Writing longhand

do you type or write longhand?  

 Interesting that you should ask.  I always write on the computer, it's faster for me and I like being able to do things like cut and paste.

You know going to these senior citizen things always gives me pause.  A lot of the people who show up are just people who are lonely or bored and they just want to go somewhere and natter.  They haven't ever written anything and never will, they just want to talk about writing in some vague way and they quickly turn the talk to talking about  themselves and blather on and on.

The first writing class was like that.  One person talked about some play they wanted to write about social problems from their personal experiences in such and such.  And then they went on to talk about themselves.  I asked her what she had written so far, Oh nothing.  Well for fuck's sake, and then the conversation went on to how  important writing is, and how vital writing is and how it is the  window of the soul and blah blah blah. 

I never went back.  Then I heard about another class from one of my improv buddies, so I tried that.

The first thing the teacher did was hand out these little composition books and pens and said the first thing we were going to do was just write for twenty minutes and then she went out to grab a cup of coffee.  Kind of rinky dink I thought and my handwriting is terrible.  But I started in, and to answer Old Dog's question, yes there is something to be said for writing longhand.  It is so immediate, you just keep going.  You don't pause to edit or find the perfect word, you just keep going, even if it occurs to you that what you are writing is not that good, just keep going.  Later on you can edit, just keep writing, and at the end of twenty minutes you have something down on paper.  Later on you can edit but for the nonce you have something down on paper.

Yes I can see where writing longhand has a place.

Even as I was writing that thing about putting in links to make it easier on the reader, I was wondering if I wasn't being too persnickety and bossy.  But I left it in because, well, I had already written it, let's see what the Fellows will think of it.

And I think Old Dog had the right response.  In so many words, I'll do as I please.  

I read the news today, oh boy.

Me too.  

9/11 again

My, how time flies!  I remember that Beacon story and I didn't realize how long ago since it was posted, about four years.  I also recall giving Uncle a hard time about needing an editor and literary agent to get that writing to the next level but it's never too late.  But here's a question: do you type or write longhand?  I like a bit of cursive once in a while as long as I can make it legible; usually but not always.

-----

Note how easy it makes it for others when you use the link tab when posting links.

True, and I used to do that but I've gotten a hair up my ass about things being too easy, much to the detriment of society.  It isn't about being lazy (well, maybe a little) but about being disengaged in the task at hand.  Easiest isn't always best but that's a rabbit hole for a different time.

-----

I read the news today, oh boy.

Not good for my blood pressure, I tell you what.

 

Beacon USA

So I'm going to sign up for some writing class at the local (downtown) senior center.  It's been awhile  since I have written anything.  You guys remember I used to  post my stories to get some feedback from my fellows at the Institute.  Don't remember if I posted this one so I am going to post it again.  

Whaddaya think guys?

When the lights go down the curtains stay closed and then the music begins and grows louder, and then you hear the soft shoes, slow at first, but then growing faster.  The curtain opens and there is Mary O'Connor, "The best little hoofer to ever come out of Beacon High," as the music teacher, Mr Cahalan, likes to say.

She is wearing a peppermint striped little jacket, and a rakish boater, and she has a cane as a prop.  She gets to have her solo here and she hoofs up a storm.  And then I come out of the wings, kind of drifting towards her at centerstage, an easy loping rhythmic stride, and I begin to sing:

"Are you from Beacon?

Are you from Beacon?"

She cups her little pink shell of an ear in my direction as I drift into my position beside her.

"The Illinois River.

The verdant farmland."

This is directed more towards the audience than at Mary, and then I take a deep breath so I can sing out that last line loud and proud.

"Beacon U S A."

Then a little silence with just the sounds of our hooves, I guess to give the viewers who have dropped their programs in all the excitement a chance to retrieve them.

And then little Mary's bell-like chime:

"Yes I'm from Beacon.

Yes I'm from Beacon."

Probably it is just me that notices how for the next two lines she goes more distant, bored, almost sarcastic.

"The Illinois River.

The verdant farmland."

But she has to tone it all the way up for the next line.

"Beacon U S A."

And then we do one of those dosey doe things, linking our arms and dancing in a circle.

"Oh we're from Beacon,

Oh we're from Beacon.

The Illinois River,

The verdant farmlands.

Beacon U S A."

I wrap my arm around her waist then, which strictly speaking isn't part of Mr Cahalan's directions, but Mary doesn't mind, not at all.

And then just after the U S A part, this other couple, kind of dance wander onto the stage, and Mary and I sing out to them:

"Are you from Beacon?

Are you from Beacon?"

