Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with new

Can you find Night Owl, by Bobby Loveless?

The Giant Squid — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:54:12 -0800

Where can I find a digital copy of Bobby Loveless' 'Night Owl'? It's an old rock and roll tune (late fifties - early sixties) which was hugely popular in Louisiana (and throughout the Delta region). I have been looking for it on behalf of my father-in-law, who is a huge fan of this era's music? It's pretty obscure, I acknowledge.

Calling all New Yorkers and Graphic Designers

ss448 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:22:31 -0800

Multi part question: MOVING TO NY....what should the starting salary of an entry level Graphic Designer be? What are some Design Studios / Agencies I should be looking into? Details Inside. (I could also use some NYC advice...) So I recently graduated from school and got my Bachelors in Graphic Design. I'm following my dream (cliché I know) and making the big move to NYC. I have a few interviews lined up, but a question I can't seem to figure out the answer to is, what I would want as my starting salary. While here in Miami I had an idea of what to expect, but in NY I’m unsure. Please advise me of what to expect, or what you think I should ask for....

Next question: I have been searching the internet for all different type of companies. I need suggestions for top advertising agencies, design houses, companies etc etc that would be worth looking into. My focus is more on print work. I can handle basic html, but web really isn’t my thing. I love making rock posters (I wish I could find a job just doing that), I enjoy PSA's, corporate branding, package design, editorial design and things of that nature. Ideally I would like to find a job were I can combine my interest in Music and Graphic Design. I'm open for any suggestions.... if you have a recommendation please send It over my way (message me and I can send you a link to my online portfolio).

Lastly, any advice for someone moving to NYC…. My plan is to sublet for a couple months. Once I determine that I’ve made the right move I think I will look to sign a lease, but since I don’t know where I’ll be working, I figure it doesn’t make sense to sign a lease yet. I want to eventually get my Master’s in the Art Market…I plan on starting that by fall of 2009. I’m confused as to when a good time to sign a lease is…will I find a better deal during the worst of the winter???

Should I worry about buying winter clothes before I go there? Is it okay to just figure all that out when I get there? I’m confused and unsure about all of the little stuff. I would appreciate advice about any of this stuff. Thanks in advance!

Must...Find...Bar

foxy_hedgehog — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:04:32 -0800

Hello fellow Americans and concerned citizens around the world. Please help me find a bar in downtown Manhattan where I can watch the presidential debate tonight. That's about the extent of it. The only place I've found is in Time Square, which I would like to avoid.

Thanks and happy watching.

Woods, woods all around and not a trail to hike?

daisyace — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:44:15 -0800

Do you know of any nice trails very close to Milton, NH? Or a good way to find them without great web access? I'm currently in Milton, NH, right on the border with Maine, for a week's vacation. I'd like to go walking on pretty trails in the woods for a couple of hours, as short of a drive away as possible. I've visited the trails at the New Hampshire Farm Museum, which may or may not be the same as Jones Forest. On the web, I see a couple of places that are very small, and other places that are much bigger, but considerably farther. Jennings Forest is listed on the state parks site, but I don't know if it has much in the way of trails. I don't have great web access. Any ideas where I should go? I've called some of the NH state forestry and parks numbers (I didn't try Maine yet), with no luck.

Get New York to stop honking?

idledebonair — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:51:13 -0800

How do I get people in my neighborhood to stop honking? This may be more of a philosophical question than one with an actual solvable answer, but I'm interested in the results anyway. I live near the entrance of the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn-Battery tunnel. Every morning, and less annoyingly, around five o'clock, there is unbearable honking. Let's just assume for a minute that it is not impossible to do something about it. There are already official signs on the street that indicate a seemingly unenforced fine for honking. What would a person who lived in a working system do? Call 311? Write the King of Brooklyn? Just compromise having working windows and soundproof the wall? What is a long term strategy? Should I rally the neighbors? Form/find a community organization?

American South Road Trip?

