A college degree proves that you're willing to go through some drudgery to see a task through to completion, which is a pretty useful skill for an editor to have.

That said, I'm the senior copyeditor for the marketing department in a large company, and when we're hiring -- freelance positions, not fulltime; almost all copyediting jobs these days are contract-based -- I am a lot more interested in experience and skill-based know-how than a BA. Volunteering is a good... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 10:23 PM on May 16, 2008

And yes, there are typos in my post. I'm better with other people's writing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 10:27 PM on May 16, 2008

Requiem for a Woman's Soul is the most harrowing thing I've ever read.

There's part of me that feels a duty to know what happened during Argentina's dirty war and to always remember what we're capable of as a species. There's another part of me that would excise this book from my memory with a grapefruit spoon if I could.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 1:07 PM on April 1, 2008

I keep my eyes glued to the sidewalk, so I notice every crack and fissure, every broken square of pavement, every tree root that interferes with the flat surface. And I STILL trip and fall down a lot.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 1:19 PM on February 12, 2008

Jenny Fields from "The World According to Garp"
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 1:27 PM on January 9, 2008

My husband and I are both 41 and neither of us regret our decision to not have a child. We too were merely ambivalent for most of our 30s, but I went through a period around when I turned 40 in which I had fairly vivid fantasies about a surprise pregnancy.

The fantasy would pop up a few times a day, each time a little more detailed, for a couple of days. But the moment the fantasy life of motherhood became even slightly real and I felt a hint of the impact it would have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 7:52 PM on January 6, 2008

I dropped out of college at 19, returned at 27, and graduated at 32. I can't begin to tell you how much more I got out of the experience the second time around. As an adult, I was able to approach the material with real interest, and not just as more facts to cram down. College was a pleasure as an adult student, whereas it felt like an obligation as a teenager.

Joining the workforce as a new grad in my 30s felt a bit awkward, but I was in no way hampered by it. In fact,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 6:36 PM on December 22, 2007

Judy Blume, Judy Blume, Judy Blume.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 1:12 PM on June 20, 2007

Cant get enough... of The Stuff!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 12:58 PM on April 25, 2007

The one-arm drive option on this one is pricey, but it's lightweight and foldable. Your search might be less desperate than you think; I found others that fit the bill via google; this was just the lightest-weight one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 10:47 PM on March 24, 2007 marked best answer

I enjoyed The Writer's Chapbook very much.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 4:21 PM on December 11, 2006

Kinda surprised it hasn't been mentioned... I always thought The Champ was the definitive tear jerker.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 4:11 PM on August 27, 2006

Try your ringlet variation in 2 low ponytails. Clip each one up to the side of your head, so the mass of curls at the bottom of each ponytail opens up and out at the top of your head. Superfast and easy, and looks dramatic unusual as all getout.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 1:11 PM on August 16, 2006

Running a 5k just feels symbolic to me. I don't really know of any other goals that symbolize the same physical, public accomplishment.

My goal really is just to finish. I want to run as much of it as I can, but if I have to walk some of it, I’m OK with that, too. yqxnflld, of course, I totally liked your answer the best, but the rest of the answers seem to disagree. Would you mind telling me a little more about what you base your opinion on?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 6:03 PM on August 12, 2006

Trust me on this: No potato peels. Don't make me tell you about The Time I Ruined Thanksgiving...
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 12:50 PM on June 16, 2006

Try this place in Fremont.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 1:15 PM on June 15, 2006

REM's "Ignoreland"
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 3:56 PM on April 12, 2006

Thanks! You guys are awesome!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 8:04 AM on March 26, 2006

I think the first thing to do is stop reading the hateful letters. If you're severing ties from a toxic relationship, don't leave the job half done.

I cut ties 7 years ago from my abusive family, and I tend to focus on the fact that I simply chose happiness for myself. I don't see any cause for guilt in that. A very sad byproduct of my decision is that it caused other people to feel anger and resentment toward me, and I am truly sorry for that, but it doesn't diminish... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Failure31 at 12:14 AM on December 26, 2005