I do this. A lot. While I don't have a whole lot of solutions for you, I wanted to second this:

It also really annoyed me that it made sense for me to go to bed pretty much an hour after I got home from work. I felt like my evenings had been stolen from me, and I felt like I should stay up to try and squeeze more out of the day. Going to sleep felt like an admission of defeat, like I had given up on doing anything personal with the day.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 8:13 AM on October 2, 2008

Another former strategic planner here, from a government agency.

I loved strategic planning. It allowed me to get to know a little bit about pretty much everything that happens in our agency. I got to meet fantastic people.

The writing was always fun, and trend analyis from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective is great. Getting to tell higher ups "What this means, or will mean, for you" was always a thrill for me.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 11:11 AM on October 1, 2008

Sorry, I completely didn't see the part where you were looking to hear from Advertising folks only. My bad. Hopefully you can glean something useful from my answer regardless.
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 11:13 AM on October 1, 2008

When I travelled there (from Canada) they did not stamp my passport. I got a little slip of paper I had to keep with it, but no stamp. I was actually kind of disappointed...
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 9:03 AM on September 29, 2008

I'm glad that no one will ever want Ottawa to host an Olympics. Although maybe they'd finally get they bloody light rail built if we did.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:56 AM on September 28, 2008

Hoopo, no the O-train is still there, but I tend not to count it as any real sort of transportation. As you said, a train from nowhere to nowhere.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 3:26 PM on September 28, 2008

Like many others, this seems like a very personal thing for parents to do, and I can certainly see why they choose to do so.

When I was born, my parents had no money, and no camera. I was born 3 months premature.

Three baby pictures exist of me. Two of them are shaky polaroids taken shortly after my birth, both of me in an incubator hooked up to all sorts of crap. I remember asking my mom "God, why would you take *these* pictures?... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:17 PM on September 26, 2008

Hadjiboy -- don't be sorry for making the post. It was clear what it was from the front page, and if people didn't want to click on it, they didn't have to. Aside from the strange choice of capitalizing the "why?" (which you've now explained), I actually think it's -- interesting (for lack of a better word) to read these stories from fellow Mefites.

Humanizing, if you will.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 10:43 PM on September 26, 2008

WARNING. This brings it home.

Stupid Television Post -- ER Episode that will make you sob.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 6:55 AM on September 27, 2008

That clip seems very apropos regarding the topic. But please take caution. It's TV, and I have no children, and it makes cry. But for those who don't get it? Maybe that will move you a bit in the other direction.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:10 AM on September 27, 2008

My let's-get-drunk plan for the Canadian debates is to drink every time one of them mangles pronunciation in the official language that is not their mother tongue. This way, between Harper/Layton on Wedsneday and Dion on Thursday I should be drunk for over 24 hours straight.

You guys have the right idea, doing this on a friday. I'm watching tonight, I have my Corona, now I just have to choose the game.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 5:32 PM on September 26, 2008

"I've got a bracelet too." HAHAHA! This is surreal.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:00 PM on September 26, 2008

We will succeed in Afghanistan because I'VE BEEN THERE.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:03 PM on September 26, 2008

Man, Obama's facial expressions (or lack thereof) are slipping. He looks like he wants to roll his eyes *so bad*.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:16 PM on September 26, 2008

Campaign CLICHE-FEST
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:37 PM on September 26, 2008

So does Obama still "not understand" the issues that he says McCain is right? Or does he only not understand when he disagrees with you?

Which is it?
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:02 PM on September 26, 2008

Tenuki -- that quote passed through my mind more than once during this debate.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:20 PM on September 26, 2008

I liked this little quiz-thing from CTV. It has the major issues with (unattributed) quotes from the major parties leaders (no green, sorry), and you click on the quote you most agree with. At the end they tell you which leader you chose the most.

It's hardly the most serious way to decide, but it was a neat little game.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 12:37 PM on September 22, 2008

I tend to disagree with the "getting over the facebook invite" side of things.

I mean, if someone can't take 5 seconds to pause and think of his gay friend and how this might hurt them, and uncheck the stupid box beside their name -- well, they can't think too much of their friend at all.

This isn't a stupid forward. I would find it incredibly offensive to be invited to a group that was diametrically opposed to granting me civil rights.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 10:46 PM on September 21, 2008

I'm a huge fan of the West Wing, so predictably, that bit worked for me. I loved it. Two bits in particular.

This first is a bit that's been bugging me for a while, and I was glad to see Jon Stewart address it a few months back.

"where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:58 PM on September 21, 2008

Wow, that's one of the stupidest things I have seen on the net. Congrats, PMSBuddy, that takes some talent!
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:20 PM on September 17, 2008

But just wait until they form a majority government. Every Cabinet minister will resemble Palin.

And that is what frightens me, and what I fear people don't quite see.

The problem is, both Dion and Layton are hardly inspiring, and outside Quebec the Bloc aren't it. Harper and the "Conservatives" have been playing it smart these past years (has it really been 3?!) by playing conservative fiscally and reigning in the... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:59 PM on September 4, 2008

It's kind of incredible that Gilles Duceppe, the leader of a separatist party, is probably the most charismatic and likable leader of any political party in Canada.

I agree. I remember thinking during the last election that if it weren't for that separatist policy, and the fact that there were no Bloc candidates in Ottawa, I would have voted for him.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 10:12 PM on September 4, 2008

As everyone else has stated, I find it super fast, but it's zoom function is crap compared to Firefox.

Zooming text, etc. in Firefox keeps almost all the page content relative/proportioned, if that makes any sense, and therefore doesn't break up tables and cells. I can zoom my facebook page in Firefox and it looks perfectly normal, just bigger.

