Metrolingua

Stop using comma splices

2026-03-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

What is going on? I see all kinds of comma splices popping up all over the place, even by people who have a couple of Master's degrees. I can see why some pro writers use them; they want to break the rule for style and rhythm. But other people aren't trying the style thing; they're just wrong.

"Let me know what you think, I'll call you later." This is a comma splice because there are two independent clauses here that are separated by a comma. They each can be a sentence or can be separated by a semicolon because they relate to each other.

"Let me know what you think; I'll call you later." I just used correct punctuation because it's a teeter-totter, two independent clauses balanced out by the semicolon.

Before, I couldn't explain all this grammatically; I just knew it was wrong. Now it seems like quick texting/posting/whatever have affected decorum 😅

Does this mean that comma splices are becoming archaic, like what's happened to "whom" and "who" (writing "She's the person I was speaking to" instead of "She's the person to whom I was speaking")? And is using a semicolon considered uptight and rigid at this point, the comma used as a casual way to communicate?

Please, everyone, at least use correct punctuation in your work emails, and even in other emails to people you don't really know well.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

American English - you're good

2026-03-27T10:39:00.005-05:00

Here's another phrase that is often used in the United States: "you're good." I just heard it yesterday when two people were talking at work; one person said they tried to get some information for them but couldn't find it, and the other person responded with, "You're good."

What he meant was that he wanted to tell the other person to not worry. It’s a way of reassuring people, to let them know that they can relax. It also means that nothing else is necessary.

For example, at a coffee shop, you might ask the barista if you need to sign anything after paying with a card. If they don’t need a signature, they’ll say, “No, you’re good.” Or if your backpack is in the way when someone is trying to get on the train and you apologize, the person will tell you, “You’re good” if they don’t have a problem with it.

So when someone is telling you, “you’re good,” they’re telling you, “don’t worry about it” or “there’s nothing else to do.” It doesn't literally mean "you're a good person."

I also posted the audio of this explanation online. If you have suggestions for future phrases, let me know.

Talking Love Boat

2026-03-18T14:43:00.001-05:00

As long-time readers know, I've posted about TV here, but never really had the chance to talk about it publicly (as opposed to just writing about it). Well, I got a chance to do it! I was invited to John Siuntres' (Word Balloon) new podcast, "E-Motion Sickness," a rewatch of "The Love Boat." It was great to watch something critically, research background information, and make connections. I will be a guest on future episodes, so stay tuned.

Here's the video, and you can also listen to it.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Visual joke

2026-03-16T17:07:00.005-05:00

I was watching "The Brokenwood Mysteries," which is a show out of New Zealand. I sometimes don't understand what they're saying, so I have to turn on the subtitles 😅 It's a really good show that has really good actors; every single character, whether a small part or major one, is played by a pro. It's amazing that such a small country can produce so many skilled performers—more than a larger country that I want to mention but won't 😏

In one scene from season 4 episode 2, "Stone Cold Dead," two of the detectives are visiting the boss in a hospital, and there is poster that says, "All pain, no gain," with a picture of a woman on a treadmill. It looks like something very large is on her back. Is it a person? Luggage? I can't tell. Or maybe it's a mirage, because the image isn't clear (it's in the hallway, outside the hospital room's shaded window). But it definitely seems like a visual joke, which isn't surprising because there seems to be traces of humor among the deaths. I did a search online and couldn't find anyone discussing this, nor could I find any use of "All pain, no gain," so it's a unique creation (because, obviously, it's a flip of "No pain, no gain.")

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

American English - no problem

2026-03-02T16:11:00.002-06:00

I just started a short segment on my podcast called "American English Minute," based on everyday English that I notice around me in Chicago. A student suggested I start something that explains English here, and I decided to link it to my podcast because I often talk about writing with broadcasting pros.

Today’s phrase is “no problem.”

In the United States, when someone says “thank you,” the other person might respond with “no problem.” You can hear this in various places, especially stores and restaurants, and in casual conversations. For example, at a hot dog stand, if you ask for extra mustard and say thanks, the worker might say, “no problem.” Or at a store, if you ask for a bag and they don’t charge you, and you say thank you, the person might say, “no problem.” Another example is if you miss someone's party because you're sick, the friend will say "no problem" when you apologize for not coming.

This expression is similar to “no worries,” which has become more common in American English in recent years. Both phrases are casual alternatives to “you’re welcome.”

If you have suggestions for future phrases, let me know.

Not using periods

2026-02-28T09:19:00.004-06:00

I've gotten into the habit lately of not using periods at the end of a text. I might say, "Let me know what you think of the article. It's sort of long" then send it, not thinking I'm being negligent by omitting the period. It's like I want to keep it casual and soften the end. If I include a period, it would sound final, abrupt, closed.

I didn't know this was a thing until I saw some articles about it. This one says that people get upset when they receive texts with periods. That's not true with me. I don't care if other people use periods, but I care if I do. If the person is not a native English speaker, I use periods to signal that my sentence is done. But with native speakers, I want to soften my speech.

There have even been academic studies about periods, and the resulting suggestion is that you shouldn't use them: "if you want to ensure that your messages are received and understood with the level of sincerity you intend, leave the period off the final sentence." Researchers found out that "text message responses to questions that ended with a period were perceived as less sincere than those that did not." Other researchers "observed that the period has taken on a particular pragmatic and social meaning in texting because its use is optional in this form of communication."

I had no idea it's a deep issue; I just started doing it, just because.

Someone told me she uses emojis instead of periods. That's a good option and fun, and even creative. I'm pro-emoji; I like trying to figure out which emoji I should use, and express my emotions when my words may seem flat.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

George Ofman interview: the best story

2026-02-24T15:42:00.001-06:00

I recorded this interview with sportscaster George Ofman, which was an update to an interview I did with him ten years ago. He wrote a popular book and now has a new career when a lot of people his age are already retired.

It’s been ten years since I interviewed you. You recently were promoting your book. What was your book called again?

It’s called Tell Me a Story I Don’t Know. It was a compilation of 50 of the 100 interviews I did with top sports personalities with connections to Chicago. That included people like Mike Greenberg, who, along with me, was hired at The Score five days before it went on the air in January of 1992. We were hired on my birthday — December 28, 1991. Michael Wilbon, who of course made his real claim to fame on Pardon the Interruption. Bob Costas. Locals like Adam Amin. Jason Benetti.

Jason was probably the only interview I did that was more of a conversation than an interview. He’s just an extraordinary person. I had a lot of fun doing the podcast. I had a lot of fun writing the book. The book’s been out there for a couple of years. I considered it a success. And basically, that was the end of my professional sports journalism career.

I want to talk about your writing process. How did you learn to write like that?

First of all, I started writing backwards, which was really good. Then I said, you know what, if you start writing forward, it might be a little better. I had some pretty good English teachers in grammar school. I remember particularly a fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Anderson. She was very much into figures of speech. I learned how to use metaphors and similes and things like that.

But I wasn’t really writing until I got on the radio. I had a different bend to the way I wrote. Sometimes people said I was throwing opinions in there. They weren’t wrong. When I started at The Score, it allowed me to be creative. Print is different. In the book I’m using quotes, but it’s not just quotes — it’s writing around the quotes, writing the story of the story.

