Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with move

Shalom, kitties!

pointystick — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:48:47 -0800

Asking for a friend: Does anyone know where to find authoritative information on requirments for pets moving to the USA from Israel? Asking for a friend: A US citizen & her Israeli spouse are moving back to the USA from Israel. They have 2 indoor cats who have had regular vet visits & certificates of good health. They have not had rabies shots as that is not required locally as they are indoor only.
Cat mom is panicking that she is not getting consistent information about what documents are required. The US embassy is saying rabies shots not required which seems odd. They don't have any info on quarantine. Who should they (the humans) call? What should they (humans again) read?

They are flying into Orlando next week.

Friend thanks the hivemind in advance!

The oven that broke the camel's back

fireoyster — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:58:55 -0800

Our brand new rented townhouse keeps breaking. What, if anything, should we ask for? Back in June, my family moved into a new construction townhouse in a suburb and, since then, things keep breaking and the landlord is slow to get stuff fixed. Some of it is "minor:" not cleaning the off-white carpets from between when the live-in general contractor moved out and we moved in; some of the travertine tiles crumbling at their corners, a couple of sinks pour water on the floor (due to the spout not being forward enough relative to the sink bowl) if not turned on full-blast; one of the sinks has a stream of rust along the bottom of its spout.

However, some stuff has been "major:" brand new (I watched them unpack it) refrigerator died and he couldn't be bothered to get to it until the next afternoon, taking two trips (the next brand new fridge also broke) to fix it; garage door shorted out; air conditioner isn't balanced on the top floor; and, most recently, the oven has decided to break and will not shut off the heating elements, eventually either popping the breaker or getting hotter until I kill the breaker myself. The landlord has eventually, and in some cases partially, fixed the major problems, but new ones keep popping up.

We're paying $1850/month for this house, which is on the high side for this area and already a several hundred dollar discount off the "retail" price because the units weren't leasing. We thought it was worth it for all the space, location, and the "newness," so we moved in. However, all the maintenance problems are beginning to grate on us and make this place seem like it's not worth the high price we're paying. Add to it that I work nights, so staying up for maintenance is a pain, and we're ready to move. People drive by the complex periodically, though less often lately, asking if any units are available, and we're tempted to say "here, take ours!"

tl;dr question: In this situation, where maintenance is slow, problems keep happening, and the landlord is apparently distracted by other projects, what are the pitfalls of asking to bail on the lease? The landlord holds the majority of the cards and can say "no," in which case we stay until the end, and, if so, any tips for negotiating something else, like a rent credit or something?

Is he friendly? Interested? Teasing?

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:30:53 -0800

Angsty-crush filter: Should I do something like make a move on this guy? If not, how can I get this out of my mind and get back to my own life? OK, I'll try to keep this short. Please bear with me -- I've scoured similar previous posts but of course nothing with facts close enough.

We're both 26; I'm a girl and he's a guy. We met at a pub through a mutual friend. Since then, we've seen each other frequently at the local, always with friends. We chat online frequently and have been out on our own twice. When we talk, it's about everything and (I think) the conversation indicates a great connection. When we drink, we get funny and talk about TMI-sexcapades and shitty childhoods. The first time we went out, we talked from dinner until the pub closed around us. Last time we went out, we went back to his place and chatted / hung out until 2 in the morning....but no move was made. By either of us.

Does he like me? (I KNOW you can't really answer that here, but it's like I need to ponder out loud.) Perhaps you can answer:
1. How can I test his interest and feel my way? He's said stuff before about thinking women should take more initiative -- I'm not at all opposed to making a clear move as long as I'm not rebuffed with, "I didn't mean YOU!"
2. If you think I should go for it, can you explain how you (a female) made a successful first move?
3. Can you (a male) describe when a girl's first move went really well for you?

And if you think he's not into me (I mean, he could just be really friendly -- he's a compassionate soup kitchen volunteer, swoon), then please tell me how to quit acting like I'm 13 and get back to work!

