LMGTFY: Random questions thread!

[fakely mctest]

So, Bunny's forum skills thread got me thinking about starting this one. Also because I have a random question!

Okay, for any bike enthusiasts: I bought an inexpensive road bike from Craigslist this summer (steel framed Schwinn because I am a hipster cliche sometimes) and I definitely need to take it into my local shop when I have the money to get the brakes, gears, and tires checked. It definitely needs a new saddle and maybeee new pedals. Does anyone have any recommendations about brand of saddle in particular? I'm not a long ride sort of person and plan on using the bike for street riding, but it would be swell to find a seat that wasn't 100% excruciating.

[Werel]

My saddle is a big ol' leatherette job with spring suspension that came with my 1980s Japanese mixtie (Craigslist whoo!) and for the ample-assed girl, a woman's wide saddle with spring suspension is a godsend. It's pretty comfortable for even longish rides. I've always wanted one of those super cushy gel saddles, though... such butt-cradling luxury... you should treat yoself to one of those.

[Guest]

Are IQ tests worth taking seriously?

[BasedBuzzed]

Yes if you find a good one and read up on all the scale info(something like this: http://iqtest.dk/main.swf) and realize you can train in it, and sleep/how much you've brained lately/etcetera can be an influence on the outcome).

Can trauma triggers be trained through media and internet(eg, read enough that if you suffer from X then Y should send you into a panic attack and you reach the point that it actually starts happening)?

[Guest]

Yes if you find a good one and read up on all the scale info(something like this: http://iqtest.dk/main.swf) and realize you can train in it, and sleep/how much you've brained lately/etcetera can be an influence on the outcome).

I got a score of 108. Don't really know what to make of it...

[BasedBuzzed]

Yes if you find a good one and read up on all the scale info(something like this: http://iqtest.dk/main.swf) and realize you can train in it, and sleep/how much you've brained lately/etcetera can be an influence on the outcome).

I got a score of 108. Don't really know what to make of it...

Didn't the graph at the end give an explanation? Sounds like slightly above average intelligence.

[Guest]

Didn't the graph at the end give an explanation? Sounds like slightly above average intelligence.

Yeah, the graph just shows where I lie on the spectrum. I was trying to vaguely imply how there's a difference between having a certain IQ mark and actually, you know, doing something with it .

[InkAndComb]

On the trigger warning question; I don't know if training a trigger warning is possible, but what you're describing sounds like a common occurrence with panic attacks/anxiety related issues. From my understanding, being triggered isn't necessarily the same. However, many with panic attacks have an incident of it occurring without warning, read up/think about it too much, and start triggering panic attacks inadvertently and more easily than the initial event. This is why CBT can be such a powerful tool; you help an individual untie the anxiety knots they may have inadvertently created (not that this is the only way anxiety attacks exhibit themselves or become a problem by any means).

[Werel]

If I were looking for free web hosting with reasonably good free site templates, and I didn't want to use WP, what would y'all recommend?

Further details: I'm just looking to make a personal academic site for my CV and whatnot; I am somewhat competent with very basic web design (HTML/CSS); and I am not open to having ads on my site.

[Guest]

If I were looking for free web hosting with reasonably good free site templates, and I didn't want to use WP, what would y'all recommend?

Further details: I'm just looking to make a personal academic site for my CV and whatnot; I am somewhat competent with very basic web design (HTML/CSS); and I am not open to having ads on my site.

You could possibly mess around with Tumblr and/or Blogger. Not the most professional/academic of sites to use, but if you dun wanna use WordPress, then I guess those are viable options. I remember when .tk sites were a thing.

[caliseivy]

Is there a way to teach/practice parallel parking and backing in without the use of those yellow street cones or destruction of property?

[nearly_takuan]

You could probably substitute other objects for street cones but they'd probably be more expensive. It's good to practice with real cars around anyway, but then the only way to avoid destruction of property is to not fuck up.

For me, it helped a lot to practice precision in general first, and get a strong sense of the vehicle's size and position. This I did by measuring areas of the street to outline in chalk, and then trying to get the car to fit there perfectly, just using environmental features like trees and poles as reference points.

Which actually gives me another very similar idea. If you have two people willing to help at the same time, you could have somebody who is super good at curbside parking do it a couple of times, use colored chalk to outline where the tires should line up at each step, and then have somebody outside the car watch for the student to try to follow the same path.

[caliseivy]

If you have two people willing to help at the same time, you could have somebody who is super good at curbside parking do it a couple of times, use colored chalk to outline where the tires should line up at each step, and then have somebody outside the car watch for the student to try to follow the same path.

That's a pretty good idea. Thanks

[fakely mctest]

Is there a way to teach/practice parallel parking and backing in without the use of those yellow street cones or destruction of property?

Oh man, my mom tried so hard to teach me to parallel park without success and then the guy I had as my driving instructor (who was otherwise a megaflake and REALLY hard to get road time with) explained it in the following way and it just clicked.  No cones were involved, but we did use one other parked car.

1. Pull up so you're parallel with the car that you're parking behind.
   
2. Back up straight until the middle part of your back passenger window frame is roughly even with the back bumper of the other car.
   
3. Stop and turn the wheel all the way counterclockwise.
   
4. Back up slowly until your back tire gently touches the curb.
   
5. Stop and turn the wheel all the way clockwise.
   
6. Adjust as needed.
   

After many years of parking I don't need to bump the curb anymore, but it was a really helpful guidepost when I was learning.  You can also adjust the passenger side-view mirror downward so that the driver can actually see the curb.  I also used to do that when I was starting out.

