Metatalktail Hour: Favorite MetaFilter Moments August 5, 2017 6:12 PM Subscribe
Good Saturday evening, MetaFilter! In honor of cortex buying MetaFilter, I've decided to go with a suggestion from pjern, who wants to know your favorite MetaFilter moments! They can be on-site, something that happened IRL, or something that happened BECAUSE of MetaFilter (i.e., you bought a used Mazda5 from Hertz rental because this one lady is always on about it), whatever!
No politics, YES talk about anything you want, and send me ideas for future weeks!
No politics, YES talk about anything you want, and send me ideas for future weeks!
I have a lot of favorite hilarious moments, but for heartwarmingness, the metatalk about my baby is so full of awesome people offering warm fuzzies that I have it bookmarked on my phone so I can read through it when I'm having a crappy day. Awwwwwww. HUGS AND SLOPPY BABY KISSES FOR EVERYONE!
Also my very first and so far only meetup last year was so fun and it's only ONE WEEK until I AM IN CHICAGOLAND PERMANENTLY and can go to MANY MORE! Chicago cabal I am coming!
Meanwhile moving is terrible and I would like to abandon all my possessions and become a hobo, it seems the most sensible option.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:22 PM on August 5, 2017 [13 favorites]
Also my very first and so far only meetup last year was so fun and it's only ONE WEEK until I AM IN CHICAGOLAND PERMANENTLY and can go to MANY MORE! Chicago cabal I am coming!
Meanwhile moving is terrible and I would like to abandon all my possessions and become a hobo, it seems the most sensible option.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:22 PM on August 5, 2017 [13 favorites]
(Oh, in case anyone goes and looks at my baby thread, you'll be happy to know that her eyebrows are coming along nicely at one year and she is definitely going to have the McGee family eyebrows!)
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:24 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:24 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
Oh, curses! now I feel bad about my quasi-snarky (but also kind of honest) comment.
I enjoyed writing this light-hearted Ask.
posted by tivalasvegas at 6:29 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed writing this light-hearted Ask.
posted by tivalasvegas at 6:29 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
No worries, it made me LOL so it is right in the spirit!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:30 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:30 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I wish I had links for this, but a few years ago, someone posted a series of questions in AskMetafilter about his relationship, and it was extraordinary, and heartening, to watch as he slowly came to understand that his relationship was abusive, and got himself out of it.
Also, I've looked just now but can't find this, but there was an AskMe from a woman who was trying to make sense of the fact that she'd had an orgasm while being raped, and the responses were so purely helpful and compassionate that it restored my faith in humanity.
posted by Orlop at 6:31 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
Also, I've looked just now but can't find this, but there was an AskMe from a woman who was trying to make sense of the fact that she'd had an orgasm while being raped, and the responses were so purely helpful and compassionate that it restored my faith in humanity.
posted by Orlop at 6:31 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
I joined Metafilter right after moving to a new city where I didn't know a soul, and started going to local Metafilter IRL events. I can say with fervent sincerity that I wouldn't have found such great friends (and quite possibly not any friends) if I hadn't gotten involved with this site.
Meanwhile moving is terrible
YES, TOTALLY! Yet somehow I've managed to do so every few years for most of my adult life; Cosmos knows why I keep deliberately torturing myself. I feel your pain.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:33 PM on August 5, 2017
Meanwhile moving is terrible
YES, TOTALLY! Yet somehow I've managed to do so every few years for most of my adult life; Cosmos knows why I keep deliberately torturing myself. I feel your pain.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:33 PM on August 5, 2017
I bought a used Subaru from Enterprise rental because this one lady is always on about it.
posted by phunniemee at 6:51 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 6:51 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
It so happens that earlier today, my Puerto Rican in-law was raving about El Nuevo Acuario, a San Juan area restaurant we found two years ago by asking this question. It really tickles me to have been able to add a restaurant to a local family's list of favorites. "How did you FIND that place?" they wanted to know. I only regret missing the get-together that also resulted from the question.
posted by BibiRose at 6:56 PM on August 5, 2017
posted by BibiRose at 6:56 PM on August 5, 2017
For me, it was the 8th anniversary meetup in Portland.
Somehow, in the planning stages this had become a Big Deal, there were simultaneous meetups around the globe iirc and people were coming in to Portland from all over. It was the same weekend as the Seattle to Portland bike ride and I had signed up to drive people back to Seattle, so I drove down by myself the day before. It just so happened a friend had an art gallery around the corner from Ground Control he let me crash at thus freeing me up to drink with abandon. Still, I was nervous because I showed up alone in a strange city. But I recognized a few people from Seattle and Matt and pb and cortex and jessamyn were there and I was surprised at the fact that not only did I know people by their user names, but that they knew me. I'm pretty sure some of us went to another bar, that I bought a pack of cigarettes, then there was the whole Voodoo donuts trip. It was an epically fun night where I literally didn't know anyone at the start but everything just clicked and I realized that I was made a member of the gang.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:05 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
Somehow, in the planning stages this had become a Big Deal, there were simultaneous meetups around the globe iirc and people were coming in to Portland from all over. It was the same weekend as the Seattle to Portland bike ride and I had signed up to drive people back to Seattle, so I drove down by myself the day before. It just so happened a friend had an art gallery around the corner from Ground Control he let me crash at thus freeing me up to drink with abandon. Still, I was nervous because I showed up alone in a strange city. But I recognized a few people from Seattle and Matt and pb and cortex and jessamyn were there and I was surprised at the fact that not only did I know people by their user names, but that they knew me. I'm pretty sure some of us went to another bar, that I bought a pack of cigarettes, then there was the whole Voodoo donuts trip. It was an epically fun night where I literally didn't know anyone at the start but everything just clicked and I realized that I was made a member of the gang.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:05 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
A question I asked was mentioned in the most recent podcast, and I am so happy about it. I want to tell everyone I know, but they would have no idea what I am talking about so I am telling you instead.
So far I have never really had anything substantive to add to any conversation here, so if I look at my most popular comments they are all throwaway jokes. But, one day I will say something smart and incisive that actually adds to the discourse.
posted by Literaryhero at 7:09 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
So far I have never really had anything substantive to add to any conversation here, so if I look at my most popular comments they are all throwaway jokes. But, one day I will say something smart and incisive that actually adds to the discourse.
posted by Literaryhero at 7:09 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
It's too long of a story to be told here, but I'm currently sitting where I am because of MetaFilter. So many smaller things in my life have also occurred because of something I read about or discussed on the site. Words fail to describe its importance in my life.
posted by limeonaire at 7:12 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by limeonaire at 7:12 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
Cold/rainy zoo days are a stable
For me and my 18 month old Baby Kitty because of Metafilter. We can now go see Amani and Ajaybu, the baby gorillas all by ourselves. We got a lifetime membership for Baby Kitty and we go whenever the weather is yucky.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 7:18 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
For me and my 18 month old Baby Kitty because of Metafilter. We can now go see Amani and Ajaybu, the baby gorillas all by ourselves. We got a lifetime membership for Baby Kitty and we go whenever the weather is yucky.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 7:18 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yay! I am one of the big cold/rainy zoo advocates so I hope I helped convince you! (They have to shovel the paths even when it's snowed a foot because you still have to feed the lions even when the weather sucks, so it's a great place to go with toddlers who need to RUN.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:21 PM on August 5, 2017
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:21 PM on August 5, 2017
My favourite MeFi moments are when my husband totally randomly throws some detail from someone's Ask into conversation that he assumes I have read (but which I have not, yet).
For example, we'll be sitting, drinking coffee, and talking about some work-related thing. He'll then throw in the most seemingly random thing, like "Well, of course you wouldn't do that, I mean, it's like sleeping with your boss and then wanting to sleep with your boss's assistant but then you find out the assistant is the boss's daughter! AWKWARD! Right??" (where the entire part from sleeping with your boss, onward, is from an Ask. That I haven't read.)
I'll stare at him completely confused, wondering what the hell just happened, and the he'll go, "Oh! That's from an Ask from a few days ago."
And then I make a mental note to read the Ask later, after we're finished drinking coffee.
posted by VioletU at 7:23 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
For example, we'll be sitting, drinking coffee, and talking about some work-related thing. He'll then throw in the most seemingly random thing, like "Well, of course you wouldn't do that, I mean, it's like sleeping with your boss and then wanting to sleep with your boss's assistant but then you find out the assistant is the boss's daughter! AWKWARD! Right??" (where the entire part from sleeping with your boss, onward, is from an Ask. That I haven't read.)
I'll stare at him completely confused, wondering what the hell just happened, and the he'll go, "Oh! That's from an Ask from a few days ago."
And then I make a mental note to read the Ask later, after we're finished drinking coffee.
posted by VioletU at 7:23 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
Just a little thing, but it happened this afternoon when I was hanging out with my adult son. I shared the famous/infamous how-to-dispose-of-a-dead-body thread, which he appreciated for both the humor and resourcefulness. And also elizardbits remark "it's called text you hapless gibbering app-fondling touchscreen cretin", which he plans to somehow work into future conversations.
Alas, he's still not a member.
posted by she's not there at 7:30 PM on August 5, 2017 [6 favorites]
Alas, he's still not a member.
posted by she's not there at 7:30 PM on August 5, 2017 [6 favorites]
And also elizardbits remark "it's called text you hapless gibbering app-fondling touchscreen cretin", which he plans to somehow work into future conversations.
In the 12 years and two accounts that I've been here, I got twice as many favourites for sticking 'Metafilter' in front of that comment as I have for anything else I've ever posted. I'm still not sure I should be sad or grateful.
The London Metafilter v Reddit quiz was a special moment to be part of [Team Ass-Jittering Cattle for life...]
posted by Pink Frost at 7:44 PM on August 5, 2017 [8 favorites]
In the 12 years and two accounts that I've been here, I got twice as many favourites for sticking 'Metafilter' in front of that comment as I have for anything else I've ever posted. I'm still not sure I should be sad or grateful.
The London Metafilter v Reddit quiz was a special moment to be part of [Team Ass-Jittering Cattle for life...]
posted by Pink Frost at 7:44 PM on August 5, 2017 [8 favorites]
Probably it was my comment immediately after this comment by cortex.
posted by fleacircus at 7:44 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by fleacircus at 7:44 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
Wait no, it was the Scott Adams deal.
posted by fleacircus at 7:45 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by fleacircus at 7:45 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
A couple years ago I read a comment in a thread from a user with very little site activity that resonated with me pretty deeply, and then I looked at the opaque username, and the like 5 comments this person had ever made and texted my brother and asked if he ever commented on Metafilter. And it was him, and he basically never ever posts but now occasionally I get a favorite from him so I know he is lightly stalking me the same way I do him. Hey there, dummy!
posted by charmedimsure at 8:02 PM on August 5, 2017 [50 favorites]
posted by charmedimsure at 8:02 PM on August 5, 2017 [50 favorites]
it's only ONE WEEK until I AM IN CHICAGOLAND PERMANENTLY
as the bumper stickers used to say in the 80s, when everybody except Cat was closing, "will the last person leaving Peoria please turn out the lights?"
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 8:03 PM on August 5, 2017
as the bumper stickers used to say in the 80s, when everybody except Cat was closing, "will the last person leaving Peoria please turn out the lights?"
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 8:03 PM on August 5, 2017
Eyebrows McGee: Chicago cabal I am coming!
I KNEW IT! I BLOODY WELL KNEW ų̷̛r̵k̴͠͝
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:08 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I KNEW IT! I BLOODY WELL KNEW ų̷̛r̵k̴͠͝
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:08 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
When advicepig gave me a cabbage, that was my favorite.
However, another weird thing was this: I was identified as Frowner at a protest a couple of years ago, because I was talking to someone who was not a mefite but had googled an issue, found a political metafilter discussion about it and then had brought up the issue when we were having a casual conversation, and apparently what I said was so similar to what I had typed that he asked me if I commented here and if I was that person.
posted by Frowner at 8:10 PM on August 5, 2017 [20 favorites]
However, another weird thing was this: I was identified as Frowner at a protest a couple of years ago, because I was talking to someone who was not a mefite but had googled an issue, found a political metafilter discussion about it and then had brought up the issue when we were having a casual conversation, and apparently what I said was so similar to what I had typed that he asked me if I commented here and if I was that person.
posted by Frowner at 8:10 PM on August 5, 2017 [20 favorites]
These are so heart warming. Uh, one of my favourite moments was the original usage of "I know more about [x] than you can possibly imagine" (sadly deleted now). I still chuckle about it and use that phrase.
