Ask MetaFilter posts by web-goddess

Chips, good. Cheese, good. Gravy, goooood.

web-goddess — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:30:47 -0800

How can I create poutine... in Australia? What the heck are these "cheese curds" anyway? I want to try poutine! Unfortunately the closest I've been to Canada in the past ten years was the Canadian Pavilion at Epcot Center. (We actually asked one of the Canuck workers there where we could get it, but she shamefully confessed they didn't serve it. GET ON THAT, DISNEY!) It looks simple enough to make, except for one thing: cheese curds. What the heck are those, and where do I get them in Australia? Do I have to make my own?

(For other confused non-Canadians, the cheese involved definitely doesn't look like cottage cheese; the picture on the page I linked has much bigger and drier-looking curds. I've never seen anything like that in Sydney.)

Also, I'll take any good tips/recipes you've got for the gravy...

Final preparations for a first half-marathon

web-goddess — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:31:00 -0800

Final half-marathon preparations: I'm signed up for the Sydney Half-Marathon (my first ever!) on May 18th, and I've just got a couple questions as I enter these last few weeks of preparations. Do I need to start investigating energy gels or GUs or something? And is this a *really* bad time to get new shoes? I'm getting a bit jittery so I'd be grateful for any wisdom and advice from the MeFi running contingent... I did my longest run ever today - ten miles! But man, am I sore right now. I had plenty of Gatorade and water throughout the two hours (yes, I'm SLOW), but I've since been googling and it seems like ten miles is about the magic number when folks start taking energy supplements with them. I've read enough to know that I shouldn't take anything for the first time during the actual race. So should I try out some in these last three weeks? What kind of results can I actually expect from them? My legs were feeling pretty dead by the end of today's run, but I just chalked that up to the effort of going farther. Would sucking down a gel or two have made me feel noticeably more peppy?

The other culprit for my soreness could be my shoes. I've done 430km (about 270 miles) on this pair, which I bought last September. Most of the articles I can find online suggest replacing them between 300-500 miles. I'm a fairly big girl, so I'm sure I'm putting a bit more wear and tear on them than a lighter runner would. So should I get a new pair as soon as I can and start rotating them for my last few workouts? Or would it be better to stick with what my feet are used to until after the race?

I'm grateful for any additional advice you guys can offer! I'm actually kind of excited to "graduate" into longer distance running. I've tried several times in the past to become a runner but it never really stuck until this year. Wish me luck...

Should I sell my website? What is it worth?

web-goddess — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:30:14 -0800

Someone e-mailed and wants to buy one of my websites. Should I do it? How much should I ask for? Should I feel like a sell-out? There are complicating factors. The site in question is a fan site for a children's book author. (Yeah, it's that one.) I started it over ten years ago and I used to work on it a LOT. The whole CMS is coded by me, but more importantly, most of the content was written by me. I'm not doing much with it these days, but it still generates a nice amount of revenue (around $200+ per month in advertising, and a small amount in Amazon referrals). I've had a number of offers to sell over the years, but the person asking always gave off a slightly dodgy vibe. I didn't start the site to make money, and it's built up a lot of goodwill and trust with kids, parents, and teachers over the years. I don't want to sell them out just to have the site turn into porn or spam.

HOWEVER - this latest offer is from a real person (I googled), who appears to be a genuine fan who wants to keep the site going. They've stated that they could offer "a very good price" for it. Me, I just bought a house. I've still got $20K in student loan debt. An unexpected chunk of change would come in very handy. I'd also like to see the site continue to evolve and grow, and I've admittedly had very little time for it these days. The things holding me back are 1) the aforementioned trust issue with my visitors, 2) the legal issues of selling my intellectual property and 3) my stupid ego not wanting to let go of something that I built.

The first and second issues can probably be dealt with pretty easily. I'm guessing if I do go through with this, I'd want my lawyer to draw up a contract for the seller to sign outlining things like retention of copyright, granting a license to use my content, etc. Is there anything I'm forgetting here? What recourse would I have if the seller breaks the contract? (I'm in Australia.)

It's the third issue - my ego - that's the real sticking point. I'm not that much of a curmudgeon that I'd rather a resource remain dormant than have somebody else work on it. But when you've invested so much of yourself in something, how do you let go?

And how the hell much should I ask for this site, anyway? I've read this thread, but it didn't seem directly applicable. Or should I maybe offer some sort of partnership deal?

