2025-09-24 10:32:49
Despite me being adoptive of LLM usage to aid my work from a fairly early stage, there’s a lot of frustration brewing. No, not the fact that Open AI made ChatGPT dumber and less able to produce quality results, the fact that I have to deal with sloppers in almost every part of life. Widespread usage of generative products, particularly ChatGPT, by many people I come in contact with is making my life more difficult and also in many situations means my skills are less appreciated.
I’d like to say there has been slow progress here. However, some time in the last few months there has been a tidal shift. All at once, the skills that I built over decades can, in some people’s eyes, be replicated in moments by a robot. Knowledge and learning are equal to a few words in a prompt box, and everyone who is anyone thinks it’s acceptable to share emoji filled nonsense as professional communication.
If I can be allowed to remove all the ethical issues surrounding LLM training and widespread use. Which are all completely valid. There are less pressing but more obvious issues in my creative life that boil down to two main areas.
I am a designer at heart. I produce products that achieve an end result. These might be nice-looking things, they may be experiences for users, and equally they are read by thousands of people every day. I’ve used the last 20 years or so to build my skills in many areas, and pride myself on being a good communicator (not that you might know it from my blog posts).
There is no ego here. Absolutely anyone can do what I do daily with a bit of effort, as I have absolutely zero natural talent. I like to think I am good at what I do, and enjoy continually learning and improving. Yet tasks I would typically do are being instead produced by a chatbot. Devaluing what I do, making my job even harder, and also decreasing the quality of communication as a whole.
Oh don’t worry about Gemini, they’re down a K-Hole.
Some of this I understand. Why spend a few hours on a draft of something, when AI can do it in moments? That’s the lie we are told, and I would be totally onboard if that were the case. However, people don’t seem to understand that the things you send to others contain almost no meaning and are littered with errors.
Sorry, hallucinations. A word conjured up by companies selling these tools so it downplays the fact they make stuff up. As if the fact your tool is off its face on LSD means the lies it pumps out can be dismissed easier. Oh don’t worry about Gemini, they’re down a K-Hole. No point checking its work though, just send it out.
Emails are increasingly being written by AI. Memos being distributed with not a moments thought, and worst of all there’s an increasing understanding that it’s OK because everyone does it. I’m convinced that a large chunk of email traffic is Gemini talking to Co-Pilot, and neither of them has a clue what the hell is going on anyway. All in the name of productivity.
You see. No one is getting any extra work done. Companies are spending billions because they are convinced that this new technology will change the world. When none of that is true, it’s all smoke and mirrors, and hallucinations. Well, apart from the truth that the societal change is expected to be one not seen since the industrial revolution. Unquestionably it will, but that world will not lead us to work less. It will be one where the humans are dumber because they can’t be bothered to learn any more.
We will pretend every output produced is our own, and communicate only in emoji laden drivel that portrays hustle culture, but the only energy used was megawatts of electric and half a lake of water. But don’t worry because “🧵 Here are 10 things you should be going in your morning routine 👇”.
When things are questioned, the excuse that they didn’t check ChatGPT results appears to be perfectly acceptable. Emails from professionals, company press releases and even health care letters are unchecked and littered with issues. As if there’s no pride in anything, not least themselves, any more.
I am having to proactively ask others not to send me AI slop to make my life easier. If I am having to rewrite the shallow nonsense that every LLM produces anyway, I might as well just do it myself from scratch. Seriously, everyone is doing it, doctors, press releases, suppliers. All sending drivel that only an LLM on the receiving end can understand.
Couple this with the presumption that any end result I provide was produced by AI too. Heaven forbid I should use an em dash! I’m not exaggerating when I say this two-pronged attack is squeezing my the life out of me. The words “just get ChatGPT to do it” is the death knell that might signal my eventual snap. Throwing my hands up in the air and walking off into the sunset. Never to be heard of again. Unless you make a custom ChatGPT bot.
