No good advice here, but I am so sorry about your situation, and hope that you are okay.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 7:39 AM on October 1, 2007

When the bill is on the table, be fast about picking it up and processing the credit card. Nothing is more annoying than finishing a meal, getting the bill, putting a credit card down, and then waiting 20 minutes for the waiter to come by and process the charge.

Immaculate hands, don't get your thumbs on the top of the plate, make sure your cuffs are also immaculate. Eye contact. Make your customers think that you care that they are really enjoying their experience, but... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 4:08 PM on December 27, 2006

Go to college. But first, consider a year of volunteerism with Geek Corps, the peace corp for geeks, and all around awesome resume builder.

I agree with the other posters, though - college isn't what you think it is - and there is a college out there for everyone. You might not be big rah rah state school material, but there are some great smaller and more flexible colleges out there, you just have to do the work to find them (although there are lots of great links in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:19 PM on August 31, 2006

Chicago CoHousing. I know the Prairie Onion people and they are really nice - email me if you want further contact information for them.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 7:49 PM on July 24, 2006

I was a 12 year old girl, and all of my 12 year old friends nicked cash from their mum's purses. I don't think it has anything to do with theft, when I look back on it, and the fact that she hasn't spent it makes me think that it might not be so much about stealing and maybe more about being in that stage where you are trying to figure out the dividing line between you and your mother, and part of that is usually done by appropriating her stuff.

I doubt she needs... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 10:42 PM on July 23, 2006

I think I have it saved on my home computer - I can email it to you later tonight if you would like.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 11:09 AM on July 19, 2006

I would forgo sweater and jacket for a pashmina shawl. They come in loads of great colours, and are great for warmth, without being too warm. Plus they are more formal than a jacket or sweater.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 10:04 PM on July 9, 2006

I am in love with my Circa, from Levenger. Lies flat, comes in notebook and 8x11 full size, but the genius of it is, the pages slide in and out so you can rearrange your notes. You can buy circa hole punches as well, so that you can pick the paper you want as your refill and punch it to work.

I am addicted to this notebook, and probably going to shell out for the leather cover and make it official. Right now i have the translucent cover. I have seen people personalize... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 7:55 PM on July 9, 2006

I was a sleepwalker! And still am, but not nearly as frequently as when I was a kid. I also spent some time in sleep disorder clinic for insomnia, and learned there that sleepwalking is a disturbance in pre-REM - that your brainwaves swing out of synch and exhibit both waking and sleeping patterns at the same time, which is why 'waking' behaviour, like avoidance and brief conversation can happen during a sleepwalking episode, when you are at the same time in deep (pre-REM) sleep. Since children... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 7:58 PM on July 3, 2006

I am pretty sure that nearly all American condiments are either ketchup or mayonnaise based! But, have you tried tzatziki? I love dipping fries in this stuff!
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 2:58 PM on July 2, 2006 marked best answer

I picture the moment after it is all over, and how I will be glad then that I did it. If it is something that takes time to heal from, I picture a reasonable amount of time afterwards that I will be glad I went through with it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:37 PM on May 30, 2006

I picked up 'like' and 'you know' when I moved to the States - and it drove me nuts when I realized it. I think the only way to get rid of these speech tics is to be conscious of your speech 24/7 - ie, you will get rid of thm from your professional speaking by banning them from all of your speaking. Good luck! i still, like, slip some days, but it gets easier after awhile.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 10:31 AM on April 28, 2006

I used to work for one of these big soul-less companies, and you are not in the right just because you don't receive a bill. I used to be the person that you had to call when this issue was finally caught, and I can assure you, there are no free rides.

