See at ESPN Watch La Liga soccer in the US from $11 a month ESPN Plus See at ESPN See more details See at ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN See at ExpressVPN See more details See at Premiersports Watch La Liga in the UK from 8 Premier Sports See at Premiersports See more details See at TSN Carries La Liga matches live TSN Plus See at TSN See more details See at BeIn Sports Watch La Liga games from AU$15 per month BeIn Sports See at BeIn Sports See more details Table of Contents Nothing less than a win at home will do for Barcelona on Sunday as it hosts 17th placed Alavs.Currently in third place, Barca remains in danger of losing pace with La Liga leaders and eternal rivals Real Madrid, despite last weekend's emphatic 7-1 win over Valencia. Alavs having experienced the new manger bounce the team may have been hoping for since the appointment of Eduardo Coudet in December, El Glorioso has managed just one win in seven matches since the Argentine took charge.Barcelona take on. Deportivo Alavs at the Estadi Olmpic Llus Companys on Sunday, Feb. 2. Kickoff is set for2 p.m. CET local time, making it a 8 a.m. ET and 5 a.m. PT start in the US, an 1 p.m. GMT start in the UK and a 12 a.m. AEDTkickoff in Australia.Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world. Lamine Yamal scored the opening goal in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday. Alex Pantling/UEFA via Getty Images How to watch Barcelona vs. Alavs in the US without cableThis match is available to stream in the US via ESPN Plus, which has live English and Spanish-language broadcast rights for La Liga in the US. ESPN Plus ESPN's standalone streaming service costs $11 a month or $110 for an annual subscription.Read our ESPN Plus review. See at ESPN How to watch La Liga from anywhere with a VPNIf you find yourself unable to view La Liga matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this. Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. James Martin/CNET 2024 Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 25% speed loss in 2024 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN isour current best VPN pickfor people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month.Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at ExpressVPN Livestream Barcelona vs. Alavs in the UK Premier Sports is showing a minimum of five live matches per week from Spain's top league on its Premier Sports 1 and 2 channels, as well as its dedicated La Liga platform. This game will be shown exclusively live on La Liga TV and Premier Sports 1. Premier Sports A subscription to just Premier Sports' dedicated La Liga channel costs 8 a month.You can also get the channel via a full subscription to Premier Sports, giving you access to all of the networks' channels, which have the UK broadcast rights to Scottish Premiership matches, BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup rugby, plus NHL and NASCAR.A full Premier Sports subscription costs 10 per month for Sky and Virgin TV customers. You can also get Premier Sports through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on for 15 a month. See at Premiersports Livestream Barcelona vs. Alavs in CanadaTSN is the rights holder for live coverage of La Liga matches in the region, with select fixtures being shown on its linear channels and a wider selection of games being shown on its TSN Plus streaming platform. This match is set to be shown on TSN Plus. TSN TSN Plus is a direct-streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf, NFL games, F1, NASCAR and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. See at TSN Livestream Barcelona vs. Alavs in AustraliaFooty fans down under can watch La Liga matches live on BeIn Sports, which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for Spanish top-flight matches. This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports 3. BeIn Sports BeIn Sports is available in Australia for AU$15 a month or a yearly commitment of AU$130. See at BeIn Sports Quick tips for streaming La Liga using a VPNWith four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming La Liga matches may vary.If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommendBrave.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer?Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Connections puzzles.Todays NYTStrandspuzzle might make you hungry for one specific food item that's been in the news a lot lately. If you need hints and answers, read on.Also, I go into depth about therules for Strands in this story.If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visitCNET's NYT puzzle hints page.Read more:NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So FarHint for today's Strands puzzleToday's Strands theme is:Order up!If that doesn't help you, here's a clue: Which came first?Clue words to unlock in-game hintsYour goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle's theme. If you're stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:RACK, MACK, MARK, SLED, CLOD, KIND, METH, CAGE, BULK, LODE, MEAL, CAME, DONG, LONG, SONG, GILA, BREAK, DOLE, PICK, LEAK, LEAMAnswers for today's Strands puzzleThese are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you've got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:BAKE, BOIL, BASTE, POACH, CODDLE, PICKLE, SCRAMBLEToday's Strands spangramToday's Strands spangram isMAKING EGGS.To find it, start with the M that's four letters down on the farthest row to the left, and wind over and back. The completed NYT Strands puzzle for Feb. 3, 2025, #337. NYT/Screenshot by CNET

