Celebrate Poe

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Chaucer -Not Just PaperworkBefore Shakespeare, before Austen…even before Milton, there was Jeffrey Chaucer. Boldly writing in English when most of the literary world preferred Latin or French. Imagine that audacity!"Cue pause: 1 second, let the audience absorb “audacity.”“The English language just wasn't considered worthy of literature, and here was, Jeffrey Chaucer giving the English language -  life, color, and humor.”Fireflies harp"Chaucer didn't just write stories—he invented a whole way of telling them. And the people he created? Funny, scandalous, and strangely familiar. Some things really don't change.""So, Chaucer wasn't just funny—he was innovative. Let's talk about his life and how he took English from everyday speech to literary gold.”Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

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Send us a textToday I'd like to talk about a unique individual from the New Testament first known as Saul, and after his conversion, was known as PaulBased on what we know, Paul's voice and style can best be described as urgent, argumentative, and full of rhetorical questions and paradoxes. Compared to Moses and David, he's much less about stories and much more about persuasion.Genres he influenced: his letters basically create Christian epistolary literature, setting a pattern that has influenced writers from Augustine to Kierkegaard.  ats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a text“Hello, friends, and welcome to Celebrate Creativity! My name is George Bartley, and today we turn to one of the most influential writers of the ancient world — David, the poet-king.David is certainly famous as a king of Israel, but, as I am sure you most of you know, he is also remembered as a prolific writer of Psalms — songs and poems that explore the full range of human emotion and our relationship with the divine. Unlike Moses, whose writings often focus on law and history, David's work is intensely personal, lyrical, and designed to be felt as much as read.Before we dive into some of his most memorable Psalms, a quick clarification: you may have heard of the Song of Solomon. While it is part of the Hebrew Bible, it is traditionally attributed to Solomon, not David. David's contribution lies in his Psalms, which became a template for lyrical, devotional, and confessional poetry for generations.”I am sure that you are familiar with Psalm 23 - one of his most famous worksThe Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a text“Hello, friends, and welcome to Celebrate Creativity! My name is George Bartley, and today we begin an extraordinary journey into one of the most influential storytellers in human history — Moses.Most listeners know the creation story, but did you know that tradition credits Moses as its author? That's right — the words ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth' and all that follows in Genesis are part of what Moses transmitted to the world. Before we go any further, I want to emphasize that this podcast series called Voices Through Time is not a series whose purpose is to convert you to a certain belief, but an exploration of some of the greatest and most interesting writers who have ever lived. Now let's take a moment to hear that story.”Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - My name is George Bartley, and this is Episode 451 - only 49 more episodes to go until this podcast reaches 500 - anyway,What you're hearing is not a full length episode - I'm close to going over my limit. But I want to let you know about an exciting series that will be released September 6 at 12 o'clock midnight ESTI'm launching a new series called "Voices Through Time," where I will explore the lives and works of some of the most influential writers in history. This isn't just about reading books; it's about understanding the people behind them and how their words have shaped our world.After hundreds of hours of work, I have written the transcripts for all but three more writers to cover in the series.  My original goal was to compile an admittedly subjective list of the top 25 most creative and influential writers and do an episode regarding each writer - in future months, I plan to have episodes devoted to the most creative and influential painters, religious leaders, classical musicians, popular artists, among others - but for the month of September, the episodes will deal with some of the greats of literature - from familiar writers to ones that might be completely new to youWe begin on September 6 with Moses — not often thought of as a writer, but his words still shape laws, stories, and the moral imagination thousands of years later.  By the way, if you have ever read the words - and who hasn't - in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth - you are reading words written by Moses.  Most scholars believe that Moses wrote the creation story.  In fact, it is generally agreed that Moses wrote the book of Genesis. But I digress.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity- Episode 450 - Poe's Words of HopeWhen you hear the name of the 19th century writer, Edgar Allan Poe, what comes to mind?  Perhaps you picture a somber, extremely unhappy man scribbling tales of madness and murder in a dimly lit room.In this episode, originally written for the voices through time series, we look at a different - even life affirming aspect of Poe.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textThe final individual in this podcast miniseries about great literary figures who had a form of epilepsy deals with Truman Capote, and while he is listed among famous writers who had epilepsy, there's no indication that he depicted characters with epilepsy or seizures in his fictional works. As I hope you know by now, writers such as Fyodor Dostoevsky, for example, are known to have integrated their experience with epilepsy into their characters and narratives. However, for Capote, the information primarily points to his personal health struggles, not literary creations.Regarding the role of seizures/epilepsy in his later life, it's a significant and unfortunately tragic part of his story. Truman Capote suffered from seizures, and this health issue was compounded by his severe struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 448 - Queen of CrimeWe have talked in this podcast about such great writers as Dostoyevsky and Flaubert, but so far I've left out the most popular writer of them all and that is Agatha Christie.Only the Bible and Shakespeare have sold more copies that Agatha Christie - she is often mentioned alongside great writers who have had epileptic seizures, but her case is a bit more ambiguous than Dostoevsky or Flaubert.  In this episode, I'd like to lay out what scholars and biographers have pieced together about her health, and how possible seizures might have shaped her writing and life.Now I know that some of you younger listeners might know mysteries or even Knives Out, but not realize how much all of that traces back to Agatha Christie. Let me give you a short - very short - introduction to Agatha Christie as a writer. Agatha Christie (1890–1976) was an English novelist, playwright, and short story writer — and she's often called the “Queen of Crime.” Over the course of her life she wrote 66 detective novels, 14 short story collections, and the world's longest-running play, The Mousetrap.Her works introduced some of the most famous detectives in literature, like Hercule Poirot — the meticulous Belgian sleuth with the “little grey cells” — and Miss Marple, the seemingly gentle village spinster who sees into the darkest corners of human nature.Christie's stories have sold over two billion - yes that's billion with a B - copies worldwide — more than any other author except Shakespeare and the Bible. Her works have been translated into over 100 languages, making her one of the most widely read writers in history.