What is the best way to move from London, UK, to Brussels, Belgium?

meso — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:07:30 -0800

Hey there! I'm moving to Brussels for a job early November, and I'm trying to plan my move from London. What is the best way to do this move? My latest plan is to drive there in a van with a friend, stay with him for a couple of days, and have him drive the empty van back to London. Am I missing something? Is there an obvious way to make it easier/cheaper?

Right now the costs would involve paying the van rental, the Eurotunnel transfer between the UK and the continent, paying for a hotel, and packing stuff myself.

More information: I don't have any furniture, just books and clothes. It's not a massive amount. I don't have a driving licence myself. I'm also hesitating between driving there with a friend, gonig there on Eurostar and leave my stuff, or send them to myself by post.

Any suggestion would be immensely appreciated... thank you!

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:15:22 -0800

My parents are divorced; my father has custody of my younger brother, but is leaving the country for a few years for work. He wants me to live with and take care of my 16 year old brother until he graduates from HS. I love my brother, but I have some objections and I’m not sure how to handle this. (long explanation inside!) God, my family is so complicated.

I’m 24, my brother is 15 and is a sophomore in high school. We live in the same metro area, but about 30 minutes away from each other and in different states.

My father is going overseas as a contractor for a few years to pay off debts/earn money, etc. He wants my brother to stay in the same town and continue going to the same school that he’s in now.

Originally, the plan was that my brother would stay with my mom, who lives three blocks away (yes, three blocks!) from my dad & brother. But then my mom moved from a two-bedroom to a one-bedroom apartment (still in the same apartment complex) and now she’s decided that she doesn’t have room for my brother and she doesn’t “feel like” moving again, even if my dad pays for her to move and pays the difference on her new rent. She's worried that if something happens to my dad's job, she won't be able to afford the new apartment and she'll have to move again, on her own dime. I also think another issue is that she had kids when she was pretty young, and she feels that she missed out on life, so now she’s enjoying an empty nest. (She’s a classic narcissist and probably not the best parental figure for my brother, but then again, I don’t think I’d be a good one either.)

So now my father has come to me, asking me to move out to their town for the next few years to live with my brother. If it were just a year, it would be inconvenient (breaking my lease, living further away from work, living in a town that I hate), but I’d do it. But we’re talking about the next two and a half years. The job I have now will be ending in June, and I have no promise of a new one, especially in this part of the country. I had plans to go to grad school next year, out of state. I'd have to put all of my plans on hold. My brother and I are not close, but I do love him. I just feel like this isn’t fair. I’m only 24, I don’t want to be a mom yet!

My dad is obviously stressed out. He’s sacrificed a lot and he just wants what’s best for our family. At this point, he doesn’t want me to talk to my mom about this anymore, but I think my mom is being selfish. On the other hand, am I being selfish too?

My brother's emotions are key in all of this too. I don't want him to feel like a human ping-pong ball.

I’ve got about a week or so to figure this all out. Everything is happening so fast. Some guidance would be appreciated.

More info:
- My brother is not responsible enough to live alone. That’s not even on the table.
- Moving in with a friend is also not an option.
- Moving with me anywhere (in the metro or out of state) is not an option, in my father’s eyes. My brother struggles academically and has a well-developed support system in his current school.

I'm sure there's greener grass over there.

RobotVoodooPower — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:47:36 -0800

On hiatus from the rat race. What now? My spouse and I find ourselves unemployed and unencumbered with no kids (well, a cat) and some savings in the bank. To us, this is a blessing. We've lived on the East Coast for many years in a high cost-of-living area and want to relocate somewhere new, exciting and less expensive (like, $800/mo vs $2500/mo). We both are software/qa geeks so we want to work together on ongoing contracting, iPhone apps, and other entrepreneurial activities. We also want to see a new part of the country and get a bit more healthy (we hate the gym, love the outdoors).

We of course are very lucky to have so many options at this time in our lives, but I don't think we've ever had this open of a slate -- frankly, it's blind-siding. We don't want to go on a crazy world tour and burn our savings. Rather, we want to tweak our lifestyle to be happy with a lower burn rate while developing some independence from the 9-5. Would like to know if other Mefi-ates have been faced with the same situation, how you made your decision, and what the results were a few years down the road.

