Jackson Miller

Last week Sabrina and I went to see Rent. For those of you not familiar, Rent is a wildly over-rated broadway production that has some very loyal fans known as “Rent-heads” (yeah, creative, I know). While I think Rent is over-rated, it is not bad. To be honest that is quite a compliment coming from someone who is usually bored by drama (theatrical and, uh, real life drama).

Anyway, in Rent there is this song/theme about going to open up a restaurant in Santa Fe. The idea is that we can escape it all by just going to Santa Fe to open a restaurant. Sure, opening a restaurant is one of the most stressful and risky ways to support yourself, but let’s suspend disbelief for a moment. I am sure we all have a desire to go open a restaurant in Santa Fe from time to time.

I used to know what my pipe dream was. Until I had kids I held on to the hope that one day I would get the balls to just pack it all up and sail around the world solo on an old 1970’s fiberglass sailboat (they didn’t know how string fiberglass was in the 70s and thus made some boats that are as sturdy as a tank). Once I had kids that dream was no longer a reality.

I love my wife and kids, though I do wonder what life would have been like if I did it. It was within reach if I really wanted it. I don’t have regret per se, but it is a what-if.

For the past couple of years I have not had a “pack it all up” dream. Sabrina and I both know that we are happier when we are closer to the ocean. I have always wanted to live on the coast. After spending a week in San Jose with the clear air and palm trees, I am kinda thinking about going to open up a restaurant in San Jose.