United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

<0> 2008 Write-in schedules

tkphotog — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:28:10 -0700

Your MLs have scheduled nine official write-ins. Except for the last-day write-in, all official write-ins are Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings. The schedule is below. Please note; there has been a schedule change on Nov. 25 and Nov. 30.

•• Nov. 01: Au Bon Pain - Copley Place.
•• Nov. 04: b. Good - Back Bay.
•• Nov. 08: Watertown Free Library.
•• Nov. 11: Au Bon Pain - Harvard Square.
•• Nov. 15: Subway - Fenway.
•• Nov. 18: Au Bon Pain - Kendall Square (near MIT).
•• Nov. 22: b. Good - Back Bay.
•• Nov. 25: Au Bon Pain - Copley Place.
•• Nov. 30: Subway - Fenway.

Details of the TGIO (Thank God Its Over!) Party will be announced once they are finalized.

Check your official Boston calendar of events for other events this month, including write-ins hosted by your fellow wrimos.

Contact your Municipal Liaisons (QueenOfTheUniverse and tkphotog) for more information on these events, or to host an event of your own.
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

<0> Neighborhood write-ins: where can I go to write? (updated Oct. 29th)

tkphotog — Mon, 6 Oct 2008 13:37:22 -0700

We have folks in the following locations looking to meet up in their neighborhoods for unofficial events:

• Davis Square Bohemians
• Colleges of the Fenway
• MIT
• Tufts
• Northeastern (and Wentworth)
• Colleges of the Fenway
• Winthrop area
• Merrimack Valley (Lowell)
• Emerson College
• Natick/Wellesley area
• Harvard Square
• Boston University/Allston
• Newton
• Inman/Union Square areas
• Dorchester
• Lesley University
• South End

It's exciting to see folks planning unofficial write-ins on your own, and your MLs especially appreciate your scheduling around the official events (Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings). If anything gets set far enough in advance, please be sure to contact us (the link is on the top of the Boston forums page) so we can add it to our Google Calendar.

Folks interested in hosting an event in a specific area (a college, neighborhood, etc.,), please start a new thread for your neighborhood (like the ones above), then contact your MLs to let us know so we can link them to this thread. Posting replies to this thread gives the MLs nothing to link to. Thanks!

Cheers!

Travis (tkphotog)
co-ML with Anna (QueenOfTheUniverse)
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

<0> Please read: Using our Google Calendar

tkphotog — Fri, 3 Oct 2008 17:01:50 -0700

Hello all--

Instead of the clunky calendar interface of past years, National Novel Writing Month is now using Google Calendars to track regional events. On the regional forums page, below the tabs, is a link called "Check your official Boston calendar of events"Check your official Boston calendar of events." Clicking this will take you to the Google Calendars website, where you'll see events listed in a calendar format. Clicking on the links will bring up an information bubble with all the information for an event.

In addition, we will continue to make forum posts for upcoming events with the same data (location, map link, MBTA transit options, etc.) in our regional forums as well, and we will try our best to cross-link this information so that everything is as accurate as possible.

If you decide to host an unofficial write-in (I think the Tufts folks are looking at just that option), please e-mail us so we can add your data to the Google Calendar. We want to do all we can to encourage folks to keep writing, and also want to do our best to make your efforts worthwhile. We do request that you not schedule events for Saturdays or Tuesdays, though; those are the official write-in days.

While some events have been put into place on the Google Calendar, all information is tentative until a post is made to the local forums. We'll do our best to have everything confirmed before November starts, though. Anna (QueenOfTheUniverse) and I are doing our best duck imitations (Calm on the surface, but paddling like the dickens underneath) to make this year the best ever.

Cheers,
Travis (tkphotog)
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Sweet Cupcake Merch

SocioTom — Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:56 -0800

Hey, just a quick thought: I just headed over to the Cafe Press store to try to pick up a sticker or 5 for my laptop (and friends' unsuspecting cars), and I noticed that there were no stickers. There's a bunch of other cool stuff (some of which I'm thinking of getting/putting on a wish list), but I definitely felt a slight disappointment at my inability to stick cupcakes to stuff.

