April 18
How do you fit in exercise working from home while working long hours?
If you work from home and have a heavy workload with long hours, how do you find time to exercise? [more inside]
April 17
Process server near Clinch County/Fargo, GA?
Does anyone have any recommendations for a process server/private investigator who might be willing (and who is worth paying extra) to head that way? [more inside]
Updating from MacOS Catalina 10 ---> Sonoma 14
I have been (perhaps overly) conservative regarding system updates on my 2017 Intel Core5 iMac with a 1TB onboard SSD and 8GB of RAM, but am now finding some issues cropping up such as Safari not functioning entirely properly. I am currently running Catalina 10.15.7 and am considering updating to the current system Sonoma 14. Are there any potential issues or advice I should be aware of before I proceed? [more inside]
How to focaccia ENTIRELY in the bread maker
I have a bread maker. I don't have an oven to use. I do have an air fryer. The recipes I see for focaccia bread only uses the bread maker to make the dough while doing the shaping and baking separately. With the understanding that I might not be making focaccia bread per se, can I just use a typical recipe but for the entire bread making cycle in the machine? What adjustments should I make? Otherwise, how should I interpret the recipes so I'll just make a proven dough that I can portion out to bake in the air fryer?
help me water/stain-proof light colored suede shoes
I know light colored suede is fated to eventually stain or get dirty, but I fell in love with a pair of espadrilles, and I'd like to give them the best chance this summer.
Which of the many sprays out there can I trust to protect the light colored suede and not to stain it when I apply the spray? [more inside]
Reimbursement for canceled and delayed flights on Frontier and United
My wife and I recently flew on Frontier from Denver to Orlando. We were supposed to be back in Denver for one day, after which I would fly to San Antonio on United for a high school reunion and to see the eclipse. tl;dr: Because of problems on both Frontier flights, we have more than $1000 in out-of-pocket expenses. Frontier is offering only a $100 voucher for future flights. How can we get reimbursed? [more inside]
Functional Canadian city?
Contemplating leaving Toronto for another Canadian city. Taking recommendations. [more inside]
Adobe Acrobat Should be Free. Why Isn't it Working?
I had access to Adobe Pro which ended when my contract ended with the owner of the account. Now I can't get a PDF to open at all. [more inside]
Travel deals from Orlando to London?
Two adults who never been to Europe will be traveling from Orlando, Florida to London in early September of 2024. Tips and suggestions for finding flight deals requested, details inside! [more inside]
de-youtube-ify it
Any way to buy or get the audio of Jorgen Dahl Moe's devestatingly great cover of Dancing in Dark without the Voice's judges' commentary?
State Farm Home Insurance Self Assessment—What Can I Expect?
I've just gotten an email from my home insurance provider telling me I'm going to have to do a self assessment and I don't know what to expect. More than a little bit nervous. [more inside]
Looking for a simple budget app
My wife and I are looking for an iOS app to keep track of our discretionary spending. All the budget apps that we’ve found so far are too feature-heavy and complex for our needs. We don’t need something that automatically tracks electronic purchases, categorizes them, makes suggestions or anything like that. Just something where when we spend money, we can quickly open up an app and be prompted to enter the amount and brief description and it’ll auto-add the date. [more inside]
I miss Aritzia TNAChill leggings - looking for a similar style in Canada
I loved Aritzia TNAChill leggings. I am not a fan of their new cotton legging, the Hold It - they added more spandex, which makes it tighter and less breathable. The Chill were perfect for, well, chilling. Other specifications below: [more inside]
Which UK city should I visit?
I'm going to be spending a few days in the UK likely in the late fall or winter and these cities are my options: Bristol, Durham, Rugby and Glasgow. Which should I visit? [more inside]
Please help me find an Telegram AI Help Bot for repetitive questions
I admin a private Telegram group where the same questions get asked over and over.
A perfect solution would be an AI Help chat bot that uses trusted posts as info sources to answer these repetitive questions. Does this exist? [more inside]
J'acuzzi (once again)
I've just started looking into hot tubs again. I've discovered that one can get 110 or 220v (In US) and that one can get refurbished tubs. What is your experience/opinion on these?
