"​Sugarless Morning, Balcony Agriculture, and AI Panic"

Cutting back on sugar, eating healthier, and staying active means enjoying longer walks along the beach—or rather, the riverfront of Peekskill, which resembles a rocky beach on the Hudson.

I’ve been reading some horrible takes about AI and writers lately — the usual panic about machines replacing creativity. But they always skip the obvious part: if a writer expects AI to write the whole thing, then yes, that’s AI, not the writer. Using AI as a tool — an editor, a second pair of eyes — is absolutely fine. As long as the piece is your own, it’s your work. The New York Times had an opinion piece about this, and while I didn’t agree with all of it, I do know this: today’s blog is mine. Completely mine. LOL.

The bush beans (string beans, if you’re old‑school) have finally grown in and are ready to pick if I want them green. Cucumber blossoms are lighting up the balcony like tiny yellow lanterns, and they’ll turn into actual cucumbers this week or next. The tomato plants keep shooting upward — twenty‑one inches now, nearly two feet — but no blossoms yet. They’re still thinking about adulthood.

The cool morning here is wonderful. I’ve cut back on sugar to the point of eliminating it entirely, except for whatever stray gram sneaks into store‑bought things. Those offenders have been tossed into the basement bin for trash or whoever wants them.

My energy is slowly returning, but without sugar giving me that instant high, I’m a little fatigued while my body tries to figure out what the hell is happening. It’s like it’s filing a complaint with HR.

One martini is okay. No sugar at all if you stick to the Classic. One martini is only 120 calories, which is ideal — and the best part is you don’t end up having three of them or waking up under the host for real or in your imagination.

JUST DO IT