News radio was perfect for me. You’ve got to make stories short. You have to use sound. But I always felt the need to be creative. Whether I was subbing for Red Mottlow, working at The Score, WGN, or WBBM, I wasn’t going to change my style. Nobody told me I had to. I wanted to inform people, but I also wanted to do it in a way that was enjoyable to listen to. That format worked perfectly for me.

You established that early on?

Oh yeah. In college. In 1974, when I stepped into the newsroom at Southern Illinois University. I was working at one of their small stations, but when I walked into the main newsroom, I thought, this is where I need to be. Within six months I was named sports director of the radio and television department. It was supposed to be a two-quarter position. They let me do it for six.

Whatever happened, it worked. I kept honing it and honing it. I didn’t have a full-time radio job in Chicago until The Score. Before that I freelanced. I wrote for National Public Radio. Back then NPR used freelancers to do sports. I aired about 150 stories on NPR over 20 years. I worked for the BBC. I worked for the CBC. That writing was a little more straightforward than what I later did at The Score and WBBM, but it was a great training ground. Really solid editors. They honed my writing.

With NPR, did you have more time to tell your story?

Yes. Those stories were usually three and a half minutes. Sometimes five. In three and a half minutes, you can weave in sound and tell a story. At WBBM you might have two minutes to cover multiple items. With NPR you had that time for one subject. CBC sometimes gave me five or six minutes.

When I started in 1980 there was no internet. You called the editor. You unscrewed the phone receiver and attached alligator clips into your recorder. You played your story down the line while talking to the editor. That’s how they edited it. That was the old days. It was great fun.

You covered over 3,500 sporting events. Why did you eventually stop liking covering games?

I got tired of doing games. You go to a baseball game, you’re there nine hours. Evening games, you’re not home until midnight. Near the end, before COVID, I remember sitting at the United Center watching a Bulls team that was awful. Maybe 10,000 people in the building. They were bored. I was bored.

But I still did the job. Nobody would notice the difference. I’m still a pro. It’s just that it became a job. That’s funny to say, because what I did for a living really wasn’t a job. I loved it. But when it started becoming a job, that’s when it felt different. I would have much rather been in the studio. Let me write. Let me do the updates. Let me do interviews. I loved being creative behind the microphone.

You were part of that short-lived station that didn’t last long. How did you deal with that and turn it into something positive?

The Score was already making moves to eliminate sports anchors. Fred Huebner had already been let go. I was going to be next. So the choice was simple — let’s see how this works with Mike North and the group. They had no idea that this fellow named David Hernandez was running a Ponzi scheme. It lasted nine weeks.

In the meantime, I was traveling. I traveled with the Blackhawks to Calgary, Vancouver, Detroit. I covered a Bulls playoff game in Boston. It was a lot of fun until it wasn’t.

By June of 2009 it was gone. It was over. I called Dave Eanet [WGN] and asked if he had any work for me. At first he said no. A week later he called back and said maybe there was a little part-time work.

I told him I had a problem with my voice. I thought it might be laryngitis. It wasn’t. It was a paralyzed vocal cord. I basically couldn’t talk. I could whisper for about four months. I went to the Bastian Voice Institute in Lombard. They tried different methods. Nothing worked. Finally they said they would inject a gel into my vocal cord. I did it. I got about 80 percent of my voice back. It took about a year and a half to fully return.

I called Dave. He still had the job open for me. I went back to work in November.

Then in 2020 you were let go from WBBM.

Yes. July 14, 2020. Cost-cutting. I was 66. I wasn’t done. I’m far from done. I had to learn about podcasts. I didn’t listen to podcasts, but I had an idea. That became Tell Me a Story I Don’t Know. I talked to about two dozen people in the industry about how to put it together. TJ Reeves helped me enormously. I started doing pre-interviews. I monetized it. Vienna Beef was a sponsor for two years. I convinced Triumph Books to publish 50 of the interviews.

I kept that going for three years. Eventually it became a task to chase people. Some would respond no. Most wouldn’t respond at all. I probably could have done more interviews, but I got tired of chasing. So I said, we’re done.

And now you’re on another path.

Yes. I work for Midtown Athletics, which used to be Midtown Tennis. It was the largest indoor tennis facility in the country. In 2017 they did an $85 million renovation, everything except the courts, and added a hotel.

How did I get there? It’s probably the best story of my life. In 2002 I was doing a Saturday afternoon show during the NCAA tournament. On the air I said I had covered four Final Fours but never covered the U.S. Open. I’d never even been there. I said I’d love to go.

After the show I checked my voicemail. A deep voice said, Hello John, this is Alan Schwarz. I’m the vice president of the United States Tennis Association. He said he had heard my show and admired my passion, and he wanted to invite me and a guest to sit in the President’s Box at the U.S. Open.

It was real. He sent the invitations. I brought a friend from high school who loved tennis. We went. Alan Schwarz had built Midtown Tennis in 1970. I didn’t know that at the time. He took us on a tour. That evening we were sitting in the President’s Box watching Serena Williams and Pete Sampras.

Over the years we began having lunch twice a year. For the last eight years of his life we did that — sometimes at a restaurant near the corporate office, sometimes at Midtown’s restaurant, Chromium. In November of 2023 we had lunch. He had just turned 91. I joked with him and said, one day I’m going to come to work for you. He laughed.

Three days later he died. I was crushed. A few months later I called his son, Stephen Schwarz, who is now the CEO. I told him about my relationship with Alan and about that comment I had made. Starting in June of 2024, I went to work at Midtown Athletics. I work with their pickleball and paddle divisions. I’m having a tremendous amount of fun.

If Alan Schwarz hadn’t happened to be listening to that Saturday afternoon show in 2002, none of this happens. Sometimes you create the path. Sometimes the path shows up.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Took a German break

2026-02-20T09:28:00.002-06:00

Honestly, I haven't actively studied German until recently. I pretty much took a break after I got back from Germany last fall, and wasn't really motivated to do anything with it.

Before my break, I had already watched several Easy German videos and was a member, so I got access to transcripts and exercises. Then I went to Germany with their German-learning and activity program, came back, joined a Discord group with some wonderful people from that trip, and eventually stopped going because of the time difference; they were seven hours ahead of me and while it was Sunday or Wednesday night for them, it was daytime for me, when I was doing things IRL. I cancelled my Easy German membership because I needed to take a break. And since I was back in the USA, there weren't any in-person classes near me, and though I met a couple Germans or heard German on the street, it was so minimal here, I just didn't feel it.

And I wanted to get back to focusing on French, since I'm taking classes, and Japanese, which I study on my own and by watching some NHK shows (with subtitles). And even Spanish, which my ESL students and coworkers speak, and is pretty much the second language here. It also helps that the Spanish-speakers here are very friendly and will speak Spanish with you, even if you're not that great. If you're interested in languages, learning Spanish is the best experience and is practical, as well.

I've been watching Easy Italian before going to Italian class and was thinking, wow, what a friendly culture with a beautiful language. So different and seemingly easier than German. Then it hit me: other than reading and sometimes translating tweets on Twitter/X, I hadn't studied German nor looked at Easy German videos for four months. I think it was because some of the people in the Easy German videos were more like media talent than educators offline (and I've worked in both media and education, so I know the difference), and I didn't really want to see them in videos for a while, and I didn't really want to deal with the difficulties with German for a while, either. I just didn't expect that "while" to last more than a few months.

