[FRIAM] "I hope I'm wrong. But that text reads like it was generated by an LLM"

Sun Jan 26 19:00:03 EST 2025

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Chapter 1: A Boyhood in the High Desert

This is the story of my relationship with New Mexico—a bond as enduring as
the rugged mesas and boundless skies of the land where I spent my most
formative summers. My childhood was a patchwork of places and experiences,
stitched together by the Navy’s pull on my father and my own restless
curiosity. But no matter where life took me—California, Pennsylvania, or
the Pacific Northwest—New Mexico was the constant.

Outside the small town of Mountainair, on the edge of the Manzano
Mountains, I spent the summers of my youth with my grandparents. There, I
was free in ways that my life in naval housing never allowed. My
grandparents’ home was both sanctuary and adventure—a place where I could
roam for miles on horseback, rifle in hand, hunting small game and
discovering the rhythm of life in the desert.

Hunting was as much about self-reliance as it was a rite of passage. My
grandfather would remind me to respect what I killed. A rabbit, cleaned and
cooked by my grandmother, wasn’t just a meal—it was a lesson in gratitude
and consequence. The land taught me patience and awareness, whether I was
following a jackrabbit’s tracks in the sand or watching the still coil of a
rattlesnake on the trail.

Those summers were a paradox—wild and unstructured, yet deeply grounding.
On the back of a horse, the wind in my face, I felt unshakably connected to
the land and its history. My grandfather, a section foreman for the Santa
Fe Railroad, would tell me stories of the railroad’s role in shaping the
state, while my grandmother wove family history into the fabric of my
identity. They spoke of the Nuevomexicano culture, of resilience and pride
in a place where cultures met and mingled.

In Mountainair, I learned to see life not in the rush of the cities where
my father’s career often took us, but in the slow unfolding of the desert
itself. Each canyon, arroyo, and sunlit stretch of scrub held a story. Even
as a child, I felt the weight of those stories and began to understand that
they were part of my own.
Chapter 2: Mountainair Summers

New Mexico summers had a rhythm all their own. Days began early, with the
rising sun painting the Manzano Mountains in hues of orange and gold. My
grandparents’ house in Scholle, a town that has since all but disappeared,
was quiet in the mornings except for the sound of my grandmother humming as
she prepared breakfast. By the time the rest of the house stirred, I was
usually already outside, drawn to the landscape like a moth to a flame.

The land around Scholle was untamed and endless, filled with arroyos and
juniper-studded hills. It was a place where a boy could feel completely
free. My days were a mix of exploration and chores, though I hardly saw the
latter as work. Whether I was mending a fence with my grandfather or
helping my grandmother in the garden, the tasks felt like an extension of
the land itself. There was a satisfaction in being part of something so
ancient, so rooted.

Horses were central to my summers. My grandfather’s ranching background
ensured that I was comfortable in the saddle from a young age. I spent
hours on horseback, the reins in one hand and a .22 rifle in the other,
riding across the desert in search of adventure. Sometimes I’d head toward
the ruins of old pueblos, their crumbling adobe walls a reminder of those
who had lived on this land long before us. Other times, I’d ride just to
see where the trail would take me.

Hunting was a rite of passage in those days. Rabbits were the most common
game, though quail and dove were plentiful too. My grandfather taught me to
shoot, but more importantly, he taught me respect. “Never kill more than
you need,” he’d say. “And never waste what you take.” His lessons stayed
with me, though they were at odds with the boyish thrill I felt each time I
brought down my target.

One summer, I had a memorable encounter with a rattlesnake. I had wandered
off the trail to investigate a stand of sagebrush when I heard the telltale
buzz of its rattle. The snake was coiled, its eyes fixed on me. I froze,
heart pounding, as we sized each other up. It wasn’t fear I felt in that
moment, but awe. The snake seemed like a living embodiment of the desert
itself—beautiful, dangerous, and utterly indifferent to me.

Evenings in Scholle were a time of reflection. After dinner, my
grandparents and I would sit on the porch, watching the sunset give way to
a sky filled with stars. My grandfather often told stories about his time
working for the Santa Fe Railroad, tales of long hours and hard work, but
also of camaraderie and pride. My grandmother, on the other hand, spoke of
family history—of ancestors who had lived and loved and endured in this
rugged land. Their stories wove together to create a tapestry of identity
that I would carry with me long after I left New Mexico.

