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My dishwasher and icemaker suddenly stopped working. It reminds me of an earlier issue when water was accidentally turned off and just required a simple fix. I’d rather not wait for my landlord to if it is a little fix like turning a valve. This is what it looks like. Any suggestions?
posted by mermaidcafe to Home & Garden at 4:30 PM - 0 answers

I have a large collection of video files located on a hard drive. Is there a program I can run that would scan this folder and suggest files that might be duplicates? Something that's like hey, this file seems similar to this one--either by scanning the file itself or even just the file names? [more inside]
posted by soonertbone to Computers & Internet at 3:00 PM - 2 answers

Why do I always need to use the bathroom as soon as I’m in bed? [more inside]
posted by ficbot to Grab Bag at 2:18 PM - 7 answers

What book/reading material would you give a senior in high school who you are unsure of their interests? [more inside]
posted by turtlefu to Grab Bag at 1:27 PM - 8 answers

Came across it a few years ago ... it might have been Roz Chast, but maybe not. Anyway, it was a cartoon about 2 friends doing the most essential New York City things. The one I remember perfectly was having martinis at Bemelman's. Everything else is a blank, and I'd like to share it with a friend who'll be in the city next month? Any ideas? Thanks!
posted by cyndigo to Media & Arts at 1:04 PM - 2 answers

I have an older (c. 2016-17, .mdb) MS Access database that my team would like to continue using - but our organization is no longer willing to pay an Access subscription. What are our options? [more inside]
posted by ryanshepard to Computers & Internet at 12:27 PM - 8 answers

I’m setting up a small hobby/garage solar installation: 600W of panels, 40A charge controller, and 12V/300Ah LiFePo4 battery. Based on charts like this one I’ve selected 10AWG wiring between the controller and the battery because it can carry 55A of current in an open-air “chassis wiring” configuration. I’m wondering about the much smaller 15A capacity in the power transmission column: should I be worried about that enormous spread? Is 10AWG wire enough for this setup?
posted by migurski to Home & Garden at 12:00 PM - 5 answers

Wicked is a movie based on a musical based on a book based on a movie based on a book. What other media has several generations of transformative ancestry like this? That's it, that's the question.
posted by biblioPHL to Media & Arts at 10:52 AM - 32 answers

I’m trying to declutter and have challenged myself to use up all my herbs and spices in the next 2 months. I’m looking for suggestions: especially if they seem like “hacks” (for instance, I managed to use my cumin by mixing with salt and dipping boiled eggs in it), but recipes are welcome too. [more inside]
posted by sefsl to Food & Drink at 10:51 AM - 11 answers

The recent story about Tesla turning "Foundation Series" Cybertrucks into normal Cybertrucks and cutting the price reminds me of a story I read as a kid, where Lionel released a girl's train set in the 1950s, which flopped for various reasons, and Lionel bought unsold trains back and repainted them. What are other examples of companies getting stuck with merchandise, and instead of simply discounting it or destroying it like the E.T. video game, they modified it after the fact to increase its appeal?
posted by Seeking Direction to Grab Bag at 9:49 AM - 11 answers

Looking for suggestions on software to collect, categorize, prioritize, and publish feedback, details inside. [more inside]
posted by Brandon Blatcher to Computers & Internet at 6:26 AM - 15 answers

I'd like to wear dresses/skirts to work more often in cooler weather but struggle to find comfortable tights due to sensory issues. The biggest challenge is that I cannot stand anything with nylon in it (often listed as "polyamide" in the fiber content). This is starting to seem like an impossible quest. Any leads? Note that I live in Canada. [more inside]
posted by ersatzhuman to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 6:14 AM - 8 answers

In a small company setting, what would be an efficient way to collect daily expenses (work hours, gas, purchases) from staff and record them in QuickBooks for payroll? [more inside]
posted by lanhan to Computers & Internet at 2:35 AM - 3 answers

As a side hustle, I want to offer paid consultations. Think US, Australia, EU, those kinds of places. I want to know what (if anything) I will need to handle in terms of sales tax or VAT in the countries where my customers are located. Also, I want to get recommendations for payment services that will make this easier, or take care of it for me. Also, I'm looking for a payment service that's friendlier for clients than using something like paypal. [more inside]
posted by Juso No Thankyou to Law & Government at 11:36 PM - 4 answers

My boss is paid hourly to coordinate a crew of subordinates, many of whom frequently call in at the last minute and need their shifts covered. My boss can't always complete that coordination within the maximum daily hours allotted for the job. He compensates by working from his personal phone and not reporting the hours (explicitly forbidden by his boss), and by using the work phone even while covering shifts (recommended by his boss but unsafe and against the terms of the contract this company has with outside agencies). [more inside]
posted by anonymous to Work & Money at 10:17 PM - 3 answers

