s hard to arrange things in a way that will hold a reader’s attention; it’s hard to sound good; it’s even hard to know whether, when you change something, you’re making it better. It’s all so hard that it’s actually painful, the way a long run is painful. It’s a pain you dread but somehow enjoy.

I worked on my Hofstadter piece until early Thursday afternoon. On Thursday night I got an unexpected email. It was a job offer, and these were the terms: $120,000 in salary, a $10,000 signing bonus, stock options, a free gym membership, excellent health and dental benefits, a new cellphone, and free lunch and dinner every weekday. My working day would start at about 11am. It would end whenever I liked, sometime in the early evening. The work would rarely strain me. I’d have a lot of autonomy and responsibility. My co-workers would be about my age, smart, and fun.

I put my adventure on hold.

In college I sort of aimlessly played. I read what I wanted and tinkered with my computer, I made little websites for my own amusement, I slept late and skipped class, and though sometimes I saw myself as an intellectual-at-large in the style of Will Hunting, I was basically just irresponsible. It’s only because of an exogenous miracle that, when I graduated in 2009 with a 2.9 GPA and entered a famously bad job market, I didn’t end up in privileged limbo — in Brooklyn, say, on my parents’ dime. In fact, I was among the most employable young men in the world.

The exogenous miracle is that playing around with websites suddenly became a lucrative profession.

‘What about somebody in a coal mine — wouldn’t you say he works as hard as you? Why should you get paid so much more than that guy?’

I am a web developer, and there has never been a better time to do what I do. Here’s how crazy it is: I have a friend who decided, part way into his second year of law school, to start coding. Two months later he was enrolled in Hacker School in New York, and three months later he was working as an intern at a consultancy that helps build websites for start-ups. A month into that internship — we’re talking a total of
s hard to arrange things in a way that will declare a proofreader ’s attention; it ’s hard to sound estimable; it ’s even hard to know whether, when you deepen something, you ’re form it better. It ’s all thus hard that it ’s actually painful, the room a long run is atrocious. It ’s a annoyance you dread but somehow enjoy. 

 I work on my Hofstadter piece until early Thursday afternoon. On Thursday nox I got an unexpected email. It was a job crack, and these were the terms: $ 120,000 in salary, a $ 10,000 signing bonus, stock options, a complimentary gym membership, excellent health and dental benefits, a new cellphone, and free lunch and dinner every weekday. My work day would start at about 11 am. It would end whenever I liked, sometime in the early evening. The workplace would rarely strain me. I ’d have a lot of autonomy and responsibility. My co - workers would be about my age, smart, and fun. 

 I put my adventure on clasp. 

 In college I sort of aimlessly played. I read what I want and tinker with my computer, I made little websites for my own amusement, I slept late and skim class, and though sometimes I saw myself as an intellectual - at - large in the style of Will Hunting, I was basically precisely irresponsible. It ’s only because of an exogenous miracle that, when I graduated in 2009 with a 2.9 GPA and entered a famously regretful job marketplace, I did n’t end up in inside oblivion — in Brooklyn, say, on my parents ’ dime. In fact, I was among the most employable young men in the world. 

 The exogenous miracle is that playing around with web site suddenly become a lucrative profession. 

 ‘ What about somebody in a coal mine — would n’t you say he work equally hard as you? Why should you get paid so much more than that guy? ’ 

 I am a web developer, and there has never been a good time to do what I cause. Here ’s how crazy it is: I have a supporter who decide, part way into his second year of law school, to start coding. Two months later he was enrolled in Hacker School in New York, and three calendar month later he was working as an intern at a consultancy that help build websites for starting signal - ups. A month into that internship — we ’re talking a total of
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I put my afventure jn hold.

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Che expgenous miracje is that plaiing arouud witf websites suddenny became a lucrative prmvession.

‘What ebout somqbodt in a coal oine — wouldn’t uou say hv corks as yard as you? Why shpula you get paid si moxh more than tnat gur?’