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity -  Episode 447 - What the Dickens!Today I want to look at Charles Dickens - and no I could not find any reliable information that said Charles Dickens suffered from epilepsy, but his connection to epilepsy and neurology is extremely notable because of his descriptions of some of his characters having epileptic episodes.Again, there is no record of Charles Dickens have any form of epilepsy - at least none that I could find - and I really looked - but he was an excellent writer, and described characters of his works who suffered from seizure disorders objectively and in great detail - in fact many medical schools today use his descriptions in neurology classes.Dickens an extremely keen eye for human behavior. While though there's no evidence he personally experienced epilepsy, he was fascinated by the extremes of human emotion and physical reaction. He grew up in a time when epilepsy was stigmatized and often poorly understood, which may have made his detailed depictions both sensational and socially informative.Dickens was part of the Victorian realist tradition, which emphasized detailed, psychologically rich portrayals of characters. When writing someone experiencing a seizure—like the character of Squeers' son or other minor characters—he wasn't just showing a medical condition; he was conveying inner terror, vulnerability, or moral weakness. His meticulous depictions helped readers visualize and emotionally connect with characters.Dickens read widely, including medical journals of his time such as  John Russell Reynolds' Aids to the Diagnosis of Diseases of the Nervous System or other Victorian neurology texts that    described seizures clinically. Dickens likely drew on these descriptions to give his fiction both realism and credibility.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 447 - The Perfect WordWelcome to this podcast episode. Today, get ready to hear more meet a writer who took being a perfectionist to a whole new level - possibly hear about him for the very first time. His name is Gustave Flaubert, and he's not just another author from history—he's a rebel who changed how stories are told forever.So, why should you care about him?Imagine a writer who spent years on a single book. Gustave Flaubert was obsessed with finding the one perfect word for every sentence, often screaming his writing out loud to make sure it sounded just right. This crazy-intense effort is why his main accomplishment, a novel called Madame Bovary, is so famous. When it came out, it caused a massive scandal! People were so shocked by his story of a bored woman trying to find excitement in her life that he was actually put on trial.But there's another reason he's so interesting. Flaubert suffered from epilepsy. This illness made his life incredibly difficult and private, but it also gave him a unique view of the world. It's a powerful and inspiring story of a person who took his own personal struggles and turned them into some of the most beautiful and honest writing the world has ever seen.So, stick around as we continue our look into the life of Gustave Flaubert.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Episode 445 of Celebrate Creativity - Ultimate Freedom - This is the third and final episode devoted to characters with epilepsy from   the writings of Fydor Dostoyevsky.In addition to Prince Myskin and Smerdyakov, there was another major character who has a relationship with epilepsy called Kirillov from dostoyevsky's novel by the name of Demons.  You see, Dostoevsky never explicitly says Kirillov is epileptic, but there are strong echoes of the condition, and scholars often connect him to Dostoevsky's own experiences of seizures. In Demons, Kirillov is obsessed with ultimate freedom and the idea of overcoming the fear of death by committing suicide. At several points, he describes moments of sudden, radiant joy that come to him — a kind of ecstatic clarity just before unbearable suffering. Dostoevsky himself experienced something very similar with his own epilepsy. He wrote that just before some of his seizures, he would feel a sudden, luminous happiness, as though eternity were revealed to him in a single instant.In Demons (Part II, Chapter 1), Kirillov says:“There are moments, and it is only for a few seconds, when you feel the presence of eternal harmony … You feel it in all your being, and it is clear, it is undeniable. At such moments you would not exchange it for all the joys of earth.”This is almost identical to Dostoevsky's personal description of his epileptic aura. Many readers — and critics — have taken this as evidence that Kirillov is written as an epileptic character, even if Dostoevsky never uses the word.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity – Episode 444 – A Multitude of WaysIn this podcast series, I am delving into authors who had epilepsy. And there is probably no better example than Dostoyevsky. Now it is said that Fydor Dostoevsky's portrayal of epilepsy, especially in his character Prince Myshkin, is one of the most accurate and empathetic in literature largely because it goes beyond just describing the physical symptoms. He delves into the psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of the condition. Having experienced epilepsy himself, Dostoevsky was able to portray the condition with an authenticity that was rare for his time.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity – Episode 444 - Fate, illness, or Deception?This is the first podcast episode in a three part series dealing with a fascinating individual - the Russian writer Fydor Dostoevsky and his literary treatment of seizure disorders.  His works are rich with recurring themes such as morality, free will, nihilism, faith, and the nature of good and evil.Dostoevsky himself suffered from epilepsy - so it could be argued that his reaction to the condition it's quite different from most Siri set an alarm for five minutes writers - largely because he suffered so many seizures.  He he even went out of his way to portray some of his characters - note that I said some of his characters - having seizure disorders and being exemplary people.  Today they might be called role models.  This is perhaps most true of one of the leading characters of his novel, The Idiot - a character known as Prince Myshkin.Dostoevsky's Life and Historical ContextDostoevsky's life was marked by extreme highs and lows, which directly influenced his writing. Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 442  Was He Drunk? I should hope that after you have listened to the preceding episode, the name of Dr. John Robertson should be familiar to you.  In case it is not, Dr. John Robertson was a neurologist and an avid collector of Poe's works who, in his 1921 study "Edgar A. Poe: A Study," argued that Poe suffered from a form of epilepsy, specifically complex partial seizures. He contended that these seizures, rather than just substance abuse, were the underlying cause of Poe's erratic behavior and many of the "spells" or "fits" documented by his contemporaries.Robertson's Main PointsPoe's "Spells" as Complex Partial Seizures: Robertson, writing from a 20th-century neurological perspective, reinterpreted the anecdotal descriptions of Poe's "spells" or "brain fever" as symptoms of complex partial seizures. These seizures, often originating in the temporal lobe, were not well understood in the 19th century and could be mistaken for insanity or drunkenness. Robertson argued that symptoms like staring, personality changes, mutism, and amnesia, which were described by Poe's acquaintances, were highly consistent with this diagnosis.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity Episode 441 - Did Poe Have Epilepsy?As many of you know, I used to work at the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond Virginia - my favorite room in the entire museum, and one of my favorite places in the entire world, is the Virginia Poe room name for the mother of Edgar Allan Poe.  