Room with a view

When I moved from Iceland back to California, one of my main priorities was finding somewhere with a nice view, because I had gotten so spoiled with my view in Iceland. My office window looked straight at Keilir, and to the left I could see across Flaxafloi all the way to Reykavík, while to my right billowed the smoke from the Blue Lagoon. It was a fabulous view, so peaceful and so vast. 

I have a vast view from my apartment here in Berkeley also. I see almost the entire length of the San Francisco Bay, across to San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. But my reaction to this view is very different than my reaction to my view in Iceland. This view does not seem peaceful to me. This view makes me think about how many people are on the planet, this view makes me think about the gangs in Oakland, this view makes me think about the Big One (the apocalyptic earthquake all Californian's believe is imminent), this view makes me think about California's economic woes. And when the fog rolls in every night, I am reminded of Jimmy Stewart's character in Vertigo in uncomfortable ways. 

Now I am looking for a new place, but I am not looking for a view.  Unless it is a simple view of rolling hills dotted with some cows and oak trees. That would be OK.  

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