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Looking for something useful to buy my father, who has recently moved back to living on a boat (catamaran, sailing boat, 32 feet) after about 7 years on dry land. He's got the basic necessities and doesn't do the more kitschy end of things - what might he need? The boat as they always do needs some work. I have seen this thread.
posted by paduasoy at 1:47 AM - 0 answers

Hi, AskMe. :) I've become interested in my genealogy lately, and decided to re-activate my account on Ancestry.com and see what I could dig up. I've had some success but would love any other resources you lovely people might suggest. My tree, as it stands now, is here. [more inside]
posted by Alensin at 9:35 PM - 5 answers

A friend and I were talking about our favorite sledding positions. She said "double decker". I responded: do you mean one sitting behind the other, or one lying on top of the other? She thought I was joking, which caused me to wonder if this is widespread. Do you do this? [more inside]
posted by Emmy Rae at 6:21 AM - 23 answers

Does anyone know if this kind of "card per month" desk calendar has a real name? Do you think it would be an easy & inexpensive DIY project to make in bulk? And if so how would you go about doing that?
posted by bleep at 4:35 PM - 4 answers

I am rapidly running down my Lego advent calendar kits. Are there other similar options? [more inside]
posted by jeribus at 12:50 PM - 9 answers

I’m looking for supplies for making soap, lip balm, and candles. I need basically everything— base, molds, fragrance, etc. Local is best but online with reliable rush shipping (this close to the holidays!) is OK too. I’m in the Bay Area. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 9:11 AM - 6 answers

My mom likes match three (think Bejeweled) and Tetris. She's getting an iPhone for Christmas. What match or Tetris-adjacent puzzle games for iOS a) don't suck, b) aren't merely ad-delivery services with pretty colors, and c) can be played entirely offline? Willing to pay a couple/few bucks for a great game (up-front or IAP), willing to deal with minimal ads for free games. [more inside]
posted by tubedogg at 6:06 PM - 27 answers

There is a bunch of chatter about how the President messed up the coin toss at the recent army-navy game. I just finished watching several Superbowl coin tosses trying to figure out what he did wrong and they all seem to be the same as the President's. I'm obviously a sports bumpkin; can someone ELI5 what he did wrong?
posted by Mitheral at 5:15 AM - 12 answers

What's an online activity we can do as a family that's asynchronous, engaging and a bit competitive, not too complicated, and doesn't require much extra equipment or good reflexes? [more inside]
posted by exceptinsects at 12:07 PM - 5 answers

I'm looking for recommendations for solo board or card games that are interesting for an 11 year old (mainly online) gamer, and currently in print and available for purchase in the UK. [more inside]
posted by bifter at 11:10 AM - 20 answers

How to make everyday social activities into a festive birthday outing, queer adult version, San Antonio, Texas edition. I am planning an afternoon/evening birthday outing for four adults. Age range mid 20's to mid 40's. All varying shades of queer, NB, trans. The birthday outing is tomorrow (Monday), and we are still at a loss for what to do, very last minute strategizing here. I'm trying to figure out how to make San Antonio suburban strip mall sprawl into something special. Also pondering if we are overlooking a possible fun activity. [more inside]
posted by ethical_caligula at 9:36 PM - 10 answers

I just had a long-overdue drivetrain replacement done on my Trek bike: cassette, derailleur pulleys, chain, crankset/chainring combo. Service was reasonably priced, friendly, and fast, and the bike now rides wonderfully (with very smooth shifting). When I got back from my first short ride after servicing, however, I took a closer look at the chainring and noticed that many of the teeth were stubby, some almost flat, at least on the outer and middle rings. Is this common or typical in new chainrings? [more inside]
posted by tenderly at 4:18 PM - 5 answers

Boy wants to play a collectible card game with me — something that can be “our game” — something we will both be excited to play and collect. Your suggestions, please! [more inside]
posted by this-apoptosis at 11:05 AM - 8 answers

I've long had the dream of creating my own "Christmas annual", a small booklet filled with wonderful little things that feel like a gift. I would love to hear what you would like in such a book, and am also seeking good public-domain sources to find content. [more inside]
posted by Miko at 6:16 AM - 10 answers

I have a New Year resolution to watch twelve films on DVD next year. I've not seen a lot of films (apart from foreign language ones which I had a run of a few years ago). I'll be watching with a friend. Can you suggest films to add to the list of possibles? [more inside]
posted by paduasoy at 2:21 AM - 29 answers

I would really like to create a little cross stitch and frame it as part of a Christmas gift for my girlfriend. It would feature a short catchphrase of ours that has been part of an in joke ever since we met and... there's something whimsically lovely about the idea that I think she'll really appreciate. BUT I haven't stitched a single stitch since a series of rainy afternoons around 30 years ago. PLEASE HALP! [more inside]
posted by Philby at 8:25 PM - 9 answers

I'm exploring Meetup.com and class listings, mostly to expand my personal interests and possibly social life. Bay Area MeFites: What good meetups/classes have you found (especially in SF or East Bay)? Help introduce me to things I don't know already! Is there a meetup you think should exist but doesn't? Should we start that something? I'm looking both for ideas on social meetups for interests I already have, and also suggestions for interesting things you do which might be new to me. [more inside]
posted by twoplussix at 10:56 AM - 10 answers

My friend is interested in performing a 5-15 minute standup set in front of a live audience. (She's never done it before.) What are some good places in the Bay Area to do this?
posted by archagon at 12:30 AM - 4 answers

I am looking to spend $300-$500 on a left-hand bass, new or used. Ideally, I'd like to play 4 or 5 and find one I like. I've done some research online to find instruments that sell new in that price range, but finding a place to try out left-hand basses in NYC is proving hard. [more inside]
posted by layceepee at 6:05 PM - 8 answers

Growing up I found an old wooden cigar sized box with different conpartments filled with unique coins, shiny rocks, and random knick knacks. I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I want to get something similar for my 6 year old nephew, and fill it with a few cool things that a modern day 6 year old would like. Any suggestions on a box (etsy maybe?) and some cool, intricate items to half-fill it with, so he can have some ideas to get his imagination started, and also have room to collect things on his own?
posted by thankyoumuchly at 5:42 PM - 17 answers