Saturday, October 28, 2023

The Unstoppable Rise of AI Writing: Why It Will Not Replace Human Writing

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has made remarkable strides, particularly in the realm of natural language processing. One of the most prominent manifestations of AI's capabilities is AI-powered writing, with tools and models like GPT-3 and its successors gaining significant attention. While AI writing is undoubtedly a groundbreaking technology, the idea that it will entirely replace human writing is debatable. In this blog post, we'll explore why AI writing, despite its advances, is unlikely to fully supplant human creativity, individuality, and authenticity in the world of content creation.

  1. Creativity and Imagination

AI writing operates on patterns and data, which means it's limited to what it has been trained on. It can mimic existing writing styles and generate coherent content, but it lacks the intrinsic human ability to think creatively and imagine new concepts. Human writers draw from their unique experiences, emotions, and perspectives to create innovative, fresh, and imaginative content that resonates with readers personally. AI lacks the capacity to truly invent and innovate.

  1. Emotional Connection

Human writing often carries a deep emotional connection, evoking feelings, empathy, and authenticity. Whether it's a heartfelt personal story, a moving poem, or a persuasive argument, the emotions conveyed through human writing are rooted in real experiences and sentiments. AI, on the other hand, may struggle to replicate this emotional depth because it doesn't possess emotions, feelings, or personal experiences.

  1. Context and Cultural Sensitivity

Effective writing often requires an understanding of the cultural, social, and historical context. Human writers, drawing from their own experiences and cultural awareness, can create content that is sensitive to the nuances and subtleties of a specific audience or context. AI writing may produce content that is factually accurate but lacks the cultural and contextual insights needed for truly meaningful and impactful communication.

  1. Ethical Considerations

AI writing also raises ethical concerns, particularly in the context of misinformation and manipulation. AI can generate content that appears factual but is misleading or false. Human writers, guided by ethical principles and a sense of responsibility, are more likely to uphold journalistic integrity and avoid spreading misinformation.

  1. Diverse Voices and Perspectives

The diversity of human voices and perspectives is a hallmark of great writing. Humans come from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, and this diversity is reflected in their writing. AI, by contrast, can only replicate the voices and perspectives it has been trained on. This limitation may hinder the production of content that resonates with diverse audiences and represents a wide range of viewpoints.

  1. Collaboration and Complementarity

Rather than replacing human writers, AI can be a powerful tool for collaboration and complementarity. AI can assist writers by generating initial drafts, offering grammar and style suggestions, and helping with research. This collaboration allows human writers to focus on the creative aspects and the unique human elements of their work while benefiting from AI's efficiency and accuracy.

Conclusion

AI writing is an incredible technological advancement, but it is unlikely to replace human writing entirely. While AI excels at generating content quickly and efficiently, it lacks the essential qualities of creativity, emotional connection, cultural sensitivity, and ethical judgment that are intrinsic to human writing. Instead of seeing AI as a threat, we should view it as a valuable tool that can enhance and complement human creativity in the world of content creation. Human writers will continue to play an irreplaceable role in producing authentic, emotionally resonant, and culturally relevant content that captures the essence of the human experience.


NOTE: This article was written by Chat GPT 3.5 in about 3.5 seconds. It took me longer to write this paragraph, and AI gave me pointers on how to make it better. 


Happy Crafting,

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Katie's 2019 Birthday giveaway cards and winners.

The cards have been created and the winners have been drawn. Here is the video showing it what I did with those stamp sets.



Click on the company name in the list below to go to the item mentioned. Some are affiliate links - if you purchase from clicking those I can feed my stamp addiction and make more videos. 😉😉

Kitten Encouragement by Lisa Glanz - Unity Stamp Co
Blue Footed by Dina Kowal - Impression Obsession
Chirp Chirp - Picket Fence Studios

Galentine's Day (currently in Clearance) - Lil' Inkers Designs
Laughing Girlfriends - Art Impressions

Cross Stitch Canvas Die – Altenew
Circle Embroidery Hoop Die Set – Altenew
Crafty Like a Fox - Picket Fence Studios

Wedding Ring Stitch Embossing Folder Quilt It by Lene Lok – Spellbinders
Shine Bright – Brutus Monroe - Retired 😪

One Kind Word - Visible Image

Reel Great Guys - Art Impressions

Born to Ride - Art Impressions
You’re My Happy Dies – Concord & 9th
Route 66 – Clearsnap


Fred Said by Dina Kowal – Impression Obsession

I Don't Give A Shit & Toilet Seat Up - Viva Las Vegastamps





Happy Crafting,

Friday, May 31, 2019

Introducing Finance Friday

I've recently started working with a financial services company and I have a personal mission to save families from financial ruin. I am learning so much.

