Users must be able to create an account and update a fairly lengthy set of CV-type academic info on this account (lists of publications, grants won, employment history, etc.). Users should be able to update this info over time, so a single serve Google Form will be insufficient. The tricky bit: it needs to be embedded in a Google Site. [more inside]
posted by HeroZero at 8:45 AM PST - 0 comments

Am helping my kid move her two young children to their new home. We are going via train, grandkids are 2 and 4. Would love tips on helping her and the kids survive and manage the 4 days before the 4-hour train trip and the 3 days after we arrive. [more inside]
posted by Bella Donna at 8:09 AM PST - 7 comments

Hi crew! I'm looking for hard sour lemon drops for my mom like the ones she had from Famous Barr back in the day. She wants some that start sour and stay sour. She does not like a gooey center. Any leads?
posted by mmmbacon at 8:06 AM PST - 7 comments

BabyNameFilter: Can you help me drum up some potential male baby names? I like English, Scottish and Welsh names with a few snowflake details thrown in. [more inside]
posted by Viola at 7:22 AM PST - 48 comments

Hope me find a good pill case(s). I need multiple, so might end up with a couple different kinds. I’d like each one to be aesthetically pleasing in some way, and would love them to be compact, organized, and portable if possible. [more inside]
posted by seemoorglass at 6:23 AM PST - 17 comments

My brother runs a sweet shop and sweet wholesaler in the UK. He has a van and an employee who normally works in the shop, but occasionally goes to drop off orders with his retail customers. The employee in question is very suited to the delivery work, and who thrives doing it. He's not so good with the shop work. [more inside]
posted by dance at 6:14 AM PST - 2 comments

I feel like I am too weird to date, but lately I want to start dating. Fellow weirdos of Mefi, how do I approach online dating when I don't feel like I am very similar to almost anyone else in the pool? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:37 AM PST - 13 comments

I walk my dog three times a day, and because he spends a lot of time inspecting trees, I have little choice but to do the same. I often notice ants climbing up and down, but only at night. Tiny ants and huge ones. What are they doing? Why only at night? (This is in NYC.)
posted by moonmilk at 8:11 PM PST - 2 comments

This was me. My daughter is 8 months old and sleeping much better! However, she has the occasional bad night or more than occasional short nap. I know logically this is so normal and I’m not looking for sympathy because I think we actually have it better than many. But I can’t help but become pretty mad when she has a bad day of napping. I’m grumpy going in there to get her and she’s grumpy because she had a bad nap and then I feel guilty, which makes me mad and it’s a shame spiral until dad comes home to take her off me. What can I tell myself or do to change my bad attitude? [more inside]
posted by like_neon at 7:47 PM PST - 26 comments

I would like to see all of my calendars -- including work's Outlook 2016 calendar and home's Google Calendars -- at a glance in Google. How do I do this? [more inside]
posted by zooropa at 7:24 PM PST - 7 comments

My mom needs to eat more vegetables but is intimidated by most of them. I’m looking for the most delicious, “see, [vegetable] isn’t scary!” recipes. [more inside]
posted by bananacabana at 7:16 PM PST - 48 comments

I'm writing a novel about PhD graduate students, which entails trying to write convincingly about an experience I've never had. I'm fishing for anecdotes from people who've lived through the oral qualifying exam. [more inside]
posted by swheatie at 5:46 PM PST - 51 comments

Fridge filter (ha ha): I've tried replacing the filter and the valve. Now what? [more inside]
posted by nzero at 4:56 PM PST - 11 comments

My friend and I want a tattoo that expresses Dio’s Rainbow in the Dark somehow (ssshhhh. It’s meaningful for us). We need ideas for how we might do this? All areas, placements and sizes are open.
posted by oflinkey at 4:19 PM PST - 9 comments

I need to do video recordings in a living room type setting where people are talking. The problem is that when voices get quiet, the recordings on my iPhone can't play back with enough volume. Already tried and failed to boost the playback volume. So, either I need to buy a better microphone for my iPhone or I need to buy a new camera with a microphone that is sufficient. [more inside]
posted by metahawk at 4:10 PM PST - 6 comments

Accounting software package NewViews 2: I’m trying to find out if this software can output (export) a report in excel, without also downloading the line items that make up the report. Just an output of the high-level, rolled up data that the report displays in NewViews. [more inside]
posted by In The Annex at 3:25 PM PST - 2 comments

Another ID this mystery movie question: a world without men. [more inside]
posted by phunniemee at 2:58 PM PST - 11 comments

I have been tasked with creating the very finest of party hedgehogs and I'm looking for suggestions. [more inside]
posted by Dext at 2:04 PM PST - 20 comments

What is the relationship between various artificial sweeteners and weight gain / loss? I have been trying to figure out what the research actually shows, and it is incredibly confusing. It sounds like the various artificial sweeteners may have different effects on weight, some causing weight loss, some being pretty much neutral, and some causing weight gain. Is that so? Then, which ones are correlated with what? Has this been proven scientifically, or is it anecdotal? I am particularly interested in research that differentiates saccharine, aspartame, sucralose, monk fruit extract, stevia, and erythritol. A synthesis of the research would be especially useful.
posted by mortaddams at 12:40 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm looking to buy genuine alligator or lizard heels for women online from a website that will let me return the shoes if needed - but all the high end departments stores are selling un-classic gaudy styles, so I'm not finding anything. Any leads?
posted by alice_curiouse at 12:29 PM PST - 6 comments

A dear friend died late last year, and he left behind a huge collection of political memorabilia, spanning the years from Eisenhower to Obama. It includes buttons, pamphlets, press releases, badges, ephemera—what we'd call "campaign swag" today, of all sorts. What sort of person can help us make sense of it all? [more inside]
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 12:15 PM PST - 8 comments

39 Female with a family history of heart disease. My HDL is over 100 - is this a good thing or a bad thing? [more inside]
posted by raztaj at 11:42 AM PST - 8 comments

Herr Duck is in need of elevator-related Dad-style jokes. Help! [more inside]
posted by Gray Duck at 10:04 AM PST - 24 comments

I have a small, shy cat that is being bullied by the larger, non-shy cat. There were a few pieces of furniture that the small cat could hide under or inside, but those pieces of furniture are now broken. What can I bring in that will give this cat a place to hide? (No cat pics, sorry.) [more inside]
posted by umber vowel at 9:40 AM PST - 8 comments

With the current sales (Amazon, Best Buy, and others in the U.S.), what's the best printer for the money? I'm looking for two mid-level home printers, one dedicated black-and-white, another color. [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief at 9:35 AM PST - 8 comments

In the next few months we may be moving to the St. Louis area and buying a house. Neither of us has lived there for years and we're overwhelmed by the options. Please suggest some areas we should look in based on what we want: [more inside]
posted by Tehhund at 7:14 AM PST - 7 comments

What perfume might I have (incorrectly) noted down as "Real Valley by Chanel"? [more inside]
posted by metaBugs at 7:07 AM PST - 22 comments

What DJs are spinning classic-style, soulful, funky 90s house music in 2019? I want to subscribe to 'em on Soundcloud or wherever. [more inside]
posted by escape from the potato planet at 6:55 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm disabled but able to work, unemployed, and it looks like I will run out of money and have to give up my rental home, possessions and the hope of paying off my credit card before I can land a job. YANML nor accountant. Please tell me how to handle the legal/financial logistics of navigating this. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:44 AM PST - 16 comments

I have some invisible disabilities that have made finding and keeping a job difficult. Are there career counselors who work with PWDs to help them find suitable work and navigate around challenging office culture?
posted by pxe2000 at 5:08 AM PST - 4 comments

What are you favorite stories about involved dads to younger children? Single dads, stay-at-home dads, or just fathers who were equally involved with their partners in things like nighttime bottle feedings, pediatrician visits, meetings with school and pre-school teachers and setting up play dates with other parents. What it felt like for them and how others perceived them. [more inside]
posted by serathen at 4:58 AM PST - 9 comments

Have there been any German-American U.S. presidents other than Eisenhower and Trump?
posted by clawsoon at 4:34 AM PST - 3 comments

Couples with mixed nationality and residency who elected to combine households, how did you decide where to live? What factors were most important in your decision? How did you assess the total quality of life available for you as a couple in the locales you considered, and the financial implications of your choice? I am especially interested in situations where both members are mid-career age and already well established professionally and socially. Snowflakes about my/our personal situation within. [more inside]
posted by 4rtemis at 11:55 PM PST - 18 comments

I get extremely sad at night these days, and require as much light as possible. Even so, even when near people who love me & whom I love, I find myself filled with a horrible sense of uselessness, loneliness, doing the wrong thing, FOMO, and general doom that the current circumstances of my life are never-ending and change is impossible. How do I avoid extreme sadness at night, aside from going to be before sundown? [more inside]
posted by Hooray For Socks! at 9:31 PM PST - 28 comments

I'm having a piece of jewelry custom made for the first time, and the combination of my inexperience and the possible hefty price tag involved has me nervous. I'd appreciate some help from anyone experienced with this sort of thing. [more inside]
posted by Chuck Barris at 8:04 PM PST - 5 comments

I've discovered there's a particular type of story I'm drawn to and would like to find more books like this, but it's quite specific. [more inside]
posted by bellebethcooper at 8:03 PM PST - 28 comments

I find myself thinking today about the process of learning foreign languages, particularly early on, when there isn't any sort of infrastructure to fall back on. How do we do it? How did we do it in the distant past? [more inside]
posted by Alensin at 7:38 PM PST - 6 comments

The good news is I got called back for a second interview. The scary-to-me news is it will last ALL DAY. Can you give me advice on this type of interview? It's for an administrative position in a large organization and I will be meeting with various groups having somewhat competing interests. I also need advice on negotiating the salary if they offer it to me. If you can give me examples of specific things to say, that would be super. Ugh, god, the anxiety.
posted by HotToddy at 5:41 PM PST - 15 comments

What packing list was sent to MTV's Road Rule cast? What personal possessions did Scandinavian pioneers in the 1800s own on the farm? What does a typical billionaire have in their house? (Think Peter Menzel's "Material World", but even more.) [more inside]
posted by Ms Vegetable at 4:06 PM PST - 25 comments

I couldn't find a straight-up, 'vacationing in Portland, OR' question*, so here it is! We are traveling there for a wedding and decided to extend on both sides, so we'll be there this Thursday to Tuesday. What would you do with that time? *(despite the fact that 'Portland, OR, USA' is used as *the* example in the Travel Location prompt...if I have just somehow missed earlier questions, please let me know!!!!) [more inside]
posted by Tandem Affinity at 2:13 PM PST - 24 comments