Can I justify taking my cat back from my parents?

Hactar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:17:30 -0800

Can I move my cat from a house and supervised outdoor walks to a Brooklyn apparment? I adopted a stray and perhaps feral cat when I was living in rural Ohio. When I moved to Brooklyn, I left her with my parents. The condition was that she was to become an indoor cat, but my parents had the bright idea of allowing her out under supervised conditions. She isn't leashed, but she is watched whenever she is outside. They live in the suburbs, but off the beaten track and near the woods. She's a rather good hunter who has finally mastered the trick of not killing anything she catches.

To complicate matters, my parents have three dogs who she gets along with quite well. (I've been sent pictures of her sleeping curled up in the legs of the sleeping german shepard.)

I'm living in a decent apparment in Brooklyn with two roommates and a cat-friendly landlady. Both roommates are ok with a cat, although I think that one is more enthusiastic about the idea than the other. However, if I moved her here, she'd be indoor only and without the other animals she's used to. She'd get much more human attention- I don't think my parents play with her at all.

So, do you think I can move her here? It's not a safety issue, I trust my parents to take good care of her. I just miss my cat. Or should I give up and look into adopting a cat who's not tied to the outdoors and three dogs?

From what I've read, it's possible to make her indoors, but I don't want an unhappy indoor cat who's longing for the outdoor area and larger indoor area.

A ladder left behind

Funmonkey1 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:55:24 -0800

[FearFilter]: 15 years ago I experienced an imminent death/serious injury moment that turned out ok. However, I still feel physical chills and tingly feelings even thinking about it. Am I the only one or is this common? Thoughts and stories appreciated. The science is a huge bonus. Short background. Many years ago some friends and I decided to put a ladder out the 3rd floor house in order to gain access to the roof.

I clearly recall the way back down the ladder and it is no mistake, balance was against me. That 1 second of fighting against of gravity while looking down is ingrained in my mind. The moment is etched forever in the brain and triggers immediate fear and physical response if I focus on it. WTF? After so long?

I can't be the only one that has such a memory that stirs such strong physical and emotion reaction. What is it called and how does one not be so jolted?

I want to move, but I don't. Advice?

naveed — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:13:07 -0800

I currently live in South Florida. I've been here for 10 years. I've been wanting to move to Dallas, TX for a while now for a variety of reasons - better job market (I'm a software engineer), lower cost of living, better community and a charter school that I like. Logically, I don't see much of a future here for myself in Florida. I telecommute, so I'm not looking for a job at the moment. I'm about to send the security deposit for a rental property, but I'm having the jitters. I had moved to Maryland about 4 years ago for a job and that was not a good experience. I knew that I didn't like MD, but the job offer was too good to pass up. I ended up moving back to FL after 6 months. Unlike MD, I like Dallas and have visited a few times, but I don't know why I'm trying to find excuses to not go. Is it just a phobia of sorts? Or something valid? I'm really confused. Any advice?

Searching for a non fiction book about a move to Ireland which turned out badly.

Tullyogallaghan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:27:50 -0800

I'm trying to track down a book which was written in the last 25 years (or so) about an American couple who inherited a house in the west of Ireland. The culture shock and concomitant problems involved with relocation, the house, the weather the people, etc. almost brings them to the point of divorce with each blaming the other for the decision to move. I've searched high and low but could only come up with a similar tome about an Australian couple. Thanks very much for any help.

Help: How to move piano from Brooklyn to Providence?

betsbillabong — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:14:08 -0800

I am moving from Brooklyn, NY to Providence, RI next month. I have a full-size upright piano which needs to be moved. The problem is, my dream apartment in Providence is on the second floor and so the piano will either need 4-5 movers or a crane (as per a quote) because of the winding stairs. Piano movers have given me crazy expensive quotes (around $2000) which I cannot afford. I do have a quote for about $500 from local movers to unload the piano into the apartment from a truck, probably less if they can bring it up the stairs (that's with a crane). Which of the following options would you choose, or do you have another solution entirely? Any piano mover recommendations for NYC-Providence accepted! (a) Hire a U-Haul and some piano movers to move my piano into the U-Haul on the NYC end, then load it up with the rest of my gear, drive to Providence, and have the local piano movers move it into the apartment on the other end?

