These are some things anyone should know before they move to Maryland.
Grocery stores don't sell alcohol in Maryland. Not liquor, not wine, not beer, nada. You have to go either to the state liquor store, or random beer/wine stores scattered about. I have been to the state liquor store, and it is teeny, and devoted a lot to liquor and beer, at the expense of wine.
As I am a bit of a wine fan, this is annoying. It's even more annoying when you realize that there is no wine sold at Trader Joe's. That's not annoying, actually. That's DISASTROUS. Yes, fortunately, I am pretty close to Virginia, where they do sell wine at Trader Joe's. So I am not completely SOL on __-buck Chuck (no clue how much it costs in Virginia, but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough) and my favorite wine, the Blason de Bourgogne pinot noir, which is as good as wine gets for $10 (that BETTER still be $10 in Virginia).
But I'm the type who likes to pair wine and food, and so on my regular trips to the local Trader Joe's, I can't just decide to pick up some wine to go with my Pasta Italiano. Or, more importantly, after the odd discovery that I don't experience oral allergy symptoms when I am drinking alcohol and eating fresh fruits and vegetables (otherwise I am allergic to them), I often will pick up a white wine and some sort of fruit as a treat (if you think strawberries are good, try eating them once every month or so). I can't do that anymore without an extra trip to the liquor store, where I'm confronted with their poor selection and lack of good cheap wines picked out by the Trader Joe's staff.
Ohio: 1, Maryland: 0
Maryland also has, apparently, a screwball license bureau. They don't even call it a BMV like normal states. It's the MVA (Motor Vehicle Association). But anyway, I have not been there yet, although I will have to in the near future.
I've talked to folks about how long it's going to take me and I'm hearing estimates of anywhere from 1-3 hours. There will be taking of numbers. I should bring a book for the wait.
To me this seems pretty simple...if the lines are consistently that long, OPEN MORE PLACES. If you don't have the money to open more places, CHARGE HIGHER FEES. Three hours is really not an acceptable wait for anything. Especially since Ohio, which has no money and is incompetent at so many things, can manage to have a downtown BMV which I could WALK TO and never had to wait more than 15 minutes.
Ohio: 2, Maryland: 0
Things are not looking so good for my new state, here. Ah, but it is a blue state.
Ohio: 2, Maryland: 1
3 comments:
Referring to the license place as an "association" rather than a "bureau" causes me to picture a loose collective of volunteer licensing enthusiasts who come in whenever they feel like it and are all kinda stoned.
So maybe it takes three hours because you'll be playing Ultimate Frisbee and dancing around to Rusted Root instead of taking the eye test. Marylanders keep this aspect of it quiet, though, because how else are they going to have a nice long break during working hours?
Oh, if only it were so. My understanding is I'll be spending three hours clutching a number waiting for them to call it. I like your version so much better, Kelly.
This is a greeat post
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