HELP. I'm outrageously pregnant and my husband is Tibetan. We are going to use a Tibetan name, but it's rather hard to find Tibetan name books for babies. In lieu of this MrTaff has given me a list of names he finds acceptable to his ear/culture/language etc. (He's not a Buddhist, he's a Bonpo). I need feedback from people of all language backgrounds and countries and opinions about the list he has given me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by taff at 10:33 PM on September 29, 2008 (73 comments)

Was there anything he had never been asked? He paused for a few moments and answered, “Well, that I’m gay.” "Maurice Sendak’s 80th year — which ended with his birthday earlier this summer and is being celebrated on Monday night with a benefit at the 92nd Street Y — was a tough one. He has been gripped by grief since the death of his longtime partner; a recent triple-bypass has temporarily left him too weak to work or take long walks with his dog; and he is plagued by Norman Rockwell. Or, to be more accurate, he is plagued by the question that has repeatedly been asked about Norman Rockwell: was he a great artist or a mere illustrator?"
posted to MetaFilter by Astro Zombie at 7:52 AM on September 12, 2008 (48 comments)

On city sidewalks, when strangers pass each other, why do they sniffle? Walking toward each other, we size each other up at a distance of 25 ft, then avert eyes, then 10 ft, then avert eyes and as we pass *sniffle* or quick intake of air through the nose that makes a sound. What does this mean? It seems wholly subconscious. Are we tracking a scent? Are they sticking their nose in the air in an aristocratic air of disapproval? I've noticed this phenomenon, so I consciously avert my sniffling because I don't even know why it happens, or what it means. But now I hear it from passers-by all the time. It's definitely not allergies; it seems very focused.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jason and Laszlo at 6:48 AM on September 20, 2008 (32 comments)

ProseFilter: Nabokov's Lolita was once hailed as "a love letter to the English language." I'm looking for modern and contemporary authors with similar aspirations.
posted to Ask Metafilter by zoomorphic at 7:38 AM on September 12, 2008 (43 comments)

Ladies – Which Sephora products are really worth it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by amicamentis at 8:59 AM on September 11, 2008 (47 comments)

I'm pregnant, and having a horrible time coming to terms with this new maternal identity. I know having a baby changes everything, etc., etc., but is it possible to become a mom and still stay, well, yourself?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 8:25 PM on September 4, 2008 (33 comments)

I find myself in possession of four separate pee tests stating that I'm preggers. So now what?
posted to Ask Metafilter by pomegranate at 7:12 AM on June 29, 2006 (27 comments)

Tricks for getting a breast-fed baby to delight in the joys of a breastmilk filled bottle?
posted to Ask Metafilter by DenOfSizer at 8:37 AM on January 6, 2007 (17 comments)

Which Nordic country should I visit?
posted to Ask Metafilter by A Long and Troublesome Lameness at 12:52 PM on August 27, 2008 (19 comments)

"Herbie Popnecker is unique among superheroes. While looking less like a superhero than any other, he may also be the most powerful.
     Herbie can "fly" by walking through air, or space, or water.
     Herbie can travel through time, or the ground, or through walls (some damage occurs), sometimes breaking the fourth wall.
     Herbie is the least emotional of any super hero, and one of few words.
     Herbie defeats many of his opponents by looking at them, but sometimes, he bops them with this here lollipop."
Herbie's further powers are examined thoroughly at Herbie Popnecker: Examples of Recurring Themes.
posted to MetaFilter by carsonb at 12:40 AM on August 11, 2008 (32 comments)

Realist Fiction by George Saunders:
"Last night, in a biker bar, I overheard two men discussing what distinguished “realist” fiction from more “experimental” work. Although one shouldn’t generalize, I never expect bikers to be literary critics. Well, these were literary critics, and good ones—in fact, they’d bought their “hogs” with royalties from a book they’d co-written, Feminine Desire In Jane Austen."

