I second telling her in private and saying something supportive. Say that you're concerned for her well-being, and she should take steps to fix this, like going to the police if it's a stalker, that sort of thing.

Also, going to see a lawyer is a good idea, CYA is never a bad idea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 9:43 PM on March 11, 2008

Ziplocs of various sizes (little ones for small things, big ones for packing clothes) - keep things organized.

You can generally get clothes for cheap in thailand or vietnam, or probably wherever you first alight. Start out with a few pairs of stuff, but don't bring anything expensive. Bring stuff that's tossable, and buy the super-cheap stuff as you need it.

I bought flip-flops there and spent a month in them almost exclusively, no problem.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 6:50 AM on February 27, 2008

Sorry I didn't clarify more in the OP: I'm running WinXP on a little shuttle box. The splash screen is what comes up during the boot process right after the graphics card info at the very beginning, kinda like Sony's Vaio or whatnot, right before it tries to boot from a drive.

I'll try the bios settings, sharkfu, and see if it changes anything.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 9:56 PM on February 26, 2008

The Long Now Foundation has a series of lectures they put up as podcasts and video (I think).

They deal with future trends in various things. I love the TED videos, I found them after Long Now, and I thoroughly enjoy both. Long Now has a 50 min lecture, with 20 min or so of questions after, which is nice because there are a lot of bright people in the audience who ask really good questions.

http://www.longnow.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 11:16 PM on February 24, 2008

Oops, Big Ideas site is: http://www.tvo.org/TVOsites/WebObjects/TvoMicrosite.woa?bigideas
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 11:17 PM on February 24, 2008

I wouldn't advise climbing Fuji at this time of year unless you're an experienced alpine climber. In the climbing season of July/August temperature's are around freezing, it'll be way below that. I can see it from my window and there's still a ton of snow up there right now.

If you want to do some hiking and look at Fuji, go to Hakone. it's accessible from Tokyo (there's a train from Shinjuku) and you can do the little circuit in cable car and pirate boat.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 10:00 PM on February 24, 2008

Having been an international student and sublet rooms before, she probably deserves the boot out the door. Anyone who acts like that is irresponsible.

That being said, you've lived with her for long enough that you seem to be able to live with her for another 30 days. I'd second the idea of drawing up another contract and make sure she knows no parties, etc, and that you expect her to pay for things she breaks (you should've tallied this up before anyways - at least... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 7:36 PM on February 23, 2008

"I was a Greek minor, but the alphabet hems me in a bit with its lack of certain English sounds. Maybe Cyrillic would be handier."

Like litlnemo says, The sounds shouldnt't put you off. If you can read it well enough, then that should be fine.

If you're worried about a surplus of greek majors tuning in, might I recommend the Japanese katakana alphabet. It CAN be done well enough to cover nearly all the sounds in the English alphabet:... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 7:57 PM on February 19, 2008

Beer brats! My mom used to make them with my dad's cheap budweiser, so you probably don't need great stuff, though probably better beer will make it taste better.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 3:39 AM on February 19, 2008

I'm like you, I did a ton of running, soccer, cycling before college, so my legs are naturally strong, but my upper body was lacking.

I started swimming (yeah, I hate it too - getting wet, showering, yadda yadda) two or three times a week, and built up my arms and chest quite a bit. Once I hit 25, I started filling out, and when I hit the gym I did basically bench presses and whatever that pull-down machine is plus body combat aerobic classes. That really upped my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 3:02 AM on February 18, 2008

If PA's anything like Indiana, go to amish country and get some Amish-made apple butter (not that smucker's crap). Rather heavy, but it's what I crave from the US.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 2:55 AM on February 18, 2008

I can't believe you don't like meat or veggies. You haven't had veg cooked well, methinks. I never ate asparagus, eggplant, cherries or spinach until I lived on my own and started cooking for myself, now I love them. Google some recipes, find one that looks delicious, and go.

Since you like starchy things like potatoes and pasta, try looking up some cottage pie recipes, here's one, and there's a link to a vegetarian version.

Green salads are... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 10:04 PM on February 16, 2008

I'd say metahawk's writing and Optimus' find a new flame are the best advice. If it's been this long, it sounds like you haven't properly dealt with things. After 3+ years and things are still tough, I'd say maybe see a mental health expert, somebody who can help you talk through these issues. This is something that's going to be affecting your work, your career, so you want to get it properly taken care of. Try out metahawk's advice, writing things down and all that, but if it doesn't seem... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 9:46 PM on February 16, 2008

To be a bit late, but I do a fair bit of cycling, and the occasional situps. I don't have much of a gut but sometimes it looks that way. I find it has a lot to do with my posture.

If I stand up straight with my shoulders back, my gut actually goes inwards from my ribcage. But when I do my usual slouch (something I've cultivated far longer than any exercise regimen - 15 years or so), I look like I've got a bit of a paunch.

So maybe your version... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 12:23 AM on February 16, 2008

I buy a 500mL bottle of tea, or sometimes a sports drink, and then refill it with tap water and use it next to the computer. It doesn't get much, if any sunlight, and I drink from it quite often, so lots of backwash. My limiting factor is when I can see the threads on the cap or bottle changing, then it's time to pitch it and use another one I've got around. Or wash it. This is usually once a week or less.

