My Dear Readers all know that I do not like AI... but, I have to now Confess... Yes, I guess you CAN have some Fun with AI. The Daughter, her Friends, and now many of my Friends are playing with AI Photo Shop Imagery of themselves where you can make and re-make yourself into Younger and Older Versions, Sexier Versions, well, all kinds of Versions of what you could look like with the Help and tweaking of your Image by Artificial Intelligence. *LOL* Granted, it's similar to what folks on Social Media have been doing for a long time now when they use Filters, only, better. Many Moons from now on, anyone looking at your Old Photos won't really know that you never really looked like that at all without the Help of Filters and AI. And, is that really harmful, since Pro Photographers have done that kind of thing for Years with Airbrushing, Makeup and such of Celebs and Models in their Pixs.
My Younger Brother is a Retired Hollywood Photographer whose taken Pixs of a lot of Models and a lot of Celebs, I remember him telling me Decades ago that nobody actually looks like those Pixs without some "Help". *Smiles* Yes, some folks are Naturally Gorgeous in Real Life, but Photography has always been a different kind of Reflection of you. Some people are NOT Photogenic, others really are, without Help from Makeup, Airbrushing and such. So, it's not always an accurate depiction of what they really looked like in Person anyway. I remember my Brother telling me which Famous People always took great Pixs no matter what. Which were difficult to Photograph becoz they needed "Help", either from not being particularly as Photogenic as they were in Real Life, or, just "Help" in general with Airbrushing, Lighting, Makeup and whatever other 'Magic' the Photographer or Studio could Create the Illusion of.
The Daughter sent me some of herself as seen and envisioned for Christmas AI Transformations, I really liked them and thought I'd Share them. In so many ways it looked exactly like her Younger Self and how she looked in Real Life as a very Young Teen and Young Adult. So, it wasn't such a stretch to see her just having Time erased. The more Interesting one was the AI version of her Aged with the Older Hairstyle, depicting what she might appear like as a Senior one day. Well, to be sure the Skin Tone they depict isn't Aged like Time would Age you Naturally... but, it was a more 'Mature' Look, to be sure. I won't be around when she's a Senior, so it was nice to see what my Daughter might look similar to when she's my Age one day.
I know Bloggers who are using these kinds of AI Apps or whatever they are to help with Writing and such, which, if it's Helpful to improve something like your Writing, or having Fun with Photography, or Music, I do Confess that I've enjoyed the results. Even tho' I'm still very cautious about the Negatives that AI will bring to Society, clearly, there are a lot of Positive it can bring to Society as well and I won't discount that fact. And looking at these Images, I can definitely tell it's my Daughter, so it doesn't distort your Features so much that it doesn't look like you at all... just an Enhanced Version of you, if you will... and that can be a lot of Fun to see how you could be "Enhanced" via these new Technologies tweaking your Imagery and having harmless Fun with it, playing and Sharing the results. And it was Interesting to see how many people I knew were doing this Photoshopping with AI and how Artificial Intelligence Envisioned them in very flattering attractive ways.
A lot of people can be found on Social Media and I can be more than a bit of a Lurker there on The Book Of Faces, I ain't gonna Lie. *LOL* I know it's easy to do it on any Social Media Platform including Blogs, where you can Lurk and nobody even knows you have been there and you can remain either completely Anonymous, or make meaningful Contact, your Choice. And I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Images from The Daughter that she'd played this Game with. She could even have AI show her what she'd look like as a Man compared to as a Woman... which, is both hilarious and Interesting enuf to be Curious about. And, if you're Curious about what you might look like with different Hairstyles or Hair Colors, whallah, now you can get an Idea via AI generated Images of you with different Hairstyles and Hair Colors.
