How we bloom

 

My new topic involves something we've been reading plenty about-- some of us with books purportedly written by an author but that were AI generated or from Chat GPT. 

There is a rather famous quote from the Marx brothers originally and evidently paraphrased a bit by a comedian. "Who you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?"

That's the thing today, who can you believe with not only the ability of our eyes to lie, but also this new world of AI generated writing. How worried should we be about it?

One thing is-- when you see a speech by a politician, watch out as it can have been changed to say what that person would never have said. Movies can generate new faces for the stars, that are much younger. We just saw that with an Indiana Jones film. 

Amazon is going to ban those who publish three books the same day. I don't even know why someone, who is using AI would want to do that many, but apparently some have or there'd not be the ban. Amazon does not want these computer generated books. They want them by real, creative minds. How do they assure that?

This article was out today about what some famous authors are doing about the situation-- or trying to do. Top Authors with a lawsuit.

These are writers, who sell in the millions of books. If they are concerned, should we be who sell far less? What they say is the Chat GPT or the OpenAI source is using what they wrote to learn their style and then duplicate it. The argument by OpenAI is, this is innovation. Except don't we ask who it profits. What authors want is, companies cannot use their books to train AI without their permission and maybe paying some money. Makes sense to me and hopefully it will the courts.

It might seem this is only an issue for writers but what about readers? When someone buys a book, they are looking for inspiration and an exciting or educational read. If it's only duplicating what has been written, what are the odds of that?

 So, now, here's how I see this whole issue of AI and Chat GPT? First of all, I am open to advancements in technology. I've seen them. When I wrote my first stories, they were cursive on blank paper. Then I got a Royal typewriter where you had to type firmly to get the letters to show up and use whiteout for mistakes. I had an electric typewriter when I needed to type Ranch Boss's thesis. I thought it was the way to write a book. 

Years later, he suggested I try the Atari he had bought. No way, it'd never be the same. Then, I found out I could move a paragraph to a new spot when it's where it belonged. Also, no more whiteout or little white papers. From then on, it's been one advancement after another to where I am today with a laptop, monitor and keyboard with computer telling me when I misspelled a word. 

With the internet, I graduated from using card catalogs for research, when I'd jot down the info on note cards, to now using the search engines-- although I don't trust what I find totally and buy books that I learn their titles from the online research. 

As a writer, I have no interest though in AI or Chat GPT. I have used Grammerly to help me know when I've used a word too often but that's not the same as AI.I don't want a system to tell me how to write a sentence-- not here or anywhere. 

Yes, it appears some are using it to write their books faster than I could ever do one. The same would be true if the writer followed a formula. I do not and don't want to do so. I wonder if those writers will develop their own innovative ideas.

For me, from school on, when we do our own work, we learn from it. Writing one books helps me get better at the next one. Would using artificial intelligence do that for me-- or anybody. 

If someone wants to be a creative person, do your own work. It pays off in the end.

These hedgehog cactus are blooming again because of the rain we had earlier. We bloom likewise by how we water and feed ourselves.

 

discombobulated

 

I am feeling discombobulated these days. For example, I am thinking many directions, from nature to politics to relationships, to what I should do or not do based on what I am reading or my life. See, that's the problem. I don't have a fundamental direction as I've had many times in my past. Not sure what to blame that on.

Because we are working on new covers and/or titles for the eight, pulled, Arizona historical romances that are also westerns, I thought I might use a word I'd heard recently that sounded good-- until I looked up its meaning. Forget that and I won't even reveal it here since I didn't want to use it anyway. Let's just say, its dictionary meaning was not flattering in terms of using it. It is not discombobulated. That's me lol

Trying to get these eight books ready to go, three weeks or so apart, has me worried and might be part of the discombobulation. The first one came out with a different title in 2012. Yet, to bring it out again with the additions I've made, I have to call it a new book other than in the blurb where I must mention its previous appearances-- except no way do I remember them all besides the first one. I am not even sure where I can promote the book given it's new to Amazon's thinking but not to some readers, who bought it originally. I might add I can't give it away since it's not an edit but a revision... It does have a new ending, but the story has stayed the same for the gist of it-- other than improved editing. 

