I didn't have that problem much in Boston, but I do have that problem after moving to the Bay Area. People just don't seem to get it.

No, I'm not planning on raising money for this side project.

No, I don't have a million users.

No, I don't know why people would want this.

No, it's not for a startup.

No, it's not related to my actual startup at all.

It's called having fun, damn it.

My "side project" actually pays the bills yet I'm not sure if my wife will ever fully understand that, despite it technically being "work" (and despite some rare complaints/bad days, like anything else), I actually thrive off of the challenges and sincerely enjoy it. And so working >8 hours on it isn't just because I "have" to, it's often because the challenge is so fun & thrilling that I _want_ to.

Of course, balance is important and I won't try to fool anyone -- it's something I'll likely always be working to improve.