I was introduced to AITA this year when browsing reddit and listening to podcasts. It stands for “Am I The @sshole?” and precedes someone’s rant about a situation where they had a conflict with another person. AITAs are quite popular online and in user submissions to podcasts. They follow a standard format. The writer explains…
Walled Gardens
We have all been subject to more “firewalls” from newspapers, media sites, TV stations and apps as they use paywalls to force us to subscribe, disable ad blockers and/or register to see content. It’s everywhere now: The Wall Street journal, the Atlantic, the New York Times, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, local TV stations, local newspapers…
Gay Wedding Cakes And Theoretical Web Design
Recently, the US Supreme Court ruled on a case from a Web Design Company that refused to create a website for a gay marriage – in theory. Because, actually, nobody had approached the web design company to request this service. It was a “hypothetical case”. WTF? How did this make it all the way to…
Nomad No More
Last month marked 4 years since I settled into my current home in Raleigh. This is the longest I ever lived in one place in my entire life. Which is ironic, because for the first time in my life, I could live absolutely anywhere I wanted to. There are some practical explanations for why I…
Can’t Relate
Since grief has become a permanent part of my identity, I have not found any person – in real life, on podcasts, online or in books, with whom I feel a connection. I have tried. I’ve read dozens of books with stories of people who lost a beloved spouse, child or pet. I tried to…
Tone Deaf
The CEO of Disney was criticized this week for being “tone deaf” when he said, “There’s a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive” in reference to the Writers…
Self Disciplined
When I was a kid, I received next to no discipline (and little attention, as I’ve written before) from my mother. She worked. She took care of her boyfriend. She smoked and watched TV. When I was really young, she made dinner. Starting from around age 5, I fed myself most meals, got myself off…
Dollar Storification Of The Internet
When I wrote my thoughts about ChatGPT and AI a few months ago, I did not realize how accurate my predictions would turn out to be. Generally, I’m only good at predicting the past (ha!). Today I wanted to test Bard, which is Google’s version of ChaGPT. First I asked it “Who is Steve Ainslie”….
Demographic Drop Out
A podcast I listen to was soliciting feedback via an online survey. Because I’m a fan of the podcast, I completed the survey (using a throwaway email account to maintain my anonymity, of course). I had a few ideas that I think would improve the show. Unsurprisingly, the survey was clearly for corporate marketing purposes….
My Own Personal Disneyland
Many years ago I had a friend who loved to go to Disneyland – even though he was in his mid-30s and had no kids. He’d spend an entire week there. I, on the other hand, preferred to spend my vacation on the beach or at a lake. Over lunch one day, I asked him…