[jyl]

OC to SF is a one day, 8-9 hour drive, take Hwy 5 and skip the scenery. Rent a comfy big car or SUV one way. Fly back for the Elise next weekend. What area of the Bay are you working in - we can give you some advice on areas to live, commutes, etc. Sorry about leaving the GF. OC to SJO or SFO or OAK is an easy and cheap flight, but long distance is still not a long term option.

Start looking for a role for her in the new office, which means be sociable, make connections, involve yourself in the decisions, don't just be an engineering nerd. In most companies, the engineers start as the schitz but in a few years find themselves subordinate to the marketers and finance guys and managers, at best they become well-paid role players, valuable but ultimately fungible. Unfair truth.