Elizabeth Tai

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  • Utterly random episode 3: What it means to be multilingual in Malaysia

    Podcast RSS feed: https://anchor.fm/s/d4f4beb8/podcast/rss

    In this episode, I talk about why Malaysians are multilingual, how people react to this, and the politics of language in Malaysia.

    And you get to hear me speak Mandarin, Hokkien, Malay and English.

    Episode summary

    Most Malaysians speak at least two languages. It is not surprising at all to find some that can speak three to five, actually!

    I talk about why Malaysians are multilingual, how people react to our linguistic abilities, and the politics of language in Malaysia.

    At the end, this is something very unique about Malaysia, and we should celebrate this ability to speak to all corners of the world thanks to our linguistic diversity.

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  • Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty – review

    Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty – review

    Liking Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty as much I did really surprised me. It wasn’t a popular, addictive, idol-driven drama that tends to get a lot of attention, but it delivered solid storylines and performances.

    I love Wuxia dramas. And the type of shows that I’m drawn to are shows like Nirvana in Fire, Ancient Detective and Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms. Sweeping, majestic, heart-wrenching addictions.

    I wouldn’t describe Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty this way at all.

    It’s certainly not heart-wrenching, although there are sad moments. And while it has amazing sets and beautiful costumes, it does not come close to the majesty and beauty of Nirvana in Fire.

    But it just works.

    Perhaps it’s due to the fact that I needed a show like this during this period of my life. I’m currently at a busy time at work and my personal life is fraught with usual middle-age anxieties (sans children, fortunately). After a day of staring at code and wrestling with software that toy with your patience, I wanted something soothing to watch.

    Watching something tragic and heart-wrenching like Nirvana in Fire was the last thing I want to do, no matter how beautiful and well-crafted the story is.

    The story

    We are first introduced to our heroic duo, Lu Ling Feng and Su Wu Ming, when they cross paths at Chang’an. A strange, addictive tea popular among the nobles has taken Chang’an City by storm. But there’s a lot of mystique around the tea. It seems to be tied to a mysterious “Ghost Town” in the dark parts of the city, and is supposedly distributed by a mysterious immortal. And someohow, it’s tied to the case of missing brides in Chang’an?

    Lu Ling Feng, a general of the Jin Wu guards, was given the task to get to the bottom of this mystery. And he ends up crossing swords (okay, maybe it’s more of a pointing sword thing) with Su Wu Ming.

    Su is a disciple of the famed detective Di Ren Jie, and Lu doesn’t like his shifty, sly attitude. But the two ends up working together, though Lu is a very, very reluctant partner.

    Political machinations end up upending a lot of things, however. And Lu ends up following Su on his adventures to reclaim his name and honour.

    From left to right: Fei Ji Shi, Pei Xi Jun, Su Wu Ming, Lu Ling Feng and Xue Huan.

    Characters

    Lu Ling Feng
    A hard-headed, fiery-tempered general who likes to point his sword at people who annoy him. (And that happens quite often!) When we show starts, Lu isn’t very likeable — he looks down on Su Wuming, thinking that he’s beneath him, thinking that he’s up to no good. But, when his life goes downhill without warning Lu is forced to reflect on his choices.

    Su Wu Ming
    A disciple of the famous detective Di Renjie, Su is witty, crafty, and definitely very, very smart. He hides this by pretending to be a nice, humble bloke; a harmless commoner who doesn’t know anything. But believe you me, there’s a lot going on behind that affable demeanor.

    Pei Xi Jun
    The daughter of a high-ranking official who had a massive crush on Lu, Xi Jun ends up tagging along in the duo’s adventures.

    Fei Ji Shi
    A beggar on the outside, a brilliant physician in reality, he has saved the team from one scrape on another. As long as he’s paid in chicken and wine.

    Xue Huan
    Xi Jun’s servant and a budding martial artist.

    A story of many cases

    Strange is probably one of the most well-constructed Chinese dramas I’ve seen. It’s never too draggy, there are not many unnecessary fillers, and every story is interesting.

    I think one of the reasons why Strange was so good for me in this time of my life was because of its structure: About four to five episodes will be centred around a mystery. And with every case, the characters, especially Lu, grows.