2025-09-20 08:05:05
In a recent Reddit post, Runna announced a new experimental feature aimed at improving running motivation. That’s right, seeing your real-world fitness improve and times go down isn’t enough, there’s a need to gamify everything to boost engagement — introducing Levels!
If you are a premium subscriber, you can turn on experimental features to try out Levels, should you feel the need to boost your numbers. Of course, giving the creators the increased engagement with the app that they desire. If that sounds dismissive right from the off, then hold on to your running shorts because it’s about to get snarky.
The feature reeks of engagement bait from an app I expected better of. One I can genuinely credit with being the best subscription I have ever spent. Giving me multiple PBs over the last few months and motivating me to lose around 10 kg. Sure, it gets a lot of stick from coaches and PTs, but for me, it had been life changing.
Perhaps this is why it stings so much to see the development team work on something I’d expect to see from Bending Spoons to squeeze extra income from its users. Gamification is one thing, but winning points for referring a friend, completing a Pilates workout or adding a pair of shoes reeks of desperation.
It seems so unnecessary from an app that literally has times and runs at its deposal to focus the mind on. Sure, as they say, races are not everyone motivation – they aren’t mine either – but getting faster and healthier is.
I guess when the app is now owned by Strava, I shouldn’t be surprised. An app that is slowly squeezing its users after years of trying. Playing this off as a nice, useful feature that’s great for its users is precisely the type of hand waving I expect from Strava. However combine this with other recent missteps with Strava posting, and I am beginning to panic on the longevity of my subscription. Please don’t be another Headspace.
2025-09-10 21:16:09
There’s no point in the post other than to point out some weirdness that I found in the new products and announcements. You are welcome to reply with your own or despute mine.
Any more than you spotted?
2025-08-21 21:32:11
When I wrote about running slow back in May, I wasn’t really sure I believed it. I was trying it because everything else had left me tired, injured, or frustrated, but I still had that nagging sense I was going backwards. I hated how it felt, and I can feel the struggle in my words on the screen. But I stuck with it because, deep down, I didn’t have a better plan.
I kept heading out. Most of the time it didn’t feel like real work. My watch would buzz a kilometre split, I’d glance down and feel a bit daft. But once I stopped paying attention to the time, just letting it pass, my runs started to change. Easy runs were just that, easy, and my heart rate began to be the only number I focused on.
Embracing slow means I’ve gone from hovering around three runs a week to at least five. Regularly hitting 60kms and still feeling like I could do more. By mixing hard work and snappy tempo runs with slow and steady, and doing it properly I am faster, healthier and more importantly happier than I have felt in years.
I ran a half-marathon at the weekend and finished with a PB. Nothing special, 1:41, but the most surprising thing is that I felt great as good and the finish line as I did the start line. I didn’t go out too fast. Never panic when I began to wind the pace up in the middle and kept pushing until the very end. I ran the second half stronger than the first, and I had an absolute blast all the way. Seriously, that’s me at 18 km and all smiles at the finish!
The slow pace I run to keep my heart rate down is no longer slow. It’s a minute or so faster than I used to run, and I can happily cruise along at a speed I thought was well unreachable at 41. Yet, I’m perfectly happy to steady my legs and enjoy the run. Look around and think about life. My legs have helped slow my mind down too, and there doesn’t seem to be a downside.
I’m not faster because I trained harder. I’m faster because I finally stopped getting in my own way.
2025-07-11 01:42:15
Yes, I know a second video in a row from London. I do go to other places, I promise, but when time allows, and I can sneak away from the usual work and family chaos, I sometimes make the drive down and hop on the tube for a bit of street photography. London always pulls me back in.
I don’t live here, which means I’m not strolling the city every weekend. So, when I do come down, I try to make the most of it. There are a few places I nearly always visit — not because they’re some hidden, magical secrets, but because they tend to deliver. These aren’t groundbreaking locations by any means; they’re more like the pumpkin spice latte of London street photography spots. Reliable. Easy to get to. And usually good for a few decent shots.
