I appreciate any help! I'm trying to figure out a good Christmas gift for my fiance (M27) on our first Christmas as an engaged couple (been together 5+ years! & he is crushing his career in healthcare!). We live in the Boston MA area. He's sorta a picky & low key guy. I was thinking of checking out some vintage band merch/memorabilia since he hates receiving meaningless/cheap knick knacks. He loves The Strokes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, Two Door Cinema Club, Arctic Monkeys, etc. He's really into international sports like European football (premier league, Man City) & Formula 1.

I'd really love to get him something nice that he would never get for himself bc he deserves it! Does anyone have any Boston area shops, individuals, or online places that might appeal to these sort of interests? Would really love to support small, local businesses. Thanks so much & Happy Holidays!

November's prize was $1,584 and was found under a bench in the South End. Winners were a team of 2 people. This one has a daily shrinking map setup and daily clues. It's at grail99.com

The Boston Festival of Indie Games is returning for its 8th annual in-person Festival -- the first since COVID! -- this coming Sunday, December 15 at the Cyclorama.

• Dozens of indie tabletop and digital games to check out
• Figgies Awards at the end of the day to recognize excellence in game design
• Family-friendly activities throughout the day
• Tickets are just $30 and kids 12 and under are free

Tickets and info:

https://www.bostonfig.com

Have any other parents here had a negative experience at a Catholic Early Ed program? If so, what happened, and did your child experience symptoms of social anxiety?

We hired this company to replace two exterior doors on our house. After signing a contract and paying the deposit in July, it was agreed and confirmed in writing that the estimate reflected the purchase of two doors which had a combined retail price of $2200 and would be ordered to custom specifications. I was informed that the installation would be carried out as soon as the materials were available. I received an email on Monday (November 4th) that the materials were ready and the installation would be carried out on Wednesday (November 6th). The work crew arrived on the 6th, removed my old doors, and began ripping out the frames. The supervisor or foreman person (not sure what they call it) told me he would be right back because he had to go pick up the doors. I believed that these doors he was referring to were the ones that were supposed to have been custom ordered, but once I saw them, I realized they were not the right ones. I called the office, and "B." (the manager/individual who signed the contract with me and confirmed that I would be receiving the doors I chose) soon arrived at the site and started giving me excuses about how they discussed this amongst themselves and decided I would be better off with these cheaper doors, etc. I told them to put back one of my original doors, board up the other opening with plywood, and come back with the correct doors. "B." said they couldn't do that because reasons. At this point it was obvious to me that they never ordered the custom doors I chose and made a conscious decision to deceive me in the hopes that I wouldn't notice until the job was completed, if ever. I knew they were trying to get me to "agree" to accept the cheaper doors and that this put me in a compromised position. "B." tried to corner me by asking for my consent and "approval" of the lower-quality products, and I told him that I no longer trusted him or believed anything he said, and that I did not accept these doors. Nevertheless, the holes in the house had to be closed somehow, and the only way they were willing to do that was by using the doors they had provided. They didn't even bother to paint one of the doors that needed it like the contract said they would, but it probably doesn't matter at this point because that door does not meet my needs for energy efficiency and security and will need to be replaced (in fact, both of these doors will need to be replaced, but the second one is a sliding door and didn't need to be painted).

Furthermore, these are not appropriate exterior doors for New England winter weather. These are not Energy Star qualified, and the ones I chose are ES qualified.

I almost forgot to mention the following: This company did not secure a building permit before starting the demolition, and right in the middle of everything, the city building inspector showed up and asked to see the permit. Since they didn't have one, the building inspector stopped the work and made them go downtown and get the permit. So not only is this company actively trying to scam hard-working, ordinary people in the community, they also don't even have their act together enough to know they need to secure a permit BEFORE they start the job.

Anyway, this company is now demanding that I pay the entire original balance on the contract, which was based on the higher price of the doors I chose (the doors they ended up installing retailed for less than $900 for both of them, while the ones I chose retailed for approximately $2200 for both), and threatening to put a lien on my house and to sic their collection agencies on me if I don't pay them the entire balance because I supposedly "unequivocally agreed" to the el-cheapo doors by "allowing" them to be installed (as if I am the one trying to stiff them).

I want other local homeowners to be aware of the dishonest and unethical business practices that Greater Boston Roofing uses so they can make a better choice than I did when it comes to choosing a contractor for their home improvement projects.

Hey all,

I don't think I'm gonna be able to be with my family this Thanksgiving, it looks like it might rain too.

Do you have any ideas as to what fun places, cafes or bakeries might be open on Thursday? I was thinking of lots of walking and taking photos around the city, then reading for a while in a cozy cafe. But with the rain and cold walking might be unpleasant.

Any idea of what fun things might be available to do on Thursday around Boston?

Hi! I’m 27(f) and I’ve always wanted to go to Boston. I always tell myself I need to wait until I can find someone else to go with me but thats hard and unrealistic sometimes. Also, everyone is always busy so I’m just going to go by myself. I want to go in January or February when its cold and snowy. Any recommendations on what to do when I’m there for that time of year? Thank you!

Hi everyone, it's mine and my boyfriends three year anniversary coming up soon. I want to plan a fun day that I can plan for us to do. As we're long distance I don't know Boston that we'll, any suggestions is really appreciated! Thanks!

My friends and I are having a sober night in town but have no idea what to do. Looking for reasonably priced activities or something fun Halloween night

Hi all, I'm Josh - born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts and I'm looking to make new friends around Boston. I graduated from UMass Amherst in 2023 in political science and I'm currently working in real estate sales and I'm also applying to law school. I love working out and staying in shape, hiking, exploring the city, playing tennis, meditating, and trying new types of food. If you feel like we'd get along, feel free to shoot me a message!