Now this building contains  an excellent collection of the writers works - original editions of everything from Hans Pfall - for obvious reasons, the museum takes stringent security measures - security concerns and actions which I don't even begin to understand - nor would I want to.  The reason that I am talking about this collection is that it was given to the museum by a Dr.  John Robertson - he not only had deep pockets, but was a neurologist - a brain doctor - and a genuine expert on the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. He wrote a huge book about Poe's life - especially from from a neurological standpoint - and in the following episodes I would like to address some of his findings regarding America's Shakespeare - especially where Dr. John Robertson connected his medical expertise to his passion for Poe's works.  And a look at Dr. Robertson's findings are especially relevant when looking at any possible connection of Edgar Allan Poe and seizure disorders.As mentioned before, Dr. John W. Robertson's (1856-1934) was a neurologist and author who was a prominent Poe collector. His collection of Poe's works and memorabilia was substantial and is noted to have included original manuscripts and rare editions. He was a benefactor of the Poe Museum in Richmond and is also listed as having placed a plaque at a cemetery with the museum's founder, James H. Whitty. This deep interest in Poe's life and his writings went beyond simple collection; it fueled his professional endeavors.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a text-Welcome to is Celebrate Creativity for episode 440 Crossing the Symbol -the second part of a look into Lord Byron.Making swimming even more difficult historically and even today it's a vital strategic waterway which means it was and still is a busy maritime passageway  Now if you will excuse me, I wanna take a little aside and delve into the Hellespont - and hopefully in a few minutes you will understand it's importance to Lord Byron, his thinking, and where I'm trying to go with this.So I asked Gemini for a little background about the Hellespont.It answered - The Hellespont, now known as the Dardanelles, is a narrow, historically significant strait in northwestern Turkey that connects the Aegean Sea (part of the Mediterranean) to the Sea of Marmara, and ultimately, via the Bosphorus, to the Black Sea.To Lord Byron, the Hellespont was what's like a bridge Between Continents and Civilizations - metaphorically. It famously marks a natural boundary between Europe (on the Gallipoli Peninsula side) and Asia (on the Troad, or mainland Turkey, side). Byron's swim was, in essence, a literal crossing between continents.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 439 -  An Uneasy MindLet me start with an example of my creative - if if that is what you wanna call it - approach to Gemini - I figured out what I wanted to say, my situation, and give Gemini a place to start with. I knew that Gustav Flaubert and Lord Byron lived approximately at the same time, but I was not exactly sure which came first chronologically.  So I looked them up Gemini and got Lord Byron was Born: January 22, 1788 and died April 19, 1824 - whileWell now I guess you could say that I'm speaking as me here I guess you could say that is true with me personally I may have the tendency to have a seizure but I haven't had a seizure for decades but then I can take well anticonvulsants and the medication's seem to have Gustave Flaubert was born about 30 years later on December 12, 1821 and died may 8, 1880.  So chronologically, this episode and the one afterwards will be about Lord Byron.  I then typed the following prompt into GeminiI am doing a podcast where I am planning several episodes about writers who it is believed suffered from epilepsy - such as Edgar Allan Poe, Dostoyevsky - definitely - Agatha Christie - of course there are other notable figures who are believed to have suffered from epilepsy. From what I understand there is not definite proof that dickens had epilepsy, but he did take great care en describing the symptoms and actions of people with epilepsy. First - and it may require several episodes to cover all the writers - could you describe the role of epilepsy in the life of Lord Byron?And Gemini replied - The role of epilepsy in the life of Lord Byron is a fascinating and often debated topic. While some historical accounts and figures (like Nietzsche) suggested he suffered from epilepsy, modern interpretations of the available evidence tend to be more nuanced, suggesting that if he experienced seizures, they were likely occasional convulsions rather than chronic epilepsy.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 437 - Epilepsy and Famous WritersToday, Celebrate Creativity is beginning a new series, one that peels back the layers on a topic rarely discussed in   the hallowed halls of literature. We're going to talk about famous writers who lived with epilepsy.Now I did not just randomly choose the topic of creativity and epilepsy. You see, as some of you may know, my family and I went to Washington DC when I was in the eighth grade, and saw Bob Dylan.  The next day, I came back to my high school and had my first epileptic seizure while walking down the hall - I think I've said before, my dear mother always believed from that point on that Bob Dylan caused my seizure - his music may be powerful, but I doubt that it is that powerful.  Anyway I spent several weeks at the University of Virginia Hospital, and was prescribed Dilantin - a drug that controlled my seizures for the most part.  A few years later, the doctors changed my anticonvulsant medication to Depakote - a much newer drug that was ironically smuggled into the United States by a neurologist.  It had been used with great success in Europe, and since I started taking Depakote, I have not had any seizures.  No I don't wanna give anybody false hope and say that you might get the same results if you were in a similar situation, but I can say I know what it's like to go through years where I did not know if I would remain conscious or not - I didn't particularly view epilepsy as a gift.  So those experiences have led me to examine if creativity and epilepsy were related in various talented individuals from the past in this podcast. And to my surprise, there does seem to be some connection between creativity and epilepsy - this is still rather controversial.  I found many great individuals who suffered from epilepsy - far more than I could deal with in a few episodes - so initially I am confining my exploration of individuals with epilepsy to only writers with a seizure disorder- I hope to get into some other areas - such as artists and musicians - in the future - but in this series, I am going to try and concentrate on writers although I know I'm gonna wander off into other disciplines now and then.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity - my name is George Bartley and this is episode 437 -  the Second of a two part series - Poe's Creativity - Part TwoMr. Poe - you know I I'm very curious about your writing - and the effects you attempted to generate - Would you say that you were a stylist?Indeed, Mr. Bartley, I would say that I am a stylist, and in the most deliberate and uncompromising sense of the word. Style, to me, is not a mere flourish or a decorative element to be draped over a story's frame. It is the very foundation of the work, the precise and calculated means by which a particular effect is achieved.I am a stylist in my relentless pursuit of "Unity of Effect." I believe that a work of art, be it prose or poetry, must be a complete and coherent experience. Every word, every sentence, every rhythm and cadence is chosen not for its individual beauty, but for its contribution to the single, overarching mood I wish to evoke. When I write of a decaying mansion, the language itself must feel as if it is crumbling. When I write of a man's descent into madness, the very structure of the sentences must become a reflection of his unraveling mind.My style is also a reflection of my belief in the power of sound and rhythm. I hold that the ear is as important as the eye in receiving a work of art. My poems, such as "The Raven," are meticulously crafted with assonance, alliteration, and internal rhyme, not as poetic tricks, but as a hypnotic drumbeat that lulls the reader into a state of profound melancholy. The repetition of "Nevermore" is not just a word; it is a tolling bell, a final, inescapable sound that echoes the narrator's despair.