BodyGlide. BodyGlide, bodyglide, bodyglide. And to reassure you that you're not alone, do a search on "chub rub". I feel your pain.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:42 PM on August 7, 2008

I bought a lipstick today. I scheduled an appointment at an expensive salon to get a more professional haircut. I am browsing Ann Taylor Loft and Banana Republic, planning to invest some money in more tailored pieces for work. I'm observing what other professional (yet still hip) ladies are wearing and taking notes.

I also appreciate the advice about speaking up, projecting confidence, making eye contact, etc. Those are all things I need to work on little by little.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:28 PM on May 9, 2008

LarryC: I obvs. don't want to give too much detail about where I work, but you assume correctly.

Octoparrot: I do state clearly to anyone who asks that I am reapplying for my own position. Many colleagues to not realize that I even need to do that, because they assume I was hired permanently in the first place like they all were. I don't want to inappropriately discourage anyone who wants to take a run at the job... well, actually, I do, but I think it would be... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:22 PM on April 9, 2008

Thanks so much for the thoughtful responses. You guys are absolutely right that the institution has to follow stupid bureaucratic rules, and that my colleagues are definitely pulling for me and wishing they could skip the run-around and hire me straight away. They've told me as much. It's just easy to slip into "what will BECOME of me!" worrying spiral and lose sight of reality a little bit. Your sympathy and suggestions have really helped me feel a lot better about this already.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 8:39 PM on April 9, 2008

Follow up: I got the job! I was very gracious and accepted the position, then retreated to my office to unleash all of my pent up frustrations and cry my way through a box of tissues. Any trace resentments or frustrations dissipated when my department presented me with a cake with my name written on it and hugs and congratulations all around. Thank you guys so much for all of your encouragement, it really helped.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 11:10 AM on April 16, 2008

Chaco! Chaco! Chaco! I love my Chaco flips so much I hardly ever wear my regular Chacos anymore. They are amazingly comfortable, supportive and durable.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 10:14 AM on April 16, 2008

When I was traveling in 1999 I had children in third-world countries chase me down on the street shouting "I did NOT have sexual intercourse with THAT woman," over and over. It was a little unnerving.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:35 PM on April 10, 2008

Wow, her voice message is pretty amazing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 10:02 PM on April 9, 2008

A roomba!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 12:12 PM on April 9, 2008

I love, love, love and adore the couch to 5k program. You can do it at your own speed (literally) so don't go too fast. It really works, and by the end you will be able to jog 30 minutes straight. I like watching "The Biggest Loser" while working out because it's fun, fluffy, and focused on exercise.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 9:12 AM on April 9, 2008

If you are depressed then you are not really going to be able to reason this through clearly and make the best decisions for yourself. Talk to your doctor or a therapist, answer their questions and let them help you. Best of luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 2:39 PM on April 8, 2008

Logan Square, Ukranian Village, Wicker Park... Pilsen? Those seem to be where the artsy post-uchicago folks end up.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:49 AM on April 7, 2008

You can bike commute from Pilsen (or get a scooter) in short order. South Loop is more swanky, new condos and stuff. Will you need to be on campus every day? I would stay in HP in that case. Just make an effort to visit other neighborhoods on weekends and on weekday evenings to get a feel for them. Later on when you don't need to be on campus every day, move to your new favorite neighborhood (partial to Uk. Village myself).
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 9:01 AM on April 7, 2008

I've read that exercising your kegels and then USING them during intercourse can help tighten things up, even after childbirth. Give it a shot!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 12:40 PM on March 4, 2008

25 years old, 180 lbs, 5'7" female.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 9:31 AM on February 21, 2008

To follow up, I ran again last night at the gym. I slowed down from running at 6.0 mph to 5.2 or so, and my heart rate stayed steady around 180 for the running sessions. Eventually I'd like to be able to run a 5k at a 10 minutes mile pace (6.0 mph), but I have some time to work up to that goal. Thanks for all the great advice!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 9:51 AM on February 22, 2008

LaGena at the Benefit boutique on Armitage is an eyebrow genius. Tell her exactly what you want and she'll treat you right. It'll cost around $20.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:43 AM on February 21, 2008

My stepfather ALWAYS makes bad jokes with the waiter or waitress when we go out to dinner. They obligingly laugh and humor him, but I can tell they're really thinking about the orders they need to go pick up or drop off... they are at work, after all. It never fails to make me cringe.

