Do I need to fill in any/all spaces in the garden with grass resistant plants or mulch/bark?

This is where I would start for your garden and is what I've done in my own. Use bark mulch or similar layered over paper so that it all breaks down and fertilises the garden and don't be afraid to spread it right it underneath the overhanging branches of the ground cover plants you already have (so put it right up to the stems) so that every bare bit of dirt... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:19 PM on July 19, 2008

Sweetbox - saccharine girly jpop which is much fun to sing along with.

Also the first album by Bic Runga, particularly the song Sway. (I prefer her third album but it's not the feel you're going for)
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:25 PM on July 18, 2008

I would be extremely surprised if any library had its digital library available through wifi. They would need to pay for all potential users to do so.

My university does, on campus anyway. But then you need a student account to access the wifi, and then everything runs through their proxy server as described above, so it doesn't help a non-student. The information commons also has terminals you can sit at and use but again you need a student account... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:02 PM on July 14, 2008

Is there a university near you with an engineering department? As well as having resources like an engineering library and engineering professors there will be students, and you might be able to pay an engineering student to do some basic research for you.

Or maybe cement forum. I've only given it a cursory glance but may be a starting point. (I found it linked within the resources section of my University's engineering library website).... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 11:03 PM on July 13, 2008

You can get a nice bacterial infection from expired lotion. It's all moist and friendly for bacteria to live in. The rash could easily be a mild infection. Stop using the lotion and if the bumps don't go away go to a doctor.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:09 PM on July 5, 2008

It seems like these people like having the dog, or at least like the idea of having a dog. So if you give it away behind their back there's a good chance they'll just get another one. So don't do that, instead let them know exactly how much this sucks.

You need to be more blunt. Tell them straight up that what they're doing is unacceptable and borderline abuse. No pussy footing around, no weasel words, tell them it sucks and is not fair to the dog and they shouldn't be... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:27 PM on July 4, 2008

This is a no brainer. You have some kind of gait problem (landing on the outside of your foot like that is classic) and you need to see a podiatrist. Fussing about with new shoes or exercises or whatever is a waste of time until you've seen the podiatrist and been properly diagnosed, and there's a good chance you'll make things worse instead of better if you do so. And the podiatrist is the absolute correct person to see about this, anyone else (like a physiotherapist) should just be sending you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:38 PM on July 4, 2008

I have an 80 gig iPod and only about 20 gig free on my computer and mainly just do what markblasco is suggesting. Set it to manual management. Put 20 gigs of music onto the computer, transfer to the iPod, delete music from the computer. Put on another 20 gigs, transfer, delete, etc until everything is on there. Any mp3s etc that I've downloaded or only own in digital format got burnt onto CDs as backup so now I have two sets, one on my iPod and one on CDs (either original or burnt by me). I use... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:53 PM on July 1, 2008

If the sink is in a different room from the toilet then you have to deal with a door handle on the way out before you've washed your hands. Either that or pee with the door open then go into the bedroom to wash up. Either way isn't that nice, and everyone should always be washing their hands after using the toilet and before touching supposedly clean stuff like door handles. So my reaction to seeing a set up as you describe is that it isn't very hygienic and ew what's the rest of the house like?... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:14 PM on July 1, 2008

Scheweppes make both soda water and tonic water which are available in Australia. I find the tonic water refreshing without being sweet or too bubbly. I like their ginger ale or dry lemonade when my stomach is playing up but am not pregnant so YMMV.

Alternatively try looking for sparkling bottled water. It's usually not as bubbly as soft drinks but still has a tingle on the tongue which is more refreshing than the still version. In NZ several of the standard bottled... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 6:15 PM on June 30, 2008 marked best answer

Good quality fabric paints aren't very expensive and with a somewhat steady hand you can make all kinds of cool stuff. This could be mixed with screen printing to make one off pieces that are just that wee bit cooler than straight printing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:52 PM on June 30, 2008

When my air conditioning broke last year the local air con place did a really comprehensive free check to figure out what the problem was (no obligation quote etc). This seemed to be pretty standard for that type of repair place, probably because air con isn't entirely necessary and can be expensive to keep running (so people are a bit more reluctant to get it looked at). Take a look around and see if somewhere near you is offering the same thing, because if it is just a leaf in there (which I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:10 PM on June 30, 2008 marked best answer

I have a small (four cup) coffee plunger (aka coffee press) and it has cup lines, costs very little (~$25) and is very easy to get right. The good thing about it is you can put tea leaves in there and make a nice cup of tea instead.