Because come on: who wouldn't love sticking cupcakes to stuff? Especially Sweet Merciful ones!

Anyway, I was just curious if it were possible to have any stickers available for purchase at any time during the Christmas season...?
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-Tom-
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~ Groucho Marx
I write like I fly: by the seat of my pants.

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Last-day write-in - Subway restaurant (near Fenway Park) - Nov. 30

tkphotog — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:07:41 -0700

Write-in: Subway restaurant (near Fenway Park) Please note: there has been a schedule change; read below for details.

When: Sun, Nov 30, 2 - 6 pm

Where: Subway, 1315 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215 (Google maps link)

Description: We return to Subway this evening for a write-in from 2- 6 pm. The folks at this Subway have always been super-nice (and indulgent) to our band of crazed wrimos taking over the back of the store. Please show them a little love and purchase something while we're there -- even a drink -- to show our appreciation.

MBTA: The Subway is located near the Kenmore stop on the Green Line (B,C,D lines). It is also very near the Route 55 bus (Boylston St. at Jersey St.) and a couple of blocks from the 8, 19, 60, and 65 buses (Boylston St. at Park Drive).

Driving: See the Google Maps link above for driving directions. On-street parking is metered, but can be scarce. Local parking lots (Landmark Center, Trilogy building) are pricey but convenient.

Check your official Boston calendar of events for info on this and other events.
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Inman/Union square peeps?

a_roar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:06:24 -0700

There are a few great coffee shops in my area that would make for nice little unofficial write-ins. Sherman Cafe. The Biscuit. 1369.

Anyone interested in meeting up at any of these places?

Aurora. Newbie. 28.
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

TGIO Party! Details here.

tkphotog — Tue, 2 Dec 2008 09:46:20 -0800

The final wingding of the NaNoWriMo season will happen Sunday, Dec. 7, between 2 - 5 pm, at the Subway near Fenway Park (our always-welcoming hosts). We're doing some light catering, but you should feel free to order your own sandwiches from their always-appealing selections.

We do have a new event for this year's TGIO: The MAKE YOUR OWN NAMETAG contest. Since our nametags were stolen from my car last week, this is your opportunity to show off your design skills. Participation is voluntary. Participants should bring their nametags to the event, and the wrimos will cast ballots to vote for the best designed entry. Some criteria for the designs:

Nametag should be wearable - nothing larger than a signboard, please - and easily readable (nothing microscopic).
Nametag should have "National Novel Writing Month" or "NaNoWriMo" prominently displayed.
Nametag should have your name/username on it (so we know for whom we're voting).

The voting for the nametag begins at 3 pm, with polling ending at 3:25 pm and winner to be announced shortly thereafter. Please note, this is a new event for our TGIOs, and the winner will be selected by popular vote.

At 4 pm, we'll begin the awards ceremony. This is when we present the wrimos who have stood out with awards for their outstanding achievements. This culminates in the awarding of the coveted Excellence in Monthly Literary Overachievement, or ELMO, award, to the wrimo who has made the most extraordinary contribution to NaNoWriMo in Boston.

4:30 pm will be the drawing for the door prizes. We have several small prizes to give away, and the door prize drawing will be followed immediately by the group photo. (I expect ELMOS, prizes, and awards to be displayed prominently in the group photo, by the way).

Hopefully, the TGIO will help us, as a region, to wind down from the heady excitement of National Novel Writing Month. If you can attend, please RSVP (acceptances only) to letterslight -AT- gmail.com by December 5. Please make sure TGIO is prominent in the subject line, and include your first name and username. Our venue is space-limited, so we can only accommodate about 50 people. I've already had six RSVPs, so please, respond as early as possible to make sure you're included in the count - and if you have to cancel, please let me know as well, so that folks over that 50-person line can be brought in.

It's going to be a lot of fun, and Anna and I hope you can make it.

