How do I cope with sadness without trying to avoid it or push it away?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Jinxes at 3:44 AM on September 17, 2020 (25 comments)

I have health issues that cause fatigue. Exercise could lessen these, but I lack the energy to do so. What dietary changes can I make to get the energy to exercise?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 8:02 AM on March 26, 2015 (17 comments)

Today is my 40th birthday, so to celebrate, I bought a 40oz bottle of Bud Light in order to post a jokey photo on Facebook. I had no intention of drinking it; I don’t drink beer, and even when I did, I didn’t ever really drink BL, as they used to call it in high school. But I am intrigued by the possibility of cooking with it. How?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kevinbelt at 7:02 PM on August 14, 2020 (29 comments)

After a string of majorly gross incidents with take out salads, I need to find another way to get my greens so my diet doesn't consist solely of brown, yellow, and orange foods. So far I have been putting spinach and spirulina into my smoothies. Now I'd like to expand into soups. Vegetarian recipe recommendations, please? (No kale. I will not eat it ever.)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Kitchen Witch at 12:39 PM on August 11, 2020 (41 comments)

Looking for resources and guidance on good design of infographics in printed reports/ PDFs.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by tavegyl at 9:05 PM on April 29, 2020 (6 comments)

I am a mediocre* graphic designer working in-house for a huge company. It's not a great place to work and I'd like to move on in the next 6 months. I don't think I'd enjoy working at an agency, nor do I think I have the chops or past experience for it. I'd rather stay in-house, but I'd like to bulk up my skills to make me a more desirable candidate (and also to have more fun and challenge myself). What should I learn?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Stoof at 12:34 PM on August 5, 2020 (8 comments)

The way that I get feedback on my work is driving me up the wall and I need help separating out my own issues so I can request it in a more helpful way! I’m a freelancer, and for the past 7 years I’ve worked remotely with the sole employee of a design studio for virtually all of my work. I consider her to be essentially my boss but we obviously don’t have a typical employee/manager formal relationship.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by the thorn bushes have roses at 3:37 PM on February 28, 2019 (10 comments)

Now in the northern hemisphere, it's summer and that means bug bite season. I always get bitten a lot and my bites usually itch like hell. Is there a bug bite remedy you swear by? Salt has helped when the bites are open, but I'm trying to nip them before they get too angry.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by starlybri at 2:58 PM on June 10, 2020 (42 comments)

I want to buy a 2016 Rav4 which is listed for $20,000 — is right now during covid an opportunity for a cheaper price? And if I'm paying cash, how much should I offer?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by deern the headlice at 7:04 PM on June 3, 2020 (17 comments)

I and a lot of other people I know are having difficulty with accomplishing much during this time. This is not the first time of crisis in the world; surely someone has has come up with some ideas at some point.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by bunderful at 9:44 AM on June 3, 2020 (14 comments)

My husband is white; I'm Asian-American. We live in New York City. We are trying to talk about the BLM protests happening in our country. I'm troubled by his responses. I know one of the best things we can do right now is have these difficult conversations with loved ones and confront our own bias and racism--- but I'm struggling and need help.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by selene_sophia at 12:08 AM on June 1, 2020 (59 comments)

I'm feeling... unseen right now as a person in a partnership where both of us have equal (online, non-"essential") work responsibilities and pay, who have a young child to manage during this time. I'm not the only one here... right? right?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by wannabecounselor at 8:33 AM on April 20, 2020 (28 comments)

I bought a bag of mini sweet peppers that is way too big. Any suggested recipes welcome, especially ones that will likely require not leaving the house to buy more ingredients. (My own bonus mini sweet peppers recipe inside)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ShooBoo at 3:35 PM on April 19, 2020 (24 comments)

Help me think of indoor activities for couples, besides the obvious one. (Or, at the risk of chatfilter: what hobbies and projects are you and your partner doing to pass the quarantime together?)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by tapir-whorf at 4:00 PM on April 4, 2020 (27 comments)