Watch "The Office," and ask yourself if you want to be like Michael, the horrible boss who constantly makes bad jokes and does silly accents and imitations. Just because people... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 5:24 PM on February 19, 2008 marked best answer

Therapy. Regular school. Cancel Internet access at home. Get him involved in something he's interested in-- karate? Guitar classes? Basketball? Volunteering?
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 2:01 PM on February 10, 2008

I got a response from the customer question form on the Knoll Web site. They said the chair has been manufactured with five legs for "at least 15 years". So around 1990 is probably a good guess. It still doesn't really help me date my chair, but it already sold on craigslist so I'm less concerned. Thanks for all the answers!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 4:42 PM on October 21, 2007

Upon much closer inspection, one of the labels on the bottom of the chair says "1987," so it's twenty years old.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 8:34 PM on February 4, 2008

"I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen..." -Lloyd Dobbler
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:57 AM on January 30, 2008

If they do carry your size, you'll have a better shot at getting more of your items bought if you wash them right before you take them in, and fold them neatly in a laundry basket. A trash bag is the kiss of death, not because it's rude but because everything will be squished and wrinkled, it won't look nice and they won't want to buy. You'd also be surprised how many people bring in clothes that smell like smoke or mildew or cat piss... so if your clothes smell like Bounce, all the better!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:19 PM on January 28, 2008

I use a Patagonia lightwire backpack. It's not tiny, but it's slimmer than many backpacks. It has a built-in padded laptop sleeve. It's very sleek and comfortable, I really like it. Patagonia also makes a smaller backpack called the Pocketwire that might fit the smallest MacBook.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 12:30 PM on January 22, 2008

I think it may have been photocopied from a book of "Best Sudden Fiction 1995" or something along those lines. I'm pretty sure the author is female. It's not Lorrie Moore.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 10:45 AM on January 11, 2008

A similar thing happened to me after five years of wearing contacts and using OptiFree contact solution. My eye doctor said that he had seen many cases where people had developed an allergy to OptiFree after using it for years. I switched to a peroxide-based cleaning solution and haven't had an issue since (aside from having to be very careful that the peroxide solution is completely neutralized into water before putting my contacts back in, warning friends and roommates about the contact... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 1:27 PM on December 28, 2007

Is this her first year? It gets much, much easier. If she's creating curriculum and planning new lessons every day, that takes up a tremendous amount of time. Next year she'll be able to reuse and build upon the lessons she used this year. I've heard a lot of people say that the fifth year of teaching is when you finally "get it" and life gets a lot easier.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 9:40 AM on December 1, 2007

I would ask friends or neighbors with children for a name of someone that they use to babysit, and while you're at it, ask them what they pay the person. In Chicago the rate is $12-15/hr for two kids, along with dinner if the babysitting time overlaps with dinner.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:00 AM on November 1, 2007

$700 is too much, and many people would prefer not to live with a couple, gay or not gay. Most young folks looking to live with roommates would like to find friends to hang around with. If the roommates are a couple the new roommate may feel like an outsider.

Also I would leave the "gay friendly" bit out entirely and screen for it in person. You can specify if you would prefer a female roommate, though. Good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 1:31 PM on October 24, 2007

Get a ripped up prom gown from the goodwill, slather yourself in blood, balance a tiara on your head and voila! You're JonBenet Ramsey!!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 11:08 AM on October 15, 2007

Fruit wrinkles?
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:51 AM on September 27, 2007

I stayed at Papaya Playa last year. It has a decent enough restaurant, a quaint little bar with swings, lots of little huts and a gorgeous view of the beach. Most of the huts are a short walk from the beach. Tulum is a great place to have a really mellow, laid-back vacation. Eat ceviche, drink margaritas and stop to swim anyplace you see "cenote" on a sign. Enjoy!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 1:44 PM on July 5, 2007 marked best answer

Someone gave me a copy of this zine, called "Working Sucks" a while ago. There are some ideas in there for working less, or living very cheaply so that you can work for a month or two and then live on that money for an entire year. Check it out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 5:37 PM on June 23, 2007