Also, the utter absurdity of this thread, and the unanimous riducule in response still cracks me up.
It would never get off the ground these days, which is for the better. But my goodness we've had some characters here haven't we?
posted by smoke at 8:12 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also, the utter absurdity of this thread, and the unanimous riducule in response still cracks me up.
It would never get off the ground these days, which is for the better. But my goodness we've had some characters here haven't we?
posted by smoke at 8:12 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
My favorite threads would have to be the cheese heist movie and movie title mashup.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:16 PM on August 5, 2017
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:16 PM on August 5, 2017
"I was identified as Frowner at a protest a couple of years ago, because I was talking to someone who was not a mefite but had googled an issue, found a political metafilter discussion about it and then had brought up the issue when we were having a casual conversation, and apparently what I said was so similar to what I had typed that he asked me if I commented here and if I was that person."
My old college roommate identified me because she was googling baby shower games and she came across me asking about one on AskMe and she was like LITERALLY NOBODY ON EARTH BUT EYEBROWS would come up with this and write about it in this register and she looked me up through the alumni association and e-mailed me and was like, "IS THIS YOU AND IF SO CAN I HAVE THE GAME?"
It was a little disconcerting but she also had a great time with the game, so, win!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:20 PM on August 5, 2017
My old college roommate identified me because she was googling baby shower games and she came across me asking about one on AskMe and she was like LITERALLY NOBODY ON EARTH BUT EYEBROWS would come up with this and write about it in this register and she looked me up through the alumni association and e-mailed me and was like, "IS THIS YOU AND IF SO CAN I HAVE THE GAME?"
It was a little disconcerting but she also had a great time with the game, so, win!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:20 PM on August 5, 2017
I've mentioned this before in another MetaTalk thread, but the first thing that pops into my head is "we have cameras."
posted by audi alteram partem at 8:29 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by audi alteram partem at 8:29 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
This has been brought up on the site more than once, and pretty much every other podcast, but I'm not sure the full story has ever been told.
My first meetup was an hour and a half drive to Northampton, MA. I nervously walked into a pub and sat down next to Languagehat and Jessamyn, the first people I ever met from Metafilter. Greg Nog was there, but I don't remember talking to him. There were some other people there including like three people who did nothing but take pictures of us all night like we were celebrities. I'm bad at mingling so I mostly stayed at my end of the table and didn't really mix with the folks at the other end.
At some point the subject of birthdays came up and I mentioned I was born in December of 1969, just making the sixties by a few days. This bearded dude in a knit cap who I hadn't yet spoken to, but who was sitting at the end of the table*, asked me what day I was born on. "December 6th", I said. He smiled and pulled out his license and tossed it to me.
Now, he thought it was a pretty neat coincidence that we happened to be born on the same exact day, which is why he tossed me his license to prove it to me. I took one look at his license, saw that his birthday was the same day as mine, and then I noticed that we had the same first and middle names.
And that's how not_on_display and I became instant friends for life.
*and like ten minutes later Jessamyn was wearing his hat and they were making goo-goo eyes at each other and it was adorable.
posted by bondcliff at 8:41 PM on August 5, 2017 [26 favorites]
My first meetup was an hour and a half drive to Northampton, MA. I nervously walked into a pub and sat down next to Languagehat and Jessamyn, the first people I ever met from Metafilter. Greg Nog was there, but I don't remember talking to him. There were some other people there including like three people who did nothing but take pictures of us all night like we were celebrities. I'm bad at mingling so I mostly stayed at my end of the table and didn't really mix with the folks at the other end.
At some point the subject of birthdays came up and I mentioned I was born in December of 1969, just making the sixties by a few days. This bearded dude in a knit cap who I hadn't yet spoken to, but who was sitting at the end of the table*, asked me what day I was born on. "December 6th", I said. He smiled and pulled out his license and tossed it to me.
Now, he thought it was a pretty neat coincidence that we happened to be born on the same exact day, which is why he tossed me his license to prove it to me. I took one look at his license, saw that his birthday was the same day as mine, and then I noticed that we had the same first and middle names.
And that's how not_on_display and I became instant friends for life.
*and like ten minutes later Jessamyn was wearing his hat and they were making goo-goo eyes at each other and it was adorable.
posted by bondcliff at 8:41 PM on August 5, 2017 [26 favorites]
Oh, and I also had dinner with my wife alone at the top of a lighthouse thanks to an AskMe question, so that was neat.
posted by bondcliff at 8:42 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 8:42 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
My favorite Mefi moment was the day I actually found out Metafilter existed. It was 2006 and I liked to hang out at the threewayaction.com forums (any other 3WAers here?) and someone there mentioned "hey so there's talk about a sex towel on Metafilter, what do you'll use". And so I clicked on the link and was fascinated by everything I read. Seems funny to go back and read than now. I lurked for a few months then joined in 2007.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 8:57 PM on August 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by CrazyLemonade at 8:57 PM on August 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
I had a bad, cartwheeling fall down a steep slope yesterday but managed to survive mostly unscathed with the exception of about 10 inches of both thighs. My rock hammer was dangling from my wrist by a lanyard, so my thighs looks exactly like I took a hammer to them. A hammer that's also half-pickaxe. Unfortunately I also rolled through cacti and multiple thorny bushes & over a lot of very sharp shale and sandstone, which meant I had a lot of small cuts and road rash - and lots of thorns and spikes in my skin, which I'm sooooooo allergic to; I get huge, quarter sized welts almost immediately to any kind of small sliver in my skin. And I had a LOT.
So last night I was sitting in my motel room thinking, maybe go to the hospital to get someone to scrub the scabs and road rash off my hands/arms because from the swelling thorns had to be underneath the scabs despite my squirting the hell out of the road rash with saline solution. My hands were too swollen to do it myself. This after scraping at some of the scabs and slivers with my teeth for about an hour. (I know) And I couldn't take a Benadryl either, cuz it knocks me the fuck out - my husband had ordered a pizza for me and I was huuuungry.
Then I had the bright idea of retrieving my iodine brush (which an ER doc gave me once) from my first aid kit in the car - but while I could open the room door handle with my elbow, I couldn't open the truck door. So I hobbled to the office to ask the clerk to do so (it was a small motel). Mind you, I have a ten inch band of purple and red hammer thigh going on, quite visible since I had on the boxer short- shorts my BFF got me. And mind you, this was in a small, very very conservative town in S. Utah. The clerk took one look, probably decided I was on the run from some angry husband, and wasn't having any of it. He wouldn't even tell me if the town had any Uber drivers. He told me to go back to my room - he wasn't getting involved in any of my business.
So I went back to the room, tore open a box of edibles (with my teeth), boiled water with the coffee maker, dunked a wash-cloth, and awkwardly used my forearms with the washcloth to essentially debride my road rash (swelling goes down as soon as the thorns are gone). By the time the pizza arrived was cruising mltshp happy as hell and high as a clam - ate the entire pizza.
But really, even though I didn't even get close to MeFi, that whole episode was essentially an entire series of MeFi moments.
After my fall, amazed at my good fortune, I also self-congratulated my self-arrest skills. As an outdoor person certain incidents have prompted me to better my skills and/or haunt me - one that does both is Geraldine Largay, which I think about at least weekly, and whose fate I learned about here. Sitting in the dirt with her in my head also reminded me when a few years ago, in my death instructions, I added MeFi to the listing of places/people to be notified (but make sure to produce a death certificate for certain (awful) reasons).
I used the voice option on my smartphone to call my husband - and I only have a smartphone because I really wanted to look at MeFi while riding the bus and train. (It took me almost 15 years just to get a cellphone in the first place.) He called the pizza place for me, because I have phone anxiety, and we both laughed about this thread - but then I thought of the recent threads & asks about anxiety and we talked about that for a moment, which also made me grateful for this thread and the advice therein I've followed quite a bit lately.
But then I had the most typical MeFi moment I have - trying to figure out what to do and the small voice in my head said, how would you write this as an Ask? Which really helps figure out the real question. And of course, as it has so many times before, the collective MeFi voice in my head answered. Maybe not as they really would have, but enough for me to figure it out. And looking at the clerk reminded me so much of the small town I've come from, and the attitudes I've changed and growth I've gone through as a result of this place. Pure gratitude in many forms - for so many people here, especially - in my heart, walking away from him. And of course it reminded me of so many election threads.
But then a few users who've gone through some tough times, some similar to what the clerk was afraid of, flashed through my head. It's such a good community here - so many MeFites wouldn't have backed away. They would have leapt forward. But back at the motel room I realized it could have had something to do with the quote on the ass of my boxer shorts, which my BFF had gotten for me as part of an all-women geologists wild weekend of rocks and debauchery, for which everybody got an article of clothing with The Whelk's comment on it - also the theme of said weekend: "Are spontaneous dildos the first sign of an earthquake let's ask an expert"
Anyway. As I scrubbed my arms, I knew MeFi would have YELLED get thee to a doctor ASAP, and then thought of my trying to rip the thorns out with my teeth, which reminded me of the great SA goons bachelor thread, and great advice from elizardbits about passing out near the shower drain, which made me giggle all over again. So the shower mat thread mentally popped up and referenced later to my husband, cuz we've been talking and laughing about it for days. The edibles? Part of a complete reversal I've made on a number of issues due to MeFi. The Mltshp? MeFi.
And in the back of my head the whole time - it's always there - was the knowledge that if I really really really needed help, and posted that, it's quite possible some MeFite would not only have given great advice but also possibly come and picked me up or something. Because that happens here on this site. Like that guy in Occupy Portland with the head injury. Not sure when it happened but at some point it developed that pretty much everywhere I am in the world there's an amazing community which would be willing to help if it could and I really needed it. It feels weird, almost egotistical to say that, but it's the same for almost every member here - even those who aren't members. That feels super important right now in our current times.
That was just one small happening, a small thing I'll probably forget in a few months, but it illustrates how much MeFi gets carried with me - so it's pretty typical of almost every day life. How could I possibly choose a favorite?! Hugs to every one of y'all.
posted by barchan at 9:43 PM on August 5, 2017 [56 favorites]
So last night I was sitting in my motel room thinking, maybe go to the hospital to get someone to scrub the scabs and road rash off my hands/arms because from the swelling thorns had to be underneath the scabs despite my squirting the hell out of the road rash with saline solution. My hands were too swollen to do it myself. This after scraping at some of the scabs and slivers with my teeth for about an hour. (I know) And I couldn't take a Benadryl either, cuz it knocks me the fuck out - my husband had ordered a pizza for me and I was huuuungry.
Then I had the bright idea of retrieving my iodine brush (which an ER doc gave me once) from my first aid kit in the car - but while I could open the room door handle with my elbow, I couldn't open the truck door. So I hobbled to the office to ask the clerk to do so (it was a small motel). Mind you, I have a ten inch band of purple and red hammer thigh going on, quite visible since I had on the boxer short- shorts my BFF got me. And mind you, this was in a small, very very conservative town in S. Utah. The clerk took one look, probably decided I was on the run from some angry husband, and wasn't having any of it. He wouldn't even tell me if the town had any Uber drivers. He told me to go back to my room - he wasn't getting involved in any of my business.
So I went back to the room, tore open a box of edibles (with my teeth), boiled water with the coffee maker, dunked a wash-cloth, and awkwardly used my forearms with the washcloth to essentially debride my road rash (swelling goes down as soon as the thorns are gone). By the time the pizza arrived was cruising mltshp happy as hell and high as a clam - ate the entire pizza.
But really, even though I didn't even get close to MeFi, that whole episode was essentially an entire series of MeFi moments.
After my fall, amazed at my good fortune, I also self-congratulated my self-arrest skills. As an outdoor person certain incidents have prompted me to better my skills and/or haunt me - one that does both is Geraldine Largay, which I think about at least weekly, and whose fate I learned about here. Sitting in the dirt with her in my head also reminded me when a few years ago, in my death instructions, I added MeFi to the listing of places/people to be notified (but make sure to produce a death certificate for certain (awful) reasons).
I used the voice option on my smartphone to call my husband - and I only have a smartphone because I really wanted to look at MeFi while riding the bus and train. (It took me almost 15 years just to get a cellphone in the first place.) He called the pizza place for me, because I have phone anxiety, and we both laughed about this thread - but then I thought of the recent threads & asks about anxiety and we talked about that for a moment, which also made me grateful for this thread and the advice therein I've followed quite a bit lately.
