Ask MetaFilter

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]
posted by sandmanwv to Society & Culture at 1:22 PM - 17 answers

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]
posted by travertina to Shopping at 12:25 PM - 28 answers

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]
posted by foxmardou to Work & Money at 10:11 AM - 19 answers

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]
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only to Computers & Internet at 10:06 AM - 4 answers

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]
posted by rachaelfaith to Health & Fitness at 8:07 AM - 18 answers

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]
posted by SageTrail to Human Relations at 7:57 AM - 44 answers

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]
posted by wenestvedt to Home & Garden at 7:27 AM - 5 answers

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]
posted by restless_nomad to Health & Fitness at 6:22 AM - 9 answers

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]
posted by The Larch to Work & Money at 6:19 AM - 22 answers

I have just given an old kindle to my seven-year-old. Looking for tips to manage his collection going forward. [more inside]
posted by ficbot to Media & Arts at 5:11 AM - 10 answers

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]
posted by pairofshades to Media & Arts at 3:44 AM - 1 answer

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]
posted by anonymous to Work & Money at 2:29 AM - 12 answers

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]
posted by They sucked his brains out! to Grab Bag at 11:35 PM - 11 answers

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.
posted by dorothyisunderwood to Computers & Internet at 11:29 PM - 7 answers

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]
posted by Mechitar to Health & Fitness at 7:42 PM - 7 answers

I've been having weird intermittent pain on my shoulder. I'm getting very different answers from different people. [more inside]
posted by treetop89 to Health & Fitness at 4:38 PM - 12 answers

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!
posted by kristi to Media & Arts at 3:37 PM - 4 answers

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!!
posted by catcafe to Food & Drink at 3:37 PM - 5 answers

I’d like to buy some 3/4” loc-line, up to 25’ or so, for various purposes around the house, mainly for adjustable arms for things. Are there any sources for discount loc-line around? [more inside]
posted by unus sum to Shopping at 3:14 PM - 5 answers

Has your life been substantively improved by the results of a sleep study that diagnosed something other than sleep apnea? If so, how? [more inside]
posted by heatherlogan to Health & Fitness at 1:05 PM - 11 answers

I take pictures on my phone. My wife takes pictures on her phone. I'm looking for a way to merge these pictures automatically into one shared photo album that I can back up, share, and otherwise tinker with. Any ideas? [more inside]
posted by soonertbone to Technology at 12:15 PM - 6 answers

I want to play a virtual instrument (like in GarageBand for ioS) on my iPad through an amp. [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster to Media & Arts at 11:31 AM - 12 answers

I just noticed that the song in this scene of Grey's Anatomy makes me immediately think of Arrested Development. Was it actually used there? I feel like it was one of their themes for pratfalls. For that matter, what's it called? Thanks!
posted by sagc to Media & Arts at 11:05 AM - 7 answers

I bought this faucet at an estate sale for $20. The flow is low. (Now I know why it was $20). What do you suppose is wrong?
posted by falsedmitri to Home & Garden at 10:47 AM - 7 answers

I'm organizing a group of families to go support a local race car racing team. What should I expect? [more inside]
posted by Toddles to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation at 10:04 AM - 5 answers

The first unannounced park concert (recorded, not live music) is happening in my neighborhood, and I want to find a way to mitigate the noise experienced in my house as the season unfolds. I hoping noise machines could work. I figure I need several of these, for multiple rooms. But which ones to buy? [more inside]
posted by walkinginsunshine to Shopping at 9:44 AM - 16 answers

I'm in a small apartment and want to combine my dining table and work space together in the living room. Need some help on hiding the computer display when not in-use. [more inside]
posted by artificialard to Home & Garden at 9:39 AM - 11 answers

Who made the artwork of a man falling past a building, saying "so far, not bad at all?" [more inside]
posted by johnofjack to Media & Arts at 9:16 AM - 3 answers

I need to replace two ceiling fans and have some questions. [more inside]
posted by ryanshepard to Home & Garden at 9:01 AM - 7 answers

