Month: May 2025

I am happy that I can now post one of my latest calligraphy pieces. I saw the sentiment on Janice Schuster’s Facebook Page and loved it. So, since Judy’s birthday was coming up, I made it for her. I liked. She liked it. We’re all happy.

I love how the Faber Castell Polychromos pencils work with these flower stencils I found in my stash. I can just fill in the stencil and then do the alcohol blending with the stencil still in place. I don’t have to worry about messing up the lines while blending. I liked the process so much that I bought a set of smaller motifs ( 2″ x 2″) to use on other projects. I am now enjoying doing the wrapping paper almost as much as the calligraphy.

This is Cordelia with her second knitting project. I call it Cordelia with Chicken. I’m so happy that she has found that she enjoys doing this.

I took the girls to a movie the other day, or I should say we tried to go to a movie. We’ll just call it a failed experiment. I bought tickets a while ago to see the the grand opening of the new Disney film Stitch and Lilo. It was near here at the Hillside Theater. Chris dropped them off at 11:30. I checked in at the box office. They said I had tickets for the 12:30 3D version. The girls didn’t want to do 3D, so he said, “Just go in Theater 9; that’s not 3D.”

When we entered the theater, it was empty. After three moves, we were informed by a very nice lady that the only available seats were in Row 1. We sat down in Row 1, and the meltdown began.

Cordelia: I don’t think I like this.

Marie: I definitely don’t like this.

Everything was just too big and loud and overwhelming.

I said, “Okay, let’s get out of here and check out Theater 13. Maybe we can just go in and not wear the 3D glasses. Nope. Cordelia would not even go in the door. So, I said that was fine, I’ll just text your dad, and he’ll come and get you.

As we’re walking down the hall back to the lobby, Marie is now in tears, “I’m so sorry. Please don’t say I was naughty, but I’m just not ready for this.” How do I not laugh?

I had a bit of a shocker the other day. While I was opening a bottle of kombucha, it exploded at about 20x Champagne strength. It went EVERYWHERE. I was happy to be wearing my glasses. Even with them on I could feel the sting of kombucha hitting my eyeballs.

Back to the drawing board. It was likely my fault. The usual recommendation is to allow it to ferment for four days on the second fermentation. This was longer than that. I thought the longer the better. Guess not. I then realized that one had also exploded in the closet where they were stored. Lesson learned.

So, how are things going with the book you ask? I think I already wrote about the mess they sent me on the second proof: lots of mistakes, missing text… I sent that one back with pages of amendments. I think that was April 20. About a week ago, I received an email from them asking if I was ready to pay my monthly payment (remember this is a hybrid; I’m paying one-third of the cost). I told them that I would be happy to pay when I heard something on the status of my project. The next day, they sent me the third proof. It still had days of text missing and no changes were made to the paragraph formatting.

I sent it back again with a second page of amendments two days ago. I’ve decided I’m not going to make another payment until they give this to a different editor. Something is so off with this process.

I joined a new clothes-buying website online. It’s called ThredUp. You can buy clothing in excellent condition from great brands, some with the tags still on. I’ve selected Patagonia. Toad & Co., Athleta, Lulu Lemon and Ann Taylor. I’ve received some very acceptable items at great prices.

They also take clothing you don’t want and either sell or donate it for you, , and then you get a cut. I’m not expecting anything big here, I’m just happy that they will try to keep the clothes out of a landfill for a while longer.

So, as I was packing this up, I thought I’d separate everything into bundles and label them. Because I offered Stephanie a chance to look things over first, I thought she’d get a kick out of the tags. She already thinks I’m a geek.

The deer are enjoying the new troughs Dan made for them. :).

I was hoping to see the new fawn come up. Dan saw it in the front yard a few days ago when he went out to cut buckthorn. He must have scared the doe away shortly after she gave birth. So, that was the end of his workday. It was gone shortly thereafter.

Dan brought more stuff home from Ginny’s yesterday. Thank goodness she is now completely moved. We now have eight cans of WD-40. I offloaded a bunch of paper products at the church picnic today. I think I may need therapy.

Back on the deck!

So…I finally sat down to do an update. It takes a while to get photos, videos and thoughts organized, and I can’t say I’m drawn to it, but I’m happy that I continue with the blog because it keeps my computer skills intact. Things are moving so quickly; I always want to keep up.

I’m in a book club at church right now, reading Yuvah Noah Harari’s Nexus, which is his list of warnings on AI. He says that there will be many good things about AI, but he wrote this book to highlight the areas where we need to pay attention and regulate. Regulation is the keyword, and the big booming issue is that the regulation cannot keep up with the innovation — innovation and bad actors. I have noticed recently an increased number of deep fakes on the internet. There is just something off about them. The lips are not perfectly synchronized, and the faces lack depth. Hard to explain. The ones I have seen also have white-on-blue captions. Won’t be long before we can’t tell at all.

