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

I can't use the Diva cup on the bad days. I, too, can overfloweth the cup in a couple of hours, and I generally work onsite with customers, so bathroom quality varies and it's just not worth it. It does seem to trim about a day off the whole thing, but at the cost of some really bad minutes in my day.

Getting bloodwork done to check for thyroid or other endocrinological imbalances is never a bad idea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 4:32 PM on June 11, 2008

The child and his adoptive parents likely already know that their relative died, and I don't think anyone but his adoptive parents would know if it was best (and if so, when) to drop this bomb, if they hadn't told him already. This is probably a terribly difficult time for them as well.

It's not your call. As you had reasonably decided before, they can look for you if they choose to. This doesn't change that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:29 PM on June 11, 2008

Windows SharePoint Services (WSS 3.0) is free with Windows Server. Document libraries are what it does absolutely best, but discussion boards, announcements, some really limited calendaring, and wiki's are very nearly one-click installs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:59 PM on June 11, 2008

Every gym I've been to or glanced into in the past 10 years has been stuffed so full of televisions that people zoning out and falling off is more likely than anyone looking at you with actual focused eyes. I am one of those pale translucent-skinned people who turn bright pink the moment I do something more strenuous than move a mouse, and at the gym I look like I'm about to die at any moment even though I feel totally fine, and nobody notices. I doubt anyone cares.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:35 AM on June 11, 2008

Pretend this is not an ex-boyfriend, but an ex-coworker, fellow student, acquaintance, cable repairman, teacher, etc. Proceed from there.

The Gift of Fear has quite a bit on how to not engage/escalate in these situations.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 10:27 AM on June 8, 2008

I just got this one, which lets you turn the alert on/off for each event, so I've got everything turned off except tornadoes, fires, civil emergencies, and earthquakes (hey, you never know).

It doesn't charge the batteries, but it takes 4AA so it'd hold for a while without power. I have a non-SAME hand-crank radio/flashlight, but it gets crap reception inside the house even near a window, which isn't where I want to be. This one's got a big antenna on it, which was a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:23 PM on June 7, 2008

Oh, and the model I linked distinguishes between watches and warnings, so you can pick and choose between those if you like. I'm not as interested in tornado watches as I am warnings, so that's nice.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:25 PM on June 7, 2008

You can't make anyone do or think or feel anything, it's just not something you can control. Trying to do so tends to backfire even in the most trivial of situations.

You need to do what's best for you, and you've made no case that this is it. All you'll end up doing is prolonging the drama, raising your blood pressure, and running the risk of being devastatingly disappointed while your body is churning with chemicals. It's a recipe for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:26 PM on June 7, 2008

Is it just bad drainage, or is it also getting an unusual amount of water, like from a roof edge or something? If it's just draining badly, a drill will fix you up - hit it low on the side, no more than an inch above the inside bottom. Maybe a 3/8" bit, anything bigger you'll start to lose dirt. Start with 4 holes and see if that does it.

If you're getting run-off into the container from elsewhere, you might "mulch" the surface as well as you can either... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:14 AM on June 5, 2008

We have a dog who bites when she gets excited, usually the other dogs, and it is clear that restraining her escalates her agitation dramatically. The last time we tried a leash when strangers came in the house, it looked like my husband had the cartoon Tasmanian Devil wrapped around his legs, and I can't believe she didn't pull him over and eat his face. We don't do that anymore. A leash is a status demotion, and that's a bad thing in insecure dogs. A leashed insecure dog around a child (aka... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:02 AM on June 5, 2008

Voting for dry as well. My 11 and 17 year old cats never had wet until last year when the third cat got very sick. Now they scream for it twice a day, which is generally the curse of wet food, and it's gross and horrible both before and after.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 3:14 PM on May 29, 2008 marked best answer

You could set the recovery mode to Simple while you do the DTS.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 1:00 PM on May 29, 2008 marked best answer

I live in a tiny swath of Dallas that pokes up into Denton county - Carrollton to the west, Plano to the east, Addison south, basically where the tollway and turnpike meet - and that's a fairly good place to split the difference, and if you're from DC then her commute's probably not going to be a shock, but it's not the shortest haul to downtown from there. It depends on which side of downtown, too. Flower Mound will be a pain to get downtown at all because it kind of sticks you with 35 - too... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:53 AM on May 27, 2008 marked best answer

Approximate age of unit and location (attic, hallway at floor level, hallway raised above floor level) may help people point you to the right drain/pipe to be interested in. It is most likely a clog, probably algae and gunk, and the humidity we've had this week would mean you're cranking out a fair amount of condensation right now.