    Watching Lu and Su’s relationship develop is a real delight. Some fans complain that Lu was unnecessarily haughty in the beginning, but it befits his background and the time. As a scion of a very prestigious family at a time where lineage gives you power, Lu’s haughty arrogance is almost expected. And unlike most people, Lu doesn’t buy Su’s “humble, common man” act.

    The cases are also unique as they exist in a world where magic is real, so it kept me guessing throughout.

    And towards the end, we watch how Su and Lu struggle with the poltics of the Tang dynasty. As the “police” of the empire, they still have to navigate the powerful, Game of Thrones-esque courts of the Crown Prince and the Princess Taiping. And this was done in a realistic way and there was a surprising, satisfying twist to come out of this political intrigue too.

    What I loved:

    • The sets and costumes – It’s quite faithful to the period. (I’m no expert, but at least there’s no weird modernesque hanfus and hairstyles.) One of the reasons why I’m finding myself bored of Marvel movies is because of its over-reliance on green screens. What a delight to see characters walking around in actual buildings and sets for once!
    • The fighting choreography – I cannot count the number of times I rolled my eyes as the lame fighting, flying scenes of modern-day wuxia dramas. Sure, there’s still flying, but there’s more emphasis on acrobatic manoevres and swordplay. Lu’s fight when he uses three swords was fun to watch!
    • The performances – the standout performance is Yang Zhi Gang’s Su Wu Ming.
    • The stories – one of my favourite Youtubers, Avenue X, complain that Show’s stories were not particularly remarkable, but I really enjoyed the supernaturally-tinged cases. They kept me guessing, and that’s enough!
    • The 4-5 episode story arcs — I really appreciated the structure. Because I could just watch a number of episodes, take a break, and easily come back to continue the story. With other 40+ episode Chinese dramas, I had to ask myself – what happened again? Who is this person? Show’s structure allows me enjoy the show at a comfortable pace without losing the plot.

    What I disliked:

    What in the world is Xi Yun’s role, really, except to be a romantic love interest to Lu? I found her inclusion in the series odd and rather forced. But it’s really a minor, minor niggle in an otherwise great show.

    Mastodon log entries

    I was live-blogging the show on Mastodon as I watch it. As I’m following the Publish On Your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere, and since it’s a waste to let my thoughts fade into the ether, I thought it was a good idea to keep a record of my thoughts here too.

    Feb 10, 2023, 24:20
    Yup of course I need to watch Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 😆

    The fighting scenes, for once, is decent!

    Feb 11, 2023, 19:20
    Watching up to 3rd ep of Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty and I’m liking it so far. It’s the kind of drama that is not too intense so you can enjoy without too much emotional angst. Also, ngl, I like how Yang Xu Wen looks when he fights.

    Feb 14, 2023, 20:30
    Currently on the 10the episode of Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty. I am actually quite surprised I am still #watching – thought I’d be bored by now. Maybe cos I really like the dynamics between the two main characters – the cunning and witty investigator, and the hot tempered general, who are always at each other’s throats.

    We love the odd couple police drama, don’t we?

    Feb 25, 2023, 19:55
    Can’t believe I am on episode 20 of Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty! It is compelling in a way I cant really fathom. But perhaps it has something to do with the short 3-5 episode mysteries that makes it more digestible than most 40+ episode #CDramas
    But I also like the friendship between Lu Linfeng (right, pic below) and Su Wuming.

    Some complain that Lu’s arrogance was not a good way to start their partnership, but I thought it was perfect. Lu’s journey from hot-headed asshat to less-angry asshat is what I enjoyed and kept me going.
    Also, while the mysteries have a supernatural bent, they are solved by real-world wits.

    Btw you can actually watch Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty on Youtube!

    Feb 26, 2023, 20:53
    This is hilarious but they sure exhume a lot of corpses in this #CDrama 😆

    Mar 07, 2023, 23:12
    I finished Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty! When it comes to #CDramas that is a rare feat for me as I find it tough to “last” a #CDrama‘s usual 40-episode run.
    Tbh me liking Strange this much was a surprise. It isn’t sweeping, dramatic or addictive like some #dramas but perhaps this is why In like it; when you have a hectic life, you need something light and not too angsty.
    It also has great acting, sets, writing & the story is finely constructed.
    A fun, rare gem.

