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I live in a Mediterranean climate, by the sea. I bought this outdoor furniture four years ago and it has called apart over the years. How can I repair it? Happy to spend money. Details and photos below the cut. [more inside]
posted by Braeburn to Home & Garden at 1:14 AM - 5 answers

Are there gig sites/services that don't lock workers in forever, so that if I worked with someone for a while and trusted them, we could easily contract directly? [more inside]
posted by amtho to Grab Bag at 8:58 PM - 4 answers

I am buying a trundle that is an extra-long twin on top and a regular twin below. They can be popped up to be level with each other. I need 8” mattresses, but it is hard to find ones that have good reviews. Have you found a 8” extra long twin that was comfortable for an adult?
posted by Ollie to Home & Garden at 4:05 PM - 2 answers

I cannot take one more song by Cigarettes After Sex or Kurt Vile. Please explain how to make it stop. [more inside]
posted by the webmistress to Technology at 12:01 PM - 3 answers

My wife and I recently moved to a new area, and my wife made friends with a co-worker (A). We started hanging out with A and her wife (B) and were initially excited to have met another 30s lesbian couple in our new neighborhood. I noticed that sometimes B would say things about her wife, A, that I would not say about my wife and that I would not be okay with my wife saying about me. She would comment on what A chose to eat, she dissed her more than she complimented her, and didn't seem that fond of A, but I thought it might just be their schtick. [more inside]
posted by spacebologna to Human Relations at 11:58 AM - 17 answers

Feeling helpless as I watch my loved ones feel helpless. I want to respect autonomy but I also am really unsure if this is a moment to step in and push them to get help. CW for mental health and substance issues. [more inside]
posted by buttonedup to Human Relations at 11:39 AM - 9 answers

Not just coffee, chocolate causes it as well but coffee is the worst culprit. Cheese also can sometimes do this. Is this a reaction to caffeine or tyramine? [more inside]
posted by Sunflower88 to Food & Drink at 11:06 AM - 8 answers

I am in (what we shall refer to as) a performing troupe. A member of said outfit is set on doing all of our visual merchandising. This is not their strong point. What to do? [more inside]
posted by freya_lamb to Media & Arts at 10:17 AM - 9 answers

A little late to the game here but I posted previously with a plan for plane travel but we came to Dallas by car instead. So, I need ideas for where to go on the East side of town to have a good view of the eclipse, and I need help figuring out how early to leave our hotel to get to that side of town to avoid being stuck on the interstate somewhere when the eclipse starts. We are staying at The Colony.
posted by crunchy potato to Travel & Transportation at 9:32 AM - 10 answers

A friend of mine is going to be in Barre, VT, on Monday for the eclipse, but he has to attend a virtual meeting (the final thesis defense of a student!) from 10-11:30am. He is hoping to find a corner of a non-profit or other space not too far from the historic district of Barre in exchange for donating to the organization. He is also happy to do the same for someone's living room. All he needs is a chair and some internet. We'll keep an eye on responses her, or you can memail me or email him at lmiratrix@g.harvard.edu. Many thanks for any hot tips!
posted by spindrifter to Travel & Transportation at 7:51 AM - 5 answers

I did a very poor job of expressing myself. Any recommendations about how to fix it? [more inside]
posted by SageTrail to Society & Culture at 7:01 AM - 10 answers

Pretty much what it says on the tin: I am trying to find information, experiences, really anything about Candida parapsilosis Info has been remarkably difficult to find. Thanks for any help you can give.
posted by Ginesthoi to Health & Fitness at 5:25 AM - 4 answers

What are some songs about emotional labor? [more inside]
posted by cozenedindigo to Media & Arts at 5:16 AM - 27 answers

I am looking for games to play with 4 people. One of the people is a 9 year old. One of the people's has ADHD and doesn't like complicated games. [more inside]
posted by Just this guy, y'know to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation at 4:48 AM - 33 answers

