I bought a very large (11'x16') Persian rug from a dealer on ebay a few years ago. I think I paid around $150 for the rug and $100 for shipping. I am satisfied with the rug and it looks great. I needed to cover the floor of a room occupied by small dogs and clumsy people who regularly spill their coffee and wine. I'd say the quality of the rug I got is sort of average. It's wool and colorful and pretty, but now that I know a little more about Persian rugs and have seen nicer rugs in other... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:20 PM on August 26, 2008

Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to take a wild guess that the grass in your yard isn't actually a fine, green, velvety turf that just happens to not get trimmed with precision. I'm betting that your "grass" is similar to that of my lovely, but really laid-back neighbors and in fact consists of a generous portion of noxious weeds that are creeping into their yard. My neighbors lawn is covered with creeping ivy, creeping jenny, milk weed, english ivy, crab grass and other... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 6:20 PM on August 25, 2008

You might want to try incorporating some cardio and light weigh-lifting exercise into your weekly routine. Exercise until you get sweaty 3-5 times a week. Light weight-training is realy good for burning fat.

I wonder if your body thinks it is being starved and is hoarding the calories you consume? Try eating smaller nutrient dense meals throughout the day.

As for what you are eating, are you making the Panini yourself or at a restaurant? That... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 6:26 PM on August 20, 2008

I used to live in Boulder. It is a crazy expensive town to live in and hard to find affordable housing (renting or buying) in the city. Jobs in most fields are scarce and don't pay enough balance the costs of housing. You know in most cities, when you go to the grocery stores, the cashiers and baggers are high school and college kids? In Boulder, it is mostly middle aged people working these jobs.

There are a lot of trustafarians in Boulder (rich hippie kids with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:28 PM on August 19, 2008 marked best answer

It would be worth your money to pay a home inspector to come in and give you an assessment of what really needs to be done to the house to make it livable. Hire someone who is completely independent of your agent. This can help give you legitimate bargaining power. When I bought my house, the inspection person was able to tell me that some of the electrical and plumbing in the house needed immediate upgrading, but that other problems were merely cosmetic and could be fixed later.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:19 AM on August 17, 2008

I have a very similar situation with my mom. I find that trying to address issues from the past with her is kind of like picking at a scab and does absolutely no good. But yeah, it takes a lot of work and self-discipline to build a relationship with a parent you've had a dysfunctional relationship with in the past.

There's nothing she can do about the way she behaved in the past. As an adult, you can set up boundaries to help build a healthier relationship with your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 10:29 AM on August 16, 2008

I used to work at a University in several admin staff type positions in academic units.

- I worked full time. I did work some overtime and was required to travel overnight for work once in awhile.
- My school offered $1 a credit hour tuition, even for graduate level classes.
- I completed 25% of my grad school degree this way. I took classes during my lunch break, in the evenings and online. It was a challenge to fit classes into my work... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:50 PM on August 14, 2008 marked best answer

Also voting for ignoring. The Westboro crackpots kinda like it when you engage them in debate or show that they make you mad. Also, something that is very important to keep in mind about Westboro: a lot of the Phelps family are lawyers and are a litigious bunch. They seem to seek out opportunities to sue people, which works out pretty well for them financially.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:56 PM on August 14, 2008

It kind of depends on what you keep the thermostat set at and how big the apartment is. In the winter, we keep our heat at 64 during the day and turn it down to 62 at night. We think this is normal and are fine with wearing layers of clothing indoors when it is cold, but to a lot of people that is crazy cold and they set their thermostat at least to 70, which leads to a heating bill that is easily at least $50 higher.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:44 PM on August 11, 2008

You could do what I did...work your butt off, save as much money as possible, quit your job, sell most of your worldly possessions and go live somewhere else (ie. another country) for awhile. Even better if you can combine this period of soul searching with a volunteer opportunity. Figure out what you love and what you want to do with the rest of your life. You might surprise yourself.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 4:48 PM on August 9, 2008

Back in the olden days, when I was a waitron, I'd periodically deal with really mean customers. People who would denigrate, belittle, verbally abuse or shout at me. If I had a chance in the kitchen, I'd pick up the top of their hamburger bun, lick it, take it out and serve it with a big smile on my face. Alternately, I would lick their dill pickle spear.

