Way back in 1998 I was living in Long Beach. I had a job in Santa Monica. Although this job was only 20 miles away, it took me an hour and a half to get to work in the morning–stop and go traffic the whole way. Took me an hour and a half to get home at night, too. Except for Friday nights–that took almost two and a half hours.

Any time I needed to get on the freeway in SoCal, regardless of the day or the time, it seems I would get stuck in stop and go traffic. I dreaded getting on the freeway, any freeway in SoCal. Thinking back on my 10 years of living in the Long Beach area I realize that I didn’t spend much time outside of Long Beach. If I didn’t absolutely have to leave the LBC, I didn’t want to.

Fast forward 15 years. I’m living in Reno and working in the Bay Area. I’m driving 800 miles a week for work. I’m spending hours and hours a day driving–but at least it’s not stop and go. I can handle long hours and long distance driving, as long as it’s not stop and go–that kind of driving just infuriates me.

Which brings us to today. I’m living in Reno. I recently started a new job in Reno with Charter Cable. My new job is only 10 miles from home. And for the first time in almost 20 years I’m working normal hours–Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm.

I love my new commute. It’s only about 15-20 minutes! Very light traffic and a short distance. I used to day-dream about this situation when I had those horrible commutes in SoCal and the long-distance commutes in NorCal.

Now I’m living my dreams.