Both Bobba and Coristine are listed in internal OPM records reviewed by WIRED as experts at OPM, reporting directly to Amanda Scales, its new chief of staff. Scales previously worked on talent for xAI, Musks artificial intelligence company, and as part of Ubers talent acquisition team, per LinkedIn. Employees at GSA tell WIRED that Coristine has appeared on calls where workers were made to go over code they had written and justify their jobs. WIRED previously reported that Coristine was added to a call with GSA staff members using a nongovernment Gmail address. Employees were not given an explanation as to who he was or why he was on the calls.Farritor, who per sources has a working GSA email address, is a former intern at SpaceX, Musks space company, and currently a Thiel Fellow after, according to his LinkedIn, dropping out of the University of NebraskaLincoln. While in school, he was part of an award-winning team that deciphered portions of an ancient Greek scroll.Kliger, whose LinkedIn lists him as a special adviser to the director of OPM and who is listed in internal records reviewed by WIRED as a special adviser to the director for information technology, attended UC Berkeley until 2020; most recently, according to his LinkedIn, he worked for the AI company Databricks. His Substack includes a post titled The Curious Case of Matt Gaetz: How the Deep State Destroys Its Enemies, as well as another titled Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense: The Warrior Washington Fears.Killian, also known as Cole Killian, has a working email associated with DOGE, where he is currently listed as a volunteer, according to internal records reviewed by WIRED. According to a copy of his now-deleted rsum obtained by WIRED, he attended McGill University through at least 2021 and graduated high school in 2019. An archived copy of his now-deleted personal website indicates that he worked as an engineer at Jump Trading, which specializes in algorithmic and high-frequency financial trades.Shaotran told Business Insider in September that he was a senior at Harvard studying computer science and also the founder of an OpenAI-backed startup, Energize AI. Shaotran was the runner-up in a hackathon held by xAI, Musks AI company. In the Business Insider article, Shaotran says he received a $100,000 grant from OpenAI to build his scheduling assistant, Spark.Got a Tip?Are you a current or former employee with the Office of Personnel Management or another government agency impacted by Elon Musk? Wed like to hear from you. Using a nonwork phone or computer, contact Vittoria Elliott at vittoria_elliott@wired.com or securely at velliott88.18 on Signal.To the extent these individuals are exercising what would otherwise be relatively significant managerial control over two very large agencies that deal with very complex topics, says Nick Bednar, a professor at University of Minnesotas school of law, it is very unlikely they have the expertise to understand either the law or the administrative needs that surround these agencies.Sources tell WIRED that Bobba, Coristine, Farritor, and Shaotran all currently have working GSA emails and A-suite level clearance at the GSA, which means that they work out of the agencys top floor and have access to all physical spaces and IT systems, according a source with knowledge of the GSAs clearance protocols. The source, who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity because they fear retaliation, says they worry that the new teams could bypass the regular security clearance protocols to access the agencys sensitive compartmented information facility, as the Trump administration has already granted temporary security clearances to unvetted people.This is in addition to Coristine and Bobba being listed as experts working at OPM. Bednar says that while staff can be loaned out between agencies for special projects or to work on issues that might cross agency lines, its not exactly common practice.This is consistent with the pattern of a lot of tech executives who have taken certain roles of the administration, says Bednar. This raises concerns about regulatory capture and whether these individuals may have preferences that dont serve the American public or the federal government.Additional reporting by Zo Schiffer and Tim Marchman.