I have a quick question on how to navigate Netflix on an AppleTV. [more inside]
posted by Thorzdad at 1:24 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm writing about the burgeoning concept of "overtourism," and I'm looking for smart academic writing about the impact of tourism -- not just economically, but also culturally, socially, etc. [more inside]
posted by attentionplease at 12:00 PM PST - 10 comments

I will be solo attending a retreat outside of Toulouse, France, and am thinking of adding a few nights in Paris to the end of my trip. I'm looking for a few suggestions and advice on transport (and any stops between). [more inside]
posted by pazazygeek at 11:38 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm having a hard time transitioning from sharing a bedroom with a close platonic friend for several months, to being in separate bedrooms in the same house. The house doesn't feel the same and I feel at a sort of a loss. I know this is silly but I'm having a hard time dealing with it and I'm not sure why. [more inside]
posted by Emms at 9:13 AM PST - 12 comments

When I lived in the U.S. I always had photos of my original prescription slips available when I travelled out of the country in case my meds and I got separated. Now living in Mexico I take a different set of drugs that are also prescription the U.S. (and I’m sure many other places), but they are all OTC here. I have no prescriptions. How do people deal with this situation when traveling?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:05 AM PST - 12 comments

Hello, I am very much steeped in our (Mefi, coastal, blue-state...) world and its open attitudes toward therapy, meditation, self-development, etc. I am interested in learning about how Americans who aren't part of my world talk about their difficulties. For example, a friend from the Appalachian region says that in her hometown, antidepressants are acceptable but therapy is absolutely not, because the medical model has taken hold successfully but only truly messed up people need therapeutic help (and also, meditation is considered prayer to a non-Christian god so it's no good). The problem I am trying to solve is how to translate some of the insights I have gained from transformational work into a language others can benefit from. The question I have for you: Do you know of communities online where you/your relatives/etc. go to discuss difficulties so that I can better understand people's language and mental models around these topics? I have found this approach to be helpful for me in the past in understanding more of how people think before speaking to them directly. Thank you! [more inside]
posted by namesarehard at 8:00 AM PST - 21 comments

Everything was fine tonight at Griffith Park in L.A. until we packed up to leave. I picked up the cloth we'd been sitting on and BOOM suddenly it felt like my finger was on fire. The pain has receded just a bit in the four hours since. [more inside]
posted by goofyfoot at 2:57 AM PST - 15 comments

Looking to use up 1kg of red potatoes I bought in error. Looking for recipes which I could make for dinner ie not just mashed potatoes! Something low calorie needed as I’m on a diet. No dietary requirements, access to a typical Australian supermarket and smaller markets. Will eat/try out almost any nationality of cuisine.
posted by EatMyHat at 1:40 AM PST - 25 comments

My work and hobbies and wife are very white, and while they're all nice people I would like to spend more time communicating with people who share my cultural background. (If my goal doesn't immediately make sense, this might be a good question to skip.) Where on the internet could I find them? [more inside]
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 12:27 AM PST - 5 comments

What is this 1980's children's book? [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 9:49 PM PST - 5 comments

So I read this story about Palantir's massive surveillance database and decided I don't want to play. One of the creepiest things is automatic license plate readers (ALPR). Do infrared shields like SunFlexZone's actually work?
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:59 PM PST - 12 comments

I can't remember the name of this book or what it's about, but I remember the cover. It's a (New York?) cityscape, with yellow 1970s serif font for the title covering most of the space (and, I'm pretty sure, the author's name in white). I think the title was a few words, like 4 or 5, and it came out within the past 5-7 years. [more inside]
posted by something something at 7:30 PM PST - 2 comments

A bully who lives in my elderly mom's senior apartment building is taking credit for evicting another woman from the building. My mom is frightened that she'll be his next target, and I need to figure out what's going on. Difficulty level: I live about 2000 miles away in the USA. [more inside]
posted by Sauce Trough at 7:23 PM PST - 9 comments

There seems to be a bug that is causing Cortana/Start Menu to endlessly loop through all the apps, files, etc. [more inside]
posted by 8LeggedFriend at 7:18 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm considering a trip to South Dakota in September to visit Badlands National Park and the surrounding area (partially inspired by this AskMe). If I fly into Rapid City Regional Airport and drive there, how much mountainous/hilly driving can I expect - steep mountain passes, exposed drop-offs, etc.? [more inside]
posted by rogerroger at 6:19 PM PST - 9 comments

So I’m sick this weekend- I was out of action yesterday and am trying to rest today. But I have a whole pile of chores to do. If I rest today, I will probably be more or less well again tomorrow. If I am well enough to go back to work, is it ethical of me to take the day off to do the chores? If not when am I meant to do them? I live alone and there is no one else who could step in.
posted by EatMyHat at 5:33 PM PST - 31 comments

I get dandruff. This is fine and I'm managing it and it's not a big issue, except in one aspect of my life: Tiny dandruff flakes get on my glasses gradually over the course of a day. They're a bit greasy and leave residue, so even if I blow them off they leave stains. Because of this, I have to clean my glasses at least once a day, and often twice, a process that is tricky to do without leaving smears. Help! [more inside]
posted by LSK at 5:08 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm a bit lost and struggling to find part time or temporary work, and I really need to find it ASAP. I feel a bit lost because I've had little to no luck and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. It's been so long since I've looked for work that wasn't related to my career that I don't know what the hell I'm doing. [more inside]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 4:38 PM PST - 12 comments

I have so. many. garlic scapes. We have made pestos and pistous and purées, we are using diced ones instead of minced garlic in every recipe, we have some fermenting and some picking. We’ve thrown them on the grill whole. What else do we doooo?
posted by Grandysaur at 4:37 PM PST - 14 comments

Our family is travelling to London for the first time, and we could use some help with the mundane details of deciding where to stay and how to get around. [more inside]
posted by mattu at 4:04 PM PST - 26 comments

I've recently encountered a problem where Amazon videos and audio cause my AV receiver to turn itself off. It's the damnedest thing. [more inside]
posted by adamrice at 3:19 PM PST - 3 comments

What is the best way for a 30 year-old person making $22,000/year and living paycheck-to-paycheck in the US to save even a small amount for retirement? [more inside]
posted by tomorrow at 2:27 PM PST - 16 comments

Instagram to RSS. Are there any reliable options? Yes, I'm willing to pay. [more inside]
posted by TayBridge at 2:17 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm studying the 80/20 rule. I've often thought that the rule would apply to nutrition levels of fruits and veggies. [more inside]
posted by notned at 1:33 PM PST - 2 comments

I've been tasked with creating/finding a program that will allow me to add hundreds of various classes and events to a searchable calendar. It will need to be accessible and searchable for hundreds of employees and access to this calendar will need to be published on our website. More inside. [more inside]
posted by Sunnyshe at 1:21 PM PST - 4 comments

Apparently I've been blocked and I have no idea why. [more inside]
posted by fantasticness at 12:36 PM PST - 21 comments

All my preparations for a trip to Heidelberg went so great except for one thing: I am an idiot and left my Olympus E-M1 Mark 1 camera batteries in and around the battery charger at home. Does anyone know of a shop in Heidelberg that carries Olympus camera gear and might have Olympus BLN-1 batteries? I have a portable charger, just none of the batteries. I arrive Sunday (tomorrow) and am staying in the city center.
posted by StrawberryPie at 12:00 PM PST - 3 comments

I learned yesterday that a close friend has been scraping her coffee grinder with a butter knife because "guitar tabs don't get everything." I let her know that her scraping with this will likely also scrape off small bits of (aluminum?) metal which she could breathe into her lungs while vaping. She is being stubborn for some reason and refuses to believe me. I would appreciate some second opinions/science so I can convince her that this is indeed a very very bad idea for her health. [more inside]
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 11:20 AM PST - 24 comments

I'm curious to know how well-known the Nordic-style cheese slicer is. If you live outside of the Nordics, are you familiar with it? Can it be bought in your country? Thank you!
posted by Vesihiisi at 9:37 AM PST - 55 comments

How do I get an old fashioned twangy electric guitar sound like in the tracks Maria Tambien and Rules by Khruangbin? [more inside]
posted by moonmilk at 8:14 AM PST - 9 comments

Over decades I have tried many, many different antidepressants, combinations, and dosages with (I thought) no positive results. I have now come to believe that the problem may have been that my expectations for the meds were unrealistic and that some of the meds may indeed have been helping--just not the way I thought they would. I'm thinking of trying again. [more inside]
posted by primate moon at 8:04 AM PST - 11 comments

Mr. Kitty and I are looking a preschools for Little Kitty. We loved the facilities, tone of the teachers, administrators, and philosophy of the program at one place. It checks every box for me ... except it’s heavily Catholic. Like, each school year is designed to prepare you for the sacraments, taught by some nuns, heavily Catholic. We are...... not. [more inside]
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 7:36 AM PST - 49 comments

A 16' x 20' garden plot has been overrun by weeds and invasive plants. I'd like to break it down and start from scratch. Best way to do that? [more inside]
posted by jeremias at 7:09 AM PST - 6 comments

Last week, I started attending AA meetings. Next week, I start seeing a counselor. About two months ago, I started dating a woman (I'm a cishet man) who lives about an hour away. I have not told her about my drinking problems. She's driving here for an overnight visit later today. Please help me sort through my thoughts about telling her. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:47 AM PST - 21 comments

I brought pretty bleached-out jeans as my only pants on a camping trip even though I am also starting my period. After an evening of peeing outside I realize I have a crazy stain on the crotch. What can I do? This campsite has a washing machine and I might have access to detergent or peroxide. Also looking for advice for if this needs to wait until I’m home Sunday.
posted by anonymous at 5:47 AM PST - 6 comments

Trans folks of all stripes: what internal factors led you to settle on the term trans(woman/man), non-binary, genderqueer, agender, trans(femme/masc), etc? I know the common descriptions of these terms, but I'm interested in personal narratives, especially for those who had trouble deciding which label to use, or switched at some point from one to another. What gave you clarity, inasmuch as you've found it?
posted by anonymous at 5:46 AM PST - 17 comments

This has been bugging me for years - can someone tell me more about the band here (seen in front of the blue wall at the 30:30 mark in the full video)? [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:46 AM PST - 5 comments