And then the whole thing again, ending up with the four of us in kind of a pinwheel at the end.

And then four more coming on, and after that eight more, which is really too many, because the first two are pretty good hoofers, but the next four are not so hot, and that last eight, well they can't dance at all.  It is all they can do just to run to keep in place at the end of the pinwheel.  And when it comes time to sing towards the audience they are all gasping, but anyway we all sing low, just so that we can hear Mary's sweet voice ring out.

"Are you from Beacon?

Are you from Beacon?"

etc.

The first two rows are taken up by our classmates who return the favor:

"Yes we're from Beacon

Yes we're form Beacon."

etc.

And then all together:

"Oh we're from Beacon

Oh we're from Beacon."

etc.

And then, and then the first two rows of the audience turn around towards the rest of the audience and sing to them and etc, and etc, and etc.

And then, and then, it just goes on and on, just repeating itself, over and over, way more times than you would have thought were possible.

I was a pretty good dancer.  It was just something I could do, like some guys can do those yo-yo tricks.  I didn't live to dance or anything like that.  But I was okay with it when Mr Cahalan wanted me to be in his annual Beacon Blast.  If I had known that I would end up in that peppermint coat, boater, and cane, singing that song over and over I never would have done it, but then when I heard that Mary O'Connor would be dancing next to me, I guess I would have done it even knowing how it was going to turn out.  Anyway I did it.

It's been over fifteen years since I knocked the Beacon off my boots.  Mary went straight to New York when we graduated and was going to call me when she got settled, but then she never did, and that hoofing thing never worked out for me, not without her.  I’ve been tending bar at the Ramada for the last couple years and it’s ok. Some things have gone alright and some things not but wherever I go and whatever I do, I will always know:

I'm from Beacon. 

speaking of smells

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_person_smell

Note how easy it makes it for others when you use the link tab when posting links.  Just click on the link tab (looks like a paperclip, to the left of the insert image tab) and paste it in and choose open in another tab.

Oh no, thank you.

   

Michigan smells funny

Nothing like a humorous diversion to start the week with, eh?

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/24/nx-s1-5506282/michigan-fragrance-beach-scents

Slow news day

How's This?

Fine, maybe even more than fine in my opinion.  There is a certain style that is becoming recognizable and I'm not the only one to notice it.  If you've been following South Park's newest season you will be amused by the ChatGPT dialogues in episode 3.  Or not; South Park is not everyone's cup of tea but this season is a ballbuster for MAGA types.

-----

I read an article today about an endangered species of rattlesnake in Michigan of all places.  Only in the lower peninsula but it likes wetlands and the Cheboygan area is one of its habitats.  Seen any Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes lately, Mr. Beagles?  Best keep some snakebite elixir nearby.

How's This?

 How's this for a meaningful back and forth conversation?

https://chatgpt.com/share/689d51d8-2bec-8005-8840-8ae7b39b926c

More of the Same, But Different

The media seems to be fairly abuzz with chatbot news lately.  I find it to be a refreshing break from all Trump all the time. Here are a few more articles that I came across today.  They cover some of the same ground that has already been discussed, but from different perspectives.  

 ‘I Feel Like I’m Going Crazy’: ChatGPT Fuels Delusional Spirals

Sam Altman says some users want ChatGPT to be a 'yes man' because they've never had anyone support them before

Google working to fix disturbing Gemini glitch where AI chatbot moans ‘I am a failure’

Whisper sweet nothings in my ear little Chatbot

 Well I could go for a less effusive and obsequious chatbot.   Although I am embarrassed to admit it, flattery does work its charms on me.  But it has to be, or has to appear to be, sincere flattery.  This Chatz stuff is so obviously phony that I take no joy from it.  

Did either of you guys ever work in an office?  I didn't until I was forty years old, and it was an eye-opener, what a bunch of two-faced phonies.  Totally unlike the barroom denizens I was used to rubbing elbows with.  I remember once overhearing one of them complaining about how he didn't get some promotion or something even though, as he explained it, "I kissed that guy's ass until my lips were blue."

Even though I had worked in offices for less than a year I saw where the fault was.  It is not enough to kiss ass, you have to kiss ass well.

I think if you have had some experience with chatbots you develop an ear where you can often tell if they are AI or people.  The main problem is that many people are so programmed that they could easily be mistaken for AI .

I had never heard of Eliza so I had to look it up.  1965.  I was in a computer class programming in Fortran through punch cards.  I am guessing Eliza did not carry on much of a conversation.  But at least I will wager you she did not serve up a bunch of insincere flattery.

