I really like seeing people who look happy, or in wonder. Or just smiling. This evening I was waiting in line at Starbucks and the line was really long, but there was a Palo Alto fireman standing there just smiling, with his eyes crinkled. He made me happy. Then on my way home I saw this guy just standing in a field kicking a soccer ball around, which made me happy too.
Ok, now you can all laugh at me for being a sap.
I got to talk to Daniel today! He is not going to be in town on Saturday night, so he can’t pick me up at the airport. Basically, despite all the friends I have in Atlanta, I have not found anyone to pick me up at the airport yet. Carter has a family dinner, Kent has an office party, Chris will probably be preparing for the birthday party. Christina will not even be in Atlanta. Ah well, I will get my MARTA fix.
Today there was this guy in the plaza by the bookstore laying face down on a giant mousetrap made out of a wooden box and some metal rods. There was a Wall Street Journal lying on the ground beside him, and he held some money in his hand. We asked him if the drama department was performing “The Mousetrap” and he said no. So we asked him why he was lying on the ground in a giant mousetrap. His answer? “It’s political art.” Ok….
I got some good studying done in the library this afternoon. NNow, this was only the second time I have ventured into the main library here at Stanford, and I must say — WOW. It is so nice inside. Tons of nice tables, comfy armchairs, good lighting, an abundance of computer terminals. I always hated the Georgia Tech library, which was cramped and ugly and depressing. Going in there just sucked the life out of you. Going into the Stanford library, on the other hand, is like entering heaven. I think I will spend a lot of time there the rest of this week as I finish my exam studying.
(8:28 p.m.)
There is one quality in particular that I find I like much better about the Stanford aero/astro department than the Georgia Tech aerospace school — the students. Maybe it’s because we’re graduate students now, or maybe it’s because none of us knew each other ahead of time and were suddenly thrust into all of the same classes, but the one thing I have noticed, and really liked, is how we all get along.
At Tech there were cliques. Becca, Karen, and me — the AE Mafia. The Mikes. Alex and his little crew. Maggy and Anne. Kent could always talk to any of the groups, but was probably most associated with the Mafia. Oh, we all spoke to each other now and then, but the little posses never really mingled.
Now, I don’t mean to imply that there aren’t groups of people here at Stanford that tend to be seen together more often than others…but somehow, we’re all friends. We all help each other out with our homework, and we all study together, and we all ask each other how life is going. One day I might have lunch with Nick, Valerie, Aaron and Robin. That afternoon, I work on homework with Bree, Canadian Steve, Joo and Yuichiro. I take a break to go chat with Brian and Kyle. I ride home with American Steve and Cornell Mike. And then the next day I’m having lunch with Molly, Tyson, New Zealand Steve, and Canadian Mike. (Yes, we have too many Steves and Mikes.)
I really like this part of grad school.