Please help identify the subject of this portrait. I’m reasonably sure they’re an Irish literary figure (because it was hanging amongst portraits of several other Irish writers). Here’s the painting.
posted by nfg to Writing & Language at 2:39 AM - 5 answers

What effects - noticeable by everyday people - has cannabis legalisation had? Interested both in effects noticeable to people who consume it as well as people who have nothing to do it.
posted by iamsuper to Society & Culture at 1:49 AM - 32 answers

I'd like more pop music by queer artists. My favorites are: Tove Lo, Troye Sivan, Hayley Kiyoko, Pale Waves, Halsey, and PVRIS. I also like some amount of: Years and Years, Janelle Monáe, FLETCHER, Sir Babygirl, girl in red, Rita Ora, MUNA, Lil Nas X, Miley Cyrus, Baby Queen, Kim Petras, and Rina Sawayama. Who else in the last decade or so have I missed? [more inside]
posted by blueberry monster to Media & Arts at 8:14 PM - 34 answers

I'm going to Niagara falls for the eclipse with two older people, including one with mobility issues and a 6 year old. I don't have a good sense of what we're going to DO during all that time, especially the partiality. Like do we need to go out and take out a good spot and just sit there for hours? Cause that's going to generate some complaints. If you woke up in a hotel on the strip on Monday morning with two elderly people and a 6 year old, what would your itinerary look like? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... to Grab Bag at 7:48 PM - 12 answers

There was a massive flood in my apartment building. A pipe leading to the sprinkler system burst in the suite adjacent to me, resulting in two inches of water across my entire apartment. My insurance deductible is $1000. Since I am not at fault for this fiasco, shouldn't my building's insurance cover my deductible? [more inside]
posted by figaro to Law & Government at 5:54 PM - 14 answers

I thought I'd get my free glasses at Warby Parker or the library but after going to two stores and two library branches, I think I'm too late. There are a gazillion for sale on Amazon, but I worry they're not trustworthy. Do you know places that are selling trustworthy ones in the city? Please only rec places you know has them, because I already feel I've done the wild goose chase. Thanks.
posted by swheatie to Science & Nature at 4:32 PM - 9 answers

I had a dinner date with a friend of mine tonight. As I thought he was a good friend, I felt comfortable opening up with him about getting sick on Sunday/Monday (by the way, fully recovered now, just not 100% yet purely from exhaustion/treatment side effects only). He expressed concern about getting sick, but continued to talk about it. I felt incredibly uncomfortable and it was hard keeping my composure. [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude to Human Relations at 4:14 PM - 23 answers

I bought my young relative a YOTO a couple years ago. Now that they're of an age to be interested in not-entirely-kid music, I'd like to make playlists for them. What's the best way to do that? [more inside]
posted by oneirodynia to Grab Bag at 3:55 PM - 3 answers

We are having our 2023 taxes done by a local company, and they recently let us know that they would be filing an extension for us. I know we still have to pay an “estimated tax” for both federal and state (CO), but never having done that before, I have no idea how to (1) estimate fed and state tax, and (2) pay these. Please explain like I’m five. There’s a reason we had professionals doing this. (I’ve asked them for help, but they’re apparently very busy, so I haven’t heard anything.)
posted by blurker to Law & Government at 3:22 PM - 14 answers

I'm working on a project here in Toronto to encourage people to organize fun, small participatory events. I love the idea of those events happening in peoples' homes. I'm aware of some past projects (like the now defunct-Artery) that matched up performers and organizers with people who wanted to host concerts/events in their homes. I'd love to do something like that. I'm looking for any advice/tips/experiences on how to make that work. [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation at 2:46 PM - 2 answers

I got a call from my doctors office saying that my physician (one of three in the office) "Lost the practice" and that I'll need to find a new physician. What does "lost the practice" mean? Probably a lot of things, but I have no idea what. Is there any reason to be concerned that they might have practiced medicine in a negligent way, or is this something that might indicate I should avoid this clinic entirely? (In the United States.)
posted by Ookseer to Health & Fitness at 2:13 PM - 7 answers

