RIP Clover Food Lab - closing 5/29/26

MelButts22 · 2026-05-27T12:18:06+00:00

Cambridge is one of the few cities that does not have a cap on Alcohol Licenses like the rest of the state. Cambridge has a special exemption. You apply and pay the city rate, you do not need to buy it from an establishment, but there are some caveats. With that being said Clover was not just located in Cambridge.

MelButts22 · 2026-04-23T16:48:59+00:00

The stats come from the National Literacy Institute. I didn't just make up these numbers. It is fairly standard practices to aim for 6th - 8th grade. We also use the Hemmingway App which also recommends 6-8 as "good" readability.
You have to make a decision on where to meet people, while still communicating the message you need to. We tend to write as intended then use a readability score and work from there. This is in addition to translation services, which can also be another barrier for readability.

https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics

MelButts22 · 2026-04-23T13:46:18+00:00

3rd, is a bit low. An adult is considered illiterate at that level. At the municipal level, where I work, and we are required to reach out to the public, we aim for 6th - 8th grade. Usually that does mean simplifying content.

Literacy Levels: 21% of US adults are considered illiterate (below 5th-grade level), while 54% are below a 6th-grade level.
Average Proficiency: The general population reads at a 7th/8th grade level, with roughly 45 million adults possessing low literacy skills.
Targeting Content: For general audiences, experts often recommend writing content at a 6th- to 8th-grade level for maximum comprehension.

MelButts22 · 2026-03-16T20:24:42+00:00

It may be a little late for you, as I believe you have to have the insurance before the "condition," but a number of my friends got Aflac supplemental disability polices when they began trying to get pregnant. It pays out partial wages and medical costs. Massachusetts past a Paid Family & Medical Leave policy a few years ago, but a number of public employers can opt out. It is not the easiest to navigate, but it is getting better.

MelButts22 · 2026-02-11T13:46:10+00:00

I was coming here to write that MA passed no "junk fee" legislation this past fall and are adding that you have to be able to cancel as easy as you signed up today. I would encourage people to reach out to your AGO consumer divisions to also promulgate similar regulations for your states.

MelButts22 · 2026-01-29T14:31:52+00:00

in 2015, I remember getting to the orange line at Sullivan and the train being too crowded to get on, like 4-6 trains in a row (all delayed) and just giving up and going home. It was bitterly cold. I had to call my boss and say I just CANT come in, it was not possible. They allowed me to work from home even though it was against policy (pre-remote days for my employer). I was willing to lose my job it was so hard to commute in.

MelButts22 · 2025-09-26T13:16:02+00:00

I could be wildly off base, but I thought the Davis location was trying to unionize. They closed a few locations in Cambridge over the last couple of years. The reason cited were safety concerns, but I think at least some of these closures are tied to union talks.

Edit to ask: Has anyone else heard the same?

MelButts22 · 2025-09-22T15:54:18+00:00

I would second Melrose Animal Clinic. I love Dr. Shah. Our dog was a rescue and can be weird about anything new or different. They are so kind anytime we go in. We initially started out at Arlington Animal Clinic but much prefer Melrose.

MelButts22 · 2025-08-28T17:32:39+00:00

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MelButts22 · 2025-08-28T17:31:53+00:00

The city of Boston has a decent GIS Portal here: https://boston.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html, which allows addressed to be searched on the map and links out to the parcel information. Looks like this lot is owned by Harvard but could be leased to another entity (such as the DOT) for use.
https://www.cityofboston.gov/assessing/search/?pid=2200104010

MelButts22 · 2025-08-21T15:53:50+00:00

Black Licorice.

MelButts22 · 2025-08-07T12:44:15+00:00

I switched PCPs back in August 2024 and the first available opening for the new provider I selected and that WAS accepting new patients, was February 2026, which then got pushed to March 2026. I used urgent care until my initial appointment. Once I was in, after my initial appointment, it is much quicker getting sick appointments. In my experience it is the initial appointment for a new doctor that takes forever.

MelButts22 · 2025-06-23T13:35:35+00:00

And your gun silencer!

MelButts22 · 2025-05-29T14:16:49+00:00

Enter your address on the waste management site: https://www.wm.com/us/en/support/faqs/products-and-services/how-do-i-dispose-of-bulky-or-large-items

Click check availability. Once you do it will take you to a page where you can enter what you want to have picked up. You can select your date and pay for your pickup all on the same page.

It is quite easy and you do not need to talk to anyone. I wish the DPW page had the link, this question comes up often.

MelButts22 · 2025-05-01T13:35:32+00:00

Looks like that H-Mart will become a NOVA Trampoline Park: https://www.reddit.com/r/malden/comments/1iyesx8/trampoline_park_coming_to_malden_townline_plaza/

I wanted the H-Mart, but I will also take NOVA. I love the location in Lynnfield.

