I Love! Silicon Valley! It's the Right Planet!

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I moved to Silicon Valley--or at least what we call Silicon Valley back on the east coast, which is anything in the bay area that has a high tech state of mind.

We're the majority here. It's like moving to the right planet. I also have interests that are full of us: work at a cloud computing company, play harmonica, swing and blues dancing, zen practice. Our dance teachers are funny. They say things like, "As everyone knows, swing dancers are engineers, so let me explain this move in terms of physics....."

I practice the harmonica at home, so most of my socializing is done on the computer during the week, in-between practice, and when I go out dancing on the weekends or visit the SF Zen Center, the format is very structured so I know just what to do.

It's still life with its daily things to care of and challenges, but its a nice plus here.

It is interesting that a lot of people in science and computers are into folk and ballroom/latin dancing. I joke that ballroom and folk are the thinking man's rave.

I knew one man who used to be into rave and then he got into ballroom instead.

Sounds nice. It wouldn't be the "right planet" for me unfortunately though because I suck at math/science/computers. I suck at all these things in spite of the fact that my FSIQ scores have been high average or better (all the way up to very superior/143 on one recent IQ test I had) on five out of seven of the professionally-administered IQ tests i've taken. I feel like I have no more ability at math/science/computers than the average person with Down syndrome does.


Plenty of people with Asperger's/NVLD do suck at these things though. We're not all the stereotypical Silicon Valley computer geeks no matter how much we'd like to be. I suck at dancing too probably as a result of poor motor skills and procedural memory which=low "bodily-kinesthetic intelligence". That is.....if you accept Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence. I also suck at dancing likely as a result of my total lack of interest in any sort of dancing.


Thus....as much as I would like to fit into Silicon valley culture....you people out there would reject me just like the rest of society has. The fact that I share a simliar, if not identical diagnostic label (AS/NLD) too many of you would be irrelevant. I am inexpressibly envious of you Silicon Valley "Aspies".

I would move to Silicon Valley, but the cost of living there is a tad above my budget.

I've lived in Silicon Valley for around 10 years. And I agree that people here seem open to differences...to a point. I'm in a similar situation to Horus, though, in that my talents don't lie in the scientific/mathematical realm. I'm good at arty things like writing and photography. WonderWoman, I'm glad this area works for you. I'm still looking for a place that really works for me...

I visited the Valley for a conference a few years back. I actually thought it was fairly ugly and industrial, standing in sharp contrast to San Francisco. I almost got thrown off the VTA for not misunderstanding the fare system.

I lived in San Francisco in the mid 90s, before rents got so crazy. The city itself is pretty nice, and people are pretty tolerant, unless you're a conservative politically. I HATED not having a car, and having to take the bus long distances to get food.

As for Silicon Valley, meaning Santa Clara County, about 50 miles south of SF, it's VERY suburban, and people work all the time. The city planners of the Valley way back in the 50s wanted to make a mini-Los Angeles, so it's a lot like LA except without the violence. Very few white people. If you are paying little for rent, your neighbors are likely all Mexicans, slaves for the tech gods.

Higher rent means lots of Chinese, Vietnamese, and East Indians will be your neighbors. This unfortunate reality is the fault of America's lack of emphasizing science and mathematics education. Very few white engineers come out of American schools-the majority are from India, with Chinese making up most of the rest. The Asians look down their noses at whites and Mexicans. The VTA (public transit system) does a relatively decent job, but the reality of covering an endless suburb that's meant for cars means they inevitably fall short.

In SF, Muni keeps suffering service cuts, and periodically grinds to a halt (google "Muni Meltdown 1998"). A bicycle is essential if you live in SF. Of the two, I'd say live in San Francisco and experience Silicon Valley at arm's length, unless you're willing to go to sleep to Mexican country music every night and you can afford a car. When I lived there, you could get a disability card that was good for reduced fares throughout the Bay Area.

I'd love to go there for a holiday, just to see it for myself.

Zorin sez.......

Theres 1 obstacle.......Silicon Valley , just outside SF !

I propose......to end.......the domination........of SV......and leave *us* in control.......of that market !

Well, if you had a reason to live there, you would afford to live there - and then some.

In general, IT stuff pays well, in some cases it pays very well.

Silicon Valley also presents daunting challenges for Asperger adults; regarding independent-living agendas; that is self-advocacy alone may not suffice!

A key example is that dichotomy regarding strengths, and weaknesses on the Autism Spectrum; that is strong abilites to handle technical tasks, yet weakness in some important real-life tasks esp. face-to-face communications with neurotypical people (NTs).

For example, has anybody found the purchase of an automobile a daunting task; that is the understaning of paperwork, contracts, and face-to-face experiences with auto dealers?

In short, Asperger adults can boost their advantage amongst NT agendas by enlisting advisors/advocates to be present during the process of negotiating, and purchasing "big-ticket" items such as automobiles, and even assistance in handling property transactions.

It's also important that Asperger adults boost independence (through in the eyes of their families); both through self-advocacy, as well as those times when personal judgement yields trustworthy people to assist with those "more complicated agendas!"

How, and where can such trustworthy people be found? What specific agencies recommend people (on a volunteer basis) to assist as advocates/advisors? Are many services affordable to most Asperger adults?

Would such trustworthy people most-likely have careers in non-profit, and public service occupations e.g., Educators, those who help special-needs people?

Thank-you

We're moving to Sunnyvale or to Palo Alto at the end of the year!

I was a major sciencey/tecchy type when I was younger, but due to aquired cognitive impairment am not now (though I'm still am more so than the average person). At the tail end of college (physics major) when the problems were starting I got to see how some of the "smart folk" responded to that and it wasn't pretty. So, I don't think I'd like it in Silicon Valley.

I live in San Jose as well and there are a lot of things I like about it but saying Aspies are the majority is woefully inaccurate. Im not one of those tech savvy math and science types so the valley is no easy street paradise for me. However I'm really glad you have found a sense of home here in the bay and feel a sense of belonging.

Kinda cool to see so many others from around the bay here, howdy neighbors.

Greetings, fellow Bay Area residents.

Craigslist is much simpler. I got a really sweet deal with my car.