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Gads, alternate music clefs make me crazy, after most of a lifetime reading treble and bass clefs. I really think the only way to do this is to get a book of viola solos, probably nothing too hugely difficult at first, and just do sightreading practice. It will really REALLY suck at first, but since you already have musical training, your brain should snap into the correct mode within a week, if not sooner.

Couple likes like alto clef with the concept that… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 10:12 AM on April 19, 2009

Couple things like...
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 10:18 AM on April 19, 2009

This is not an unknown problem, as a quick google search shows. The suggestions in many of those links say to check the sampling speed settings and adjust those.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 9:49 AM on April 19, 2009 marked best answer

It could be a CGI soccer ball. Makes it easier to get the shot that way, too.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 9:37 AM on April 19, 2009

First off, a disclaimer -- I'm gay, and haven't had to deal with the "female" in relationships much beyond whether Martha Stewart had good tips on her show this week or not. HOWEVER...

I don't know much about China, but one of the few stereotypes that has been fed to me is that of the demanding, loudmouthed, abusive Asian wife with a meek and submissive husband. As a western male, I've always found this to be a comic device, and perhaps as it has been… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 10:39 PM on April 18, 2009

Being in control of your emotions is a good thing and leads to a life that's much more peaceful and restive. When I realized that I had control, I also realized that my life didn't have to be filled with crazy tumult and strife. Sure, a relationship like the one you described above sounds miserable for men, it's no better, healthier, or fair for women.

Amen, and Amen. I call this "stepping out of the drama," amongst other things.… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 11:42 PM on April 18, 2009

PhoBWanKenobi: I think I was disputing the chemicals / hormones thing because the assumption that women have moods affected by fluctuations in their body chemistry while men do not is pretty much false. Men do have a cycle, and it may not have the same obvious up and down, but it can be tracked and will show mood swings just like the menstrual cycle.

Wasn't really disagreeing with your point; I think we are on the same page with this.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 8:36 AM on April 19, 2009

John Phillips Sousa. Those marching band tunes are great for this.

Take "The Star-Spangled Banner", for instance. I will use the popular lyrics to help illustrate (starts at about 1:10 into the above recording)

Be Kind To-your Web Foot-ed | Friends

Each of those separated word groups is one beat. The "to-your" and "foot-ed" are split evenly making one beat into two half-beats… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 7:57 AM on April 19, 2009

Rachel Maddow had James Mann on her show earlier this week, interviewing him about his new book "The Rebellion Of Ronald Reagan". You might appreciate that book, or others mentioned on the Amazon page. You might have to jump forward to around 2:00 into that show segment to get into the interview.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 10:20 PM on April 18, 2009

I should mention, I've only seen the interview, and have not read the book being discussed.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 10:25 PM on April 18, 2009

Seriously, if you're in your thirties and not living together, just lay it down.

"When you interact with me in that way, it makes me feel X, and I shouldn't have to feel that way in my life, so either you stop doing that, or I don't interact with you any longer."

Paraphrase at will.

It worked with me and my guilt-inducing mother. After 6 months of silence, she realized I meant it and changed the way she was… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 3:17 PM on April 18, 2009 marked best answer

angrybeaver: This may be a "fish don't realize they're in the water" kind of thing, but you do realize you do NOT have a normal relationship with your sister, correct? Without knowing her or you, but having only read this thread, I would have to assess that you are suffering under a very minor version of what that guy in Austria did to his daughter.

Okay, don't get all hyperbolic and freaked out on me... I'm not implying incest or that level of abuse and… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 9:58 PM on April 18, 2009

Guitar, ukulele, autoharp, mandolin... any of these instruments will give you flexibility. They all can be played two ways -- you can learn chords (which can be simple or complicated) which let you do simple campfire sing-a-long stuff pretty quickly, or you can learn more "classical" techniques and get into very complicated show-off playing with enough work. Banjos are a bit more work because they are rarely strummed and so require learning picking patterns.… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 8:29 PM on April 18, 2009

Other than the potential for people in Minneapolis to have to pay for a long-distance call based on your son's Maryland area code, I can't see why won't work. With most people having included long distance these days, even on land lines, it shouldn't be THAT much of a problem.

That said, there are two people in the area where I live that I don't dial often because they have out-of-area cell phones. But they are Slimy Business types who are keeping 4 cells active to… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 3:29 PM on April 18, 2009

Honestly, pre-school peer cruelty will be remember for a far shorter time than, say, middle school peer cruelty. What are they going to call your child? Snaggletooth? It's not like this is a permanent problem.

Not to shift the energy, but perhaps you're more worried about what other parents might say to you or develop as an opinion about your child? Seriously, after all this ordeal to get the teeth dealt with twice now, maybe you're just (nearly) torturing your child… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 3:23 PM on April 18, 2009

There is a variation on solitaire which I've encountered many places under different names (Pounce, Competitive Solitaire, Solitaire Frenzy [the current marketed version]). I won't type out all the playing rules here, but it basically takes a card deck for each player (get unmatched decks for later sorting), and then each player plays on ANY ace promoted to the middle for suit building, etc. It can be expanded to any number of players as long as you have a deck of cards for each player. In… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 3:00 PM on April 18, 2009

Amy Ray's solo albums are pretty punky.
Athens Boys Choir may not fit into the scheme.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 8:14 AM on April 18, 2009

I worked for a summer in Zion National Park in southern UT some decades ago, and really recommend seeing both Zion and Bryce Canyons if you're in the area. Monument Valley has amazing vistas, but Zion puts you right IN the bottom of this really tall canyon, and Bryce Canyon puts you up on top looking at rock formations. They are very close together and could easily be accomplished in a day or two.

Neither of these are "drive through" visits. They might fit… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hippybear at 7:23 PM on April 17, 2009