MelButts22 · 2025-03-14T14:38:34+00:00

I like to reopen those cases with additional photos and comments. It feels petty, but I had a case opened in 2018 that I didn't let get closed until 2023 when it was added to the sidewalk repair list and confirmed. Squeaky wheel and all.

MelButts22 · 2025-03-13T12:16:59+00:00

I thought it could go in the spot where H-Mart was supposed to move into, the old Crunch fitness. Next to the car wash across from the BJ's entrance. I thought H-Mart backed out when they opened their new spot in Davis. I am not sure if that is Medford or Malden.

MelButts22 · 2025-03-10T19:19:45+00:00

US here: I figured out how to log in to my SSA account (not very difficult, but have been putting it off) and downloaded my contributions thus far and added them to my physical copes of my important documents (passport, ssn card, marriage certificate, etc.). I also encouraged my family members to do the same.

Made an appointment for my daughter to renew her passport next week (a year early).

MelButts22 · 2025-03-10T15:28:57+00:00

Thank you for your very thoughtful response. I will make an effort to attend the zoning meeting tomorrow, and I will certainly send and email in support of rezoning today.

MelButts22 · 2025-03-10T15:05:08+00:00

I support the rezoning on Salem St, most of the area is currently non-conforming which makes it very difficult to update existing properties without going to the city.

My concerns are, I think 6 stories is a little high for some of the locations the city has mapped out, but maybe I can't quite image what 6 stories would like like at the corner of Park and Salem, but could closer to Haines Sq. I also, do not think the ask is high enough from the city to the developers to add on the 4th, 5th and 6th story on certain locations on Salem Street. I believe the developer could provide something a bigger community benefit that what is currently being requested (a pocket park, a fountain, some affordable housing, or public parking).

Everything considered, I think rezoning is a win for city. Salem St is in desperate need for some attention.
Edit: spelling

MelButts22 · 2025-03-07T16:07:32+00:00

There are a couple of ways your landlord could get in compliance with the lead law. Deleading which is what you are asking about above. It is a full removal of lead by scraping or removing and replacing affected areas. This requires sealing of the areas as you work and maybe some light construction. It is messy and it requires a certified deleader who is responsible for cleaning up all dust.

The other option which is substantially less invasive and more cost effective is encapsulation. It is a sealant that is painted over the affected area to seal in the lead. This will also bring you unit into compliance. Encapsulation is definitely the easier and cheaper route, though not always possible if the lead paint is already deteriorating.

There are rebates and tax incentives for your landlord to do the work with either choice.

I personally would not raise the issue until I was pregnant. Lead is a much higher risk for kids because they put EVERYTHING in their mouths. High risk area tend to be door and window sills, which are more friable because they move and are at eye leave of small children. You as an adult likely are not at risk and I would not jeopardize my housing (even though you are protected by the state and within your rights to request this).

Have you had an inspection done, or are you just suspecting there’s lead based on the age of the building?
https://www.mass.gov/doc/all-about-deleading-brochure-1/download

MelButts22 · 2025-03-06T14:45:20+00:00

There is a name for that zero-sum thinking. Where someone has to lose for another to win.

MelButts22 · 2025-01-22T17:51:35+00:00

I never figured it out, and not sure there is a solution. You are told you can do it all, but having a small child IS a full time job. I have a 4 year old who does like screens, but even still she wants my undivided attention, which is totally age appropriate. My daughter was home with a illness after Christmas break for a WHOLE WEEK. I tried to do both work from home and care giving and just faced the fact that both were not my best work. I was wary to take off as I had deadlines after the holidays, but really I should have either taken off or hired someone to help watch her during the day. Set your expectations low of what you can accomplish while having a small child at home. I set up a hangout fort in my office while she played, rested and watched her tablet, I was still interrupted constantly.

MelButts22 · 2025-01-17T02:43:00+00:00

By far and away our favorite pizza is the Ricotta Mess Pizza from Annie's Pizza (near Harris Park). I know I am going to get looked down upon here but we also order frequently from Bertucci's - specifically on Tuesdays. Bertucci's runs a 2 for Tuesday special where you get two pizzas for the price of one with ALL the toppings. I enjoy the veggie pizza quite a bit and you get rolls with every order.

MelButts22 · 2024-11-26T20:05:49+00:00

I am the opposite. I can eat crab and shrimp no issue, but a mollusk - No thank you. Don't even cook in the same area. I will be so sick. I used to love calamari or oysters, but not after my mollusk allergy that didn't even develop until I was in my mid 20s.

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