January 21
Baking chocolate math assistance requested.
I'd like to modify a recipe to reduce its cost by replacing two packages of an expensive ingredient with a single package of a similar ingredient, plus some of a staple pantry item I already stock. Can other bakers have a look and see if my plan makes sense? [more inside]
Trying to write a research paper for graduate school
This is for a research methods class in master's degree program in applied linguistics. I have my topic, but I need to nail down my research question and figure out my methodology. I'm overwhelmed by searching and sifting through and reading journal articles and keeping it all organized. I'm hoping some of you will have some guidance for me! [more inside]
Meaning of "clearing" when talking about your business
If someone is describing their business and lists some of their expenses (in this case, the cost of a collaborating MD and clinic software) and then says they are "still clearing" a certain amount of money, do they typically mean the amount they are making after accounting for both significant business expenses and their tax burden, or just after their business expenses? It’s not always clear to me whether the figure they mention is highly impressive or still impressive but less so once taxes are factored in.
Curious what people think!
A different professional organizing question
Nope, I don't need one...my question is, how do you become a professional organizer? [more inside]
Guide to reading the Quran?
I have a translation of the Quran that I would like to read, but I know I'll miss a ton of nuance and context if I just jump in on my own. What resources or guides are out there that would be good for someone from a culturally Christian American perspective?
Is this a problem?
I just bought this John Boos maple cutting board. Expensive but not super expensive. I've slathered it with mineral oil because it seemed pretty dry. I just noticed a tiny, barely perceptible hairline crack, about an inch long. You can feel it more than see it. Is this a problem? Will it grow and spread and should I try to return it? I've had the thing three days and have cut on it once.
You like your Reform-y Hagaddah. Which one is it?
I'm finally, finally taking control of the family Seder from my mom. For a number of Reasons, I'd like to source my own Haggadah rather than using my parents'. Help me find a good one! [more inside]
Help me find this childhood SF read! Eighties, GenX, etc
Noting a comment on the grey saying that people weren't asking to identify childhood reads anymore, I was reminded of this mysterious childhood SF novel, details within! [more inside]
How to pack up a house as fast as humanly possible
For annoying reasons, I have only three days and not a lot of help to pack up an entire apartment. Can't spend money on this right now. If I'm not done in three days, it's not an all-out emergency. I'll have four more days to finish packing. But on Friday, lots of people can help move boxes. After that, there will still be help, but less. [more inside]
What major canned tuna varieties are most like Trader Joes tuna?
I really like Trader Joes' solid light yellowfin in oil and solid white albacore in oil. Whenever I buy any other brands (or other varieties of TJ tuna), I'm disappointed. Which non-TJ tuna should I be trying? [more inside]
How do I fix this door latch that's scraping against our washer?
We are renters who have an interior door with a french handle whose latch scrapes across our washer, which butts up against the door. Right now, our solution is to try and tape the latch down, which doesn't work well and eventually the tape breaks anyway. How do we fix this? [more inside]
Back on my cryptid bullsh*t
Looking for podcasts about cryptids and folklore because it is 2025, everything is on fire, and I'm-a need some creepy critters, legends, and folklore to soothe me. [more inside]
Help me find this touching comic strip about dogs
I think it’s four panels. Someone is walking their dog. Each panel is a different season. The last one is winter, and the dog has exited off the right side of the frame. I think it’s Patrick McDonnell’s Mutts strip, but I’m not sure.
Trauma-Informed Films for Young Teens with Emotional Disabilities
It's harder than it looks. Starting Fun Friday Film Fest for middle schoolers with significant trauma and emotional disabilities. Things to avoid because they're traumatic:
any type of violence (so a little swat on the butt is no good, Bambi's mother, etc.);
nuclear families (most of these kids are unhoused or in foster care);
mean to kids (Home Alone);
perilous situations (Emperor's New Groove, Toy Story).
I literally have nothing. Help a friend out!