If you know you are using the service, pay for the service - call them up. Because if they haven't turned the power off, some poor schmuck IS being billed for it, and might not even know it. I used to see that all the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 10:44 AM on April 26, 2006

I don't have a specific bag to recommend, but I would look for a bag that had the following:

* separation in the main bag, so that a laptop could be on one side, and paperwork on the other. Makes it easier to slide the laptop in and out that way.
* two easy to access outside pockets on length side, for wallet, cell phone, PDA, etc, and one large pocket on the width side for your laptop cord and other wires.
* multi strap capability - a shoulder... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 6:33 PM on April 6, 2006

Anything that is lit by sunlight fades at some point. Personally, I love plantation shutters, in wood, but that's me. If fading is a huge concern, sheer drapes under curtains is probably the way to go - sheers are white, generally, and one rule of thumb (there are several) is that curtains are done several shades darker than the wall shade and in the same color family, or in the opposite color of the walls on the color wheel.

but also - its your house. If you like orange,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:28 PM on April 2, 2006

I think before you do anything you have to decide what you want the end result to be. Do you want to use this money for your own retirement? Fund your child's college career? Pay off your student loan or other debts?

Once you know that, figuring out exactly what to do with it should follow. For example, paying off your car, your home, might be a really helpful step, but if you don't have a lot of debt you might think about investing it in a way that will benefit your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:25 PM on April 2, 2006

It isn't kidnapping. If you find an animal running loose, take it to a shelter - you would do it if you didn't know the owner, so there is no sense in getting worked up about it if you do. The whole point of animal shelters is to shelter animals that are not being cared for. Obviously, look for a no-kill shelter!

If he has tags, they should track down the owners, and they will pay a fine to get him out. The second time it happens, the fine goes up. The third time, the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 8:50 PM on December 21, 2005

I just checked with my DVD reviewer spouse and avowed Godzilla expert ( he speaks at conferences about it!), and according to him, it was supposed to be out by the end of the year, but there is some controversy, and now it is up in the air. I will email you his email address when I get home tonight and you can contact him directly for distribution info, etc.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 12:22 PM on December 14, 2005

When in doubt, jewellry. If the baby was born in August, their birthstone is Peridot, which is really pretty. maybe a pendant of peridot? If you are a family of 3, this neckace is a row of three diamonds, with the main stone peridot, in case you want some number symbolism. This is another pretty Peridot set. To check the baby's birthstone, here is a good link. A history of Peridot is here.

If your budget is a little higher, rings with secret messages are cool. Just make... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:18 AM on October 7, 2005

Rich people have their own television channel - something that always boggles my mind, but is true. PlumTv - for your second home lifestyle.

Bespoke cars are very common - lamborghinis don't come with automatic transmisions, but if you have the money, you can get one made that way especially for you. I think either Kobe or Will Smith's wife has an automatic transmission lamborghini or ferrari.

Having a tremendous amount of money means having a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:26 AM on August 21, 2005

I have peacefully introduced dogs to cats, dogs to bunnies, bunnies to cats, and cats to bunnies, and have never experienced any real difficulty.

We found kittens under the neighbour's porch and brought them home, which meant introducing them to two 12 year old cats, 2 older dogs, and 2 bunnies.What worked for us was to start out by keeping the kittens in a cage in the living room, while we were there, and letting everyone come over and sniff, and fuss while there were... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:04 AM on August 21, 2005

Oh, I totally forgot - when in doubt, get out the laser pointer and get them chasing it. Giving them a 'job' like that can help bond them together quicker.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 9:06 AM on August 21, 2005

If you are truly worried about college, etc, your children will have the same, if not better, chance of getting in to a good school from a bad school district than from a good one. The top tier colleges know all about the school districts, and a great candidate from a crappy school district has a much better shot at an Ivy than the same great candidate from an elite high school, simply by virtue of having to overcome more odds to be a great candidate. The less a school offers, the easier it is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 8:06 PM on July 21, 2005

The best solution I think is to talk to your neighbours - if you have roaches, they have roaches, and if they also have mobility/medical issues, you could be doing them a huge favour if you bait their ktichens and bathrooms as well as your own. Fight as a team! It probably means lots more work for you, but if it eliminates the roaches and makes you a neighbourly person at the same time, everyone wins.

Or, you could go out and get yourself a bushel of common house... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sperare at 3:26 PM on June 25, 2005