I have been thinking about my Dad a lot lately too, Tuesday was his birthday. So I have decided to start a weekly series here called Finance Friday where I will share some of my Dad's words of wisdom when it comes to money. If I have learned that another way is better I will let you know that too.



My dad thought the credit card crisis in this country was ridiculous. "People should learn to live within their means." I have never had credit card debt for more than 3 months in my life — this lesson was so central to everything my dad was about.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who are in the red not because of lavish spending on credit cards but because of some emergency. A broken refrigerator, a busted car, or an accident that keeps someone from working can wreak havoc on a families finances and credit score.

The college debt in this country is over $1.5 trillion. That's trillion with a T. It's gotten out of hand and it's not like credit card debt because as a nation we value education and push kids into school so they can make a good living. A good job will bring good pay and allow those students to pay off their debt. It's not working. Sometimes finding a job within your field can be difficult. Low wage jobs make the employment rate look good so politicians can brag about the numbers but the reality is much bleaker. I know people who are in their 40s who are still trying to pay off college debt.


If you are trying to pay off credit card or student debt and need some help you can go to
http://www.phpdebtsolutions.com/sm/594747



Happy Crafting,

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Invitation accepted — Oddball Art Machine

It has been so long since I wrote an actual blog post. I hope I remember how to do this.
Katemade Designs is now available in the Oddball Art Machine.


2018 was a good year for Katemade Designs. 

I started selling my cards in shops. 

A couple of months ago, Mary, the owner of Soulful Sparrow, invited me to create some art for the Oddball Art Machine in her shop the next month. 


Oddball Art Machine

What the heck is an Oddball Art Machine?


It is a repurposed 1950s Fleetwood Fawn cigarette vending machine that has been converted to sell artwork the size of a pack of cigarettes. There are 21 slots in the machine, each containing artwork by an individual artist. I am now one of those artists.

The machine travels to different businesses around Elgin to promote the arts while simultaneously promoting downtown businesses. The Oddball Art Machine is in Rediscover Records on 9 South Spring Street in Elgin, IL.

So what is in that funky machine with the Katemade Designs name on it? Here is a taste of what is on offer:



Go to the Oddball Art Labs blog and check out the full selection. 

Oddball Art Labs is a non-profit artist-based organization created to advance the presence of the arts in the Fox Valley and greater Chicagoland area.

It works explicitly to build individual artist recognition and to create opportunities within these communities for artists to show their work in various ways:

  • Hosting art shows
  • Featuring artists through various social media platforms
  • Building relationships with local galleries and area businesses
  • Providing resources to artists in preparing grants and putting on their own shows


  • Happy Crafting,

    Friday, July 6, 2018

    Evernote for Creating a Craft Inventory

    Evernote for Creating a Craft Inventory

    There are a lot of YouTube videos that teach you how to use Evernote.  Kathleen Driggers from the Stamping Enablers group on Facebook was the first to really turn me on to Evernote. I do things a lot differently than she does. She uses numbers to identify her sets. I don't. She puts a lot of tags on her listings. I don't because the program does a good enough job of searching the content of each listing for me. (link below)

    In searching for Kathleen's video I found one from Scott Bradley called "Evernote Tips: The 11 Amazing Features That Make Using Evernote So Freaking Awesome" (link below) In his video, I learned to stack notebooks, and that you can share notes and notebooks. How wonderful would that be for a group of paper crafting friends to see what everyone has before meeting up to craft? "Susan, can you bring that Unity set that has the car? I'll bring the alphabet stamps you asked for and Jane has that bear set you wanted too. Can't wait to get inky with you"

    While I was poking around in the program I found the merge tool, which changed my world. I discovered tables and how to format them which also makes my life a lot easier. I use Evernote when I go craft shopping to see if I already have that cute stamp set, embossing folder, die or stencil before I buy it again. The mobile app is a godsend. I recently got home with a couple of embossing folders and discovered I already had them. That night all the embossing folders were added to Evernote.

    Evernote is also useful when you are trying to find a sentiment or image for a project. I not only put a photo of the item, generally dragged from the Internet (works on a Mac don't know if it works on a Windows machine), but I also write up a description of the images and then type up all the sentiments. They are bullet points so they are easy to go through. I have discovered that images can become corrupted and disappear. With a written list I never lose what is in the listing. It also is another layer of information for Evernote to use when searching.





    Kathleen Driggers video - Evernote Tutorial: How to Create a Stamp Inventory Using Evernote

    Scott Bradley's video -  Evernote Tips: The 11 Amazing Features That Make Using Evernote So Freaking Awesome


    Happy Crafting,

    Monday, June 12, 2017

    #Mancraft Monday — Juan Ambida

    I have been a daughter, a sister, a school girl, a mom, and a menopausal woman. I have never been, nor will I ever be, a man. I love seeing different perspectives and that's why I started the Mancraft Mondays series. I wanted to find male paper crafters and see if they brought a different feeling to the craft I love. 