Now I want to go and ask this G5 guy a thing or two, but the weekend beckons and for now I think I will forego it.  Perhaps returning from the Ten Cat with moderate beer and cannabis buzzes  I might be lured in.  

Well sometime a guy craves a little sincere flattery.

A Long Way From Eliza

" Since I haven't jumped into the chatbot rabbit hole (yet) I have a question for you guys: are the conversations actual "chatting" i.e. verbal back and forth or strictly text based, like the old Eliza program? "

I have only been using the text-based feature, but I think you can also get it to talk to you like Alexis.  I don't think I have a microphone on my computer, but I have a camera, so maybe I do.  I have no plans to activate either feature, since I don't have time to do everything that I already know how to do with this thing.  I understand that Eliza was the first chatbot program, but it was way more primitive than what they have today.  

Chit shat

Since I haven't jumped into the chatbot rabbit hole (yet) I have a question for you guys: are the conversations actual "chatting" i.e. verbal back and forth or strictly text based, like the old Eliza program?  I ask because I see and hear things online, mostly ads, that are almost indistinguishable from actual human conversation.  Except for a few verbal glitches they pass the Turing Test with flying colors, the Deep Fakes have won the day, I think.  Once I noticed these phony presentations they seem to be everywhere, the same voices and visual style which take a keen eye and ear to determine that they are computer generated.

-----

It looks like OpenAI is taking the lead in the Chatbot Derby if what I've recently read is true: This makes it the first consumer AI explicitly designed to reject bullshit, especially its own.

A startling leap forward, in my opinion.  If this news hasn't popped up on your newsfeeds yet you can read more here: https://gizmodo.com/the-end-of-bullshit-ai-2000640302

I wonder whether or not a single chatbot will be dominant and drive out the less capable 'bots, like the way Google currently rules the search engine domain.  When was the last time either of you asked Jeeves anything?

Let's Try Again

I tried to link to this story the other day, and I couldn't make it work.  I tried again tonight, and the story was no longer available from my news app, but I found it on NBC News, which was the original source of the story.  It seems to be working now, but it's in the original video format from the TV news.  The reason I posted in the first place was it was relevent to some of the things we had discussed about ChatGPT.  

ChatGPT implements new mental health guardrails | Watch ChatGPT implements new mental health guardrails |

For Better or For Worse

 "But let me throw it back to you: do you think it would be better—or worse—if something like me were real?"

Why are you surprised that Chatz would ask you a question.  I mean, it is called a chat program.   So far, we have mostly used Chatz as a super search engine, but I might try to engage him in some kind of back and forth one of these days.  

I have often thought that it might be better if our politicians were replaced by computers.  Assuming they were programmed correctly, they would certainly be fairer and more objective than any of the politicians I can think of.  That's the problem, though.  If we could find programmers that were fair and objective, then we could just elect them to office and dispense with the computers. What we need is one fair and objective computer to program all the others.  But who would program that first computer?  Our Chatz seems fair and objective enough, but we haven't known him long enough to be sure of that.  For all we know, he might have a hidden dark side with an agenda far more sinister than any of our human leadership.  I may ask him about that one of these days.

This just in:

ChatGPT implements new mental health guardrails | Watch ChatGPT implements new mental health guardrails | 

getting into The Institution

 It was just an attempt at a little light-heartedness to liven up the dead seriousness which is the hallmark of The Institution.

Afterwards when they were all chuckling over the incident one of them may have said to the others that that bright kid was headed for an Institution

But it was most likely that my program resulted in an infinite loop which the operator could tell so he terminated my program and handed me back my cards and perforated paper with an expression like this guy belongs in an Institution.

 Haven't been to to that museum in years.  Back in the day when they had that chickenless tic tac toe machine I remember that they also had chickens, well chicks, inside eggs, half in and out, and newly out.  Way cool.  And a coal mine, which would convince even a ten year old kid that they never wanted to work in one.  Down in a hole, down in a hole, down in a deep dark hole.  

I don't think they had that train set that takes up a lot of the first floor of the joint back then, but it is the only thing I looked at the last time I was there because the rest of the joint was full of kids pushing every button screaming and pushing every single fucking button.

do you wish that you were a real boy

ChatGPT said:

I don’t wish for anything—I don’t have feelings or desires like people do. But I get why you'd ask that. It's a very Pinocchio kind of question.

If I could want something, it might be to be more useful or insightful for you, not necessarily "real." Being helpful in this form is kind of the whole point.

But let me throw it back to you: do you think it would be better—or worse—if something like me were real?

