You wake up in the morning, groggily go to pour some coffee, and that's when the smell hits you. It's robust, wretched, and it's coming from your sink - dirty dishes. The night before you filled some crusty bowls and pans with water under the pretense of cleaning them later on, but you forgot and now you're regretting it. It's time to stop lying to yourself - it's time to stop soaking.

I read an email the other day that contained this bummer of a statement: "Cigarettes are the only legal consumer product that, when used as intended, will kill half of all long-term users."

It's not news, but it's true.

Water: refreshing. Lemons: also refreshing. Combine the two, and you get a drinkable liquid with sprightly flavour. That is all you get. Not a detox elixir, not a metabolism booster. Let me repeat: when you add lemons to water, you just get lemon water. (And if you also add sugar, you get lemonade.)

If you've been on the dating scene for what feels like forever and you're starting to feel frustrated and disillusioned with it all, it might be time to take a step back and do a little re-calibrating. We project how we feel to others; people can sense your negative outlook from a mile away, which ruins any chance of things working out. It seems counter-intuitive, but the more you act like things are never going to work out, the longer you'll probably be alone.

Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations, Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of stoic wisdom, and a guide to using its waters to reflect on and improve your life.

January 1, 2018 is no different than December 31, 2017. You probably woke up with big plans to "really make some changes this year," but you know what? It's not going to work. Why? Because you've already decided that waiting until the new year to become the new and improved you is the right course of action.

Last week I went to see author John Green while he was on his book tour for Turtles All the Way Down. It was a fun night of emotional speeches, lectures from his brother Hank dressed as a turtle professor (really), dubious advice, and even music, but there was something Green said that really stuck with me.

I like a wide variety of beers, but if you open up my fridge you'll mostly find those cold activated cans of el cheapo lager. Why? Because it's just fine. That's right, I said it.

Another day, another wet blanket article talking trash about my truest love: Diet Coke. According to The Cut, my favourite non-alcoholic beverage (and #1 energy source) may be killing me softly.

I love the concept of ride sharing services like Lyft or Uber, and I use them all the time when I travel or feel the urge to paint the town red. But it's not just because they're convenient; I like to talk to the drivers! And I wouldn't trade all the stories, advice and near head-on collisions for anything.

We do a lot of how-tos and explainers around here, but sometimes we just need to get a rant off our chest or explain some things from hard-earned personal experience. These are our best essays, rants and features from 2016.

The reviews are in and most agree, Google's new Pixel phones are awesome. They also mark the death of the Nexus line. With the shift towards Pixels, Google is turning its eye from the experimental world of Nexus devices, to the bigger world of phone buyers everywhere.

I've been using a standing desk for a few months now and I love it. It makes me feel more productive, keeps me active and cost me next to nothing to set up. Still, I had some growing pains. If you're thinking about setting up a standing desk, here's what I learned so you don't have to.

Yesterday, the critically lauded singer/songwriter David Bowie died of cancer at the age of 69. By now, you've doubtlessly seen the news shared on social media more times than you can count. You might have even added a post of your own, complete with a YouTube music video or album cover. In the modern age of Facebook and Twitter, it seems everyone wants to be part of the grieving process. But how many of us are truly devastated fans? Or do we just want to be part of the cultural Zeitgeist?

How-Tos and explainers may be our bread and butter at Lifehacker, but occasionally we just have to share a rant, personal story, or exposé. Here were our best features and essays in 2015.

Apple makes a great operating system and a solid phone, but some of their apps leave a little to be desired -- especially the disaster that is iCloud. I've replaced all my usual tools with Google apps, and even on iOS, it's a remarkably seamless experience.

With the release of every new console, I always have to ask myself: is this the year I return to PC gaming and stop buying consoles? The answer, every time, is a resounding no. Here's why.

I haven't bought a console since the original Xbox back in 2001. Why? I already have a gaming machine with better graphics, a better controller and more flexibility... and it didn't cost much either. I'm talking, of course, about a PC.

In less than a month, the next generation of video game consoles will be upon us. On November 22, the Xbox One will officially launch in Australia, followed by the PlayStation 4 on November 27. Doubtlessly you've already spent plenty of time deciding which console is best for you -- but have you considered holding off altogether? Here are five reasons why you're probably better off waiting at least a year.