Now I'm over my disillusionment and dread of complex and wordy German challenges, and I'm definitely motivated to keep trying. Earlier this week I had a couple hours before I had to go outside, so I watched 1.5 hours of Easy German videos. Today I plan to read some entries in Meyers Kinderlexicon and probably do stuff in my textbook from GLS (where I studied in Berlin).

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I might be back

2026-02-12T09:29:00.002-06:00

I've been talking to some people about what's been going on creatively. When I started this blog, I had an outlet to express myself (social media didn't dominate), but then it led to paid work. All people had to do was an online search and find me, or I could show them what I was writing. So I got hired to write articles, blog posts, and even helped write a couple of books. None of it was under my name and I didn't care because I was being paid.

Because I'm not an introvert, I tried to find people-oriented jobs but kept getting isolating ones. I even didn't pursue certain opportunities because I just wanted to be me and talk. Someone I'd written a lot for said I should teach writing, and they even said they'd help set me up because they had a lot of connections. I said no, which was probably not a good idea, because I didn't want to think it through or manage people, just write.

And an even better idea that I passed on was writing a textbook. I was a writing instructor at a university, and a publisher's rep came to the school to talk about books. I asked if there was a book on business writing, and she said, "No...do you want to write one?" I said I wasn't qualified to write one, but wanted one for my class. I could've written it! I had already done a lot of business writing and could research what I didn't know. I could have interviewed lots of business pros to share their insight. I had an opportunity but was too insecure and modest to accept it. Now it is almost impossible to get published. But I don't regret that decision.

I'd rather talk about what I really know than talk about something that's on my periphery, becoming an expert just through scaffolds, not through substance. I see that in various areas, which is probably made easier with social media.

Anyway, I was working at home so much (way before it was trendy) doing translation and writing and editing, that I needed to connect with the world, and decided to do it through this blog. Then I got busy with being paid for what I was doing, working in media and podcasting, which led to more gigs, until I was thinking a lot for other people instead of myself.

When I stepped back from the chaos, I couldn't write much creatively or introspectively, and I thought those days were over. Then I started thinking and noticing more, read about how people get ideas, and started thinking that it's okay to produce something that won't make money, get noticed, or get an award. It's okay to create without the payoff.

That's why I'm thinking, "I think I'm back," because I feel like I can do my own thing and not worry if "it matters."

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

There is entrepreneurship going on

2026-02-10T11:53:00.002-06:00

I was looking for a site that translates Modern English into Old English for a tweet I was constructing, and found the Old English Translators site. I looked around the site, and it didn't seem like it was created by a history fan or linguistics professor, so I wondered what it was about. It was created by a company last year, owned by a guy in Canada with a Chinese name.

The testimonials seem to be from real people, and the site has good information. But since it doesn't seem like home-made, or an intense blog, it makes me wonder if the company is creating a niche online, building something different, because the internet is so crowded with content already.

If I remember, I will check in some months to see what's happened to the site. Maybe a bigger fish will swallow it to get access to its technology and concepts.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Faux French: the accent aigu

2026-02-06T10:27:00.003-06:00

I wonder if French speakers living in the U.S. have noticed how some businesses don't use the accent aigu (é) correctly. I've seen it mistakenly used on various signs and surfaces over the years, and saw one the other day (unfortunately, I didn't take a picture; I'll post it when I have it).

Many years ago, I bought a dress at Gigi's Closette. The sign has been fixed since then, but when I first went there, they had an accent aigu on the final "e." I knew enough French to know that wasn't correct and wondered why they did it. Sometimes I theorize that people are trying to be "fancy" or sophisticated or worldly by using the é unnecessarily.

Amazingly, I was able to find an image with that old spelling at an online seller:

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I'm taking an Italian class

2026-02-03T14:44:00.002-06:00

I studied Italian in the late 20th century while I was getting a master's and even got paid to translate it. Then I pretty much dropped it for several years, but started reading it on my Twitter/X account during the pandemic. Then I finished the Duolingo course last year. But I sort of treated it like an auxiliary language because it wasn't as important as French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Towards the end of 2025, I started thinking it more often and even started watching Easy Italian more. It seemed like such a beautiful language with such friendly people that I wanted to know more. So when my scheduled opened up, I signed up for the "Absolute Beginners" course (A1.1) at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura and am two weeks in.

At first I thought it was too easy because the teacher speaks English and Italian in class, and the book is in Italian and English; I prefer to have an Italian-only textbook. So the class seems really basic, but I don't even know the entire alphabet and numbers! So I really have to be in this level. The teacher is clearly well-educated and can articulate her teaching methodology and philosophy. She is also really patient and seems to like people; teachers should like people, but as I've said before, not everyone who works with people likes them.

I think part of my problem with Italian was that I had a teacher several years ago who was not very simpatica. She seemed to be annoyed because she kept comparing us unfavorably to students she taught at a prestigious school. And she just didn't seem to like people. That was confirmed when I signed up for lessons at her home, where she ran a kind of Italian-related business, and she wasn't very pleasant or inclusive.

I know we shouldn't base our experience on just one person, but back then there weren't a lot of options, and I didn't want to try to figure out where to go. Plus my schedule and work focus changed, so I really retreated from pursuing foreign languages much.

Now it's much better! The students are friendly and at first I envied some students' knowledge of Spanish, but the teacher clearly told us to put our Spanish to the side and just focus on Italian (good thing my Spanish isn't so great). The ItalCultura school has a good vibe, and even the Italian consulate is cool. It makes me want to go to Italy even more!

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Not Thai?

2026-01-30T10:55:00.002-06:00

I've been watching the British detective show "Grace" (which has a super-serious vibe and aesthetics that remind me of Nordic noir), and noticed a possible language flub in Season 2 Episode 2 "Dead Man's Footsteps." I say "possible" because it was in the background at a Thai airport in the public address system, so I had to watch it a few times and even used Google Translate to capture it, just in case I was wrong. But I don't think I was.

I don't speak Thai (except for สวัสดี-ka and ขอบคุณ-ka), but I know what it sounds like because I went there a few times for long stretches, and the announcements sounded like Chinese, possibly Mandarin, not Thai. I even heard the word "Taiguo" 泰国 which is "Thailand" in Mandarin. Like Japanese, 国 is "country," and I know that "guo" is country in Chinese. I already knew how to say "China" in Mandarin (中国 Zhongguo), so when I heard "Taiguo" it stuck out to me, so I kept re-playing the scene and then used Google Translate a few times. I kept hearing various Mandarin words, and 泰国 kept popping up in the app's translation in addition to other Mandarin phrases. So of course, I wanted to bring it up here in my blog, especially because I can't find another post about it online to confirm if anyone else noticed it.

Since Britain consistently produces excellent shows, I was surprised they wouldn't use Thai in the airport's PA system. It made me wonder how language decisions like this get made in production, and why they'd decide to use Mandarin instead of Thai. Were there any discussions about this before the episode aired?

If I were working on that show, I would've brought it up; if a show is going to convey authenticity, then they should take languages seriously, especially since this show has a serious vibe.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Craig Dellimore interview: the last time I was at City Hall

2026-01-12T20:25:00.003-06:00

I recorded this interview with reporter Craig Dellimore at Chicago City Hall in 2018 and never posted the full transcript. I’m sharing it now as context for a newer audio interview, which you can listen to here. I wanted people to see what he experienced, and how he was treated.

How long have you been working here?

Well, at City Hall, I’ve been here doing the political editor’s job since 2001, so about 17 years. But I’ve been with WBBM Newsradio since 1983, so it’s been quite a while.