[Werel]

Is there a way to teach/practice parallel parking and backing in without the use of those yellow street cones or destruction of property?

Oh man, my mom tried so hard to teach me to parallel park without success and then the guy I had as my driving instructor (who was otherwise a megaflake and REALLY hard to get road time with) explained it in the following way and it just clicked.  No cones were involved, but we did use one other parked car.

1. Pull up so you're parallel with the car that you're parking behind.
   
2. Back up straight until the middle part of your back passenger window frame is roughly even with the back bumper of the other car.
   
3. Stop and turn the wheel all the way counterclockwise.
   
4. Back up slowly until your back tire gently touches the curb.
   
5. Stop and turn the wheel all the way clockwise.
   
6. Adjust as needed.
   

After many years of parking I don't need to bump the curb anymore, but it was a really helpful guidepost when I was learning.  You can also adjust the passenger side-view mirror downward so that the driver can actually see the curb.  I also used to do that when I was starting out.

This is almost EXACTLY how my dad taught me to do it (can't learn to drive in DC without hardcore parallel parking skills), but instead of touching the curb, the left side of your back bumper should be visually aligned with the right side of the other car's front bumper. Works every single time. I endorse this method!

[Caffeinated]

Is there a way to teach/practice parallel parking and backing in without the use of those yellow street cones or destruction of property?

Oh man, my mom tried so hard to teach me to parallel park without success and then the guy I had as my driving instructor (who was otherwise a megaflake and REALLY hard to get road time with) explained it in the following way and it just clicked.  No cones were involved, but we did use one other parked car.

1. Pull up so you're parallel with the car that you're parking behind.
   
2. Back up straight until the middle part of your back passenger window frame is roughly even with the back bumper of the other car.
   
3. Stop and turn the wheel all the way counterclockwise.
   
4. Back up slowly until your back tire gently touches the curb.
   
5. Stop and turn the wheel all the way clockwise.
   
6. Adjust as needed.
   

After many years of parking I don't need to bump the curb anymore, but it was a really helpful guidepost when I was learning.  You can also adjust the passenger side-view mirror downward so that the driver can actually see the curb.  I also used to do that when I was starting out.

Yes! This is the method that taught me how to parallel park as well. It feels weird and unnatural to turn the wheel all the way like that, but if you do it it'll work.

[fakely mctest]

This is almost EXACTLY how my dad taught me to do it (can't learn to drive in DC without hardcore parallel parking skills), but instead of touching the curb, the left side of your back bumper should be visually aligned with the right side of the other car's front bumper. Works every single time. I endorse this method!

DC resident parallel parking virtual fistbump! In high school I got into a space right near the Library of Congress that was thismuch larger than the totally rad Geo Storm I was driving at the time. It remains one of my proudest lifetime moments.

My mom is a super parker too, she was just having trouble with me because I'm more of a kinetic learner and she kept trying to describe the angle of the car with words and things. The nerve of some people. My dad was the world's worst driving instructor. I almost ran out my learner's permit because I was terrified of going out with him. Dad, no one likes someone else yelling, "Give it more gas!" at 7am on a weekend in a deserted parking lot.

[waxingjaney]

Of course, the easiest way to do it is to just buy a smart car and make your own parking spaces.

[Gentleman Johnny]

DC resident parallel parking virtual fistbump!  In high school I got into a space right near the Library of Congress that was thismuch larger than the totally rad Geo Storm I was driving at the time.  It remains one of my proudest lifetime moments.

My favorite is when you find an end space! Although I was usually more inclined to park as far out on the Metro grid as I could and ride in.

[Guest]

1. Is passiveness, in general, a quality that is innate or can it be conditioned in people? Perhaps both?

Also, if you find that you're a generally passive person, would it be worth looking into how to change that? Or is trying to fit yourself into a mold ultimately unfruitful?

---

2. In general, is there a specific limit for how long one should be in therapy?

[Robjection]

In response to 2, I would think the answer would be "be in therapy for as long as you feel you need to be" or something along those lines. But maybe there's somethin' I don't know.

[nearly_takuan]

In response to 1, I think you should give yourself the qualities you're best comfortable with. If being passive works for you, there's no reason to change. If being less passive would bring some benefit but doesn't seem worth the other costs, I wouldn't bother.

I think my default state most of the time is passive; most things just don't matter enough to me for me to rock the boat and I'll pretend I agree with someone if I only mildly disagree with them, because an argument over small details feels pointless. But then certain contexts will give me more reason to assert myself, or lower the apparent cost of doing so, or both...and then I figuratively engage combat mode. I'm not sure what it would take to convince me to consciously move toward another end of the personality continuum. I suspect it's possible to do so, but it's a lot of work and getting enough information to make that decision is a lot of work.

[BasedBuzzed]

If people block/hide you on OKC, does it show up as them no longer having an account, or is that only if you nuke or deactivate it?

[Robjection]

Sadly, not being an OKC user myself, I would not know. I do, however, have a hopefully easier question:

You know those signatures you sometimes find on forums (or deviantArt comments - don't judge me!) that have a list of checkboxes, one of which says "Single", one says "Taken" and then the last one, which is checked, will say something along the lines of "Mentally in a relationship with Character X"? Is there some template for them that can be found somewhere online? Failing that, does anyone have any actual examples I can copy-paste and alter to my desired specifications?

[caliseivy]

I've heard that flannel sheets and fleece sheets are the best for keeping warm on cold nights, but which one would be best for someone who gets cold easily? Does anyone have any experience with either of those types of bed sheets?

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