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OpenAI is announcing a new AI agent designed to help people conduct in-depth, complex research using ChatGPT, the companys AI-powered chatbot platform. Appropriately enough, its called deep research. OpenAI said in a blog post published Sunday that these this new capability was designed for people who do intensive knowledge work in areas like finance, science, policy, and engineering and need thorough, precise, and reliable research. It could also be useful, the company added, for anyone making purchases that typically require careful research, like cars, appliances, and furniture.Basically, ChatGPT deep research is intended for instances where you dont just want a quick answer or summary, but instead need to assiduously consider information from multiple websites and other sources.OpenAI said its making deep research available to ChatGPT Pro users today, limited to 100 queries per month, with support for Plus and Team users coming next, followed by Enterprise. (OpenAI is targeting a Plus rollout in about a month from now, the company said.) Its a geo-targeted launch; OpenAI had no release timeline to share for ChatGPT customers in the U.K., Switzerland, and the European Economic Area.Image Credits:OpenAI /To use ChatGPT deep research, youll just select deep research in the composer and then enter a query, with the option to attach files or spreadsheets. (Its a web-only experience for now, with mobile and desktop app integration to come later this month.) Deep research could then take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to answer the question, and youll get a notification when the search completes.Currently, ChatGPT deep researchs outputs are text-only. But OpenAI said that it intends to add embedded images, data visualizations, and other analytic outputs soon. Also on the roadmap is the ability to connect more specialized data sources, including subscription-based and internal resources, OpenAI added.The big question is, just how precise is ChatGPT deep research? AI is imperfect, after all. Its prone to hallucinations and other types of errors that could be particularly harmful in a deep research scenario. Thats perhaps why OpenAI said every ChatGPT deep research output will be fully documented, with clear citations and a summary of [the] thinking, making it easy to reference and verify the information.The jurys out on whether those mitigations will be sufficient to combat AI mistakes. OpenAIs AI-powered web search feature in ChatGPT, ChatGPT Search, not infrequently makes gaffes and gives wrong answers to questions. TechCrunchs testing found that ChatGPT Search produced less useful results than Google Search for certain queries.To beef up deep researchs accuracy, OpenAI is using a special version of its recently announced o3 reasoning AI model that was trained through reinforcement learning on real-world tasks requiring browser and Python tool use. Reinforcement learning essentially teaches a model via trial and error to achieve a specific goal. As the model gets closer to the goal, it receives virtual rewards that, ideally, make it better at the task going forward.It said this version of the OpenAI o3 model is optimized for web browsing and data analysis, adding that it leverages reasoning to search, interpret, and analyze massive amounts of text, images, and PDFs on the internet, pivoting as needed in reaction to information it encounters [] The model is also able to browse over user uploaded files, plot and iterate on graphs using the python tool, embed both generated graphs and images from websites in its responses, and cite specific sentences or passages from its sources.Image Credits:OpenAI /The company said that it tested ChatGPT deep research using Humanitys Last Exam, an evaluation that includes more than 3,000 expert-level questions in a variety of academic fields. The o3 model powering deep research achieved an accuracy of 26.6%, which might look like a failing grade but Humanitys Last Exam was designed to be tougher than other benchmarks to stay ahead of model advancements. According to OpenAI, the deep research o3 model came in way ahead of Gemini Thinking (6.2%), Grok-2 (3.8%), and OpenAIs own GPT-4o (3.3%).Still, OpenAI notes that ChatGPT deep research has limitations, sometimes making mistakes and incorrect inferences. Deep research may struggle to distinguish authoritative information from rumors, the company said, and often fails to convey when its uncertain about something and it can also make formatting errors in reports and citations.For anyone worried about the impact of generative AI on students, or on anyone trying to find information online, this type of in-depth, well-cited output probably sounds more appealing than a deceptively simple chatbot summary with no citations. But well see whether most users will actually subject the output to real analysis and double-checking, or if they simply treat it as a more professional-looking text to copy-paste.And if this all sounds familiar, Google actually announced a similar AI feature with the exact same name less than two months ago.

