Yielding

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

Weeks ago, ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence, appeared on my iPhone. It would let me converse with AI using its male or female voice. I played with that and enjoyed the interactions. I appreciated the site’s potential but soon drifted away.

The other day, at my outside job, a young co-worker described using ChatGPT for “almost everything” and willingly paying $20/month for its stepped-up version. She described sending a photo to that AI and asking for an enhancement or a detailed explanation of what the photo suggests or represents, or sending drafted paragraphs and requesting improved rewrites, or sending complex questions and asking for detailed answers.

I know many uses of AI and have occasionally used it for writing help. AI has aided me in writing an idea or a paragraph more pointedly for improved clarity. I’ve never submitted a photo or video while asking for a description or detailed information, but my coworker does often.

She did some interesting demonstrating for me, and I decided to test the paid version with a real-time example.

I was working in the Jewelry Department. I had been showing a recent customer a set of Tahitian pearl earrings. She understood the pearl type’s beauty and value and loved how she looked wearing the earrings. She struggled over purchasing them and finally didn’t.

My coworker photographed those Tahitian earrings and sent the image to her ChatGPT version, requesting the pearls’ history and attributes. AI identified the price value of those earrings and sent paragraphs explaining the pearl type.

I recognized that by employing some of AI’s responses, I might have spoken confidentially and more thoroughly about the earrings. While my customer debated over buying, I could have encouraged the potential sale by demonstrating more knowledge about the pearl type, its history, and why its value stays high.

As my colleague and I played more with her version of ChatGPT, I saw the potential added value of using the paid version and will upgrade to it.

Dear Friends: AI is increasingly available, accessible, and impactfully useful. Diana

Bejeweled

Monday, June 17, 2024

After my first day in Jewelry, Wow! There were, and still are, many elements to learn about working in a fine jewelry department. A primary responsibility is keeping an ongoing accurate count of items for sale and unarguable accounting for everything on record. One carries keys and opens display cases holding jewelry, one at a time, and relocks a case immediately after showing an object. Then, there are safes with absolute procedures for what goes in and out and when.

That’s not all. There are iPads and internet searches, training materials, record-keeping, lists of customers for each salesperson, and, at the end of each day, protecting jewelry by hefting a series of awkward Kevlar coverings onto display cases.

With much more ahead to learn and remember, oy vey.

In retrospect, while not as romantic as becoming surrounded by jewelry, my former role of rehanging dresses and putting away bras was way less stressful.

During a pause, Marie (my trainer in Jewelry) spoke of her history as a jewel creator, adding that she used to operate her own shop in town. Listening as she explained her background and stone sourcing, it struck me suddenly that Marie and I had met many years ago.

I was a newcomer to town; I spotted a sign for her shop and stopped in. My curiosity turned into interest as she described her stones, their sources, and those she chose to design and craft into jewelry. Captured by her story and sensing its reality, I purchased a ring of her design and creation.

The ring highlights an emerald (my birthstone). Marie explained finding that stone in Brazil and considering it special. She had lived in Brazil as a fully Certified Gemologist and there had discovered unique gemstones. She could visualize a raw stone as being cut, could do the cutting herself, and craft cut pieces into fine jewels. She sold her creations worldwide.

I’ve not been much of “a jewelry person” and rarely have worn the lovely emerald. Today I’ll take “Marie’s ring” to work for her to see and recall.

Dear Friends: It’s said, “What goes around comes around,” and often that’s so. Diana

Purses With Purposes

Sunday, April 07,, 2024

Weeks ago, while working in the Men’s Department, my customer was a college-age man who was about to travel to Europe. He bought a suit and accouterments, sportswear, and luggage for that trip and then asked if the store carried men’s shoulder bags. Learning it doesn’t, he said he’d shop for one elsewhere.

I used to live in Southern California, where many men carried good leather shoulder bags and looked very cool. Now, in Central Oregon’s predominantly country-like Western culture, men carry leather shoulder bags, but only types made for holding tools. Essentially, around here, there’s no romance, at least not yet, regarding men and shoulder bags.

In the history of fashion, men have led the way and women have adopted their clothing accouterments. As to shoulder bags, men have carried them for centuries. Of course, styles evolve, and today’s leather shoulder bags are a modern take on tradition. Many men consider the bags a masculine accessory.

Yesterday, I thought about that and remembered my young customer, while looking at a display of women’s bags. I need a shoulder bag, myself, one with a strap or two that won’t slip off my shoulder. My tendency to slump might cause strap slipping, and working out at a gym could help that; I consider it. Meanwhile, I want a strapped catch-all that moves with me and stays on my shoulder.

I usually resist carrying that traditional feminine accessory. I’m happiest having in my pocket what’s needed and just going. But it’s different since I’m working part-time and want to have certain items handy, like portable snacks, lightweight outerwear, my wallet, cellphone, reading material, and maybe (just maybe) gym clothes.

Dear Friends: Carrying a bag or not depends on one’s needs and preferences. Diana

Tying Up

Sunday, March 03,, 2024

Yesterday, my job in a large department store had me working in the Men’s Department. I met a couple examining suit jackets, and the man was trying on some. They were preparing to leave in April on a cruise ship that’s headed to exotic places. He’s not bought new clothes in quite a while, and although not particularly happy or comfortable, dutifully tried on shirts and jackets.

I’m very slightly aware of trends in men’s clothing, but did assisyt the couple by searching for sizes and colors they wanted. They proceeded slowly, we became acquainted, and I enjoyed helping them. At some point, they had selected jackets, shirts, and pants and asked me to select some neckties.

I know too little about neckties and approached several large tables. Each was covered in a seemingly endless bunch of neckties, an astonishing array of colors and patterns. Here’s the thing, I like neckties, but have clear preferences and opinions about them as fashion. I enjoy looking at ties and imagining clothing they’d go well with.

However, working in Men’s has taught me that someone might sound casual, as in, “Find me a tie,” but he actually has opinions and preferences. So staring at ties, I’m pushing aside my preferences as too confident for my customer’s comfort. Finally, I picked out a few ties with subtle patterns that color-wise blended with his clothing selections. In the end, that couple themselves selected his ties.

I needed some training on necktie selling and asked a savvy coworker to help me. We went to the tie tables. He chose several he liked and explained why, saying red is a power color, and certain blues go well on the blue shirts he loves, and to him a very subtle paisley is playful. I realized that he plans carefully for wearables at meetings and casual gatherings (typically, he doesn’t wear neckties).

I pointed to my favorite tie, covered in a “tiny flowers” design, and no surprise, he wasn’t interested in it. Earlier, I had sensed that my customer would avoid a flower pattern. My friend and I stared at the tie; it’s not particlarly feminine but has tiny flowers.

This is Women’s History Month. Back when social changes began evolving, socially awakened men wore neckties sporting complex designs and patterns. Back then, tiny flowers would have fitted into modern wardrobes.

At that moment, I decided to start on a learning journey–by buying that tie and wearing it to work. My friend gave me a lesson on necktie tying. Then, the tie’s price made me gasp; Who knew! Maybe expense is one reason men very carefully and specifically select ties.

I brought the flowered tie. Today, I will practice tying and arranging it on a boy-style shirt.

Dear Friends: Working offers learning and fun challenges, so make things happen. Diana