Work, AI, Music, and the World: The Latest Scoop on Life, Tech, Tunes, and Headlines!

Bienvenue! There's a lot of new things happening in technology, music, work, and politics. Let's get into it. 

First, I'm no longer working as a cashier at the supermarket. This was a big loss for me as I had been working there for about ten years and grew up there. Now, I'm switching from a social public life to a much more personal private life. It has not been easy and I don't think it will be easy to maintain. However, I'm finding that there have been benefits like better care of my body and health. The main drawback though is the fact that I'm not earning a weekly check. Losing my job due to being laid off was one of my biggest regrets. But life must go on. 

Moving forward, the development of AI is the best story of our time. Why? Because its the only exciting story that isn't mostly focusing on the negative. I initially started using LLM's [large language models, chatbots] back in 2022 to do AI art images for fun and relaxation. Now, I'm finding that I can also do AI videos too. And then there's the chatbots usage in and of themselves, for augmenting knowledge based on subjects I already know about. Another fun method I use using AI: I'll use the chatbot to create and edit prompts for images and create the images from those prompts/edited ideas, and then use the images created and turn that into video. There's even AI music and it's a lot better than you would think. 

That being said, I think AI is the only truly positive story. AI gets a bad reputation because workers think they're coming for their jobs, but the reality is that AI just isn't there quite yet. You can create AI movies and images and books and music but its not really quite there yet. Rather, you can use AI to augment your ideas and creations for movies, images, books, and music, but the AI in and of itself cannot create great art, media, business model, or music. Like anything else, AI is just a tool for the artist, creator, businessman in order to enhance their craft and production. I would say, think of AI less as a new emerging technology and more of a tool that will be used in all facets of society mostly for entertainment purposes for the layman but also as a tool for artists, creators, and businessmen to sell and advertise art and/or products. It's an advertiser's paradise.

Next, the news stories have been mostly negative. Gas prices are up. Inflation is at an all time high. Avian bird flu and measles might become an issue down the road. Donald Trump is the President yet again. What else is new? It feels a lot like Weimar Germany Republic right before Hitler's rise to power. You can be jewish in Weimar Germany Republic but you have to be very careful. That's the kind of precarity we live in right now within this moment. It's not to be taken lightly and we, as young people, shouldn't squander all our free time partying and ignoring politics. A lot of young people here in California have drunk the Kool-Aid and given up on keeping up with politics and/or reading/watching the news, and rather, they have given into a lot of bad habits like getting bad information from social media or their goofball buddies. 

However, how long can a democracy really last? America was fighting for independence from the Brits back in 1776, so it has been quite a while. I sometimes like to joke that America is like a poor man's Rome, and in many ways the current moment in this time is a sort of Rise and Decline of the Western Civilization [Edward Gibbon]. You see that despite the fact that we, as Americans, have more technology, more education, a better richer nutritional economy, and more money than most other people in all other countries, this has not been to our benefit. Rather, you could even argue that it's been to our detriment. With this said theory, you could say that in the long run AI could be a bad thing for American society. But the technocrats would say, "it's all about how you use it." 

Lastly, the best news. I've been keeping up with a lot of music practice. I play piano decently now and I'm still plucking on the guitar too. I taught myself sight reading [reading music notation] from studying Mozart scores and writing it out by hand. I do a lot of ear training listening to music. I use classical scores to practice rhythms on piano. Also, I've discovered that there's been a new jazz age but its hidden online on YouTube. There are tons of old jazz records, some that may have only had limited printings and never saw the light of day in record stores [1958-early 1960s recordings], and they're all now appearing all over on YouTube all of a sudden. As a musician, I decided to go more in the jazz direction because jazz offers more variety in music playing and listening and performance, so it's amazing to see that the artform can somehow still keep its heartbeat alive, even if its a small niche audience on YouTube. I play jazz but I  use classical, rock, and blues as a template to build upon improvisation. It's been a journey, as I first started playing and performing on guitar when I was a teenager. 

Heraclitus: A man cannot fall into the same river twice, for there are ever new waves splashing upon him. 