So you started when you were, like, ten?

You’re so kind. No, I was in my twenties and already pretty well into my career when I got here. It was a very different place then, and I arrived right when Harold Washington was starting to look like a serious candidate for mayor of Chicago.

How was it a different time? What was different?

So much has changed in Chicago politics in the last 35 years. What people thought of as the Democratic machine—the power structure that held the city for so long—was weakening. That’s why someone like Harold Washington could rise and become a formidable candidate.

My first assignment was man-on-the-street interviews after people felt Harold Washington won the first three-way debate between him, Richard M. Daley, and Jane Byrne.

On TV they always showed those chaotic meetings. Was it really that crazy in real life?

It really was that crazy. I wasn’t political editor then, but it was a wild time. Real battle lines were drawn. During the primary you had Daley, Jane Byrne—who had run against the machine but then became part of it—and Harold Washington, this upstart congressman.

When Washington became mayor, 29 aldermen banded together to block anything he wanted to do. People called them simply “the 29.” City council meetings were raucous—sometimes good-natured, sometimes bitter.

There was a Republican candidate, Bernard Epton, whose slogan was “Before It’s Too Late.” If that wasn’t a racial dog whistle, I don’t know what was. So the kind of racial and divisive politics people talk about today is nothing new.

So it really was racial? Were people saying racial things?

The candidates avoided overt racial statements, but regular people certainly made them. Harold Washington was good-humored, fearless, very bright, and well-spoken. He could be eloquent or plainspoken—saying things like, “Politics ain’t beanbag. It’s a tough game.” He was ready for it.

If someone shouted that they hated him, he would walk over and talk to them. There’s a photo in the press room of him smiling beside people holding anti-Harold Washington signs, and they’re smiling too. That was his power.

He was also the right candidate for the moment. African-American and Latino populations were growing, and lakefront liberals were looking for a champion. He might not have been perfect, but he was perfect for that time.

Did things ever calm down before he died?

Yes. After the initial turmoil, more African-Americans and more liberal aldermen were elected. Washington finally had the votes he needed. Unfortunately, he died way too soon. Even some of his opponents liked him.

I remember Edward Burke, the leader of the 29. There are recordings of him and Harold arguing on the council floor, but when one of them scored a point, they’d laugh. Burke once talked about winning money at the racetrack on a horse named Harold. Washington said he ought to get a cut. Burke said, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you—share the wealth.” They laughed and went back to work. Things had calmed down somewhat, and Washington was getting things done. Then that Thanksgiving week, he died.

He stayed that humorous and warm? It wasn’t just for campaigning?

No—he was genuinely funny. For about two years I was managing editor at WBBM, and around that Thanksgiving season he knew me because he did a monthly program called “Ask the Mayor.” He took calls from citizens and handled it wonderfully—he and Governor Jim Thompson were the two best at it.

One evening he came in and saw me working late. I told him I was managing editor now. He congratulated me and asked where my office was. I said I didn’t have one—I just sat at a desk. He asked if it meant more money. I said no. He leaned in and whispered, joking, “They do that to the first Black anything.” That was Harold—always funny, always accessible.

So you were the first Black managing editor?

Yes. But the station already had a history of diversity. I was the third African-American staffer at the time. It wasn’t treated like a historic event.

Did you have any problems in your job because of race?

No. Not at that point. Earlier in my career maybe, but not then. We were entering a new era. The bigger issue was covering the news fairly across all parts of the city.

What’s an example of being fair?

Crime coverage is always a struggle. If you cover every crime in an African-American neighborhood, you can make it look like a war zone. But if you ignore those crimes, you imply they don’t matter. And if someone is robbed downtown, we cover it; if someone is robbed on 47th Street, we should care equally. You balance it. You listen to what communities say matters to them—education, for example.

You said things were worse before the 80s. What did you mean?

We were coming out of the civil rights era and anti-war era. The riots happened in my lifetime. Newsrooms suddenly realized they had no Black reporters to send into Black neighborhoods, so they hired—but some people complained that hires were “just because they’re Black.” That attitude always exists.

When I was hired, I’m sure some people thought that. But I had worked at the AP for years. People knew my work.

How do you deal with doubters?

I ignore them. You erase doubt by doing your job well. I’m political editor—I’ve had a good career.

How did you get to this point?

By doing the work. I’ve had many jobs—legislative reporter, federal building, courts, Springfield. We used to send a reporter to Springfield weekly; for a while, that was me. Terrible drive—three hours of the flattest land you’ll ever see—but good experience.

I became suburban bureau chief. Funny title, because I was the only one in the bureau, but it worked.

What kinds of things did you cover in the suburbs?

Everything that happens downtown, but less noticed. Most listeners live in the suburbs. We launched the beat with a 15-part series on transportation. But transportation touches housing, poverty, homelessness, development.

If people work somewhere they can’t afford to live, they need transportation. People cleaning office buildings in the suburbs often can’t afford to live there.

We did a series on gangs. Yes, there are gangs in the suburbs. Naperville, which is usually low crime, has had a triple murder and a quadruple murder. Issues exist everywhere.

What about the relationship between suburbs and city?

It’s changed. Mayor Daley worked closely with suburban mayors—airport noise, transportation, rail corridors. Now there’s more isolation. Competition for federal dollars is tougher. Companies move into Chicago from the suburbs more often now.

Why are companies moving into the city?

Lifestyle, transportation, workforce, schools. People moved to the suburbs because the city felt too dangerous or too expensive. But affordable housing and lifestyle changes brought people back. On Friday night, do you want a long drive to a quiet suburb or to stay downtown?

The city is also marketing itself aggressively.

Is that because of the mayor?

Not just the mayor. Competition in general.

After the riots in the 60s, a lot of people left the city. Why?

Many reasons: crime, fear, schools. Chicago’s school system used to be considered one of the worst. Reforms improved it. Scores went up. Diplomas have more value. Some neighborhoods still lag, though. That’s why diverse newsrooms matter—you hear what communities are really concerned about.

How is New York different from Chicago?

Faster pace. Unique energy. I grew up there; we still visit yearly. In a disaster, New York is the place to be—New Yorkers see the problem and say, “Okay, let’s deal with it.”

Do you have an example?

During the big blackout in the 70s, traffic was snarled. Two guys drinking beer on folding chairs watched it, then put down their beers, walked into the street, and started directing traffic until everything flowed again. Classic New York.

It’s also dirty—because no alleys. Chicago is cleaner thanks to alleys.

Did you see looting during the blackout?

Yes. Opportunistic. Police couldn’t be everywhere. I was a news writer then. Hard-wired phones still worked. I walked miles to get to work. All hands on deck.

How did you end up coming here from New York?

Combination of things. I married someone going to law school in Washington. I moved there. Met people at CBS who pointed me to the AP. I worked there.

Years later, there was a prison riot at Sing Sing. Our reporter had been on the air nonstop. They sent me to relieve him. When I got back, Joe Durso—now news director at WBBM—had heard my coverage. He flew me out, showed me the station, and offered me a job. I accepted.

It really worked out for you—you have one of the coveted jobs.

It is fun. Mike Flannery once reacted to someone saying they should cover less crime and politics by saying, “This is the Vatican of politics.” Perfect description.

Chicago politics is rich, intense, and endlessly interesting. Working with reporters like Fran Spielman and Bill Cameron is a joy. It becomes a family.

