Then go car-lite....drive where you need to, and bike where you can.

I say do the commute as normal, except on days you feel like it...and then do all the short trips like the video store, etc on bike.

The key to a car-free lifestyle is to get out of the spandex warrior mentality, and to learn the fine art of plainclothes riding....you CAN be very fast and rather perspiration free in regular clothes if you do it right.

I wear champion jersey knit t-shirts to wick perspiration, and wear blue jeans....works great. i also avoid hauling butt when not needed. I just go at a comfortable pace (usually somewhere int he middle of the cassette, 46t chainring (mountain bike), and hold a nice 70rpm spin.

I'd say just learn the car-lite thing and do it for a long while until you can move close enough to work to bike it daily.