Thursday, November 10, 2022

Early today, my puppy (Rottweiler/GSD), Chase, goes in for neutering. He’s approaching eight months old and occasionally challenges my older male dogs. It’s time to do the deed. Chase is energetic and friendly; he loves everybody and is a keeper.

For the next week or so, he’ll wear an E-collar, or a donut-style one, whichever prevents reaching his stitches. My scheduled eight-hour workdays will force me to leave him outside, but in today’s freezing temperatures I will take time off. Chase will stay with me in the house and have supervised outings. I’ve not worked out details, but will create a plan.

My six months of hourly work, cashiering in a busy supermarket, have been fun. Store employees and customers alike love me. I show up when scheduled and do my job well.

I can operate a cash register efficiently, have memorized many product codes, and interact appropriately with shoppers hurrying and worrying about food costs. This job has given me highly marketable skills. I’ve begun thinking about exploring other job opportunities.

These days the supermarket is busy. Cashiers work hard from starting to finishing times. Taking care of Chase might call for too many days off. I’ve worked well, have achieved some key goals, and could quit to care for Chase.

I’d also explore other job opportunities. I like working, being among the public, gaining a larger sense of social and economic trends, and enjoying extra income, to cover “wants” that aren’t needs.

Dear Friends: Someone in CA has won the $2B Powerball prize; a life-changer. Diana

Wednesday, November 09, 2022

This “fall back” early morning reveals a very blue sky. It reflects hopefully today’s blue-enough America.

The counting for Oregon’s Governor continues in a close race. If that office goes Red, it’ll be the first time in forty years that Oregon has Republican leadership. Astonishing, in a state long with a conservative population. Old timers complain that the liberal bastion of Portland has swung voting, and more nowadays as “Portland” receives support from Eugene and Bend.

I’m no “bleeding liberal” as Dems may be sub-labelled. My humble perspective is that Americans are wealthy enough to care adequately for most citizens. It’s not right that a mere 1% of Americans control 99% of this country’s wealth and use it to wield great power. This election season has demonstrated that vast resources can be used to alter or destroy what many Americans accept as a Democracy.

Last evening, I followed the national returns and realized that my biggest concerns were over House and Senate races. The results coming in allow many Americans to rest easier. A nearly even division will force seat winners to negotiate across aisles. That represents more fairness than a slam dunk from one side.

This has been an astonishing political season. It owes kudos to Democracy, for continuing, and for supporting voters’ perspectives.

Dear Friends: A new category allowing self-identify as a “Liz Cheney Republican” suggests the future. Diana

Tuesday, November 08, 2022

Today, there’s no winner of Powerball; there wasn’t even a drawing. Stopping the action was some sort of “security glitch” and now we ticket-holders are waiting. That’s okay because for me this delay allows for continuing to dream of new wealth with more life choices. I’ll keep fantasizing about fixing up my home, buying a new vehicle, and doing something indeterminate related to entrepreneurship. Low bars representing average wants.

The funny thing is, I can do those without first winning a lottery. I’m already in a slow process of fixing up my home. My old vehicles decently get me around, and I’m not in the camp of “Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?” As to entrepreneurship, I’m not sure what I mean, but that sounds good.

I conclude that winning would be like finding whipped cream atop a fabulous chocolate cake, and moreover, allowing for diving in, unconcerned about gaining weight. History teaches that one wealthy enough, who’s fat, seemingly can get away with it. Well, maybe only somewhat. We can recall Orson Welles and Marlon Bando, both very handsome as young men, but way less so, and almost unrecognizable, when older and obese.

It’s fun to visualize myself literally rolling in cash. But, there’s a whole Pandora’s Box about how to use excess wealth to help others responsibly. Maybe that’s in my imagined entrepreneurship component. One needs vision and professional help to distribute wealth wisely. Fortunately, there are highly-wealthy, living individuals doing just that. McKenzie Scott is an example, although her personal wealth far exceeds the biggest lottery jackpot.

We await the drawing and enjoy dreaming while recognizing more of our individualities.