August Update

Hello, everybody. I thought I'd write down a what's up post. I haven't been writing for some time now and perhaps just writing anything can get my back into the groove of things. So what's up?

I've been still doing my retail gig at the market. They took away our hazard pay after only 2 months but supposedly our union is trying to get it reinstated. I still can't believe that they took it away when COVID has only got worse. Keep in mind that the company is a million-dollar organization. How's that for a big fuck you to your employees? Jokes aside, I really do hope they reinstate the hazard pay. It's only an additional $2 an hour but every little bit helps. They also need to stop kicking their workers in the balls. 

Nevermind the fact that our chances of catching COVID are still super high there. Nobody cleans anything, not that I blame them. The customers are at a super high risk of catching COVID there too because nobody cleans anything. They could probably get it from touching the payment pinpad. The customers leave their masks and gloves in the carts for other customers to be surprised by when they grab the carts. Sometimes my community disgusts me. In a way, it's brought out the real me. You see, about 90% of the customers treat me like human garbage there, while maybe only about 10% treats me like a human being. I have to treat them accordingly if you get my drift.

For the last three months, I got switched to morning shifts. It was a big deal and I wasn't fond of it but I got used to it and enjoyed the free time at night to hang out with friends and family. Well, now I'm back to my usual night shift, which I've been doing for the last couple of years. It's not fun but I'm used to it. And after working mornings for the last couple of months, I actually miss the mornings, the morning coworkers, the better preparation, the extra help. Everything's easier during the morning and daytime when everybody is there. When you have a full staff to run things, you get a lot more done. At night our managers don't give us enough personnel to get everything done. So consequently, not much gets done. 

I've been using my nights to relax and smell the coffee. I'm trying to find a new way to live during COVID. It's very difficult and stressful at times. My job has become a lot more stressful and more of the customers are assholes all the time now. Them not being able to go out and party, on top of not having work, or having their kids at school, it's set them off. They're driving me and my coworkers crazy. This is not a good time for retail or any kind of store operation. If you have to go into a store, treat the workers really well. At the beginning of the pandemic, they were heroes, now the customers are treating them like shit. 

I spend most of my time reading books on my Kindle or on YouTube, where I can listen to my precious music, quite possibly the only thing keeping me going at the moment. My friends are there for me but they can't be there all the time. And I don't want to bother my family too much, I feel like I've been a burden to them. I realize I need to eventually spread my painted bird wings and fly out of the nest. Perhaps when this whole virus thing ends once and for all. 

I've been thinking about moving in somewhere with some roommates. Or with closer friends. Or perhaps joining a hippie commune somewhere? That would be like the ultimate hippie move and I would perhaps even be down to do it, provided my other plans in life don't work out the next few years or so. That would be so wild, born to be wild.

As you can tell, I've just been pretty stressed at the retail gig. But not only that. About a month or so ago, I sprained my right-hand pinkie, and playing the guitar isn't the same. It might be another month for it to completely heal IF it completely heals. If it doesn't heal, playing the guitar will never be the same. In a way, I've been super pissed ever since the day it happened, long story about that but I won't go into the excruciating details. But let's put it this way if you're a guitar player and you get a finger injury, the only thing you really have to say to everybody is, "go fuck yourself, fuck you." That sums it up perfectly.

But there's good news too. I've finished Livy's Early History of Rome and started reading Don Quixote again. Perhaps I'll finally get back to blogging about books again and albums. The whole lifestyle/rant blogging style has sort of run its course somewhat for the time being. Thanks for listening.

Enjoy your evening. 

Covid And the Plague of Lighthouse Keepers

Hello, everybody. Back again, with more writing exercises and ideas. The last two posts were fairly genteel posts about how to be a great healer in competitive video games. I'd like to take a departure from that to talk about something substantially more serious. However, if you are a competitive gamer that plays Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, or Team Fortress 2, I highly recommend reading those last two posts.