David Schwimmer in Goosebumps: The VanishingCredit: Disney+Im pretty sure I hold the distinct privilege of being the only Forbes writer to have cancelled on David Schwimmer not once, but twice. Ah yes, what an honor. Id like to thank the Academy, first and foremost, as well as my professional disappointment hamster, Cuddles. Thats a Goosebumps deep cut, for those in the know.But life is predictably unpredictable, and so is Davids (appreciated) ability to forgive, because the two of us finally connected over Zoom last week and talked about Goosebumps: The Vanishing. We also chatted about plants, horror, and what it takes to be artistically courageous in the face of self-doubt and criticism.Planting the Seeds of InspirationWhen I was interviewing Goosebumps: The Vanishing executive producers Rob Letterman and Hilary Winston back in December, theyd mentioned how David took his rolethat of divorced Stay Out of the Basement dad Anthonyquite seriously. They werent wrong.I was doing some hard Google searching and reading, David began. The guy I fell in love with was David Bellamy, this British botanist that kind of did for plants what Attenborough did for animals. I dont know if any of it made it on camera or not, but I have posters and books of David Bellamy in my lab [on the show]. Apart from that, I was also inspired by a lot of really bad botanist humor, so I made a whole listI think it was three pages longof botanist jokes and I sent my favorites [to the showrunners]. The costume department made a couple of custom graphic designed shirts with these really bad dad slogans and innuendos that I thought were really fun. I think we got to work some into the script as well. If I were a botanist by profession, I think its something Id do as a dad. Id constantly be making bad botany jokes with my kids.I told David what I enjoyed about his Goosebumps: The Vanishing performance was his use of understatement, because good horror thrives in subtlety. The underplayed delivery of many lines are indicative of Davids serious acting chops, no doubt stemming from his Chicago theater roots. For instance: "Are you out of your mind?" one character asks early on in the show, and Its a distinct possibility is Davids (Anthonys) deadpan response. Perfectly chilling.MORE FOR YOUGoosebumps: The VanishingCredit: Disney+Im really excited to hear that [feedback], David told me. You have an idea in your head when youre doing something. Sometimes you have directors that arent necessarily on the same page as you, and will push you to be bigger or push you to do things that werent your instinct. In this case, that was not the case. Rob and Hilary and the other directors allowed me to go with my gut. So its really satisfying, and Im very happy to hear how, when you make certain choices on the day, then six/seven months later Im talking to you, and it feels like, okay, that paid off. Thats great.David went on to explain how the realness of his character, a traumatized father trying to raise teenage twins while doing strange plant research in an LED-lit basement, was instrumental in bringing his performance to life.Im a big fan of horror films, he said. When you think of Rosemarys Baby and The Shiningalthough Jack Nicholsons character gets a little bigger as he starts to lose it morebut they start as real, tangible, grounded characters. Theres so much action and larger-than-life spectacle and activity [happening] on-screen, my feeling was just as you said, to try to underplay it and be really understated and grounded and really simplify it. I thought it would be a nice contrast.Artistic Courage, Choice and RiskYes, the consumerist product of Goosebumps is cool and always will be (to me, who grew up with the books), but as a writer and a fellow human, Im incredibly interested in how other artists navigate their craft, and maybe most importantly, their own self-doubt, especially in the face of public scrutiny. I felt that David, having worked in the public eye for so long and so successfully, would be an ideal person to comment on such internal tribulations. He is a fellow human, after all, and an incredibly visible one, at that.When I was a younger actor and a younger man [laughs], I cared more about what people thought, David admitted. What I learned early on I think it was the experience of some of the choices I thought were riskier in terms of acting work, and feeling good about work, say of my role in Band of Brothers. It was really early on that I was given that opportunity. I thought it was a real departure from Ross on Friends, and yet, the way it was received at the time, much of the feedback and reviews kind of just said it was Ross in the army. It was an interesting lesson for me, because realizing, oh, I dont have any control of what people are going to think. Theyre going to think what they want to think, and I have no control over that. In a way, it was quite freeing, because over the years, I just stopped caring. Its not that I dont want to do a good job, I want to do the best job I can. But as an actor, the people I care most about pleasing are the directors, then of course the studio and everyone involved in the actual process.Goosebumps: The VanishingCredit: Disney+In terms of choices, I feel like Ive been really lucky," he went on to say. "Some of the most risky things Ive done were actually maybe more on stage, that very few people have seen, and thats okay, too. I mean, its just this long journey. Ive been doing this now professionally for about 35 years, and I hope to do it for another decade or two. Well see. I wish I had more opportunities, right? To work with some of my heroes that are film directors and writers. But I still feel really grateful that I have as many opportunities as I do, to challenge myself and keep going.I told David that, judging by his recent work in Goosebumps, Id enjoy seeing him lean even harder into horror, because I think theres some serious creepy potential there. He said hed love to explore more dramatic work, specifically in terms of dramatic thrillers, which could potentially tap into some scarier elements of his acting chops.Ive not really been given the opportunity to play many, lets say, sociopaths. To play people who are unwell or unhinged, and I would rather like to [laughs]. It would be great fun, but also I feel it would be a fascinating journey and a fascinating challenge.Departure and ArrivalLooking back on the Zoom call, what truly struck me about my chat with David was his genuine humanity. Hes obviously wildly famous and wildly successful, and to that note, we all universally know what 90s show he was on. But in truth, I wasnt particularly interested in much of that, because after a few minutes, I realized I was talking to a guy who, despite all the accolades, still deeply respects his craft, and at the end of the day, wants to do a good job, not unlike the rest of us.I imagine after participating in a giant sitcom like Friends, the pressure and desire to morph into something completely different would be immense, especially if you take the work seriously. After watching Goosebumps: The Vanishing, I can truthfully say that Davids departure from Ross is well underway, and Ive consequently arrived at an appreciation for such artistic willingness and integrity.Looking forward to that imminent foray into psychological horror, David. The scares are there for the taking.

