Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with where

Who are "Bob and Terry"?

ladypants — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:03:07 -0800

In the film version of Where the Wild Things Are, (spoiler alert!) who are Bob and Terry supposed to be? (spoiler alert!)

So I just saw Spike Jonez's film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. I thought it was pretty bleak, but I loved the facial expressions on "Bob and Terry", the owls that KW has tucked under her arms. But who or what are they supposed to be?

I'm totally baffled by the symbolism. KW seems to be the "cool" monster, the hip one, the Karen O/Michelle Williams stand in... (not that I am making any assumptions about Mr. Jonez's creative process or anything...).. who has friends who are presumably more worldly than the Wild Things - the famous Bob and Terry.

But then she goes and hucks rocks at a pair of soaring birds, knocking them out of the sky, and tucking them under her arms where they look none too amused. What is their relationship all about?

Are Bob and Terry based on specific people? Heads of Warner Brothers? Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore? Are they symbolic? If so, symbolic of what? Are they saints? Are they frauds?

Sorry, my head hurts. It's a loaded image, and I'm hoping the wise folks of MeFi can help me make some sense out of it.

Over the rainbow...

wild like kudzu — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:30:33 -0800

I'm flying myself somewhere for my birthday this year, but seeing as I am a girl who would be all by my lonesome and without access to a car, I'm wondering where I should go. I'd like to go someplace stateside that I've never been before, perhaps like S.F. or Seattle, Boulder, Oregon, NorCal... I could even probably make it to Hawaii if I set my heart on it. Typically I would go to NYC or Boston, but having been there multiple times in the past I'd like to branch out. Besides, I've never been west of Tennessee.

So, given that it needs to be easily accessible by bike/walking/horseback riding/metropolitan transit and that I like beautiful trees/nature/etc., where would you go if you were me?

How to avoid politely replying to : Where are you from?

zulonline — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:52:27 -0800

How to avoid or smartly reply to the question : WHERE ARE YOU FROM ? I am fed up of having to reply to this question, specially because I was born in a Country which infortunately is known for not great archivements like many Countries in Europe. I don't want to feel stereotyped any more when meeting up people , not by educated , either by ignorants , which are the worse and they only end up mentioning nonsense about my Country.

I don't like get into arguments and hate polemics, and I don't feel either as patriotic as to be defending or changing opinions to other people about the conflicts that face the Country I was born. Also many times people when don't mention the most known couse about my country I feel they instanlty make a face which is not like if I said I was born in Paris or in Britain.

I wouldn't care to mention the continent where I came from, but people always keep answering more, like but where exactly? I feel always obliged to answer.. how annoying! I simply want to find a polite/ intelligent prhrase or reply when people ask me where I am from, or where I came from avoiding to say wich is my Nationality. Obviously I don't want to hide it from people in wich I am really interested of developing a friendship, but I don't feel I have to reply to every person I meet , and seems to be that I feel obliged to tell them as a simply reply like: I don't want to answer , would be to rude and I will push people away instantly, which is not my intention either.

So please , send me any ideas to be able to answer in a lovely /clever and polite way to : Where are you from darling? Thank you ;)

Brass lamp socket?

Marky — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:25:24 -0800

Where can I find a lamp socket (like this one) but in brass?

bbq cheap nyc

jourman2 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:10:45 -0800

Where can I find a cheap bbq in nyc? I'm looking to throw a bbq for a few friends tonight and I'd like to purchase a cheap, but usable charcoal bbq. I do recall buying a bbq or two for maybe 15-20 dollars that you put together and is usually good for a summer or two and is large enough for about 5-10 people. Is anyone familiar with what I'm talking about? I'm in upper Manhattan in the 180's, so heading over to Target is an option, or should I just hunt around the supermarkets here?

Any general advice or specific store advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Happy 4th.

Where are these pins?

