Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with interesting

What gift(s) could I request for Christmas that would make my life more interesting, social, or creative?

Kirn — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:41:00 -0800

What gift(s) could I request for Christmas that would make my life more interesting, social, or creative? I've been asked by my mother for suggestions of what she could get me for Christmas. Recently I've realised that I spend too much time reading books, watching movies and playing video games, and not enough time doing creative or interesting things, attending cultural events, or being sociable and meeting new people. This is particularly daft as I live in the interesting city of Brighton, an hour outside the even more interesting city of London.

What gift(s) could I ask for that would help me to have a more interesting, social, creative 2010? There's infinite interesting stuff happening in London (and Brighton), so what would give me an excuse to see/do more of it? There's infinite new creative activities I could get involved in (none of which I really engage with currently) so what would give me an entry into them? What would get me out the house? What would get me outside my comfort zone? What would bring a bit more culture, a bit more social scene into my life?

Absolutely any and all suggestions welcome, I'd love a wide grab-bag of ideas. Thanks!

Take my time and mind

djgh — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:05:26 -0800

Which websites can I get lost in? Which websites can I participate in? I've previously asked about bite-size, daily media-type sites. Now I'd like some big, interesting sites, with lots of interesting things to explore - be it articles, conversations, exercises, games. Ideally, these sites would be places that I could participate in and to - Wikipedia being a great example of something that fulfils both of my criteria.

I realise that I've not provided any examples of what I like - the reason being that I'd love to be introduced to something new. So throw anything out there!

(And yes, I do read MeFi, which happily satisfies both of those criteria)

I want to read your exciting and much loved philosophers!

tumples — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:33:15 -0800

I need your suggestions for interesting, exciting and thought provoking philosophy for me to read this summer! I am a history student who is going to be spending a month between June/July this year camping with friends in (mostly) Amsterdam, and I want to use this month of absolved responsibility and days of not much to do to finally delve into some philosophy. I have no experience or background in anything philosophy related, besides knowing the one line summaries of the enlightenment thinkers. However, I am not after an introduction or a philosophy 101; instead of starting in some kind of chronological order or having to read the classics I want to read the exciting philosophy that easily provokes you to just sit and ponder the ins and outs of life and the universe. Philosophy that would lead to interesting talking points with my friends on the trip would be a great bonus.

So let me know your tips, recommendations and favourite works that you think suits my criteria.

Thanks!

Ideas for Interesting Part-Time Job

no1un0 — Wed, 06 May 2009 07:37:23 -0800

Meta-Filter worked well for me recently, so I thought I’d try again. I realize that what I’m asking is probably a pipedream, but here goes. I live in Los Angeles, CA, have a day job, and am looking for ideas for part-time work, evening and weekends, that would bring in between $500 - $1000 a month. Would like to work from home, but will commute any reasonable distance, depending on pay.
I have degrees in English Literature and Photographic Illustration and have worked for software companies in the past as an “Applications Engineer” (conducting product demos only, no
programming). In addition, taught a college-level computer graphics course while earning the Photo degree.
Past part time work includes bartending and teaching bartending courses. Also worked part-time at various minimum wage ‘sales’ jobs in retail stores of interest (i.e., Radio Shack).
Any ideas? Not looking for a new career here, just creative ideas for interesting PT work to pay off some bills. Wouldn’t mind something unusual or off-beat.

Interesting photos wanted!

sixcolors — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:30:38 -0800

Nonlamephotopraphyfilter: What are some websites, books, and/or magazines that have some neat photos? Flickr pools and sets, count too. :)

How do i become an interesting person to speak to?

freddymetz — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:20:16 -0800

How do i become an interesting person to speak to? Some people are born with this ability, but what is it that makes out an interesting conversation partner?
I have enough interesting things happening in my life, i just dont know how to convey them effectively to other people.

I'm not sure what other details i should add to this post, but feel free to ask if i left something important out!

What would be interesting to a high school class?

FeldBum — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:46:46 -0800

My wife, a high school teacher, has an extra period with her students tomorrow. She wants to show them something (documentary, TV episode) interesting and have a discussion afterward. Suggestions? So far, I thought of these:

Taxi to the Dark Side
An Inconvenient Truth
Man on Wire
Standard Operating Procedure
Something from Frontline, if I can figure out how to download an episode for her.
An episode from The Wire or Generation Kill

No new news?

mcarthey — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:51:35 -0800

Help make news and daily trivia more interesting! Given that I spend probably too much time browsing around and looking at useless bits of information, I was wondering if I could put my time to better use while still being entertained.
I enjoy knowing about the news, but don't enjoy reading newspaper articles. Even with the internet, we seem to still be stuck reading newspaper articles for information (even if they are online). Is there a better way?
I'm basically looking for something that encapsulates daily events in a fun and interesting way that would make for interesting browsing while still being informative.
To start off, I'll provide my own link: 10x10
(Please note, that while the interface is something different, it still, unfortunately, links right back to the newspaper articles.)