So rather than write about what I am working on, I want to share the newest pictures from our little piece of desert. I mentioned earlier that the cacti bloom at different times here, with the last ones, what we call barrel cactus. It is from the family Cactaceae, native to North and South America.

There are more technical terms for it, but all the ones we have were either here when we arrived or are growing now. Cactus do that-- produce and reproduce. The barrel cactus are putting on their show now.  I am not sure how old they must be to bloom, but the babies don't do it. Their fruit will form afterward, which desert animals will eat in the winter. I even saw a ground squirrel climb the spines to get at the fruit. Desert critters are tough.

 

You will probably notice the bee in some of these. The saguaros entice more bees, but one is welcome.
 

 

Late August

 

As it stands, I don't have anything much to write about. Things are happening, good things, but they involve family, who I don't use in this blog (privacy for them). But it's been an interesting time for weather. The belated monsoons have arrived but with varying amounts of rain, depending on where someone lives in the Tucson valley. We got one with 3/4" of rain and another with just 1/10". The first had wonderful lightning strikes and much more rain elsewhere with some major damage. That's one thing about this desert valley, there can be a huge difference only a mile apart.

Even when the monsoons aren't producing big storms, their clouds are awesome as they slide by us to other areas. Predicting what they will do is a challenge even for the meteorologists. I was just glad no fires from those bolts. I'd have tried for a photo, as so many strikes, but sometimes a person has to just enjoy as photos of lightning are hard to get in my experience.

 

The barrel cactus are blooming, which makes for a lot of color as its the last cactus to bloom for the season. If we happen to be here, we enjoy this show. This year we saw a lot of new ones starting out in other areas; so good for the future.

The following pictures are what I have for now. Beauty is the desert.

 

 

More on writing coming up. I am doing a lot of editing, but there is that book I began before the pandemic hit us. I have more of an idea what comes next :) And there are the eight Arizona historical romances where we still need to write blurbs. Ugh on blubs, as bad as a synopsis-- no, worse!

Back to editing... such fun lol

 

 In writing for publication, the reader has to be taken into account-- whether it's a blog, story, or book. The author desires to write their story and that's the most powerful part of the initial draft-- at least in my case. I try to get the grammar right at the same time, but not at the point of losing my flow. 

Then, comes editing... Although writers could send their manuscripts off to a professional editor right away, most go through many edits before doing that. After all, they are the main ones to know the theme they are trying to portray. 

When editing, it's not just about possible typos or misspelled words, missing commas, etc., but also what readers will find disrupting to their experience with their own flow of reading.

Here's where trouble starts with words we typically misuse when speaking; but when written down, they become more obnoxious to a future reader-- especially readers of the anal sort, who know all about the English language as it should be. Catching those things before that reader does might avoid a review that says-- needs more editing. Well, for the writer, those who read reviews (many choose not to do so), the question has to be what did they find that annoyed them? Maybe a split infinitive that we might often have in our speaking but woe unto the book where it's found by those distracted by that exact detail.

There are words that I often will try to find a different word to avoid because I don't want to have to look up and figure out which version is right for that sentence. There are words that I pretty much always know the correct version, but know very well that when I am talking to a friend, I might use the word wrong. They don't care and neither do I as it's not written down.

The program Grammarly is useful for some of this but with books not so much. It can only go over so much text, certainly not a book where the writer intends it to go to say 100,000 words. That requires breaking writing into sections, which is disruptive for me in terms of creative flow.

The English language is full of words that can be taken two ways but spelled the same. Working a crossword puzzle is a good reminder of that. 

So, I thought I'd mention one word that often makes me stop and think when I am using it--- and feel I must use it. Lie or Lay, present tense, and all their past tense and .future/past perfect tenses. That's where lie and lay get more complicated for which version to use. 

