March 9th, 2026

I am working on an App to help type 2 Diabetics make lifestyle changes. Part of this work is developing a conversational program, called an Expert System. It is like ChatGPT, but much simpler because we need complete accountability and traceability for everything we say. I worked on it on Sunday and Monday, and I wanted to test it on Mom. So, she had a conversation with the program about “snacking”. She hated the program. She even gave it the finger on both hands. She said she didn’t understand what it was talking about, and it wasn’t natural. The funny thing was that it actually worked. She decided to try to change and avoid eating snacks in the afternoon and after dinner.

March 8th, 2026

Julia sent me a message today with a photo of a discussion of a scientific study showing that indoor air is bad for thinking and recommending that thinking outdoors is better. They specifically mentioned how good it was for the elderly. Like me. All the better for us getting the back patio screened in so I can work outside all day and long into the evening.

 

March 8th, 2026

Google Gemini says eating a banana during hot weather helps improve pickleball performance by providing quick-digesting carbohydrates for instant energy, replenishing potassium and magnesium lost through sweat to prevent muscle cramps, and supporting endurance. It says bananas are an ideal, easily digestible snack for breaks in play. 

Barb brings a banana to pickleball every day. However, she forgot her banana holder in Canada. So, she bought a new one online for Florida, and it was delivered today. When she brought it to pickleball, she was immediately complimented on it.

March 3rd, 2026

Barb was mad at me because I would always look away when I am thinking and talking at the same time. Today I noticed that one of my mentees did the same thing. So, I started telling Barb about it, and I said, "You know what, a mentee did today." Then I looked up at the wall. Barb freaked out. She screamed, “What did you see?” I explained I was just looking up like my mentee did, and she said, “Oh, I thought you saw a cockroach.”

February 27, 2026

I came to bed, was reading my Scientific American on my iPad, and heard Barb laugh in her sleep. She claims that she never dreams, but that must have been a funny joke.

8 February 2026

Barb was addicted to Dristan because she couldn’t breathe through her nose due to her cold and her allergies. Eventually, the Dristan stopped working. So, she decided to go cold turkey and quit Dristan. She struggled for a few days with her Nasonex, but eventually she started to be able to breathe through her nose. She finally started sleeping well. On Saturday, she woke up at 6 am but thought that was too early to get up. So, she went back to bed and woke up again at 11:45. She had never slept in that late.