    Stamp sets created by men like Tim Holtz and Brett Weldele (both with Stampers Anonymous) and the sets designed by Chuck Carson for Brutus|Monroe definitely have a unique vibe. However, I've found that the creations of all paper crafters depend on the stamps they are using. Certain illustrations styles lend themselves to a particular interpretation.

    This month's man crafter is Juan Ambida aka Juana from Western Sydney, Australia. I'll let him take it from here.




    Hi, my name is Juan Ambida aka Juana I was born in the Philipines and came to Australia when I was nine. I have always had a passion for art and design and have always undertaken some kind art project from school events and have carried through work and personal life mainly as a cardmaker. 




    Stampin' Up! — Special Reason Bundle



    I have a background in graphic design and have worked for an advertising agency. I currently work as a freelance graphic designer and also create and sell handmade cards.
    I am hobby Stampin' Up! demonstrator. I initially joined for the starter kit in early 2016 and progressed from there, as I just couldn't get enough of all the great products.  

    Joining Stampin' Up! and the Crazy Crafters team of SU demos, led by Kylie Bertucci who is one of the top SU demos in Australia, has introduced me to the world of paper crafting. Since joining I have started my blog page juanacreate and participated in regular blog hops as well as card challenges. It's truly helped to developed my skills in this fun craft. 

    Stampin' Up! — Everyday Hero
    I had the privilege of being a display stamper with SU conventions in November 2016 and April 2017.  I have also taken part in an exclusive International Tutorial Bundle Design Team of SU demos from around the world since February and just recently joined a Stamp Up! Review Crew. 

    It has been so much fun to create and share my creations and I love it immensely. My style is quite varied, quite eclectic and I can work in any medium. I love to create anything that is intricate to clean and simple. 



    My Favorite Things — Ninja-Mazing

    I branched out and began using other brands including Lawn Fawn, Mama Elephant, My Favorite Things, Hero Arts, and Simon Says Stamp. There is so much inspiration out there from these brands and their designers that I will continue to create for the pure joy and love of creating. 
    When you do something you love, you do it well. I love creating and maintaining a high level of quality workmanship. 


    Mama Elephant — Tiny Ninjas


    Where to find more of my creations —
    Blog: http://juanacreate.blogspot.com.au/
    Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/juanacreate/
    Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/juanaambida/


    Happy Crafting,

    Thursday, June 1, 2017

    Birthday Giveaway

    It's almost my birthday and I want to give some of my readers a gift. I have a box of Oops orders. I get excited about getting new stuff that sometimes I miss the fact that I have ordered 2 instead of one. 

    So to make room for new stuff and to spread a little birthday love I am giving these items away. I have cling and clear stamps, stickers, papers, embellishments, ribbon, and a few other things that I would love to share with you. I could sell them but this is more fun.

    What I want for my birthday is more followers, more readers, more commenter, and more appreciators. SOoooo I will send out a package for my Facebook page followers, a package to my blog readers, and a package to my Instagram friends. I have goals for how many readers, followers, and online friends I would like by my birthday (June 6). If I reach those goals I will send out a second package for each platform.

    I made an Adobe Spark page, mainly to see how it works. The goals are on the page below. 

    Adobe Spark Page

    a Rafflecopter giveaway


    Good luck!


    Happy Crafting,

    Tuesday, May 9, 2017

    The Secret Language of Postage Stamps

    I collect stamps, but not in a philatelic way.
    — Katie Bolinger
    Recently one of my favorite card artist (she goes beyond a maker), Sandy Allnock, posted a photo on Instagram of a piece of mail she received with the postage stamp upside down. She was unaware that that meant "I love you" so I clued her in. I remember learning this years ago when I accidentally put stamps on upside down on a stack of bills and a friend had a mini freak out saying I was telling those companies I loved them. 


    I wondered if there were more hidden meanings in the way stamps are placed on mail and did some research. Boy did I learn a lot. So I thought I would share this wealth of knowledge with you. 