    Final verdict

    Give this show a chance.

    I know it is not as sexy as the idol-driven dramas, or the trendy ones right now, but it is absolutely solid and delivers.

    A big part of me hopes that there will be a Season 2, even if the chances are terribly slim. (I’m still waiting for Ancient Detective!) It’s one of those rare shows that truly deserves another run.

    PS: Just found out Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty was ranked No.4 in the top 10 highest costumed dramas of 2022 in Douban! That must mean something, don’t you think??

    Watch it here

    In a move that I don’t quite understand but 100% appreciate, iQIYI has released the episodes, fully English subtitled, onto Youtube. So, you can watch it free in the playlist below:

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  • Unboxing Onyx’s Boox Leaf 2 eReader

    PS: The video looks like it ended abruptly, but I stopped cos he spent the next few minutes installing stuff. I should, er, edit it better next time 😅

    I have been thinking of getting a Boox eReader (by Onyx) since I discovered them way back in 2020.

    I’ve had a Nook (Barnes & Noble), several Kindles and was thinking of getting a Kobo next.

    But I then discovered Boox and realised: Why limit myself to an eReader where I can only shop at ONE place?

    Imagine having the ability to install apps from different bookstores and heck, even a library to your eReader?

    Why did I choose the Leaf 2?

    I decided on the the Boox Leaf 2 eReader (Specs: 7 inch, Android 11 32GB) because I wanted something bigger than the basic Poke model which was 6 inch. However, I felt that anything more than Leaf 2 was overkill. The range after the Leaf 2 is a tablet and they come with a stylus. I prefer making notes on pen and paper, and prefer to browse the web on an iPad, so anything above Leaf 2 is truly unnecessary for me.

    Mr. Tan from Boox Malaysia was kind enough to show me Leaf 2’s many features.

    I thought it’ll be useful for you guys to watch the session too.

    Breaking free from walled gardens

    After watching Mr. Tan’s demonstration, I thought to myself: Why did we put up with limited services and products??

    We just thought that being bombarded by endless ads on our Kindles was a given. But we paid for the dang things and deserve not to have them on our screens. And why did we think it’s okay to be forbidden to shop anywhere else but Amazon or Kobo or Barnes and Noble? And why did we accept a limited range of features?

    Import notes and highlights? Well, too bad if your book didn’t come from us. We won’t allow it!

    Read ebooks from the library? Nope! Maybe you can try Kindle Unlimited? For a price, of course.

    I suppose buying the Leaf 2 is yet another attempt of mine to break free from walled gardens and to gain more control over how I read my content.

    If you’re in Malaysia, you can either order online at https://booxmalaysia.com/ or visit their store/office at Worq Subang. First, make an appointment so that they can spend more time to answer your questions.

    PS: Did not receive a cent from Boox Malaysia. I just like to recommend good services and products. (Though I got free cappuccino. It was really good coffee, that.)

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  • Leaving the cult of wokeness

    Africa Brooke’s open letter Why I’m leaving the cult of wokeness gave voice to what many have hidden in their hearts, too afraid to speak up.

    Speaking up or heck, even make jokes on social media has been dicey the last few years. It could result not just in social ostracization but the loss of your livelihood too. As a result, far too many are too afraid to speak up about controversial issues.

    That’s not how the Internet began.

    “If being cancelled means me living in integrity as a human being who thinks for themselves, CANCEL ME TODAY!

    I repeat; I am not afraid.

    What I’m truly afraid of is existing in a world that forces me to submit to an ideology without question, otherwise I’m to be shamed (or pressured to shame myself) and cast out of the community.”

    Read: https://ckarchive.com/b/d0ueh0h67mpd

  • What it means to be Peranakan

    I little something about me – I am Peranakan. (Penang Peranakan, to be specific. I’ll explain why the distinction is important below.)

    Peranakans or “Straits Chinese”, were people from China who moved to (then) Malaya hundreds of years ago. I know that my ancestors have been in Malaysia for more than a century, most probably 150+ years.