Details below:

Where: Subway, 1315 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215 (Google maps link)

Driving: See the Google Maps link above for driving directions. On-street parking is metered, but can be scarce. Local parking lots (Landmark Center, Trilogy building) are pricey but convenient. The building directly across the street (1330 Boylston) has a parking lot entrance off of Jersey St.
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Struggling To Catch Up? Try this

Rene — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:25:24 -0800

Anyone else find themselves about 10k or so behind on NaNo in the last 48 hours? You should try this out to increase productivity. http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html

I'm using Write Or Die to catch up on my word count. I started at 34k on Friday, and I'm up to 41k right now. The theory is I should finish with no problem since I can type out 1,000 coherent words in 25 mins using write or die. I was skeptical at first because it's about writing without stopping, but this is nano and it is a first draft and I'm writing oddly coherently using the site.

It's a fairly simple site that lets you write for a set variables (amount of time or number of words) and the idea is for you to keep writing, nonstop until you reach your goal. If you stop it gives you a negative response you can choose from. Ex. a pop up reminding you to keep going, or it will stop making atrocious noise until you continue, or if you're a brave soul your writing will delete itself until you continue to write.

Good luck everyone!

Rene

PS
Just make sure you copy and paste and then save your work. You don't want to write 1k and then forget to save it!
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

50k!

diuscorvus — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:51:43 -0800

Oh winful Bostoners, post here to celebrate green-bar-hood. :)

My gosh, this is insane. Well, I can finally ignore the wordcount and focus on finishing the story...
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Fellow Highschoolers Unite!

Yiddishpablo — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:33:15 -0800

I understand that most people don't start writing books until they're out of highschool and even out of college. However, I presume that there must be a few like me suffering through the doldrums of Calculus, European History, and Ethics while simultaniously working on their movel. If you are in high school please respond, say anything, complain about the ridiculous non-writing work you're doing, the annoyance of grades, the verbal bashings of teachers, anything to let me know that I am not alone! And, if anyone goes to St. Johns Prep. in Danvers MA, let me know.
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Happy Nano New Year!!!!

Mrs. Cianci — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:06:24 -0800

Hey guys! It's officially December 1st :) And that means, we can all breathe a sigh of relief, because the pressure is off! Huzzaahh!! I am using this quality December time to catch up on "Dexter" :)

See you all at the TGIO!!

B
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Per ardua ad astra
Nano 2007 :: Crossing Clouds :: 50,146/50,000 (Read "Clouds" http://snurl.com/4sbu6 on Authonomy.com. Read. Vote. Beat the Slush!)
Nano 2008 :: The Somerset Prints :: 0/50,000 (Chomping at the bit)

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Write-in materials stolen; a slight kink in the program

tkphotog — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:53:57 -0800

Fellow wrimos:

Last night, my car was broken into. The thieves, for whatever weird reasons they might have, decided to steal the three bags in the trunk that contained all of the supplies Anna and I bring to events. Everything. All of it. The whole shebang. Ironically, I convinced Anna to leave her write-in supplies in my trunk for safekeeping, instead of schlepping it around with her. I guess she's learned her lesson.

This is going to have several repercussions for the remaining write-in and for the TGIO party (which was to be announced over the weekend, until my notes went the way of the ELMO).

You will not be able to take your nametags home at the end of the month like you were promised. The nametags are in the hands of the thieving ... ahem, illegitimate persons ... who broke into my car. (Really profane curses redacted by the ML in favor of equally-descriptive words.)
We won't be passing out the remaining NaNoWriMo stickers (the collegiate-looking shields and the remainder of stickers left over from last year). These are also in the hands of the thieving ... ahem, people who copulate with their mothers ... who apparently have an unnatural need to steal ELMO dolls.
You may notice that the stock of door prizes has dwindled somewhat, from seven remaining items to nil -- as well as the remaining NaNoWriMo stickers. The remaining door prizes are currently in the possession of the thieving ... ahem, excrement-heads .... who thought a dirty 2006 Nissan Sentra must have something inside that could be fenced.
This also means that I've managed to misplace yet another goal bell. In my own defense, I know that the goal bell is in the grubby paws of the thieving ... ahem, whatever the plural of anus is -- anuses? Anusi? ... who skipped the four rolls of quarters in the center console to get at the otherwise useless-to-them write-in materials in the trunk. I mean, really!
ELMO may still be in possession of the writing prompts. I hope he remains steadfast in protecting them from those thieving ... ahem, so-and-sos ... who muppet-napped him.

