A Commitment to Creativity and Genuine Human Expression

 My work requires me to some extent to deal with artificial intelligence and as a person who spent years doing research in AI (or knowledge-based search and multi-agent systems) I often end up engaged with AI to some extent. Between these, and needing to build up my knowledge and skills, so I can support people making good choices about AI, I'm starting to write a lot more about AI (and other stuff) on my Learning and Technology blog.

 

There's a lot going on with AI and generative AI. A lot of the uses of AI are tied up in a lot of dark patterns, dishonesty and anti-humanistic thought. So while I need to be more engaged with AI this year, I want to make a commitment:

 

I think human minds and spirits are the most important and all that we do as species and society should be in an effort to support people. 

 

Making things is really important and the effort people go to to make things by hand is really cool and needs to be supported. In whatever comes, I am excited to see the things people make and the things people make with their own hands and minds are the most important things to me.

 

I want to do my best to be a genuine human and I'm excited by the things people do being genuine humans.

 

I'm not sure that all makes sense, but I wanted a starting point as I go on the jouney I need to take this year.

 

Make cool things! 

 

 

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 133)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we get excited and watch Dodger build a table.

• We've seen Dodger build a couple of things in the past, but this time she decided to go big and built a table out of a pallet and wood burned the logo from Monster Hunter Tri into top. 
• The first video is focused on building the table top out of an old pallet.
• Next they age steel pipe to make the legs out of.
• Then it's time to burn the tabletop with the logo. (Over head projectors are your friends!)
• Finally, It's time to build the table all together.

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 67)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we return to the Internet of old and looks to the Internet ahead, make a box and eat a game.

• First, Hank Green refreshes your memory on all of the Internet dance crazes you may have forgotten. Also reflects on a few potential high points for the vlogbrothers project.
• Next, Adam Savage makes a box. Why is this a favourite? Because boxes are awesome, this box is particularly awesome and making things is cool.
• Finally, Rosanna Pansino makes a chess board cake and edible chess pieces. 

Project 6 : 100 Sketches

Over the years I've taken a few drawing classes and other kinds of art class. I've reached the point of being not terrible, but I'm never going to get better without practicing regularly which I haven't found the time and motivation to do. To give myself a kick to practicing more I'm starting a new project. My goal for this project is to practice sketching for at lest 15 minutes a day for 100 days in the next six months.

A sketching of things, using Paper on the iPad.

I'm not going to share all my sketches, since most of them probably won't be that good and I don't want to stress myself out about quality. If there are some I feel like showing off then you might see them in an update here.

The deadline for this project will be July 1, 2013 and I'm going to try to have 100 days of sketching between then and now.