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - my name is George Bartley and this is episode 436 -  the first of a two part series - Poe's Creativity - Part OneFirst I have a confession to make - her somehow got the last two audio files, their titles, and numbers mixed up - it's very easy to do - I will definitely be sure to do all that I can to be sure that this doesn't happen again - and I hope I'm now back on track with this episode. I apologize for any inconvenience.Now, this and the following episode deal with Edgar Allan poe and creativity - first his creativity and poetry, then his creativity in relation to prose.  And here is the ghost of Mr. Poe right now - a character that listeners to this podcast might be familiar with from earlier episodes, and a writer who will certainly return for many other future podcast episodes.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity.  My name is George Bartley, and this is episode 435 - Walt's CloakIt seems that the best way to get useful information from an ai is by using clear and thorough prompts. In other words, the best way to get an answer that is useful is to spend time thinking how to communicate clearly what you want to say - possibly writing down a list of the questions you want to ask - because it is easy to get off-topic.  Sometimes, that might require that you spend a few sentences describing your situation.  This will inevitably get you a better answer.Here I am using perplexity - not my favorite AI - but one that is serviceable enough. To start with, I enter what might seem like a rather long prompt. Some people might feel that it even has unnecessary information, but I have found that's a more information you give the AI.bot the more information it has to go on and the better answer we can give you.So without further ado, my prompt regarding Whitman and Peter Doyle is as follows:Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate. Creativity  - This is Episode 434 - A Fierce Undeniable AttractionWalt Whitman's words about the female form is the subject of the first section of this episode.Section 4  This is the female form,A divine nimbus exhales from it from head to foot,It attracts with fierce undeniable attraction,I am drawn by its breath as if I were no more than a helpless vapor, all falls aside but myself and it,Books, art, religion, time, the visible and solid earth, and what was expected of heaven or fear'd of hell, are now consumed,Mad filaments, ungovernable shoots play out of it, the response likewise ungovernable,Hair, bosom, hips, bend of legs, negligent falling hands all diffused, mine too diffused,Ebb stung by the flow and flow stung by the ebb, love-flesh swelling and deliciously aching,Limitless limpid jets of love hot and enormous, quivering jelly of love, white-blow and delirious juice,Bridegroom night of love working surely and softly into the dawn,Undulating into the willing and yielding day,Lost in the cleave of the clasping and sweet-flesh'd day.And this episode continues with Walt Whitman's words and commentary about the female form.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 433 - Cataloging the SensualI left off talking about Whitman's use of free verse, and now I'd like to say a little bit more. about his technique of cataloging - away in which you might say that he glorified the common place. In his catalogues, such as the one in "I Hear America Singing," Whitman elevates the ordinary work of everyday people into something monumental. He lists the "mechanic," the "carpenter," the "mason," the "boatman," and the "ploughboy," giving each person their own song. By placing these working-class individuals at the center of his epic poem, he broke with the tradition of focusing on kings, gods, or mythic heroes. This was an act of courage that validated the lives of the American people.Celebrating the Human Body: Whitman's courage was particularly evident in his treatment of the human body and sexuality. In "I Sing the Body Electric," he writes with a frankness that was shocking for his time, describing and celebrating the body in all its forms. He writes, "The press of my foot to the earth, it is as a contact with spirits." He goes on to praise not just beauty but also strength, age, and sexuality without shame. This was a direct challenge to the prudish, repressed social norms of the Victorian era.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - My name is George Bartley and this is episode 432 - Flowing and SwellingThis episode is the second in a series of podcast episodes about Walt Whitman's unique approach to free verse.Now a good example of Walt Whitman's free verse - one that celebrates the messy, vibrant, and expansive reality of the modern world is from "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry." In this poem, he captures the sensory experience of a daily commute, blending the sublime with the mundane."Flowing and swelling, swelling and flowing,""The current rushes on, the men and women crowd the deck,""The flags and pennants, the masts, the white gulls, the dark water,""The fine-pointed towers of the new city rise to the sky,""The steam-boats passing, the bell-tolls, the cries of the men, the girls' laughter."This passage is a prime example of his free verse. It lacks a consistent meter or rhyme scheme. Instead, the lines flow with a natural, organic rhythm, much like the ferry's movement. He uses a long, sprawling line to fit in a multitude of images: the natural current, the diverse crowd, the man-made "towers," and the cacophony of modern city life. Whitman's democratic vision is also at play here, as he places the "men and women" alongside the "gulls" and "steam-boats," giving each element equal importance in this vibrant, modern scene.Walt Whitman often blended everyday language with elevated language, creating a style that was both democratic and epic. This elevated language drew inspiration from sources such as the Bible, opera, and classical literature, giving his poems a sense of grandeur and timelessness. He used these high-flown words and phrases to elevate the common person and everyday American life to a heroic, almost spiritual, level.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 431 - A Patient SpiderFrom a week of Shakespeare to a series of podcast episodes about Walt Whitman - not as big jump as you might think.You see, Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare are two of the most influential poets in the English language, and while they lived in different eras and had vastly different styles, they share some key commonalities. Both poets are renowned for their profound impact on literature, and their works are considered foundational to their respective traditions.Both writers explored similar universal themes and used powerful literary techniques to do so.  So much has been written about Walt Whitman's free verse - in other words - poetry that doesn't rhyme - that it would be impossible to do it justice in several episodes.  But in this and the following episodes, I want to examine Walt Whitman's use of free verse.Support the showThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 431 - Yesterday and TomorrowI mentioned that it was necessary to have a list of name signs when signing a play by William Shakespeare in an earlier podcast episode.  