I've been invited to teach a two-day art class in June and need to work through my pacing, make sure instructions are clear, etc., so I'm planning to put out a call on Facebook for friends to help me with a practice run. Of course, there's a plate of beans involved: [more inside]
posted by Sweetie Darling to Grab Bag at 7:36 AM - 14 answers

I an looking for shape wear or clothing styles to take attention away from a mom pooch that makes me look early second trimester. [more inside]
posted by Sophiaverde to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 6:26 AM - 10 answers

Looking for a comprehensive, continually updated list of celebrity book clubs with ALL of their monthly picks. I know how to find info on individual book clubs. I'm looking for a list (ideally printable) that has all this info in one place. Does this exit? If so, where?
posted by WithWildAbandon to Media & Arts at 5:19 AM - 2 answers

I need to buy men's sweatpants or joggers with an elastic waist without a drawstring with a waist size of 32. [more inside]
posted by hydropsyche to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 5:10 AM - 16 answers

In the 90's I saw an anime tv show on turkish television about a soccer team. I simply cannot remember the name of it. It was something from Asia - maybe Japan or Korea? I don't really remember. [more inside]
posted by madcow20 to Media & Arts at 2:25 AM - 8 answers

For some of my smaller spaces I want to offer design by the square metre and enable my clients to work out my fee*, which will hopefully help them to pick up the phone. The aim is to present people with a simple function so they can do it themselves, e.g. if they've got say 225 square metres what will that cost them? I'm hoping to find something people as non-numeric as myself can punch into a calculator: area operation number operation number = $number [more inside]
posted by unearthed to Work & Money at 7:02 PM - 4 answers

What is the best content on audible that is included with a standard subscription? So far, for example, I have found the complete Sherlock Holmes read by Stephen Fry, and a handful of shorts set in METAtropolis by some of my favorite authors, a couple Scalzis, the first Murderbot. What else should I look at (har har). Outstanding reader and outstanding content both welcome.
posted by bq to Media & Arts at 6:47 PM - 15 answers

I really like the simplicity of Kottke and TheMarginalia and Waxy — a blog with a front page that contains all (or most) of the content of each post, with links embedded to other parts of the web. However, I have yet to find a Wordpress or Ghost or [insert other system] theme that duplicates this layout. Rather, all themes I've found have a front page that shows an excerpt that links to a full post that then has those other links. I do not like this. Do you know of such a theme? What am I missing?
posted by dobbs to Computers & Internet at 5:19 PM - 2 answers

A study published in late February by the Journal of the American Heart Association noted as its conclusion, "Cannabis use is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, with heavier use (more days per month) associated with higher odds of adverse outcomes." [more inside]
posted by the sobsister to Health & Fitness at 4:52 PM - 10 answers

Having some Feelings™ about some recent test results. [more inside]
posted by cozenedindigo to Health & Fitness at 4:39 PM - 10 answers

Are there blogs like Smart Bitches Trashy Books, but for other genres? [more inside]
posted by 168 to Computers & Internet at 2:07 PM - 8 answers

I love this skirt. Help me find a replacement. [more inside]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 11:58 AM - 7 answers

Lately I’ve enjoyed the movies Argylle, Spy, and The Lost City. I think part of what I like is that they’re witty action/comedies that involve ordinary, likeable women going about their routine lives who are then suddenly swept into espionage or adventure. Can you recommend similar non-sexist action/comedies that I might like? [more inside]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl to Media & Arts at 9:15 AM - 32 answers

The house we're renting in Spain has a satellite dish. We've been enjoying UK channels like BBC and ITV, but service was interrupted last week. We asked the friendly local satellite guy, and he said that Intelsat 907 has been decommissioned… [more inside]
posted by Silky Slim to Technology at 7:28 AM - 3 answers

My friend is a Canadian who was hit by a drunk & homeless cyclist in Tennessee earlier this year, and was severely injured. Neither party had insurance.... so what happens with potential criminal charges, injury settlement, and the hospital bill? [more inside]
posted by anonymous to Law & Government at 7:10 AM - 11 answers

