I think you're just over-analyzing. It's a class for a reason - so you can get practice and actually do some life drawing (one imagines some students will have never done any). It's not as if you're going to an expert swimming class or something where a certain level of experience is necessary.

I'm an appalling artist, but I get involved in art events and the like and I've found that pretty much "anything goes" in the art world, whether at... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 12:45 PM on October 7, 2008

I have an MSI Wind and it works amazingly. 10" screen, 80GB hard drive, keyboard isn't too small, and it ran Windows fine, but I've hackintoshed it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 6:15 PM on October 4, 2008

Sorry to be a negative nelly, but only do the things above if you are SURE she would like them and not feel violated. We've left keys with people before, and then they've gone and done things we haven't appreciated. Their intentions were good, but they sometimes went over a line (as in, going through our private drawers, etc).

This out of the way, things involving food, laundry, etc, are probably almost universally okay, and especially general cleaning / vacuuming.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:51 AM on October 4, 2008

Rachmaninoff produces about the only Romantic-era classical music I can listen to, and I seem to have similar tastes to you otherwise. Try something like this (YouTube). You might hear a lot of inspiration toward Philip Glass in Rach.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:48 AM on October 4, 2008

I've never experienced wireless headphones that have sounded as good as even somewhat cheaper wired headphones. I don't doubt that it's possible though. However, I'd suggest that coming up with a solution with the wire might involve less heartache overall.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 1:09 PM on October 3, 2008

That guy looks a LOT like Richard Stallman. If you were hanging out at a party with geeks, they'd totally get it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 1:07 PM on October 3, 2008

I think it's awesome you're considering this as I've also considered it in the past. That said, events since then have taught me that rewarding people in an over the top fashion (even if they did wonders for me) for merely doing their job tends to make things awkward. So I second Gordian's advice above:

Accountants are supposed to save clients big bucks where it's legal. That's their job. A generous reward makes it appear that you lack knowledge of this, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 12:27 PM on October 2, 2008

I have something very similar to this, but as I don't go to work regular hours, I can get away with doing it long-term. I've established that, with me, the reason is that I feel like I've not been productive "enough" for the time I've been awake and that I need to achieve a certain number of things to make the time feel well spent. Perhaps you're not fulfilled with how you're using your time and need a particularly productive hobby to combat it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 7:06 AM on October 2, 2008

Are we talking about only within the fictional world of the movie or the real-life landshark.com? If the latter, this will help. Looks like a racing team / company.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:37 AM on October 2, 2008 marked best answer

What about the Bourne novels (that the Bourne Identity, etc, movies were based on)? If you at least liked the concept behind the movies, they're worth a try as they're fast paced and exciting.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:34 AM on October 2, 2008

It's worth noting there are many rare Beanie Babies that would still fetch a good sum at sale - despite the overall craze having died out.

Some good similarities have been given above, but another worth considering is art. Why does the value of art increase in certain situations, and not in others? Why do people invest in art only not to display it? Similar answers arise, and art is now a proven industry and works of art are a commonly traded good (often not appreciated... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:25 AM on October 1, 2008

Hey Nick ;-) Is the item old? Ethically, it's viable to consider ivory over a certain age acceptable, since although its provenance could be shady, its collection can not encourage the culling of elephants in the here and now (this is why many ethical collectors still have antique ivory items in their inventory). If the item is brand new, and of unknown provenance, you're on shakier ground in terms of whether you're "supporting" the ivory trade by keeping the item.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 7:31 AM on October 1, 2008

Is the Ku Klux Klan a group with legitimate concerns, entitled to their views and needed in society for maintaining social balance?

Legitimate according to the current status quo.. no. Legitimate otherwise? You can't define it. It depends on your set of morals and beliefs.

