As I was walking back to the car park yesterday evening, a woman walking in front of me caught my eye. It was the skirt she was wearing that got me.It was a long pearly white silky skirt almost ankle length, which clung to her body perfectly. With each step she took the sun bounced off the skirt lighting up the silk, making it shimmer and glow like gloss. She tugged at it occasionally too in order to prevent it riding up but there was no danger of any reveal given it's length.On it's own the skirt was to die for but when combined with the black sleeveless t-shirt and plain white trainer pumps it took the look to a new level for me. Feminine but casual and the perfect outfit for a warm sunny day.I can tell you now, I didn't just like the look, I absolutely loved it!As I walked by her I felt envious of how she looked. Her hair was brown, silky and tied back in a ponytail, and I thought it was the perfect hairstyle for her outfit. I was already pining for her outfit but if that wasn't bad enough, I was pining for hair just like hers too. All I could think about during that brief encounter was how much I wanted to be like her, wear what she was wearing and to have hair the same.It's moments like this that I find overwhelming and consuming. I think about it for ages afterwards and it distracts me. Eventually I return to normal. Blogging about such moments, helps immensely..Of course me being me, I always like to add my own personal touch to an outfit and what's more perfect than a pair of glossy black patent Louboutin heels! From daytime look to evening look with just a change of footwear, magic!
As I was walking back to the car park after work on Friday evening, a woman in front of me caught my eye. Not in the usual way — I wasn’t admiring her walk or her phone-scrolling skills — but her skirt.
It was a long pearly white silky skirt, almost ankle-length, that clung to her just right. With every step she took, the setting sun bounced off the fabric, making it shimmer and glow like freshly polished gloss. Every so often she tugged it down, though given its length there was no risk of any grand reveal.
The skirt alone was enough to make me stop and stare (well, internally at least), but when she paired it with a black vest top and plain white trainer pumps, it became something else entirely. Feminine, yet casual. Breezy, yet stylish. To me, it was the perfect outfit for a warm summer evening.
And I didn’t just like the look. I absolutely loved it.
As I passed her, envy crept in. Her brown hair, silky and tied back in a ponytail, was the perfect finishing touch. There I was, pining for her outfit, and now I was pining for her hair too. In that fleeting moment, I wanted to be her — or at least to borrow her wardrobe (and maybe her stylist).
It’s moments like this that completely consume me. I replay them in my head for hours, sometimes days, and they tug at me in ways I can’t quite explain. Writing about them here helps me untangle the swirl of emotions — the longing, the envy, the curiosity, the joy.Of course, me being me, I’d add my own twist to that outfit. What’s more perfect than slipping on a pair of glossy black patent Louboutins? Daytime chic to evening glamour with just one change of shoes. Now that’s magic.
So, disclaimer, I use AI to make those wee goblin cartoon images, but that's about it.
ReplyDelete"Do you think something is lost in the polished version or do you think it makes it a better read?"
Opinion 🙂 - I feel they both work and as it's your blog, so you do you.
I do think your writing is better, if I'm honest. Yes, the AI adds a few posts, but they feel more magazine than personal. Maybe that's something you wanted, I don't know.
"Do you think I'm being untrue to myself by using AI?"
Excuse me while I just reach for my magical coaching glasses 😉 I think it's all about what you want to say on the blog; the 'voice' of your writing; the tone, wordage, etc.
If I may, true/untrue is a judgement and life is rarely black and white, IMO. Are we being untrue if we use a spell- or grammar-checker?
Or, are we using tools to help us tidy our prose, so refers don't stumble on misspelled words, howlers, and other issues?
I would say stay clear of having the AI write the whole piece, as that isn't your voice - even if you prompt it.
But ultimately, I feel it's down to what you want out of writing and sharing.
Thanks Lynn, some good points there. I think I'm going to refrain from using AI to help redraft my content. Whilst it does add something I feel I'm losing my true self if that makes sense.
DeleteWow, you've certainly returned to blogging with a will, Lotte!
ReplyDeleteIt's your blog so you write what you want in the way you want. If AI makes you more comfortable, then use it. Other good points by Lynn that I don't need to repeat.
That said, I prefer to hear an authentic voice. The AI is giving a more staccato, journalistic feel to the prose with American-style phraseology, interjections and comedic twists. I don't know for sure if you used AI for your latest article on nail varnish but given the zany tone and pure Americanisms such as "like a raccoon in a dumpster" - (what? you're British, old girl; you mean, "like a fox in a bin") - I'm guessing AI had a hand in it. If it's not AI and it's really you writing all that then this is another problem, that people subconsciously adopt the style that they come across most often now rather than their own.
On a general level, I don't like AI at all as it reduces individuality to a sameness homogenised by algorithms that assume style standards are set by quantity observed rather than by aptness in context. And with time the problem worsens as AI generated prose feeds back into the loop. So it's less a human individual communicating and more a machine regurgitating the same stuff. I worry about all this. As a professional translator my industry is badly affected by machine translation that operates on a similar basis and when it makes its frequent mistakes as a result of not understanding context, emotion, nuance, register or local variants - i.e. the human element - you can get dangerous errors that, in the worst scenarios, lead to legal pursuit, diplomatic failures and international tensions. OK, that's a bit dramatic for your question but I think it's already time to regulate mechanised communication.
So, you're free to do what makes you happy - it's your blog, after all. But I'd rather know what you yourself really think.
Sue xx
Thanks Sue, much valued feedback. After some serious thought and a chat with the Wife about it, I decided I will refrain from using AI in future so I can be truly authentic. The use of AI did make he posts a bit more humorous but like you say very American-style.
DeleteOh and yes I had used AI for the Nail Polish Article but was written the other day before I had arrived at my decision to move forward without AI's assistance.
AI is a wonderful thing, but only in certain circumstances. It is helping hugely in the fields of science and health care. It is also allowing technical innovations to take place in manufacturing and industry. However I don't like it's use in the creative arts of writing, creating pictures (be they works of art or films) or music. I prefer to read what you write knowing it is 100% you. I've only just begun following your Blog, and I'm impressed by your creativity in your posts. So in my opinion AI doesn't enhance your writing at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback Deeanna, much appreciated. Yes, after serious consideration, I decided I will ditch the use of AI's help when writing my blog content so it is indeed 100% me.
DeleteI will of course still call on AI to help me with my cartoon images though, as I think they add a little bit of sparkle to my blog.
I concur with the other commentors. AI might assist in producing content for business but blogging is personal. It should be authentic, both to express one's individuality and attract followers. We're not writing for money but fulfillment. I'd avoid using AI.
ReplyDeleteQuite right Ally. That’s why blogged about its use, whilst I personally thought it added a little something I felt at conflict. I felt I was losing that authenticity so decided to move forward without its help.
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