Unique Eats

srrh — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:39:59 -0800

Please recommend some unique dining experiences in Richmond, VA and the Hampton Roads area. My boyfriend lives in Richmond, and I live in Chesapeake, and we both love new and interesting restaurants. Our favorites are unique experiences -- The Melting Pot, for fondue, Europa, for tapas, Cajun Bangkok, for an eclectic mix of cooking styles, Freemason Abbey for the beautiful and unusual atmosphere, etc. These are just a few of the restaurants we really enjoy, but hopefully it gives you a good idea of what I mean by "unique."

The price range doesn't really matter -- anything from fine dining to BYOB is OK, as long as we get something new from the experience. (: Can you tell me some of your favorite places to go when you want something out of the ordinary? As I live in Chesapeake, I'd prefer any Hampton Roads restaurants to be in the Chesapeake/Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, and of course Richmond is self-explanatory. Thank you in advance for your help!

Interesting & unusual medicine or tonics or elixirs in China

gttommy — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:19:27 -0800

ChinaFilter: What are some interesting and unusual medicine or tonics or elixirs I can buy in China that is not readily available anywhere else? I'm currently in Hangzhou and I want to know if there is anything interesting I can purchase. I'm wondering if there is any interesting tonics or potions or whatever that alleges to provide some personal benefit yet is relatively unknown or not proven by Western science. Could even be some strange device.

Mainly, I intend to send them back to Australia as gifts.

It can be ordinary. Doesn't have to actually work. Needs to be safe.

Suggestions please! Personal anecdotes also welcome.

Big Ideas and Counter-Culture via Podcast

0bvious — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:18:47 -0800

I love podcasts, but it very difficult to find new, quality programs. I am looking for broadcasted material on a range of topics - including philosophy, the mind, avantgarde arts and lectures by creative, original thinkers (see my list of current podcasts for detail)... Can you help? Here are some of my current favourites:

Science, documentaries and ideas:

ABC radio's - All in the Mind: Current debates on consciousness, the science of mind and its effects on culture
ABC radio's - Big Ideas: Cutting edge thinking and thinkers
CBC radio's - Best of Ideas: Programs and interviews with original thinkers
TVO's - Big Ideas: Lectures on a vast array of truly thought-expanding topics
BBC radio's - In Our Time: Examines history, art and science which colours the world we live in
TED - TED Conference Talks (Video): World changing thinkers share ther ideas

Philosophy:

ABC radio's - Philosopher's Zone: Current trends and new ideas in the realm of philosophy

Arts:

BBC radio's - Front Row: Current art news

Perhaps this list gives you an idea of the kind of things I am interested in. I am also looking for avantgarde, post-modernist and 'counter-cultural' arts shows - especially about literature, poetry and performance.

Thanks!

He was how old when he wrote it?

asuprenant — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:56:19 -0800

Cool classical music facts for kids? Any classical music facts that kids might find interesting as part of a summer concert series?

Looking more toward:

"Stradivarius may have used honey, egg white, and ash in the varnish of his instruments."

than:

"Doesn't Peter and the Wolf's oboe sound like a duck?

Bonus points for anything directly about the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Daily media?

djgh — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:08:24 -0800

I need new websites from which to get my daily dose of interesting links, articles, pictures etc. If I like sites such as MeFi, Lifehacker, Kottke, SvN, Subtraction and Gladwell, enjoy articles from New Yorker, The Economist, read news sites such as the BBC, Timesonline, NY Times and The Guardian what else do you recommend? Blogs, websites, aggregators - it doesn't matter.

related:url has been of little help, so I'm looking for recommendations from people who enjoy those sites or similar, with either interesting links or good, engaging writing.

I already know of Reddit, Digg, /. and popurls, and am trying to avoid Fark.

Sorry that this is such an open-ended question, and that the criteria are quite vague, but the more I tried to narrow it down the larger the list of "I already know X" became. So please just throw in anything you think matches!

Satisfy my infolust

god particle — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 07:23:58 -0800

Where can I find some great infographics? I'm trying to find well-designed infographics/infoporn/data visualization that are either humorous, informative, or just interesting. I'm specifically looking for pictures (ie static, not interactive) and preferably ones large enough to easily print at poster-size. I don't really have a preference for topic or subject matter.

Where are the interesting jobs?

magodesky — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 17:18:22 -0800

What alternatives exist for someone with little experience looking for a more interesting job? I realize this is a common subject, but I couldn't find quite what I was looking for using the search. Anyway, right now I have your typical mundane, repetitive office job doing data entry. But I'm wondering if there's anything more interesting out there that I might be able to try. I have a fairly general liberal arts bachelor degree from a pretty respectable university and very litte experience. I know everyone always says to "do what you love," but that kind of vague advice is incredibly non-helpful. Unfortunately for me, the only jobs I can think of that I might be able to get into at this point aren't much different from what I'm doing already.

So what I'm mostly looking for here is ideas. Does anyone have any specific suggestions of things that someone with my limited experience could try that would be fun, interesting, and/or in some other way personally rewarding? Preferrably without spending several more years in school.