What it says on the tin. I just returned from my Hadrian's Wall trek and am now very interested to read about the Border Reivers, the Roman withdrawal. Basically anything covering the period from Hadrian's Wall to the Jacobite uprising. I lean more towards popular history than academic history.
posted by frumiousb at 1:27 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm trying to figure what font this is, it's a Willys Jeepster hood plate. [more inside]
posted by Marky at 12:59 AM PST - 5 comments

Tomorrow we welcome two young sisters into our home from their foster family. They're currently called Ruby and Shuri, but as they ignore their names anyway, we'd like to rename them something linked. So far, the family argument list is Brunhilda & Sigrdrifa, Willow & Blossom, Friday & Saturday, Starlight & Moondust, Monkey & Mouse, but nothing is quite clicking. Pop culture, feminist and historical names are great. I promise photos in updates. They are pure black with bobtails and very active.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 11:14 PM PST - 40 comments

Suggest a good life jacket for a baby... and can I size up slightly? [more inside]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:05 PM PST - 5 comments

I have to fill out another company's sign-in form for my work trips to gain building access, and have realized an opportunity to insert a dad joke or corny turn of phrase on a certain field of this form because basically no one reads it or cares except for the other people who might casually glance at what others have written; I'm seeking silly phrases to write there. [more inside]
posted by Quarter Pincher at 6:41 PM PST - 26 comments

My parents spend half the year in Canada and half the year in Florida. This has borked up their Amazon account. How can I fix it? [more inside]
posted by ficbot at 6:12 PM PST - 1 comment

I'm looking for a good history book to recommend to my book club. However, it's summer and we finished a few really dense books and everyone is lagging so I thought I'd see if there was a good, gripping read that would be almost good for "poolside" reading. [more inside]
posted by amanda at 5:44 PM PST - 28 comments

What are these rust-colored suede wedge booties at the top of this page? They apparently aren't shoes for the advertised brand "Sole Society" - I've searched for over an hour on Google, Zappos and Ebay. Google image search shoes nothing. Who's skilled at this? Thank you!
posted by alice_curiouse at 4:06 PM PST - 4 comments

It was supposed to be just my niece and her boyfriend for the weekend, but boyfriend's vegan roommate is also here and niece didn't call to tell me he would be. We're at a lake house full of food but nothing for the poor kid to eat except for a cantaloupe and 4 ears of sweet corn. The closest supermarket is about an hour away, and I feel like I should go get him some stuff. (The three of them are outside drinking beer and doing bong hits, so it's only me or my wife who can go) Thoughts?
posted by BadgerDoctor at 1:18 PM PST - 100 comments

We have a wedding to attend next July in Annapolis and would like to tack on several days at a nearby beach (under 3 hour drive from Annapolis). Dietary and other snowflakes within. [more inside]
posted by soren_lorensen at 12:18 PM PST - 4 comments

We are looking for examples of Solar access zoning/local laws in an urban/city setting. How is it defined. New construction blocking sun? Protection of rooftops of unobstructed sunlight?
posted by ebesan at 12:02 PM PST - 5 comments

How to dress my lower limbs? Summertime semi-formal church wedding in the afternoon. I will be wearing a red dress that ends just above the knee. I have medium brown leg hair that is long and curly. I won't be shaving, but I don't mind concealing it with tights or something...but it might be even more awkward if I'm wearing heavy tights in the summer. How can I avoid offending the conservative types?
posted by anaelith at 11:48 AM PST - 27 comments

I'm looking for a simple, well-designed piece of software for mac os that will allow you to open photos and do very basic editing, but does not try to organize your photos for you. [more inside]
posted by Salvor Hardin at 11:41 AM PST - 9 comments

My spouse and I are searching for a new place to live and we would love your recommendations. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:22 AM PST - 26 comments

What site can be my one-stop shop for national and/or international news (NOT JUST POLITICS)? I have a handful of go-to sites for local news and news in my industry, but I've realized I've seriously fallen down on knowing what's going on nationally in the realm of not-politics (for example, I only found out about Hurricane Barry just now by random chance). But I don't have the patience to juggle half a dozen sources for this sort of thing - I just want one comprehensive site (maybe two) that I can check once or twice a day.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:06 AM PST - 15 comments

How do you effectively push back when people schedule events or professional conferences on Jewish, Muslim, etc. religious holidays? [more inside]
posted by marfa, texas at 10:05 AM PST - 7 comments

Most of the habit tracking apps I’m aware of are focused on daily habits, but I have a pretty good handle on those. What apps help you remember to do tasks that only need to be done once per week, two weeks, or month? [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 8:16 AM PST - 15 comments

What's a good domain host that also offers web-hosting for under $10 a year and doesn't raise the price to ridiculous levels every year? [more inside]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:36 AM PST - 12 comments

I'm looking for a social media post I saw recently about an earlier large influx of asylum seekers to the US describing them being treated humanely and processed in a timely manner. [more inside]
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:28 AM PST - 2 comments

Doesn't anyone know how to *prevent* pickled garlic from turning blue? [more inside]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:11 AM PST - 8 comments

How do people typically manage the timing of closing on a house vs. the end of their lease when they are renting? [more inside]
posted by somanyamys at 7:08 AM PST - 14 comments

I need to pack and protect a large, fragile wooden dollhouse to move across country. [more inside]
posted by Archipelago at 7:04 AM PST - 9 comments

Plenty of famous writers have dropped their first name and gone by their middle name (e.g. Adeline Virginia Woolf). Have any famous writers dropped their surname and just gone by some combo of their given names? [more inside]
posted by Beardman at 7:02 AM PST - 15 comments

I bought a hand fan. I want to customize it with fabric paint or markers. I don't know what product to use. Help? [more inside]
posted by aabbbiee at 6:41 AM PST - 4 comments

I would like to purchase some leggings that I plan to wear as pants. Questions within. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 6:28 AM PST - 19 comments

Calling all Rutgers students and alumni! What were your favorite classes, professors, parts of the Rutgers experience? [more inside]
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 4:42 AM PST - 3 comments

What makes a bag constitute a purse rather than a shoulder bag, messenger bag, briefcase with strap, etc.? Is it the apparent gender of the wearer, what the manufacturer labels it as, the use, the contents, or some other factor? [more inside]
posted by Hactar at 10:08 PM PST - 23 comments

Looking for an auto security system comprised of a small sensing unit inside or attached to the car, which would use an Android app so my cell phone would alarm if anything bumps or impacts the vehicle. Does such exist?
posted by Rash at 9:17 PM PST - 4 comments

I have a friend who's wondering how she can set up an exhibit of her book art in the San Francisco Bay Area. [more inside]
posted by gtrwolf at 8:54 PM PST - 5 comments

I plan to go to a Lights for Liberty protest tomorrow. Do you have any sign ideas?
posted by NotLost at 8:51 PM PST - 8 comments

Thanks to everyone who replied to my last question, where I was feeling a bit "meh" about my entire trip to New York City. I'm feeling more excited about it now and I've done more planning, so yay! I'm back looking for ideas! I'm staying in Brooklyn (East Williamsburg) during my trip and I *think* I want to spend the first two days of my trip (July 30&31) in Brooklyn and take it easy. What should I not miss during these two days? [more inside]
posted by VirginiaPlain at 8:25 PM PST - 14 comments

I love this dress, which looks unexpectedly amazing on me, but I need help finding shoes to go with it. Difficulty level: wide flat problem feet. [more inside]
posted by all the light we cannot see at 8:14 PM PST - 14 comments

My daily life is at a 4/10. I want to get to a 6/10. All the self-help books seem to say "you're at a 2/10, you have major problems and if you just remove the negative you'll be happy." That's not connecting with me or working for me, so while I'm reading them and putting what I can into practice they're not quite what I'm looking for. Are there books about starting from an okay place and getting to a better place? [more inside]
posted by Tehhund at 8:09 PM PST - 17 comments

Are there any good tips about how to approach writing a letter of recommendation for someone on my team, who I technically manage but isn't my direct report? [more inside]
posted by mannermode at 7:51 PM PST - 6 comments

Many years ago when the New York Times still had it's book forums, there was a thread called Meander Where you May. I have two questions! [more inside]
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 7:12 PM PST - 2 comments

Does anyone know of any good advice columns written by Italians for Italians? Or advice forums on human relations like this one? Thanks for your help!
posted by poilkj at 5:09 PM PST - 1 comment

What is the best way to record video securely on an iPhone so it cannot be deleted by someone else? [more inside]
posted by andoatnp at 4:53 PM PST - 5 comments

I own this bento box, and almost every day I work I pack my own lunch. I make cold sliced steaks and little fried karaage chicken bits, or sandwiches, and usually pair it with a potato salad and some veggies. So far so good, but I can tell that I'm gonna get bored of the usual sooner rather than later, and I don't want to waste money going to the deli too much. SO I am appealing to the hive mind for good bento dishes, as many as possible so that I can cook things on my days off and the morning before I go to work pack my bento and have something really yummy for lunch. Difficulty level: NO DAIRY WHATSOEVER everything else is cool though. [more inside]
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 4:41 PM PST - 17 comments

Help me name a penguin at our zoo (aka. how has this not been asked before). [more inside]
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:45 PM PST - 47 comments

In January I bought tickets to see the Stones here in Houston. The original date was in April. But it was rescheduled to July 27th. This is also the date of my 40th high school reunion. And now I am torn. [more inside]
posted by jtexman1 at 3:32 PM PST - 20 comments

I'm going to be in Fullerton, CA (near Placentia, Anaheim, Brea, etc) for a couple weeks and would like to be able to go a gym a few times to lift, run, etc. My normal gym is a university gym so I don't have any kind of national chain reciprocity or anything. Where could I go to work out and just pay a day fee? [more inside]
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:53 PM PST - 9 comments

I’m a mid-thirties lady with a frustrating, uncomfortable amount of vulvar itchiness. What should I be doing differently to fix it? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:16 AM PST - 34 comments

It's been a while since my last job hunt, and I'd like to be as productive as I can with the next 30 days before I'm officially let go. I've got some theories about next steps below, but would love to have some advice from others who have navigated this recently. [more inside]
posted by rebent at 9:19 AM PST - 11 comments

Looking for recommendations for motorcycles to keep an eye out for. I'm a new rider, and prefer the style of the older standard bikes and UJM's. [more inside]
posted by pilibeen at 9:08 AM PST - 8 comments

