It took me more than two weeks in the Bay to "get it". Two weeks for EAG, two months for MATS, one week for the French government, two months for fun conferences and hanging out, one week for LessOnline, two months for Inkhaven.
The first two weeks for EAG were crazy. I made so many friends, attended half a dozen parties, visited so many places (including the Anthropic office, Lighthaven, 4 rationalist group houses, an EA meetup, and AI safety coworking space), and started dating a girl.
And yet, it only made more tangible the aura of possibility. People visiting the Bay come and go. You're probably better than me at developing friendships online. Me, I had to come back over and over to get deeper into the social networks, to make friends I would actually move for, to get known for my skills and recommended for (for now) remote jobs.
You definitely can do it without a long term visa, by just coming over and over until it works.
Of course, that's largely because I relate to it a lot. I'd definitely have more than a fair chance at the world record of "deeply wanting to do cool stuff but also being paralysed by fear of not being enough".
Want to do a cool project, but also really want not to. Want to make the world a better place... while not doing anything too scary. Want to work on important problems... or do I just want proof that I'm not a dumbass? And I *am* kind of a dumbass, anyway. Want to put in the hours, gain the credentials, hit the milestones... but only if I'm sure in advance that I won't regret it. Relating with someone's worries about their probable <120 IQ... only this person is an ML engineer who's neatly laid her reasoning out in a blogpost, while I'm a non-engineer who overthinks on my own.
Damnit.
So, beyond my own projection: I guess you should do it scared, and go to SF. And I guess *I* should *lalalalala can't hear youuu*
Speaking from personal exp, getting a big money tech job has absolutely WRECKED my motivation to do weird and cool things.
You sound like youve got that dog in you and will continue to learn and strive. But that's also how I felt myself before I started saying "Ugg but what if I can't find another $200k+ job after I do MATS?!?!?"
love this love this love this
Thank you
It took me more than two weeks in the Bay to "get it". Two weeks for EAG, two months for MATS, one week for the French government, two months for fun conferences and hanging out, one week for LessOnline, two months for Inkhaven.
The first two weeks for EAG were crazy. I made so many friends, attended half a dozen parties, visited so many places (including the Anthropic office, Lighthaven, 4 rationalist group houses, an EA meetup, and AI safety coworking space), and started dating a girl.
And yet, it only made more tangible the aura of possibility. People visiting the Bay come and go. You're probably better than me at developing friendships online. Me, I had to come back over and over to get deeper into the social networks, to make friends I would actually move for, to get known for my skills and recommended for (for now) remote jobs.
You definitely can do it without a long term visa, by just coming over and over until it works.
I saw the title of this post three days ago and kept thinking about it, even before I read the post. it’s a wonderfully piercing question.
great post and I hope you get what you want.
thank you, means a lot
she’s done it again. i will inv you on a tour of sf coworking spaces
sounds lovely
go to SF!
this was great
Thank you :)
I love this.
Of course, that's largely because I relate to it a lot. I'd definitely have more than a fair chance at the world record of "deeply wanting to do cool stuff but also being paralysed by fear of not being enough".
Want to do a cool project, but also really want not to. Want to make the world a better place... while not doing anything too scary. Want to work on important problems... or do I just want proof that I'm not a dumbass? And I *am* kind of a dumbass, anyway. Want to put in the hours, gain the credentials, hit the milestones... but only if I'm sure in advance that I won't regret it. Relating with someone's worries about their probable <120 IQ... only this person is an ML engineer who's neatly laid her reasoning out in a blogpost, while I'm a non-engineer who overthinks on my own.
Damnit.
So, beyond my own projection: I guess you should do it scared, and go to SF. And I guess *I* should *lalalalala can't hear youuu*
Good luck :-)
I'm not an "AI engineer" I got one internship at a belgian startup and a half finished CS degree!
Do the work, do it scared! you can hear me!!!
thank you for the kinds words <3
I mean yeah, but I don't even have any CS degree, finished or otherwise XD
Now I got to write my own, don't I?
yes please x)
She's overthinking it... just move to the bay lmao 😂
h1b. being euro, etc
You can be in the Bay for half the year on tourist visa, 90 day at a time. Just need the money
> Just need the money
right. another problem. Maybe inheritance fixes this, but I would feel bad, but it's high EV probably. Who knows
Easy answer is "just work". Got 50k remote software engineering job while not even out of school. You can do it
yeah that's the plan
Speaking from personal exp, getting a big money tech job has absolutely WRECKED my motivation to do weird and cool things.
You sound like youve got that dog in you and will continue to learn and strive. But that's also how I felt myself before I started saying "Ugg but what if I can't find another $200k+ job after I do MATS?!?!?"
You can do it. Trust
I believe too.
Tfw the people worried about others being cracked are, themselves, also cracked
all except for you, babey
London is proto-SF and Paris is proto-London (in general, and for you specifically) and this is a great post <3
(and in some ways London is better than SF, I think it depends how schizoid you feel and want to feel)
Good thing I'm visiting both next year then :)
hmu in london and we can grab a beer (or wine, if you're more of a wine european) :)
oh you're in london? yes would love to hang out!
added to list of london people I must meet
likely that i've probably hung out with the rest of the list at some party
> And the opportunity cost is big! I could go to London or Paris for a week!
Paris is 4h30 + 15€ away. Opportunity cost is ~zero. Stay at my place for free.
You don't have to choose. Spend your budget on SF planes.
For Paris, you can count on me.
Well, I mean, I don't always have the time, my winter break is only 2 weeks. But I could always come to paris for like a weekend though...
A weekend is all you need
>self-professed agp
ngmi
if only you knew how free from that bullshit I was
if only. if only. if only
Damn are you gonna get a wife or not