My daughter is looking down the barrel of puberty, and has started talking about wanting skin care products, etc. but won't use mine and has no input as to what she actually would like to use. What are the 11-13 year old kids these days using on their skin/as deodorant/ anything else that I can think of, etc? (What's new in the world of menstrual products?) Cheers!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by gaspode at 12:50 PM on April 16, 2020 (26 comments)

My partner has begun saying that he doesn't want to discuss politics or current affairs with me, because I'm all "gloom and doom" and "overly pessimistic". Is this something that can be worked on together?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymouse1618 at 7:26 AM on March 19, 2020 (20 comments)

Board games? Great learning apps? Ways to burn off energy? Ways to not go stir crazy? Ways to get out of the house safely? Safe to have people come over (friends, piano teachers)? Help please!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by malhouse at 10:34 AM on March 13, 2020 (26 comments)

Struggling with crippling self-doubt and fear as I start to freelance. How much is normal, and how do I address it and cope with it better?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 11:31 PM on March 6, 2020 (3 comments)

Or do you at all? I've recently come into a rich vein of freelancer fortune with a couple of digital agencies in my town. Having been on a retainer or fixed fee with previous clients, I'm not sure how this whole day rate thing works. Questions inside...
posted to Ask MetaFilter by doornoise at 11:49 AM on December 16, 2019 (4 comments)

For today's Metatalktail Hour topic, we want to know what's the secret in your secret sauce? Do you have a special dish with a top-secret ingredient that puts it over the top? Tell, tell, tell!
posted to MetaTalk by taz at 10:11 AM on February 29, 2020 (77 comments)

After a series of life crisis, I finally have myself pulled back together enough to feel better and want to start learning something again. I know I am no longer able to continue my previous career path, due to my own health and anxiety issues, I would like to learn something new that's creative (and healthy), which I can also apply to future jobs in general.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by lanhan at 12:16 AM on March 4, 2020 (6 comments)

Of late years, I've become so consumed by what's going on south of the border that I am embarrassingly uninformed about what's going on in my own country. I want to correct that. What are the best Canadian/Ontarian/Torontonian political Twitter accounts/Facebook pages? I already follow the worthwhile major Canadian news outlets, and most of my elected leaders/representatives. I'm looking for good politicians, reporters, critics, and lesser known publications to follow. In general, I want social media accounts that will infuse my newsfeed with intelligent, reliable coverage and analysis of Canadian news and politics. What do you suggest?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by orange swan at 5:25 PM on March 3, 2020 (13 comments)

The department within the organization I used to work for, but was laid off back in the fall, has offered me a contracted job, specifically to manage a system I used to manage when working there full-time. I'm torn if I should take this opportunity or not.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by thoughtful_analyst at 1:26 PM on February 5, 2020 (29 comments)

I used to have a handful of quality, forward looking websites/blogs that I could reference for graphic design trends. My very favorite was something like "graphicporn" or "designporn" or something that was a play on the idea that it was graphic design eye candy. I tried both those options and neither came up and due to the word porn I obviously can't google. So, where do you go when you need some visual eye candy?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by vividvoltage at 8:06 PM on February 25, 2020 (4 comments)

I was laid off this week during a reorg at my company leaving me with a decent severance that will financially cover me for a few months. I have been working with very little vacation or free time for years now and after letting everything soak in, decided to start planning on what to do with my free time for the next few weeks. It's a challenge! Help me make the most of this time.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hillabeans at 10:51 AM on February 21, 2020 (19 comments)

I know there are a lot of questions about anxiety, but I'm hoping for excellent success stories on managing it.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 9:21 AM on February 13, 2020 (42 comments)

The kids loved Harry Potter, couldn't get into Pratchett's Truckers, what's next?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by colin_l at 8:03 PM on February 8, 2020 (38 comments)

How do I let go of a sense of ownership over work that I am paid to produce? Too often, I find myself overly frustrated and angered when people criticise work I have done. No one benefits from my getting angry. It's just bad for me. It would be better if I didn't care, but how can I learn to care less?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by unicorn chaser at 2:55 AM on February 6, 2020 (23 comments)