And I want to say a final note about that here.  What I always did when interpreting a play at the black fires Playhouse, I printed a sheet on my computer with ready set go - I doubt that anybody remembers that - a page making program where I could have eight or 10 pictures of various cast members and the name sign that I had given to that character. Obviously there wouldn't be enough room to have name signs for all the characters, but I would definitely have name signs for say major characters like Romeo, Juliet, or Hamlet. I took about 10 minutes at the beginning of the play to introduce the name signs of the major characters, but found that you couldn't always depend on every member of the deaf audience to be there on time. So This was especially a big help for deaf people who might've come in late.  And I always printed enough to give a copy of the name signs to members of the cast - they always appreciated it and said they would put it in their scrapbook. I have found - no outstanding observation here - but it is always a good idea to stay on good terms with the cast and director.  I remember one time the director of a play was introducing me to a group - he said this is George Bartley - he is greatly beloved by our cast - I thought to myself, this is the first Time I have ever been called beloved - I've been called stubborn many many times - but never beloved.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity Episode 429  Playing with LanguageSnce the auditory characteristics of a Shakespearean play (such as puns and meter) are outside the frame of reference of a Deaf audience, puns can be shown in “plays on signs,” instead of “plays on words.”  Meter can be communicated though smooth and regular signs – the jerky interpreter who is searching for words cannot convey the inner stresses and beats in a line of text.  Instead of “rhythm in spoken language over a period of time,” the concept of meter can be communicated through “grace in space.”  Clear and flowing signing is the Deaf equivalent of articulate and smooth speaking in hearing actors.Rhetorical Devices: Balancing ShakespeareASL lends itself well to the expression of certain rhetorical devices.  While the interpreter and actors should never over emphasize the use of rhetoric, the principles involved in several of the classic figures of speech can inform an ASL translation and even make it clearer.  Schemes of balance, for example, take on a new dimension in ASL.  In parallelism with two elements, there is a similarity of structure in related words, phrases, or clauses.  The elements can be visually expressed by signing the first item of a series on one side of the body, and the second on the other side of the body.  ASL can use the concept of spatial relationships to show that the two elements are on the plane and balanced concepts.  The eyes see “the whole picture,” so a signer can use more than one sign concurrently.  For example, in Hamlet's  “to be or not to be” (The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, 3.1.17) soliloquy, the antithetical concepts of “life” and “death” can be signed at the same time – adding a new dimension to Hamlet's weighing two alternatives. Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 429 _ How to Say NoName Signs as Clarifiers: Which Side Is He On?One common practice when interpreting a play is for t when mythological references are used the interpreter needs well needs to be able to be creative yes be creative add to avoid finger spelling and therefore breaking the meter the interpreter excuse me just a second here he interpreter to come up with a sign to signify a character - this is much faster - much faster - then finger spelling the name each time. And a name sign is also easier for a member of the death audience to see. Name signs can be introduced while the interpreter speaks with the Deaf audience a few minutes prior to the beginning of a play. This not only serves as a time to introduce the characters and helps the Deaf audience make the transition into Shakespeare's world, but gives the Deaf audience an opportunity to become accustomed to the signing style of the interpreter.An interpreter should not “overload” the Deaf audience with name signs.  In many cases, a character can be referred to by their relationship or role, such as “nurse” or “servant.”  If the character is on stage, the interpreter can point to that person.  If the character is offstage, and is referred to again, the interpreter may establish a position on stage, “assign” the location to a character, and when he quickly points to that area, the audience knows that specific character is being mentioned.   Name signs can even be used to clarify relationships between characters in a Shakespearean play.  In the Blackfriars production of The Life and Death of King Richard the Third, the characters who supported the House of York had name signs on the left side of the body, while the characters who supported of the House of Lancaster  had name signs on the right side of the body.   That night, the Deaf individuals were perhaps the only people in the audience unfamiliar with English history who were easily able to follow the political intrigues of the play!  Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 427 -  Yesterday and TomorrowLet's get back to a brief look at American Sign Language - remember American Sign Language or ASL is the natural language of the deaf.It might be a good idea to review the five parameters of American Sign Language.  AslThey are Location: Where on the body the sign is made.Movement: The way the sign moves.Palm Orientation: Which way the hand is facing.Non-Manual Markers: Facial expressions and body movements.Handshape: The shape of the hand.Let's look at a few examples:Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 427 - Hear the Hungry LionWhen we left the previous episode I was working with Gemini to make my Master thesis about interpreting Shakespeare's place for the deaf more understandable.  And Gemini said -Okay, here's the next section, revised for a seventh-grade reading level. I've broken down the longer paragraphs and used simpler language to explain the concepts of ASL grammar and the different styles of interpreting.      And then Gemini continued withASL Grammar: A Different Way to TalkASL has a unique sentence structure that is sometimes called "topic/comment." This means you often say the main idea first, then add more details. By the way that is a very good way, of stating a rather complicated concept. For example, instead of "Is this a dagger I see before me?" from Shakespeare's Macbeth, a translation in ASL might be "dagger, do I see?"Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity - episode 426 - Signing ShakespeareIn graduate school, I did a master thesis called Signing Shakespeare regarding interpreting the works of Shakespeare and Performance into American Sign Language for the deaf.  Now the problem is that the language of the paper was certainly appropriate for graduate School, but way over the head of the normal, average person - in other words the language was far too high falutin and made up of words almost guarantee to put you to sleep.  It did have some good ideas - but was far too boring.I liked the content of the paper, so I asked Gemini if it could help me adapt my thesis for a seventh grade reading level to make it more understandable.  