This might sound obvious, but the London Underground isn’t just a way to get from A to B. It’s your first proper slice of London — full of interesting faces, shadows, movement, and occasionally great light. Most guides list it as an afterthought, but I think it deserves more credit.
You don’t even need to wait until you reach your ‘proper’ destination. I’ve lost count of how many shots I’ve taken just on the way somewhere else. Paying attention during those in-between moments is often where the good stuff happens.
Always one of my first stops. It’s a classic for a reason. The light here is better early or late — strong shadows, deep contrast, brutalist lines everywhere. It’s a photographer’s playground, though it’s worth remembering people live here, and there’s a school, so be mindful.
One thing to flag — the station itself isn’t the most accessible. If you need step-free access, Bank is a better bet, and you can walk up from there.
From Barbican, I usually wander down to Bank. The architecture is strong, the light is nearly always good, and there’s no shortage of people passing through. It’s easy to stick to the big spaces, but it’s worth ducking into the side streets. That’s where the real stuff is. Little pockets of light, random reflections, odd angles — the kind of things you won’t find listed in any guide.
Photography’s meant to be personal, so find your version of it. It’s easy to take the same shots as everyone else, but it’s more fun to take the ones only you would spot.
I’ve never come here and not taken a shot I was at least half-happy with. It’s right near Bank and gives you reflections, angles, and the backdrop of St. Paul’s. I always head up to the balcony to shoot down onto the spiral staircase. On a bright day, the shadows are spot-on.
Bonus tip: it’s one of the only places you can use the loo in central London without pretending to buy chips.
Alright, yes — I’m from the North. But when it comes to street photography, the South Bank delivers. You’ve got staircases, bold architecture, loads of light, and more characters than you’ll know what to do with.
I usually swing by the Tate Modern — worth a wander for the light and the architecture alone. Then there’s the Millennium Bridge, which gives you those clean shots of people against the sky. Further down, near Blackfriars, there’s always someone interesting milling about. Or a goose. Or both.
I often end up near the Southbank Centre or National Theatre — good shadows, brutalist shapes, and lots of people moving through. If you’re into more of the fine-art style stuff, you can definitely find it here. If you’re just after good people-watching, you’re also in the right place.
By the time I’ve hit those spots, I’m ready for a break — or at least a coffee. There are loads of other places: Covent Garden, King’s Cross, Leicester Square… but this little route tends to be my go-to. Easy to walk, lots to see, and more than enough variety to keep things interesting.
I’m hoping to branch out a bit more next time. Waterloo keeps coming up in conversation, so that’s on the list. If you’ve got any other recommendations, send them my way.
And with that, I’m going to carry on shooting for the day and see what I find. Until next time.
Good morning, friends, and welcome to London again. I swear I do go to other places, but for the second video in a row, I'm visiting London. I've managed to grab a bit of time in between my busy life of work, family commitments, and all those sorts of things. I don't live in London, so it's a couple of hours' drive down here, plus a bit of time on the underground.
The reason I've come down is that I wanted to go through a few of the spots that I usually visit as a street photographer who only sometimes comes to London. I watched a video at the start of last year when I was coming down for the London Marathon to pick up my number. A really good street photographer, Sam, made a video going through some of his street photography spots, and it really helped me. I brought down my little GR3X, went around some of the spots, and took some of the shots that he did. It really helped me out and, in many respects, it made me get back into street photography and showed me around London.
So, I wanted to do the same for someone that just comes down here every so often, as it is a bit of a trek. There's nothing special about these street photography spots; they could probably be considered the "pumpkin spice" of London street photography locations. But the reason I've chosen these is that I only come down here every so often, so I like to take advantage and almost guarantee myself some interesting shots. They're all within a good space of each other, all definitely walkable and very accessible. So, let's start going through them.
This first spot isn't really a spot at all: it's the London Underground. You'll see it on most street photography blogs and articles, tucked away at the bottom as a bit of an afterthought. In reality, it's probably going to be the first interaction that you'll have with London as a whole. It's a fantastic resource for a street photographer—always full of interesting people, and on a day like today with great light, there's always great architecture and nice shadows. I've already got a couple of shots just walking down here.
