No, Jenne and I are not moving, we are staying firmly put. The offices of my current employer are moving and you can bet it's not going to be to Maryland and you can bet again that it won't be closer.
It was just a rumor late last year, but now it is official that come September/October 2005 the Reston, VA office is moving to Chantilly, VA or the Dulles area along Rte 28. Either of these moves adds another twelve miles minimum to my current fifty mile (one way) drive. It's easy math and the bottom line for me is that I will need a new job. It’s harder and harder to do this commute every week and I have been at it a year. The stress of it is really starting to show. I really can’t do another twelve plus miles on top of it. Not in the traffic in the DC/NoVA area where cars are shoulder to shoulder and bumper to bumper and a guy using a walker moves faster than I do. There is just no way. Sixty plus miles in the traffic around here is beyond insanity. Even though our good friends Daveed & Apryl, and Jeff & Becky have been super supportive and accommodating by having me over their homes two and three nights a week (thanks a million) it's just harder and harder to be away from Jenne, Poe & San and our home so often. I feel like I am on business travel, but the plus side is I stay with friends and not in a hotel, even though that Tom Bodet guy would keep the light on for me. Someone once commented to me that I was away from home so much I must feel homeless. I replied that that is not the case… I have three homes and they are all nice, but only one is really home.
Good thing you have the Hybrid. Imagine an SUV at 2.10 gallon? From 28 in Chantilly, you should consider the Toll Road. Take 28 N to Toll Road and enjoy the country drive on Rt 15N. On a nice day, you can even spot some roadside hot nipple action hanging out at the Vineyards near the state line.
Posted by: Lt. Dan on March 14, 2005 05:40 PMI know it's time to reconsider this whole commuting thing. I can see the toll it's taking on you. I'll help you any way I can - if you need a personal reference, you can always use me!
Posted by: Uber-Pea on March 14, 2005 06:06 PMHey Will, gezz I hate the news for you! I know how you feel. In chicago I was comuting 56 miles one way. Not fun, winters were a night mare! I have you in my thoughts in prayers. Something will pop for you!
Posted by: Joe on March 14, 2005 08:18 PMI couldn't imagine driving that much to work every day. I think it is a mixed blessing that I have lived close to both of my "career" jobs. It would just be nice to be able to ride my bike in the summer and spring to work, like I used to at my old job... but there's no safe way for me to get there. Chin up, it will all work out for the best!
Posted by: Lee Ann on March 14, 2005 08:19 PMsuch luck you have!!!
Posted by: Lynn on March 14, 2005 11:56 PMWe'll miss our weekly visitor, but I understand perfectly. See if Larry will let you telecommute first!
Posted by: Dr. Worm on March 15, 2005 06:46 PMTelecommuting... the holy grail of jobs that just about everyone has mentioned to me. I have been thinking long and hard about discussing telecommuting with my current employer. I admit that the thought of rolling out of bed, throwing on a robe or sweats (hell, just working naked), grabbing a damn fine cup of coffee and walking the few steps to home office sounds very appealing. And of course there is the personal amusement of attending video conference meetings in nothing but a shirt and a smile, and snickering to myself the whole time about my bare bottom. However, there is a serious downside to consider here that I think has escaped everyone's thinking on the subject. That being that work would definitely want me to work weekends like almost everyone here does now. With a home office work would require me to check my email on a regular basis in the evenings and on weekends to keep abreast - ummmmmm breasts arrrhrhh - of things and they could just call me at anytime during those times and want me to put in hours. How can I be so sure of this? Let me give you a very recent example. One of the software developers just had throat surgery and was home for a week recovering. The office required him to check and reply to emails and they also had him write some code between his pain killer drug induced naps and he did it out of his loyalty to 'the company'. Nuff said. Telelcommuting would mean that my evening and weekend time becomes compromised and then I have no escape from work at all. The sword of Damocles is hanging over my head. That is a serious consideration.
Peace and power to the workers!
--Will