Hopefully this is a trivial physics question, but I can't figure it out from the descriptions of Hooke's Law I've found. How does the apparent weight of a hanging spring change as the spring oscillates? [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 8:44 AM PST - 5 comments

I bought a new iMac and restored everything from the last Time Machine backup on me (now deceased) former Mac. Everything is working as it should, except Photos, which insists on re-uploading my 47k pics and 1000 videos to iCloud, when they are already there. [more inside]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:39 AM PST - 5 comments

Question for career development specialists and those with experience in project management: In terms of general return on investment/greatest bang for one's buck, is it better to pursue a PMP certification, a master's degree in project management, or an MBA with a specialization in project management? Which approach did you take, and did it pay off? Related: If you are in the business of recruiting or hiring project managers, what types of professional development and advanced education do you look for when sifting through resumes?
posted by AnnaBegins942 at 6:56 AM PST - 14 comments

Good for both walking and work with a minimalist design. [more inside]
posted by ohsnapdragon at 6:47 AM PST - 30 comments

Do you get any unusual benefits as part of your employment? Like, they give you a pet boarding allowance if you need to travel for work or once a month you get X amount of product you can take home?
posted by Twicketface at 6:41 AM PST - 73 comments

I'll be traveling through Louisiana at the end of the month. The New Orleans / Baton Rouge area is a good stopping point along my drive. Where would you camp in that general area, and what would you see? [more inside]
posted by mr_bovis at 6:39 AM PST - 6 comments

My friends and I are thinking about getting custom printed t-shirts with a leftist phrase on them ("Spreadsheet Anarchist"). We only need like six or seven at most and we want them to be ethical (e.g. union made). We're open to stuff like silk screening but don't have experience or equipment. What's the best/most economical way to do this? [more inside]
posted by an octopus IRL at 6:36 AM PST - 19 comments

Multiple times a day for the last couple of weeks, I have had the sensation that there is a wet teardrop on my cheek, just on top of my cheek bone, but when I go to brush it off, there is no wetness. [more inside]
posted by hworth at 6:33 AM PST - 2 comments

Juul helped me quit smoking cigarettes, but uses proprietary pods that are expensive and offer only a limited selection of flavors and nicotine levels. Alternatives? [more inside]
posted by kabong the wiser at 6:13 AM PST - 8 comments

Person A "Anne" asks Person B "Bryan" to fill in for her during a day at work, a day when she has a professional conflict and has to be out of town. He is in the same profession but they have met only once or twice, have different job titles and different permanent employers. [more inside]
posted by nantucket at 5:27 AM PST - 11 comments

A few weeks ago, I received a surprised package: A dartboard inside a cabinet. Something along the lines of this. [more inside]
posted by james33 at 4:56 AM PST - 4 comments

It's time to do a staff survey, and I'm looking for an online survey tool that will let me provide a few slides of context in advance of each question. [more inside]
posted by rdn at 9:05 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm trying to find out whether a tool/software exists to track social media posts with a given hashtag - but not all social media posts, just ones from a particular group of users I will specify. In other words, I want to be able to track, say, #teapotlove but ONLY the posts from members of the Teapot Leadership Alliance (and I need to be able to tell the tool who the members are). It can cost money, possibly even significant money. [more inside]
posted by hansbrough at 9:03 PM PST - 6 comments

Vaguely remembered: topless self portrait hidden inside a locket [more inside]
posted by Ideal Impulse at 7:47 PM PST - 5 comments

1963 British gold sovereign with George V on it instead of Elizabeth II - error? Counterfeit? Something else? [more inside]
posted by Mirax at 7:00 PM PST - 4 comments

I know it is available in bars/breweries in keg format, but where can I buy it otherwise? I’m absolutely obsessed with it, and want it as a replacement for a glass of beer or wine. [more inside]
posted by MountainDaisy at 6:43 PM PST - 3 comments

My question to MF is, what would you recommend for updating qualifications and getting back into the graphic design field? Unfortunately, going back to school full-time isn't an option. Anybody have experience in the field and some advice to share? Thank you, MF! Looking forward to seeing what you all have to say. [more inside]
posted by tellUwut at 6:17 PM PST - 7 comments

I did not go to camp as a child, and had never heard of Leader in Training Programs. Where I work, a number of colleagues have teens who spend part or all of their summers as LITs at sleep away camps in cottage country. They teens don't get paid to work, in fact they pay for the privilege of working as camp counselors. My question is - how is this unpaid labor legal? [more inside]
posted by walkinginsunshine at 6:02 PM PST - 13 comments

My father, who lives with us (me, husband, two adult daughters), has Parkinson's, which has reached the early part of Stage 4. No dementia, just mobility problems, but those are growing. He regularly needs help shifting between sitting and standing, or help to go from standing to lying down. We'd like some kind of device he could use to notify us, instead of yelling for whoever's closest right now. [more inside]
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 5:18 PM PST - 8 comments

My two year old watches videos each night in the bathtub and he’s on a timpani and piano kick. All of the featured solo artists that pop up for us are white and male - I’d like to create a playlist featuring more diverse orchestra solos or recitals and need your help! Any instrument welcome - we tried oboe tonight.
posted by melodykramer at 5:10 PM PST - 18 comments

Stuck in a weird polyamorous pickle and not sure what a clear path might be. In a happy poly marriage, best friend is in a happy monogamous marriage, and have developed feelings for her that seem serious and won't go away. Poly people especially, please weigh in. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:53 PM PST - 22 comments

My sister, my one year old, and I will need to travel from LGA to pompton plains NJ at 800am on a Friday and be back to the airport by 830pm on Sunday night. What are our public transportation options to/from the airport? [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso at 4:02 PM PST - 9 comments

Checking one of my credit cards, I noticed my June payment had been cancelled, resulting in a late charge. [more inside]
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 3:46 PM PST - 8 comments

We are just starting to think about our wedding, and have decided to do a destination wedding. Please tell me about the best destination weddings you've been to (location included if you have it) and what was memorable about it. [more inside]
posted by fonzie at 3:14 PM PST - 15 comments

I have been in my current role (corporate marketing) at my company going on five years now and am ready for a change. For the past few months I have sadly realized that at my level there are no real horizontal opportunities in my current city, and don't feel like with my recent promotion that I am ready to move up another level. I could use some advice. Details below. [more inside]
posted by hillabeans at 2:49 PM PST - 5 comments

If you have any experience estimating crowd size, about how many people do you think are in this march?
posted by andoatnp at 2:48 PM PST - 4 comments

A group of people enter a crowded frat/sorority/house party walking up the front steps and in through the front door. There is a staircase within the main hall (to their left?) that is also packed with people. This is a huge wild party with lots of excessive drinking, dancing and general peak of massive party energy. They proceed through the very crowded party/dance floor, through a kitchen (?) to a back yard that is also busy with people drinking / partying, possibly around a pool. Someone is puking in the bushes. [more inside]
posted by smartypantz at 12:16 PM PST - 29 comments

During the 20 years that I've known Los Angeles, it has become steadily more common to call parts of LA west of downtown "the Eastside"--Silver Lake, Echo Park, Koreatown, Pico-Union, MacArthur Park, and so forth. (There's even a website about these neighborhoods called "The Eastsider.") I have always assumed this is a linguistic discontinuity related to gentrification, and without an understanding of the actual East LA, but am I wrong? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 11:42 AM PST - 15 comments

I haven't had a pair of jean shorts in years because I can't find a pair that fits. I'm looking for brand suggestions from people with similar fit issues. My issues inside. [more inside]
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 10:57 AM PST - 15 comments

I have a friend who is on a very restrictive diet due to kidney failure. We've also been going to a weekly "acquaintances" potluck regularly, where her disease status isn't well known. I'd like to have some recipes for things I can make to bring to these potlucks that are a) fairly easy to put together (even if they require some prep work), and b) aren't clearly a "this is for someone with kidney failure!". [more inside]
posted by wearyaswater at 10:26 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm in need of advice on ridding myself of chronic yeast infections and BV (occurring together). [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:10 AM PST - 21 comments

In United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948 ruled, basically, that movie studios could not also own movie theaters. Why isn't this being talked about in relation to streaming services? [more inside]
posted by Automocar at 9:47 AM PST - 8 comments

I am making a storytelling podcast for the kids in my life. Is there a way to make podcasts private but playable on a podcast app? [more inside]
posted by anya32 at 9:04 AM PST - 5 comments

I was reading this NY Times article from yesterday about the risk of an imminent recession and I realized that I lack the economics grounding to really comprehend what's going on. What resources would you recommend that would help me fix this? [more inside]
posted by miltthetank at 8:46 AM PST - 6 comments

So this spring our very old above-ground pool had some issues and with climate change it rained where we live until July. Lo I go to finally fix it this weekend and there are hundreds of tadpoles of the Gray tree frog in our pool. [more inside]
posted by mrgroweler at 8:33 AM PST - 9 comments

My doc has armed me with a GoodRx card. Is it really as effective as it claims? [more inside]
posted by Thorzdad at 8:13 AM PST - 12 comments

Hi, AskMe. :) I have a fantastic opportunity to do something with a Swedish company, and was told two things, that I should expect email from someone soon, and that they basically shut down in July due to vacations and such, so the process might take time. This was ~2 weeks ago. When is it acceptable to follow up? [more inside]
posted by Alensin at 7:52 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm not sure how to relate to people at my job. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:51 AM PST - 9 comments

So I need a mattress that is extremely firm - like, far firmer than most people sleep on. I'm considering futons and have questions. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 7:48 AM PST - 16 comments

What causes a washcloth or towel to smell "sour" after being wet and dried out? [more inside]
posted by LonnieK at 7:32 AM PST - 21 comments

Mr. Kimdog and I are celebrating our 15th Anniversary in two weeks. I've just realized I needed to use or lose some vacation, so I wanna do a quick getaway July 24-25, something within a 2-3 hours drive from NYC. What are your favorite towns to unwind in? [more inside]
posted by kimdog at 6:39 AM PST - 12 comments

I’m on board when it comes to becoming minimalist. Decluttering, sparking joy. Where I fall down is continuing to bring new things into my home... and staying minimalist. [more inside]
posted by Juniper Toast at 5:55 AM PST - 29 comments

We are trying to get away from July 24th to the 28th! Our first choice was Whistable (or somewhere similar near the sea) but we can't find anything that's not booked up that would be suitable. Now we're also thinking Bath. Any other ideas or help? [more inside]
posted by heavenknows at 2:21 AM PST - 9 comments