My cat Archie was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure about a month ago. With treatment, he's stabilized and some of his numbers have even slightly improved. We are struggling with the sub-q fluids though. [more inside]
posted by misanthropicsarah to Pets & Animals at 1:06 PM - 11 answers

I have two queries, the first a low stakes question about a low stakes situation, whether or not to cancel a first date. Second, what’s your assessment of my personal barometer; are you seeing the yellow flags I’m seeing? [more inside]
posted by shocks connery to Human Relations at 12:01 PM - 42 answers

In or around 1999, the New York Times printed a photograph of me and my teenage friends standing or sitting on the rock overlooking the Great Lawn in Central Park. How could I find this photo again? [more inside]
posted by grobstein to Computers & Internet at 11:12 AM - 15 answers

I would like to work toward my local government adding more protections for workers. If a local government in the USA wanted to make the area better for workers in the area, what measures might it put in place? And what would be your priorities? I mean for all workers in the area, and not just those employed by the local government. [more inside]
posted by NotLost to Law & Government at 10:45 AM - 19 answers

I am confused about photographing the eclipse with my phone. I'm not interesting in trying to get a great landscape shot or anything as I know plenty of professionals will do better than I. But if I want to get some family shots of selfies with the sun in frame is that ok? During totality? During partiality? [more inside]
posted by If only I had a penguin... to Grab Bag at 10:07 AM - 8 answers

I'm looking for examples of lively and pleasant public spaces (parks, squares, whatever) that are adjacent to or part of a transit hub. [more inside]
posted by ambulanceambiance to Grab Bag at 9:34 AM - 11 answers

I'm trying to understand how someone who got a Bachelor's degree in Economics in the 1980s would understand, well, the economy. [more inside]
posted by Audreynachrome to Human Relations at 7:53 AM - 30 answers

I ordered two Things on Amazon.de, using my credit card (like always). A week later, I reported the card as lost and my bank locked it and sent me a completely new card. The Things I ordered are already on their way. Is there going to be a problem with the payment? And can I change my credit card info on my Amazon account immediately or will that mess things up more?
posted by Omnomnom to Shopping at 7:39 AM - 6 answers

[TW: weight and body issues] I'm a 40-year-old "ethnic" obese woman living in NYC, single for ~7 years, and have started to date online this year. I'm struggling to meet suitable men despite being very successful in other areas of life and having very flexible criteria (swiping on other heavy people much larger than I am, short men, etc. from all walks of life). Those I have met have been unsuitable or inconsiderate to frankly awful and abusive people, many of whom have made a point of commenting on my fatness, mentioning that I'm not their "type" and other code for lack of attraction to my body. I'm wondering whether I should continue to subject myself to this or wait to jump back in once I've lost the weight? [more inside]
posted by shaademaan to Human Relations at 12:13 AM - 24 answers

Why is does my voice sound better and last longer in the cooler Los Angeles weather then the summer? [more inside]
posted by ljs30 to Health & Fitness at 9:11 PM - 5 answers

I made potential plans to celebrate an anniversary of sorts with my husband in Chicago at the end of May. I knew cicadas were coming this year, but as I live well out of the way of anywhere they would be, it wasn't in my mind until I saw a headline about two broods emerging simultaneously in Illinois around that time. So...is this going to be awful? [more inside]
posted by tubedogg to Travel & Transportation at 8:19 PM - 8 answers

I would like to attach a lightweight monitor to a secretary desk. The desk is something like this one. The idea is to screw the mount to the underside of the top of the desk, inside one of those slots, with a very short arm extending outward that I can attach the monitor to. The desk does not need to close when the monitor is attached. [more inside]
posted by Winnie the Proust to Shopping at 6:21 PM - 7 answers

A relative is using an attorney to help straighten out an identity theft issue. To prove that a loan was obtained fraudulently, the attorney had to submit a bunch of documents including tax returns, bank statements, brokerage statements, etc. I have now learned that the attorney sent these documents as attachments via email rather than using a secure portal. My understanding, based on various IT folks I have spoken to over the years, is that this is a huge no-no security wise. Is that so? How concerned should we be?
posted by Larry David Syndrome to Computers & Internet at 5:04 PM - 14 answers