What colour is octarine?

web-goddess — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:30:29 -0800

Pratchett fans: I need to knit something for a Discworld fan. I thought it might be fun to do an octagonal washcloth out of octarine cotton. The only problem, as I understand it, is that octarine is only visible to wizards and cats. So how would I, a mere human mortal, best approximate this colour? OR - can you think of anything else suitably Discworld-ish? According to Wikipedia, octarine is a "greenish-yellow purple." So I'm thinking of using one strand in lime and one in purple, with maybe a silver thread as well (for magical shininess). Or is there a better description elsewhere in the books?

I'm open to other Discworld ideas as well. The only problem is that the recipient is a knitter as well, so I figure she's probably seen the more popular existing patterns (like the Death of Rats. So I'm really looking for something simple but clever (and useful too, if possible, which is why I hit upon a washcloth).

How big is a 4-cup coffee press?

web-goddess — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:07:51 -0800

How big (in actual dimensions) is a four-cup coffee press? Something similar to this one. I need to knit a cozy for one and I can't find a clear description of the dimensions anywhere. This is for a swap on a knitting website I belong to (but thankfully I'm pretty sure my secret Swap Pal isn't a MeFite). I've been able to get her to confirm that her press looks like the Bodum model I linked to, but I haven't been able to get any actual dimensions out of her. (She's sick at the moment so I think she has other considerations.) I don't have one that I can measure myself. Googling turns up several different sites selling them, but they all list different dimensions. And even when several of them agree (7.9" x 6.1" x 4.7" seems to be the most common), I have no idea whether that includes the handle or not. (It seems like it must, because otherwise the width and depth would be the same, right?) Really I just want a definite circumference and a height for this thing (and ideally the handle location) so I can make a pattern for it.

Does anybody have one? Can you give me all the relevant dimensions for it? You might even get a super kitschy Tiki Coffee Cosy out of it if you can help!

Where to find a poster of Cossington Smith's "Sock Knitter"?

web-goddess — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:05:17 -0800

Help me decorate my new house with Australian Art! I would like to buy a print or poster version of Grace Cossington Smith's painting The Sock Knitter. Can you help me find one? So far the only option I've come up with is the Image Reproduction service at the Art Gallery of NSW. According to the form you have to download, a poster-sized colour version is going to cost me a couple hundred bucks. Ouch. Any other suggestions?

I know there was a big travelling exhibition of her work in 2005-2006, so I was hoping there would have been some associated merchandise. None of the art gallery shops I've looked at seem to have it though. I've googled and googled and I'm just coming up blank.

Which is a better stove: gas or induction?

web-goddess — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:53:40 -0800

My husband and I cook a lot. We're moving from an apartment with a decent gas stove/oven to one with a crappy electric stove/oven. Obviously, Something Must Be Done. Should we go for gas or induction? I've read this previous question, but it seems more geared towards single hot plates. I'm not sure whether that would make a difference. (Plus some of the details - like whether a wearing a metal ring would cause your hand to get burnt - just seem plain WRONG in light of the manufacturers' claims.)

In terms of cost: The new place doesn't have gas hooked up, so we'd have to pay for that. (According to AGL, it'd be around AUD $600 and take 40 days to get hooked up.) Alternatively, if we did go for an induction cooker, we'd have to buy some new pots and pans. (Not all of ours are magnetic.) Plus the induction cookers themselves are more expensive. In terms of running costs, gas is cheaper than electricity... but induction is supposed to have a much higher efficiency rate.

Of course, what it really comes down to is how well they are to cook on. We're both foodies and we do quite a bit of cooking. My only experience with an induction stovetop is seeing Maggie use one on The Cook and the Chef. (They seem awfully neat and futuristic though.) Have you ever used one? Is it weird to cook without seeing, you know, FIRE? If money were no object, which would you choose?

(Induction is far less common, so the most helpful answers will be from those who've actually, you know, cooked on them.)

Looking for GAP "Favorite Chinos"

web-goddess — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:30:22 -0800

I bought two pairs of GAP "Favorite Chinos" on vacation in the US a few months ago, and I've come to realize that they really are my favorite chinos. I need more. Unfortunately I'm in Australia so I can't just pop 'round to a shop, and I can't seem to find them anywhere online. Can anyone verify that they're discontinued, or advise on where I can order some? I love these pants! I bought them at a factory outlet mall in Orlando in April. The label inside the back waistband simply says "Favorite Chinos." They're definitely women's pants, not men's. They're a fairly relaxed fit and wide-legged too. They've got diagonal pockets on the front and horizontal ones (without flaps) on the back. I've looked on the GAP website but all I can see are maternity pants. (And I'm 99% sure these aren't maternity pants. There's no elastic whatsoever.) Have they stopped making these? Is that why I got them at such a good price?

