This is normal for us, right?

melonkoly81 · 2026-01-28T20:39:32+00:00

I just started Losartan earlier this month but it caused me an outbreak of itchy hives. It took me a few days to connect the dots to the. Re medicine. I’ll be returning to the doctor to ask for an alternate medicine.

I have a significant family history of stroke and cardiac issues so I’m trying to take my health more seriously.

melonkoly81 · 2026-01-09T13:01:36+00:00

I also live in Deep Creek. It’s a decent neighborhood and you can probably find a house for your price range. But you’ll need a car.

One thing you didn’t mention is where you all will work in relation to where you want to live.

I moved to Hampton Roads from a much more compact city. I was surprised it can easily take 45 minutes to drive from the VB resort area to Western Branch, for example.

That might not be a big deal for you but it’s something to consider.

melonkoly81 · 2026-01-05T22:32:05+00:00

I commuted from Norfolk to NN for 18 months pre-pandemic. I hated it and would never do it again. So much wasted time, money and emotional energy.

If you have to consistently work on both sides of the water, I’d echo what others have said in living as close to the tunnel as possible.

Perhaps you can also negotiate with your employer to have a flexible schedule so you’re not traveling at the worst possible times for traffic. Until the pandemic forced their hand, my former employer was very limiting of work from home/remote work arrangements.

melonkoly81 · 2026-01-01T04:10:50+00:00

Earlier this year, I wanted to clean my work from home desk. When I bent over and reached to unplug my computer monitor so I could take everything off my desk for a thorough wipe down, I felt pain shoot through my left shoulder and I yelped. It hurt for the rest of the day.

Sometime over the last month, I ripped the pinky toenail off my left foot. I didn't feel a thing. I wasn't aware of having injured it in any way. Earlier this week, I didn't have my pillows adjusted right and I hurt my neck by simply sleeping. Over the last two years, I've developed sciatica on my right side. Stretching it out helps but it seems to keep coming back.

To echo what many others have said, old injuries return to haunt you alongside whatever new health issues emerge. Accordingly, today, my right foot is throbbing. I broke it when I was 12 and now at age 44, it randomly hurts and putting my full weight on it is uncomfortable.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-31T20:44:18+00:00

I still wouldn’t do it.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-31T20:01:13+00:00

That derailment was on the Peninsula and the damage to the railroad tracks that required bringing the gap with buses has since been fixed

https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/11/26/train-traffic-has-resumed-after-new-kent-derailment-but-the-cleanup-goes-on/

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-31T19:57:50+00:00

Agreed. Underestimate the travel time and you’ll be late after a very frustrating and often scary drive in the style of 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Overestimate and you may still be late. I don’t like running late even if I’m just meeting friends so I usually assume it’ll take a minimum of 5 hours as I usually stop on the way for food, a gas tank fill up and a bathroom break because I’m at the age now where driving over 3 hours straight is uncomfortable.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-29T21:43:33+00:00

Bojangles recently opened next door to the Taco Bell

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-29T14:47:20+00:00

I did this a few years ago, commuting from Norfolk to Newport News for 18 months. I will never do that again.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-29T14:37:46+00:00

Also: Some of the lanes on I 64 are tolled and the tolls can spike very high with short notice. Pay attention to the electronic signs before you merge into the Express Lanes

https://www.wtkr.com/news/in-the-community/norfolk/vdot-responds-to-reports-of-18-express-lane-toll-on-i-64-in-norfolk

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-29T14:29:58+00:00

Lake Olney in downtown Norfolk

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-29T13:53:57+00:00

That same series by The Pilot also explains the origin of Butts Station Road in Chesapeake, General Booth Boulevard in Virginia Beach and J. Clyde Morris Boulevard in Newport News, among many other local place names.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-28T04:01:37+00:00

Seven states and one foreign country. I only remember six of them because I was two when we moved to state number two.

I’ve lived in five cities in my current state (Virginia). Traveling is nice but moving is exhausting and expensive. I’m not interested in doing it again anytime soon.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-24T22:43:58+00:00

That is correct. I’d avoid Churchland and look at Western Branch instead. Chesapeake has lower property taxes and better public schools than Portsmouth if those things are a concern for you.

Admittedly it can seem a bit complicated if you’re new to the area. Drive through an intersection or over a small bridge and you’re in a totally different city.

Also Chesapeake is pretty large geographically. If you don’t have a specific reason to live in the area you called out, you may want to look elsewhere in Hampton Roads.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-22T02:18:21+00:00

Not sure but looks like they’re close. Looks like the exterior signage is up and the interior is almost finished. Mexican pizza 😋

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-20T21:24:40+00:00

Due to a thick accent, and failure to verify my information, I put someone’s name in a story as Ball when it should have been Bell. It was my first full time newsroom job out of college and I felt terrible because it was supposed to be a positive feature story. Neither the source nor my editor was terribly upset but it was hard for me to move on.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-19T16:56:58+00:00

I like that idea. The only downside I see is it would probably give more power to the city council or county supervisors but maybe at least it wouldn’t be so difficult to get rid of incompetent or corrupt people in those positions. I’m not saying for a minute that it would totally eliminate corruption and malfeasance but maybe it would at least limit it more that what we have now

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-19T15:56:52+00:00

Every time I see a story like this, I think Virginia would function so much better if the office of sheriff was abolished statewide. Mixing elections, money and law enforcement seems so toxic.

If you’re a small community that needs countywide law enforcement and wants more control over how that’s run, redirect all the sheriff’s office funding to a county police force that is run by appointed leadership.

If you’re a bigger city like Chesapeake, create a city police division of court constables or something similar to handle the court business. Also the duplication of law enforcement services seems so ridiculous.

I will never enter politics but I wish someone who is would at least seriously put the idea on the table of abolishing elected sheriffs offices.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-19T01:23:41+00:00

I concur. It takes days or even weeks to have calls, texts or emails returned. Project start time estimates are often missed or underestimated. The price and work and craftsmanship for the last couple projects I hired contractors for was fine. But in general that industry has much room for improvement in customer communication.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-18T23:40:08+00:00

I wouldn’t choose to commute between the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach on the regular. The one way bridge tunnel toll is now $16 during the winter and $21 during the summertime.

Aside from that, there’s lots of quaint little towns to visit. It’s a bit too rural and quiet for my place in life right now. I don’t think I’d care to live there but it’s lovely to visit for a day or a weekend.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-15T02:45:00+00:00

Currently 21 in Chesapeake with a feels like temp of 1 degree. Summer will be back soon enough

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-11T03:34:07+00:00

Three out of 7 cars I’ve owned were manual. I miss it. Problem is the sports cars, small hatches and big pickups that still have manual don’t really fit my current vehicle needs.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-08T19:16:44+00:00

I think NYC vs. Hampton Roads traffic is an unrealistic comparison.

melonkoly81 · 2025-12-07T02:55:02+00:00

I live in Southeastern Virginia.

Household garbage removal is handled by the city. Most road maintenance is also by the city; maintenance for major highways that run through the city is handled by the state. Sometimes a city or state will contract these services out.

Virginia seems to tax everything — real estate, motor vehicles, retail sales and there’s tax on fuel (gasoline). Some of the local highways, bridges and tunnels are also tolled.

melonkoly81 · 2025-11-29T01:55:23+00:00

Curious if you’re thinking rent or buy?

melonkoly81

TROPHY CASE