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My 3 yo was diagnosed with cancer last year (we were lucky to be able to ring the bell this year). Make A Wish just granted their wish. Part of which is a mermaid themed party at our home. What should we ask for? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:42 AM - 24 answers

When my friends invite me to spend time together )or vice versa), it's always to do something - watch a movie, go to a show, and so forth. Mostly, I appreciate this norm, but I feel like this is the expectation when asking people to spend time with you and it feels like I need a pretense to say "hey, let's spend some time together." There's evenings when I just want social time with people and I don't know how to ask them for that without it coming across as too wanting. [more inside]
posted by LSK at 4:36 PM - 13 answers

Pretty simple question: where do you go for support when you are feeling low or in need of some?
posted by EatMyHat at 4:01 PM - 12 answers

Help, I have forgotten my husband's birthday. While I know it is too late to 'make it up', I would like to do something special, is there anything that can be planned/purchased at this late stage? To be fair, I did not technically forget, but it is coming up in the next few days and he knows that I forgot. He does not like to be surprised and says that there is nothing special he wants to do, so he is bit hard to shop for. His likes and dislikes are below the fold. [more inside]
posted by seesom at 10:48 AM - 17 answers

My long-term therapist has told me repeatedly that they do not do sliding scale. I found out that they gave a considerably more affluent friend a sliding scale rate. [more inside]
posted by ziggly at 6:52 PM - 36 answers

I'm demo'ing a mountain bike and have found a lightly used version for much cheaper than a new one from my LBS (local bike shop). I'd like to buy this used bike. Would this be considered rude? [more inside]
posted by matt_od at 12:02 PM - 26 answers

For some reason, I found myself remembering the "Wife Odyssey Guy" (archive) from the ancient Internet (ca. 2003, it turns out). Dear AskMefi, did the guy ever find his wife? Mere idle curiosity.
posted by puppygalore at 11:59 AM - 7 answers

I'm looking for books (or maybe articles) to boost my marriage. Specifically, about how to treat my husband and things I can do to set my marriage up for lifetime success. [more inside]
posted by DoubleLune at 7:25 AM - 15 answers

How do you engage with someone who says sorry ALL THE TIME?? [more inside]
posted by unicorn chaser at 1:54 PM - 33 answers

I can’t tell if I just continuously run into jerks, or if I’m being unnecessarily picky and sensitive. On one hand, I’m very lonely and crave connection and intimacy with almost everyone I meet. On the other hand, I’m finding myself cutting people out of my life on an almost constant basis because they almost always “turn out” to be jerks. I constantly feel devalued by people in my life, which makes me angry and end up cutting contact with them over hurts or injustices towards me. It almost feels like every single person I meet almost immediately gives me a reason to stop talking to them. Is it my fault, or is this just a run of bad luck? [more inside]
posted by koolaidnovel at 1:31 PM - 23 answers

I can't figure out whether to take a friendship at face value or be cautious about what this person wants from me. [more inside]
posted by radiantsquirrel at 2:12 PM - 17 answers

I paid to win an auction for charity and got some wonderful perks as a result. What can I write in the "Thank You" card I'm sending? (More details under the fold) [more inside]
posted by arniec at 12:11 PM - 4 answers

Our 4.5 month old is a decent sleeper if he’s tightly swaddled. He started rolling over onto his stomach during play with no warning last week, so according to all sources and his doctor we need to stop swaddling yesterday. Lots of advice is like, “It’s easy!! Just start swaddling with one arm out!! Voila!!” That’s . . . not working. Now what? [more inside]
posted by Yoko Ono's Advice Column at 12:03 AM - 24 answers

My partner of many years had changed her last name years before we met. She was never married, she simply did not like her name and changed it. My boundary stomping, new age woo-woo, conspiracy believing, feng-shuiing, on the narcissistic spectrum mother has "done her research" on my partner. She has concluded that the name change was because of a prior marriage. Perhaps there is a slight chance this will come up on my mother's day call. [more inside]
posted by Sophont at 9:37 PM - 42 answers

looking for a daily/weekly/monthly chore list and assignment tracker. Windows and android clients would be great. One of the parties is out of town for long periods so a regular whiteboard/cork board is proving problematic.
posted by Mitheral at 7:43 PM - 1 answers

It's unfair and that's life. I try not to indulge in a long wallow and in this case my anger will be actively harmful to a person who is partly responsible but innocent. Feed me cute or funny things maybe? I don't know. I'm trying to flip back to a healthier perspective, so anything that helps with that will be most appreciated. [more inside]
posted by Eolienne at 2:33 PM - 10 answers

I live in a small apartment building, and my neighbor across the hall is constantly knocking on my door, talking to me through my door, leaving things at my door, and trying to help me in uninvited ways when I see her in the hall. My landlord and I have talked to her a few times and a former tenant yelled at her. Is there anything else I can do? [more inside]
posted by mermaidcafe at 7:36 PM - 34 answers

Recently my boss had a talk with me to tell me that I completely lack of self confidence. I think he is being completely unreasonable and I am very hurt. [more inside]
posted by Tiffy119 at 2:28 PM - 38 answers

I’ve been trying to revise the questions I use at work to get a general idea of how clear a client is on what’s going on. [more inside]
posted by Smearcase at 2:25 PM - 9 answers

I am very introverted, and have come to accept this (I have read books like Susan Cain's The Power of Introverts). But I feel guilty and like I'm letting my family, friends and even new acquaintances down. How do I deal with this? [more inside]
posted by iamsuper at 8:40 AM - 33 answers