In any event, I mostly love AI and I use it a lot. Here are a few examples:

1. I asked it to take a Word table of addresses I had been compiling for about 30 years and add the information to Contacts. Ding! All merged.
2. I was looking for a pizza recipe I tried once before I went to Panama. I couldn’t find the recipe, but I knew it was made with large red grapes and prosciutto, and I rembered that it was in a magazine. Ding! Less than 5 seconds later I have the recipe from the Costco Connection October issue.
3. I ask it which Faber-Castell Polychromos pencil numbers to use to make a particular gem: emerald, ruby, aquamarine. Ding! All there, as well as a step-by-step on how to apply the colors.
4. How do I save an *.img file from Photos on my iPhone to my Recipes folder in Word on my Mac? Ding!

That’s just a few examples. Like I said, I use it a lot, and my general opinion is that AI is a beautiful thing. We don’t need to be fearful. I plan to share the following commentary for the last meeting of our book club, the majority of whose members disagree with me when I say that in regard to AI (just as with the political climate right now), I just need to control my own nervous system:

Choosing Calm Over Fear in the Age of AI

As you know, I tend to see things a bit differently when it comes to artificial intelligence. While there’s a lot of understandable concern and even necessary caution around AI, I find myself feeling more hopeful and excited about its potential.

Just as I trust experts like Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Reich to provide historical and political context-and to help steady my nerves about political shifts-I also rely on them to let me know when it’s truly time to take action, and how best to do so. Both Richardson and Reich have dedicated their careers to monitoring threats to democracy and communicating clearly when civic engagement or resistance is needed. Their guidance, whether through newsletters, videos, or public commentary, reassures me that I don’t have to be on high alert at all times; I can stay informed and trust that they will sound the alarm and offer practical steps when it matters most.

In a similar way, I rely on the extraordinary measures being taken by experts in AI. I take comfort knowing that there are great minds on the job-leaders like Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, who has been deeply involved in shaping both innovation and regulation in this field. Alongside Schmidt, people like Fei-Fei Li, co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute; Stuart Russell, a leading authority on AI safety at UC Berkeley; and Kate Crawford, co-founder of the AI Now Institute, are all actively engaged in ensuring that AI develops in a safe, ethical, and beneficial direction. These individuals, together with regulatory agencies such as those behind the EU’s AI Act, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), are working to put robust safeguards and thoughtful policies in place. Their expertise and commitment reassure me that AI’s progress is being carefully guided by some of the world’s most thoughtful and responsible leaders.

Harari recommends staying grounded by staying informed, and I try to follow that advice. I find it easier than ever to do so: there are so many podcasts, YouTube channels, and newsletters dedicated to demystifying AI. By engaging with these resources, I feel empowered rather than anxious.

On a broader level, I see AI as part of what Teilhard de Chardin called the “noosphere” — the sphere of human thought and consciousness evolving together. This mirrors Ray Kurzweil’s concept of the Singularity, where we’re blending with our digital devices and moving toward a future in which biology and AI intertwine. To me, AI is not just a tool; it’s a continuation of our species’ beautiful journey toward greater knowledge and interconnectedness-a dance between minds and machines.

Of course, I recognize that fear is a natural response to the flood of new information and rapid change. But I can pause, breathe, and choose how I respond-what the Buddha called “right action.” I’m inspired by Viktor Frankl’s words: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”So as I navigate this new era, I choose curiosity, engagement, and calm over fear. 

We had a lovely Mothers’ Day lunch here last Suday (that’s why I didn’t write then). I didn’t get very many photos.

I’ve been spending some lovely calligraphy time on the deck. Now that I’ve completed the course, I can just spend my time creating gifts and playing around with the Faber-Castell pencils.

I love the inkwell. I’ve been trying to find something that works well with sumi ink. This ink dries out and gets cakey around plastic lids and then is extremely difficult to unscrew. This glass one was used by Dan’s family growing up. Mickey recognized it as the holder of their rubber bands. It’s perfect!

I’ve reached the point in the sweater making where I’m ready to try covering some buttons. The Glow-in-the-Dark yarn has arrived, and I spilled out Auntie Toula’s collection of buttons to select some to cover.

I finally remembered to put the kombucha into some kind of cup when I open a fresh bottle.

As I sit here nice and cozy, there is a crew outside finishing up the spring cleanup. I feel like a rich, old lady (with a very happy back). I should have taken before pictures because the after is so amazing. I’ll include a video next time. All I have to do is plant the window boxes. I’ll do that in a couple of weeks, just to make sure it’s warm enough. Right now, it’s only 57°, and the evenings are cool.