Kinda gross, but it works and I've never gotten sick from... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 11:42 PM on February 15, 2008

Visit the botanical gardens, they're amazing! It's free, though I think you have to pay to get into the orchid garden (I recommend Sosan Orlean's "The Orchid Thief" if you wanna know why people go nuts for orchids, though it's set in florida).
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 11:34 PM on February 15, 2008

When I was young, we had 2 dogs, an older cocker spaniel and a hound, both females. They were both dominants, which created lots of tension, and they would fight if allowed together. We spent three years with perpetually closed doors, though they would go for walks together just fine. Later, after the older dog had died, we got a young rottweiller, who was submissive, and she and the hound got on great.

Follow kitty teeth's advice: meet somewhere neutral, then try it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:40 PM on February 7, 2008

Yay, Freixenet. My favorite cheap sparkly.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:50 PM on February 6, 2008

There's some place I found online that offers segway tours around Bangkok. Probably can just google those two words.

If you're not completely intent on staying in Bangkokg the whole time, get out and see some villages, or go SCUBA diving. Koh Tao is an overnight bus ride away and has some superb diving.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:40 PM on February 6, 2008

Madrid has an absolutely great nightlife - people eat dinner til midnight, then the parties get going and stay til first train around 6.30, lots of afterhours clubs as well. I remember a 7-story disco right near the Atocha station. Fantastic! Not to mention, great food and even better drinks.

The weather's not great in November, it'll be a bit chilly, but it rarely if ever snows in winter, and won't be nearly that cold when you're there. They might even have the AVE... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:35 PM on February 6, 2008

I always thought that drinking liquid aided in digestion, but my roommate once came up with the good point that we use diluted acid to dissolve the food, and by drinking more we dilute the acid more, thereby slowing digestion.

It'd be really interesting to hear if this is true or not. I'd imagine out bodies would release more digestive juices if need be, but who knows.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:26 PM on February 6, 2008

Japan's actually not all that hard to immigrate to, all you need is a BA and someone to hire you (search online for "teach english in Japan"), and you can get a work visa to teach English. If you have actualy skills, you might be able to find a better job. Permanent residency will take a long time (around 10 years if you're not married to a Japanese, ~3 if you are), and actual citizenship is nigh impossible I believe.

I came with the giant english company... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:20 PM on February 6, 2008

learn to play an instrument or something. I've got a small ocarina I keep meaning to teach myself when I get the free time.

I had about 2 weeks of nothing to do at the end of my study abroad time - I'd seen everything I'd wanted to see, nearly all my friends had gone, and had no money. I went to the park every day and practiced juggling. After 2 weeks I could do 3 balls with various tricks.

You'd be surprised how much there is to do in a town,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:22 PM on February 5, 2008

Thanks for the advice, I should be ok contacting them, just a bit unnerving to ask people favors like this. Unfortunately, I'm in Japan at the moment, which makes taking any local uni classes rather difficult, and searching through my undergrad papers impossible. I can probably get enough together to remind them about me, I hope.

I have an acquaintance who's a professor in EFL at a local university, I'm thinking of asking her if there's any research program I could... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 9:58 PM on February 4, 2008

"You should really look into Stanford and UC Berkeley as well. They both offer top-notch PhD programs in linguistics, with more focus in psycholinguistics than SF State would probably offer.

Plus, California is beautiful."

I've got friends in Sunnyvale, I know what you mean. I also know how expensive it is.

After 5 years experience teaching EFL/ESL, I don't know that I want to focus on TESOL, though that's... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 10:03 PM on February 4, 2008

Most Indian places here in Japan are also all-you-can-eat, so it's not just an American thing. I'd have to go with the idea that curries and such are easily cooked in large batches relatively cheaply, so it's an economical way to go.

And it's delicious.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 9:18 PM on February 4, 2008

What whatzit said about getting a student visa. If she can do that and work 20 hours a week, GABA is supposed to be good for teaching EFL, and they sometimes hire nonnative, but very good, English-speakers. That company also lets you choose your working hours, better than most other eikaiwa schools.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 4:10 PM on January 30, 2008

Well, New Hampshire has a law that it must have the earliest primary. Which seems a bit strange, but there ya go. Demographically, it doesn't make sense because nearly all-white, rural Iowa and NH get to go first. They should really have a more urban state in there, one with a large city that has to deal with city problems.

Actually, if you really want to be pitied, move to Indiana. Hardly any electoral votes, and the state usually votes Republican so Republicans... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 4:26 PM on January 29, 2008

Show her how to search for things in spanish on google, like Spanish-language newspapers. I quite often read Spain's El Pais for news there. If she's into travel and the like, maybe something like the Flickr photo site would be useful, she can comment and there are forums and groups for things. I don't know if she takes photos, but if she has a digital camera she can upload them and join communities there and she can find photos from all over the world, perhaps discuss them in the comments... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 4:19 PM on January 29, 2008

To reiterate previous commenters, you're willing to compromise, she doesn't seem to be. She needs to make some exceptions if she wants things to work. This should be a warning sign for you.

Also, if she feels this strongly about it, she may make some 'compromises,' only to back out of them later, or insist that anything that goes wrong in the future on the religious front is a problem.

Incidentally, my father rarely-to-never went to church, if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 5:36 PM on January 21, 2008

Tuscan bread (got the name from the guy who taught me in college): Slice a baguette (or any bread, really)

Drizzle some olive oil on, then put tomato slices and very thinly sliced red onions on top. Top off with any kind of cheese you want, anything from generic shredded cheese to queso manchego works. I usually add some italian spices (basil, parsley, oregano) on the tomatoes, but another good way is to put some curry powder (like garam masala or something) on... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jhoosier at 8:27 PM on January 17, 2008