I Feel Used, or Impersonal Trainer

While I've always suspected it was so, last night I probed Gemini a bit to see if any of my writing has been used to train LLMs. The last paragraph reveals the sordid details. Further investigation reveals everything I wrote for Lois Hole has been used as training data, too. 

If we lived in a more equitable world, I'd be fine with this, but I can't help but feel like under capitalism the tech bros owe the writers and artists of the world some compensation. Especially if they want us to keep generating new ideas . . . 
 

Eyes off the Prize

I'm pretty sure that's my cousin Darwin scarfing down some treats while I gaze seriously into the distance. I wonder what thoughts were running through my tiny brain at the time. Probably "I want a pastry, but I don't want people to know that, so I'll just stare the other way." 

I'm pretty sure this happened in Manitoba, but it's hard to be sure. One wonder's why there's a painting on the bed. Oh, there's wrapping paper in the background--it might have been someone's birthday. Not Christmas, I don't think, because associated photos appear to be set during summer. 

I still had blonde hair. Not for much longer, I don't think...
 

Uncle Gordon and Me

Among other Woods/Etsell losses in 2026, our Uncle Gordon Newton passed away earlier this year, and I just realized I haven't written anything about it until now. 

Here's Uncle Gordon with me in Leaf Rapids in the mid-1970s; this visit might have been the first time I met him and possibly Aunt Margaret, though I'm not sure if she came on this trip; she's not in any of the photos I have from this set. We doubtless spent some time fishing and camping, since that was the number one leisure activity in Leaf Rapids. 

Here he is with Mom and Dad, likely on the same day--all of them younger then than I am now. Time laughs at us, doesn't it? 

I was very fond of Uncle Gordon. He was superintendent of schools in Winnipeg for quite some time; he was very smart, erudite, and informed, and he had a voice I thought was quite captivating. Unfortunately, I probably only interacted with him in person perhaps a dozen or so times in my life, since for most of our time on Earth he lived in Manitoba and we lived in Alberta. Nonetheless, I'm glad that I was able to spend time with Uncle Gordon and Aunt Margaret; they were both very cool people. 

Rest in peace, Uncle Gordon. I hope my cousins Kathy, Barbara, and David are coping with their father's loss. 

Swooped Away

 

Don't Hide Dynamite in the Dryer

Years ago, I remember asking Dad if a clothes dryer would be a good place to store dynamite. I don't remember how Dad answered, but he was rather nonplussed and said something to the effect of "As long as you don't store it in our dryer." Or maybe it was "You shouldn't have dynamite," as if that was the most obvious statement in the world, which, yes, fair. 

Anyway, I always thought it would be funny if someone filled their dryer with sticks of dynamite just because they thought the police or CSIS or whoever wouldn't look there. 


 

Giant Killer Robots: Heavy Hitters

Earlier tonight, Jeff, Mike, Stephen and I engaged in a kind of cyberpunk gladiatorial combat by way of the board game GKR: Heavy Hitters. The arena: the ruins of a nuked city. The combatants: four pilots driving giant killer robots. This was only my second time playing the game, but it's as fun as I remember; both strategy and tactics are crucial, but luck, of course, plays a role too. I made a couple of dumb mistakes, but enjoyed an exciting go-for-broke last stand sort of maneuver that let me go out with some semblance of pride, if not a victory. (Indeed, I was eliminated.) Jeff eked out a one-point win over Stephen, but it was close all around. A fun night. 

 

Give Yourself a Present

A few years ago, Sean gave me this Twin Peaks print for Christmas or my birthday; I don't remember which. It was created by an Albertan artist, and it captures an iconic moment from Twin Peaks, one of my very favourite works of art. Last month, I finally took it in to have it framed. I picked it up yesterday and hung it on my wall today, and I think it looks gorgeous. 
 

Video: Taco Thursday Intruder

After dropping off one of Sean's long-delayed birthday gifts, I stopped at Taco Time to pick up dinner. A seagull boldly--one might even say insouciantly--landed on my hood, silently begging for treats. I say thee nay! 

Why do we have seagulls in a landlocked province? 

Burntwood River at the Golden Hour

 

One for Joy, One for Desire, One for Despair

More and more often these days, I'm stricken by dark melancholy. Fortunately, music helps, and for this particular shade of darkness, I play Keane's "Higher than the Sun." The lyrics and melody fan the dying embers of my optimism. 

There's a song to ease your fear; a song to take you far from here; one for joy, one for desire, one for despair

My Escape from New York blu-ray included some themed pins, so I used them to create a safe place for my metal Criterion Channel charter subscriber card. I figure it's appropriate, since the film has been on the channel. 
 

Father's Day 2026

If Dad hadn't passed away in 2018, I have no doubt that we would have been BBQing yesterday or today. I wish we were. Rest peacefully, Dad. 

EDITED TO ADD: 
Apparently Father's Day is June 21 this year. Better early than late. 
 