Marky — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:44:44 -0800

What are these pins called, and where can I buy them? They're used to hold the fabric protectors on the arms of a few chairs I have. My mom had a few, but I'd like to get more. I tried those little corkscrew style pins, but the heads always pop off. These are almost there, but the little bent shoulder on the ones I'm looking for are what hold them in.

Mid-December escapade.

913 — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:51:27 -0800

Where should I go in December? I want an adventure. I finish exams on the 11th of December, so I'm ready to fly out on the 12th. It really doesn't matter to me where I go...the more random the better.

Some requirements:

1) I can only fly out of Victoria International Airport (YYJ), Vancouver International (YVR), or Seattle-Tacoma (SEA).

2) I'd like it to be on the cheap. Yeap. I don't mind if I have to take connecting flights or have layovers. I would actually kind of like it. I'm thinking under $300 round trip...but I'm flexible.

3) It can be anywhere! All continents/countries/provinces/states apply.

So, MeFi, tell me where I should go. Websites/specific fares would be appreciated but so will suggestions.

Thanks

Safe parts of South America?

mjao — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:23:19 -0800

Where are the safest places to travel to in South America, if you're alone? My Australian brother (22 years old) is in Sweden and he's sick of the cold weather. He's been waiting around for his friend to come with him to South America. But now his friend can't make it til December. He wants to leave now, but he has heard it is dangerous to go to South America alone. Is it? Where are the safest places? I'll welcome as much information as you can give me, down to specific sites of accommodation.

He's monolingual, by the way.

arrgghhh

trinarian — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:01:13 -0800

Just got fired from my teaching gig... need directions to somewhere cool. I graduated college last year with a poli sci degree, just spent a year teaching social studies at my old high school and love(d) it. I found out yesterday they won't be renewing my contract due to pretty strong philosophical differences I have with the administration.

I don't know what to do or where to go now. I'm very open to teaching high school again and the Pacific Northwest or Australia/New Zealand are on my mind... it seems like a great chance to get out my hometown. I want to be somewhere relatively urban (in a bike-able and cultural way) yet laid back and open to mavericks and free-thinkers. Somewhere where trends aren't so deeply imbedded into the culture and where someone can just kinda walk in and fit in pretty quickly. San Francisco, Eugene, and Portland are high on my domestic list.

I was thinking of continuing with my summer travel plans by buying a Greyhound pass then hopping around the Pacific Northwest dropping in resumes...

I've got awesome letters of recogmendation from the other teachers and head of the department... Any ideas on what I should do? Where should I go? How to get a job across the oceans or country? What's the first step in getting out of the seas of ambiguity?

This is a very open-ended thread... just suggestions for someone with no other skills than writing, thinking about things, knowing about things, and getting things done when motivated, and taking pictures of garbage cans.

Take first left onto...um...

rongorongo — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:55:43 -0800

How do builders and construction workers refer to streets on a new development that have yet to be officially named? On the way to work I pass a development that will eventually comprise about 250 houses arranged around 20 new streets. As far as I am aware none of these streets has yet been officially named. Does the construction industry have any conventions on how to give people directions under these circumstances. For example do people ever adopt "placeholder" names? I am in the UK but presumably the problem is international in scope.

Cheap & Weird Things To Do In N.Georgia (US)?

mikeybidness — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 17:50:51 -0800

I'm an Aussie who is going to be spending a month in northern Georgia, in the area of Cedartown/Tallapoosa visiting his girlfriend's mother and boyfriend for Christmas. I'm looking for cheap and interesting things to see and do in the area -the weirder the better. I'm not adverse to travelling into Atlanta. Any advice you could give would be much appreciated!

Bookmending tape.

carter — Fri, 05 Nov 2004 12:49:42 -0800

Bookmending tape. I'm looking for brands/recommendations for 1/2" - 1" wide bookmending tape, to fix broken hinges, and/or cracked spines from the inside, and with adhesive that will not damage the paper. Nothing super-fancy, and bonus points for something I could maybe find in local stores! Thanks!