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I've been wanting a set of these headphones for a long time but keep balking at the price. I have a set of regular AirPods, which are great for their portability, but I don't currently have anything that will offer the immersive experience you can generally only get from over-the-ear headphones. But are the AirPods Max worth the price? Have you been happy with yours? [more inside]
posted by rpfields at 9:32 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm thinking about getting a 12 ft. skeleton. Might I use it year round? [more inside]
posted by Marky at 9:01 PM PST - 38 comments

I got my dog that I posted about previously, and I'm instantly in love with and obsessed with her (small likely pomchi mix 9 months, Trixie). But I have run into a couple of issues! [more inside]
posted by cboggs at 8:50 PM PST - 8 comments

I need suggestions for where to go, the night of Oct 31st to have drinks with 4-6 people to celebrate a 19th birthday in the Village. More below the fold [more inside]
posted by walkinginsunshine at 5:56 PM PST - 0 comments

I'm used to AWS and really like the CDK/SAM/modular architecture/ability to generate API endpoints/wrapping it in localstack, etc. Most of all AWS is really well-documented. I'm also really confused about the Azure infrastructure. Do I use the SDK? The Azure Graph API? Basically I need to add users to Teams projects, create folders in Teams "drives," place files on them based on what's in other drives, create calendars, monitor files for changes, etc. I have a bunch of bash scripts that have gotten out of control and other people want to do this. I'd like there to be a Web API of some sort, a "service principal" that monitors and does tasks based on events like what would come out of EventBridge (file changed, monitor what changed, and respond to it). Also, store things in a db of some sort at some point. I'm not tied to any language/framework for the backend but will probably go with Typescript or Python and for the frontend I care less about organizing as it will just authenticate and call the API (leaning towards WebComponents/Lit with a MaterialUI component library). Thoughts on the backend having some like AWS has? Bonus points if it is well documented? [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 5:39 PM PST - 5 comments

Tell me about the best sandwiches you have ever made or eaten. [more inside]
posted by doift at 5:32 PM PST - 84 comments

I'm thinking about getting a brick wall built to replace our chain link fence. Has anyone done this? How did it go? What should I look for in a mason? How much did it cost? (We're looking at about 60 linear feet.)
posted by ignignokt at 4:52 PM PST - 2 comments

An old bottle of Trinidad-style Hot Sauce (Scotch Bonnet, vinegar, garlic, & various things) has been in our fridge for several years (uh let's say at least five or so, used occasionally). It seems to smell and look like it should. Safe to use in moderation?
posted by ovvl at 4:48 PM PST - 8 comments

TW: pet loss. My dog passed away suddenly a few days ago. I have my dog's lab results that were taken a few hours before he died, and after looking into what those high numbers mean, I believe my vet may have undertreated my dog's dehydration and potentially led to his sudden death. I have had a great working relationship with this vet for years, so it is breaking my heart thinking she may have made such a serious error. Should I talk to her about what happened? Ideas on coping with this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:15 PM PST - 10 comments

I want to create shared digital photo albums, but need suggestions for the most convenient platforms to let everyone contribute conveniently. [more inside]
posted by Cogito at 1:08 PM PST - 4 comments

Hello there! I am going to be visiting London for a week at the end of October, and staying in Hackney Central, while walking to Dalston daily. I'll be posting more questions over the next couple of weeks about other stuff to do while I'm there—but with this question, I would like to focus on recommendations for local eateries and food shopping. See inside for special snowflake stuff. Thanks! [more inside]
posted by not_on_display at 12:05 PM PST - 15 comments

Do you have any tips for deodorizing artwork on paper with a musty smell that cannot get wet because the ink will bleed? I am currently putting it in the sun for a bit, but I am pretty sure that it will need more work.
posted by mortaddams at 11:37 AM PST - 6 comments

How do I kick out my clothes moths during my upcoming move? There’s been some great asks before, but I have specific questions about furniture as well as clothes. [more inside]
posted by Bunglegirl at 10:20 AM PST - 5 comments

Sometimes I need to look at a YouTube video that is not embedded in a web page, because a link sends me to YouTube itself. When that happens, the regular YouTube page contains not just the video I want to watch: it contains a long list of other videos suggested by YouTube. They are intensely distracting for me – I can't stop noticing them, and merely looking at them destroys my concentration even if I never click on any of them. Is there any extension for Safari (or another browser) that will remove those suggested videos completely? [more inside]
posted by StrawberryPie at 10:19 AM PST - 9 comments

I am looking for any advice I can get on how to record myself playing the guitar and singing, to help it sound as good as possible given my considerable limitations on both instruments. I have a small mixing board, an audio device, a Heil PR-22 microphone, a Sennheiser e835 microphone, and Audacity (though I'm happy to consider a different DAW solution, especially if it's free or cheap.) My acoustic guitar has a pickup and electronics, but I'm unsure of their quality or if mic'ing the guitar would be better. I know very little about recording, mixing, any of that. I'm not looking to become an expert audio engineer, just to do my little thing and have a decent recording to share around to friends and perhaps MuMe. Any tips much appreciated, including mic technique for singing.
posted by slappy_pinchbottom at 10:16 AM PST - 8 comments

X is to gummy candies as full-size chocolate bars are to miniature chocolate bars. What is X?
posted by bq at 9:55 AM PST - 13 comments

We've researched the Concept2 BikeErg and it seems to meet our requirements: solid, quiet, provides a good workout, app options, doesn't have a huge footprint, two people (5'6" and 6' with inseams in the recommended range) can use it comfortably, two people can carry it up to a third floor apartment and set it up without professional intervention. Before dropping coin I wanted to ask the BikeErg owners of MeFi: 1. What do you love about it? 2. What do you NOT love? 3. What do you wish you had known before buying it? Thank you!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 8:33 AM PST - 1 comment

Hi! I got a great, unworn wool/polyester blend peacoat from Poshmark, in a gorgeous plum color! Yay! But... while it is unworn, it has clearly been stored in a storage unit or basement or something, and it smells very musty. Not moldy, and there are no stains or anything -- just a noticeable smell. The nearest dry cleaner to me is out of my way -- any at-home tips for de-0stinking it? Preferably without leaving it strongly scented with perfumes or anything?
posted by maryellenreads at 7:35 AM PST - 17 comments

We have access to delicious locally raised, grass fed lamb (and sometimes mutton). What are the best cookbooks that have a strong focus on lamb? We are looking for a cookbook with LOTS of different recipes. [more inside]
posted by ellerhodes at 6:19 AM PST - 5 comments

Is there a definitional difference between "poo" and "poop"? Seeking evidence-based linguistic answers. [more inside]
posted by tickingclock at 9:26 PM PST - 35 comments

Given my lifestyle, what used car should I buy? [more inside]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:39 PM PST - 26 comments

I have been sewing and embroidering drawstring bags and want to figure out how to secure them with the same efficiency of a plastic toggle with a spring, but without using plastic. Happy to buy a replacement product, even happier to learn how to make my own. And yes, I can tie a knot but those tighten over time - unless you have an awesome boat knot that would work? Crafty mefites help me get my dream of putting everything in my house in an embroidered bag.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 8:27 PM PST - 11 comments

Hi. Usually my questions stem from my lack of tech-savviness, but not this time. With cooler temperatures returning in my little corner of the world, and having grown tired of cheap slippers that fall apart shortly after I buy them, I'm ready to pay more in order to get a quality product designed to last. [more inside]
posted by DavidfromBA at 7:34 PM PST - 22 comments

What are things I can do to zone out that don’t involve screens or eating? [more inside]
posted by CMcG at 5:59 PM PST - 35 comments

English grammar question: "The house __________ we visited yesterday was beautiful." [more inside]
posted by zardoz at 5:21 PM PST - 19 comments

Where do people sell things locally? Craigslist seems to be dead, Facebook Marketplace is nothing but scammers. How do I get rid of stuff that I don't want but that is too valuable to give away? [more inside]
posted by bondcliff at 2:26 PM PST - 22 comments

We (our family) like to yell PG exclamations at each other - OMG! Sheesh! Whoa. Oh COME ON! etc. Now that 12 yo is learning French, we want to do some French exclaiming, too! What do French people yell at each other? [more inside]
posted by Omnomnom at 2:15 PM PST - 37 comments

My elderly mom received a survey which appears to be run by the US Census bureau. It says its the American Community Survey. She knows it's not a Census year and asked me for help as she thought it might be a scam. She finds the questions extremely intrusive and would rather not fill this out. Has anyone received this? Is it really compulsory or can she skip filling this out?
posted by vacapinta at 2:03 PM PST - 22 comments

Whenever I buy English muffins, regardless of the brand, they come in a package with a paperboard sleeve that stacks them in three rows of two. It takes up a lot of space, and I've also been told the sleeve retains moisture and encourages mold. So why waste money on it? [more inside]
posted by Roy Batty at 1:42 PM PST - 17 comments

So... my cat had surgery to remove an intestinal blockage and has another 10 days at least of wearing the elizabethan collar to stop them from getting at the sutures. Have you used a surgery suit for a cat (male)? Would you recommend one?
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:48 PM PST - 6 comments

My work uses Google Workspace to host our email. Some emails that come in have attachments flagged as “can’t be verified as safe”. How do I test if they are safe to open? [more inside]
posted by john_snow at 12:24 PM PST - 4 comments

Hi, just got a bill from a service where the card on file was expired, and it looks like they still somehow billed me. It appears that they may have updated the cc expiration date to make it go through but I still need to call them to ask. [more inside]
posted by q*ben at 11:06 AM PST - 14 comments

Frankie is an indoor/outdoor cat. I tried keeping her inside for over a year but it made us both miserable. Fortunately I live in a pretty safe neighborhood. This winter my house is being remodeled and I’ll have to move out for 3-6 months. How should we keep Frankie safe and out of harms way during this time? [more inside]
posted by genmonster at 10:01 AM PST - 11 comments

I live in a 2-family house. We are thinking of installing a level-2 charger. We would like to let our neighbor use the same charger, if they get an EV. What is the best way to keep track of how much each of us is charging, so we can share the electricity cost? [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 9:13 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm feeling very guilty about calling in sick yesterday and today. I just passed my 3 month probation and have only been sick one other day but I'm concerned they will flag me as a malingerer. [more inside]
posted by Sunflower88 at 7:44 AM PST - 16 comments

More specifically, this particular form of denial, There Is No Climate Emergency [more inside]
posted by mumimor at 3:05 AM PST - 14 comments

Coming from Portland, OR, I need--ASAP-- a place to spend a week to 10 days alone without anyone bothering me. Have a biological attraction to wilderness, alpine, ocean front, mountains, plains, high desert. Just give me space and a space.
posted by nenequesadilla at 10:35 PM PST - 15 comments

There's a poem I'm trying to find that's about grading essays about "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" (I think, could be a different Frost poem) but procrastinating, and maybe it's getting late and the narrator is drinking wine and the essays aren't getting graded. It's got the wit of Billy Collins but I don't think it's by him. This has become un-Googleable, please help.
posted by one_bean at 9:23 PM PST - 6 comments

There was a movie I saw when I was a kid, sometime in the 1970s or 1980s. It may have been a made for TV movie. It involved a group of young people who go to a tropical remote island where a mad scientist used to live -- maybe they were his grad students? -- and there they get chased by the scientist's creation, a humanoid monster made of mud. At one point in the movie the monster's hand gets cut off when they close a door on it and the hand moves on its own and comes after them. I remember scenes of running down wide jungly paths at dusk. Does this ring any bells? For a long time I thought it had been called "The Golem", but neither of the movies with that name I found match my memories.
posted by slappy_pinchbottom at 8:55 PM PST - 3 comments

I downloaded this zine, written by an LA based trans woman documenting her transition and sex life, in the summer of 2020. I remember she gave all her partners a hookup review card which were put in the zine. It was raunchy, but also showed the entanglement of sex and gender in a way that made an impression on me. [more inside]
posted by pomomo at 8:38 PM PST - 2 comments

Want to watch media from my computer, and without having to manually configure the bluetooth delay (this is the key). This seems possible since phones do it, but snowflake details within! [more inside]
posted by wooh at 7:28 PM PST - 6 comments

Have you taken the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain 5-day intensive drawing workshop? How was it? [more inside]
posted by Dotty at 6:51 PM PST - 1 comment

Hi! I recently found some old family related documents, but can’t make heads of tails of the attached handwriting. [more inside]
posted by pipian at 6:37 PM PST - 4 comments

We're replacing our ancient furnace and AC with a heat pump system soon. Should the brand of system sway the decision more than our experience with the prospective installers? [more inside]
posted by Tehhund at 6:27 PM PST - 9 comments

I am very late to the Twitter game indeed, but have been recently set on fire to play harder after recent events in Canada. As background, I use a cel phone to make phone calls, and more recently to take photos and listen to music: I don't try and type on that thing at all. And the notion of restricting a thought to an arbitrary 156 characters is poisonous to thought itself in my estimation. [more inside]
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 5:29 PM PST - 22 comments

There is an out-of-print woodworking book on puzzle boxes that I would like to buy as a gift for my father, an award-winning woodworker. However, the cheapest copy I can find online is +$80. There is a $14.99 Kindle version, but that won't do for Dad Swan, who doesn't own or use any internet devices. Is there a cost-efficient way to have the Kindle version printed in full colour? (My printer is least 18 years old and is only up to the job of printing word documents, so that's not an option.)
posted by orange swan at 4:02 PM PST - 11 comments

We're planning to spend a few months at a time in Los Angeles and Georgia, and the biggest concern (of course) is keeping our cats with us for the longer durations. Any suggestions, tips, from frequent flyers with house cats on how to best go approach getting them coast to coast? [more inside]
posted by Unsomnambulist at 3:26 PM PST - 10 comments

(Posting for a friend) I’ve started journaling using Notes on iOS. I’m looking for a program that lets me do what I want to do but doesn’t overwhelm me with stuff I’m not interested in. Notes is adequate but doesn’t let me seamlessly switch between iPad and iPhone very easily. [more inside]
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:17 PM PST - 15 comments

I went to see a play recently and managed to catch a couple of Fox's Glacier Fruits that an actor threw into the audience. I know the perishability of boiled sweets might make this impossible, but can you help me brainstorm an offbeat way to preserve and display them? [more inside]
posted by Orkney Vole at 1:35 PM PST - 11 comments

YANML: Help me understand the BC Limitation Act in regards to overdue strata fees. [more inside]
posted by burntflowers at 11:58 AM PST - 3 comments

I have a Samsung Galaxy s10. When I'm listening to a podcast with wired headphones, I can double-press the pause/play button on the headphones to skip ahead (30 seconds in a podcast, or next song in a music player). I want to be able to do this with the hard buttons on the phone with the screen still locked. Is that possible? [more inside]
posted by HE Amb. T. S. L. DuVal at 11:25 AM PST - 4 comments

About a month ago, while looking for a hotel in Chicago for October 6-8, all the hotel rates I saw were about twice as high as normal (~$400/night instead of the usual ~$200/night). What's going on in Chicago next weekend to make the rates so high?
posted by ShooBoo at 11:23 AM PST - 5 comments

If I search for a person's Twitter account in a browser and click on their link, I get old random tweets, not current ones. Is it possible right now for a non-account holder to read a person's current public tweets? How about tweets and responses? If not, is there a site that republishes people's tweet threads?
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 10:59 AM PST - 6 comments

A very close friend of mine has been sued for sexual harrassment. I have no idea how to handle this. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:44 AM PST - 26 comments

How do kids' brains develop? I moved to a new town and am now babysitting a 4-year-old and 1-year-old. They are fascinating! I want to learn how to be a good babysitter and uncle. Please recommend resources and ideas that might be useful. [more inside]
posted by rebent at 10:17 AM PST - 18 comments

I am going to be living out of a suitcase for a month (with no access to stores), and during that time I will be going to a Halloween party and will need a costume. Help me brainstorm a costume that is very light and packable? [more inside]
posted by nanook at 9:43 AM PST - 34 comments

I will be flying from Chicago to Philly on Saturday morning, and my brother just forwarded me an ominous message from a friend who saw some shutdown related chaos already in airports. Anyone got any inside intel or tips? [more inside]
posted by Glinn at 9:14 AM PST - 16 comments

In the Korean series Wok of Love, a supposed Nietzsche's quote is often repeated: "I don't care how many times it is I want to relive this sickening life." [more inside]
posted by plant or animal at 8:38 AM PST - 10 comments

I now have a 100% remote job, and want to couple that with visiting family and friends, most likely with a 1-3 week lead time. What sites do you use to find the best deals?
posted by Silvery Fish at 8:34 AM PST - 7 comments

So I have a VPN now, what video can I stream? [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 7:52 AM PST - 3 comments

We are going to Portland, Maine for a weekend in October. We plan to go for a drive to see foliage (and we are willing to do a long drive for that), but what else should we do, see and eat? Snowflake details inside! [more inside]
posted by rednikki at 7:50 AM PST - 20 comments

It's been a WEEK. I took my puffer at work several times, when I wasn't able to rinse my mouth, and I think it gave me oral thrush (a known side effect). I'm also on penicillin for strep throat - so I can't tell if the gross "coated" feeling in my mouth is from the strep, or from thrush. Is there some kind of DIY remedy I can use to try to kill the thrush? Thank you for any advice.
posted by anonymous at 7:31 AM PST - 9 comments

I have a diagnosis of ADHD inattentive (ADD), a psych doc, & prescription meds. I've done talk therapy. I am desperately in need of practical, real help with learning to executive function. I'm probably describing an ADHD coach but my financial situation is bad so I need someone who is in network with BCBS insurance. I'm in CT, USA. Any suggestions, whether specific people or what the kinds of specialists who do practical work with people who have executive function disorders are called? ADHD levels of additional detail below the fold. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:31 AM PST - 7 comments

I'd never gone to The Verge's homepage until very recently, so I don't know if this is something new or not, but without fail visiting that page over the past month or two makes the fans on my laptop start blowing extremely hard within a minute or so, and sometimes sooner. I've noticed no other webpages doing this. Any idea what's going on? [more inside]
posted by nobody at 7:10 AM PST - 10 comments

I suffer from anxiety which I believe is part of a wider trauma response to an emotionally abusive parent. I'm now 10 years very low contact and have done a lot of work on this in therapy. As I work on it, I'm realising that my anxiety is quite specifically centred on fear of getting in trouble/disappointing figures in authority but am still struggling to move past it and looking for advice on that. [more inside]
posted by pandabanter at 5:45 AM PST - 25 comments

Just created a new Gmail account and didn't publish the address anywhere. In a few hours I started getting ads to this account. The ads are sent from mail-noreply [ at] google.com and the links in the ads are all to https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?manystrings_and_parameters

Are Google sending me those ads? Did I agree to that?
posted by hananc at 4:29 AM PST - 19 comments

[UK filter] Did some grocery shopping at a supermarket. Bought approx 10 items which were roughly £2-5 each with a total of £40. Paid by credit card. Came home, checked the receipt and lo behold, I paid for (but did not receive) a food luxury item that cost £10! Let's assume this was deliberate and not a mistake. How did the cashier steal from me? [more inside]
posted by moiraine at 4:10 AM PST - 18 comments

I have a box of frozen pepperoni pizzas. I left them out overnight. I'm thinking...bread, tomato sauce, cheese, cured meat...it actually sounds like it would be fine, no? Can I just put it in the freezer and act like this never happened?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:55 AM PST - 13 comments

I recently came across a description of a novel (either a publisher's website or on Amazon) that is either about the Sufi saint Sarmad Kashani or a fictional character modeled on him. [more inside]
posted by randlesc at 11:09 PM PST - 2 comments

I have this bit of dialog stuck in my head from a children's (presumably somewhat educational) video game from the 1990s: "To make fried ice cream I need three cups of sugar", and "How sweet it is". What is the game? [more inside]
posted by xxx9038709992203 at 7:22 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm helping someone renew their recently expired UK passport. They (and I) live in the USA. Also, the UK government's helpful online tool doesn't load... what now? [more inside]
posted by serelliya at 4:01 PM PST - 15 comments

Although "A Frog in a Kenwood Mixer" is a well known punchline, I have a specific memory of a British comedian saying it, I think from one of the comedy records of the 1980s, someone from the Not The Nine O'Clock News team for example, or a Python. Does anyone know where I will have heard it and who from?
posted by feelinglistless at 3:37 PM PST - 11 comments

I've been getting loan offers through Credit Karma and others...should I get one in order to pay off my credit card debt? More info under the fold... [more inside]
posted by Molasses808 at 12:58 PM PST - 16 comments

I've been watching a lot of movies from the 80's with my kids: Uncle Buck, Goonies, Flight of the Navigator. These are movies for kids about kids, and the kids swear a lot to each other (rarely to adults, but sometimes). The adults rarely swear, if at all. I feel like the 80's had the christian right and moral majority in the US, so I'm pretty surprised that movies would have children swearing then, but not now. What changed?
posted by Toddles at 12:21 PM PST - 26 comments

I need to practice accepting help from the caring people in my life. The Miss Independent schtick needs to stop, and I want to be gracious and allow them to help me when they offer. In the past I may have felt I had something to prove, but I've realized I can't do life completely on my own. How did you learn to accept help that's being offered to you? How did you remind yourself to try again when people let you down?
posted by Juniper Toast at 12:15 PM PST - 11 comments

I am desperately trying and failing to think of a mellow electronic album from the 90s. It appeared on multiple best-of lists for ambient or downtempo IDM, and the name of the album is its run length (Track names are also run lengths.) All I can recall is that the cover is yellow green. Thanks!
posted by Going To Maine at 11:52 AM PST - 3 comments

I received an email that looked like it was ABSOLUTELY from my bank (Chase), and bore no marks of being fake or phishing, regarding a claim I had recently filed. Everything looked 100% legit, and I had in fact filed a claim. It took me to a *real letter about my real claim*. I called my bank a few days later and they said that the email was a phishing scam. Lots of details inside that are frankly frightening and bizarre. [more inside]
posted by tzikeh at 11:25 AM PST - 19 comments

Pretty much what it says on the tin. I want an analog wall clock for my room but I don't want to feel like I'm going to sleep in the clock shop every night. Battery operated is best but not necessary. Thanks!!!
posted by kensington314 at 11:22 AM PST - 10 comments

Our dog's attitude has changed post knee surgery, and seems more easily triggered by coyote neighbors - what are some solutions? [more inside]
posted by kilohertz at 11:18 AM PST - 5 comments