But these days I just buy a box of coffee bags for guests and let them make coffee one cup at a time whenever they like. It's fairly decent coffee (way better than instant anyway), convenient, takes up less room and doesn't cost much. I don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:18 PM on June 24, 2008

What would you consider traditional pork-n-beans? I've heard the phrase before and the taste pairing seems to make sense, but overall this isn't a dish I have a lot of experience with. So please spell everything out like I'm an idiot (which I pretty much am when it comes to cooking).
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 12:28 AM on June 17, 2008

I'd never thought of using a ham hock as part of it but can see how that would add a lot of what I'm missing. The pork itself seems to cook up OK in there, not too dry and with decent flavour, but so far everything else has been bland. So I'm going to try Garden Gal's version of making a tasty broth as a casserole base first, then when I get it working I'll try out other flavours everyone has mentioned (I can see how barbeque sauce and an apple would work for example). This has certainly given... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:07 PM on June 17, 2008

Because your skin is too dry after the brushing. Use a body moisturiser and the problem will disappear. Your skin will feel wonderful too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:53 PM on June 17, 2008

Any other common uses of a tub that are as-yet unmentioned?

Cleaning the damn thing. I do not in the slightest miss having a cat fur catching, dust covered tub sitting in my bathroom making the place look dirty. It needs to be cleaned every time before you use it (to stop a tub full of dusty water) followed by another clean afterwards (to prevent rings). Ours was made worse by the cats playing in there, but even when it was shut off it needed... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:27 PM on June 16, 2008

I have something similar in my educational history except the two years were further through, I achieved nothing during that time, and I ended up with a second class degree instead of the first I was originally on track for. It does come up occasionally although generally not in a formal job interview situation. I see no need to lie but also no need to tell all the truth. So I just directly and somewhat coolly tell whoever that I had health issues during that time which have since been resolved... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:54 PM on June 15, 2008

Do you live somewhere that is at all damp? Flour and water glue will come unstuck again if it gets re-wet and I've also had problems with it going mouldy if it wasn't able to fully dry (and stay dry). I don't know how well it would work somewhere totally dry, but I do know it won't be suitable if your environment is damp or overly humid.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:04 PM on June 15, 2008

I'm with Gortuk on this one. I'd be very surprised if your university doesn't have the facility for secure document removal, all the Universities I've been at do and we're way less careful about this stuff in New Zealand. Go ask it your faculty reception, department secretaries know everything. If they can't help move on to the main administration department, Universities generate a lot of paperwork and it must get dealt with somehow.

The place I work now doesn't have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:10 PM on June 15, 2008

I had three sibling cats for many years, burmese crosses (only one is still alive). They all made a large variety of noises which didn't completely overlap. One of them made noises just like you're describing and another made other noises which were similar (but higher pitched and with a trill), the other didn't really make those noises at all. So it couldn't have been strictly inherited or strictly learned (since they were siblings that grew up together) and individual personality obviously... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:31 PM on June 14, 2008

The info about tigers is all very nice but you don't actually have a tiger living in your house. Instead you have a felis catus, or domestic cat, which has a very different anatomy and vocal structures than a tiger (reference). All that stuff about chuffing isn't really relevant to your actual question.

Looking at the scientific literature (what I can access of it today anyway), what I wrote above is basically correct. The number... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:41 PM on June 14, 2008

Trend micro housecall is a free online virus checker that is very good. It downloads some files then scans your system, all of which can take a while. But it doesn't install onto your machine or copy your files anywhere. This means you always get an up to date scan (i.e. all the libraries etc are current) but also means you get no ongoing protection. It sounds like it would be very useful in your situation though.

Housecall can't guarantee that it will catch 100% of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:22 PM on June 10, 2008

Do you have astigmatism? Because that is related. I wore glasses for myopia for about 12 years before I then had to add astigmatism correction. My optometrist told me that people often have trouble adjusting to the new glasses and it can feel like the ground is in weird places or things are moving oddly, and that most people adjust pretty quickly but some never do. Same goes for contact lenses, some people find it hard to go from glasses to contacts and back because your eyes work together... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:26 PM on June 10, 2008 marked best answer

Basically you want to avoid getting any of that skin tanned. Enough sun to turn your skin brown is enough sun to fade your tattoos.

