When this newsletter was just getting started, I sent it out to a few close friends. One of them told me it felt more like a personal blog than a proper companion newsletter for an app. At first, that threw me off - but he was right. I thought about changing the tone, then realised I probably couldn’t even if I tried. So, the personal touch stays. And honestly, with the world filling up with AI-generated everything, that might be a good thing.
AI seems to drain the life out of whatever it touches. Take words, for example - it flattens them, trims them, and remixes them into something that’s perfectly correct, but somehow off. Like a plastic Christmas tree - perfectly green, but doesn't smell Christmas. Like a room in a morgue - spotless and lifeless at the same time.
There’s some good news, though - AI might finally cut off the oxygen to that ad-infested, filth-coated corner of the internet where you have to crawl through fifty layers of ugliness just to find whatever you were looking for. That stuff's long overdue for a purge.
As for artists, writers, musicians, and other true creators with a voice, character, and the balls to use them - they won’t just survive; they’ll thrive, I believe.
In October, I started a photo project called The Dads on our Instagram account. It’s simple: a photo of a dad and his answer to a question about fatherhood. So far, there are only five posts, but the response has been incredible - they completely blew up my Instagram stats. Dads love hearing from other dads, and other dads love sharing, so it's a perfect match. And again, no AI - just real, genuine human wisdom straight from the source. From dads to dads. If you want to follow along, subscribe here. I’m always on the hunt for fresh dad wisdom, and my camera’s never far - so expect plenty more to come.
I’ve got big plans for November - I’m itching to share them, but all in good time. I’ll also be spending a week in Bucharest for the job that pays me in actual money. Maybe I’ll bring back a bit of Balkan dad wisdom. We shall see.
Y.