I want to put that soft plastic wrap stuff around a window to prevent drafts from getting in, but I want to put it OUTSIDE, on the brick (old, dirty) around the window. Is there a tape that would work for this? (inside it's complicated, with window bars)
posted by DMelanogaster at 10:51 AM PST - 11 comments

I'm planning to buy a house in the next year in an area I'm still very unfamiliar with. To get my feet wet, I want to start going to open houses. Is there an app that will help me figure out what order to look in when there are several at around the same time? This is in Utah if that helps. [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 10:25 AM PST - 4 comments

I just recently figured out how to use shortcuts/Automation on my iPhone (connecting to audio devices and starting up a Spotify playlist) and thought it could simplify my life a bit. Do you all have any great ideas on how to automate/shorten some steps do things? I have no smart home enabled devices.
posted by sandmanwv at 10:13 AM PST - 2 comments

USAian visiting Rome in a few weeks - trying to load up my phone with apps I might use there. So far I've got Omio, The Fork, Tiqets, Maps.me and a couple of others. What are your best recommendations? Is there a good Uber/Lyft equivalent or Taxi app?
posted by Right On Red at 9:52 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm moving by myself, and I'm trying to find a simple, easy way to donate a big box of office supplies (binders, folders, envelopes of various sizes, unused notebooks of various sizes, pencils, pens...) [more inside]
posted by firemonkey at 9:52 AM PST - 4 comments

A friend of mine was told something about herpes by her OBGYN and I'm confused. [more inside]
posted by zooropa at 8:39 AM PST - 8 comments

I just saw the documentary "Empire of Dust" (2011) about a Chinese crew building a road in Congo and enjoyed it. (You may have seen the "It's all so tiresome" meme from this movie.) Does anyone know where the two main characters, Eddy and Lao Yang, are today? Is the road they were working on done?
posted by Borborygmus at 7:15 AM PST - 1 comment

For the first time, I've got an iPhone (15 Pro) that supports AR/3D capture. What are the best, most useful, and most interesting apps that utilize AR, 3D, or other uses of the multi-camera and sensor doodads? I'm interested primarily in tools/utilities, but also games and other unique uses. [more inside]
posted by O Time, Thy Pyramids at 6:28 AM PST - 3 comments

I need to do some old-fashioned outreach by putting up an A4 size paper on light poles and who knows what else. It is rainy here. Also, some people may want to tear it down because it involves a new queer women’s meet up that I am starting. Please share everything you know about the best way of attaching this piece of paper to various objects and making it hard to pull down. I want it to stay up until the end of November.
posted by Bella Donna at 6:04 AM PST - 10 comments

PhD applicant in the US. I met with two POI (people of interest) from the same department and one asked me to let them know of my decision. Does this mean that I should notify both of whom I want to work with before applying? If so, how can I do this respectfully and without burning a bridge? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:54 AM PST - 15 comments

We are covering this with her doctor and counsellor, but would welcome some additional perspectives. My kid and I, both neurodivergent, rely on apples as a major snack/food and when we counted up, we realised we each eat up to 12 apples a day. We also eat other veggies and fruit, but apples are eaten all day long. Should I gently be bringing this down? Our friends and family are taken aback by just how many we go through.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 12:16 AM PST - 45 comments

A family member had a significant birthday so I went out of town for four days. Lots of gatherings and distractions ensued. I did send a note and video to my spouse the second day and got a short message back. When I got home, I was chastised more than once because I didn’t let them know the first day that I’d arrived at my destination. Then it blew up. A lot. [more inside]
posted by Gusaroo at 10:10 PM PST - 43 comments

During the last two presidential election years, there’s been a lot of Trump-y awfulness in my community. I did my best to help my kid make sense of what she saw each day, but sometimes I was too angry about what I’d seen to frame anything constructively for her. As 2024 approaches, I am worried that we have another ugly year ahead of us. What are your strategies for living through 2024 without losing faith in the humanity of those around you?
posted by TEA at 8:53 PM PST - 14 comments

There used to be a thing where you could add any link to a shareable "wishlist" just by clicking the extension while you were looking at a site you wanted to add. It deprecated long ago. Has anything replaced it? [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:35 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm thinking of going from the East Coast to Dublin then Edinburgh from mid- to late October. Would 10 days be enough for both cities? I've never been to either. I could go as long as 12 days. [more inside]
posted by the sobsister at 8:28 PM PST - 17 comments

My parents and I are going to San Diego for a week in mid-November. What should we definitely not miss while we're there? [more inside]
posted by darchildre at 5:44 PM PST - 11 comments

My nose runs constantly from September to May and I don't know why I have tolerated it this long. It's embarrassing in work meetings and just, like, in general life. Someone in another question recently said they were moisturizing their nasal passages / sinuses but there was no explanation how. [more inside]
posted by mireille at 4:29 PM PST - 13 comments

I am panicking over upcoming performance reviews, to the point that I even asked my boss to confirm that if they had concerns about my performance we would already be discussing them. It did not assuage my anxiety. I need help understanding what's reasonable to ask. [more inside]
posted by crunchy potato at 4:13 PM PST - 17 comments

It's (going to be) that time of year again, where I find gifts for people who already have everything. Recommend me some good nonfiction books from this year or last (but not too good, or they'd already own them). [more inside]
posted by queen anne's remorse at 3:57 PM PST - 16 comments

I've been travelling for a month, and am desperate to sleep in my old, familiar bed under my old familiar sheets, not the too-firm mattress with the too-thick duvet and too-thin pillow that I'm sleeping on tonight. Which got me thinking; Bill Gates and the Pope travel a fair bit, is this a problem we share? [more inside]
posted by Superilla at 3:17 PM PST - 16 comments

At an affordable price? Also acceptable if it's somewhere that will ship to the UK for reasonable shipping fees. [more inside]
posted by chives at 3:10 PM PST - 2 comments

Which part of the barrel is positive (inner or outer)? [more inside]
posted by rozcakj at 1:18 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm about to start heating exclusively using a woodstove in the Northeast US. I'm buying a face cord initially because I can't store much wood on the property. I'm planning to store half of that on an indoor rack. Any major issues? I know bugs are a problem with seasoned wood, but kiln-dried is another story, right?
posted by asimplemouse at 12:39 PM PST - 8 comments

My brother has come into possession of a pair of handguns. I'm extremely concerned that his temper and impulsivity will lead to a dangerous situation. How can I express this to him in a way that will make him re-think this decision to keep these guns in his home? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:30 PM PST - 30 comments

[TW] Suicide Prior tenant took their life by hanging five months ago. Property was painted and even saged in the interim. New tenant is about to sign lease. State law doesn’t require disclosure but tenant may learn about this from neighbors. Should the landlord get ahead of this by disclosing and if so how?
posted by Dragonness at 12:26 PM PST - 19 comments

My local middle school's librarian tells me they're in need of books in Ukrainian for students who are learning English. I told her I'd try to find some to donate but am struggling to find anything appropriate for kids who are approximately 10-14 years old. [more inside]
posted by SeedStitch at 12:03 PM PST - 5 comments

I used to read prodigiously, mostly novels. I still read a lot, but now mostly short stuff on the web, like Metafilter and news. Please recommend engaging books. [more inside]
posted by Mom at 12:02 PM PST - 38 comments

I am travelling to Brussels via Amsterdam in late October. Can I, as a tourist, get a booster in either place? [more inside]
posted by In Your Shell Like at 11:29 AM PST - 4 comments

I have two nephews (ages 3 and 6) who love Halloween. Since they live in LA and don't have a ton of opportunities for autumnal activities, I wanted to send them a care package themed on the five senses of Halloween. It would contain small gifts and experiences that can be spaced out over the month of October to help them get excited for the holiday and season. Examples inside. [more inside]
posted by egeanin at 10:25 AM PST - 11 comments

For reasons, I can’t put weight on my right foot for an unknown period of time. I live alone. I can ask a few friends for help but I don’t really have someone who can drop by daily. I’m trying to project-manage this. [more inside]
posted by bunderful at 10:16 AM PST - 19 comments

I'm trying to decide if I should continue shock wave therapy on a badly plantar fascia'd foot. [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:16 AM PST - 4 comments

The ceilings in my home are freshly skim coated and retextured. Now I need to paint them. I want to minimize off gassing and weird smells (several good options these days) while also not using a paint with plastic in it (not so easy these days). [more inside]
posted by Number Used Once at 9:13 AM PST - 11 comments

What are the international equivalents of Serious Eats? [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot at 9:03 AM PST - 3 comments

Despite adding ties to each of the corners, my duvet always slips down inside its cover while I go to pull it up at night, and it's driving me crazy. How do I remedy this? [more inside]
posted by knownassociate at 8:54 AM PST - 21 comments

In the US and I think much of Europe, the idea of three meals a day, with possible snacks, is treated as if it's set in stone. I'd like to know what alternatives there have been in different time periods and cultures. [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 8:30 AM PST - 10 comments

Bonus if it freezes well. Bonus if it re-heats well. Bonus if it doesn't include olives. Soup or main meal, doesn't matter. [more inside]
posted by HeyAllie at 7:21 AM PST - 33 comments

I want to permanently remap the Windows key to Ctrl on my gaming laptop running Windows 11 Home. I am pretty technical and happy to go well under the hood but don't have deep understanding of Windows, as I am more of a linux/mac person. [more inside]
posted by Rhedyn at 3:20 AM PST - 7 comments

A friend recently died in a tragic accident. I mailed a sympathy card to friend's partner. At the the graveside service, as I hugged partner, partner said, "I got your card." I responded, "I'm glad the post office got it to you." Now, I'm like, "Doh, that was a stupid thing to say. Complaining about the potential unreliability of the postal service at a time like that?" I keep thinking about what I said, and wishing I had just responded, "Good." Is my obsessing just a result of the stress of my friend dying, or is what I said actually inept?
posted by anonymous at 2:02 AM PST - 30 comments

I am from the USA and vote Democratic. I would describe myself as center-left. I do a lot of international travel and spend very little time in the US. I am interested in world history and current events. Sadly, this is inhibiting my personal growth and interfering with my social life. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:34 AM PST - 22 comments

Elderly parent fell last night. Alcohol was a factor. They're home now. What is next? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:33 AM PST - 17 comments

My partner recently discovered this piece of advice from the EPA, recommending against hot water for cooking, drinking or making baby formula, due to elevated levels of lead. So why is it OK to rub all over ourselves, our clothes and our dishes? [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 12:30 AM PST - 29 comments

I'm going to Hawaii (the island) for a week. What's not to miss? I'm staying around Kailua-Kona. I will have a car. [more inside]
posted by so fucking future at 7:24 PM PST - 26 comments

We're planning to visit Portugal at the end of the year. Yes, we know that this is not the ideal time to visit, but this is what's worked out on the schedule. We've spent more time in central/south Portugal, want to see some of the north this time. [more inside]
posted by Runes at 6:06 PM PST - 6 comments

Have used Shutterfly off and on for years, but recent attempts have had weird-color and noticeably-pixelly results, from a modern iPhone camera and standard small sizes (4x6 and 5x7). I'm finding some anecdotal reports of this with others, but y'know, not quite anecdata. Are you regularly using Shutterfly to print phone camera photos? If so, how are you getting good results?
posted by curious nu at 5:30 PM PST - 3 comments

How can I make sure the right version of a prescription is being ordered? For some reason Walgreens can't or won't look for my other prescriptions for the same medication (same dosage and same 90-day time period) when one is out of refills. [more inside]
posted by soelo at 5:09 PM PST - 7 comments

I have chronic daily headaches. And like lot of people, laptop screens make the headaches worse after a short amount of time. But my iPhone screens doesn't seem to have the same effect. I really want to figure out why! [more inside]
posted by cgg at 4:37 PM PST - 16 comments

I am trying to find out more information about a serious car accident that I narrowly escaped being a part of but am having trouble getting a confirmation that the accident even occurred. Can you help? More info inside. [more inside]
posted by The Adventure Begins at 3:08 PM PST - 8 comments

I had a consultation for Lasik, and was considered eligible. What questions would you recommend I ask the doctor before making a major decision like this, and did you have any negative experiences with Lasik? [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 2:59 PM PST - 35 comments

Has anyone used the web site Zeffy for fund-raising? How was your experience -- either as a donor or the non-profit organization? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 12:59 PM PST - 1 comment

I order food via instacart. Every time I order they bring me a bunch of reusable bags because plastic bags are illegal. I do not take the bags to the supermarket because I do not go to the supermarket. My sewing machine finally came!!! I want to get started playing. Any reason not to use the bags as backing? Obviously not for a bed quilt, but for placemats or a totebag or maybe a put-it-on-the-wall/door christmas piece? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:45 AM PST - 13 comments

How many days has it rained in Boston since June 1st? It feels like it's been raining almost constantly all summer. [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 11:44 AM PST - 5 comments

I am looking for songs with land-line telephone sounds - particularly dial tones or busy signals - used as musical elements. [more inside]
posted by niicholas at 11:26 AM PST - 53 comments

I'm looking for a new bike helmet that has mounts or a good shape/holes for mounting a front and rear light. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by Mid at 10:36 AM PST - 7 comments

I am wondering, does anyone know what kind of piano this is?
posted by RearWindow at 10:28 AM PST - 3 comments

Spin-off from today's phone etiquette FPP: Why do you use your cell phone like this? Were you taught that's a good way? Because you see others doing it? To be closer to the microphone? Cancer fear? Please explain.
posted by Rash at 10:22 AM PST - 35 comments

I had asked for permission to shoot at Medfield State Hospital but haven’t heard back. What are some other locations in Eastern Massachusetts—preferably close to the T/commuter rail—that give off an abandoned hospital vibe and would be available for a mid-October shoot? [more inside]
posted by pxe2000 at 9:49 AM PST - 8 comments

I have an old postcard and I’d like to know two things about it: how it was made, and how much I can enlarge it and still have it look good as wall art. [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 9:22 AM PST - 7 comments

A guy who reports to a guy who reports to me wants a raise. I want to make sure that he is not already getting paid more than two women who report to me. They are all at the same pay grade. Only upper management and HR have access to salaries. Can I just ask everybody what they're paid? Or is that not okay? [more inside]
posted by musofire at 8:12 AM PST - 15 comments

I would like recipes/ideas for thermos-friendly (i.e. somewhat wet...figure about as wet as chili) meals I can make with a rotisserie chicken, rice, and beans or lentils. This would for lunches for my 6 year old who licks the thermos clean anytime there's any combo of rice and beans in there. I would make a batch, and freeze it in single servings. Bonus for instant-pot friendly and calorie-dense. Oh, and vegetables are good too, I guess. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:28 AM PST - 6 comments

How can I best drop off two kids, via a walking commute, on a very rainy day? Kids in question are a baby (needs to be in a carrier or stroller) and a preschooler (can scoot, walk, ride on the back of the stroller, or stroll if baby is in carrier). The walk is about 15 minutes though slower if preschooler is walking/scooting. Keeping this open ended so I can hear how others do it. I'd also love to hear about the gear you use for kids and adults.
posted by neematoad at 7:17 AM PST - 13 comments

The gas to my building has been shut off indefinitely because of leaks. There is no hot water or heat. I need to find a way to take ice cold showers. I’ve tried but can’t seem to force myself. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 3:01 AM PST - 36 comments

I know I should be able to connect via my phone, but I have questions. [more inside]
posted by Marky at 11:37 PM PST - 10 comments

I am a lady who enjoys spending time outdoors but does a poor job dressing for bad weather (rain, snow, etc). This has previously limited my hiking to clear weather in the spring and summer. I’d like to change this, but I don’t know how to dress myself properly. [more inside]
posted by spacebologna at 6:53 PM PST - 36 comments

Is there a perfume that smells like Oribe hair products' scent Côte d'Azur?
posted by bookworm4125 at 5:57 PM PST - 2 comments

Hi all, I had to recently end an eleven-year relationship with a guy who was five years older and for the past five years the relationship went sour and he became so negative, critical, rude, unsupportive, and would emotionally and verbally abuse me for years on end. What can I do to heal from this without therapy for now? I cannot afford therapy at the moment even with a sliding scale as a student (really on a tight budget as I had to use all my savings pretty much towards my tuition for my graduate studies). [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 5:32 PM PST - 15 comments

I was seeing a therapist out-of-network for both individual therapy and group therapy. When I submitted it to my health insurance, I noticed that when they were on the same day my insurance only reimbursed for part of the (cheaper) group appointment and nothing for the (more expensive) individual appointment. There were a few other times this happened that I haven't submitted yet. Can I submit only the individual appointment and not tell them about the group appointment or will that risk getting me in trouble with the insurance? [more inside]
posted by Gravel at 5:28 PM PST - 10 comments

While traveling for work in Hangzhou, China yesterday, I spotted this sticker in a car rear windshield about this Centre which struck me as an odd name. My Chinese coworker has no idea what it is either. Any ideas?
posted by nolnacs at 2:49 PM PST - 2 comments

What I have: A ton of my old picture books, a preschool class What I want: A library that the kids can check stuff out of and a way to keep track of who has what What I need: Tips and tricks and ideas on how to make this work [more inside]
posted by kathrynm at 1:59 PM PST - 13 comments

A relative is in the early stages of dementia - their short-term memory is declining as is their ability to follow multi-step directions. They've asked me for resources to help them remain sober. [more inside]
posted by tafetta, darling! at 1:52 PM PST - 5 comments

I find it works best for me not to eat after 7pm, but my workout (hot yoga classes) all have me getting home after 7, sometimes not until 9pm, usually hungry and thirsty. I'm just looking for ideas about managing this. [more inside]
posted by bearette at 12:44 PM PST - 16 comments

Does the 675 Roomba have a magnetic sensor, or not? I am trying to figure out if I can keep it out of the kitchen with magnetic tape and the specs on iRobot's website are not helpful.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:00 AM PST - 2 comments

I keep hearing about sites/people selling old, non-counterfeit, forever stamps for US postage. It seems too good to be true, but is it? Writing letters for Vote Forward uses up a lot of stamps and it would be great to save some money on them. Does anyone have a reliable/reputable source for discounted forever stamps they can recommend?
posted by DrGail at 10:00 AM PST - 8 comments

We are a very small operation organising participatory community dances in the UK, and we are investigating online ticketing options. I’d like to hear from people with similar experiences who can make specific recommendations about how best to set this up. [more inside]
posted by obliquicity at 9:53 AM PST - 7 comments

I have the very most basic bike rack for panniers. Under the stress of two Ortliebs full of groceries, the metal connecting it to the seat post bent, sending a pannier into the wheel. This will not do. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 9:23 AM PST - 12 comments

I've got a job offer. I'm torn about accepting it. Or rejecting it. [more inside]
posted by sardonyx at 8:57 AM PST - 24 comments

La Piscine had a very casual-yet Southern France look (casual button down, same outfit, better view). Serge Gainsbourg has a similar look. Sting had a similar, albeit with an 80s twist, during Live Aid 1985. My question, or goal is two-fold, the "effortless" way these shirts hang off, and to build a wardrobe of basically the same clothes as possible. Something comfortable enough to wear around. [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 7:26 AM PST - 20 comments

The click track on GarageBand for Mac is quiet. I would like to set up a track of just a snare (or a cymbal) playing quarter notes. What’s the easiest way to do this?
posted by pxe2000 at 4:34 AM PST - 1 comment

I seem to keep running into this problem: I meet a new person/group of people. I am initially very cautious and wary in order to respect boundaries and not intrude. People mistake this for shyness or aloofness, and are extra kind and friendly. I remain wary, but they eventually win me over and I start to let my guard down. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:41 PM PST - 22 comments

Has any country other than Australia accidentally lost/misplaced a sitting Prime Minister/President? (This question brought to you by the disappearance of Harold Holt.)
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 11:36 PM PST - 12 comments

Please help me find the following objet d’art/statue/figurine/vase(?) my friend saw at an Airbnb. White porcelain statue of a long haired cat, with three heads— THE THREE HEADS ARE ORIENTED VERTICALLY, one atop the other. This is not a Cerberus-style three heads. The style of the piece is very classically “cat art your great aunt has in her living room” but…three heads. I do not know if it is a vase. I do not know if it is hollow. I do not know if there is a makers mark/logo on the bottom (said friend has since departed from the Airbnb). I WANT ONE!
posted by Grandysaur at 10:33 PM PST - 5 comments

I can't believe I'm asking this, but how do I deal with my kid not wanting to do their homework in kindergarten? [more inside]
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 10:15 PM PST - 29 comments

I'm writing a story in which someone is tortured with drugs and need help figuring out their recovery. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by Tamanna at 9:33 PM PST - 1 comment

I've been to Japan a few times and done the usual tourist fun. I'm planning a trip next June and want to bring my soon-to-be 6 year old. What's Japan travel like with a kid? Things to do enjoyed by both of us? Is there a recommended itinerary? [more inside]
posted by inevitability at 6:25 PM PST - 14 comments

How many platelets are there in a typical donation? Can they be counted, or is it just a volume measurement like 300mL? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 6:25 PM PST - 3 comments

So my best friend died a few years ago, and she wasn't capital-F Famous but she was known in her industry, and there's a Wikipedia page for her. Today I glanced at it and someone has added a weird amount of totally wrong information -- like, factually wrong, not opinion-level stuff -- connected to her illness, her treatment while she was ill, and her cause of death. I'm incredibly grossed out by it, and I know she'd be highly offended by it. Should I try to change it or let it go? [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 5:51 PM PST - 15 comments

My sweet father passed away last month. While going through his papers, I found contemporaneous notes that my dad was taking over a number of years describing the verbal and emotional abuse being leveled at him by my mother. What now? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:04 PM PST - 14 comments

A U.S. family member is taking a trip to Europe next year (France and Italy, ending in a cruise). What are some good birthday gift ideas to help prepare? [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi at 11:43 AM PST - 9 comments

Hi everyone -- I'm walking more for fitness lately and I'm hoping to find an app with a very specific functionality: I want to be able to request a loop of 1, 3, 5 or more miles from a specific point, and then through some sort of GPS wizardry the app (or website) would automatically generate a map for a route that meets approximately that specific distance. Does this exist? [more inside]
posted by mochapickle at 11:42 AM PST - 8 comments

How can I support my friend during a divorce? [more inside]
posted by downtohisturtles at 10:38 AM PST - 7 comments

