A Very Grateful Crafter!

A Very Grateful Crafter!

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
Very happy to be a crafter today!
Why?
Well, Alexa made me think this morning.
Gosh, I thought. 
She recognises my voice, she answers my requests and she even tells me jokes. Every now and then, Siri pipes up with 
“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that”.
It’s all around us. AI. And we thought it would never happen, didn’t we? Well, I did. Not in my lifetime, I said. 
When I was at university, studying languages and translation, and training to become an interpreter, the first computers were being developed. They were the size of houses, and programming was insanely complex. For a moment, we in the language faculty all gasped – “will they invent a computerised translator?”
“Nah” we responded arrogantly, “Semantics Timothy, semantics”.
Oh how we laughed when the first feeble attempts were made. Google Translate was a great source of amusement to us language boffins, I can tell you. Nothing like activating the translate option for a giggle. I remember when a certain shopping channel used a computerized translator on a German channel. ‘Sue Wilson Dies’ was translated, ‘Sue Wilson dies’ (as in brown bread) And translated back into English, instead of 
‘free shipping with orders over €30’, it read 
FREE CRUISE WITH EVERY ORDER OVER €30 
Tickled me pink.
But now Artificial Intelligence has it down. It can read to me in perfect English, or German or Swahili; it can pick up my voice and write for me in any language I care to use.  It can calculate numbers faster than any human being, let alone me with my modest O level maths, and it can steer a plane without a pilot. 
When did the impossible become a reality? Nowadays we even take those impossible things for granted. Very much so. 
Doesn’t mean life is easier. Doesn’t mean we’re happier. Or less overwhelmed. Or less anxious. Or richer. 
Would my job as a translator be secure nowadays? Nope.
A button-click away from redundancy.
So, yes. I am a very, very happy and grateful crafter.
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxx

35 thoughts on “A Very Grateful Crafter!

  1. Love the hairdo! Thank goodness they haven't invented an automatic card stamper or groovi robot!
    I remember the first BBC computers coming in to primary school, then Acorn computers with this strange thing called a mouse which you pointed at things called buttons. When some of us teachers went on a course to learn what this internet thing was my (shy and quiet) neighbour searched Autumn as this was the class topic and got images of nudes and that was 25 years ago. Never dreamed what was going to develop xx

    1. I hope everyone is well. First time here for a while as we went to our daughter for Easter and brought the grandsons back with us. I have just found five minutes to have a quick look. Thank goodness for Hochanda catch up which I will use next week xx

    2. Hi Chris,
      I remember the old BBC and Acorn computers well. I also remember when I was in UVI at school that I had one of the very first handheld calculators – I thought I was the bees knees! Enjoy your time with the grandsons, love and hugs Alison xxx

    3. We had one computer in the school Chris and it was wheeled into the classroom for us all to look at the tiny screen while the teacher types! Those were the days. Xxx

  2. No sustitute for crafting. Best way to relax and glad there is no alternative. I remember our first computer, we thought it was amazing, dial up for internet access, lucky if we connected. Just had a wonderful catch up lunch with my brother and his wife, we both have large families so loads to chat about. xx

  3. I think my old job in the services has been replaced by people messaging each other. Back in the day we had to have a specialist course to be qualified to use the fax! I love technology it does save me time and I am now spending time crafting which I would never have considered back then and thoroughly enjoying it. The times are certainly changing

  4. Hahaha I remember this picture – you and Paul were in stitches!! I am so pleased as Lynne says there is no substitute for crafting – we can all use the same bits of equipment and all produce a unique piece of work. My crafting has kept me sane these past few weeks. Xxx

  5. I trained as a librarian in the late 1970's and still remember the awe we felt when we booked a slot to actually 'talk' to the computer in the Library of Congress, America. It was a wow moment. These days you connect anywhere, anytime and on any wifi enabled device. No booking 5 min slots and waiting for the phone line connection on a huge machine that spewed out all that green lined paper now.

  6. Hi Barb,
    Oh how things have changed – some for the better others not! As I mentioned above, I had one of the first handheld calculators when I was in The Sixth Form at school. The only problem was , I didn't trust it and still worked everything out myself Must say, I still do this sometimes!!! I can remember when people were concerned that Sue Wilson had actually died! Love the hairdo by the way, but not so sure about the arm – looks very painful to me! Love and hugs, Alison xxxx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Well I was hoping for a better day than yesterday but it's been really depressing up here – it hasn't stopped raining all day! The only good thing was that I traced out Linda's 1,2,3 plates to practise my techniques. Love and hugs to all, Alison xxx

    2. Hi Alison, sorry to hear about your appointment disaster from yesterday. How very annoying! Hope you manage to get to the top of the list quickly after all this waiting. XX

    3. Hi Alison weather has been rubbish here today, we went to see granny in Salisbury and the river is close to bursting it's banks near the main road in by the looks of it. Not what they want with all the other problems they've got. Sorry to hear about your appointment yesterday, let's hope you are top of the list very soon. Xxx

  7. My husband bought his first “scientific” calculator in 1974 and thought we was the bees knees. I wish I had known then that 44 years later, I would be a ‘computer widow’ and that we should name our house The Orchard, because of the number of apples it contains! Technology can be wonderful and I am the first to admit that I would miss my tablet, but oh for the good old days, when people actually talked to each other.
    Thank goodness for crafting and the lovely, friendly community around it. It makes craft shows special and I wish I was going to Ally Pally this weekend! Annette X