I like to draw and enjoy drawing and art classes (mostly drawing). I am looking for some kind of west coast art retreat for the casual art person such as myself. [more inside]
posted by latkes to Education at 10:06 PM - 2 answers

I used to consider myself very technically literate but trying to set up Screen Time on my kid's Apple devices is making me question the very nature of my sanity. I simply want to limit the time they can use their devices and for how long, but also have the option to extend time when needed which somehow seems to break everything. Can someone help me start from scratch or figure out what I am doing wrong? [more inside]
posted by LongDrive to Technology at 8:08 PM - 9 answers

This question is more .. meta than my previous questions on design for the disabled, and partly arose from reading a lot about designing for the blind and low-vision, especially outdoor spaces. I want to know about the good landscape and building experiences that disabled people on Metafilter have, versus what society, 'helpful' family, and planning codes say is good or sufficient. [more inside]
posted by unearthed to Home & Garden at 7:15 PM - 23 answers

I'm locked out of my hotmail email account, and my attempt at account recovery failed. What do I try next? [more inside]
posted by dorey_oh to Technology at 6:03 PM - 1 answer

We moved in a hurry, and afterwards I swore I would do some much needed winnowing of media: books, music, movies. However, my old go to (Half Price Books) isn't near me anymore. I don't have to get money for them, but it might be nice? Help?
posted by evilmonk to Shopping at 4:35 PM - 12 answers

Someone in a previous post suggested I might have autism. I'm starting to feel I might and wondering how it presents in women from people who have lived experience? [more inside]
posted by Sunflower88 to Health & Fitness at 3:41 PM - 18 answers

I've never been to Central America so I'm planning a winter getaway. [more inside]
posted by hairless ape to Travel & Transportation at 1:14 PM - 6 answers

I'm currently doing seated meditation sitting on a yoga block, legs crossed (not lotus, just crossed), with a pillow behind my back, up against a dresser or hard surface. It's a reasonably upright position. After 30 mins or so, my legs and feet edges (those pressing against the ground) get sore and cramped. What would be a better setup? [more inside]
posted by 4midori to Health & Fitness at 1:05 PM - 8 answers

So while reading this post about reading, I was struck by the widespread need for lots of free but also good but also fun ebooks. What do you like from Project Gutenberg? [more inside]
posted by Frowner to Media & Arts at 11:57 AM - 28 answers

I've had a rough few months and, because of this, plan to spend the 21st reflecting and doing activities with a solstice theme. It may just be me and the cat or a couple of people may drop in. Looking for ideas of crafts, activities, rituals, music, other listening, food. I'd also like suggestions of where online others will be marking the day so that I can watch or listen to celebrations. [more inside]
posted by paduasoy to Grab Bag at 1:49 AM - 11 answers

I was in close contact with someone who has pink eye, and I'm worried I'm developing early symptoms. Is there anything I can do?
posted by matkline to Health & Fitness at 1:31 AM - 7 answers

Is there a quote I can put at my desk to motivate me, particularly when I'm having a bad day, that isn't TOO *obviously* about having a bad day at work, disliking your job, and getting through it? [more inside]
posted by anonymous to Writing & Language at 10:08 PM - 27 answers

Are full-service movers available in the winter in SF/Oakland, specifically Jan 1-Mar 31? And, how much should I expect this to cost? (By full-service, I mean including packing, moving, and unpacking.) [more inside]
posted by switchback to Work & Money at 8:18 PM - 12 answers

I haven't eaten in 50 hours. [more inside]
posted by antihistameme to Health & Fitness at 7:31 PM - 27 answers

I’m just recently in full menopause, out of peri. I’m experiencing a new symptom which is extremely frequent ravenous hunger. [more inside]
posted by dog-eared paperback to Health & Fitness at 5:48 PM - 7 answers

My Fitbit One from ten years ago is no longer syncing with the app very well. Should I replace it, or is there an app that'll do the minimal things I want without having to wear a tracker? [more inside]
posted by zeptoweasel to Technology at 3:41 PM - 3 answers

That's the whole question! What are your favorite slow cooker chimken (chicken) recipes to delight our family? Any flavor profile, just needs to be yummy. Prefer ones that you've made and enjoyed. Thanks!
posted by fairlynearlyready to Food & Drink at 2:35 PM - 13 answers

Be Santa's helper! I'm looking for low-profile candle holders. These will be used to hold tapers (tall upright candles), but I don't want candlesticks. I want something low to the table that will be stable and easy to clean. I'm open to all styles -- whatever you think is pretty, maybe I'll think it's pretty.
posted by Winnie the Proust to Shopping at 1:12 PM - 6 answers