The Whelk — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:57:11 -0800

Road Tripfilter! Is it feasible to drive from NYC to New Orleans, hitting stops along the way, without going insane? The Boyfriend and I are thinking of driving from NYC to DC to Ashevillie to Savannah to New Orleans this winter over the course of 2 weeks. Any route recommendations? Things to see and do and eat along the way? Is NOLA in any shape to be visited?

Side Note, The Boyfriend is British and never been south of D.C and is convinced we'll be killed by rednecks. What should we see/do to convince him otherwise?

We wont be killed by rednecks, right?

Help me fix this tendinitis...with needles?

xiaolongbao — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:37:07 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good acupuncturist in the New York metro area? Stamford, CT environs also possible, but I have no car. I recently received my first acupuncture treatment in San Francisco, felt what might be the first inklings of success, and am hoping to continue in New York after I move back home this weekend. Can anyone recommend a good acupuncturist, particularly someone who could treat tendinitis, in the (preferably) New York or (possibly) Stamford, CT area? A zillion bonus points if they happen to accept BlueCross insurance - I know that's a long shot.

Backstory: I've been battling Achilles tendinitis in my left ankle for about 5 years. I used to run competitive long distance, one of my life's great passions, but overtrained and never received proper rehab. For a while, I simply gave up running, as my last ortho said "I think it'd be better if you never ran again," and my parents discouraged me from having "expensive surgery with a 50% success rate." When I do try to run these days, I have to stop after 2-3 20 minute runs spread out over several days due to recurring sharp pain. It has been a life changing, incredibly painful journey, and I've never found anything that' really fulfilled me the way running did. Hoping acupuncture can help me, as I've read some success stories. Other suggestions welcome, too.

Thank you.

How to jettison jetlag?

metaxa — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:42:13 -0800

I'm travelling on a short trip to New York, from the UK. The last two times I've travelled to the US (Las Vegas, New Orleans) the first few days of my break have been ruined by jetlag - waking up at 4am and being zombified by early evening - but, this was ok because they were 10 and 14 day holidays. However, my trip to NYC is for 3 days. How can I try and combat this on such a short trip, without losing the couple of days I have in New York?

Yet another NYC restaurant request, but with details!

anthill — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:53:21 -0800

Yet another NYC restaurant recommendation request: Taking ~15 colleagues out to dinner, walking from Times Square (46th&Broadway), looking to spend $20-30 per head, and be able to make a same-day reservation. Tall order, but bonus points for an NYC experience not available in Toronto/Montreal. Recommendations so far include Wu Liang Ye (48th between 5th-6th)... but even that's right on the edge of walking distance. I know it's lame and we should go to Downtown/Brooklyn/Uptown/anywhere else, but please help!

Vegas, baby, yeah!

msali — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:36:14 -0800

Where should we eat dinner in Vegas on New Year's Eve? My husband and I have had a shitty, shitty year, so we have decided to ring out 2008 in a big way. We're off to Vegas! My man has been there before, but I haven't, and we are looking to find the quintessential Vegas experience. As such, I am looking for suggestions for dinner/activities on NYE. We are not looking for cheap and simple, we are looking at big and outrageous.
Bonus question: I have reservations right now at both the Renaissance and the Hilton. I gotta choose between the two. Suggestions?
Thanks, everyone.

Getting used to a wristwatch.

ooklala — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:25:52 -0800

How can I get used to wearing a wristwatch? I have not worn one for a while (4 years) because of an inability to get used to them. Now it is a requirement that I wear one. I have found a watch but now have to get used to having the thing on my arm.
If it means anything, I am left handed.

Old Media PR vs. New Media PR

landedjentry — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:26:10 -0800

Bloggers: Help me not annoy you. So I have this shiny new job with Think Tank X, and part of this job is online/new media promotion. I've been charged with generating a list of blogs that would be interested in our (progressive, usually political) material.

My boss wants me to put said blogger list in a database so she can send out targeted press releases. I'm hesitant, because I know bloggers are resistant to traditional PR tactics -- i.e., dislike generic press releases, blanket mail blasts, etc. I also know that even with tags it's difficult to target information to bloggers who have a very narrow scope.