So, that's my brief flirt with applauding some of what AI can be Fun with and perhaps beneficial for, I still don't like it overall. It blurs Reality and what isn't Real too much and we've already had way too much of that to where people can hardly tell the difference. I can hardly tell some of AI from Reality, it's just already that good as to Fool even the most cynical of us who pride ourselves on discernment and spotting fakes. Seriously, some of it I can't tell the difference and I'll admit that. And now, done with The Fluff and on to Politics. How about that budding Heat Seeking Bromance that went on in the Oval Office between Donnie Two Dolls and Mamdami? They were Gaming each other like MoFo's!!! *Eye Roll and LMAOROTF*
OMG, I thought Donnie was gonna Kiss him or give him a Blow Job, he was so Enamored and Starry Eyes in the Guy's presence!!! He went from calling him a Commie to practically sounding like Mao... it was fucking hilarious! But, typical, tho' I can't stand Donnie, he has almost Feral Instincts about whose got Power and Charisma, and is Winning, something he wants desperately to always be close to and associated with. And his is waning so he wants some of Mamdami's to rub off on him it seems, coz the Guy's Star is on the Rise and they're both Slick Social Media Whores telling Voters exactly what they wanna hear. No matter if they could actually Deliver, so long as they get In, that's the Gaming of the Voters to get where they wanna Be. Above is my Adorable Retro Vendor Friend Sarah, who Lives her Fav Nostalgic Era of Bygone Days 24-7 and 365. Hers is an actual Photo, not Photoshopped with AI.
I made a huge Mason Jar of some Fresh Salsa last Night and it's halfway gone already. *LOL* It was a reward to the Kiddos for Decluttering the Rooms of the Main House they're working on that I'd upended again. I try to do better each time we declutter the House, but over Time I backslide with the Bad Habit of dragging things in that shouldn't be in here and not keeping on top of it. *Le Sigh* It's one of my Personal Challenges that is ongoing and I'm a Work In Progress. Except for doing Dishes, the Kiddos are being better at Housekeeping than me and keeping things in Order and Tidy. So, they're a big Help to me. Things tend to get cluttered when I'm not in a good Head Space, that's when I slip and let things pile up instead of Dealing with them as I go.
SAVERS keeps getting in the Cutest Inflatables and they get Sold almost immediately. People do Decorate with these extensively, I'd think they take up a lot of Storage Space and would have to be kept Climate Controlled so as not to deteriorate, Rubber doesn't do well in an Extreme Hot Climate. And, these are so fragile and could puncture so easily, and when deflated, just loot messy in a Yard until you inflate them each Evening. I still prefer Blow Molds for Outdoor Decor for Christmas and Halloween, rather than the Inflatables. They're Cute tho', and I do enjoy seeing them when they're blown up. The number of them that get Donated is impressive, there seems to be a steady stream of them for Resale.
Today I'll probably take The Man to "Highland Yard Vintage" and "Merchant Square" for their Christmas Event this Weekend. They're Hosting theirs every Weekend and do a spectacular job, making their Antique Mall a True Destination and Experience for the Holidays. I Wish ours did almost anything to draw in the same amount of Customers as Trade Stimulating Tactics, but, they don't. They don't even take advantage of Black Friday Crowds, which is foolishness and I've brought it up every Year for the past 13 Years, to no avail. Proximity is my barrier to going anywhere else to Sell, I don't want or need long commutes in the City in order to hawk stuff I'm Purging from Home. Not only the Time spent on the Road, but also the Cost of Gas would be a Factor. And, with Full Time Caregiving you don't have a lot of flexibility either.
I'm sprinkling in Images taken at the Events now for this Post and Future ones, I have quite a lot of Blog Fodder Imagery right now. It's barely in the 50's in Temp this Morning tho' so I'm hunkered Inside for now and not too keen on venturing out yet. Their Mall and Event doesn't Open until 10:00 a.m., but, it's a very long commute to Chandler on the Far East Side from the Far West Side. I try to keep straight which Images I've already Shared for this Post and others, it's rather like a Memory Care Match Game I play with myself to keep my Mind from going to Mush as I'm Aging. *Winks* I have a Method I use and sometimes it works out if I'm consistent with it. *Smiles* Keeping your Mind alert is a particular challenge as you're getting Older and you have to find out what keeps your Memory sharpest and Exercise it Daily in that way, just like Physical Exercise, Mental Exercise is crucial to stay in Shape.
