These questions have answers marked "best" by the asker.
January 19
Left a sealed container of Haagen-Dazs out overnight - safe to eat?
Bought a tub of ice cream last night about 10pm and just now (3pm) discovered it in my bag. I’m not concerned about texture or taste, just safety.
Dealing with mormons proselytizing at events
How to deal with mormons proselytizing at events in the US? [more inside]
January 18
Need a new work bag - travel edition
I need a new work tote bag to take back and forth to the office in the car and use for airplane travel, with specific requirements. [more inside]
Please help me get over my toxic job, is this normal?
I quit my toxic job two days ago. How can I recover? [more inside]
If you're envious of someone, why would you seek them out?
When I get envious of someone, I avoid them because they trigger painful feelings of inadequacy and resentment. It feels very uncomfortable. But some people seem to keep seeking out the objects of their envy, asking them to hang out, and stalking their social media. This can go on for years. Why are they proactively causing themselves pain like this? [more inside]
USPS first-class postage to Canada
Did the USPS ever have a separate rate for first-class mail to Canada and Mexico? If so, when did this change? (There's just one global "international" rate now.) [more inside]
Housing suggestions for a student doing an exchange year in Paris?
Our 20-year-old son, a US/EU citizen and independent traveler who's already studied in Germany for several years and speaks some French, is applying to the EU's Erasmus exchange program to attend the Université Gustave Eiffel for a year (Sept 2025 to July 2026). Would you suggest prioritizing living in student housing near this university, or student housing closer to the city center, or are there other (somewhat affordable) housing options that would support social immersion? [more inside]
Looking for *live* virtual exercise/fitness classes
I've tried using free YouTube videos, the free Nike Training Camp app, and subscribing to banks of VOD workouts (like alo moves). I don't have enough discipline to regularly make myself use these resources and I end up wasting any money I spent. I think I'll have better luck if I pay for a service with live classes where I have specific time slots I must attend. It seemed like there were lots of these during COVID, but now they all seem to be VOD. Where are they? [more inside]
January 17
positive playlist for these dark times - revolution oriented
Help me build a positive playlist for these dark times [more inside]
January 16
I would like a VERY SIMPLE notepad app for my Android phone
Details and requirements inside. My phone cannot do the Samsung Notes app, I think because it is an oldish version. [more inside]
Powerpoint question: mystery color
How did they get a custom highlight color in this Powerpoint template? [more inside]
Texting a landline from Google Voice
What happens if you try to send an SMS message to a landline in the US these days? [more inside]
Personal loan, or deplete savings?
I'd like to pay off high interest credit cards. I have less than $10,000 in debt, and $15,000 in savings. What to do? [more inside]
January 15
Extended-family trip: many adults with no kids, one family with toddlers
I'm planning an international trip with relatives and in-laws. There are two senior citizen couples, and two couples in their 30s and 40s without kids (this includes me). There's also my cousin's family with two toddlers. We did a previous trip that went well, but the requests for the next trip seem to conflict with each other. Do you see a way to make the conflicting goals work? [more inside]
In search of: Hidden DC Memorial Chicken
What memorial in Washington, DC has a chicken sort of hidden at the back or side of the main statue? Am I misremembering one of the funniest details from my 8th grade DC trip? [more inside]
Why does Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs get play at hockey games
I am a relatively new sports fan. We’ve gone to 3 NHL games in the last 18 months and I have an ESPN+ subscription. I am also generally fond of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. [more inside]
Trying to identify a videogame from a half-remembered trailer
Please help me recall the name of a video game whose cinematic trailer involved getting lost in a series of dimensions with a group of other people, doing exploration, and a circle of portals. [more inside]
Making my own vintage Danish spoon basket
Calling all underwater basket weavers - how hard would it be for a crafty person with no basketweaving experience to recreate a vintage Danish hanging "spoon basket"? [more inside]
AITA, HVAC edition
Husband and I have very different opinions about what could be causing our heating problems. He is much more informed about home maintenance. Should I abandon my theory and let him deal with it? [more inside]
January 14
When I mentioned the word potato, he knew exactly what I meant.
Would single or double quotation marks be used for the word potato?
If I can smell weed, am I being exposed to it?
A smoke shop recently opened right next to the (small) gym I go to; they share one long wall. It's not a dispensary, it's the kind of place that sells bongs and vapes and who the hell knows what else. But from time to time, there is a sudden and very strong smell of weed that seeps into the gym. I'm assuming it's because someone's smoking in there. Aside from detesting the smell when I'm working out, am I being exposed to the effects of weed? [more inside]
What is the hardest thing Neil Peart is doing in this drum solo?
Mac scrapbooking / photoblogging / etc tool?
What's a good tool for documenting up one's memories with accompanying images on MacOS? [more inside]
How to avoid getting scammed: car repair edition (paying out of pocket)
Here's what happened: I hit a parked car while driving my friend's car. Left a note on the parked car and offered to pay for the damage. I want to pay out of pocket, because otherwise my friend's insurance rates go up and they are penalized for my accident (I don't have insurance because I don't own a car). [more inside]
Probiotic recommendations?
