A few years ago, I had some prolific output as a poet. A Muse had entered my life, and I expressed my typhoon of emotions in an onslaught of poems: Long form free verse, rhymed almost-sonnets, a scatter-shot of haiku. Here are some sample lines from that period: *** “A young person often regrets whatContinue reading “A Flurry of Poetry”
Author Archives: stephenschrum
Odd About Oz
I remember watching The Wizard of Oz as a kid. Even though I would later decide that monkeys are cool, I was scared of the flying monkeys in the movie. As a result of those particular creatures, I never watched The Wizard of Oz again. Until adulthood. At a cast party hosted by a studentContinue reading “Odd About Oz”
Mr. Frreeeeze!
It’s like a cat toy that you put down, and the cat hits it under the dresser. No play! Where’s the fun in that? Spam, Scam, Telegram!
Lost With Translation
I need some help with this one. First of all, this wrong number texter is all over the place. Person, bot, or AI? It’s not really clear. You can see that it doesn’t really follow any kind of logical progression, and seems to be highly reactive, like the old ELIZA program that, if you answeredContinue reading “Lost With Translation”
(Don’t) Be a Dentist
Many people are afraid of dentists, and I think when you hear about three of my dentists, you’ll understand why I might have trepidation. The first dentist to probe my mouth was Dr. Chantiles. He had had polio as a child, and I don’t know whether it was that and the resulting physical challenges thatContinue reading “(Don’t) Be a Dentist”
They Are Struggling
So it’s not just wrong number text messages; it’s sometimes targeted messages in WhatsApp and Telegram. They often offer me fabulous work-from-home positions, but other than warning posts on the internet, what makes me think they’re not just a scam? I enjoyed this one. Not only did I get to improv a little bit, butContinue reading “They Are Struggling”
Exes at the DMV
I finally got around to going to the DMV for my new photo license. I had stopped at a different location a few weeks earlier, but that was a madhouse; let’s eliminate locations and then require a REAL ID for people, having made it difficult for people to actually obtain it. Fortunately, the location IContinue reading “Exes at the DMV”
Clueless?
Or just not trying hard enough? Or presuming too much? This is another wrong number attempt. I had done a screen shot earlier, but I like development on this one when I forgot to delete it. By way of explanation: the display name was “Douglas.” Also, at the top? “Deleted Account.” Of course, it’s likeContinue reading “Clueless?”
The Script That Keeps On Giving
One of the lessons of the modern online world is that, when you accuse a scammer of being a scammer, they try to convince you they’re not—and therefore confirm that they are. And they often do so by sticking to their script which is even less convincing.
Short and…Sweet?
Sometimes the wrong number testers just can’t do the distance. “Two” wit:
MUSOFYR 