I've seen this question before, but mine is really more related to reports and op-eds and the like.

So bloggers: What do you like and not like when mailed information? Are you ever okay with generic press releases? Is there ever a time when you're cool with snail mail or phone calls? Should I just leave you alone? (Would you want to hear about this new report we're releasing?)

Thanks for any information.

NYC Limo/Van Referral Needed

Man with Lantern — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:39:33 -0800

I'd like a referral for a service in New York City that can provide transport for six people, and luggage, from Penn Station to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. There are dozens - if not hundreds - limo services to choose from so I just need help separating the wheat from the chaff. Thanks.

Help me find a part-time job!!

The1andonly — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:05:46 -0800

Part-time job ideas that are not minimum wage? I am a full time business analyst and a part time singer-songwriter. I am looking for some funds to do my own release of an album (I will self-release it on CDBABY, Itunes, etc).

I am currently employed in a financial services company somewhere in wall street. In order to finance my album I got into some debt thinking that in time I will be able to pay it back thinking I had a stable position right there and then my company stock went down 90% wiping out most of 401k (which I wont even look again until a year) and my position all of a sudden is not as stable as I thought it was.

I am looking to work part-time in order pay off the debt I incurred while recording the album (about 15k), I was thinking of working in a retail store but I mostly have office experience and was wondering whether there are any other faster ways of getting this money.

If it helps to know some of my info I've been steadily employed in said company for 4 years, graduated from NYU in 2005, and for the most part I am good with people and learn fast......any ideas of what I could do to pay off my debt faster? I am very sorry to say that I am not even sure I will have a job in the next couple of months the way things are going. Please help

identify this art style

swbarrett — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:25:17 -0800

What is this style of art called? a freind and i are trying to identify this style of painting: JC KUGLER

i would also appriciate some other examples from similar artists

where can i study near 25th and 7th ave on sunday mornings?

nanhey — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:34:12 -0800

please get me out of starbucks: i need a place to study sunday mornings within a 5ish block radius of 25th Street and 7th Ave (new york city). HELP! I need a quiet-ish place to study between 10am and 1pm on sunday mornings. i'm pretty sure all the libraries close by are closed on sundays. anyone know a good place near 25th and 7th ave that would fit the bill? please don't make me go to starbucks again - it was beyond noisy

An observatory in the New York/New Jersey area?

likeapen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:42:48 -0800

I need help finding an observatory in the New York/ New Jersey area that I can take my boyfriend for his birthday to view the stars for a good hour or more. Any suggestions?

how to deal with aggression from a newbie?

dlugoczaj — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:12:11 -0800

NewCatFilter: We just had a scary incident involving our old and new cats--what's the best response? Much more after the cut. BackStory: Until about three weeks ago, we had two cats: Mouse, nearly fourteen, and Kali, a little over two. My husband brought Mouse to the marriage. She has lived with other cats before, and is generally low-key with them (and with us; she's sweet but dignified and a little reserved). Kali is a wild thing; prefers to be outdoors most of the time, gets very antsy if inside for very long, enjoys a little petting on her terms only, but is not aggressive toward either people or Mouse, except for the occasional playful pounce-and-chase.

Three weeks ago I found Mali in the parking lot at my work and brought her home. She's young (the vet said between one and two years) and very, very affectionate with us--loves laps and cuddling. She had been very low-key with the other cats--occasionally a little nosy when it came to feeding time, but nothing overtly aggressive, and she'd walk the other way if Mouse or Kali growled or hissed at her. She and Mouse had even shared the bed with me and my husband once or twice with no problems.

Last Friday, we had Mali spayed and were told that she was pregnant at the time (she'd been very, very thin when I found her so she wasn't really showing). Since she rallied from the anesthesia, she has continued to be nothing but affectionate with us but is noisier and pushier about it.