A Little Person with Some Little People

I found this just now while going through the folder of Mom's photos that I copied over from her iPad. I don't remember seeing this one before, but I definitely remember playing with the Fisher Price Little People Airport I'm seen unwrapping here. I can't say for certain, but based on my apparent age, the carpet, and the curtains, I'm guessing this was at our house in Thompson. 
 

The Brain of Colossus

 

"Colossus' brain is bigger than yours. It weighs 60 tons."

That Miniaturized Director I Like Is Coming Back in Style

I used Hero Forge to design and print a 28mm-scale David Lynch, complete with coffee and cherry pie. 
 

Taking Deep Space Nine and Voyager to the Next Level

In 2012, CBS released three episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on blu-ray disc, with reach episode remastered in high definition. This was no mean feat, because the show was shot on film, but the episodes were edited on video, which effectively meant that any shots with special effects were, by their nature, restricted to standard definition. The producers of the blu-ray sets had to re-edit every episode from its original elements, an incredibly expensive and time-consuming process. 

To test the market, they released this disc, which included the remastered pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint," one of the series' most beloved episodes, "The Inner Light," and the Worf-centric "Sins of the Father." 

According to CBS, the blu-ray releases of seasons one through seven of TNG did not sell well enough to giving Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or Star Trek: Voyager the same treatment. Indeed, to this day, every Star Trek series except for those two has been released in high definition. 

But what if CBS had decided to forge ahead, once again releasing sampler discs before the season sets of DS9 and Voyager? What episodes might they have included? 

Doubtless they would once again include the pilots for the shows: "Emissary" for DS9 and "Caretaker" for Voyager. Both pilots are excellent, with plenty of outer space action to show off the remastered special effects. That leaves two more episodes for each series. 

Were I in charge, I'd choose "Duet" and "Far Beyond the Stars" for the DS9 sampler disc. While the episodes are light on special effects, they offer some of the very best dramatic storytelling the franchise has ever produced, and the great performances of the cast would look amazing in high definition. 

As for Voyager's sampler, I'd choose "Death Wish" and "Living Witness." "Death Wish" features an appearance by Q and Commander Riker while telling a compelling story about the consequences of immortality and the right to end one's own life. And "Living Witness" is simply one of Voyager's best episodes, giving us an alien perspective on the ship's adventures through the Delta quadrant. 

I want to believe that one day the business case will make sense and that someone will release DS9 and Voyager in high definition, maybe even sooner rather than later; physical media seems to be making a comeback. 






 

A Musing Superman

I asked Gemini to create some random text for the thought balloon in this panel from Action Comics 300. Gemini figured out that this panel is from the issue where Superman is trapped in a future where Earth's sun has turned red, thus removing his powers. Hence, it generated some text reflecting Superman's worry about those he'll leave behind if he can't return to his own time. 

Al Plastino's artwork is really terrific throughout this classic Silver Age story, but this image of a brooding Superman really stands out. One can imagine the Man of Steel ruminating over any number of issues of cosmic importance...

Bat-astrophe

I asked Gemini to recreate the cover of Detective Comics number 27 (Batman's first appearance) in the style of Brian Bolland. For whatever reason, Gemini decided to make Batman a little less accomplished, with potentially grave results. I love the expressions on the faces of the criminals. 

Cereal Mixing

Today, we had cereal for breakfast. For Sylvia, Weetabix; for me, Cheerios. 

"Have you ever mixed cereals?" Sylvia asked. 

I recoiled. I'd never imagined such a thing. 

"Mixed cereals? Like, two different kinds of cereal in the same bowl?" 

"Yeah," she said. "It's the cereal power move." 

I said "Blech," or words to that effect. 

Before today, I've never heard of people mixing breakfast cereal together. Do other folks out there actually do this? If so, what cereals do you mix? 

I suppose combining, say, Special K with Corn Flakes wouldn't be so bad. 

Ms. 38

 

Spotted Lake

This is kłlilx'w, or Spotted Lake, a sacred site of the Okanagan Nation. The spots are mineral pools formed as water evaporates in the summer. It's pretty neat. 

The Gregarious Gentlemen of Gaming & Guinness

Here's one of the group photos for G&G XX. Crazy that this tradition has now lasted two decades. While I couldn't be there for the whole thing this time, I still had a great time. Here's to twenty more years or more of these shenanigans. 
 

Okanagan Lake

Such a beautiful place. I didn't see Ogopogo. :( 
 

Do Not Press

Our rental car has an SOS button. I really want to press it, but Sylvia and Sean say "NO." Alas. 
 

Sylvia and Uncle John

Today we celebrated Aunt Jean's life at a beautiful farm north of Kelowna. This is my favourite photo from that event. Uncle John was Aunt Jean's husband for many decades, and together they lived lives full of travel, art, and adventure on several continents. Uncle John's kindness, tenacity, and talent are truly something to behold, and it's not hard to see why Aunt Jean loved him, and why he and Sylvia connected very strongly at the instant of first meeting several years back. I loved watching them interact this weekend. 

As for the celebration itself, it was a showcase for Aunt Jean's art and our shared love of her somewhat off-the-wall way of looking at the world, something I like to think we share.