What's the best free Mastodon client for iOS (and why)? [more inside]
posted by pompomtom at 1:59 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm working on my will using a simple form I found online which is acceptable to my state. It's pretty straightforward until the end. YANML. [more inside]
posted by bryon at 10:38 PM PST - 8 comments

I want to do pushups. To do this, besides building up my arms, I also need to strengthen my back and possibly my legs. [more inside]
posted by NotLost at 9:55 PM PST - 11 comments

I'm unhappy with where I am career-wise. So here's my situation and a kind of a crazy request for ideas... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:48 PM PST - 23 comments

Our NYC co-op's management company stopped sending us statements a few months ago. We didn't notice until we missed an extra assessment last month and they put a paper notice under our door for the remaining balance and a late fee. We're now all paid up except for the late fee, which we want to dispute. How do we do that? Note: communication with the management company is difficult. [more inside]
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 8:44 PM PST - 2 comments

I have a friend who lives in the UK who has a brother with a history of drug use (mostly just marijuana) and minor mental issues. This person has attempted suicide in the past but was mostly a 'cry for help' attempt. The brother has had several unstable relationships and after the recent passing of their father he seems to have made his anguish worse. He's recently asked to be 'sectioned' and seems to be 'different' i.e. more serious about imminent future attempts. [more inside]
posted by Kerborus at 8:08 PM PST - 4 comments

Need advice on what to get with Nintendo Switch to make my children happy and leverage all my Wii U stuff. [more inside]
posted by jadepearl at 5:32 PM PST - 17 comments

I am the mom of a 10 month old weighing the possibility of going back to work full-time in the next few months. I feel like I know the benefits of having a career, but what about the benefits of staying home? [more inside]
posted by lakemarie at 5:29 PM PST - 27 comments

My bank allows me to add Payable on Death beneficiaries to my account that supposedly bypass probate when I die. Is there any downside to this? [more inside]
posted by bluecore at 4:46 PM PST - 9 comments

Turns out I really love watching videos of a very specific genre: people attempt an ambitious project they have no idea how to do successfully. There are many failures, great narration of thought process, charming and engaging hosts who sometimes get visibly stymied or frustrated, and some success at the end. Think like Mythbusters or Bon Appetit's Gourmet Makes series as my ideal entries in this genre. The challenge is that I'd like more examples that are between 10-15 minutes in length. [more inside]
posted by lilac girl at 4:24 PM PST - 17 comments

We recently had to call 911 related to a medical situation, and they sent an ambulance. After providing minimal care, the ambulance drove us two miles to the hospital, for which we were billed thousands of dollars. The ambulance is "out of network," so insurance covered only a small portion, and the ambulance has billed us for the rest. We are in California. We have Blue Cross Blue Shield (of AZ) PPO insurance. What do we do? Can we negotiate this down? Is this even legal? (And if so what can I help do about that??) [more inside]
posted by slidell at 3:45 PM PST - 18 comments

As a family activity while with the grandparents, we took a family photo, made it into a puzzle, constructed the puzzle, and want to glue it and frame it! Unfortunately, we solved the puzzle right on the dining room table, and we don't want to glue the puzzle to the table. How do we transfer the puzzle onto something else, so we can glue it? [more inside]
posted by China Grover at 3:03 PM PST - 12 comments

Why are strangers always telling me I'm pretty? Weekly (at minimum), a cashier or fellow restaurant patron or movie-goer or someone I see out in public will make it a point to tell me I'm pretty. This makes me suspicious. Help me understand why. [more inside]
posted by ferociouskitty at 1:20 PM PST - 41 comments

My partner is visiting family in a small village about 15 miles outside of Huejuquilla El Alto, Jalisco, Mexico and needs to get a taxi there. Degree of difficulty: She can't access the web and I don't speak Spanish. Help? [more inside]
posted by Arthur Vandelay at 12:45 PM PST - 9 comments

Other than photos, what are some interesting or unusual things to mount on the wall of my 1-bedroom apartment? [more inside]
posted by critzer at 12:35 PM PST - 37 comments

Hey there! I recorded this audio last week and I cannot play it. It is supposed to be 33 minutes long and it also shows 33 on the display, however, it just stops after 10 seconds! I'd be super grateful for anyone who could help me out here!! this is the link to the file
posted by liv.stella at 12:22 PM PST - 4 comments

At mid career, I feel like I can't keep up with the rate of change and new demands in my field. Should I keep at it or downshift? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:11 PM PST - 7 comments

I just finished the large mandala, as seen here. Except that mine came out bigger than hers, and I now need a metal ring that's approximately 22.5 inches across. I actually bought one at Michael's that's 19 inches, which was the biggest they had, but it's too small. My internet sleuthing powers have failed me, so I am turning to MeFi! Or is there some other way I could mount it on the wall without the ring?
posted by madonna of the unloved at 11:46 AM PST - 8 comments

I love my 2004 VW Beetle but it needs ~$1200 worth of work, which I'm not going to do. So, it is time to get a new (used) car. I can spend about $5000. Wants, needs, and deadlbreakers inside. [more inside]
posted by Pineapplicious at 10:12 AM PST - 16 comments

What's this mystery squash? (ignore that the vine has climbed into my mandarin tree, it's a squash) [more inside]
posted by GuyZero at 9:59 AM PST - 7 comments

What are some engineering solutions to keeping my wife and I's sex from bothering our neighbours? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:49 AM PST - 13 comments

How do business coaches build out a plan with clients so that they maintain the relationship? [more inside]
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 8:56 AM PST - 2 comments

I'm looking for interesting examples of multipurpose and/or space saving, freestanding furniture. This recent perfect example inspired this question. [more inside]
posted by rachaelfaith at 8:52 AM PST - 10 comments

So I'm doing this vegan challenge. And it is challenging. Please help me by explaining how exactly to make a really good vegan refried beans. And by really good, I mean, they are like liquid. And not just all carbohydrate. No fake cheeses. Nuts & seeds OK. I can pre-grind them if needed. [more inside]
posted by aniola at 8:35 AM PST - 12 comments

I'll be in SF for work and I want to take advantage of summer's late sunsets to visit a park with great views in between the end of the work day and my dinner plans with a friend. Looking for (1) opinions on the best park to visit given (2) the logistics laid out inside, and (3) help with getting around. [more inside]
posted by CiaoMela at 8:26 AM PST - 20 comments

Hello, I've been experimenting with excel Solver to solve a scheduling problem, but I can't get it to work even the simplest solution. Any ideas? [more inside]
posted by cacofonie at 8:03 AM PST - 1 comment

I fit all the criteria for Relationship OCD - something I'm currently looking for help for - which means I overanalyse whilst at the same time overlooking unacceptable behaviours because I've gotten myself into such a tizzy trying work out what is actually reasonable and rational. This means my gut is anxious a lot of the time and I don't think it's accurate. I'd appreciate your view on whether these behaviours seem like deal breakers to you. I am currently a little depressed which I know skews my perception of things. [more inside]
posted by starstarstar at 7:10 AM PST - 20 comments

Hello! I would like to go to Belgium for a surgery. I live in Europe but not in Belgium. They require that you have a companion for 24 hours after otherwise they will cancel. My husband can't come with me because he has to stay with the kids and all my friends are really busy with work. I have a few ideas but maybe someone else has a better one!? [more inside]
posted by catspajammies at 6:47 AM PST - 10 comments

Our garden -- figs and tomatoes, primarily -- is being hit daily by small furry marauders. We've dribbled pee around the fig trees and hug shiny Xmas ornaments from the branches, but the little so-and-so's don't seem daunted. What to do? [more inside]
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 6:20 AM PST - 24 comments

My daughter is 3.5 and has shown a serious interest in kitchen activities. Usually a whirlwind of manic energy, she becomes focused and deadly serious when she is asked to help cook, bake, or otherwise help with food prep. I'd like to encourage that interest in her with more kitchen-related media. [more inside]
posted by JimBJ9 at 5:58 AM PST - 18 comments

I saw this forever ago and cant remember the title. The singer has an indie vibe, appeared to be a black or biracial woman with natural hair. In the video, she has a boyfriend with dreadlocks. The lyrics are about realizing she has a crush on a woman. The woman love interest in the video was racially ambiguous with olive skin. The black woman singer wakes up in the morning while her boyfriend cooks her breakfast. She eventually kisses the girl love interest with olive skin. Thats all I got.
posted by skjønn at 5:43 AM PST - 1 comment

If they are indeed linked at all...
This page from Maus, the comic.
Fritz Eichenberg's art for Jane Eyre (and his stuff in general). [more inside]
posted by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were at 5:32 AM PST - 8 comments

Where/when/why did the practise of summarising the events that happen in a chapter and putting it before the chapter itself come about? Examples inside. [more inside]
posted by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were at 5:14 AM PST - 9 comments

My new apartment came with sleep-disrupting issues. I’m considering sleeping at my parents’ house which is a short walk away, so essentially I’d be living in two places. This might be short- or long-term, I don't know atm. I’d like to hear from people who have done this. [more inside]
posted by frantumaglia at 2:51 AM PST - 5 comments

I want to produce simple planting plans in Artrage 4.5.9. Each planting type will be a separate layer in Artrage. I then want to parse the resulting colour layers to get the area (or percentage) of pixels in each layer and use the data to generate lists of plants. [more inside]
posted by unearthed at 2:41 AM PST - 5 comments

I am going to be attending a "Lights for Liberty" vigil this Friday. My main concern/worry is that at least part of the vigil will be at the border, and thus the potential for CBP/ICE presence. I suppose the first question is, how worried should I be about that aspect? But additionally, what things should I do in preparation for the event?
posted by anonymous at 2:01 AM PST - 6 comments

After many years of not being happy in my relationship—neither of us being happy, as we’ve been exploring in couples therapy—I’m ready to finally end it. I have set a deadline for myself to have the talk this week. We live together, and are late 30s/early 40s, and it's been 7 years. No kids. I need help in the pre-move out, particularly for how to deal with the "landlord," which means my relatives (but not me in any way). [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:00 AM PST - 16 comments

After much self reflection I came to the realization that I have a very negative self criticizing voice that just brings me down constantly. I'm a pretty decent dude but my internal voice tell me I'm a complete piece of shit. Help? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:04 PM PST - 18 comments

Not long ago, I downloaded a Hubble image of a galactic cluster as a new wallpaper for my browser. The problem is, every time I see the image—which is now multiple times a day—my desire to be IN the picture intensifies. By that I mean, I want the experience of being in deep space, surrounded by galaxies. [more inside]
posted by Transl3y at 9:14 PM PST - 29 comments