Beware the awkwardness that may arise if you don't get the job... I was recently in a similar situation where I was passed over for an internal opening, and many collegues had stuck their necks out for me with recommendations. Not only did I have to work with the person who was hired instead of me, I also had to cope with many co-workers whispering to me that they liked me so much better and I would be doing a better job and what the hell is the big boss thinking etc. etc. I really wanted to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 9:40 PM on June 15, 2007

I took up Vinyasa yoga this year, and I love it! Expect the first five sessions or so to be quite difficult. You'll be using new muscles and building up your strength. Most people think of flexibility when they think of yoga, but there is a lot of strength involved. I was INCREDIBLY sore after the first few times. When I bring friends to my class, I always encourage them to take it very easy. You will be sore no matter what, so don't "tough it out" and hold a pose longer than... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 10:04 AM on June 9, 2007

I bought something for $800 on craigslist last month. I was a little concerned about walking into an unknown situation with that much money on me (concerned that it might be a set-up to a robbery, I guess), but the guy was legit and the item was great and I happily passed over my envelope full of money. So yes, ask for cash. The person may come without it and then run out to a bank and come back if they're concerned about carrying that kind of money around with them.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:38 PM on May 28, 2007

Butter, parmesean cheese and a little cracked black pepper. Num.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:01 PM on May 7, 2007

This is a not uncommon anxiety. It may be a mild post-traumatic stress from the break-in. I have, at various times in my life, been afraid of: Getting the mail
Answering the phone
Answering the door
Opening emails

I'm pretty normal and successful in life, if I do say so myself, despite these ocassional weird phobias. I don't mind any of that stuff anymore, although I do still get a pang of fear if my phone rings and its an unknown... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:58 PM on April 30, 2007

Can you live someplace cheaper? Say, with roommates? I'm earning less than $25k/yr right now, and I'm still managing to throw a staggering $800/month towards my student loans. I want those fuckers GONE. I pay $350 rent, $200 auto (gas, insurance), $200 food, and $800 towards the loans. If I was earning $40k per year I could easily put more!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 10:42 AM on April 30, 2007

Sheesh, I just spent too minutes looking for this dumb thing. Someone post a link and be done with it.
posted to MetaTalk by bonheur at 6:05 PM on April 25, 2007

I would discourage it. And just so you know, some people are offended by the use of the word "lame" to mean, well, stupid. It's apparently offensive to disabled people? I wish I was kidding.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 2:32 PM on April 16, 2007

No, don't do it. People all over the world who want a sublet in NYC will look at the NYC craigslist. If you try to post the same listing to several cities it will automatically be detected as spam and taken down.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 11:51 AM on April 2, 2007 marked best answer

Yes, do it! Take the money and carry on with your life as usual. Whoever is paying you sounds like a kook and they'll probably never get anywhere with it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:02 AM on March 31, 2007

It sounds like you have a real gift for imagination. Write a novel! You're probably right that this is escapism, and probably obsessive as well. I sometimes dissociate from myself and pretend that I'm someone else or watching myself go about my life from above. It probably is linked to depression on some level, which can disconnect you in a way from your own real identity. I'm looking forward to reading other answers to this-- this may be more common that you realize.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 3:35 PM on March 30, 2007

Withdraw. It sounds scary but if you're anything like me, it will be a huge relief. Give yourself some time to get your mental health back on track and to get back into a pattern of being good at stuff and feeling successful. Are you at the University of Chicago? I have a feeling you are. Go talk to Susan Art.

Do hang in there. The depression is telling you that you're alone in this, that nobody has screwed stuff up as badly as you have. The truth is that many, many... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:14 PM on March 16, 2007

We solved an obsessive self-licking problem with our dog by keeping him supplied with lots of fresh rawhide bones and chew toys. Before that he had been licking at areas of skin on his legs and feet until they bled. Now he just chews the bones and toys.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 2:36 PM on February 28, 2007

I recently learned the lattice method of multiplication. It makes multiplying big numbers together relatively foolproof, plus it's a hit at cocktail parties. No, really.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 10:20 AM on February 24, 2007

I put it in salad dressing. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a little maple syrup or honey, some nutritional yeast, and herbs of your choice. Whisk or shake it up well, and the yeast keeps the oil and vinegar from seperating. Magic!
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 6:57 AM on January 10, 2007 marked best answer

5 cents per photo.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:41 PM on January 9, 2007

Diet Coke?
posted to Ask Metafilter by bonheur at 7:38 PM on January 9, 2007