January 20
Books about aging that have been helpful to you?
What are some books – practical advice or philosophical reflection – about aging that have been helpful to you in navigating the process? [more inside]
Why do private solar arrays hook up to public utility electric lines?
Everyone I know who has installed solar panels on their personal property has them feeding into the grid, so they get paid (or money off) on their electric bill. Why don't they just route it to their house and use the electricity themselves? [more inside]
USB What Gives With Thee?
I've been trying to transfer my data from my old laptop to a newer laptop that a colleague loaned me. My data partially copied to the USB, but when I tried to do it again, I got a message saying the drive is write protected. I can't delete the files, format the USB, or find a way to turn off the write protection. From what I can gather from googling it, this can be a sign of a borked USB. Is there a way to fix the USB? Difficulty level: Windows 7 OS and technopeasant levels of computer literacy, so any directions you give should be couched in terms a six-year-old who has just time travelled from 1980 can understand.
Explain my modem/wifi like I don't know anything about modems/wifi
I have a dual-band modem (2.4GHz and 5GHz) along with an Eero system (one Eero pod connected to the modem and two satellite pods). This was all brought in and set up by technicians, and I'm tired of not understanding it. [more inside]
Buying a new shower head
We just moved and now have two showers. The shower head that I love is following us to one shower, but currently unavailable so I can't but another. Help me find another one that I'll also love! [more inside]
How do I move on from a career path that just isn't working out?
I'm in my mid-30s and I'm feeling unhappy with where my career has ended up. For a decade I've been working an okay-ish job in a competitive, overcrowded, and generally low paid field and I fear it's not going to get better than this. This isn't a sustainable career. How do I forgive myself for making these decisions and move on? [more inside]
Recommend me some history (and history adjacent) blogs, old or new
In times of trouble and stress, blogs are the ideal format for me. I have been reading ACOUP and Ada Palmer's Ex Urbe. I also enjoy blogs focusing on literature and material culture (food, clothing, weaving, toys, tools, furniture, building stuff, etc). What can you recommend? [more inside]
Where can I read about disability in the 60s?
I'm writing a story set in the 60s in which a character is a paraplegic. I know the basic timeline of disability rights in the US, but I'd love to read more about day-to-day life for people who actually had this experience. Can you recommend memoirs, interviews, documentaries, etc. that might give me some insight? Thanks!
Seeking Fun Buddy Comedies
Friendship, some hijinks, lots of laughs and a happy ending. This is what i seek. [more inside]
How do you, personally, add hope to the world?
I want to focus on the things that I can do to make our world a tiny bit better. So with the idea of gathering inspiration from everyone: what do you do? [more inside]
A watch that looks like this for less than $40,000
The Patek Philippe 5227G Calatrava checks all my boxes for watch design: silver or white on black, no numbers, single dial markers, nothing but time and date. It is also $40,000. Surely someone makes a watch that looks a lot like this for less? [more inside]
Help me control this cable situation
What advice do you have for tidying cables on a small desk? [more inside]
how to dry winter gloves?
Northerners: How do you dry waterproof gloves when the fleecy inner lining gets wet? [more inside]
How to improve Spanish when you're good at some things but not others?
I studied Spanish at school for several years, but whilst I've forgotten a fair bit of it, I'm also not a complete beginner. Where should I start if I want to improve/relearn it? Especially if grammar is my blind spot? Bonus overexplanation below! [more inside]
What do I call this type of jacket?
Coping with surgical menopause
I am having a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at 33 due to a BRCA1 gene mutation and pronounced family ovarian cancer history. What can I do to manage the symptoms and aftermath (besides HRT & excellent medical care)? [more inside]
January 19
My shower screams when the water runs.
Is there something I can do to tame this annoyance? [more inside]
Actual value of an ex-laptop
I have some 15 year-old laptops that have truly gone to meet their maker. I’ve stripped them of memory and SSDs (some of them only five years old!). What I have left that I know is of some value is a fractional gram of gold and the cells in the battery. I’m guessing the plastic is a complete loss, but I could probably recycle the metal for a penny or two. What else is in there? [more inside]
Two Hawai'i-Oahu questions: macadamia nuts and volcano access
Aloha!
