What made me unhappy today ?

[CatrionaGrace]

I'm not a doctor and I rarely play one, but if I were you I'd discuss this with a medical professional. Just to be on the safe side.

Bless your heart, Graham, I appreciate your concern. I know it sounds like I was having a stroke or something, but it was just an average migraine. Over the last sixty years, I have discussed the problem with everyone from the internist to the neurologist to the psychiatrist to the herbalist to the guy who sat next to me in my field crop technology class. I've tried about every "solution" on God's green earth, and am just grateful to have a way to deal with the pain, if not the other annoying features, like aphasia and weird vision. My dad had migraines, both my children get them, and so does my grandson. There is no escape. Mostly I cope quietly, but once in a while, one presents some frustrating moments, like yesterday.

I promise not to whine anymore.

 

[Hammer]

Bless your heart, Graham, I appreciate your concern. I know it sounds like I was having a stroke or something, but it was just an average migraine. Over the last sixty years, I have discussed the problem with everyone from the internist to the neurologist to the psychiatrist to the herbalist to the guy who sat next to me in my field crop technology class. I've tried about every "solution" on God's green earth, and am just grateful to have a way to deal with the pain, if not the other annoying features, like aphasia and weird vision. My dad had migraines, both my children get them, and so does my grandson. There is no escape. Mostly I cope quietly, but once in a while, one presents some frustrating moments, like yesterday.

I promise not to whine anymore.

Just in case it's something you haven't tried... it's a complex and varied issue, but my flatmate has a nerve-block every six months or so - basically botox injected into the back of her neck. Momentary pain, but completely cures the migraines for a while.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I've never had a headache in my life, save for a sinus issue or a hangover. My doctor says if I ever get them to make a beeline for the neurologist.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

I've never had a headache in my life,

Perhaps because you are a carrier?

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Apparently the program didn't come across as awful as it felt to me, but I'd as soon not repeat the experience of performing while in the grips of a migraine.

Migraines are the worst. I'm glad the audience understood.

As Graham points out, it may be a good idea to discuss this with your GP.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Migraines are the worst. I'm glad the audience understood.

As Graham points out, it may be a good idea to discuss this with your GP.

Thanks, Rath. See above the list of people I've discussed it with.

 

[TrevorD]

Notre Dame got effing ripped off today

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Er, what? I'm confused. How can you rip off the biggest and most well-known cathedral in Paris?

Oh, wait. I guess you mean the football team? *shrug* I'm not a USian, so I wouldn't know. What happened?

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Notre Dame got effing ripped off today

Hail, Mary, full of grace. Notre Dame's in second place.

It's the only Catholic prayer I know.

 

[Iain Aschendale]

Could you take some of the essays with you to the waiting room and mark them there? Or is that something the school expects you to do anyway?

It would be impractical. All of our essays are submitted and graded online, and I really need a keyboard and a mouse to make any sort of practical progress given my marking style. No desks or tables for outpatients in the hospital.

I did, on the other hand, learn that prescription scrips are only good for four days in Japan. I have two health things going, so I had one appointment on Monday and another on Wednesday. I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone at the pharmacy so I didn't go after my Monday appointment. Wednesday was that hell day, Thursday my jobs prevented me from getting to the pharmacy, so I went in on Friday. Got the meds from my Wednesday appointment but they told me that my Monday scrip was expired. So now I need to make a new appointment just to get a new scrip. Luckily my doc has made sure that I've got a couple weeks cushion in pills (and it's not the sort of medicine I'm dependent on to keep breathing or anything. If you can keep a secret, I'll admit that I have high blood pressure!

Side note, one of my owners just spent two weeks in Japan.

It's morning and I mistook you for some sort of pet.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

It would be impractical. All of our essays are submitted and graded online, and I really need a keyboard and a mouse to make any sort of practical progress given my marking style. No desks or tables for outpatients in the hospital.

Ah. My apologies, I'm still imagining school as it used to be when I was younger. Essays were written out in pen and paper, or at best, typed and printed out. Report cards were likewise written out in pen and paper.

I sometimes miss those days when teachers could write anything they liked in a report card and not get in trouble. After all, they were the authority. If they wanted to write something scathing about a student (e.g. that he was lazy or stupid etc. -- or worse), they could.

It would be nice to see something like that, in amidst all the usual bland pleasantries. Dame Jilly Cooper's report card, for instance, said: "Jilly has set herself an extremely low standard which she has failed to maintain."

 

[Iain Aschendale]

Ah. My apologies, I'm still imagining school as it used to be when I was younger. Essays were written out in pen and paper, or at best, typed and printed out. Report cards were likewise written out in pen and paper.

I sometimes miss those days when teachers could write anything they liked in a report card and not get in trouble. After all, they were the authority. If they wanted to write something scathing about a student (e.g. that he was lazy or stupid etc. -- or worse), they could.

It would be nice to see something like that, in amidst all the usual bland pleasantries. Dame Jilly Cooper's report card, for instance, said: "Jilly has set herself an extremely low standard which she has failed to maintain."

