Computer aided technology - for or against?

I now have the distribution list for Spice Market organized, and I can send the information today. However, I have one slight problem. Someone sent me money, but I need their email address. So, if your banking name is Anne James, please email me, as I don't know how to send you information. elainetheriault@gmail.com

It was a huge task to get organized, and now I'm getting back to work on the presentations. Four of them need to be done by Saturday morning, and NONE of them are complete! However, two of them are in good shape, and the other two are still a bit rough. Lots of pictures were taken and edited, and they need to be added. 

Now, here's the thing -- what are your thoughts about Chat GBT? This is AI (Artificial Intelligence) that will write documents for you. You provide parameters for it - the subject, the tone, and other details and then AI writes the document. Are you kidding me? 

Someone asked me the other day if I used it. NEVER! Well, never is a strong word, but here is my view. 

I LIKE to write. I won't call it a hobby, but I write more than most. So, will I take one of the tasks I enjoy and let a computer do it for me? That just doesn't make sense. That's like buying fabric, leaving it on the cutting table with the pattern, and expecting my sewing machine to create a quilt. What enjoyment (or learning) did I get out of that process? ZIP - ZILCH - NADA!

I might as well buy a commercially made one and give up my hobby altogether. I use a grammar checker—YES—I know that it is AI-controlled. Do I trust it? NOT for a second. There are many instances when it will take a sentence and change its meaning. And it ABSOLUTELY wants positive comments—it hates don't or can't. 

I will continue to use the checker, but if I have to rely on AI 100%, I might as well throw in the towel. I guess you could equate that to adaptive cruise control versus self-driving. I'm not ready! And I hope I am never ready—I like doing these things! 

What is really scary is that if these tools are available (and they are), what are people now doing with their time? Watching REELS that are so useless it hurts. Most don't have a beginning or an end. Most do NOT tell a story. They are 30-second time wasters that suck you in 30 seconds at a time. We MUST STOP WATCHING those things! If I do get sucked in, I limit them because they are just stupid. How many cute puppy reels do I need to watch? 

You might say that using CNC technology to quilt a quilt or machine embroider something is the same as using CHAT GBT, but I don't think so. I know the results of what those machines can do - it's black or white. Language? It's a whole different ball game! It's PERSONAL! 

We are on this planet for a reason—I don't imagine the reason is to let computers do everything for us. They may aid us, but they shouldn't do everything for us. What will be left for us (our brains and our physical bodies) to do?

AHA -- Grammarly must be miffed at me this morning. It's not working! So, all grammatical and spelling errors are the real me! OH -- it came back on, so I'm using it to aid me!

After working on the presentations, I decided this morning that a complete tidy-up was required to continue, as I need to do some sewing later today. I still need to do a complete tidy-up, but I have cleaned the three main areas. 

The cutting area is clear

The ironing board is clear

The sewing machine area is clear

Even the computer desk got cleaned up, although not much ever lands or stays there since it's small. 

The computer desk is also clear

It did not take very long to put everything back in its home. And it's so much more inviting to walk downstairs and see open spaces to work. There are oodles of small, half-finished projects strewn on the other tables, and after this crazy weekend, I'll get to those. Why is so much packed into this weekend? Because I moved things around to avoid classes on Thanksgiving weekend. 

I even had a few minutes to empty more stuff from that last tub. I want the tub, so I might take a few minutes later today to finish it, but I'll see how it goes. Those presentations are the priority! 

The tub is now 1/3 full

If you were observant, another much smaller machine is sitting where my creative icon 2 was. I know the store is busy this weekend, but I'll follow up next week to see if they had a chance to check it out. 

In the meantime, I diagnosed someone else's machine. They were having power issues. Does this maybe give you a hint? 

Which power cord would you want?

Their original is on the right, and mine is on the left. Do you think their connection might be loose? I lent my power cord, and everything seems to be OK. There are many days when I swear I will become a service technician. The technicians do NOT LISTEN and do NOT know how to fix machines. Many sewing machines come back with the same or another issue. I understand that the machines are much more complicated than they used to be, but that's why you take classes and learn basic sewing. 

When I attended that technician course (as a fly on the wall) last month, the guy who had been a master mechanic on heavy equipment for 24 years asked me questions about sewing. He is going to be an amazing technician. I was tempted to ship my broken machine to him, but I don't have a box for that machine, and well, maybe I should have found a box. 

I need to find his card, as I said I would contact him. 

Look how beautiful our neighborhood is right now. It won't be long before all this is gone!

Brilliant colors

Brilliant reds

Oranges

A gorgeous street

The colors haven't hit the inside of the forest and don't usually, as the inside gets less light. But it's still pretty to walk through there. 

The path in the forest

And you can't really see this, but there is a leaf dangling in mid-air by a spider web. It's fascinating to watch it dance in the breeze in the middle of the path—seemingly unconnected to anything! 

A dancing leaf

Well, it's going to be another busy day! I have one last urgent admin email to send, and then I must get on with other admin work. But the presentations will be the focus today. 

I'm teaching a software class tonight (three are scheduled this fall). Someone asked me a while back why we are repeating some of the tools I discussed previously. OH!!! I could talk about the same subject for months and still have not covered it completely. The more I play, the more I discover and learn. I was even playing around with my iPad last night to see what I could create to bring into this software tool!!! The learning NEVER stops at my house. The software class is hosted through Needleworks Studio, so if you are interested, sign up. I think you can sign up for one or all the classes. 

Remember (my grammar checker does not like "don't forget" and will always correct me to REMEMER) there is a Virtual Retreat this weekend. I have so much to do!!!! 

Here are the links: 

Saturday, October 26 - Starts at 6 PM EST

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89816483795?pwd=Mjc3M3pvVmZPdjdsQzlHS3Zhck52dz09

Meeting ID: 898 1648 3795
Passcode: 248667

Sunday, October 27 - Starts at NOON or might be slightly later due to a class

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82983517671?pwd=ODdsa1FJenQwdFNaQWFTNGd4bEhPZz09

Meeting ID: 829 8351 7671
Passcode: 117636

Remember to work on those UFO projects. There is no need to actually sew them at this point, but get them organized. Perhaps start a list so it'll be easier for you to figure out what you want to work on next. And if you are NOT touching your UFOs at all, then you need to start getting rid of them. But remember—it'll be so much easier to get rid of them if they are organized. 

I have FOUR UFOs from those tubs of stuff that came my way. All of them were nicely organized. I'm working on them this weekend, and all will be quilted and donated! That's a win-win for multiple people, except for me not getting my UFOs done, but I just like to sew, so I'm good. 

On that note, I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!