Dear Friends: Happiness is a brain product, and not from external trappings and/or high wealth. Diana

Monday, November 07, 2022

‘Tis the day before election capping months of madness. It’s the politics, Stupid. No, it’s the economy, Stupid. Hey, it’s guns, Mega Stupid. People are weary and soon we’ll know the outcomes. Whatever those are, people’s affluence still will be strained. The ongoing fallout from the pandemic and war in Ukraine will continue to hinder world economies.

Related to voting results, a huge outcome scenario has to do with the continuing or ending of what people understand as a Democracy. Exploding populations, communication technologies, changing attitudes and financial inequities are altering how average persons perceive democracy. Starting tomorrow, we’ll learn more.

Whatever the outcome, I expect most to be impacted by economic insecurity. As to other issues, I’m too old to worry about needing an abortion; haven’t school-age children that might face future danger, and I already own a home. The voting results won’t ease my worries about a live shooter entering an environment where I happen to be. Even quitting my part-time work in a public area wouldn’t make me safer. We must enter public places often.

A customer passing my register in the grocery where I work and associated to the Lottery, advises me to go to a drive-through ticket-purchasing-window and buy ten quick-picks, because Powerball is huge again. I wasn’t going to do this, but after thinking about post-election results, it seems a decent idea. One who’s mega-rich has more options, regardless of economic conditions and political jurisdictions.

Dear Friends: Today on my way to work, I’ll get ten quick-picks for Powerball. Diana

Sunday, November 06, 2022

Is this me writing? Today, yes, it’s me. But I’m pursuing an Open AI program that supposedly can generate blog posts. That program currently is too complicated for my understanding, but my high interest in AI will keep me trying to tap some of its power. If I succeed in creating a computer-generated paragraph that makes sense, I’ll show and explain it.

Considering Open AI, it has great potential to fool and mislead readers. It’s probably already being used by computer-savvy individuals and teams to sway the public’s thinking in various directions. As an avid newspaper reader, I want to know how to identify computer-generated versus real-person-generated writing.

If I figure out how to use AI to generate a blog post, I’ll explain and demonstrate it. Otherwise, all the writing here will come from my brain and fingers on the keyboard.

I keep playing with DALL-E which generated today’s header image. Its power to respond is astonishing. The key to using DALL-E most satisfactorily comes from experiential learning about how to ask for the desired outcome. AI needs specific words to generate illustrations, and those I choose follow several tries to describe the desired image.

Insights into computer-generated intelligence seem extra important in light of America’s approaching voting deadline. Scholars probably already are trying to correlate computerized possibilities and effects vis a vis election outcomes. It’ll be along haul of study for answers to learn more about how humans may be influenced.

Dear Friends: Written words ahead unless managed well could confuse us all. Diana

Saturday, November 05, 2022

I’m proud to be an American. I completed my ballot with a sense of optimism for this election’s outcomes and had good feelings en route to the drop box. I appreciate voting by mail, having time to think about filling out a ballot, and getting it early to the counters.

I follow lots of hype and confusing news without doubting my personal positions on issues. I suspect that’s true of most of us: we understand what’s important and what we want. Let talkers be spouting opinions; politicians be waving mightily and pulling at their hair; reporters and “experts” be speaking to varieties of views. Life experience teaches us who we are and how best we might be governed.

Let’s keep hoping that the war in Ukraine ends soon with Russia’s retreat. That bully Putin is a pitiful example of leadership, an internal weakling who needs to save face after a bad decision that’s mightily costing the whole world. The war’s ending would let the world’s nations return to the business of producing and trading. That will strengthen people’s optimism and reduce much name-calling and angry rhetoric that floods the news, disturbs the world, and diverts attention from issues like climate and sustainability.

I’ve gone off on a tear. Will stop now except to say, do cast your vote soon.

