August 2019 Archives (all archives)
August 31
MetaTalktail Hour: Famous on the Internet
For this month's Euro time shift Metatalktails, we hear from Mefite I'm always feeling, Blue who wants to know about your brushes with the internet-famous ... [more inside]
August 30
MetaWhatAreYouWatchingLately? 📺🎞️📽️📱💻
End of another week, let's talk about something else that is not related to politics. Let's talk about what you're watching. Have you started any new shows? Have you been to the movie theatre lately? Any disappointments? Any surprises? Maybe you have been working your way through a filmography or a series? Maybe you're actively taking a break from film or television watching, that's cool too. Whatever it is, let's dish about some media. As always be kind to yourself and others. Cheers.
August 29
Share your ThinkPad Love!
Seeing this post today and weighing in with my usual recommendation that the OP purchase a refurbished ThinkPad (and seeing how many other MeFites did the same, as usual) made me stop and think about how often I see manifestations of ThinkPad love on The Green, so I thought it might be fun to share our ThinkPad love a little more freely and generally geek out over our fondness for these durable but aesthetically challenged miracle boxes!
August 28
Person of color only thread #3
Hello again! This is Mefi's third person of color thread (1, 2). As before, it's a space for discussion for Metafilter members of color, so before posting please take a look at the guidelines posted inside, thanks! [more inside]
Let's talk about "mystery meat" FPPs...
I don't mean to pick on BiggerJ, but their recent FPP exemplifies one of my MeFi pet peeves: posts which try to be cute by withholding context, thus forcing readers to follow the links to find out what the post is about. [more inside]
August 27
Afternoon Coffee - Let's Talk
The six a.m. 16 ounce is required, and the booster at 10 a.m. helps, but when your eyes just will.not.stay.open. at 2:00 p.m., do you go back for another? [more inside]
Most eponysterical post or comment
After seeing this post appear just now, are there other good recent examples of eponysterical posts or comments? The definition in the Mefi Wiki and Urban Dictionary, a 2007 Meta on the origin of the term which is a fun read, a 2005 Meta on such posts and comments and the old list compiled by scarabic.
August 24
Metatalktail Hour: Where You Lay Your Weary Head
Good Saturday evening, MetaFilter! This week, slenderloris (post yer animals!) wants to know, "Where/how do you sleep? What size bed? Hammock? Tent? Couch? (Remember that person who had the AskMe about putting a couch in their bedroom instead of a bed? That was cool!) Unpredictable from night to night? How many pillows? Top sheet or no? Animals/kids/other people there or not? Do you still have an alarm clock separate from your phone Y/N? Tell me about the place where you lay your head." Pictures always welcome! [more inside]
August 23
Post Your Animal Month
So I had this wacky idea, and I'm doing it. Please join me. If you have an animal in your username, post (directly, tangentially, barely-relatedly) about your animal over the next month. Post your animal month goes from August 23 to September 23 or whenever people stop doing it. Whichever comes later. Tag #postyouranimal .
It Turns Out to Be A Case of Mistaken Identity!
A conversation-starter as another incredible week draws to a close... Let's talk about intentionally shedding one or more of aspects of identity: the what, the why, the how, and the results vis-a-vis your state of mind. Did some part of your identity become a burden, perhaps an affiliation with a social/religious group or just being The One Who Loves Pigs And So Will Be Given Porcine Porcelain Forever? Did you discover unacceptable limitations associated with an aspect of your identity, like never being able to do or say [x] because it conflicted with that persona? Was it easy or hard to let go? Did you decide to recast your vocation as an avocation (or vice versa)?
Or tell us about how you came to re-home your hobby gear. Was it part of finding true purpose, living authentically, embracing growing up, removing a source of guilt, or simply moving on? Did the shedding happen as a consequence of other identities you chose intentionally, like becoming a parent? Did your identity shift gears, perhaps because you decided to be a maker and creator of [x] instead of a consumer and aficionado of it? Did you affirmatively let something go, put it on a shelf or let it drift away? Are you at peace with it? And how did it go if you chose to announce your decision, e.g., the equivalent of, "I don't collect pigs anymore," to your friends and family? [more inside]
August 19
Site finance snapshot, August 2019
It's a little over a month since the State of the Site post where I talked about our current revenue shortfall, and as part of a goal of moving toward more regular financial updates I wanted to give a quick snapshot of where we are now. [more inside]
August 17
Metatalktail Hour: Change Your Mind!
Good Saturday evening, MetaFilter! This week, ricochet biscuit wants to know, "What is the last thing you changed your mind about?" [more inside]
August 16
Alas, MrBill
mrbill, a Houston MetaFilter member since 2002, has died. Many of you may remember in 2009 when his wife died suddenly and unexpectedly.
Bill was kind, friendly, and generous. If you see his posts here or on Facebook, you'll see a person who gave and gave, without thought to what he got in return. We will miss him and his contributions.
August 15
Team MeFi Steotchalong 2019?
I know we have some cross-stitchers here, is anyone else doing (or spectating) this year's Steotchalong? [more inside]
August 14
"Hey, oh, so THAT happened!