Tea is made differently every place it's made, and every place has standards for proper preparation. How is tea usually made where you live? [more inside]
posted by Vatnesine at 8:17 PM PST - 50 comments

I'd like to hire a metallurgist to help me understand some science so I can be accurate when I write about it, and I'm not sure where to go or how to structure the arrangement. [more inside]
posted by woot at 6:55 PM PST - 5 comments

I need to be able to work on certain files safely from both Linux and Windows, and I'd like to access/write these files on an internal HDD in a secondary bay. The file system ideally should support files over 4 GB. I've looked up past questions on this, and done a general search online, and there's enough variety in recommendations that I'm hoping you can help me pick the best option for this instance. Details: [more inside]
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 6:29 PM PST - 7 comments

How do I get this video downloaded to my computer? None of my usual "download this video from YouTube" sites are working.
posted by tzikeh at 5:33 PM PST - 8 comments

I bought some sodium citrate to make mac and cheese/cheese sauce. I have much more than I'll be able to use. What can I do with the rest?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:54 PM PST - 8 comments

Having just returned from an 800 mile road trip spread across 4 days, with two adults, two kids, and a multitude of bags and coolers, I ask you, dear Mefites, for your best tips, trips, and links (Amazon or otherwise) to accessories that make road tripping easier for everyone. [more inside]
posted by vignettist at 4:54 PM PST - 11 comments

To celebrate the upcoming UN Climate Action Summit this September, I want help my company set goals to become carbon neutral, or carbon negative over time. I've searched the internet and obviously found tons of options/professional offerings, as well as some prior askmefi posts that have covered elements of this question over a decade ago. But are there any great 'do it yourself' guidance papers / websites that've been issued, with the current best practice on emissions reduction and renewable energy switching? [more inside]
posted by iiniisfree at 4:53 PM PST - 2 comments

I’m on maternity leave in New York (official, getting family leave money) and I just found out my workplace insurance coverage for me and my newborn has been canceled as of June 1st. Work says they are looking into it and will have it fixed ASAP- but oh my god. Does anyone know what this even means? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:27 PM PST - 11 comments

I have a friend looking to brush up his manual shift skills before a trip to Europe, in the event he is not able to rent an automatic cheaply or easily. Are there any Seattle-area rental shops that have stick-shift cars available for rent? [more inside]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:50 PM PST - 9 comments

Posting for a friend: I have bound copies of The New York World from 1871 to 1877. I wish to clear this out and I offered them to the rare book library at The University of Toronto (The Fisher Library) and to the rare book section of the Toronto Public Library. Neither of them wanted them saying that they are now available online or on microfiche. [more inside]
posted by uans at 3:38 PM PST - 5 comments

I read this article with great interest and a sense of vindication as a die-hard every-day shampooer. But, it seems most of the internet is comprised of heavily anecdotal discussions about how one should care for one's hair. I also see a lot of recommendations for using "salon quality" products rather than "store quality"hair products, but evidence for this also appears to be lacking. MetaHivemind, please help me find scientific, non-anecdotal resources on the effects of shampooing (especially with surfectants) on natural hair oils and overall hair health! I'd also love to see some evidence-based, non-anecdotal information about whether salon quality products truly are superior for hair health than store bought products.
posted by Anonymouse1618 at 2:44 PM PST - 7 comments

Seeking all suggestions for craft cocktail bars (or restaurants with great cocktail programs) in Philadelphia. Thanks!
posted by DavidNYC at 2:18 PM PST - 10 comments

The Talking Heads cover band I'm in is going to play a show for a few hundred people. I may get a chance to put up a screen and use a short-throw projector to project images and videos. I would love the crowd to help come up with those images and videos. [more inside]
posted by argybarg at 1:45 PM PST - 9 comments

I am exploring this option and am unsure of where to begin. [more inside]
posted by goalyeehah at 1:31 PM PST - 6 comments

When I dial a local number, one where no area code is required, why can't the call be completed if I do include the area code? And when the area code is needed, why can't the system add the area code itself if I leave it off? [more inside]
posted by Redstart at 12:39 PM PST - 17 comments

Anyone have a way to somehow get notified if you get a "Message Request" on Facebook/messenger? Message Requests are messages sent to you by people who are not your Facebook Friends, and they are hidden by default. There doesn't seem to be a way to enable notifications for them. I have missed things a number of times because I didn't know about a message. Anyone have any solutions for finding out about these, besides checking it every day?
posted by catquas at 12:22 PM PST - 3 comments

What's the best forum for asking questions along the lines of "What's the sf short story where..." E.g. "What's the sf short story where an entomologist discovers a hive of intelligent ants that collect butterfly and moth eggs for him, with dire consequences?"
posted by musofire at 12:10 PM PST - 7 comments

When an employer offers it, health insurance is part of a compensation package. If I was to change jobs and want to ask for more detailed insurance info after getting a job offer--because cancer, and existing care team--how do I navigate that? I'm in the US. Additional related questions inside. [more inside]
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 11:24 AM PST - 12 comments

I just bought a new camera, and I'd like to carry it while riding a bike. I need a hard case to protect it in case of spills, but I'd like that case to be small enough to fit inside a backpack or courier bag. The camera is a mirrorless Canon EOS M5. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by amtho at 11:20 AM PST - 6 comments

I have to plan about 12 hours of fun competitive games for some pre-teens and teens at a church conference while the adults are being churchy. I am fairly resource constrained and bound by expectations of, well, parents at a church conference. I want the kids to have fun. I don't want to get sued. But I want to come up with stuff that they might not have experienced before. (Requirements below the fold.) [more inside]
posted by cross_impact at 10:50 AM PST - 13 comments

My partner & I are aiming to buy a new car in the next few months. Currently, she's on her parents' insurance and "her" car is registered to her parents' address and in their name. When we go to price out insurance, we're asked if we've filed a claim in the last x months/years. [more inside]
posted by Tomorrowful at 10:31 AM PST - 5 comments

Some advertisers on Facebook seem to survive me "hiding" them - all of them are automotive companies or associated services. What gives? [more inside]
posted by inflatablekiwi at 9:34 AM PST - 6 comments

I wish she had asked me first. Should I tell her that? [more inside]
posted by foxjacket at 9:16 AM PST - 17 comments

I would like to follow current affairs and want to learn how commentators of different political affiliations (left, center, right, etc.; I realize it's often more complicated) react to the issues of the day. [more inside]
posted by 5Q7 at 9:11 AM PST - 4 comments

I recorded an EP a few months ago, and currently have it hosted on a website of my own. I'd like to get it out more widely to the world, without any expectation of making a dime. I have no clue what the small-label landscape is like now, nor how to approach them these days, or if that's even a good idea. Along the same lines, does anyone have any experience getting unsigned music onto Spotify?
posted by the phlegmatic king at 8:21 AM PST - 9 comments

I'd like to install a birdbox on our house, and while I'm at it, also put a camera in it so I can watch the occupants, should they arrive. The location will be very hard to access after installation, so it needs to be durable and preferably wireless – wifi + solar powered, if possible. Looking for recommendations of either a complete kit, or separate camera system that I can install in any birdbox. [more inside]
posted by snarfois at 8:20 AM PST - 3 comments

The cheaper the better! [more inside]
posted by winterportage at 6:40 AM PST - 3 comments

Looking for aquatic toys or objects that offer a casual, engaging ongoing activity while people stand around around socializing in a swimming pool. Besides the classic beach balls and water guns, what have you seen people enjoy playing with in the pool? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph at 3:42 AM PST - 13 comments

As someone for whom marriage is a future goal, I am looking for ethical advice about what happens when a marriage encounters really serious health problems. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:53 PM PST - 64 comments

IKYNMD - been having a lot of health issues, namely repeated infections and bone pain. I have a long history of blood and bone problems, so ortho doc sent me to have a bone scan and x-ray of the painful shoulder. Results came back and he takes one look and says - you have a lot of inflammation and muscle wasting. He chalked it down to joint disease (wear and tear). Told me to swim (!) and since I have no swimming pool nearby to swim in, I left it at that and kept on putting out my little health fires. [more inside]
posted by watercarrier at 9:55 PM PST - 6 comments

Do you have a really great personal trainer who is good with beginners? Are you in Washington, DC? Please share your recommendations! [more inside]
posted by capricorn at 6:36 PM PST - 3 comments

I took a Sudafed tonight (b/c weather --> sinuses), and Micro McGee is absolutely convinced that he's only ever heard the word "sudafed" when describing an alleged "sudafed cheese." He insists there is a "sudafed cheese." I said he must have misheard and he said WELL WHAT WAS IT THEN? So, MetaFilter -- what was it, then? [more inside]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 6:29 PM PST - 49 comments

The mechanic left the radiator cap off when doing a tuneup about one week ago. How worried should I be and what's the best steps? [more inside]
posted by Candleman at 3:47 PM PST - 8 comments

How can I politely respond to the inevitable “how was your weekend?” that was in fact very shitty? [more inside]
posted by raccoon409 at 3:26 PM PST - 34 comments

On Thursday, a loved one suffered a serious eye injury. Post-operation, it is most likely that they will never see out of it again, and it remains to be seen whether or not they’ll be able to keep the eyeball. What tips do you have for the adjustment? [more inside]
posted by Grandysaur at 2:20 PM PST - 7 comments

I happened to stumble across this cover of Paul Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, and I really enjoyed the Latin feel of the chorus and outro (starting at 2:24). I'd love to hear more of that sort of thing but I'm having difficulty finding it, possibly because I'm using the wrong key words... [more inside]
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:06 PM PST - 5 comments

It's Gay Wrath Month. I need to listen to some LGBT bangers. Empasis on the L and T. Emphasis on the pop that sometimes sounds like rap music. [more inside]
posted by Sterros at 12:23 PM PST - 16 comments

I usually hear that ghosts say "boo!" or "oooooooo" or sometimes people's names / phrases important to them. But are there other standard ghost sounds, like in different languages / cultures / time periods? I'm also good with hearing ghost languages that appear in fiction / movies /etc. But to be clear, I'm definitely seeking ghost languages and not just things individual ghosts say.
posted by mermaidcafe at 12:17 PM PST - 10 comments

After stumbling across a couple videos recently of some unusual (to me) bar/pub games, I want to learn about more and maybe find venues to try them out. [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot at 12:12 PM PST - 13 comments

