Prior to COVID my office had already forced 50% of our staff into full time WFH. And the other 50% had at least 1 day work from home a week.

>"how was your meal?"

"Not very filling, I feel more empty than when I arrived."

Have you considered taking the train (technically commuter rail) to Newburyport from Boston and then renting a car from there? It's quite close to where you're going and would probably allow you to avoid dealing with navigating the city in a car alone at all. You would just have to cab to north station instead, and could do the reverse when you come back. I also get some driving anxiety especially in the city (though less severe), and I totally understand wanting to minimize putting yourself in a more stressful situation than necessary.

Yes.

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You can rent a car from downtown Boston. No need to go to the airport.

I kept my job in NYC and went remote in 2018 to move up here. My company started allowing that and we’d opened a satellite office earlier that year. I think it’s more of what’s possible with technology now than anything else. Slack and Zoom make it effortless to stay connected when needed and carry on as usual without having to commute and be in person. Sharepoint allows collaboration on documents in real time. I think it’s more tech advances sped up by covid than anything else.

I was fully remote before covid, but it was seen as taboo and we weren’t supposed to tell anyone that we worked remotely. My whole team had offices on-site, but we were never there.

Can you go to Providence instead and rent the car there? It is right off of 95 and there are no tunnels. The airport is a mess to get in and out of if you don't know where you are going and GPS is often a few seconds behind where you need it to be so you should consider a different route

I don't mind being a passenger as much (it still gives me anxiety but at least not panic), but if I am arriving at South Station -- it is important for me. I still have to have a rental vehicle since I will be in New Hampshire for a week. Would you be able to suggest any alternatives to my plan by any chance?

>Zip car

What is a Zip car, is this like a rental?

Thank you! I usually don't have any problems riding the tunnels, it is more driving. I have claustrophobia and while I am driving in the tunnel I get this urge to press on a gas pedal and speed up faster and faster until I see the light at the end of the tunnel. And with everything I heard about the famous Boston's Big Dig I absolutely do not want to end up there.

Do the math of what a few hotel room nights costs versus increase in rent over an entire year

Seconded. A life saver

Hi! I also have interstitial cystitis (a name I much prefer to painful bladder syndrome), so I also have these problems! Go tos include LA Burdick in Harvard Square (buy some of their hot chocolate too, you won’t regret it), BPL and the Fairmont Copley plaza downton, the Boston Public Market near the North End, and bookstores when they have a cafe. Additionally, MA has a law that individuals with certain health conditions (as you may know, IC is generally protected by ADA laws defining bowel conditions) must be able to use any bathroom at any establishment that has three or more employees present. General Laws Part IV, Title 1, Chapter 270, Section 26. This includes employee only restrooms. I do have a letter from my doctor that I can present in these circumstances, but nobody has asked me for it yet (just mentioning ADA accommodations makes me feel like a “Karen,” but unless you have bladder pain, reader, you can’t understand what I would sometimes do for a bathroom).

Faneuil Hall has a bathroom in the basement, and I believe there's some in Quincy Market, too. The Marriott on Long Wharf has a public restroom that you can access from the outside, on the side facing Columbus Park. They were doing maintenance on it recently, though.

Maybe this was covered elsewhere, but wouldn't a literal reading of this mean anyone who lives in another state (RI, NH, etc) and drives to work in MA would have to register? No way that's actually happening.

9 Thai Express: quick and cheap thai food that tastes great. especially if you like spicy

BBQ chicken: probs the best location for the chain in Mass. their boneless wings are chicken thighs. try the spicy galbi flavor

MoonFlower House: another fried chicken spot. great for popping in for a quick bite

Do you mind being a passenger in the car when it goes through a tunnel or is it just a problem as the driver?

Depending on your starting point, you should rent a car at a non-airport location. It will be much easier to avoid tunnels if you stay away from downtown and the airport.

Here's a rough search, fenced to where you probably will want to live. Price will change drastically by neighborhood and apartment quality, but figure $3k+ as a minimum for a two bed, $4-$5k probably more likely.

You need 4 months rent to sign a lease btw: first, last, security, and a one month tip to the piece of shit realtor who shows it to you.

You might be tempted to check out banners at the garden, but it’s run terribly, could be good but it sucks

Financial services

Omg. I misread my bad.

The last paragraph 😂

Churches---can confirm success in back bay and on the Boston University campus. The restrooms are usually in the basement/lower level.