I guess there's a philosophical stance here. I'm certainly guilty of going to street photography spots, just traveling between them, standing there, looking around, and saying, "What do I take a photo of now?" In reality, going between the two things or paying attention during your journey can get you some really nice shots in the first instance. So, my first spot and my first port of call with any journey into London is the London Underground.
My first actual stop is usually the Barbican. It's better earlier on in the day and then later in the evening when the light gets low, draws out the shadows, and you get some really nice contrast. It's a bit of a mecca for street photographers. Obviously, be mindful and considerate because people do live here. Also, bear in mind there's a school in the Barbican, so considerations all around. One other thing to consider is that the Barbican underground station is not the most accessible. If you need step-free access, you're probably best off getting the underground to Bank and then walking back up. But the Barbican gives us a good starting point, usually gets me a few warm-up shots in, and it's a good place to walk to the rest of the spots I enjoy. So yes, the Barbican is always a good first stop for me.
So, I've taken the very short walk down to Bank. Most people will just come straight here, and rightly so. The Bank of England has iconic architecture, there's nearly always perfect light, and you're always guaranteed to find loads of people about, especially first thing in the morning like I am. But if you stray a bit further out to the sides, down one of the little side streets, through one of the little centres, you're going to find little pools of light, some fantastic hidden architecture, and some real gems. You can't go wrong heading over to Bank.
It doesn't take very much effort to find a few spots that are at least a little bit off the beaten track. Like I said before, you can go to all the street photography spots you want, but finding those little bits on the journey between those spots will benefit you much more, and you'll be able to find something unique. Don't take the shots that everybody else takes. I've been to places and done all those sorts of things, and it's great to start off with, but photography is all about expressing yourself, whatever genre you're into. Find those little bits down those side streets and really express yourself. I found this spot with my son a few weeks ago, and there's a bar down there, believe it or not, underneath the street. London is fantastic for street photography and just weirdness in general.
I don't think I've ever come to London for street photography and not visited One New Change and come away with a shot that I'm relatively happy with. And for good reason: there are some really nice angles, loads of reflections, and you've got the backdrop of St. Paul's that you can shoot against. One of my favourite spots is just over the balcony there; you can shoot down onto the spiral staircase and, in good lighting like today, get some really nice shadows that people can walk in and out of. Shout out to Sam who pointed this shot out to me and got me straight back into street photography. So, One New Change, just down the road from Bank, is definitely worth visiting.
I'm beating a bit of a strange path over to the South Bank. Obviously, it's "North London forever," but when it comes to street photography, you can't go wrong with the South Bank. One thing I usually pay particular attention to is staircases because you can get some really nice contrast against a plain sky or a nice background like Tower Bridge. I like to come down the river where you've got lots of nice staircases up to bridges and buildings.
When you come down the South Bank, always check out the Tate Modern. It's completely free to enter; they just have a look in your camera bag if you bring one with you. There's quite a lot of good architecture and stuff in there. You don't have to go in and see the gallery. There's a quite famous staircase and some brutalist architecture, which is quite common with street photographers. I've managed to get a couple of shots in there before, but not very many. But it's definitely worth checking out, especially on a day like today when you can get some nice light coming through the big windows.
One of my favourite places to try and shoot when I'm down here is the Millennium Bridge, outside the Tate Modern, across from St. Paul's. You can get some really nice contrast of people against the sky and some real individual takes. I always like this little area before you get to Blackfriars Bridge as well. There are always some interesting characters down here, as well as a few geese, and you can always grab a coffee if you want to.
Down on the South Bank, you've got the National Theatre that I'm sat in right now, you've got the Southbank Centre, you've got all sorts of interesting bits and pieces that have all got great architecture. You can get some really nice shadows, especially in the Southbank Centre, to get those sort of fine-art street photography shots if you want to. But to me, the South Bank is all about the people. There are some interesting characters you see down there: tourists, people from all over the world. You've got a big bunch of skateboarders underneath the Southbank Centre as well. So, there's plenty to look at and plenty to do.
