melodien t1_j9nzl9t wrote on February 23, 2023 at 9:45 AM

Reply to LPT: The best way to kill the lifeforce-destroying taste of cough syrup is to down a mouthful of liquid honey right after you take it. by sixup604

Ah, the Mary Poppins school of medicine.

melodien t1_iz33n3g wrote on December 6, 2022 at 2:39 AM

Reply to comment by nathhad in Did sheep fur always just endlessly grow or was that something that was selectively bred? Were they originally naturally adapted to be going through a lot of foliage and thickets and stuff that would keep their coat relatively trimmed? by EuroTraschBozos

I believe the Dorper was developed in South Africa as a meat sheep, so that makes sense.

melodien t1_iz30tyk wrote on December 6, 2022 at 2:18 AM

Reply to comment by Millerjustin1 in Did sheep fur always just endlessly grow or was that something that was selectively bred? Were they originally naturally adapted to be going through a lot of foliage and thickets and stuff that would keep their coat relatively trimmed? by EuroTraschBozos

I'm a knitter: my relationship with wool (and any other knittable fibre) verges on obsession. And I have the stash to prove it.

melodien t1_iyzklar wrote on December 5, 2022 at 10:39 AM

Reply to Did sheep fur always just endlessly grow or was that something that was selectively bred? Were they originally naturally adapted to be going through a lot of foliage and thickets and stuff that would keep their coat relatively trimmed? by EuroTraschBozos

Selective breeding. Before they were domesticated, sheep would shed their fleece naturally. In fact there is a type called a Dorper (quite common in my area) which still does. The same goes for Angora rabbits - they were selectively bred for their fur, and now that have to be shorn because they can't shed their coats naturally.

melodien t1_iy7jpfd wrote on November 29, 2022 at 9:29 AM

Reply to TIL that Gresham College, an institution of higher learning in London, does not enroll students or award degrees, and instead hosts over 140 free public lectures every year. Since 2001, all lectures have been made available online. by Kurma-the-Turtle

They are currently advertising for a Professor of Rhetoric. ₤8,000 annual stipend plus "reasonable expenses".

melodien t1_iugj7om wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:40 AM

Reply to LPT Request: I've come to absolutely loath flying on airplanes, and my new job has me flying a lot. Any tips to make the experience more bearable? by [deleted]

I'm not a fan of air travel, and I've done far more of it than I ever wanted. Things that help:

Moisturise and hydrate, and consider your eyes and your sinuses as well. Get the type of eye drops sold for people with dry eyes, and find a basic saline nasal spray (I use Fess, which may not be available in your location).

Noise cancelling headphones are good, but a pair of the basic noise-occluding plugs sold for use in noisy environments is also useful. Pharmacies usually sell them.

A good, comfortable eye mask.

A scarf - nothing heavy, but just something that you can wrap around your neck or wad up as a pillow.

I always travel wearing a ScotteVest, so that all my small items are in easy reach. Also makes getting through the security circus quicker.

I knit on planes: a small set of circular knitting needles and a ball of yarn will keep me calm for hours.

melodien t1_iu3ugwo wrote on October 28, 2022 at 10:53 AM

Reply to LPT: If you have items that are precious, tell your adult children the story of those things far before death. Better yet, write it down and include it with the item. by AcroAmo

So I'm here at the moment: my mother died last week (94, fifth stroke, was never going to end well). Her written notes of "stuff" are from around 2003: my brother and I are going through this and going " do you remember this thing?" "Who is "Cat" and why would he/she be getting some ancient ornaments which neither of us can identify? " "Neither of us have seen this object in decades and it was seriously ugly when we saw it last".

There is a whole lot of stuff that we think (hope) she distributed a couple of decades back - it certainly isn't here. What we do have is a monumental pile of greeting/birthday/sympathy/ post cards, all of which are getting recycled, together with enough photos to choke a large quadruped (many of them slightly out of focus).

If you are trying to pass things on to posterity, for the love of all good keep accurate records with pictures and for the love of all holy please weed things out so that your executors stand a chance of executing your wishes.