When I started my role, I knew there would be a commute involved. My commute in Chicago was roughly 45 minutes door to door and at times varied by which bus I took. Of course, over half my time was spent alone in the city, so it really didn't matter when I got home. Dinners were simple - edamame, cereal and sometimes chicken. It was whatever would give nutrients and instant gratification.
The new world of the commute isn't bad in the morning. It's typically no longer than the 45 minutes that I rode the bus and more often than not, my husband drives, so I am allowed to pay no real attention to the road. The return is what kills you. Leaving before 6p almost guarantees that the trip home is at least an hour, if not longer. Therefore, we leave later to avoid the traffic. Sometimes the distraction is work and other times it's a trip to the gym. We don't live quite as far North as my friends in SF. It always makes me wonder how they deal witht he commute.
That said, I am not sure I will ever get used to the 8p dinner. We make a nice meal when we get home and for that, I'm thankful. Unfortunately, nice meals take time, especially if you want to make soup, squash or sweet potatoes. When I first started I corresponded with my old boss and mentioned dinner time to him and how much it bugged me. He said that his family of 6 eats dinner nightly at 8p. All that matters is that they are together and get to enjoy each others company.
The late dinner always has me on edge to leave earlier than normal, but whenever we do, the night always seems to slip away.