You may be aware of the Hilux, a Toyota small truck line dating back to the '60s. Perhaps you also know of the hyrax, a small furry animal native to Africa. Is the first named after the second? Apparently not! But help me change history. [more inside]
posted by BlackLeotardFront to Writing & Language at 4:16 PM - 9 answers

I'd like to expand my pantry recipe options aka food I can make from mostly shelf stable ingredients (goes to 2024 "best of" list from Self.com) with maybe eggs or one fresh veggie added in. I was intrigued by the Heyday Canning recipes for their line of super savory beans. Plates of beans welcome! [more inside]
posted by spamandkimchi to Food & Drink at 12:42 PM - 16 answers

Hi! I'm that MeFite who likes to recommend movies to people. A friend IRL asked for a highly specific recommendation that actually has me stuck. She asked for "optimistic, not-sad movies about robots for grown-ups." And you know what? Robot movies, it turns out, are usually pessimistic, sad, or for children. Frequently, they are at least two of these things. This request actually has me stuck. Ideas?
posted by DirtyOldTown to Media & Arts at 12:16 PM - 55 answers

We'll be traveling from CA to Washington, DC, in a few days to meet my mother and stepfather, who'll be flying in from Massachusetts. The day after we arrive is my mother's birthday, and we'd like to celebrate it in a low-key, not-too-expensive way. But I'm stumped. [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu to Travel & Transportation at 11:53 AM - 14 answers

I bought a beautiful Crosstitch pattern which I did not realize was counted rather than printed. How can I transfer the pattern to the cloth in such a manner that I do not have to count when I actually do the stitching? [more inside]
posted by uans to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation at 9:39 AM - 6 answers

In addition to my full time job I work a part time remote job that requires me to have a wired internet connection into equipment they provide. Because of this I pay roughly $90 a month to maintain a separate internet connection for my home office. Many people have told me that I should be able to write this off on my taxes, but I'm not able to discover a way to do it without claiming to be self-employed (which I am not). Do you know how to do this?
posted by anastasiav to Law & Government at 9:36 AM - 7 answers

In the US we have a pretty serious lack of qualified plumbers, electricians, carpenters, machinists, auto technicians, etc. For many people who own homes and cars, safe and sustainable maintainance is price -prohibitive. I am curious if this is a problem in similarly developed countries, and if so what the causes are. Personal experience, professional reporting, marxist/labor econ analysis and scholarly economic analysis are welcome. [more inside]
posted by Summers to Work & Money at 8:56 AM - 28 answers

My upcoming business trips are all over the place but it cities I’ve been before. I feel comfortable traveling to all of these but was wondering if you had anything you loved or something that stood out in Tokyo, Kathmandu, or London? [more inside]
posted by Bunglegirl to Travel & Transportation at 8:33 AM - 11 answers

Searching for gift ideas for my boyfriend. He is at the beginning of a major home renovation project and is stressed about it. [more inside]
posted by maddieD to Home & Garden at 8:07 AM - 7 answers

It's recently occurred to me that I can't control my daydreams/fantasies, probably because of anxiety brain, and it might not be typical. How about you? [more inside]
posted by Ms. Toad to Health & Fitness at 7:03 AM - 11 answers

This is mainly for creative, non-professional, non-deadline writers, maybe? You decide! 1) What external triggers do you use, when you sit down to write, that help to signal to your brain 'you are in writer mode now.' 2) How do you balance/schedule/manage projects in different genres & tone? [more inside]
posted by A Terrible Llama to Writing & Language at 7:03 AM - 13 answers

Options for family between health insurance coverage [more inside]
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens to Work & Money at 6:51 AM - 6 answers

