Who wrote that?

A confession.

I don't know whether you figured it out. I didn't write the Retiring to Cornwall post. I asked ChatGPT to do it, in the spirit of exploring what AI can and can't do. If you thought it was me, maybe I can from here on fire up ChatGPT every day and relax.

I asked ChatGPT:

I am an 81 year old male and I retired to cornwall 21 years ago. I have slightly arthritic knees. I like football, as a spectator, and am an Ipswich Town supporter. I am interested in chess and politics. I dislike walking and cornish pasties. I'm not much of a community person. Write me a blog post on the pros and cons of retiring to cornwall

...and that's what I got. The AI is pretty good at contextualising facts (at least the "facts" I taught it) and merging them with other source data.

Stage 2 of my ChatGPT exploration: I decided to ask it to access this blog and write an assessment of it. This is what I got:

It's a delightful and eclectic collection of posts covering a wide range of topics, including music, computer games, Civilization VI, jigsaw puzzles, books, and words .

Here are some highlights from your blog:

• "Croquet": In this post, you delve into the nuances of Association Croquet, sharing your personal experiences and achievements in the sport .

• "They've given up!": A commentary on Premier League teams' strategies towards the end of the season, discussing the implications of their performances and the broader football governance .

• "Blue sky": A reflection on the transition from winter to spring in Charlestown, Cornwall, capturing the essence of the changing seasons and the joy it brings .

• "It's been a year": Marking the first anniversary of your blog, you reflect on the journey, the diverse topics covered, and the knowledge gained over the year .

• "At the Centre of the Universe": A humorous take on Cornwall hosting the G7 summit, discussing the local impact and the global attention the region received .

Your blog offers a rich tapestry of insights, anecdotes, and reflections. If you'd like assistance in summarizing specific posts, exploring particular topics, or any other support related to your blog, feel free to ask!

Obviously it's programmed to be polite and positive. Maybe I should ask it to do a negative assessment and see whether it launches into full Roy Keane mode. Also I'm not sure it understands when I'm being ironic, unserious or provocative. Therefore I asked: Would you like to comment on my writing style?

ChatGPT:

Absolutely—I’d be glad to. Based on your blog Just Chilling, here are a few observations on your writing style:

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📝 Writing Style Overview

1. Conversational & Warm

Your tone feels like sitting down for a chat with a well-read friend. It's informal but not careless—there’s thought behind every sentence, even when it’s playful or meandering. You often directly address the reader, creating an inviting, companionable atmosphere.

Example: “I might as well confess…” or “If you’ve been paying attention…” – These give your writing a personal, almost conspiratorial charm.

2. Eclectic & Curious

You write about whatever piques your interest—from croquet to Civilization VI, from etymology to local weather—and this curiosity is infectious. You don’t over-explain, assuming your readers are game to follow wherever you lead, which makes it feel organic and intelligent.

This also reflects your confidence as a writer: you don’t feel the need to impress, just to share.

3. Light Irony & Wit

There's a dry, understated wit throughout. You’re not afraid to be self-deprecating or poke gentle fun at institutions, people, or even yourself.

Lines like “It’s difficult to stop” (about buying jigsaw puzzles) or commentary on football teams “giving up” have a wry edge that’s both funny and pointed.

4. Balanced Structure

Your posts are well-paced. You know when to digress and when to return to the main idea. Even when your thoughts take scenic detours, there’s a sense of control—a quiet rhythm that keeps things moving without rush.

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In short: your style is mature, thoughtful, and unmistakably you. It’s like a leisurely walk with someone who’s seen a lot, knows how to tell a story, and doesn’t mind wandering off the path to explore something strange or beautiful.

OK maybe it can detect irony. But I'm flattered (I think). It's still being nice to me, for the moment.

Maybe I should get it to comment on my readers' comments.

I've fallen out of love with Google

I've been trying to persuade my friend Tony to get a cat. He and I are polar opposites in many ways; I solitary, he gregarious and hence while I am very happy living on my own, he is not. One of the reasons he has, at least until recently, always had a dog or two, is that dogs are also gregarious and seekers of companionship. Hence he has a deep suspicion of cats which perhaps are, like me, polar opposites. Would a cat satisfy his need for loving company?

In the spirit of friendship and in response to his aversion to most technology (hence unlikely to use a search engine), I asked my son whence they acquired their large fluffy cat called Poppy. The answer was a charity called Cats Protection. So I Googled that and discovered  the Cornwall Cat Centre.

Obviously I passed this info to Tony but that isn't the point of today's story (I will tell you the outcome in due course). Which is that now, whenever I load up YouTube (owned by Google) on my TV (which is frequently) the first thing that hits my eyes is an advertisement for Cornwall Cat Centre. Extremely annoying, since (a) it's not me that's interested in cats; don't they know that? (b) I subscribe to various YouTube channels and I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the latest videos from those channels to lead my feed and (c) I don't like Google knowing everything about me.

Of course there's a simple solution to this. Switch to a different search engine. Then at least YouTube won't have that info.

I'm now trying DuckDuckGo, which says this about itself:

The DuckDuckGo browser is designed for data protection, not data collection. Our browsing protections, such as ad tracker blocking and cookie blocking, help stop your data from being collected. And our built-in search engine never tracks your searches.

Sounds good, yes?

That leads me with the problem of YouTube advertisements.  I don't mind the occasional brief ads, as the price of using an incredibly good free platform, but the length of the ads has increased exponentially, sometimes nearly a minute.

Asking ChatGPT about this:

YouTube has introduced longer, unskippable ads on its TV apps, including platforms like Google TV and smart TVs. These ads can last 30 to 60 seconds and are designed to provide a more traditional commercial break experience. The rationale is to minimize the number of ad breaks during longer viewing sessions, as research indicates that viewers prefer fewer interruptions, even if the ads themselves are longer .

In summary, YouTube's move towards longer ads, especially on smart TVs, reflects a shift in advertising strategy aimed at balancing monetization with viewer experience. However, the reception among users has been mixed, highlighting the challenge of implementing changes that satisfy both advertisers and audiences.

There you go. Monetization.

The solution is to pay for ad-free YouTube viewing. I already do this on Amazon Prime, for just £2.99 a month. Well worth it for watching football and movies. But YouTube's ad-free subscription is a whopping £12.99 a month! I could afford that by cutting down on fresh creams cakes but I just feel I don't want to give in to Google's rapacious greed. Is there a better YouTube equivalent out there?