Advice for a trip to the Peninsula/South Bay from the East Bay: leave the East Bay around 10:30 am (bypass the Caldecott buildup that happens at 11), take someone\’s FastTrak pass, and leave for the East Bay late late late at night.

Every time I drive (especially long drives), I wonder what would have happened if I decided to take the right lane, if I decided to take the other exit, if I took the wrong path. It\’s as if my life has been split into two? How would my life be divided into alternate paths? What if I made a decision that impacted my life in other ways?

How would the Jenn that took the right exit turn out? The same, happier, better, or sadder?

I drove to the Peninsula and the South Bay for the second time this winter break. After almost 2.5 years, I met up with a friend for lunch in Palo Alto. She was one of those friends I had made as a result of an ex. We gossiped about how he was a jerk and bonded well as a result. It was nice seeing someone after so long, but yet always picking up where we left off. Even if she is from Stanfurd.

Then I went with Carol and Dave (and his gf) apt-hunting around Sunnyvale and Mountain View. Surprisingly, I was shocked that the apartments there (at least the one we looked at) looked just like the places in Berkeley. Small and a touch of old. Furthermore, the rent was high. A two bedroom was going around $1300/month. My room in my parents\’ house in Lafayette is so much bigger. After living in such small spaces in college and grad school, I envision my place of living to be…expansive. A bedroom of my own. An office of my own. A sufficient kitchen and a real dining area. A living room. At least. I don\’t want to live in the same style I lived while at Berkeley. I split a one bedroom with a housemate then, me with a living room with only my shoiji screens providing privacy. No more of that.

And then to San Mateo to see friends from my grad program. Even if it\’s a totally different place, a state, everything was…as if nothing had changed. And it was nice for that one moment.