A Palpable Spirit of Optimism in Palo Alto

I currently live in Cincinnati, Ohio but last November I went to a conference in SF and spent several days around Silicon Valley, mostly in Palo Alto. It was truly career-changing for me. The spirit of optimism along University Avenue in Palo Alto was palpable and I haven't been able to shake it from my mind.

Some people say that you can make great work happen anywhere but I wonder how much a place can affect you, much like a certain crop can grow in tropical climates and not in cold ones.

What do y'all think about that?