We've been preserving some ancient barns at my grandfather's for many years with the aid of aluminum roofing panels (about 4' * 8', cheap, and not unattractive once the whole roof is replaced) and replacing rotten-out posts with lolly colulmns. Together we've saved three barns inexpensively and without too much work. Not the same as a true restoration, but it doesn't sound like you're up to that now. Note: roofing is ALWAYS dangerous--even most professionals I've met have had bad falls. And if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 7:40 PM on August 23, 2006

One summer during college I went to France and WWOOFed -- i.e. worked on an organic farm in exchange for room and board. You need to be fit and willing to work pretty hard (and comfortable around hippies), but it's a great way to travel. Your expenses on arriving are zero, and it can be a really wonderful cultural experience. I stayed with one family for almost two months, ate better than I ever have before, had a room in a tumble-down chateau perched on a hill overlooking a river valley. Most... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:33 PM on March 16, 2006

I saw them replacing tracks in NYC once last summer, deep on a weekend night. They had ripped everything up: track, ties, railbed. They were steamrolling the bed when I went by. Pretty impressive equipment on that job.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 5:32 PM on January 3, 2006

Stay at the Clair Tappaan Lodge, which is an old-stlye, rough-around-the-edges, family ski lodge run by the sierra club. It's quite cheap -- about $50 a night for adults, and I think meals are included (either that or they are cheap). Accomodations are are bunk beds, etc.--but it's a great, homey place that I loved as a kid. There's x-country skiing right out back, and it's a 20-30 minute drive to a bunch of the big downhill resorts.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:36 PM on January 1, 2006

"woodland national anthem," arcade fire
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 5:03 PM on December 15, 2005

As someone who used to open packages containing books for a living--I worked for a book review--let me offer this:

1. CEOs, business leaders, etc., do not open their own mail; their assistants open it.

2. Those assistants prefer to receive packages that are easy to open. This means paper or cardboard envelopes with pull-tapes. Standard FedEx mailers are the gold standard. It DOES NOT mean impermenable tyvec envelopes or those terrible ones filled... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:10 PM on December 1, 2005

Not going to tell you what to do, but I'd urge you to remember that just because going to England is the more exciting option doesn't mean it's the better one. Everyone on AxMe will tell you to take the job because their lives are dull and they like the vicarious thrill of you packing up and shipping out--it's kinda a perrenial fantasy, you know--but then they don't have to deal with your broken heart, vicariously or no. Of course what you *really want to do* is go to England. What you *really... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:19 PM on August 24, 2005

I've found that a great way to network is to set up informational interviews. Find people in industries/jobs that you think you might like to have, and call or write them to ask if you could come in and talk to them about their business. Present yourself as a consultant or tell the whole story, and say that you are planning on easing back into the workforce sometime in the next year. People love to talk about themselves and what they do, and will usually be happy to talk to you if they don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:05 PM on August 24, 2005

I second the suggestion of seeing a therapist yourself, or maybe doing couples therapy. I reccomend this not so you can talk about your own troubles--though I'm sure that would be nice, etc.--but rather because I imagine it would be a real help for you to have a professional to rely on as you try care of her and make your relationship work. It sounds like you don't know too much about BPD, and metafilter, google, and even books by doctors aren't necessarily reliable sources of information.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:43 PM on August 24, 2005

A lot of little birds (and economists) are whispering into a lot of ears that the real estate bubble is about at its bubbliest right now. Since rents in most places wont actually cover mortgage and other payments at the moment, it doesn't make economic sense to hold onto the property unless you expect it to keep going up in value quickly. So your best bet is probably to sell the house while the selling's good, settle your money into some low-risk equities, use your investment income to pay rent,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:23 PM on August 24, 2005

On a related note, one of my buddies ran into his middle school English teacher a few years back. They were chatting and, naturally, she asked him what he had been reading. "Dante's Inferno," he said. "Oh," she replied--and I kid you not--"Is that like Dante's Peak?"
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 8:01 PM on August 22, 2005

If you live in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, or South... wait until September 15 or so and you'll probably forget about this problem until next July. My kitchen smells like a sock even though I clean it thoroughly every couple days. It's because it's August in NYC.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 7:55 PM on August 22, 2005

