Category Archives: humor

So You Think Writing All Day Is Easy?

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Person sitting at a round wooden table working on a laptop, with papers and an open book nearby in a casual indoor setting.

The LinkedIn Rant That Started It All LinkedIn logo with the word “Linked” in blue followed by a blue square containing the letters “in.”

I’ve been happily posting travel stories, local adventures, flowers, seagulls, and the usual WMEO nonsense… and then yesterday I stumbled across a full‑blown rant on LinkedIn. The writer had clearly just had a run‑in with the AI writing detectors — the kind that swoop in, slap your hand, and tell you your own words aren’t yours.

It got me thinking.

If he can get tackled by the digital hall monitors, what chance do the rest of us have?

And that’s how we ended up here today, talking about spell check, AI inspectors, SEO gremlins, and the general chaos of trying to write anything in 2026 without being scolded by a machine.

Green circular spell‑check icon with a white square containing the letter “A” and a checkmark, with the words “SPELL CHECK” underneath.Spell Check: The Original Traitor

So you think writing all day is easy, do you? Well… maybe it used to be. Before the world of AI kicked in and decided to become the boss of all of us.

First it was spell check — the original digital menace.

Don’t tell me you’ve never typed a quick text to a friend only to have spell check change the word and the meaning, leaving your friend staring at their phone wondering what on earth you just said. Even worse when it’s a business text.

Stupid spell check. It’s been sabotaging writers since Windows 95.

AI Inspectors: The Little Digital Hall MonitorsNeon‑green gremlin face with pointed ears and sharp teeth above the word “error” in bold red letters on a black background, with a small “Made with AI” label in the corner.

Then came the AI inspectors — those little digital hall monitors who patrol your writing like they’re guarding Fort Knox. LinkedIn has them. Facebook has them. WordPress has a whole army of them.

Write three sentences in a row that start with the same word? SLAP. AI alert. You’re clearly a robot.

Use a vocabulary word bigger than “nice”? SLAP. AI alert. No human could possibly know synonyms.

Write a paragraph that actually flows? SLAP. AI alert. Humans are supposed to be chaotic, didn’t you know?

Honestly, the better you write, the more likely you are to get flagged. It’s the digital equivalent of: “You’re too good at this, so clearly you must be cheating.”

 

WordPress SEO Guardians: The Gremlins in the Corner

And then we get to WordPress, where the SEO Guardians live. These little gremlins sit in the corner judging every syllable you type.

Passive voice? SLAP. Fix it.

Sentence too long? SLAP. Break it.

Paragraph too short? SLAP. Add fluff.

Now they even have a little icon you can click so the AI can “correct” your passive voice for you. Because nothing says “authentic writing” like a robot rewriting your sentence so another robot will approve it.

Meanwhile, you’re just trying to write a simple post about puffins or donuts or your cats without getting yelled at by a machine.

Screenshot of an SEO analysis panel showing multiple red warning indicators for missing keyphrase elements, including introduction, density, distribution, SEO title, keyphrase length, and meta description.

Yes, I Use AI — But Not the Way You Think

Do I voluntarily use AI? Of course I do. It’s an outstanding tool — but I don’t turn it loose to write my whole post.

I use it the way writers have used editors for centuries: as a sounding board, a second set of eyes, and occasionally a therapist when my sentences start misbehaving.

I toss ideas around before I start writing. Then, after I have a draft together, I let AI review it, make suggestions, and correct my many, many typos.

You don’t want to read a sentence exactly the way it first appears on my screen. Trust me. Some of them look like I fell asleep on the keyboard or tried to type while riding a mechanical bull.

I’ve told you before — I’m a hunt‑and‑peck typist. And when I start going fast? Oh, it’s over.

My fingers turn into fat little chaos gremlins, and suddenly my sentence needs a code breaker, a translator, and possibly a priest.

Sometimes I read my own typing and ask myself… What??? Not “what did I mean?” Just… what is this? It’s like my keyboard went rogue and started writing in a dialect only dolphins understand.

That’s why I use AI the way normal people use spell check — except spell check betrayed us years ago. AI at least tries to help instead of turning “I’ll call you later” into “I’ll corral your lizard.”

In Closing

Fluffy orange cat sitting outdoors wearing a blue lanyard with a press badge labeled “PRESS” and “WMEO.”So yes — I saw a rant on LinkedIn, and it reminded me that in this brave new world of spell check sabotage, AI hall monitors, and SEO gremlins, writing isn’t the peaceful hobby it used to be.