I'm nice in person but my work emails are mean. How can I fix my tone?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mannermode at 6:04 PM on February 3, 2020 (33 comments)

I used to be very creative, but for the past few years, my mind feels like it's hitting a wall when I try to think of stuff. What is causing this blank, and how do I go back to where I was?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by LoonyLovegood at 12:40 AM on February 3, 2020 (6 comments)

I suffer from depression. Even when I am doing well, I always sort of wonder what the point of anything is. Details inside.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kbbbo at 8:41 AM on February 1, 2020 (38 comments)

How do you recognize stress in yourself?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by aeighty at 10:15 AM on January 30, 2020 (26 comments)

I have Overdrive from 3 libraries, Hoopla Digital from 2 libraries, and I guess I could have Libby from them as well if I wanted. I'm tired of checking all of these places for books, audiobooks, and comics. I also don't like that my wish list basically lives in one library and not the others. Is there a way to better manage all of this? A justwatch.com for books?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Tehhund at 12:54 PM on January 27, 2020 (11 comments)

Now that my kid is self-sufficient at 8 years old, I think I've forgotten what to do with myself on the weekends! I have a few well-established priorities (exercise, home cooked healthy meals) and vague future goals (music, volunteering, spend more time with my friends) and things I always think I should be doing more of (quality time with kiddo), a regular list of weekend chores (laundry etc), plus a never-ending list of homeowner to-dos ... but I wake up every Saturday morning with absolutely no idea what to do, in terms of what I want to do and what I need to do. I do have a fair amount of kid-free time now, as he spends a lot of time out with his dad. I dunno, I guess I had come to depend on the hourly structure that used to be set from having a small kid, and now I have no idea what to do with the lack of structure? Help??
posted to Ask MetaFilter by schwinggg! at 9:30 AM on January 12, 2020 (5 comments)

I am in Canada. My health data may have been stolen in a cyberattack on lab test provider Life Labs in late October. The company paid ransom to get data back and is offering potentially affected clients one year of free identity theft insurance and dark web monitoring through American consumer credit reporting agency TransUnion. This probably seems like a silly question, but I’m tired and stressed, and feeling suspicious of everything at the moment: Are there any downsides to accessing this service? Reassurance about the Canada/US cross-border info privacy angle particularly welcome.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:00 PM on December 17, 2019 (6 comments)

I've been asked to submit a quote for something that's an order of magnitude longer (literally 10x) than what I usually do. Should I just 10x my usual quote, ie enough to buy a brand new car? Or is that insane? I know there are lots of blog posts out there about how to price graphic design projects, but either they are too vague or they focus on things I don't do (logos, illustration, etc). I just need a sanity check here, and if you want to share some of your pricing strategies that would be appreciated.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by 100kb at 2:51 PM on December 10, 2019 (6 comments)

What's a great graphic novel to give a smart fifth grade girl for Christmas? She looooves El Deafo and isn't that into sci fi or fantasy. I saw this askme from 2 years ago, newer recommendations are appreciated!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by JamesD at 5:45 PM on December 3, 2019 (11 comments)

My husband and I have a nine year old daughter. The three of us all have great 2-way relationships, but I find it hard to feel a sense of cohesion as a family. When the three of us are together, it's hard to all feel connected. Do other families of 3 find this? What has helped develop a sense of cohesion for parents with a single child?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by beccyjoe at 1:29 PM on November 29, 2019 (14 comments)

I enjoy threatening my children using cartoonish supervillain-type phrases. Please tell me your favourite over-the-top threats - they are quite small children so the threats need to be hugely, obviously ludicrous. Also keen to hear any collective terms I could start using to address them, along the lines of "pesky/meddling kids".
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Lluvia at 12:29 PM on November 23, 2019 (55 comments)

