Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i'm not saying that i'd necessarily like to live further from work than i currently do (particularly not on those bitterly cold january mornings), i was just pointing out that the "you can always take the long way home" mantra hasn't actually shaken out for me since we moved, giving me a radically shorter commute. though in my case, the move also coincided with (and was prompted by) my wife and i welcoming our first two children into the world, so my priorities regarding how i spend my free time have also radically changed. if we were still childless, perhaps i would take advantage of the long way home more often.

i wasn't really complaining about having a 5 mile commute, more just pointing out the reality that just because you can take a longer route doesn't mean that you necessarily will. when i lived 15 miles from work i didn't have much of a choice in the matter, i either biked the 15 miles to work or i would have needed a new job.