I spent January in Oceanside CA. I enjoyed the beach and walking daily in a no snow environment. That was the point of that vacation. This time I would like to add, good affordable food for eating out. I am a food truck, cafe, dingy diner kind of person. I want good ethic food of any kind. Live music would be much appreciated also. [more inside]
posted by woman to Food & Drink at 12:03 PM - 13 answers

My old AirPort Time Capsule recently gave up the ghost, and Apple long ago stopped producing new ones, so I'm looking for an alternative to back up my data. I liked it because it was dead-simple. I don't need fancy bells and whistles, and ideally I'd like to buy something that's just plug and play, rather than some fancy network-attached storage device that requires me to separately purchase hard drives. I'm on Mac in case that makes a difference. Thanks for any ideas!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell to Computers & Internet at 11:55 AM - 6 answers

When I Google this I just get hits for the best companies for print on demand, but that's not what I want. I would like to source some quality prints of art (like what you'd get in a museum gift shop). There are a lot of companies in this space (PSTR studio, Redbubble, Desenio, Art.com, Society6 etc.) and while I can obviously look at reviews, I wonder if anyone here has tried out a couple of these and can compare or vouch for the quality. Thanks!
posted by coffeecat to Shopping at 10:48 AM - 3 answers

Help-me-shop-Filter. I'm curious what is the latest and greatest in the world of dolls that can wear real baby clothes and generally seem somewhat realistic. Any advice would be much appreciated, especially if it can arrive within the US by Christmas! Thanks for any advice!
posted by slidell to Shopping at 8:03 AM - 6 answers

I'm due to visit my mum (in her 70s) at Xmas. My lovely pregnant sister has estranged from her. This has been a long time coming - the final straw being a public shaming of sisters choice of baby name. I was estranged myself for 8+ years and I totally get that people do what they need to to survive - but how do I survive being 'in the middle'? [more inside]
posted by tanktop to Human Relations at 7:57 AM - 7 answers

I'm looking for a device for my son to use to communicate. He has (mostly) non-verbal autism but can and will type full words to communicate with a large vocabulary. If we're out and about I can give him my phone with a notes app to write what he wants but that isn't always convenient so I'm looking for an alternate solution. [more inside]
posted by splen to Technology at 7:47 AM - 10 answers

I've been using Pivotal Tracker for the past decade plus, but it's shutting down in a few months so I need to find a replacement. [more inside]
posted by justkevin to Computers & Internet at 7:35 AM - 5 answers

I need to substitute regular flour for the almond flour in a recipe that calls for ⅔ cup flour and 1 cup almond flour. The recipe also calls for 3 large eggs. (recipe). Do I exchange one-for-one (ie 1 ⅔ cup regular flour)? Do I change the amount of eggs? (Important for this question: I do not want to make my own almond flour this time around. We will be adding some sliced almonds to the recipe. It's not important for this to have a Big almond taste for us.) [more inside]
posted by taz to Food & Drink at 3:20 AM - 5 answers

The Economist has just published a (very simplistic) piece on Goth culture - Goth culture has returned from the dead [archive.ph], the most interesting thing to me is the image with the article [economost.com] - by the photographer Jess Hand for Time Out, it really is something special. I'd really like to know more about the photo as forty-five years ago some highschool classmates went seriously Goth / visually Punk - and have stayed there. I'd like to know if the photo is staged, or happenstance - I've travelled a lot and have seen as unlikely especially in the UK. [more inside]
posted by unearthed to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 8:54 PM - 13 answers

I'm a cancer patient who needs to make frequent calls relating to my medical treatment. These calls are to: health insurance and dental insurance companies, hospitals/medical providers (including behavioral and various specialists), and medical device companies. The struggle to actually get the help I need on the phone is making my life markedly worse, and I would like concrete suggestions. [more inside]
posted by CancerSucks to Technology at 6:23 PM - 17 answers

I was looking at the FDA sheets to see if my covid tests were expired, but the most recent tests listed expired in April. Mine expired 10-31-2024. [more inside]
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock to Health & Fitness at 6:07 PM - 9 answers

I have a freezer full of local beef. I have plenty of applications for steaks and ground, I'm struggling for new (flavor profile) ideas for roasts, stews, etc. [more inside]
posted by so fucking future to Food & Drink at 5:16 PM - 23 answers

Insurance company accidentally cancelled my auto insurance earlier than what was requested and now there is a gap in coverage. I know this would affect my risk category in shopping around for auto insurance, but I don't know how long this will take to back date and correct. I am currently on another insurance plan that is planning to terminate my auto insurance in 2 weeks due to a completely different reason, so I'm feeling very overwhelmed in terms of time frame. Do I wait for this error in gap coverage to be fixed and then shop around for auto insurance? Would this count against me? Or do I just shop around for auto insurance now -- because I don't know how long this error is going to take to fix and because I am short on time? [more inside]
posted by anonymous to Travel & Transportation at 3:52 PM - 7 answers