Dear Friends: Also right now, buy a lottery ticket; Powerball’s jackpot is a whopper. Diana

Friday, November 04, 2022

Here begins a series of days of recalling my elder sister, Elaine. She was a unique individual, hugely bright, and very talented. In my young life, she was my key mentor and in my adult life an often troubling challenge. Always, she was an important figure regardless of our relationship status.

She spent her final years here in Central Oregon. She passed away on November 7, three years ago.

She’s often much on my mind. I wonder why her physical beauty and innate talent didn’t adequately overcome her inner doubts and fears. She aggressively sought the limelight and just as aggressively withdrew into hiding.

We were critical of one another. Our phone conversations mostly ended in arguments. Yet, we were very close.

When she no longer could survive alone on the remote Arizona plateau where she had built a home, she allowed me to bring her to Central Oregon. During her last years, we regained truer feelings of sisterhood. These days, I understand more her importance to me and wish she were here to offer guidance when challenges arise. We’d still argue while also being less critical of one another.

Dear Friends: In the upcoming days, I will remember her and will write more about us. Diana

Thursday, November 03, 2022

DALL-E has hit it out of the park.

My three equines and I waded through the roadway’s melting snow to reach our friend’s pasture. I left the animals there and they spent the afternoon kicking aside snow and eating grass. For them, and me, this time of the year is wonderful because a deep freeze makes the grass dormant.

In summer, grasses are high in sugar. They tend to increase weight on “easy keeper” horses. Too much weight on an equine may initiate health issues. But after a wintery deep freeze, grass becomes dormant (non-sugary) and they may graze freely without gaining weight.

With my iPhone I took photos. The three were uncooperative, spread widely apart, and disinterested in encouragement to appear lively. The best capture shows Rosie in the foreground appearing heavier than she is.

Stunningly, AI can deliver an image that satisfies my imagination more than a photo. To me, AI often reveals more possibilities than a casual capture. In the future, competing with AI will force me to boost my photo game.

Dear Friends: Imagination aside, horses grazing freely are a natural, very pleasing sight. Diana

Wednesday, November 02, 2022

I’m running super late this morning, so my hello will be brief.

It’s snowing again as I write. This winter has begun abruptly, and my chickens might need a little more sheltering.

If the horses and I safely can walk a quarter-mile down the street, the horses may spend today in Bobby’s pasture. If we can’t get there today, then tomorrow. They’ll be delighted, will kick away snow and eat grass.

Off now, to care for chickens and horses!

Dear Friends: Throughout my years here, I’ve not seen so early a November snow. Diana

Tuesday, November 01, 2022

The NYT is asking for readers to write a brief essay describing what they’re grateful for having happened in 2022. Immediately, what I’m grateful for popped into my brain.

For me, it’s about the economy, stupid. No, not because of discomfort amid continuously rising interest rates and commodity prices. Not because of the seemingly out-of-control stock market’s gyrations. I’m grateful that many people are finding ways to avoid returning to full-time work, and that employers are struggling to find hires.

This year, hiring problems opened avenues for senior retirees, like me, to become viable employment candidates. In more economically settled times, interviewers typically viewed seniors as too old to hire. Not nowadays, because seniors know how to work. We show up and do it, and appreciate earning extra money in this difficult economy.

I’m grateful for having found employment in a busy supermarket.

It began early this year. I didn’t expect to be employed by a local feed store but did get hired to operate an electronic cash register. I knew nothing about cash registers, could only hope my brain would process and retain operating details. Happily, it did, and a reassurance of my memory capabilities was uplifting. Several months behind that register gave me the skills to search for higher-paying work in a grocery store.

Working has made me more understanding of economic ups and downs and their effect on the middle class. This knowledge guides me in navigating my personal world of finances. It also gives me insight into the realities and falsehoods of current politics.

The world is a rough place nowadays. Everything’s on the table, from the sustainably of environment and species to leadership issues and food supplies. Technologies leaping ahead might help to save much.

I’m grateful for finding a comfort zone by remaining active and in touch with others. Hopefully, those others and I represent what’s still a middle class.

Dear Friends: That’s what I’d choose to write about. Diana