We Are Not The Same, Ha

I love this! Totally identify with reading part of a book or just the back cover and making up a very creative book report! Or one year we had the option of either a report or an art project illustrating the theme of the book. I sure made The Hound of the Baskervilles look sinister and scary... even though I did not read a single page! Was it even about dogs?!

So much creative thinking required by my generation!

Things are different today. I would not want to be a teacher of any kind trying to determine if their students are good writers – or just good AI users. Oof.

There's been so much news – frankly disturbing – in recent days about AI. Like Doomsday-type news. I really don't know what it all means or what to believe. But as a professional writer for nearly 40 years, it's been a hot button in my field for some time.

Some of my co-workers use it a lot and some of us just rely on the skills we've honed for decades. I'm kind of defensive about it. Can you tell? LOL.

As a mentor of interns the past two summers, I told them quite frankly that AI can help you write your resume and your cover letter, but it can't help you answer questions in your "live" job interview. You need to develop critical thinking skills. No "machine" can replace that.

It probably helped that us X-ers had to do a lot of legwork to cobble information together and make cohesive sense of it for school work. No Internet. Just card catalogs in the library. And potentially outdated encyclopedias. I still got straight A's so I'm guessing that was sufficient information for the time. 

As Carter went through high school, I was kind of jealous how easy it was for him with his access to worldwide information. That would have been SO handy as a newspaper reporter in the '90s!!!

Today I feel a bit (mildly right now) threatened because it can replace all my income streams – writing, graphic design, and photography. I sure hope my retirement countdown on my phone expires before "humanity" will! 

God, save us all!

The Sad Part About the Sandwich Generation

 

No offense to people of younger and even older generations, I don't think you understand the impact of being part of the Sandwich Generation. On the one hand, we're trying to raise our children as responsible adults... while simultaneously attending to our parents' ever-changing needs in advanced adulthood.

Between Jim and I we are down to one parent left. So we've dealt with that a little bit. But I realized today when I heard word one of the ladies at church passed away that I was not ready for the ripple effect.

I forget that when you worship with someone for nearly 30 years that they become part of your circle of people you care about. Just the compassion her and her husband showed each other in church each Sunday was something any couple of any age should aspire to.

And they always appreciated my writing for the church bulletins or monthly newsletters. Bonus points for loving them even more.

This past weekend three of my sisters made the trek to St. Louis to lay our Uncle Charlie to rest. The last OG Hedberg of that generation. So grateful for a trip there a year ago to celebrate his 90th birthday.

But my fellow members of this Sandwich Generation – my cousins there – have to deal with their father's death plus their mother's advancing dementia.

I recognize that certain generations have dealt with insurmountable tasks. but please give grace and understanding with some of us are trying to process as the Sandwich Generation. 

Because many of us are Gen X. I know we can handle it, but thanks for recognizing the challenge and that life is .... gosh darn it, so hard to deal with sometimes!