But then I had the most typical MeFi moment I have - trying to figure out what to do and the small voice in my head said, how would you write this as an Ask? Which really helps figure out the real question. And of course, as it has so many times before, the collective MeFi voice in my head answered. Maybe not as they really would have, but enough for me to figure it out. And looking at the clerk reminded me so much of the small town I've come from, and the attitudes I've changed and growth I've gone through as a result of this place. Pure gratitude in many forms - for so many people here, especially - in my heart, walking away from him. And of course it reminded me of so many election threads.
But then a few users who've gone through some tough times, some similar to what the clerk was afraid of, flashed through my head. It's such a good community here - so many MeFites wouldn't have backed away. They would have leapt forward. But back at the motel room I realized it could have had something to do with the quote on the ass of my boxer shorts, which my BFF had gotten for me as part of an all-women geologists wild weekend of rocks and debauchery, for which everybody got an article of clothing with The Whelk's comment on it - also the theme of said weekend: "Are spontaneous dildos the first sign of an earthquake let's ask an expert"
Anyway. As I scrubbed my arms, I knew MeFi would have YELLED get thee to a doctor ASAP, and then thought of my trying to rip the thorns out with my teeth, which reminded me of the great SA goons bachelor thread, and great advice from elizardbits about passing out near the shower drain, which made me giggle all over again. So the shower mat thread mentally popped up and referenced later to my husband, cuz we've been talking and laughing about it for days. The edibles? Part of a complete reversal I've made on a number of issues due to MeFi. The Mltshp? MeFi.
And in the back of my head the whole time - it's always there - was the knowledge that if I really really really needed help, and posted that, it's quite possible some MeFite would not only have given great advice but also possibly come and picked me up or something. Because that happens here on this site. Like that guy in Occupy Portland with the head injury. Not sure when it happened but at some point it developed that pretty much everywhere I am in the world there's an amazing community which would be willing to help if it could and I really needed it. It feels weird, almost egotistical to say that, but it's the same for almost every member here - even those who aren't members. That feels super important right now in our current times.
That was just one small happening, a small thing I'll probably forget in a few months, but it illustrates how much MeFi gets carried with me - so it's pretty typical of almost every day life. How could I possibly choose a favorite?! Hugs to every one of y'all.
posted by barchan at 9:43 PM on August 5, 2017 [56 favorites]
I had a great time at the meetup a couple years ago when cortex and secretariat came to town. Everyone I talked to seemed really nice and interesting, and I had only recently moved to the Bay Area, so I was like "hey, there are cool people here!" Then I went home and built a fort/cave out of books and movies, as I tend to do, and never went to another meetup. But I will! At some point!
I am also very pleased with every thread that encourages us to make a bunch of bad jokes, because I am a garbage person who likes making painfully bad puns that hurt the people around me.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 9:46 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am also very pleased with every thread that encourages us to make a bunch of bad jokes, because I am a garbage person who likes making painfully bad puns that hurt the people around me.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 9:46 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yikes! barchan, I hope you're OK now! Which is to say, you're telling that story much more casually than I would have.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 9:54 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 9:54 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
oh yeah, totally fine *giggle* I've got wonderfully large breasts so I fall down a lot, but that also means I bounce back easily!
posted by barchan at 9:58 PM on August 5, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by barchan at 9:58 PM on August 5, 2017 [8 favorites]
barchan wins the thread.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:01 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:01 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
Glad to hear it! Are all geologists that tuff by nature? I made a geology pun for you
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:15 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:15 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
Are all geologists that tuff by nature?
Some loess than others.
posted by Dip Flash at 10:24 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
Some loess than others.
posted by Dip Flash at 10:24 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
But they all wear the mantle with pride, I'm sure.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:25 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:25 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
Yeah, but they fold under pressure.
posted by barchan at 10:33 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by barchan at 10:33 PM on August 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
It's not a specific moment that I can pin down (I probably could if I took the time, but I'm lazy) but at some point in MetaHistory, another MeFite messaged me to thank me for a post I put together. I'm lucky enough that it has happened a couple of times. I always appreciate those kind words and the thoughtfulness of that member to say hi and to share their feelings/thoughts.
And it sort of hit me, wow, people here care about the discussions and topics that are brought to the front page. The power of this community is something that stays with me. And it's something I think about whenever I make a post or write a comment. It makes me happy to be a part of this site.
And I guess my other favourite moment is when I first learned about what MetaFilter was. An interview on NPR with Matt. Talking about the variety of subjects and the quality of its community. I was interested enough that I googled it after the interview. I put down $5 within a week of that radio show. So yeah, that's my favourite memory/moment.
posted by Fizz at 10:35 PM on August 5, 2017
And it sort of hit me, wow, people here care about the discussions and topics that are brought to the front page. The power of this community is something that stays with me. And it's something I think about whenever I make a post or write a comment. It makes me happy to be a part of this site.
And I guess my other favourite moment is when I first learned about what MetaFilter was. An interview on NPR with Matt. Talking about the variety of subjects and the quality of its community. I was interested enough that I googled it after the interview. I put down $5 within a week of that radio show. So yeah, that's my favourite memory/moment.
posted by Fizz at 10:35 PM on August 5, 2017
all of my favourite moments involve the suffering of others so i will not list them BUT i will always fondly remember the deleted askme "did a racist baby fatshame me" for its pure and undiluted wtf-ery.
posted by poffin boffin at 10:37 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 10:37 PM on August 5, 2017 [7 favorites]
'Favourite' maybe isn't the right word, but I was fascinated by the Kaycee Nicole story as it unfolded on Metafilter. (From the date in my profile, apparently this was what motivated me to stop lurking and become a member.)
posted by rjs at 10:52 PM on August 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by rjs at 10:52 PM on August 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
I always appreciate those kind words and the thoughtfulness of that member to say hi and to share their feelings/thoughts.
Yeah, there have been a couple times that I've complained/whined (depending on what you think of me) about feeling down or unappreciated, and someone has sent me a message saying "I appreciate you!" It's such a nice thing to do. In the spirit of paying it forward, I've sent similar messages to other people, but then I feel awkward and/or creepy if they don't respond, so I stopped doing it.
True story.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:54 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
Yeah, there have been a couple times that I've complained/whined (depending on what you think of me) about feeling down or unappreciated, and someone has sent me a message saying "I appreciate you!" It's such a nice thing to do. In the spirit of paying it forward, I've sent similar messages to other people, but then I feel awkward and/or creepy if they don't respond, so I stopped doing it.
True story.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:54 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
bc you can't search for deleted asks obvsly
posted by poffin boffin at 10:55 PM on August 5, 2017
posted by poffin boffin at 10:55 PM on August 5, 2017
Just spent the evening playing the Cat-opoly boardgame with mudpuppie (we also had a game piece being played jointly as her cat, who ended up winning, by a lot), which certainly wouldn't have happened without MeFi, so there's that.
jesourie's amazing kindness to me when I was basically getting diagnosed with MS in real time on AskMe and her support and friendship since then has been another MeFi warm fuzzy in my life.
AskMe is a big thing that spurred me into changing careers and becoming a therapist. I was working an unfulfilling job and spending a large portion of my day answering human relations questions, and there was a moment when I thought, "This is really more along the lines of what I want to be doing with my life, helping people sort through interpersonal problems." So I ended up going back to school. When people ask me why I became a therapist, I almost always mention AskMetafilter.
posted by lazuli at 10:57 PM on August 5, 2017 [8 favorites]
jesourie's amazing kindness to me when I was basically getting diagnosed with MS in real time on AskMe and her support and friendship since then has been another MeFi warm fuzzy in my life.
AskMe is a big thing that spurred me into changing careers and becoming a therapist. I was working an unfulfilling job and spending a large portion of my day answering human relations questions, and there was a moment when I thought, "This is really more along the lines of what I want to be doing with my life, helping people sort through interpersonal problems." So I ended up going back to school. When people ask me why I became a therapist, I almost always mention AskMetafilter.
posted by lazuli at 10:57 PM on August 5, 2017 [8 favorites]
My favourite are the real life or outside of Mefi interactions Mefi enables, from making friends at meetups in London and more recently in Paris, to secret quonsar, to Mltshp and Instagram, and finally to snuggling with Fraula's adorable cat while catsitting recently!
posted by ellieBOA at 11:36 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 11:36 PM on August 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I know we're not supposed to mention "taters" but some of my fave moments included them taters. Also secret banjo gift.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 11:46 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by a humble nudibranch at 11:46 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
MeFi has helped us move country a few times with helpful guidance and I'm always amazed at how helpful everyone is. You all give me hope for the future.
Also, I'm never short of hotel soap now.
posted by arcticseal at 11:52 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
Also, I'm never short of hotel soap now.
posted by arcticseal at 11:52 PM on August 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
Through a post, discovering Shorpy, which became my favorite website on American history through photographs.
Through the comments to a recent AskMeFi I nervously posted, discovering that various physical and psychological changes as I close in on 50 were reassuringly normal and widely experienced.
In the same vein, reading comments and getting invaluable (and proven right) tips on better sleep.
Figuring out more of a healthy relationship between the online and the great outdoors with no devices. And, through fragments of many comments, figuring out more personal stuff and some sensible goals too. 28 years and 11 months online and AskMe is the most useful net resource in all that time.
Dogbeans.
posted by Wordshore at 12:12 AM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Through the comments to a recent AskMeFi I nervously posted, discovering that various physical and psychological changes as I close in on 50 were reassuringly normal and widely experienced.
In the same vein, reading comments and getting invaluable (and proven right) tips on better sleep.
Figuring out more of a healthy relationship between the online and the great outdoors with no devices. And, through fragments of many comments, figuring out more personal stuff and some sensible goals too. 28 years and 11 months online and AskMe is the most useful net resource in all that time.
Dogbeans.
posted by Wordshore at 12:12 AM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Metafilter is for me a fountain of sanity in this surreal nightmare world, every last cranny and (paphnutty-holding) subsite of it.
I've always been partial to the whole voting #1 quidnunc kid thing, and I truly hope that that is in no way implicated in the BrexiTrump state of the world today. If my third-party vote has been in error, however, I am of course more than happy to remediate by voting immediately and often for an elizardbits/poffinboffin ticket to restore well-being to our planet and see the fine local milk people given the justice for which they and we yearn.
posted by riverlife at 12:24 AM on August 6, 2017 [9 favorites]
I've always been partial to the whole voting #1 quidnunc kid thing, and I truly hope that that is in no way implicated in the BrexiTrump state of the world today. If my third-party vote has been in error, however, I am of course more than happy to remediate by voting immediately and often for an elizardbits/poffinboffin ticket to restore well-being to our planet and see the fine local milk people given the justice for which they and we yearn.
posted by riverlife at 12:24 AM on August 6, 2017 [9 favorites]
The time I got drunk with jonmc in NY. It was like a race, fuck.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:00 AM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:00 AM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
I have phone anxiety. A recent favorite is the how to call your representative thread.
I have still not been able to get the nerve together and call my doctor's office or whatever personal stuff needs doing. But I can call the people who don't care to represent me.
posted by mightshould at 3:48 AM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
I have still not been able to get the nerve together and call my doctor's office or whatever personal stuff needs doing. But I can call the people who don't care to represent me.
posted by mightshould at 3:48 AM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
I am fond of when a flameout in MeTa turned into congratulating restless_nomad on their engagement.
posted by solarion at 5:01 AM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by solarion at 5:01 AM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
A couple of years ago I was searching for another person to join the rpg campaign I was running at that time. I posted the game in irl and ended up making a couple of great friends out of it. Thanks Metafilter!
posted by nolnacs at 5:23 AM on August 6, 2017
posted by nolnacs at 5:23 AM on August 6, 2017
ten minutes later Jessamyn was wearing his hat and they were making goo-goo eyes at each other and it was adorable.
Reader I.... would marry him if we believed in that sort of thing and/or needed health insurance. And I'm still friends or in touch with a chunk of people from that meetup. Hobgoblin and I had lunch just a few months back. I still call meetups when I am traveling to unfamiliar cities and want to be in a group of people who understand my jokes.
Also this sick burn (and reply) from 2005 always makes me smile.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 5:25 AM on August 6, 2017 [11 favorites]
Reader I.... would marry him if we believed in that sort of thing and/or needed health insurance. And I'm still friends or in touch with a chunk of people from that meetup. Hobgoblin and I had lunch just a few months back. I still call meetups when I am traveling to unfamiliar cities and want to be in a group of people who understand my jokes.