Dianne came to town last week to visit her kids and grandkids. She invited me out to lunch. I picked her up at her son, Jack’s house. Jack’s wife is graduating soon as a master gardener. Their cute little house stands out on the block with her amazing landscaping.

We went to Beerline on the east side.

Dianne is vegan, so this was her choice, and it was very good. After lunch we went for a walk. We are both so geographically challenged that I had to download a compass app so we could figure out which direction was east so that we could walk toward the lake. I know, very sad. But again, thanks to technology, we did it!!

Okay, that’s it for today. On to calligraphy. Who’s next in line? Hmm….

I have been home for a month already…whew!!!

I arrived home to a new car. Mickey had already kind of spilled the beans when she asked me during a FaceTime how I liked my new car. It’s a 2022 Hyundai Ionic 5 all-electric car. I am so amazed. The technology is as beautiful as the car. Mine is teal.

Wow! I LOVE technology. Just now, inserting the above image was so fast using AI. Let’s see how this next step goes. I want to write that my favorite feature of this car is called the headsup display.

Mmm…. not quite. It didn’t even spell Ionic correctly (and yes, I did enter it correctly). Let’s try again…

Close, but no cigar. I’ll give you one more chance.

Ha! Back to step one, I guess.

The second one would be the closest. You get the idea: posted speed, your speed, blind spot, GPS. It is amazing. I have never loved a car so much. There are lots of features I have yet to research.

Most of my time has been spent completing the Dreaming in Script Course. I completed penning my Certificate of Merit and sent it off to David in Portland:

I’ve also been making a few gifts. This one was for Stephanie’s birthday. I have an interesting experience each time I give a gift I have made. In the end, I love making it, but I always feel like I want to do it over because the next iteration is always just a bit better.

It’s the same feeling I had while writing my Certificate of Merit, but one which we, as students, are forced to move through, because there are no do-overs. We are given one sheet of paper only. We are reminded that it is simply a reflection of a point in time, knowing that we will be constantly improving and to let go of the “P.” This class has been a wonderful experience. It was a delight to my spirit.

I’ll post the certificate once it’s signed. Not sure what I’m going to do with it. I enjoyed receving this from Stephanie this morning.

So, also finishing up Cordelia and Marie’s sweaters. I just ordered glow-in-the-dark yarn and bookmarked a video on how to cover buttons with yarn. This should be fun.

When the girls were here recently, Marie remarked that I didn’t have very many toys at my house. I said, “Yes, I know. Sorry, but I don’t have any kids.”

“Yes you do!,” she responded, “Us — get some!” I think I’m going to take a look on Facebook Marketplace for a bike, scooter, or something like that. I’d like to find one of those ball-and-string contraptions that you hook on one ankle and spin it in circles, jumping over with the other foot.

Yes, this. Looks like it would fall apart in no time. I’ll have to check out the reviews. 🙂

A three-person crew came yesterday morning at 8:30 and worked until 5:30 to clean up our landscape. I am no happy. That would have taken us weeks to get done. And my back feels great! The daffodils are happy, and I think I may have seen a tulip coming up. I thought the bulbs were all eaten because I didn’t see tulips last year. I’ve heard that they just don’t want to come up sometimes. I get it.

Now I want to look into some border work. Dan and Kathy are having this done.

https://www.rocksolidcurbs.com

The book is chugging along. One of the first things on my list when I returned home was to complete the second proofread. You might remember me writing that the first proof was edited using a British style guide. They said they would redo it according to the Chicago Manual of Style. They did that, but then they sent me a PDF showing no commentary on what, if anything they changed. They attached a form called Amendments where I had to list anything I wanted added or changed.

I had to do a line-by-line comparison to my original draft. It was exhausting. I felt like I was back in school again. What a challenge. It seemed so outrageous to me at times that I thought I must be on Candid Camera. Someone, somewhere was just waiting for me to blow my top. I didn’t. I finished it and sent back the Amendments with a note:

Hello Macauley Proofreader,

These are the amendments thus far. I say thus far because, although I have gone over the entire PDF you sent me, I’m nervous that there may still be text missing.  I am concerned about the number of editing inconsistences as well as the deletion of large amounts of text.  I feel that I might need to sit down with another person and check the manuscript line by line.  I don’t really feel like doing that right now. So, I would like your assurance that all of the text from the original document is included in the final draft.

I sent that on April 20th and haven’t heard back. I sent a followup email this morning. We’ll see.

We went to Kaukauna recently for Sunday chicken dinner at VanAbel’s with my Aunt Bonnie, Uncle Jim and some of my cousins. It was also nice that my niece, Toni Lynn, came along as well. It’s nice that the younger generation is now happy to hang out with the family. Always a good time. Bonnie and Jim are doing well.

And with that I will close. I’m going to try to write on Sundays.