And, in the interest of finding silver linings ...

If you walked off with your nametag instead of turning it in at the end of the write-ins as requested, you now have a rare collector's item!
If you had a particularly bad word count day at a write-in immortalized on a goal board, ... well, no one will ever see it again.
I was able to revisit my Navy-enriched vocabulary of curses at length upon finding my broken car window, and was also able to talk around those selfsame curses when composing this all-ages friendly post
I don't have to sort the nametags that were taken out and never refiled at the last write-in.
All of the above items were useful at write-ins, but the thing that makes the write-ins great are the attendees. Now there are fewer distractions!

I'll be going shopping on Friday or Saturday to replace some of the missing supplies (and to pick up a couple of door prizes for the last write-in and TGIO), but the personalized nametags just can't be replaced, and budgetary constraints keep me from being able to replace everything at once. So the last write-in and the TGIO might not be on as grand a scale as you're used to, but they will go on, and they will be great, and attendees will have fun! Oh, and if you have a power strip or an extra extension cord lying around, and decide to bring it along to the write-in, we'd really appreciate it.

So keep writing! And should any of you be walking around 150 Huntington Avenue and find Staples bags and an ELMO doll, nametag box, or other write-in accoutrements lying around, grab them for me.

Cheers,
Travis
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

website's word counter

JulianneTK — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:09:36 -0800

Can anyone help me? I've been trying to figure out where the website's word counter is because I want to see how the website word-counter matches up to the word count on Word Perfect (which is my perfectly wonderful word processor program!).

Thanks!
**********
Julianne
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Impromptu (unofficial) Write-In

SocioTom — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:46:36 -0800

Hey everyone,

I'm still a bit behind on my word count, so I decided to head over to b.good for some impromptu writing. I'll probably get there around 6, and I'm not sure how late I'll stay. 9 maybe.

Either way, it's the same b.good as the official write-ins (ie, next to Back Bay), so you know where it is. Feel free to come and join me if you want to get some writing done/eat some awesome burgers.

Hope to see a few people tonight!
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-Tom-
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~ Groucho Marx
I write like I fly: by the seat of my pants.

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

After November. Who else wants more?

Yiddishpablo — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:09:30 -0800

I was just wondering: do people stop writing after the month of November, or does the process simply play a less significant role? Why not broaden the horizon beyond November? I wonder what would happen if we writers committed ourselves to a year long commitment to a single work? Oh, and what does this site do the rest of the year, I just joined, I really don't know all that much. Anyways, would there be a way to have a year devoted to writing. 300,000 words in 2009 or 2010? Would anyone else be interested in committing themself to something that extensive?
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Impromptu gathering durring the day tomorrow, anyone?

MaraJade329 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:46:26 -0800

Hi ^_^ Marion the Geek here!

I was wondering if anyone out there in Boston Nano-land wanted to hang out tomorrow and write. I'll be at the Panera Bread in downtown Boston (address at bottom of post) from 2pm until about 6:30 when I plan to walk to State street T Station and head to the write-in over at Copley. I'm out of school because all labs are canceled this week and I figured it could be a very productive writing day.

The Panera Bread is about a six minute walk straight up Atlantic Avenue from South Station. Its an even closer walk from the Aquarium stop on the Blue Line.

The people there are pretty friendly, and 2pm is after the lunch rush so I don't think they'd mind as long as we weren't total freeloaders. I write there a lot, so they know me by sight anyway. As an added bonus, if I'm not alone, the people who are trying to run a pyramid scheme out of Panera will stop glaring at me.

Where I'll be: My favorite spot in Panera is the furthest from the entrance line, near the restrooms. There are a couple of comfy chairs and some tables. Also, outlets. I'll be over there. I'll be the girl with the Alphasmart portable word processor. I'll leave my purple and silver scarf hanging out of my bag (though really, no one else is going to have an alphasmart. I revel in my lameness.).

So if you're game, reply to this thread and I'll keep a look out for you. I won't have internet once I leave home though, but come anyway, even if you don't catch me before I leave. I'll be there no matter what.