    Cheapskates and Lovers

    Before postage stamps were used it was the recipient who paid for the delivery of a letter. If the outside of the envelope could convey the message without being opened the letter would often be refused and the postage never paid. If you are old enough to remember pay phones this is the equivalent of placing a collect call and talking really loud and fast on the other line so no one had to pay for the call.
    With the introduction of cheaper postage and the pre-paid postage stamp in 1840 in England, this practice generally died out. In the late 1800's, the introduction of the postcard with a message that could be read by anyone, the idea of the special marks was given a new lease of life in the form of secret messages in the way that the stamp was placed on the card. Who wants their parents knowing what their beau is saying?
    The interest and use of this new language spread rapidly, and after the turn of the century, the rules of the language of stamps received their particular chapter in the etiquette books along with the languages of flowers, handkerchiefs, and fans. In many countries, the acquisition of this language was assisted by special manuals, such as Cupid's code by George Bury for the transmission of secret messages by means of the language of postage stamps (Ashford, Middlesex, circa 1899). (1) 

    Stamp Positions and Meaning

    Here are some of the interpretations of the stamp language as reported by the Philatelic Database. (2)

    Upside down, top left corner = I love you
    Crosswise on top left corner = My heart is another’s
    Centre of envelope, at top = Yes
    Center of envelope, at bottom = No
    Straight up and down, any position = Goodbye sweetheart
    Upside down, top right corner = Write no more
    At right angle, top right corner = Do you love me?
    At right angle, top left corner = I hate you
    Upright top right corner = I desire your friendship
    Upright in line with surname = Accept my love
    Upside down in line with surname = I am engaged
    At right angle in line with the surname = I long to see you
    Centered on right edge = Write immediately!


    Why are postage stamps always in the upper right corner?

    “Placement was less important in the days when all stamps were hand-cancelled individually by postal clerks. With the introduction of high-speed canceling machines starting in about the 1890s, the placement of stamps in the upper-right corner became more important to be as efficient as possible," according to Daniel Piazza, Chief Curator of Philately at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. It's believed that placement coincided with the dominant hand—the right—of most mail handlers. (3)

    Postage stamp design evolution

    The early postage stamps in the US generally bore the face or bust of an American president or another historically important statesman. However, once the Post Office realized during the 1890s that it could increase revenues by selling stamps as "collectibles," it began issuing commemorative stamps, first in connection with important national expositions, later for the anniversaries of significant American historical events. (4)

    Modern stamps celebrate all kinds of things from holidays to superheroes that you can use to add an extra layer of meaning to your correspondence. When a girlfriend gets a card of encouragement with a wonder woman stamp on it, she knows you think she is a badass. If you're planning a wedding you are going to get the latest "love" stamps to put on those invitations. 

    If you are looking to add another level of meaning to your snail mail correspondence try turning the postage on its head.


    Happy Crafting,


    Links:
    (1) IPDA "The Language of Stamps" http://www.ipdastamps.org/languageofstamps.html
    (2) Cochrane, William (May 1, 2013) "The Language of Stamps" retrieved from The Philatelic Database, http://www.philatelicdatabase.com/nostalgia/the-language-of-stamps/
    (3) Rossen, Jake (May 25, 2016) "Why do we put stamps in the upper-right corner?" retrieved from Mental Floss, http://mentalfloss.com/article/80165/why-do-we-put-stamps-upper-right-corner 
    (4) "Postage stamps and postal history of the United States" retrieved from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_United_States 


    Other interesting articles not cited:
    • Urbina, Ian (August 15, 2005) "From Love to Longing to Protest, It's All in the Tilt of the Postage" retrieved from The New York Times, https://mobile.nytimes.com/2005/08/15/us/from-love-to-longing-to-protest-its-all-in-the-tilt-of-the-postage.html
    • Smithsonian National Postal Museum, https://postalmuseum.si.edu/index.html



    Monday, May 8, 2017

    #MancraftMonday — Kevin Bray

    Instagram is a fantastic thing. It's where I post most of my creations because it is so quick and easy. Another great thing about Instagram is the "discover" feature. I use that when I am looking for inspiration or to find new talent to follow. I have made friends through the service and I want to introduce you to one of them today. Kevin Bray is a young man with a lot of talent. I'll let him take it from here. 


    My name is Kevin Bray and I am from Plummer, MN. I currently go to Minnesota State University, Moorhead, majoring in Exercise Science and Coaching. 

    Die and stamps are from Wplus9.

    Card making is a great creative outlet that lets me focus on something other than school. I started about 2 years ago after seeing all the wonderful videos on YouTube. My style has evolved a little bit since I started, mainly since I have invested in some actual card making supplies. 
    Honeybee Stamps

    I try to keep things fairly clean and simple but once in a while, I venture to other styles for fun. 
    Wplus9

    Copics are my new favorite coloring medium, but I do enjoy watercolor as well. 

    Lawn Fawn

    As you can see from my favorite creations, Christmas is my favorite holiday!

    Lawn Fawn

    I am currently on the Kat Scrappiness, Stamp AnnieThing, Crafter's Companion, and CanYouCaseIt? design teams. 

    My Favorite Things

    I never ever thought that making cards could turn out to be such a big part of my life, but here I am! 

    Finding Kevin

    Visit the Kevin Bray Blog to see how his creative mind works and which challenges he's entered and which products he's used. 
    Follow KevinBray10 on Instagram to see more of his work.

    Happy Crafting,