I reccomend against working with word files that big. I'd break your report/novel/whatever into chapters, and reassemble before submitting if necessary. The text should be easier to work with, and your scrolling problem should be more managable. But, more importantly, my experience is that Word goes a little crazy when you a open a file of more than 50-100 pages. I know people used to warn against it, because of the higher risk of crashes and file corruption. *Maybe* MS has fixed the bugs by now,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 7:45 PM on August 22, 2005

If you're buying army boots, you might as well buy a Wellco boot. They're the real deal (they made the desert storm boot, and maybe also the new Iraq boots), good-looking, and very reasonably priced.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 8:45 PM on June 27, 2005

If you aren't all that allergic to poison ivy, I wouldn't bother with the chemicals or the tyvec. Just get a decent (i.e. $30) pair of loppers, put on your work pants and work shirt and work gloves and work neckerchief, wade out into the mess and chop all the vines' roots as close to the ground as possible, then chop them into two foot segments. Let 'em wither for a few days and rake 'em up. If there are any HUGE vines left over, you can go at them with an elbow saw or a chain saw.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 5:29 PM on June 21, 2005

I think the blue hair thing has something to do with how your corneas change as you get older. After my great aunt had cataract surgery, she was was shocked by the colors of all sorts of things--including items in her home and wardrobe--since she had been seeing them differently for years. I think the blue wash that old ladies use looks bright white to them, wherease bright white looks like a dingy, muddy yellow. It's like those Reveal incandescent light bulbs, which are coated with a blue... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 7:26 PM on June 5, 2005

There was something called Organic Enzyme II that they had in the janitorial closet in my dorm, which--as I remember it--is a product built from the ground up to get puke, piss, blood, etc. out of institutional carpet. Not sure if it would dissolve your couch, but an idea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 4:02 PM on June 4, 2005

I've always followed up by e-mail or telephone every 1.5 to 2 weeks after applying for a job, after interview #1, etc. You can always use the pretext of giving them a new piece of information to justify getting in touch, if you feel it will be awkward otherwise (e.g., I just wanted let you know that I'm going to be out of town this Friday; or, It occurs to me that you might like to get in touch with some more references; etc.).

I wouldn't worry too much about 1.5 weeks.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:38 AM on May 14, 2005

Ironically, the Jerusalem Bible, which is an official Catholic edition, has really excellent notes and annotations--in general better than the Oxford's. There's always a little theist, Catholic twist to them, but it's quite easy to read around it once you get the hang of the thing.

Tragicomically, it's agressively not based on the King James Edition (Protestants, boo!), which makes for the occasionally hilarious clunker. For example, instead of "when I walk through... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:27 PM on April 21, 2005

This is back in the 40s or 50s, but family lore says that my great grandfather wrote a letter to the pope asking to be excommunicated. A few weeks later, a letter came back from some vatican secretary saying right-o. Clean & simple.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:16 PM on April 21, 2005

Not really a "program," but I'd look into Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF). The usual deal is that you agree to stay on a farm from anywhere from one week to a couple months & work about 40 hours a week. In exchange you get food and lodging and sometimes some pocket money. WWOOF organizations have many member farms in Europe and Australia/New Zealand (where agricultural tourism visas are actually available) and some in N. America, Latin America, and Asia.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:50 PM on February 19, 2005

The Worldy Philosophers is a good, classic introduction to the major figures and schools in economic thought. It is very readable and, although written by a very liberal economist, remarkably unbiased.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:21 PM on December 12, 2004

It is always a good idea to add a line like, "please do not feel the need to respond to this card"--less of a problem if you have day-to-day contact with the person--because it alleviates an anxiety that the mourner really does not need.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:00 PM on December 7, 2004

Kiehl's is the rich girl's secret, even if it is out of the bag. A little better kept is Mario Badescu, which I like better.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 5:57 PM on December 7, 2004

The Middlebury College summer language schools are a very good place to learn many languages, including French and Chinese. The programs are completely immersive even though Middlebury is in Vermont -- all students are required to speak only the language they are studying, and pledge never to speak English, even in the dorms, etc. Anecdotally, people learn more quickly there than in most programs in foreign countries. In my personal experience, I learned enough French in five weeks (starting... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:17 PM on November 17, 2004

