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I would like to take a simple four colour drawing (limited to 4 colours using the mode-indexed colour thing in photoshop with no dithering). Not every line is straight. I want every line to be straight. Turn it into a straigh-line only drawing with lines being at least .5 cm (let's say) long. Is there a simple way to do this in photoshop or illustrator? Alternatively, is there a name for this that I can use to google an answer?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 1:16 PM PST - 13 comments

I have a new roommate who is a friend of a friend, and they just moved into my condo unit building. Lately, the roommate got easily upset because I did not put back the entertainment key in the exact spot and they needed, it but I forgot and they got upset and said can you please put it back in the same spot and got a bit cross.
posted by RearWindow at 12:40 PM PST - 39 comments

I've searched through for budgeting questions already and found a lot of useful info, but I'm specifically looking for reliable information about how to use a physical notebook to manage a personal budget - does anyone do this successfully? What's your system?
posted by chives at 10:54 AM PST - 4 comments

As i understand, most things that look like film are actually done with digital cameras now. Can they make live tv look like film? Live tv example here. Same game highlights "filmed" here. If this has been done, what are examples?
posted by sandmanwv at 10:42 AM PST - 15 comments

You work with many clients. Each client is a snowflake. Some are better at project management and getting things done than others. Some clients are completely dysfunctional and hostile. What tactics, systems and processes do you use to organize the all of the emails, phone calls, texts related to projects and tasks when working with a dysfunctional client?
posted by jasondigitized at 6:13 AM PST - 4 comments

I really love Jaimie Branch's song The Mountain, and I'm looking for other songs which have vocals accompanied by a solo double bass. The only other one I can think of is Sam Cooke's version of Lost and Lookin' (which has some drums too). What are some other great bass-vocal duets?
posted by Chenko at 3:20 PM PST - 18 comments

You're allowed multiple accounts on X. I did a Premium subscription on my main one, but it looks like they were gonna let me sign up for another $84 (same ph#, etc.) if I clicked the final Subscribe button on my second account. I wanted them to say, "Hey, we see you've already paid for Premium." Maybe they would... Do you have to pay PER ACCOUNT?
posted by noelpratt2nd at 1:05 PM PST - 5 comments

At the top of this I can't seem to figure out where the creepy face picture is from. Is it one of the movies listed? Thanks!
posted by klugarsh at 7:57 AM PST - 4 comments

So, I think that if I called in sick today because of anxiety over this, I should probably get advice. This is an update to an earlier AskMe.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:35 AM PST - 33 comments

I'm slowly teaching myself python using some of these exercises. I'm using Visual Studio and storing everything on Git Hub. That's just background...
posted by kathrynm at 7:26 PM PST - 7 comments

I remember some TV shows back in the 80s had a pre-credits preview of that night's episode. Did any shows in the 90s continue to do that? Any shows in the 21st Century?
posted by Stuka at 4:53 PM PST - 19 comments

I want to embark on a self improvement journey (specifically in terms of getting my finances in order and learning to be better with money) and the idea of blogging about my progress is appealing to me, but I'm not sure where to start.
posted by chives at 1:35 PM PST - 17 comments

Should I do anything different to re-jigger/optimize what's on the stove or just let it simmer more?
posted by kilohertz at 12:26 PM PST - 13 comments

I let my WSJ subscription lapse. Supposedly my local public library gives free access to the WSJ but it isn't letting me download or even see the crossword puzzle pdf. Are there other ways to get access to a printable pdf of WSJ crosswords (NYT would also do fine)? I don't necessarily need the latest one. (And don't come @ me about IP infringement, the amount of money I've unwittingly given them over the last couple of years after not noticing that my discounted subscription rate had changed without notice could power the sun.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:59 AM PST - 14 comments

I have an older Macbook Air (2013, I believe) that I freshly installed the OS on (Mountain Lion). When I try to update to a later OS, it tells me it "cannot access the App Store". When I google this, none of the solutions work. I just want to be able to run Google Docs and use this as a writing machine. More issues inside.
posted by dobbs at 7:08 AM PST - 19 comments

My husband and I are set to go to Seattle in early November. We plan to meet up with some of his friends, but I was hoping to see some of the coastline as well.
posted by PussKillian at 6:37 PM PST - 18 comments

Help me find office-appropriate blouses with fronts with flowery or interesting patterns and backs that are plain and majority cotton.
posted by joannemerriam at 5:48 PM PST - 4 comments

If you owe backtaxes to the IRS and can't pay who is the most reputable organization to represent you to the IRS? I know there are a ton of orgs out there that claim to do this but I have no idea where to start. More details inside.
posted by PetiePal at 5:35 PM PST - 12 comments

Someone recommended something called BPC 157 which is apparently a peptide, which doesn't mean a lot to me, for IBS. If you google it, it comes up as a solution for various unrelated things and comes up in the same search as colloidal silver, which I understand to be not only wholly ineffective but harmful, so I'm skepty. On the other hand there's an NHI article that says BPC 157 is at least harmless. Anyone know more about it?
posted by less-of-course at 4:04 PM PST - 5 comments