By this point in my day, I'm usually completely beat. I'm at least ready for a coffee and something to eat. But I think for the rest of today, I'm just going to chill out, have a walk further down the South Bank, and take some shots. It doesn't mix very well with trying to capture everything for the video.
So, I'm going to leave it here, but that gives you five or six different spots that I usually go to when I'm visiting London to take my street photography. Shout out to Covent Garden, King's Cross, and Leicester Square. There are some other bits and pieces, but this is usually where I start because I can't go far wrong. I'm hoping in the near future to expand my street photography horizons in London. A lot of people are pointing me towards places like Waterloo. So if you've got any other spots you want me to check out, then please let me know.
2025-06-20 21:02:04
This morning, whilst catching up with my RSS feed subscriptions, I noticed that both Manu and Kevin have posted some updates on experiments I am also currently doing. Also, before we get too far, please excuse the weird title. I’ve been rewatching Silicon Valley this week, and it’s as relevant today as it was in 2019. In that show, everything had to be social and appealing to the masses. Whereas at the minute, I am continuing to still not appeal to the masses and be even less social.
Not because I’m some kind of hermit and want to draw away from the world, more that I have realised that all the time I’ve spent reading about other people’s lives in social feeds is wasted. To be clear, I’m talking about my own personal experiences, so if yours differ, that’s great. I am just of the opinion that it’s time for me to move away from dominating my life with things that I don’t need to give space in my day.
I have spent a long time online, with Yahoo forums, IRC channels, Facebook and Twitter timelines, and now the Fediverse. I met some amazing people and forged some great relationships, but I’m old now, and things change. There’s no grand ’I’m quitting’ post here or self-congratulatory words to evangelise for others to do the same. It’s just my words, which have struggled to come out until I took a step back. With a big realisation, that, in reality, those that really care find a way.
The biggest thing I have found is the space to do more things. To play some games, read more books, learn some new skills, and write more. So many positive things with no real downside. My passive consumption of other people’s lives makes no difference to them but makes all the difference to me.
That’s really the discovery here. The space and time that I have made because of my own addictive tendencies to spend too much time online have been tremendous. When you want to do as many things as I do and still need eight hours to sleep and another eight to sleep, there’s no time to waste. As I wrote about earlier, getting comfortable with boredom has meant that I am more selective of the activities that I let spoil it.
There’s also a realisation here of the limits of connections I’ve made. Of course, I don’t do anything that I do online for attention or feedback, but the relationships that I have made online are dwindling. As bad as Twitter was, it was much easier to connect with other like-minded people. When that is spread over several networks, the work required is much harder. Many of the people I forged friendships with have moved to message threads or in-person gatherings rather than tweets and posts. Which I value much more.
Moreover, only occasionally posting online has led to so little repose that it is barely worth it. Yet, on the other hand, I miss being online. Interacting with people online, in even a small way, is all I’ve ever known. Sharing things about my life and journey through it in the hope that others take something from my posts. In no small part, these interactions have meant that I have overcome some of the hardest things in my life. I have no ‘real’ in person friends anyway.
Sharing my journey with Lucie, her diagnosis, and all the things we get up to gave me the motivation to overcome my mental health issues. As well as get back to fitness following heart problems. Pushing me to raise money for charity and run a marathon for the first time in years. Purely down to the fact that people have taken an interest in my dull little life.
There have also been a few times over the last week that I have needed to ask questions of the internet’s hive mind. To solve a code issue that perhaps my followers would know. Maybe to try to find extra resources to learn about a topic. Whatever the motivation, the posts have been left published and instead replaced by in-depth research or nothing at all. Sometimes it’s too easy to post.
Ultimately, I am constantly looking for answers. Most of which I cannot find, and all of which I have no idea where to even start. In many people’s eyes, I have a strange way of examining my life, which, I think, is fair. I am more sure than ever that none of the things I am forever searching for can be found on a timeline.