    Our culture is a blend of Chinese and Malay. For example, both my grandmas used to dress like the ladies in the video below.

    And yes, my paternal grandma used to carry that handkerchief everywhere. At home, she would just wear a sarong and tuck that handkerchief near her bosom ☺

    I wish my generation carried on the traditions. Heck, I cant even cook our famed Nyonya dishes! I feel like I should at least get a baju kebaya (though I doubt I would look as elegant).

    There are Peranakans in Singapore, Penang and Malacca — we share similar traits but are different.

    My friend who is Malacca Nyonya says that Penang Nyonya food is sweeter. I mean I wouldn’t have a clue but I take her word for it. Also, the Penang ones speak a form of creole Hokkien dialect, which means we confuse our Southern Hokkien cousins. (We use words they don’t, and often our idioms are translations of Malay idioms. We also mix English words into our Hokkien.) The Malacca ones don’t speak Chinese at all but only Malay.

    Here’s a great documentary about Penang Peranakans. Often, documentaries about Peranakans (also called Baba Nynoyas) are on the Malaccan variety. So, it’s refreshing to find one about my people for once.

    This documentary was eye opening. I didn’t realise how many things my family did had to do with our Penang Peranakan heritage. For example, I’ve always wondered why my paternal “a cho” (great grandmother) is talked about like she’s the clan head. That’s because she was. It surprised me to learn that Peranakans have a matriarchical society, yet my experience with my great grandmother proved that. (I hear very little about great grandpa, for one!)

    I also laughed out loud when the narrator said that Penang Peranakans don’t use chopsticks but forks and spoons. My dad was mad about our table manners; I grew up with decidedly Anglophile table manners, using cutlery when eating prawns when most Malaysians were diving in with their hands. I was always a little embarrassed at my awkwardness when eating KFC with my hands. My dad would scold us kids for doing that and hand us cutlery, so I grew up being a dainty little princess at the dinner table.

    Curiously, my grandmother, my dad’s mother, ate with her hands too. I think at the dining table, most were expected to have good table manners but if you’re eating informally, that’s different.

    Now that you have seen the Penang Peranakans, here are the Malaccan Peranakans.

    Notice that they speak Malay, while the Penang Peranakans in the documentary spoke Hokkien.

    Like I said, I have Malaccan Peranakan friends, and their culture is definitely different from ours. Same, yet different. For one, they arrived at Malaya way earlier than us Penang Peranakans, so their culture definitely mirrors Malay customs more, down to their speech.

    When I visited the Penang Peranakan museum, the tour guide said that the Penang Peranakans of a century ago fancied themselves aristocrats and would look down at the more recent Chinese migrants. They are often wealthier too. I think back on my family’s history and have to agree — both my maternal and paternal sides come from wealthy families (no longer, though). Also, the snooty, “we are different and better” attitude is there. Let’s just say that my family prided themselves for being English-educated from schools established by Christian missionaries (ordinary schools won’t do) and looked at Chinese educated Chinese as “other”. Marriage with non-Peranakans were even considered a sorry thing!

    These days, it’s not the case anymore as more Peranakans are have assimilated with the larger Chinese population and are indistinguishable from every other Chinese. Many don’t even speak the unique Northern version of Hokkien that is found only in Malaysia.

    That’s rather sad really, that I’m losing such a big part of my heritage.

  • Utterly Random episode 2: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (spoiler-free review)

    I just literally came back from the cinema and I’ve got lots of thoughts in my head about Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

    To my surprise when I Googled reviews for the movie, it had really low scores. I think it’s about 48% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience was far more forgiving, which is at 85 the last time I checked.


    I’m pretty surprised by that. I mean, it’s not a great-great awesome movie. It’s not in the sense that it didn’t do anything groundbreaking. However, it’s a perfectly adequate popcorn movie for the family. It’s not dark, it has the standard Marvel humor.

    Lots of CGI battles and the quantum realm was really pretty. But maybe that’s the problem because it just doesn’t break the MCU mold.

    You go, oh, another CGI battle. Oh, yeah. Another CGI alien … it just feels very hollow. And my friend and I were like talking about this. It’s a perfectly good movie – I don’t know why I feel this way. It’s odd that I just feel disappointed although I know it’s an okay movie.