Also this sick burn (and reply) from 2005 always makes me smile.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 5:25 AM on August 6, 2017 [11 favorites]
I love meetups. I had meetups with DC mefites a few times while I was doing my dissertation analyses at the Smithsonian, and grew to basically love all of them (/you). This spring, I was struggling to write up my dissertation while there was some other Life Stuff going on, and I was exhausted and stressed and kind of unhappy and lonely.
And then one day I got a box in the mail and it was from my DC metafilter friends! I think as soon as I opened it I started crying because it was just so sweet and kind and thoughtful. It was full of tea, and cookies, and cheesy cracker things, and monkey paraphernalia, and an encouraging picture of a metababy telling me she was proud of me, and it was just... the nicest thing that a group of people could have done for me at a time when I really felt like everything was terrible. Everything was not terrible and I have good, wonderful friends!
posted by ChuraChura at 5:48 AM on August 6, 2017 [15 favorites]
And then one day I got a box in the mail and it was from my DC metafilter friends! I think as soon as I opened it I started crying because it was just so sweet and kind and thoughtful. It was full of tea, and cookies, and cheesy cracker things, and monkey paraphernalia, and an encouraging picture of a metababy telling me she was proud of me, and it was just... the nicest thing that a group of people could have done for me at a time when I really felt like everything was terrible. Everything was not terrible and I have good, wonderful friends!
posted by ChuraChura at 5:48 AM on August 6, 2017 [15 favorites]
I got stuck in accident traffic trying to get a fare to the airport last week and we had nothing to do but talk and they were interesting and interested and stressed about missing their flight so I told them a story. They asked me if anyone had ever told me I had a great storytelling voice. No? Then I used emotional labor in a sentence and they asked me if I was on MF and I was like whoa, you obviously are and then we started really talking and they work on a radio show where people tell stories and they want me to tell a story or two.
I can't be ready for this one. But maybe the next one. I wasn't trying to pitch them. I didn't know who they were. MF is not a small world.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 5:52 AM on August 6, 2017 [15 favorites]
I can't be ready for this one. But maybe the next one. I wasn't trying to pitch them. I didn't know who they were. MF is not a small world.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 5:52 AM on August 6, 2017 [15 favorites]
Commenting to say I was born in Dec. 1969 too!
posted by misozaki at 6:09 AM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by misozaki at 6:09 AM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
There was a thread about the board game Cosmic Encounter which resulted in a spontaneous meetup for a game in Oakland; five of us got together, and a couple (Never Tip a Buick and dude-I-adore-but-whose-handle-I-can-never-remember) are semi-regulars at our weekly board game night still, and good friends beside.
And there was the time a dude in Kenya struck up a conversation on seeing my Metafilter shirt with "Are you a friend of Matthowie?" That was pretty cool.
posted by kaibutsu at 6:33 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
And there was the time a dude in Kenya struck up a conversation on seeing my Metafilter shirt with "Are you a friend of Matthowie?" That was pretty cool.
posted by kaibutsu at 6:33 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Commenting to say I was born in Dec. 1969 too!
Yeah! I really enjoy telling people I was born in the 1960s. I was there for it all man... war... protests... going to jail.
posted by bondcliff at 7:02 AM on August 6, 2017
Yeah! I really enjoy telling people I was born in the 1960s. I was there for it all man... war... protests... going to jail.
posted by bondcliff at 7:02 AM on August 6, 2017
It so happens that earlier today, my Puerto Rican in-law was raving about El Nuevo Acuario, a San Juan area restaurant we found two years ago by asking this question.
We visited Puerto Rico that Christmas and had dinner at El Nuevo Acuario with zyxwvut and his wife. He wasn't exaggerating about the restaurant.
posted by COD at 7:35 AM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
We visited Puerto Rico that Christmas and had dinner at El Nuevo Acuario with zyxwvut and his wife. He wasn't exaggerating about the restaurant.
posted by COD at 7:35 AM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
December 2012: Metafilter Goes to Flavortown. We had a hashtag, buttons, terrible drinks, attentive service, decentish food, and a great time!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
Last winter I tried to convince a skeptical friend that Metafilter was more than a virtual community with a bunch of in-jokes and behavioral norms; this conversation started because I was explaining why Quonsmas makes me so happy. Anyway, I got teary describing the posts that entail IRL interventions, like the Occupy Wall Street head injury case barchan mentioned above, but also the cat lost in a Utah cave, the endangered Russian women alone in NYC, the last minute call for a wedding witness, a different cat in need of a new home, etc.
I have a terrible-but-probably-inevitable-life-event on the horizon and sometimes I think about what I will do when TSHTF; it helps me quiet the screaming fantods to have a plan. Anyway, part of that plan is that I will move to a city where I'm very close to a few people. But I don't want to be too dependent on them and so I also have a strategy for meeting other people... which includes organizing and attending Meetups. You have been warned.
posted by carmicha at 8:48 AM on August 6, 2017 [7 favorites]
I have a terrible-but-probably-inevitable-life-event on the horizon and sometimes I think about what I will do when TSHTF; it helps me quiet the screaming fantods to have a plan. Anyway, part of that plan is that I will move to a city where I'm very close to a few people. But I don't want to be too dependent on them and so I also have a strategy for meeting other people... which includes organizing and attending Meetups. You have been warned.
posted by carmicha at 8:48 AM on August 6, 2017 [7 favorites]
I have a terrible-but-probably-inevitable-life-event on the horizon and sometimes I think about what I will do when TSHTF; it helps me quiet the screaming fantods to have a plan.
For a sec, carmicha, I thought you were going to say that part of the plan was to post as many AskMe questions as needed about said thing. That's basically my plan for any difficult life situation. But I can confirm your strategy of calling meetups is good, too.
posted by limeonaire at 9:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
For a sec, carmicha, I thought you were going to say that part of the plan was to post as many AskMe questions as needed about said thing. That's basically my plan for any difficult life situation. But I can confirm your strategy of calling meetups is good, too.
posted by limeonaire at 9:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
A few years back I was browsing Metafilter while at work and came upon this thread. I immediately texted my girlfriend and asked her if it was true.
That's how I found out my future-father-in-law "retired" from his radio show.
Definitely a strange clash of my two worlds.
posted by Diskeater at 9:16 AM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
That's how I found out my future-father-in-law "retired" from his radio show.
Definitely a strange clash of my two worlds.
posted by Diskeater at 9:16 AM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
> My first meetup was an hour and a half drive to Northampton, MA. I nervously walked into a pub and sat down next to Languagehat and Jessamyn, the first people I ever met from Metafilter. Greg Nog was there, but I don't remember talking to him. There were some other people there including like three people who did nothing but take pictures of us all night like we were celebrities.
And one of those people was drumcorpse, who took a picture of me at that meetup that is still on my userpage! Good times. (Hi Jessamyn!)
My first meetup was in early 2003 in NYC, and Songdog and I wore our MeFi baseball jerseys (script MetaFilter on the front, username and number on the back—eat your hearts out!) and I met Evanizer and other early MeFi celebrities and had a great time. I've been to a number of meetups since, but that's probably still my favorite.
But I have to say my single greatest MeFi-related experience was getting a box of single-malt scotch from Hairy Lobster. I nursed the sample bottles as long as I could and still have a swallow of the cask-strength Ardbeg for when I really, really need it.
posted by languagehat at 9:17 AM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
And one of those people was drumcorpse, who took a picture of me at that meetup that is still on my userpage! Good times. (Hi Jessamyn!)
My first meetup was in early 2003 in NYC, and Songdog and I wore our MeFi baseball jerseys (script MetaFilter on the front, username and number on the back—eat your hearts out!) and I met Evanizer and other early MeFi celebrities and had a great time. I've been to a number of meetups since, but that's probably still my favorite.
But I have to say my single greatest MeFi-related experience was getting a box of single-malt scotch from Hairy Lobster. I nursed the sample bottles as long as I could and still have a swallow of the cask-strength Ardbeg for when I really, really need it.
posted by languagehat at 9:17 AM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
This 2011 AskMe led to me and the poster, piedrasyluz, and MrMoonPie (whom I'd met previously through a MeFi DC meetup) to get together with some others and make a pedal-powered parade float for the H Street festival here.
The resulting group made many more such things (for example) including a skull of some infamy and an octopus (pic 1, pic 2). Regretfully the growing size of the street festival and lack of others joining our "Armada" meant that we were only were able to pedal our creations down the trolley track the first two years. If you count some short rides we gave in 2011, we were the first passenger-carrying vehicle on those trolley tracks by a large margin.
posted by exogenous at 10:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
The resulting group made many more such things (for example) including a skull of some infamy and an octopus (pic 1, pic 2). Regretfully the growing size of the street festival and lack of others joining our "Armada" meant that we were only were able to pedal our creations down the trolley track the first two years. If you count some short rides we gave in 2011, we were the first passenger-carrying vehicle on those trolley tracks by a large margin.
posted by exogenous at 10:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
I think my favorite MeFi thing (there are so many!) is the Secret Quonsor and the cookie swap that we do around the holidays. I'm far away from my family (and we aren't actually that close anyway) so the holidays can get a little sad, so getting a surprise present or a box of cookies in the mail "from the internet" really cheers me up. And I love picking out gift for people and baking for people, so I also get to do that!
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:45 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:45 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
I can't remember at all how I found MF but I do know it wasn't long before I paid up and joined (Jan. 2016). It took me quite a while to get brave enough to post, and then everybody was very nice/polite about it. I would like to go to meet-ups but the closest one is 4+ hours away by car (Raleigh). Too bad nobody's put one together for, say, Greenville SC or Charlotte or Knoxville, all within 2hrs drive. Or even Asheville (0hrs drive). My favorite thing is the wide range of knowledge and interests. I'm such a sponge and soak it all up. Thanks for all the giggles, too.
posted by MovableBookLady at 10:57 AM on August 6, 2017
posted by MovableBookLady at 10:57 AM on August 6, 2017
There have been so many threads that have stuck with me over time, and so many instances where I felt I was part of a community capable of so much good. But most recently I've really loved these Metatalktail hours. I actually look forward to Saturday nights and even if I'm out, I'll check in to see what the topic is, just to think about it. Let it roll around in my head a little. See if I can contribute something interesting and fun about it. Make someone somewhere smile.
I don't know why a stupid website should be one of my friends, and yet here we are. It doesn't make any sense, really. It's not a person. It doesn't really know me. It's heard a few of my stories but has never actually seen me. For all y'all know, I'm a less-than-sophisticated piece of A.I. with a sideloaded thesaurus. Yet this site has verifiable deliverables. It's helped people. It’s probably generated millions of laughs over the years. It's solved peoples' problems. It's given aid to those in need. It's informed and educated. For all its grar it also seems a kindness and comfort engine. A giving machine.
So yeah, I suppose it is my friend, even if it isn’t a real thing. Even if it’s just a rolling wall of extraordinary expressions about the damndest things. I’m glad I met you all those years ago, and even if we’ve occasionally rubbed each other the wrong way, I’m glad we’ve stuck it out, and I hope we remain friends forever. Thanks, buddy.
posted by Stanczyk at 11:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [10 favorites]
I don't know why a stupid website should be one of my friends, and yet here we are. It doesn't make any sense, really. It's not a person. It doesn't really know me. It's heard a few of my stories but has never actually seen me. For all y'all know, I'm a less-than-sophisticated piece of A.I. with a sideloaded thesaurus. Yet this site has verifiable deliverables. It's helped people. It’s probably generated millions of laughs over the years. It's solved peoples' problems. It's given aid to those in need. It's informed and educated. For all its grar it also seems a kindness and comfort engine. A giving machine.