If you can't clear it from inside and don't know where your outlet is (in my last house it was in the floor of the hallway riser the unit... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:44 AM on May 26, 2008

The last time I went through some serious stress-related digestive issues, I ended up taking probiotics (OTC non-refrigerated in any drugstore). It wasn't a fix-all, of course, but the burning stomach and related issues were just making everything so much worse - crappy nutrition, dehydration, yet another thing making it hard to sleep, and it seriously cleared some bandwidth for me to cope with everything else.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 11:28 AM on May 19, 2008

I firmly believe it's the roughing-up of the nail that makes the polish stick like that. After all, you do the same to paint non-porous surfaces. Those buffers that AlisonM mentioned really are the bomb, though you can buy the same foam buffers the salons use at any beauty supply store. You have to be really good at getting the cut ends of your nails buffed to just the right buffyness, though, or you end up chipping.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 2:54 PM on May 16, 2008

I have a commercial bin, basically 4 snap-together sides (with access panels on the bottom) and a spring-loaded top, that sits on bare ground. So far, no vermin, and the dogs can't get in it. There's really only a sad small pile of stuff on the ground inside it, but I wanted a large container so that leaves could go in when the time is right.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:44 PM on May 16, 2008

Neti pot, definitely. At night before bed when things aren't so bad, and it should get you through the night better.

On really bad mornings, I have a small juice glass of lemonade (MM Light, generally) right away. It's acidic enough to feel like I've cut a swath through the gunk. (Orange juice may also work, but I hate orange juice.)

If you're sleeping openmouthed because of the drainage, run a humidifier or vaporizer at night. On very, very... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 7:05 AM on May 12, 2008

Mine came from (I think) Target and were $12. They're spring-loaded at the bridge and have two vinyl-covered prongs on each side, so you hook one side on and pull slightly to fit it over the other side. They had a wide range of tints and lens shapes.

I like them much better than the ones that clip on the top or nose (and optionally flip down), and they ride loose in my purse with all the damage that ensues and have held together probably two years.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:21 AM on May 10, 2008

A crate is really the best way to immobilize a recovering cat. It's just about impossible to stop a cat from jumping up, it's just what they do.

What you might do, though, in the crate, is provide a ledge. When my cat had a broken leg, she spent all her time in a windowsill where she could dangle the cast off. A lot of cats aren't really side-layers, they prefer to loaf upright with their legs tucked under, and they just can't if the leg is immobilized and/or painful.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 11:18 PM on May 4, 2008

I have always had great luck asking, once even having a waiter offer to burn me a copy of the playlist they were using.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 10:34 AM on April 27, 2008

My cats have been through up to half a dozen moves and all kinds of changes of circumstance, and every time the reaction was two-ish days of grumpy-face and then back to normal if I kept their environments as familiar as reasonably possible. Except when I stopped letting them outside. They still remember, and they haven't had deliberate unimpeded access to the outdoors in years.

Obviously a cat outside on a leash with you is far less likely to be hit by a car, killed... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:05 AM on April 7, 2008 marked best answer

I am so sorry for your loss. Really, for the next week or three, mygothlaundry's checklist will be all you need to worry about. Aside from any bills that are due in order to keep the utilities on (or properly closed, which is generally not do-able until you have the death certificate, which will be at least 10 days or closer to a month) where applicable, there's months if not a year or more before any theoretical money becomes real money.

Even in a perfectly-ordered... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:10 PM on March 26, 2008

I would see a physician first. Night terrors are a sleep disorder, first and foremost, and you need to be checked out for adrenal problems and probably have a sleep study before you move on to psychological/psychiatric treatment.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:45 PM on March 19, 2008

Seconding a barbecue or some other kind of cookout. If you can get some friends or coworkers together, even hamburgers and hot dogs - if home-cooked - will be a blast if the company is good and the weather fine. If there's a pick-up softball game, that might be awesome too.

Ask them what they like to do. You might find you're in the presence of bowlers or poker players, something where you can create a common experience with American style.