There's nothing to say the status quo is any more legitimate than any other system of morals and beliefs, but we tend to define terrorist organizations /... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:58 AM on October 1, 2008

Consider that for any legal purpose, the numbers are going to be inaccurate. Note that some towns even round off the figures. I seem to recall seeing a town (possibly Santa Barbara) on a drive down the California coast showing a round "120,000" the other day, whereas all smaller towns weren't rounded in this way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 4:03 AM on October 1, 2008

Send the picture to another phone that does have Bluetooth.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 7:18 PM on September 30, 2008

Whenever I've gone through this process with people and they've finally understood it, nearly universally they seem to realize it's not that important to them and they probably shouldn't have cared in the first place - and promptly forget everything learned.

Some people will ask about things they ultimately have no interest in - I've found that the best policy is to dumb it down to the point of inaccuracy for those who really have no requirement to know and who aren't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:03 AM on September 16, 2008

isn't it defeating the object if Joe Q. Public just switches off either mentally or, like me, actually switches the channel when they come on because I find them so freaking annoying??

That's not necessarily the general reaction though. It's a bit like asking what the point of religion is just because you're an atheist ;-)
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:28 AM on September 15, 2008

I've done a tour of the red line's stations - just out of boredom, and it's a cop-out answer, but Hollywood and Highland (or Hollywood and Vine). Okay, we're talking the middle of Hollywood here, but it is probably the "best" in terms of walking distance to shops and restaurants. Hollywood and Vine, however, gives you easy access to the Arclight at Sunset and Vine, as well as Amoeba Music on Sunset.

Universal City is a waste of time - there's absolutely zilch... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:24 AM on September 15, 2008

What's wrong with some in-ear phones? Why do they need to be headphones rather than earphones? You already mention that you can wear earphones - so I assume you have some. Just a pair of Sennheiser CX300's would do the job - cheap, and you can get them in an "Eco" variety that comes entirely packaged in cardboard (well, I was impressed anyway).

The only downside with earphones that I found was that the sound isolation can be potentially dangerous in urban... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 7:58 AM on September 13, 2008

you won't be able to run with in-ear headphones as they will slip out and fall down all the time.

That would be due to a bad fit (or a rather larger than average ear). They shouldn't be going anywhere. They need to be tight to get the correct bass response in any case.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 2:03 PM on September 13, 2008

This isn't an answer but an ancillary question for someone who's ignorant. As a non American, why does it matter what roads you drive on with a van (beyond those with low bridges, etc)? It sounds like there's some sort of legal angle to this and I'm intrigued!
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:29 AM on September 3, 2008

I suspect others with dog experience will give sage advice soon, but in the interim.. if the change was very sudden and there are no obvious causes, it could be a medical issue. For example, Lyme disease can cause sudden aggression in dogs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 10:06 AM on September 2, 2008

That's incredibly low. On a heavily loaded system with similar specs, my rather bloated uncached and busy WordPress site gets 20 requests per second (just tried). Of course, it should be higher than that, but if I get 20 visitors a second, I'll think about it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 12:00 PM on August 29, 2008

for example, if people tailgate me through the resident gate at my apartments. I suspect being a bit miffed on this is about normal, but I get flat out angry, and afterward, wonder why. Any help digging into why that angers me so, or how to deal with it to reduce it to mild displeasure?

I sometimes get this. For me it's because (in your example) that person tailgating me could be an intruder or somehow result in me getting into trouble / blamed for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:52 AM on August 29, 2008

Unless you don't pay tax, it's always best to put your first £3600 into an ISA

Not always although you are generally right. I want to point out something that might be a better bet in the next few years though.

If you think inflation is going to remain high (and with interest rate reductions on the cards, it's likely it will) and you can commit to three years, an Index-Linked Savings Certificate makes... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:48 AM on August 29, 2008

I should point out, while ILSCs are 3 or 5 years issues, you can take the money back out after one year and still have the benefits of the interest.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:49 AM on August 29, 2008

Just do it from time to time. No need on every update.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 2:12 PM on August 23, 2008

Why would a traveling LMOE be traveling? If he or she believes that no one else is alive why would he or she be out looking for other people? Is it that they don't really think no one else lives, or is it that they just want something to do to keep busy, even if it is pointless?

