Yeah, that's mostly me. I've lived in Massachusetts at multiple locations between Boston and Gardner. I'm now living at the edge of one of the mill cities. It is not far enough from traffic noise, but it is much better than any other place I've lived other than Massachusetts rural.

I've also lived from the deeply blue-collar (father's small business moving machinery) to the tech world. I find myself marketing my consulting business to small to medium-sized blue-collar/manufacturing businesses. Even though their Trumpist attitudes irritate me, I understand their world better than I do that of urban-centric, and their political views do not stop me from taking their money. It makes it easier for me to charge them the rates that I do.

I think the quip is a good one. However, I feel it could be better phrased as, "You need to seek out the best bits to remind you why you tolerate the worst bits."

When I'm having a bad day, and I wonder why I'm putting up the crap in my life, I walk into my yard, look at my garden with cucumbers, beans, cauliflower, and something like 20 tomato plants next to raspberries, blueberries, sour cherry tree, and Apple tree. And if it's a really really bad day, I will go and settle into the hammock and stare at the sky.

When I can finally feel gratitude for the life I have, then I go back and deal with the crap that lets me afford the life I have.