It's Like Living On Another Planet - A Very Expensive Planet

Life in Silicon Valley can be quite strange. If the real estate prices don't shock you, conversations with what are considered ordinary people here can throw you for a loop.

A couple of days ago, I sat in the shade at Overpriced Daycare with one of the other moms. She was nursing her baby, and I was watching Sarah run maniacally through the play yard. Somehow, our conversation turned to careers. This is what she had to say:

"I have a Ph.D. in physics, but I got tired of sitting at a computer all alone. So, I went to med school. I'm finishing up my residency in radiation oncology now. Medicine isn't as challenging as physics. It's basically memorizing a bunch of crap, but I get to interact with people. And, I like that. I'll be opening up my own practice in the fall."

These aren't the types of moms who sit around swapping Toll House Cookie recipes.