Tonight she was curled on my lap, had been purring quite happily, when Mouse came down the stairs. Mali stopped purring when Mouse came in, but I didn't really think anything of it--until Mali suddenly launched herself off my lap and straight across the room at Mouse, hissing and spitting viciously. Mouse had done nothing to provoke her and was completely caught off guard; she retreated and Mali chased her and continued to hiss. I don't know how much actual physical contact was made; my husband and I broke them up. He soothed Mouse (who didn't seem hurt, just upset) and I told Mali firmly that she was a bad cat, picked her up, and shut her in our bathroom/laundry room. (She gave me no trouble with being picked up.) We have since kept her there by herself for a good hour, and we may leave her there for the rest of the night for reinforcement (her litter box and a water cup are there, so she's not kept away from any necessaries).

I'm just freaked out now, and my husband even more so. It may be too early to freak, but it just shocked us both so much since it came out of nowhere and was so serious (NOT the kind of tussle that Kali ever engaged in with Mouse). Am I overreacting? Is Mali adjusting hormonally to no longer being pregnant--and will it get worse? Why does she suddenly feel a need to get territorial or jealous, when she hadn't been at all before? Did we do the right thing isolating her immediately, and should we continue to do so if it happens again (if so, for how long)? She seems to want human attention desperately, so I figure that taking it away is the best consequence. Is there a better one?

I don't want to end up having to give her up--she's so dear with me, and I was so happy about that--but I do not want Mouse to be afraid to live in her own home either, and I know my husband won't put up with that.

Brooklyn loft

yoyo_nyc — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:47:38 -0800

Where can I find raw space lofts (residential) in Brooklyn, New York? And what kind of price range would we be talking about? Where can I find raw space lofts (residential) in Brooklyn, New York? Most places offered on craiglist are renovated already. How and where can I find unrenovated/raw lofts that I could remodel myself?

And what kind of price range would we be talking about?

(Yoyo_nyc, asking for a friend)

Switching while on leave?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:34:26 -0800

ParentingLeaveFilter: I just started my paternity leave. Unlike a previous recent question, I still want to work -- I want to accept an offer of new employment with a competitor in a different city. How do I best be responsive to the needs of my new employer while treating my (soon to be) old employer fairly? A little over a month ago, I began speaking with a headhunter about an opportunity in a different city with a competitor. I interviewed and have an offer in hand. The competitor is in a bit of a bind and needs someone with a very particular skill set (i.e., mine), and would like me to start ASAP.

I love my current job. My immediate boss is the best boss I could ever hope for, but the opportunities for advancement with the new job are just too good to pass up. It is a small, specialized industry so I expect that I will continue to see (and perhaps collaborate with or compete against) people at my old group in the future. I definitely do not want to burn any bridges.

My current employer has an extremely enlightened parental leave policy -- 4 weeks of paid paternity leave. I always intended to take them up on taking the full amount of leave. Most of my matters have been transitioned to others in my group because of my paternity leave. There are a few items that need some ongoing attention, but it's not a huge deal.

I am an at-will employee. I just finished the first week out of my 4 weeks of leave. The offer from my "new" employer expires at the end of next week.

When should I give notice to my old employer? I want to be regarded as a "good guy" who treats my old employer fairly.

You can contact me at movingdad2008@gmail.com.

mac? pc?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:48:54 -0800

When and where should I buy a laptop (also: what kind?!)? I'm leaving the US for France for about a year on September 16. I want/need a laptop for my job and entertainment. I can't think clearly about this anymore (stressed out about 10000 other things!) so I thought I'd consult AskMe.

I was planning on buying a MacBook when the product line was refreshed. Current rumor on that, though, is around October 14thish and I really wanted a laptop sooner than that. If I buy a Mac now, I can take advantage of their education discount which will give me a "free" iPod Touch (after rebate). If I wait until mid-October to buy a newer release Mac I will have to pay more for it because they cost more in France (also no iPod Touch). I really like Macs because Apple fixes anything that's wrong with them and I find them to be really well-made and happy (my last two computers were Macs). I was looking forward to a new Mac because aluminum casing is really desirable to me.