    I like Paul Rudd (he plays Scott Lang). I like seeing Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Douglas together as Janet and Hank Pym. I don’t really like Cassie because I thought she was really an annoying team. But then again, that’s me. I’m crotchety towards teens in movies most of the time.

    But it just doesn’t feel like there are any real stakes. We’re supposed to make this really huge, big bad – Kang the Conqueror in this movie, but I didn’t feel much menace from him. Yet, personally, I feel of all the actors in this movie Jonathan Majors is probably the most impressive.

    Giant Ant-man kneels down as ships attack him.
    There’s something boring and mind-numbing about Marvel’s big CGI battles.

    Maybe it’s me. Expecting a little bit more from an adequate popcorn movie is probably not the right thing to do, I guess.

    Speaking of CGI battles. A few days ago, I was watching Stargate, a 1990s science fiction movie that kicked off this massive science fiction franchise on television. I was actually marveling at how the CGI still looks so good to this day. I feel as if it’s even better than what we see on any Marvel movie.

    And it got me thinking, there’s an overly heavy reliance on CGI special effects these days. And it just doesn’t feel good. Massive CGI battles just feel so impersonal. But remember the battles in The Lord of the Rings movies? They always felt so sweeping and grand, had huge stakes involved and you get swept away by the moment. But battles in MCU movies feel very empty and hollow. I saw this comment on the internet: It’s like watching pixels fight other pixels.

    Also, there are just too many things going on on the screen and I can’t process it, and everything is happening so fast. So, I don’t feel anything.

    Another thing I would like to complain about – we may be going into spoiler territory here. I try my very best to minimize the spoilers but yeah, I feel as if they didn’t do one character – Madok – any justice. He became a lame joke; they tried to make him into comedic relief and I’m going, why??

    And MCU humor really failed in this one. So many serious moments broken by a stupid quip. I groan inwardly when this happens. You know,I know this is a lighthearted movie, but honestly, you can have serious moments without ruining the fun.

    How would I rate the movie?

    65%.

    I think critics are being overly harsh. 48% seems a bit much because I’ve seen worse movies.

    I think a lot of people would be perfectly happy with this film. As I said, it’s an adequate popcorn movie. But maybe that’s the problem – it is just doesn’t offer anything beyond that.

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  • Mastodon, trolls and filters

    Mastodon is generally a great platform. There are no algorithms, and since it’s made up of thousands of independent servers running on open source software, the chances of a billionaire buying over the whole network is slim. However, let us not forget that it is still social media, and because it is social media, you will still see toxicity. Fortunately, Mastodon has safeguards that will prevent me from being glomped by a host of anonymous accounts with anime avatars.

    I wrote about this on Mastodon recently:

    I’m feeling a bit down about Mastodon due to something that happened a few days ago. Some will know what I’m talking about. I’m just sad that we have seemingly lost the ability to listen to differing views without engaging in harassment. But I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, it IS social media after all, even if it’s in the Fediverse.

    I think what makes me sad is that I now have the compulsion to self-censor & clam up lest I attract trolls. That’s what bullying does to you.

    Take my podcast which I released yesterday. I tooted about it, but kept it among my followers only. Because I didn’t want to attract unwanted attention. And I thought to myself. This is ridiculous. I didn’t say anything controversial in that podcast. However, I don’t if some rando will see it as such and report me.

    I’ve also taken the step to filter out certain words, and as I type these words I thought to myself, these are topics I care about, but I don’t want to be tempted to engage in them.

    This self-censorship is annoying. But something I did a lot on Twitter because I was always conscious that I’d get into trouble if I do share my opinions. For eg, I once shared my lived experience with racism, only to have someone threaten to report me to the police – a real threat in Malaysia where people could end up in jail for their social media posts.

    And to be honest, I’m conflicted about the advice I gave in my podcast – to avoid hot topics because it is far too costly.
    I’ve always been a strong advocate for speaking up … so this stance is something I don’t really want to support, but I undertsand the physical, mental and even, monetary cost of speaking up. Oh well. If anything, this has been a good lesson in how important Indie Web is, and how I need to own the spaces I dwell online. I love #Mastodon but it’s time to build my website 🙂

    Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere (POSSE) so that if those spaces are taken away, we still have our home.