So, what I'd like to discuss here is a fairly simple idea that I've touched upon already in older posts from weeks ago; Despite the mass communication of the internet, COVID-19 has caused a major disruption in all of our lives, turning us into a plague of lighthouse keepers. 

There are already a lot of people in our communities that don't like to be around others. With COVID, they have an excuse to be even more distant and go even more into isolation than previously before. Here's the kicker; until COVID is dealt a grievous blow, we're stuck in this mode of humanity, which is terrible for our health, well being, and mental health. 

Next, I'd like to go into these details as they pertain to myself. I'm naturally a very outgoing extrovert that likes to be around others. I've been on a leave of absence to be safe and stay away from potential COVID spreaders for two months as I work retail. The only contact I have with people right now is when I talk to my family, when I text friends, when I direct message people on social media, or when I play online video games with voice chat or text chat. Because of all that COVID hasn't really affected me much, but it has impacted me enough for me to take notice and write my thoughts about it in a meaningful way.

You lose a sense of community and mental well being when you're not around people and start spending almost all of your time alone. I'm actually really looking forward to going back to work in June not because I need more money [thank God], but because I'm used to a certain amount of screentime with others, engaging in conversation, and being acknowledged as a person for who I am in my community and workplace. 

Without that I'm a much different sort of person; I stop talking on voice coms and text chat in online competitive video games because I don't see the need for it, I stop direct messaging on social media apps because I think my people need more space away from me, I give my family more space and seclude myself more in whatever ways I can. The question is, is this good for me, and is it sustainable in the long run? What are the ramifications of living life in a lighthouse keeper sort of way? 

For some people, none of this might apply to them because some people naturally don't like to be around others much, and try to spend as much time away from them as possible, as well as saying as little as possible. Obviously, for those people, COVID is helping them out in a societal way. But for the vast majority of the population, they need that social construct in order to engineer their lives in a more meaningful way, myself included. 

We can't all keep going on like this and we know it. I've done really well under the circumstances but the show can't go on. As great as the digital age of the internet is in sharing and communication, it's a piss poor substitute for the real world. And that, essentially, is where the problem of COVID lies therein; it forces us to disperse and stay away from each other, and possibly even stop caring as much as we used to, and instead turn to our own quarantined, lockdown, isolated lives, looking for that spark of inspiration, that zest for life, that we simply can't get anywhere else. 

Still waiting for my saviour,
storms tear me limb from limb

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse Virus pt. 3

Wau! So we're finally at part three of our little series. So far I'd been writing about the doom and gloom of the situation. Mostly outside in the world and at work especially. For this post, I'd like to focus on quarantine life and positivity. What is life now like, now that for the most part, America is on a national lockdown? What advice do I have for quarantine life?

Well, for starters,  you should maintain some sort of schedule. You should have a list of things you want to do every day and do them in whatever order of your choosing. For me this resulted in a creative spike: writing, guitar playing, even playing video games can be creative, at least for me, depending on the type of game and/or gameplay style. Really? Said the non-gaming naysayers. 

I'm still working five out of seven days a week. A typical workday for me is like so. My late shifts are better than my morning shifts as I don't get supremely tired on those days. So I wake up around noon or later [oh wau!], I clean up, brew some coffee, and read the latest news about the virus. Sometimes the NYTimes articles get depressing but I always read them to the end because the NYTimes is covering the pandemic with precision and skill. In fact, I trust their view on the coronavirus because they're looking at it from the very big picture whereas something like the LAtimes is covering just the state of California. 

While reading the news and occasional op-eds about the virus, I'm listening to a lot of jazz and classical music, so as not to have lyrics be too distracting. I've discovered a lot of lost 1960s hardbop/bebop music through this. Then I may play video games to put my mind off things. And I go to work. Usually, I close the store at one am but considering that the store closes at eight pm now, most of my managers are allowing me to leave at midnight. Kudos!  

One thing that should be put into consideration is that you should go out and enjoy nature. Go for a walk or a hike. Even when it's raining and I'm getting wet, I don't seem to mind it as much. Nature in and of itself is beautiful and relieves stress. I can't stress the importance of nature enough. The dark ominous clouds before the rainfall. The bright oh happy day of the afternoon sunshine. Love it.