Sunblock will slow the tanning process but it doesn't stop it. The spf rating refers to how much it slows the process and correct application is necessary to get the rating listed on the bottle. Putting on the right amount (which is generally a lot so look up the amounts for your sunblock), regular re-application, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:21 PM on June 9, 2008

My sister effectively did this for a few years. Decided she'd missed out on too much when she was younger (she worked a dead end factory job for minimum wage for much of her early twenties) and that she'd go back to being 24. As far as I know she didn't lie about it but she wasn't always upfront either. When asking her age she'd laugh and say something like "I've decided to be 24" then change the subject (and had me sucked in for a year or two until I realised what was going on!).... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:38 PM on June 8, 2008 marked best answer

If someone asks what year I was born in, I'd say 1978. They'd say "so, you're 30". I'd say, "no, I said I'm 28".

Um no, this is weird. You can't change how long you've been alive even with wishful thinking and that's what your age is, how long you've been alive (remember that '28' is a short for '28 years old'). This makes you look like you either can't add or don't understand how being a certain age actually... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:24 PM on June 8, 2008

To start with the brown bumps are scale. And the sticky stuff is mildew. They often go together and will make the plant very sick or kill it. So you need to deal to them. I find the best way is using mineral oil, you should be able to get suitable stuff at a plant shop for not a lot of money. Make it up to the concentration listed on the container then wipe every single leaf both sides, and along the stems if necessary. You're basically trying to clean the plant (to get rid of mildew) and kill... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:10 PM on June 7, 2008 marked best answer

Oh, I should also mention that the chewing means you likely have a third problem, probably mites. But try the mineral oil first to clean it up and see if the chewing persists. If it does then you probably need a reference book or website for diagnosing bugs or possibly to take a few leaves along to a garden shop and ask for advice. You should be able to buy an insecticide designed for home garden use and with a short withholding period, so the fruit will still be safe to eat.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:18 PM on June 7, 2008

I have some that do what Kololo is describing. But I can recurl them into whichever direction and they generally stay. I think both sides curl the same way, so one towards and one away from my face, whereas the back doesn't really curl properly at all.

All of which reminds me I really need a haircut.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 11:02 PM on June 5, 2008

I would add plants too, but trailing ones that cascade down the stairs or off the sides of the stair case. You'd need to work out how to water them since you probably wouldn't be able to walk up there, maybe a squirt bottle with a tube sticking out like they use for hanging plants.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:13 PM on June 3, 2008

but please don't think you're some kind of exception who needs lube and will always need lube.

Also don't think you're some kind of exception if you do need lube and always need lube. For some of us that's just the way it is. A small dab of KY can be the difference between an amazing sex life and ongoing unpleasantness.

Just keep in mind that you really don't need much. A small dab will go a long way. If... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:29 PM on June 2, 2008

I have similar problems with my orthotics. Unfortunately the width is often part of why they work and going up a shoe size just means they the rest of your foot slides around. You can see a weird bulge in the side of many of my shoes where the orthotic sticks out and I have been known to go through shoes three times as fast as anyone else I know.

Firstly, talk with your podiatrist. They may be able to reshape the back of the orthotics to stop it rubbing so bad and can... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 6:33 PM on June 2, 2008

I'm allergic to perfumes and other such crap so can only use Sorbent Hypoallergenic. When I'm out of town for extended time periods my boyfriend still buys it because it's just so damn nice. I've ruined him for cheap toilet paper.

Anything designed for sensitive skin and lacking in pointless perfumes and chemicals is going to be good, but be aware that this is pretty much the most expensive type in our supermarket.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:21 PM on June 1, 2008

The main issue is that the food you give them be nutritionally balanced and a complete diet. There are specific micronutrients that a cat must have to stay healthy (like how humans don't make vitamin C so have to consume it) as well as an optimal balance of overall nutrients that works for them. The packaging of each type of food should say if it's a complete diet or not, and if it's good quality then I expect both types you're giving are. So as long as the cats drink enough and whatever you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:49 PM on May 29, 2008

Also, the NZ government put out a code of welfare for companion cats last year. It's quite good I think, shows both minimum standard and 'best practice' of what you should be doing to look after your cats, and was widely researched and discussed first. Most people will exceed the minimum easily but I think it gives a good benchmark for what is necessary, and found it put my mind at ease when it came to worrying about things like food and how fat they should be etc (there are pictures at the end... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:01 PM on May 29, 2008 marked best answer

I have IBS and I know how painful and stressful it is. I also know what happens, to me at least, once the cramps start, and it's not short lived, easily contained or quickly cleaned up after. So you have my sympathy.