My wife and I both had a fun week with norovirus last week and it has spurred us to do another round of probiotics. Anyone have any recommendations or experience with particular brands/methods of delivery? There are so many probiotic-enhanced things these days and I assume most of them are pretty much bullshit. [more inside]
January 13
The best of the sweet hearts
You know that Valentine's Day candy that has little messages written on hearts? Where can I order a bag of those that has generally different and better messages on them? The usual bag has fairly blaise stuff that's been said before, I'm looking for hearts that still have the general lovey dovey Valentine's theme, but something more (and better) than the blaise messages. Bonus points if they're humorous!
What do you recommend?
How to keep Windows 10 going after the apocalypse
My parents want to upgrade to Windows 11 so that they can get security updates, which are going away soon for Windows 10. They don't want to buy a new computer and I imagine it would be a nightmare to use tricks to run Windows 11 on an older computer on an ongoing basis. What are reasonable options given these limitations; what are people doing to keep Windows 10 machines going, without getting infected/infested/broken by hackers?
How do I make the transition smooth between current and new job?
I recently got written up last week at work saying if I make one more mistake of a certain kind (wrong item), I will be let go. I have been looking for a new job for a long time, and just received an offer today, for a 16% salary increase, and seems like a much better company, but the just does not start until beginning of February. [more inside]
Is my choice of heater costing me money?
I recently got a new storage heater from the Warmer Homes program, and it's too small for the room it's in. [more inside]
You have a will. How'd you make it?
I need to make a will and I'm just curious, for a California person with money but no assets, no children, no other dependents, and unmarried, what's the best way to get a legally sufficient will done? [more inside]
ID filter: what’s this super long clip?
Scheduling many scientific trials with strict timelines
I need to schedule about 20 trials this year, each with 1-4 prep events and 1-5 data collection events. All of these are on a set timeframe, e.g. the prep events are 7 +/- 1 day apart and the data collection starts 30 +/- 1 day after the last prep event. I need to space these out to avoid multiple events on a day, avoid working weekends, and sometimes allow for overnight travel to the sites. There are also limits on when I can start each trial and dates will be adjusted if someone calls in sick, etc. I currently have an Excel sheet to do the date math and a paper calendar with sticky notes, are there better options? I would love to get a digital calendar that I can update, but manually entering and adjusting things in Outlook is a real hassle and it's hard to check for errors.
Help with rote memorization (and is it just me?)
I have a really hard time with rote memorization (spelling, foreign language vocab, scientific/technical vocab) I've been using the ANKI app, and a word will come up, I'll look at it, and by the time it comes around again, I will have forgotten it. Even if I'm studying a tiny set like 5 words-- it just flies out of my head as soon as it leaves the screen. Is something wrong with my brain? Is there any hope? [more inside]
January 12
solving my grocery and food waste problems for 2025
I need to figure out how to eat primarily whole, fresh, minimally processed, plant-dominant meals without either throwing away so much produce or going to the grocery store every day. Difficulty level: I cook for one, and currently have no access to garden plots or CSA shares. [more inside]
I am going to get fired any day now, what do I do?
I have been at my job as a customer service rep for a while now. Since I have been here (less than 2 years) there has been about 65% turnover, with 6+ being fired, and 6+ quitting (only 9 CSRs currently), several who started and were fired or quit since I started there. I was just made to sign some papers the other day saying that if I have one more order entry error, I am being let go. [more inside]
How to stop Chrome suddenly pushing me unwanted news notifications?
Soon after doing a big Windows 11 update, Chrome started the fantastically irritating habit of pushing very unasked-for news notifications in vertical rectangles on the bottom-right corner of my browser window. This must stop. [more inside]
Why is My Stupid House Not Selling??
What can I do to sell my house? It has been on the market for 45 days, the price is really competitive and was lowered from 305 to 250. Nothing. There was one open house. Nothing. [more inside]
January 11
Feasibility of Ubuntu Linux as a Substitute for Windows 11 on new system
Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 Professional in 10/2025. Neither of my machines has hardware compatible with Windows 11. One is an older Dell Optiplex ready for replacement; the other is an HP ProBook laptop that runs just fine. But since I am looking at a significant overhaul of my digital setup involving a new tower computer and replacement of the operating system on the laptop, maybe it is time to get away from Microsoft and Windows? [more inside]
Looking for an internet-connected remote-controlled warning light
I'm looking for an internet-connected warning light that I can turn on or off via an app or website. [more inside]
How does one "va-ca-tion"? Challenge level: preschooler in tow!
Our family (me, partner, 3.5 y/o) is going on our first bona fide vacation, visiting Oahu in mid-March. Having never vacationed before, and never travelled far with our little one, I have MANY QUESTIONS (general, specific, existential, etc.) about how we can make this....what's the word....fun?! [more inside]