For reasons that aren't relevant here, I need to configure a decently powerful PC that will run Windows 7 and can easily stream 4K video. I did some research and found what seems to be a reasonable computer on eBay. I would like a second opinion before I order the machine. [more inside]
posted by akk2014 to Computers & Internet at 12:41 PM - 7 answers

A very small organization I work with is migrating to Hubspot from Salesforce and has determined I'm the one to do it. I have not done this. My palms are sweating, because they are a nonprofit and Salesforce uses "household accounts," which may be difficult to map to Hubspot properly. Have you done this, and if so, do you have any advice? Snowflake details inside! [more inside]
posted by rednikki to Technology at 12:39 PM - 2 answers

Wondering if anyone has developed a collaborative outline tool (like good old omnioutliner), where it could be shared as a card sort or tree test (like the tools from OptimalSort or UX Tweak) ? [more inside]
posted by specialk420 to Computers & Internet at 12:34 PM - 1 answer

Let's say I die alone and am found by the authorities. Let's also say I have a will - either with lawyer X or online - and I have no living relatives. How do the authorities determine that this deceased person with no living relatives (i.e. who might know where my will is) has a will with lawyer X or online? Or what steps can I take now to ensure lawyer X or my online will is located when required?
posted by 4th Matryoshka Doll to Law & Government at 11:37 AM - 16 answers

I am interested in hearing how people have adapted or coped with the loss of holiday joy and traditions due to loss and change. [more inside]
posted by fies to Human Relations at 11:27 AM - 13 answers

While I've been largely avoiding the news since November 5th, I can't bury my head in the sand indefinitely. What are your strategies for digesting news without being constantly nauseated by the latest Trump awfulness? [more inside]
posted by brookeb to Law & Government at 10:13 AM - 34 answers

Have you mastered the art of consistently using a paper planner throughout the year? Tell me your secrets. [more inside]
posted by wormtales to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation at 9:39 AM - 19 answers

Laptop: MBP 17” Early 2011, has: Gigabit Ethernet port; FireWire 800 port; 3 x USB 2.0 ports; Thunderbolt port; Audio in & out. Monitor: LG 29 UM58-P LED monitor, has 2 HDMI ports. I tried an HDMI to USB 2 converter, didn’t work. [more inside]
posted by cotton dress sock to Computers & Internet at 9:29 AM - 9 answers

I have a large set of owned B2B data in spreadsheets - customer information, prospect information, email database, etc. I also have a much larger set of leased B2B data. I need these lists deduped against one another, and I would like for an affinity model to be created from our customer and prospect information, and used to flag ideal direct mail prospects from the leased data set. I need this done once or twice a year, and it's a fairly small job as these things go (100,000 or so direct mail pieces compared to millions), but way, way too big for me to do in Excel. My data lease service used to do the affinity model, but no more. Where do I find either a service or a software that will do this for me? I can't believe this is such a hard thing to google. 
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty to Work & Money at 7:01 AM - 1 answer

MetaKnitters, help me seam, please. I have a hat to sew up by tomorrow and I am doing my nut over it. [more inside]
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation at 5:20 AM - 6 answers

I'm having a health thing, and as part of that I need to do regular monitoring, as directed by my doctor. Unfortunately, this is playing absolute havoc with my anxiety and quality of life. How can I monitor health markers without letting it affect my anxiety? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser to Health & Fitness at 2:47 AM - 18 answers

This is for some speculative fiction worldbuilding. I'm looking for something like an estuary but with a different specific example. The same sense of something where two (or more) different elements mix and mingle. Could be ecological, chemical, really from any field. I'm wanting this for the name of a somewhat chaotic, emergent social field of people encouraging forbidden exchanges between alien cultures, so something like a faction of criminals/scientists/artists so something that has illicit but relatively benign vibes would fit best.
posted by overglow to Grab Bag at 12:23 AM - 32 answers

My brother has a hip mobility thing that makes it hard to get eg jeans on and off. He works at a school, and while drawstring sweatpants are easy to get into, he needs some soft pants that can at the very least pass as business casual, and ideally as regular business trousers. He’s about 6’, between 180 and 200ish.
posted by klangklangston to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 11:04 PM - 13 answers

I don't remember much about it, but the one strange detail that sticks out is that the clan had a special skill in paper marbling. [more inside]
posted by tavella to Writing & Language at 8:28 PM - 3 answers