I don't want to wait for other people and I don't need a guide or a group. I just need rides that are ready when I am.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:43 PM PST - 8 comments

Way back in the 90s, I had a pirated copy of a 3d ray tracing program that rendered landscapes based on height maps, and allowed the user to place the sun, determine the weather, etc.
posted by bowbeacon at 1:04 PM PST - 8 comments

Do you have a decently-groomed westie who sleeps? For a project, I am in need of a picture of a sleeping Westie. The picture must be taken directly from above. Seriously, directly from the top with the camera lens parallel to the sleeping surface. Whole body. Preferably in a not-curled up position, either like this position or like this position is good. TIA.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:33 AM PST - 1 comments

With Facebook deciding phone batteries worldwide have had it too good and shutting down Messenger Lite, is there a way to have a bearable Messenger experience on Android?
posted by GenericUser at 11:05 AM PST - 6 comments

Seems my Calendly meeting was on some sort of free trial tier, and the trial ran out so now I am caught short. I want to do "one to many" meetings mainly, to let X number of people book a session with me at the same time. What are my free options?
posted by Iteki at 7:51 AM PST - 3 comments

Tangentially related to my last question about redoing my resume
posted by nayantara at 5:56 AM PST - 4 comments

In 6th grade my crappy science teacher told us that water molecules at the bottom of the ocean don't move. This makes no sense, and he gave no context or explanation that would make it makes sense. What factoid was he getting at?
posted by Tehhund at 5:02 AM PST - 7 comments

Hi Hivemind, I'm looking for books/articles on the economics of the wine trade. How is it financed? What do people who 'invest' in wine do? I've checked the Oxford Companion to Wine but found no details. Any help would be appreciated - from pop histories to obscure finance journals. Thanks in advance!
posted by kmt at 2:08 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm hoping to rent a vehicle to visit a part of Oregon this winter that requires chains after Nov. 1st. Is it possible to rent chains, or will I need to plan on buying a set?
posted by cnidaria at 12:00 PM PST - 9 comments

The house I've owned for 20+ years has an outdoor TV antenna on the roof which I've never used. Now, I'd like to use it for network TV occasionally. (An indoor digital antenna doesn't work well.) So, how do I find any wire that might be attached and inside the house, and connect it to my tv?
posted by j810c at 10:25 AM PST - 8 comments

I am currently fostering a single kitten and she is by far the highest energy kitten I've ever met. Looking for some toy ideas to help her get some energy out as a single kitten.
posted by forkisbetter at 9:49 AM PST - 9 comments

Airalo eurolink eSim installed but we haven't left the U.S. yet. When we get to our first European stop I want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly.
posted by Joleta at 9:49 AM PST - 2 comments

What's the best number of days to rent and occupy a ski condo if you only will own it for two months?
posted by beyond_pink at 12:53 AM PST - 12 comments

Does anyone have a recipe using the instant pot to make copycat Tasty Bites Madras Lentils?
posted by wenestvedt at 6:40 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a TV from 2016 that is fine. I would like a newer TV that is from 2023 that is fine. What TV should I buy?
posted by clarinet at 9:50 AM PST - 22 comments

I currently have linen bedding, including the coverlet we use over our duvet. It sheds horribly, all the time, and has for years. Will muslin gauze also be horrible for lint?
posted by hilaryjade at 9:15 AM PST - 16 comments

One of my persistent day dreams is how great it would be to live very close to a few hiking trails. Say, a few 3-5 mile options. I live about a mile from a Great Lake where I jog frequently. Also less than a mile from several big parks, including a small nature preserve. So I have a lot of nature for a city person already. But my dream is to leave my backdoor and run through woods a few times per week. If you live this dream, how did you find your home? Is there an app for this or did you just slug through home listings? I think this is probably the dream for a huge number of people, so I am open to being told I already have the best one could hope for in this category. Or, if this is a realistic dream, how do I do it? Open to renting or buying in the midwest. Thanks!
posted by Sophiaverde at 8:55 AM PST - 23 comments

Please recommend me kid-accessible books on Sacagawea that don't promote colonialism
posted by arrmatie at 8:34 AM PST - 8 comments

People who scroll a lot at the computer (think Pinterest, Reddit, etc.), how do you protect your hands/wrists/elbows? I'm using a standard computer (Mac), with a mouse and keyboard, adjustable keyboard tray. Most of my apps will allow "down arrow" scrolling, but even this is pretty repetitive and my various parts are starting to complain. What hacks do you have?
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:10 AM PST - 22 comments

I now realise that letting my work speak for itself is no longer enough - so how can I grow my social media presence without losing my mind?
posted by longjump at 4:59 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for some fake candles. I want to turn on a bunch of very realistic looking candles at the touch of a button. If a professional candle inspector looks at my candles from more than a couple feet away, I want them to be fooled.
posted by bondcliff at 4:21 PM PST - 12 comments