    It was a good reminder that despite our idealism about social media, it is not a town square but a forum. A badly moderated one most of the time, that exposes people to dangers. So let’s act accordingly. Protect yourself online and be careful not to rely on it 100%. Your space could be taken away from you without warning.

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  • Utterly Random episode 1: Is Mastodon for you?

    Utterly Random episode 1: Is Mastodon for you?
    Listen on Anchor or Spotify

    In an act of utter randomness, I decided to create a podcast. Which is why I thought it’s totally appropriate to call my podcast, Utterly Random. Because that’s me, random.

    I reflect on my four months into the decentralized social media network, Mastodon.

    (I mention a newsletter at the start of the podcast; it’s this one: https://elizabethtai.substack.com/)

    In this episode, I share my experience using the social media platform Mastodon. It’s been five months, and I believe I have a clear idea of the platform’s unique features.

    The good stuff: It’s full of interesting people and I have rich and intelligent conversations all the time / I have full control over my feed and social media experience.

    The bad stuff: Trolls, like on Twitter, have the power to shut down your account by repeatedly reporting you. This can result in the suspension of the account and I actually experienced this recently. I explain what happened and how the moderators of my instance dealt with it, and how I reacted. Then there are instance wars and instances shutting down…

    Tune in to find out if Mastodon is for you. Understand the culture and the “unspoken” rules of how to have a great experience on Mastodon.

    WARNING: Some swear words in this one.

    Quick summary

    • I have written at length why I quit Twitter but essentially I left because I did not like how Elon Musk was treating his employees and I have never found Twitter a good place for me. I endured it rather than enjoyed it. Elon Musk’s takeover gave me a good excuse to move because it could break down anytime.
    • I didn’t have high expectations for Mastodon. I just wanted to “park” myself there. However, I ended up loving it a lot because of the intelligent conversations and high engagement I experienced there.
    • A lot of Twitter refugees are amazed at how kind and courteous people are on Mastodon. They generally are, but there’s a dark side.
    • I talk about my experience with being trolled after tripping and falling head-long into a super-sensitive topic on Mastodon. Harassment is still a reality on Mastodon.
    • The politics of managing an instance and content moderation. It’s not easy for everyone, but it enables a great environment.
    • How I ended up having my account suspended, how I got it back, and how it made me realise I needed to be very careful about certain topics.
    • To protect yourself from trolls, use strong keyword filters and press that block button as often as you feel like it. Don’t feel embarrassed about it.
    • Is your nice, nice enough? The politics of being a part of the Mastodon community, how it was built for the marginalised and disabled, and why it’s important to write ALT tags and use the Content Warning button.
    • Ultimately, Mastodon is a highly flawed social media platform, but one that shows great promise. We hope that it’ll stay around for the long haul.

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  • Monday Notes: AI

    Monday Notes: AI

    With ChatGPT, Dall-e, the recent announcement of Google’s Bard, AI seems to be everywhere. While the tech-inclined* are excited about the change, some of us are more … wary, depressed, even. And I notice those who are feeling this way are the artists, the writers, the people who create. We worry that AI will not only take our jobs but affect the mental development of generations to come.

    I’m depressed and down not just because of that, but because I’ve seen this all before and human beings seemed determined to repeat the mistakes of the past. Their eye is on the profits, the prestige and the fame that will come from deploying this untested technology. And I’m heartsick by the irresponsibility.

    Seen it all before, you ask? What do you even mean?

    Social media! Today, the ramifications of algorithm-influenced communications is apparent. Data harvesting, democracy collapsing, the increase of misinformation, and the rise of extreme views. And most of all … so many of us are finding our brains changed because of social media. Many of us have lost the ability to focus or even be bored!

    What will AI technology, deployed carelessly, do to society? Time will only tell, but let me assure you, society will feel its effects whether we like it or not.

    My theory —  there there will come a time when creatives like me will retreat further and further away from the commercial web into ecosystems that shield themselves from corporate influence and data miners, until all there is left are AI bots talking to AI bots. The Fediverse is a sign. May it expand and thrive in the future.

