As I mentioned in a previous post, we recently took a trip to visit family in Texas.
One of my ulterior motives on this trip was to visit the area to see if I could relocate there.
Even though I have traveled extensively, I’ve lived in Virginia my whole life.
The thought of relocating is quite exhilarating and intimidating all at the same time.
Certainly, I felt compelled to canvas the Dallas area extensively to see if I would like it.
The Texas road system is well maintained.
Dallas is littered with multi-lane highways, alternate expressways named after famous Texans and, of course, tollways.
Not being a local, I had no idea about the myriad of tollways in Dallas.
You really have to know where you are, where you are going and have the appropriate device on your car to pay the toll for the road you are driving on.
I possessed none of the three.
Yet, I blissfully cruised through the toll booths without a care in the world.
In Virginia, the toll system is skeletal at best when compared the same system deployed in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Drivers without proper toll money or a toll paying device in Virginia give their driver information to a toll booth attendant and are subsequently issued a bill via the mail.
It is a kind and straight forward process.
Texas, on the other hand, has a modernized, automated and highly efficient process for collecting monies from toll offenders like me.
A snapshot picture of your license plate is taken at the time of your offense and mailed to you with demand for payment.
Of course, a hefty administrative fee is attached for their trouble.
Lucky me, I found I had a collection of these demand payments waiting for me when I returned home.
At this point, I thought, “What a pain in the A*#!”
That is a lot of effort expended to collect a few nickels, dimes and quarters!
Of course, I’m not being silly or really that offended.
The cost is minimal for the luxury to drive free across this beautiful country.
Yet, this was a nuisance to have to deal with.
I find that diffusing oils that promote harmony help with annoying times like this.