A customer had to be truly awful to me specifically to deserve this treatment though. It is shocking how mean... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 10:10 PM on August 8, 2008

If the employee is given the option to stay and work for a few additional weeks, it's a good precaution to back up any electronic files that work on their hard-drive and on your office's server. I worked with a lady once, who was laid off from her previous job due to budget cuts. She confided to me that she was so angry that she spent her last two weeks methodically deleting important documents from the server and her computer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 2:43 PM on August 8, 2008

A rice cooker.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 4:07 PM on August 4, 2008

Fingertips have a lot of very sensitive nerve endings. Fingernails protect these nerve endings.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:15 AM on August 3, 2008

I think there could be a few different things going on. The other women might feel threatened by your physical appearance. I've seen groups of women behave awfully to other women they perceive as more attractive. You might be dealing with women who are worried you are going to steal the spotlight somehow.

You could also be unintentionally physically expressing the way you are feeling. I know a woman who says other women are mean to her and she has a hard time making... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:14 PM on July 30, 2008

In many programs, if you aren't getting along with your adviser or they aren't giving you the feedback you want, you can simply switch to a new adviser.

If your program was completely dysfunctional and you feel like you were treated unfairly due to gender, ethnicity or race, you might have a case.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:57 PM on July 29, 2008

Being in an abusive relationship can taint a person's self-esteem for years. As a woman with a similarly troubled past and a former proclivity for abusive men, I can confirm that therapy helped me move on with my life and to help me fully appreciate the very sweet, gentle man (now my husband) who has patiently stood by me. He still wants to punch some of my ex's in the face, so I guess that is not an unusual response!
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:57 PM on July 17, 2008

In my explorations, I've found that these rooms tend to be used for storing obsolete junk that nobody feels motivated or comfortable enough to discard: boxes of files, old computer parts, shelves of 3 ring binders filled with documents, office supplies from the 1970s and 80s, manuals, textbooks, encyclopedias, and educational vhs tapes.

Now that I work in a situation where I am in a room in a public building that requires keys and fingerprint scan access...I fully... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:13 PM on July 17, 2008

In my experience with this sort of thing, I felt thoughtful, sad and like I wanted to honor my friend's life by doing something positive with mine. I wasn't shocked. I was only surprised he hadn't successfully killed himself years before. I didn't even cry, which felt weird. We all have different ways of mourning.

I hope that your friend found the peace he was looking for.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:34 PM on July 15, 2008 marked best answer

I'd hack that dress shirt by sewing large metal snaps underneath the buttons so they could snap closed instead of button. Minimal sewing required. You could probably hire a seamstress or tailor to do all your dress shirts in one go, for a reasonable cost.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:12 PM on July 14, 2008

A deck of cards is great for entertaining yourself (solitaire) or playing a card game with a companion. I like traveling with a small backpack water filtration pump so that I can purify my own water and not leave a bunch of empty water bottles in the country hosting me. A small headlamp style flashlight has come in handy more than I expected during my travels. Clothes that dry fast and don't make you look like an boy/girl scout. A pair of sandal type shoes that you can hose off if they get... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:10 PM on July 10, 2008

Depending on where you work, freelancing on the side may be considered a conflict of interest. You may want to check. I do know conservators who pick up projects on the side, and who even have permission to use the labs at their day jobs for projects, so what you have in mind is totally reasonable. Depending on how much formal conservation training you have, you might need to be careful on how you represent yourself and the types of services you offer.

The big thing... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:30 PM on July 9, 2008

Devil in the White City
In Cold Blood
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:11 PM on July 7, 2008

I've taken the Amtrak overnight between different destinations across the US. On some trips there was definitely a "party" or bar like atmosphere if you left your seat and went to the smoking lounge or wandered through other cars. Lots of people bring their own alcohol onto the train and I've seen people get a little rowdy and try to start fights or pass out in the bathroom. The coach seating isn't that great for sleeping, but it can be done.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 6:34 PM on July 5, 2008

I had similar symptoms once and it was diagnosed as pityriasis rosea, which is annoying, but harmless and goes away on its own. If you have something like eczema or pityriasis rosea, the lotion may be irritating it and making it itch more.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 6:12 PM on July 5, 2008

I love my local used book store because of the individual attention they give customers. I regularly bring in books to trade for store credit. If I decide to come back and shop later, they'll keep track of the credit for me. If I don't come in for awhile, one of the staff will call me and say, "hi, just reminding you, you have $25 in credit to spend with us!"