I need ideas for a small gift to show my appreciation for a big favor. [more inside]
posted by CrazyLemonade at 12:00 PM PST - 11 comments

I'd like to give a gift of a custom engraved pendant necklace to a special guy, but not sure if I should start by looking at local jewelers or finding an online vendor. [more inside]
posted by pants at 11:45 AM PST - 4 comments

So, I have this PTSD thing going on with a lot of presentation of physical symptoms when it's bad. Part of those symptoms are nausea and vomiting. One particular thing that I have a question about is... I'm a side sleeper. When my symptoms are being bad and I'm lying on my left side to sleep I'm fine but if I change to be on my right side I'll be up and vomiting within 60 seconds. This doesn't happen if I'm not having nausea as part of my expressed symptoms but does happen about 99% of the time when I am. Is this indicating something I should have investigated (like a known symptom of a disease) or is this just part of the annoying raft of symptoms that my PTSD is presenting?
posted by hippybear at 11:28 AM PST - 19 comments

Please help me identify these plants [more inside]
posted by snownoid at 10:29 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm spending the fall semester in Western Massachusetts, where my health care provider (Kaiser, closed system) does not have facilities. Should I get short-term health care coverage -- and if so, what should I look for, and what should I avoid? [more inside]
posted by MelanieMichelle at 10:12 AM PST - 10 comments

Tell me everything about Japanese coffee milk. [more inside]
posted by glonous keming at 10:00 AM PST - 5 comments

I've had my feline companions for about seven months now. Signs may indicate that they aren't happy here. How do you make that call? [more inside]
posted by mykescipark at 9:42 AM PST - 20 comments

I have four questions about travel at New Years (12/27-1/1) this winter:

• Will brexit screw up travel to London?
• Any preference for Paris or London?
• If my kids bicker a lot is it worth trying to pull off this trip?
• Is getting to the airport on New Years Day possible?

Thanks for any experiences and perspectives. [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 7:06 AM PST - 21 comments

I have come across occasional websites that just don't work with a VPN. Mostly these have been sites where privacy protection is useful, esp if I want to access them from a public wifi. Examples: Experian, health insurance, donations via charity navigator. I know it's due to the VPN because I get an error when I have the VPN on but if I turn off the VPN - lo and behold, the site will work. [more inside]
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 6:37 AM PST - 3 comments

I am exhausted from trying to keep up with my husband's inability to comprehend emotional labor. What does a woman do with a man who is is trying to be better, but seems incapable of it? [more inside]
posted by LoonyLovegood at 4:52 AM PST - 22 comments

I'm looking for humorous, interesting examples from television, film etc. of Grice's maxims and sub-maxims being violated, or flouted to generate a conversational implicatures. Does anyone know of any good examples? [more inside]
posted by ashaw at 3:02 AM PST - 9 comments

I found out this week that my husband cheated on me with a co-worker. He had confessed to the affair a few months earlier but had said that it was only emotional, not physical. I found out this week that it was. He is very contrite, sad, feels absolutely terrible and is doing everything he should to help me and us heal. I went through anger and extreme sadness for about a day or two, but now feel relatively calm and actually clear-headed that I want to work through this. This is, paradoxically, causing me to worry about my sanity. Should I not be angrier? Should I not still be raging, screaming, crying, feeling desperate? What is going on? [more inside]
posted by piranna at 12:42 AM PST - 30 comments

I need advice regarding my teen son traveling solo to NYC. [more inside]
posted by loveandhappiness at 8:43 PM PST - 38 comments

How do I legally abandon a car? [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 7:20 PM PST - 18 comments

My life is hectic and very tightly scheduled; I don't have a lot of time for indulging my hobbies and interests anymore, and I feel like I have become boring. What's some useful self-talk I can use to combat this feeling? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 5:04 PM PST - 12 comments

I have completed a Hat In Time, and most people deem that it is similar to the Nintendo Mario franchise. Are there any solid PC 3D Platform games out there? Or that are coming? It does not have to come from Steam. I cannot seem to find many 3D platformer games--there seems to be a lot on console. Thanks in advance.
posted by RearWindow at 3:17 PM PST - 12 comments

Many years ago I read a paperback that was a series of short stories, each attempting to portray a perfect murder. After each one, there was a critique (if memory serves, by a real policeman) evaluating how perfect the murder actually was. I seem to recall one of the stories was death by frozen mutton (a la Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter") and another had something to do with turning around a plate that had blood samples on it or something. Anyone have any idea what this could be? Google has been unhelpful...
posted by LingeringMoon at 3:14 PM PST - 2 comments

I’m in Paris, staying just south of Norte Dame. I’d love to find a convenient place to watch the World Cup final tomorrow. It starts at 5pm local. It might be just 2 of us, or possibly a group as large as 10, so flexible is best. Bonus side question: is there a good nearby place for breakfast out on a Sunday? Most of the places I found through previous AskMe questions are closed Sundays, or are far from me.
posted by nat at 3:04 PM PST - 3 comments

I recently got a new job (yay!) and the dress code is business tending more to formal (ties, not suits). I feel like I might need a stylist to help get me started, but I'm not sure if there's a service out there willing or capable of dressing a plus-sized butch woman. Please tell me this exists! [more inside]
posted by possibilityleft at 2:50 PM PST - 9 comments

Looking for newsgroups that capture the flavor of the early internet and the 1990s, particularly pop culture, the net and “current” events. [more inside]
posted by kaisemic at 2:28 PM PST - 20 comments

Hi all. Welcome to this addition of what the hell is up with my computer. I'm having trouble viewing videos online. [more inside]
posted by kathrynm at 12:47 PM PST - 8 comments

Please help me figure out this weird home electricity set-up so my house doesn't burn down. [more inside]
posted by zeusianfog at 12:42 PM PST - 14 comments

I have permanent hand damage and chronic pain that is keeping me from engaging in almost all of my hobbies and sports (Netflix, I am so tired of you!) -- and I desperately, desperately need a physical activity to help me manage my stress levels. I can't currently ride either my beloved trail bike or road bike. This may be a long shot, but is there any type of bike that does not rely on having a good hand grip specifically with the thumbs to control the bike and doesn't put pressure on the hands? [more inside]
posted by vers at 12:22 PM PST - 15 comments

I’ve got a book I’d like to give to a cousin who can only do audiobooks, not print or ebooks. There isn’t an audiobook of this title, so I’m going to record it myself. What’s the best way for me to do this with the tools I already have? Looking for tips on the recording itself and the formatting into an audiobook file. [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco at 11:57 AM PST - 14 comments

Looking for good Chinese (Mandarin) Movies and TV series to study Chinese. Must be in Chinese (Mandarin) and should be interesting. Furthermore, they should be freely available to watch or download. Suggestions welcome.
posted by yoyo_nyc at 11:55 AM PST - 8 comments

I’m looking for the holy grail of not-too-cleavage-y cotton-blend women’s layering tanks that can go from business-casual office to weekend wear. [more inside]
posted by blerghamot at 11:33 AM PST - 9 comments

When my daughter was a baby, I got a huge amount of hand-me-downs from generous friends. I pretty much never bought clothes for my daughter until she was about 3 and then went mostly resale clothing for her - better quality for cheaper prices. There's been one outfit, though, from this time, that continues to haunt me for its quality. It got spit on, food on, poo on and it just went through the wash beautifully and with zero stains. I have questions.... [more inside]
posted by amanda at 10:54 AM PST - 8 comments

I've begun to worry lately that my habits regarding looking at people, especially those who I find attractive (which is definitely the better part of the people I know), are somewhat standoffish, rude maybe, almost certainly discouraging to anyone who might return my interest. [more inside]
posted by Peter B-S at 10:06 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm interested in books that explore the place of individuals within the modern industrial world. General areas of interest include technology, nature and climate, history, capitalism and socialism, socialogy, psychology, philosophy, etc. Not interested in the majority of business, memoir, and self help style of non-fiction writing, except for the rare book that transcends the genre. [more inside]
posted by mikek at 9:40 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm a queer woman in my mid-30s. I'm re-entering the world of dating by way of apps like Bumble! I am confused about the expectations of (non-)exclusivity. Please help me navigate/understand! [more inside]
posted by atetrachordofthree at 8:52 AM PST - 7 comments

I have a chair I’d like to paint (see photos of my chair and inspiration). What kind of paint should I use? [more inside]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:28 AM PST - 15 comments

I own a decrepit but well-used camp built in 1910 on a lake in Maine. I think outside of New England it’s called a summer cottage. It’s not something I want to restore it to its original glory because originally it was actually a gas station. However, I would like to avoid a chalet look which seems to be really popular for new camps. Our house is 600 sq feet and we are not ooking to go above 1000 ft.² Can you show me photographs of traditional New England lake homes?
posted by pintapicasso at 7:54 AM PST - 7 comments

I received a Chinese tea set from Singapore. It was well thought of, though had been in storage for many years. The rest of the tea set is in good condition, however the container that is meant for the storage of the tea leaves has these unusual white marks on the outside. Any idea how these marks came about, or how they could be cleaned? [more inside]
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 7:31 AM PST - 6 comments

I have: five prescriptions at CVS that all get filled on different days of the month. I want: all five prescriptions to get in sync and stay in sync. Complication: I make med adjustments not infrequently. Have you gotten this to work? Tell me your secrets. [more inside]
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:44 AM PST - 7 comments

My 10 yr old daughter lives in the UK in a very nice rural area. There's lots of wildlife there. But somehow she doesn't seem to notice. So I'd like to give her a book that might spark that interest. As I live in the NL I don't know something suitable to UK nature. Can you suggest a book or a way to find a title? [more inside]
posted by jouke at 4:32 AM PST - 17 comments

I just temped the yogurt in the top of my fridge, it was 57 degrees Fahrenheit, the bottom two shelves are freezing. I've had a beer bottle explode down there totally frozen. How do I equalize the temperature? [more inside]
posted by Carillon at 2:03 AM PST - 8 comments

Since I was a child, I feel there is something deeply wrong with me, where people push me away instinctively as if I am something sick and twisted. I know others have felt this feeling, and so I wanted to ask for advice as to how people have addressed it when feeling it themselves. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:59 PM PST - 13 comments

I'm pretty much at the top of where I can go at my current company, the problem is I realized I'm overpaid and leaving means a paycut. Stay or go? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:59 PM PST - 9 comments

I want to leave my husband but am clinging to hope. Is this foolish? When to stop hoping and go? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:59 PM PST - 42 comments