WTF?! Nvidia's highly anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards launched on January 30, but the release was marred by severe stock shortages, leading many to label it a paper launch. Despite warnings from Nvidia earlier in the week about potential supply issues, the scarcity of available units has left many eager customers disappointed and frustrated. Nvidia's launch day saw long lines of enthusiasts camping outside retailers, hoping to secure one of the coveted GPUs. However, many stores had minimal stock, and some locations never received RTX 5090 allotments.Micro Center's Tustin, California store got the largest allocation with 67 RTX 5090s and 199 RTX 5080s, but it was an outlier. Most Micro Center locations had to make do with just a handful of cards, some having as few as four or five RTX 5090s.The shortage extended beyond brick-and-mortar stores, with online retailers like Best Buy and Amazon quickly selling out of their initial stock. The scarcity has led to a surge in second-hand market prices, with some RTX 5090 cards listing on eBay for over $5,000 more than double the $1,999 retail price.YouTube channel GamersNexus reported on the shortages, noting that even major system integrators struggled to obtain inventory. One builder reportedly received just a single RTX 5090 on launch day, while another received none. This scarcity has raised questions about Nvidia's production capabilities and allocation strategies, especially considering the company had reportedly halted production of the previous-generation RTX 4090 to focus on the new 50-series.The impact of the shortage has rippled across the GPU market. Prices for older models, such as the RTX 4090, have seen significant increases, with some units now selling for around $2,500 on the second-hand market a stark increase from the $1,600 price point seen at the end of 2024. // Related StoriesAs frustrated buyers seek alternatives, some retailers have resorted to creative methods to combat scalpers and bots, such as listing cards in ways that trick automated purchasing systems. Meanwhile, Nvidia stated that they and their partners are "shipping more stock to retail every day" to meet the overwhelming demand.The RTX 5090 and 5080 shortage could persist for months, with some UK retailers suggesting that new stock may not arrive until April or May. This situation leaves many PC enthusiasts and gamers in a difficult position, forced to patiently wait for restocks or consider alternative options in the highly competitive graphics card market.

