Super General Advice (the thread for advice without making a thread)

My shoulders and back are absolutely killing me due to the imperfect seating at my computer desk. I need a real office chair. But I've never shopped for one before.

I know very little about any of the chair options, like if it's good and what it costs. How does one get a good, nonpainful office chair for a reasonable price?

Anyone have any advice?

 

In no particular order, things I've picked up from boyfriend buying office chairs for his work from home job: Everyone and their grandmother uses the word "ergonomic", but it is actually a good starting point. Check reviews of the same product on multiple sites. If you can avoid something made mostly of faux leather, do - after about a year of solid use it starts flaking off. Lumbar support is a good feature to look for. If you run hot, a chair with a mesh back is a good idea. I personally prefer a chair with arms that are only connected to the back of the chair instead of the ones that have another rod at the end to connect with the seat - generally freestanding arms have more adjustment options and your legs don't feel so constrained.

I'll ask bf later if he has any particular sites he recommends.

 

Is 'I want to help you an appreciate you're in a lot worse life situation than me but I'm tired of all our conversations turning into free therapy and I'd really rather we talk about normal things and you start going to actual therapy again plz' a normal boundary to make? I feel bad not having the patience to help but my god. My housemate's BPD and Depression are way out of my depth and exhausting.

 

That's absolutely a normal boundary, yes. "I am not trained or capable of being your therapist in every conversation we have" is a perfectly valid thing to say, and it will help both of you in the long run.

 

how little can i spend to get bluetooth headphones (over-ear, not earbuds) that actually have an onboard mic with decent quality?

i bought a pair of $45 wireless headphones the other day, figuring the sound quality (on my end) wouldn't be great, but i want them mostly for gaming and talking to friends, so HYPER BASS RESPONSE or whatever isn't a priority for me. but i was really super quiet to people listening, they could barely make me out. so i returned those headphones and picked up a different pair, of a different brand, for $50. apparently my volume was better, but i still sounded like i was "calling from a sewer tunnel" according to the people i was talking to. gonna return those too.

i know headphones are one of those things where there's no upper limit to how much you can spend on them; there's always a fancier more expensive pair. i don't want to spend more than $100, but i do want people to be able to hear and understand me. i've tried looking at reviews, but most reviews of bluetooth headphones are focused on sound quality (for the person wearing them), comfort, and durability. almost no one mentions the mic quality.
edit: i keep saying "bluetooth" but i've noticed that there are some wireless headphones out there that use a usb dongle instead. this would also be fine for me, i'm not usually using more than 1 usb port at a time on my computer.

does anyone have any recommendations for wireless headphones with a mic that will actually let other people hear me?

 

me: "I don't want to pick a day for this appointment until you confirm the paperwork we need so we aren't unprepared."
official-type person I've been emailing: "Which of these days works for you?" *does not touch any of the other questions*

What's a good way to get answers without seeming too rude/pushy?

 

Restating your request with different wording, with a polite deferral, wouldn't be out of line here. "I'm sorry, I can't answer that question; we need you to confirm the paperwork required before we can make any decisions about dates, as I may need extra time to get everything in order. [insert repeat of other questions you may have here.]"

 

How do I customize Firefox with a CSS theme? Am I even wording this question properly?

 

so after complaining in the vicinity of my parents about my struggles to find an affordable pair of wireless headphones, i think i'm getting some for Christmas! and they don't have my budgetary limitations :D

so, does anyone have recommendations for wireless headphones with a decent mic, at any price point?

 

I and boyfriend both own a pair of Bose Soundlinks, the over ear variety, and we both love them. We use the mics when gaming all the time and for talking on the phone, and I can vouch for the quality of sound on both ends. They also take forever to run a charge down and charge up very quickly.

Edit: we both have the on ear variety, never tried the over ear ones, but they're very comfortable to wear for a couple hours at a stretch too, although there is a breaking in period where they're less comfortable

 

Alright, thanks for the help guys.

 

shared office microwave and fridge etiquette: is it ok to leave a "hey please be responsible for your own stinky fridge things and/or stuff you exploded in the microwave" note in the area of said microwave and fridge? (at least 10 people use the common area that these are in, idk how many actually use said microwave and fridge or who the perpetrator(s) may be)
I am tired of weird hardened microwave goop and fridge-stank.

 

Does anyone have recommendations for an Android tablet with a microSD slot that isn't made by Samsung (I've had Samsung devices before and have had ATROCIOUS luck with them) and is relatively affordable (definitely under $300, preferably under like $250)? I'm thinking of asking for one for Christmas, but I have no idea which one to go for!

(Apologies about how specific this is. x_x)

 

I own an LG g pad (the 8.0 version) and I've had it for several years now and quite like it. I think there's a newer version out now but the one I have is still for sale. It runs a slightly older version of Android but it has a microSD slot and I haven't had any problems with it. I got it for free with a rebate two years ago but I think it retails for around $200?

 

Is this the one you mean? I'm having trouble finding G Pads on Amazon...

EDIT: If so, does it really only support up to a 32GB microSD? Because I probably could use more storage than that. :(

 

Ways to stop grinding/clenching my teeth while I'm awake? It just... feels really good and I can't stop doing it. Google tells me bruxism is a common autism thing so IDK.

I have tried putting my tongue between my teeth and that just makes me bite down on my tongue super hard, also I'm afraid of biting it off if I get in a car accident or something.

 

Would doing something like chewing gum give you a similar feeling with less damage?

 

They also sell chewable necklaces and such, if biting something helps but you need something less squishy than gum.

 

Can confirm that chewable necklaces are Very Good when I feel the need to grind my teeth!