August 14, 1986
Robert had a wonderful time on his visit with Beth’s family in upstate New York. The relationship is in good shape. However, he returned to Palo Alto knowing that he was going to sever his connection to Dr. M., which may spell trouble, because he now is without an advisor. Also without a stipend. Robert seems to go from high to low, from crisis to crisis. I’m glad he shares his triumphs and tribulations with us. Every two weeks or so we spend half an hour giving him all the reasons he should stick with the program. Right now it is not as bad as it was last spring, when he had flunked the comprehensive and flunked Beth. At least Beth seems to be bringing him some happiness.
September 4, 1986
We told him … we will lend him what he needs to finish. Besides I think Rob still has the bundle he made from working in Washington. I don’t believe he has had to tap that yet at all. You know Rob, he still has the $500 he made as a paper boy!
January 31, 1987
His [new] advisor, Dr. Hillyer is very positive and encouraging and Rob likes him. His dissertation subject, at the moment, is something to do with integer programming. (What’s an integer? Ans: think of a grid. Where the lines intersect, that’s an integer. Integers are usuable, the space in between is not.)