Birchoparenthesis

The writer learned about AI-generated poetry and the concept of the "uncanny valley" in the expression of a gap in depth of poetry of AI and that of more meaningful poetry of human creators. AI models learn by analyzing literary texts, allowing them to mimic the nuances of human poetry. Some people use AI as a creative tool, raising questions about ownership: does the poetic work belong to the AI, the human director, or the literary texts that trained the AI? This remains uncertain. This unders...

Listening to Yppah, I find their melodic, mysterious lyrics rival those of the Cocteau Twins. A bumper sticker that reads, "Don't honk, I'm trying to understand the Cocteau Twins," perfectly captures a relatable sentiment. Cafe Chill helped shape my musical taste, and Yppah’s diverse sound continues to impress me. I’m grateful for affordable, quality earphones—modern technology, including streaming and smartphones, has greatly enhanced the music experience. My childhood memories include the Wa...

The pouch one assembles from yarn goes very well. It is an "easy" level of difficulty, and that is a step up from one's previous "beginner" level. The goal was the glorious Gucci B Bag emblazoned with the obnoxious yet desirable G-G signs. But this crochet project will replace that idle desire for the Gucci bag. It is called a hobo bag, which is amusing to the writer since that is what one would be if fate had been less kind. Bought some soft, cotton-blend yarn in bulky weight to go with the pat...

The writer observes that Inspire is an open platform requiring an account, though most posts are publicly accessible, much like a blogging site. While earlier concerns about teens posting with angst or suicidal ideation have lessened, the platform still feels like a vast mansion with countless rooms. This makes it difficult for users to find others to network or chat with meaningfully. Many use the "discussion" threads as personal blogs, replying repeatedly to their own posts. Occasionally, the ...

Writing ink offers limited colors and less thrill compared to digital ink. It’s difficult to share or edit ink drawings easily. In contrast, ink writing and a fountain pen is timeless, affordable, mechanical, repairable, biodegradable, and portable. Digital ink’s main advantage is its shareability, such as converting to NFTs or quick erasure, but these lack the tactile and enduring qualities of physical ink. Since the pandemic, digital media’s ability to bridge isolation may be a key benefit of ...

'Starbucks told me that there was "no status" for my drink 'The peer support network for mental health told me that the "connection was unstable." 'There was a setting in a popular graphics design program where my text would have "no style." 'A peer support manager said that he tells his auditory hallucinations to "leave a voice message. " Jokes about lacking style, status, or stability are few and far between for the blogger. Humor shared within a community facing chronic challenges lifts ...

Internet Time What is it? A one-time-zone scheme started by the Swatch Group in the 1990s. Unfortunately, the Swatch Group proudly made Biel, Switzerland, the dateline or primary reference place for that scheme. So it doesn’t have any bearing on today’s planning. To the blogger, Internet Time remains a quaint relic of pop culture. Each day in Internet Time is composed of 1,000 units called beats. A beat is equivalent to 1.44 minutes in standard time measurement. In 1998, the Swatch Group planned...

During meditation, the blogger unexpectedly shed tears, influenced by years of preserved pain, leading to a sense of gratitude. A guided session highlighted sadness as a common meditation companion, echoing the idea that tears signal true engagement. Earlier, while listening to Moby Dick’s prologue and crafting yarn, tears appeared again—seemingly random yet meaningful, aligning before the quote about tears marking the start of genuine meditation. ...

Even during his most difficult moments—especially a rough patch years ago—the writer’s friend never gave up on him. That kind of loyalty means everything. ▣ The writer has been living with a brain illness and working through recovery for the past thirty years. While many people close to him took more of a sink-or-swim approach, this friend stayed. His town is full of beautiful trees and flowers that bloom right through winter. The writer loves bundling up and heading out for walks in the cold, ...

In naming this blog, the blogger chose the name of a deceased punk rock drummer and haircutter from Arkansas named Bircho. One does not want to steal his thunder, so the blogger changed the name to its present one. Then, the blogger learned a little bit about parentheses. A remark or a citation can be enclosed in parentheses. But the two parenthesis marks are necessary, and the pair of marks are called parentheses. A citation or parenthesis can add information to the sentence or story. Bircho, t...