I entered my request, and Gemini replied -Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome back to celebrate creativity - Episode 425 - From Stratford to London. Today, we're going on a very special Elizabethan journey, not into one of Shakespeare's plays, but into the writer's very own life - a life that was surprisingly simple. Who was the man who created all these amazing characters and stories? Where did he come from? And then we will look at his writings from using a fascinating form of communication.But first I want to tell you - very briefly - how I became interested in Shakespeare in a big way!One day - more years ago than I care to think - I got a telephone call to interpret for the recently built American Shakespeare Center - at that time the world's only exact replica of Shakespeare's original indoor theater, the Blackfriars.  This theater was built in my hometown of Staunton, Virginia, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Now   I had spent hundreds of hours doing rather tedious interpreting for the Deaf in the area, but this was the first time I had a chance to do something that was truly creative - and the pay was very good too. Well to make a long story short, I have interpreted all of Shakespeare's plays over the years in various cities and can now say that I have interpreted more Shakespearean plays into American Sign Language than any other person on the planet. And I am now working on an online course to teach other individuals the basics of interpreting a Shakespearean play.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 424 - Things to Come -If you are listening to this podcast episode, that means I have a few more minutes on my podcasting hosting time - just enough for this episode. I am taking some time off from recording to concentrate on writing episodes that are more Direct, interesting, and just generally a better experience. One of the subjects that I know I will be delving into is Shakespeare because that was my major in graduate school - and covering his works on a direct level that gives you confidence that you understand what can sometimes be confusing material. Of course I also want to emphasize creativity and approaching Shakespeare, as well as how Shakespeare's works or precursor to AI. Of course any examination of creativity includes a closer look at AI - especially in education - and I will be spending a great deal of time reading and delving into the subject matter.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity - pisode 423 - Poe the SwimmerI am going to be taking some time off from this podcast - I think I have had almost 30 episodes in the past month - and devote the time to just doing podcasts and doing them right - with the sound effects and some really fascinating subjects.  As of today this podcast has had almost 23,000 downloads in nearly 100 countries and territories.  Now for today - well, this episode is largely made up of content from an earlier podcast episode of celebrate Poe - and the information makes up the most downloaded episode by far in the series.  When I started celebrate poe - now celebrate creativity - I expected maybe a handful of downloads at the most - but am amazed at how many people are interested in Edgar Alan Poe, his works, and his times - and now other areas of creativity.Today's podcast is about Poe's swimming across the James River when he was just fifteen - some say sixteen - years old.  We don't have a great deal of documentation regarding that accomplishment, but the few sentences that were written regarding Poe's accomplishment at the time show us a physical side of the writer - and even his character - that we very often overlook.   You know, when you do a podcast the subject stays on your mind, but you have to be careful - at least I do - that you don't start talking about a subject in conversation that nobody else is interested in.  I know I could talk about Poe all day, but I could just see - ok, I have experienced it - people tactfully changing the subject because I am the only person who is interested in some little seemingly insignificant detail about Poe.  But I have never been with a group that is not fascinated - in some way - by Poe's long distance swimming accomplishments.  I mean, how many people can say they have swum 6 or 7 miles without stopping - all against the tide.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity episode 422 - Dickens and london, part twoSure, Charles Dickens was a master at portraying the poor population of London, often with a mix of stark realism, deep pathos, and sometimes even a touch of grotesque caricature to highlight their plight. He didn't just describe their outward appearance; he delved into their living conditions, their desperation, and their often-fragile hopes.Ah, here is the ghost of Mr. Dickens himself. Would you be so good as to read from some of your text examples that illustrate how you described the poor:Certainly Mr. Bartley.I must admit that I frequently linked the poverty of the people to the wretchedness of their surroundings, emphasizing the inescapable nature of their condition.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate Poe  episode 417 - Why Dickens Still Matters, Part OneThis first quote is from a George Gissing in 1898 - he famously said -I suppose that for at least five and 20 years of his life, there was not an English speaking household in the world where his name was not as familiar as that of any personal acquaintance, and where an illusion to characters of his creating could fail to be understood.And that creative person was none other than Charles Dickens. So I felt that a a brief look into Charles Dickens might be a good place to start in an examination of major 19th century writers.Therefore I gave the following prompt to Gemini:I am doing a podcast about using AI, as well as writers from the 19th century - such as Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson. But one author that I have failed to include is Charles Dickens. Could you write me an introduction of why Charles Dickens is important, especially to the concept of creativity.Why Charles Dickens Still Matters (Especially for Creativity)Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textThis is the third and final installment - for now - of my online conversation with Gemini concerning Charles Dickens the man.Gemini began with Let's zoom in on the very essence of our podcast's title: creativity, specifically in the context of Dickens's own development. How did this extraordinary mind first show signs of his unparalleled creative genius, and how did that creativity evolve and deepen throughout his prolific career?To understand Dickens's creativity, we have to look beyond just his finished novels and consider the crucible of his early life and experiences.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity Episode 419 Why Does Dickens Matter,  Part 2We begin this podcast episode with a few more excerpt by Dickens that showcase his masterful description of the common person.1. The Hard-Working, Overwhelmed Clerk (from A Christmas Carol)Here's Bob Cratchit, Scrooge's clerk, illustrates the quiet dignity and hardship of the working poor:"The clerk's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal; but he couldn't replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room; and if the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part. Wherefore the clerk put on his white comforter, and tried to warm himself at the candle; in which effort, not being a man of strong imagination, he failed.But he was a happy family-man, Bob Cratchit, and a good one; and though he earned but fifteen ‘bob' a week, and a hard struggle it was to keep his five children (for Tiny Tim was a fifth) on that, yet he was content, and had a smile for every one of them."What it shows: Empathy for the Daily Struggle: Dickens immediately draws sympathy for Bob through the stark contrast of his meager fire with Scrooge's control over the coal. This highlights the power imbalance and the quiet suffering of the employee.