Google!

Well, I've been at Google for two weeks, and I have lots to say. I'll start with a picture, though:

That's the view I see every day when I walk into my building. Palm trees, palm trees everywhere. I love them. They're especially beautiful during The Golden Hour.

I also see this at work:

I like to sit in the chairs that are covered in sunlight because it gets so cold here in California! (Not really, but a high of 80 degrees is cold to me! I want Texas weather back!)

A lot of things at Google are proprietary, so I can't take pictures inside my building, and I especially can't take pictures inside the really cool buildings. But I think it's alright if I tell you a few things about what I've noticed here so far:

• I work down the hall from the artists who create the Google Doodles. They sit in the corner of my floor and have a fair amount of interesting artwork hanging around.
• The bathrooms here smell really, really good.
• There are a couple of kitchens in every building. They load them with cereal and all kinds of snack-y foods, including fresh fruit. I wish they would change up the apples, though; for the last two weeks, they've only offered Fuji.
• I've been unimpressed with Google's dessert offerings. For every great dessert, there's like 3 or 4 that are sub-par. I guess I'll deal with it.  :)
• I work in a building near Larry Page and Sergey Brin. I can't get past the first floor of their building, though, 'cause you have to have super access to get up to those guys. There's a slide in their building.

Finally, I don't know if moving here was "the Right" decision, but it was definitely a good one for now. I am learning a ton and already feel the value of getting an education at "Google University." (It really does feel like a university campus.) I've worked long hours and fretted about projects that were due . . . (Work doesn't move slowly here.) But it's been good. By the end of the year, I'm sure I'll be a significantly better user experience researcher, and that'll be a good feeling.

Here's something I want you to know, though, and it's this: You must come visit! Seriously. If I've ever had a conversation with you that lasted about 10 minutes or more, then I consider you a friend, and I want you to visit. We will have so much fun, I promise!

Thing I'm thankful for: MommyDaddy