I will be one of the people contributing to whatever disaster occurs in Niagara Falls Ontario on eclipse day. Can someone with a better understanding of the solar system and map-reading tell me: I bet it would be awesome to see the eclipse over the horseshoe falls. But is that where it will be? Where in the sky will the sun be, relative to a person standing on the strip? (Note: please understand if I had any intuitive sense of 'north, south, east, west" I could probably figure this out myself. Please try instead things like "Over the falls" or "to the left, towards the rainbow bridge" or "upriver" or "behind you, over the hotels" etc.)
posted by If only I had a penguin... to Grab Bag at 6:47 AM - 5 answers

CW: Diet and weight loss talk I have been an off-and-on dieter for more than 20 years and wish I had a better relationship with food. But, I have some probably diet-related health concerns. I am considering talking to a dietitian who can help me with intuitive eating, but I have some questions about how I can square that with some health issues that I need to manage. Details ahoy. [more inside]
posted by synecdoche to Health & Fitness at 6:31 AM - 9 answers

I was just reading an article about Susan Sontag, and was somewhat surprised to realize I've never read any of her writing. I also just recently read Joan Didion for the first time. What other significant women literary figures or public intellectuals have I missed out on? From any era. I'm not asking about women writers generally, but the kind of writers who create "culture" (in the old fashioned use of the term), about whom magazine profiles are written, and who are asked to comment on the zeitgeist. Anne Fadiman is probably another example.
posted by OrangeDisk to Media & Arts at 6:09 AM - 24 answers

So....I'm 2 months into a job. And I just got presented with a performance improvement plan today - and I kinda think they have a point. Please help me navigate the next 30 days and keep this job. [more inside]
posted by anonymous to Work & Money at 5:09 AM - 11 answers

Kidlet has been seeing her weekly for about a year for depression, anxiety and basically how to be neurodiverse in a confusing world. Kidlet is a precocious 12 year old with adhd & autism, cynical humor and high involvement in fandom (supervised). Significant progress in first months but Kidlet now wants to change therapists as therapist does not agree with her. I like therapist, think she has good insight, also value Kidlet learning to manage conflict with different values (not homophobic etc, more movies and books, and Kidlet hates conflict). I changed kid therapists before, but not at this late stage or this reason. What’s a good way to figure out if we should change?
posted by anonymous to Human Relations at 5:09 AM - 15 answers

I'm a web/app developer moving freelance (though keeping door open to permanent positions as well) just under 3 years after a career change. I have pretty strong fundamentals in JS (React, Vue), PHP (Laravel) and SQL (Postgres), but I feel in the current market some more specific / specialised tool / platform skills would help me stand out and put myself forward for more diverse / interesting / better paid opportunities. Ideas? [more inside]
posted by protorp to Technology at 4:25 AM - 4 answers

My question is much the same as in this one, what is a good printer to use for multi-creative people who might want to print on fabric, or milk-cartons or other weird stuff. https://ask.metafilter.com/339946/Best-printer-for-crafters-at-the-dawn-of-a-new-decade [more inside]
posted by Iteki to Computers & Internet at 2:16 AM - 1 answer

At a previous job, I was given permission to buy samples of stuff that might help us "innovate". One of the things I bought was a "keyboard" that was supposed to help with RSI. It was shaped like a video game controller. The "keyboard" stayed in the building where it was purchased so many years ago and am trying to track something similar down! [more inside]
posted by chiefthe to Computers & Internet at 7:52 PM - 9 answers

I have the following objects that can be layered on my mattress: 1 - waterproof mattress topper - this allows small incontinent people to visit me at night, this is a good thing despite how I've described it. 2 - squishy pad - this makes my hard mattress comfortable for sleeping. 3 - mattress heater - this keeps me warm. What is the best way to stack these three things on the mattress so that they all have maximum functionality? [more inside]
posted by Vatnesine to Home & Garden at 6:56 PM - 5 answers

Immigrant parent problems: I haven't the first clue how or what to expect or what to do, whom to contact, what to look for, etc. but I need to start taking my teenager to see some colleges. [more inside]
posted by MiraK to Education at 5:49 PM - 44 answers