Soo Jae Lee and Jeffrey Castro left their NYC studio to live in a tiny house on wheels in Portland."To our astonishment, we didn't slow down. Mother Nature truly keeps you on your toes," Castro, 47, said.After two years, they sold the tiny house and said they wouldn't do this full-time again.Soo Jae Lee and Jeffrey Castro started following tiny house videos on YouTube in 2015.The couple was living in a 400-square-foot studio apartment in Manhattan at that time, and they were always trying to find ways to make the best use of their limited space. In their apartment, they even built a king-sized loft bed to create a tiny living room space beneath it."The studio we lived in in Manhattan made us feel like we would be able to adapt to an even smaller space," Castro, 47, told Business Insider. "We already felt as though we had too many things and were ready to live with even less." Soo Jae Lee and Jeffrey Castro became interested in tiny living in NYC. @soojandjef The idea of living in a tiny house started to take root. That, along with the desire to be near nature, led the couple to move to the West Coast in 2019.They started off in an apartment in the Alberta Arts District of Portland, Oregon. Castro was working remotely for an online media company, while Soo Jae left her fashion career to develop the couple's brand SooJ and Jef, where they sold original artwork including paintings, textile arts, and punch needle kits and taught punch needle workshops.By the end of the year, they had met with Living in a small studio in Manhattan made them feel like they could adapt to an even smaller space. @soojandjef They ended up buying a tiny house on wheels from a listing on Facebook Marketplace for about $60,000, and parked it on a lot they leased from farm owners on Sauvie Island about a 30-minute drive from Portland. Rent was $675 each month and included utilities.There were four other tiny houses all occupied on the farm, in addition to the owners in the main house, Castro said."The community was situated on an organic herbal medicine farm that housed animals for homesteading," Castro said. "We seized this opportunity, as it seemed like a rare chance to experience living in a wildlife sanctuary." They bought a tiny house on wheels off Facebook Marketplace when their plans to customize their own fell through. @soojandjef Sauvie Island measures about 24,000 acres, making it the largest island along the Columbia River. About 11,643 acres are designated as the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area. According to the Sauvie Island Fire District, there are about 445 households on the island.The couple knew it wouldn't be easy, but they were eager to embark on a new adventure."In retrospect, we realize that we had jumped into the deep end before fully grasping the concept of 'living tiny,'" Castro said.Tiny living on a farm Their tiny house was parked on a lot on a farm on Sauvie Island, near Portland. @soojandjef When the couple moved into their new tiny house, they made several changes to the interiors.They moved the existing bed into a fixed lofted position, installed a shower system, and updated the composting toilet. To brighten things up, they also gave their tiny house a fresh coat of paint. All these updates amounted to slightly under $2,000, Castro said.Being in such a different environment from what they were used to felt new and exciting."We had the opportunity to witness nature and wildlife in their most undisturbed state," Castro said. "Every evening, we are treated to the most breathtaking sunsets. The silence at night is equally captivating." The couple lived in their tiny house full-time. @soojandjef At that time, the couple relied on selling their handmade crafts at local markets to make a living, especially since Castro was laid off from his job when the pandemic hit.Since they lacked a studio space, their tiny house also served as a makeshift factory, quickly filling up with products and art supplies.As part of their lease with their landlord, the couple was also required to help out around the farm, Castro said.But due to their lack of farming skills, their duties were limited to garbage handling, composting, watering, and overseeing the quails on the farm.To supplement their contributions, the couple also offered to help in other ways, such as painting signs, filming video content for the farm, and photographing products. As part of their agreement with their landlord, the couple also had to help out around the farm. @soojandjef The other livestock such as pigs, goats, and ducks were primarily cared for by the main family, but since the pens were located near their parking spot, observing them became a part of the couple's daily routine.Having grown up in the suburbs of New Jersey and Long Island, and later in New York City, living with animals was an eye-opening experience for them, Castro said."I adored all of them, and their charming and sometimes shocking behaviors surprised me," he said. The couple had a full kitchen in their tiny house. @soojandjef Grappling with unexpected challengesThe couple is part of a growing group who are interested in living tiny.Housing keeps getting more expensive all around the world, which means that tiny houses are often seen as a cheaper alternative to buying real estate.Living tiny is also a way to live simply: Six people who live in tiny houses told BI previously that the lifestyle forced them to declutter and cut back on unnecessary spending.But as much as the couple enjoyed living in their tiny house, they eventually realized that adapting to their new environment was tougher than they had anticipated."I would say it took a few months to really sink in that this living situation was not what I expected," Castro said. The internet was often spotty. @soojandjef Since Sauvie Island was primarily a wildlife area, their internet connection was often spotty, he said."We