A few times yesterday, during a procedure with the dentist, he instructed me to breath through my nose. No problem for me, but I've become aware there's some percentage of people who cannot, who say their sinuses are always blocked, and have been for decades, even "All my life." (I'm related to one.) Were you one of the permanently congested, whose problem was cured? [more inside]
posted by Rash at 9:26 AM PST - 18 comments

My dad has lived in the Alaska bush for most of the last 40 years with books and radio as his only media sources. Now he has a computer and an internet connection and wants to catch up on what he's missed. What's he missed? Looking for movies and television shows available for free viewing or on one of the major streaming services in the US. [more inside]
posted by QuakerMel at 9:12 AM PST - 14 comments

Should my Dad leave the car in the garage while his house is being fumigated, or take it out? [more inside]
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 8:15 AM PST - 2 comments

I just ran out of the handmade clove soap bought from an Etsy seller no longer selling...any recommendations for a good clove soap replacement? The more strongly scented the better! I loved the clove, but would be willing to try other spices.
posted by lemonade at 7:45 AM PST - 5 comments

My Dad has Alzheimer's disease and lives alone. His doctor has said he has to go to memory care. We have power of attorney, a decent facility, and money to pay. But Dad doesn't think he needs care. He is a legit narcissist. How can we make this easier? [more inside]
posted by Frenchy67 at 6:50 AM PST - 12 comments

Perhaps 2 weeks ago my cat scratched patches of fur around her ears and cut both her ears. I put the lampshade thing on her head in a bid to shield her ears from her scratching but she still seemed to be troubled. I took her to the vet a week later who said no mites and that he didn't know what was going on. [more inside]
posted by tanktop at 6:35 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm wondering what's a reasonable amount to get annoyed with your partner? And what isn't, and means you should break up... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:15 AM PST - 63 comments

Recently I have been enjoying podcast discussions or history of media that I have already consumed, usually from a progressive perspective, and I am running out of episodes to listen to. Examples are

• Marooned on Mars (leftist dissection of Kim Stanley Robinson’s writings)
• A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs (what it says on the tin, with lots of re-assessment of the role of gender and race in the story)
• Kill James Bond! (critiques of the Bond movies, and other spy/thriller/action movies)

Similar suggestions along these lines welcome!
posted by Grinder at 11:11 PM PST - 25 comments

I'm looking for a photography blog from the mid-2000s. It was the photographer's personal blog; she was a bit of a wunderkind (16-18 years old and booking major shoots) from Australia or perhaps New Zealand. [more inside]
posted by abry0 at 9:55 PM PST - 2 comments

I have a hypothesis that I want a demanding, intense job. Can you help me come up with a list of jobs that are demanding or intense in a certain way? [more inside]
posted by wym at 8:55 PM PST - 49 comments

I am in graduate school and began having insomnia issues beginning 3 months ago. After taking 15MG of Temazepam as needed, my doctor suggested after a serious bout of sleeplessness to take a single capsule every night for one week and begin to titrate off by 1/4 each new week. I was made aware about the possibility of dependence. I am currently in the middle of week 3 taking 7.5MG. I am noticing feeling flat emotionally, bouts of depression, increased fatigue, weak short-term memory, hyper-sensitivity, spaciness, and some mood swings. [more inside]
posted by goalyeehah at 8:30 PM PST - 3 comments

I was a huge fan of the airigami masks for their fit (I have a small face & wear glasses) and breathability (I lecture a lot). Sadly, they are ceasing production. What masks should I try instead?
posted by Westringia F. at 7:02 PM PST - 6 comments

Players of BG3: What's the nudity like in Baldur's Gate 3, really? How much of an issue is it? [more inside]
posted by Janta at 5:55 PM PST - 4 comments

Wondering if anyone knows where one can read all of the (typed/transcribed) letters of Julia Sand to Chester Arthur. More specific instructions below. [more inside]
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:30 PM PST - 11 comments

I assist a senior relative with their finances. They have shares in FLPSX (the Fidelity Low Priced Stock mutual fund.) I just noticed a couple of deposits in their cash account- one was a payout of dividends from this fund and another was a surprisingly large amount of capital gains from this fund- north of $5k, which seems high given that their total holdings of this fund are currently worth less than $40K. The thing that's puzzling me is that the value of the fund has decreased significantly from when the fund was purchased- cost basis is about $47K [more inside]
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 1:54 PM PST - 6 comments

Which musical artist/group is named ___ACH BRY___ and played Dublin on April 18, 2023? [more inside]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 1:35 PM PST - 4 comments

On Wednesday, my college roommate--we're in our early sixties--will observe shiva for her mother, who died unexpectedly. I live halfway across the country, but I usually visit about once a year. I can manage the travel expense and the time. However, I don't want my attendance to carry any whiff of a "grand gesture," or burden my friend. I just want to slide in, show respect and support, and slide out. I did not know my friend's mother very well, nor do I think I'm expected to attend. Should I go? [more inside]
posted by carmicha at 12:57 PM PST - 29 comments

I have a spoilery question re: Theo Dimas in the current season of Only Murders in the Building so I'm going to put it under the fold. [more inside]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:12 AM PST - 4 comments

I submitted something for publication, and was psyched to get back a request for revision from the publisher's zendesk account. That request was auto-forwarded to my main inbox, a different email address. I replied from there by mistake, which I just realized. Did replying from a different account likely mess up the zendesk thread, such that I should reply again? Or was my first reply likely received, so I should sit tight and not pester them again yet? [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 10:48 AM PST - 9 comments

Why does my Pocketbook Reader App now boot so very slowly on my ipad? [more inside]
posted by ragtimepiano at 10:37 AM PST - 0 comments

Can you recommend me a pair of binoculars that could cover the following three uses, with a budget of maybe 50-100 GBP? [more inside]
posted by atlantica at 8:36 AM PST - 6 comments

Apologies if this question comes off silly, but the other day I was in a public bathroom stall and saw a small scribble and it struck me that it had been years since I'd seen bathroom graffiti. Of course, I've also been in less public bathrooms due to the pandemic. On the other hand, given that bathroom graffiti was always at least partly a product of idleness, and now many people bring their phones everywhere, a decrease in bathroom graffiti seems plausible. Particularly keen to hear from Mefites who are Gen X and older, but all observations welcome.
posted by coffeecat at 7:50 AM PST - 16 comments

Wednesday afternoon my calendar was full. I was out Thursday. Today (Friday) there is a spot open in the afternoon. I didn’t delete anything. Is it possible for a meeting organizer to delete a meeting without notifying attendees? If so, how can I figure out what was deleted? [more inside]
posted by allison00 at 6:39 AM PST - 6 comments

I have roughly 6–8 cups of pumpkin puree sitting in my fridge. How can I use it up? I've already used 2 cups to make a pasta sauce. Now I'm searching for other ideas. Just two restrictions, please: no soups, and nothing that requires eggs.
posted by Panthalassa at 3:00 AM PST - 26 comments

What's it called, the technical term, where 'portrait' mode cell-phone video is converted into landscape by adding out-of-focus side panels on either side, the out-of-focus stuff based on the original?
posted by Rash at 8:31 PM PST - 6 comments

Is there any difference between front left and right speakers from a home theater (e.g. 5.1) system and regular bookshelf speakers? If I take only the front left and right speakers from a 5.1 home theater system, can I use them as regular audio speakers (assuming I have an amp and power connected properly) and have it sound normal for playing music?
posted by roaring beast at 8:06 PM PST - 3 comments

I found myself thinking about traffic stop I had in 2010 and wondering if it had to happen at all or if I had the right to leave. I'm obviously not pursuing any action now; I purely want to know what my options were, given the unprofessionalism of the officers involved. Could I have just left? You are not my lawyer. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 7:23 PM PST - 10 comments

Any comments on hydroquinone use for facial dark spots? Advice for use, recommended products, pitfalls etc?
posted by partner at 7:00 PM PST - 3 comments

I just finished reading The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux. Please recommend some other clever locked room mysteries - any medium welcome.
posted by darchildre at 5:26 PM PST - 21 comments

I am looking for 2 hotels - both for one night mid week stays, quite soon. The first one is all about cheap; the second one could be a bit more expensive if it's kid friendly. [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry at 4:48 PM PST - 11 comments

I prefer to sit on my couch and work, and I would like my screens to be lower than eye level. I'm having trouble finding a desk that goes lower than 2.5 feet or so. More description of what I'm looking for inside. [more inside]
posted by LizBoBiz at 4:00 PM PST - 17 comments

We use OneDrive and some of our team members use Keynote but most don't. Is there a way to convert Keynote to PDF without being on a Mac? I can use Linux or Windows as a server that hooks into One Drive, looks for file or syncs that happen on the Keynote, and could convert it, however everything I've seen relies on having Keynote or using iCloud as an intermediary. No third party, off-site tools are allowed due to confidentiality of the documents. [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 2:56 PM PST - 13 comments

I just finished reading The Goldfinch and the best part for me was the narrator's vivid imaginings of their deceased parent "on the other side." Can you suggest literary works that have memorable, poetic, vivid intimations of what the afterlife is like?
posted by tackypink at 2:20 PM PST - 21 comments

I have been watching prime videos in my iPad Pro in the browser for a long time. I don't know what happened few weeks ago. Now, it's not letting me watch in the browser. [more inside]
posted by SunPower at 1:59 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm developing a naming scheme around black birds and am looking for names of birds that are black or mostly black but whose common name does not contain the word black. [more inside]
posted by Mitheral at 1:29 PM PST - 32 comments

I would like to take a simple four colour drawing (limited to 4 colours using the mode-indexed colour thing in photoshop with no dithering). Not every line is straight. I want every line to be straight. Turn it into a straigh-line only drawing with lines being at least .5 cm (let's say) long. Is there a simple way to do this in photoshop or illustrator? Alternatively, is there a name for this that I can use to google an answer?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 1:16 PM PST - 14 comments

I have a new roommate who is a friend of a friend, and they just moved into my condo unit building. Lately, the roommate got easily upset because I did not put back the entertainment key in the exact spot and they needed, it but I forgot and they got upset and said can you please put it back in the same spot and got a bit cross. [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 12:40 PM PST - 46 comments

My client added me as an external user to their MS Team, and now they are administering my settings. I do not want that. [more inside]
posted by agentofselection at 12:15 PM PST - 4 comments

I want to hire someone to clean my bathrooms, including general cleaning, removing mildew in the shower, cleaning dark stains in the toilet with CLR or something, and removing caked in dirt in the bottom of the tub with something like bartender's friend. [more inside]
posted by catquas at 11:26 AM PST - 8 comments

I've searched through for budgeting questions already and found a lot of useful info, but I'm specifically looking for reliable information about how to use a physical notebook to manage a personal budget - does anyone do this successfully? What's your system? [more inside]
posted by chives at 10:54 AM PST - 5 comments

As i understand, most things that look like film are actually done with digital cameras now. Can they make live tv look like film? Live tv example here. Same game highlights "filmed" here. If this has been done, what are examples?
posted by sandmanwv at 10:42 AM PST - 16 comments

Plumbing and roofing issues. Difficulty level: I'm a non-homeowner unfamiliar with homeowner things, the homeowner is my aunt who is a bit of a recluse with a ton of anxiety, and the house is in a desert area with fewer available businesses. Can I call a GC or do I need to go multiple separate businesses? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 10:38 AM PST - 3 comments

Super-basic Photo Booth: I have a camera on a tripod with an intervalometer, so that when a button is pressed on the intervalometer, a certain number (ex: 4) of photos are taken, each a couple of seconds apart. What I would like, is a painless way to automate the creation of "photo strips" from these photos on my Mac. [more inside]
posted by blueberry at 10:36 AM PST - 3 comments

I need a nose guard for my dog. What can you recommend? [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 8:39 AM PST - 5 comments

I've had a number of IV infusions of saline/fluids administered at my hospital's emergency department over the last few months. During most of these infusions, the hand on the arm being used for the IV changed colour over the course of the treatment, going dark dusky pink/blue-ish. It also seemed less responsive in terms of bloodflow. Why might this have happened? Has this happened to you? More details under the jump. [more inside]
posted by fight or flight at 8:33 AM PST - 2 comments

I have a perfume oil that comes in a somewhat leaky glass bottle with a twist-off cap. The slight leakiness is fine at home, I just keep it on a tray--but I'd like to transfer at least some of this oil into a more secure container for travel. Do you know of a good container for this? Googling produces a dizzying array of options and I have no idea which ones are trash. Note: would prefer not an atomizer nor a rollerball, as both end up overapplying this particular oil.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:47 AM PST - 9 comments

Is there a place where I can report spam calls that leave me call back numbers, via voice mail, which appear to be either U.S. domestic area codes or U.S. toll-free numbers? [more inside]
posted by thecaddy at 7:12 AM PST - 1 comment

What's a cozy downtown Manhattan restaurant that serves a great prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner? [more inside]
posted by critzer at 6:52 AM PST - 6 comments

In Duolingo, the app to learn a new language, in The "Practice your words" feature, it always features the same exact handful of words. And they are the same words I learned. This is in the paid version. Is there a way to change this. I have advanced to almost the end of a section with 8 units and I am reviewing again and again words in unit one.
posted by Tziv at 6:22 AM PST - 9 comments

You work with many clients. Each client is a snowflake. Some are better at project management and getting things done than others. Some clients are completely dysfunctional and hostile. What tactics, systems and processes do you use to organize the all of the emails, phone calls, texts related to projects and tasks when working with a dysfunctional client? [more inside]
posted by jasondigitized at 6:13 AM PST - 4 comments

I am the person who is partnered with this guy. We've been together for more than a decade, but now I am perimenopausing. My periods are longer and more exhausting. My energy levels are low. My mental reserves got punched through with Long Covid. I am not the person he once knew, and he's annoyed with me. On paper, he's not wrong, but in the grand scheme of a lifetime, this is a phase that seems like it will be utterly annoying but temporary. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:58 AM PST - 17 comments

I like my job and I like my manager, but my grandboss is a fragile micro-manager who needs to be perpetually tip-toed around and ego-stroked. I would like him to get a new job. He's very qualified and experienced. He's in a high-level position. Is there any way to put him in the sites of a headhunter without this being connected to me and without the obvious problem of a headhunter seeing it as red flag that someone he works with would like him gone.
posted by anonymous at 4:56 AM PST - 7 comments

I have an ical feed (url) and I want the events from that feed to show up on a shared Google calendar. I DO NOT want it to be a separate Google calendar, I know how to do that. I want the events to be automatically added on a specific existing calendar. [more inside]
posted by Braeburn at 1:12 AM PST - 1 comment

My almost five year old is obsessed with the Titanic. I would like to get him a picture book about it for his birthday that is neither a wordy treatise about some aspect of it or a kid's book. Do you know of one? [more inside]
posted by deadwax at 11:41 PM PST - 9 comments

Just starting out on a five week journey out of the country and discovered I left my journal at home and will have to buy a new one for the trip. How can I integrate two half full, hand written, journals into one ongoing document? [more inside]
posted by Xurando at 8:00 PM PST - 9 comments

I live in a "raised ranch" home where the front door opens onto a half set of stairs going to the main floor. Another half set of stairs goes to the "basement," so designated because the part of the wall of that floor facing the street is partially below grade. (The back wall is entirely above grade.) Because this is "basement" space, it does not count toward my home's square footage total, indirectly affecting our home value as well. Purely out of curiosity, my question is: if I were to dig that wall out, such that it was no longer below grade, would my house then become a two story house, with a higher square footage count and a (somewhat) higher estimated value? [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:59 PM PST - 24 comments

My co-op building changed from Comcast to Verizon FIOS. They installed the modem twice as far away from my computer as it used to be, so I bought a Signal Booster and installed it in the middle. With this configuration, sometimes things move very fast indeed, much faster than with Comcast. But 25% - 40% of the time, things slow to almost a standstill. What's going on? [more inside]
posted by ubiquity at 7:48 PM PST - 8 comments

If you are a person of limited mobility who does not drive, how are you getting your USPS packages? [more inside]
posted by A Fine Kettle of Socks at 6:23 PM PST - 6 comments

I really love Jaimie Branch's song The Mountain, and I'm looking for other songs which have vocals accompanied by a solo double bass. The only other one I can think of is Sam Cooke's version of Lost and Lookin' (which has some drums too). What are some other great bass-vocal duets?
posted by Chenko at 3:20 PM PST - 20 comments

My sixth grader can read fluently and has great comprehension. But he hates reading, says it "hurts his brain", and can barely make himself read more than a page or two at a time. Comprehensive eye exam turned up nothing. We strongly suspect he has ADHD, but don't yet have a formal diagnosis. I am looking for advice on the best next steps: ADHD evaluation, some more specialized reading evaluation (but what?), vision therapy providers, wait it out, or something I haven't thought of? [more inside]
posted by wyzewoman at 3:04 PM PST - 27 comments

You're allowed multiple accounts on X. I did a Premium subscription on my main one, but it looks like they were gonna let me sign up for another $84 (same ph#, etc.) if I clicked the final Subscribe button on my second account. I wanted them to say, "Hey, we see you've already paid for Premium." Maybe they would... Do you have to pay PER ACCOUNT?
posted by noelpratt2nd at 1:05 PM PST - 6 comments

I’m being asked to look at some dating profiles to get some perspective because I believe that swipey apps are toxic. I am absolutely not trying to date anyone and do not want to be seen looking, appear in anyone’s feed, or otherwise have to engage with anyone. I’m using a fake email and will not use a photo of me. Do I have any options for looking at profiles in completely private mode? Preferably free options? I’m in the US. If you have an answer to this specific question, please mention which app and the process. Only actual answers, please.
posted by anonymous at 12:52 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm thinking of purchasing an early 2014 MacBook Air for cheap, but want to be able to upgrade the hardware. Questions inside... [more inside]
posted by NoMich at 11:39 AM PST - 10 comments

I’ve been working a contract job for the past three months. My boss announced at the weekly all-hands meeting that she wants to hold exit interviews with us. She’s done some shady stuff during the time I’ve worked on the project. How can I request an employee advocate for my exit interview? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:26 AM PST - 11 comments

Hi all, I recently purchased a Canon Pixma TS5320 printer (Wireless) and for some reason it keeps stating the cassette tray for the paper is empty or not correctly loaded, but I followed the instructions properly and it all seems all right to me, but nothing is working?
posted by RearWindow at 11:17 AM PST - 4 comments

Are there outside organizations/non-profit who assist students in understanding the current state of their student loans. [more inside]
posted by goalyeehah at 10:52 AM PST - 4 comments

In a little under a week I’m heading from Toronto down to Memphis for Gonerfest. Making stops in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Bowling Green KY (yes, Mammoth Cave). I’ve got a fair amount of free time built in, is there anything cool along the way I should stop for? Biggest ball of yarn, junk sculpture garden, that kind of thing? [more inside]
posted by rodlymight at 10:48 AM PST - 10 comments

Help! Went in for a root canal and dentist didn't put the crown back on bc the appointment went over time and the next patient was waiting. Had to reschedule. This was the final straw in years of bad bedside manner etc. Need to find someone great in Alameda, Oakland or Berkeley ASAP. Thanks!! [more inside]
posted by Text TK at 10:39 AM PST - 8 comments

At the top of this I can't seem to figure out where the creepy face picture is from. Is it one of the movies listed? Thanks!
posted by klugarsh at 7:57 AM PST - 4 comments

Many days on my way to work I walk pastthe same attractive man around my age who always smiles and says hello. How do I try to get to know him a little? [more inside]
posted by bearette at 6:01 AM PST - 33 comments

So, I think that if I called in sick today because of anxiety over this, I should probably get advice. This is an update to an earlier AskMe. [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:35 AM PST - 33 comments

My extended family is looking to book a house over Christmas via AirBnB. One property that would otherwise be perfect has two very negative reviews from guests (among about 20 otherwise positive, short, anodyne reviews.) I don't have a lot of experience with AirBnB; should I treat these as "red flags AVOID AVOID" or as "there's no pleasing some people"? [more inside]
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:06 AM PST - 29 comments

I am sick and stuck in a hotel room with decent wifi, an iPhone and an iPad mini. Recommend me games I can download. I have a slight preference for games I can pay for that don’t sell my information or suck money away via in-app play-to-win purchases if those even exist now, other details under the cut. [more inside]
posted by telophase at 3:48 AM PST - 15 comments

Looking for a full-service, hassle-free car service that can do a one-way run from San Francisco International airport to Sonoma County. Difficulty level: must accommodate one infant car seat, one booster seat, one adult human, and a reasonable amount of luggage. [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:06 PM PST - 8 comments

Have gone back to school and am struggling to focus while reading (and am having a hard time even typing accurately!). Is this normal for adults in their 40s who’ve spent time doing more physically laborious work? [more inside]
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:51 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm slowly teaching myself python using some of these exercises. I'm using Visual Studio and storing everything on Git Hub. That's just background... [more inside]
posted by kathrynm at 7:26 PM PST - 8 comments

Point me to tv shows with good love stories, especially those that build up organically over time/episodes. [more inside]
posted by Bunglegirl at 7:11 PM PST - 41 comments

I remember some TV shows back in the 80s had a pre-credits preview of that night's episode. Did any shows in the 90s continue to do that? Any shows in the 21st Century? [more inside]
posted by Stuka at 4:53 PM PST - 20 comments

My husband (Will) gets upset whenever I bring up the possibility of neutering our dog. Is it acceptable to make the decision without his input? What if I value my marriage, but also want my opinion to count? [more inside]
posted by toucan at 4:10 PM PST - 49 comments

I have a question for the gaming community. My boys are just becoming teens, and I am moving without them to another city. Amongst other ways of keeping in contact, I wonder if there are good multiplayer, interactive computer games to play with them. Minecraft seems like an obvious option - I want to avoid games focused on death-dealing and violence-as-fun. Eve on-line looks interesting but I don't know. A Civilization game would tickle my fancy, but is too much of a time-suck. Any ideas about other interactive exploration/building games?
posted by SnowRottie at 1:42 PM PST - 17 comments

I want to embark on a self improvement journey (specifically in terms of getting my finances in order and learning to be better with money) and the idea of blogging about my progress is appealing to me, but I'm not sure where to start. [more inside]
posted by chives at 1:35 PM PST - 17 comments

