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So the new job is great.
Cool team, SOA architecture, looking into microservices, scrum "by the book", lots of interesting technology sessions... And a commute that leaves me little spare time.
In the past few years I drove an average of around 600 km a month.
I now drive 1200 a week!
Including traffic jams that's three to four hours a day (or longer if I'm very unlucky)!
Compared to a 20 minute bike ride (one way) in my previous job.
I used to get out of bed at 08:30 to 09:00 and be at work by 10:00 and go for home at 18:00 to 18:30.
Now I get out of bed at 05:00, start at 07:00 and go home at 15:30 at the latest (rather sooner than later to stay ahead of traffic!).
Traffic controls my life now and it's the only thing I hate about this job.
Is it worth it?
Definitely!
Do I miss my old lifestyle?
Also, definitely!
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Ouch!
Ever consider moving closer?
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Yeah, every day in the past week.
But moving is expensive and a hassle and I like living where I live.
If only I could live there for like two to three days a week...
Unfortunately, that doesn't make it cheaper.
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Sander Rossel wrote: But moving is expensive and a hassle
True, but only once - not every bloody day.
Sander Rossel wrote: I like living where I live
Why? You're never there now! 
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Sander Rossel wrote: Is it worth it?
Definitely!
Give it time, three/four hours a day in traffic gets old pretty fast. best of luck in keeping your sanity.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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Yeah, the first week was really bad.
I'm a bit used to it now and at least I know what to expect.
I can't see myself doing this for years on end though.
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jeron1 wrote: Give it time, three/four hours a day in traffic gets old pretty fast. best of luck in keeping your sanity.
Podcasts.
That's all I'm gonna say, other than if you want to keep your sanity while sitting in traffic, avoid commercial radio at all costs.
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dandy72 wrote: avoid commercial radio at all costs.
That's a given. 
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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It had been literally years I had turned on an actual radio a few months ago, and it wasn't "a given", to me, until then.
I knew it had gotten bad, but it's reached a new low. It seems the content-to-advertising ratio is now worse than TV, and that's saying a lot.
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Move!
That kind of commute is a soul-killer. It'll drive the joy right out of you, especially as the nights get longer, and you're going out in the dark and getting home in the dark. And suddenly, your weekends are so full of the little bits you had time for each day before that they don't seem to exist either. It can make you a bitter, twisted, stressed out monster if you don't get a handle on it.
Move! Sooner rather than later.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I'm not moving just like that.
It's a six month job (for now).
I'll see what I do.
I agree that I can't do this for longer periods of time though.
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It's the modern world. If a company doesn't have a remote work policy that allows for at least a couple days of remote work, I don't work there, at least not in the long term. In my current gig (50 minute commute one way, no traffic, so not much to complain about regarding the commute, it's more the cubicle, florescent lights, and crappy hardware at the "office" that gets me) I did that for six months then switched to 3 days a week, since this particular manager doesn't let people work remotely. So I get 2 days a week all to myself and love it.
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Marc Clifton wrote: switched to 3 days a week, since this particular manager doesn't let people work remotely. So I get 2 days a week all to myself
What happens to the other 2 days each week?
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Mike Mullikin wrote: What happens to the other 2 days each week?
Well, Sat & Sun is usually dedicated to my gf.
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Marc Clifton wrote: gf
Ahhh... another reason how a life gets "flipped-turned upside down". 
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Mike Mullikin wrote: Ahhh... another reason how a life gets "flipped-turned upside down".
Quite so. Especially as gf 1.0 has being upgraded to fiancee 2.0 with wife 3.0 upgrade planned for next year. 
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Unfortunately, their policy is no remote work 
Well, it is possible, they rather not have it.
Mostly due to the nature of the sensitive data we work with.
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Sander Rossel wrote: Mostly due to the nature of the sensitive data we work with.
I can understand that, but I'm also amused when managers cite that as a reason, particularly where I work:
1) People rotate through "on call" here for problems that occur at night when the data is processed by archaic systems which often fail, resulting in 2 AM calls and folks having to connect from home to fix the problem. Similarly, at Citigroup, there was a "no work from home" policy in the dept I was in (I seem to have the luck of getting these managers) and yet those same folks were constantly required to connect from home over the weekend, every weekend, to push the latest releases.
2) And most ironically, it is so pathetically easy to walk out with the so called "sensitive data."
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And 3) All that data is exposed through web services to clients who are also not at our office
I know
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I commuted about 26 miles each way for 12 1/2 years, but I mostly enjoyed the job.
When I had the chance to work in a single technology base with a commute of 32 miles each way, I took it. Longer commute? Yes. Reduced stress from work? YES!
So, what do I do with the commute? Use it for self reflection, quiet time, use ear buds to call friends and catch up on things we missed.
So, to each his own - determine if the commute/work/life balance is acceptable.
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Tim Carmichael wrote: Use it for self reflection, quiet time
I'm living on my own in a rural village.
Being at home is a lot more quiet en reflective than my commute (and shouldn't it be like that for everyone?) 
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Sander Rossel wrote: Is it worth it?
That'll fade fast.
Nothing drains the soul quite like sitting in traffic. Give it three months and you'll either have moved closer or changed jobs.
Having done the long commute I would not consider anything over an hour each way.
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Sander Rossel wrote: Is it worth it?
Definitely!
No it's not. That's ~10% of your life ... spent in traffic.
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Well, 10% of my life in the coming months anyway.
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For over 15 years I had long commutes.
I suggest to you, for the commute, audio books. 
I've literally listened to hundreds of books on my commutes.
There were times when I couldn't wait to get back in the car so I could listen again.
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