What is most important in my job?
A lot of productivity advice recommends figuring out what the most impactful tasks you have are, and focusing more of your energy on these. This is good advice, but how do I know what those tasks are? (Aside from asking my boss.) I do a variety of things: is it most important that I do them quickly, or that I do them well, or that I am pleasant to the people requesting them? How do I determine what my focus should be? Please recommend an exercise to help me figure out what the values are in my workplace so that I can strive for excellence. I really want to do well in this job.
Bedbugs - only one partner has them
My spouse and I are traveling and staying in a few different lodgings. I have developed symptoms of bedbug bites, starting 3 or 4 days ago. He hasn't developed any symptoms. [more inside]
Propagating a Cecil Bruner rose....and a cross country flight?
Please give me advice about getting a Cecil Bruner cutting cross country. [more inside]
April 16
Bad habit displacement activity?
Did you change or discontinue a bad habit partly or wholly by replacing it with an innocuous other activity? Please tell me more! [more inside]
What brand of scarf is this?
What brand of scarf is this? Came across this scarf at a thrift store. Can not read the name on the logo. Google image search is failing me. Any ideas?
Online therapy for teen
My 16 year old daughter has asked to see a therapist. Thing is, I'm currently unemployed and uninsured -- so this will be entirely out of pocket, and I'm looking for affordable options.
Online is fine. Even preferred. [more inside]
Email client for seniors?
Yet another "please help me find an email client for a senior" question! [more inside]
Respect my sister's wishes, or pursue options?
My sister wants my mom to come live with her due to her Alzheimer's; I am asking for a little time to find out what our options are re: assisted living. Is that a big ask? [more inside]
Pregnancy rights for pregnant working women in NYC?
YANML but I find this area of law to be a confusing maze. And my pregnancy brain has lost some of its processing power. What laws do I need to be aware of that offer me some protection in the workplace while I’m pregnant in NYC? [more inside]
Games like Nine Arches (but different)? Other suggestions?
I am looking for non-screen activities to do with a parent and a 12 year old kid. [more inside]
Can I hot glue onto plastic animals and then peel off hotglue?
I am going to make some hats like these for plastic animals for a birthday cake [If you don't want to bother clicking, they're just little paper birthday hats). I was thinking it sure would be convenient to hot glue the hats onto the animals. If I do, will I be able to just peel/pull the glue off afterwards without damaging the animals?
Best practices for microwaving frozen burritos.
I learned from someone on here to put a damp paper towel over a frozen burrito when microwaving, and, voila, no more rock hard tortillas! However ... sometimes the paper towel sticks to the burrito. Plus, I'm sure there is advanced technology for this! Any other tips?
Suggestions for my time in LA?
I'm going to be dog sitting in Los Angeles for two and a half weeks. I'll be in Eagle Rock, and will be working and looking after said dog (who's old and has needs), so this isn't exactly a vacation, but I will have some time to go do stuff. I have a short list right now, mostly museums. Do you have suggestions for anything particular I should see or do -- or eat? I lived there briefly in the early 90s and haven't been there since.
Curious about this odd cat behavior
I've had cats my whole life, but had never seen this behavior before. Our Older Cat (4) is beloved by our newer, younger cat (2). Younger Cat ADORES Older Cat and seems to get jealous/FOMO whenever we pet the Older Cat -- but not for herself. If she sees us petting him, she will immediately run over to wherever we are and start grooming Older Cat herself. Almost as if to say "that's MY job." What's up with that? [more inside]
Timing a Pricy Plane Ticket Purchase
My wife and I are planning a vacation from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand in December, flying business class, which will be an expensive flight. Is there any particular way of knowing when in the next eight months the price is likely to be the lowest? Is there any advantage to buying through an aggregator site vs. the home site of the airline we choose? [more inside]
Adding garlic to a soup too late
I forgot to add garlic with the onion at the beginning of my vegetable soup. Normally I would have fried the garlic separately and added it, but I felt too lazy and just threw some raw chopped cloves into the soup after the water had been added.
Will it make a huge difference? Should I fish the cloves out of the soup now that I have the chance?