Should I do anything different to re-jigger/optimize what's on the stove or just let it simmer more? [more inside]
posted by kilohertz at 12:26 PM PST - 13 comments

What's the perfect hand-carved wooden gift for a beekeeper? [more inside]
posted by saladin at 12:22 PM PST - 14 comments

I have a 2012 Honda CRZ and the alarm has been randomly going off. Can I disable it without involving a mechanic and opening my wallet? [more inside]
posted by archimago at 11:50 AM PST - 9 comments

Here are some pictures of the windows in my above-ground basement: https://postimg.cc/gallery/4N5cnnk/d297baca What product should I get and how should I use it to help with the gaps? [more inside]
posted by arm426 at 11:25 AM PST - 5 comments

I've recently changed some content (text) on my website, , and now, when I go there, I get a page that says, "Apache 2 Test Page powered by CentOS This page is used to test the proper operation of the Apache HTTP server after it has been installed. If you can read this page it means that the Apache HTTP server installed at this site is working properly." etc etc What's going on? I asked the administrator of the web server, who is basically not really a professional (hard to explain), and she doesn't know what's going on. I have many other pages, website things, on there ("there" = echonyc.com), with no problem. We can't figure it out. Any thoughts about what this could mean?
posted by DMelanogaster at 10:41 AM PST - 8 comments

There's a sample shot list found on the Internet from Christopher Noland's "Memento," and one of the camera angles is noted as "TH." Anyone know what it stands for? The others are clear, but there doesn't seem to be a clear answer for this one.
posted by war wrath of wraith at 10:00 AM PST - 8 comments

I let my WSJ subscription lapse. Supposedly my local public library gives free access to the WSJ but it isn't letting me download or even see the crossword puzzle pdf. Are there other ways to get access to a printable pdf of WSJ crosswords (NYT would also do fine)? I don't necessarily need the latest one. (And don't come @ me about IP infringement, the amount of money I've unwittingly given them over the last couple of years after not noticing that my discounted subscription rate had changed without notice could power the sun.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:59 AM PST - 14 comments

We’d like to have another couple of cabinets added to our kitchen, with doors that match the ones that are already here. Can you ID them? [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 9:23 AM PST - 9 comments

I recently recalled to my friend that my first name was chosen by one or both of my parents because of a close cousin with cerebral palsy. At the time of my birth, that cousin was still living and was around 10 years old. Our two families were not all that close and saw each other maybe once a year. My friend was horrified at the idea and thought it was awful thing to do to both children. TBH, Id never given it thought as an adult and I just want a second opinion. What do you think? Is this weird? I can maybe see me being named after this cousin had already passed but isnt it strange to give that honor while the namesake is both alive and still a child themselves? Does it strike you as bizarre or cruel?
posted by anonymous at 7:44 AM PST - 41 comments

I have an older Macbook Air (2013, I believe) that I freshly installed the OS on (Mountain Lion). When I try to update to a later OS, it tells me it "cannot access the App Store". When I google this, none of the solutions work. I just want to be able to run Google Docs and use this as a writing machine. More issues inside. [more inside]
posted by dobbs at 7:08 AM PST - 19 comments

Apparently I breathe through my mouth when I'm sleeping, and it's making it difficult for my wife to sleep. Is there anything I can do? [more inside]
posted by number9dream at 6:19 AM PST - 28 comments

Inspired by this question, I too am seeking fat-positive exercise resources. In my case, in London (UK). [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 6:00 AM PST - 3 comments

For various reasons (below), my pool of potentially compatible partners is small. When I do meet someone promising (which only happens every 3-4 years or so), I end up becoming fixated on them because I think they are my last chance (and every year older I turn, this belief intensifies), then I make unwise self destructive choices, like clinging to them when when they aren't emotionally available, out of panic and a sense of scarcity. How to stop? [more inside]
posted by cboggs at 1:18 AM PST - 29 comments

I have hEDS. For me, it's not too bad. I'm reading an article that (if I understand it) says the spike protein in covid (and the vaccines) damages collagen in a way that isn't an issue for most people but is for people with EDS. I have been getting all my shots. (I am also still masking fastidiously.) [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:41 AM PST - 16 comments

I am very out of shape and would like support building up endurance & strength via in-person personal training or classes -- with positive reinforcement and zero focus on losing weight. This could involve strength training, cardio, yoga, or something more creative (but not competitive). Can you recommend an instructor or class that's explicitly body-positive/HAES-friendly? I am not interested in suggestions for building my own routine at home, or apps/videos. [more inside]
posted by rhiannonstone at 11:06 PM PST - 8 comments

Looking for team based card and board games appropriate for teens. Not necessarily cooperative (Pandemic or Forbidden island), but games that can be done like 2v2. We have a younger person who feels like they "always lose" if playing solo, but they're ok playing team with another teammate. So far the only one we have enjoyed is Skipbo using 2v2 variation. (Games not specifically designed for teams but can be done so would be great too.)
posted by roaring beast at 8:09 PM PST - 17 comments

I've been hearing more people talk about this app. I help run a small service non-profit business with a dozen or so part-time and volunteer helpers. We're using Discord to manage, along with the usual Google workspace stuff. What can Notion do that would make a difference? Are you a Notion user, what is a feature that makes you love it? What makes you hate it?
posted by storybored at 7:37 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm interested in nonfiction sources on salons, or learning societies or, whatever. Basically anything learning-focused that isn't the sorts of institutions we hear about a lot (as in not universities or schools). Bonus points if the books are about marginalized people organizing these things.
posted by azalea_chant at 7:14 PM PST - 14 comments

My husband and I are set to go to Seattle in early November. We plan to meet up with some of his friends, but I was hoping to see some of the coastline as well. [more inside]
posted by PussKillian at 6:37 PM PST - 18 comments

Help me find office-appropriate blouses with fronts with flowery or interesting patterns and backs that are plain and majority cotton. [more inside]
posted by joannemerriam at 5:48 PM PST - 4 comments

I want to know if things we hear on MetaFilter and other psychological spaces such as: doing the Gray Rock method, cutting off ties with abusers, labeling one's self a child of emotional immature parents, all basic domestic violence literature in the west, narcissistic parents, etc. What does this look like through a multicultural lens? What do these things look like through a non-western lens? Are there matriarchal ways and other cultural ways to deal with abuse? [more inside]
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 5:40 PM PST - 6 comments

If you owe backtaxes to the IRS and can't pay who is the most reputable organization to represent you to the IRS? I know there are a ton of orgs out there that claim to do this but I have no idea where to start. More details inside. [more inside]
posted by PetiePal at 5:35 PM PST - 12 comments

Where can I find 8mm and 10mm gorgeous sparkly shiny AB flatback rhinestones? [more inside]
posted by fairlynearlyready at 5:17 PM PST - 5 comments

My MIL, whom I love dearly, wants to take a cruise down the Danube. I want to make this the best experience possible for her. [more inside]
posted by Floydd at 5:15 PM PST - 7 comments

I know there are Nikon fish eye lenses, but I am wondering if there is one strictly for the Nikon Z line? I am ordering a Nikon Z 50 soon, but I will be getting an adapter for the AFS lenses.
posted by RearWindow at 4:36 PM PST - 9 comments

Someone recommended something called BPC 157 which is apparently a peptide, which doesn't mean a lot to me, for IBS. If you google it, it comes up as a solution for various unrelated things and comes up in the same search as colloidal silver, which I understand to be not only wholly ineffective but harmful, so I'm skepty. On the other hand there's an NHI article that says BPC 157 is at least harmless. Anyone know more about it?
posted by less-of-course at 4:04 PM PST - 5 comments

I don't want to wait for other people and I don't need a guide or a group. I just need rides that are ready when I am. [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:43 PM PST - 8 comments

So ... Texas. Politically and socially, we are less and less comfortable here. Where can we go? [more inside]
posted by ZakDaddy at 2:38 PM PST - 19 comments

Using PCP referral, health insurance search, and Zoc Doc search yields me different results. How can I actually find a provider/appointment without tearing my hair out? [more inside]
posted by greta simone at 1:58 PM PST - 10 comments

Which Firefox add-on makes it easiest to translate a single word or short phrase with the least amount of additional clicks? [more inside]
posted by kristi at 1:15 PM PST - 5 comments

Way back in the 90s, I had a pirated copy of a 3d ray tracing program that rendered landscapes based on height maps, and allowed the user to place the sun, determine the weather, etc. [more inside]
posted by bowbeacon at 1:04 PM PST - 8 comments

I got a graduate degree in something I didn't end up liking, and ended up working in a totally different field. Now I am applying to a graduate program in my new field, from the same school - how do I explain this? [more inside]
posted by epanalepsis at 12:49 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm fairly new to lawn care. Last spring I seeded with tall fescue which grew well, but after the summer, the lawn seems to be almost completely weeds. [more inside]
posted by roaring beast at 12:27 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm at my wit's end. I keep trying to call Kaiser to make an appointment for the port removal (chemo), but it's just such a CLUSTERFUCK. This world was NOT designed for Deaf people, period. [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude at 12:19 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm looking for a website that could help a less tech savvy person recognize spam/scam/phishing emails (like a teen or senior citizen). I recall seeing something like an online quiz that takes people step by step through examples, but am not able to locate it. This one is good but is limited to primarily recognizing links for file sharing services. Any suggestions?
posted by roaring beast at 11:59 AM PST - 2 comments

Hi. I am trying to find scholarly papers on food cooperatives from a sociological perspective in North America or Europe but I am having a hard time finding them from a Sociological perspective specifically or a gendered perspective as well.
posted by RearWindow at 11:57 AM PST - 6 comments

I want to learn to quilt. I live in a condo not a giant house and will not have a sewing room. I have a dining room table which can be used for a couple of hours at a time as a project space. I am not rich. I expect I might do some smaller projects and do the quilting part at home. Should I buy this machine or I dunno..I was going to pit it against something but I don't see anything that looks pitt-able here. I might also hem jeans or such. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:48 AM PST - 12 comments

Do you have a decently-groomed westie who sleeps? For a project, I am in need of a picture of a sleeping Westie. The picture must be taken directly from above. Seriously, directly from the top with the camera lens parallel to the sleeping surface. Whole body. Preferably in a not-curled up position, either like this position or like this position is good. TIA. [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:33 AM PST - 1 comment

With Facebook deciding phone batteries worldwide have had it too good and shutting down Messenger Lite, is there a way to have a bearable Messenger experience on Android? [more inside]
posted by GenericUser at 11:05 AM PST - 7 comments

So Frowner's question reminded me that I have been eating salads (leafy ones with lots of lettuce or arugula or baby greens) with chopsticks whenever possible. I have never figured out how to use a fork to effectively get a leafy green to my mouth. Or a chickpea (the kind that shows up in salad bars). What's your technique if you use a fork? Or do you use a spoon? [more inside]
posted by spamandkimchi at 10:03 AM PST - 27 comments

This is a stupid question but it has plagued me since I was young. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 8:41 AM PST - 58 comments

I am looking for music videos wherein, over the course of the video, there is a situation which steadily escalates in energy to the point of absurdity. Especially great in relation to a group of people absolutely losing it, ending in a brawl or wild party. [more inside]
posted by one of these days at 8:31 AM PST - 30 comments

My father is in a residential Alzheimer's facility and spends much of his time in a comfortable chair in his room. What engaging, colorful, soothing, or otherwise unusual moving things can we add so he has something interesting to look at? [more inside]
posted by picopebbles at 8:27 AM PST - 20 comments

Seems my Calendly meeting was on some sort of free trial tier, and the trial ran out so now I am caught short. I want to do "one to many" meetings mainly, to let X number of people book a session with me at the same time. What are my free options? [more inside]
posted by Iteki at 7:51 AM PST - 3 comments

Someone close to me is experiencing multiple calls to people in their contacts list apparently being spoofed from their phone number. Additionally, about a month prior to this, their Twitter was hacked. They are familiar with basic digital security and not to click on strange links, and say they haven't done so. What is the most likely reason for these two incidents, and how can they stop it? Additionally, what digital security measures should they take to protect themselves moving forward?
posted by corb at 6:53 AM PST - 4 comments

Premiums for some of the carriers have jumped up to 50% in the last year. How do you evaluate if worthwhile for a puppy?
posted by pmaxwell at 6:36 AM PST - 17 comments

I really don't want to buy a new sofa. [more inside]
posted by ojocaliente at 6:28 AM PST - 10 comments

I am looking for a new car to replace my mercedes compact suv. More inside [more inside]
posted by bookworm4125 at 5:47 AM PST - 10 comments

In 6th grade my crappy science teacher told us that water molecules at the bottom of the ocean don't move. This makes no sense, and he gave no context or explanation that would make it makes sense. What factoid was he getting at? [more inside]
posted by Tehhund at 5:02 AM PST - 7 comments

Hi Hivemind, I'm looking for books/articles on the economics of the wine trade. How is it financed? What do people who 'invest' in wine do? I've checked the Oxford Companion to Wine but found no details. Any help would be appreciated - from pop histories to obscure finance journals. Thanks in advance!
posted by kmt at 2:08 AM PST - 5 comments

We have a carport with a flat-top roof/deck on top of it, with a vinyl-ish surface. It's leaking, and I had a roofing company come out to give me an estimate to replace and resurface it. They said ~36k [more inside]
posted by Gorgik at 11:02 PM PST - 10 comments

Thanksgiving week (the pre-Thanksgiving part): Sedona/Flagstaff or Charleston/Savannah? [more inside]
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:36 PM PST - 3 comments

My absolute favorite genre of museum/attraction is ”eccentric rich person’s oddly sorted collection of items related to their special interest(s).” I just spent part of today at the Mercer Museum and had an amazing time. What other museums, historic homes, or other attractions anywhere in the world might scratch a similar itch? [more inside]
posted by ActionPopulated at 7:39 PM PST - 81 comments

Yesterday, I visited Trader Joe's and was astonished to find the entire store brimming with pumpkins. [more inside]
posted by SunPower at 6:40 PM PST - 12 comments

Two parter! I've just ordered the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Should arrive Friday. I primarily purchased it for the health-tracking benefits but am keen on other features. I have never owned a smart watch. What apps would you recommend I check out? What are perhaps some not-so-obvious things it can do / I should use it for. Part 2: What's the best way to learn to make apps for the Watch series? Thanks!
posted by dobbs at 6:26 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm looking for recommendations for an optometrist near Seattle. More details inside. [more inside]
posted by Cogito at 5:00 PM PST - 8 comments

A young member of my non-immediate family died very suddenly a few weeks ago, leaving behind her husband and two pre-teen children. Mrs. Gefilte and I are trying to figure out how best to support them through the coming months. [more inside]
posted by greatgefilte at 3:23 PM PST - 9 comments

Due to medical issues, chronic migraine, brain fatigue and brain fog, I'm really struggling at work. Although my current job, by any outside observer, looks pretty darn sweet and cushy, it's no longer working for me and my broken brain. Help me brainstorm what to do next? [more inside]
posted by geek_with_socks at 2:33 PM PST - 7 comments

I need to know the best way to submit supporting medical info to my workplace after saying no to an extra job responsibility. [more inside]
posted by SoberHighland at 2:07 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm hoping to rent a vehicle to visit a part of Oregon this winter that requires chains after Nov. 1st. Is it possible to rent chains, or will I need to plan on buying a set? [more inside]
posted by cnidaria at 12:00 PM PST - 9 comments

The house I've owned for 20+ years has an outdoor TV antenna on the roof which I've never used. Now, I'd like to use it for network TV occasionally. (An indoor digital antenna doesn't work well.) So, how do I find any wire that might be attached and inside the house, and connect it to my tv? [more inside]
posted by j810c at 10:25 AM PST - 8 comments

In Illinois, dog owners are liable if there dog bites someone who is behaving peacefully, not harassing the dog and a legally allowed to be where they are. Homeowners who post a "Beware of Dog" sign render people who enter their property without obtaining prior permission trespassers. There are exceptions for people who routinely enter the property without prior permission such as meter readers or mail carriers. Are political canvassers an exception to the trespassing rule?
posted by grahahw at 10:07 AM PST - 19 comments

I am currently fostering a single kitten and she is by far the highest energy kitten I've ever met. Looking for some toy ideas to help her get some energy out as a single kitten. [more inside]
posted by forkisbetter at 9:49 AM PST - 11 comments

Airalo eurolink eSim installed but we haven't left the U.S. yet. When we get to our first European stop I want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly. [more inside]
posted by Joleta at 9:49 AM PST - 2 comments

Visiting the folks who live in Apex, NC mid/late October. [more inside]
posted by Farce_First at 9:23 AM PST - 5 comments

Forced to upgrade after 20 years of service. [more inside]
posted by Mesaverdian at 8:03 AM PST - 1 comment

What's the best number of days to rent and occupy a ski condo if you only will own it for two months? [more inside]
posted by beyond_pink at 12:53 AM PST - 12 comments

Does anyone have a recipe using the instant pot to make copycat Tasty Bites Madras Lentils? [more inside]
posted by wenestvedt at 6:40 PM PST - 7 comments

How does one ethically figure out what potential neighbors are like before buying or renting a house in a neighborhood? [more inside]
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 6:23 PM PST - 29 comments

Hello all, I am working on an academic opinion/essay kind of topic in the social sciences and I stumbled upon a social science Canadian scholarly journal, and I am wondering what exactly is a reflective essay and a position paper in scholarly journals. They are not exactly empirical/deep theoretical papers, but I'm quite unsure. [more inside]
posted by RearWindow at 10:07 AM PST - 7 comments

I have a sister who is disabled and lives in a privately owned adult family home. I manage her finances. Due to previous theft issues among residents, the residents are not allowed to keep cash on hand. Instead, their cash is kept in a petty cash account that they (theoretically) have access to when they need money. [more inside]
posted by SageTrail at 9:22 AM PST - 14 comments

I currently have linen bedding, including the coverlet we use over our duvet. It sheds horribly, all the time, and has for years. Will muslin gauze also be horrible for lint? [more inside]
posted by hilaryjade at 9:15 AM PST - 17 comments

Looking for parent experiences for an outpatient EEG experience for a toddler- 3.5 year old. [more inside]
posted by barexamfreak at 9:01 AM PST - 3 comments

One of my persistent day dreams is how great it would be to live very close to a few hiking trails. Say, a few 3-5 mile options. I live about a mile from a Great Lake where I jog frequently. Also less than a mile from several big parks, including a small nature preserve. So I have a lot of nature for a city person already. But my dream is to leave my backdoor and run through woods a few times per week. If you live this dream, how did you find your home? Is there an app for this or did you just slug through home listings? I think this is probably the dream for a huge number of people, so I am open to being told I already have the best one could hope for in this category. Or, if this is a realistic dream, how do I do it? Open to renting or buying in the midwest. Thanks!
posted by Sophiaverde at 8:55 AM PST - 23 comments

Yesterday everything was fine. Today, I can't login to gmail on Chrome. [more inside]
posted by jtexman1 at 8:53 AM PST - 7 comments

Please recommend me kid-accessible books on Sacagawea that don't promote colonialism [more inside]
posted by arrmatie at 8:34 AM PST - 8 comments

I bought an unfinished parawood/rubberwood end table with the idea that I'd stain it myself. People do that all the time! But the information online is overwhelming and often conflicting, and perhaps assumes I have a professional woodshop to work in, which I don't. Do any of you have experience staining this type of wood? If so, please provide tips, tricks, and product recommendations. [more inside]
posted by bananana at 8:26 AM PST - 9 comments

People who scroll a lot at the computer (think Pinterest, Reddit, etc.), how do you protect your hands/wrists/elbows? I'm using a standard computer (Mac), with a mouse and keyboard, adjustable keyboard tray. Most of my apps will allow "down arrow" scrolling, but even this is pretty repetitive and my various parts are starting to complain. What hacks do you have?
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:10 AM PST - 22 comments

I'm in a rented apartment with an HVAC unit (cooling, drying, fan, and heating) that has gotten to smelling awful. It's like vinegar, sweat, or socks. The smell is not always present, especially if I wipe down the filters with spray cleaner and put them back, but it's persistent. The maintenance guy doesn't have an answer, probably because it didn't stink when he got here and I couldn't demonstrate. Can I fix this myself as a non-handy person? And if I can't, is it liable to give me Legionella or something dangerous? [more inside]
posted by Countess Elena at 7:32 AM PST - 4 comments

I want to spend a year getting REALLY good at managing my finances and understanding money. What should I read/learn? Snowflakes inside. [more inside]
posted by artisthatithaca at 4:28 AM PST - 14 comments

I have a severe illness and getting enough sleep is very important to preventing flares. After weaning off Xanax and Clonazepem, I use marijuana every night and sometimes multiple times during the night in order to sleep. I feel really weird about this. I'm not sure 1) if I should be feeling weird 2) How to safely make changes (if that is a good idea.) [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:54 AM PST - 22 comments

I now realise that letting my work speak for itself is no longer enough - so how can I grow my social media presence without losing my mind? [more inside]
posted by longjump at 4:59 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for some fake candles. I want to turn on a bunch of very realistic looking candles at the touch of a button. If a professional candle inspector looks at my candles from more than a couple feet away, I want them to be fooled. [more inside]
posted by bondcliff at 4:21 PM PST - 12 comments

I'd like to rewatch Robert Hughes 1980's 8-part Shock of the New art history series. All I can find on line are low quality, fuzzy versions: Youtube with ads, Internet Archive, Amazon 4-DVD set (according to people who bought the set). I remember the original BBC version as being of high quality. Is there a high quality version available somewhere for streaming or purchase?
posted by Jackson at 3:09 PM PST - 5 comments

Do you have a recipe/method to get tender juicy chicken breasts cooked in an Instant Pot, both thawed and from frozen? There are tons on the web, but the one I tried left it like sawdust. Tell me your secrets!
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 1:45 PM PST - 13 comments

I have a perfectly good Google Pixel 2XL phone. I want to give it to my husband, who struggles with his wonky old phone, and buy myself a new phone for my birthday. [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster at 1:17 PM PST - 25 comments

I've got a metal junction box with two light switches in it. I'm trying to upgrade these switches to new smart switches, but I'm running into a few problems.... [more inside]
posted by kbanas at 12:36 PM PST - 12 comments

Hi. I am wondering if there is an adapter to change lenses on a Nikon Z 30 (mirrorless camera) to Canon lenses? I have one for Nikon EF lenses for the Nikon Z, but wondering if there is an adapter specifically for Nikon Z to Canon?
posted by RearWindow at 12:20 PM PST - 7 comments

