To AI or Not To AI

Have I used AI in my writing? In the past I tried GrammarlyR and the WordPress editor program. My computer gives me spell-check hints with a squiggly line under mis-spelled words. I don’t think these editing aides are AI. I think the closet to AI type assistance was GrammarlyR. But, although grammatically correct, I decided I did not like it. I want to write in my own style and way with words. It may not be for everybody but I want my writing to be in my own voice.

I have started to run into AI on my Google searches and with the customer service departments of various companies. It does feel a bit strange and new. The AI has a more natural expression than the old customer service robots. The Google AI search responses summarize a lot of info and has a section where I can engage with the program with more focused queries which is interesting and kind of spooky too. It feels like I am interacting with an entity.

The AI entity offered to provide strategies that I could use with the word puzzle games I like to do online. I told the entity that I would think about it. But I know I am inclined to resist using the suggestions because like with my writing I want to use my own brain.


This post is for Writer’s Workshop hosted by John Holton. A prompt for this week ‘Do you use Artificial Intelligence for anything? Have you ever used it to write a blog post? What is your opinion of it?’

Featured image by mohammed_hassan via Pixabay.com

Badge by Patty, http://anothercookieplease.com

Coincidence or Synchronicity

 ” Sychronicity -the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (such as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality…” (Merriam Webster.com)

I’ve had the experience more times than I can count. I am thinking about my daughter and she calls. I am thinking about her and feel something may be wrong. I call her and find out she is having some problem. Or I will say something and my husband will say he was thinking the exact say thing. Many of you may have had these experiences too. I don’t think of them as coincidences do you?


This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday’s prompt ‘Coincidence.’ Featured image ‘Solitude and the Sea’ by the artist Jacques Bodin

Around The Bend

I do love word games like ‘Spelling Bee’ or Wordle. I like the challenge of trying to find words with a certain amount of letters. I like it when I can think of lots of words with the same endings or similar sounds, when the suffixes are the same like -ion.

I do like my own language, American English. English is made up of words from many different countries though. And I do like learning about word origins.

It’s harder for me to learn new words these days. I attribute this in part to sleep deprivation. But maybe the new words are not as comforting to me as the ones I already have tucked away in my brain.


These ramblings are for ‘Writer’s Workshop.’ Featured image via macey11@pixabay.com

via Pixabay.com

Ho, Ho, Happy Holidays

We’re in an atmospheric river here in Southern California. ☔ So I am skipping last minute in person shopping. Just going to make do with what I have here already for meals and gifts. Have to drive to the airport this afternoon, though. Hope I don’t encounter any flooded roads.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays! 🎄🎁🎉


Featured image via Pixabay.com

Turkey Time

This is the first year in a long time since I am not making Thanksgiving dinner at my house. My brother-in-law will be doing it. I am bringing some side dishes. I think this is a good idea, to take a break. The most important thing is to spend time with my kids and grandson.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. 🦃


Featured image by Jill Wellington on Pixabay.com

Play On Words

I feel a little zany when it’s rainy

Silly dilly

willy nilly

loosey goosey

Gobbledygook.

Freeing up my creative juices a bit on a rainy Saturday. An atmospheric river is running by Southern California and we are getting a light sprinkling here in the desert so far this morning.

Light rain this morning

Zany bird image by Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay.com

A New Note

Image by Ninita_7 via Pixabay.com

It feels hard to start writing. Has it really been a year since I have written on my blog? I got notices that fees were due to keep the blog open and I would think of closing it down. But I was not ready end it. I thought I might write again.

I love this image of the mailboxes, the different shapes and colors. If I had a mailbox like this I would love getting letters even more than I do now.

Hello Again

Exercising my writing muscles. Definitely feeling rusty and lethargic. Sleep deprivation could be a contributing factor. More on that later.

How are you all doing on your journey through life? Are you driving, or taking an Uber? Are you being swept along in strong currents? Do you have a sturdy craft or at least a good life jacket? I feel like I barely have floaties lately. Maybe only one floatie.

‘Let’s go swimming’ by peasap via Wikimedia.orgI

Blossoming

Our citrus trees are blooming. The fragrance is tropical, similar to gardenias. The grapefruit tree still had a lot of unpicked fruit. I harvested 20 more grapefruit off it. I have a picker tool but these last fruit are mostly up higher and tucked into the branches. My picker tool got stuck a few times and it was hard to pull the fruit out. My efforts shook the tree and some blossoms fell off. I do not want the tree to lose blossoms, but there are still a lot left on the tree. The tangelo tree is really blooming, and I think we will get a big crop this year. Even the other orange tree that hasn’t bloomed for a couple years has some blossoms and a small bird’s nest. Speaking of bird’s nests, the Say’s phoebes continue their construction over our patio door. I hope they are successful this year.

The roadrunners haven’t been around. It could be that there is a lot of man-made construction going on near our community. A large earth moving project to build flood channels. There will be another housing project going in east of us. I hope the roadunners aren’t driven off permanently.

Blossoms tucked under leaves along with some fruit
A couple of large grapefruit found under some leaves
Tangelo has a lot of blossoms this year
Powder puff bush blooming


Weekend Coffee Share is hosted by Natalie the Explorer.