The Writing of Life

PART I Communal Living in the Digital Age (2026–2045): When Careers Go Extinct and Everyone Moves into a Former Monastery with Wi-Fi 1. The Quiet Death of “What Do You Do?” as a Social Identity Between 2026 and 2045, one of the most consequential transformations in human life may not be artificial intelligence itself, but what unfolds after large segments of the population are no longer…

Good news! I can stand up on my own again. Started doing this yesterday. I’m so excited. Now I have to stand up every day to keep the progress going. It’s a good feeling to be standing up on my own again. I’m starting to experience boredom now that I can stand up and see the possibility of being able to walk again. It’s a good day.

Overall I’m doing alright. I lost 10 pounds over December. Not bad considering it was the holidays. Watched football on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I can stand up some now. Still not brave enough to try to walk without a walker. I can scoot my rolling recliner around without much pain. I’m not to where I want to be yet. But it is slowly coming back. Been having bad pains until I started…

I’ve been in my current home for a little over three months. In addition to losing over 50 pounds, I’ve made four new friends. None of them are actual patients, but nurses’ aides. And they work different enough shifts I almost always have someone other than family here in Oklahoma to talk with. Because my mobility has been limited since September 2024, I had few opportunities to socialize with…

Been in this nursing home for over three months. They still won’t get me standing and walking even though I’ve lost over 50 pounds. I’m bed bound most days in spite my blood pressure and pain issues being solved. They do use a lift to put me in a recliner a few days per week. I’ve noticed a lot of people, especially nurses, pulling double shifts lately. Usually that is a sign of financial…

Been in my new home for almost three months now. Updates are in order. For starters, I have lost over 50 pounds since Labor Day. My blood pressure is stable enough that I need pills only once a day. I sleep mostly in the afternoons as it’s quieter in the overnight. I’m on good terms with most of the staff. I’m probably going to start physical therapy to get to walking again in December. I’m kind…

A lot has changed since I last wrote. In late August I got word that a long term care facility in Oklahoma City decided to accept me as a resident. I moved in last Saturday in August. Been here for almost two weeks now. It is a large facility with several wings and over 300 beds. Even though I still can’t walk, I get out of my chair once a day with a lift for cleanings and stretching. I have…

School has started back up again here in Oklahoma. It’s still blazing hot most days as August is always the hottest time of year this far south. But the first Husker football game is a week from Thursday and on ESPN. It’s been a while since the Huskers played the first game of the season on one of the big traditional networks. I look forward to it. Health wise I have stabilized. My blood…

I’ve been spending more time alone than usual this summer. My mom is done with physical therapy on her knee surgery. She’s getting around as good as ever after a couple months of regular therapy. I’m happy my mom is more mobile. But I am concerned about my desire to be more isolated than usual. Summers are usually a tough time for me, tougher than normal. Haven’t had any major meltdowns this…

Introduction The world stands on the brink of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution that promises to redefine industries, reshape economies, and transform the way humans live and work. While this change can be intimidating, it also brings unprecedented opportunities. For individuals on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the future may feel uncertain—but with thoughtful planning,…

Introduction Advances in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are ushering in a new era where machines are increasingly capable of performing complex tasks traditionally done by humans. Among the most promising developments are humanoid robots—robots designed to resemble the human form and interact naturally with people. From assisting with mobility to offering emotional companionship,…

Part One: Orbiting Broke Dr. Levi Chandler was an American astronomer, a tenured lecturer at King’s College London with a doctorate from Caltech and a bank account that wheezed like a rusted boiler. Despite the prestige of his field and the lectures he gave on galactic formation and dark matter, his daily life bore more resemblance to a rejected sitcom pilot than the life of a respected…

I’m getting my mobility back after my near fall scare of last month. I can easily walk from my recliner to the bed, at least when my knee and ankle pain isn’t flaring up. Some days my pain is very manageable. Some days I hurt enough that I don’t stand up. I have proven I can get in and out of a wheelchair relatively easily. Unfortunately, none of the doors in my house are wide enough for…