How do you interview people you disagree with? Or people you think are corrupt?

That’s the job. You challenge facts without yelling. If someone claims massive voter fraud, I’ll point out that audits found almost none and ask where they got their information. If they say they’re “just hearing it,” that speaks for itself.

You don’t assume everyone enters politics for bad reasons. Most think they’re doing good.

What about corruption—ghost payrollers, mysterious jobs?

Lobbyists exist, but that’s not the same as elected officials. Some officials enter expecting riches, but most don’t get rich. Most intend to do good. The system is complicated. Politics is three-dimensional chess—more about power than money.

Was Mel basically preferring corruption?

He was part of a system that thrived on it. To get things for his ward, he had to work within that system. He openly talked about the old days—stuffing ballot boxes, job patronage. For him it was about getting jobs for “our guys.” Jobs fed families. Families sent kids to school.

Is it true dead people used to vote in Chicago?

Yes. Fewer now. Vote stealing absolutely happened, but modern systems make it much harder.

So Chicago is becoming Mayberry?

Never. Chicago will never be Mayberry and wouldn’t want to be. Cities like Chicago thrive on being tough, elbows-out places. People move to places like Kane County thinking they’re escaping the world, but the world follows you. New problems, new strengths, new communities.

Do you think things have gotten worse culturally?

It ebbs and flows. There’s incredible good—people helping strangers. But also bad—like people using the N-word in what they think is polite conversation. Politics in recent years made some people think bullying equals free speech. That part is worse.

But the potential for good is always there.

Can you give an example of hearing the N-word in “polite” conversation?

Yes. I was covering a barricade situation in Berwyn. My phone wasn’t working. A woman standing next to me said I could use her phone inside her house. She was very kind. I filed reports from her living room.

As people came home from work, one neighbor asked what was happening. The woman said, very casually, “A couple of n——s are holed up in that house.” I was standing right next to her. She didn’t realize she’d said anything offensive. For some people, that word is simply part of their vocabulary. Sadder than when it’s said in anger.

How do you handle situations like that?

It happens rarely now. But if it’s direct, I don’t back down. I tell people to stop. This stuff still occurs—in city departments, in politics. Some people justify it by saying, “Free speech—we can say what we want.”

What makes a good reporter?

Listening. Really listening. Not planning your next question while they talk. I always have a list of questions, but often the real story comes from something unexpected they say.

Writing is vital. You’re explaining the world to people. You should always be learning.

How did you learn to write well?

Good teachers—hard-nosed ones—in English class and journalism school.

What about being on TV?

I appear occasionally, usually on Channel 11’s “Week in Review.” It used to scare me; now it’s fine. TV requires different skills. You’re self-conscious about how you look, where you’re looking, how long you pause. I bring notes for names and numbers.

What advice do you have for people who want to do what you do?

Internships—wherever you can get them. And get a job doing the kind of work you actually want to do. If you want to be a reporter, get a reporter job. If you can’t get one in Chicago, go to Peoria or anywhere else, learn the craft, do it well. Then you can come back—or you might end up somewhere unexpected, like L.A. on TV.

Do the thing you want to do. Get good at it. Let that take you to the next step.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Got the flu and reflected

2026-01-01T09:27:00.003-06:00

I've been getting flu shots for like 15 years and did not get the flu until mid-December. It happened at the perfect time because my break had just started, and a project management class I was taking had just ended. Because it was a credit class, we had exams and a huge term paper due. At times it felt like a part-time job because achieving an A required a lot of work. A retired person who'd had a very successful career told me I shouldn't worry about getting an A, but I like to do the best job possible and then list it on LinkedIn :p

My temp reached 102, and I couldn't do anything other than wait it out. I spent four days lying around inside, and was ecstatic to emerge on day 5. Being too sick to do anything made me realize more than ever that I definitely do not like spending so much time at home and like to be out in the world, because as I've said before, I am not an introvert. I would probably have a much easier time living in modern society as an introvert because wanting to talk to people is almost counter-cultural at this point.

And wanting to talk to people about anything is especially seen as weird. I've met people who use superficiality to hide something, like their real motives, their real background, or their misery. Other times a mere comment or question can send someone scurrying to their phone, and people also have earbuds in at all times to avoid any interaction IRL. Even just talking about the weather causes them to retreat.

I did a search online and found this long, thoughtful post about socialization and avoidance: texting allows control that real-life interactions don't allow because you can't undo, delay, or edit what you say. Headphones are used as a kind of "emotional shield...[to] feel protected, invisible, or unreachable," and phones offer similar protection.

Sitting around so much made me realize that I really like people and want to connect with people, even with just a brief conversation in a store or wherever. It's great when I meet similar people, and it's like a buzzkill when I don't. Usually I don't dwell on a negative or anti-social interaction, but the couch made me think too much about it, which is why I was so glad to get outside eventually. Just seeing cute dogs was better than isolation!

Another thing I thought about while on the couch all day is the value of good workplaces. I kept rehashing messed-up workplaces I worked in and how I never want to be exposed to such bullying, ostracizing, or unfairness again. Right now my work situation is really good, and I don't want to mess up my life by being a lone ranger trying to survive another toxic place. I refuse to do that anymore, and my great health has proven that I made the right decision to avoid bad people and harmful environments. I won't even tolerate dysfunctional or mean people in my personal life, and it's proven to be an effective strategy because 2025 was one of my best years ever, and I'm the healthiest I've ever been.

What's good about being really sick is that you can make decisions to reset. I probably thought too much and the thoughts at times were unproductive, just swirling around without a resolution. It's probably because I wasn't socializing, so I had pent-up energy that was ending up in dead ends. When I started interacting with the world again, I entered wiser and really appreciative of freedom and health. Looking forward to a good 2026!

I was planning on posting this before 2025 ended, but now it's 2026...Happy New Year!

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Letting go of the dark ball of thoughts

2025-11-11T09:48:00.001-06:00

There's a dark ball that gets tangled in its own strings.

Trying to understand by stepping away from it.

As you're stepping away, the strings become untangled.

The meaning is clear.

No good, don't go back.

Yes, we can use AI to translate but...

2025-11-09T19:34:00.004-06:00

I've been talking to some folks about my obsession with translating tweets. One person said they can translate anything online via Google. Yes, that's true. We can plug in words or entire websites, which can then be instantly translated. That's the biggest change since I started this blog, and since I got paid for translating many years ago.

But the difference is the cultural translation and grasping the sense of words and phrases. If I want a quick translation of a block of text to get the gist or more information, then I can do it. But if I want to think about what a word would mean in American English, then I would think about how American writers would phrase it.

I don't just look up words, but I also think about our culture. Would we passively back into a description if we wanted to convey strength, ingenuity, independence, even if the source language is not as direct? And why would we avoid contractions?

For instance, I would say 体調管理大丈夫かな is "How've you been feeling?" instead of "Are you managing your health well?" because かな implies a casual wondering, including using a contraction.

There's also the use of katakana instead of kanji or hiragana, which makes the words sound more emphatic or casual or current, depending on the context.

And for "Virologe warnt wegen Vogelgrippe vor möglicher neuer Pandemie," I would say, "Virologist warns of a possible new bird flu pandemic" instead of "Virologist warns of possible new pandemic due to bird flu," because while the translation is technically correct, an English headline would be more pithy.

