I'm in the same boat as you - my boyfriend and I need to find an apartment for 7 months in Lyon starting mid-September on a student's budget but without actually being students (we're teaching English in the Lyon region). Very stressful (though maybe we can have a MeFi meet up in Lyon once done with all of the moving formalities).

From what I've found, being a student helps a lot because there are things exclusively for students. This pdf looks very helpful with a lot of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:48 AM on July 24, 2008

You can buy fruit and vegetables at your destinations and continue your eating fruit at work thing - just stop at a grocery store in the morning or on the night before.

On the plane, you can request special meals that are not as disgusting as normal airplane food (examples). If your flights are too short for meals, buy a case of Larabars and take several in your carry-on (you can also take them to work!). They are just fruit and nuts - no added sugar/honey/HFCS anything... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 2:02 PM on July 15, 2008

Ooops - Unicorn on the cob beat me to almost all of my suggestions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 2:03 PM on July 15, 2008

Last time I was there he spoke English, though I don't know if he kept that up because he was starting to learn French.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 10:10 AM on July 15, 2008

Coming from the US. I think cash isn't a great idea because the kid has money.

Google isn't really the answer here because, uh, my mom does know Russian culture and also some of those things are kind of insulting: pens? movies? you can get dvds for, like, 60 rubles on the side of the street if you want movies.

Weird local candy and goofy shirts might be good. I will wander around with her trying to find some of that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 11:19 AM on July 15, 2008

Moscow (full disclosure: I was born there).

I really do not agree with whoever upthread said that you could see everything in Moscow in just a few weekends. Maybe you could see "everything" that a tour guide would take you to see but that's not at all everything there is to see.

The Metro system in Moscow is brilliant: you can get everywhere, the stations are beautiful, you could probably spend a year visiting... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 1:56 PM on July 8, 2008 marked best answer

You could visit the Christopher Elbow chocolate store which has the best chocolate ever. $1.50/piece unless you go to the First Friday art walk tomorrow at which the chocolates at only $1/piece. If you are into it, you should definitely go to First Friday.

Also, you could go hang out in Westport. If you're into books, Spivey's is neat. You could also go check out the City Market.

Off the beaten path - drive 20 minutes to Lawrence, KS which is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 10:27 AM on July 3, 2008

I have your proportions (27 waist and 30F breasts, though I'm not short ) and the only button down shirt that I've ever found that works for me and looks like I want it to was a strechy one that I found at H&M worn with a certain bra (other bras make gaps). However, I've never found that shirt at H&M again and I regret buying just one.

What I'm considering doing is buying just random button down shirts that fit in the chest and tucking them into super high... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 10:12 AM on July 3, 2008

Well, unless you just made up some random numbers, any statistics that you would show your girlfriend would only worry her more. 15% failure rate with "typical use" isn't that great.

This is another thread on which you can read about this subject - I think the general consensus there was that condoms alone are kind of worrying.

Do you need to convince her of using just condoms because you/she do not want to use hormonal birth control... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 7:49 AM on July 2, 2008

Thanks for all the answers! I'm not really into wandering around and looking at architecture/museums alone (it's more fun when you go with someone and can discuss it, no?) but all of the bike and random place suggestions are nice. I don't really need to put myself "as far from hipsterdom as possible" and might take the suggestion to hang out at Wicker Park since last time I was in Chicago it seemed like a cool place.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 6:52 AM on July 2, 2008

Day of the Triffids is excellent. I think there was a movie or tv show made based off the book that you might want to look into, too (though it might be crap. I haven't seen it).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 11:35 AM on June 27, 2008

The 24-digit reservation code is really all that you need. If I recall correctly, the driver has a list of all of the reservation codes and checks your code against his list as you get on the bus.

I don't know what you mean by "false sense of security." You don't have a specific seat reserved (you choose seats by the first come, first served method) but in my experience, the bus did leave on time. So you need to be there early enough; personally, I'd get there at 12.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 6:16 AM on June 25, 2008

Well, if you are a student at a university, people will probably be going through your trash at moveout because it is, in college towns, prime dumpster diving season. The best thing you could do, if you don't want to track down a paper shredder, is to mix your financial papers with something disgusting. Can you soak them in tomato juice? Can you pour Pepsi all over them? Etc? And then yeah, opaque trashbags.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 2:16 PM on June 15, 2008

You could always use GoogleDocs. It works for me. It would be basically like using notepad, I guess, but you would have access to recipes anywhere and could star the ones that you like to remember them.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 11:29 AM on June 10, 2008

