Moving to Silicon Valley: What I'm Bringing And Where I'm Staying
Tech Bag
Every time I hand someone my phone they always say, "Oooh. It is sooo smalllll. Why'd you get the miniiii?", as if I couldn't afford the normal sized iPhone, but the truth is I love the mini so much. I hated having my brick of an iPhone 6+ swinging around in my shorts pockets. Also, the mini is actually the same exact dimensions as the iPhone 4 and has a similar style, which was my first and favorite smartphone.
2. Lenovo Laptop Backpack B210
This is nothing special – just a cheap laptop bag. It is pretty small and doesn't have very much space, although still more space than I need. Over two years, it has held up great.
There are somethings I don't like about iPhone, but their computers are pretty much flawless. The M-series chip is phenominal and everything just works. I've considered switching to Linux, but I can't because of how great a job Apple does with these. The battery life, the screen resolution, the speed, the beauty... all of it makes for a fantastic computer.
Similar to the iPhone mini, I always get strange looks when I show this off, but I have no need for an iPad; it is too much. The reading experience on e-ink is so good. It is better than a physical book – it just is. This also has note taking too, which I do use way less than reading, but I have enjoyed getting rid of paper notebooks.
These integrate so nicely with the rest of my Apple stuff. For a long time I used beats wireless earbuds, but when I finally did switch, these were significantly better.
6. Logitech k380 & Logitech Pebble
A lot of techy people are super into their keyboards. I'm not. This things was $30 because I need to be able to chuck into my bag without worrying about it breaking. Both of these have held up just fine for a long time now.
These are my wireless microphones. iPhone cameras are good enough for just about anything these days, but you need a good mic. I've have these for half a year, and I enjoy using them. They are a little pricy though.
I really only have on criteria for these: they must be super tall. If I'm sitting at a desk, I have to get the screen way up or else my body suffers.
Not much to say here because I just got this.
Suitcase
This will be a carry-on sized suitcase filled with...
– 8 white tee shirts
– 8 black shorts
– 2 pairs of jeans
– 2 vintage wool button ups
– 10 pairs of socks and underwear
– 1 hat
– Raybans
– 7 workout tank-tops
– 3 pump covers
– 2 towels
– 2 shoes (Air Jordan 1 lows & Rebook JJ 1s)
– bathroom stuff
– chargers
Where I'm staying
I'm really excited to share this because it is the main reason why this move is even possible for me.
About six months ago, I came across a news article about these crazy San Fransisco guys who were paying $700 in rent for basically just a bed. The article had a very negative tone about these pods, but I didn't think it was crazy at all.
After some investigation, it turns out brownstone living is a shared living space full of young tech guys like me who are trying to make it in the valley. They currently have houses in Palo Alto, New York City, and of course, San Francisco.
I'd argue that this is the perfect living situation for me – even better than an apartment – because I don't know anyone in San Francisco. Being able to see these people everyday will probably be very good for me.
This whole thing is super exciting, and I'll be sharing this experience on this blog. If it ends up working out well and tech is what you are into, maybe you could join me here one day :)
2024-05-8