The problem with the new user account indicates some deeper problem that this couldn't fix... but I imagine that you can easily write an applescript to 1) open terminal.app, and 2) maximize the window.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:02 PM on November 17, 2004

Get the three-year extended warrenty, even though it is pretty pricey. I love my iBook and reccomend the line strongly, but they do break a lot. In fact, I can't think of anyone I know who hasn't had to send in their power/iBook sometime during its life. Especially important since Apple no longer does component repairs, meaning that you will have to replace your motherboard (=$500, probably) if, say, you want to fix a broken headphone jack.

Trust me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:59 PM on October 26, 2004

Sleeping pills sound like a dream... but I've never used them. Those Asia flights tend to leave early from the US--like lunchtime. I always have 5 or 6 or 7 drinks with my airplane lunch, stick in my earplugs and put on my eyeshades, and sink to the bottom of the ocean for a few hours. Wake up, drink coffee, and fight the good fight until it's bedtime in Asia. Ideally, stay up/out late your first night.

This pattern has yielded *excellent* results for me--meaning that I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:49 PM on October 19, 2004

On the crosswalk note: My little sister did a science project in grade school (this is about 10 years ago, near San Francisco) where she proved that almost none of the crossing buttons did a thing--and, if I remember correctly, she even isolated the variable of pressure pads possibly being in use in the roadway. Afterwards, she interviewed the guy in charge of all the stoplights at the DMV. He buckled when presented with the evidence, and admitted that most of them were never hooked up in the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:36 PM on October 15, 2004

1) (I suppose depending on where you live) cheap/free classes on starting your own small business are usually on offer at community colleges and adult education centers, as well as available from various government offices.

2) A lot of culinary schools offer curricula geared towards this sort of thing.

Probably a good idea to look into one or the other.

Plus, this book took me five seconds to find on Amazon. Doubtless,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:24 PM on October 15, 2004

I've been puzzling over this a lot lately, in part because of the election... but also in general. How do you convince somebody to make a serious shift in outlook and/or behavior? Logic, even when it is absolutely irrefutable rarely does the trick. And passionately arguing a point with somebody seems to make them clam up and stand their ground even more stubbornly.

Here at metafilter, we all know this.

I'm a pretty logical and level-headed guy,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 5:56 PM on October 11, 2004

Yup. And always tip delivery people in cash.

For food delivery: about 5-10% of the order total, but never less than $1+ the change, and kick in a little extra if its raining. They have a horribly shitty job, and need this extra--especially in the suburbs, where they almost certainly pay for their own car.

Groceries or small packages: $1-2 per box.

Furniture or appliance: $20 is probably alright.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:43 AM on October 10, 2004

Almost everyone in the United States who is above the poverty line but cannot afford to buy a jet considers themselves middle class. But few people consider anyone significantly (say, >150%) richer or poorer than they are to be be middle class as well. Which is why you can make $100k/year and live in a $750,000 house on Staten Island and be "working class" in the eyes of a "middle class" corporate VP pulling in a cool million and taking a sea plane out to the Hamptons... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:23 PM on October 9, 2004

Maybe my favorite footwear ever is the Birkenstock Boston clog, which I've been wearing two days out of three since this March. In brown or black suede, it is chic enough for NYC--although I'm sure suitable for both hippie and tweedy lifestyles as well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 11:59 AM on September 15, 2004

I'm pretty sure that you are going to have to regularly apply herbacide to your patch over the next 3-5 years--anything that prevents any grass/weeds from growing for that period with one application is going to, de facto, cause serious environmental damage to your field.

Using diesel fuel or bleach is really pretty horrendously irresponsible--that stuff is going to leach into the water supply sooner or later, not to mention kill soil bacteria, worms, birds, mice, etc.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 8:55 PM on September 12, 2004

Dried bananas are deep-fat-fried before they are dried, which, er, makes them a whole lot worse for you than fresh bananas. Don't know about any other fruits....
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 8:36 PM on September 10, 2004

Slice in half, fill the seed hole halfway with balsamic vinegar and halfway with olive oil. Salt and pepper all over.

