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Tue, Jan 13, 2026

12:21am EST

Members: 633

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Toe in the Water

by Beholden

Rated: 13+ · Book · Experience · #2223922

A tentative blog to test the temperature.

Ten years ago I was writing several blogs on various subjects - F1 motor racing, Music, Classic Cars, Great Romances and, most crushingly, a personal journal that included my thoughts on America, memories of England and Africa, opinion, humour, writing and anything else that occurred. It all became too much (I was attempting to update the journal every day) and I collapsed, exhausted and thoroughly disillusioned in the end.

So this blog is indeed a Toe in the Water, a place to document my thoughts in and on WdC but with a determination not to get sucked into the blog whirlpool ever again. Here's hoping.

Signature for those who are nominated for a Quill Award in 2021

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

TJ says, "keep on keeping on!"

Jan 10, 2026 at 5:27pm
In response to "Kubelwagen!"

I agree, and I've stopped watching videos because of mispronunciations; it drives me bonkers. I find it's less intelligence and more ignorance!

3 Like

Beholden

Jan 10, 2026 at 1:09pm
In response to "Kubelwagen!"

Amethyst Snow Angel

Yeah, the way people are pirating famous and respected people to present views they would never espouse must surely be prevented somehow. With all this going on, how can anyone continue to support the introduction and development of AI? All use of it should be stopped until ways to control it have been demonstrated.

2 Like

Amethyst Snow Angel

Jan 10, 2026 at 12:31pm
In response to "Kubelwagen!"

AI videos drive me crazy as well. The pronunciation is just the tip of the iceberg: do you realize that people are taking well-known professors, preachers, even musical artists, basically stealing their voices, generating speeches that resemble things they would say, and creating whole channels disseminating this fictional slop? It's absolutely horrifying. I felt sick the other day when I noticed a video of "Imagine Dragons and Sia" with a fake song called Unbreakable Wings. It's disrespectful to the artists (professors, etc.) because I'm pretty sure the people behind these fakes are making money off of the videos. It needs to be stopped, but I have no idea how.

Thanks for allowing me a spot to rant... It's been bugging me.

2 Like

Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008

Jan 10, 2026 at 12:30pm
In response to "Kubelwagen!"

That was interesting. I dont do anything with ai except maybe using spellcheck! My pet peave is hearing "professional" people using improper English. I dont always use it right..but im not a professional either.

Keep writing
Dianne

3 Like

Beholden

Jan 7, 2026 at 7:03am
In response to "Don't Forget the Quills!"

I probably would, Amethyst Snow Angel

, but I'm so deathly tired.

2 Like

Amethyst Snow Angel

Jan 7, 2026 at 7:01am
In response to "Don't Forget the Quills!"

Ahh... I submitted my three for consideration. Perhaps you should take a gander to "Quill Self-Submission Forum"

with your items. It would be your daily forum post if you haven't already.

3 Like

Beholden

Jan 7, 2026 at 6:58am
In response to "Don't Forget the Quills!"

And this one amuses me too!

"A Powder Blue Suit"

1 Like

TJ says, "keep on keeping on!"

Jan 6, 2026 at 2:37pm
In response to "Froggy Went A-Courting"

Never eaten a fly, but I have swallowed a few mosquitoes and other pesky flying insects over the years.

1 Like

TJ says, "keep on keeping on!"

Jan 5, 2026 at 5:12pm
In response to "Pookie"

I have, for years, wanted to write a semi-fictional story, or even a series, about three past pets and their antics. At the time, these three continued to entertain us, and like you, I put off the story because it had not fully developed yet. After they passed, it was too painful to write, and in time the idea faded. Thank you for reminding me, perhaps now would be a great time for me to relive those wonderful years and share their story.

1 Like

Beholden

Dec 30, 2025 at 4:06pm
In response to "The Land of Echocardiograms"

The water's fine as long as you don't go in too deep, Tee. And it seems to me that you've got a pretty good swimming technique already!

July 21, 2024 at 6:55am

#1074211

I Do Like a Bit of Obscurity

I Do Like a Bit of Obscurity

Today I have completed my last entry for the fourth year of the Promptly Poetry Challenge. It’s an experimental little thing, my poem, but it also contains a reference that I have been debating whether or not to explain in a Note. After much internal debate, I have decided to write about it here, thereby leaving the interpretation of the poem entirely to the vagaries of fortune and the viewing habits of its readers. Any work of art must stand or fall on its own sooner or later, after all.

The reference is to flat hedgehogs and it originates in a few lines of sheer genius from Mackenzie Crook’s delightful comedy TV series, Detectorists. Rather than write out the exchange, I have embedded the relevant scene below. It may be incomprehensible to Americans, since I believe you don’t have hedgehogs, so I will tell you that a reasonable substitute would be the possum.

All very mysterious but hilarious if you’re a Brit.

Word count: 162

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