As a kid I had a VCR copy of the Disney film Robin Hood. After the movie there was a trailer for a live motion picture that I don't know the name of. [more inside]
posted by soundofsuburbia at 11:26 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm searching for the most Un-tacticool MOLLE compatible bags and pouches. [more inside]
posted by furnace.heart at 11:26 AM PST - 12 comments

Looking for a longish (15+ minutes) guided bodyscan audio. I'd like one with a clear, calm voice and pauses built in for reflection. Don't want anything religious or woo, just someone guiding you through a scan of your body and its sensations. Ideally without a subscription, but happy to pay for a one-off. Do you have a favorite?
posted by jebs at 9:40 AM PST - 12 comments

I started working as a freelance copy editor in February of 2022 and have enjoyed great success — until last month. Freelancers of AskMe, I'd love your tips or advice for how I might improve and diversify my client/job leads, my income stream, and my marketability. [more inside]
posted by nightrecordings at 8:29 AM PST - 7 comments

I got bug bites after staying in a hotel room. The hotel manager promised me a full refund, but then issued only a partial refund for unused days because the pest control report was clean. I'm not sure whether my expectations are reasonable. [more inside]
posted by aquamvidam at 8:28 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm back, baby. Once again seeking group feedback from MeFites who can ask their real, human children: what atypical things would you like to trick or treat this year? [more inside]
posted by phunniemee at 7:56 AM PST - 22 comments

At the moment, there's a realistic chance the U.S. government shuts down after Sept. 30. At that time, I will be overseas in Italy, with my return flight scheduled for Oct. 13. If a shutdown is still in effect by my return date, are there any issues I might expect with my return travel? (In case it matters, I will be flying from Milan to Newark.) Thank you.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 7:39 AM PST - 5 comments

I and my two young kids are supposed to have dinner at a friend's house this evening. They just told me that their young kids have lice... Do I go? [more inside]
posted by slide at 7:16 AM PST - 30 comments

My organization is working to standardize on Microsoft Planner and the O365 ecosystem to manage work. My personal approach is a combination of Getting Things Done and kanban boards. I know what the tools can do from a technical perspective, and I need guidance on how to implement the tools to accomplish what I want. Lots of details inside! [more inside]
posted by philosophygeek at 5:37 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm a Liverpool FC fan in the U.S. and trying to figure out what's the best and cheapest way to consistently watch their matches. I have a Peacock subscription, but that doesn't always seem to show their matches (although they are often labeled as being available on NBC Sports, which I thought was Peacock). I don't want to pay $70 per month for Fubo or something I won't watch 98% of. I've got a VPN and not averse to watching a U.K. option. But just curious if anyone knows the best route... p.s. just saw that tomorrow's match seems to be Amazon Prime Live Video.. go figure!
posted by dearleader at 4:48 AM PST - 11 comments

It's "well known" that dogs can hear frequencies above the limit of human hearing, 20Khz (20,000 cycles/second), up to somewhere between 45Khz and 50Khz according to various sources. My question is: do dogs _make_ sounds in these higher ranges?
posted by TimHare at 9:20 PM PST - 2 comments

I have some SoundPEATS A2* headphones, no longer made. I like the headphones and want to keep using them, but the ear pads are falling apart. Assuming I won’t be able to find actual replacements for this model, which inexpensive pads will be a close enough size, shape, and fitting? [more inside]
posted by staggernation at 8:16 PM PST - 4 comments

My friend has hardly any short term memory, but is intelligent and appreciates language. I'd like to get short story audiobooks that caretakers can play for her, and I'd like to get links to stories I can read to her when I visit. [more inside]
posted by theora55 at 7:13 PM PST - 22 comments

Do you know of any rail trips that are like a cruise? That is, I am mainly looking for a trip where passengers get multiple stops to sightsee, etc., but need to unpack their bags only once.
posted by NotLost at 7:08 PM PST - 17 comments

I want to better understand some issues I'm having with musculoskeletal pain and nerve irritation, possibly involving hEDS. I believe better understanding of biomechanics would help my self management but my spatial reasoning is really bad, which makes it really difficult to conceptualize the anatomy. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by crunchy potato at 6:56 PM PST - 7 comments

I stupidly made the mistake of updating Thunderbird to the latest version, unbeknownst that it includes a disastrous UX redesign. Help me fix it. [more inside]
posted by sardonyx at 2:16 PM PST - 9 comments

Tentatively planning on arriving in Barcelona around 11 AM on Christmas Day via a flight from the US. Will it be difficult to find a taxi or rideshare (i.e. Uber/Lyft) to a centrally located hotel? [more inside]
posted by dave*p at 2:08 PM PST - 2 comments

I have copper gutters on my 1912 colonial home in Northeastern MA and through years of either neglect or bad/no maintenance by prior owners they cannot be repaired and need to be replaced. I finally managed to get a quote from a reputable contractor so I'm looking for a sanity check to make sure the estimate I have is reasonable. [more inside]
posted by eatcake at 1:31 PM PST - 16 comments

I am thinking of buying an ereader since my eyes are getting worse and my partner is giving me (gentle) grief about how much phone reading I do. Here's the thing: I will never buy a kindle, and I don't actually want to buy ebooks. I want Libby and Archive of Our Own, and that will pretty much cover all the reading I have been doing via iPhone for the past couple years. What ereader do I want? [more inside]
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:13 AM PST - 30 comments

Where can I watch the three seasons of Primetime Glick?
posted by andoatnp at 10:22 AM PST - 4 comments

The packers I hired through a moving company did an astonishingly poor job. What's the best way to deal with this? [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 10:22 AM PST - 9 comments

How can I make a gag gift portrait without spending too much? [more inside]
posted by Wretch729 at 9:50 AM PST - 11 comments

A strip in front of my home has about six inches of soil, below which I can't penetrate. I want to grow plants there that need a structure to climb on. How can I do this using inexpensive materials? [more inside]
posted by aws17576 at 9:17 AM PST - 10 comments

Begone, 6+-year old computer, there is a shiny new M2 MacBook Air in the house. I have long experience using Apple and MS Office technology as a trainer/presenter in higher ed, but left that almost four years ago when USB-C was newish. I don't know the current terrain for good peripherals. What useful accessories would you use for these tasks? What little charger/dongle/battery/thingie has made you smile with its nicely designed utility? What is The One True Adaptor? [more inside]
posted by conscious matter at 9:09 AM PST - 9 comments

You have to work for long hours at the computer every day. How do you keep your eyes and body healthy? [more inside]
posted by whitelotus at 8:39 AM PST - 18 comments

Is there somewhere, preferably online and not requiring medical credentials to view, where I can follow the current state of pharma manufacturing and availability forecast for specific meds, in particular veterinary? [more inside]
posted by Rhedyn at 8:34 AM PST - 2 comments

I have a small camper, too small to work from regularly, that I could park near interesting towns or beaches and co-work for a week or two. Online resources are more useless than I expected. If you live somewhere with a co-working facility in town, and it's not a big city where I can assume co-working is available, please help me build my list of destinations by speaking up here. US and Canadian locations are primarily of interest.
posted by COD at 8:25 AM PST - 22 comments

Anyone know any within about 45 mins of NYC? [more inside]
posted by Liquidwolf at 8:06 AM PST - 3 comments

I asked this question almost two years ago and looking to replace a pair of jeans (uniqlo and gap) as I've gotten a little bigger and the jeans are starting to fray. What's new in jeans for a sub $100 pair of jeans that are dark wash, slim but not too tight and are not baggy?
posted by sandmanwv at 7:26 AM PST - 5 comments

I have an unreliable gut to begin with, but a month ago I had what I thought was bronchitis and took a "z pack" and started getting....well I'll go ahead and put the specifics under the cut in case casual scrollers don't want to read about digestive stuff. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:00 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm driving up to Toronto (from Buffalo) on tuesday to see Duran Duran at the Scotiabank arena. I know there are a bunch of lots and ramps nearby, but does anyone have any recommendations for a specific one? [more inside]
posted by jonathanhughes at 6:52 AM PST - 4 comments

Is there a decent / more ethical alternative to SubStack? [more inside]
posted by synecdoche at 6:48 AM PST - 8 comments

I just broke my 3rd or so bike saddle in ~10 years. The broken seats are Brooks B17 and C17. Is this normal? [more inside]
posted by Mid at 6:43 AM PST - 17 comments

A spontaneous mutual love connection has sprung up with someone a lot younger than me, and I'm totally confused and ill at ease [more inside]
posted by winterportage at 3:52 AM PST - 32 comments

Looong story short, my elderly mother ordered a prescription 5L oxygen compressor when hers stopped working. The company will not be shipping it out until "next week" despite the fact that she ordered by phone last Thursday and was verbally told 3-5 days. She is supposed to use it 12 hours per day, every day, and is really suffering without it. Can anyone suggest an immediate alternative to waiting? [more inside]
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 3:48 AM PST - 9 comments

Singer steps on toes at every turn. Tonight we floated the idea of her leaving. I feel bad but believe this drama has been messing with our church group for a long time. [more inside]
posted by halfnhalfling at 3:20 AM PST - 15 comments

When I post links on Twitter, the link in the resulting post will automatically be expanded to a kind of thumbnail or snapshot that gives an impression of what the link content contains, which makes it easier to share with others. However, doing the same on bluesky/bsky just posts the link URL itself, and no thumbnail/snapshot. What can I do differently on bsky to automagically get the same effect as Twitter?
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 12:17 AM PST - 3 comments

This is pretty straightforward: can you help me brainstorm experiences to surprise and delight my 43yo spouse on a visit to Oahu? She likes the outdoors, she likes culture, she doesn't care for shopping. Current plans: we're going to try to get into Hanauma Bay. Past plans that she loved but we don't want to repeat: Shangri La, Iolani Palace. A little more below.... [more inside]
posted by moonmoth at 10:11 PM PST - 12 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 What's something you would like to learn extensively (e.g. course/certificate/degree level) if you have the time, energy, and/or money to do so? [more inside]
posted by creatrixtiara at 8:44 PM PST - 24 comments

A friend was there for me in the hardest moments around my father's death. It blurred the boundary between friendship and romance, and I developed feelings for her. The romance has no future, but I want to keep the friendship. The feelings are in the way. How do I do this? [more inside]
posted by Triton at 7:31 PM PST - 10 comments

What mid-price PC computer (desktop or laptop) should I get and why? [more inside]
posted by umbú at 6:27 PM PST - 8 comments

Very recently I'm becoming extremely hungry constantly and very crash-prone. Also recently I started a new dose of lithium carbonate (900 --> 1050). Soon after, my hunger exploded. Usual amount of food at mealtime no longer filling me up. But after a week or so, either it got better or I had adjusted, because things returned to "normal" for about another week. However, now I'm in the third week post-dose-change and it's back with a vengeance. [more inside]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 6:19 PM PST - 4 comments

I'd like to help my son capture his thoughts and learn to type at the same time. I was wondering if there was any kind of application that used speech-to-text to create the target sentences to practice against. [more inside]
posted by butterstick at 6:13 PM PST - 1 comment

What alternatives might I consider to get a 150-200 lbs of coins to another state instead of driving them? [more inside]
posted by diode at 5:27 PM PST - 13 comments

Hello sound enthusiasts, I recently had to get rid of two older Sonos 5 speakers as they were no longer supported. I really liked the following attributes: I could play to them wirelessly, and they actually had pretty nice sound quality. But I didn't like that Sonos chooses WHAT I can play through them, e.g. not any mp3s or .flac files, or at least not unless I go through an irritating set of hoops. Looking for an alternative. [more inside]
posted by rachelpapers at 4:30 PM PST - 8 comments

I want to be a person who writes things down in their notebook, but I have never developed good habits and practices for being the type of person who writes things down in a notebook. Please share your wisdom with me, dear notebook people! How do you do it? like how and when do you make the time? do you draw little quadrants for every meeting? Start each day with some set of journaling intentions in your mind? Some deeply learned wisdom about how and why writing stuff down helps you? My to do lists overwhelm me to the point even writing them down is hard. [more inside]
posted by bingbong at 4:30 PM PST - 22 comments

MUST be a bird or bird-related. Can be any type of gift. Thanks!
posted by tiny frying pan at 4:22 PM PST - 13 comments

I am part of a small, national, membership based organization and we are trying to manage our dues more effectively. How do we figure out whether we should register as a non-profit vs..LLC.. vs. something else? I recognize many of you will say, "talk to a lawyer". If that is your advice, I would like more details. [more inside]
posted by latkes at 2:59 PM PST - 10 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 I finally figured out my chatfilter question! [more inside]
posted by Jenny'sCricket at 2:45 PM PST - 49 comments

I'm considering doing a "Certificate in Editing" through my local university's Continuing Education department. I'm mildly concerned it will not be a worthwhile use of my time or money. What was your experience with programs of this type? Did it lead to work or advancement in the field of editing? [more inside]
posted by Dorinda at 1:54 PM PST - 4 comments

We've got yet another weekend of wild weather ahead of us, and I have used up all of my ideas for fun activities (and a lifetime's worth of screen time) on the last three weekends of crappy weather. Can you help me amuse my very busy 3.5yo? [more inside]
posted by notquitejane at 12:47 PM PST - 22 comments

I’ve been traveling since the pre-internet days of paper maps and cramming as much as possible on a single fax page to stay in touch with folks back home. Recently a weird paranoia has started creeping in, especially when I go abroad: what if I lose my phone? [more inside]
posted by gottabefunky at 12:46 PM PST - 13 comments

Can you recommend a good, inexpensive pen that you've bought recently so you know it's still good? I had liked the uni ball jetstream, but the last time I bought a box they were all gloppy with lots of mess. I want something with a nice fine point for writing in a notebook.
posted by swheatie at 11:51 AM PST - 38 comments

Looking for a diagram for how to build a simple brass spotlight from parts- something like this. [more inside]
posted by oneirodynia at 11:25 AM PST - 8 comments

Merrell Enlighten Shine Breeze (Ignore the sponsored results at the top of the page -- the ones under those are the ones I'm asking about.) I've had a blue pair of these that were perfect... except that when they got at all wet, the blue dye ran onto my socks, staining them. Did I just have a bad dye lot, or did all the blue ones have this flaw, or did other colors have this flaw, too? [more inside]
posted by daisyace at 9:51 AM PST - 2 comments

Hi! I'm trying to purchase this precise shower curtain liner (in white), but the only place online that I've found it is a store in Puerto Rico that does not ship. I'm in NYC. Would ideally like to buy online but in-person locally is cool, too. Can you help me sleuth this one out? Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:43 AM PST - 8 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 I am going to India in late December to do the Rickshaw Run. Over 16 days we will be driving a tuktuk from Fort Kochi in the south to Shillong in the north, sticking roughly to the eastern side of the country with no set route. A few questions below the fold. [more inside]
posted by donpardo at 8:31 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm looking for new ways or great examples of engagement in online training modules. What games, interactive features, or just creative structures have you seen or implemented in online modules? [more inside]
posted by xicana63 at 8:26 AM PST - 2 comments

I saw this cartoon maybe 10-15 years ago, and I've not been able to find it again. The text is:

• A: Would you like a coke?
• B: Nah man, that stuff's poison.
• A: It's got whisky in it.
• B: (holds out hand) Thanks.

[more inside]
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:14 AM PST - 7 comments

Pet-owners, please tell me about your experiences with Trusted Housesitters and other home-based pet-sitting services. [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 8:02 AM PST - 9 comments

We use small amounts of the cheapest detergent. Sometimes I sort by color. When my undergarments are dingy I soak them for 24 hours in Oxiclean. When I clean out the dryer lint trap, I wonder if I am slowly destroying my wardrobe. The burden of living a mediocre life is almost unbearable. I want to level up my laundry game. What are your life-changing laundry tips? [more inside]
posted by mecran01 at 7:45 AM PST - 34 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023. As streaming becomes more and more confusing, with so many streaming platforms, how do you keep track of it all? And what is the future of advertising on streaming? I'd like to hear all your thoughts on streaming and how you manage it. Or do you just subscribe to one or two platforms and not think about it too much? [more inside]
posted by daikon at 7:40 AM PST - 24 comments

My current wallet is falling apart and needs to be replaced. Since the pandemic caused the local store where I'd go for pretty wallets to close, I'm at a loss for where to try next. Any suggestions for a large-ish women's wallet that isn't just basic brown or black leather? I'm open to brick and mortar stores in Toronto or online. Thanks!
posted by machine at 7:26 AM PST - 7 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 As things in my life arise, I often find it helpful to think about what advice would be useful and how I'd frame the question to strangers on the internet, aka Metafilter. I'll work out which info is pertinent and which is superfluous. And then I... just never actually post the question. Maybe I'm anxious about posting, maybe I get distracted, who knows. But I've periodically wondered if I'm not alone, if other folks also are wandering around composing questions to ask the Hive Mind and finding just this thinking helpful. [more inside]
posted by wyzewoman at 7:04 AM PST - 32 comments

I went to Costco in VA yesterday where temps ranged from 60-87. I left everything in the trunk until this morning. One of the cans of cat food I bought bursted open, so I’m throwing out all the cans. Do I have to throw out the ketchup, pasta sauce, or peanut butter I bought? [more inside]
posted by CMcG at 6:23 AM PST - 15 comments

Thanksgiving week, flying into PHX with seven days to hike and play. Someone suggested five days in Sedona and two days in Jerome. What would you do? [more inside]
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 10:07 PM PST - 11 comments

seen any funny bird drawings / cartoons lately? I'm looking for gift ! I want it to be funny and bird centric. the more ridiculous the better. could be wordless.. could be comic-y.. ink, paint, pencil, etc.. sketchy, new yorker cartoony, etc etc - whatever medium. could be a wall calendar, framed print, mug, etc etc. [more inside]
posted by elgee at 8:25 PM PST - 25 comments

I have a four-syllable, very common, strongly gendered first name. There are lots of well-known nicknames for my name but I've always gone by the full thing. I want to start going by a nickname that's not one of the obvious ones. How do I make this not weird? Tell me about your experiences! [more inside]
posted by zeptoweasel at 7:47 PM PST - 21 comments

I'm living in Guilin this fall taking Chinese classes, and I have two week-long trips to plan - I'll have a week sometime in late October or early November to travel, and then a week mid-December, and I'm having trouble deciding where to go - there's so much to see and I'm having major FOMO. [more inside]
posted by catcafe at 7:39 PM PST - 6 comments

My cat (tax) will only eat wet food. For logistical reasons I need to use an electronic feeder. However, I seem to have a fruit fly infestation in my apartment and they have discovered the food. Now literally within an hour or two a serving of food will have at least 5-6 flies crawling on it, and obviously neither my cat nor I are happy about it. Below the fold, what I've already tried and does not work. [more inside]
posted by derrinyet at 7:29 PM PST - 6 comments

I've always wanted to ask about this here but it seemed chatty, so thank you to the fundraiser for giving me the opportunity! I'm curious about other people's experience of visual snow, constant static noise over the entire visual field. Science doesn't seem to have made many strides in the 20+ years since I realized not everyone has this, so anecdata is the best we can do! [more inside]
posted by babelfish at 6:42 PM PST - 39 comments

I grew up in a poor and chaotic household but even as an adult who has managed to escape that environment I can’t stop feeling constantly like the rug will be pulled from under me. [more inside]
posted by Riverside at 6:27 PM PST - 10 comments

What are some restaurants to prioritize in Amsterdam? Looking for dinner plans next Wednesday. And there are a couple more questions inside. [more inside]
posted by emelenjr at 5:34 PM PST - 9 comments

I have a potential opportunity to expand my role - how do I broach the topic tactfully with my boss? [more inside]
posted by Tevin at 5:20 PM PST - 3 comments

I am teaching a film course and want to show various scenes from English language films. The challenge is to find scenes that are coherent on their own, and don't really require the rest of the film as context. The first 15 minutes of Up, for example, is an ideal choice. What are some other scenes from films that stand on their own? [more inside]
posted by zardoz at 4:30 PM PST - 50 comments

So, I'm off on a weird trip early next month, into SEA early on a Sunday morning, attending a concert in the evening, and then flying back out of SEA the first flight the next morning. I'll be taking the light rail up to Seattle and am wondering, are there any stops along the way I should explore? I have a full day to kill before the show, and will get a day pass for the train so I can get off and on as much as I want. This would be only for the daytime on a Sunday. I could kill an hour or two or more at a few stops heading north, so recommendations for anything are welcome.
posted by hippybear at 3:29 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm toying with the idea of learning to quilt. Picture a quilt: there are basically 3 layers. The part with all the different fabrics arranged in a pattern, the batting, and the backing. I have an idea of the different ways of making the patchwork-y part happen. And I know you just buy batting and backing fabric, but...When you see a quilt, often the batting is sewn on in big swirly patterns that cover the whole quilt. How does that happen? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:02 PM PST - 27 comments

What are some vegan or vegetarian foods that satisfy similar cravings to hard sausages and summer sausages? (For purposes of this question, I'm not referring to breakfast sausages or the hotdog / kielbasa expanded universe.) They don't have to claim to be sausages themselves as long as they satisfy most of these criteria: savory, chewy, lots of fat and protein, salt and umami, and lactic acid tang (or equivalent). Commercial products widely available in the US, or recipes. [more inside]
posted by moonmilk at 2:56 PM PST - 22 comments

Interested in the experiences of those who have used both Android Auto and CarPlay in 2023, and how you feel they compare. I'm well aware of all of the other differences of Android vs. iOS - and have used both myself - but I'm really only interested only in your personal in-car experience. I can (theoretically) use both 100% wirelessly in my car.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 2:31 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm at a juncture where I want to plan my next career steps (looking 5-10 years out) and generally think I want to transition into data analytics type roles. I'd like to take a self-learning approach for various reasons, and would greatly benefit from a mentor who can (1) tell me if my plan is reasonable and (2) maybe have a quarterly check-in over the course of several years to see if I need to make adjustments. I would be willing to pay for this, but how does one even find such an arrangement? [more inside]
posted by unid41 at 1:44 PM PST - 6 comments

It's Scholastic Book Fair time at my daughter's school, but one of the things she wanted sold out before she could buy it. Is there another way for me to buy this? [more inside]
posted by kevinbelt at 1:08 PM PST - 10 comments