Where can one purchase large amounts of Macadamia nuts? Bigger than the little retail bags & cans, anyway; and, are day trips available now, flying from Oahu to the Big Island to see the volcano? And even, sunset/evening excursions like this?? Who to contact? Thanks in Advance!
Left a sealed container of Haagen-Dazs out overnight - safe to eat?
Bought a tub of ice cream last night about 10pm and just now (3pm) discovered it in my bag. I’m not concerned about texture or taste, just safety.
Can I shop for a WA state ACA plan without creating an account?
I am considering moving to the state of Washington and need to investigate Washington ACA plans. The healthplanfinder site wants me to create an account with all my personal info, including SS# etc., which seems like overkill for just wanting to see what plans are available and what they would cost, but maybe I'm being stupid. Is there a reason not to give them all my info?
Free online meditation or support groups to cope with the next 4 years?
I'm looking for online resources for self-care that would specifically address the anxiety I have about political climate of the coming 4 years in the United States. [more inside]
How do I buy a shower?
I just want to buy a 30"x30" shower, with all the parts it needs. I can't get this locally, so I have to buy online. [more inside]
Optimizing solar gain on cold sunny days
What are my best practices for capitalizing on sunny days with our large south-facing (northern hemisphere) windows? [more inside]
Dealing with mormons proselytizing at events
How to deal with mormons proselytizing at events in the US? [more inside]
Could a consumer bring an antitrust lawsuit?
And more specifically, does it have to be a federal lawsuit? I have a feeling that there is an agency that is government funded and provides a service to the city I live in but they are partially merged with a company that is not providing that service. they are using federal funds to buy equipment and increase sales but they are not fulfilling their contract with the constituents and still pocketing the money they are given from them. this is something that only affects the city though and not nationwide. With more information where can I find a lawyer who can advise if this is a violation?
Reducing/removing plastic floor mat funk?
Any ideas removing plastic funk from floor mats? [more inside]
January 18
Need a new work bag - travel edition
I need a new work tote bag to take back and forth to the office in the car and use for airplane travel, with specific requirements. [more inside]
40 Years of Age, Fractured Hip - Experiences
So, I am living in Sweden (I am a recent transplant) and on Monday evening slipped on melting ice, fell with all my weight on my left leg, and cracked my left femur. I fell from a relative height (a kerbside step), was walking quite quickly to get home from the cold, and fell very awkwardly (all of my weight was on my left side and concentrated on the hip). [more inside]
"I'm talking house swapping!"
Thinking about signing up for home-swapping registry to make international travel more affordable. Is this a crazy idea? [more inside]
How to best connect game consoles, an AVR and an LG TV?
I'm about to upgrade my TV to an LG G4 and trying to understand which methodology of connection will provide the best results for picture quality of each source, as well as the least amount of headaches from technology issues. Should game consoles connect to my Denon AVR and then output to a singular HDMI port, or should I instead connect the consoles to their own HDMI ports on the TV, then use the HDMI2 eARC port on the TV to send the audio to the Denon AVR? More inside. [more inside]
Please help me get over my toxic job, is this normal?
I quit my toxic job two days ago. How can I recover? [more inside]
Dress heels for brick-shaped feet
What women's shoe brands fit not just wide, but also high-instep or high-volume feet? [more inside]
What are the least scammy corners of the cryptocurrency world?
What are the least scammy corners of the cryptocurrency world? I get the idea the ETH might have more earnest actors trying to make something that actually functions well, but that is based off of *very* vague impressions. I don't expect the bar to be high here, but I'm interested in where others believe there are signs of this. Explanations as to why I should look for leprechauns instead are also welcome.
If you're envious of someone, why would you seek them out?