I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:38 PM on March 19, 2008

Oven-baked french fries (or tater tots) and a brie or camembert with pepper crackers.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:09 PM on March 19, 2008

I'm not sure that a year isn't a pretty short time to see results, and they may have no need to contact you. Their investigation, by necessity, will be very quiet until they decide not to be quiet.

But the suggestion that you also contact the state tax authorities might be useful if there isn't in fact already an investigation going on.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:21 AM on March 7, 2008

Ask him what it is about the blowout wedding that's really important to him, the actual individual factors, and you may find out some really interesting things. But, bottom line, if he earns more than twice what you do and still wants you to go in half, you've got bigger things to talk about. That's not equal. (I'm prejudiced maybe, because my husband and I split things by percentage (we put in 60ish% of our income to the communal pool, and certain expenses are considered personal choice and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:32 PM on March 4, 2008

They're not just blocking job applications, they're potentially blocking emails from customers, vendors, employees using an emergency account, and friends and family. This is kindergarten spam-blocking and/or employee mail policy micromanagement. Beware.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 11:27 AM on March 4, 2008

I have had that feeling when my blood pressure was high. Probably understandable given the circumstances, but if it keeps happening you should probably fit in a doctor visit with everything else you've got on your plate.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 6:55 PM on March 2, 2008

Dogs don't really get colds in the sense of "wait a bit and it will pass." If there's dripping, it's probably a respiratory infection that needs to be treated. A lot of dry sneezing may indicate allergies (or a respiratory infection - it's hard to tell), in any case the vet should check her out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 1:16 PM on February 28, 2008

This month's Cooks Illustrated found that the optimal process is to brine the beans (soak in salted water about 45 minutes) and then cook in unsalted water that never breaks a simmer (makes the beans explode and skins pop). The brining makes the skins more tender but not so thin and fragile.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 8:10 AM on February 20, 2008

If the area immediately around your coccyx is sore to the touch, you may have an incoming pilonoidal cyst. Mine can be exacerbated by the kind of firm padding found on exercise machines and bicycle seats, and the tissue can swell enough to make you feel as if you are sitting flatter or too much on your tailbone. My first round came a few months after losing 60 pounds, and may have been exacerbated by ill-fitting underwear that insisted on crawling and irritating the area.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:52 PM on February 18, 2008

I haven't read this in depth to say exactly what she needs to do, but here is the Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 that governs the PMI requirements and restrictions. As far as I know, an appraisal is almost always necessary, but mentioning the act to her lender may help convince them to lay out their requirements in a reasonable manner.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 1:21 PM on February 16, 2008

You don't have to buy All-Clad to get clad (aluminum sandwiched in stainless steel) pots and pans. I have Tramontina (Sam's/Walmart brand, I believe) clad that's served me well. Restaurant supply stores probably have all kinds of clad cookware for a fraction of the All-Clad price.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 4:29 AM on February 15, 2008

And who desecrated the virgin Mary in the church?

I am fairly certain that was done by an undeveloped plot device; I can't find a copy of the book to double-check but I think it's equally vague there. The point, I think, was either that this was bigger than just Regan, who couldn't have done it, or that the demon might have been victim-shopping, or it was just supposed to give Det. Kinderman a better excuse for his "rogue priest" scenario... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 4:18 AM on February 15, 2008

I have had that same problem (both the quick deaths of incandescent and non-working CFL) in old fixtures with decomposing wiring. Replacing the fixtures fixed the problem.

Probably it's not very safe - in my old rented house, one of these fixtures was the kitchen ceiling light, and when I replaced it I found that the fixture was not insulated and there was some really scary melting and charring going on up there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 9:05 AM on February 1, 2008

Ownership tends to improve neighborhoods. Areas that tend largely to rentals are not as well cared for, and after a while as property values decrease (as a result of that poor care/investment in the neighborhood) and you end up with slumlord situations and all the baggage that goes with. Throwing a few homeowners into the mix tends to shift the dynamics pretty dramatically.

That attitude tends to snowball, as well. The children of the recipients, who may have never... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 5:37 PM on January 30, 2008

I have used the Roux Fanci-Full before, and I don't know if it won't stain your hair if it's been bleached. I think it might. What I guarantee you it will do is turn so stiff and sticky and coarse before you're done that your hair becomes unworkable. Not worth it.

Use hardcore gel (like Dep, in the giant pump or the tub) on wet hair and call it close enough.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Lyn Never at 12:22 PM on January 29, 2008