So yeah, I suppose it is my friend, even if it isn’t a real thing. Even if it’s just a rolling wall of extraordinary expressions about the damndest things. I’m glad I met you all those years ago, and even if we’ve occasionally rubbed each other the wrong way, I’m glad we’ve stuck it out, and I hope we remain friends forever. Thanks, buddy.
posted by Stanczyk at 11:15 AM on August 6, 2017 [10 favorites]
When I think about occasions of inspiring and completely unlooked for heroism, quick thinking, and bravery called forth by contemporary urban life, I always come back to the comment by a guy out walking his dog who encountered a couple of aggressive unleashed pit bulls, and was only able to save his dog by holding it above his head with his arms fully extended and walking back home as the pit bulls leaped for his dog and smashed into to him to try to knock him over and get to the dog that way.
posted by jamjam at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by jamjam at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
I wrote a post about UK pop star Jimmy Somerville, one of those megaposts that I used to make regularly a few years ago. About a week later I got an email from his management company. I didn't respond right away because I thought it might be them taking legal action or something. But I did get back to them and it turned out that Jimmy had seen the post and wanted me to write liner notes for reissues of his first 5 CDs, and later his DVD video compilation. So I did something like 5 hours of Skype interviews with Jimmy about his career and wrote a lot of stuff that worked for each album reissue separately but also worked as an overarching narrative. I even had my name mentioned for my writing in a few reviews of the releases.
And that's how MetaFilter helped me become an internationally known music writer.
posted by hippybear at 11:44 AM on August 6, 2017 [63 favorites]
And that's how MetaFilter helped me become an internationally known music writer.
posted by hippybear at 11:44 AM on August 6, 2017 [63 favorites]
- Having my Project post posted on MeFi and mentioned on the podcast was pretty awesome.
- ignignokt's lovely MeTa about my second kid's birth (here he is at 0 days old, and here he is recently having just turned 1)
posted by EndsOfInvention at 11:53 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
- ignignokt's lovely MeTa about my second kid's birth (here he is at 0 days old, and here he is recently having just turned 1)
posted by EndsOfInvention at 11:53 AM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Memories of Butter thread will always have a special place in my heart.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:57 AM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:57 AM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
I absolutely love the Secret Quonsar swap. I've only participated the last two years but it is SO MUCH FUN--writing up your guidelines/wish list, eagerly waiting for the email to find out whose name you got, playing detective to figure out what to send, constantly checking UPS tracking to see when your package was delivered, getting a thank you note, and receiving your own package--I'm honestly not sure which part is my favorite. And then reading the ever-growing "Thank You" thread which is filled with so much pure happiness and gratitude...
the holidays can be really hard sometimes, but I LOVE this tradition!
posted by bookmammal at 12:15 PM on August 6, 2017 [7 favorites]
the holidays can be really hard sometimes, but I LOVE this tradition!
posted by bookmammal at 12:15 PM on August 6, 2017 [7 favorites]
Oh, goodness, yes, getting my owl from bondcliff as a Secret Quonsar gift is way high on my list of favorite things!
posted by lazuli at 1:57 PM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by lazuli at 1:57 PM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Not a single thing, a group of things: I like when there are a bunch of people outraged about something, and then somehow [cartoon dust cloud of punching and kicking] most people go away not especially happy, maybe still grumbling, but saying "yeah, well that sounds like a reasonable thing someone might do even if I disagree." Moderator magic. I try to emulate MetaTalk at work, too, although sometimes I'm not as magic.
Also, the mefite game of nomic was fun.
posted by ctmf at 2:30 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also, the mefite game of nomic was fun.
posted by ctmf at 2:30 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
"yeah, well that sounds like a reasonable thing someone might do even if I disagree."
And it's flip side, "yeah, I could do less of that, I guess, if people feel that strongly about it."
posted by ctmf at 2:33 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
And it's flip side, "yeah, I could do less of that, I guess, if people feel that strongly about it."
posted by ctmf at 2:33 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mine was when someone memailed me that my AskMe suggestion to get new bedding after a breakup had really helped her a lot. She wasn't the OP.
posted by jgirl at 2:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by jgirl at 2:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
I should mention, being an "internationally known music writer" is not something I've leveraged into any sort of writing since the Somerville project. I'm just amused by the whole sequence of events, really.
posted by hippybear at 2:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 2:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
That's so neat! I love Jimmy Somerville!
posted by Frowner at 3:02 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Frowner at 3:02 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
AskMe is indirectly responsible for my divorce, as I slowly came to understand that his behavior (and the overall dynamic) was not acceptable or normal.
AskMe is directly responsible for my broken curtain rod, scratched up sofa, ruined blanket, and about $500 in vet bills via this little jerk.
posted by AFABulous at 3:21 PM on August 6, 2017 [15 favorites]
AskMe is directly responsible for my broken curtain rod, scratched up sofa, ruined blanket, and about $500 in vet bills via this little jerk.
posted by AFABulous at 3:21 PM on August 6, 2017 [15 favorites]
And as a recurring event, the black swallowtail caterpillars are back at the parsley again this year. Two have already fledged, and a latecomer who I saw happily munching away yesterday, is now hanging still in prep for the next stage. I wouldn't have been as aware to watch for this without AskMe.
posted by mightshould at 3:27 PM on August 6, 2017
posted by mightshould at 3:27 PM on August 6, 2017
My favourite and least favourite Metafilter-related moments are basically the same moment. I was at a Meetup, one of the first couple I attended, in downtown Toronto. I'd been having a pretty shitty week, what with the home invasion robbery on Tuesday and nearly getting a ticket for driving in the carpool lane on Wednesday, and I was glad to be spending some time with Mefites. It was not a chill meetup -- people stormed out in anger over a discussion of gay marriage -- but it was still pretty great.
Then, as I walked back to my car with some people I was going to drop off at the subway, I noticed it was parked on a funny angle. "Well, I certainly did a good job of parking today!" I remarked out loud as we approached the car. But then I remembered that I had driven straight through more than one row of parking to end up parked where I actually did, so there was no way I was parked that crooked.
Someone had driven an SUV into a bunch of cars, and mine was no longer in drivable condition. I called a tow truck and stonerose and gesamtkunstwerk and orange swan and dirtynumbangelboy waited with me in the February freezing cold, post-midnight dark parking lot until it finally showed up over an hour later. It was yet another shitty, awful thing in a shitty, awful week, but Mefites were there for me when the shit went down and I'll always be grateful for that.
posted by jacquilynne at 4:10 PM on August 6, 2017 [14 favorites]
Then, as I walked back to my car with some people I was going to drop off at the subway, I noticed it was parked on a funny angle. "Well, I certainly did a good job of parking today!" I remarked out loud as we approached the car. But then I remembered that I had driven straight through more than one row of parking to end up parked where I actually did, so there was no way I was parked that crooked.
Someone had driven an SUV into a bunch of cars, and mine was no longer in drivable condition. I called a tow truck and stonerose and gesamtkunstwerk and orange swan and dirtynumbangelboy waited with me in the February freezing cold, post-midnight dark parking lot until it finally showed up over an hour later. It was yet another shitty, awful thing in a shitty, awful week, but Mefites were there for me when the shit went down and I'll always be grateful for that.
posted by jacquilynne at 4:10 PM on August 6, 2017 [14 favorites]
This is my favorite season of the year, the three months between Lammas and either All Saints' Day (Scandinavia) or Bonfire Night (UK). Cooler days and nights, harvests, events, festivals, free fruits of the hedgerows, and a feeling that this world moves a little closer to less physical worlds at this time; but, still much daylight.
Here, this season starts off with a program of organ recitals in the local church (and, on investigation, others). There's various reasons for this, such as the vicar being away (but leaving her teddy bear in place), or a change of pace, or a way of drawing new visitors in. With many other summer events for people to choose from, and it being England, bribery comes in the form of cake. Which, in my case, worked.
I've been to hundreds, many hundreds of organ recitals over the nearly half century (gulp) and I'm not the greatest fan of Bach. But, the perennial favorite of recitals it was tonight, as described to the healthy audience of about twice the usual number in on a Sunday evening. It was also good to see a few fellow Druids and Pagans here, as I always feel a little outnumbered by Presbyterians (Catholics I don't mind, and Evangelicals as have mentioned before I always politely reply to with "Terribly sorry, I didn't know he was lost" when they ask me if I have found Jesus). The organist was introduced; it's an odd set up with him being right at the back and all of the pews facing the other way, so most people just, well, stare at the stained glass. I prefer to sit near the back and turn round, chaise lounge style and forget church etiquette, to see what's going on.
And he put on an excellent rendering of not-my-favorite-composer this evening, receiving a good round of applause at the end. There was also some cake left over so yadda yadda yadda cake guilt and I did a seven mile walk in the fading light, saw many geese, and had a nice pot of tea in a pub and read MetaFilter (a rare trip out with the tablet).
That bonfire night is 13 weeks tonight. Good times.
p.s. sorry, still no further owl news, though I will be interrogating MeFite bondcliff at the earliest opportunity.
posted by Wordshore at 4:12 PM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Here, this season starts off with a program of organ recitals in the local church (and, on investigation, others). There's various reasons for this, such as the vicar being away (but leaving her teddy bear in place), or a change of pace, or a way of drawing new visitors in. With many other summer events for people to choose from, and it being England, bribery comes in the form of cake. Which, in my case, worked.
I've been to hundreds, many hundreds of organ recitals over the nearly half century (gulp) and I'm not the greatest fan of Bach. But, the perennial favorite of recitals it was tonight, as described to the healthy audience of about twice the usual number in on a Sunday evening. It was also good to see a few fellow Druids and Pagans here, as I always feel a little outnumbered by Presbyterians (Catholics I don't mind, and Evangelicals as have mentioned before I always politely reply to with "Terribly sorry, I didn't know he was lost" when they ask me if I have found Jesus). The organist was introduced; it's an odd set up with him being right at the back and all of the pews facing the other way, so most people just, well, stare at the stained glass. I prefer to sit near the back and turn round, chaise lounge style and forget church etiquette, to see what's going on.
And he put on an excellent rendering of not-my-favorite-composer this evening, receiving a good round of applause at the end. There was also some cake left over so yadda yadda yadda cake guilt and I did a seven mile walk in the fading light, saw many geese, and had a nice pot of tea in a pub and read MetaFilter (a rare trip out with the tablet).
That bonfire night is 13 weeks tonight. Good times.
p.s. sorry, still no further owl news, though I will be interrogating MeFite bondcliff at the earliest opportunity.
posted by Wordshore at 4:12 PM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
***psssssst, bondcliff, he's on to us. Send further instructions re:owl through the usual channels. I'll distract him with a trail of wild blackberries.***
posted by lazuli at 5:49 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by lazuli at 5:49 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
sitting here with two cats (asked for help naming one) and the husband (he was already named when I got him) discussing good metafilter things: quonsmas, walking the Manhattan portion of Broadway, the annual picnics in the gardens where I work and all the posts with all the interesting things.
posted by sciencegeek at 5:52 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by sciencegeek at 5:52 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
... also, seeing Hamilton. Thank you, Miniest McGee!
posted by ChuraChura at 5:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by ChuraChura at 5:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hopefully once I'm in Chicago I can finally go see it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:14 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:14 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
I don't know if it's my very favorite (I don't think I have a single very-favorite) thing, but something I think is generally cool is that when I travel, I have the ability to meet up with people I already "know". So far, I've kicked off meetups in, and meet people in, the following places:
* New Orleans, on Mardi Gras. I was celebrating my birthday a day early, and ColdChef and his family and I went to RadioAmy's front lawn to watch one of the parades. RadioAmy brought out some food she had leftover from a party she'd held the night before - which even included a birthday cake. I called her "the most prepared hostess ever" and then got distracted when a friend of hers showed up in a full-body Pink Panther costume and I still don't know why.
* London. I can't remember everyone who was there - I know cilit bang, and essexjan, and running order squabble fest, but there were many others. We went to a cocktail bar first, and then head to a Turkish restaurant somewhere in Islington - and they were all very patient when I got super-touristy and stopped to take a picture of the Hotblack Desiato sign that inspired Douglas Adams.
* Rome. I was taken to a place that served nothing but fried fish and romakimmy advised me how tell guys on the metro "get out of my damn way" in Italian. :-)
* Paris. We met at a bistro and were perusing the menu, and my confidence in my French was still a bit shaky, so I asked the others what a tartiflette was when I saw it listed.
"Oh, that's a traditional dish from Lyon. There's a traditional Lyonnaise cheese, and then there's potatoes and bacon, and - "
"Say no more, I"ll take it."
And for a "coming home" moment of sorts:
Sometime back in 2010, I was talking about the cheeseburgers at a diner near my Connecticut hometown. And the user zippy (who I didn't know then) backed me up in this by adding that one should add "a soda from Hosmer Mountain" - Hosmer Mountain being a very localized soda bottler from that part of Connecticut. But - his profile said he was in Oakland, California. So I sent him a memail demanding to know how the hell a guy in Oakland knew about Hosmer Mountain - at approxmiately the same time he was sending ME one asking how the hell someone in New York knew about Shady Glen.