If I want a book and it isn't in stock, this bookstore will make a note of it and when they get it in,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 10:33 AM on July 4, 2008

As a previous poster noted, there are some very retro and midwestern recipes that use mayonnaise, including quite a few desert items. I personally think this is an appalling food abuse, but the old people in tornado alley really dig stuff like jell-o salad with mayo mixed in; diced apples, raisins & celery tossed in mayo, fruit salads with mayo dressing...the list goes on.

My 1940 edition of the Household Searchlight Recipe Book includes a whole slew of mayonnaise... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 6:08 PM on July 3, 2008

It is common in today's job market for people to have gaps in between employment. Sometimes people just can't find a job, sometimes they take a 4 month break to visit another country or sometimes they take some time off to be with a seriously ill family member. I wouldn't even go into detail indicating you had an emergency or crisis. Just say you took a break in between jobs to spend some time with your family. The specifics of your leave of absence are not the business of the person... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 5:47 PM on July 3, 2008

You're going to have to tell your boyfriend that it bugs you when he checks out other women and comments on their attractiveness. Definitely do not turn the tables and start commenting on every hot guy you see...playing games like that will not help your relationship.

If you want more affection, you need to communicate and also to initiate affection yourself. If it bothers you that your boyfriend seems fixated on your appearance, just tell him so. He probably thinks... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 2:42 PM on July 3, 2008

I love my titanium wedding band. I wear nitrile gloves every day at work and my ring fits nicely under them, without snagging. As a rough and tumble woman who does a lot of gardening, landscaping, biking and home renovation projects, my titanium ring has been a champ.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:00 AM on July 3, 2008

She looks sort of central American or indigenous Mexican to me, possibly art made for the tourist trade during the 30's or 40's. That's just a guess though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:26 PM on July 2, 2008

I've never tried mixing a white and red sauce together in lasagna. I usually choose to make a red OR a white sauce. I always use a cheese filling though. Maybe try a cheese filling instead of a cheese sauce? My cheese filling includes a tub of ricotta cheese, a couple of eggs, grated romano or parmesan cheese and spices. This filling needs to be really thick, but spreadable. When I bake this, the egg holds the cheese together, so I get the defined layers.

I think... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 1:58 PM on June 29, 2008 marked best answer

In the 19th century, women often embarked on large quilting projects to help cope with the death of a family member. At the end of the project, they had a work of art to help them remember and honor their loved one.

There is one story that moves me from the book, "Nebraska Quilts and Quiltmakers." It describes the quilt made by a mother after the loss of her child to an 1892 diphtheria epidemic.

"Grandmother was so... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:43 PM on June 26, 2008

No way this photo is 1830s, for the same reasons as burnfirewalls lists above. I agree that this photo looks more 1860s. Retouching photos (sometimes quite heavily) was a common practice during the last part of the 19th century. I've seen some retouched photos from this era that look like strange paintings and I've also seen images of deceased relatives' faces superimposed into group photos. I think you are dealing with a bit of both of these factors.

My theory about... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:45 PM on June 25, 2008

An even creepier theory is that the only actual photo of this woman was post-mortem. That would explain the heavily painted eyes.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:48 PM on June 25, 2008

It all kind of depends on where you live. I've bartended both in the US and Europe. Here's my perspective on bartending in the US:

I liked the money from bartending and the fact that the customers had to come to *me* to get their drinks. You have a little bit of leverage and customers tend to be nicer to bartenders because they want their drinks fast and correctly made. As the bartender, I usually got to pick the music and dress kind of outrageously if I felt like it. I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:19 PM on June 25, 2008 marked best answer

If you are thinking about ebay, I can tell you that records are tough to sell because there are many condition points that serious collectors are looking for. Lots of serious buyers/collectors have gotten burned buying less than pristine vinyl and won't buy online anymore...they want to inspect the goods in person.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 6:03 PM on June 23, 2008

Maybe he could shred documents for people or businesses. I used to work at a place where we generated barrels of paperwork that needed to be shredded and we'd send it out somewhere to have it done. I would totally pay someone to shred all my old bills and credit card solicitations.

