Category Archive

advice

Homemade cat toys that don’t look like trash

Like many cat parents, I have brought home a number of toys for my little guys…only to see them left untouched.

I abandoned purchased toys and now look for items around the house. The cats love twist-ties, the hair elastics, glasses of water, etc., but this usually translates into a display of trash all over the floor.

Any ideas for homemade toys — beyond tying stuff to string — that don’t look like trash?

How can I make my leopard-print sheets feel less love motel-y?

I over-indulged on leopard print in the bedroom, but I know I can make this work! How can I make leopard print sheets less love motel-y?

How can I find a roommate who’ll deal with my offbeat attributes?

Do any Homies have advice on finding an offbeat roommate? Or at least somebody who is offbeat-compatible. I’m starting to look for my first college apartment and most of my friends have already buddied up and signed their leases! I’m wondering what advice y’all have on the topic.

Covert cooking: how do I sneak healthy food into my family’s diet?

How can I stealthily convert my husband’s diet and my teenaged picky sister’s diet to get them to eat healthy without knowing. You know… baby steps. AND! what are some good whole food protein substitutes aside from tofu?

I love you but leave: evicting a good roommate

I’m a grad student, and I currently live in a flat with another grad student, who’s been living here over a year.

The problem is, my boyfriend will be coming back into the country in a few months and would really like to move in with me. I’m trying to find a supportive, non-pressuring way to ask my flatmate if she can commit to moving out on a particular date so he can move in…How do I work this?

What pretty candies can I give out for Halloween?

Gorgeous food is great porn: fun to look at, SO fun to imagine eating. I’ve been thinking about these glossy candied apples our copyeditor Caroline sent me for a WEEK. I would love to give out a pretty candy of my own this weekend, but A: no time and B: would kids even eat it? Aren’t parents training them to reject all things not packaged?

What’s a good, pretty, yummy, fun candy I can give out that won’t offend guardians and — even better — will be suitable for kids with nut allergies or gluten intolerances?

I want to get more trick-or-treaters but I live in a zero-fun neighborhood

Last year, my house had only one trick-or-treater. Our lights were on and we were ready, but most of our nearest neighbors don’t do anything for Halloween. There are plenty of families in the neighborhood — what can we do to make sure they come to our house?

The upstairs neighbors walk so loudly I suspect they may wear concrete shoes. Halp.

Our neighbors upstairs walk REALLY loudly. This isn’t normal. The walking shakes our ceiling, scares our cats, and goes on late into the night.

I don’t think it’s right to try to confront people about walking, when the problem is probably that there isn’t enough insulation between their apartment and ours to mask the noise. Is there anything we can do from down here that can minimize the noise? Or is this worth talking to our neighbors about?