INAUGURATION - The Joys of living in Virginia

Let's compare Texas and Northern Virgina...

Texas:

"You work for the FBI? Awesome! - Do you carry a gun? Are you like Fox Mulder? That is so cool."

Virginia

"You work for the FBI? Well my whole family and our cousins work there. What GS level are you?"

Texas:

(driving down the highway) "I need to get in the next lane- I will turn on my blinker to let others know I need to get over." (The cars behind you kindly let you get over).

Virginia:

(speeding down the highway trying to stay with the flow of traffic) "I need to get in the next lane- I should turn on my blinker because that is the right thing to do." (as I turn on my blinker the car behind me speeds up and there is almost a traffic accident because they did not want me to get over).

Texas:

A normal commute is 30-45 minutes

Virginia:

There is no normal commute. It could take you as little as 20 minutes or as long as two hours. Take a book to read if you arrive early, take a audio book to listen to in case the traffic is bad.

Texas:

"Oh I missed the exit, let's get on the access road and turn around."

Virginia:

"Oh I missed the exit, lets spend the next 45 minutes trying to figure out how to turn around and go the right direction.

Texas:

(In a grocery store) Cashier- Hi, how are you today? Have a great day! Customer- thank you, you too.

Virginia

(in a grocery store) Cashier- ..... Customer- thanks! Cashier- (points to total). No smiles.

Texas:

A place where you can go to Church with the same people most of your life.

Virginia:

I never know who is staying and who is leaving. The average family stays two years.


Texas:

Military and Government careers is what you dad was in when he was younger.

Virginia:

You are either a marine or work for the government. There is no other career. :) You either wear a suit or a uniform.

Texas:

Average home- $80,000-120,000

Virginia:

Average home: $250,000-500,000

Texas:

Inauguration day- Normal day, some people might watch it on TV, people still go to work. No big deal.

Virginia:

Washington D.C. shut down....All roads from Virginia into DC shutdown. No school on Inauguration day- stay in your homes- all traffic will be bad!

The joys of living in a fast paced world..... Here is a news clip I found today-


FAIRFAX, Va. - Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation are preparing for thousands of buses and vehicles to travel through Virginia for the Inauguration on January 20, 2009.

Beginning at 3 a.m. Tuesday, January 20, personal vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickups, vans, etc.) will not be allowed to enter Washington from Virginia.


Suspending all lane closures in Virginia for construction or maintenance work on Interstates 66, 95, 395 and 495. In addition, lane closures will be suspended on heavily traveled roads in Northern Virginia to include Routes 1, 7, 28, 50, 234, 236, the Dulles Toll Road, Fairfax County Parkway and Prince William Parkway. This restriction will be in effect from Friday, January 16, until noon, Wednesday, January 21.
· Providing portable toilets at the I-66 and I-95 rest areas in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg.

Even if we wanted to see the "eventful" day because technically we are only 40 miles away- we are stuck! In fact we are not leaving our house Monday or Tuesday.

The joys of this great State! :)