Welcome to my creative outlet. A place to share ephemera I’ve collected online and offline,
along with some writing.
As a technologist, working in the software industry, and as a Christian, thinking deeply about technology, faith, and work – I’ve been closely watching the rise of AI, looking at both the opportunities and the challenges. My goal here is to summarize the biggest issues we as Christians (and everyone concerned with human flourishing) should be aware of.
CONTINUE READINGEvery time I visit Kelowna I see this sign and want to get a photo. This time I did. Unfortunately I think a lot of turtles don’t make it.
kayfabe
- Portraying staged events as real, especially in professional wrestling
Although this is primarily a wrestling term, I think it is a great word to bring into general use. You can read more about it on Wikipedia
It brings to mind the story of Builder.ai – a lauded AI startup that sold an AI solution for creating apps and was valued at $1.5 Billion dollars, but actually just had 700 developers in India working behind the scenes. I guess in this case another term would just be fraud.
I’m currently working on a summary of my thoughts on AI and it’s challenges, but it is shaping up to be longer and more work than expected.
In the meantime, here is an excerpt from a great essay by Will Manidis that explores our original call by God to do meaningful work, and the temptation to shortcut that work.
Humanity’s first sin was, in part, choosing the easy shortcut over the meaningful process – preferring effortless gain to the demanding but fulfilling work of tending the garden.
Will Manidis, Craft is the Antidote to Slop
I noticed this sign walking to work years ago. I think it never opened.
I’m currently reading through a collection of poems from Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who was a prolific writer and social activist.
This excerpt from Figures for an apocalypse (Part V) really resonated, contrasting the promised future of unbridled capitalism with the stark reality of it’s environmental cost and human toll.
I stumbled upon this photo of me from years ago and it made me laugh.
I miss that amazing vintage Raleigh, however the wine box wasn’t the best way to transport fragile items!
Funny story about that wine box though … I was biking to work one morning and a guy in a Bentley (I believe) pulls up, opens his window – cigar smoke pours out, and asks if I have any Sassicaia left.
Given that the price of a bottle was much more than my bike, it clearly was in his league. I’ve never tried anything nearly that expensive, but if you want to share a bottle, I’d be happy to try 🙂
One of my pet peeves is when a designer has clearly not thought through how the product will actually be used.
This lotion bottle has a two (almost) identical sides, but the lotion only comes out one of them. In low light or without your glasses on, it’s always a gamble!
This also brings to mind the (in)famous Walkie-Talkie tower in London that concentrates the energy of the sun so much you can cook an egg in the heat
I spotted this Quidditch broomstick on Halloween in Vancouver years ago and appreciate how someone actually locked it up 🤣
Thanksgiving is such a good reminder to stop and reflect on the many blessings in our lives. In difficult seasons (and sadly in good ones too) I can so easily focus on what I don’t have, or what I’d like, rather than seeing the display of God’s abundance all around me.
So today, I’ve been trying to see everything that I can be thankful for; while making breakfast it looked something like this:
Gathering ingredients from the fridge...
Lord thank you for refrigeration!Picking a pear from the fruit bowl...
Lord thank you for fresh fruit!Washing the pear...
Lord thank you for indoor plumbing & clean water!Eating breakfast...
Lord thank you for the ability to taste and enjoy food!Child persistently requesting more cheerios...
Lord thank you for the blessing of children!
I will admit that this didn’t continue for too long, but it was amazing how many things I found to be thankful for, and the number of sub-blessings within each. May your thanksgiving remind you of the good giver of every gift.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
Psalm 136:1
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Flâneur
- One who strolls aimlessly
- An idle, gossiping saunterer
- An affluent urban male walking the city without agenda
- Connoisseur of the street
I was introduced to the idea of a flâneur by Nassim Taleb in his book Anti-fragile (and his subsequent tweets about flaneuring around New York).
Although I am by no means a flâneur, I am trying to do this more, walking without an agenda or destination; it is quite a challenge for my type A personality.
