George Boyce

YouTube video by StarTalk Neil & Anil Seth Discuss Consciousness in the Universe

So now everyone knows my #novel premise...

If we make alien contact, will it be with some biological form or with a machine version of them, either as a robotic emissary or as an actual uploaded consciousness so that their physical form doesn't have to survive the hostile journey of space travel?

Have I mentioned how hard it is to write your first #novel? Especially if you want it, the ordinary world at least, to be accurate?

And how dumb you must have felt when trying to find the right movie for the kids to watch on movie night in 1990, not remembering that DVDs had not yet been invented.

I'm joining my wife @eva.ourvermontlife.org on this one.

Bye-Bye FB.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is terminating major DEI programs, effective immediately ... a strong signal to Meta employees that the company's push ... isn't just posturing, but an ethos shift that will impact its business practices.

Why is quick-release hyphenated but quick attach is not? And what does that tell us about society? About love and relationships? Just asking. No worries here.

Generative AI is experimental.

Right, and you think my brain is any different? Still, you're a kid and I'm an old man. Stop with the stupid mistakes, especially in logic. If you can't beat me in logic, what is your true value? You just want to overwhelm me with words? Start my day with a rant? Ha!

I read Google has claimed a leadership position in AI. Someone tell the browser team...

The American spelling of the word is "minimart":

Here is an example of "minimart" in a sentence:

"Amanda had started working again, running a mini-mart across from a hotel in the center of town".

I wonder if our beaver 🦫 is happy for warm temps and fresh water, or annoyed that his hibernation was interrupted.

I need to remember this as a subplot in my next #novel.

A small pool of water, nothing like our prior floods but not good.

We have four humidifiers, a better model than our first. But the one above the basement pool of water is headed to e-trash.

We paid $$$$ to have our basement waterproofed: foundation drainage, sump pump, and dehumidifier.

Reaction 1 of seeing a pool of water was, it's under warranty.

Reaction 2, dang that's from the ceiling meaning outside snow removal.

Reaction 3, that's the humidifier. Not good but the cheapest fix.

Our neighbor's horse farm is a cow farm. Cows play a major plot role in my first two stories.

An apple orchard could be another location but I prefer a cemetery.

Sam and my wife continue our walk while I'm brainstorming ideas.

I love our morning walks, especially when I lose myself in #novel brainstorming. That's easy when Sam is a character and a neighbor's farm is a scene location.

Today, I discovered the link from a scene in Act 1 to a new #subplot. A different neighbor's tale of visiting that location made it pop.

A Minecraft plains village surrounded by cold and frozen ocean.

I finished my final, final I say, draft of Act 1 of my first #novel. This shall be the setting for my opening scene of Act 2. Well, kinda. It will seem more like early Medieval Europe to my protagonist. At least that is my current idea before writing a word on this side of the portal.

I assume our fox chased something in our neighbors yard. Our dog Sam destroyed the evidence while investigating.

Across the road and adjacent to a stream still flowing, our fox has been busy.

My wife was trying to confirm fox footprints when she gracefully decided to sit rather than fall into the snowbank.

One more collection of animal trails. I wish I had the words to describe how beautiful and quiet this part of the world is. Happy holidays!

I did not expect to wake up and start brainstorming the alert my 11-year-old would have on her custom chat app. At 5 am my wife and I are making "pew pew" sounds and exploring variations.

I'm going with "pew pew... pew-ting!" and have the kid mumble about needing a better alert.

#novel #research

The AI models I'm experimenting with use lots of colorful dialogue tags that editing tools insist be fixed. I get that, that's what all pros say to do.

But my kids have phones, tablets, and laptops. The editing tools are fine with fingers that tap/twitch/drum, dance/fly across keys. No one types.

Shear pins are designed to break when you try to plow through an immovable object.

Don't hammer a small target near your large hand.

It is much safer to hit a tool than your hand.

Pro tip... There is a wrong way for every DIY repair. Some hurt more than others.

A misty fog from my propane heater exhaust gives our spider webs texture.

Big icicle vs tiny icicle. Lots of frozen water to go around.

It is so cold outside...

How cold is it?

My spiders weave their webs with ice!

Note to self: don't name your dog "Sam I Am" and expect to use it in a #novel. Not without a lot of complaints about grammar. Put in the damn hyphens and take them out in the final edit.

Farm fresh eggs need to be used. Oh, what should we make? The Captain knows.

My favorite week of the year? Certainly in the top ten!

Fox alert! Fresh print in our driveway.

From across the road, our fox crossed our driveway down the slope and returned.

Last night, Sam said there were creatures out. This morning, Sam said, someone's out there. But negative temps, -3f / -19c, dampened Sam's urge to track.

We found the evidence before retreating to the warmth of our woodstove.

Forget about: are you smarter than a fifth grader? (Not in my story!) The real question a #novel #writer needs answered is: do I sound like a fifth grader?

I have to get over my predilection for not asking #stupid questions. ChatGPT will never, until the day #AI takes over, ever make me feel like I asked a stupid #question. So don't waste time trying to fine tune the question. Just chat. And see where it takes you.

I was today years old when I learned you can't have your first-person POV character leave a scene and expect the scene narration to continue. I knew something was wrong in the outline. First #facepalm in three weeks. I guess that's not too bad.

Understand which, Bluesky?

Free advice: don't ask ChatGPT for advice on jokes.

Why don’t Quaker pirates ever say “Arrr”?

Because they prefer “Thar be peace, matey!” 🌊☮️

P.S. Welcome to BlueSky!

We see a day-old fox track across our yard to a fence around the coop area.

Fox tracks leading from yard down to the slope down to the marsh.

My wife and our dog Sam headed down to the marsh.

A view across the marsh and up the far hill. We saw the fox follow our path around the near side of the marsh.

Yesterday it was the weasel, today we're checking on our fox! Our property drops down to a marsh, then back up a tall hill.

Our fox crossed our yard and slope four times before returning to his den across the road.

I can't be the only one both obsessed with every Grammarly correction to my writing and driven to ignore every suggestion that destroys my 5th-grade dialogue voice.

I must bravely ignore its opinion until I'm done and ready to edit. I should just turn it off.

But. I. Can't. Must #focus on #novel

I haven't touched #Windows in four years. It helps that I only play #Minecraft, but I have my first #linux #game dev project in progress. It ties into my #story plot, or perhaps the other way around.

I'm busy learning a new language. I have to translate all of my 60's phrases in something that would come out of a Gen Alpha mouth. #story dialogue is hard in a foreign language.

"Go climb the mountains that truly matter. Change the world."

Imagine - Explore - Discover - Make

#make a #difference in a #life

#write a #story to #inspire others to #learn

Is your volume up? You need to hear the chaotic noise we suffer every day. Wishing for some peace and quiet! #Vermont #winter #wildlife