Tell me about NOVA.

[Jake]

The NoVA/DC area is not a laid-back place unless you make it so on your own.

The last bit is key and why I think I've made it work for me for right now. I refuse to work crazy hours (40-45 now) or have a long commute (at 4 miles currently) or surround myself with a bunch of career-centered, dillusionary self-centered assholes, dont work on weekends, rigidly enforce work/life boundaries and we rarely talk about work at home. I didnt used to do all of that, but these things were all conscious efforts made to improve quality of life. I leave work at 4:30-5pm, turn off the work email on my phone and walk my dogs and ride bicycles.

Same here. It's wonderful.

I refuse to get into the nights-and-weekends sort of rat race.