There are other motivations to travel. Later-stage resource gathering, but also, potentially, fun. If I were the last person on the planet, I'd be going around from place to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 2:10 PM on August 23, 2008

The answer to this is you should spend enough to get her a ring she will like enough to wear every day for the rest of her live but not so much that you don't have money left over for "a nice nest egg for upcoming stuff (bridal bands, honeymoon, etc.)."

This is pretty much the "right" answer IMHO.

I spent, drum roll, $250. Sure, I could have spent ten times that very easily, but the point was to buy... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 4:19 AM on July 30, 2008

If this were a print gig for the very same magazine, I'd get $1.50 per word. Is this normal for freelance blog work? Am I getting screwed? Is *everyone* getting screwed?

From my experience, what they're offering is pretty reasonable. Not exceptional, but not a ripoff either.

However, I'd say that paying $1.50 a word is probably one of the many reasons print media is going down the tubes. Unless you're writing to a specific... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 2:12 PM on July 26, 2008

One resource worth looking at is ProBlogger Jobs. Not necessarily to actually get another gig yourself, but to see what people are offering in terms of pay. Put it this way, $50/post is on the extremely high side..
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 2:15 PM on July 26, 2008

Make sure to keep in mind the looming recession. It might be worth sitting out as long as you can.

In any case, bootstrapping a new business is always a good idea. Just do it on the side. Almost anyone business can be proven to work at a part-time level before you need to take it full-time. If you can't make something work part-time, it's probably not a goer anyway, so you'll get time to test out ideas while still collecting a paycheck.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:56 AM on July 24, 2008

Camera lenses. The price difference can be astronomical.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:53 AM on July 24, 2008

I like to write, and I feel like it helps me immensely

So write. Just don't keep it. Write to make yourself feel better, unleash what you want to say, and then.. throw it back into the universe by tearing it up, burning it, whatever. Problem solved, and you don't have the awkward moment of reading it back in the future and realizing how crazy it sounded.

Writing is therapeutic. Reading it back is often not.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 7:15 PM on July 22, 2008 marked best answer

Po Bronson - What Should I Do With My Life

The book's overall theme is in its title, but on the way it does dig deep into people's motivations for getting into their particular profession, how the things they tried before influenced their decisions, and what they get out of their current profession.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 10:32 AM on July 16, 2008

Sloan - Underwhelmed (despite going all Beatles after their first album, Sloan were almost Canada's Nirvana to start with)

Monster Magnet - Negasonic Teenage Warhead. They were a bit of a one-hit wonder but this was a pretty popular grunge track overall.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 7:35 AM on June 27, 2008

You can act however you want, as long as you're not harming other people. If other people have a problem, it's theirs.

I don't tend to "act silly" but I have my own way of doing things, and people find me eccentric. After many years, I've realized that offense or distaste is something you choose to experience, and if I'm cool with people being who they want to be, then other people are capable of it too, and are idiots if they can't practice basic tolerance.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:36 PM on February 19, 2008

You might want to specify if you're asking this as an academic "what if" type question or as something she'll actually do, otherwise people will, quite rightly, give you various answers along the line of "perhaps she shouldn't rock the boat." There is, naturally, a legal answer to this, but the pragmatic answer is likely to revolve around whether it really is a small amount and whether the overall job and promotion are worth more than the possible fallout from higher-ups if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 4:21 PM on February 19, 2008

In effect your girlfriend will make the same amount of money as others in her new position that *didn't* earn a merit raise, which means her merit is not being recognized. And if they're not willing to recognize her merit, why bother with merit raises in the first place? What kind of message does that send to the employees?

This merit has been recognized by a promotion. She hasn't gained any merit in the new position yet, one assumes, so, in a dry,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:01 PM on February 19, 2008

1GB of RAM isn't a problem at all. I only have 1.25GB in my gaming PC and I can run Unreal Tournament 3 at full at 2560x1600!