Stress and psychological effects are a very real part of IBS, as both a cause and an effect. What is happening here is physiological as well as mental and unfortunately they feed into each other. It sounds like you've built up a fairly strong connection... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:20 AM on May 28, 2008

A friend of mine put hers under the mattress for a couple of months (i.e. between the mattress and the base). Apparently that helped squish down and break up the feathers taking out that horrible new pillow spring.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:43 PM on May 26, 2008

I wear orthotics. Being without shoes (and therefore without my custom inserts) for any length of time gets really painful. Since I got them I went from hardly ever wearing shoes to wearing them every minute I can. If I'm home all day I still put my shoes on first thing and stomp round thee house in them. My boyfriend also wears orthotics and we have wooden floors so shoes being on is pretty much the default these days. Gait problems are actually pretty common, I know a lot of people with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:37 PM on May 26, 2008 marked best answer

"Accidentally" running into them: not creepy, probably should be done soon before you build this into a big thing in your head
Emailing and telling them you've been googling: creepy.

However, my workplace sends out regular emails telling us when they hire new staff. If you have something like that it gives an in to either email or go visit (I think face to face is better, YMMV).

Do not even slightly allude to the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:06 PM on May 8, 2008

Keep in mind that dander comes from saliva rather than hair so shedding isn't always the issue. A non-shedding dog will certainly spread less dander but that doesn't automatically make it dander free (all saliva has glycoproteins in it, all dogs have saliva). This probably is more of an issue with cats as they spend more time licking themselves, spreading that spit around, but you still need to take more than just hair-type into consideration for dogs too.

The allergenic... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:47 PM on May 8, 2008

I have two cats, mostly wood floors and some carpet. My vacuum cleaner is a Kambrook Jaguar, 1800 watts. It cost us around NZ$140 (so would probably be less elsewhere), is a couple of years old now and it does a great job. My previous vacuum was a bit smaller, 1200 watts I think, and it didn't quite have enough suck. We don't always vacuum as much as we should either so there is often a fair bit of hair and stuff to deal with, but this cleaner copes no problems. It's fairly small and easy to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:03 PM on May 7, 2008

In the noun phrase "print out" isn't "print" the noun and "out" the (prepositional) adjective?

No. You could argue that print is the doing word (not a noun) and out is the describing word, but it doesn't matter. Because "print out" is the noun in that sentance, both words, together. So more than one of them are "print outs".
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:10 PM on May 7, 2008

You could try splitting the walls vertically, so it's not the same colour all the way up. Generally you put a decorative railing (e.g. thin wood moulding) around the room half to two thirds of the way up and put a pattern or darker colour at the bottom and a plain lighter colour at the top. The divider is called a dado rail. How you actually divide it up depends on the proportions of your room but it can look really nice. Google images has a bunch of examples.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 1:04 AM on May 7, 2008

Could it indicate their major? For example in my CV it says MSc (Physiology) which could be shortened to (Physiol) depending on the style I was following. You should be able to tell if this is likely or what it might be form the context of the CV although ideas that pop into my head include problem resolution and probability research.

For a definitive answer you could contact the university which awarded the degree (even checking their webpage might help). It might be... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:13 PM on May 6, 2008

I'm not sure how to word the whole thing, but I do think you need to be sure to make the point that you're now giving back a lot more value to the company. Make it about what they're getting out of the arrangement more than about what you deserve (or your bills). This is what their bottom line cares about and should be your reason why you deserve the raise. So it's not so much that you have more responsibility but that you're producing work for them at a higher level. Outline all the ways in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:38 AM on May 5, 2008

That does look like a tulip. Google shows a lot of conflicting reports about it's toxicity (including this person who rang poison control to no avail). The main consensus seems to be to watch for vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and to ring your vet if you're not sure or see anything weird. Ringing your vet (or an after hours vet) for advice should be free so that's probably the best option anyway.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:30 PM on May 2, 2008

Normally I'd agree that you need to talk to him about this when you're not having sex and just be clear that you don't like it but .. reading your question it looks like you've done this already. So now you need to be more direct. Start saying no and asking him to stop every time you're not enjoying it. Give immediate feedback right then, no ambiguity, concrete consequences to doing what you asked him not to, and most of all stop letting him do it when you're not enjoying it. Based on your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 7:49 PM on May 2, 2008

Awesome! I think networking is really scary and hard, so it's great to see it paying off. Good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:29 PM on May 2, 2008

I think you've gotten a lot of good advice in the thread so far, read all of it. I just wanted to reiterate a point that Elminster24 made - fit. Women's genitalia come in different shapes and sizes just the same way men's do. Not just the vagina but everything. This isn't generally acknowledged as far as I can tell and it can make quite a big difference. If the respective parts fit together better, not just tighter but how various bits rub against each other and whatnot, then it can have quite a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:26 PM on May 2, 2008