Or, avacado completment cassé: mashed avacado mixed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil on toast, garnished with chopped scallions, salt, and pepper.

When I am in California, I eat one or the other every day for lunch.

Also, I remember once having a salad at a restaurant: the avacado was spooned out of the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:18 PM on September 3, 2004

Kiyomizudera is the one thing that I think you absolutely cannot afford to miss, along with a nightime walk along the river/canals & through the Gion district--absolutely like entering another age. And while I'm sure that it makes everyone's top ten, I will specially endorse Sajusangendo, which I have found to be very affecting each of the three times I have visited. If the weather is alright, you can take a nice (steep) walk from there up through an old graveyard to the base of the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 10:07 PM on September 3, 2004

Bermuda is a bit pricey & kinda boring (in a wear-a-jacket-to-dinner sort of way) but if all you want to do is lie on the beach, putt around on a moped, and have candle-lit dinners, etc., it is pretty perfect. It is beautiful, doesn't get too too hot even in August, and it is only about a two-hour flight from NYC. Convenience is probably the biggest selling point: Everyone speaks English, you can use US$$, crime and scams are a non-issue, etc. And if you are an Anglophile,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 1:02 PM on August 21, 2004

I think it is nice and appropriate to give them true luxury items, but I reccomend that you buy them at a store with a good return policy and include a gift receipt. A department store might be best--that way they can return the item for housewares or clothing or whatever if they prefer something more practical.

Unless, of course, you are sure that you are hitting the nail on the head.

One really nice gift (although maybe part of an ensemble, if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 2:40 PM on August 20, 2004

Your landlord isn't going to sue you for one month's rent, regardless of the terms of your lease... but then again, regardless of the terms of your lease, he might refuse to refund your security deposit if he is pissed off. You might be able to get it back with enough stern letters & calls to legal services, but that's a huge drag and waste of time.

So I say think psychologically, not legally--what can you do now to minimize his being angry when you move out?
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:51 AM on August 18, 2004

Related question: Is that why hot water is often cloudy/filled with tiny bubbles when it comes out of the tap?
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:01 PM on August 17, 2004

Echoing what nakedcodemonkey said, my friends and family have reported that California community colleges and university extension schools are great--at least in the bigger urban areas. It is not at all uncommon to do two years at CC and then transfer to one of the UCs--meaning that you can ease yourself into one of the best universities in the world while taking free (or almost free) night classes. You will also have the option--which probably wouldn't be available at a liberal arts college--of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 7:29 AM on August 17, 2004

Offline, but I'd say your best bet is the library of an art or design school (or department at a larger college/university) ... or browsing at a fancy bookstore. I've come across art-press books of magazine and book covers before in publisher's catalogs, so I know that they are out there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 6:33 AM on August 17, 2004

Tripoli.
Trinidad. (or Tobago)
Tristan. (or Isolde)
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 11:31 AM on July 15, 2004

Caveat: I haven't studied Japanese for six years.

There used to be a great magazine about Japanese pop-culture for foreigners/language-learners called Mangajin, and it seems like back issues and some electronic publishing remnants are still kicking around. The biggest problem I had with Japanese language textbooks was that their vocabulary and dialogs were geared towards business travelers, particularly engineers (Your robot-automation is very impressive, Takamoto-san,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 5:23 PM on July 13, 2004

I'm thinking about buying a G4 PowerBook with a broken screen and turning my old iBook into some sort of server. The screens are the same resolution, and identical to my eyes. But if the video card in my iBook is XVGA and the video card in the Powerbook is DVI, does that mean that I'm screwed? I have a soldering iron... but also a slight tremor....
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:32 PM on July 12, 2004

Oops... the PowerBook in question is R1, so it has has VGA out (like my iBook) not DVI out. Am I saved?
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 9:34 PM on July 12, 2004

Eamon,

This particular broken powerbook is selling for $500... which is a bit steep, but not crazy: Full-service screen replacement is about $500, and $1,000 would be a fair price for a working used unit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by armchairsocialist at 8:55 AM on July 13, 2004