Also, my snap is patton3344 and my Instagram is joshua.lewis13

The job doesn't have to be good, just cheap! (I'm talking "beauty school" prices - trying to match/beat $20-28 in total for a combined mani-pedi). I'm near downtown, so that would be better, but am willing to travel. T.I.A.!

ive been having some concerning symptoms and every doctor ive seen has just dismissed me. ive been the er countless times in my city but my symptoms are getting worse by the minute.

Did anyone lose a gold necklace with a little sailboat charm? I found it in Back Bay on Dartmouth St. between Newbury and Boylston. Please let me know, thank you!

I’m looking for 4 Boston area residents who follow MSPCA on Facebook to participate in an interview for my masters class.

Please let me know if you’d be willing to assist me.

Hi everyone! 🌟

Are there any Sri Lankans here living in the Boston area? I’d love to connect! I’m moving as a junior doctor from Sri Lanka and could really use some advice and guidance on settling in. Any tips would be so appreciated, especially on affordable lodging options. 🙏

I’ve also just joined SLANE and would love to hear from anyone involved there! Your support means a lot, and I’m really excited to be part of this amazing community. 😊

Thanks so much in advance!

I have a fairly niche oriented question here focused specifically on scallops. There seems to be a real price range from summer shack at 24.00 to atlantic seafood at 50.00. I also don’t understand if georges bay scallops (found at neptune oyster and atlantic seafood) are any different. Also are east coast scallops different from nova scotian (digby) scallops?

I'm looking for industrial or commercial land in the Greater Boston area to store a 40’ refrigerated shipping container for at least a few months, potentially up to a year. I'm specifically interested in these types of land, since they should be zoned for container storage.

We occasionally would need daytime access to the container for sensor integration work. We also might need to bring in a generator for a full integration tests, though these will be even less frequent. If anyone has insights on where to look or who to ask, I would greatly appreciate it.

Possibly planning a mid-December vacation for families with young kids (8mo to 4y). Best things to do with kids in December? Will it be super cold? (Coming from CA)

Antumbra is the special time of year when Eclipse (1st Saturday, in this case) and Second Sun Rising (2nd Sunday) fall on the same weekend. In celebration, the organizers have come together to plan a whole weekend of blues and fusion dance for our community!

To view the schedule, visit www.eclipse.dance/antumbra

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓
7–11pm: Blues Union - Somerville (FB event coming soon)
• mask + vax required

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟔
6:30–8:30pm: Wandering Fusion Festival - Torbert MacDonald Park, Medford• mask optional
https://www.facebook.com/events/1009323564258173
9pm–3am: A Night Under the Stars: an Antumbra House Party - Medford (requires RSVP via Partiful)
• covid test required
https://partiful.com/e/TfBoLihB802zT681ZF9s

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟕
12–4:30pm: Workshops with Resident Instructor Ren Enby
• mask* + vax required
https://www.facebook.com/events/1700490597363325 and lu.ma/renworkshops
6:30–10:30pm - Eclipse Fusion Lesson & Social - BHFH
• mask + vax required
https://www.facebook.com/events/1006941724042963 and lu.ma/antumbraeclipse
11pm - Afters - Parish Café

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖
12–5pm: Workshops + Practica with Resident Instructor Ren Enby
• mask* + vax required
https://www.facebook.com/events/1700490597363325 and lu.ma/renworkshops
5–6:45pm: Picnic and Games - Danehy Park
https://www.facebook.com/events/1220469662177801/
7–11pm: Second Sun Rising Lesson & Social - Q Ballroom
• check FB event for COVID precautions
https://www.facebook.com/events/1155719895717448/

Before Antumbra and after, check out https://bluesytuesy.com/boston.html for information on fusion, blues, swing, and more dances in the Boston area!

Hi all, I’m writing from Massachusetts General Hospital, where I work in research on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Symptoms of OCD include obsessions (i.e., distressing and intrusive thoughts that keep coming back to you) and compulsions (i.e., repetitive behaviors that you feel compelled to do). I wanted to pass along an opportunity to participate in a research study that may be of interest to any of you who experience these symptoms and notice they are causing impairment to your life. The research study involves 1 virtual intake assessment lasting 2-3 hours and 2 in-person visits (lasting 3.5 and 2 hours, respectively) on back-to-back business days where you complete a fear learning computer task while we measure your brain waves (via electroencephalogram or EEG) and the sweatiness of your palms (via skin conductance) and administer a noninvasive form of brain stimulation (i.e., transcranial direct current stimulation or tDCS). You will be compensated $300 for your time upon completion of the study. If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website (https://mghocd.org/ocdfearstudy/), and if you are interested in participating, please fill out this 5-min survey: [https://redcap.link/x8d149fp].

If it looks like the study may be a good fit, we will be in touch with information about next steps! Any questions can be directed to mghocdfearstudy@partners.org or (617) 643-0850. Thanks so much and feel free to share this post with friends/family.

Hello all. We are two gay dads with two mixed-race children adopted from birth. We are looking for a community in the Boston area, where our children can attend public school, where they will see some diversity, and where our family can be a part of the community. Our kids are 11 and seven. My son (11) is an athlete, daughter loves gymnastics, arts, music, etc… . Ideally, we are looking for an affluent suburb and considering Brookline or Newton, also considering South Shore towns. We are a bit concerned with the lack of diversity on the South Shore. Any advice on locations to consider or locations to avoid would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your assistance.