Turns out we grew up like two towns over from each other in Eastern Connecticut and his mom worked in my town's school superindentent's office and everything.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:14 PM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
* New Orleans, on Mardi Gras. I was celebrating my birthday a day early, and ColdChef and his family and I went to RadioAmy's front lawn to watch one of the parades. RadioAmy brought out some food she had leftover from a party she'd held the night before - which even included a birthday cake. I called her "the most prepared hostess ever" and then got distracted when a friend of hers showed up in a full-body Pink Panther costume and I still don't know why.
* London. I can't remember everyone who was there - I know cilit bang, and essexjan, and running order squabble fest, but there were many others. We went to a cocktail bar first, and then head to a Turkish restaurant somewhere in Islington - and they were all very patient when I got super-touristy and stopped to take a picture of the Hotblack Desiato sign that inspired Douglas Adams.
* Rome. I was taken to a place that served nothing but fried fish and romakimmy advised me how tell guys on the metro "get out of my damn way" in Italian. :-)
* Paris. We met at a bistro and were perusing the menu, and my confidence in my French was still a bit shaky, so I asked the others what a tartiflette was when I saw it listed.
"Oh, that's a traditional dish from Lyon. There's a traditional Lyonnaise cheese, and then there's potatoes and bacon, and - "
"Say no more, I"ll take it."
And for a "coming home" moment of sorts:
Sometime back in 2010, I was talking about the cheeseburgers at a diner near my Connecticut hometown. And the user zippy (who I didn't know then) backed me up in this by adding that one should add "a soda from Hosmer Mountain" - Hosmer Mountain being a very localized soda bottler from that part of Connecticut. But - his profile said he was in Oakland, California. So I sent him a memail demanding to know how the hell a guy in Oakland knew about Hosmer Mountain - at approxmiately the same time he was sending ME one asking how the hell someone in New York knew about Shady Glen.
Turns out we grew up like two towns over from each other in Eastern Connecticut and his mom worked in my town's school superindentent's office and everything.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:14 PM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
What's an owl?
posted by bondcliff at 6:17 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 6:17 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
I had a nice afternoon wandering around Omaha with Jessamyn. And Cortex and I once wrote a song that went viral for about 16 hours.
Those were fun times.
posted by maxsparber at 6:18 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Those were fun times.
posted by maxsparber at 6:18 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
My personal best mefi things: helping to organize the 10th anniversary party in NYC with sticky carpet, fuq, pink superhero, katherin g, and many others. Finding mefightclub. and of course, this happened.
get your motor running head out on the highway!
posted by vrakatar at 6:23 PM on August 6, 2017
get your motor running head out on the highway!
posted by vrakatar at 6:23 PM on August 6, 2017
After all this time, now that the $5 n00bz have become elder statespeople (shut UP, we have too) I have so many metafilter memories I can't even begin to trace them down. It's been my stalwart go to place for um, about 16 years now. I just showed up and after the years of lurking, once Matt finally let me in, I somehow never left. I love you people. You crack me up and teach me things and make me mad (righteously, for the cause) every single damn day. You have definitely changed my life and not just on the blue, gray and green. My funny, informative, call to action Twitter feed is mostly populated by Mefites. I can't even remember which of my Facebook friends came from here initially. My Instagram has got to be almost half Mefites and, out there in the so called real world, several of my best friends in all the world I met here. I met moonbird, who is still one of my closest friends, at an Asheville meetup, probably this one, and we cemented that friendship by hosting a full Mefi/Mecha weekend and then going together to #mefi10 in NOLA along with, um, how many people? a LOT. Of very drunken people. Oh the meetups, we need to start having more again. I met elizard and bitteroldpunk (other friends I see as often as we can manage to bridge the gap between Asheville and Birmingham) and Specklet and fstorr (who live too far away) in Atlanta with BoringPostcards (who has managed to befriend all my Asheville friends, that's how cool he is) for another mecha weekend! I went to NYC and hung out with jonmc and amberglow and a whole bunch of other awesome people!
Sigh, that was the then that was. so many names in those threads I haven't seen in way too long. Some we won't see again, damn, and that breaks my heart.
And there were pictures of those meetups but alas they are gone too, since I deleted my flickr account in a stupid fit of furious pique some years later. WAIT! I found them!
Oh and then the Whelk put up an FPP for my projects post about the website we put together for my aunt's paintings and that led to several memails from people who actually knew her, or whose parents knew her back in the 50s and 60s, and that was amazingly cool as well. Connections that span generations at this point, that is Metafilter to me.
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:46 PM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Sigh, that was the then that was. so many names in those threads I haven't seen in way too long. Some we won't see again, damn, and that breaks my heart.
And there were pictures of those meetups but alas they are gone too, since I deleted my flickr account in a stupid fit of furious pique some years later. WAIT! I found them!
Oh and then the Whelk put up an FPP for my projects post about the website we put together for my aunt's paintings and that led to several memails from people who actually knew her, or whose parents knew her back in the 50s and 60s, and that was amazingly cool as well. Connections that span generations at this point, that is Metafilter to me.
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:46 PM on August 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Huh, there are also a couple of non Mefi oddities in that batch of photos. The flickr to ipernity pipeline was far, far from perfect.
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:49 PM on August 6, 2017
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:49 PM on August 6, 2017
What's an owl?
It's either a postal delivery system or else it's the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams.
posted by hippybear at 7:13 PM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's either a postal delivery system or else it's the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams.
posted by hippybear at 7:13 PM on August 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
What's an owl?
Whoooooooo knows? *blink blink*
posted by lazuli at 7:20 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Whoooooooo knows? *blink blink*
posted by lazuli at 7:20 PM on August 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
when I travel, I have the ability to meet up with people I already "know".
This is definitely cool. I've met MeFites in NYC, Seoul, and Vienna, and none of them were oozing douchenozzles.
wait...statistically does that mean I'm the douchnozzle?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:41 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is definitely cool. I've met MeFites in NYC, Seoul, and Vienna, and none of them were oozing douchenozzles.
wait...statistically does that mean I'm the douchnozzle?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:41 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
What's an owl?
$20 SAIT
Now ask me: what's an owl urn?
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
$20 SAIT
Now ask me: what's an owl urn?
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:53 PM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
wait...statistically does that mean I'm the douchnozzle?
No, it means that no MeFites are douchnozzles.
And seconding your comment (thirding EC's), having met MeFites in, lemme think, Wellington, London, San Francisco, Barcelona and Madrid.
posted by Pink Frost at 11:13 PM on August 6, 2017
No, it means that no MeFites are douchnozzles.
And seconding your comment (thirding EC's), having met MeFites in, lemme think, Wellington, London, San Francisco, Barcelona and Madrid.
posted by Pink Frost at 11:13 PM on August 6, 2017
The best thing that's happened to me here is kind of hard to say obliquely enough to avoid sharing someone else's personal details, but--there was someone I knew through a thing some years ago while living in another state who I had only barely met but I thought they were Super Super Awesome and I continued going to the thing for some time despite it not being a good fit just to hear that person talk about stuff. They left that place because it wasn't really any better a fit for them than it was for me, and I kind of figured I was never going to get to hear them again, and I was pretty resigned to that. I didn't stick around much longer than that, myself. Life moves on.
Discovering that that person was here and continuing to say really cool things, despite my being sure they still have no idea who I am nor do they have any reason to care, continues to delight me.
posted by Sequence at 11:47 PM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
Discovering that that person was here and continuing to say really cool things, despite my being sure they still have no idea who I am nor do they have any reason to care, continues to delight me.
posted by Sequence at 11:47 PM on August 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
My one of favorite Metafilter moments was to see the action photos of the pussyhat I made for a Mefite who wanted one to wear to one of the Women's Marches. The hat had a Metafilter colors stripe. (And then I had a slightly embarassing fangirl moment when I found out that she is married to one of my favorite AskMe advice givers.)
Another favorite was getting a wooden rooster named Shania from my Secret Quonsar last year.
Every time the community builds something great, and then seeing the ripples outside of Metafilter. Every time something that I've learned about on Metafilter helps me help someone in my life, even if it is just reading the incredibly clever and funny quips and stories out loud to lighten someone's day.
posted by monopas at 11:57 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Another favorite was getting a wooden rooster named Shania from my Secret Quonsar last year.
Every time the community builds something great, and then seeing the ripples outside of Metafilter. Every time something that I've learned about on Metafilter helps me help someone in my life, even if it is just reading the incredibly clever and funny quips and stories out loud to lighten someone's day.
posted by monopas at 11:57 PM on August 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Good MetaFilter moments are, for instance, mysteries solved (like the Russian Students incident, What to do with a big heap of cheese, how to get myself unlocked from this bathroom, or my cat ran away in the desert and we found her back type-of-things), Metatalk Moments when it suddenly feels like a community conversation, and the (I repeat myself) long and endless alphabet thread from a few years back. Most of the time, unexpected moments of fun or erudition and the new things one learns when reading interesting Ask posts.
posted by Namlit at 12:15 AM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Namlit at 12:15 AM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
About 15 years ago there was a post about a guy who loves sucking dicks at truck stops, and I told him in his comments that Metafilter supports him living his best life, and then someone got all pissy about that in the thread.
posted by thelonius at 6:31 AM on August 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by thelonius at 6:31 AM on August 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
But I wasn't even a member 15 years ago!
posted by hippybear at 6:36 AM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 6:36 AM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
I loved that long and endless alphabet thread too!
posted by h00py at 6:50 AM on August 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by h00py at 6:50 AM on August 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Right now my favorite part of MetaFilter is this, the Metatalktail Hour threads. And my favorite part of the threads is Wordshore's weekly update. As a dyed in the wool Anglophile, I just love reading about fetes and organ recitals and cranky villagers and all of it.
posted by cooker girl at 7:03 AM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 7:03 AM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
That time eamondaly made a karaoke track with THE Jingle Rock Bell lyrics and McMikeNamara played it at a surprise sing along at the magnificent karaoke bar shortly before it closed forever.
posted by crush at 7:31 AM on August 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by crush at 7:31 AM on August 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
> After all this time, now that the $5 n00bz have become elder statespeople (shut UP, we have too)
n00b!
14k-ers 4ever!
posted by languagehat at 7:36 AM on August 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
n00b!
14k-ers 4ever!
posted by languagehat at 7:36 AM on August 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's weird that I have been in this site for 12 years but still get low-number envy.
I suppose if you add up all the favorites from my various incarnations over the years, I'm doing okay in that regard, but I will always be a johnny come lately.
posted by maxsparber at 8:49 AM on August 7, 2017
I suppose if you add up all the favorites from my various incarnations over the years, I'm doing okay in that regard, but I will always be a johnny come lately.
posted by maxsparber at 8:49 AM on August 7, 2017
I have a few:
- That time that I gave everyone randomized (staff) tags in MeTa (note: I didn't, I just happened to be the first person who noticed them and I made the MeTa post ahead of the mods)
- That time I was mistaken for William S. Burroughs or something (I'm still unclear on what happened there)
- That time ErWenn MeMailed me the source of my mis-quoted MeFi handle (if I was better at searching, I might have been "horrific light thief")
- That time I sent Hillary Clinton buttons to glasseyes and she sent back an amazingly tasty box of British goodies
- Those times MeFites message me out of the blue because of something I've written, like Native American musicians or living in New Mexico
posted by filthy light thief at 10:02 AM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
- That time that I gave everyone randomized (staff) tags in MeTa (note: I didn't, I just happened to be the first person who noticed them and I made the MeTa post ahead of the mods)
- That time I was mistaken for William S. Burroughs or something (I'm still unclear on what happened there)
- That time ErWenn MeMailed me the source of my mis-quoted MeFi handle (if I was better at searching, I might have been "horrific light thief")
- That time I sent Hillary Clinton buttons to glasseyes and she sent back an amazingly tasty box of British goodies
- Those times MeFites message me out of the blue because of something I've written, like Native American musicians or living in New Mexico
posted by filthy light thief at 10:02 AM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
My favorite Metafilter-related moment was when I got my "Metafilter User License" in the mail (some years ago).
I carry this card with me always, because it identifies me as "...a representative of the Internet."
Who *doesn't * want that!!
