Hi! You people sleep too late!!! :P I do not know where to hold court, however (but I do like that term...hahaha) Would noon be better? I know nothing about this area...so you'll have to say things like "Mel, make a left after walking 30 feet after making a right out of your hotel..." or just send a google map.
posted to MetaTalk by melodykramer at 8:17 PM on October 3, 2008

Hello! I don't mind walking, and I know where San Monica is! I must say, though, that your city seems to require a car, and I don't have a car -- so today I walked around, but I have no sense of LA yet. Whaddaya think?
posted to MetaTalk by melodykramer at 5:46 PM on October 4, 2008

I'll just explore on my own, I suppose. The time I have to get to the backlot keeps changing...oh Hollywood (and I live in real Chicago, and lived in real Philly before that -- I know my walking cities. :P)
posted to MetaTalk by melodykramer at 8:53 PM on October 4, 2008

I'll be at CBS on Monday and part of Sunday, so if there's anything around there too -- that'd be neat to know as well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 6:41 AM on October 3, 2008

I think my plane lands tomorrow at 12:30 PM. Thanks for all of the suggestions thus far!
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 10:24 AM on October 3, 2008

Oh this is fantastic. Thank you all! :P I can't wait to see your city (and show my Philadelphia-living parents!)
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 10:16 AM on September 21, 2008

Thanks sararah!
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 5:39 PM on September 21, 2008

My brother used to have to do this, and it was always exciting to watch Mary Poppins at 3AM.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 10:19 AM on September 21, 2008

I just read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins that fits the bill -- it would contrast nicely with Lord of the Flies.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 10:14 AM on September 21, 2008

I do this for work. You should burn a copy from iTunes and then import it back in. Silly, but it should work....
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 3:10 PM on September 18, 2008

Werner by Jo Ann Beard. I read it shortly before a horrific car accident, and it perfectly encapsulated what I felt afterwards.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 2:37 PM on September 14, 2008

This seems silly, but it happened to me once: make sure you have a memory card in the camera :P
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 7:29 PM on August 22, 2008

I work on Navy Pier. It's worse there, believe me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:54 PM on August 14, 2008 marked best answer

I think it has more to do with my Internet Service Provider than gmail, because I can use gmail at work just fine. I'm not running bootcamp to Windows, but I'll try the secure URL.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:25 AM on August 14, 2008

I will post it as soon as I get home. Thanks for showing me how, fogster.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 10:37 AM on August 14, 2008

I'm certainly not running a proxy server. I'm not even sure what that is. But the show I work for tapes tonight, so when I get home at like midnight, I'll post it. (This all started after my electricity was knocked out by Chicago's lightning storms early last week....)
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 2:57 PM on August 14, 2008

Thanks for explaining fogster and rocket. I think I'm going to bring the computer to my Apple store tomorrow in Chicago, and ask what's up -- and then call my ISP. This seems serious enough to warrant attention. I have switched to the more secure https:// gmail (thanks for that tip!) and will let you know what happens.

Also, everyone in this thread has taken technical jargon and made it easy and simple to understand. I really appreciate it. Thank you. Melody
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:41 PM on August 14, 2008

Curling seems like more my speed. :P
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 1:48 PM on August 3, 2008

Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to provoke fights - I was just wondering whether it was too late for someone in their mid-20's to do this; meaning, do all Olympians have to start pre-20's in order to have a chance -- and I thought maybe it'd be worth checking out, if -- you know -- I could (with lots of time) devote myself to a particular discipline and have a **slight** chance of moving forward, with luck and fortitude and whatnot.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 5:24 PM on August 3, 2008

Maybe the Olympics will come to Chicago and I can watch them play beach volleyball or something.... :P
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 1:00 PM on August 9, 2008

Garrett popcorn tins.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 12:00 PM on August 9, 2008

Just know that the weather here this weekend does not reflect digging your car out of ice everyday for a few months..
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:30 PM on August 7, 2008

Also, as an East Coast transplant who plans to move back to the East Coast quite soon...here's what I miss...Amtrak. I really miss being able to zip to DC or Boston or Philly or New York within a few hours without having to fly. I don't know if you typically do this - or want to do this - but I feel like Chicago is kind of in the middle....with nothing else close by.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:54 PM on August 7, 2008

I made these apple-caramel cupcakes from that woman's cupcake blog, and they were amazing and not too hard. But I would use applesauce instead of coring and mashing apples -- and I used whole-wheat flour to make them somewhat healthy (meaning it was like a whole wheat apple muffin smeared in ooey frosting and then covered in buttery homemade caramel.)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 7:18 AM on August 3, 2008

Issac's Storm by Erik Larson.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 2:34 PM on August 2, 2008

I really wish someone would make a left-handed camera.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 12:48 PM on July 27, 2008

Go to New Deck on a M or W and play Quizzo.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 6:53 AM on July 18, 2008

BA in English, I work in public radio. It seems like everyone I work with has an English degree too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:03 PM on July 16, 2008

When my dad did chemo, he loved to drink Hawaiian Punch. He said it was one of the only things that didn't taste weird.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:34 PM on July 15, 2008

I worked in Hartford for 3 months and lived midway between the two and found myself in NH on weekends a lot more than H..though it should be said that West Hartford is actually quite nice and has many of the same features as New Haven...