The address:
200 High Street
Boston, MA 02110
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

The Thinking Hard-Hat

SocioTom — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:11:21 -0800

For those of you who haven't seen it before, a few weeks ago I brought a hard hat with me to a write-in. It's got a few Nano stickers on it (for good writing karma, you see. Which is why I plan on adding more as I get my hands on more), and other than that it doesn't look all that special. But it is.

It's my official Nano Wrimo Thinking Cap. And for those of you who don't know, I want to share it with everyone who needs it. It's going to be at every official write-in from here to the end, so if you show up and you're stuck on your novel, make sure to grab it.

The Hard Hat/Thinking Cap is certified to protect you from both writer's block and falling ceilings (well...okay, I've only used it on the first, but it feels like it could on the second). When you approach a writer's block, just put the hat on your head, feel the good karma start to flow, and bust that rock to piece. So put it on and get writing!

And good luck to everyone on the home stretch! I can almost see that sweet, sweet finish line myself. Just one final week of writing with abandon...
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-Tom-
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~ Groucho Marx
I write like I fly: by the seat of my pants.

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

What's your first line

tkphotog — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:57:01 -0700

The first line of your novel sets the tone for the rest of the book -- or at least the rest of your first hour's writing. So what's your first line?

Mine:

"Ruth Thenardier never imagined that taking a wrong turn could get her so far."
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Travis (tkphotog)
Official Photographer and Control Freak
Municipal Liaison (with Anna/QueenOfTheUniverse)
United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Norwood and that general area

n1ghtcrwler — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:49:30 -0700

Hey everyone, I just moved to Norwood this year, and I think this is the right region for it (I didn't see anything else that looked familiar). Anyone else from around this area?
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It is entirely possible that your sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Emersonians FTW

thewriteidea — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:50:51 -0700

Hey, just wanted to see if there were any fellow Emersonians participating this year!
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_______________
Screnzy 08 Cecilia - WIN!
NaNo 08 - Taboo - WIN!
Screnzy 09- ?

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Any Harvard NaNo-ers?

diuscorvus — Wed, 5 Nov 2008 18:04:06 -0800

Student, faculty, custodial staff... anyone?
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Write-in - Au Bon Pain - Kendall Square, Cambridge - Nov. 18

tkphotog — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:05:53 -0700

Write-in: Au Bon Pain - Kendall Square, Cambridge

When: Tue, Nov 18, 7pm – 9pm

Where: 238 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142 (Google maps link)

Description: The restaurant is located on Main Street, between Kendall Square and the Longfellow Bridge. It is near MIT.

The management and staff at this location has graciously allowed us to use their space for several hours for a write-in. Please show your appreciation by purchasing a little something (soda, snack, sandwich), so that we make it worthwhile and may be able to return in the future.

MBTA: The restaurant is near Kendall Station on the Red Line.

Driving: Follow the map link above for door-to-door directions. On-street parking is scarce in this area. A parking garage is available a few blocks away at Cambridge Center (entrance off Ames St.), but it is pricey.

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Write in - Subway restaurant (near Fenway Park) - Nov. 15

tkphotog — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:05:17 -0700

Write in: Subway restaurant (near Fenway Park)

When: Sat, Nov 15, 2pm – 4pm

Where: Subway, 1315 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215 Subway Location Map: (Google maps link)

Description: We return to Subway this weekend for a write-in from 2 - 4 pm. The folks at this Subway have always been super-nice (and indulgent) to our band of crazed wrimos taking over the back of the store. Please show them a little love and purchase something while we're there -- even a drink -- to show our appreciation.

Driving: See the Google Maps link above for driving directions. On-street parking is metered, but can be scarce. Local parking lots (Landmark Center, Trilogy building) are pricey but convenient.

United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Any Dorchester writers?

messyhead — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:41:20 -0700

Hey guys,

Anyone else in Dorchester? Anyone have any good suggestions for places to write out here?
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United States :: Massachusetts :: Boston

Woburn/Arlington/Winchester/Burlington

JulianneTK — Wed, 5 Nov 2008 18:15:04 -0800

I'm in Woburn, near the Arlington line and not too far from Burlington. Anyone else here with me?

There's one other of us in Woburn, if she joins this region, but other than that, anyone?
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