Have been searching on Spotify for some good 1950's Jazz/Bebop that really swing. Jonah Jones is a favorite. Recently came upon some of Harry Edison's albums. Any other suggestions?
posted by goalyeehah at 12:38 PM PST - 4 comments

I have been seeing a therapist who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a focus on people dealing with chronic illness (It me!). She's great and I've learned a lot but I would like to find a therapist who helps me practice those skills and build those muscles. How do I do that? [more inside]
posted by jeszac at 11:58 AM PST - 9 comments

I have a conference and my husband has at least some work while we are in DC in November with our 1-year-old. Where should we stay? [more inside]
posted by *s at 11:29 AM PST - 6 comments

YANML, but I am trying to figure out whether "citations" from this private parking company are meaningful in any way, as in, are they able to collect this money from people? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 10:50 AM PST - 7 comments

My autistic+PDAer+anxious kid is hyperfixated on money these days. Monopoly money won't do; it has to be real money. He is not interested in spending it, just on acquiring and growing large amounts. This impossible craving causes a lot of dysregulation. [more inside]
posted by splitpeasoup at 10:29 AM PST - 15 comments

Most perfume identification questions seem to use the bottle as a clue -- my mystery scent was transferred into a different bottle like at least 40 years ago by my late mother. It's a very evocative smell to me I'd like to identify or find something similar. Where do I even start??? [more inside]
posted by wellifyouinsist at 10:16 AM PST - 9 comments

I am at an event that is using those light bulb letters. In the room the individual bulbs are clearly visible. But on screen with the video feeds on the monitors the letters are just a solid white. Why? How? [more inside]
posted by jacquilynne at 9:54 AM PST - 7 comments

My basement apartment was entirely flooded by a sewer backup a week and a half ago. The water came in under the walls, got maybe two inches deep on average, and the place stayed flooded for about 17 hours. Landlord refuses to do any assessment of damage. Am I right to be concerned about nastiness growing inside the walls, etc.? [more inside]
posted by Mike Smith at 9:48 AM PST - 13 comments

Over the past several years I’ve transitioned from being involved in the day to day at work to being increasingly higher level internal strategy. Oddly this leads to a lot of “nothing to do” and is driving me nuts. I have a lot of anxiety and it turns into disinterest in days and weeks I may work a half hour. My company culture actively discouraged innovation that’s not approved or helping other team members without a formal approval process. I have a constant fear of being laid off and the irregular hours are not helping. [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 8:56 AM PST - 14 comments

For someone who is visiting Paris soon and enjoys reading about The Lost Generation and the existentialists, where would be some good places to visit? So far I've only got Les Deux Magots (and Saint-Germain-des-Pres), Shakespeare & Co, La Sorbonne, Montparnasse Cemetery. Are tourists allowed to enter the Bibliotheque Nationale at all? Also, any bookstore recs besides Shakespeare & Co would be appreciated!
posted by madonna of the unloved at 1:00 AM PST - 8 comments

Looking for a vendor (online or brick+mortar) where I can reasonably expect to find a "nice" top for a teenager. This is harder than you'd think. I must be looking in the wrong places. What are the right places? [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:17 PM PST - 38 comments

I was give a snapshot of a whiteboard with a series of equations that am trying to identify. The writing is illegible in a number of places, but some of it I can make out. It is obviously some sort of equations of motion involving the gravitational acceleration on some mass m, versus another force Fw, and some velocities - here are a few things I can make out: ma = mg - Fw v(t) = vT*(1 - e^(-b*A*t/m)) [more inside]
posted by kjl291 at 8:48 PM PST - 5 comments

What will really happen if I put something that's "commercially compostable" in my home compost pile? [more inside]
posted by knotty knots at 3:02 PM PST - 12 comments

YANMD. Why do I get a tickle in my throat causing an immediate need to cough, and I'm nearly choking on the trigger foods? This has only been happening in the last week or so and only with "dry, crumbly foods". Sweet potato chips, French fries, corn dog, bread. If the food is wet, it doesn't happen. So when I had some sourdough bread mixed into a French onion soup, it was fine. [more inside]
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 2:52 PM PST - 15 comments

When on an overseas trip, I bought a bottle of Eau de Toilette as a gift. Upon arriving home, I noticed that the bottle is not full - it was a display model and I didn't realize it had been used as a tester. This is not a huge deal - the gift is more about the bottle than it is the scent, and the person receiving it may not ever use the fragrance; however, I don't want it to look like it was a tester bottle. [more inside]
posted by happy_cat at 2:42 PM PST - 9 comments

Hey all! The question title about sums it up. I'd like to take a working vacation for a week to get the city's general vibe, at some point between October and February (excluding the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year peak travel times) What should I do while I'm in town? Also includes St. Paul. [more inside]
posted by daikaisho at 1:50 PM PST - 10 comments

Next songwriting topic ... tell me about your memories and experiences of the kitchen [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 1:37 PM PST - 20 comments

Say I'm writing a business letter to a woman I've never met and know nothing about. Let's assume her name is Susan Jones. I want to strike a note of respectful professionalism and avoid assuming any unearned familiarity. How should I address her in the letter's first line? [more inside]
posted by Paul Slade at 1:03 PM PST - 69 comments

Plus wondering if I’m being too sensitive about the interviewer’s questions [more inside]
posted by socky bottoms at 12:12 PM PST - 26 comments

I'm raising money because I want to move to a town that will have more professional, personal, and medical options.I'm on SSDI (disability) so funding is a huge obstacle, especially as more medical bills have come up. Friends have helped my GoFundMe, but I'm still around $2000 short. Thinking of asking a friend for a loan and wanting to make sure it's as easy and fair to her as possible. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 11:57 AM PST - 7 comments

Afforable Parisian Michelin star OR Montmartre anniversary restaurant [more inside]
posted by DoubleLune at 10:35 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm looking for a good guide (written, or video) on how to use spreadsheets, but specifically Google Sheets, for a complete noob. I realize I can look on Google, or YouTube, but I am looking for a first hand recommendation, from a community like this. [more inside]
posted by jstncwlcx at 9:36 AM PST - 6 comments

We're visting Rome and Florence in a few weeks and would love your recommendations for cocktail bars in both cities. We're ideally looking for places with strong cocktail programs as opposed to, say, spots known chiefly for making a good spritz, but we're open to all ideas. Thanks!
posted by DavidNYC at 9:11 AM PST - 5 comments

There is a very VERY strong possibility I will soon get a job offer from the place I've been temping at; however, 2 days ago I had a very promising interview somewhere that would be WAY better. How long can I "think about" the offer for the first job, to give the second job a chance to see what pans out? [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:10 AM PST - 29 comments

My partner was horrified to hear how much I pay to keep my house going. It occurred to me I don't know what's normal these days. What do you think is reasonable? What percentage of your income is spent on just the stuff to keep your home running? #metafilterfundraiser2023 [more inside]
posted by sockmeamadeus at 3:05 AM PST - 19 comments

What does this mean in terms of driving experience please? [more inside]
posted by ojocaliente at 11:14 PM PST - 22 comments

(YANMD) I've had hemorrhoids for ~5 years, mostly mild but seem to get worse when I go through periods of stress. My main symptom is actually itching at night, which is relieved with ointments. I finally saw a doctor because during a stressful time earlier this year I was using the ointments for relief more than is recommended, and the proctologist explained they are mild but would benefit from banding to hopefully get rid of them while they're mild. I'm supposed to have it this week, but have a few doubts (more inside). [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:30 PM PST - 4 comments

My friend is alcoholic. They are more functional now than before but I am suspicious they are still drinking a lot in secret. When we talk they share with me grievances about every part of their current life (money, health, job, school, family) and seem to not recognize that they directly caused all these problems for themselves by their behaviours in the past. I try to be a good listener and not shame them but I am always annoyed that they blame everyone else and even politicians for their current life. Am I a bad person if I call them out on this and try to get them to take responsibility? Will it have a bad effect on them?
posted by anonymous at 10:30 PM PST - 16 comments

I’m haunted by memories of an old magazine ad for a video game. I’d like to know what game it was. Description of my memory of the ad inside. It's a silly question, but it's been itching my brain. [more inside]
posted by Going To Maine at 10:04 PM PST - 9 comments

My iPhone S has suddenly stopped working. It has not been dropped in water or exposed to any moisture. When I plug it in, I get a "plugged in" chime noise, and when I press the round button at the bottom, the phone vibrates, but the screen does not light up. [more inside]
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 9:45 PM PST - 7 comments

Are quiches appropriately served hot, chilled, or at room temperature? That is all.
posted by Grandysaur at 9:17 PM PST - 16 comments

I'm currently running pi-hole and Unifi network controller on a Raspberry Pi 3B+ with 32-bit Raspbian (Buster). I noticed that the newly released Unifi network controller drops support for 32 bit OS's. Is upgrading to a 64 bit OS (e.g. 64-bit Bullseye) performant enough on this model, or will it be too sluggish to handle what I use it for and make me wish I had gotten a Pi 4B? [more inside]
posted by rouftop at 8:08 PM PST - 4 comments

I recently switched my cat's litter over to this one because she wouldn't stop pooping outside her box. It's been a great success but my apartment smells like a giant hamster cage and it's awful. I've tried mixing the new stuff with regular litter, which helps and sort of creates a substrate situation in her box which is nice, but the overall odor is just extreme. What can I do to cancel out the wood fiber smell? (Cat Tax)
posted by The Adventure Begins at 1:19 PM PST - 23 comments

When there’s more tasks for cleaning piled up, what is the best way to triage them? There so many different factors, like urgency, importance, durability, and dependencies, does anybody have a outline of a efficient way to triage? [more inside]
posted by jras at 1:05 PM PST - 12 comments

We just went apple picking this morning, and the kids picked a TON of amazing crimson crisp apples. [more inside]
posted by atomicstone at 12:07 PM PST - 11 comments

I bought a clip-on medal for my car, and the visor is too thick. I'd also like to add a few small charms. How do I do this? [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 9:38 AM PST - 6 comments

I've finished yet another (otherwise okay) book with a female protagonist, where her being slender was brought up very early on in the narrative and is constantly reinforced as a reason for her appeal. I'm tired of this trope and I want to not have to deal with this anymore. Some specifics inside. [more inside]
posted by Nieshka at 9:30 AM PST - 18 comments

I do not trust my cardiologist to do more than the bare minimum to treat my symptoms or to investigate possible damage. I'm not OK with this. Help me find the right words to push for this to happen. I’m currently suffering from air hunger, palpitations, tachycardia and chest pain as side effects of persistent hypophosphatemia following iron infusion (HPP). My serum phosphate levels are stable but the endocrinologist managing the HPP has explained (in more biochemical detail than I can relay here) that what’s happening at a serum level isn’t necessarily what’s happening at a cellular level in this condition which would explain why, despite ‘normal’ levels, I’m still experiencing debilitating cardiac symptoms. I'm increasingly concerned about damage to my heart, but don't have a lot of faith in my cardiologist to do much about this. [more inside]
posted by t0astie at 6:19 AM PST - 17 comments

A blogger I like posted a link to a triple-screen setup on her laptop, and I thought ooh shiny, but then couldn't think how I'd use it to be more productive at work. I don't do graphics or real coding - 90% of my time is Excel, Word, Outlook and Jira. Are these multi-screen set-ups really helpful or that old lie about multi-tasking being better than deep focus?
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:39 AM PST - 45 comments

What brand/model/style of glasses is Chad Muska wearing in this video?
posted by Herschel at 12:24 AM PST - 4 comments

I've been using the Osprey Daylite for hiking and travel and I like almost everything about it except for the fact that it won't stand on its own and the water bottle holders are too big. This has resulted in many spilled/leaking water bottles and I'm ready to find something new. [more inside]
posted by oxisos at 8:46 PM PST - 5 comments

I love my job, but I don't love where I live, and I'd like to move somewhere cheaper. I own a small studio flat in Farnborough, which is cheap for this area, but if I moved to somewhere like Dundee I could easily afford a place twice as big. The only thing keeping me in Farnborough is my job, which is hybrid-remote, with 3 days at home and two days in the office. [more inside]
posted by Chenko at 7:20 PM PST - 5 comments

Can you recommend a nail polish that won't show chips or imperfections? Something with a little more coverage than clear, that doesn't require perfect application, and where small chips aren't obvious. Pearlescent or a little shimmer is okay, but nothing too glittery. [more inside]
posted by socktime at 6:42 PM PST - 14 comments

Isn't there some kind of quip about how a home remodel goes great until it doesn't? Some variation on the ninety-ninety rule that DuckDuckGo couldn't find?
posted by conscious matter at 6:04 PM PST - 5 comments

Hello, There is a possibility of layoffs at my workplace. I am wondering if I should take a Bootcamp course to upskill now or after layoff? What do you suggest? Thank you [more inside]
posted by Mountain28 at 5:13 PM PST - 3 comments

You are not my doctor. In fact, part of my question is "What doctor do I see for this?" The nail on a finger keeps developing a small crack at the very tip. This nail was never perfect - there's always been a groove running down lengthwise. I'm concerned this crack will spread and go all the way down. What can I do to help prevent cracks? Grow fingernail length faster? Is there a professional I need to see? More inside. [more inside]
posted by Mushroom12345 at 3:04 PM PST - 14 comments

I’ve been reading about ASD symptoms in women and gradually remembering making adjustments to some of them when I was young that I hardly notice now. But so many of the symptoms seem so ordinary in the context of my family circumstances and childhood I’m a little puzzled, like surely those are very common quirks? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:52 PM PST - 17 comments

Will my required cable/wire safely fit in existing conduit? (details inside) [more inside]
posted by Acari at 11:46 AM PST - 9 comments

Asking for a friend. His FB account was hacked and he can't get in. Here's his question: [more inside]
posted by JimN2TAW at 11:27 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm a gay male. My close family friend is married to a woman. I've been sensing some overtures from him, but he suddenly seems to have went cold. Is my gaydar off? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:09 AM PST - 14 comments

I'm not a Trekkie by any stretch, but I'm trying to remember an episode from the very first Star Trek season (1960s, with William Shatner). All I remember is that at some point there were dangerous invisible particles of antimatter floating about inside the ship, and to touch one would probably be fatal. [more inside]
posted by snarfois at 7:53 AM PST - 20 comments

I need to go off temazepam. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:42 AM PST - 6 comments

My spouse put $2000 in a SmithBarney/Citigroup IRA years before we were together, in the early aughts, for the typical reasons: it seemed like it would both provide a tax break and be a prudent way to save for retirement. They went on to contribute primarily to employer-sponsored 401(k) accounts. Recently, they logged into the IRA account and found the balance to be zero. SmithBarney had been purchased by Morgan Stanley in 2009, who had instated a quarterly "minimum balance fee", which over the course of a decade drained the account. Is there any recourse? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:42 AM PST - 18 comments

I'm visiting New York City in a month, and one of my to-do list items is to have a proper New York egg cream. I keep reading references to it in Richard Boch's Mudd Club memoir and elsewhere (like the terrible late-period Lou Reed song of the same name) and I can't help but be curious. Suggestions for places in either Manhattan or Brooklyn? Or am I 50 years too late for the real thing?
posted by spoobnooble 3D: the spoobening at 7:20 AM PST - 15 comments

Can someone help me identify a font in this image. It's the "SHE CAN" and "COACH" font.
posted by nerhael at 7:04 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm moving to Tokyo in a few months. I've done my due diligence and am doing plenty of research, but can definitely use more advice or resources on the details of moving/living in Tokyo/Japan [more inside]
posted by wooh at 6:55 AM PST - 2 comments

I feel like mores around this may have changed while I wasn't paying attention. So, my simple question is, on an extremely hot day, is it weird to walk a pet around the neighborhood without wearing a shirt?
posted by Jon44 at 6:09 PM PST - 84 comments

#chatfilter I want to be driving a manual car for as long as possible. What is the optimal car purchase to make in the near future to ensure that? Before heading under the fold, please note that EVs and hybrid plugins are NOT options for lifestyle reasons. Thus discussion of anything other than a manual transmission gas vehicle is considered noise and flagged accordingly. [more inside]
posted by Cold Lurkey at 5:44 PM PST - 15 comments

What are good practices for studios *teaching* chokes to new BJJ students? Should I be concerned that they’re being taught from go, with no safety considerations apart from encouragement to tap out, and that more senior students want me to push to my and their limits? How/should I bring up my concern with the lead teacher? [more inside]
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 5:02 PM PST - 11 comments

Quality issues are apparent with every brand. Every laptop I’ve owned has been a lemon despite a reasonable amount of research. Please recommend something I won’t regret! [more inside]
posted by cotton dress sock at 4:42 PM PST - 16 comments

My partner is going back to work at the end of the month after 18 months of parental leave (thanks, Canada!). Our child will be entering full-time daycare at the same time. I'm looking for advice / shared experiences from other parents on things I can do now to help us navigate this transition smoothly. [more inside]
posted by beepbeepboopboop at 3:42 PM PST - 6 comments

Have you or somebody you know been successful in a constructive dismissal claim? How has it affected your/their career following that? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:04 PM PST - 4 comments

I have my suspicions, but I have never bought advertising from FB so I don't know. Do you know? [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:02 PM PST - 10 comments

Please point me to material about the games children played and other ways they generally amused themselves in 19th century Scotland. Hide-and-seek is probably on the list. Were there games unique to Scotland/UK?
posted by John Borrowman at 1:10 PM PST - 6 comments

A place I am looking is "price restricted" and capped at 2% growth. Does that mean with a 6% mortgage at current rates, I'd actually be losing money if I bought? [more inside]
posted by miles1972 at 12:55 PM PST - 16 comments

My previous landlord has owed me money for almost two months and won't pay up. (He acknowledges he owes me money and keeps telling me the check is coming.) In Massachusetts, this can be handled in small claims court. Should I get a lawyer? What is my best course of action? (Details inside if you're interested) [more inside]
posted by rednikki at 11:48 AM PST - 9 comments

From this article: “Her arch prose style recalled the anomie of ‘The Andy Warhol Diaries’” [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 11:30 AM PST - 10 comments

So my cat Joe has decided to take over the bottom level of my granddaughter's old playhouse. But it's an open air thing made of hard plastic. What materials would you use to seal it up for him, considering it's outdoors in the south east of the USA? [more inside]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:24 AM PST - 17 comments

Some things are best learned by straight memorization, and I pretty much pass out immediately when I sit down to do it. Help me find a way around this block. [more inside]
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:09 AM PST - 16 comments

I will be hosting a series of figurative drink-and-draws for beginners. These will include a brief discussion / presentation of the most iconic nude or partially-draped artworks spanning most of the Western art canon ... [more inside]
posted by ZenMasterThis at 10:48 AM PST - 22 comments

Say a stopped family car (A) is struck by a commercial tractor-trailer (B). It's very clearly the truck's fault, no injuries but substantial vehicle damage. Both sides are insured. Which insurance should the car driver file a claim with? Does it make a difference? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph at 10:16 AM PST - 19 comments

What is the current landscape of sites/services set up to allow a specific group of people to answer questions and read one another's responses? [more inside]
posted by wormtales at 8:56 AM PST - 5 comments

I've been a line2 user for a while, it's...fine, but seems to be getting worse, but the space seems full of awful companies. Do you have one...you like? [more inside]
posted by wooh at 8:51 AM PST - 3 comments

Getting notifications for packages I didn't order that claim to be delivered but don't exist - is this a scam or stolen mail? [more inside]
posted by leslies at 8:43 AM PST - 7 comments

If you’re someone who says “be careful!” after someone has tripped, dropped, or spilled something - what do you really mean by it? [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 8:32 AM PST - 41 comments

I've recently listened to An Immense World, Finding the Mother Tree, Entangled Life, and Other Minds. What I should I listen to next? [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust at 8:16 AM PST - 8 comments

It’s fall and I’m looking for some dessert ideas that incorporate maple syrup. Ideally something not too heavy or sticky - I can always make pancakes or waffles for that. Nothing with bacon, please, but bonus points for recipes without dairy and / or can be made ahead of time.
posted by Mchelly at 7:49 AM PST - 19 comments

I woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible chest pain, cold sweats, and then threw up. [more inside]
posted by inevitability at 7:41 AM PST - 26 comments

Which Tetris-like games do you play on your phone? I'm looking for something safe to download that is Tetris, but not the official Tetris game. [more inside]
posted by dianeF at 7:36 AM PST - 5 comments

I am trying to set up my old iPhone 8 for my 6 year old, so I want to turn on as many content restrictions as I can. However, it seems that turning on the age-appropriate restrictions in iPhone settings makes the Audible app disappear entirely (from googling, it seems this is because the iPhone content restrictions can't tell what content is being consumed through Audible). How can I allow my kid to listen to kid-appropriate audiobooks? [more inside]
posted by CiaoMela at 7:03 AM PST - 4 comments

My son has fine, straight hair. He keeps getting haircuts he (and I) hate. Help! [more inside]
posted by CoureurDubois at 6:49 AM PST - 12 comments

The gist was, and I'm sure I'm loosely paraphrasing: "It's ok to believe in whatever convenient little lie (or fiction?) that helps you get through the day." My first thought was Vonnegut, but I can't find it or anything similar.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:29 AM PST - 2 comments

I do not have a keen eye for detail and it’s been a recurring theme since I was a child. How do I develop it? [more inside]
posted by antihistameme at 3:38 AM PST - 22 comments

Have you ever asked a "can I eat this" style question on AskMefi? And if so: how did it go? More below the jump. [more inside]
posted by queen anne's remorse at 11:40 PM PST - 12 comments

The music in a trailer for a new Sofia Coppola movie immediately filled me with nostalgia even though I'd never heard the song, because it sounded like what it felt like to be young in 1992. I looked it up and it was Spectrum's "How You Satisfy Me." I'm a little obsessed. Skipping maybe the most obvious ones like say "Fade Into You", what are some other songs that just sound like the 90s?
posted by less-of-course at 11:24 PM PST - 60 comments

I've only ever had cats, so there are some things about dogs I need to learn. [more inside]
posted by cboggs at 10:40 PM PST - 9 comments

Please recommend books with nonbinary, genderqueer, agender protagonists/major supporting characters! Any genre, written for any age. Thank you!
posted by azalea_chant at 9:14 PM PST - 38 comments

