I hesitate to call most of these “comfort movies,” but these are movies I will put on in the bacikground mostlybecause I’ve seen them so many times.
Can I be honest? I don’t love a lot of AI. It’s obvious to me when it’s used for creating things like event posters, clickbait images, “Hollywood-destroying films,” etc. I’m concerned about it being used for faking images of real people and destroying creativity. There is a place for it to be used… in information gathering (as long as you check for accuracy) and things like special effects in movies (in limited applications). I thought I’d run a little experiment and have a few AI tools write a bio for me. The featured image was also generated with Canva’s AI using the prompt “create an image of a normal looking tired caucasian man in his mid 40s with full shaggy brown hair, beard, blue eyes, plaid flannel shirt, very slightly chubby.”
ChatGPT:
Stephen Quirk is a writer, entrepreneur, and creative thinker based in Maine. With a background spanning technology, design, and storytelling, he brings a unique perspective to his work, whether crafting compelling narratives or building innovative projects. Passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, Stephen applies his skills across various disciplines, always seeking ways to refine ideas and create meaningful experiences.
When he’s not working, he enjoys exploring Maine’s coastline and discovering new ways to bring creativity into everyday life. You can learn more about his work at stephenquirk.com.
Perplexity.ai:
Stephen Quirk is a multifaceted professional based in Maine, known for his contributions to the arts, technology, and community development. He is the founder of Factory Portland, a platform initially established in 2010 to support Maine’s music scene by offering services such as album design, website creation, and photography. Over time, Factory Portland evolved into a blog featuring interviews with musicians and concert reviews124.
Stephen holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Maine College of Art and spent a semester abroad at the Burren College of Art in Ireland12. His work in photography has been published in various outlets, including GQ.com and the Portland Press Herald2.
Professionally, Stephen has worked as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com, from 2014 to 201812. He has also been involved with Parka LLC, contributing to content production and project management2.
Currently, Stephen serves as the Director of Operations at Reconnect, Inc., a company focused on providing technology solutions for community supervision programs5. His role leverages his background in technology and creativity to support innovative community-focused initiatives.
Stephen resides in Maine, maintaining a strong connection to his local community through his work and personal projects16.
Google Gemini:
Stephen Quirk is a multifaceted individual residing in Maine, with a background that spans technology and the arts. A graduate of the Maine College of Art, he has significantly contributed to the local music scene through the establishment of Factory Portland, offering services ranging from album packaging to website development. His expertise extends to the tech realm, having worked in the Technology Department at his alma mater and later as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com. His creative endeavors also encompass explorations of gender identity. Currently, he resides in Maine.
Microsoft Copilot:
Stephen Quirk, a creative force from Maine, has made significant contributions to the arts and technology. He holds a degree from the Maine College of Art and has a diverse background that includes founding a nonprofit, managing a music blog, working in arts and education, and organizing events at Automattic. Stephen is also the creator of Factory Portland, a platform that showcases Maine’s underground music scene and artists. His passion for creativity and innovation continues to inspire those around him.
WordPress.com
Stephen Quirk is a dynamic writer, entrepreneur, and creative thinker based in Maine. With a diverse background that encompasses technology, design, and storytelling, he infuses a unique perspective into all his endeavors. Stephen is passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, constantly seeking innovative ways to refine ideas and create meaningful experiences.
He is the founder of Factory Portland, a platform that initially started in 2010 to support Maine’s music scene through album design, website creation, and photography. Over time, it transformed into a popular blog featuring interviews with musicians and concert reviews.
Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Maine College of Art, where he also spent a semester abroad at the Burren College of Art in Ireland. His photography has been published in notable outlets, including GQ.com and the Portland Press Herald.
In addition to his creative pursuits, Stephen worked as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com, from 2014 to 2018. He has also been involved with Parka LLC, focusing on content production and project management.
Currently, he serves as the Director of Operations at Reconnect, Inc., where he leverages his technology and creativity background to support community supervision programs. Stephen lives in Maine, fostering a strong connection to his local community through both his professional and personal projects. You can learn more about his work at stephenquirk.com.
Maybe you’ve seen Tom Scott’s channel, but I wanted to share it in case you hadn’t (he does have over 5 million subscribers). These three recent videos are good examples – short video essays, typically about amazing places, science, technology, etc.
My wife and I are giving our 4-year-old daughter an old iPod shuffle. In the process of looking for music to give her, I found a few mixed CDs I’d made for people over the years. There’s one that I don’t think ever got to the person, so I’ve compiled it on Spotify to send to them. There are a few substitutions from the original, but I’ve found what I can on YouTube. That’s still missing a few things, listed here:
I also added Lady Lamb’s cover of Cher’s cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘All I really wanna do.’
It’s full of in-jokes and randomness, but then again, isn’t that what mixed CDs and tapes were for?
Appendix:
I’m frequently amazed by what you can do with a cell phone. If you told me 20 years ago that a phone could do macro photography, I would have laughed in your face.
Here are some recent photos made with my iPhone and processed through Instagram (I’m a sucker for their vignette tool):
I’m looking forward to listening to NPR’s list of The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+.
The last time I was in Ireland was December 1999 at the end of my study abroad, around my 22nd birthday. I’ve written a lot (maybe too much) about my time in Ireland, but now I get to go back for the time in nineteen years!
Working at Automattic, we gather with our teammates on a trip or two each year. Being a distributed company, my particular team has members in Australia, New York, and South Africa. We’ve decided on London for meetup this year and I’ll extend my trip for a few days in Dublin.
I’ll fly into Dublin on a Wednesday night and sleep in a hotel near the airport. In the morning I’ll make my way into the city and do some exploring. Afterwards I’ll stay with a college friend and her husband about 40 minutes south of Dublin. We’ll spend Friday hiking and exploring Glendalough or other areas nearby.
Embed from Getty ImagesThat leaves a little time left on Saturday before I fly out that afternoon.
While not exactly the trip I’d envisioned for my return, my hope is that’ll recharge my Ireland batteries for a bit. Here’s to making it back before another 19 years pass!
My wife, two kids, and I recently moved into a newly-built house. Even though it was built from a pre-drafted plan and we only had to choose the finishes, it was a longer process than we’d imagined. We sold our house back in June of last year and moved in with my in-laws for about the 9 months it took to build. We picked the counters, door knobs, sinks, faucets, doors, lights, flooring, and more! The house is so new that it lacked towel bars and toilet paper holders.
We’ve now been in the house for about a month and couldn’t be happier! In the springtime, the builder and developer will plant grass. We’re excited to see the end product, meet neighbors, and settle into our new community. I’m sure this isn’t the last post about the house, so here’s to many more!
Stephen Quirk 