But I’m still here, typing away, chaos gremlins and all.

As Banner would say: “In this newsroom, even the typos have seniority.”

 

WMEO Weekend Update – Fat Bears Are Back

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Two cats sit behind the WMEO 9 news desk like news anchors. The orange cat on the left and the black cat on the right face the camera with a microphone between them. Paw‑printed papers lie on the desk, and Balboa’s small gray toy mouse sits on the black cat’s side. Behind them, a large studio screen shows a bear catching a salmon with the headline “FAT BEAR WEEK 2026.” The newsroom background is softly blurred with blue and red lighting.

WMEO Weekend Update – Fat Bears Are Back- We Meow, You Listen

Banner: Good evening, Taunton — the salmon are running, the bears are bulking, and Fat Bear Week is lumbering back into the spotlight.

Balboa: And some of these guys are so round they need their own zip code.

Banner: Fat Bear Week runs September 22–29 this year. It started in 2014 as an annual competition celebrating how the brown bears of Katmai and Brooks Camp pack on weight before settling in for their long winter sleep.

Balboa: Pack on weight? These guys carbo‑load like they’re training for the Salmon Olympics. They add blubber faster than a whale on cheat day.

Banner: Park Superintendent Mark Sturm says Brooks Camp has more cubs this year than they’ve seen in a long time. The new generation is off to a strong start.

Balboa: Strong start? They’re practically born into a bracket. Last year, over 1.7 million votes came in from more than 100 countries before Bear 32 — “Chunk” — took home the crown.

A large brown bear stands in a rushing river near a small waterfall, its fur wet and heavy. The bear faces forward with a piece of fish visible near its mouth, surrounded by flowing water and rocky terrain in a natural wilderness setting.

 

Banner: The 2026 Fat Bear Week bracket dropped Friday,  September 18. Voting runs September 22–29 (no weekend voting), and the champion will be crowned September 29.

Balboa: Chunk is back to defend his title. And remember — these bears gain most of their weight by eating fish. Fish! One of humans’ favorite diet foods. Do we need to rethink everything.

Banner: If you want to be one of the more than 1.7 million people who voted last year…

Balboa: From more than 100 countries!

Banner: Yes, from more than 100 countries — head over to the Fat Bear Week website, meet the bears, and vote for your 2026 champion.

Balboa: My money’s on Chunk. Two‑time champ material right there. And remember — Chunk may be a champion, but he’s no teddy bear.

Two cats sit behind a news desk labeled “WMEO 9 – Thank you for watching.” The orange cat on the left and the black cat on the right pose like news anchors. A small gray toy mouse and a light‑brown teddy bear rest on the desk in front of them, with paw‑printed papers nearby. The background shows a softly blurred newsroom with glowing blue and red lights.

Banner (closing): That’s your WMEO Weekend Update — stay curious, stay chunky, and remember: in Katmai, size does matter.

Balboa: And so does the salmon count.

 

WMEO Nature Desk — Breaking News Bulletin- Bear Swims Lake

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Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk like TV anchors. On the left is an orange long‑haired cat sitting upright and looking calmly at the camera. On the right is a black short‑haired cat also sitting upright. A microphone sits between them on the desk, along with two sheets of paper. Behind them, a large newsroom screen shows a bear swimming in a lake with trees along the shoreline. Above the screen is a bold red‑and‑blue headline bar that reads “BEAR SWIMS LAKE.” The scene looks like a humorous animal‑themed news broadcast.

WMEO Nature Desk — Breaking News Bulletin

Filed jointly by Banner “The Senior Correspondent” and Balboa “The Intern Who Sleeps on the Job”

Banner: ahem Attention viewers — the WMEO Nature Desk is once again on high alert. These Adirondack animals are keeping this newsroom busier than a cat trying to outrun a vacuum cleaner.

Balboa: I tried outrunning a vacuum once. A black cat stands on a beige carpet, leaning forward to sniff the hose connection on a red and gray vacuum cleaner. The cat’s nose is close to the vacuum, and its body is slightly crouched in a curious posture. Behind the cat are household items including a purple storage bin, a wicker basket, and a green bag.Didn’t work. Anyway — Lake George has done it again. Another headline. Another critter. Just another day of Banner hogging the good chair.

