I sent my final graduate school application today. Just three schools. University of British Columbia, University of Washington, and good ole' Cal.

I'm glad the applications are done with, but now the waiting begins. Meanwhile, I keep second-guessing myself. It's going to take a lot of money for two more years of school. I hope its really worth it, and that jumping right in after graduating was a good decision for me. I hope I'm ready for this. (But really, I've never felt ready for anything) I hope that with Urban Design, I finally found the piece of the big City Planning pie that fits me. I think I did...

But when my future really starts to stress me out, as it has lately, I always fall back on an alternate vision of my future, of a much simpler life. One where I'm not a white collar professional traveling up and down the state designing new neighborhoods with a Masters Degree in my pocket. One where I don't have some grandiose vision of making the Bay Area a better place and helping to save the world through sustainable transit oriented developments, downtown revitalization, and other jargony cityplanese terms. One where I'd be able to stick to my humble middle-class roots.

I've had this in my mind since high school...

I'd own a cafe on Castro Street in Downtown Mountain View. It's name would be the Blue and Gray Cafe, in honor of old Mtn. View High. It'd serve typical American food, ya' know...burgers, hotdogs, milkshakes. A hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Omelets and sandwiches would be named after various local landmarks and celebrities. On the walls I could display my ever growing collection of historic Mountain View memorabilia, with of course, a big ole' blue and gold Cal pennant above the counter. (and when big game week comes around, you know the place would be decked out appropriately!)

It'd be the type of place where you'd feel at home in cozy booths. Where people from Old Mountain View would always run into each other and say hello. I'd greet people as they walked in by name, when business was slow I would chat with the regulars about the goings on around town. MVPA would meet there once a month too. We could clear the place out at night for lectures on local history. And high school kids would always be welcomed, especially SFHS kids in need of a milkshake after watching the Lancers beat the Bells in the annual football rivalry game. Hmm, maybe I'd even do some window paintings of various mascots facing off for all the big local rivalry games, to help boost some spirit and create a better sense of place. (look, "sense of place" even in this dream cityplanese jargon seeps in)

I'd be the owner of the cafe, and in my spare time, I'd stay politically active locally. Maybe even run for City Council or something. Maybe I could get Chris (who will eventually get a Masters in Business, haha) to run the financial side of things. (I hate dealing with money). Our mom and dad will be involved too, a nice family operation. My dad could finally open his brainchild; a "Mark's Stupid Gifts" shelf would take up one corner of the restaurant.

We wouldn't be making piles of money, just enough to have an enjoyable life. Hopefully we'd still have my grandparents' property to live on. At least till I've saved up enough to get my own place, maybe a condo downtown. And we'd all be happy there in Mountain View. Close to our family and old friends. Just enjoying things day by day, and saving the world one milkshake at a time....


Is it bad that I'm only 22, and I'm already dreaming up the visions of someone in the throws of their mid-life crisis? Haha.

Wow, writing that made me sad.