Add to it that lie has another meaning-- to not tell the truth. That though is easier to make into past/perfect tenses and past tense. He lied to me. I have lied. I will have lied if I go on with  this. You are lying to me. Adding an -ing makes it past simple. Confused yet? No wonder a writer sometimes chooses a different word.

In the previous paragraph I purposely used a split infinitive-- to not tell the truth... To satisfy a purist, that should be not to tell the truth. I personally don't see a difference in understandability, but I am no purist. I did also look split infinitives up, and it's not the rigid rule for grammar that some believe. That doesn't mean writers do not need to watch out for what might ruin another reader's enjoyment or even for them to lose the theme, which matters to the writer. Sometimes, to avoid that is not a minor change, and it would work against the writer's intent, but when it is minor, why not change it?

Now, let's get to the other meaning of lie and lay-- to recline or to put something down. Here is where how we talk often goes against how we need to write. I could easily say, "I am going to lay down, but would that be correct? I came across this in Thesaurus.

"Lay means “to place or put” (Lay that here). The word lay is also the past tense form of the sense of lie that means “to recline,” as in I lay in bed yesterday. Lay down can mean “to place down” (Lay down your bags), but it can also be the past tense of lie down, as in I lay down for a few hours. A nonstandard but common use of lay is to mean the same thing as the present tense of lie, as in I just want to lay in bed for a few more minutes or I laid down for a few hours. It’s best to avoid this use (and the confusion it can cause) in formal contexts." quote from Lay vs. Lie How to use correctly.

For anyone wanting more about correct usage of these words, go to that link. I've had enough going through it to last until the next time I face the issue *s*.

The app for Grammarly can be a big help, when used in editing-- not so much the first draft, in my opinion. It can really break a flow. It is also only free for the simplest version. To catch more errors of all kinds, it costs but not that much for the help it offers.

 

Midsummer

With it being midsummer, so far no monsoons have shown up-- although we eagerly await and hope for the rain. One night we saw lightning flares, but no strikes and no rain where we are. It is hot but so far no blackouts here and AC keeps the house pleasant.

This is a lush time for some of the birds as they gobble up the saguaro fruit. People harvest them also, especially for jelly. We leave ours for the birds and when they fall, to whatever below likes fruit-- bunnies, rodents and javelina most likely. The native peoples of this region have a right to all the fruits, but on private land, we could claim ours. Natives use a long stick with a basket / can attached to get them... can't imagine that. Nature needs them. They are sticky and full of seeds when first open and the competition for them is rapid.

 

August and some nice storms

 August 12th

This Sturgeon moon is the considered to be fourth supermoon in a row after the Buck moon in July, Strawberry moon in June and Flower moon in May.

 

I haven't had a lot to say lately as our world has been very quiet. Ranch Boss had cataracts removed from both eyes and that takes some time to arrange and then the healing and repeated doctor visits to be sure it's all fine. He is quite happy with the results and now has 20/20 vision in both eyes and no more astigmatism. 

We had a little concern about the process since it does involve an anesthetic, but they don't put the patient to sleep, but just to relax so they can do the work. He found the process fascinating for  how they remove the cataract and the old lens before replacing it with the new one.

The patient has a choice of how far they want to see, and he chose distance with using reading glasses for up close and the computer. He also had a choice on using a laser and paying for that as the basic cataract surgery is covered by Medicare for someone with as bad of vision as he had in the one eye and fuzzy in the other.

Otherwise, not much. I have been wrestling with low blood sugar and may have found a way to help which involves protein bars in the late afternoon. Fingers crossed. (turns out that wasn't the solution. More research needed).

 The monsoons in our area have been mixed for how much rain is involved. we bought a rain gauge and the other night, we had three storms come through, with some scary thunder in one of them and 3/4" fell between the three. 

 We and the cactus are hoping for more rain, but you really never know and often the storms hit places other than us.

