Moments of kindness....yes in NOVA! (Burke, Reston: middle-class, lease, crime)

[movingtodcfromseattle]

I just returned from the Burke Post Office with my two little girls. We were standing in line patiently (well the 23# one was on my hip) when the man in front of me offered to let me go ahead of him. He said that he had two small children about the ages of mine and totally understand what a feat it was to get errands done. Talk about making this mama's day!! Can't say that anything that nice ever happened to me in 30 years of living in Seattle. So, I ask, what kind of "nice moments" have you encountered in NOVA?

[The Dissenter]

Well, I was nice to my across the hall neighbor a couple of weeks ago. I got home, noticed her right side car door was open, so I called the management office to inform her that her car door was open. She thanks me, no big deal.

[reckless99]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Well, I was nice to my across the hall neighbor a couple of weeks ago. I got home, noticed her right side car door was open, so I called the management office to inform her that her car door was open. She thanks me, no big deal.

Guess that was better than just leaving a note on her door...

[normie]

I have a very long driveway. Our recent blizzard left us with 24" of snow. We had to shovel twice and the second time we stopped half way through to take a little break. When we came back out to finish the job we discovered some kids in the neighborhood had finished it for us.

Another moment of kindness in my neighborhood. I very much wanted to go to the inauguration last year. But my doctor didn't think it was a good idea--too much of a crowd, especially on the metro. My neighbors did the nicest thing. They threw a party. We had our own version of an inaugural ball (several of us wore old prom dresses). The kids went down to the mall, the adults created sort of a neighborhood "taxi service" to the metro station so they wouldn't have to try parking. The thing that touched me the most was the neighbor coordinating the whole thing is a died-in-the-wool republican. They threw the party to be sweet to me.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by reckless99

Guess that was better than just leaving a note on her door...

You don't know Landmark very well do you? The freaks around here love to break into cars. Don't even give them an open car door.

[SteelCityRising]

If it weren't for my church I would have fully lost faith in NoVA by now. When I first moved here a young newlywed couple from Herndon invited me over to their home for dinner to introduce me to the church. Since I hate to cook it was a real treat to enjoy a good pork tenderloin, salad, and a nice dessert over a couple hours of wonderful conversation instead of just sitting alone sulking as I do on half of my nights. In November I volunteered with a small group from my church to sort, bag, and deliver donated food items to Reston Interfaith. Afterwards the family I was helping invited me along with them to dinner---I became one of their adopted sons for the night as we bounced jokes off of one another and truly had a great evening. I thanked both heartily with thoughtfully-written Christmas cards.

Otherwise I have to say people in my neighborhood in particular leave a lot to be desired. During our 21-inch blizzard in Reston last month (hard to believe we still have snow on the ground) I shoveled out not only my car but the cars of several neighbors. I actually shoveled out several feet behind each car as well to give them ample room to get a running start while backing up in case the plow didn't get to us for a while. How did I get thanked? Today I came home from a stressful day at the office to find one of those very same neighbors parked in my reserved parking space. On the plus side that night at least I tried to impart some Northern hospitality upon the people of Reston. One of my neighbors tried "joyriding" in his SUV around the parking lot and got himself horribly stuck. I grabbed my shovel, dug, and then helped push as he wiggled himself free. My reward? This same guy tries to avert eye contact whenever I'm nearby and try to wave hello to him.

On my run yesterday I stopped to take a breather along Fairway Drive and braced myself against a lightpole as I tried to regain my composure. A nice Hispanic woman came power-walking by and actually stopped to make sure I was okay. That was the first time someone has ever done that for me. The moment was ruined shortly down the road when two people whom I smiled at and greeted near the tennis courts---a woman walking her dog and a dude in his 30s running in the street---turned their heads away from me like I was a circus freak.

It would be nice if there was some element of NoVA being "close-knit" instead of just feeling so soulless. When does NoVA start feeling "down-to-earth" and "cozy?" (or does it never?)

[Yankeesfan]

I asked on another thread but I guess you missed it, Scran-Barre -- how's the Pittsburgh job search going?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

You don't know Landmark very well do you? The freaks around here love to break into cars. Don't even give them an open car door.

It's not only Landmark. The Apple Store in my upper-middle-class neighborhood in Reston has already been brazenly robbed three times over the past few months. A man was mugged recently on one of the trails here. Then again there's no crime in Reston---everything is sunshine and puppies.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

I asked on another thread but I guess you missed it, Scran-Barre -- how's the Pittsburgh job search going?

1.) Is this a genuinely friendly question being asked out of curiosity, or is this a sarcastic remark asking me, more or less, "How much longer do we have to put up with you?" I can't tell on this forum anymore when someone's trying to be inquisitive and when someone's trying to tell me "take a hike."

2.) If the question is legitimate, then you'll be pleased to know I've decided to settle here, at least for the short-term, and try to make lemonade out of lemons. I wish this area had some semblance of charm or soul, but in the mean time I'm looking for different living arrangements when my lease expires in May that should be a huge step up.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

1.) Is this a genuinely friendly question being asked out of curiosity, or is this a sarcastic remark asking me, more or less, "How much longer do we have to put up with you?" I can't tell on this forum anymore when someone's trying to be inquisitive and when someone's trying to tell me "take a hike."

2.) If the question is legitimate, then you'll be pleased to know I've decided to settle here, at least for the short-term, and try to make lemonade out of lemons. I wish this area had some semblance of charm or soul, but in the mean time I'm looking for different living arrangements when my lease expires in May that should be a huge step up.

1. I'm betting my paycheck on the sarcastic remark so I can get more $$$ to fix up my car.

2. I think you are doing the right thing. Stay here long enough for that govt eligibility rehire thingy, then cut and run.