When I come back to work I play acoustic guitar to keep up my chops. I play songs and jam. Then I play video games for a while. Then I go into writing mode. Currently, I'm working on a short story or possibly novella. Again, this zombie apocalypse virus has really spiked my creative endeavors. After this thing blows over I hope to spice up my writing skills and get a writing gig somewhere. Difficult I know, but not impossible. During the current moment of crisis, as a creative person, I've found that words, sounds, and images have taken on much more severe importance. It's become much more visceral. It's all changed really.

Then I go to sleep and do it all over again. Every night before I go to bed I read. Even if its only twenty pages or thirty, I always read something. Currently, I'm reading The Plague by Albert Camus. It is truly a masterpiece in fiction. I'm inspired by the pandemic.

Sometimes I have morning shifts and that changes the dynamic. My schedule happens in reverse on those days. So you should maintain a schedule. My schedule is going to be different from yours, it goes without saying, but I believe if I keep doing what I'm doing I'm going increase my creativity, improve my writing and guitar playing, and save lives by practicing social distancing and staying away from others, only going out to get food and work, thankfully located at the same place. 

Next, tip number two. Always do things that are fun. Just dumb fun. For me, that includes playing video games to relieve stress. Video games are now one of those things that people can still do with others [online as opposed to in person], that still connects everybody, and is still fun. Voice communication in gaming has become more important during this time. It's a connection with others. If you don't like gaming you can catch up on shows you like. For example, I'd like to binge-watch Game of Thrones.  

Next, keep in touch with friends and family as much as you can so as to avoid too much self-isolation. The best way for me to keep in contact with friends is through phone, text, email, and social media. Every time I contact friends and family I feel a sense of relief, knowing that I'm not in this alone. Their well being is important to me and just knowing that life goes on for them without having the virus, their safety, it's a boost in our collective spiritual unity.

Lastly, you could learn something new. You could learn to play the guitar or the piano, how to cook a certain dish, a new work skill that will be more in demand after the virus goes away [if it goes away], or write a song, poem, blog, or op-ed about your thoughts during this historic moment. Even though technically the country is on lockdown it doesn't mean that life doesn't go on. 

"Nothing you can do if you want to sing the blues, but you know it don't come easy."

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse Virus pt. 2

It's been three weeks since the zombie apocalypse virus has hit. Also known as the coronavirus or COVID-19. Here's an update on how I've been surviving. 
  
Well, for starters the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, ordered a nationwide quarantine and/or shutdown of the entire state of California. If you aren't or haven't taken this seriously yet, you will now. 

Week three
There has been no major meeting with the employees at my work regarding the virus. Upper management nor lower management has not provided us with masks or gloves. Rather, we have to get them on our own initiative. A lot of employees are wearing gloves they bought elsewhere, some are wearing bandanas as masks, but most of them aren't wearing the typical surgical style masks which are out of stock in many places around the country.

They're only allowing a few customers in at a time. The store isn't packed and there's room to breathe without getting too close to others. The shelves aren't really stocked. They're mostly empty but shelves are even worse at our competitor grocery stores down the street. Most customers still can't get toilet paper or hand sanitizer. Hell, even as employees we can't even get toilet paper anymore. It feels somewhat like a third country. Three weeks straight and we can't get toilet paper. Ah! 

The work tasks have changed a bit as well. I spent two hours today wiping down all the cart handles with sanitizer. I was wearing gloves. However, the state of nature outside the building isn't so helpful as cleaning off the cart handles. If you go outside the store during the day you will see tons of customers huddled together, waiting to get inside the store. There isn't a security guard or any authorized personnel ordering them to stand apart or away from each other. This is the worst thing I've seen on the job and it's been going on every day since we started limiting the numbers of customers in at a time. So much for "social distancing." I think if people saw how closely huddled together the customers were they would be horrified. There's got to be a better way to do it than this. For example, we could have another employee or security guard ordering them to stand apart from each other. Keep them out there and telling anyone who gets too close to others to move farther away. Something simple like that would suffice. 

