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I'm a 31 year old man who lives in NYC. This has been a problem that has plagued me for a very long time, and it's really making my life miserable. Snowflake details inside.
comment posted at 2:04 AM on Aug-30-13


What I'm search for may not exist. We have recently purchased a new metal-framed coffee-table with legs that taper down to ~1/2" at the floor. With the legs being so slender, they are creating little holes in the pile of the rug that they rest on. I'm looking for something like this, but perhaps only 1/2" wide so they aren't so obvious in the middle of the living room. The smallest I've been able to find is about 3X that size. Thoughts? I'm aware of the stick-on rubber/felt pads that are available and may need to go in that direction, but thought I'd see if anybody has some other ideas like above. thank you.
comment posted at 1:54 PM on Aug-29-13


Daycare texted that son has nits. He was itching his head so much she took him to the doc office, and he most definitely tested positive. Best and fastest treatment possible, especially for a kid incredibly sensory defensive about his head?
comment posted at 2:42 PM on Aug-29-13


Can anyone recommend an inexpensive portable amplifier to use in my car so I can listen to my iPod?
comment posted at 7:23 PM on Aug-28-13


I am letting my nanny go for a variety of reasons, and feel both bad and awkward about it, but still think it was the right choice for my own family, and would like to know if I handled this appropriately.
comment posted at 2:34 PM on Aug-26-13


Where can I bring about 20 friends who were planning to meet me tonight in central park for a birthday gathering? Storm clouds are brewing and I need a good backup, like a bar. Help me save the day!!
comment posted at 2:56 PM on Aug-26-13


I wanted to ask others what they would do if they were losing their mental abilities? I have seen a therapist for about seven years and I have frequently told him that other people can do things that I just don't understand. He has always normalized this by telling me that it is simply practice and that if I persist that I will be able to do what others are able to do. If you were seriously on the decline in the mental health aspect of your life, what would you do? My thoughts are that medication cannot solve everything. I am lucky to have a job right now, but I don't know whether I will be able to continue to work unless something starts getting better in the mental area such as my memory.
comment posted at 5:20 PM on Aug-24-13


Have you successfully gotten your city to install "traffic calming" measures on your street, such as speed humps or traffic circles? If so, I have a few questions.
comment posted at 5:19 PM on Aug-22-13


There are mosquitoes in my NYC apartment. I need a solution for getting rid of them.
comment posted at 4:49 PM on Aug-22-13


I remember reading a few years back about a piece of research or a theory in social psychology. The research found that a speaker should emphasise common ground when trying to persuade their listeners to change their opinion. By contrast, if they stressed how much their opinions diverged, the listeners would actually move further away from speaker's ideas than they were before. In other words, a conciliatory tone might be better than a strident attack if we want to persuade people. Does this ring a bell with anyone?
comment posted at 11:27 PM on Aug-13-13


A good job for my wife to supplement my income? Actually she is not my wife yet but soon when we move in together she will want to take some sort of job. Mainly this is for the money, but also we will be living somewhere different so for her it will be a way of meeting new people and hopefully making some new friends.
comment posted at 12:10 AM on Aug-14-13


Help me deal with the large amount of work e-mail I send/receive each week.
comment posted at 7:04 PM on Aug-13-13


Please give me your tips for the ever essential skill of writing a knock out cover letter.
comment posted at 6:36 PM on Aug-13-13
comment posted at 7:24 PM on Aug-13-13


I've been working a data-entry job for almost two years now. I got it as a temp position shortly after finishing college. It became full-time a year later. I graduated from a good school, but late, and with mediocre grades in journalism, my major. I stuck to the temp job because I bombed out of freelance work. This failure aggravated my self-loathing and convinced me to abandon journalism, for which I have shown little talent. I abandoned it for a dead-end job. I would like a job with better chances for promotion and with better pay. How, if at all, do I find such a job, considering my mental health, which sabotages each stage of the hunt, and my poor qualifications, which don't help?
comment posted at 6:10 PM on Aug-13-13


Hello all. I'm a software developer, and I seem to be a magnet for batsh*t when it comes to jobs. During interviews, I've been outright lied to. Once I get on the job, I invariably find the positions I take are just not what the interviewer made it sound like they would be. Ultimately, I find these jobs descending into madness. Literally. I've found myself on the receiving end of everything from disrespect to downright mentally abusive behaviors.
comment posted at 11:47 PM on Aug-13-13


I don't floss regularly, and I want to. I just can't seem to get over the hump and really do it every day. Please hope me. Did you develop a habit because you felt like you really had to but sorta didn't really care? How? Bonus: I seem to not form habits (or at least this one) very easily. People say that thing about doing something for 21 days and then it's a habit? Not so much. I can very easily fall off the wagon with flossing after months. I have floss I like, so I don't think that's going to be the answer.
comment posted at 4:42 PM on Aug-13-13


