On My Mind 003

Seriously, I'm over every writer saying every other writer is just using AI.

I peruse the hellscape that is Reddit on occasion – mostly while using the bathroom – and if you go to just about any SubReddit, someone will make a post and someone else will comment, "Durrrr, Nice ChatGPT post, bruh. I can spot these a million miles away. Durrrrr"

I hate to tell you this, buttercup, but because I know how to use an Em dash effectively (see above) doesn't mean I'm an AI.

Now, that doesn't mean their aren't some tell-tale signs of it, but all of the the "I have Wolverine's heightened senses for AI" people? Full of shit. All the people that make long lists of words that will "100% tell you it's written by AI?" Equally full of shit.

Don't mistake this as a pro-AI rant, though. I'm all about using it as a tool. It's helpful, but it shouldn't do the work for you.

Substack is a big part of my... stack... when it comes to engagement and numbers building.

But recently, with their new rounds of investment capital, they're making some moves that immediately scream, "THE ENSHITTIFICATION HAS BEGUN!"

It's inevitable. Substack has investors and investors want returns. It's the nature of business. What starts out good and useful usually ends up being a pile of garbage by the end of the life cycle.

And, of course, with big name brands and personalities coming to the platform, they have to cater to them.

It's a big club, but you, solo creator, aren't part of it.

Ghost 6.0 released and now it can connect to the ActivityPub Protocol!

This is an amazing update. This means people on platforms like Mastodon, BlueSky, and any other Fediverse driven platform can find your posts and follow you directly from there. It's interoperability at it's finest!

However, I pinged my hosting provider and asked them when they'd push the upgrade. They replied they wouldn't be pushing the upgrade until Ghost 6.0.1 comes out.

This annoys me a bit, but they're a really well-priced managed hosting platform that also has really responsive support. And, having a background in hosting, I know they're right to wait so the initial bugs can be worked out.

I just need to be patient, I guess.

I mention it in my bio, but I'm a US Military Veteran.

I've recently begun seeking the compensation they owe me for the broken body and broken mind they helped create during my time putting on a uniform and fighting non-stop for over a decade in their stupid, useless wars.

While I can say the medical care has gotten tremendously better since I got out in 2012, the compensation process is still an insult. Essentially it's, "I know we sent you to war zones, but can you prove your anxiety, PTSD, depression, and broken body are our fault? If not, kick rocks. You're no longer useful to us anyway."

Veterans have a suicide rate 50% higher than anyone else in the United States. Most of it is due to causes directly related to being in combat areas. They can't function in society, or they're body is destroyed, or they suffer from some sort of PTSD. And the one organization specifically designed to help us?

Well, it seems they just as soon we die so they don't have to deal with us.

Enough doom and gloom. I landed a job!

It's not great, it's only part-time, but it's with a company who's values I respect a great deal. So, while it's not my dream job, it will help pay the bills and with my work ethic I doubt I'll be part-time for long.

The dream is to make money from my writing, but until that day I must work for the man. It sucks, but it's a reality most of us face. I'm just glad I was able to find something in this horrible job market lately. I don't care what the talking heads say, it's hard for a brother to make a dime nowadays.

That's all I got this time around. You have any wins or want to rant about something? Hit me up in the comments or shoot me an email.

~ Joe