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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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….