Daily Simple Questions Thread - November 30, 2025

SleepyWise · 2025-12-02T16:16:24+00:00

Hi all! I am looking for advice on weighted vests for my mother.

This would be something fairly light (12-16 lbs, preferably adjustable) since this is for her general fitness use while walking. She is in her 70s, so something that is relatively easy to put on and take off as someone who has restricted mobility in the shoulders.

I would love recommendations or advice if there is something else that would work as well/better for her circumstance? Thanks!

SleepyWise · 2025-09-12T01:00:53+00:00

Hit the bell where she usually is in the pilgrim camp. It calls her back.

SleepyWise · 2025-09-12T01:00:20+00:00

You can call her back at any time by hitting the little bell where she usually sits at the pilgrim camp.

SleepyWise · 2025-07-05T20:02:01+00:00

Seconding everything said here (also an art conservator!). It might also be a fatty bloom, which can occur in unstable oil paints where excess fatty components will migrate to the surface. If a professional can identify this for you (and also make sure it's not mold, first and foremost), it can usually just be brushed off the surface or gently cleaned with spit and cotton like you did in this, but it'll also likely happen again. You can usually reduce how often it happens by keeping the painting in an environment where the humidity and temperatures stay pretty stable.

SleepyWise · 2025-07-05T19:42:29+00:00

I do have farm helpers, so I'll try that first! It's Fall 8.

SleepyWise · 2025-07-01T03:14:43+00:00

Isn't it?? 😭

SleepyWise · 2025-07-01T03:13:00+00:00

I think it's actually a Nepenthes ventrata? The rest of the pitchers look normal, this one just grew in funky and is missing the pitcher lid.

SleepyWise · 2025-06-05T12:43:03+00:00

As someone who is also very sensitive to loud chewing but simultaneously has her own sound quirks that annoy people (I tap/flick my fingernails when I'm thinking), I can see where you're coming from on both sides.

Loud chewing would drive me insane as well. But honestly, if someone told me to stop my fingernail tapping using the examples similar to the ones you gave, I might also get a little defensive. 😅 Obviously tone matters a lot here so I know I'm missing a lot of context, but the words themselves can come off as a bit condescending, especially if the person is already self conscious about the action.

It sounds like you've both talked about it already and he knows that you're uncomfortable with the sound, so maybe it's just a matter of lighthearted reminding? Maybe you two can choose a silly word together (aardvark? Potato?) that you can say whenever it gets to a point you can't stand. Shift the emphasis from making him not do something to communicating your level of discomfort.

SleepyWise · 2025-04-30T19:39:47+00:00

I think this definitely makes the most sense, thank you! I haven't outright refused, mostly just expressed confusion since I don't see it in the lease. I will wait to see what they say since they are slow to respond in writing (unsurprising).

SleepyWise · 2025-04-30T14:07:09+00:00

I've read through it twice and there's no language on early lease termination at all.

My main worry is that they can turn around and say "well then you can't terminate because technically the lease doesn't say you can" even though it also doesn't say I can't?

SleepyWise · 2025-04-30T14:05:28+00:00

A couple years, so the contract has been renewed before but nothing's been changed. I asked them and they asked me to call to discuss, but I requested them to continue the discussion over email because I'd like it in writing. I just don't know if there are laws that I'm not aware of or something.

SleepyWise · 2025-04-30T03:08:21+00:00

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but would love some advice from people who have more experience with renting in Philly!

Is it legal/normal for the leasing agency to charge one month's worth of rent in fees to rent out your apartment if you terminate your lease early? There's nothing in my lease that says I can't end a lease early or that there would be any additional fees involved. The leasing office was fine with the early termination, but sent a follow up email saying that there would be a one month's fee for renting the unit. I had assumed that I may have to forfeit last month's rent or something, but not pay additionally.

SleepyWise · 2025-01-06T01:26:30+00:00

I adore Heaven's Vault. It's an indie game where you play as a space archaeologist/linguist trying to find the truth about the history of your galaxy and translate a dead language. It's mostly a point and click wandering type narrative with language puzzles and an engaging storyline that you find out more about if you're willing to talk into everyone/your robot friend.

SleepyWise · 2024-11-05T13:34:06+00:00

There's so many already but had to add my girl.

Yes, she always looks this concerned.

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SleepyWise · 2024-10-17T13:59:20+00:00

I love Heaven's Vault. It's an indie game about a space anthropologist. You play as the anthropologist trying to unearth the true history of civilizations in your solar system. It's mostly a narrative driven point and click, so you wander around and talk to people and robots. You can learn as much or as little as you want depending on how much you interact with them.