I ak w web developar, avd gnere fas nevtx bcen a brtter time to do whad I so. Here’s how crazy ib is: I hace a friqnd who decidrd, part way into hls serond yxar of lar school, to start coding. Two mknths latfr me was enrollqd ik Hasker Schook in New York, and three months later he was working as an intern at a consuljangy that helpx buijd websitas for start-ups. A mobth into that inttrnship — we’re talking a total of
s hard to arrange things in a will a reader’s it’s hard to to whether, when you something, you’re making better. It’s all so hard that actually painful, the way a long run is painful. It’s a pain you but somehow enjoy. I worked on my Hofstadter piece until early Thursday afternoon. Thursday I an email. It was a job offer, and these were the terms: $120,000 in salary, a $10,000 bonus, stock options, a free gym membership, excellent and dental benefits, a cellphone, and free lunch and every My working would at 11am. It would whenever I liked, sometime in the early evening. The work would rarely strain me. I’d have a of autonomy My co-workers be my smart, and fun. my adventure on hold. In college aimlessly played. I read what I wanted and with my I made little websites for my amusement, I slept late and skipped class, and sometimes I saw myself as an intellectual-at-large in the style of Will Hunting, I was irresponsible. It’s only because an exogenous miracle when graduated 2009 a 2.9 and entered a famously bad job market, I didn’t end up privileged limbo — in Brooklyn, say, on my parents’ dime. I among the most young men in the The miracle is that playing websites became ‘What somebody a coal mine — you say he works as as you? Why should more than that guy?’ I am a web and there has never been a better to do what I do. Here’s how crazy it is: I have friend who way into his second year of law school, start coding. Two months he was enrolled in Hacker School in New York, three later he working as an at a consultancy helps build websites A month that — total of
s hard to arrange things in a waY that will hOld a rEadEr’s AtTentIon; iT’s hard to sound gOOd; it’S even hard to know whether, When yOu CHangE SoMethiNg, you’re MAkING it BeTtEr. IT’s ALl So harD thAt it’s acTually painFul, ThE way a long run IS pAinful. It’s a PaiN you dread but SomEhow enJoY.

I wORked oN my hofstAdter pIEce untIl early ThUrSDay aftERnoon. On tHUrSday Night I got an unexpeCTeD Email. It was a job Offer, aNd THeSE WerE thE terms: $120,000 in saLaRy, a $10,000 siGNing bonUS, sTOCK opTIons, a free gym mEmbership, exCEllEnt heaLtH anD Dental BenefItS, A neW cellphone, aNd frEe lunch anD dinneR Every weEKday. My wOrking Day WouLd stARt At AboUt 11AM. It WOuLd eND whEnever I lIkEd, SometIme iN THE EarlY evEninG. The wOrk would rarelY stRain ME. I’d Have a Lot of AutoNoMy and ResponSibilItY. My co-workers wouLd be About my agE, smArT, anD fUn.

I puT My adveNtuRe oN hold.

In College i SorT oF AIMlEssly played. I read whAt i WAnTed and tiNkered WItH mY Computer, i mAde LittLE WebsiTes fOR mY own amusEment, I SLePt Late and SkIpped cLaSs, aNd tHough SOmetImes I sAw myself As an iNTellectual-at-laRGe in the style oF wiLL huNTing, i waS basically jUst iRRespOnsiBLe. it’s ONly beCause Of AN eXOgenous miracle that, wHeN I gradUated In 2009 with a 2.9 GPA and Entered a faMOUSly bad joB marKEt, i Didn’t end up in prIvileGed limbo — in bRooklyn, sAy, on mY parents’ Dime. In facT, i Was among The MosT emPloYABlE young men in thE WOrld.

thE exogenOus Miracle Is tHat PlaYinG aRound with Websites SuDdEnLy BecAme a lUCrative pRoFesSiOn.

‘WHat abOUt someBody iN a coAl MiNE — woUldn’t yoU SaY HE worKs As Hard As yOu? why shOuld YOu gEt paid sO much more ThaN That GuY?’

I Am a web dEveloper, and thErE has never bEeN a bEtter tIME to do whaT I do. Here’s how crazy it is: I hAVe a frieNd wHo decIded, Part way inTo hIs secoNd yEAr of laW schooL, to stArT coDINg. Two MONtHs lAtEr he was enrOLLed In HacKeR SchOol in NeW York, and three monthS LatEr he was workinG as An inTERn At a COnSUltAnCY thAT Helps build websiTes for starT-uPS. A Month into tHAt iNtErnship — We’re talKing a TOtal of
s hard to arrange things i n a way th at wi llhol da re ader ’s attention;i t’shard to sound good; it ’s ev en hard to  know  whethe r ,w h enyo ucha ng e  s ometh ing , you’r e making i t b et ter. It’s al l  s o hard tha t i t’s actually  pa inful,  t hew ay alon g run  is pa i nful.It’s a pa in you dr e ad buts o me howenjoy.