 

 

 

What we can do

 by Rain Trueax

If the United States, we didn't have enough pain thrust onto us, fires have become a new attack on the West Coast. We got some of that early this summer when Tucson had the Catalina Mountains hit with lightning and then a long lasting fire that raced across the mountain and led to some evacuations-- as well as smoke that made being outside impossible.

Then came the California fires, also started by lightning to begin. That was followed to what is happening to Oregon with fires destroying small towns, homes and priceless  buildings that even if they can be rebuilt, it'll never be the same. And as I write this, the conflagration is not over. More after the break---

using a quote for today

 by Rain Trueax

This week, we finished reading aloud from Edward Abbey's One Life at a Time, Please every morning and now afternoon (at 115ºF too hot to do things outside). One essay was on Ralph Waldo Emerson, and he chose some quotes from Emerson to share. The ones that resonated most with me were chosen from his essay Self-Reliance and there were several.

"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."

 That is so powerful for our time. It is so much easier to find a bubble and settle into it to express only views that suit the bubble. Do bubble fans think when they are alone that maybe some of what the group wants is not really what they want? All I know is that when I express my viewpoint in a group that sees things differently, it can turn nasty fast. The ability to discuss issues is gone when only one side can be right and good (and believe me both sides see it that way today). To compromise is evil.

Recently an ideology group (I prefer not using names to avoid trolls showing up) went into where diners were eating outside due to the virus. They demanded that the diners raise their arms in a closed fist to assure agreement with their ideology. If they didn't do it, they would take their pictures and put them up on social media to shame them. Silence was defined as racism. 

From what I have seen, many have become fearful of this accusation and must agree that racism is everywhere, that every white person is a racist. I don't think they demand that all colored people must be one. It's all about white privilege, which is apparently being taught in our schools.

Shouldn't it be up to each of us to look into our hearts and decide if we operate with racism? If we have spent a lifetime seeing people by their actions and not judging them by their skin color, does that make us a racist? 

I can't remember if I wrote here about cognitive bias. The first time I heard about it, the word bias went beyond what we are against but also what we are for. What experiences have led us to interpret events certain ways? If someone walks toward you, do you automatically see them as one way or another for a danger? It might save your life if you evaluate your biases fairly or lead you to needless fear if you don't. 

Cognitive bias is followed by confirmation bias. This is where we reinforce our beliefs by hanging with those who will affirm us. This is particularly prevalent on social media and where we go for news.

When I go to Facebook, I see memes to inspire hate or anger-- aiming both ways since I have friends on both sides of the divide. Recently the Senate put out a report on the Russian troll farms and what they are attempting to do. Basically, it's that left and right, they create memes that they believe will stir people up in a negative way. The goal is to cause dissension in our country. I am not sure what that gains Russia, but i know it doesn't do us good. But here's the thing-- if people didn't pass these things on, they'd not be effective. Even if you only pass on those that you know your bubble will appreciate, you might be adding to anger or fear. What does that gain you or them?

Back to Emerson's words, written so long ago, do you dare speak out what you feel when you are meditating on what's going or are you driven to suit the mob-- and yes, sometimes, it's a mob. One woman at a restaurant told them that she agreed with their goals but would not do the fist bump. Brave woman.

Finally from Emerson: "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles."

We should all make sure we know what our principles are and whether they help the community or hurt it.

 

Saturday in the desert

 by Rain Trueax

Barrel cactus in Tucson

Someone we know was in Portland last week, the northeast part, an area of small businesses and ordinary homes. He was there to buy a canoe to take his sons camping.  He related what he saw as being so sorry for what is happening in Portland, a city we have all loved. In that area, next to those nice little homes, on the streets and in the parks were homeless people, living and wandering the streets. It's bad for the homeless, and it felt sad what it must be like for the ones owning those homes.This isn't a rich neighborhood but ordinary working folks who worked hard for their tidy little homes. They have no way to know who will wander by or camp there.