I am also considering getting a netbook/ultraportable laptop (MSI Wind or Inspiron Mini or Eee PC 1000 or ???) and running Linux on it because the price tag isn't as bad as Macs and I like the idea of being able to shove the laptop in a large purse and wander around. I do not, however, want Windows, because it frustrates the hell out of me.

I want whatever I get to have a built-in webcam and microphone so that I can Skype, I don't play games on my computer, I don't program, I like full-sized keyboards, I don't particularly like glossy screens, I don't like heavy laptops, I am sort of attached to my optical drive, and I am annoyed that the base MacBook only comes with a combo drive rather than super drive.

So, should I buy a laptop in the US and get a "free" iPod Touch and old MacBook, should I wait until mid-October and buy a new MacBook for $300ish more, or should I buy a cheaper PC? (money both is and isn't an issue because if I am convinced that I am making the BEST choice I will buy it within reason but I don't want to spend money on something too frivolous (ie: dropping $1,700 on a MacBook Air)).

Aaak, what should I do (sorry for the rambly-ness of this question, I have a lot on my mind right now)?

NYC - One Night Only?

Oktober — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:57:41 -0800

I'm going to be in NYC this Saturday and I'd like to see as many of my friends as I can. I'm planning on picking a bar, and just letting everyone known I'll be there from, say, 8-11 or somesuch. I need a bar in NYC that's accessible to people coming from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey. Our tastes run on the slightly-geeky side. Think pinball and old arcade games. There will be 10-20 of us, mostly in our late 20s. So far, I've had a few recommendations:

Ace Bar

Barcade
Crocodile Lounge

That said, I haven't really lived in the area in 8 years, so hivemind, any suggestions?

Leaving while on leave?

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:48:09 -0800

How do I give notice at one job while I'm at the end of my maternity leave without burning bridges? So I'm nearing the end of my maternity leave, and being a mom has opened up some new priorities for me. Chief among these is the desire to NOT have a huge commute every day (and other considerations, like being closer to her daycare, having more flexible hours, things like that). Being a programmer means recruiters contact you all the time anyway, and while on maternity leave I decided to check out the market. I have a second interview tomorrow with a large company that will give me a five-digit raise as well as offer the option for full-time telecommute and very flexible hours (so long as the work gets completed, they don't care WHEN it's done, as long as you're available for meetings and such).

I love the company I'm with now, particularly the people, but this is an opportunity that doesn't come along every day. (And, my primary skills are atrophying as we spend too much time NOT focusing on our primary objectives.) So, if they make the offer and I accept (we're still in the negotiations phase), how do I give notice to my current job? I want to be professional and show my consideration to people who helped me out so much, but I have to consider my family first.

Throwaway email maternitynotice@gmail.com if you need to reply offline. Anon because several co-workers are part of the hive mind these days...

How much do PHP developers in NYC get paid?

defreckled — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:26:43 -0800

What's the going rate for a PHP developer in NYC? I'm not actually defreckled but am borrowing this account.

I work as a PHP developer in NYC with a couple of years experience. A contract agency wants to pay me $50/hour on a contract (1099) basis and my friends think I'm being ripped off. What is the going rate for developers in this area? How much do people get paid full time?

How to support McCain-Palin in NYC?

BobbyVan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:11:59 -0800

I'm a recent transplant to NYC, and a Republican. I need to find the best ways to support McCain-Palin in what can be a somewhat inhospitable environment. Yes, it's pretty clear that New York's electoral votes will go for Obama this time around. But NYC is also a place from which one can be influential in terms of influencing the national debate.

I don't want to be unnecessarily provocative (as in, I'm not trying to stir up the opposition or make people angry), but I would like to raise the profile and be effective in supporting my ticket.

This would include rebutting smears against McCain and Palin in a civil way, making convincing arguments against Obama-Biden, and at least getting people to have an open mind about my side.

Any clever ideas?

Thanks to all.