I live in a live/work loft in Toronto. Been here 14 years or so. In the past few years, other tenants have decided the area in front of my unit would be great for leaving their unwanted crap (furniture, beds, dishes, you name it) for other tenants to freely take. In addition, other tenants have started letting their cats wander the halls. I do not like either of these things... [more inside]
posted by dobbs at 8:33 PM PST - 23 comments

I've seen this around a lot lately. Just now, a news story about $1200 bunk bed pods was commented on thusly on Twitter: Under Socialism no one will own anything, they said. Under Socialism you’ll live in grim identical barracks, they said. [more inside]
posted by zadcat at 8:02 PM PST - 11 comments

There are many ways to stash quick reference info (system startup keystroke combinations, etc) on my Mac. Sticky Notes, for example. What’s something analogous for iPad that displays an editable reference sheet upon launch? [more inside]
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:48 PM PST - 3 comments

I find myself in a situation where I will be living away from my main house for most of a year, but with intermittent visits back. I’m trying to figure out the best way to watch and maintain it. [more inside]
posted by primethyme at 7:38 PM PST - 14 comments

It's been two years since the last time I asked this question, and it's time to update the play list. I am looking for pop music from all round the world, in as many different languages as possible, to compile into a Spotify playlist for use at a large conference in Las Vegas next month. [more inside]
posted by Lokheed at 6:40 PM PST - 10 comments

We purchased our first home and after taking our third shower in the place we walked downstairs to find a newly formed waterfall coming out of the ceiling. We called a plumber, who referred us to a restoration company, and 24 hours later we have a homeowner's insurance claim started, a completely gutted bathroom, and a basement carpet ripped out. What next? [more inside]
posted by masters2010 at 4:13 PM PST - 8 comments

I've created something and I don't know whether to turn it into research or try to sell it. Please help me figure out where to go from here. [more inside]
posted by past unusual at 3:41 PM PST - 7 comments

What are the best fake diamond stud earrings I can buy? [more inside]
posted by purpleclover at 3:22 PM PST - 6 comments

How can I find out if a specific 7-digit phone number is available in any state the US or UK?
posted by parmanparman at 3:20 PM PST - 4 comments

I have found the platonic ideal of saskatoons (or, amelanchier alnifolia or, bärhäggmispel, depending on who you ask). The problem is, it is only a single tree that has these magical fruits. I want more. In short, how can I graft a saskatoon tree onto a new root stock? [more inside]
posted by vernondalhart at 1:29 PM PST - 5 comments

I have a question about dryer vent exhaust termination as it relates to the International Residential Code (IRC). Exciting details inside. [more inside]
posted by mr_bovis at 12:44 PM PST - 2 comments

I understand that this is not without some controversy. I'm a research scientist with literally hundreds of different collaborators, and read receipts for email would make my life SO MUCH EASIER. It seems like there are solutions for Gmail (Mailtrack being one of them, as I understand it). But my institutional email is Outlook-based and I was wondering if there was a similar solution? I'd prefer non-web-based software (Mac OSX).
posted by baptismal at 12:34 PM PST - 8 comments

I remember seeing and writing down somewhere a word in French that means “Friday’s child” (born on Friday, derived from the popular nursery rhyme). It wasn’t “l'enfant du vendredi“, it was just one word I believe. Anyone?
posted by jitterbug perfume at 12:26 PM PST - 6 comments

I have a few cardigans that are my workday staples, but they're ancient. My three favorites are sort of a jersey-like polyester fabric (sort of like a technical/wicking fabric, but no need for actual athletic performance). A bit fitted/tailored (generally wear over short sleeve or sleeveless tops), not super loose and drapey. Can you help me find new ones (more inside)? [more inside]
posted by Kriesa at 11:45 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm an amateur photographer who's been seeking a "purpose", and I think I found it after reading The Unshakable Necessity of Nature Documentaries in the face of Ecological Ruin". What resources can help me plan vacations and trips to natural areas that will be destroyed in the coming years of climate change? [more inside]
posted by StrawberryPie at 11:45 AM PST - 11 comments

Greetings, I am looking for a book recommendation on behavior change. I am reading Switch, is there a better book or even an app you would recommend on how to create change in your personal life? Hacks for creating new habits?
posted by Boyd at 11:29 AM PST - 13 comments

I record video on an older iPhone and the volume is usually pretty low. When I play it back for my own use with headphone and/or VLC (which lets me boost the volume) it is usually just barely good enough. The problem is I have a recording that was particularly quiet that I would like to submit to others for evaluation. I can't ask them to do anything special to listen so I need to do something to my original to give the volume a hefty boost. Help!
posted by metahawk at 11:01 AM PST - 4 comments

I was sitting on the beach the other night and thinking about movies that are creepy/sci-fi/dystopian that feature ocean/beach scenes and wave sounds. I was thinking of Planet of the Apes, Rogue One, Interstellar, The Road, and the night scenes in Castaway. Can you help me find some others to watch and enjoy? TIA!
posted by ftm at 10:20 AM PST - 36 comments

I am planning to print a book with blurb. I've made the book in in-design using their plugin and their CMYK profile. When I save PDFx files and do test prints on ( giant built into the giant industrial photocopier) printer at work, the yellow in the cover is greenish/muddy/yucky. No amount of replacing the yellow has fixed this. What should do? Bonus question inside that anyone whose used blurb can answer. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:16 AM PST - 11 comments

I'm re-watching Six Feet Under, and I decided to skip the 4th season because I remember how overwrought and not that good it was, compared to the rest of the series. I am just wondering what happened there? Were there different writers? [more inside]
posted by bearette at 8:51 AM PST - 5 comments

Can I use a more modern PATA drive (ATA6?) in an old computer (think Intel 486) that used an ata2 drive? Bonus question, what's the best way to format it to show up in DOS 6.22? FAT12? [more inside]
posted by nzero at 8:30 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm in search of a physical trainer who specializes in running and wacky knees, and will work with me in North Brooklyn. [more inside]
posted by silverstatue at 8:20 AM PST - 3 comments

Most info is below the fold due to the nature of the question, but seeking nudist campground opinion/direction from actual Minnesota nudists. [more inside]
posted by TinWhistle at 7:31 AM PST - 1 comment

My computer is a wildly disorganized mess. The only way to locate things is to use the search function. It is an archeological dig going all the way back to my undergrad-- I'm now in my late 30s-- as well as every job I've ever held, everything I've ever downloaded, etc., etc., etc. I have time to try to wrangle it into shape this summer but I don't know where to start. How does one sift through, thin out, and create order with a disaster of this magnitude? [more inside]
posted by jeszac at 7:28 AM PST - 25 comments

My spouse and I want to begin learning Mandarin. Can you recommend places, tutors, or websites that we can use to pursue that in the LA area? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by miltthetank at 7:24 AM PST - 1 comment

As it says up top, I’m looking for vegan main courses for a picnic. Challenges: is good at room temp, does not contain soy, and is not a salad/couscous or other grain salad/bean salad. I’m stumped but there must be some good ideas out there! Links to recipes especially appreciated. Thank you!
posted by stillmoving at 7:04 AM PST - 19 comments

I have a work trip scheduled to Melbourne, and decided to take a few extra days (maybe up to a week) at the end of July to spend a little time being a tourist before the work starts. [more inside]
posted by PussKillian at 6:52 AM PST - 3 comments

We are stopping in Toronto during our Summer Road Trip Extravaganza (staying in TO July 24 and 25th). Our plans include a Jays game, the Ripleys Aquarium and the CN Tower. Getting a hotel in that that area seems very expensive. We are looking for hotel recommendations that are very subway/transit friendly to get to Downtown Toronto with a couple of not-tiny kids in tow (8 and 11). Or, if miracles exist, a hotel within walking distance of the area that is not a health/safety risk or terribly overpriced. Thanks!
posted by joelhunt at 6:39 AM PST - 12 comments

What have you or your workplace done to improve employee wellbeing without making it all about individual resilience? [more inside]
posted by knapah at 6:16 AM PST - 11 comments

I am not great at communicating with people and I'd like to get better at it. I don't communicate enough and I put off responding to messages and emails. This is true across friends, family, and colleagues. Can you recommend some resources, particularly focused on communication that you think would help? [more inside]
posted by mnfn at 5:12 AM PST - 7 comments

I would like to start a series where I interview people and video-record them. The quality should be good enough to put these interviews on YouTube, Instagram, etc. (is this called a "vlog"?) I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this on a limited budget. [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster at 4:59 AM PST - 3 comments

Movies always have full credits for the songs they use. US TV shows (typically) don't. Why? [more inside]
posted by elgilito at 2:56 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm far from a loved one who is going through a really rough time. So am I. It's unclear how or when it will end, and I have little control. I need songs to help me through this: wistful, lonely songs about a long slog, ideally with tinges of hope and a message of "you can get through this." [more inside]
posted by forza at 9:37 PM PST - 39 comments

I have a bunch of music that is around 75%-80% ready. In some cases I can play all the parts, but not up to speed. In others, there are still some tricky sections that my fingers get tangled up in. What are best practices to get them completely ready to record and play in public? [more inside]
posted by umbú at 6:48 PM PST - 7 comments

I had my bike parked on a bike rack at my local bar. When I went to go leave my front brake was bent so badly out of shape the wheel could not move without taking the brakes off. [more inside]
posted by Ferreous at 6:01 PM PST - 10 comments

About a month ago I booked a solo 2 week vacation to New York City during the first two weeks of August and for the past few weeks I really haven't been excited about it. I'm starting to worry that booking this trip was a mistake and that I'll end up hating my time there. How can I enjoy my vacation?!?! [more inside]
posted by VirginiaPlain at 5:51 PM PST - 50 comments

My boyfriend and I have been together for nearly 2 years, and I'm finding that I am dreading our upcoming anniversary. I am very tempted to end things with him for a few reasons, but I do love him dearly and don't want to back out without giving the relationship a good try. However, I am running out of steam. Since I have no one to share my doubts with I'll have to publish them here in the hope that some kind stranger will offer some advice. Buckle up, because it's a novel. To save boring the pants off you I haven't included every single detail, but I'll make any clarifications you like in the comments. I'm sure I'm not perfect and I welcome insight into my own behaviour, but be kind with me please! I'm only human. [more inside]
posted by PepperPot at 2:31 PM PST - 50 comments

Can I put raw chicken and raw beef in the same bag in the fridge? [more inside]
posted by Tehhund at 2:29 PM PST - 12 comments