Banner: Focus, kid. This time it’s a bear. Yup — good ole Smokey decided to take a refreshing dip in Lake George. And let me tell you, this wasn’t your average splash‑around‑the‑dock moment.

Balboa: No sir. This bear looked like he was training for the Adirondack Aquatic Marathon. Full strokes. Determined pace. Zero interest in the shallows. Honestly, he’s putting in more cardio than either of us.

Banner: The sighting came from Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky, who spotted our furry athlete heading straight toward Agnes Island, where campers were squeezing in some last‑minute summer memories.

Balboa: WMEO analysts have reviewed the footage and can confirm:

  • Bear was swimming with purpose
  • Campers were minding their business
  • And so far…

Banner: dramatic pause

Balboa: …there have been no reports of missing pic‑a‑nic baskets.

Banner: Yogi would be proud.

Balboa: Jellystone energy. Adirondack location. Close enough.

A cartoon moose stands upright on a brightly colored paddleboard in the middle of a calm lake. The moose holds a paddle with both hands and smiles confidently while balancing on the board. The lake is blue with gentle ripples, surrounded by green forested hills and a partly cloudy sky.

Banner: This has been your WMEO Nature Desk update. Stay tuned — because at this rate, Lake George might give us a moose on a paddleboard next.

Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as if hosting a broadcast. The orange cat on the left sits upright and looks calmly at the camera. The black cat on the right raises a paw toward a small blue toy mouse with orange ears and an orange tail placed in front of it. The desk displays the WMEO 9 logo in gold and red, with “Thank you for watching” written below in white. The background resembles a softly blurred newsroom with lights and screens.

 

WMEO Special Report: September Birthdays are Special

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An orange cat and a black cat sit behind the WMEO 9 news desk like anchors, with a microphone and papers in front of them and a blurred newsroom backdrop behind the desk.

⭐Filed by Banner & Balboa — WMEO 9 News

🎙️ Banner: Good morning, viewers. This is Banner reporting live from the WMEO News Desk, where we’re kicking off our annual coverage of September Birthdays — one of the busiest celebration months in the WMEO calendar. Cats, humans, and honorary critters alike seem to have chosen September as their preferred arrival date, and we’re here to bring you the latest.

🐾 Balboa: That’s right, Banner. I’ve been reviewing the files — very official, very important — and let me tell you, September is PACKED. I tried to count all the birthdays, but I got distracted by a snack, so Banner will handle the math part.

🎙️ Banner: Thank you, Balboa. As always, your dedication to snacks is unmatched. For full historical coverage, WMEO has archived last year’s September Birthday Report, which you can find right here: Your Birthday Is in September—Are You Special? It’s a classic.

“Colorful illustrated infographic titled Coolest Things That Happened in September, showing drawings of the Mayflower ship, a newspaper, a California map, a stick of chewing gum, and a film reel representing historical events like the Mayflower’s departure, first American newspaper, California’s discovery, first chewing gum sale, and the inaugural Cannes Film Festival.”

🐾 Balboa: A classic. I give it two paws up. Maybe three if I had them.

🎙️ Banner: This year, we’re celebrating all our September friends — furry, human, and otherwise — with the same WMEO enthusiasm you’ve come to expect. Whether you’re turning one, turning ninety‑one, or simply turning over for a nap, WMEO salutes you.

🐾 Balboa (breaking news): 🍕 Fun Fact #7: My Personal Favorite—September 20 Is National Pepperoni Pizza Day. That’s right. You can celebrate your birthday with pizza and cake. Two major food groups, one glorious day. Yum!

“Festive birthday scene featuring a round cake with orange, red, and green frosting swirls and lit multicolored candles beside a thick‑crust pepperoni pizza with melted cheese and browned toppings, set against a bright orange background with colorful streamers and confetti.”

 

🎙️ Banner: From all of us here at WMEO 9 News, we wish our September birthday crew a wonderful month filled with joy, treats, naps, and the occasional dramatic zoomie.

🐾 Balboa: Happy Birthday, September people! WMEO out.

An orange cat and a black cat sit behind the WMEO 9 news desk in a studio setting, with a message on the front panel that reads “Thank you for watching.”

 

When Facebook Promotes You Without Asking

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Orange tabby cat lying on a hay bale surrounded by pumpkins, corn stalks, and autumn leaves in a cozy outdoor fall scene.

