"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." --Albert Einstein

Because I never have, and admittedly to brag a little bit, I'd like to record my commuting habits for the span of my professional career so far:

- 1996-1997: Took a five-minute bus ride to work downtown from the in-town neighborhood where I lived.

- 1998: Walked five blocks to work (lived downtown, worked downtown).

- 1999-2000: "Reverse-commuted" (against the main flow of rush-hour traffic) 15 minutes by car; lived in an in-town neighborhood and worked in a first-ring suburb. My wife took a commuter rail line to work (20 minutes).

- 2000-2002 (graduate school): Lived downtown and took a sub-10-minute bus ride (or walked) to campus. My wife took the same bus ride to work.

- 2003: Lived downtown, walked 20 minutes (2/3 mile) to work in another part of downtown.

- 2003-current: Live in a first-ring suburb, take commuter light-rail (25 minutes) to work downtown.

To date, I have never commuted more than 25 minutes (travel time) one-way to work, no matter the mode of transport. I've always had a goal of avoiding or minimizing automobile commuting to the greatest degree possible, and so far I haven't done too poorly. I must admit, I'm proud of this--hope I can keep it up.