I’m in Lake Tahoe visiting my high school buddies. Stephen went to work about the same time that Benny got off of work. We road mountain bikes a few miles on paths and streets until we eventually hit the beach at the most southern point of Lake Tahoe.

Benny’s friend set us up with a nice table on the deck of a popular restaurant right on the lake. There were so many things to see while we sat there: the people playing in the sand, the boats on the water, or the mountains that surrounded the lake. It was a stunning place to sit and have a burger.

Stephen and Benny work at the same restaurant. Benny’s been their for a a couple years, and has managed to make a name for himself as a show cook. Basically, people pick ingredients from a buffet and stack their plate. Then Benny cooks up the meal, all the while entertaining the people with conversation and showmanship. Stephen is new to the restaurant, but he’s content as a waiter. It’s not his dream job, but it’s working for this point in his life.;

Candyce and I always talk about opening up a cool but casual restaurant, probably somewhere near the beach in San Diego. Or we dream about a coffee shop. It’s always a fun conversation because we dream based on our experience, talent, and knowledge. With real life experience as a foundation, the plan becomes more of a reality and less of a fantasy.

Ironically, I’ve worked in restaurants for a total of two and a half years when I was in younger–and I hated every minute of it. (Actually, there was one summer that was kind of fun because Stephen and I were waiters together.) I liked driving home with cash in my pocket, but I cringed at the thought of going back the next day. So it seems foolish to think about creating more misery by starting my own restaurant.

Looking back, what created my misery was foolish owners, bland menus, and an overall lack of vision for the restaurant. Each of the three restaurants where I worked were just businesses. They sold food to hungry people. As long as they made money, the owners tolerated the average managers that maintained a lifeless staff of dirty cooks, greedy waiters, and angry dishwashers. Each restaurant was a disaster.

I’ve been to so many excellent restaurants since I graduated high school nine years ago, and I’ve become a student of their success. The more I enjoy a restaurant, the more I become curious about how they created that experience for me. I study the food, the atmosphere, the service–the overall vibe of the restaurant.

This is the kind of journal I’d write from home. So I’m going to stop thinking about old things and get started with my day.