I work at a radio station. One of my managers attended a public radio networking event recently where people were bandying about the idea of book clubs for radio station listeners. Our top-level manager has decided that "we are definitely doing the book club thing." This is now my problem.
comment posted at 12:23 PM on Aug-13-13


I work at a Museum and we are about to roll out a new staffing model for our part time staff. Essentially a "career ladder", the program will have four stages of progression starting with general skills (everyone in this stage can float around the Museum providing customer service, essentially). The three subsequent stages add increased specialization, training and skills (employees in stage 4 can lead teach programs like camp, for example). We have a pretty young staff, and are generally a hands-on STEAM (science technology engineering art and math) focused institution. We're looking for creative names for the stages that are descriptive without being too silly. Any thoughts?
comment posted at 7:26 AM on Aug-13-13


At 27 years old, I really should be 'out there,' looking for a partner. So why does the mere thought of dating fill me with utter dread?
comment posted at 6:20 AM on Aug-13-13


I'm tent camping and trying to get pics of the night sky. My lens just started fogging up. What do I do? My plan was to set my wireless interval timer up and go to sleep but now it looks like I'll have 400 blurry pics. It's a canon f/1.8 50 mm with a uv filter. It's 65 degrees here with 81% humidity.
comment posted at 9:12 PM on Aug-12-13
comment posted at 9:42 PM on Aug-12-13


My old laptop finally failed, and I want to take the hard drive home with me. The laptop is gigantic, and I don't want to lug it home on the train. I am leaving tomorrow morning. I don't have a static-resistant bag, and won't have time to get one before I leave. What's the best way to transport my unenclosed hard drive in my luggage? Assume I don't have any tin foil, paper bags, or cardboard boxes. I do have paper towels, regular towels, packing tape, plastic bags, and bubble wrap.
comment posted at 7:59 PM on Aug-12-13


Pain relief question for elderly parent.
comment posted at 6:34 PM on Aug-12-13
comment posted at 7:27 PM on Aug-12-13


I have a birthday coming up soon (28 - which for some reason feels like a milestone to me) and have been spending some time thinking about some of the small epiphanies I've had in the last few years that have made my life infinitely better. Such as - it's ok to let go of friends who no longer bring anything positive into your life; you are not responsible for your mothers happiness; and it's OK if the person you are seriously dating and thinking about settling down with is very different from the person that you thought you'd be with. In fact, it might be a very good thing. All of this thinking has made me realize that 1) if I had known this a few years earlier I might have avoided some serious heartache and anxiety attacks and 2) that there are probably plenty more epiphanies that I haven't had yet. So, I'm asking you all wise and all knowing MeFiers - what is a life changing realization you wish you'd had sooner?
comment posted at 7:35 PM on Aug-12-13


I am in need of some help... I've just completed an M.A. in Anthropology, I'm trying to pull together a CV for a job teaching as an adjunct professor or community college professor. I don't have professional teaching experience, even though I've got loads of experience teaching to my peers in graduate seminars. (I'm also not sure how to convey that, other than in a cover letter.) I've got some of my written work (Academia.edu), and one of my presentations on YouTube. I'm in the process of revising some other papers to put on Academia.edu... Hoping, I suppose, that displaying my work will make me a better candidate. Now, here's the question: How can I make my existing (non-teaching!) work experience relevant to applying for academic jobs?
comment posted at 1:25 AM on Aug-12-13


I would like to participate in a drum circle. What are some fairly affordable and portable drums or percussion instruments I could buy? General advice welcome but links to specific models and pros and cons of each would be especially helpful.
comment posted at 10:58 PM on Aug-11-13


I'm selling my car, a 2002 Honda Civic with about 80,000 miles. It's my first time selling a car, and I don't really know what I'm doing - how do I go about this? Can I minimize hassle without getting screwed?
comment posted at 11:44 PM on Aug-11-13


Should I have called the police? And in the future, when should I?
comment posted at 1:14 PM on Aug-10-13
comment posted at 6:19 PM on Aug-10-13


I've got a little money I'm thinking about turning into some classes/training for a serious career change. With education at such a high price, I would need to pick a career/trade that can pay off the loans I would need to complete. I'm looking at trades, skilled craftwork, 2-year degrees, and 4-year degrees. Got any suggestions?
comment posted at 3:36 PM on Aug-9-13


This is a question for the extroverts, the popular, those who play well with others and the possessors of good people skills. What do you know about meeting people, making friends and relationships (both platonic and romantic) that others might not?
comment posted at 1:08 PM on Aug-9-13


Is there a good word for a person who becomes an enemy of both sides in a conflict? Who ends up stranded in the no-man's land, shot by both sides?
comment posted at 1:21 PM on Aug-9-13


Help needed wording an invitation or email to an event where some items will be paid for by me, but preferably not the whole bill.
comment posted at 11:57 AM on Aug-8-13


