Fairfax Connector, you are hurting my ability to be a more virtual person

If proposed budget cuts go through this June, the commuter bus line I take to the metro will be eliminated, and I will be a far less virtuous person.

Yes, I'll go back to driving a car again and yes that's greenhouse gas emissions and whatnot.

But that's only one way this change in commuting habits will impact me.

Taking public transportation - the status quo I would like to preserve - has meant:

- I've gotten back to reading books again.

- I've gotten back to loading up my iPod with new music again.

- I'm a more productive worker because I sleep during my commute (not recommended while driving).

- I'm a more productive worker because I can actually do work during the commute (provided I'm able to move my arms enough to operate my Blackberry)

- I can start my day by catching up on the news (granted, this is TMZ more often than the Economist, but baby steps here).

- I have more to blog about, thanks to my fellow commuters.

- All the money I save from not having car payments, insurance, tags, gas expenses will no longer go to my investments and no longer contribute to the bonuses of the upper 0.0001%.

- I get some forced exercise in my day thanks to the metro station near my workplace having 1.) one of the tallest escalators, 2.) an escalator that seldom works.

Fairfax County is one of the wealthiest in the United States. Our traffic congestion is among the worst. Out of all of the things to cut, I don't think commuter bus lines should be on the chopping block.