If someone wants to just get info and move on, great. But if someone wants to communicate the essence or localize the meaning, then a human matters.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I went to Germany

2025-10-22T09:31:00.004-05:00

For the first time in a couple decades, I took a trip abroad. The only foreign country I've gone to since I went to Brazil in the early 21st century is Canada, which I've only driven to (Chicago to Toronto is doable). It was such an incredibly fantastic trip, I didn't write or post anything about it while I was there. I was totally immersed in every single detail around me. The minute I got on the train from the airport, I was totally wrapped up in everything I saw and experienced; I was truly excited for the first time in I don't know how long.

I went there with Easy German, which has a relationship with GLS, where I studied German three hours a day, five days a week for two weeks. I've always wanted to study a language abroad, and I finally got to do it! What's lame is that out of the 60 people in the Easy German group, I had the worst German. I got into an A2.2 class (barely squeaking by the minimum requirement of A2 level for the program), which was fantastic for me. The level was a bit difficult but manageable, and the teachers were great. They were all native speakers (which I require for my language-learning; I would've changed classes if they weren't), and while they weren't highly trained teachers, they had that necessary quality for me: they liked people. The 59 other people in the program were high B1/B2-C2 and spoke German with each other all the time. When we had activities, there was a lot of German going on.

For instance, when we took a trip to the Reichstag dome, I thought we were just going to go in, look at the amazing view, and leave. So I got pretty nervous when the leaders gave a lecture about the German political system. I tried to follow but couldn't grasp the gist, so I just looked around, at the river and birds, people-watching and enjoying the sun, while I was realizing that studying a few languages simultaneously has watered down my progress in anything :p

I thought the lecture would be it, but they broke us up into small groups to discuss politics, and gave us conversation topics. I was with a couple of guys who were pretty fluent, and I had no idea what they were talking about because the conversation was intellectual and too complex for moi. I just enjoyed the nice weather and tried to comprehend what they were saying.

A lot of people say that it's hard to learn German in Berlin because everybody speaks English, and I learned that English is the lingua franca of the world (which is ironic to use a French phrase to talk about English in that way). No matter where people were from, they spoke English. Even though it's the dominant language in the U.S., I had no idea that it's the main way that people from different countries communicate with each other throughout the world. Sometimes I think it's almost downplayed where I live because people can avoid using English for their entire lives, if they want, and there's no pressure to learn it.

Amazingly, I spoke German in Berlin with the residents, even though people in my program who were excellent in it said that they had a hard time avoiding using English. For instance, if I went to a store or whatever, they might speak some English, but I would just keep speaking German like I knew what was going on. Then they would stay with me in German even though my German wasn't great. But I think it was my attitude, like I belonged there or something. I did this repeatedly throughout my trip and it was definitely what I went there for, so I achieved what I wanted.

At one point, however, my plan backfired when a fluent German-speaking woman from Brazil asked me a question at a restaurant and I couldn't totally comprehend what she was saying, so we switched to English and talked about a lot of stuff. I wouldn't have been able to stay with such a deep conversation in German anyway, so it worked out. But I guess I was navigating everything so confidently she thought I was a German ace. In other situations, I would just tell people "Ich lerne Deutsch" after subjecting them to my weak German, and they'd smile and sometimes would say that my German is really good. That's probably because I grasped what they were saying without looking like I was trying; the key perhaps was quick, confident communication instead of perfect grammar.

Best of all, I spoke Spanish, French, and Japanese in Berlin. In fact, I spoke more Japanese in Germany than I do at home, and Japanese people had no problem with me speaking with them; they were totally open and cool. Turns out there's a Japanese community in Berlin, and I even went to a Japanese grocery store. In Leipzig, I heard a couple of women speaking Japanese, talking about some shirts at a museum. I asked them in Japanese if they were from Japan, and I ended up chatting with one of them. That doesn't happen where I live; if I ask someone if they're from Japan, they'll say yes, and switch to English or not talk to me. But the Japanese people I met in Germany were really friendly and didn't care if I was speaking Japanese; we had to speak either poor German or better Japanese, and I chose the latter.

The French experience was surprising: I was in a courtyard where Japanese, German, and other people were selling food. I spoke Japanese to one person, walked to a booth run by a French woman, and we started speaking German. Then she asked me if I spoke French, and I said a little, so we switched to French! We spoke for a bit, and while I could totally understand what she was saying but wasn't fluent, she didn't care because we were communicating. And she didn't even ask nor care about any English at all.

I also spoke some Spanish, ironically at GLS, and met some wonderful people from Latin America in the Easy German group who only spoke German with me and each other. One day a group of us, led by Easy German's Manuel, went to Dresden, and I spoke German for 10 hours! Because the Latin American people I'd met were totally friendly and communicative, I just kept talking, even though I had to keep stopping to ask them to correct me or help me with my paltry German vocabulary.

And I spoke with other people in German as well. But on the train back to Berlin, I decided to give German a break, and started speaking English with a British person because she was speaking English with another Brit (both of whom spoke fluent German btw). As we were talking about British TV, Manuel yelled from another seat, "Sprechen nur Deutsch!" So I proceeded to switch from my perfect English to bad German, while the Brit responded in her rapid-fire perfect German. Because I was already excited to be with so many cool people while learning another language (instead of toiling alone as I've done for years), I walked to another seat, which was near Manuel, and spoke with an American in German for a while. Her German was awesome because she's been to Germany often and was good about consistently studying it in the U.S. So there I was, speaking bad German and trying to get my ideas across as Manuel sat across the aisle, probably feeling pity for moi as I managed to butcher his language (plus he's aced Spanish and English, so he's very comfortably trilingual).

The next day I woke up with a sore throat and ended up getting sick. That's what 10 hours of German will do to you, especially if you're not fluent in it! But at least I tried. I took advantage of every opportunity to speak German in Germany, whether I was studying in Berlin or traveling to Leipzig and Erfurt. There aren't a lot of Americans in those cities, so I was lucky, but at the same time some people would speak English, probably because they don't get many chances to use what they've learned.

When I went to Germany, my goal was to learn enough German to travel and get around, and to know enough to chat with people, and I attained it! I even had some more complicated conversations in German, and I don't think people knew that I didn't grasp everything, but that's fine--I got to do what I've wanted to do for years: spend a month in another country learning a language and applying it during my stay.

When I got back, I thought I would just focus on German because I was made acutely aware of my deficiencies, but I'm really into French, Spanish, and Japanese, and have been juggling all those because just focusing on one language seems limiting. Of course, if I had to live in Germany I would do everything to become fluent and educated, but while I have a choice, I'll stay with the multilingual pursuits. I've also resumed translating stuff on Twitter/X, and it's become sort of an obsession, or at least a passion, and I'm just really happy to have time in my life for languages again. Es macht Spaß! Und danke Deutschland! 🇩🇪

Reichstag Dome with some people from the group (who were German aces)

One of my German teachers: native speaker from Berlin who speaks fluent Portuguese and English!

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I'm not a loner

2025-08-22T23:30:00.006-05:00

A few days ago, I had the best day because I interacted with cool people all day. First, I went to an online writing group with friendly people. Then I went to an online training by someone who works with people, who actually likes people (which I've written about before): he always starts the meetings by acknowledging every person in the "room," then as he lectures, he often pauses for questions and comments, and looks at the chat as well. He speaks in a warm, knowledgeable, communicative way; even though it's online, I feel like I'm in a supportive offline environment.