I (40's F) have been alternating friends/dating C (40's M) who has ASD for a few years now. We get along really well, make each other laugh, have great chemistry and a wonderful rapport--until we try to talk about our relationship. I want that to improve. If you've been through this, what helped? And are there any good books, podcasts, etc? [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 8:52 PM PST - 8 comments

Can anyone recommend any good resources for teaching an absolute beginner (8-year old) fastpitch pitching? I’ve searched YouTube but am having trouble finding anything that starts from ground zero. I’m willing to spend a reasonable amount of money if that’s what it takes. [more inside]
posted by howling fantods at 7:33 PM PST - 2 comments

What the title says: Is there any existing FM synth that lets you route an operator to a key or set of keys? [more inside]
posted by symbioid at 5:48 PM PST - 2 comments

What are some great gifts under $23?
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:32 PM PST - 16 comments

I've just started working through Raymond Smullyan's classic text of logic puzzles What is The Name Of This Book? with offspring #2 and they, not trusting my explanations of such things, have asked if there's an answer-sheet with breakdowns of the solutions for it anywhere, as the book doesn't answer the questions it poses. Can anyone point me to one?
posted by Hogshead at 5:20 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm a big Mitchell fan and just finished Ghostwritten for the first time. I'm a fast reader and generally like to re-read books to fully understand/remember them, but I am a bit perplexed by this one and would love some insight. [more inside]
posted by Molasses808 at 5:04 PM PST - 5 comments

I have a fibroid that has chosen today, 48 hours before I leave on a long vacation abroad, to start bleeding uncontrollably. I'm taking tranexamic acid already. My question is very specific: **Is there some other short-term solution that they can offer me at quick care?** Or should I cancel my vacation and seek the hysterectomy that I know is headed my way? I'm really worried about trying to get on a plane like this.
posted by HotToddy at 4:44 PM PST - 10 comments

This seems to be something rampant on internet forums, and I actually find it sort of rude. [more inside]
posted by alex_skazat at 4:38 PM PST - 46 comments

Every time I'm in the UK, I'm always struck by how much better orange juice tastes than in Canada. Basic supermarket “with Bits” (pulp) tastes of orange, and is delicious. Even the highest-end “never from concentrate” juice in Canada is battery acid by comparison. What should I be looking for in tasty orange juice?
posted by scruss at 4:14 PM PST - 4 comments

In my arthritic quest to forego all “tucking in” and strip down bedmaking to its barebones fundamentals, which is more important/hygienic: having a bottom sheet between me and the mattress pad, or a top sheet, between me and the cotton comforter? [more inside]
posted by BostonTerrier at 3:29 PM PST - 12 comments

My main goal is to sell my house and move in the most stress-free manner possible. But I've never sold a house before and don't have an agent yet. What do I look for? [more inside]
posted by mulcahy at 2:57 PM PST - 4 comments

How to sell a plot of land in North Carolina, remotely. Difficulty: now a HOA is involved! [more inside]
posted by amicamentis at 1:46 PM PST - 4 comments

I did it! I set up a recurring donation to MeFi! Also I really want to know about everyone's cats and cat behavior. For example one of my cats opens cabinets to hide from strangers. The other cat noshes on kale stems and licks pans (for the oil/grease residue). They both love playing on top of a drying rack, but only if it's unstable. When the rack is braced between furniture they immediately lose interest.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:36 PM PST - 48 comments

My son has a backpack he loves. It's cheap. It's made of some kind of vinyl-ish material on the inside and something with a look like a canvas-y fabric on the outside but based on the way it's wearing, I think this is actually just fibres (maybe the kind the softer re-usable shopping cards are made of) sprayed on to the vinyl with an adhesive in between. I'm thinking of buying him a second identical backpack. How do I keep it from falling part like the first? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 12:53 PM PST - 6 comments

This may seem a bit chat filtery, but for me it is regular work, and I have hesitated to post it here for that reason. So to make it clear, ideological discussions are not the point here. I simply need to know if anyone has ever burned books with an intent or result that can be described as positive. I am aware that the people who burn books feel they are doing good, and if anyone can come up with reasons that are not fascist, I will take note. [more inside]
posted by mumimor at 12:14 PM PST - 42 comments

12 yo has just started learning French. We would like to watch something fun and weird together on Netflix or Prime (or even youtube...) in French but subtitled, of course. She likes quirky animated series like Loud House, Dead End Paranormal, Amphibia. (She loved Gudetama, heh.). Do you have recommendations?
posted by Omnomnom at 12:04 PM PST - 14 comments

Consider the pair of words (1a) mace, (1b) maze, as well as the pair (2a) zing, (2b) sing. Each pair has a single difference in sound. In each pair, would it occur to you to call one of the sounds "hard" and the other "soft" (or, if it wouldn't occur to you naturally, would you nevertheless have a strong instinct about which was which if someone else used those terms)? If so, which word in each pair has the "hard" sound?

Please note: I know the terms linguists would use instead of "hard" and "soft"; no need to mention those or to explicate the distinction. This question is about folk usage.
posted by aws17576 at 11:29 AM PST - 31 comments

I dislike my current job though I'm good at it, and I'm having an especially rough time today/this week. I just cannot power through and get tasks done. I'm so tired and burned out. How can I cope while planning my escape? [more inside]
posted by eunique at 10:55 AM PST - 6 comments

(Possibly Chatfilter, so I donated just in case). I am 44, and I find that my already pretty high sex drive has skyrocketed in the past year and a half. I theorize that my body is trying to get me to procreate before menopause kicks in. Is this experience common? [more inside]
posted by sugarbomb at 10:53 AM PST - 7 comments

I would like to take an online prep course for the Massachusetts Construction Supervisors’ License exam while I am recovering from surgery in November. I’m finding the options difficult to compare because the websites are all about the same and don’t provide info about the actual course material. I own the required books but I need structure for how to use them to study. [more inside]
posted by Summers at 10:45 AM PST - 0 comments

Our institution is hosting an hour workshop on cultural humility. Our small library will be helping out and I'd like to do a drawing at the end where participants can win books. What titles would fit the theme well and would be exciting to win? [more inside]
posted by LKWorking at 10:30 AM PST - 6 comments

I am fully burnt out on trying to meet people through dating apps. Would I have fun on a singles cruise where I could do a little work during the day and mingle with people at night? [more inside]
posted by critzer at 10:12 AM PST - 10 comments

I am very top heavy and it's worse now that I've gained 15 pounds. I've tried some upper back stretching poses but sometimes my chest gets in the way as I can't lay on my stomach well enough to get the right stretch. Are there any stretch routines that you recommend for large-chested people? I am in a lot of pain in my shoulders and between my shoulder blades.
posted by xicana63 at 10:10 AM PST - 9 comments

I am stumped. I'm a relatively tech-savvy guy, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to post a garage sale to Facebook Marketplace. I see OTHER garage sales listed there under the Classifieds category, but that category isn't an option for me when I try to create an ad of my own. What the heck is going on? Anyone here a FB Marketplace expert who can tell me how to do this? (Online tutorials seem to contain outdated info because I don't have the options that they show.) I feel like a Boomer having to ask this question...
posted by jdroth at 10:05 AM PST - 8 comments

While my ex and I were in the process of becoming exes, I said that I hadn't felt that labor was equally divided in our relationship, and I had often wanted him to step up more. He returned that I turned the entire relationship into something transactional. I don't think he was right, and I'm not interested in litigating it at this late date, but... I'm still not sure I understand what the dividing line is between reciprocity and transactionalism. Do you, and can you explain it to me?
posted by humbug at 9:38 AM PST - 23 comments

I need some professional headshots taken. I'm looking for recommendations for a photographer. [more inside]
posted by bluloo at 9:21 AM PST - 2 comments

Link to the image. Or are the markings just decorative? I can't figure it out. It's just a circle of glass otherwise.
posted by Borborygmus at 8:45 AM PST - 5 comments

Is it difficult to handle a commercial real estate transaction in Long Island, New York? [more inside]
posted by slogger at 8:12 AM PST - 3 comments

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for making the most out of my study time and/or keeping myself in the right headspace for exams for a must-pass class? [more inside]
posted by anyone_really at 7:39 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm 34, female and feeling increasingly conscious of how "behind" I am in life. I imagine it's because 35 is hovering ahead and 40 seems far too close for comfort. I'm not too concerned about the marriage/kids thing as much as I am about career/living arrangement/financial situation. [more inside]
posted by Sunflower88 at 5:15 AM PST - 33 comments

At the beginning of October, I'll be spending a few days in the Matsumoto area of the Northern Japan Alps. Since I won't have time for a multiday trek, I'm looking for a few quick 'n dirty, four or five mile hikes to get to spots with expansive views--as well as trips on ropeways to access a view point. Your best hits list?
posted by Gordion Knott at 3:56 AM PST - 1 comment

I love Easy Cheese, but I find that it comes out of the can too slowly. Would it be possible to make it come out like silly string? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by Literaryhero at 3:43 AM PST - 7 comments

Is this a bash bug? I've already posted this same question to Stack Overflow to find out where the quality answers turn up faster. [more inside]
posted by flabdablet at 9:24 PM PST - 14 comments

Both sprays are from the same brand. Both sprays have 5% lidocaine. One spray has 1% menthol. What difference does the menthol make? I bought the sprays hoping to relieve nerve pain caused by schwannomas under the skin.
posted by Stuka at 8:07 PM PST - 4 comments

Considering buying a condo in West Roxbury, MA and would love to hear other MeFite experiences or opinions [more inside]
posted by Eudaimonia at 6:53 PM PST - 6 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 Today I learned that the little picture on your web browser is a favicon. Not a flavicon - which is how I managed to read it since the auction last year...I discovered my mistake trying to auction off cortex's stained glass version of MetaFilter's flavicon - which you can bid on here. [more inside]
posted by skunk pig at 6:15 PM PST - 84 comments

My friend received an email from Network Solutions saying they were issuing a new SSL certificate, and that as an Apple user, she needed to update her server settings for her Incoming and Outgoing Mail Servers. She only uses the Gmail app on iPhone and Gmail on a web browser. What does she need to to exactly? [more inside]
posted by blueberry at 6:14 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm going to visually track the number of picture books I read from my school's library this year (I'm the librarian). What is a small, cheap object I can put in a jar for each book to show my progress? There will be around 825 max and don't want to use a huge container (think a larger mason jar). Any creative ideas?
posted by wsquared at 4:54 PM PST - 33 comments

Where can I learn more about alexithymia that is specific to sex? I understand my feelings and triggers generally but have a huge blind spot for sexually oriented things and I want to understand better, and maybe change it, so that my behavior is not becoming unconscious so frequently. [more inside]
posted by crunchy potato at 4:50 PM PST - 10 comments

I am going backpacking and I'd like to know if it would make sense to have unrefrigerated tofu on, say, day 2 and 3 of my trip. Would you? [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 2:48 PM PST - 16 comments

Currently have the Nest Mini but I really need one with a separate remote that is not on a phone. Is there something like that out there?
posted by massofintuition at 2:16 PM PST - 8 comments

Mrs. Dr. Wu and I are drawing up our wills and trusts. We expect to have a little money to leave to some nonprofit arts organizations. Which ones do you recommend? [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu at 1:15 PM PST - 8 comments

How did a local chain restaurant end up with my former last name — one that I legally changed 20 years ago — in their customer data system? I called the restaurant and was told that they pull names from phone records... but I got this phone number at least a decade after the name change. Back when I had that last name I traveled to this city exactly once, but did not eat at this restaurant... because it didn't exist. [more inside]
posted by D.Billy at 1:12 PM PST - 10 comments

I am a middle aged man under 60. I received the bivalent vaccine almost a year ago. I skipped the most recent vaccine in the spring because I was told it was for people over 65 or with immunity issues. Am I protected at all if I get the virus before the fall vaccine? [more inside]
posted by captainscared at 1:04 PM PST - 23 comments

I have T-mobile Prepaid in the USA, which I switched to last month after 19 years with Verizon PostPaid. How do I pay for next month's $35 bill that starts tomorrow? I have added $75 to my prepaid service balance using a card I bought from Target (My undesrtanding I don't have to pay for taxes this way). Will T-mobile automatically deduct $35 on the first day of that month? Or do I need to set up an autopay? website confuses me as there's no option to "Pay bill"
posted by sandmanwv at 12:00 PM PST - 1 comment

I left my old job July 31, which ended health coverage on that date. My new job will only start coverage October 1. That’s 61 days without coverage. I have not elected for Cobra, since I believe it can be elected retroactively for 60 days. Is that accurate? [more inside]
posted by redlines at 11:34 AM PST - 6 comments

Which sticker should I purchase for bicycle parking permits? [more inside]
posted by soy_renfield at 11:21 AM PST - 2 comments

I can't install a thing my computer wants me to install. Can I shut off the notification to install it? [more inside]
posted by pdb at 10:58 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm hoping to hire someone to do a parody photoshop of an album cover, pasting in a portion of a personal photo, adding text, and then scaling it to display like an album cover (12x12) so it can be printed and framed. This is just outside of my abilities--I could make a crappy one, but I want a file that looks nice and profesh and will print at a photo center. What is a reasonable amount of $ to offer for this?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:31 AM PST - 7 comments

Are there any good books out there that are about world history topics (anything from ancient civilizations to 20th century wars or beyond) in a prose style, geared towards kids (specifically around a 6th grade reading level)? We have the People's History of the United States but that's US History. There's loads of historical fiction books out there but we're looking for something that's straight non-fiction. Thanks!
posted by Anonymousness at 10:07 AM PST - 7 comments

Our house has a lot of old wooden double-hung windows. I want to restore them over the course of the next several years rather than replace them. But I don't have a ton of experience with woodworking tools beyond middle school shop class thirty years ago. What are smaller, useful things I can do to bring my skills up to par? [more inside]
posted by thecaddy at 9:35 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm in DC and contractors are quoting me a very high price for what seems like a pretty simple project ($10K). I'm thinking that if I can break it down into steps, I can do the steps one at a time with a handyman and plumber and save a lot of money. Can you check out my process and tell me what I'm missing or haven't considered? [more inside]
posted by cacao at 9:11 AM PST - 24 comments

A Harbor Freight opened up in my town recently. I know they have a reputation for both extremely inexpensive stuff and extremely variable quality. What are your go to items? What do you stay away from? [more inside]
posted by gwint at 7:50 AM PST - 34 comments

Help a social media newb out please! I would like to post short social media (Reels, TikToks, etc) that links back to very specific posts on MetaFilter. But this doesn't seem possible, probably because most platforms want to keep you on their platform. Is there a way to do this or am I thinking about this in the wrong way? Explain it to me like Gen Xer who is mostly comfortable with technology.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:47 AM PST - 5 comments

I once again solicit your experiences for the sake of songwriting ... next ... A person who gives themself the illusion of freedom but really doesn't have it. There are no external forces preventing it but they consciously and/or unconsciously limit themselves. Not physical limitations, more like psychological or emotional ones, though I don't want to rule out anything. [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 6:46 AM PST - 7 comments

Is there any way to obtain a report that shows a breakdown of how much I’ve contributed over the 12 years, how much my employers contributed, and how much my investments generated in returns? [more inside]
posted by ttyn at 6:02 AM PST - 2 comments

My long-term disability claim was just denied by my (employer-based, USA) insurance company and I need help appealing this decision. What kind of help do I need? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:56 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm looking for a NYC gynecologist/OB-GYN who has experience with diminished clitoral sensitivity/atrophy and is willing to consider hormonal treatment. The last doctor told me it was all in my head. Thank you!
posted by anonymous at 4:56 AM PST - 3 comments

The Llyn Lort Energy Park project near me is now entering public consultation and I am considering my views, in particular on whether to join the push for the big national grid connection line to be buried or whether I think pylons are OK. I would love comments from people knowledgeable about this kind of infrastructure development. Please take the importance of renewable investment and the problems with NIMBYism as well understood, I am looking for comments about the best way to do this, not lectures about how important it is to do it. [more inside]
posted by Rhedyn at 4:50 AM PST - 9 comments

We moved house (UK) last year and our new garden has about 5m x 5m of astroturf (the rest is patio - it's fairly tiny). i would love to replace this with real grass (turf rather than seed) but my research mostly brings up how to lay astroturf! What I have found says to just take it up, rake and then lay turf, but I've pulled back one corner and found a sandy/gravel mixture underneath rather than soil, so I'm concerned any real turf may not 'take'. Also, I've seen clover as an option, is that for a particular soil type? Is this something you have done? Do I need to dig out the sand or can I lay turf on top on that? Should I even try to do this myself (I'd like to, as it's such a small area) or does this need a professional?
posted by atlantica at 3:23 AM PST - 15 comments

I know what I like, but what might a teenaged person who isn't enthralled by Renaissance art and architecture like? [more inside]
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:11 PM PST - 14 comments

I teach at a private school, and discovered that two coworkers make more than I do, with less experience. How do I tactfully ask others what they make? I already signed a contract in July for the academic year (through next July). Teachers are expected to work summers, but I don't. I'm taking home far less than my coworkers, and need to renegotiate my contract. [more inside]
posted by Jangatroo at 8:57 PM PST - 13 comments

What are some off-the-wall but iconic Simpsons tattoo ideas... to cement some friendships, so to speak. [more inside]
posted by wats at 8:57 PM PST - 58 comments

I'd like to buy some bed sheets as a gift, but they have to be sustainable and ideally made in the US. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by silverstatue at 8:37 PM PST - 8 comments

My neighborhood is, I think, under the landing path for planes approaching LaGuardia Airport, about 9 miles from the runway. There's pretty much always planes overhead. Sometimes, not always, a plane will emit a howling noise for about 2 or 3 seconds as it passes overhead. It's much, much louder than the engine sounds, and tends to rise or fall in pitch slightly over the duration. I'm not sure, but it seems like it's more likely to happen or to be particularly loud on hot humid nights like tonight. What am I hearing, and could there really be a correlation with the weather?
posted by moonmilk at 7:34 PM PST - 15 comments

I am looking for advice for putting together a slideshow of videos, photos and music for a memorial and funeral service for a young child. I’m pretty overwhelmed this week and could benefit from others helping point me towards the best resources and tips so I’m not spending hours on Google sorting out the questions I have. [more inside]
posted by JannaK at 7:13 PM PST - 8 comments

My location history on Google Maps seems to have developed a mind of its own. [more inside]
posted by cozenedindigo at 6:52 PM PST - 14 comments

The laundromat in my neighborhood that did pickup/drop-off burned down. :( Then the next service I tried, Bolt, gave me back a bunch of stuff that wasn't mine and didn't pick it up to return to its rightful owners. :( :( Are there specific services you recommend that will do residential laundry pickup in Logan Square? (The pickup part is essential; not looking to drop my stuff off somewhere myself.)
posted by Charity Garfein at 4:00 PM PST - 1 comment

What books include a child's tooth being tied to a doorknob, and then the door being slammed to pull out the tooth? [more inside]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 3:49 PM PST - 15 comments

I've had a rough couple of years. Last year my dad died, and a month later my dog died. A few months later, my other dog's cancer returned. Second dog is still alive, but it's a matter of time. I've accepted all of this, I think. I'm on Wellbutrin and Cymbalta. I am either emotionally numb or sad all the time. I can't think of anything that might make me happy. I have been thinking of therapy, but it hasn't worked well for me 80% of the time. I don't know that I have any outstanding issues to work on, I'm just overwhelmed with grief and anticipatory grief. I tried therapy a few months ago, but I didn't gel with the therapist. It was me just sobbing and her saying "there there." I don't know that anyone can help me, I just need to live through this and hope to recover on the other side. But maybe a different therapist could help? Has anyone got any advice or similar experiences?
posted by mareliz at 2:41 PM PST - 12 comments

The amount of repairs that my Oregon house has needed and continues to need in the almost 5 years since purchase seems insane. Only a couple issues were disclosed when I bought it and the home inspector completely missed or ignored multiple issues. Is there any point in trying to talk to a lawyer about suing the inspector and/or real estate agents and/or former owner now? [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:08 PM PST - 29 comments

I haven't been on a plane in 7 years, about to take a US domestic flight this week, wondering what to expect. [more inside]
posted by splitpeasoup at 12:51 PM PST - 35 comments

We have an 18mo toddler and are trying to plan their future, as one does. Our current quandary is whether to send them to Spanish or Mandarin immersion schools (which will then influence our daycare/pre-K choices). [more inside]
posted by jpeacock at 11:43 AM PST - 20 comments

I'm looking for books that made you gasp, that made you realize what was possible with literature. Books that have crawled inside your skin and made the world look different. Books that made you say "I didn't know you could do that!" [more inside]
posted by allymusiqua at 11:30 AM PST - 52 comments

I got some red bananas. They taste disgusting. What's the deal? [more inside]
posted by firemonkey at 10:32 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm assisting a small non-profit organization. Some of the staff would like to make & receive calls (and text messages) from their cellphones, but they don't want their actual cell numbers revealed. Note that they don't want to simply hide their numbers – they want to use a different number. [more inside]
posted by akk2014 at 10:18 AM PST - 7 comments

This is a bit of a time-sensitive situation, but I was encouraged to post in here. Please help me think through how to negotiate being permanently part-time at a place I've already been working. [more inside]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:11 AM PST - 20 comments

I swear its a question from a conversation we had, but what are people called who are notorious for making lawsuits? Not frivolously, rather it's their bread and butter. We knew a guy who would troll the internet looking for websites that were not ADA-compliant and sue them, normally with decent payouts. What other things do folks who do this sue on? [more inside]
posted by xicana63 at 9:57 AM PST - 13 comments

As a PM with 20+ years of technical and project-managing experience the time has come for me to understand managing budgets, financials and cost/spend. How does one go about doing this? [more inside]
posted by PetiePal at 9:27 AM PST - 7 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 Versions of this have been asked before, but I'm paying a bit to ask what media subscriptions you have these days. (Please, aside from major video-streaming services; assume I know about Netflix). [more inside]
posted by fruitslinger at 9:02 AM PST - 25 comments

I thought was super-fit until I moved some furniture during a home office renovation. What are these elusive lower back muscles that only seem to get moved when lifting stuff called? [more inside]
posted by jacobean at 8:52 AM PST - 13 comments

Thinking specifically about when the crisis has ended and that "caregiving/cared for" role is ready to transition. Specifically, in a romantic relationship. I'm coming up dry on this topic. I'd like to know where to look, who to talk to or what to Google. [more inside]
posted by ramenopres at 7:48 AM PST - 3 comments