(b) Same as (a) but try to find a few friends to move it? This makes me nervous, though there are very few stairs involved... just one stair to get into the building, one stair into the apartment, one stair into my bedroom where the piano is. Also, I'm worried about loading it in correctly.

(c) Get a regular mover to do the entire move? If I could do this under $1500, I'd probably opt for that.

(d) Use an interstate piano mover, who will be much cheaper? The only problem with this is that I don't think they'll come to the apartment to check out what is doable, and I cannot end up in a situation where I have the apartment and the piano can't be moved inside.

(e) Give up, and find another apartment. This one is sweet, though: working fireplace in the double parlor LR/DR, tons of light with big bay windows, backyard, screen porch, amazing rent, good neighborhood. It wasn't easy to find.

Thanks for your thoughts. The piano is 64" long, 28" deep, and 59" tall. It weighs a ton, almost literally (ok, maybe not, i think it weighs about 1000 lbs).

BB

Age difference coming to a head?

brynna — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:28:16 -0800

I'm struggling to cope with my older boyfriend... I'm 21 and he's 36. He jokes that we are both "really" 27. I'm 21 and he's 36. However, we are unconventional 21 and 36-year olds. I just graduated from college, with a job working at a charter school waiting for me in August. He has been a bartender for years.
We live together currently and are both moving to separate states in August.

We have been together for over a year. He is the first man that I've lived with and is wonderful and completely supportive in every way. He treats me just as well as I could ever hope for.

The problem, I guess, is that I think of myself as pretty ambitious and motivated and sickly idealistic. I'll be working at a low-resource school, trying to use my education to change a little part of the world for the better. He, however, has always lived sensually and has been very lucky to come from a wealthy, sheltered family without much reason to escape his "bubble." Now, don't get me wrong; I do NOT feel like this makes me a better person than him, I just recognize that our priorities are different.

Since living with him, I've felt myself become more and more complacent.. Whereas before I may have gone to a lecture, now I'll stay at home with him and watch TV. Furthermore, instead of renting a documentary, we will watch UFC. This wasn't troublesome to me because I saw it as "relaxing" after 4 long undergrad years and before starting a very taxing job.

How can I reconcile this difference between us? He has expressed a desire to move with me to Boston, but I've been so hesitant because I can't stop feeling like I'll slip into this complacent, relaxed coma. I would like to have him come with me to Boston, so long as he could UNDERSTAND and support my desire to implement even a little bit of change. Thus far, it might be best to just let him go even though I would be losing an emotionally nourishing person - he isn't challenging or ambitious to me.

What can I do? Is this an age issue? If so, how can I deal with being the "older" one?

Increasing the number of items in the "Move to folder" list in Outlook 2007

charlie7691 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:30:50 -0800

How to increase the number of items in the "Move to folder" list in Outlook 2007? I regularly move my emails using the "Move to folder" button at the top of the window in Outlook 2007. However, the list has a maximum of 9 or so entries and I would like around 15. Any ideas how to increase the length of this list?

Thanks in advance!

Charlie

Stay for work 'cos I should or move 'cos I can?

ShadePlant — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:20:11 -0800

Do I stay for a few years where I'm unhappy to advance my career or do I move to be closer to nature/family/cool stuff? If I stay, how can I cope? I'm a year away from getting my MSW degree. After I get my degree, I need two years (approx 100 hours) of supervision by a licensed social worker before I can get be a licensed independent social worker. I have an entry-level full-time mental health related job which I like and was basically handed. My employer has offered to pay the supervision costs ($100+ per hour) but I have to sign a 2 year contract. Professional contacts have told me it is harder to get hired if you need supervision because it is costly.