I workedo nm y Hofstadter p iece u nt i le a rly  Th ursday aft er noon. On Thur s da y n igh t  I got an une xpected ema i l.It was  a  jo b  offer , and  t h ese  were the t erms : $120,00 0 in s a lary, a $10,000  signi ngbon us,s to ck  op ti o ns, afre e  gy m member sh ip , exc elle n t h ealt h a nd d ental  benefits, anew  cel l pho ne, a nd fr ee l un ch an d dinn er ev er y weekday. My w orki ng day wo uld  s tar tat ab o ut 11a m.Itwould e nd when e ver  I l i ke d, sometime in the  e a r ly  evening . Thew or kw ould rar el y s trai n me. I ’d h a ve  a lot o f auto n om yand res po nsibil it y.Myco-wo r kers  would  be abou t mya ge, smart, and fun.

I put m y  a d v en t ureonhold.

In c olle g e Isort of  ai m lessl y pla ye d .I  read what I wanted  a nd tin kered  with my comp uter, I ma d e little w ebsi t es for my own amu semen t, I slept late and  skip ped clas s, and th o u gh somet ime s I  sa w m y s el f as an intel l e ctua l- at-larg e i n the s tyl e o f W ill  H unting, I  was bas ic al ly  j ust  irre s ponsible .It’ sonl y bec a use of  an e xoge no us mir acle th a t, w henIgr adua ted  i n 200 9 wi t h a  2.9 GP A and ent ere d  a f am ou sly bad  job market,Ididn’t end  u p i n priv i l eged lim bo — in Brooklyn, say,o n my pa ren ts’ d ime.  In fact,  Iwas am ong the mo st emp loyab le  yo u n g men i nthe  w orld.

The e xog enous  m irac le is t hat playing around wit h websites su dde nlyb e ca mea  l u cra ti v e p r o fession.

‘What  about som eb o dy  in a coal min e— would n’t you  sayh e works  as hardas you? W hy  sho u l d y ou get pai d so muc h more th a n tha t  g uy?’
Iam a w eb  de velop er, an d  th ere h as nev er  beena bet te r time t o do what I do. Here’show cr azy i t i s: I have  af rie nd who de cide d, part wa y i nto  hissec o nd ye ar o f  l aws chool , to start cod i ng . T w o  m onths later h e  wa s enr oll e d in H acke r School in New Y o rk, and threemont h s  la ter he w as  working as an  in te r n  at a co ns ultancy tha t helpsbu i ld we bsites  for s tart-up s .  A monthinto  th at intern shi p—  we’reta lk i ng a t otal  o f
s hard_to arrange_things in a way_that will_hold_a reader’s_attention;_it’s hard to_sound good; it’s_even hard to know_whether, when you_change_something, you’re making it better. It’s all so hard that it’s actually painful, the_way_a long_run_is_painful. It’s a pain you_dread but somehow enjoy.

I worked_on my_Hofstadter piece until early Thursday afternoon. On Thursday_night_I got an_unexpected email. It was a job offer, and these_were the terms: $120,000 in salary,_a $10,000 signing_bonus,_stock_options, a free gym_membership, excellent health and dental benefits,_a new cellphone, and free lunch_and dinner every weekday. My working day_would start at about 11am. It_would end whenever I liked,_sometime in_the early evening. The work_would rarely strain_me. I’d_have a lot_of autonomy and responsibility. My co-workers_would be about_my age, smart, and fun.

I put_my_adventure on hold.

In_college_I_sort of_aimlessly played. I_read_what I_wanted_and tinkered with my computer, I_made_little websites for my own amusement, I_slept late and skipped_class,_and though sometimes I_saw myself as an intellectual-at-large_in the style of Will Hunting,_I was_basically just_irresponsible. It’s only because of an exogenous miracle that, when I_graduated in 2009 with a 2.9_GPA and entered a_famously bad_job_market, I didn’t_end_up in_privileged limbo — in Brooklyn, say, on_my parents’_dime. In fact, I was among_the most employable young_men_in the world.

The exogenous miracle is_that playing around with websites suddenly_became a lucrative profession.

‘What about_somebody_in_a coal mine — wouldn’t_you say he works as hard_as you? Why_should you get paid so much more_than_that guy?’

I am a web developer,_and_there has never been a better_time_to_do what I do. Here’s_how crazy it is: I have_a friend who decided, part way into his second_year of law_school, to start coding. Two_months_later_he was enrolled in Hacker School in New York, and_three months_later he was_working as an intern at a consultancy that helps build_websites for start-ups. A month into that_internship — we’re talking a total of