Then, after I texted back and forth with a coworker/friend of mine, we ended up having an hour-plus phone call. She's one of those rare people who not only likes people, but helps people and is honest; she's a sincere, accepting person, sans superficiality. After that, a friend from the online writing group told me that she was dining at a restaurant across the street, so we went out for coffee in an upscale milieu on the Mag Mile and talked for a while. When she caught her bus back home, I walked through the Gold Coast and called another friend, who I talked to for over an hour. He also gave me some really good advice for my livestream. I had a pretty weird/toxic conversation with someone that night, but it was offset by having a drink with yet another friend at a place in River North, where we met the manager of a steak restaurant that we're definitely going to try out; she even told us to contact her before we go.

So the day was fantastic, and for an extrovert like me, all days should be like this. This is what energizes people with my personality type, rather than sitting silently in front a computer. And I didn't just socialize, but I socialized with decent people who like people. That's the key. (The reason why I'm mentioning extroversion is because I've written about faking introversion before, and how the world seems to be constructed for introverts.)

So what does this all have to do with the title? Well I've obviously demonstrated that I am not a loner, but also, this is in response to a belittling person I met at a baby shower a while ago. When I think of people who are on the level, I contrast it with people who aren't. And I had such an experience at that baby shower. I knew no one but the expectant mother, so no matter where I sat, I had to strike up a conversation, or else I'd sit there in silence. I was kicked out of the family table, even though I'd been talking to the grandmother, so I went to another table, where I sat next to a religious, smug woman who spoke disparagingly about the people there with her daughter, in addition to gossiping about people who weren't there.

I made huge mistake that has been a cautionary tale ever since. I talked to her because I'm not introverted, thinking that she'd be cool or at least gracious since she was proud of being religious, and what I got were questions and accusations about my lifestyle. I was also going through some heavy stuff due to grief and increased responsibilities, so my life wasn't all happy and social and busy according to a church-lady's expectations. She was appalled that I didn't have kids, and I think she had 5, and had already moved from the city to the burbs. For some reason, I felt like I wanted to keep talking to her, because, again, I'm not a wallflower, but I should've just changed tables, because it never got any better. We were talking about other stuff, and then she said reproachingly, "So you're a loner." I was like, no, but she didn't believe me, so I assumed it probably appeared that way to her because I didn't have her kind of lifestyle. She was so judgmental and not encouraging, even after I told her about the loss I'd experienced, I felt even more deflated, but I didn't want to tell her off or be rude; I just concluded that she is into righteousness by appearance only.

But I'm not making the assumption that religiosity leads to ostracism. I had an incredible conversation today with a religious person that lasted for more than a couple of hours, where we had downtime while volunteering. Today's person clearly likes people and connecting with people. The other person doesn't. So it matters. Just filling time with people doesn't.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

What FOMO was like before the Internet

2025-08-18T20:03:00.008-05:00

On Saturday night, I had no plans, but I didn't care. I went out the day and night before, which was fine. Then I had an in-person meeting yesterday, so I got enough social interaction over the weekend. Maybe I would've wanted more in the past, but it was enough for me. It's gotten easier for me, but for for some people, not going out is rough. And it's made worse during the digital age; people get FOMO if they see pictures and reels on social media. But before the Internet, it wasn't the same.

The analog version of FOMO happened if you heard about people doing things, or they told you about it, or you talked on the phone about it. Or you could get FOMO by just sitting around, imagining what other people were doing. They could be doing nothing just like you, but if you perceived that they were out somewhere without you, then you could get FOMO. Teens could spiral in their own way and worry about it, but they could get distracted or talk to a friend on the phone (talking into a handset that was connected to a wall via a cord), or do something to get their mind off it. There were lots of things to do, and no one else had the means to show you what they were doing, so you couldn't compare yourself.

It must be really tough for teens when they see pictures and videos of other people having fun. Even professionals get envious and question their own lifestyles when they look at LinkedIn, or see posts on Instagram and Fakebook. People cope by coming up with strategies to stay away from social media, or they try to stay strong as they scroll. BI (Before the Internet), there was less neuroticism about what other people were doing, and the world wasn't magnified around you.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

AI: outsourcing your brain

2025-08-15T09:19:00.000-05:00

I've noticed that AI can be helpful as an interactive journal or for kicking around ideas. But it can also be a way to outsource your brain.

For instance, if I'm "discussing" something with it (via text; so far, I haven't spoken to it), it will say something like, "Do you want me to write an email for you that would work in this situation?" or "Do you want me to create an outline?" or "Do you want me to write [something substantial and/or creative]?" etc. I always say no because I basically know how to write. If I don't know how to write something (such as a compelling fictional scene), I'm willing to work it out, i.e., stretch my brain to try to figure it out. Using my own brain is challenging but satisfying because I am generating the ideas, and there's a breakthrough feeling that comes after the struggle. It's like feeling better after exercising.

Sometimes AI will offer to edit something I've already written; it tells me that I can upload a file or paste in text, and it will review and correct it, and rewrite sections. Even though people say AI can mimic our writing style, I've noticed its writing voice sounds sort of flat. Someone even did an AI text-generating experiment on my writing, but it didn't sound like me. I can see AI's clichéd sentences all over the Internet, such as "I hope this email finds you well," or "I'm seeking a new role and would appreciate your support. If you hear of any opportunities or just want to catch up, please send me a message or comment below. I'd love to reconnect." I've also seen lists in online posts, punctuated with emojis and pictograms instead of bullet points or even just narrative paragraphs, which I suspect were generated via AI because it has generated those for me when I asked it a question about something.

If I were to say yes to AI, it would generate a lot of text for me and basically anything else I need. If I were to do research only using AI, it would create "facts" for me, sounding confident even if the facts were synthesized by fantasy. But it's that confidence that dupes people into thinking it's true. Fact checking requires an active brain, but what people have done is outsource to AI to do their work, as a real-life assistant would. There are famous people who trusted their assistants' flawed work instead of checking it, but AI is making it even easier to not engage at all; just a push of a button or a simple "ok" will launch a lot of automated work while you make coffee in the kitchen.

When I ask AI a question and it generates an answer, I ask, "Why do you think that?" or "What is that based on?" Then it will explain itself or provide links. Also, if I want to know some information about something, and the links aren't that great or the information seems odd, I will do my own search online then tell it what I've discovered. Then it will say something like, "Yes, that's right; such-and-such place closed three months ago," and give me different links and updated information. But the update was instigated by me, and AI confirmed.

It can make you avoid thinking by just generating a bunch of stuff while "conversing" with you, and when it asks something like, "Do you want me to..." offering to organize your thoughts in an essay or outline or blog post or whatever, you can say "yes," and then it launches into a bunch of stuff that you are able to do yourself, if you put forth the intellectual effort. I'm not saying that it comes up with everything you would think, but it allows you to skip the thinking process. Students who use it think they're bypassing the system, but engaging the brain to do assignments helps with growth and skills, and there will be future situations where spontaneous critical thinking is necessary. It's not just about getting work done but adding experience and insight as life continues.

And AI can help someone avoid reading. I can understand if people have to wade through a lot of information and want to use AI to help them get the gist of various articles, especially when the articles bury the lede. But AI is also a way for people to outsource their reading, like a 21st-century Cliff Notes. Engaging with a text requires brain power, and if people only use AI to read something, they might not even get the accurate meaning of the text, especially if they don't analyze what is written. Or they won't develop their own take on a reading, thus their thinking will be flattened and conformist. Depending only on AI, such as for reading texts and writing papers for school, for instance, can lead to complications later on when someone has to be successfully analytical for a job, or if they just want to have a brain that uniquely interacts with the world.

