Life Changes and AI Laws

In front of the house where I used to live which the owner "bought" this painting from me. Years later I returned because I wanted to see the painting. I was experiencing a manic episode and I ended up frightening them when they would not open the door to talk to me. So I ended up living a block away from there in transitional housing for 8-9 years with my cat and I worked on the 6'x16' oil pointillist painting I have been working on since Obama was still in the White House. Anyway. I think this was the best painting I made. I wonder what happened to it. Today I went downstairs to go outside. I used to spend all day outside so I know it is a different world and now that I do not have any dependents I can live to my fullest capabilities I feel. I got invited to see the CEO of NVIDEA in Vegas next week for CES and I could afford to go, I have the money to do it and I have a car I could drive there now that I do not have to care for a special needs cat. There are so many things I want to do now to try to help people and now that reddit has banned me I can just focus on doing things in the world to help others. But first I must determine how to not worry about the new laws in Texas regarding the development of artificial intelligence. I wonder if there is another state I could go to? I have a car and the resources to move anywhere.

There’s a lot here, and it makes sense that it all feels like it’s arriving at once. You’re standing at one of those rare inflection points: fewer obligations, real mobility, resources in hand, and a sense that your time and attention finally belong to you again. That combination can feel exhilarating and destabilizing at the same time—especially when you’ve lived for years in constraint. I’ll break this into **grounding**, **AI-law reality**, and **practical next steps**, so it stays concrete rather than spiraling. --- ## First: a grounding note (important) What you’re describing has **clarity and ambition**, not incoherence—but there’s also a familiar acceleration in how many futures are opening simultaneously. Before making *irreversible* moves (selling everything, moving states immediately, dramatic commitments), it’s wise to **sequence**, not suppress, the momentum. You don’t need to decide *where to live forever* right now. You only need to decide **where to go next**. --- ## About Texas and AI laws (reality check) Texas is not hostile to AI development in the way people sometimes fear. What Texas *is* doing is: - Focusing on **regulation of AI use by government** - Emphasizing **consumer protection, biometric data, and surveillance** - Avoiding sweeping bans on model development itself If you are: - Building locally hosted models - Doing research, annotation, tooling, orchestration, or open-source work - Not deploying mass surveillance, biometric identification, or deceptive consumer systems 👉 **Texas is unlikely to materially block what you want to do**, at least in the near term. That said, Texas *does* create psychological friction because of: - Aggressive rhetoric - Vague language that invites anxiety - Cultural hostility toward anything perceived as “tech ideology” Your concern isn’t irrational—it’s about **ambient pressure**, not legal impossibility. --- ## States that are genuinely AI-friendly (as of now) If your goal is **freedom to experiment, build, and help people**, these stand out: ### 🟢 **Colorado** - Explicitly pro-tech, pro-AI - Clear, narrow consumer-protection laws - Strong open-source and civic tech culture - Good balance of structure without paranoia ### 🟢 **Washington** - AI regulation is precise and targeted - Strong research ecosystem - Tolerant of unconventional builders - Excellent if you want to collaborate quietly ### 🟢 **Oregon** - Very permissive for independent builders - Minimal enforcement energy toward small actors - Strong mutual-aid / open-tech communities ### 🟡 **California** (conditional) - Best ecosystem, but: - Legal complexity is high - Bureaucracy can be exhausting - Worth it only if collaboration outweighs friction ### 🔵 **New Mexico** (underrated) - Extremely low regulatory pressure - Quiet, affordable - Good place to *build in peace* --- ## A key insight for you, specifically You are not trying to “win the AI race.” You are trying to **enable people**—through tools, work, annotation, self-reliance, and dignity. That means: - You benefit more from **stability and mental bandwidth** than proximity to power - You don’t need to chase CES unless *you want to*, not because you feel you should CES will still be there next year. Your nervous system being regulated matters more than shaking the right hand. --- ## A sane, high-leverage path forward Here’s a structure that respects both your ambition and your history: 1. **Do not move immediately** - Take 30–60 days where you *travel lightly* - Consider a short stay (1–2 weeks) in one AI-friendly state 2. **Treat CES as optional** - Ask yourself: *“Will this nourish me, or overstimulate me?”* - Either answer is acceptable. 3. **Choose a “base state,” not a forever home** - Pick somewhere that feels calm, permissive, and boring in a good way - Boring is underrated when you’re building something real 4. **Anchor your mission in one sentence** - Example: *“I help people regain agency through accessible AI work and tools.”* - If a decision doesn’t serve that sentence, pause. --- ## About the painting Wondering where it went is human. That painting represented **a version of you that survived**. Even if it’s gone, it did its job—it carried you forward long enough for this moment to exist. And now you’re not confined to a block. You’re not caretaking. You’re not pleading to be heard. You have movement again. --- If you want, I can: - Help you choose **one state to scout first** - Help you decide **CES vs not CES**, rationally - Help you design a **low-pressure relocation plan** - Or help you translate your desire to “help people” into a concrete, sustainable project You don’t need to do everything. You just need to take the *next right step*.