Hey, let's do something fun. Today, driving in to work, I managed not to speed in the 25mph zone of the main street of my little town by a police officer when we drove up to one of the 3 (three) lights in town. It turned red right as we pulled up to it, but a car coming the opposite direction came through after the red. The cop behind me turned on his lights and pulled into the left-turn lane to do a U and go after the car. Have you had any sort of "Instant Karma" little moments you've witnessed happen in your life lately? Or if not negative, then also positive? Life is full of tiny moments we all mark when we see them happen, I'm eager to hear about those things where you went "hey, oh, so THAT happened" for whatever reason.
Fantasy (American) Football Anyone?
Is anyone interested in joining a fantasy football league this season? I don't have a league set up, but if there's enough interest, I'm happy to create one. Thanks!
Dust off those bookmarks, tidy your link collections, share the old gold
A bit over a month ago, Cozybee asked Can we do a "post something interesting from your bookmarks" month? Some folks did, and you can join in! Dig through your old links and add the tag postfromyourbookmarks.
August 13
Post about cooking brunch and listening to music?
Looking for a FPP that I think was from NPR. It was a series of articles where the writer paired a brunch recipe with an album. I've tried searching on here to no avail. Halp?
Metafilter Dialup group – Get to know your fellow MeFites
Dialup is "A voice-chat app reviving the magic of phone calls." You can join groups that have a set schedule, a call usually once or twice a week; you get paired randomly with someone in the group for a call. [more inside]
August 10
Metatalktail Hour: New Beginnings
Good Saturday evening, MetaFilter! This week, with summer winding down in the Northern hemisphere, and Americans thinking "back to school," I'm wondering if you're planning any new beginnings for the change in seasons/back-to-school time! (This always feels like a much better time for resolutions to me!) Are you trying something new? Taking on a new challenge? Just looking forward to crisp fall air (/balmy spring air)? [more inside]
August 9
Music on the Brain
As the end of another [insert your applicable adjective here] week grows nigh, let’s talk about having music on the brain. Is there always a soundtrack playing in your noggin? Or is everything quiet and that’s a bizarre question? On what occasions has your brain cued up a song with lyrics that fit the situation perfectly, or offered insights, comfort or humor that you needed? Ever find yourself thinking of a tune that would be utterly inappropriate in that moment should you accidentally start singing it? Can you “play” entire albums or symphonies in your head? Can you imagine familiar music differently, perhaps switching up the instrumentation, the meter or even the genre? Do you make up new lyrics to songs as a way to amuse yourself and others or remember things? And no conversation about music on the brain would be complete without a discussion of earworms… when does it happens to you, and do you have a trick for getting rid of them? Chime in! [more inside]
Metafilter Fantasy Premier League 2019/20, slight return.
Premier League football (US: soccer) kicks off today at 1500 BST and with it the weekly crisis of self-worth that is Fantasy Premier League. The previous Metafliter-centric FPL minileague doesn't seem to have been renewed just yet, so humbly I submit the MeFi Beanplate Kickabout (league code: 3cqk0z) for your consideration. All are welcome. Get stuck in.
August 4
Pony request: MathJax
I like talking about math with other Mefites on MetaFilter. There have been several threads over the last few months in which I enjoyed the conversation, but found the lack of ability to use properly-typeset formulas really cumbersome. I don't think this should be a particularly high priority, especially considering other issues the site is working on right now, but I'd really love the ability to use MathJax on MetaFilter. [more inside]
A favor from the community
Hello, mefites. I could use a favor: messages of encouragement. Details inside. [more inside]
August 3
Happy MetaVersary to me!
I just noticed that I joined MetaFilter 17 years ago today! I figured I would take this moment to say thanks, everyone, for being here, and making this one of my favorite places on the interwebs.
Metatalktail Hour: Trees of the Young
Good Saturday evening, MetaFilter! This week, unearthed wants to hear about your favorite childhood trees. (Which I assume means the trees of your childhood, and not trees in THEIR childhood, but, hey, either works!) [more inside]
August 2
Words of Wisdom
The end of another flabbergasting week is upon us and it's helpful to so many MeFites to think positive thoughts; in fact, for some, it's a discipline. Do you have a personal motto? Do you recite the Serenity Prayer to yourself on the regular? Mutter "Fear is the mind-killer" as you head into a contentious meeting or prepare to dive into cold water? Reassure yourself that "chance goes to the prepared" or that "perfect is the enemy of done?" If so, are you channeling someone who played a big role in your life? If, say, the Golden Rule still functions as your personal operating system, how did you learn it? Let us know, and maybe you'll help a fellow MeFite regain their balance. [more inside]
154: I Learned It By Reading
We're back after a skipped month with an unsurprisingly longer-than-usual podcast episode, as jessamyn and I chatter about all the ususal site stuff (a month's worth is generally too much, two months definitely so) and also talk a little about MeFi history, recent site challenges, the 20th anniversary, and so on. Runs just about two hours total. [more inside]