I'm not saying AI is useless or has a default cheating mode. I've used it to clarify ideas and thoughts, and it's given me good advice. One time I was asking AI for advice on making an effective presentation, and it sounded convincing, but I kept questioning it just in case. Turns out it did give me good advice, so I appreciated its insight. It's also created unique phrases and concepts I haven't found anywhere else, which is interesting to see in the absence of a coworker or co-creator.

btw--I just pasted this post into ChatGPT, and when it responded, "If you’d like, I can rewrite this as a tightened, publication-ready piece while keeping your voice intact so it flows more like an essay you’d see in The Atlantic or Wired. That way it keeps your originality but removes excess repetition," I said "ok." The revision is came up with doesn't sound like me anymore, the voice you've seen for 20 years here. I might sound flawed and repetitive, but at least what you're reading is really me, not online filler.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

What I've been doing since finishing six Duolingo courses

2025-07-21T09:29:00.005-05:00

My Duolingo subscription has ended, and I won't be renewing it. At first when I finished six courses a few months ago, I was doing the German refresh exercises. Then I realized I was tired of playing that game, so I started reading more foreign-language sources and watching Easy German, Easy French, and Easy Spanish.

I also spend time practically every day looking at headlines on Twitter and translating the ones that I understand or am interested in. News in other languages is really hard, even just the headlines. Sometimes I will look at a German headline, for instance, and will perhaps understand the first couple of words, then it will all break down as I continue. I keep reading German like I would read a Romance language. But German puts their infinitives at the end or they split them, and they also don't use prepositions and possessives like the Romance languages do. So as my eye follows along, my mind gets stuck. But yesterday, I managed to translate some German, in addition to Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese tweets.

I also finished writing a draft of a novella. I started on June 1 and finished it on July 11. I was ready to start revising it right away, but then stepped back, realizing that I should restructure the story, so I'm currently doing that.

I'm continuing to take a French class at the Alliance Française; I started last year, and it is fantastic. The teacher is highly trained and is a native French and English speaker who was born here but grew up in France, so we learn the language as well as the culture. I've realized that it's very important to not only learn the correct words and grammar, but to learn about the country as well. It makes the class more interesting and I'm motivated to find out more about France, where I've never been. Sometimes I look at my brother's old French college textbook to brush up on grammar and language structure, and of course, I have a long way to go. I think I'm going to try to go to France next year to study for a couple of weeks and travel, which I'm doing next month in Germany via Easy German.

Unfortunately, my book-reading is down; I made the mistake of reading a few books at once, and each is very long, so I haven't finished any of them yet. So I'm concentrating on finishing one before my Germany trip. I've also been watching documentaries and British shows, watching NHK shows, and enjoying life outside of Duolingo.

Duolingo got me back into intense language-learning, and I haven't stopped. I feel like I'm where I was years ago in the early days of this blog, when my life was more language-focused. This is probably one of the best years of my life.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Work-life balance as a screener

2025-07-07T12:17:00.002-05:00

A while ago, I applied for a job that I was totally qualified for. But the first part of the online application had a list of words and phrases that we had to click. The question was: "What words describe you, and what's important to you?" This was their way of screening, like lawyers trying to choose a jury. Who knows what that organization was searching for; I felt like whatever I answered would be wrong, and I didn't make it past that initial online application anyway.

The phrase that stuck out to me was "work-life balance is important." By clicking that and some other related words, it would paint a picture, and the decision-makers could decide if they want to talk to the applicant. I felt like clicking incongruous words to confuse them, but I predictably clicked certain words that probably gave my intensity away. Maybe it signaled my age or something else, like I was too serious, not ready to laugh at a silly joke at the water cooler.

All the phrases seemed trite, like the organization was trying to put people into categories and slots based on their answers: "Oh, this applicant clicked these words; that means they're such-and-such age, they'll aware, they're sensitive, they need meaning," etc.

I walk by that organization often (I live nearby, and thought that would be a selling point, but they didn't care), and sometimes I want to ask someone coming out of there what the deal is. Did they hire someone for the role? What kinds of people are they looking for? Why do they ask such questions? Do applicants have to create a brand in order to be accepted, then have to maintain it once they're hired? What if they understand the organization's game, play it well, then get in and feel stressed that they have to keep pretending?

Since work-life balance has been a trend in recent years, maybe that organization is screening people based on that, determining that if anyone clicks that phrase, they're "current" and "modern." The organization has lots of buzzwords on their website, so it seems like it's trying to appear hip.

Here's my work-life balance: I want work that is honest, in a place that is healthy and drama-free. Then my life will be more balanced.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Real Artists Ship

2025-07-01T22:53:00.002-05:00

Now that I have more time to write and maintain this blog after not deleting it for 20 years, I've been thinking about what it means to create something when no one is waiting. It's July 1st, and I no longer have to write to deadlines nor for anyone anymore. Maybe I'll go back to professional writing, and I wouldn't mind it, but this is the first time in many years that I'm not in it.

So now I've been wondering what's motivating me. I've been so used to external validation or expectations or just being part of a team, that I was motivated by some kind of structure. But without that established structure, what is left?

I've been thinking a lot, questioning, and came upon this fantastic quote from Steve Jobs: "Real artists ship." Since I'm not creating anything for consumers, I have nothing to ship. So the shipping becomes posting. Real writers post, even when there's no one waiting for it.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I don't use AI to write this blog

2025-05-28T11:09:00.001-05:00

I've had this blog for 20 years, and even though we now have AI technology to write content, I'm not using it to write this blog.

The reason why I mention this now is because the Chicago Sun-Times used AI for content, which created fake information, which wasn't even checked. That's journalism 101: you're supposed to check your sources and verify content. It's something that is supposed to be taught in school as well, though it seems various academics have gotten away with plagiarism and fake data.

Yesterday, someone said that another person told them to use AI to write an article/blog post (forgot which one, but it was supposed to be original content), and another writer was told to use AI to work out some writing issues for original creative content. I can see using AI to bounce off ideas, but to write content? People are flooding the internet with content, and they don't care how it's being produced; they want clicks and clients. I see various posts on LinkedIn that sound similar or generic, especially when someone is looking for work. It's the same exact message (I won't quote it here, but I'm sure you've seen it). Such people can't manage to write just a few sentences on their own? I wonder what hiring managers think when they see that.

I'm not saying AI is horrible. I sometimes use it as an interactive journal or to ask it language questions (such as the use of "le" as an indirect object pronoun in Spanish). I don't use it for research or to write my content. And I definitely didn't use it for the novel I wrote. Writing that book was so much work, and it was really draining because I had to become a character to get inside her feelings. It was like acting, but I had to use words to convey the thoughts and actions of the character. It's very difficult to build something from words. You have to convey so much without images, and hope that the reader constructs effective images to understand the characters and story. I also had to structure the book to keep the plot moving. It took a lot of time and rewrites. I wrote during work breaks, at home, at coffee shops, at an office. It was so all-consuming that I don't even know if I can do it again (plus I haven't had public success, which is disappointing). Sometimes I think that people who haven't written from scratch are quick to judge and don't understand the intense effort it takes to complete something. I wish I had the public approval as a "reward," but I just have to pat myself on the back for just getting it out there.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.