I’m practicing this dance, it’s almost as good Napoleon Dynamite
Since I can remember I’ve always enjoyed music videos. Not all of course, but those that take the power of the song and add an extra dimension to it; where you just have to watch, and where you are left with a certain feeling and maybe more questions than answers.
I discovered Nation of Language recently, and this video nailed it. Lo-fi shots of a deserted New York City in the summer, odd dancing robot, sad love story with friends – what more can you ask for?
I was browsing through my notes recently and found this satirical version of Hush Little Baby that I drafted early last year, but never finished or published.
My thought process was, what would this poem sound like if papa was a ruthless capitalist?
Hush little baby don’t say a word,
papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird don’t sing,
papa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring don’t shine,
papa’s gonna buy you a diamond mine
And if that diamond mine don’t produce,
papa’s gonna cut every employee loose
And if those employees try to unionize,
papa’s gonna hire scabs that don’t sympathize
And if those scabs ask for a raise,
papa will acquiesce if they sing his praiseAnd if profits decrease and he’s in a rage,
papa’s gonna lobby for lower minimum wage
And if papa gets away with this fraud,
he’ll still have to answer directly to God
I’ve been slowly working my way through Wendell Berry’s collection of Sabbath Poems called Another Day.
As a nonagenarian with deep connections to farming and care for the land, he has witnessed significant changes in how we extract from the earth for profit at unprecedented scale.
Berry advocates for connection to the place we live, both the people and the natural world, and pushes back against the dehumanizing effect of technology and the raw exploitation of capitalism – arguing that the benefits don’t outweigh the costs.
It is well worth a read. The poem below, from 2014, captured me with its prescient view that technology will both replace our work (AI) and bring division rather than peace (social media etc).
The expert on resistance to torture
Wendell Berry, Another Day, IX (2014)
becomes an expert torturer.
The machine that helped a woman
to do her work replaces her at work.
The machine that helped a man to think
ticks on in absence of the man.
The communications technology that was
to become the concourse and meeting
of all the world, bringing the longed-for
peace to all the world, becomes
a weapon to break the world in pieces.
We have a few grape vines in our front yard that were planted over 30 years ago, and produce a decent amount of white and red grapes.
Over the past few years I’ve tried my hand at making natural wine. As it is something I enjoy drinking, making it was a logical next step.
I won’t say that it is amazing, but each year I learn more and try to improve the results, though much that happens is beyond my control (mold, low yield etc).
This year I put my boys to work, helping to pick and stomp the grapes. It was a messy (and fun) experience.
Give me a year (or two), and I’ll share the results.
I drank this in 2012. Seems to be working.
Spotted this slightly modified sign on a ferry years ago. I always appreciate a subtle grammar change that gives a new meaning.
Update Oct 2025 … my son was on the ferry and noticed this was still there, almost 20 years later!
One of the core instructions throughout the Bible is to wholly trust in God. This instruction gets to the heart of following him; do we believe that God is good and that he can (and will) do what is best – or can we make a better future for ourselves?
Continue readingTrust in the Lord with all your heart,
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Poor Richard’s Alamanck was an annual publication by Benjamin Franklin from the mid-1700’s. An enduring legacy of the almanac is a large number of sayings and maxims, many still used today.
I was able to borrow a compilation of these sayings from the library and found it quite a fun read. Some sayings have not aged well, but many contain timeless life advice. I’ve included a few of my favourites below.
After crosses and losses, men grow humbler and wiser
How many observe Christ’s birth-day; How few his precepts!
O! ’tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.
The poor have little, beggars none;
the rich too much – enough not one
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead
He does not possess wealth, it possess him
Good heals and the doctor takes the fee
Words may show a mans wit, but actions his meaning
A wise man will desire no more than what he may get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully and leave contentedly
I love a good sign, especially a handmade one. This was spotted in my neighbourhood the other day. I do hope the owner and chickens were reunited 🍗
