Most Favorited Questions in the Past 30 Days (24 hours, 7 days, 12 months, all time)
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Break my little brain with BOOKS!
I'm looking for books that made you gasp, that made you realize what was possible with literature. Books that have crawled inside your skin and made the world look different. Books that made you say "I didn't know you could do that!" [more inside]
What are the greatest AskMeFis of all time?
Seeking more weirdo’s hoards of treasures
My absolute favorite genre of museum/attraction is ”eccentric rich person’s oddly sorted collection of items related to their special interest(s).” I just spent part of today at the Mercer Museum and had an amazing time. What other museums, historic homes, or other attractions anywhere in the world might scratch a similar itch? [more inside]
What's your favorite 5-ingredient (or less!) go-to winter recipe?
Bonus if it freezes well.
Bonus if it re-heats well.
Bonus if it doesn't include olives.
Soup or main meal, doesn't matter. [more inside]
The Ultimate Sandwich
Tell me about the best sandwiches you have ever made or eaten. [more inside]
Any great "of the month" clubs?
I've got a friend who is fascinated with "of the month" clubs, and I'd like to get her one for fun. Any great experiences with a specific such club?
Train trip like a cruise?
Do you know of any rail trips that are like a cruise? That is, I am mainly looking for a trip where passengers get multiple stops to sightsee, etc., but need to unpack their bags only once.
What other songs sound exactly like the 90s felt?
The music in a trailer for a new Sofia Coppola movie immediately filled me with nostalgia even though I'd never heard the song, because it sounded like what it felt like to be young in 1992. I looked it up and it was Spectrum's "How You Satisfy Me." I'm a little obsessed. Skipping maybe the most obvious ones like say "Fade Into You", what are some other songs that just sound like the 90s?
Soundscapes and stories to lose myself in
Help me find new amazing audiodramas to listen to. I particularly like coziness, sci-fi, and fantasy. I love fascinating and detailed sound design, but it's not a requirement if the story is worth it. I would love some stories that aren't predicated entirely on intense conflict rooted in cruelty, but instead explore something interesting (a place, an idea, a way of being human, finding one's path, slice of life) with gentleness and kindness rather than brutality. List of favorite (fiction) podcasts and other media below the fold. [more inside]
Locked Room Mysteries
I just finished reading The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux. Please recommend some other clever locked room mysteries - any medium welcome.
How does one dress their body for bad weather?
I am a lady who enjoys spending time outdoors but does a poor job dressing for bad weather (rain, snow, etc). This has previously limited my hiking to clear weather in the spring and summer. I’d like to change this, but I don’t know how to dress myself properly. [more inside]
Recommend podcast discussions of books, movies, and music?
Recently I have been enjoying podcast discussions or history of media that I have already consumed, usually from a progressive perspective, and I am running out of episodes to listen to. Examples are
- Marooned on Mars (leftist dissection of Kim Stanley Robinson’s writings)
- A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs (what it says on the tin, with lots of re-assessment of the role of gender and race in the story)
- Kill James Bond! (critiques of the Bond movies, and other spy/thriller/action movies)
How to Get Better at Finance in Six (?) Easy Steps
I want to spend a year getting REALLY good at managing my finances and understanding money. What should I read/learn? Snowflakes inside. [more inside]
Book recommendations 2023
It's (going to be) that time of year again, where I find gifts for people who already have everything. Recommend me some good nonfiction books from this year or last (but not too good, or they'd already own them). [more inside]
Like a zombie without a smart phone or penchant for brains
What are things I can do to zone out that don’t involve screens or eating? [more inside]
Lost my Reading Mojo
I used to read prodigiously, mostly novels. I still read a lot, but now mostly short stuff on the web, like Metafilter and news. Please recommend engaging books. [more inside]
Is your laundry technique unstoppable? Teach me your ways.
We use small amounts of the cheapest detergent. Sometimes I sort by color. When my undergarments are dingy I soak them for 24 hours in Oxiclean. When I clean out the dryer lint trap, I wonder if I am slowly destroying my wardrobe.
The burden of living a mediocre life is almost unbearable.
I want to level up my laundry game. What are your life-changing laundry tips? [more inside]
Great bodyscan meditations?
Looking for a longish (15+ minutes) guided bodyscan audio. I'd like one with a clear, calm voice and pauses built in for reflection. Don't want anything religious or woo, just someone guiding you through a scan of your body and its sensations. Ideally without a subscription, but happy to pay for a one-off. Do you have a favorite?
Long Lasting Apple Loaf Cake Recipe
We just went apple picking this morning, and the kids picked a TON of amazing crimson crisp apples. [more inside]
ChatFilter: How do I notebook? How do you notebook?
I want to be a person who writes things down in their notebook, but I have never developed good habits and practices for being the type of person who writes things down in a notebook.
Please share your wisdom with me, dear notebook people!
How do you do it? like how and when do you make the time?
do you draw little quadrants for every meeting?
Start each day with some set of journaling intentions in your mind?
Some deeply learned wisdom about how and why writing stuff down helps you?
My to do lists overwhelm me to the point even writing them down is hard. [more inside]