When we moved to a new house, my senior to ancient cats were given their own room into which they are shut at night to keep the dogs from hassling them. They've got their favorite chairs and beds on the floor (the window is floor level, so they watch Front Yard TV most of the time), and they made the move with relatively little fuss. I don't think it would have worked if it wasn't combined with a move, though, so if you're going to do it, do it now.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:14 PM on October 9, 2008

There's a lot of gothy/steampunky handmade items on Etsy - art, jewelry, home decor. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is the go-to for goth scents, but I will warn that their shipping latency can run to a month or more.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:15 AM on October 3, 2008

If they're generally wine drinkers, and don't have something like this on their registry, that might be nice as part of a wine-based gift. I love mine, and have gotten good feedback when I've given them as gifts.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:04 AM on September 30, 2008

Aside from normal shedding, long hair breaks. It just does, and it seems much worse if your hair is long, or long and thick. I haven't blow-dried my hair in about 5 years, and not only am I totally not dead of a cold, I leave hair everywhere. It's normal. 10 strands would be a slow day for me, but I have a whole lot of hair.

I've never met a hairdresser who didn't rear back and hiss at the mention of Pantene, though. I've been randomly warned against it by different... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:31 AM on September 30, 2008

A little tip about sunscreen: unless you never wear anything but turtlenecks, put it on your chest where your shirt is open, every day. It snuck up on me - suddenly I was 36 with a triangle of sun-damaged skin on my chest.

I'm not really sure that a little SPF 10 or 15 in moisturizer or makeup once a day is enough, not over time. It's hard to find something stronger than that, or re-apply-able, that isn't a greasy mess, though. You have to be very mindful of your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:04 PM on September 29, 2008 marked best answer

Throw blankets are nice to put around because they are so much easier to toss in the wash regularly compared to unzipping dog bed covers and then getting them back on post-wash. They'll build themselves nests with them if they need to bundle up.

You'll know they are cold if they pile up uncharacteristically on each other, or if you find you can never get up off the couch because you are covered in dog (and they're not wanting attention, they're just determined to be up... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:48 AM on September 29, 2008

The Frugal Gourmet always chanted, "Hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick!" and I find that largely to be true, for a certain set of circumstances. Proteins in general will stick until the Maillard reaction occurs which is why woks don't work very well until they develop a layer of seasoning or are non-stick (and why you shouldn't force a protein to move on stainless until it is ready to move, or you'll lose a layer of your food). This is also why eggs are best cooked in a non-stick... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:30 PM on September 28, 2008

If you still smell it after you clean the drain, you may want to start the shower with a bucket in hand, get yourself several cups of water in the bucket, take the bucket out of the bathroom, and then get your face down to the bucket and smell. That'll tell you if it's the water itself, or if you should stick on the drain track. If you have a handheld-type shower with a plastic or metal hose, you may want to remove/clean and replace that, if the smell is definitely the water.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 1:14 PM on September 28, 2008

Can you be more specific about what you're trying to do? You talk about unemployment, which sounds to me like maybe some kind of computer lab for people to do various kinds of jobs, but you also mention "the office" as if you are trying to facilitate telecommuting for employees of a specific employer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:14 AM on September 19, 2008

You might find some good information from coworking resources.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 10:53 AM on September 19, 2008

Yeah, I would push back on the acoustic issue. My mom is still mad at me about that piano she bought.

On the other hand, if you absolutely must, you can probably get one for free or nearly so on Craigslist if you pay the moving and tuning. I think my mother eventually started accosting passersby and offering to pay them to take the damn thing away.

I would be wary of rigid piano teachers. You want one who wants your kids to learn to love to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:31 AM on September 19, 2008

This is a good time for your daughter to learn one of the unfortunately necessary skills of the working world: document, document, document. Your examples sound vague, possibly because her examples to you are vague, and it's going to be really hard to make the principal or teacher take that seriously.

When something happens, she should discretely make herself a brief note: 9/19 10:15am purse. Later, she should write up the incident as objectively as possible. If you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:10 AM on September 19, 2008

Vinegar gets more vinegary as it sits, in many cases, which may be part of the problem. You may want to try a shot of citrus juice with the vinegar, to bring out the flavors. Salt, too, can help. For commercial preparations, I would assume sugar is involved somewhere, so you might try a sprinkle (or honey, agave nectar, etc) to see if that gets you closer to the flavor you're looking for.

I can't have a lot of vinegar or my nose itches uncontrollably, so I tend to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:18 AM on September 17, 2008

As others have said, your flight will probably be canceled if it hasn't already; it's not just the storm weather, but they will have to clear the airport (damage, debris) before it reopens. Dallas is currently projected to be on the edge of the path of the remnants middle of the night Saturday, but air traffic through here is going to be mega-jacked Saturday and Sunday.

