I was so bummed that I only learned about Trash Tuesdays relatively near the end of it, I only got to go to a handful.

I believe the only reason they stopped doing it was that the host moved away, so I bet if someone reached out to the Savoy willing to host, they might be up to do it again.

They are small, but they definitely have a passion. Lots of special events (I miss Trash Tuesdays), and they often have movies that no other theater has.

Clickbait national news and pro-gambling propaganda.

>The laws aren't that strict or unreasonable

It comes down to what you believe the purpose of the inspection is; IMO the primary purpose of the inspection is for safety reasons, not environmental.

For example my last car had an air injection valve get stuck occasionally. All it did was make the car run a little rougher, and use more gas for a month or two until it got un-stuck. But that was enough to fail inspection, so I would postpone my inspections for a month or two until it would pass.

While dealing with environmental issues is important, IMO it's not worth it if it would cause people to postpone safety checks (like it does in Vermont). Make it a separate sticker or something so people can still get their safety check and then deal with emissions later.

Fostering is a good lower-commitment option to see if a new type of pet is a good fit for you/your home.

If you've never had a cat before, another idea is to visit Kitty Korner in Barre and spend some time in the cat lounge. That way you can meet a bunch of different cats, see a variety of personalities, and get a sense of what cat would be the best fit for you; one that's extra cuddly, one that's extra playful, one that's a little more independent, more/less vocal, etc.

You mention it being your first time without a companion/pet; I'm going under the assumption that you lost a pet. In that case, I highly recommend beginning the adoption process for a new pet once you feel like you've done the appropriate amount of grieving.

In my experience, both positive and negative feelings around loneliness will snowball; being able to have one positive boost will help other positives come easier, and help fight back the negatives. Being able to adopt a pet is a much more "in your control" situation than gaining a companion/new human friend. I don't have a dog, but I've heard dog owners say it's a great way to meet new humans while on walks/visits to dog parks as well.

I know when I hit peak-loneliness in mid-2021, my cat was an enormous help.

My entire road is currently without power, not just me; but thank you for the suggestion.