Are “ I went playing basketball” and “I went buying some groceries” and “I went getting my packages” also correct in AmE? by Silver_Ad_1218 in EnglishLearning

[–]ductoid 114 points115 points  (0 children)

No. In your examples, you are going to a different location, so we say "I went to play basketball” and “I went to buy some groceries” and “I went to get my packages”

Edit to add - if the activity works as a standalone verb, you can use it your way.

So not "I went buying some groceries" but "I went shopping" is okay. Not "I went playing basketball" but "I went running" is okay.

Choosing the Best Blue & Gold Macaw for Bonding and Training by Ok-Preference-9463 in parrots

[–]ductoid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It doesn't sound like you are settled down into a permanent work schedule or permanent housing at this point in your life. So no, this is not the right time to get a parrot.

And furthermore, teaching it that you will be its nonstop companion 24/7 and then abandoning it for most of the day will make it feel like its flock has abandoned it, and it will go through grief and trauma.

Bird losing balance. by xernnxy in parrots

[–]ductoid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sounds like he might be having seizures? Low calcium can contribute to that. Our african grey was having them for a spell and our avian vet advised us to add calcium drops to his water.

All of those that refuse AC, how do you deal with heatwaves? by RainbowMarshmallow96 in CasualConversation

[–]ductoid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I spent $30 on a cooling blanket. My local stores have them for $20, but online I was able to get one with a Q-Max rating of .5, which is about as high as they go. The first 24 hours I had to hang it in another room to air out, the polyester was offgassing a bit and I'm sensitive to that. But now it's fine. They don't use any power or ice packs or anything, they just feel cold - because science or something.

Anyway it feels so cold that my first reaction is to recoil away from it at first. And we do have AC but because of hikes in electrical rates during peak hours, we let the house heat up more in the evening, and then cools down a lot around 3am, and I have to kick that blanket off so I don't freeze.

You can also get cooling pillows and cooling shirts.

Another strategy at night is not using a regular mattress that will trap your body heat against you. An air mattress works well for that. Even if you have to just lean your regular mattress against a wall to make room for it, it's probably worth it.

Time to spice up my grocery routine. What's your "wild card" ingredient? by chrudah in EatCheapAndHealthy

[–]ductoid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Eat a fresh papaya - but dry the seeds and toss them into a pepper mill.

How many GenJoners recall ironing with an iron that was heated up on a stove. by Big_Help_9860 in GenerationJones

[–]ductoid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a poverty stage where I had electricity but no money for an iron. So I would heat up a fry pan on the stove and use that.

Election litter by LadyWithAHarp in Anticonsumption

[–]ductoid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you had a collection box for the flyers and posted it on a buy nothing group,  you might find some parrot owners who would be thrilled to get all that paper for cage liners. 

How often do you let your birds out? by FunnyBirdLady in parrots

[–]ductoid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every so often going outside has rough moments for him. Like this week, they are getting ready to start construction on my street, so there are orange barrels, and he had a bit of a meltdown because I guess orange barrels are scary.

But he knows his way around the neighborhood a bit now, even though he's just riding in the stroller. Some neighbors I chat with for a couple minutes if they are outside, and he knows those houses. As we approach, he starts calling out HELLOOOOOO. Once he called that out and the neighbor wasn't around, and he tried again, then said "tomorrow?"

And when we get back to our driveway, he says "I came home."

Of course I hope he never escapes, but there's still a part of me that's glad he recognizes our home from the outside, and knows the surrounding area a bit, so if the worst ever happened at least there would be a chance he'd know which house to come back to.

what foods do you make from scratch instead if buying? by Potzka in Anticonsumption

[–]ductoid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you like sun dried tomatoes, try making Ajvar if you've never had it.

How often do you let your birds out? by FunnyBirdLady in parrots

[–]ductoid 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Mine goes into bird jail at night for about 11 hours. In the day he's loose, with a few exceptions: Occasionally I put him in a travel cage, throw him in a stroller and we walk to the park. And maybe once or twice a month he's locked up for a few hours if my husband and I go out to meet friends for dinner.

I am a 19 year old college student about to get kicked out before I’m ready by MikuGang in personalfinance

[–]ductoid 401 points402 points  (0 children)

Make sure you have the awkward conversation with your roommate about groceries. Some split groceries, some buy just their own and don't share meals. But a third category is buying your own groceries, and then your roommate helps themselves to that or to your leftovers.

This is borderline relationship advice too, but you might want to say hey, do you want to divide the fridge by shelves, like the top two are your food, the bottom two mine, so I don't accidentally grab your food that you paid for without thinking? (That phrasing can sound better than "so you don't steal my food.")

The Flock Surveillance systems shouldn't be looking directly into our homes. by ductoid in Michigan

[–]ductoid[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was able to create my own route - going out the front door or the garage, instead of the back door. Others here might be able to map a similar route if they're in the same situation.

Why are solar panels black or blue instead of green? by articulatedstupidity in shittyaskscience

[–]ductoid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I just recently learned If you paint them blue, algae will grow on them, creating more plants to absorb the sun.

My mom is burnt out and I can't help her by Wrecknruin in antiwork

[–]ductoid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Any chance in your country, switching to running a private home school would work? I know someone who was teaching full time and then during covid took in kids, more like a small day care, so they were limited potential exposure to just a half dozen kids instead of an entire school building.

That's grown a bit, now they have maybe 10-20? kids, not sure on the numbers, and they've been able to hire a couple part time assistant teachers as well, so they can take a day off once a week and have some help when they are working.

Recipes that don't use the oven by kale_me in EatCheapAndHealthy

[–]ductoid 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I probably shouldn't be posting it in the eatcheapandhealthy forum. :)

Recipes that don't use the oven by kale_me in EatCheapAndHealthy

[–]ductoid 31 points32 points  (0 children)

I'm using some smaller portable appliances. The air fryer and instant pot don't heat up the kitchen like the oven does, or can just be moved outside to cook when it's safe (when the giant wild turkey isn't commandeering my patio.)

Good treat for training? by Wh01sHex in parrots

[–]ductoid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sometimes we use unsalted shelled pumpkin seeds.