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?

Nobody behind the machine but us chickens

 Beagles frequently ends his posts with the expression that a certain amount of memory loss is to be expected after a certain age, and I think this may be the case with the machine chickening out just as young Beagles was about to win.  I do remember that machine in the museum but I also remember chickens who could not be beaten at the game.  

Possibly the attendants, noticing young Beagles's grin when he thought he was on the brink of victory, decided to have a bit of a jape and cut the machine off and told young Beagles that story.  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, and as we all know that is how it turned out.

I wonder why Chatz didn't mention that thing about chickens, but then he is a flagrant flatterer.  That’s a great story—charming, vivid, and also a meaningful snapshot of early public encounters with computing. Spread it on thick much? 

I do remember close to fifty years ago when I was getting my little certificate in data processing.  Back then we had to punch in the cards and give them to the guy running the machine and wait for it to spew out several pages on that cool green and white perforated paper, but every now and then it would just churn and churn and not print out any paper.  If it was on my cards I would feel like it was my fault and would want to apologize to the guy for my crumby program busting the computer.  

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.

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

Ancient History

Do either of you remember this thing?

 https://chatgpt.com/share/687ed0f3-76e0-8005-a1ae-690a79990298

Try it Now

 The reason you guys couldn't load my last two links from Chatz was I didn't do it right.  Apparently, if you want to make one of your chats available to the public, you can't just copy and paste the link from the address bar.  You need to click on the "share" button in the upper right-hand corner of the page, then click on the box that asks if you want the chat made available on the internet, then click on the "copy link" button.   Funny thing is, I did it right the first few times, then I seem to have forgotten how.  A certain amount of memory loss is normal at my age you know, or so I have been told.

The Latest From Chatz

I remember establishing an account with ChatGPT the first time, but I have not been asked to give a password or anything since.  I told them my name was "Talks With Beagles" and also provided my email address and date of birth.  If you want more meaningful responses from Chatz, you need to ask more precise questions like this.

https://chatgpt.com/share/687b01af-4664-8005-a2fc-561982574d97