Store hours have changed significantly. The store is open to the elderly from 7am to 8am, but for regular people, from 8am to 8pm. This is a big change for me considering the fact that I usually work the late afternoon to 1am shift. I've been doing a lot of cleaning and gobacks as of late. Again, there's no guidance or protocols for the cleaning. The closing manager must have at least one other employee closing the store with them until the night crew arrives. That's where I come in. 

Some employees have stopped working citing health concerns. People with asthma, that sort of stuff. It's sort of a cop-out to me but let's face it, they're spooked. I can't blame them. I'm planning on continuing to work throughout the pandemic for as long as I can or until I get sick if I get sick, which is a very real possibility, unfortunately. The cost of a continuing paycheck week to week.

The corporation we work for has given us $25 a few days ago. Now they're giving us $150. The President of the Company says if we get sick with the virus we will get two weeks of pay. All this stuff is fine and dandy, good for the press and all but we haven't really been given any safety protocols by the company, the President, nor upper or lower management about how we conduct business at the store. 

The best line I've heard from management is, "make sure to wash your hands." If that's the only safety protocol that a million-dollar company gives its employees then it's safe to say that we might be fucked. This is the equivalent of the Boris Johnson herd immunity tactic. 

Sometimes it takes a reverse in civilization for you to realize what's truly important.

"Are you COVID-19 resistant?"   

Meet the new grind, same as the old grind

Good evening ladies and laddies. I'm back to writing again every night. This calls for a celebration. *takes a swig of coffee* I'm back home after an eight-hour workday, baking a chicken pot pie, and listening to Chet Baker. Ah, this is the life. There's something so soothing about straight-ahead jazz, especially Chet Baker. That slow west coast jazz sound is sublime. It's a privilege to even listen to it for free via YouTube. Meanwhile, the rest of my community is hoarding toilet paper, antibacterial wipes, and water. It's a shit show, it's a shit show, as one of my managers likes to say. 

 The craziest part of this story is the fact that there is indeed a confirmed case of coronavirus at a hospital near my house. It's definitely alarming, perhaps even frightening. But I'm optimistic about the future. Even if the virus breaks out into a worldwide zombie apocalypse. Think about the philosophical ramifications of [corona corona corona!]

Hear me out. Let's say the virus gets much worse in a matter of months. As it's been doing so already. So they lock down cities, schools, public events, and so forth. People will be afraid to go out in public most of the time so they would be confined to their houses or small gatherings with only a handful of friends. Think about the philosophical ramifications of said actions. 

First, people would become more thoughtful. Because people wouldn't have much money and couldn't go out, they would have to learn to do with fewer possessions and less activity. Perhaps they could read books more and bond with their families more. They would think more about who they elect as their leaders. As a result, somebody like Donald Trump could never win in the future. Because people would be more thoughtful, including meaning smarter.

Second, sometimes it takes a disaster to bring people together. We're living in the most polarizing times I think since the 1960s. Things have gotten better since then. But have they really? Or have they just changed forms and modernized into a digital age with the same problems? We as a nation have to come together to overcome all these hurdles. It takes a strong leader of the free world to do so. Trump is a weak-minded fool. He's divided this country more so than any other President since I was born. Heck, even Nixon met the hippies halfway. I'm no conspiracy theorist but if the Russians are using him as a Manchurian candidate, then his whole mission of using the Presidency to sow discord in America was truly fulfilled. I had to go dark here. But from a practical standpoint, we've been living in a tyranny since 2016 when Trump was elected. 

Third, this is the only story bigger than Trump. That alone makes coronavirus a true sensation.  

Sometimes the only way you can deal with something like this is to play it cool and wait it out. The election is this year so perhaps Americans will elect someone with some brains or at least knows how to read. Or perhaps our very own zombie apocalypse virus will infect the whole country [world] at some point, and then we as a nation will have some real soul searching to do. Who knows, maybe we can change the world. 

Until then the song remains the same.