My recent foray into the online dating world using the Bumble and Hinge apps got me thinking about artificial intelligence and algorithms. If my experience is indicative of the power of AI, I suspect our fears of being tricked, manipulated and ultimately ruled by these systems is over-hyped. Both of these apps offer basic filters…
The Chainsmokers
I can’t believe my neighbor isn’t dead. He lives two doors down from me and smokes on his back porch at all hours of the day and night. I know this because I can smell the smoke as it drifts over from 50 yards away through his yard, my neighbor’s yard, my yard and finally…
Technique-al Training
The online drawing course I’m taking at Udemy has been better than I expected. I’m now into my fourth day. Each lesson introduces one or more new concepts / techniques. It’s exactly what I wanted to get from the course. It is self-paced so I can skip over the fluff (like “post your drawings to…
Unproven
The most challenging thing about dating after having been married for a long time is building a relationship from scratch. My friends and family told me many times, “Don’t try to replace your wife. Don’t think you will find somebody like her.” My gut reaction to this is, “Really? Why would you even say this?…
Let The Light In
I really despise winter. I don’t like being cold. I don’t like short days and long nights. I don’t like my nose running. I don’t like having to bundle up in 3 layers and strip down every time I go in or out of the house. But whatever, it’s January and I live in North…
The Good Life
My recent foray into the online dating world had me spiraling a bit this week. I updated my profiles, upgraded to “premium” subscriptions for Hinge and Bumble ,and aggressively scanned through hundreds of profiles by swiping left/right. After three days of concentrated activity, I’ve had only 4 women who responded to my “likes” – which…
I Wish I Could Be An A$$hole
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve been summoned for Jury Duty and am not pleased about it. I have been mulling over ideas for how to ensure I’m not selected for a jury. Since I no longer lie, my ideas all boil down to one tactic – be a complete a$$hole when questioned…
Make My Heart Race
Until I began dating again, I forgot about something that used to happen to me. Back when I was falling in love with my (future) wife, she made my heart race. It would race when I saw her. It would race when she smiled at me. It would race when she called me on the…
Fighting Weight
Although it seems like it was forever and a day ago since I had my 2nd hernia surgery, it has actually only been 4 months. In that time, I recovered my hernia surgery, I healed my chronically injured right shoulder and I got (and am slowly recovering from) elbow bursitis. Throughout this time I’ve been…
Completely Out Of Choices
I have completely lost interest in movies, TV shows, videos and books. My interest in TV and movies had been dwindling for the past decade, as everything became repetitive, banal and predictable. Books started waning during the past three years. I noticed the same formulaic approach to much of the fiction and nonfiction titles I…