Where's a unique place in NY to go to and write about?

pinksoftsoap — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 22:16:33 -0800

I'm accompanying a friend tomorrow on a journalism assignment; he needs to write about a place he's never been to before, go there, and write about the experience again. Where should we go? We are in New York City and have grown up here our entire lives so there aren't many places we haven't been to (his class restricts us to the five boroughs). I'm looking for some place unique and not necessarily just a popular tourist spot. My suggestion was checking out the Staten Island dump; he nixed that idea. He's also already been to a soup kitchen/homeless shelter. Any ideas?

Romantic week away for a disabled traveller

kairab — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 15:44:57 -0800

Disabled travel. Direct flight from Dublin for one week in any direction. Wheelchair user. Five star hotel and interesting things to do. Can you help? It's difficult to find places that are genuinely wheelchair friendly. Many places say this but when you get there it's a question of them being "helpful" which really means lugging you around. Not conducive to dignity. Max. flight time from Dublin Ireland 7-8 hours. Two adults (one wheelchair) looking for a romantic but unusual destination.
This will be between October and December. We don't want to freeze but also not interested in very hot places. Links to disabled travel sites very welcome. Personal experience even more so!

Any fun/interesting places of interest to stop at on my way from Vancouver to Kelowna?

Anizev — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 16:51:07 -0800

Hi! I will be travelling to BC for one week in early September (3rd-10th) and will be driving from Vancouver to Kelowna and back (leaving Sunday, coming back Wednesday). Can anyone recommend any places of interest to stop at along the way? A place for a bite to eat, or an interesting store/museum/attraction etc... Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance!

Surviving a Total Perspective Vortex

0bvious — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 08:39:35 -0800

I'm on the hunt for sites and/or blogs about big ideas... Who wants to join me? I am interested in the nature of the human, the self, consciousness, space-time and infinity, the future, cultural evolution, the emergence and destruction of civilisation, physics, biology, technology, science fiction, this self perceiving universe, the narrative, the protagonist, belief, faith and the Gods, mathematics, language, truth, semiotics, theory of mind, theory of relativity, philosophy, transhumanism, the base of humour, of love, of art, of literature, chemistry, the stars and how they shine, justice, anger, naivety, pop-culture, culture shock, poetry, evolution, devolution, darwinism vs subjectivity, how to and how not to, how it is, how it could have been, perspectives of 'the idea', how the perspective shifts, surviving a total perspective vortex....

I want to find people who find these things interesting too, I want them to come over and chat liberally with me, with my like-minded associates, with other web-portal psychonauts.

Apart from Metafilter where do you get your intellectual, mind exploding fix? Where should I begin my search for new minds to meld with?

Interesting songs

chef_boyardee — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:10:49 -0800

Looking for funny/lighthearted/danceable songs about non-love non-relationship stuff (like politics). The reason being I just heard Dopeman by Less Than Jake and it played like a sendup of Schoolhouse Rock. Very well done.... and it had a great groove! Not a humorous topic, I know, but still.

I guess stuff like "Star Trekkin'" would qualify, but I'm not really looking in the Dr. Demento genre... rather stuff by established artists.

What else is there? I know Billy Bragg, who's good. It's a bit serious in tone but I'm sure it qualifies somewhat.

Online Portfolios

divabat — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 22:07:11 -0800

Online portfolios - what are the good, creative ones out there? I'm thinking of reworking my portfolio and I could use some inspiration. I'm more a content person, so any creative use of content (unique content, creative arrangements of content, etc) is most useful, but design inspiration is good too.

Thank you!

Getting started in alternative photography?

petah — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 02:35:12 -0800

I want to get started with alternative photography. I've been using my 350D and a normal film 35mm SLR for a while now and I feel creatively stale. I want to delve into the world of alternative photography. Help me MeFi. By alternative photography I mean everything from medium format to pinhole, polaroids to lomos, everything.

What's fun, what's interesting, what's wacky, what have you had the best experiences experimenting with?

Cool Internet video clips

rolypolyman — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 21:04:48 -0800

What are some of your all-time favorite Internet media clips? Examples: Star Wars Gangsta Rap, the rendered Neil Peart YYZ clip, etc. Looking for eye candy to burn onto DVD for snowy-day living room entertainment.

Interesting in learning GIS

jare2003 — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 12:13:16 -0800

I'm interested in learning more about GIS. I took a few one hour classes using ArcGIS at the university where I attend (Cornell), but the available GIS classes are mounds of work and don't fit into my schedule. Are there any good resources that i could find on the net to self-teach myself? And for that matter, any GIS programs that aren't as expensive?

Ramble on...

slapshot57 — Mon, 23 May 2005 13:38:52 -0800

NYCFilter: 24yo guy moving to Manhattan for the first time and I'm basically going to have 10 days to kill before work starts. For locals: What is the coolest thing I can do during the day? I've already researched all the traditional (museums, restaurants, shops) places, I was hoping for the unusual places that will make me feel like a new yorker or just enlighten me. Basically what is your favorite little nook and cranny that I wouldn't find out about otherwise? I'll be based on the upper east side but I'm a big fan of walking/exploring all over the island. Also looking for things that are fun just by yourself as most of my friends have jobs during the day.