Undoubtedly, at some point in your life, a recipe has told you to brown or caramelize some onions for 5-10 minutes. As many frustrated cooks have found through experience, this step of the recipe is a damned lie. In fact, the now-ubiquitous suggestion of 5-10 minutes isn't even a remote approximation of the amount of time it takes to brown an onion; Alton Brown and Julia Child weigh in on the matter, suggesting that the task can take anywhere from 45 minute to an hour.
posted to MetaFilter by schmod at 7:51 AM on May 7, 2012 (196 comments)

I am too nice and selfless. How do I become less nice and/or meaner?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 6:55 AM on May 8, 2012 (44 comments)

I know I'm lucky to have a job, but I hate it. How do I cope?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 12:44 PM on January 26, 2011 (19 comments)

I've lacked confidence in every aspect of my life, and it's holding me back. What can I do?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 2:49 PM on July 16, 2009 (17 comments)

How can I create an amazing work environment for my employees? Moving to a new building and I have a blank slate for office layout, design and decor.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by honkeoki at 10:09 AM on April 11, 2012 (35 comments)

Does anyone have experience with a Toronto-based company or individual that specializes in improving resumes?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by sindark at 7:45 AM on April 24, 2012 (2 comments)

How do you deal with companies that are badly managed? Are all companies badly managed? Is the "real world" just an endless fight to try and get things done?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by blacklite at 4:34 PM on June 5, 2007 (20 comments)

Please recommend to me some good workplace fiction.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by enn at 8:20 AM on April 16, 2012 (21 comments)

What natural remedies work for sinus pressure and headaches?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mtphoto at 7:12 PM on April 16, 2012 (23 comments)

How can I make my Word documents look less....boring? Seeking tips & tricks from people with an eye for design.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Miko at 9:37 AM on July 8, 2009 (25 comments)

The Munge Factor: Good online intro resources on MS Word formatting?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ZenMasterThis at 8:44 AM on April 13, 2012 (8 comments)

Résumé design advice needed! Details within.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 8:54 AM on April 12, 2012 (18 comments)

Decent iPad/iPod cables? iPad and iPod usb cables infuriate me. The cables invariably fray at the connector junction, and the cable coating on several has simply disintegrated. Is there anywhere I can get solid iStuff cables that won't need replaced every 3 months? Preferably with some sort of reinforcement at the connector junctions? An Amazon search just gives me miles of what I presume is junk.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by monju_bosatsu at 7:30 AM on December 19, 2011 (20 comments)

What are some of the best writing applications for the ipod touch? I am sometimes times writing on the fly and just did the nanowrimo thing and found it was a blast! So want to learn more about witing applications..Any info on bluetooth keyboards would be cool as I could use it with some apps. Thanks everyone and Happy and safe holidays and Merry christmas to all.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Upon Further Review at 9:17 AM on December 26, 2011 (3 comments)

Question about scaring my two-year-old to get him to obey. Am I being a bad dad?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by zardoz at 5:06 AM on December 14, 2011 (41 comments)

On the quest for the Ultimate Nachos!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by veryape at 11:28 AM on November 30, 2011 (34 comments)

Google Reader's social features just went dark. I'm distraught. What are my alternatives?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kidsleepy at 3:32 PM on October 31, 2011 (19 comments)

Movies that I can watch with my two-and-a-half year old, that both of us can enjoy?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by zardoz at 4:59 PM on October 21, 2011 (45 comments)

Is there a website or program that will let me select from several easy recipes, plan for a week or several weeks in advance, create a weekly shopping list and (here's the hard part) OPTIMIZE my selections so that the most perishable food gets cooked first?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by somanyamys at 9:18 AM on September 26, 2011 (5 comments)

In one week, I will have a bottle of home-infused tomato vodka. What should I do with it?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by whitneyarner at 1:54 PM on September 23, 2011 (30 comments)

I'm considering working from home as a virtual assistant. If you've done this how was it for you? Can you recommend good companies to work for? What should I do to increase my opportunities as a VA and what should I avoid?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by WeaverRose at 8:28 AM on September 21, 2011 (6 comments)

What are your spinach secrets? How can I make cooked spinach at home that is as delicious as what I get at restaurants? Even loaded up with butter and salt, it's still not the same.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by decathecting at 6:33 PM on September 20, 2011 (41 comments)

I feel so average and uninteresting. What can I do to remedy this situation?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 2:42 PM on September 18, 2011 (22 comments)

Please help me not go insane whilst under-employed and under-stimulated.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by deadwax at 11:13 PM on September 13, 2011 (16 comments)

Like every other kid born in the 1980's I collected comic books, baseball cards, comic cards and MtG cards. Also, like ever other kid born in the 1980's I was a absolutely certain to become rich by holding onto these things for the coming years. We were all wrong and we all still have them in our closets. I realize that they are worth very little since everyone kept these 'collectibles' closely guarded so supply outpaces any possible demand but still I'm sure there must be a handful of slightly valuable finds in the entire lot. Does any service exist where I give them my 'collectibles', they sort through everything and give me a honest appraisal or offer?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by snoopydies at 8:05 PM on September 4, 2011 (13 comments)

Help me become self-educated in graphic design--or am I too old?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 6:46 PM on August 28, 2011 (14 comments)

Share your personal stories about explaining euthanasia to a preschooler.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by dejah420 at 7:00 PM on April 1, 2007 (19 comments)

Tomorrow morning we need to tell our 3.5 year old that our beloved dog has died. Please help.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ellenaim at 10:47 PM on March 27, 2010 (24 comments)

