I have been seeing a lot of drama online about parking. Specifically, angry tourists in the comments sections of locals posting videos of tourists getting their cars towed. Accusations on both sides flying; tourists in the comments claiming to feel “unwelcome” while citing the all too familiar masshole trope. There is also of course, the whole “ we should be grateful” for the tourism” crap. I have to admit, I do not remember it being quite this unbearable when I was a kid about a decade ago. When you are born and grow up in Salem, you never really understand how “special” it is. In elementary school, I remember having no homework the night of the annual Halloween parade most years. 

Halloween was a month long event. That was just what it was. A chunk of our downtown (known as the pedestrian mall), is still surfaced with cobblestones that make it uneven and difficult to traverse on a normal day walking to or back from the car after the farmers market we visited after attending Summer Library programing every Thursday in the summer. In the fall, this same strip was ground zero for tourism, street vendors, and a notorious public restroom famously situated in the witch city mall.

I do remember once going to downtown Salem with my parents as a kid a couple days before Halloween. That year I was dressed as a witch. I am still a witch, but the kind that prefer plants and seeds over a broomstick, and floral prints and tie dye over black. I remember being caught in a swarm of so many people that we physically could not move. The noise and energy frequency was wayyy to much, and I have avoided the downtown area during the Halloween season ever since. This year, for the first time since I started at WPI; I am home for the spooky season (medical leave; long/unrelated story), and my best friend wants to go downtown. I am not sure what to expect, but I am hoping that being more aware of my neurodivergent nervous system will allow me to approach it in a way that allows me to enjoy the vibe. This will be the first time in my life that I approach Salem from the perspective that the rest of the world does, and I decided that in light of that; I wanted to share with the world the perceptive that I have as a lifelong Salem resident. Some of this is adapted from the comments I made to people on the TikTok video that inspired this post.

I can and will go out of my way to help a tourist in need. In the summer I work at a local business here in Salem, (not a place that gets much benefit from the Halloween tourism). I LOVE sharing tips and insider advice with people who are visiting and passionate! I will info dump on where to eat, what to see and what to avoid. This said, this is the place where I grew up. The parks that people litter in are the playgrounds where I spent my afternoons as a child. The common that you all flood is where every Thanksgiving break, my brother and I would watch our local fire department help Santa down from the roof of the Hawthorne hotel. The schools you pay to park at are the elementary schools that we went to for six years of our childhood. Salem is my HOME. It is not disneyworld. Locals are not cast members. We are not paid to put up with the traffic, crowds, road closures and noise. In fact, it is the reverse. Our tax dollars are used to clean up messes that are left. We love sharing our home with respectful visitors. But we are proud of our home and we will not tolerate guests who disrespect it.

"Do you have a bathroom?"

"No, sorry"

"So where do you go to the bathroom?"

"There is an employee restroom, there is no public restroom"

"So can we use it if I buy something?"

"No, it is an employee restroom."

"Well where is the closest public bathroom?"

"I don't know, sorry."

"Well thanks a lot!"

I have had this exact conversation probably 100 times in the last two weeks. I have an employee restroom and live a ten minute walk away from downtown, why would I know where public restrooms are? And while we're at it stop asking me for directions to random places I've never heard of, I'm an underpaid sales clerk not a complimentary tour guide.

I've been considering directing people to the witch city mall but I don't think I've been driven that crazy yet.

I just moved to The Point and my street is mostly apartment buildings. Should I expect Trick or Treaters on Halloween?

Hey all,

Do you know what happened tonight with one of the Christian extremists getting arrested near the Bewitched statue and there being a taser involved? I saw some stuff on Instagram but I don’t live downtown and am trying to piece it together. Apparently the preacher was yelling at people that they were “fornicating” as they walked down the street holding hands? As a queer person, I’d love to know what latest bullshit is afoot with these folks.

Hello! I just recently moved to the Salem area and am in search of a good vet! Some background: My cat is a rescue adopted while living in Korea who then came with me to the west coast of the US and we just moved to Massachusetts!

My last vet on the west coast was absolutely terrible ngl. He did not take my worries or concerns seriously and often brushed off my questions and concerns. He literally told me "wet cat food is just kibble with added water, there is no difference and no proof wet food is better for cats." If I brought up wanting to feed my cat wet food he threw a tantrum. When I brought my cat in with concerning vomiting, he said "it's probably fine" and gave me anti-nausea medicine with no further testing/examination and then charged me $200.

All of this to say, I am in desperate need of a GOOD kind vet who takes all questions/concerns seriously and is willing to work together when it comes to health plans etc.

I did call the cat-only Feline Hospital who said they are not taking any new clients so if anyone has any recommendations, I am even willing to travel if its a reasonable distance (I heard of maybe some good places in New Hampshire).

Thanks so much!

Amazing 45 min piano concert of Halloween favorites at Ames Hall! Music and ambiance were beautiful! Tickets here https://ameshall.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events

What do you guys want to see go in here ?

Question 5 is a doozy. I doubt there are many people in the state that could read question 5 as is, and have a perfect grasp of its full implications. I’ve been hit in the head a lot so I need to dig into the simple ones too. After researching who is behind question 5, it’s painfully obvious to see what their intent is.

Massachusetts’s richest residents and corporations are laundering funds through the dark money group Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance to fund the ballot committee for Question 5. This group was set up after the passage of the Fair Share Amendment. While no one can prove who is in this dark money group (I would wager good money that Robert Kraft is one of them), it’s clear they want to undo the work of the Fair Share Amendment.

Question 5 imposes a stricter revenue cap on the state, meaning that it will be harder for the state to invest and harder for the state to respond to economic downturns. With a stricter revenue cap, working families would pay the price through reduced public services and fewer investments in their communities. Child care could get more expensive, health care less accessible, and higher education out of reach for more Bay Staters. With steep federal cuts looming next year to health care and more, the cuts Question 5 could trigger will be dire. 

I am a strong No on question 5. Happy to discuss this in depth with all takers.

I may have peaked. This is my best one to date. I tried hard 😅

The E-market has 2 porto potties available. The price is $5 per person. Is this gross capitalism or service? I live in the vicinity and I’ve noticed far fewer people are doing their bathroom times behind my building’s dumpster.

Unfortunately in the traffic nightmare of the weekend, someone managed to scratch my car with theirs. It's pretty deep and feels beyond my ability to fix with a scratch paint pen and clearcoat. On the plus side, the scratcher is a real mensch and came around after the incident to take responsibility and offer to pay.

So where in Salem should I look? Ideally, somewhere close to the train station so I can drop the car off and still get to work with a minimal amount of trekking. I'd be looking to get the work done post-Halloween. I appreciate the guy being honest about it, so don't want to break his bank, but also don't want to add too much hassle onto my day after this, the most hassled of months in Salem.

Any recommendations?