relied on cellular WiFi, which was unreliable and slow at best," he said, adding that their internet plan cost $110 a month.They also frequently experienced power outages, especially during fire season when the power was turned off during high wind conditions, he said.When winter came, frozen pipes became a problem even with heated hoses, Castro said: "In some cases, we faced water shortages for days." Frozen pipes were a huge problem during the harsh winters. @soojandjef Their location also left them exposed to the elements. Castro remembers the wildfires that broke out across Oregon in September 2020, when smoke filled the air all around them and created hazardous breathing conditions for weeks.For him, that coupled with the then-ongoing pandemic restrictions felt like a "turning point" on their journey."When the wildfire smoke engulfed the island, it kept us locked inside the tiny house because of the high toxicity levels," Castro said. "Stepping out the door required an N90 mask, the air was horrible-smelling, and we saw no sunlight that entire time." The wildfires that broke out across Oregon in September 2020 felt like a "turning point." @soojandjef The lockdowns also meant they had nowhere else to go not even into Portland."Our small world had become even smaller and dangerous. This situation felt completely beyond our control, and that was terrifying," Castro said.The following summer, there was also a massive heat wave in the Portland area, where temperatures soared to 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Their tiny house doubled as an art studio where they worked on their crafts. Space was tight. @soojandjef "Unfortunately, we lacked a cooling system or ice," he said."Unfortunate timing" led to their experienceCompared to the city, life on the farm sometimes felt just as fast and overwhelming."To our astonishment, we didn't slow down. Mother Nature truly keeps you on your toes," Castro said. "There was always something to prepare for living on the farm, and all of it felt like a tight deadline."It also made them realize that they took for granted how living and working in the city had kept them from worrying about preparing food on days they couldn't leave their homes.Looking back, Castro says that experience helped them realize that they were out of their element. The couple felt that they moved into a tiny house at an "unfortunate" time. @soojandjef "I fully understand that some of the challenges we faced are common daily struggles, and I'm not complaining," he said. "Honestly, I didn't enter this journey with a clear sense of self or my capabilities."In many ways, it was "unfortunate timing" that led them to have the experience they had, he said.Despite that, Castro is grateful for the chance to experiment with a lifestyle like this, which helped him grow and learn."In fact, I'm proud of how Soo Jae and I overcame the obstacles we put ourselves through," he added.Saying goodbye to tiny livingAfter two years, they moved into an apartment and decided to list their tiny house for sale.After weeks, they finally sold their tiny house to a couple in Canada who wanted to use it as a vacation home. They preferred to keep the amount they sold the tiny house for private.In 2023, the couple moved yet again, this time into a rental house in Portland. However, with their lease ending soon, they are now thinking about their next move which includes leaving Oregon.While their future plans are still uncertain, they know they will not live in a tiny house on wheels full-time again. At most, Castro said, it will be "as a retreat or studio or rental only."That said, the couple would be happy to move back to a big city."New York and New Jersey have always felt like home, so it would be a comfortable transition," Castro said.Despite the challenges they faced, he says he doesn't want to discourage anyone from pursuing this option."True freedom is the ability to experiment and to push beyond your own borders," Castro said. "I am also so grateful to have a partner to take this journey with and stick it through together."Do you have any housing or relocation regrets? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.

Herman Ko, 27, deferred his college graduation by one semester to intern at JPMorgan.He managed to land a full time role there but decided to quit just over three years into the job.Ko said the long hours, as well as a mismatch with his career aspirations, drove him to leave.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Herman Ko, 27, a former banker at JPMorgan. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified his employment history.I wasn't the most academically focused student back in college.I didn't have a perfect GPA, and I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do for my career. I only knew I wanted two things in a job one, it had to be prestigious, and two, it had to offer good career mobility if I ever wanted to leave my job.I decided to focus on getting a job at an investment bank. Admittedly, I was chasing a shiny object but it ticked all my boxes, whether be it in terms of pay, prestige, and exit opportunities.I figured that since there wasn't something I particularly enjoyed doing, I might as well pick a job that offered the maximum potential and benefits.That said, the journey to landing a job at a bulge bracket bank was tough. When I started applying for internships, my GPA was only 2.4 out of 4.3. I also didn't have any familial connections who could offer me job referrals.That drove me to approach my job hunt differently from most of my peers. I knew that I couldn't let my GPA, which is really just one line in my entire CV, define my application.To that end, I experimented with different interview methods and revised my CV countless times. I networked with finance professionals to get a better sense of what life is like on the trading floor. That way, I could try