You may have to do some crazy re-routing to get into the state by Monday morning. Like, say, Memphis.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 1:53 PM on September 11, 2008

Powdered milk is so much easier to deal with if you're flying by cooler - the real deal is too hard to keep cold, takes up too much room, waxed paper containers get soggy easily, etc.

You've got time to prep today, so cook and freeze (in single portions) rice and pasta. Pasta doesn't thaw to gourmet textures, but it's fine for a quickly-heated warm meal. You can also cook and freeze chicken and beef in small portions to go with. Canned beans are far easier to manage... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:40 AM on September 11, 2008

Yeah, I do the bun-removal thing myself, but I'm more familiar with Atkins than South Beach and I'm not sure about beef in the first two weeks. Jack In The Box now has grilled chicken strips that are 3g, which is about as low as you'll find in any restaurant food (or in most chicken, actually). Fried chicken can have the good part pulled off. Most chain restaurants have a grilled chicken or steak meal, and you can usually get steamed veg as a side.

Anywhere that... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 3:44 PM on September 9, 2008

Eckrich makes a selection of "smoked sausages" that are skinless: kielbasa, regular smoked, jalapeno cheese; they can be sliced and chopped so thinly that they don't need chewing. The texture is roughly that of a hot dog. Frozen meatballs can be cooked in water or broth and mashed or chopped finely.

Chicken pot pie, if the vegetables (which become completely chicken-gravyish) don't put you off. Ditto salisbury steak or hamburger steak, very easy to make... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:09 PM on August 24, 2008

Something worth checking on: one of my local garden centers will let you borrow a SunCalc for free (you put down a deposit of the purchase price, they refund it if you bring it back).

You can do the camera thing (or a webcam) and just look at it to see what parts of the yard get the best sun all day. One thing you'll have to mentally adjust for is the angle of spring sun, which is going to be a little different.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:08 AM on August 23, 2008

I think coffee or tea (especially a strong chai) is a nice neutral scent, though some people hate the smell of coffee, so mileage will vary.

If you have hard floors, what you mop with can scent the room very lightly. I have tile, and I mop with hot water, a few drops of unscented dish soap, and a couple of drops of whatever scent oil appeals to me at the moment. I'm on a tea run right now, but I also sometimes like citrus (lemon, orange, lime, or earthier lime leaf or... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:38 AM on August 22, 2008

Bratkartoffeln with sausage instead of the bacon. I cheat and buy my potatoes for bratkartoffeln at Germandeli.com, but their outlet store is in my vicinity. You can find the packaged potatoes at most European groceries, but homemade is probably better as long as you can get some good waxy potatoes.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:35 AM on August 21, 2008

Automatic transmission, yes? I used to have a problem exactly like this with my Jeep - for a couple of years, it was only on a short stop, like stopping at the corner store on my way home, and then later would happen in my driveway or other inconvenient places. The trick was to wiggle the gear shift, something wasn't seating or making a connection or something. I could usually depress the brake, turn the key, move the gearshift to N and then back to P (fairly firmly, with a wiggle at the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:55 PM on August 20, 2008

Here in Texas, where you don't see real Stucco inside, that's just known as "wall texture" and is probably stiff joint compound or maybe plaster, applied with a trowel stuck down flat and pulled off to make the pointy bits.

However you get it off, it's going to be messy. You can sand or scrape, just keep a shop-vac handy as you go and wear an appropriate mask. (You probably should have it tested for asbestos and lead, but I bet if you hired someone they... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:30 AM on August 20, 2008

I haven't seen any of the WLS recipients in this thread mention it, but I was under the impression that most surgeons have a lose-and-maintain requirement before they will proceed with surgery.

To that end, since you'd have to do it anyway, why don't you get a referral to a nutritionist or dietitian from your doctor and start there? You'll either get some answers and results, or you'll start the paper trail that you're going to need for your insurance company anyway.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:40 AM on August 18, 2008

First question is: do you NEED to be there, for reasons other than emotional? You don't mention a mom or stepmother or partner, so if he's alone I would say go - if you can see the doctor and have the conversations you need to have there, you could truly add value by going right now. If he's going to be going home alone, someone needs to advocate for his care once he leaves the hospital. Maybe he's fine to do that himself, but that's worth going to check out.

If... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:44 PM on August 15, 2008

If you can't find the glassine ones, you can get little plastic crack baggies (with zip top!) at any craft store in the bead section, by the 50-100 pack. I'm not sure if plastic is bad for unmounted slides, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:45 PM on August 15, 2008

I have one that I bought when Brown first started selling them, probably 7ish years ago. I can't say whether the manufacturer now is the same as then, but aside from the finish being a little worn in places, it's as good as the day I got it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:01 AM on August 15, 2008

In most cases they can accommodate you if they don't know until you're seated, but calling ahead often means you get more interesting substitutions. I would let them know when you make the reservations - it is absolutely not considered rude.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 3:25 PM on August 12, 2008

Hot chocolate popsicles or ice cream? Or maybe a sort of hot chocolate mudslide/blender drink, with peppermint schnapps?

I would strongly recommend a big tray of sliced good farmer's market tomatoes, since the tomato season - the only good thing about summer in Texas - is winding down. A little farewell, with salt and pepper.

This is a fantastic idea. I may have to steal one of these names for my personal holiday, which falls on the first... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2008

The problem with insurance providers, like banks and airlines, is that somebody hates each of them, and has a perfectly good reason why. Exceptionally great (or exceptionally crappy) service tends to be situational - a combination of the state, the current insurance regulations, your agent, the circumstances, etc. Hopefully someone can kick out the name of a great agent in your area, because otherwise all bets are kind of off.

On the other hand, it's renter's insurance.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:17 PM on August 11, 2008

Overfilling alone would not make your mixture stay liquid. It will make the soft-frozen ice cream fluff up over the edge of cannister and ooze down the sides and all over the counter and make a frightful sticky mess, but the stuff left inside the cannister should be the soft-serve texture of newly-churned ice cream. Learned that one the hard way.

I've done fine with counter-cooling an egg-based recipe, but chilling definitely improves set time. I think your cannisters... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:29 AM on August 11, 2008

I've got the Cuisinart as well, and find that there's not much you have to do, though even whole milk yogurt will freeze very hard after about 6 hours of storage. I've given it a half cup or so of cream, which helps a little. Or you just eat it all very quickly, or let it sit in the fridge for a while before serving.

Easiest recipe in the world: 1 tub Brown Cow whole milk Maple yogurt. Churn. Growl at anyone who tries to come near it. This could probably be... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:02 AM on August 9, 2008 marked best answer

I really like Stevia, I use it most of the time in cooked custard-style homemade ice cream (you have to mitigate the lack of sugar or the ice cream is rock hard, but there are tricks). I can do 3 quarts of custard with less than two tablespoons of Stevia, but here's not a lot of tablespoons in the smaller dropper-bottles you find in most places.

I've had mixed results with Erythritol in baked goods, it doesn't taste chemical-y but there is some sort of sugar punch that... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:28 PM on August 8, 2008

Note: the Stevia I'm referring to is processed liquid Stevia off the shelf. I'm told it's trickier if you want to start from the leaves.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:29 PM on August 8, 2008

What nature is the dressing? Creamy, clear, oily? There are multiple schools of thought on elotes (on the cob) or elotes en vaso (in a cup); in Texas mayonaise is a must, and lemon pepper, other mix-ins vary. Though elotes is traditionally roasted, when the good sweet corn has just come in you can often find it raw or lightly boiled or steamed.

I'm not sure if that's actually the thing you're eating, though, or if it's a different kind of corn salad.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:35 PM on August 4, 2008

Leaves don't really drink very much. You can feed/fertilize leaves and they will take it in, and that's recommended by some schools of thought (the Dirt Doctor, for example, is big on foliar feeding), but actual hydration is taken by the roots of most plants. Underwatered roots stay close to the surface where predatory critters live, don't get access to the nutrition available deeper down in the soil, and the plants topple more easily.

In my part of the world (TX), wet... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:03 AM on August 4, 2008

Have you confirmed that the Plan B worked? I might be worth a home test just to be sure.

If that's not the issue, you may be extra-sensitive right now to your usual cleaning routine thanks to the hormone disruption. What you're describing sounds like cystic acne, which is usually best nipped with antibiotics. Until you can get them, you might back off as much as possible from the products you normally put on your face, use a fresh pillowcase every night, don't share... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:01 AM on August 1, 2008

Agreed that a call to his CO should be the option of last resort, but there may be services available on base there that might make the transportation/handoff easier, and she should check into that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:46 PM on July 31, 2008

I ended up putting the basic Cuisinart in the laundry room because it's so loud, but this is a problem you're going to have with the KitchenAid as well, since it's going to sound like a KitchenAid. I sure wouldn't want to haul the KA to the laundry room every time I made ice cream, as I want it in the kitchen for non-ice-cream purposes.

I hadn't thought of that before I bought the Cuisinart (a week ago) rather than the KA, but I'm glad I got the Cuisinart now.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 11:37 AM on July 28, 2008

I would replace one first and see what happens. You could have some sort of electrical problem. If they plug into outlets, do you have a security alarm system? If so, then you might have the entire system looked at.

In the meantime, you might grab a couple of battery-operated alarms just to make sure you're actually protected. If you call your local non-emergency number (311 in most parts of the US), you might find that you can get a couple of those for free.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:53 AM on July 28, 2008

Herbs get separated and transplanted all the time, since they're prone to going nuts. I have perpetrated all kinds of violence on a massive pot of oregano, and it's fine. I put some of it where the dogs step on it. It refuses to die.

You're out a dollar or two if it doesn't take - several of my local stores sell little pint pots of basil and the like for $2.50, so don't spend too much more than that per bunch. It should take, so long as it hasn't been too abused in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:25 AM on July 25, 2008

When I travel, I keep some of my spare cash and a photocopy of my documents in a tampon box. I guess a pregnancy test, box of hair dye, or other insignificant boxed bathroom supply could work at home.

Behind or beneath a heavy appliance, especially one that can't easily be tipped over in the available space (like in a tight laundry room).

DO tell someone if you've got stash spots. After my grandmother's death, we had to inspect every aerosol... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:51 PM on July 21, 2008

Some states, like mine (Texas) are so desperate for teachers that "emergency certification" or similar programs are provided to anyone who can meet the basic requirements (having a pulse, probably having a college degree, I would hope there's a background check involved but it seems like they don't actually get looked at some of the time).

It will vary from state to state and in some cases district to district, but chances are pretty good you can find out... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:41 AM on July 17, 2008

Oh, those Cooper's Farm peaches. I can get them here in Dallas sometimes - stop at the source, I bet they're even better.

And...yeah, that's about it. Huntsville, and peaches. And speed traps, the whole way. Set the cruise and don't push it.

It's a great drive for audiobooks. You can actually "rent" them from Cracker Barrel restaurant stores, if you don't have another means to get them. You put down a deposit for the purchase... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:25 AM on July 14, 2008

It's hard to think about right now, but advise her to keep every receipt, copies of every tiniest bit of paperwork and documentation of the incident and her losses, all documentation of Red Cross and other assistance, and use a qualified, capable tax preparer next year. This happened to some people I know, and the twist of the knife was the audit and penalties several years later over some un-dotted i or un-crossed t. Get her one of those portable accordion files today and just put everything... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:45 AM on July 11, 2008

There's definitely no such thing in Texas, because if there was one it'd be in the greater Dallas area. And I would use it when I needed gas in July and August (5am is the optimal time to fill up, otherwise you sweat up your work clothes and your makeup and hair product melts).

Our restaurant patios do have misters, though. It gets plenty dry for them here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 10:57 AM on July 4, 2008

Given you've been pretty comprehensively checked out, and assuming it doesn't persist more than a couple of months, I would write it off as one of those system reboots that happens to everyone occasionally. My cycle, otherwise like clockwork, doesn't like time zone changes, DST start/stop, or other sudden changes in sunlight exposure or the far extremes of daylight hours. You might be having a little summer long-day hormonal fluctuation.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:30 AM on June 26, 2008

I do not tip in the drive-thru (I don't use the Sonic drive-thru, but wouldn't tip if I did), and tend to use my debit card at the park-and-order spots, but since I have about 3 regular Sonics and usually get the same 'hops, I generally tip a dollar every 2-3 visits. My bill is always $5.71, so I figure I'm okay there.

After the third or fourth time I tip, they start to remember me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:31 PM on June 25, 2008

Any dog can be lethal. A really bad chihuahua could gnaw you to death if you were really slow, and I've seen a toy poodle take a much larger dog in a fight. The consideration you should make with this dog is the same as any large strong dog - you must work and train to make sure you can control them. And they are deceptively large - they tend to ride low and have substantial trunk mass, which means they are harder to control on a leash and, as terriers, have a certain tenacity when they've... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:23 PM on June 25, 2008

Use a spray with *caine in it, or a lotion if you can stand it. Solarcaine is my favorite brand, but harder to find these days.

I thought that Aloe was ruled out years ago as being slightly more effective than water and possibly worse, trapping the heat in the skin, and too prone to make clothing/bedding adhere to skin. As an ingredient, it's okay, but I wouldn't use it straight. Use something that doesn't cake/get gunky so badly, and with Vitamin E. You can use ice... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:18 AM on June 24, 2008

Depending on how hot it gets, the answer may be "both". I've got about a week before I have to water the containers and tomatoes twice a day because of the heat and wind.

When I water in the evenings, I try to get it done just as soon as the sun's off them in the evening/late afternoon, which gives them a couple of hours to soak in before dark.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 11:45 AM on June 22, 2008