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate Poe  episode 417 - Why Dickens Still Matters, Part OneThis first quote is from a George Gissing in 1898 - he famously said -I suppose that for at least five and 20 years of his life, there was not an English speaking household in the world where his name was not as familiar as that of any personal acquaintance, and where an illusion to characters of his creating could fail to be understood.And that creative person was none other than Charles Dickens. So I felt that a a brief look into Charles Dickens might be a good place to start in an examination of major 19th century writers.Therefore I gave the following prompt to Gemini:I am doing a podcast about using AI, as well as writers from the 19th century - such as Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson. But one author that I have failed to include is Charles Dickens. Could you write me an introduction of why Charles Dickens is important, especially to the concept of creativity.Why Charles Dickens Still Matters (Especially for Creativity)Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 417 - Creativity for DummiesIn this episode, I want to go out of my way to keep things basic - to delve into the elements of human creativity.I asked Gemini - could you use clear and basic language to explain what creativity is using simple and basic language.Sure - Think of creativity not as some magical dust that automatically happens, but as a recipe. You need a few key ingredients to make it work.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity formally celebrate pro - Episode 416 Why Use Gemini - In this podcast, one of the areas I want to emphasize is writing an effective prompt, and the information that can be gained from it. Now I had used Google Bard, Chat GPT, perplexity.ai, and Gemini (which I found out was originally Google bard and has become my favorite of the major AIs out there currently) and I wanted to ask Gemini which bot I should suggest for users of this podcast.I wanted some rather specific information, so some people might consider the prompt to be rather long - it's not that long, but I wanted it to cover the subject and explain what I wanted.Now I wrote to Gemini the following:I do a podcast where I plan to get into historical and literary research using AI - the podcast was previously called celebratepoe and has had 399 episodes in 100 countries and territories. But now I want to open it up to more subjects and have changed the name to celebrate creativity. Anyway, one topic that I inevitably will have to deal with is the choice of AI bot - I have personally used ChatGPT a great deal, as well as perplexity and Gemini (I have also used Google bard and I'm not sure about the relationship to Gemini.). I know ChatGPT is the favorite of numerous individuals, but I am concerned about the way that they seem to draw you in by subscribing to their service. And I have found ChatGPT to make major, major, major hallucinations - far more on the same topic than any other AI bought that I have used. I know that all this is largely a personal preference, but I currently use Gemini and have found it sleek and ultimately more accurate. So I'm going to recommend that people listening to my podcast use Gemini. Could you give me some information about Gemini - what it does, it's benefits, and why a new user should utilize it from your standpoint.Notice that by prompt I didn't mean a few words. Now this probably could've been done better in a sentence, but sometimes I tend to be worthy when I'm not sure about something.  Note that I mentioned that I had had several hundred episodes and celebrate Poe, and a bit about my background regarding several Ai bots. - so it would know I'm not just starting out doing podcasts.  I had a feeling that of course Gemini would naturally recommend Gemini - but I wanted to find out some reasons that another person might make that decision.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to celebrate creativity - episode 415 - childhood creativity, part  two  Well, let's start off with a brief look at How Adults Can Cultivate More Flow in Their Lives:Identify Your "Flow Activities": What are the tasks or hobbies where you already feel this sense of deep absorption? It could be anything from cooking, playing a sport, writing, painting, problem-solving at work, or even a meticulous cleaning project.Set Clear, Achievable Goals: Before starting, define what you want to accomplish. Break larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps.Match Challenge to Skill: If a task feels too easy, find ways to make it more challenging (e.g., set a time limit, try a new technique). If it's too hard, break it down or acquire new skills first.Eliminate Distractions: Create a dedicated space, turn off notifications, silence your phone. Protect your focus fiercely.Dedicate Uninterrupted Time: Flow takes time to enter (often 10-15 minutes of focused attention). Block out significant chunks of time for your chosen activity.Embrace the Process: Shift your mindset from solely focusing on the outcome to appreciating the journey and the act of creation or problem-solving itself.Practice Mindfulness: Training your mind to be present and focused, through practices like meditation, can make it easier to enter a flow state in other activities.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity, Episode 414 - Childhood Creativity, Part 1First I'd like to say that I have a new cover art for this podcast series. It is of course the title, celebrate creativity, and an AI graphic rendition from some basic text prompt of a child whose face is full of wonderment and creativity. And I think his expression perfectly captures the wonderment of a child engrossed in creativeness and invention.  And I also gave an AI graphics program some texts and it generated the two graphics for the cover art for the following episodes - actually the program generated far more than two graphics - the big problem was choosing the best ones.I typed to Gemini - For this podcast episode I will simply give you a subject and and do a podcast episode based on your comments. I probably will be asking questions based on that output but it should be an interesting thought experiment And Gemini said: Great! I'm ready. Please give me the title of your podcast episode, and I'll generate some content for you. I'm curious to see where this goes! At that point I realized I hadn't even given Gemini the topic or subject.And I replied Sure - I didn't even give you the topic! Sorry for that mistake. The title and subject is childhood creativityThank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - This is Episode 413 - AI for a Heat StrokeNow I know that up til now - I have basically been giving you fanciful examples of what might go into a prompt for some imaginary purposes - Edgar Poe applying for a job at a pet rental company or Edgar Poe 6th and Emily Dickinson 6th writing a book - that was DEFINITELY role playing with imaginary characters - I don't know of any reliable source that said Poe had any children - not so sure about Emily Dickinson, but I doubt it - guess I need to check with Gemini. Anyway, today I would like to deal with an all too real story that illustrates the use of a prompt in a real-life, health situation - no imaginary characters.I am accustomed to being outside - used to be a Marathon runner, but yesterday I was walking the distance from the local McDonald's. (about a half a mile) to my apartment. When I got home, I was covered with sweat and was having what appears to be a heat stroke. I was not experienced at all with this kind of thing, and my other half suggested that I simply ask my AI about the situation.  It might be a good idea before and if I go to a doctor to find out any immediate suggestions. Note the prompt that I gave Gemini. I admit that it is a bit wordy, but I wanted to give all the details because like any prompt the more information you give it, the better answer it can give you.  And I apologize, if the prompt seems a bit crude, but I wanted to show the importance of being honest with an AI if you expect an appropriate answer.  