The thought of three more years in MSP makes me want to cry. I have no family here and want to move to a smaller town out West where my brother lives. I like spending time with him and his wife and there is awesome nature access. Mountains, the ocean, etc. I know location doesn't fix unhappiness, but I feel like I have been coasting through my life here. I have friends and I'm on antidepressants and I've given up on dating (see my previous, ludicrous questions) but I just think I'm done with MSP. I've been here for going on 7 years to get my two degrees which I am *thisclose* to finishing.

Compressed schedule moving tips?

Riki tiki — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:27:20 -0800

Compressed schedule move (from Seattle), advice? I have to move on very short notice, like within the next few days. I had enough notice to arrange for movers and vehicle transport and whatnot, but I'm freaking a bit at how much I still have left since this is not only on a time crunch but it's my first big move, period.

Of immediate concern: my vehicle is getting picked up today, any advice there? I'm going to clear everything personal out of the car, but I'm thinking of the stuff I'm not going to think about until it's too late. Do I tip the guy who picks it up? Is there anything I *should* leave in the car?

Of slightly-less-immediate concern: I'd like to purge a lot of stuff rather than move it cross-country. I'd love to donate some of the stuff (large desk, big screen TV with stand, sofa) rather than junk it, but have yet to find a place that will take them. Any suggestions of a Seattle charity that would take objects like that on very short notice? Are there any other options besides junking and donating that could be accomplished at a reasonable cost so quickly?

Driving across the country with an unregistered car.

kdar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:14:13 -0800

I'm moving to California and need to drive car there this summer. Difficulty: the car is currently garaged in Pennsylvania, without tags, and uninsured; I reside in New York City with a DC license (but could transfer that to NY license if necessary). Uhaul/shipping the car is out of the question. Backstory is in this ask.mefi question; I moved to NYC two years ago and garaged my car in Pennsylvania after mailing my plates to DC and canceling the insurance. Now, I'm about ready to move to San Francisco, and I'm going to drive my car from NYC to SF along with my cats and my electronics. I will be shipping the rest of my stuff; a uhaul that's able to tow my car costs on par with estimates for moving companies, so I'd rather save the hassle and just drive. The car is running and will have a tune-up before it goes on this trip.

My question is: I need to figure out how to legally register and insure the car for a cross-country trip, when the car is in Pennsylvania, I live in New York City, I hold a DC license, and the car and I will eventually reside in California. I would like to keep this as simple as possible. Do I, in order of preference:

(Magically, through some process I am not yet aware of) Register and insure the car in California while it is in Pennsylvania;

Register and insure the car in Pennsylvania (how?), and get my license converted to a PA license through somewhat sketchy means; or

Register and insure the car in NYC without it being physically present, as that is where I reside, having my DC license converted to an NY licence;

Something that I haven't thought of.

Everything that I've seen so far deals with driving a car that's already registered across the country. I would just register it in Pennsylvania and re-register in California, but they require that you be a full-time resident there, with a driver's license, to register a car.

My palettes in InDesign are moving without my permission!

UnclePlayground — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:07:45 -0800

Why are my palettes moving in InDesign? I'm working with dual monitors and InDesign 5.0.4 (on Mac 10.5.6). Often, I'll come back to my desk, wake up my computer, and the palettes have moved to straddle the space between the two monitors, rather than staying where I've put them on my non-work space monitor. It gets frustrating that I have to reposition them several times a day. Why are they moving to what seems a default position, rather than staying where I put them?

(Let me know if you need any other information in order to answer my question properly)

Converting foreign voltage desktop computer?

carolekorea — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:47:56 -0800

Moving a desktop computer internationally - we're moving from Korea (220 V) to Canada (110V). Is it as simple as removing the power "section" of the desktop and replacing it with 110 V at a computer repair place in Canada? Are internal components individually responsive to a particular voltage?