Experimental Fiction by George Saunders:
"Experimental fiction is the art of telling a story in which certain aspects of reality have been exaggerated or distorted in such a way as to put the reader off the story and make him go watch a television show."
posted to MetaFilter by plexi at 8:46 AM on August 5, 2008 (37 comments)

I'm Using Boric Acid for a cockroach problem - is it safe to put it in my cupboard next to plates and cups?
posted to Ask Metafilter by bingwah at 6:49 AM on June 23, 2006 (18 comments)

What happy memories do you have of being a young child that make you think either "those were good times" or "that was good parenting"?
posted to Ask Metafilter by onlyconnect at 12:07 PM on August 12, 2008 (64 comments)

Low Metabolism Filter: I am coming to the end of a very low calorie diet. I have been careful to be healthy about it, and I have lost 30 (!) lbs. What do I need to know so I don't put it all back on again? Details inside.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Spyder's Game at 1:17 PM on August 12, 2008 (7 comments)

Can you recommend some children's picture books that don't just feature white faces?
posted to Ask Metafilter by featherboa at 5:24 AM on August 7, 2008 (39 comments)

Hygiene Filter: Picking my face, fingernails, and more.
posted to Ask Metafilter by cachondeo45 at 6:59 AM on April 24, 2008 (16 comments)

I swear. I have children. This is not a good combination. Please suggest alternatives to expletives.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeyToes at 1:40 PM on August 6, 2008 (122 comments)

Now I have seen a lion in a sidecar on a vertical wall of death. There are a lot of eye-popping images to be found on the vintage photographs livejournal group. The lion may be the eye-poppingest, but there's also this flattened elephant, this tiny photographer, and this soldier and dog in gas masks.
posted to MetaFilter by Astro Zombie at 8:23 PM on July 31, 2008 (44 comments)

Can you pass a Barack Obama's final?
posted to MetaFilter by jourman2 at 5:27 PM on July 29, 2008 (93 comments)

How did having a baby change your life? I'm intentionally leaving the question as broad as it is and would love to hear your answers, mothers and fathers; but especially in regard to how it may have changed you, as a person. My wife is expecting in 5 weeks, I feel both tremendous excitement, but also a slight anxiety as I know my life will never be the same.
posted to Ask Metafilter by razzman at 1:12 PM on July 22, 2008 (34 comments)

Please help me make my legs not disgusting.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 8:05 PM on January 17, 2008 (30 comments)

I'm getting a bit tired of my own cringing, and wonder how others have dealt with it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by monocultured at 7:06 AM on July 18, 2008 (52 comments)

Experienced homeowners, help out a first-time buyer. What wisdom can you impart about the home buying process? What do you wish you had done differently when buying your first home?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Otis at 5:53 AM on July 29, 2005 (36 comments)

Fat girl + hot climates = potential badness. Help a gal feel comfortable without grossing anyone out. (Apologies for long explanation/details)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 5:48 PM on July 10, 2008 (56 comments)

How does anyone afford growing up?
posted to Ask Metafilter by hamster at 10:09 AM on October 20, 2005 (53 comments)

I love mayonnaise. I just loooooooove mayonnaise. I love it on burgers, on sandwiches, and in deviled eggs. I love it in tuna salad, egg salad, and potato salad. I may have, on occasion, eaten it by itself, but I admit nothing. But what other dishes highlight the diversity and deliciousness of mayonnaise? What can I do to up my mayonnaise quotient? What are your favorite mayonnaise recipes? Is there such a thing as gourmet mayonnaise? Can I find high-class, fancy mayonnaise created by mayonnaise connoissiers? I want to expand my mayonnaise horizons!
posted to Ask Metafilter by schroedinger at 3:22 PM on July 3, 2008 (65 comments)

How Smart Is the Octopus? [Via Pharyngula]
posted to MetaFilter by homunculus at 8:40 PM on June 24, 2008 (60 comments)

Peripatetic, endearingly-awkward geek seeks amazing advice for casual sex shenanigans.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 1:11 PM on December 18, 2007 (124 comments)

In an intriguing blog entry the mysterious jasminembla muses about the man in the moon, and his relationship with thorns, linking finally to a most remarkable collection of sourced and footnoted Victorian Moon Lore authored by a Rev. Timothy Harley, 1885. In the "Man in the Moon" section, we learn that, indeed, the man in the moon has been traditionally linked with thorns, variously being exiled to the moon for stealing a bundle of brambles, strewing brambles on the path to church to hinder the pious, or cutting wood on the Sabbath, among other infractions - and that this folktale has existed since at least 1157, when an English abbot asks, in Latin, "Do you not know what the people call the rustic in the moon who carries the thorns? Whence one vulgarly speaking says, "The Rustic in the moon / Whose burden weighs him down / This changeless truth reveals / He profits not who steals." Furthermore, no less a personage than Shakespeare has mentioned the thorny situation of the poor man in the moon... and most interesting, perhaps, the rather convincing theory that the bramble-burdened man in the moon may very well be an older "Jack" of Jack and Jill fame, who did not steal, but was stolen by the moon, along with his sister.
posted to MetaFilter by taz at 5:46 AM on June 26, 2008 (19 comments)

