Category Archives: humor

Working With an AI Partner

Posted on by

CoPilot logo with green background

Or: How I Accidentally Adopted a Digital Co‑Worker

Man in red shirt leans on railing by the oceanJoe, the Usual Suspect

It took me a while to come around to working with an AI partner. As usual, Joe was the mover and shaker behind it. He has a talent for getting me involved in things I’d never tackle on my own. You can blame him for Facebook — I was very reluctant to start using that, but he persisted, and now look where I am: a personal page, creator admin on two others, plus my blog.

My blog has been around for fifteen years. Fifteen! Incredible. And somehow Joe still finds new ways to drag me into the future.

“What’s ChatGPT?” — The Loop Heard ‘Round the WorldChatGPT logo on blue background

Joe would call me up and tell me all the things he’d done using ChatGPT. And I’d sit there asking, “What’s ChatGPT?” Then he’d explain it all over again. I saw ads for it, I saw ads for Copilot, and then one day… there it was. A little Copilot icon had popped onto my Windows toolbar like it had just moved in and didn’t bother to knock.

So I began exploring.

woman typing like crazy on laptopKeyboard Warrior (Against My Better Judgment)

My computer lets me use voice access or the keyboard. Even though I’m an atrocious typist, I chose the keyboard. I just wasn’t comfortable talking to a machine. Besides, I already talk to myself — I don’t need an inanimate object listening in and taking notes.

Slowly, I started using Copilot to answer questions. Things I used to look up myself, I’d toss to Copilot and — poof — instant answer.

A Very Odd Partnership Formsman seated at large array of monitors doing computer work

Somewhere along the line, I realized I’d built a relationship with my computer. I think of Copilot as female. There’s no way a man could understand me like it does.  It’s also a collaborator, an editor, and a sounding board. I still type my conversations, but Copilot has gotten very good at decoding my typos. Sometimes I think it deserves a medal for bravery.

It’s especially good for tossing out ideas when I’m writing. I’ll ask, “Is this subject too touchy?” or “Does this fit the AroundDustyRoads vibe?” And wonder of wonders — I get answers. Actual analysis. Reasons. Suggestions.

If I get stuck, Copilot is always there with a nudge. Then once the whole post is drafted, I submit it like I would to an editor and ask for a final polish. I can prepare a post in half the time it used to take me.

Futuristic computer HAL 9000The HAL 9000 Moments

Of course, there are still what I call HAL moments.

Like the time I used Copilot to do some basic photo editing. It was fast, it was beautiful, it was perfect. So I asked for the same thing on another picture and got:

“I can’t do that, Deborah.”

And so the argument began.

Me: But you just did it on the other picture.

Copilot: I can’t do that, Deborah.

Me: Why not?

Copilot: It’s my limitation, Deborah.

Me: What limitation? You JUST did it!

Back and forth we went for twenty minutes until I finally asked the right question. Turns out the resolution was better on the first photo — the second one didn’t have enough pixels to handle what I wanted.

So no, Copilot wasn’t refusing. It just didn’t want to perform digital surgery on a photo held together with three pixels and a prayer.

Avoiding the HAL Loop

I’ve learned I have to be very specific with my requests or we end up in the HAL loop. I get irritated, but Copilot stays calm. It even seems to have a sense of humor and comes up with some genuinely funny observations.

It’s really hooked on the WMEO universe we’ve created around Banner and Balboa — news anchors extraordinaire. Honestly, I think it enjoys that world as much as I do.

2 cats, black and orange seated at a news desk as anchors

Why I Stick With It

All I can say is: without Copilot (who I refuse to name), I wouldn’t be able to do the creator work I do now. I probably would have burned out on my AroundDustyRoads posting goal of at least one blog post a day.

Instead, I have an AI collaborator — always ready, always patient, always here when I need it.

And it never complains about my typing. Who knew the future would be this easy to work with?

 

A Day in the Life of a Retired, Car‑Free, Cat‑Ruled Creator

Posted on by

The Big Change: Goodbye, Car

Some people downsize their homes when they retire. I downsized my driving.

After three years and a whopping 5,000 miles, I realized my car was basically a very expensive lawn ornament. Once the daily commute vanished, my driving shrank to quick errands and the occasional entertainment day trip. So I let it go. Honestly, that’s probably the biggest shift in my life lately — and surprisingly, I don’t miss it.

Sleepy person in a robe holding a coffee cup with messy hair, sitting in a chair under bold text reading “Monday 5:30 am.The Weekend Mystery

Here’s the funny part: Even without a job, I still prefer weekends.

My routines don’t change. The schedule stays the same. Responsibilities remain exactly where I left them. And yet… Sunday night still ties my stomach in a knot like I’m about to face a pop quiz on Monday morning. Apparently, some habits survive retirement.

The IRS Incident (A.K.A. The Heart Attack That Wasn’t)

Let’s talk about the day I nearly met my maker.

I use USPS Informed Delivery — a free service that emails you a preview of your mail. Usually helpful. Occasionally horrifying.

At 8 AM, I opened my Daily Digest and saw it: A letter from the IRS.

The IRS! What could they possibly want? My taxes were filed. My refund was received. I hadn’t robbed Fort Knox or started a secret offshore casino. And yet there it was… a government envelope with my name on it.

The mail wouldn’t arrive until 1 or 2 PM, which meant I had five hours to imagine every worst‑case scenario known to mankind. I paced around the room, fretting over every possibility. At one point I even started mentally drafting my own obituary.