What comes below might seem political to some. I think it's more cultural... Of course, I do lol if that's not of interest to you there is one more thing of interest at the end. One of my eBooks is free. Skim down if cultural issues are not of interest or you've read enough.

small things

 by Rain Trueax

Here I am again with nothing to say that I feel is positive. I am not happy, but why should I be given the world situation as well as what is closer to home? Like most of you, I am doing the best I can for where I am. I am trying to think ahead to a future that will be brighter instead of writing about what is going wrong-- in my opinion. Why depress others by writing about my own negative situations right now? If I wrote what I am thinking about politics, half of you would agree and half be offended. Besides which, does anyone think what we write in blogs or on FB convinces anyone? I doubt it.

I did find one interesting thing this week in terms of how we decide what is worth believing, how do we figure out what is truth. It was that we need to look at our own cognitive biases. What in our experiences has us wanting to believe or disbelieve something. The theory was that we all have cognitive bias and need to be aware of it in terms of how we read what is out there. That is followed by confirmation bias, which basically says we tend to go where we already are comfortable and what will reaffirm us. The point was watch out for it when we assess something that we recently learned.

 Other than that, I finally got the new blogger. It works for me, but I can't say I like it. It is not the disaster for me that it is for my blog partner, Diane. She can't format or add photos. For that and other reasons, she may need a break from blogging. We're trying to work that out. IF we try to take this blog back to legacy, will that continue to be supported? I am uncertain from what I can research.

So, how about some more desert photos of the cacti? Better than what I am actually thinking ;) Nature is also life and right now the only real consolation for the pain the world is experiencing. The lesson from nature is that life goes on...

 One thing about these late summer cactus-- watch for them. A day later, the blossoms will be gone. Something to think about where it comes to valuing small things.

August

by Rain Trueax

I went online Thursday morning with no idea what to write about for Saturday's blog. My head was spinning with ideas-- so many of them negative. I like to be positive, but how is that possible when my nation is so divided filled with people who see what should be done diametrically opposed to each other. Soon they will be voting, me too, and it could send the country spiraling in a totally different direction where it comes to taxes (try a 39+% capital gains tax); environment; packing the Supreme Court; Green New Deal and how much fuel we can use: immigration; adding new states; legal system; ending the Electoral College; no more filibuster; etc. etc. Or we might be staying the course (which some see as the road to hell) and finding more rioting in the streets because it didn't turn out right... or rather left.

It's not enough these days to disagree on what is right to do or for whom to vote, the one

voting wrong must also be condemned.

Of course, then there was the explosion in Beirut. More upset. The newspaper was full of it, but since you also likely read papers, no need for me to repeat it all here. Just more heartbreak.

When I got to Blogger-- things had changed. After hearing about it for over a month, I now had the new version. Like so many have said, I don't like it as well. It seems awkward; and so far I haven't been able to find all I want, but it should be manageable... Maybe. I guess we can go back to the original but not sure for how long. I wonder why computer gurus want to change things in a time where there is already so much chaos...

So instead of trying to pretend all is hunky-dory, I figured I'd go with the standby-- the desert. The barrel cactus were not planted by us. They could be natural or planted by a former owner. They aren't attracting the bees like the saguaro blossoms did, but their fruit is loved by the javelina and rodents.

The Texas Ranger (many photos below) is our contribution to bring xeriscape plantings around the pool and house, leaving the rest of our land natural to the desert terrain in which it sets.The bees love it. We aren't sure where the hive is but any bees in Tucson are the ones called killer bees. They don't seem that aggressive so far...

As far as monsoon storms go, which I had been looking forward to being here to experience, they haven't happened much. Rain in early June was good; but since then it's been mostly sprinkles. The storms I used to watch march north up the valley have clung more to the mountain behind us. Rains have been heavy in a few places but not here. There have been some beautiful clouds sail by, but they saved their moisture for elsewhere.