I'm looking for a side to go with spicy sausages. My imagined dish must be relatively inexpensive (I am a bit short at the moment) and easy to prepare (cooking is not my strong suit). Should serve two (leftovers are fine), and contain no fruit or fish. What's the first thing that pops into your head?
comment posted at 11:19 AM on Aug-8-13


I'm an adult learning to swim for the first time at the YMCA. I've only had 1 lesson so far and the instructor seemed encouraging. However, he did not address my fear of water and did not take the time to help me become comfortable with the water (submerging my face in the water, etc.). On the first day, he showed me how to kick while sitting on the pool edge, how to float on my back, how to kick using kickboard, and then he moved on to telling me to put my hands up in a torpedo position, face in the water, then glide forward while kicking. He was on the other side to catch me. I sunk every single attempt and he kept telling me to try again. I was so terrified that I don't want to come back to next class. Since then, I've been coming to the pool and practicing on my own. I feel like I'm more comfortable than the first day but I'm still afraid to come back for the next lesson this Saturday. This is the first instructor I've ever had so I'm not sure how to judge how he's doing. Do you think I should quit and get another one? The staff members at the Y that I've talked to told me that he's a good instructor but can be a very demanding. Please give me your advice! Thank you!
comment posted at 12:27 PM on Aug-8-13


My husband and I will be in Vicksburg, MS over Labor Day weekend. Neither of us are from anywhere close to the area, but we want to plan an awesome weekend of road trip and adventure. Help!
comment posted at 8:34 AM on Aug-8-13


Does there exist any online boards, websites, that cater to businesses and/or investors looking to connect? In other words, maybe someone is a owns a small home renovation business and is looking for investors. Or restaurants, plumbers, etc. Basically a place for networking. I have looked on CL and have not seen a category that fits this description, and I am not referring to something like Kickstarter. Any ideas?
comment posted at 11:14 AM on Aug-7-13


When and how did you decide to stay at or leave a job you kinda liked and an employer you'd been at for a long time? Is it good to stay or have I been here too long? That's the situation I am in. I feel like I'm stuck, but I also feel like I'd be giving up a good thing. What can I do to help decide?
comment posted at 7:39 AM on Aug-6-13


I'm planning a day trip to Nantucket with my husband. We want to take advantage of living close enough to just go for a day... but what should we do there? If you were only spending 6-8 hours on Nantucket, what would you do?
comment posted at 6:12 AM on Aug-6-13


We've got no more than $100 to spend on booze and mixers to bring to Burning Man. At a minimum, this should keep two of us lightly intoxicated for eight days. In a more perfect world, we'll maintain a nice buzz AND have enough to spare that we can share generously with our neighbors. Oh, and we'll have *no* refrigeration or coolers and no fancy mixologist gear. What should we bring?
comment posted at 11:57 AM on Aug-5-13


We just moved to a new town where, apparently, over the air television signals cannot reach. When I input my address into AntennaWeb, I get this response: "No Stations were predicted for this address. Due to factors such as terrain and distance to broadcasting towers, signal strength calculations have predicted no television stations may be reliably received at this location." Without giving away my home address, I live in zip code 17837. I really would like to get OTA stations without purchasing cable or a satellite. What are my options?
comment posted at 12:56 PM on Aug-4-13


I know next to nothing about cars beyond checking the oil and topping up windshield wash, but I'd really like to learn. I don't necessarily need to go full greasemonkey, but I'd like to be able to handle the basics and be an informed customer when I bring my car to the garage at the very least. I'd love to take a hands on course, if there are any in the Southern Alberta area, but book or website recommendations would also be quite welcome.
comment posted at 9:48 PM on Aug-3-13


I'm looking for kids' books for my 10 year old that were written at least 50 years ago. She's an excellent reader, but enjoys kid themes. We've discovered that older books use more complex language and sophisticated writing style, but simultaneously have sweeter, more gentle content. As a bonus, there seem to be forgotten gems that are under the radar of our excellent local children's librarians who have given us a million great suggestions over the years but sometimes run low on ideas for my widely-read kid.
comment posted at 5:47 AM on Aug-3-13


I'm about to go through some serious life changes (first "real" job, first time living alone, etc.) and could use some advice seeing as I don't really feel like an adult...
comment posted at 12:44 AM on Aug-2-13


My divorce will most likely be finalized next week on Tuesday August 6. What did you do to commemorate (or celebrate) the day you found out your divorce was final? I didn't want the divorce so I won't be celebrating, but I would like to do something special to commemorate the day. I have mostly reached a place of acceptance with the situation, but I definitely still have periods of grieving. I want happy or sad stories. Give me all you got! :-)
comment posted at 8:35 PM on Aug-1-13


I want to hunt for my own turkey in California this fall. I've never handled a gun before. How do I make this happen?
comment posted at 2:22 PM on Jul-31-13
comment posted at 3:15 PM on Jul-31-13


My incredibly awesome niece is turning 16!!! we are close and I'd like to get her something special but have no idea what that could be.
comment posted at 1:50 PM on Jul-31-13