skepticlysm

But What About Oregon Trail?

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Skeptifist

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  • My Grandpa Fillmore was the first computer geek I ever knew.
  • This was back when I was like 11 or 12, mind you.
  • He’d had a ton of different jobs, but did tax prep then.
  • So he had one of those early PCs with the two giant floppy disk drives.
  • The first time I used a word processor, and tried to write a fantasy story, was on his computer.
  • He bought me my first computer in college.
  • Hell, he bought me a TI-99 way before that.
  • I learned how to code in BASIC.
  • I’m saying I’m a long-time, hard-coded PC guy.
  • Windows has never inconvenienced me.
  • But then …
  • Up until this year, the last time I bought a PC was in 2014, a Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
  • Pure Windows.
  • No shitty software from another company.
  • Loved that thing
  • But then I didn’t buy anything else for more than a decade.
  • I found myself surfing around on my work laptop, which is no bueno.
  • Thing is, two years ago I got a MacBook Pro for work.
  • I have not worked on a Mac since junior high.
  • And I kinda like that thing.
  • A lot.
  • I have been converted is what I’m saying.
  • What. The. Fuck.
  • I now own one.
  • A MacBook Air.
  • And a PC, but that’s a different story.
  • Kind of like my Grandfather.
  • If you noticed that last name, we’re descendants of President Fillmore.
  • I know jack about that guy.
  • Never really looked him up.
  • The same way I do not know my biological dad, which again is another story entirely.
  • My grandfather was one of the best, greatest men I have ever known.
  • Hell, I lived with him most of my senior year of high school.
  • I miss that man so much.
  • I wish the Teenager had gotten to meet him.
  • He was about 5’9”.
  • Always wore slacks and a button-down shirt with a white tank top beneath.
  • Had a pocket protector with all manner of things in it.
  • Big glasses.
  • Balding head.
  • Used to work for the State employment agency.
  • And own a garage in downtown Sand Springs.
  • Had a yellow Ford Ranchero for a long time.
  • He died while I was in France.
  • …
  • This is a weird one, right?
  • Not a lot of pop culture.
  • I really just started typing to talk about computers.
  • I do not control the stream.
  • I just saw this AI ad on the book of Faces with this tagline: “Working to live? Try living to work!”
  • F You.
  • I am so tired of all this “productivity” bullshit.
  • All these tips on how to make you a better worker … for someone else.
  • I’m sorry, but that’s the Indentured mentality they want you to have.
  • That your worth is what someone else says it is.
  • And all this AI shit.
  • AI can help you as a tool, but it isn’t making you better.
  • Go find those early studies on its effect on chronic users’ ability to think.
  • I can use it to brainstorm.
  • And that’s about it.
  • It’s not better than I am at writing anything yet.
  • And the day it becomes that, the day AI takes over most white collar jobs, they’d better have UBI figured out or they’re not going to like the world version of the French Revolution.
  • …
  • Hi!
  • Goddamn ad.
  • Back when I worked at Urban Tulsa, I had this idea for a screenplay about … a middle class Dr. Marten Luther King/Malcom X thing.
  • Would’ve been the height of middle class white privilege.
  • However …
  • It would’ve been prophetic.
  • That was late ‘90s mind you.
  • Imma stop with that at the moment.
  • Cause we’re getting back to my theme song.
  • You know what I love?
  • Poorly Drawn Lines
  • If you’re not following that comic, you’re missing out.
  • I stick one at the bottom of the TCC student newsletter every week.
  • I hope the guy’s gotten follows and sales from it.
  • It’s funny almost every damn time.
  • Between him and The Oatmeal … I’m in comic heaven.
  • The Oatmeal is fantastic, though he is wheels off.
  • If you can get offended, maybe don’t fan the Oatmeal.
  • I mean, you should anyway.
  • Expand your horizons.
  • Okay, so update:
  • Staples are out.
  • Scab is gross.
  • Doc says everything is healing well.
  • That’s the whole update.
  • We’ll have to wait on the Mayo for diagnosis stuff.
  • What else?
  • The Wife and I sent to Savoy for lunch today.
  • Thursdays are the Turkey special.
  • If you haven’t had it, you’re missing out.
  • Fucking amazing.
  • What else?
  • Got The Terminator on 4k Blu-ray.
  • Glorious.
  • Feeling good.
  • Thank you for all the support.
  • I’m leaving with my pocket full of sunshine.

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