Blogging is therefore beneficial to me in so many ways Mentally, Socially, Artistically, Creatively, Physically and Emotionally. My Arthritic Hands get quite a Workout banging away at these Computer Keyboard Keys. I wear the Letters right off my Keyboard and I can still Type faster than anyone I know. The Kiddos and their Friends Love to just stand and watch how fast I can go, like it's Entertainment to them. *LOL* I can still lock up a System Typing too fast so I have to use a measure of control to slow my roll actually. When I worked the Census as a Data Entry Employee they had to bump up the Keystrokes per Hour for those of us so fast we Crashed or Locked Up their System that couldn't keep up with us. Sometimes I can stop Typing and the Computer is still Typing the Words I did and isn't finished with it yet! *LOL*
I exceed 120-165 Words per Minute with consistency and accuracy, by quite a lot actually. Tho' I haven't been Timed lately, I know I haven't slowed down with Age with that Speed or Accuracy. It's why I was often asked to do some of the Major Crimes Transcriptionist Work by Bureau Chiefs at the DA's Office even tho' I hadn't been Hired as one. I had good Data Entry and Audit Skills so that was my actual Job there, to enter everything from all the Bureaus Case Files into their Online System, while also doing QC of everything in those Files, making Corrections where necessary, before they got Archived. It's habitual for me to spot Errors, "Fix" things that are Wrong or need Solutions, and be fast at doing that, so it was a good Fit for me to gravitate into that Field at a District Attorney's Office, when my Corporate Life in Banking led to Retiring. I actually Liked being a Fixer. The bigger the Problem that needed a Solution, the better the Challenge.
If I'm not Challenged then I can Bore way too easily and my ADHD and OCD can't handle anything being too slow or too messed up, I can't concentrate and focus if things are slow paced or a Hot Mess. People who are slow paced or a Hot Mess and very Messy Relationally and Socially, drive me up the Wall. *LOL* When Chaos reigns I find it derails so much and causes too much tension, fear, mistakes and confusion, it's why a lot of Bad Actors like creating Chaos actually. But even Bad Actors usually need their Fixers who get them out of the Trouble they will ultimately get themselves into. Attorney, Michael Cohen, was Donnie Two Dolls Fixer for Years {2006-2018} and knows all the Dirt and Spilled a lot of Tea about it after he got thrown under the Bus and Served Time for his involvement in the President's Serious Crimes. A good Fixer knows all the Fuck Ups, Problems and Cover Ups of any Employer. I like hearing Michael Cohen out, nothing is more dangerous than a Burned Fixer. *Winks*
John Gotti found that out when he Burned Sammy The Bull Gravano... whose still here... and John's not. They've been Interviewing Sammy quite a bit lately, and other Serious OG Gangsters of The Mob, since, this Administration is being run quite like a Crime Family and Big Time Cartel. And there's a slew of Bad Actors in the Shadows of ole' Donnie Two Dolls, Puppeteering their Front Man, you can be sure of that. And Honestly, right now the Holidays are a nice Uplifting Distraction from all of the Fuckery, so I'm Grateful we're deep into the Holiday Season so I don't have to Think about it all of the time and can detach Mentally from it. As someone who Naturally gravitates to Fixing, Being a Fixer, and Being Solutions Oriented, when I see serious Problems that deliberately aren't even pretending or trying to be Fixed, I know there's quite the Back Story that goes along with The Why of that. I am a firm Believer of: JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY.