How do I calculate a "likely" cost based on a range of estimates?
For anyone with financial modeling experience I'm wondering how you handle a situation where you need to combine a range of possible cost values into a single number for further analysis. See inside for more details. [more inside]
Can You Recommend a 3D Scanning App to Scan Interiors?
I'm planning a remodel and I'd like to scan a few rooms in my home using an app on my phone. [more inside]
I like Pink Floyd as much as the next girl, but
My neighbors, who share a wall of my house, smoke weed. This is fine! What is not fine is my house smelling like weed all the time. Is there a weed-odor-eliminating candle that is NOT weed-branded? [more inside]
Help me assess the morals of applying for a C-Suite role
I'm currently working as interim CTO at a technology company. I'm a contractor, and I'm considering whether or not to apply for the role on a FTE basis, but I'm worried about just adding yet another middle-aged white male C-suite member to the world. [more inside]
Any problem with being a "no show" on a connecting flight?
Let's say I have booked a flight from Paris to Chicago via New York. But I have decided I want to stay in New York for a couple of days before flying on to Chicago. Is there any problem with just not showing up for the connecting flight and booking a separate NY to Chicago flight for later? I will have to get my luggage in New York anyway so that's not an issue. I just want to check if there is any negative consequence to being a "no show" on a flight I have checked in to. (Bear in mind that I will have a flight back to Paris a couple of weeks later with the same airline).
Requesting RV Rental Recommendations in Reno
Looking to rent a smallish RV in Reno in mid-July. Seat/sleep 3. If you have personal experience, positive or negative, with any RV rental agencies in Reno, would you share it please?
Your magic work phrase
Someone told me if you are late to a meeting, say “Thanks for your patience”. I liked that and use it often. A Mefi whose name escapes me, when put in the spot. suggested saying “I don’t want to give you my first answer, I want to give you the right answer, let me get back to you”. I also liked that and use it often. What are the phrases you use at work that help better communicate / frame / set expectations / lead / work with your colleagues?
Mystery books with something extra
I love books that might be described as "mystery plus." That is, they work as clever, well-constructed, and fair mysteries... but they have a distinctive additional attraction on top of the mystery. For example, The Tuesday Murder Club is a mystery + unusually charming characters and humor. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is mystery + {SPOILER REDACTED}. Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone and West Heart Kill are mystery + narrative self awareness. Can you recommend other examples? [more inside]
April 15
Incredibly middle-aged question about home appraisal, taxes, blah
This is a question where I partly don't know what I don't know, so I have to bumble my way toward asking what I'm asking, but essentially I'm trying to figure out what's up with my home appraisal and whether I should be contesting it and, if it's too complicated to answer here, who I should be even asking. This in Texas and I'm not sure to what extent the question is localized. [more inside]
Pacific Crest Trail cotton-free material t-shirt?
Hello all, I’m trying to find a women’s t-shirt of the Pacific Crest Trail logo but not made of cotton material? Are there any PCT women’s t-shirts without cotton material out there?
New Baby, Good Neighbors
If a lightly connected person to you (i.e a neighbor) provided help when you had a newborn, what was helpful? If you helped someone in the same situation you didn't know that well and felt like it wasn't too much of chore but felt helpful, what did you do? [more inside]
Meaningful birthday gift for 10yo (first of series) ?
My niece will be turning 10 shortly and I'd love to start a tradition of gifting her something she might appreciate in her future life for this and, say, eight subsequent birthdays. Any ideas of "timeless" presents that a younger might actually enjoy receiving? [more inside]
Work is an infinite spiral of ennui and tedium. Someone help me.
In a nutshell, I am a frustrated artistic, literary, nature-loving, spiritual type who has a stable 'career' in communications but my soul is slowly dying. I am bored. I hate screen-based life. I hate my colleagues. I hate the work. Someone help. [more inside]
How to screen mirror from Windows 11 to TV (perhaps via AirPlay)
A sudden flareup of an old injury will leave me on my back on the couch for a bit. But this is a question about how I can view visual/video content from my "work" laptop on my TV. Open to solutions that don't involve AirPlay, though it may be the only way , described below. [more inside]
Coping after a health anxiety/panic disorder crisis
I went through what I would call a crisis (maybe breakdown) over the past week or two due to anxiety over my health. What can I do to find my way back to something that feels normal? [more inside]
Seek swimming pool brouhaha damage control.