Faith was another constant during those summers. My grandparents were
devout Baptists, and Sundays meant dressing up and attending church. The
fiery sermons and spirited hymns were a far cry from the calm Presbyterian
services I was used to back home. As a child, I didn’t understand the
theological differences, but I felt the contrast deeply. Religion in New
Mexico seemed more visceral, more tied to the land and the struggles of its
people.

Those summers in Mountainair and Scholle shaped me in ways I’m still
uncovering. They gave me a sense of place and a respect for the land that
would stay with me throughout my life. More than that, they taught me the
value of hard work, the importance of family, and the quiet beauty of a
life lived close to the earth.
_________________________________________________________________
Stephen Guerin
CEO, Founder
https://simtable.com
stephen.guerin at simtable.com

stephenguerin at fas.harvard.edu
Harvard Visualization Research and Teaching Lab
<https://hwpi.harvard.edu/eps-visualization-research-laboratory/home>

mobile: (505)577-5828

On Sun, Jan 26, 2025 at 3:57 PM Frank Wimberly <wimberly3 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Compare the result with
>
> amazon.com/author/frankwimberly
>
> It took me two weeks to write and contains about 100 pages.
>
> Frank
>
> ---
> Frank C. Wimberly
> 140 Calle Ojo Feliz,
> Santa Fe, NM 87505
>
> 505 670-9918
> Santa Fe, NM
>
> On Sun, Jan 26, 2025, 3:40 PM Eric Charles <eric.phillip.charles at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Frank,
>> And think of how much easier it all would have been with AI assist!
>>
>> Nick,
>> Can you ask George to give you the first 20 pages of a memoir of a boy
>> growing up in New Mexico in <insert appropriate year range>, including the
>> first few years and every summer until the boy went to university? Be sure
>> to mention that the boy moved on from his rural beginnings to a much more
>> worldly and high-tech career. Tell it you would like the tone to be
>> "comfortingly familiar" for those who might have had similar experiences.
>> Just for kicks, please also name the boy "Frank" :- )
>>
>> Best,
>> Eric
>>
>> <echarles at american.edu>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 9:49 PM Frank Wimberly <wimberly3 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I wrote a memoir about my life in New Mexico including the first few
>>> years and every summer until I went to university.  People who read it who
>>> know me say they can hear my voice when they read it.  LLMs were not
>>> available when I wrote it.
>>>
>>> Frank
>>>
>>> ---
>>> Frank C. Wimberly
>>> 140 Calle Ojo Feliz,
>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/140+Calle+Ojo+Feliz,++Santa+Fe,+NM+87505?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>> Santa Fe, NM 87505
>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/140+Calle+Ojo+Feliz,++Santa+Fe,+NM+87505?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>
>>> 505 670-9918
>>> Santa Fe, NM
>>>
>>> On Sat, Jan 25, 2025, 7:24 PM Pieter Steenekamp <
>>> pieters at randcontrols.co.za> wrote:
>>>
>>>> DaveW,
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate what you said.
>>>>
>>>> For me, the key thing is to keep our human qualities. I like using AI
>>>> to help make us better, like when it helps with writing.
>>>>
>>>> You mentioned that AI can't make writing more eloquent. I agree with
>>>> this for people who are already good writers. I've read some
>>>> autobiographies where the writing is so beautiful, it's like AI couldn't
>>>> match that. But there are others who might need help. AI could make writing
>>>> easier and better for those who have good ideas but struggle with words.
>>>>
>>>> I just want to clarify one point from your message about "voice." When
>>>> AI helps with writing, it's important that the words still sound like me,
>>>> not like a machine. I saw your point about my writing sounding like ChatGPT
>>>> instead of me, which wasn't my goal. I aim for AI to enhance my voice, not
>>>> replace it.
>>>>
>>>> Improving oneself and one's writing is a great goal. We've all had
>>>> moments where we wish we could express something as well as someone else.
>>>> If AI can help make my writing sound better or clearer, I think that's good
>>>> to use.
>>>>
>>>> But I agree with you, AI might not make writing more 'eloquent,' just
>>>> more precise or detailed. So, I would use AI tools carefully, making sure
>>>> they enhance my own style, not define it.
>>>>
>>>> Pieter
>>>>
>>>> Note: I use AI to assist my writing.
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, 25 Jan 2025 at 17:58, Prof David West <profwest at fastmail.fm>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Pieter,