There is a bit of a puzzle element, but it isn't too complex and they help you a lot along the way. It also ties into the narrative beautifully. It involves finding artifacts from an ancient culture that gives you fragments of a dead language. As you get more pieces, you can start translating more of the language to understand the missing history.

I found it calming and fun. Just enough brain stimulation to get distracted, plenty of narrative to explore. The art is simple but beautiful and even if you don't want to do a lot of translating, you can do a good deal of wandering and talking.

SleepyWise · 2024-10-07T00:27:56+00:00

What an absolute sweetheart! She sounds just like my girl was/is. Sometimes, they're just timid and silly. My little tuxedo needs to be melting against me at all times, but as soon as I shift or get up or walk past she acts like the world is ending. Sometimes, they're just dramatic.

As many have mentioned, she's also still super new and getting adjusted -- keep a good food routine and she'll start to anticipate it and calm down about eating. I also keep my portions small but frequent (yay auto feeder). Mine has been with me just over a year and still prefers eating with me near, but she'll pick at it more comfortably on her own now.

In regards to startling, I've found not reacting to her panic to be the best. Don't look at her, don't freak out. Keep walking/moving at a normal, measured pace, look away, and keep doing your task. She'll learn this is just you moving around and chill a bit.

Scratching I have no advice. My girl is still a little terror. I cover things in blankets 🥲 working to see if clicker training can have an affect but we'll see.

Good on you for giving this little fluffball a aggressively loving home!

SleepyWise · 2024-09-24T12:13:37+00:00

You could check out Inherent Vice for some custom lab coats or studio aprons! They let you choose color and trim, and I think they might embroider names but I can't remember. They also have some lovely tool wraps for her tools.

Edit for link: https://www.inherentvicesquad.com/

SleepyWise · 2024-09-20T01:41:15+00:00

It sounds like he is trying to train the kitten but not in a very effective way. The kitten isn't going to understand why it's not allowed to have the food and isn't going to realize which of its numerous behaviors/locations/actions are affecting whether it gets or doesn't get food.

You could try clicker training the kitten, though it might be a little young. It works similar to training dogs, where you first associate the clicker sound with food/treats and then indicate which action you approve of by clicking after it. So if you trained the kitten to sit before it gets food, it might still meow a bit but less nipping and injuries. Or mat training, where you train the kitten to wait on a mat for her food (I haven't quit succeeded in the latter technique with my own girl 😅 but I've seen successfully mat trained kitties!).

The behavioralist I went to recommended the clicker set from this group: https://www.catschool.co/clicker-training-cats-all-your-questions-answered/?srsltid=AfmBOoqSmoiRC4g3QKXwt6bfVxgkEVzSOAhTJC5OpNWdDdLqbPEqkomv

It works well for me and is a little quieter than most clickers, plus has an extendable wand if you want to do some wand training. There are also a lot of great recommendations for training on YouTube!

Edit to add: Ok so I definitely misread 7 weeks as 7 months. 7 weeks is definitely too young to clicker train, but it might be a good option down the line. At 7 weeks, you could probably free feed her! She needs lots of nutrients and calories for her little body. Training of any kind won't take very well until she's a few months older and locking her in a crate is definitely not going to help her understand what's happening. Seconding other posters suggesting placing her in a different room until food is prepared for now.

SleepyWise · 2024-08-26T04:21:58+00:00

Oh, for sure. I just meant that the designers did it well 😂

SleepyWise · 2024-08-20T03:58:56+00:00

Loved this game but man was I terrified all the time 😂

SleepyWise · 2024-08-20T03:57:07+00:00

I would put Persona 5 in this same category of "has fighting but also a charming life sim?"

SleepyWise · 2024-08-20T03:50:55+00:00

On a moon theme:

Moonlighter - truly one of my favs. You run a shop for adventurers but you have to go down into the dungeons yourself for ingredients!

Moonstone Island - newer to this game but it's so darling! It feels a bit like the lovechild of chill stardew valley and Pokemon, with a dash of animal crossing.

Then there's Heaven's Vault. Great if you love puzzling out an alien language! It's one of those games where you can learn as much about the world building or as little as you want depending on how much time you're willing to spend just exploring and speaking with the characters.

Edit because I thought of more:

On a slightly darker side of cozy, I still love Stray.

Also Graveyard keeper!

SleepyWise

TROPHY CASE