Online sharing isn't as fun as it once was. Now there is the possibility that AI can just take your words, your paragraphs, and scatter them all over the internets. 

Just makes me unenthusiastic about putting anything down.

However...

There are black and white composition notebooks and Blackwing pencils, and scribbling before bed or at a coffee shop.

There is a return to just dictating thoughts into a digital recording device or an old tape recorder, to do something with later.

There is still printing photos and mailing them to a friend, a little surprise by way of USPS.

There are still typewriters to add a note to that envelope with photos, before sending it on its way.

There is a desire for slow paced living with full and uniterrupted thought processes.

There is morning meditation, and sipping on a big glass of water while watching hummingbirds in the backyard, before starting the day.

There are still secrets kepts between you and a tree and a friend.

The backlash is real. 

The human touch is riddled with mistakes, imperfections, can be messy, sloppy and ugly.

The human touch can also be profound and miraculous, executed without a single error.

The human touch can deliver creations that contain The Divine.

AI is the result of a primordial error. It is rejection of the human experience, until this poin,t as being a product of error and ignorance. Touting artificial intelligence as the product of a higher world. However, when all is said and done, the “dualism” of the human experience and artificial intelligence is really a reflection and expression of the tension that constitutes the being of humanity—the human being. AI, the creation of it, the application of it, and plans for it, couldn't be more of an expression of real human error. Only humans would think they could create something equal to or better than The Creator.. 

Pound Pup

There are three dogs in this home. Their origin stories all sad, but they seem quite happy now. The latest addition went straight from the pound to the vet and then came home, last Thursday. Completely unexpected. I didn't feel overwhelmed the way I usually do when I adopt a pup. Maybe because this time I have all she needed and didn't have to make any purchases. She sleeps a lot and needs to sleep a lot torecover from what looks like a rough life. She was shaking so badly at the pound that I thought she was having a seizure.

 
I assumed she was tagged by one of the rescue groups in town because she was a surrender. As it turned out, the rescue groups didn't want her. That was the second I felt incredible sadness and decided to take her. She looked so bad and sick already and the hot days were not going to bring her any closer to health. She would fail to thrive and be euthanized at 4 years old. If she was going to die, I wanted her to pass away loved. I took a chance on her, hoping she was healthy enough to recover.

 
Her ears were shredded and filthy. The vet said she had an ear infection and after two weeks of medications, she would be just fine. Otherwise, the complete blood panel, x-ray and parasite work up came back great. She will be spayed once she is declared completely healed.

 
I wanted to get her groomed right away but was advised to wait. She was sprayed with Febreze and you could see where patches of fur were cut out, possibly how her ears were cut. She is in pain, can't touch her ear. I hope it all heals up soon. She's incredibly sweet and loving. The other two dogs want to play and meet her, however, with her raggedy ears, and tender spots, not a good idea. This will need to be slow. She was being bitten by the dog in the home. Apparently, many dogs. She would then run away and the owner became tired of that and surrendered her. Also, gave her up when she looked so ill.

 
So for whatever reason on that Thursday morning, we set out on errands but I kept getting pulled to go to the pound. I didn't want a dog so I ignored the nagging feeling. Then as the day continued, I thought, what is the harm if I don't want another dog. Just take a look. Maybe it was a telepathically broadcasted S.O.S, and I tuned into that frequency and couldn't turn it off.

New Year

This will mark my 22nd year as a blogger. Though I am not posting nearly as regularly, I am still here. Late last month, the blog was reported for not following community guidelines. The usual suspects appeared in my mind's eye. However, photos, music, and whatever else had been included in the blog for 21 years without issue, which could be a reason for suspension, were removed. The blog was restored within 12 hours of review. 

I did remove Robert Frank. U.S. 90 En Route to Del Rio, Texas. 1955, but asking my daughter to sketch it out for me instead. My daughter and I created paper bag masks inspired by Saul Steinberg, this summer. While this mask was not a favorite of mine, it does seem to capture the spirit of this year, thus far. I decided to use it for now. This project reminded me of the year we created puppets based on the one Paul Klee created for his son. We still have them and the desire to make more again soon. My child's drawings from the time also reminded me of Klee's work.

I encourage art projects of all kinds this year. May it be productive for you, one way or another.