Explaining near future pet death to a 2-year-old. Help please.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by k8t at 7:39 AM on March 21, 2011 (25 comments)

What is the best iPhone app to track car mileage?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hazyspring at 8:10 AM on August 17, 2011 (5 comments)

Interviewers/HR people: what's the best cover letter you've ever read, the one that made you want to hire that person on the spot?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by T.D. Strange at 12:00 PM on March 21, 2011 (24 comments)

How do I become a proofreading ace?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by forkisbetter at 11:08 AM on August 16, 2011 (14 comments)

NewLaptop@WorkFilter: Yes, it's that time again, for better or worse. Looking for latest thinking as far as best stuff to install (I generally go for freeware in this regard) to keep work stuff separate from um... non-work stuff. Been so long that I just haven't kept up. BONUS POINTS for best freeware to wipe old machine.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by TigerMoth at 8:56 AM on August 15, 2011 (10 comments)

Is the an ipad or iphone app. that would keep track of my user id and passwords from various websites, i.e. banks, credit cards companies, etc. Thanks
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Noodles at 1:57 PM on August 14, 2011 (19 comments)

Tell me about basic graphic design errors/faux pas that irritate the hell out of designers.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Metroid Baby at 12:45 PM on October 15, 2010 (36 comments)

What are your favorite fonts?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by killdevil at 8:24 AM on September 9, 2005 (41 comments)

I'm having trouble choosing which font(s) to use -- for example, for a flyer or poster. I don't have a graphic design background or much experience with it, but sometimes I have to design simple pieces for my job. Are there any introductory online resources that can help me learn more so that no one will point and laugh when they see a flyer I made? I'll be looking at this thread and this thread, too. My main fear is that I'll put something together and someone will point and laugh and say, "Oh no, you used THAT font?"
posted to Ask MetaFilter by trillian at 10:13 AM on July 30, 2011 (17 comments)

How do I make friends with the sort of people who DON'T go to meetups?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by deludingmyself at 3:11 PM on July 21, 2011 (35 comments)

How do you reconcile your private and professional selves?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 8:10 AM on July 18, 2011 (15 comments)

“Sheryl is putting together a new-girls network inside Silicon Valley.” She neither flaunts nor hides her ambition, and she talks about her guilt at not being home more; she takes command in meetings, yet she’s comfortable describing Mark Zuckerberg as “my boss,” and as “the Steve Jobs of his generation.” She is emblematic, Gruenfeld thinks, of a post-feminist woman who believes that “when you blame someone else for keeping you back, you are accepting your powerlessness.”
posted to MetaFilter by availablelight at 9:48 PM on July 4, 2011 (90 comments)

A Toronto version of this question: NYC Place to Write.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Paquda at 6:27 AM on July 5, 2011 (8 comments)

I have a “career” right now and I’m sick of it and the industry. I want to go back to having a “job” that pays me enough to live. But I don’t think I’ve truly reconciled things in my head. How do I reconcile within myself that I’m not a failure if I give up on my career and chosen industry and go get a job doing…something?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by misanthropicsarah at 5:11 PM on April 1, 2008 (33 comments)

I would like to live as cheaply as possible, please!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Carlotta Bananas at 7:02 AM on June 15, 2011 (54 comments)

Elderly parent has boxes and boxes of photos which are not in any particular order. Some are loose, some are in albums, and a few are on CDs. I have offered to assist in the organization and scanning of some or all of these photos. What would be the easiest way to accomplish this?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mintchip at 6:44 AM on June 14, 2011 (8 comments)

Tell them my salary or politely decline? On Friday, I learned about a job opportunity though an ex-colleague who would be my new boss. This person told me they're eager to fill the position and asked what salary I'm looking for. I ducked the salary question and, at their urging, applied online yesterday. Today I get a one-sentence email from an HR rep asking my current salary. I know salary negotiation has been covered on AskMeFi before, but I haven't seen this particular variation. No interview has happened. Doesn't salary talk usually happen later on? I have no idea how much this position pays, benefits, etc.; it could be better or worse than my current gig. The prospective position is grant-funded with a City agency. (Side question: are grant-funded positions risky?)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by timnyc at 9:49 AM on June 13, 2011 (32 comments)

About 6 months ago (Decemberish), I read fantastic tips for keeping a journal/notebook. I've googled like crazy, but can't find it again.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by elliss at 7:38 PM on June 12, 2011 (5 comments)

Can therapy improve a poorly bonded mother-child situation? This is a terrible thing to admit and I can't really say it to anyone. My six year old child is exceptionally beautiful, happy, smart, and well behaved... and I dislike parenting her and always have. Can therapy help?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 1:44 PM on June 5, 2011 (16 comments)

"Macho Man" Randy Savage passed away today at the age of 58, when he was struck with a heart attack while driving.
posted to MetaFilter by FatherDagon at 10:26 AM on May 20, 2011 (170 comments)

Has anyone actually transitioned from the daily office job grind to a "work anywhere" nomadic lifestyle? Bonus: Have you accomplished this mid-career with a family?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Otis at 11:53 AM on May 10, 2011 (14 comments)

I'm a professional copy editor who has been blessed with an intern with good instincts and grammatical understanding, but needs to learn the techniques of the craft. Right now I'm just reviewing her work and discussing her mistakes/omissions as they arise, but I'd like to do more formalized instruction. Can anyone recommend a lesson plan?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by thinkingwoman at 7:18 PM on October 6, 2010 (16 comments)