Where should I live in Ames, Iowa?

calcalcal — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:00:30 -0800

My wife, baby daughter, and I are moving to Ames, Iowa this summer for work -- I'm just finishing grad school and am starting a job at ISU, and she's going to stay at home with our daughter for a while. We care about schools down the road but not immediately. We're open to renting or buying and would prefer a house but an apartment would be fine. I'd like to live biking distance from the university if possible, but not in a college-student-type rental house. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

Maybe not so silly, but still conflicted :/

big open mouth — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 13:19:25 -0800

Okay, it's me, back again with yet more break-up/move out questions. If you guys get tired of me asking these just let me know, I'll quit. Details inside... ugh... Okay, so if you remember reading my recent questions you will remember that I am 21, living with my 37 year old boyfriend. That is, I am for the moment. I decided to move out about two weeks ago and have since found an apartment. My friend and I are filling out the application now, and if all goes well we'll be able to move in just one week.

So here's the rub. I had always felt incredibly conflicted about my boyfriend. He's much too old for me, and I know we have no future... but still he's very important to me and has been a good friend of mine for some time now. It makes me incredibly sad to think that I am going to break his heart, and that combined with my fond memories of times we've shared have left me more confused than ever.

Then again, perhaps I'm not really confused at all. In fact, I can feel deep down that I need to break up with him, but still I hesitate, reminisce, feel immersed with guilt whenever I consider it. When I came back from my grandmother's funeral in another state he dumped me, but the next day told me I had misheard him. That we were still together, but only until I moved out. Didn't make any sense at the time, and since that conversation have spoken several times about the fact that we're not getting along very well, but that we were going to give "us" another shot once I moved out.

He's been pretty complacent and has helped me even with seeing potential apartments, but I know he's holding a grudge for a few not-so-perfect (but honest) things I've said to him. He denies that he's upset, but I can tell by the way he acts.

So, great, right? I move out in a week, shouldn't be a problem. We're doing okay and it seems like it won't be too overwhelming for anybody. So why don't I just wait?

Well... because this week I've been really sick and he hasn't really been acting like a boyfriend, or even like himself. He's gone out every night that I've been at home sick, and he's seemed incredibly put-out by everything I ask him to do or he offers to do for me.

So, I'm miserable. I know that my heart is saying this relationship is dead, and that I'm not happy anymore, but I still don't know how to go about this. I know probably no one here will think I should, but would anyone advise me actually giving him another shot?

If not, should I break up now? If I wait until after the move it will look like I've planned this all along (something he already thinks) and will reflect poorly on me, and he'll probably do a fair bit of "I-told-you-so"ing, but do you think that's the best plan?

Ugh, maybe I shouldn't even be asking people I've never met before, but you've always given me good information before, HiveMind, and I know that you are all experienced, kind, thoughtful and mature people with good heads on your shoulders. So, what do you think? (Sorry it was long!)

OMG I got the job! Now how do I move to France? Where can I go for advice?

handee — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:18:15 -0800

I'm starting a job in France in June. I'm English. I'm going to need various stuff (bank account, apartment, insurance, mobile phone, phone, internet, register with a doctor, find some decent French lessons, and heaps of stuff I'm sure to have overlooked right now). Does anyone know any good expat websites or guides to moving to France? Or a forum where I can ask a load of questions? Obviously as I'm coming from the UK I don't need a visa. I've googled (honest) and the guides I have found are either totally superficial (half a page on banking stuff that's utterly obvious) or totally specific (how to open a franchise in France). I'm interested in details like "what happens to my ISA account?" and "how do i open a bank account without an address" or it's corollary "how do i rent a flat without a bank account?"

Cheap neighborhoods in New Orleans?

palindromic — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:05:29 -0800

What are some fun neighborhoods to live in on the cheap in New Orleans? I'm moving from Detroit to New Orleans this summer and I'll be attending Tulane (School of Public Health - I hear the university is split in two campuses, and I don't know where it sits in relation to the rest of the city). I want to find a place to live that will be affordable to a poor grad student, one who hates to drive.

I'll be heading down in a week or so to scope out the city. Any tips on places to check out ahead of time would be most appreciated.

And feel free to drop any random wisdom that you think would help a stranger find her way in a strange land.

How to "select all" drawing objects in Word?

roxie110 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:46:13 -0800

Is it possible to "select all" drawing objects at one time in Word 2000 (in order to move them together) rather than holding down the SHIFT key and selecting them individually? I need to add titles to the axes of a graph that's a picture embedded in a Word document. Right now, the margins of the picture don't allow room for this. I can adjust the bottom margin of the picture but when I try to adjust the left margin, the graph just moves to the left, so I can't make room for the axis title that way.