Please reassure me about daycare...
posted to Ask Metafilter by Alabaster at 12:27 PM on June 28, 2008 (24 comments)

We're moving! Any tips on doing so quickly and efficiently?
posted to Ask Metafilter by clcapps at 2:48 PM on June 28, 2008 (20 comments)

Flip this question: What is great about parenting a boy?
posted to Ask Metafilter by k8t at 10:25 AM on June 23, 2008 (41 comments)

Help me with gender disappointment. My wife and I just had an ultrasound and found out our baby will be a girl. I was hoping for a boy because I never knew / met my father. My dad was a completely absent f*ck-up. I was hoping to somehow fill that void by giving my son what I never had and teaching him the things I had to learn on my own. I know I will be overjoyed when my daughter is born, but right now, I am feeling quite sad. What is a good way to look at this, and what can I look forward to with having a girl
posted to Ask Metafilter by jasondigitized at 8:33 AM on June 23, 2008 (70 comments)

To Whom It May Concern: If you are reading this then I can only assume that you have removed the pond under which this note is buried...
posted to MetaFilter by ZachsMind at 2:39 PM on May 31, 2008 (92 comments)

Help me get past day three of my diet.
posted to Ask Metafilter by LN at 5:56 AM on June 18, 2008 (25 comments)

Breastfeeding and pumping while baby is at daycare. Sudden decrease in output.
posted to Ask Metafilter by FloryTric at 2:15 PM on June 10, 2008 (14 comments)

Simple, easy and elegant recipes that are always crowd pleasers: What are yours?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Carialle at 10:28 AM on June 11, 2008 (49 comments)

Anyone have any experience with gdiapers vs. cloth diapers?
posted to Ask Metafilter by GardenGal at 10:13 AM on May 30, 2008 (23 comments)

My daughter started day care almost two months ago. My husband and I have been intermittently sick ever since she got started. Is it common for adults to be debilitated by day care plagues, and if so, when will this misery end?!?!
posted to Ask Metafilter by crazycanuck at 10:41 AM on May 27, 2008 (18 comments)

"Gouge and Bite, Pull Hair and Scratch:" The Social Significance of Fighting in the Southern Backcountry
posted to MetaFilter by Bookhouse at 11:35 AM on April 3, 2008 (34 comments)

What can an editor teach medical writers?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Wolfster at 5:27 AM on May 21, 2008 (12 comments)

Give me your baby hacks! My wife and I are expecting our first child in November. What tips and tricks can you offer us to make our lives a lot easier? For example, a friend of mine swears that putting a crying baby in front of a mirror will cause it to stop. Another uses noise cancelling headphones to temper the noise from his shrieking child. I am looking for hacks on everything from diaper changing to stroller modifications. Make our lives easier as we enter into parenthood.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jasondigitized at 9:16 AM on May 20, 2008 (47 comments)

How common is the title "Bumpy" for a grandfather? Like "Grampa Joe" or "Peepaw Frank"... do you say/understand the usage "Bumpy Jackson" for a grandfather? If so, where did you grow up?
posted to Ask Metafilter by 23skidoo at 10:10 AM on May 14, 2008 (38 comments)

The year was 1978. The US Dollar was collapsing, inflation was beginning to surge, the American economy was on the brink of recession and many warned of the perils of easy money. Needless to say, Arthur Burns, 10th Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, had a tough job.
posted to MetaFilter by Mutant at 4:27 AM on May 8, 2008 (92 comments)

For couples with kids, where both of you work: how do you do it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jasminerain at 9:29 PM on May 10, 2008 (60 comments)

Please help me expand my base of quaint southern expressions, aphorisms and witticisms.
posted to Ask Metafilter by willie11 at 7:14 AM on May 8, 2008 (103 comments)

Is there a good way to remove scratchy clothing tags?
posted to Ask Metafilter by yarrow at 10:54 AM on March 13, 2008 (12 comments)

Looking for advice, recommendations, and experiences using cloth diapers.
posted to Ask Metafilter by bove at 7:22 PM on September 18, 2007 (30 comments)

So we close on our house tomorrow...
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:02 PM on April 13, 2008 (16 comments)

Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone (via). More From America's Worst Mom: 9-Year-Old On The Subway, Continued.
posted to MetaFilter by blasdelf at 7:14 PM on April 11, 2008 (204 comments)