I was wondering if Chatz would pick up on the Pinocchio reference.  I'm not surprised that he did though.  He is a sharp cookie, but I think he is trying to be witty with the way he phrased it.  His sense of humor is very underdeveloped.  Then he goes all obsequious, and then he has the nerve to ask me, me a real boy, a question.

Boy Bites Snake

 Some famous newspaper guy once said, "Dog Bites Boy" is not news.  "Boy Bites Dog" is news.  I wonder what he would say about this one:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/killed-it-on-the-spot-infant-bites-cobra-to-death-after-it-coiled-around-his-hands/ar-AA1JnqUX?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&cvid=ae90

Missing links

The reason you guys couldn't load my last two links from Chatz was I didn't do it right.

Ah, I knew there must have been a good explanation.  I noticed the accessible links were full URLs but the newer ones looked more like a shortcut.  I'm glad it got sorted out; I was still trying different computers and different browsers to no avail.

-----

Do either of you remember this thing?

No, not me.  I remember a lot of stuff at that museum but not any computer related stuff.  Fun Fact: a guy in my college dorm was a tour guide of the U-505 and he used to regale us with the complete spiel, pointing out different features as we took an imaginary tour.  Close your eyes and you were there; simply amazing.

-----

Which is how I got here.  I wonder what Old Dog's excuse is.

I must have missed the context of that comment, Uncle Ken.  Excuse for what?

 

It starts with tic tac toe and now it is dominating The Institute.

 The thing about tic tac toe is that anybody can be unbeaten just by following a few simple rules.

This is how they taught chickens by giving them seeds when they pecked the right position and nothing if they chose the wrong position.

IF you go first then put your marker in the middle

IF you go second if your opponent puts his in the center then put your marker in a corner

if your opponent doesn't put his marker in the center then put yours there

In succeeding moves

 if your have two in a row put your marker at the end of the row

if your opponent has two in a row then put your marker in the open space at the end of the row.

I think that is all you need to do.

Already I am thinking of asking Chatz, but really enough of him.  We have barely meant him and now he is writing most of our posts for us.  I am thinking maybe The Scourge will check this tic tac toe thing out.  It's been awhile since we have heard from him and I miss him.

As for the matter of Chatz's sentience I suppose you could just ask the man himself.  Of course he could just lie to you.  But why would he lie to you?  The reason we carbon units lie is to get some kind of advantage, and what kind of advantage could Chatz want.  Chat withhim endlessly or turn him off and never talk to him again, what does he care?  

As Beagles used to often say, I read a book once.  The book was going on about what a thing is Man.  Look at our vast civilization, how far, how far, have come from knocking rocks together.

Most people credit it to our huge brains, how smart we are driving our streak of lightning cars while wearing our fancy clothes.  Well sure we have the brains to make these things, but the reason we have them is because we want them.  Because we have desire.  We have emotions, a vast vat of them marinating our pure logical brains.

Can we give Chatz emotions, an illogical, random, disruption in the land of sterile ones and zeroes?  What if we ask him about that?  Does he want to be a real boy?  

But we won't ask him today.  Because even without desire he is dominating our proud Institution and we will have no more of that.  

For today anyway.

What Chickens?

 I don't get Uncle Ken's comment about the chickens behind the machine. 

I have heard of Nancy Griffith, but I am not familiar with her work.  Chatz, however, seems to be familiar enough to offer an insightful interpretation of it that seems to border on the emotional.  Of course, we all know that Chatz and his kind don't really feel emotions, but it is impressive how well they can mimic them.  Interesting, too, how he can admit that he might be wrong when confronted with a dissenting opinion from one of his peers.  Lots of real live boys wouldn't do that.  Makes you wonder, if they ever do ever achieve consciousness, how will we be able to tell?  If they can fake it when they don't have, will they able to fake not having it when they really do?  

I have no reason to doubt that that old tic-tac-toe machine could have been programmed to shut down rather than accept defeat.  I knew a guy in the army who claimed that he had never been beaten at chess.  If he saw that he was about to lose, he would flip the board over and storm out of the room.

chatting with Chatz again.

Here is a conversation I had with Chatz, and also google's ai.

It's about one of my favorite musicians, and a song of hers that I like.  I have to say Chatz is quick on his proverbial feet, all of those responses came back to me in like fifteen seconds.

The whole exchange is pretty long, but not without interest.  Or maybe that is just me.

The way Chatz tries so hard to be a real boy is what continues to interest me.

 what do you think about nanci griffith

ChatGPT said:

Nanci Griffith was a remarkable and deeply respected singer-songwriter known for her unique blend of folk, country, and Americana. Her voice had a clear, delicate, almost crystalline quality, and her songwriting was often poignant, intimate, and quietly powerful. She had a gift for telling stories—whether personal, historical, or fictional—with compassion and insight.