The solution I've come up with, since I can't seem to enlarge the canvas of the picture (does anyone know how?), is to move all the elements of the graph to the left. Currently, I have to select each element using the SHIFT key, then move them together, which is time-consuming (there are TONS of little "pieces") and can lead to errors. I'd love to be able to select all elements at once and move them at once. I thought "Group" might work, but you still have to select individually. Help!

(PS--If more recent versions of Word provide a solution, I'd love to hear it.)

Why can't I hide from Google?

hamster — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:24:03 -0800

Help me hide my blog from the Googlebots. I blogged professionally from 2002-2007, when the project ended. I decided to start a personal Wordpress blog, and linked to the new blog from the old site before it was taken down.

Unfortunately, because of the link to the old site, the personal blog is now the first Google result when you search under my name. The new blog doesn't use my name or identifying details, but the Googlebots must know it's connected to my name anyway.

I'm starting a new job soon and expect that clients will search for me by name, so the old blog has to go. I'd like to continue blogging for the sake of old fans who still read me, but it would need to be "secret" and not associated with my name in any way.

I don't have email addresses for most of my readers, so I'd like to post the new blog on the old site... but will that just lead the bots to the new home? Can I do something like writing out the new site's address in a way that doesn't link and wouldn't search?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Want to move, feeling trapped

amethysts — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:44:54 -0800

Help, need relationship/life advice... I'm staying at home for the time being to help out my family instead of jetting off to another city to be with my boyfriend. Target move date is in January but we're both getting insanely antsy and we have the same conversation every day about me just going there NAO. My question is about what I should do, cause I really have no idea. Stupid details follow. I want to move to a different city ($300 away) to be with my boyfriend (both in the US).

I'm 24 and have been living at home this whole time, except for 4 of college years I was 1 1/2 hours away and came home a lot. I want to leave the nest now. The reason I haven't moved yet is because:

1. I'm waiting on a mythical yet substantial Christmas bonus. I say mythical because this is my first Christmas at this job so I have no way of knowing how much I'll get, but it might be somewhere around $1500. That money would be very useful. If I can make it that long.

2. In these tough economic times, steady job, health insurance, blah blah blah. It's a pretty good, decently paying job but my boss is a nightmare and I'm not getting a reference letter. Plus I have NO sick days or vacation days so visits are rare. I see a bunch of jobs on Craigslist every day that I could apply for in my target city (admin/office/receptionist etc), so I feel confident I could get another one.
2a. I have about $3,000 in savings and not that many expenses/very little debt.

3. Living with my dad and brother because dad can't handle the mortgage/other debt even when he was working, and now he's not. We don't want dad to lose the house.

4. Brother feels resentful that I'm about to move because he's older and has been wanting to move for longer/missing out on opportunities and SOMEBODY has to deal with dad. Dad is a terrible alcoholic (but fine the other 10 months of the year).

5. Mom (who also moved out to be with her boyfriend at the disapproval of dad and brother) is supportive but says I need to give everyone time to figure out a plan instead of making brash decisions. They have yet to make a plan and probably won't.

6. My plan is to continue paying the very high rent I'm paying now for the (nice but not up to code) basement apartment, on top of what I wind up needing to pay after I move (which wouldn't be much as long as I'm with boyfriend). Everyone says this plan sucks. I agree it's not a long term solution but that's all I've got, short of saying "So long, suckas!" and not caring about what happens to them after that (I do care). If I keep paying then I won't need to move all my stuff and it'll keep the space open for me in case of emergency. I'm also going to have to leave my cat behind for the time being, who dad and brother aren't fond of, so I kind of feel like I'm paying his keep too.

7. Relationship with boyfriend is very good. We want more out of life than lots of phone calls and draining my savings for plane tickets.

I'm really not sure what I'm supposed to do here. If i didn't have an obligation to my family I would have been there long ago. I feel so impatient. What should I do?