Here's a question for other Americans who need regular meds, particularly if those are scheduled meds. If you've lived dividing your time between two different states, how did/do you handle getting your medications? [more inside]
posted by Countess Elena at 6:53 AM PST - 11 comments

Partner and I are planning a vacation to the UK and Ireland next April/May and these are destinations I've never once considered or researched. I could use some resources, websites, trip itinerary ideas - anything you've got to help me! [more inside]
posted by tryniti at 6:08 AM PST - 17 comments

I'm making plans to be in Wisconsin - staying roughly halfway between Madison and Milwaukee - from early December through to early March. I like outdoor things (yes, am very aware of the probable weather then), quirky things, buttery things (Culver's!), romantic things and places, unusual buildings, pagan and druidic things, and midwest cuisine (again, Culver's et al). We are both relatively fit, but (again, winter weather) realistic. Are there any specific things and places we should consider checking out that you have (good) experiences of?
posted by Wordshore at 4:32 AM PST - 22 comments

This year my oldest child (early teens) is feeling left out at school. They speak English as a native language + the local language here. However, this year they are the only English native speaker in their grade. All the others speak English as a second language + a third language (all share this one), and are not fluent in the local language. So they all default to the third one and my child is excluded. What advice can I give my child, help should I request from teachers, or other stuff I can do to help? Any similar experiences you can share?
posted by KMH at 12:34 AM PST - 18 comments

My 18 year old son is working on activities of daily living. He wants to become more self sufficient with the goal of being able to attend college. He is PDA profile Autistic and struggles to remember to do tasks as well as struggles to do them completely. He is looking for trying to find traction making progress and troubleshooting the activities and coaching / counseling. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:44 PM PST - 4 comments

What are these two sounds in We Love Katamari Reroll? [more inside]
posted by blnkfrnk at 10:20 PM PST - 2 comments

I want to meet someone and start a family but I don’t know how. I got married young but it didn’t work out and after three years I was divorced. I was inexperienced and chose someone who wasn’t very nice to me and was incompatible. Have done a lot of work on myself. I moved to Europe, learned a new language and a new profession. Over ten years later, now at 38, still haven’t met anyone and I feel quite disconnected at times. [more inside]
posted by ari sings at 10:10 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm trying to find the name of a DIY style blogger circa 2009-2011 who had a black & white aesthetic and worked on both food and clothing/accessories, but who suddenly had a meltdown circa 2012 and presumably disappeared. [more inside]
posted by creatrixtiara at 8:33 PM PST - 4 comments

I have a big mirrored medicine cabinet that is very firmly attached to the wall. The edges of the mirrored doors are de-silvering slowly. I’d like to paint/stick on a flat frame around the edges to cover up the damage. What paint or materials would work on a mirror that is misting up with humidity 5x a day - vinyl sticker? Nail polish? No choice but to somehow get it off the wall?
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 7:08 PM PST - 5 comments

I have an overstuffed (cornflower blue) leather sofa that seats three people. It was a gift from my (now deceased) grandmother about 20 years ago. It's supremely comfortable and I love it. But the leather covering one of the seats is worn through, revealing the stuffing inside and there are smaller wear-and-tear spots elsewhere. Problem: The seat cushions are not removable. [more inside]
posted by juliebug at 3:43 PM PST - 10 comments

What are some kinds of vodka and rum that are widely available (in the SF bay area) and generally suitable for cocktails? [more inside]
posted by unus sum at 3:04 PM PST - 21 comments

I love to make popsicles, but I find that a lot of recipes are too icy and slow melting, which causes freezer tongue and lip burn. I’m looking for recipes for popsicles I can finish without taking a break. I like all types - icy is fine as a texture, as long as it melts fast enough. Creamy is good, too. Any flavour.
posted by wheatlets at 2:44 PM PST - 9 comments

My extended family ( wife, 2 teens, teens uncle, and grandparents ) would like to spend some time in the Asheville area over Thanksgiving. Would love a good mix of food, hiking, and local things to do. What area should we stay in? If you suggest spending some time in Asheville proper and then moving to a place in mountains, not averse to that. We will have about 5 days.
posted by jasondigitized at 1:02 PM PST - 6 comments

It's that special food safety time again. These fresh plums have decidedly started to ferment and the skin has split. There's no visible mold at all. I want to use them for a cake. Still food safe, or give up the idea?
posted by peppercorn at 12:58 PM PST - 3 comments

How long after a partial meniscectomy did your knee pain go away? [more inside]
posted by bondcliff at 12:37 PM PST - 5 comments

Searching for a medium weight jacket for spring and autumn (think warm days, cool nights) that I can apply iron on patches to and maybe not denim? [more inside]
posted by Kitteh at 12:24 PM PST - 8 comments

Physical therapy is not an option at this time. I have a lot of discomfort in the sacrum and low low back when sitting. This worsens considerably with harder sitting surfaces, but does also happen in my fancy ergonomic desk chair. I suspect it has something to do with lack of strength or muscle mass in the glutes and legs, and perhaps with the lower spine and tailbone bending when sitting. [more inside]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 12:01 PM PST - 12 comments

What is best practice for connecting/disconnecting from recruiters who send a solicitation as part of a connection request? Particuilarly if I never hear from them again? [more inside]
posted by zaixfeep at 11:16 AM PST - 10 comments

Have you ever found a way to get stubborn stains off your stovetop without damaging the surface? I ordinarily use a cloth, hot water, and dish soap, but the stains I have are laughing those cleaning agents to scorn and refusing to budge. Tried and true suggestions, please!
posted by orange swan at 10:11 AM PST - 20 comments

I need a therapist who not only treats combat veterans, but is also themselves a combat veteran, not only a veteran who has been deployed. Looking for either individual recommendations, or ways to find this in the PNW or remote. [more inside]
posted by corb at 9:58 AM PST - 6 comments

#metafilterfundraiser#2023 We all have a lot of ideas about what we should be able to expect in a long-term romantic relationship, but this question is seeking empirical evidence about what is actually achievable. In your most satisfying relationships, what has remained dissatisfying? What has been reliably good? And how do you feel about the balance?
posted by HotToddy at 9:32 AM PST - 8 comments

I’m going to be sleeping in a non insulated cabin next week. I’m told they get as cold as a tent would. The lowest low temperature expected for the area I’ll be in is 12 C - not sure if that means lowest in 24h, or if that’s a daytime low and night could get colder. There are elevated beds with mattresses, but I need to bring bedding. I know a sleeping bag is the obvious choice here, but synthetic materials make me sweat like crazy* and I don’t want to wake up freezing. [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 8:56 AM PST - 26 comments

Did the comic strip characters drawn respectively by George Gately and Cathy Guisewite ever appear together in a crossover comic to parody a 19th century novel?
posted by ApplAuD at 6:57 AM PST - 3 comments

#metafilterfundraiser2023 Why are people so crap at replying to invitations? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 5:05 AM PST - 32 comments

Follow up question to this Ask from 15 years ago. The family is looking to move to Michigan. Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor are on the short list. Our employers don't know yet and we're making early plans. As a Floridian, what can I expect? Our daughter will attend kindergarten next year. How are the schools? Who are some recommended realtors?
posted by anonymous at 3:06 AM PST - 7 comments

I am in the process of phasing out use of an old email address that is not being well supported. Thus, I am changing my address for many sites from this old email to a gmail address I've had for decades. I am finding that some sites - Apple, PayPal and Amazon so far - tell me I can't change to my gmail address because it's already in use. I assume this means someone(s) already used my gmail address to register at these sites? [more inside]
posted by Jackson at 7:31 PM PST - 29 comments

I seem to own these retainer ring pliers and a kit of different tips for them. I do have a bunch of electronic components, some motors, tabletop fountain pumps/hoses, woodworking stuff -- but I cannot figure out why I would have needed (or will in the future need) this tool. Any ideas? Should I keep them?
posted by amtho at 4:53 PM PST - 13 comments

When I was a kid I picked up a second hand textbook and read most of it. One of the pieces was by Pearl Buck and consisted of letters written by (between) a young bride and her mother. Her new husband is Westernized and opposes foot binding, a procedure she underwent in childhood. I would appreciate any help with locating the piece (not sure if it was a chapter of a novel or a short story.
posted by bunderful at 4:16 PM PST - 3 comments

Help me plot this hypothetical: You are a man of guile, means and influence in Victorian England and you know what orders to give to get the following done. You want to have a patient kidnapped from a hospital and secretly installed with people you trust. The distance is, oh, maybe a day's trip by mail coach. Since the patient is of interest to powerful people, who keep an eye on him, you absolutely do not want this traced back to you. [more inside]
posted by Omnomnom at 2:18 PM PST - 19 comments

Help me find new amazing audiodramas to listen to. I particularly like coziness, sci-fi, and fantasy. I love fascinating and detailed sound design, but it's not a requirement if the story is worth it. I would love some stories that aren't predicated entirely on intense conflict rooted in cruelty, but instead explore something interesting (a place, an idea, a way of being human, finding one's path, slice of life) with gentleness and kindness rather than brutality. List of favorite (fiction) podcasts and other media below the fold. [more inside]
posted by cnidaria at 12:41 PM PST - 9 comments

I am heading to SF very soon, oops! What to do and where to stay please? I got great answers in my recent Vegas thread, so fingers crossed! [more inside]
posted by Iteki at 11:30 AM PST - 29 comments

Hit me with your favorite hamburger recipes. [more inside]
posted by bluloo at 11:08 AM PST - 24 comments

Will we forever regret getting an induction range with a control panel with buttons to adjust the elements instead of a traditional knobs? [more inside]
posted by ssg at 10:56 AM PST - 29 comments

What happens after a complaint (or multiple complaints) go to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control? [more inside]
posted by Toddles at 8:16 AM PST - 3 comments

How do we start talking to our child about capitalism more critically, especially using her allowance as the main way money is real for her? Don't want to be didactic, just to start asking slightly bigger questions than "What do you want to spend your money on?" [more inside]
posted by catesbie at 6:13 AM PST - 19 comments

Assuming that if my previous question won't turn up something, I want to ask ChatGPT to write the book I need: A short chapter book (say somewhere between a frog and toad and a Ramona) about a kid overcoming school anxiety and separation anxiety (and obviously read and edit it myself first). How do I do that? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:49 AM PST - 7 comments

Helping some folks who through age, disability, and lack of support have a house that is unsanitary as well as extremely messy. Do you have recommendations for Twin Cities based cleaning services that can deal with truly gross stuff? [more inside]
posted by shadygrove at 5:45 AM PST - 4 comments

I realize I should have thought of this sooner, but I'm looking for kids books (picture books ok, but chapter books probably have room for more detail) about kids overcoming school anxiety and separation anxiety. I don't just want "but then they were brave..." I want actual "here's what they did when they were scared or when things went wrong strategies."
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:27 AM PST - 7 comments

We have a web application that posts Twitter updates on behalf of users. For years, we've been using the TwitterOAuth PHP library with no issues. That library is no longer being supported by the author for obvious reasons, but the final version 6.1.0 released in July 2023 should still work. [more inside]
posted by sandra_s at 3:46 AM PST - 2 comments

Thinking about moving with a partner to Louisville or Pittsburgh, Leaning towards Pittsburgh, but for various reasons , Louisville is more convenient. Anyone got good info to share on both or either? [more inside]
posted by erskelyne at 2:39 AM PST - 6 comments

Enrolled on a course that involves web design, a bit of coding, a bit of graphic design, a bit of UX and other related topics. It's beginner-level, but I am quite new to everything, so I am looking to supplement my learning by keeping up with web design-related news online. Open to websites, newsletters, podcasts, books, YouTube channels, Twitter accounts, subreddits and whatever else you can throw at me. [more inside]
posted by iamsuper at 2:21 AM PST - 2 comments

I have MDD (major depression) and BDD (body dysmorphia) which causes constant SI (I spend hours talking to crisis hotlines daily). I have tried so much (meds and therapy and lifestyle changes) to feel better over the years, and am still suffering. What else can I do? I need hope from people who have been there and recovered. [more inside]
posted by CancerSucks at 12:06 AM PST - 21 comments

Is oral sex a standard part of sex? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:29 PM PST - 24 comments

I've got a new job that I love and I'm traveling to pick up my badge and equipment and meet my team in person for the first time next week. Everything's great except, well, my work is owned by a conglomo that also owns an entertainment company. And, while I don't work in entertainment at all, I have to enter my new work at a gate that is being actively picketed by WGA and SAG-AFTRA. Is there an ethical way to do this? Or am I just going to have to be an a-hole? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:29 PM PST - 11 comments

There's a certain kind of melody that gets lodged in my head in a great way, not that it's a hook or an earworm. I primarily listen to indie rock, singer-songwriter or folksy stuff, or contemporary classical. When I find pieces that have this kind of infectious melody, they're wonderful to write to. Usually slow or mid-tempo. Examples within. [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:33 PM PST - 5 comments

I made Alton Brown's pickled pork and sealed it in vacuum bags. It is surrounded by hard frozen items in the freezer but it doesn't seem to be freezing and the little bit of liquid in there is still liquid. Could this be due to the salt in the brine and how should I approach its use by shelf life?
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 6:58 PM PST - 4 comments

I am trying to rediscover a documentary I saw ten or twelve years ago that neatly outlined how Putin used conflicting disinformation to stun the populace, neutralize viable opposition and empower sycophants. [more inside]
posted by CynicalKnight at 5:10 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm leaving home for six weeks. Choices for keeping my raspberries alive: 1) Hire a kid or 2) install a soaker hose system. My priorities are not coming home to a billion-dollar water bill or dead raspberries, in that order.My neighbor hired a kid and came home to a literal $700 water bill due to the kid leaving the water on and forgetting about it. But my other neighbor sustained a flooded basement and a huge water bill due to a malfunctioning water timer. What should I do? [more inside]
posted by HotToddy at 1:32 PM PST - 21 comments

What’s going on with my AC? The drip pan is filling up. [more inside]
posted by quadrilaterals at 12:32 PM PST - 14 comments

We're redoing our kitchen and it's time for appliance selection! I've only ever had a range before, but the new kitchen design requires a separate cooktop and wall oven. I'm definitely sticking with gas, but other than that, I'm pretty open to brands, design, etc. I have some thoughts based on what I've seen so far that I'll share below, but my question is a plea for you to share your experience with specific brands, models, and/or features that were either good or bad to help inform my choice. [more inside]
posted by pupstocks at 11:37 AM PST - 19 comments

My spouse (they/them) and I have been separated for the last 3 months, and whilst we’ve been getting on better since I moved out, I know that realistically we’re probably not going to be able to mend things. And yet I feel completely unable to commit to the decision. [more inside]
posted by six sided sock at 10:03 AM PST - 53 comments

I love choral music, but especially the non-traditional (in sound or subject) works... Think Anthony Braxton's GTM (Syntax) series, "Double Trouble" from the third Harry Potter movie, "Gather Up" by Matt Berry, and "Frontier" by Holly Herndon. (And even "The Poet and the Pendulum," despite the singer being, essentially, a solo chorister—it still fits the vibe I'm going for.) Are there other artists/albums/songs that you can recommend in the same vein? [more inside]
posted by boisterousBluebird at 9:11 AM PST - 20 comments

Will be in Vienna this September. Looking for the best/most affordable way to make the following train journeys. [more inside]
posted by Cwell at 8:09 AM PST - 11 comments

(Dog edition). Chicken, refrigerated at 1° Celsius or 33.8° Fahrenheit. Bought one week ago. Use by date August 28th. Since it was kept so close to freezing temperatures, can the dogs still eat it safely? Of course, thoroughly cooked? [more inside]
posted by toucan at 6:47 AM PST - 11 comments

It's 2023 (I know what the heck) and I want to host my own big or archive again. I say WordPress because I know it well, but I'm looking for suggestions on a theme - or platform - I can use for microblogging, a la Kottke or Tumblr style. [more inside]
posted by socky_puppy at 12:54 AM PST - 5 comments

We're almost to the episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds where it crosses over with Star Trek: Lower Decks, and we've never seen Lower Decks (but SNW is our favorite nuTrek.) Please suggest 4 or so episodes of Lower Decks we could binge to give us a crash course in getting the most of out this crossover episode.
posted by slappy_pinchbottom at 9:12 PM PST - 6 comments

I’ve been thinking of subscribing to the “Serious Trouble” podcast, the follow-on to “All the President’s Lawyers,” but I can’t figure out the delivery mechanism and there seems to be no information online about it. [more inside]
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 8:30 PM PST - 2 comments

Mrs Jabo and I will be in Dublin for a few days around October 2nd and we want to hear some fine trad music and craic at a non-touristy pub. We are staying near Gardiner Row and Frederick St. but are willing to take a taxi. Years ago, we stayed at Trinity College and explored the area, but now we want something new. Oh… and any good day trips nearby Dublin are also welcome.
posted by jabo at 7:52 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a 57-minute audio project that I'm close to finalizing, before submission to a syndicated program, and I wanted to get extra ears on it before I submit it and make it public. I'm fairly new to this process, and I'm not sure how to go about getting good feedback (while keeping my work safe). [more inside]
posted by christopherious at 7:05 PM PST - 1 comment

I've got a friend who is fascinated with "of the month" clubs, and I'd like to get her one for fun. Any great experiences with a specific such club?
posted by Alex Haist at 6:25 PM PST - 20 comments

A touring performer/group has scheduled multiple shows in your city, either on consecutive nights, or early & late shows on the same night. In your experience, which show is likely to be the best one?
posted by kickingtheground at 4:09 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm going into a negotiation today with a man who's pretty sexist and threatened by strong women. I'm a strong woman, and a lawyer, with lots of negotiation experience, but usually with people who are (at least less overtly) sexist. What tactics should I use with him? [more inside]
posted by Capri at 2:50 PM PST - 22 comments

My kids would like to create a digital magazine that they can share with family and friends. I’m on board with helping them with this project, though I’m having trouble finding resources about how to do so. [more inside]
posted by bitbotbit at 2:49 PM PST - 6 comments

I know how petty this sounds, but really, I bet there are some of us on X/Twitter who feel this way: This nice guy is a mutual (we follow each other), but he lurks all day and gives me a Like -- many times the only one -- on almost everything I post. I'm sick of it. Reasons. The only thing to do would be to block him ... but this is a last grasp for any other strange option you know of. Muting doesn't prevent you seeing their Like in Notifications, and that's the cringe.
posted by noelpratt2nd at 1:48 PM PST - 21 comments

My piano needs tuning desperately. There is also one key that barely plays anymore. I need to get someone in who is really good at piano repair. The piano is a 1908 Steinway upright.
posted by DMelanogaster at 12:38 PM PST - 4 comments

I know almost nothing about how computer networks work, but I'm periodically finding that turning on my Mozilla VPN connection will load sites more quickly than if I'm just on the regular home wifi network by Xfinity broadband. This seems intuitive to me, but what do I know? [more inside]
posted by smirkette at 12:29 PM PST - 12 comments

I’m on a train right now, and there’s a toddler in the seat ahead who keeps turning around to look at me. I’ve made all the faces I can think of and played peekaboo with my hood, what else can I do to entertain them? I don’t spend a whole lot of time around kids, so I don’t know what they find interesting at different life stages. I do remember how boring travel was at that age, though, and how curious I was about people around me!
posted by wheatlets at 10:08 AM PST - 11 comments

I was talking about the movie 2001 with my kids and I was wondering about other plots, movies or otherwise, where there is a team that should or seems to have the same goal but then some members do not. I'm fine with the different goals having tragic or non-tragic resolutions.
posted by bdc34 at 10:06 AM PST - 24 comments

I need executive function help. I have professional movers coming to move furniture and boxes in a few days. I'm moving less than 2 miles away. I have a few days after the movers with a professional cleaning scheduled. And when my lease is up. [more inside]
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 9:39 AM PST - 14 comments

Netflix DVD subscribers, of whom I am one, might or might not get up to 10 free discs, and be able to keep them. You have to have signed up for this extra offer, and I have. My understanding is that any discs chosen would be from the subscriber’s queue, but other than that, it’s a total surprise. [more inside]
posted by NotLost at 8:19 AM PST - 9 comments

I'd like to engrave a metal bracelet like this. What machine do I need?
posted by memoryindustries at 8:07 AM PST - 8 comments

Did you ever screw up at work in a low stakes way that ultimately didn't matter but felt terrible in the moment? [more inside]
posted by jermsplan at 7:42 AM PST - 19 comments

I'm looking for a Chrome extension which will block sites but cannot read anything on the pages I visit. It is OK if it can see the URL, but not the contents of the page. The ones I am seeing can "Read and change data on all websites". [more inside]
posted by catquas at 7:36 AM PST - 3 comments

The adapter plug has cracked on my cats' Drinkwell 360 pet fountain. Can you help me find a replacement plug? [more inside]
posted by Guess What at 7:26 AM PST - 6 comments

I was referred to an opthamologist at my last optometrist appointment due to my optic nerve looking inflamed. I went to the opthamologist this week, and left with more questions than answers, and a little bit of anxiety. I have Googled and found lots of very detailed medical eyeball things that are not really helping me; I am looking for personal anecdotes from people who have had similar issues or diagnoses. More medical detail under the cut. [more inside]
posted by Sparky Buttons at 6:52 AM PST - 12 comments

Asking anonymously to preserve the safety and privacy of my loved ones. My family’s AFAB high schooler has just begun transitioning to he/him. :) His birthday is coming up, and I’d like to present money and a list of links to well-liked clothing shops for clothing that teens might like. Recommendations for good compression tops would be very welcomed, as well as stuff y’all like. Right now, his style is mostly t-shirts and flannels, which it was pre-transition, but I thought it would be nice to introduce him to other great clothes that currently resonate with trans / non-binary people, since this is also the age when a young person begins to explore their own tastes (or just needs that one special outfit for weddings and the like).
posted by anonymous at 6:47 AM PST - 6 comments

So I was gifted with a 2 speaker (wired) Creative system (woofer and 2 speakers) and now I want to connect them to my 5.1 (wired) Creative system, somehow where both woofers and all, speakers work. Can it be done? Has anyone ever hooked this kind of system up to a computer? I have a regular 5.1 Creative audio card. Am running an old PC FWIW. Would like some input on what's needed in terms of parts, splitters, software and wires. Thank you.
posted by watercarrier at 1:06 AM PST - 4 comments