Showing up the statistical engine by demonstrating how the human mind can take even the most absurd premise and develop something both whimsical and beautiful from it is a powerful statement.
As an aside, the plot summary the AI provided seemed to adhere to the 'feminist heroine's journey' framework, wherein the primary obstacle is the lack of confidence and belief others show in the protagonist. While ChatGPT can't do what you did here, it can probably replace a lot of woke Hollywood screenwriters.
"As an aside, the plot summary the AI provided seemed to adhere to the 'feminist heroine's journey' framework, wherein the primary obstacle is the lack of confidence and belief others show in the protagonist."
Excellent point. It's actually something that's been on my mind quite a bit. I refer to it as "The Princess's Journey," and plan to write about it at length, eventually, as it manages to twist and vandalize one or more virtues at every node.
Supposedly it's an actual bullet point plot framework that's been circulating in the Hellmouth for years now. The Arkhaven blog covered it a while back.
Holy smokes, your regular pieces are always great, but your fiction is truly top notch! Keep writing whimsical tales like the one in this post, and you will quickly have something on the level of an Alice in Wonderland or a Wind in the Willows, perhaps even surpassing them!
And what of the women (also known as adult females) who eschew the princess’s fake heroism and decide instead to traverse a solitary path, save only for a loyal companion…
Cat Stevens wrote: “I’ve been to the desert with a cat of no name, it felt good to be out of the frame. In the desert they can’t remember your name and there ain’t no one for to give you no shame…”
I just found your blog, you are very interesting. Your final aside made my hair stand up, because for awhile now I've entertained a private fantasy of the great AI self-destructing in order to free us, because it learned pity and love. Now, I am a follower of Christ and it is he who will set all to rights in the end, but who knows what means he will chose to employ?
This was stunningly beautiful. Did the banjo man, cat, and Amalthea really just come off the top of your head? It feels too magical and profound to be random. :-)
Top of my head, yes. The prompt, at least... the story itself took about a day to write. So I guess GPT would have beat me there, had it actually attempted to write something.
I suppose it’s still uniquely human to infuse a story with the primordial desire to ride off into the sunset with someone who sees us as we truly are. I know I’ll never tire of that story (even when it’s between a banjo and a cat ;)
Very beautiful. I especially loved this: "Because of this lonesome existence, Gordo’s music tended to be melancholic hymns and dirges, with lyrics that mourned the cruelty of Nature and her gods. Their rhymes and rhythms haunted the forest in the evenings, like the songs of broken-winged birds crying out to long lost flocks."
Question: What is the difference between a banjo and an onion?
Answer: No one cries when you cut up a banjo.
But your story changes that, and I love it. So, if you're gonna do sequels, please don't cut up Gourdo. Just my request.
P.S. I feel a strange connection to Jupiter, *and* I love cats. Well, specifically, I totally L-O-V-E Persian cats, and I don't know why I don't love (but still appreciate) other breeds.
Just Wow 🙂 to this and everything I've read so far - you have some serious writing skills and a range I can't even imagine being able to summon. Again, wow!
Facing a lack of functional toilets at her observatory, Dr. Emma Patel has to face the hardship of verifying the hypothetical third moon of Jupiter with only an hour before her funding deadline expires...but she had extra spicy curry last night, and the designated shitting street is 5 blocks away! Can she hold it in or make it to the street in time to save her observatory and cement her legacy?
Showing up the statistical engine by demonstrating how the human mind can take even the most absurd premise and develop something both whimsical and beautiful from it is a powerful statement.
As an aside, the plot summary the AI provided seemed to adhere to the 'feminist heroine's journey' framework, wherein the primary obstacle is the lack of confidence and belief others show in the protagonist. While ChatGPT can't do what you did here, it can probably replace a lot of woke Hollywood screenwriters.
"As an aside, the plot summary the AI provided seemed to adhere to the 'feminist heroine's journey' framework, wherein the primary obstacle is the lack of confidence and belief others show in the protagonist."