to position myself as an industry professional instead of a wide-eyed student trying to find his way.Another thing I did to distinguish myself during my internships was to perform magic tricks at events like my boss's birthday. That helped to leave a memorable impression on my colleagues.Deferring my graduation to clinch a gig at JPMorgan Ko said he had to give up his return offer at Deutsche Bank and defer his graduation by one semester to intern at JPMorgan. Herman Ko I actually secured a return offer from Deutsche Bank after interning for them, one year before my graduation.However, in my final year, I decided to apply to American banks since they are seen as more prestigious than their European counterparts. That's when I received a summer internship offer from JPMorgan.That presented two problems for me. Firstly, if I wanted to intern at JPMorgan, I had to give up my job offer at Deutsche Bank. Secondly, I had to defer my graduation by a semester in order to intern at JPMorgan as an undergraduate.Although it was a huge gamble, I decided to intern at JPMorgan anyway. To me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work at one of the top banks in the world.Fortunately, I did well in the internshipWorking at JPMorgan was an exhilarating experience. Everyone I got to work with was insanely smart. I learnt a lot from JPMorgan's in-house training as well as on the job.Leaving JPMorgan and charting a new path Ko said he's still able to use the sales and pitching skills he picked up at JPMorgan in his new role at Career Hackers, a human resources and education technology startup. Herman Ko After working at JPMorgan for about three and a half years, I decided to call it quits. For one, the long hours I was clocking were starting to take a toll on my body.I also realized that the work done in an investment bank is very specialized. In my case, I was tasked with marketing financial products specifically to financial institutions.That wasn't what I wanted for my career. I wanted to stay ahead of the curve and cover solutions powered by the latest technologies instead of traditional financial products.On a deeper level, I also wanted to challenge myself. Though I was achieving a lot at JPMorgan, I couldn't tell how much of that was driven by the bank's reputation. I wanted to see if I could still excel without relying on the JPMorgan brand.That eventually led me to my current employer, Career Hackers, a human resources and education technology startup. My new role aligned with my passions and interest in mentoring and technology.Even though I'm now working at a start-up, I can still use the sales skills I picked up at JPMorgan. As a junior banker, I got to learn the ropes by first taking meeting minutes and then gradually progress to lead client conversations myself.That has made the transition to my new role a lot smoother since startup work tends to be self-directed.Looking back, I have no regrets about starting my career at JPMorgan. The opportunities and exposure I got there could not have been found anywhere else.

OHyeongJae Villa / LIFE ArchitectsSave this picture! Kyungsub ShinArchitects: LIFE ArchitectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:310 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2019 PhotographsPhotographs:Kyungsub Shin Lead Architects: Jeeyoung Han, Sooyong Hwang More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. At the westernmost end of Jeju Island, in a quiet rural village called Dumori in Hangyeong-myeon, stood a pentagonal plot of land, bathed in the gentle sunlight atop a peculiar hill. Though foreign in appearance, it felt strangely serene, and this moment of tranquility marked the beginning of OHyeongJae. OHyeongJae, which embodies the philosophy of "the right to be lazy" and aims to create a space for true rest, received the grand prize at the 2021 Jeju Architecture and Culture Festival. The name combines the Korean words for "five", "form", and "courtyard", signifying a new accommodation comprising five pool villas.Save this picture!The project was conceived with deep consideration of how to seamlessly integrate Jeju's blue skies, basalt stone walls, and artificial structures into the surrounding landscape. The villas feature slanted, connected rooflines inspired by the natural horizon and utilize zinc materials, which are durable against heat and pollution. The interiors actively embrace the colors of Jeju, incorporating vibrant orange bricks, sofas, and a red swimming pool.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The pentagonal shape of the land symbolizes the union of earth and mountain, material and spirit, balance and harmony in nature, and the fundamental principles that govern the world. Building stone walls and creating "" on this land was a process aimed at sharing the profound sense of peace initially felt here with as many people as possible.Save this picture!Nestled among pine trees and stones in this quiet western part of Jeju, OHyeongJae was designed with careful respect for the original landscape. Minimal construction was carried out across approximately 4,300 square meters, with architectural forms that blend Jeju's traditional aesthetic with modern sensibilities. The use of natural materials and a design that captures Jeju's scenery imbues the space with harmonious tranquility and warmth. The five pool villas, connected under a single roof, open widely toward the ocean. Although similar in size and structure, each villa offers a uniquely different spatial experience, shaped by the dynamic interplay of their sloping roofs. Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South KoreaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on February 03, 2025Cite: "OHyeongJae Villa / LIFE Architects" 02 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026070/ohyeongjae-villa-life-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream