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Like many people, I do not like to move.  It’s such a hassle.

In fact, during more than fifty years, I’ve moved offices and homes only three times, all within the Sherman Oaks/Studio City area of Los Angeles.  So, while I like to think that I’m more adaptable than most, in terms of moving, I also have less experience.

We moved into our present home just a few weeks ago.  As you might imagine, we are still living mostly out of boxes.  Fortunately, we do not plan to list our old house for sale until January, so Daveen and I are able to pace ourselves with unpacking.

And yet, as with any new home, there are things I’m trying to get used to.  Some aspects of living here are entirely different than before.  I grew up in a hillside house and have almost always lived in a home with a view.  The street we now live on is flat, so on my daily walk this afternoon there was no up- or down-hill and the only view I have is of my own backyard.

But did I mention that we now have eight orange trees in the backyard?  And a great swimming pool.

As for my new drive to work, I can look at it in two ways.  While it’s a little less than15 minutes, it’s about twice as long as my previous commute.  Sympathy, anyone?

Alas, I’ll keep this blog shorter than usual because I have a date tonight with ten or twelve boxes that I must unpack.

And then, I’m sure I’ll discover many more things I love about my new home, one unpacked box at a time.

Alan

During 2023 there has been a great deal of dithering over Artificial Intelligence, especially since there have been many interesting AI conversations with humans publicized in the news.

Is Artificial Intelligence a useful tool, or a doomsday device for the human race?

It seems undeniable that AI can be helpful.  My accounting department would be three times its size if not for improvements in software that can carry much of the workload for “scut” work.  I remember a time during income tax season when I assigned to a highly paid employee the task of basically adding up columns of numbers.  And that took her six weeks using a ten-key adding machine, work that can now be completed with a single keystroke.

Today computers do much of the repetitive work, and I assume that in the future computers will perform all this type of work.

So, in my mind, AI is a definite plus for humanity.  Instead of using a ten-key adding machine we can sip margaritas in Valparaiso (Indiana or Chile, your choice). Or we can turn our time and talents to working in more important areas.

BUT – and this is a big butt – will AI in some future way kill us off?

I’m hoping the answer is “No,” but I’m only reporting based upon past survival success.    Of humans.  At this point, I have no idea if AI and HI can continue to coexist.  But I am reminded of a cautionary science fiction story I read as a young boy.

Humans had built a gigantic computer in space.  Its size was 100 miles by 50 miles by 50 miles.  (Visualize this computer sitting on the California coastline from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, from the Pacific Ocean to 50 miles above the earth and extending 50 miles inland.)

After a century of construction, the human operator asked the computer its first question.

“Is there a God?”

The immediate answer followed.

“Now there is.”

Alan

P.S.  The accompanying art work was created by AI.

“Aside from the move, Alan, how is the new house?”

Thanks for asking.

Daveen and I have been living in our new home for more than a week and I’m just starting to be able to find my way home by “feel.”  I’ve memorized notable landmarks on the street, like the tall pine tree on a neighbor’s property a few doors down.

But the force of habit is strong.  In our previous house the door to the master bath was in the upper left corner of the bedroom.  In the new house, the bathroom is in the lower left corner.  I haven’t yet walked out into the garden when I needed to use the bathroom, but I still have to think about it.

The biggest plus is that the kitchen is now only sixty steps from our bed.  It used to be more than double that, with the added complication of having to navigate a staircase en route.  Our new house is only one story, one of Daveen’s specifications, and that is probably a wise choice since this is intended to be the home we grow older in.

The biggest negative is that my commute is now about fifteen minutes each way, compared with only 8 minutes previously.  One could say that my commute time has almost doubled, or that I am now spending an extra fourteen minutes in my car every day, time that I could be spending doing other things, like playing mah jong!   Or one could also conclude that 30 minutes of total commuting each day is minor, especially for the sprawling city of Los Angeles.  One of my employees told me that her commute is 45 minutes each way – on a good day.

At least my office has been in the same place since 2003, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m going to keep it that way.  Enough moving already!

Yesterday I shopped for groceries for Thanksgiving.  I plan to prepare my favorite turkey stuffing tomorrow so I can enjoy eating it from Tuesday all the way through the end of the week (only sixty steps from my bed!).

My best suggestion for your holiday season – take the batteries out of your bathroom scale.

That way, when you wonder how much weight you have gained, you can honestly tell yourself, “I don’t know.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Alan