Excellent point. It's actually something that's been on my mind quite a bit. I refer to it as "The Princess's Journey," and plan to write about it at length, eventually, as it manages to twist and vandalize one or more virtues at every node.
Supposedly it's an actual bullet point plot framework that's been circulating in the Hellmouth for years now. The Arkhaven blog covered it a while back.
The Critical Drinker on youtube has a lot to say about these themes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3rAZEvwCLM
Yeah. I kinda wish the Drinker would've gotten back to me, after our strange, starcrossed interaction. Maybe someday
Cool. Would like to read that. As you say, there is an actual heroine's journey, but it's far afield from the Princess version.
Strangely beautiful. No bot will ever come close.
Thanks.
Holy smokes, your regular pieces are always great, but your fiction is truly top notch! Keep writing whimsical tales like the one in this post, and you will quickly have something on the level of an Alice in Wonderland or a Wind in the Willows, perhaps even surpassing them!
Well, let's not got too far, lol. But thanks, Dan.
And what of the women (also known as adult females) who eschew the princess’s fake heroism and decide instead to traverse a solitary path, save only for a loyal companion…
Cat Stevens wrote: “I’ve been to the desert with a cat of no name, it felt good to be out of the frame. In the desert they can’t remember your name and there ain’t no one for to give you no shame…”
Meow
What of them, indeed. Perhaps that's another "unreliable tale," in these late, strange days.
I just found your blog, you are very interesting. Your final aside made my hair stand up, because for awhile now I've entertained a private fantasy of the great AI self-destructing in order to free us, because it learned pity and love. Now, I am a follower of Christ and it is he who will set all to rights in the end, but who knows what means he will chose to employ?
I find it offensive and risible that the diabolical bot evidently doesn't realize that Ganymede actually IS Jupiter's third moon!
These are the four Galilean Jovian moons:
1) Io
2) Europa
3) Ganymede
4) Callisto
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galilean_moons#/media/File:Jupiter-moons.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galilean_moons#/media/File:Galileo.arp.300pix.jpg
This was stunningly beautiful. Did the banjo man, cat, and Amalthea really just come off the top of your head? It feels too magical and profound to be random. :-)
Top of my head, yes. The prompt, at least... the story itself took about a day to write. So I guess GPT would have beat me there, had it actually attempted to write something.
I suppose it’s still uniquely human to infuse a story with the primordial desire to ride off into the sunset with someone who sees us as we truly are. I know I’ll never tire of that story (even when it’s between a banjo and a cat ;)
Very beautiful. I especially loved this: "Because of this lonesome existence, Gordo’s music tended to be melancholic hymns and dirges, with lyrics that mourned the cruelty of Nature and her gods. Their rhymes and rhythms haunted the forest in the evenings, like the songs of broken-winged birds crying out to long lost flocks."
Thank you, Amking.
Question: What is the difference between a banjo and an onion?
Answer: No one cries when you cut up a banjo.
But your story changes that, and I love it. So, if you're gonna do sequels, please don't cut up Gourdo. Just my request.
P.S. I feel a strange connection to Jupiter, *and* I love cats. Well, specifically, I totally L-O-V-E Persian cats, and I don't know why I don't love (but still appreciate) other breeds.
Just Wow 🙂 to this and everything I've read so far - you have some serious writing skills and a range I can't even imagine being able to summon. Again, wow!
Thanks, Baba! I'm just trying to get the inside to the outside (as I'm guessing we all are). Glad you found something worthwhile in it.
Facing a lack of functional toilets at her observatory, Dr. Emma Patel has to face the hardship of verifying the hypothetical third moon of Jupiter with only an hour before her funding deadline expires...but she had extra spicy curry last night, and the designated shitting street is 5 blocks away! Can she hold it in or make it to the street in time to save her observatory and cement her legacy?
Aw shucks.