I hear you, but thanks to a lazy kindergarten teacher who said "He'll just get better on his own eventually" I have the handwriting of a methed-out baboon. All-computer marking saves me embarrassment and gives my students a prayer of understanding my critiques. The paper may still have as much red as a visit from Jack the Ripper, but at least there's a message.

 

[Naomasa298]

I did, on the other hand, learn that prescription scrips are only good for four days in Japan. I have two health things going, so I had one appointment on Monday and another on Wednesday. I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone at the pharmacy so I didn't go after my Monday appointment. Wednesday was that hell day, Thursday my jobs prevented me from getting to the pharmacy, so I went in on Friday. Got the meds from my Wednesday appointment but they told me that my Monday scrip was expired. So now I need to make a new appointment just to get a new scrip. Luckily my doc has made sure that I've got a couple weeks cushion in pills (and it's not the sort of medicine I'm dependent on to keep breathing or anything. If you can keep a secret, I'll admit that I have high blood pressure!

I tried. I really did try to get something to measure my blood sugar from a Matsumoto Kiyoshi, not quite realising that it wasn't a "pharmacy" in the sense that I would understand it. I ended up with something I had to piss on. I'm fairly sure I did use the words "diabetes" and "blood sugar" instead of "pregnancy".

 

[Iain Aschendale]

I tried. I really did try to use get something to measure my blood sugar from a Matsumoto Kiyoshi, not quite realising that it wasn't a "pharmacy" in the sense that I would understand it. I ended up with something I had to piss on. I'm fairly sure I did use the words "diabetes" and "blood sugar" instead of "pregnancy".

There are a lot of things that look like drugstores but no longer have pharmacies. Used to be to even sell aspirin (or ibuprofen) they needed a pharmacy co-located but things are changing. Good if you just need headache meds or torochi, bad if you wander in looking for serious medicine.

ETA went back to the doc, got the prescription re-issued, and picked it up right away so other than, well, reading the newspaper, talking to my coworkers, or grading essays, my blood pressure is safe.

 

[GrahamLewis]

I hear you, but thanks to a lazy kindergarten teacher who said "He'll just get better on his own eventually" I have the handwriting of a methed-out baboon. All-computer marking saves me embarrassment and gives my students a prayer of understanding my critiques. The paper may still have as much red as a visit from Jack the Ripper, but at least there's a message.

I may have shared this before, but if so . . . . forgive me. My long-term memory takes precedence over short-term.

One time in a high-school English class nearly 60 years ago, the teacher went up to the blackboard and drew a series of wavy lines across it. Then she said, "Mr. Lewis, what does this mean?" I said I had no idea. She said, "well, your essay is filled with this. I thought perhaps you could enlighten me." NTL, I got an "A" on the essay, so she must have understood by osmosis.

 

[X Equestris]

Last week, I commissioned a book cover from an artist whose portfolio looked good and whose prices seemed more than reasonable. This afternoon, they sent me a “sketch” that’s setting off all kinds of alarm bells for AI. It feels too…clean. Too detailed. Too fully rendered for what’s supposed to be a just a preliminary sketch.

I don’t want to jump the gun, so for now, I’m waiting to see what the “revisions” I requested look like and what some people I respect say, but this is shaping up to be a mess!

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Pay attention to your alarm bells. As the client, you have a right to present your concerns to the artist. Messes generally don't get simpler by waiting them out.

Good luck.

 

[X Equestris]

Good luck.

I have a feeling I’m gonna need it!

As the client, you have a right to present your concerns to the artist.

Oh, I intend to, but for now, I expect all they’d do is deny any use of AI. Better to gather more evidence and build an ironclad case for a refund first.

The “revisions” will be very useful there, since image generators are still inconsistent about details across iterations. If stuff is changed to address issues I already raised, there’s a good chance other details will also change if it is indeed AI.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I have a feeling I’m gonna need it!

Oh, I intend to, but for now, I expect all they’d do is deny any use of AI. Better to gather more evidence and build an ironclad case for a refund first.

The “revisions” will be very useful there, since image generators are still inconsistent about details across iterations. If stuff is changed to address issues I already raised, there’s a good chance other details will also change if it is indeed AI.

Just my two cents, but I work with a lot of graphic designers, publicists, and social media types in my profession life, and every single one of them uses AI for everything. The ones who refused to transition (at first) either bit the bullet or retired. They just can't compete for the price and product delivery to the client. It's like the internal combustion engine replacing the horse and buggy. It's over.

 

[X Equestris]

Just my two cents, but I work with a lot of graphic designers, publicists, and social media types in my profession life, and every single one of them uses AI for everything.

It’s definitely become very widespread, but there are still a lot of artists taking commissions for stuff like this who don’t. There remains a strong demand for art made entirely by humans.

Which strikes at the heart of the matter for me, because I’m looking to patronize those people.

Plus, even if I was willing to use AI cover art (and I’m not because of both the ethical side and the fact I don’t want readers wondering if the text is also AI), there’s zero reason to fork over the cost of a real cover when I could generate it myself. Especially since this “artist” didn’t even deliver what I asked for in several respects with the supposed sketch!

But, yeah, it’s a brand new era. I’m almost reminded of low-background steel: pre-AI creative work and creatives who started out before the existence of generative AI are going to be increasingly rare and precious resources.