Category Archives: Writing

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

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

Transformations

via UPSLASH Timothy Dykes

Well, this is a fine kettle of fish or should I say bucket of tadpoles. I thought if I kissed the frog he would turn into a prince. Instead, what happened is I turned into a frog as well. What do I do now? My Frog Prince friend is no help at all. All he says is ‘ribbit.’ What will become of me? Am I going to spend the rest of my life dining on flies? Ugh! What can be done to reverse the spell? Wait a minute. If I kissed a frog and turned into a frog, if I kiss a human…

I have to admit that I was pretty grossed out when you kissed me. But now when I see what a lovely woman you are I have to say, ‘Will you marry me and be mine forever? Don’t make me wait. What is your answer?’

Ribbit!


Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner is hosted by Roger Shipp.

Spin A Yarn

Don’t want to sound full of myself, but I think I can turn a phrase pretty well. It’s just my ability to write fiction has dried up lately. My inspiration is uninspired. There is definitely a block, like a stone rolled in front of a tomb. I may need some strong tools to roll it away. Or maybe my muse caught the last train to parts unknown.

Sometimes I think I am finished with writing and blogging. But I have come to the realization that writing is my way to express myself. I do feel satisfied when I can write about things that are important to me. It might be a reaction to an article in the newspaper or the things that bring me joy. Maybe I just need to work a little harder at writing fiction to get those creative juices flowing again.


Stream of Consciousness Saturday, #SOCS, is hosted by Linda G Hill. The prompt for today is ‘yarn.’ Featured image ‘Spinning Class Samples’ by Doreen on Flickr.com

A Way With Words

The prompt for today is to open a book to a random page, put your finger on it, and use that sentence to inspire your writing. I read this book a few years ago, ‘Ordinary Grace’ by William Kent Krueger and loved his writing. There are many wonderful sentences in this book. One I picked at random: ‘When my mother sang I almost believed in heaven.’

I have felt like that listening to a great opera singer like Pavarotti or Renee Fleming. or a classic rock song. When I hear them sing I am in heaven.


Stream of Consciousness Saturday, # SOCS,  is hosted by Linda G Hill. Today’s prompt: “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “open book, point, write.” Pick up the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. Close your eyes, open the book, and place your finger on the page. Whatever word or phrase your finger lands on, write about it.”

Writing Nuttily

Accommodatingly for my post there are absolutely a lot of adverbs that end with -ly, thousands according to an account I recently read. (But just because a word may end with a -ly does not mean it is always an adverb.) I looked at a list by morewords.com and found a few fabulously farfetched examples like adumbratively and acropetally. It could be ascertained that I have an affinity for ‘a’ words but I decided to start and stay at the beginning of a bewilderingly long list. You may wonder where I am going with this stream which is attempting adumbratively to tell you I don’t have the vaguest clue.  And I may not have used adumbratively appropriately either, but it is fun using alliteration abundantly.


Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G Hill.  The prompt for today is ‘words that end in -ly.’

Featured image from ‘Botany of a living plant’ (1919) pg 240 ( example of acropetally, you have to look it up) via Internet Archive on Flickr.com

Binge Watching

The trouble for me with all the streaming TV services is that they allow me to watch several episodes of a series in one sitting. I am drawn to mysteries and will end up watching the whole series of something at once, kind of like staying up into the wee hours reading a page turner. I want to know how it ends. The episodes are written with cliff hanger endings to keep you engaged. But if I binge watch all the episodes I run out of mysteries to watch too quickly.


Stream of Consciousness Saturday,#SOCS, is hosted by Linda G Hill. Today’s prompt is ‘television.’ Featured image of ‘Netflix at home’ by MoneyBlogNewz on Flickr.

Art

It can be an art to find the branches and leaves on your family tree. Sometimes the records are right there, spelled out for you in black and white. The art comes in when you have to follow the subtle clues that you may find, like an occupation that is passed down and through the family.  Some occupations in my acestry were farmers, carpenters, and iron workers. An unusual name can make it easier. Other times you can’t see the trees for the forest.

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Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G Hill. Today’s prompt is ‘art.’

Featured image is ‘Olivenbäume’ by Vincent Van Gogh via wikimedia.org