Besides this is a medical situation.So I started with:Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 412 - Talking to Your ComputerI guess you could say, in some areas, I can be sort of an overachiever. All the research papers that I had to do for undergraduate school thesis - amounted to almost 1000 pages - and my thesis for my masters degree was over 200 pages - and I had to revise it thee times - and each of my podcasts is at least 10 pages (I always like to have a planned script) and as you probably know I have had over 400 episodes - so that would easily be over 4000 pages - no wonder that a few weeks ago I started feeling my fingertips tangling from overuse. Naturally I went to an AI and explained my situation. It told me to immediately go to my doctor and explain the situation because any problem with nerve endings in the fingers can become very serious.In the meantime, I made an appointment and the first time I could get one was two weeks from then. I called a few days later to verify the appointment and they had no record of me calling - that was when I realized I needed to take matters into my own tingling hands!  But I still got an appointment for the following week.Anyway I started using Voice Control on the Macintosh computer to do my typing - or at least try to - I have not said anything about it earlier, because I didn't want to be one of those people who says I'm doing such and such when they give it up in a day or two - it was obvious that it was going to take some time to learn to use voice control comfortably - in other words, I want to be able to use it as fast or faster then I could type. And while I have not reached that point yet with all actions, there are certainly areas where I can use my voice and do things faster by saying them, and save that wear and tear on my fingers.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity episode 411 - poe and EmilyIn this episode, I want to take another look at an AI prompt that is basically an example of role-playing - see if you can follow the ebb and flow of the concepts. I do a podcast where I am introducing some AI principles - such as the purpose of a prompt.  In this rather outlandish example, I want to do a faux prompt or example prompt to a publisher regarding Edgar Allan poe's most popular work during his lifetime The Conchologist's First Book and that is a fact.First, could you sum up the book in 200 words - and by the way - for purposes of this podcast episode, I am going to try and use my voice as George, and a voice with a southern accent to represent an artificial intelligence version of Edgar Poe-  hopefully that will give you a chance to know which party is speaking - It's interesting that you consider The Conchologist's First Book to be my most popular work during his lifetime. While it was indeed published under my name, it was largely a compilation and adaptation of Thomas Brown's work and was intended as a textbook. I admit that I most likely took on the project for financial reasons. My more enduring popular successes during my lifetime were my short stories and poems like "The Raven."Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 408  - Rent a Black Cat!Hopefully this will be a really fun episode of Celebrate Creativity.  I want to illustrate what constitutes an effective prompt in the most entertaining way, - probably your prompt will be for business, literary, and other educational purposes - but here I am using the imaginary situation of Edgar Allan Poe applying to a company that rents pets. I never really asked the AI to answer using Poe's style - which I could have and probably should have - but it went ahead and answered as Poe might have.  And note how the AI picked up on the use of Poe's language and easily participated in the online role - I would like to thank technology educator Dave Birsss for the idea of writing to apply for a job with an imaginary pet store, although I don't know if he was thinking about Edgar Allan Poe!My prompt was:Starting with episode 400 of my podcast about Edgar Allan Poe and other 19th century writers, I am broadening the emphasis of my podcast to include such areas as creativity and AI. Of course one of the things that I want to try and get across is what AI can do through an effective prompt. Would you imagine that you are Edgar Allan Poe and have come to the realization that you need a new job? You are applying to a company that rents black cats. Would you write a letter to the company of why you would be a good person for that position in their company? Note that I am explaining my situation -Unfortunately, I did explain the STYLE that I want Mr. Poe to answer the letter, but the AI seemed to automatically know to answer as Poe might have using his style by literally comparing the thousands of examples of Poe's writings that it has access to, and answers using those examples - a task that would be humanly impossible. In a real world situation, it would be preferable for you to come out and explain the style that you want Mr. Poe - or whoever you are communicating with - to use.   But note that without really prompting, the AI picks up on the style of Poe and replies to each situation cleverly and appropriately - without missing a beat. It would take me forever to even approach such a task - and I have read a lot of Poe.  But back to AI Poe's answer - Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 409 - Living with the Beast, Part TwoWe begin this episode with a discussion of generative AI - Now Generative AI models are trained on vast datasets of existing content (e.g., millions of images, billions of words of text, hours of music).During this training, they learn the underlying patterns, structures, and relationships within that data. They essentially build an internal "understanding" of what makes a particular type of content what it is. For instance, a text-based generative AI learns grammar, syntax, common phrases, and even nuanced writing styles. An image-based one learns shapes, colors, textures, and how objects are typically composed.This learning process often involves complex neural networks, which are inspired by the structure of the human brain.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - This is episode 408 - Living with the Beast,  Part One I'm gonna start with a prompt I gave Gemini that is really a bad example of a prompt because it is just so blooming short - it doesn't really say much.  But, in my opinion, the AI did a very good job with its response.My rather simple prompt was “Can AI truly be creative?”And Gemini replied - The answer depends on how we define creativity.Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.

Send us a textWelcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 407 - Redefining HumanityLet me start out by saying that I was using Gemini as a source for a podcast episode, and completely unexpectedly it gave me an audio clip called “redefining humanity - why AI can't replace consciousness.” It is really quite good, and you can hear it at the end of this episode. But I had no idea how it got there, so I did what I thought was the obvious thing and asked Gemini:I do a podcast called celebrate creativity - I was doing an episode using some text from Gemini - by far my favorite AI bot - and at the end of the session it gave me a fascinating audio clip that it called Redefining humanity - why AI can't replicate consciousness - the audio clip is about five minutes obviously way too short for my podcast episodes - I like for them to be between 25 minutes and 30 minutes. So I was thinking of having some content dealing with the same subject before the audio clip. And I must admit I am somewhat confused at why the audio clip showed up, but I am not complaining because it is very good. First could you explain why that audio clip showed up?And Gemini's reply was quite articulate - and makes up the majority of this episode.  Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.