Life is chaotic right now, and we need some coziness and together time. Unfortunately, I'm not in the easiest place, mentally, for making that happen effortlessly. I need a list, and I need inspiration. Can you share your favorite seasonal activities for creating a cozy atmosphere?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by annathea at 8:49 AM on November 13, 2019 (39 comments)

Friends of AskMe, I find myself with child, after two years of trying and two rounds of IUI fertility treatment. I am having a lot of Thoughts and Feelings, and I yearn for reading about feminist perspectives on the experience of pregnancy, whether it leads to birth or not. Therefore, I find myself in need of a Feminist Pregnancy Book.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Temeraria at 7:39 PM on November 4, 2019 (20 comments)

With support from my supervisor and colleague, I need to summarize relevant aspects of a very complex topic (immigration law) in a way that my colleagues can understand and apply to the program that we oversee. I'm looking at this book, this one, this one, and this one. I'm interested in MOOCs, books, videos, or any resource that will help me go from basically zero knowledge to proficiency. I am technical and have design skills, but building a complex infographic is currently beyond my skill level. Help?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by onecircleaday at 12:44 PM on October 3, 2019 (12 comments)

About half-way through a trip (as I am now) I feel down about my impending return to work, because I don't want to get sucked back into the world I don't realize I'm in when I'm in the grind, a world which I likely won't be able to discern again until next vacation. Obviously general despair is not a good strategy - how else could I handle this?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by 7 Minutes of Madness at 9:22 PM on September 28, 2019 (7 comments)

I need to earn some money but I'm physically isolated and dealing with some health issues, at least for the time being. Is there online work that's somewhat flexible? Any income is better than none, so it doesn't need to be a miracle, just something to keep me busy and keep my head above water.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by shapes that haunt the dusk at 11:37 AM on September 23, 2019 (8 comments)

Hi Folks, Quick question - what do you use to store sensitive files such as tax returns, medical records, etc. Dropbox doesn't offer encryption - I'd like a place to store the files in a safe way; also, if they can be stored online and not on my hard drive, that would safe me a lot of space.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by stevenpl at 6:44 AM on September 22, 2019 (17 comments)

Lately I've been binge-listening to Steely Dan, even though my usual taste in music runs more toward spare, angular post-punk. Are there any women artists with qualities similar to the ones I admire in their music -- the obsessive perfectionism, the complex arrangements, the cold, sardonic feel with an occasional hard-earned bit of warmth underneath? In any genre -- doesn't have to be jazz-influenced pop/rock at all.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ralston McTodd at 3:02 PM on September 16, 2019 (37 comments)

So, the young human who lives in my house wants a penpal. She's a wholesome, happy tween. And we want to keep her that way. She says she "just wants to connect with and learn about someone else who has a different life." I'm thinking another tween, maybe someone outside the US who wants to practice their English. How do we find this person and connect them, without accidentally exposing her to a chester-chester child molester or something?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by pomegranate at 10:33 AM on September 15, 2019 (8 comments)

I've recently learned that my mother has been diagnosed with a cancer that won't be cured. Her medical team is figuring out a treatment plan that will keep things at bay to give her as much quality time as she can have. We are all devastated. I'm struggling with what/how much to tell my boss.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 12:13 AM on September 11, 2019 (32 comments)

Every time someone in the household is sick, my husband gets sick too. How can I make him stop?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 12:13 AM on September 11, 2019 (29 comments)

Each apartment I’ve lived in my address has changed. :( And when, for example, my aunt sends me a package four years after moving to my old address I’ll never see it. But with the contemporary computerized world why haven’t we changed that? I mean I figure you could just go to the post office and just get a “post number” that was unique to you for all time. And that number could be associated with your current address. Then people wanting to mail you will always put that “post number” on the package and regardless of where your living the package would arrive there! The problem of shipping to an old address would mostly be gone. I wouldn’t have to update my address on 500 DIFFERENT WEBSITES WHEN I MOVED!! Why hasn’t this change come to regular old snail mail? What am I missing?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by verytepid at 2:30 PM on September 10, 2019 (25 comments)