The train station in Hartford is one stop past NH on Amtrak. So let that not be your deciding factor. But downtown H empties out after dark. I mean completely. So if you are looking for bars, coffeeshops, etc, NH is better.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:34 PM on July 14, 2008

Thank you all so much! What creative suggestions!

I think I'm going to letterpress her LoC number, and get a print of the book from the artist. And maybe make Moo cards, because that's just cool.

We're just excited because Amazon already lists "Books Other People Have Bought" which means there are pre-orders. Yay!
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 4:24 PM on July 11, 2008

Blowing bubbles, sprinkler fun?, don't leave him/her alone...that's a running age.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:15 PM on July 1, 2008

Oh my gosh, these are AWESOME. Hello Lake Michigan beach reading :P
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:49 PM on June 29, 2008

WOW! THIS IS AWESOME. Thank you book-non-fiction-novel-lovers. <3 Melody
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 12:21 PM on June 30, 2008

khans -- western and devon
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 6:42 PM on June 25, 2008

penn occasionally blasts movies on the side of the library at 40th and walnut. they did it weekly 4 summers ago.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 4:28 PM on June 18, 2008

i have the same hair as you and refuse to blowdry/style..... i did this, and it was not pleasant growing it back out -- it went from sticking straight up to kind of looking like a zombie. i'm not kidding - i tracked it. not telling you not to do it. i'd love it if you did it and it looked great -- just a warning of what might be ahead :P
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 4:26 PM on June 18, 2008

he doesn't have the negs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 2:57 PM on June 5, 2008

we really dont want to send them out --were willing to purchase and scan...we have the time, but thought auto might be quicker
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 4:35 PM on June 5, 2008

we decided to do it by hand and it has turned into a very enjoyable family project -- we're all taking shifts.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:36 PM on June 8, 2008

if anyone is following, we're almost finished:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjkmjk/sets/
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:34 PM on June 14, 2008

when i need to do this, i convert in itunes, burn to a cd, and then read the cd using windows cd player...
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 3:02 PM on June 12, 2008

thank you! very helpful! i am 23, so eventually i have to go back to my apt in a diff. city
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 7:42 AM on May 27, 2008

ps: i do think it could have been a ton worse, and i don't mind people saying that. i'm really just very fortunate to be alive.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 7:54 AM on May 27, 2008

thanks for the tips. i don't need a lawyer -- just hand tips :P i'm really happy to be here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:47 PM on May 27, 2008

I use a Marantz for all of my recording and really enjoy it. Go to www.transom.org for more suggestions on recorders/mikes.

I've recorded with loud noise and music in the background. It's important to tape 2-3 minutes both before and after your interview ends so you can blend it in for ambient sound...
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 4:03 PM on May 23, 2008

I think the Chicago Architectural Foundation is offering free tours of lots of different things this weekend.
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 6:29 AM on May 16, 2008

Also, this would be in a few years. We're not in the same city, and they're still in school...

Mainly we're just feeling this out, to see if it's something we could do and if others have done it, and if so, what to think about....
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 10:51 PM on May 14, 2008

We're young, but this would be in like 6 years when we'd be 29, 28, and 24. Ideally, we'd be on separate floors (maybe a brownstone) and convert the first floor into a common area (kitchen, living area.)

I'm honestly not worried about not getting along with them. We're all very similar and lived together for our entire lives up through college. I just feel like living with them would be SO much better than living in a random building with strangers, and I know we're all... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 9:41 PM on May 15, 2008

Sounds like Ten Kids, No Pets...by Ann M Martin...or the sequel....Eleven Kids, One Summer


An episodic story uniting the big, alphabetically named family in Ten Kids, No Pets (1988) with the leads from Just a Summer Romance (1987). The Rossos are looking forward to their summer rental on Fire Island--a rambling old house on the beach. Abbie, the responsible eldest, is the focus of the first chapter as she worries about the complications of train travel with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by melodykramer at 8:02 PM on May 10, 2008 marked best answer