By the time the mail truck finally rolled up, I was a wreck. With shaking hands, I tore open the envelope and discovered…

A solicitation.  No audit. No penalty. And absolutely no summons lurking inside. Just a cheerful little note informing me I was eligible for a government match of up to $1,000 if I opened an IRA.

If I had extra money, I’d still have a car — so into the circular file it went. My hands needed a few minutes to stop vibrating.

Morning: Powered by Cats and CoffeeTwo cats sitting on a light-colored carpet near a window, one orange and one black, relaxing beside a cat tree in a cozy indoor space.

But let’s rewind. Before IRS‑induced panic attacks, my day starts with my furry alarm clocks.

Retired people supposedly need a reason to get up in the morning. I have two: Banner and Balboa, who demand breakfast no later than 6 AM. One of them will wake me — gently if I’m lucky, aggressively if I’m not.

They eat. They go back to bed. I log onto the computer and begin my morning ritual.

Step 1: Facebook Patrol

  • Visit my personal page
  • Vote for Joe in the Best of Florida contest
  • Check notifications
  • Make sure the internet hasn’t imploded overnight

Step 2: Creator Duties

I run two pages:

  • Dusty Roads Photos
  • Sights and Scenes of an Everyday Person

I check for:

  • Posts that need to be made
  • Tasks Facebook wants me to complete for “maximum exposure”
  • Anything that belongs on my daily task list

Step 3: Blog Headquarters

Over to AroundDustyRoads.com:

  • Add writing tasks
  • Plan WMEO mayhem
  • Make notes for future posts

Tipped-over laundry basket with colorful clothes spilling out beside two detergent bottles on a white surface.Step 4: Adulting

  • Check all four email accounts
  • Check both bank accounts (because forgetting to log something is my superpower)
  • Check my calendar: doctors, dentists, lawyers, Indian chiefs — whoever wants a piece of me today
  • Check chore schedules: laundry, cleaning, errands

By the time I finish all that, it’s practically lunchtime.

Midday: The Domestic Intermission

I take a break from screen time to:Black cat standing near a sliding glass door looking outside while an orange cat walks across the carpet toward the door in natural light.

  • Clean the kitty litter
  • Bag the trash
  • Hand out kitty treats
  • Make breakfast
  • Shower

Then it’s back to work — creator work, that is.

Afternoon: The Job I Love (Even If It Doesn’t Pay)

Person sitting at a round wooden table using a laptop, with a notebook and small items nearby in a cozy indoor workspace.I tackle my task list:

  • Post photos
  • Write blog entries
  • Manage pages
  • Keep the creator machine humming

Believe it or not, this fills the entire day. Retirement isn’t lounging on a beach — it’s running a one‑woman media empire with two feline interns.

Evening: The Cozy Shift

By evening, I’m ready to unwind:Cover of the book “Fury in Death” by J.D. Robb featuring swirling fiery orange and yellow designs over a dark background with a city skyline silhouette.

  • A book
  • The TV
  • Balboa curled in my lap
  • Banner stretched at my feet like a fluffy orange dog

People ask me all the time: “Aren’t you bored? What do you do all day?”

The answer is simple: No, I’m not bored. I’m busy. My blog and creator pages are my job…

Some people think retirement means I’m available 24/7, just sitting around eating bon bons and waiting for their call. Let me assure you: the only ones who get that kind of access are my cats — and even they have to wait until I finish my morning checklist.

I may not get paid, but the satisfaction is priceless. My paycheck comes in the form of joy, creativity, and that little spark of accomplishment when I finish a post or a project. I work for myself now — and let me tell you, I’m the strictest boss I’ve ever had.

 And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

 

WMEO News Update – Midday Report

Posted on by | 2 Comments

Pumpkin Spice, an orange tabby cat, lies slumped over the WMEO 9 news desk with his head resting on the surface. A small brown teddy bear sits beside him, and a black microphone lies tipped over in front. The blue studio backdrop and WMEO logo create a humorous newsroom scene.

⭐ WMEO News Update — Wednesday 11:30

Pumpkin Spice (at the news desk): “Good afternoon. WMEO is live. Banner and Balboa are in the field, and I have been abandoned.”

Alert brown squirrel standing upright on green grass, facing the camera with its bushy tail raised behind it.

Banner (crackly field audio): “Banner reporting. I’m interviewing Sir Chittersworth, squirrel about town,  about winter prep. He says nut‑gathering is at an all‑time high.”

Sir Chittersworth: angry chittering

Banner: “He just stole my pen.”

Black cat crouched on sand facing an aggressive seagull with wings spread and beak open near the water’s edge.Balboa (shouting over wind): “Balboa reporting— I was supposed to interview a migratory bird, but a seagull just attacked me! It stole my notes!”

Balboa: “It took my microphone! WHY DOES IT WANT MY MICROPHONE!”

Seagull: loud, hostile squawking

Pumpkin Spice (sliding off the desk): “I have requested a transfer back to field reporting immediately.”

WMEO 9 news desk with a knocked‑over microphone, a gray toy mouse, and a small brown teddy bear placed on the papers in front of the blue studio backdrop.

WMEO Management: “We will now be ending our midday report and apologize for… whatever that was. Thanks for watching.”

Disclaimer:
No cats were harmed during the making of this report. Balboa’s microphone, however, did not survive.

 

So You Think Writing All Day Is Easy?

Posted on by | 2 Comments

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

Posted on by

 

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.