  8. Hello Barb, another insightful blog post, I must agree with you though, because when I first went near a computer, there was no such thing as a micro SD card, even the so called "stiffy" disks were about the size of a drinks coaster and the "floppy" disks were bigger than a CD box. We have seen so much advancement in our lifetimes. Are any of us indispensable with our knowledge we took years to accumulate? I don't think so, and I see it very day being in the IT industry. Hey ho, take care all. Bx

  9. I find this modern age a bit overwhelming sometimes but I suppose we have to move with the times, but Alexa is a step too far for me personally…lol. x

  10. Hi Barbara – it is interesting just how things have developed over our lives. I remember seeing the early computers which took up a whole room. I remember on a Tomorrow's world programme, when they showed the first phone which could see the other person! That was huge and I couldn't believe that we would all have that sort of technology in our lifetimes. So much of it is SO good – but I do think that some of what is available is very unsettling. Love and hugs, Gilly xxx

    1. Hi bloggy friends – I hope that you are all as well as can be. Neill is not too bad, his heart is still in AF and we are now waiting to hear from a cardiologist. We went out for the day to Falmouth and had fish & chips at our favourite restaurant, overlooking the harbour. We were celebrating my birthday and our Wedding Anniversary too. Popped into Seasalt whilst we were there & Neill bought me a lovely top. Feeling very lucky and spoiled, love and hugs, Gilly xxx

    2. Hi Gilly,
      Pleased to hear that Neill is a little better and hope he doesn't have to wait too long to see the cardiologist. Happy birthday and anniversary. Glad you've had a lovely day. Lucky you too for getting a Seasalt top. There is now a Seasalt bit in Fenwick up in Newcastle and I always think of you when I'm looking at the lovely stock in there – I remember when you got your flowery mac. You deserve to be spoiled as well. Sending love and hugs yo you both,Alison xxxx

  11. Hello funny you should mention this today. I'm in Canada but thanks to Alexa every day when I get up I say "Alexa, play Smooth Radio West Midlands" and she happily obliges. Well my hubby today was trying to put a setting on with Alexa to automatically put smooth radio on a 6:30 a.m. everyday. He was driving me nuts trying to do it and I said…"Ando what the hell are you doing you're driving me nuts…" his response "Setting an alarm so Alexa turns on your radio station that waynyou don't have to go through all this rigamoral everyday" RIGAMORAL…all I do everyday is say 6 words! How very very lazy!!

  12. Google translate always worries me, but my language skills are not good enough to respond to all my guest comments in multiple different tongues, so I have to hope for the best when I use it! Technology is wonderful when it works!!! x

  13. I am happy to be a crafter but not in the same league as you Barbara. Spent all day at the hospital with lots of AI – scans, xrays, probes etc. It still needs a human to make the diagnosis. Well that's all in the air as he/she is on holiday. Never mind the anxious patient on the other end.
    I am happy to be a crafter, I can watch Clarity all day tomorrow and psyche myself up for another birthday and an even bigger birthday treat at ALi Pali
    I will have a good rest before then and get my running shoes on for the weekend.
    Lots of love to everyone out there in the virtual crafting world
    Anne (Reading)

  14. I'm glad you are a crafter too, where would my craft be without Clarity? I have seen a few You Tube videos with the subtitles on and laughed at the translation. When I was at school learning French we were told to use Babel Fish to translate text, I hate to think what we wrote to the French students our school was linked to! XX

  15. Evening bloggy friends, excited to see the Commonwealth games have started today, will be watching that so glad I will be able to have the TV on in the background. XX

  16. From an early age I loved science fiction books and I think it's thrilling that so many of the things which I read about as fiction as a child are now part of everyday living. Civilization has always evolved, light at the flick of a switch would have been considered magic in the 18th century! However, I don't think crafters need to worry, people have always crafted and I've no doubt they always will. I know I certainly will!! xx

  17. Me and my aunt were only discussing robots today. I said as long as humanoid Ai robots don't enter our homes till after I've gone, that suits me fine. I'm really quite scared of robots, they freak me out. I'm quite sure they'll take over the world one day.

  18. Crafting is great had greatime with Rosy one of my granddaughters yesterday crafting till she panic one of my glitter pens she had undone wrong end glitter ink everywhere why is it always a dark colour hehe always alright good job was black leggings what fun last time this happened was her sister and dark green brusho’s try to clean her up with no water lid fell of love them all good fun xxx

  19. Hi Barbara
    It's good to be a crafterand escape technology sometimes although Alexa is good to have for background music or a book being read while you craft. We are sure our Alexa has attitude as she likes to ignor us sometimes and play the music she wants rather than what we want. Computers and technology have come on in leaps and bounds since I was at school but I have to say they keep hubby gainfully employed which is a good thing.
    Love Diane xxx

  20. Hi Barbara

    What a delight to read your blog today. Sometimes I think that it is me who has lost the plot, when you go shopping and put all your items on the conveyor belt only to find that you have no cashier to do all the beeping noises with your goods, and you have to do it yourself. Well I can tell you I really wanted to say a few beeping words.

    I would love to know why it is that sometimes computers do it all for you, and other times you end up doing more than you used to.

    Next time I will check to see if there is a human sitting at the till before I load up my shopping!

    Have a great Thursday
    hugs
    Penny
    xxx

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