Just back from 2 nights at a hotel in San Diego and fearing the worst. Any alternatives as to what this bug could be? [more inside]
posted by gatorbiddy to Science & Nature at 8:41 PM - 15 answers

Title sums it up. [more inside]
posted by bookworm4125 to Pets & Animals at 5:53 PM - 5 answers

Where can I listen to every episode of the podcast called "Groceries"? Thanks!!
posted by bookworm4125 to Media & Arts at 4:26 PM - 3 answers

I am hosting a 2-day meeting of 20 people at a hotel. We'll meet around a large table in one of the hotel conference rooms. What would I need to set up a simple sound system that would allow us to speak into a microphone and have the sound come through speakers enabling everyone to hear? [more inside]
posted by SallyHitMeOntheHead to Technology at 4:22 PM - 4 answers

We are selling the family home and using a family friend as the broker. He is asking for 6% commission. In light of the current lawsuit, do I ask him to come down? [more inside]
posted by cgs to Work & Money at 2:09 PM - 11 answers

I run a program that promotes safe firearm storage. We have big money to expand the program this year and need some affordable fake handguns we can use to show how trigger locks work. Details within! [more inside]
posted by centrifugal to Grab Bag at 12:47 PM - 7 answers

I’m leaving on vacation tomorrow and need recommendations for engrossing beach reads! Specifications within. [more inside]
posted by bluloo to Media & Arts at 11:48 AM - 30 answers

My "baby" (mid-30s) sister is graduating nursing school soon! I want to get her a gift to mark the occasion but I am stumped. She already has a job lined up in Pediatrics, and in general is passionate about pediatrics as well as labor & delivery. She already has The Fancy Stethoscope, and I've already given her a set of personalized Leatherman Raptor medical shears. I will also be giving money, but want to give her something tangible, too. All ideas welcome!
posted by rhiannonstone to Shopping at 11:45 AM - 15 answers

My siblings and I inherited a family home and are preparing to sell. One of my siblings is urging us to use a real estate auction service rather than selling via the traditional route. I am leery. [more inside]
posted by charris5005 to Home & Garden at 11:33 AM - 14 answers

I'm an empty-nester-retiree contemplating different configurations of home ownership in the next 18 months. Is there some professional role that can do the math to give me data to help with the decision? [more inside]
posted by KneeHiSocks to Work & Money at 8:00 AM - 4 answers

I have two carpet shampooers that, with enzymic cleaners, are great at removing cat pee stains in the middle of the room. When it is against the wall, they both struggle with sucking up the pee. Is there any solution for this problem? [more inside]
posted by bbqturtle to Pets & Animals at 7:15 AM - 6 answers

I need to e-mail a PDF to someone and I need to know if/when they've opened it. Is there a way to do this OTHER than an e-mail read receipt? For what it's worth, the file doesn't even have to be a PDF if there's a workaround using some other platform...I'm using Outlook, Office 365, and an old version of Acrobat XI Pro (on a work computer without admin rights, so I can't install anything else).
posted by richmondparker to Technology at 6:32 AM - 8 answers

Having attended high school in the early eighties in the United States, I am now curious: what were Americans told about the Soviet empire during the height of the cold war that we all assumed was true but was, in fact, intentional propaganda?
posted by mecran01 to Education at 6:06 AM - 31 answers

What would you wear to an August wedding with this dress code suggestion? [more inside]
posted by GrimmblyTuna to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 5:48 AM - 18 answers

I have an unopened, 2L carton of milk that expires today. What should I make to a) use it up b) extend its life a bit? [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Rattery to Food & Drink at 5:33 AM - 12 answers

Where do I buy a basic bra. Like the kind you used to get at the Bay or Sears. A Warners or a WonderBra type thing. The Bay has gone super-high-end (I know this varies, but the ones in downtown Toronto are all very shi-shi now) and Sears is gone. My bras are down to threads. I'm willing to order online but I want something decent and I'd like to pay $30-50 ish and what I get offered on facebook costs quite a bit more than I want to spend, however miraculous they might be. Also, I don't even know what size I am these days, so trying on might not be bad.
posted by If only I had a penguin... to Shopping at 5:11 AM - 12 answers