    This post by KE Garland, and the comments that follow it, is a good, if sobering read.

    * Not all are, of course. Some are raising the alarm. Not that anyone in the C-suites is listening, really.

    kegarland's avatarK E Garland

    Recently, I used Lensa to generate some artificial intelligence (AI) photos. I’d seen a couple of celebrities do it and thought why not?

    So, I uploaded 15 photos, and two hours later these appeared.

    They’re beautiful, right? I was amazed. It was mystifying to see how the app captured my spirit. How these photos look is how I feel on the inside. I perceive myself as a powerful being who can do anything to which I set my mind, and these computer-generated images illustrated it.

    That’s scary.

    I was so amazed with these photos that I almost cancelled my photoshoot. Why do I need to pay someone hundreds of dollars if AI can create a perfect looking me? I wondered. Don’t worry. I didn’t cancel. But I did consider it.

    “These are stunning,” a blogger friend commented after seeing this set in my IG stories. “Did you have someone commission…

    View original post 519 more words

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  • Return of the personal blog

    Return of the personal blog

    Sci-fi author John Scalzi did what most of us didn’t do: He didn’t give up on his website.

    Unlike most people, he never left his blog for social media. Instead, he used social media as a way to amplify the content he created and communicate with his readers.

    When Twitter melted down, he was largely unaffected. Sure, he slowed down his tweeting, but just knuckled down on diversifying his social media channels. (Just how he can spread himself across so many channels is a marvel even to me.)

    Fortunately, as noted, I still have this place. It just keeps going.

    John Scalzi, State of Personal Social Media

    Here’s another thing he does well. Personal blogging. And I think that is the secret to his active comments section – he never gave up on blogging his way SEO and algorithms bedamned.

    For the longest time I thought I was an old fogey for missing the Internet of the 2000s, when blogs were about ordinary people sharing about their lives. And although they still do on Facebook, they are now behind corporate-controlled walled gardens where algorithms control what you can see.

    I miss having a community of friends who sit down at the computer, reflect about their day, and write about their lives at length. I miss reading thoughtful, personal content from non-celebrities and “average” people I admire. 

    Megan Portorreal, Bring Back the Blog: The Rise and Fall of Personal Blogging

    For authors, personal blogging may be key to their marketing efforts. It’s so fun it might as well not be marketing! Another favourite author of mine, Anne R Allen also wrote something along the same lines in her post, Writers: Why Blogging is Essential in the Era of Fragmenting Social Media.

    Author blogs are easy, fun, and only need to appeal to your target book readership, not vast hordes of consumers. They’re a venue for entertainment and information, not a hard-sell advertising machine. And they don’t need to take much time. 

    Anne R Allen

    It feels as if the voices of common people are being drowned out by people with deep pockets for ad dollars and who can hire content creators to produce content at a scale an ordinary people can’t compete with.

    Due to SEO practices & #socialmedia personal blogs are being drowned out in search engines. That’s a shame because, as this article says, “Personal stories on personal #blogs are historical documents”
    Strengthen your home on the Internet with a #blog, on a #website you own. Forget about #writing to SEO. Tell your story. Build a mailing list, develop a community from your home.

    https://www.theverge.com/23513418/bring-back-personal-blogging

    The comments about the article on HackerNews is interesting as well: https://brianlovin.com/hn/34207842

    Doesn’t help that Google often de-ranks non-corporate content.

    They used to ensure a mix of results: some blogs, some forum posts, some reviews, some videos. Now it’s just the bigger players.

    https://brianlovin.com/hn/34207842

    With AI tools coming to play in, of all places, search engines, this problem is going to be massively worse. Personal blogs may disappear from search engines altogether as people try to game the AI to appear in search, or Google or Bing or whatever prioritizes content that gives them ad dollars.

    The solution is not to give in and resign yourself to your fate.

    There are already separate discovery ecosystems where individual content are being highlighted. The problem is they are controlled by corporations still: WordPress.com has a great discovery feature, Substack as well. But how long until algorithms come in and mess things up?

    We, the ordinary people, need to form our ecosystem, separate from the corporate-owned web. The question is, how?

    ,