One of my friends used to make extra money by working for a visually impaired attorney...she'd go to his office and read documents and mail to him. I'll bet your friend could do something... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:11 PM on June 20, 2008

Cherry sorbet is easy, cheap and a tasty summertime treat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:11 PM on June 20, 2008

I have your type of hair and can absolutely relate. I have done well with mid-length bobs, but the hair has to be thinned out a bit and undercut to keep it under control and from flipping up maniacally at the ends like a bad Donna Reed inspired hairstyle. I've had a few short and shaggy hair-cuts that I liked and were jaw length. I sometimes use a flat iron on my hair, but mostly I use a pomade or silicone hair product to tame it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:20 PM on June 18, 2008

I had a similar issue as a kid, but instead of sniffling, I cleared my throat all the time. I couldn't control it and didn't even realize I was doing it. My family members and other adults in my life made sure to tell me how annoying it was, but nobody ever went to any lengths to figure out the reasons for the throat clearing.

As an adult, in charge of my own health care, I've gotten treatment for the variety of things that led to my post nasal drip/cough variant... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 2:38 PM on June 14, 2008

I lived in rural Central America for awhile, after having spent most of my life in the US and Europe, eating a wide array of ethnic foods. I went from shopping at stores that had aisles devoted to juice, to shopping at stores that had only orange or apple juice. I think if the local people had traveled around and explored different cuisines, they'd probably get tired of eating simple meals of beans, rice, chicken and fruit. After all, you can't miss or crave something you've never had. I, on... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:00 PM on June 12, 2008

What helped me get over my own self-consciousness was to start ignoring the negative, self-deprecating voices inside my head and to realize that in the grand scheme of the world and the billions of people in it, I'm pretty much inconsequential. So I figure I might as well have fun and do things that make me happy and feel good, as long as I'm not hurting anyone. In 50 to 75 years, most of us are going to be dead and nobody is going to remember any of the stupid or awkward stuff we've done. We... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:53 PM on June 5, 2008

While working for a State University I got $1 a credit hour tuition for myself, spouse and any dependent children.

Also while working at a University, I enjoyed the paid holiday shutdown between Dec 24 and Jan 1.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:47 PM on May 30, 2008

I think you need to work on being a little more selfish. If your needs are not being met in friendships, then what is the point? It is noble, but not your obligation to serve those around you without getting anything in return.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 9:12 PM on May 30, 2008

There are some good deals on plane and rail tickets right now that it sometimes makes it cheaper to travel that way instead of by car. Some friends of mine just flew RT to Chicago for $99 each. You could always watch for deals on tickets and then rent or borrow a car or take public transportation once you arrive.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:23 PM on May 29, 2008

As a male, you can develop wrinkles, a pot belly and gray hair and it will most likely not affect the way you are treated, in fact, you will probably be treated with more respect, because you will look "distinguished."

In the workplace, nobody is going to mistake you for the secretary or receptionist.

You will probably never get called a "bitch" for asserting yourself.

Your therapist will never... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 7:59 PM on May 29, 2008

Maybe she simply likes hanging out with you and wants to build a closer friendship with you and you are overanalyzing her signals. It kind of sounds like you've idealized this girl in your head and set up some high standards and expectations of who she is and what her motivations are. The fact that you are surprised that she goes out for cocktails now, illustrates this. The potential for you to be disappointed is very high. You've built this girl up in your mind for years and put her on a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 5:07 PM on May 27, 2008

Geek Love is one of my favorite all time books, so here are some other books/writers/short stories that I enjoyed in a similar way.

If you haven't already, I encourage you to read some Flannery O'Connor. Her short story, "Good Country People" features a girl with a wooden leg trying to seduce a bible salesman up in the hayloft of a barn. Her other stories (and the few novels she wrote) are full of eccentric, immoral, weird 1930's Southern characters who behave... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 5:13 PM on May 26, 2008

I had some birds living in the attic of a house I lived in once. I thought it was cute until the stink of decomposing dead bird started to emanate from the ceiling during unusually hot spring weather. One of the baby birds had died and the mother simply nudged it to a hard to reach corner of the attic. It was not a cute mess to clean up.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pluckysparrow at 8:43 PM on May 22, 2008