I can't remember the member who did them, nor do I know how many of us have them - but it is a prized possession.
posted by dbmcd at 11:09 AM on August 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
I carry this card with me always, because it identifies me as "...a representative of the Internet."
Who *doesn't * want that!!
I can't remember the member who did them, nor do I know how many of us have them - but it is a prized possession.
posted by dbmcd at 11:09 AM on August 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
I have one. mattdidthat did that, I think.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 11:43 AM on August 7, 2017
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 11:43 AM on August 7, 2017
I sang this.
But my favorite part is that some people didn't know what "Alice's Restaurant" was. But they still listened, to like this 20 minute ramble of parody nonsense, people thought that was my real voice and not a sorta passable Arlo Guthrie impersonation. Imagining those people, listening to this guy reading weird bananas political commentary is a silly voice makes me smile every-time I think about it.
The other big one was October 2009 when Cortex had the 30 meet-ups in 30 days thing and I drove him around to some number of those from Maine to DC and was very drunk and very tired most of the time. Met so many wonderful mefites.
posted by French Fry at 12:04 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
But my favorite part is that some people didn't know what "Alice's Restaurant" was. But they still listened, to like this 20 minute ramble of parody nonsense, people thought that was my real voice and not a sorta passable Arlo Guthrie impersonation. Imagining those people, listening to this guy reading weird bananas political commentary is a silly voice makes me smile every-time I think about it.
The other big one was October 2009 when Cortex had the 30 meet-ups in 30 days thing and I drove him around to some number of those from Maine to DC and was very drunk and very tired most of the time. Met so many wonderful mefites.
posted by French Fry at 12:04 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
That lemongrass tofu establishment in Memphis. God, I can't say enough about how that once a week to-go order carried me, MsEld, and BabyEldNumero1 through what is probably our financially poorest time while helping bolster our sanity and ethics (buy local, vegetarian, no chain stores, walking distance some days).
That recommendation came from a mefite here and I am forever grateful for that weekly splurge on a togo container full (literally, FULL with no rice/fillings/sides) of cubes of fried tofu that were so delicious and able to be integrated into our meals for the subsequent days until we kinda got tired of them until next week.
posted by RolandOfEld at 12:09 PM on August 7, 2017
That recommendation came from a mefite here and I am forever grateful for that weekly splurge on a togo container full (literally, FULL with no rice/fillings/sides) of cubes of fried tofu that were so delicious and able to be integrated into our meals for the subsequent days until we kinda got tired of them until next week.
posted by RolandOfEld at 12:09 PM on August 7, 2017
I spent Christmas of 2013 at home by myself, and this MetaTalk thread made me feel a lot less lonely.
I've been on MetaFilter for my entire adult life, and it's wild to think about how this site has shaped me. You guys helped me learn how to cook, how to dress myself, how to have an argument like a grown-up. The emotional labor thread indirectly contributed to my figuring out that I'm a lesbian. I can open an avocado without it being an unholy mess thanks to y'all. Just yesterday, I experimented with sitting down to wipe. I'm an only child, and MetaFilter seems like the big sibling I never had.
posted by coppermoss at 12:14 PM on August 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
I've been on MetaFilter for my entire adult life, and it's wild to think about how this site has shaped me. You guys helped me learn how to cook, how to dress myself, how to have an argument like a grown-up. The emotional labor thread indirectly contributed to my figuring out that I'm a lesbian. I can open an avocado without it being an unholy mess thanks to y'all. Just yesterday, I experimented with sitting down to wipe. I'm an only child, and MetaFilter seems like the big sibling I never had.
posted by coppermoss at 12:14 PM on August 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
- Pretty much every DC meetup has been amazing, notably the great big homemade ice cream potluck social and anytime ChuraChura has come to town.
- We had a baby! CatastropheWaitress had a longish labor and I was on MeFi for part of it, which generated some good-natured ribbing in one of the threads. We'd gotten to know the Pterodactyl family a bit by that point and Mrs Pterodactyl offered to author a New Baby Post when we were ready, which was a super, super nice thing to do. The Family Pterodactyl (including the tiniest pterodactyl, who's just a bit younger than our own kiddo) have become good friends, and it's all thanks to MetaFilter! Huzzah!
- I am fond of when a flameout in MeTa turned into congratulating restless_nomad on their engagement. OH. Oh shit, I remember that thread, partly because I said something that I thought was funny and other people also thought it was funny, which was a nice feeling.
posted by duffell at 12:15 PM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
So many MetaFilter moments for me! Man, I love this place and after all this time I still can't quit you, MF. A few big ones: just about every SQ event, from the shopping to the thank you thread haunting to the fabulous receiving experience. Also I loved being in the cookie exchange until my waist couldn't handle it, and still revel in the marvelous grocery bags I got in the big Grocery Bag exchange. But I guess my top one, besides the joy of getting to "know" so many of your wonderful virtual selves, individually and collectively, is my BIKE. Electra, my electric bike beloved, would not be mine but for MetaFilter.
Thanks, again for being THE best place on the Internet.
posted by bearwife at 1:10 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Thanks, again for being THE best place on the Internet.
posted by bearwife at 1:10 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
My first ever post to Flickr was from that Multi-Fi meetup on April 8th 2005 that mygothlaundry mentioned upstream. 'Tis of her, also one of my perma-besties, shouting out to Jonmc and Papercake. I need to be here a lot more. Holy hell, this place was such an everything pit for so long. Then life dialed up a notch. Think I'll dial it back.
posted by moonbird at 3:26 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by moonbird at 3:26 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
> noooooooob
*waits for Lynsey to show up and n00b us both*
posted by languagehat at 3:28 PM on August 7, 2017
*waits for Lynsey to show up and n00b us both*
posted by languagehat at 3:28 PM on August 7, 2017
...or Jessamyn...or jonmc...
(pretty sure #1 won't be dropping by much)
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:31 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
(pretty sure #1 won't be dropping by much)
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:31 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
When Matt paid my late wife's ER and ambulance bills. (proof) and y'all basically kept me from offing myself to join her. Thank you so much.
posted by mrbill at 4:15 PM on August 7, 2017 [28 favorites]
posted by mrbill at 4:15 PM on August 7, 2017 [28 favorites]
The time iconomy basically voodooed an answer to my Ask in six minutes.
posted by Mitheral at 7:14 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 7:14 PM on August 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
That time I totally forgot I was a paid-up member for 12 and a half years.
posted by prismatic7 at 11:16 PM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by prismatic7 at 11:16 PM on August 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
That time I sent Hillary Clinton buttons to glasseyes and she sent back an amazingly tasty box of British goodies
I had to read this like 3 times before I understood you hadn't sent something called "buttons to glasseyes" to Hillary Clinton.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:19 AM on August 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
I had to read this like 3 times before I understood you hadn't sent something called "buttons to glasseyes" to Hillary Clinton.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:19 AM on August 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
I love the big community moments where everyone comes together - the 9/11 thread, the Katrina and Sandy threads, election nights, the secret holiday gifting threads. I love the meet up that spill over into metatalk and there's links to so many pictures.
But the quiet moments are so good.
Recently my mother died. I posted too asks related, one about books for my disabled son explaining death and another from the night before the graveside services and dealing with overwhelming grief. In both, the outpouring of compassion along with needed information was so uplifting to me, that it stays with me now.
This is an amazing community with truly wonderful, smart, amazing, and creative people and I'm glad to be a part of it every day.
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 5:22 AM on August 8, 2017 [7 favorites]
But the quiet moments are so good.
Recently my mother died. I posted too asks related, one about books for my disabled son explaining death and another from the night before the graveside services and dealing with overwhelming grief. In both, the outpouring of compassion along with needed information was so uplifting to me, that it stays with me now.
This is an amazing community with truly wonderful, smart, amazing, and creative people and I'm glad to be a part of it every day.
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 5:22 AM on August 8, 2017 [7 favorites]
What's an owl?
It's a nocturnal bird with large forward-facing eyes, but that's not important now.
posted by pjern at 5:35 AM on August 8, 2017 [13 favorites]
It's a nocturnal bird with large forward-facing eyes, but that's not important now.
posted by pjern at 5:35 AM on August 8, 2017 [13 favorites]
This thread on making your own gyros at home is always a delight.
Great. Now I'm hungry. Does Starbucks make a gyro breakfast sandwich?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 7:32 AM on August 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Great. Now I'm hungry. Does Starbucks make a gyro breakfast sandwich?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 7:32 AM on August 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's a nocturnal bird with large forward-facing eyes, but that's not important now.
Surely, you can't be serious.
posted by bondcliff at 7:41 AM on August 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Surely, you can't be serious.
posted by bondcliff at 7:41 AM on August 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Temptation to create a sock puppet account named "Surely" and type "I am dead serious" almost overwhelming.
posted by maxsparber at 7:56 AM on August 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by maxsparber at 7:56 AM on August 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
As someone who paid $5.00 last week to make a two word joke, I highly recommend it.
I mean, not now though, the moment has passed.
posted by bondcliff at 8:40 AM on August 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
I mean, not now though, the moment has passed.
posted by bondcliff at 8:40 AM on August 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
the moment has passed
Surely you jest!
#justtryingtohelp
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:52 AM on August 8, 2017
Surely you jest!
#justtryingtohelp
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:52 AM on August 8, 2017
At the risk of having thatsthejoke.gif be emailed to me, you know the quote is "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley", right?
posted by bondcliff at 10:29 AM on August 8, 2017
posted by bondcliff at 10:29 AM on August 8, 2017
LISTEN, KID! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA.
posted by maxsparber at 10:31 AM on August 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by maxsparber at 10:31 AM on August 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
Some MeFi comments led me to Yoga with Adriene, which I've been doing almost every morning for eight months. It's difficult to describe how this has changed my life for the better in so many ways, so I'll just say thanks, MetaFilter!
posted by a fish out of water at 12:38 PM on August 8, 2017
posted by a fish out of water at 12:38 PM on August 8, 2017
I am fond of when a flameout in MeTa turned into congratulating restless_nomad on their engagement.
That was funny. I was on shift at the time, I think, and reading that thread with increasing dread, and then I saw MY FIANCEE derailing it and we very nearly had A Talk. But it actually turned what was a potentially pretty nasty thread into something... pleasant? So she won that one. (She... wins a lot of them, actually.)
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 2:26 PM on August 8, 2017 [4 favorites]
I guess I can de-anonymize myself at this point and say that AskMe prevented me from making possibly the worst mistake I would have ever made in my life, in terms of steering me away from a disastrous career decision due to being burnt out and shellshocked and not realizing it at the time. I can't say "not a day goes by," but I think of that thread about once a month or ever six weeks or so, and thank Saint Mathowie and all his moderatin' angels for having pulled me off that track.
posted by Shepherd at 5:17 PM on August 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 5:17 PM on August 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
My favorite moment was the reaction to my invasive plant species tournaments suggestion.
posted by Bruce H. at 6:06 PM on August 8, 2017
posted by Bruce H. at 6:06 PM on August 8, 2017
"I'm an only child, and MetaFilter seems like the big sibling I never had."
Does MetaFilter frequently hide your remote control so it can watch its preferred TV shows? As the oldest of four, I can tell you that's a huge part of it.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:53 PM on August 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
Does MetaFilter frequently hide your remote control so it can watch its preferred TV shows? As the oldest of four, I can tell you that's a huge part of it.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:53 PM on August 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
Is that something Metafilter would have to have a TV to understand?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:35 PM on August 8, 2017
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:35 PM on August 8, 2017
I love it when a MetaFilter post or comment inspires neat fiction. One example:
- Eyebrows McGee's story about the three women who travelled from India, Japan, and Syria in the 1880s to attend the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania and become doctors (in ocherdraco's post about them). Darn it, I just got choked up reading it again. Still waiting for this movie to happen.
And there's something so satisfying about mystery AskMes that get resolved. Two of my favorites involved mystery artist threads:
- jocelmeow wanted to know more about an artist named Svenningsen, because her parents used to have two works by him from the 1970s. A few MeFite sleuths added good some info, and then Vaike commented to say that Svenningsen happened to be their friend and neighbor! And jocelmeow was able to buy an original copy of one of the two pieces, and gave it to her mother.
- And, as linked from the above AskMe: maniactown inherited a painted portrait and wanted to know the artist. MeFites identified the name from the signature (the linked photos in the OP don't work for me anymore); then a user commented that she was the person in the painting, and that her mother was the painter.