I work part-time as a cashier and lifeguard at a swimming pool. When I was cashiering last week, a woman in her 60's came to me to complain that while she was water walking, she was getting splashed due to the ardent lap swimming of the person in the lane next to her. [more inside]
Can I use this MOSFET on my garage door opener?
Can I use this relay -- which is apparently a dual MOSFET and not just a relay -- to wire into my old garage door opener, in order to simulate a button press?
I am confused which wires to put into the four screw blocks, since the wall button itself only has two wires.
Should I have bought a simpler module, with just POS, NEG, and SIGNAL wires? [more inside]
Reputable Supplement Brands
I would like to get a couple vitamin supplements, but I would like them to, you know, contain what the label says and not contain stuff they shouldn't. Does anyone have decent evidence-based recs for supplement companies that ship to the US? [more inside]
Considering Leaving Teaching; What's Next?
My tenth year of teaching has felt like my worst, and I am considering a career change. I am not sure what to do next. I'm not sure what I'm qualified for, I'm not sure whom to talk to, I don't know how to get started. Please help me with your knowledge and experience. [more inside]
Managing ebooks for a kid
I have just given an old kindle to my seven-year-old. Looking for tips to manage his collection going forward. [more inside]
Can you help me identify this artist?
Okay, this painter is a male, middle aged or older. I believe they are living in Paris but are American and their paintings look like candid snapshots, the paint seems to have a bit of “flash” but where you can’t quite see the subjects faces because they’re blurred. Lots are of nightlife in the 80’s I think…. Does this ring a bell? [more inside]
I'm not sure, but I think someone owes me money. Or an explanation
In the 90s, I did work for what was then a very small tech startup. Literally, a guy in his living room. I was paid at the time for those services. In 2000, as the company began to grow, he gave me a physical stock certificate for 1% of the company. That company was never publicly traded but has recently been sold to a larger, public tech company for a substantial sum of cash. I've never had a discussion with him or anyone else about this stock (in part because I never imagined he'd sell or go public). We're not on good terms anymore. I'd like to talk to someone about if my certificate has value and don't know where to start. [more inside]
April 14
Cleaning exhaust fan grills in Seattle metro area
I have a hood over my stove and its grills are covered in cooking oil. It's probably a fire hazard at this point, if not soon. Cleaning them in the dishwasher and using a garden hose didn't help, and I don't have a pressure washer. Are there services in the Seattle, WA metro area that will clean kitchen stove exhaust fan grills? [more inside]
Outlook is evil
I have to use m365 outlook on a windows laptop with 8GB thus I archive a lot. I use subfolders by project so when I search within a subfolder, I can only search my mailbox folder CATS and not simultaneously my corresponding archive folder CATS - I have to search allllll mailboxes which returns way too much. What blindingly obvious thing am I missing here? I have only found similar questions, no answers in searching.
Good resources about glyphosate?
I'd like to try cutting glyphosate out of my diet as much as possible. Are there good resources out there to help me? See below for the kind of information I'm looking for. [more inside]
WTF is going on with my shoulder?
I've been having weird intermittent pain on my shoulder. I'm getting very different answers from different people. [more inside]
What's your favorite video of cherry blossom petals falling?
I'd love to see a calming video of cherry petals falling. I'd prefer no special effect (no slow motion), definitely no AI or generated imagery, ideally no people. Still camera is better than panning. Slow random meditative occasional petals are better than big gusts of petals. I will turn off the sound so audio is unimportant. Thanks!
What makes an essential oil 'food grade'?
I'm hoping to get my hands on some litsea oil to use in a dou hua chili oil dipping sauce, but most of what I'm finding online is not specifically marked as 'food grade' - is this just a labeling/FDA compliance thing, or are there specific reasons an essential oil might be unsafe for consumption outside of its concentration (of course I understand it will need to be diluted)? Thanks!!