This really stood out for me too. Her commute is awful, but it seems more like a conscious compromise that she herself opted for (Larger house, cheaper budget,

This really stood out for me too. Her commute is awful, but it seems more like a conscious compromise that she herself opted for (Larger house, cheaper budget, longer commute), given her work situation (able to work from home) and personal lifestyle choices (likes to take her time, takes the stairs at the station, gets off the train a stop early to have a leisurely walk on her commute). Maybe it was the style of writing in the article, but it didn't give me the impression that Ms. James is unhappy with her choice to move.