Slice it up, spread some butter or cream cheese on it, put slices of smoked salmon on top of the cream cheese, squeeze some lemon juice on top of that, throw some capers on top of that. Maybe garnish with a bit of dill.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 2:23 PM on June 3, 2008

Movie theater is the way to go. That's what I did when I needed to take a nap before an early flight and had no place to stay. It helps if it is a foreign film because you don't get too distracted by the dialogue.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 11:30 AM on June 3, 2008

This might sound weird, but I hear that drinking pickle juice relieves leg cramps. When I was working at a concession stand a long time ago, a baseball team always asked for cups of it to drink.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 6:48 AM on May 28, 2008

Yoga! Do this.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 9:29 AM on May 27, 2008

Carbohydrate wise: eat quinoa and eat buckwheat. Both are great and can be used or substituted into a lot of recipes!

Salad dressing: tahini+miso+lemon juice (or, cheaper, panut butter + soy sauce + lemon juice) is really good.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 7:40 PM on May 12, 2008

I once had pure ginger juice. That stuff is hardcore. You should definitely try it. And trick your friends into trying it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 10:05 AM on May 5, 2008

I think that you should definitely not stay with your brother and his wife - that's asking for trouble. You should stay with your parents but frame it in a "I miss Mom and Dad so much, being away has really made me realize how much I want to be around them while I still have that choice" rather than a "I don't want to stay with you and your bitchy wife" sort of way.

That way you make it easier for everyone - you don't have to stay with brother/his... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 7:39 AM on May 5, 2008

Get drunk. That may sound flippant but I am totally not joking. You'll feel more at ease and words will start flowing more naturally because you won't have time to be worried about whether or not you are saying the correct thing or not. Conversation is really, really a lot easier if you don't have to deal with both the stress of coming up with words and the stress of worried if you are getting it right or not.

(Furthermore, if you make a misstep in the language, you can... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:19 AM on April 30, 2008

I would check out other things in your life before pinning the mood swings and weight gain on the Mirena. I'm basing this on that I am really sensitive to hormones (Nuvaring, which is supposed to be free from ups-and-downs and fairly low-dose, made me sleepy and sad) and Mirena hasn't really affected me too much other than the random light cramps/bloated feelings here and there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:30 PM on April 22, 2008

DarkForest - I don't think so because I looked through that entire issue and saw nothing directly related to my topic. That's a cool site, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 3:25 PM on April 21, 2008

I've tried talking to librarians at my university's library and they were stumped. I was hoping that the hive mind might come up with some insider info or something.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:07 PM on April 21, 2008

You could always buy the big book with all the novels in paperback and get it rebound to hardcover.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 1:50 PM on April 21, 2008

The (fairly authentic except for me changing it to be vegetarian) recipe I use is below. To make it more authentic and meaty, instead of adding vegetable broth, add water and chunks of beef and do whatever it is people do to make beef broth.

3 beets (large)
3 carrots (medium)
3 potatoes (medium)
half a cabbage
half a yellow onion
some garlic
3 bay leaves
'some' dill
'some'... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:33 PM on April 20, 2008 marked best answer

The Ziploc "Twist 'N Loc" line has several different sizes that use the same round lids. And they twist and lock! (less worries about spilling soup all over my purse!)
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 6:41 PM on April 20, 2008

I've taken it for insomnia and seasonal depression. I didn't have any side effects that I can remember, certainly no sexual side effects. I remember that I had very vivid dreams while on it, but that's probably because 5-HTP usually comes bundled with B6 (which causes crazy dreams).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 4:38 PM on April 18, 2008

Keep the money - your agreement with him was based on your relationship with him. That relationship no longer exists, and you don't really want to it to. So why bother? And ignore everyone who says that you should say "I'm not that into you" in a note (because saying that to him means that you are still overthinking you+him and he will interpret it as you still being into him)
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:16 PM on April 15, 2008

Buy good box wine. Black Box, Hardy's, and Le Faux Frog have worked for me.

Additionally, do you live in a place where you can order wine online? Three Thieves has four packs available at their online store. Their stuff is pretty good.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 5:26 PM on April 8, 2008

Wikipedia entry for breakfast in Northern/Eastern Europe has some good suggestions.