(There's been a bunch of mystery painter AskMes -- I remember another one vaguely where I think the asker had their mystery solved and even got to meet the artist, but I can't find it at the moment.)
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:46 PM on August 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
- Eyebrows McGee's story about the three women who travelled from India, Japan, and Syria in the 1880s to attend the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania and become doctors (in ocherdraco's post about them). Darn it, I just got choked up reading it again. Still waiting for this movie to happen.
And there's something so satisfying about mystery AskMes that get resolved. Two of my favorites involved mystery artist threads:
- jocelmeow wanted to know more about an artist named Svenningsen, because her parents used to have two works by him from the 1970s. A few MeFite sleuths added good some info, and then Vaike commented to say that Svenningsen happened to be their friend and neighbor! And jocelmeow was able to buy an original copy of one of the two pieces, and gave it to her mother.
- And, as linked from the above AskMe: maniactown inherited a painted portrait and wanted to know the artist. MeFites identified the name from the signature (the linked photos in the OP don't work for me anymore); then a user commented that she was the person in the painting, and that her mother was the painter.
(There's been a bunch of mystery painter AskMes -- I remember another one vaguely where I think the asker had their mystery solved and even got to meet the artist, but I can't find it at the moment.)
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:46 PM on August 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
SPEAKING OF PAINTING:
258 Comments about a TV show and a paint roller which may not exist but everyone remembers.
posted by Room 641-A at 10:51 AM on August 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
258 Comments about a TV show and a paint roller which may not exist but everyone remembers.
posted by Room 641-A at 10:51 AM on August 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
The AskMe about the lost cat at Devil's Tower is my favorite thread of all time.
posted by slenderloris at 1:07 PM on August 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by slenderloris at 1:07 PM on August 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Another favorite body of content; the many videos curated in this front page post by Mr N. O. Display are deeply satisfying to watch and rewatch over and over, whatever the season and atmospheric conditions outside one's window.
+ + + + +
A minor cake update. One attended a county championship match earlier in the week. As is to be found at many grounds, a wide array of foods are available from which to graze on throughout the day. It being a county championship match, play starts at 11am, with a luncheon break around 1pm and a tea break in the latter half of the afternoon. That's for the players; us spectators have a good seven hours of feasting ahead.
But the culinary highlight at this particular ground occurs between 2:30pm and 4:30pm, when home baking is revealed and swarms of hungry or greedy fans, perhaps needing a break from observing the inability of Leicestershire to retain wickets against not the greatest Durham pace bowling attack, descend on the stand. One has been here before, and knows when and how to beat the rush to give oneself the prime array of cake options.
And they were good options. So many options.
My first choice was an excellent sponge cake with a recherché filling of raspberry and blueberry jam. This was rather splendid.
My second was a brownie containing several large and surprisingly jagged pieces of dark chocolate. Regretfully this was not photographed. My apologies.
My third and final selection was an absolutely superb slice of chocolate cake, producing almost lachrymogenic joy on consumption. From the distance it had been luring one in for some time, and on purchase one was not disappointed. Returning to the desk for the day (there is wifi there so work could be done and associated expenses claimed)(one noted that the password had not changed since my visit of three years ago) one admired the cake for some time; here's one angle and here's another.
After which fullness had been reached; for now, anyway. Leicestershire continued to pretend they had forgotten how to play cricket, more work was executed, respects were paid to the club mascot Joey, and finally one walked ... waddled ... back to the train station.
No further fribble on cake, cheese, chocolate, owls, brash English people, rural scandals, rural sexual scandals, village fete scandals or similar from oneself for the immediate future. One is availing oneself of the services of the socialist medical system here in England while it still exists, to do some "repairs and maintenance" on this particular body, thus reducing online time. It is not, as my colleague suggests, so one can have a "recent buildup of cake surgically removed". This is also why one is regretfully not attending the eclipse/rapture in the Western Colonies in a few weeks time while other MeFites indulge in such solisequious activities.
Toodle pip, MeFites. {whistles seven different notes}
posted by Wordshore at 1:08 PM on August 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
+ + + + +
A minor cake update. One attended a county championship match earlier in the week. As is to be found at many grounds, a wide array of foods are available from which to graze on throughout the day. It being a county championship match, play starts at 11am, with a luncheon break around 1pm and a tea break in the latter half of the afternoon. That's for the players; us spectators have a good seven hours of feasting ahead.
But the culinary highlight at this particular ground occurs between 2:30pm and 4:30pm, when home baking is revealed and swarms of hungry or greedy fans, perhaps needing a break from observing the inability of Leicestershire to retain wickets against not the greatest Durham pace bowling attack, descend on the stand. One has been here before, and knows when and how to beat the rush to give oneself the prime array of cake options.
And they were good options. So many options.
My first choice was an excellent sponge cake with a recherché filling of raspberry and blueberry jam. This was rather splendid.
My second was a brownie containing several large and surprisingly jagged pieces of dark chocolate. Regretfully this was not photographed. My apologies.
My third and final selection was an absolutely superb slice of chocolate cake, producing almost lachrymogenic joy on consumption. From the distance it had been luring one in for some time, and on purchase one was not disappointed. Returning to the desk for the day (there is wifi there so work could be done and associated expenses claimed)(one noted that the password had not changed since my visit of three years ago) one admired the cake for some time; here's one angle and here's another.
After which fullness had been reached; for now, anyway. Leicestershire continued to pretend they had forgotten how to play cricket, more work was executed, respects were paid to the club mascot Joey, and finally one walked ... waddled ... back to the train station.
No further fribble on cake, cheese, chocolate, owls, brash English people, rural scandals, rural sexual scandals, village fete scandals or similar from oneself for the immediate future. One is availing oneself of the services of the socialist medical system here in England while it still exists, to do some "repairs and maintenance" on this particular body, thus reducing online time. It is not, as my colleague suggests, so one can have a "recent buildup of cake surgically removed". This is also why one is regretfully not attending the eclipse/rapture in the Western Colonies in a few weeks time while other MeFites indulge in such solisequious activities.
Toodle pip, MeFites. {whistles seven different notes}
posted by Wordshore at 1:08 PM on August 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Sometimes I read the cat-at-devil's-tower thread when I'm feeling sad. I may read it now, in fact, given the state of the world.
It is so cathartic - you think everything is going to be terrible and sad and start feeling anxious, but actually there is a happy ending!!!
posted by Frowner at 2:24 PM on August 9, 2017
It is so cathartic - you think everything is going to be terrible and sad and start feeling anxious, but actually there is a happy ending!!!
posted by Frowner at 2:24 PM on August 9, 2017
Annnnd speaking of things that don't exist:
The time MetaFilter lost its collective mind over Too Many Cooks.
posted by Room 641-A at 2:42 PM on August 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
The time MetaFilter lost its collective mind over Too Many Cooks.
posted by Room 641-A at 2:42 PM on August 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
I made a bunch of friends in this meTa from 2008 (we became friends in large part because we longboated the thread) and we are all mostly still friends and Vikings together and it is excellent. Almost ten years ago. Wow.
posted by rtha at 6:08 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 6:08 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Too many Chicago Cabal* moments to count, but the Month of Meetups was a pretty great team effort.
I'm also super-tickled every time the Billy Goat is mentioned, knowing that our picture is on the wall over in the VIP section.
posted by eamondaly at 8:48 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm also super-tickled every time the Billy Goat is mentioned, knowing that our picture is on the wall over in the VIP section.
posted by eamondaly at 8:48 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
> The time MetaFilter lost its collective mind over Too Many Cooks.
Thanks a lot, now you've got the tune stuck in my head again.
posted by languagehat at 8:29 AM on August 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Thanks a lot, now you've got the tune stuck in my head again.
posted by languagehat at 8:29 AM on August 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
The time MetaFilter lost its collective mind over Too Many Cooks.
Oooh, how about the time Metafilter lost its mind and time over Food Fight?
ColdChef was the first to go watch the livestream and lure us all in with reports that there was a chat function, and then the rest of the thread is like watching a plague gradually spread through a village as each of us succumb. (The only problem is that the livestream chat was not also captured, because that too was fantastic.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:25 AM on August 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oooh, how about the time Metafilter lost its mind and time over Food Fight?
ColdChef was the first to go watch the livestream and lure us all in with reports that there was a chat function, and then the rest of the thread is like watching a plague gradually spread through a village as each of us succumb. (The only problem is that the livestream chat was not also captured, because that too was fantastic.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:25 AM on August 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
One of my very favorite RL experiences was a dinner/game night IRL. It was a big crowd, maybe 12 people. In the middle of dinner a young man walks up to the table and asks if we're MetaFilter. He explained that he was a lurker, out here for...I think a gig his girlfriend had, and decided to drop by. He turned out to be this really, really nice guy. We all had dinner, played games, and then he left. And I just love that this really nice person unexpectedly dropped in on my life for a few hours. That doesn't happen too often. I can't think of a better combination than new and old friend + Game Haus.
Oooh, how about the time Metafilter lost its mind and time over Food Fight?
I missed that go-round, but did watch it later with another mefite. I think it took us four hours because we were laughing so hard. It's on my Missed MeFi Momemts list..
posted by Room 641-A at 11:06 AM on August 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oooh, how about the time Metafilter lost its mind and time over Food Fight?
I missed that go-round, but did watch it later with another mefite. I think it took us four hours because we were laughing so hard. It's on my Missed MeFi Momemts list..
posted by Room 641-A at 11:06 AM on August 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Pretty much every DC meetup has been amazing, notably the great big homemade ice cream potluck social and anytime ChuraChura has come to town.
Strong agree with this entire statement. If you're looking for dessert recipes, btw, that thread has some great options. Every single item at that meetup was wonderful, but duffell's ice cream banoffee pie is something else. And not that hard to make!!!! Johnny Wallflower's Vegan Chipotle Chocolate Chip ice cream is also a stunner, and Mrs. Pterodactyl's pear walnut cookies are, oh my god, you just have to try them, indescribably good.
DC mefites, we should do another ice cream meetup. Perhaps next time ChuraChura's in town.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 8:49 AM on August 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
Strong agree with this entire statement. If you're looking for dessert recipes, btw, that thread has some great options. Every single item at that meetup was wonderful, but duffell's ice cream banoffee pie is something else. And not that hard to make!!!! Johnny Wallflower's Vegan Chipotle Chocolate Chip ice cream is also a stunner, and Mrs. Pterodactyl's pear walnut cookies are, oh my god, you just have to try them, indescribably good.
DC mefites, we should do another ice cream meetup. Perhaps next time ChuraChura's in town.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 8:49 AM on August 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
Lest it go unnoted, everybody had matching towels brought like half a dozen different kinds of homemade ice cream and the flavors were totally bananapants and they were freaking amazing. When you said you were bringing pizza ice cream I was skeptical and I was so happy to have my skepticism proven unwarranted. So. good. (Also the Frank's red hot & bleu!)
posted by duffell at 9:50 AM on August 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by duffell at 9:50 AM on August 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
My favorite Metafilter moment is actually that looooong stretch of Stay-at-Home Mommyhood that was so wonderful and fulfilling, but simultaneously so potentially brain-destroying and lonely. I was pointed at the site by writer friend Janet Kagan, who knew a good thing when she saw it. I wish I'd joined then, when the site was only a few months old, but I was very reclusive and not much of a joiner at the time.
But the insightful discussion, differing but considered opinions, kept me from feeling so intellectually isolated. And I learned, and grew as a person, from those conversations, proving again that sometimes shutting up and listening is the best way to learn.
And the trusting Askers, who allowed themselves to be vulnerable, and reach out to the community: so brave, and the answering voices so generous. I never asked for this help myself, but I saw others being helped through their insecurities and self-doubt. It helped me reframe my relationship with the world. I will always be grateful.
Oh, and I love the cat rescues.
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 8:01 PM on August 11, 2017
But the insightful discussion, differing but considered opinions, kept me from feeling so intellectually isolated. And I learned, and grew as a person, from those conversations, proving again that sometimes shutting up and listening is the best way to learn.
And the trusting Askers, who allowed themselves to be vulnerable, and reach out to the community: so brave, and the answering voices so generous. I never asked for this help myself, but I saw others being helped through their insecurities and self-doubt. It helped me reframe my relationship with the world. I will always be grateful.
Oh, and I love the cat rescues.
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 8:01 PM on August 11, 2017
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posted by tivalasvegas at 6:17 PM on August 5, 2017 [5 favorites]