When I get envious of someone, I avoid them because they trigger painful feelings of inadequacy and resentment. It feels very uncomfortable. But some people seem to keep seeking out the objects of their envy, asking them to hang out, and stalking their social media. This can go on for years. Why are they proactively causing themselves pain like this? [more inside]
USPS first-class postage to Canada
Did the USPS ever have a separate rate for first-class mail to Canada and Mexico? If so, when did this change? (There's just one global "international" rate now.) [more inside]
front yard car barrier
I have a standard front yard that has become a parking verge. What are some ways to prevent this. [more inside]
Housing suggestions for a student doing an exchange year in Paris?
Our 20-year-old son, a US/EU citizen and independent traveler who's already studied in Germany for several years and speaks some French, is applying to the EU's Erasmus exchange program to attend the Université Gustave Eiffel for a year (Sept 2025 to July 2026). Would you suggest prioritizing living in student housing near this university, or student housing closer to the city center, or are there other (somewhat affordable) housing options that would support social immersion? [more inside]
What is there to do around Montepulciano region of Italy?
Hi all :) I am looking for activity suggestions for a small group of 30/40 somethings. We will be in the southern Tuscany region for a week in early June [more inside]
Looking for *live* virtual exercise/fitness classes
I've tried using free YouTube videos, the free Nike Training Camp app, and subscribing to banks of VOD workouts (like alo moves). I don't have enough discipline to regularly make myself use these resources and I end up wasting any money I spent. I think I'll have better luck if I pay for a service with live classes where I have specific time slots I must attend. It seemed like there were lots of these during COVID, but now they all seem to be VOD. Where are they? [more inside]
Great Grandparents were cousins, would this cause problems?
My father and a cousin have a great interest in family genealogy. They uncovered grand parents or great great grandparents who were first cousins and are now wondering about various anxiety issues we have, that strongly feature in the family, that they feel could be related. My son also has autism… and my father was wondering if it could be related. I’m inclined to think not, you have a lot of anxiety and autism around these days and these things were fairly common back then. Anyway, I saw a Reddit answer that said genetic issues from cousin marriages disappear after one generation, provided there aren’t more cousin marriages. Is there anyone here that can say or direct us to an article?
What to do with wormery that's not composting fast enough?
We have a wormery like this. Especially over winter while it's cold, the worms aren't keeping up with the amount of food waste we produce. We'd like to put on a new layer, but the bottom layer isn't fully composted yet. [more inside]
iPad screens
I have a sixth-generation iPad. I dropped it a while back and cracked the screen. Since then, when I'm using it, it frequently jumps back to the top of the webpage I'm on. This sometimes doesn't happen for a couple of hours, but sometimes happens every few seconds. Also, sometimes the top of the screen is not responsive to touch, or things come up when I haven't touched the screen. [more inside]
well-made flatware in 2025
Have you bought new stainless flatware recently? Was it made well with smooth edges? What brand was it and where did you buy it? I am trying to avoid flatware that has bad quality control/scratchy edges and from reading reviews I'm not sure brand is a reliable indicator of this these days (or maybe some sites are selling knockoffs that are made more poorly.) I am also looking at some used options on ebay but this question is about buying brand new.
January 17
Dulling the edge of 0.03 mm sheet steel
0.03 mm sheet steel has the perfect qualities for my project and also has a quality of slicing fingers. There is plenty of stuff on the web for cleaning up the edges of 1 mm sheet steel, but I haven’t found anything for metal this thin. I don’t mind gaining some thickness at the edges. Ideas?
Online bifocal sunglasses that let you specify segment height
Mrs straw likes her bifocals with a very low dividing line. She previously bought some bifocals from Zenni, and she remembers that she was able to specify the segment height, but it looks like they now only offer 2mm lower than the midline of the glasses, and she'd like something closer to 5mm lower (measured off of her current glasses). Do any of the cheap online vendors offer the ability to spec segment height?