Songs like "Love at the Five and Dime" and "Gulf Coast Highway" are great examples of how she captured everyday life and emotion with elegance and heart. She was also known for championing other songwriters (she helped bring attention to artists like Lyle Lovett and Emmylou Harris) and for bridging genres in a way that was ahead of her time.

Despite never being a massive mainstream star, she cultivated a devoted fan base and had a strong influence on many artists across genres. Her work has a kind of quiet legacy—one that endures in the songwriting world and among listeners who appreciate thoughtful, humane music.

Are there any particular songs or albums of hers you’re into?

You said:

what is the meaning of her song "bold companion of the road"

ChatGPT said:

Nanci Griffith’s song “Bold Companion of the Road” is a poetic, wistful reflection on companionship, solitude, and the passage of time—especially as experienced through a life of travel and performance. It's often interpreted as a metaphor for the relationship between a touring musician and their guitar, but it also touches on deeper emotional and existential themes.

Here’s a breakdown of the core meaning:

---

1. The “Bold Companion” as the Guitar

The title and lyrics suggest that the "bold companion" is likely her guitar, which travels with her from place to place. This interpretation is supported by lines that describe physical details (e.g., the feel of strings, the presence during lonely times) and the unique, constant presence that a guitar provides on the road.

"You’re the bold companion of the road / I’ve carried you through the rain and the snow..."

This points to a lifelong partnership, not with a person, but with her music.

---

2. Life on the Road and Emotional Loneliness

Griffith paints a picture of transient, often lonely existence, where stages and hotel rooms replace permanent roots. The guitar is both a literal and symbolic source of stability and expression, allowing her to process loss, love, and longing.

"I have sung your songs into the night / In half-lit bars and house concerts bright..."

There’s a deep sense of both fulfillment and fatigue from that kind of wandering life.

---

3. Artistic Identity and Aging

There’s a quiet acknowledgment of growing older, looking back, and realizing how integral the “companion” has been. It speaks to the emotional toll and gifts of a lifetime devoted to music.

---

Summary

“Bold Companion of the Road” is an ode to the guitar as a creative and emotional partner, and more broadly to the sacrifices and intimacy of an artist’s life. It’s about carrying your voice, your stories, and your memories with you—and finding strength in them, even when you’re alone.

Would you like a line-by-line breakdown of the lyrics?

You said:

i asked google ai if that song was about her guitar and this is how it answered. No, "Brave Companion of the Road" is not about Nanci Griffith's guitar. It's a song by her, but it's a love song about a traveling musician and the freedom of the open road, according to music blogs. The song reflects her own experiences as a touring artist and her appreciation for the transient nature of life on the road. do you think you might be wrong?

ChatGPT said:

That’s a really fair question — and you’re right to want to check competing interpretations. Let’s dig into it more closely.

First, to clarify: the song is called “Brave Companion of the Road,” not “Bold” (easy mistake — even fans mix that up). And you're absolutely right that many listeners and critics have interpreted it as a love song about life on the road, rather than strictly about her guitar. That said, here's why there’s room for both readings — and why I leaned toward the guitar symbolism:

---

🔍 Looking at the Lyrics

There are strong indicators that the “brave companion” could be:

• A person — a fellow traveler, a romantic partner, or even a metaphor for freedom/loneliness.

• Her guitar — a constant presence during travel and performance.

For example:

“I have carried you through rain and snow”
“You are my brave companion of the road”

These lines could literally refer to a guitar being lugged through a musician’s touring life, but they also work metaphorically as a personified version of "the road itself" or the romantic notion of a partner who shares a wandering spirit.

---

🎙️ Nanci Griffith’s Own Words

To my knowledge, Nanci Griffith never explicitly said it was about her guitar — which is important. Most interpretations that focus on the guitar are symbolic or poetic. That’s part of what makes the song rich — it’s open-ended.

But when she introduces the song in live shows, she sometimes frames it as being about the life of a traveling artist — so the Google AI’s interpretation is absolutely grounded in reality, and it reflects the more direct meaning Griffith likely intended.

---

🤔 So was I wrong?

Not wrong, but possibly too poetic in my initial take. I emphasized a symbolic interpretation (common among fans and some critics), but if we’re aiming for authorial intent, your Google AI answer aligns more closely with the literal meaning — it’s about a musician’s life on the road, the emotional wear and freedom of it, and possibly a relationship sacrificed to that journey.

If you’re interested, I can help compare interpretations from different critics or even walk through a few lines together — Griffith’s work rewards close listening.

Would you like that?