I haven't because of lack of exposure so far but since you are using it daily, it would be good to know how you are using it as it may interest others.
1. That sleeping over uncomfortable pending decisions and discussions helps a lot.
2. That a fixed sleeping schedule with at least 8 hours of sleep does wonders to my thought process and has a calming effect.
3. That my thoughts, especially under tough circumstances, are not really a true picture of reality. This one is tough and is still under discovery mode.
4. That I should never compare myself with others. The only thing I should rely on others should be for inspiration. The comparison part I knew my whole life but, like all simple things, it took a while for me to actually immerse in the depth of it.
What has helped me is talking in person to someone who is close. Realized that sometimes I just need to vent my inner confusion and at other times I need them to shake me because I am living too much in my head.
Over time, I realized that this situation occurs because there's something that I must/need to do but I am procrastinating. That surfaces as anxiety and my mind ends up "translating" it into a spiritual discussion - all in my head - with questions like "is this life", "is this all"?
In some states, the validity of the Driver's License (DL) is aligned with the H1-B petition expiry date and I am in one of those states. My current petition expires in 4 months. Ideally my employer would have applied my H1-B extension under premium processing so that I am not without a valid DL but with this new rule, we'd have to go with regular processing and wait for the approved petition before I can get my DL extended meaning I'll be without a valid DL for some time which is a real pain. Ideally DMV should extend the DL based on the receipt for the petition but a lot of states, including the one where I am, don't do that.
Excellent book. The first time I started reading it, I couldn't grasp it and stopped after a few pages. But then picked it up again in 2015 and read it in one sitting. It's a wonderful little book. To be honest, I don't think I can sum up how it felt but it was liberating. I remember keeping the book on my chest and getting lost in thoughts about what the purpose of life is. It was really deep, I was on a totally different plane with my thought process. I read it again last year on a flight but couldn't finish it and it didn't evoke the same emotions but it has a very special place in my heart.
They did mention it's not the same thing this time.
"This is not the same problem we had with the CCD last year, which was a problem with the database caused by a software patch. This is a hardware failure, and we are working to restore system functions."
Just want to share my perspective as an Indian who was in US for 6 years until I came back to India a couple of months back. I am not sure why you think companies can bring folks from other countries (India in your example) at a meagre salary of $25K per year and that too in a managerial capacity. You are directly questioning the work that folks at USCIS do. I was in US on L1B initially, which is different from L1A that you are referring to, and then converted to H1B and I believe I was paid a fair market wage all along. I know there could be exceptions but don't think this can happen at a scale at which you are projecting. Also, I agree that the definition of management can be stretched but don't think the wage parity can escape the authorities.
It absolutely does happen at the scale I'm describing because part of my job is trying to place guys from India on L-1 visas :) I try to be ethical about it (i.e. only bringing the actual team leaders who are acting at least somewhat in a management capacity) but I see some of my less-ethical competitors abusing the L-1 process to an astonishing degree for grunt-level QA and development resources. Also, you only need to prove the "managerial capacity" thing when the visa is initially issued; they're usually good for a few years and they don't check up on what you're doing after the first time.
And I'm not questioning the work that CIS does; I'm just saying that it's very, very difficult to say someone is not working in a managerial capacity based on false documentation. There's no way they can tell false documentation from real documentation. But for L-1 visas there is no salary parity requirement, only a requirement that the company cover all expenses for the employee while they are in the US. So the IT body shops take advantage of this, and it leads to entire divisions of large companies being laid off and replaced by cheap labor.
This is a nice problem to have, so find some comfort in that. Personally, I have felt that in situations like these I usually know what's better but I just don't know it when I am confused and just keep thinking about the options. So how to get rid of the confusion? Sit down and relax and then WRITE IT DOWN. Make a table. You are looking for 2 things - What are you gaining and what are you missing out on - by working at Google and by doing your own startup. Think thoroughly and write everything down. Once you have laid down everything you can think of, leave the notes. Get back to them after a few hours or even the next day (Meanwhile you may keep thinking about some of the things you wrote, that's ok). Then review with a heavy focus on the 'what are you missing out on' column and TADA! If you are honest with yourself, you should have your answer. Wish you all the best with whichever option you go with. Don't forget to update the thread with your decision and why you went ahead with it. Who knows it may probably help someone down the line.