Of course, the real goal is to locate some more of them, preferably in a women's size 12 or 14, and from someone/someplace that will ship internationally.

(I know, I know; you all think the GAP sucks. But we don't have any GAP in Australia, and there's a shocking lack of middle-range places to buy basic women's clothes. All I can seem to find are either Kmart/Target or expensive designer shops.)

Cat vs. Landlord

web-goddess — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:44:45 -0800

Can our Sydney landlord really demand that we get rid of our cat? When we signed the lease for our apartment four years ago, I asked the letting agent whether we'd be able to get a pet. "No." Okay, fine. A year later, the lease was up and they came do an inspection. We're good tenants. They put us on another lease. We decided we wanted a cat. Every single person I asked in Sydney (including the Sydney Morning Herald) said that pets in Sydney apartments were basically "Don't ask, don't tell" and that we should go ahead and get one anyway. So we did. In fact, you all helped us adjust to life with Puss Puss. She's totally indoor; she's quiet; she's never crapped on the floor. Yeah, there are a few worn spots in the carpet, but you'd expect that anyway after four years, right?

So last night we got the dreaded letter in the post box. It was addressed to everybody in our block and said that the letting agency had become aware that some tenants were keeping cats. (And something about "litter" being seen in common areas.) As this is in breach of the rental agreements, we're all supposed to get rid of them.

1) I'm not even sure this is pointed at us. There are at least two cats that run around outside loose in our block (and have tags). My first thought was that the "litter" might refer to their scat, and them possibly digging in people's gardens.

2) Even if it is pointed at us - can they actually force us to get rid of her or even evict us? I've done a fair amount of Internet searching, and so far everything I've come up with applies to other states. This page seems to indicate that in the ACT at least, a "no pets" clause violates the spirit of clause 52, and the Tenants Union "contends that having a pet or pets is a normal, common part of using rented premises for residential purposes." According to Findlaw, the Victorian Tenants Union has the similar belief that "you cannot be evicted unless your landlord can prove your pet is causing a nuisance, damaging the property or endangering the safety of neighbours."

Yeah, we broke the agreement. No need to point that out. The issue is whether that's even a fair or legal clause to begin with. Additionally, well, I feel like we DESERVE to have a cat. We're good tenants. We've never been late on a rent payment, and it's gone up several times. We don't have loud parties. We have a cleaner and we keep the place looking good. We're responsible pet owners who keep their pet clean, immunized, and indoors.

So what do we do? Have any of you been in a similar situation? My immediate plan is just to disregard the notice until they force the issue. But what are the options? I'm thinking I can put the case to them that we should be allowed to keep her, and that we're happy to pay an extra bond or submit to inspections or whatever. Or are we doomed to have to decide between our cat and our apartment?

Should we fly or drive from Indiana to Florida?

web-goddess — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:38:36 -0800

Overseas visitors planning to travel from Chicago to Orlando in the US. Which will be less hassle/expense, driving or flying? (Are one-way car rentals *really* that expensive?!) Okay, I'm an American but I've been living overseas for the past seven years (since pre-9/11). I've been home to Indiana a few times since then, and it just seems like the airports are more and more of a trial each visit. My Aussie husband and I are planning our next visit home to Indiana in April. I'd also like to visit my grandparents in Florida as well. Our original plan was to drive a rental car from Indiana, and then fly out of Orlando. We kinda like the idea of a road trip, especially as my husband's never seen that part of the country before. I've been pricing one-way car rentals though and it's just ridiculously expensive (around $100/day). So I've got some questions:

- Is there any way to get a cheaper one-way car rental? I have some sort of vague idea from the Internets that there are websites and message boards in the US where you can potentially find someone who needs a car transported cross-country. Or am I barking up the wrong tree here?

- I've found some great (non one-way) car rental deals with "unlimited mileage." How likely is it that they'd let us drive to Florida and back? If they forbid it, how much trouble would you get in if you did it anyway?

Basically, I guess I'm just torn because friends in the US have said that they prefer to avoid airports and flying whenever they can these days. Given unlimited time (but not unlimited money), what would you do?