It's the CPU and graphics card that are the problems here. If you're sticking to low resolutions, the CPU /far/ more than the graphics card.. if you're going to be hitting high resolutions, then the CPU is still /just/ more important given how poor that Celeron is.

The ideal trade off for the least money would be to get up... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:43 AM on February 10, 2008

That's because you're playing Unreal Tournament.

No. Unreal Tournament 3. Unreal Tournament 3 is a pretty demanding game. Okay, it's not quite at Crysis level, but it still needs a beefy video card. With a 6800 Ultra it barely moved on the same hardware. Changing the video card resolved it all. Memory is so unimportant for gaming beyond a gig right now, unless you're running Vista. If you don't want to admit that, fine, but don't poo-poo more... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 4:55 PM on February 19, 2008

As others have suggested, get addicted to Wikipedia. This is a natural addiction for me, and I can look up something like "goat herding" and end up two hours later reading a page on Hitler's breastfeeding technique. Well, you get the idea. An inquisitive nature is certainly required for this, but I tend to look up everything and anything. Just a few minutes ago I learned that Harlem was named after a town in the Netherlands called Haarlem.. when am I going to use... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 4:24 PM on February 19, 2008

"It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be" and "Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite" both by Paul Arden. They're small, cheap, entertaining reads, and "it's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be" is really the truth of it. A lot of the "top" people in any field are barely any better (in technical terms) than the guys at the bottom.. they can just act like they are and success follows. I only know that because I do it myself!
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 4:18 PM on February 19, 2008

I haven't had kids yet, but I think the question is a bit like asking "Why would you want to have an orgasm?" without actually having had one yet. In any case, the reason I feel like I want to have kids, besides the love and fulfillment angles already covered, is legacy. If I don't have kids, there is no trace of me going down the ages. I might as well have not lived. Now, why I should care about this when I'll eventually be dead anyway, I don't know, it's just... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 9:27 AM on February 10, 2008

Nepal. You can even walk up to Everest Base Camp!
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 1:20 PM on February 8, 2008

There's still a lot of fun to be had in software development, but it generally involves taking a risk and finding a niche where there are less jobs. Think Ruby, Python, Erlang, Haskell or Scala, not Java, for instance (or hey, even JavaScript - there's a whole new sector in server-side JavaScript about to blow up in the next few years!).

For my own part, I am no longer a standard developer working for clients as I cashed out with something I developed last year, but I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 12:16 PM on February 4, 2008

Your spelling of "check" implies you're in the US, but as no country is specified, it takes about 4 days bank-to-bank in the United Kingdom, and a few weeks between UK and US banks in a regular sense (when there are no special arrangements, etc). On a Google search for "how long does it take to clear a check", the answers I've seen for the US vary between 2 - 5 days.

All this said, my real advice is to get either an arranged overdraft or overdraft... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 8:22 PM on February 3, 2008

Make sure you are familiar with one thing.. and that is, if you continue with this, you are almost certainly going to lose your family, and given the pattern of your behavior, I suspect you might respond to this by spiraling even more into despair, so really you'll lose your life.

Of course, some people thrive on this sorta stuff and eventually find the "real" them, but if being a family man is what you feel is what you really want to be, a good Dad, etc, then... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 11:33 AM on February 3, 2008

If someone asks the ugly girl to the dance, there might be something interesting about the ugly girl that you don't know about ...

Y'know, you've got me thinking.. I bet you could explain most economic occurrences in terms of the schoolyard!
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:21 PM on February 1, 2008

Possible, but not necessary likely. It happens to me and some of my clients every few months on various domains, and I'm pretty careful about not putting addresses on Web pages, etc. If you do, you should feel lucky this is a new occurrence for you as it's quite common.

Typically I find they don't use your specific e-mail address, just your domain, so you eventually get to ditching the ability to use catch-all mail addresses, and just use one or set up some forwarders... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wackybrit at 5:19 PM on February 1, 2008