At Stanford, people need to study a lot... even while they relax in a fountain on a hot day.

Stanford Visit

We stopped by my university’s stomping grounds, with the first places we ambled past being the Quad, Hoover Tower, and Memorial Auditorium. Cooling off in the fountain in front of MemAud was a college dude, which wouldn’t have been too remarkable, except he was reading. A book. And not a particularly waterproof one either.

“At Stanford, people study anytime, anyplace,” Katia would later muse. Indeed.

It was this hallowed campus that shaped many of my dreams, prepared me for the real world and provided inspiration with its legions of über-motivated geniuses. Thus it is always nice to visit what still feels a bit like home, even if it makes me feel like I have been under-achieving at times. After all, this is the place that had illuminaries like Jerry Yang, Larry Page, Sergei Brin, Tiger Woods, Fred Savage, Danny Pintaro, and Marissa Mayer going from class to class at the same time as me. It was a special period, one I was proud to be a part of in my own unique way.

Katia said she would have loved to attended Stanford, and I do have to say she looks rather good sporting the cardinal color. She especially liked this sweatshirt.

Katia trying on a Stanford sweatshirt.
Inside the Palo Alto Apple Store.
Inside the Palo Alto Apple Store.
An Apple iMac at the Design Within Reach store in Palo Alto.
An Apple iMac at the Design Within Reach store in Palo Alto.
Katia going bananas at the Trader Joe's store near Stanford.
Katia going bananas at the Trader Joe's store near Stanford.
"Birthplace of Silicon Valley": The HP Garage in Palo Alto.
"Birthplace of Silicon Valley": The HP Garage in Palo Alto.
Katia with our Fiat 500 rental car on the block over from the HP Garage.
Katia with our Fiat 500 rental car on the block over from the HP Garage.
At Stanford, people need to study a lot... even while they relax in a fountain on a hot day.
At Stanford, people need to study a lot... even while they relax in a fountain on a hot day.
Katia and the Hoover Tower.
Katia and the Hoover Tower.
Meyer Library.  During my Stanford days, I spent hundreds of hours in the 24-hour study room at the lower left.
Meyer Library. During my Stanford days, I spent hundreds of hours in the 24-hour study room at the lower left.
I also spent many hours in Sweet Hall, where I learned Unix, HTML, etc. on my own just because I was interested. Useful skills for the future...
I also spent many hours in Sweet Hall, where I learned Unix, HTML, etc. on my own just because I was interested. Useful skills for the future...
Katia on an evening stroll...
Katia on an evening stroll...
Nice cruiser bike.
Nice cruiser bike.
Another working away "anytime, anywhere."
Another working away "anytime, anywhere."
Interesting book titles at the Stanford Bookstore.
Interesting book titles at the Stanford Bookstore.
Now trying on a Stanford hat...
Now trying on a Stanford hat...
With a palm tree outside Tressider Union.
With a palm tree outside Tressider Union.
Katia and I enjoyed really good ice cream at Tin Pot Creamery.  This was located in the Town & Country Village shopping center near Stanford.
Katia and I enjoyed really good ice cream at Tin Pot Creamery. This was located in the Town & Country Village shopping center near Stanford.