Doing the same thing in Chrome breaks the page up weirdly. For someone like myself with quite a bit... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 9:47 PM on September 2, 2008

Come Home - Everything but the Girl
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 6:01 PM on September 1, 2008

I plan on having my passport by November of this year, and would like to move in the Fall of 2009. Is this time frame possible?

You'll need to have more than a passport in order to move *and* legally work. Check out Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website for more info.
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 8:26 PM on August 31, 2008

If it's true, then good on everyone involved. However, having seen a formerly-homeless immediate family member as the focus of a "feel good" story like this recently, I can only say that the alternate reality painted by the newspaper article was mind-boggling.

So obviously my personal bias makes me rather cynical.

Even if everything isn't as roses and butterflies as the article suggests, I think it's rather neat that some hollywood... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 6:20 PM on August 31, 2008

I feel like the only 'net geek who hasn't seen Dr. Horrible. And I'm generally a whedon fan, I just haven't gotten around to looking for the original. And now with all this fandom stff popping up I'll probably never find it, just a lot of fan vids.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 2:13 PM on August 31, 2008

Thanks for the thought, Teraflop, but alas, I am not American and cannot access hulu.com
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 5:16 PM on August 31, 2008

What the hell?
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 2:08 PM on August 31, 2008

The only people imposing morality here are those who seek to force these doctors to perform this ELECTIVE procedure.

That might be true if this rule was only applicable to abortions. But it seems to be written in such a way to encompass any type of medical procedure that the doctor/pharmacist finds morally objectionable. That's what's scary.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 1:58 PM on August 24, 2008

Me. Thank god for throwaway emails.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:52 PM on August 14, 2008

Or.....yours?

I wouldn't really know the difference, now would I?
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 11:28 AM on August 11, 2008

Please tell me that being an absolute fucktard in public near a funeral is an arrestable offense in Canada.

I think they could be arrested and charged with being a public nuisance.

Assuming they get across the border in the first place.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:21 AM on August 7, 2008

At the risk of wading into the midst of an argument between two members, I wanted to add something (very belatedly). While I admit that I don't understand the intricacies of Canadian Law, I am a Canadian and my immediate reaction to all this Phelps kerfuffle is this:

While there may be criticism regarding our hate speech laws, saying we don't truly have freedom if we don't have "real" freedom of speech, etc, I give a respectful "fuck that" in... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 10:52 PM on August 9, 2008

Speaking as someone who got brought to AA meetings at the age of 8 (not regularly, but a few), I can say that it wasn't a comfortable experience. It wasn't traumatizing, but I didn't want to be there At All. If you can, ask your kids in an age-appropriate manner how *they* feel when they're at these meeting. They may not be honest, but it's worth a shot.

Ultimately though, I would do what you can to keep them out of the meetings. It's a tough environment for kids,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 3:01 PM on July 20, 2008

Unless they're sleeping on burlap, I'm guessing they're going to be so tired by the end of the night that they won't even notice the "prettiness" of the sheets. Agreeing with the others that this is a ridiculous request.
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 7:10 AM on July 15, 2008

Sub, central canada.
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 7:55 AM on July 8, 2008

I can't get over these videos. I've spent the last several hours reading this thread, the 2005 thread and Matt's site.

Unbelievable, and absolutely wonderful.

Kudos!
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:51 PM on June 27, 2008

The video for Thriller freaked me right out as a child. My older sister used to lock me in the bedroom turn off all the lights and play the record. ::shudders::
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 7:07 PM on June 12, 2008

Yath's summary covers my Canadian view point exactly. I cannot imagine wearing shoes indoors. I have very rarely (I'd be able to count occassions on one hand) encountered a situation where you didn't automatically take your shoes off at the door. It's not that people ask you to do so here, it's just what you do.

In fact I've had people specifically tell me I can keep my shoes on -- which I do, because obviously they have a reason for saying so -- and it just feels... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 12:25 PM on May 27, 2008

Without fail, the Ma Na Ma Na song from Sesame Street/The Muppets always makes me feel better.
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 11:08 AM on May 27, 2008

Seconding Omniwise's step exercise. This was the major part of the physio I did when I had Achilles tendinitis last fall.

It took me about two months to recover after putting off the physio for about 3 months.
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 8:21 PM on May 21, 2008

I can never figure out what generation I'm supposed to be, being born in 1978 it depends on who you ask. So I figure I'll just hate everyone and play it safe.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 9:50 AM on May 15, 2008

The original FPP on Derek and his mom.

<>
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 11:42 PM on April 1, 2008

Not to mention, upon listening to both the French and Italian free samples off itunes, the construction "It is not possible for me that way" has come up both times. Those jokes made much more sense after I'd listened to both samples :)
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 8:10 PM on March 21, 2008

It's funny, because I'm going through this as well, but from the other gender. I've always identified as lesbian. My two serious relationships have been with women, although I have slept with and dated guys and enjoyed myself, however that is a fairly recent phenomenon. But it's one I've decided to explore, and I can definitely see myself in a committed long-term relationship with a man.

But it's been strange. Accepting that for all technical purposes you are... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by aclevername at 10:01 AM on March 12, 2008 marked best answer

To his credit there was that moment of a lengthy pause where it could have gone either way. I like the first one better, but this one was good too.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 11:13 PM on March 5, 2008

I`m from S. Ontario as well, and only just because of this post realized that I do, in fact, pronounce it "melk". It took me more than a few minutes to figure out how else it could be pronounced, until I tried something closer to m"ill"k. That was the best I could figure, and man was it weird sounding.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 2:20 PM on March 5, 2008

Oh, and in comparison, the "standard American" accent sounds like every word is a question, which I thought was apparently what Canadians do. Strange.
posted to MetaFilter by aclevername at 2:22 PM on March 5, 2008