A man who voluntarily assumes responsibility for the welfare and protection of others occupies a quietly heroic role. He stands between order and chaos not for recognition, but because someone must. His actions are not transactional. He does what needs doing because it is right, and in doing so he leaves a visible path for … Continue reading Masculinity and the Complementary Order
This anecdote became the basis for my book, Howlers: Lupus Rex. It happened in January 1983 while I was in Orlando, attending the Navy's Nuclear Power School. This is what really happened, not what I put in the book for cinematic purposes. Having grown up in the piney woods and high swamps of northern Louisiana, … Continue reading All Fact, No Proof: Dirt Road
When I was in school, I tried to pay attention to my English teachers. Sadly, I had other things on my mind. I remember having a lesson on split infinitives, though I never really understood what they were or why they were supposedly bad until I started writing for pay twenty-five odd years ago. Now … Continue reading Tom’s Fun with Words – Split Infinitives
Tools have always shaped expression. From the elegance of quills to typewriters' rhythm and now the whisper of digital keys, our way of sharing stories has transformed. As AI emerges, new questions arise. This piece dives into ChatGPT's influence on creative writing, tracing our tools' journey, understanding AI's dual edge in writing, and probing the … Continue reading Creative Writing Meets Artificial Intelligence
One day, my friend Maksim Smelchak posed a thought-provoking question: "What is a technological singularity to you? How do you define the term? Skynet?" As I pondered over my response, my initial snarky remark about Skynet and true AI evolved into a deeper reflection on the nature of authentic intelligence and its potential impact on … Continue reading Technological Singularities and ChatGPT 4.0
Something cool happened January 4, 2022! Thank you Gretchen Smith (my coach), Merry Keller (my practice partner), Lisa Holt (my Waltz tutor), and Taletha Jouzdani (my West Coast Swing tutor). I won first place in Silver Novice Pro-Am and in Diamond Novice Pro-Am. Gretchen tells me, "It takes a village to do something like this." … Continue reading UCWDC World Championships
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPW3MRzG9jE Novice Two-Step (and, duh, I don't own the music) I'm feeling grateful for such an amazing weekend filled with an equally amazing support structure. I made a major change to my dance circle in June and was accepted by Gretchen Smith onto her team. We went to work immediately learning four new routines. Two … Continue reading Lonestar Invitational
If you have your hands on a rare Texas Tom Cutting or Brisket Board, it will last for years with some basic maintenance. But remember—it is a cutting board and is meant to be used. It will get cuts and dings, but that’s just patina. Enjoy using it! When you first get your board, you … Continue reading Caring for your Texas Tom Board
The world is weird. If any proof was needed, the first few months of 2020 provided it. But did we need proof? Didn’t we already know that you only have to scratch the surface to see the weirdness beneath? Sometimes it oozes out, suppurates, infects; sometimes it leaps out, takes root and blossoms. We get … Continue reading Rabbit Hole 0
I’ve heard many arguments in favor of taxing churches. For instance, if they get involved in politics by preaching favorably, or not, for a particular candidate, then they are indeed helping to direct government policy. All Presidents like to say they are this religion or that religion and make a big show of attending this … Continue reading Taxing Churches
Tom Bont's Silver Key 