Whenever humanly possible — using an Authentic Inspiration agent

I was writing about my morning ritual revisiting 20 years of photos and kept hitting walls… it was full of tangents and didn’t flow.

I tried some of those fancy new computer assistants to no avail — they offered compelling edits but stripped away all shreds of humanity. My voice was missing.

I messaged Erik, “I have thoughts and need a friendGPT.” He replied lickety-split, “Call me!”

I read my draft out loud to him, which immediately surfaced weak spots.

Erik’s feedback was gold and at one point he said (ish), “What if you could get it down to a haiku? Whittle it to its essence.”

I blew past the 5-7-5 syllable structure, but that lens helped me find a stopping point and feel like it was enough.

The whole thing reminded me that new technologies are fine and all, but talking things out with a friend is good for the soul.

I’m calling this Authentic Inspiration until I come up with something better.

Oh, I’ll still use those fancy new computer assistants from time to time. But for stuff that really matters, I’ll lean into trusted means whenever humanly possible.

Post note: In reviewing this photograph I realize the dichotomy of laughter and loss. It reminded me of this clip with Patti Smith talking about her brother who had just passed. It ends with her notion, “Don’t be afraid to feel joy in the face of sorrow.” (Hat tip to Brent for this Patti find.)