Anyway, right now I'm Following the Events that are making our Holidays Fun, Uplifting and provide some much needed Escapism. I keep Informed, but not Over-Informed, or it would wind me up too tight. *LOL* Besides, I'm supposed to be Retired and just Living The Dream, Right? *Bwahahahaha* And I only really have to 'Fix' anyone or anything that has become a Problem to me and mine directly now on an Up Close & Personal Basis. Right now I don't have anything or anyone I have to go to Battle with, or be on the Warpath for, which is Nice, those that were Problematic recently, were Resolved satisfactorily, which, is how I likes it. *Winks* I usually will immediately confront a Problem to get Resolution, I don't avoid it and Dance around it. Be it a Situation or a Person, and even tho' I don't like Confrontation as a Rule, or want to Escalate a "Situation", so I'll usually address it Calmly and with a Simple Statement at first: "Do WE have a Problem?" It will be up to Who I'm Asking if we DO or we DON'T. *Winks*
Coz if I have a Problem and you're not part of the Solution, then you're part of said Problem and definitely now you're Involved, whether you likes it or not. *Bwahahahaha* How far up the Food Chain you are doesn't really matter to me, I'll start at the Top and Work my way Down preferably. But, always the Top has the Minions they use as Canon Fodder in their Battles to protect themselves and save their own Asses. It depends on if those Minions wanna be collateral damage or run it up the Food Chain to avoid being Casualties of that War? You gotta really get Paid to wanna Fight that fucking hard for someone else's Ass and put yourself in that Position. And be a Loyal Soldier, willing to Die or Go Down for The Cause, most folks aren't that Loyal actually, just so you know. So, it's great to premise a Minion with the Choice to be your Ally or your Adversary, their Choice?
I make a great Ally. Is it a Hill they're willing to Die on if you're definitely Coming for Someone, Anyone, doesn't matter to you how many Heads Roll and Scalps are Taken? Most end up on my Side. *Smiles* And this is why you also don't fuck over your Allies, and America is gonna Learn this Lesson the Hard Way due to Donnie Two Dolls fucking over all our best Allies Globally and flirting with our Enemies. I liken it to those Fools who mess with Bigger Devils than they realize pose them the most Danger and have more Power and Dominion than they can possibly handle or successfully manage or mitigate. If you Sell your Soul to any Devil then Demonic Forces are Activated and that's some Powerful shit I'd never be Fool enuf to mess with. Whether you're a skeptic or not, Evil is REAL and it exacts a heavy Price when you Partner with it and mess with it by flirting with it, even a little. Recognize and Know your Devils in Life and in the Spirit Realm, and stay the fuck away from them.
So, MTG Resigned, she got Burned by the Devils in Life she flirted and messed with, supported and was a foolish very Loyal Soldier for. And clearly she realized, fuck, can't handle or manage this! In 48 Hours she realized she was now on a Hit List. So, she is trying to mitigate now, like someone trying to Exit a Gang or a Mob, you're Lucky if they allow you to and Live to tell the Story later, once you're now a Liability. When they tried to Hang Mike Pence during the Insurrection, it should have been her Cue and Clue THEN, but, some are slow on the uptake or already too far in deep and way over their Head. I recognized her as someone feisty, but ignorant and poorly Educated, who got a little Heady when given some Power and Influence, so she forgot which Lane she was even supposed to Be in. People can be Down for A Cause they truly Believe in and get misguided, weaponized and manipulated, some MAGA just were Rubes, others had Intention and knew exactly what they were Buying into and Supporting for Real. You're 'Winning' til you're NOT.
And one thing is definitely True about Cults, you KNOW you've Bought into one when you try to LEAVE. *Winks* What happens when you try to Leave is what will mos def define that it's a Cult. And Cult Leaders are generally intolerant of and vicious with Defectors. The same holds true for Gangs and Cartels, pretty much. The biggest difference is that if you join a Gang or a Cartel you know it's one. Cults can be much more deceptive and most people in them will deny they're even part of one, coz they really don't Believe they are a Cult. Most MAGA will tell you they aren't in a Cult, even tho' clearly they are, and like all Cults, are in Denial about what it is they're having Cultlike Devotion to and an unhealthy Attachment and protective stance to the Cult Leader of it. Most MAGA wouldn't defend their own Family like they defend their Cult Leader and excuse anything he says or does, no matter how outrageous, Mentally deranged, or dangerous... typical Cult Behaviors of the Leader of one and the Followers of one.