As far as fish goes, have you considered smoked salmon in friendlier packaging? Or making gravlax? Or just getting a salmon fillet, shopping it up into breakfast sized pieces, and freezing them individually? (+ heating quickly on stove/hot plate in the morning) I don't think you should give up on fish in this equation because it adds a particularly healthy edge to this breakfast. (though... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 6:36 AM on April 7, 2008 marked best answer

Thank you all for the answers!
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:29 AM on April 3, 2008

Club soda (or sparkling water) + a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice (check the ingredients to confirm) + a dash of bitters. Over ice or not. I think this is delicious. And unsweetened juice is pricey but if you are only using a splash of it each time, it is quite cost effective.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 7:46 AM on April 2, 2008 marked best answer

I always do c, including the open saran wraps littering the table. If I am not careful enough with opening and the saran wrap rips I use new saran wrap.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 9:29 AM on March 22, 2008

Backup + reinstall is your best bet.

Preliminary check you could do that might turn something up if it is obvious: Start->Run-> "msconfig," then check the "Startup" tab and make sure you know what all of that stuff is. I the monitoring software automatically loads at start up it should be there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 9:47 AM on March 17, 2008

Honey and peanut butter sandwiches!
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 11:57 AM on March 6, 2008

Rabarberofficer: What is the basis for your advice to not convert dollars to euros now?

outsider: Yeah, I'm definitely going to open a bank account there when I get there. I've heard, though, that HSBC doesn't necessarily let you start an online account from the USA with access from Europe.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 9:50 AM on March 3, 2008

I think that all of the people commenting to say that it is horribly unhealthy are not properly reading your question and/or do not know what a Mirena is. Your uterine lining is not building up because Mirena thins the uterine lining as part of its mechanism of action.

I've read that having periods is not necessary. I really doubt that you'll have any problems with it, although I have read that some people with Mirena have spotting when they change the old Mirena for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 4:07 PM on February 27, 2008

Do yoga! It will make you feel less tired, costs little money, and will make you feel better about life in general.

I would suggest, if you prefer structure, to buy this book, a yoga mat, and a space heater and set up a mini Bikram studio in your living room. I find the Bikram set rewarding because you notice actual progress day to day. Also, his book is funny and is really accessible. Don't skip the space heater, though - doing it feels much better in a warmer room.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 2:37 PM on February 22, 2008

Here is an article about exercising the transversus abdominus.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 6:28 PM on February 15, 2008

All good answers. What I am really worried about is what heartquake mentioned - if I precook the salmon and then form the patties and put them in the oven, I am afraid that the result will be too dry.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 3:28 PM on January 24, 2008

For what it's worth, a lot of days I drink maybe one glass of water and then 8/9 cups of tea (variety of herbal, green, black) and I do just fine as far as hydration.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 7:42 AM on January 17, 2008

I agree with thehmsbeagle about not going crazy with the punishments and with everybody who said that you should get the kid several pairs of cheap glasses from the internet. I disagree with everyone who said to get him really ugly glasses as a punishment - I mean, seriously? He's a kid. Kids lose things. He probably already feels horrible about losing the glasses to begin with.

I think that instead of taking away privileges, you should make him do chores and work around... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 3:47 PM on December 21, 2007

My friend just called the number and it only gave a message with directions to a web page where a ticket could be created (which she already saw and did).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:24 PM on December 5, 2007

Yeah, we've seen that page already, the problem is the very important emails tomorrow morning and that there was no violation of terms at all.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 8:26 PM on December 5, 2007

Friend says: "They are bouncing my email. Any emails sent say my account is deleted and are bounced back to the sender. I checked that recently."
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 9:21 PM on December 5, 2007

Thanks for the help!

Update: the account was restored today midday. She received an email from them as follows:

Subject: bulk respond (200)

Recently the Gmail team launched several features intended to detect and prevent breaches of our Terms of Use, such as spamming.As a result, a number of users who may have not been acting in breach of these terms were affected. The issue has since been resolved, and these users have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 1:39 PM on December 6, 2007

No, I'm pretty sure that the "bulk response" thing is because this happened to a lot of people at the same time and Google was responding to all of the created tickets with one bulk response.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 12:19 PM on December 7, 2007

When I was using the Divacup, I noticed that periods felt shorter but I don't think that mine were actually shorter. I figured that that's what everyone online who said that it made them shorter meant.

In your case, I would assume that the prolonged hormone use from Nuvaring would have changed the blood flow. Or, maybe, when you used tampons, did you use them for only 3.5 days or for longer? Because maybe the minor spotting that you experience later looked like a lot... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 7:53 PM on November 29, 2007