Sights and Scenes of an everyday perosn- Banner’s deep thought mode

🎬 A creator journey I never applied for — featuring two cats, one confused human, and a whole lot of watch time.

A black cat wearing eyeglasses sitting on a wooden desk with books and papers in the background, creating a scholarly and humorous scene.I think I may have mentioned that Facebook has officially designated my Sights and Scenes page as a creator. That’s the page tied most closely to my blog, Arounddustyroads. When I first saw the notification, I blinked at it like it was a surprise pop quiz. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it felt like a promotion. Promotions are good, right?

I’d joined the ranks of those internet icons I like to follow. Sure, I’m the tiniest newcomer in the creator universe, but at least I earned the title. Of course, I wasn’t sure how I earned it… or what it would take to keep it. But I’ve been finding out.

📌 1. Apparently I Qualified by Accident

Facebook seems to have given me the designation because I regularly share my Arounddustyroads posts on the page, and those posts then get shared to my personal page. This creates “activity.”

So after all these years, Facebook decided I’d been around long enough to get the upgrade. Not much of a promotion, really — more like a “fine, you’re still here, take this.”

But the biggest difference? As a creator, I can actually earn money… eventually. I can’t do that from my personal page.

This is where I made my first mistake: I assumed “creator” meant “fun little badge.” It actually means “Congratulations, you now have homework.”

📌 2. The Requirements Are… Hilarious

If I want to qualify to get paid, I have some minimum standards to meet. After I got through laughing, I said what the heck — I might as well work toward it. It won’t be quick and probably not pretty, but it’ll give me something to do.

Here’s an example of the requirements:

For Facebook Reels:

  • 5,000 followers
  • 60,000 minutes of watch time in the last 60 days
  • 5 active videos
  • Follow FB’s content guidelines

Social media analytics dashboard showing view counts, watch time, engagement percentages, a line graph of activity over time, and charts breaking down views by content type and by followers versus non‑followers

Maybe in my next life. But let’s see how long it takes to even get close. What’s that saying? A journey begins with the first step. Well, I’ve taken mine… and immediately tripped over it.

📌 3. My “Team” Is Not On Board

Two cats sitting behind a news desk with papers and a microphone, styled like TV news anchors with a “WMEO 9” sign and a cityscape studio background.My stars, my partners in crime, my teammates — Banner and Balboa — are not the most willing or cooperative coworkers.

I’ve been following them around with my camera for three days. Have they done anything cute? Of course not.

 

Banner has decided to become a philosopher. This morning, he assumed full Thinking Mode on the human toilet — sitting on the closed lid like Rodin’s “The Thinker,” staring into the middle distance as if pondering the mysteries of the universe.

Naturally, this happened the exact moment I stepped out of the shower, dripping wet, no camera anywhere within reach. He knows. He absolutely knows.

Balboa, meanwhile, has taken a vow of invisibility and only appears when the camera is off. I swear he can hear the “record” button.

I guess they don’t want to be the next internet cat sensations. I need those five original videos, and apparently my cats have decided to unionize.

📌 4. The Creator Warning I Should Have Taken Seriously

I remember watching a creator explain how they got involved (wanted public speaking experience) and how it morphed into a full‑time job. I couldn’t tell if they were happy about it or not — the message felt more like a cautionary tale.

Well, I’ve been a “creator” for a week, and I can tell you:

Yes. It’s a full‑time job.

There’s planning, filming, editing, posting, tracking, adjusting, and then repeating it all again because Facebook says you need “consistent engagement.” I’ve had jobs with fewer steps.

📌 5. Here’s the Bottom Line Orange cat lying on a closed white toilet seat with one paw draped over the edge in a light blue bathroom.

So here I am — promoted without asking, assigned a job without training, chasing cats who refuse to perform, and trying to rack up 60,000 minutes of watch time like I’m running a tiny, chaotic television network out of my living room.

Will I ever qualify for monetization? Who knows.

But I’ve decided something important:

If Facebook wants me to be a creator… then I’m going to be the most stubborn, persistent, dripping‑wet‑post‑shower cat‑wrangling creator they’ve ever seen.

And if Banner wants to sit on the toilet and contemplate the meaning of life instead of helping, that’s fine. I’ll film him next time. Even if I have to sprint through the house in a towel like a deranged wildlife photographer.

Because one way or another, this creator is getting her five videos.