Sunday, November 13, 2022

Oh dear, the internet is making available an AI program that’s capable of developing a writer’s ideas and finishing thoughts. In playing with the program, I think it won’t help my blogs, for my style is very personal. What’s cool though, is that this AI is helpful and makes me want to create fiction. Using it could prevent stumbles into writer’s block!

I’ll keep playing with it. I could dredge up some of my old creations to learn if using AI might punch them up. Years ago I wrote a fantasy, that I’m still fond of, but couldn’t create a satisfying ending. AI might enlighten and help, or might not, but I’m eager to discover.

I have fallen in love with DALL-E, an internet AI which creates satisfying illustrations from requested descriptions. I have company, too, as DALL-E images often head up contributor articles in major newspapers. DALL-E also might be illustrating books, an aspect I’ve not explored.

For me, there’s today’s reality. It’s bitterly cold at 20-deg. F. Once again, I will skip working. On Sundays, the grocery store is packed with customers and needs cashiers. I understand that I can leave after working five hours, but today my animals need me. In freezing weather, the equines and other outside critters need frequent feedings. Also, puppy Chase mustn’t mess with his stitches (I resist his E-collar as often he’s kenneled in a small environment}.

Our farrier, Russ, will arrive early today. He drives here from California every five or six weeks. Unlike any farrier I’ve ever known, Russ is informed and liberal-leaning and has a cool sense of humor. I enjoy catching up as Russ works on the horses.

Dear Friends: My blogs always will be my own brain children and without AI assistance. Diana

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Snowing! Today, Central Oregon’s high will be 31 degrees. It’s a day for staying home to care for my animals.

Yesterday, I gave written notice to the Human Resources Manager in the grocery that employs me. I explained my concerns with caring for animals in frigid weather that discourages long working hours away from home. She requested two weeks’ notice, said I could work only five hours daily, and I agreed. Today, however, the internet scheduling app doesn’t show me with reduced working hours. The heavy snow discourages my leaving home.

By quitting abruptly, I’ll probably not be re-employed by the grocery. Fortunately, however, this economy offers many working opportunities. Months behind a busy cash register has given me a highly marketable skill. That’s in my back pocket, but I’d seek new work that will offer learning.

Today at home, I can let dogs inside and outside as needed; ensure that my horses frequently receive hay; and care for the chickens, turkeys, and goats. Plus, I will make sure that puppy Chase doesn’t mess with his stitches.

Dear Friends: Inclement weather has occurred very early this season and disrupts my routine. Diana

Friday, November 11, 2022

It’s Veteran’s Day. In this early morning, the Markets are open, and nosediving after an exciting string of run-ups. The Nation’s general mood feels different than before the mid-terms. People seem more optimistic despite Market gyrations. The major newspapers are reporting good news, that some food prices are coming down.

But so are housing prices. Watching those will be interesting and perhaps jarring.

This morning, my main concerns are home-based. Yesterday, my puppy, Chase, was neutered. That evening, he removed and tore apart a seemingly capable donut collar designed to prevent the licking of stitches. Not a huge problem, for I also had an Elizabethan collar, and even managed to get on him. Chase resisted mightily and in minutes had slid his neck free.

This happened during late evening, what could I do?

This morning, I found him, awake and licking stitches. After we walked briefly in the freezing outdoors, I gave him a mild sedative. Early today, we’ll revisit the veterinarian for a re-check of his stitches, and hopefully, a more effective E-collar. (Those two collars he dumped were from Amazon, highly rated, with sales of some thirty-thousand-plus.)

Dear Friends: Lessons learned (again!): no more puppies, no more spays/neuters. Yes, no more! Diana

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