>>>>>
>>>>> I applaud your use of AI to improve your writing. It is my belief that
>>>>> the* "proper"* use of AI, along with computers and computing tools in
>>>>> general, is to *augment* human abilities ala Vannevar Bush's "how we
>>>>> may think," Douglas Englebart's institute, Alan Kay's dynabook, (the
>>>>> fictional Young Ladies Primer of Stephenson's *Diamond Age*), and
>>>>> Jobs' "bicycle for the mind."
>>>>>
>>>>> This is in direct contrast, it seems, to the sentiments of most on
>>>>> this list who think that AI should, and inevitably will, replace "inferior"
>>>>> human intelligence.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am curious if you see any question of "voice" in the AI improved
>>>>> text? For example, I took glen's question as nothing more than an
>>>>> observation that the "voice" of your post seemed to that of ChatGPT instead
>>>>> of Pieter—definitely not *"augmented-Pieter,"* as I believe you
>>>>> intended it to be.
>>>>>
>>>>> All of us respect Pieter and value his words. If, however, we are
>>>>> confused by "voice." it raises issues of how much consideration the writing
>>>>> should receive and how we should respond.
>>>>>
>>>>> Improving oneself, and one's writing, is a great goal. And we all have
>>>>> experienced examples of "I wish I had said that," or "I wish I had
>>>>> expressed that idea as eloquently as she did." If AI tools provide wordings
>>>>> that you admire, or feel express your ideas more eloquently, you should
>>>>> adopt them.
>>>>>
>>>>> Personally, I do not believe that AI can ever provide more 'eloquent'
>>>>> writing, only more precise or more complete writing. So I, again, strictly
>>>>> personally, would eschew using such tools as currently constructed. I would
>>>>> however, if I had the chance, use Richard Gabriel's tool, *Inkwell*,
>>>>> which, BTW, he emphatically states is not an AI, to enhance my writing. But
>>>>> Richard is primarily a poet and writer, despite his education and career in
>>>>> AI and computing, and he created *Inkwell* expressly to be a writer's
>>>>> assistant. I have tremendous respect for Richard's writing and I know he
>>>>> uses Inkwell to enhance his intrinsic abilities.
>>>>>
>>>>> davew
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Jan 24, 2025, at 10:48 PM, Pieter Steenekamp wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I was surprised by the comment "I hope I'm wrong. But that text reads
>>>>> like it was generated by an LLM"  At first, I just thought, 'so what?' But
>>>>> it got me thinking about how AI changes how we communicate, which is really
>>>>> important to me.
>>>>>
>>>>> Here's my main point:
>>>>>
>>>>> I think it's okay to use others, whether they're people or AI, to help
>>>>> me communicate better, as long as the ideas are mine and I'm not copying
>>>>> someone else's work. If using AI to polish my words bothers someone, we can
>>>>> talk about it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Here's some background on why I think this way:
>>>>>
>>>>> a) Learning to communicate is one of the best things you can take away
>>>>> from school or university. For example if a student is supposed to use her
>>>>> own words in an assignment, then using AI or asking someone else to rewrite
>>>>> is wrong.
>>>>>
>>>>> b) In the workplace, we've always had people like personal assistants
>>>>> or speech writers. I see using AI in the same way, just a modern tool to
>>>>> help.
>>>>>
>>>>> c) Writing assistance used to be expensive because you needed people.
>>>>> Now, AI can do the job for free, and that doesn't go against what I believe
>>>>> is right.
>>>>>
>>>>> d) Your writing should still sound like you. So, I write something
>>>>> first, then ask AI to make it better but keep it simple and in my style,
>>>>> like, 'Please make this sound better but keep it easy to understand.' I now
>>>>> realise I violated this previously and will adapt.
>>>>>
>>>>> e) Maybe it's good, depending on the situation, to mention when you've
>>>>> used AI in your writing.
>>>>>
>>>>> f) Here's a funny story: I used AI to help write a message for an AI
>>>>> workshop, and someone complimented the writing so much they suggested I
>>>>> should be a writer instead!
>>>>>
>>>>> My bottom line:
>>>>>
>>>>> I plan to add a note at the end of each message in this group saying I
>>>>> used AI to help with my writing. If my using AI is a problem for anyone
>>>>> here, feel free to ask me to leave the group or simply remove me from the
>>>>> group.
>>>>>
>>>>> Note: I use AI to assist my writing.
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