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LiveDan330.com goes to San Jose

I think we’re getting close!

A recent trip to California provided us the opportunity to visit the Googleplex in Mountain View, close to San Jose. Driving by Charlston Park gave us our first glimpse of the monster sized company.

Who doesn’t know what this red pointy thing is? Well, maybe a few people who are even older than me (I’m in my 6th decade). Apparently we were there as this sign pointed out, and we looked around for a main entry space, as the blocks surrounding the Googleplex are filled with more Google buildings, parks, ball fields, and playgrounds, teaming with activity.

There are commuter buses for getting around the campus and of course, Google bikes in abundance with which employees can transport themselves. I wonder how many people are in charge of maintaining the bikes, as we saw a few broken chains and bikes without seats. They were playfully left anywhere and everywhere, well loved and well used in Googles signature primary colors plus the secondary green. Sure hope orange and purple don’t feel left out.

We arrived on a weekend so we had the place virtually to ourselves, which was fun and allowed us take pictures without bothering the Google people (Googlerites? Googlees? Googlers?) Whatever you call them, the employees here work in a fun and creative environment. They are definitely not stuck in a cube. Our granddaughters 3rd grade class doesn’t have assigned desks, but multiple options for places to study. After the initial adjustment to not having a desk to put her stuff in, Reagan seems to like the freedom to move around. As an artist myself, I can see the excitement of being encouraged to be creative. It’s not just thinking out of the box, but getting rid of the darned box altogether. Whoo hoo! I never did like to color in any of those lines in coloring books. Just plain dumb.

Opinions aside, Google just looks like a fun place to spend your day, and even in this one photo I see some purple and orange and feel my emotional color wheel is complete.

If you want to bike with six co-workers you can get your creative going on a conference bike.

The grounds were beautiful and even the hummingbirds were happy hovering from flower to flower.

We even met the Google Gardener who takes care of three gardens on the grounds, this one being the raised bed fruit and vegetable garden. Kind of brings you back to earth. With your head in the internet clouds all day, it must be a good balance to see where your food comes from.

We’ll end our little tour of the outside of the Googleplex with the latest major rendition of their android. Now I’m not even sure what an android is, or a droid, a googlebot, or spiders, or where or how they crawl the internet, or where they store all this information or why. These are all good questions to the uninitiated, but there are lucky googlers right here who get to figure out what all that information means and make it better. Mind boggling how recently we’ve changed how we navigate, communicate, investigate, share, connect, advertise and sell. I can’t even begin to imagine what the grandkids will experience in their lifetimes.

All I know is that this is bugdroid holding a lollipop, and giving the peace sign. And next to him is my son who gets this whole new universe better than I do. Now I can ask him. He’s one of those people that’s not afraid to ask questions, read everything, learn how to implement it and create a company from scratch that actually makes money within the first year. I’m just along for the ride and am glad to be able to take a few photos, write some content and tag along on trips. It’s facinating.