The Man and I did go to the East Valley for the Event, and had a really good time. We stopped by "The Tipsy Egg" for Breakfast first, I had a Bennie on a Croissant, it was excellent. {See Below} And, Yes, it tasted as good as it looks Editorially. I've never had anything at that Restaurant that I didn't love. This was the first time I'd tried that particular Bennie on the Menu. I've had other Bennies there, this was one of my favs and I'd definitely order it again. The Man had Biscuits and Gravy, he's not very experimental about trying something different and, he's become a very fussy eater since his Brain Injury. So, getting him to even eat the food rather than play with it on his Plate is challenging enough. He'll spend more time arranging it and moving it around incessantly than actually eating it. So, Meals can take a long time and he'll almost never finish any Meal even if he's really liking it. Now that he has some Dementia too, as well as the TBI, it's all the more challenging. But he Loves going out to Eat and so it's a Recreational Pursuit we still enjoy doing Together.
Even when I was Skinny I was a Foodie, I grew up with a Dad who was a Master Chef so I was spoiled eating Five Star Cuisine my whole Life. He also did Dietician Work and was Skinny his whole Life coz he said you can enjoy good Food without ever getting overweight if you eat the right Foods in the right amounts and keep your Body Healthy from Disease. I was never overweight the entire time my Dad was Alive and I do Wish he'd been around to help me with the Weight Gain after having had the Hysterectomy and advised me as a Dietician on how best to manage the Hormonal Shift it caused? Yes, I've been to Doctors, but, until recently with the Ozempic, and for the Year I spent a Fortune on Nutrisystem, it's been a losing Battle to lose the excess 61 Lbs. I gained after that necessary Surgery. And it was necessary or I risked getting Cancer, the same Cancer my Mom had battled... she Won her Battle with it, but, I avoided it by getting the Hysterectomy instead.
The Surgeon warned me I would probably Gain about Sixty Pounds, and he was spot on about that fact. None of my eating Habits changed but my Body sure as shit did on how it processed Food!!! So, I had to change how I ate instead to try to figure that shit out now, which is really quite complicated. On Nutrisystem I lost the entire 61 Lbs. and looked fantastic, felt fantastic, but, their Maintenance Program, which I also Paid for, didn't Work for me even tho' I followed it Religiously. When I've been given instructions on Dietary changes I follow them Religiously and have tried damned near everything one can try to see if that might work long term and be Helpful? I went Vegetarian for over Two Years, didn't Help, didn't lose any Weight being Vegetarian, none whatsoever!!! I switched to Vegan for some time as well, since all Vegans I knew were frail and tiny people, I would have been the World's only Fat Vegan, I swear to God, so, chucked that Method. It's a harsh way of Eating IMO and you lose Friends, not Weight. *LOL & Winks*































AI was my chosen topic today. Not as many photos on my blog, though. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not willing to say there is a good side to it considering it's driven people to suicide and has taken over social media feeds. It's amazing to me that people don't even seem to understand that what they're looking at *IS* AI!
I can't wait until you play with AI for yourself (or have your daughter do it) and post those photos.
ReplyDeleteLMAO!!!!! I love killing time playing around with my picture and AI!!!! Sometimes I don't look much different with exception to the hair styles.
ReplyDeleteI am still struck by your Christmas Tree!!!! So fabulous! And you too, modeling the Christmas sweater! Your food pix are always the best.
ReplyDelete