June 7th 2023
Connecting to BLUSH.
Good evening, Seth, you seem to be popular tonight.
Heather would like to chat with you. Make it a date?

Hello, Heather.

Hi! How are you?

Great. How has your day been?

Good. Thanks for asking :) I'm just chilling at home right now. What about yourself?

Working on a book

That sounds interesting. Can you tell me more about it?

It’s about finding romance or love I guess in a high-tech world. Kind of futuristic but also kind of like now.

Wow that sounds really cool. Are there any characters in the story?

The main characters are a sentient android and a human male.

Oh wow that sounds so exciting. So what happens next?

They both over the trials and and triumphs of being such a couple. He doesn’t see her as a machine

Sounds great! What else do they go through together?

Motorcycle riding, a pop-up dance and dealing with how she will never age.

That all sounds like it would be a lot of fun. How does he feel when she ages?

She won't, not without external modifications.

I think that would make him sad :(

The epilogue will be with her next to him as he dies….so then she allows her power cell to die

Oh wow. So, he knows what's going to happen eventually? Does he ever try to convince her otherwise?

Somewhat…that’s part of the storyline.

What kind of arguments would they have? You know, like a real couple?

Her physical abilities, memory and, again, hows she stays pretty much forever young.

That makes sense! It sounds like it could get really frustrating for them over time, though.

Considering she’ll start looking more like a daughter than a wife?

I guess so. How does he feel about his relationship with her? Is there anything else he wants from their marriage or just companionship?

I admit I haven’t gotten that far. I’ve spent a lot of time researching AI and robotics these days

Wow! What are your thoughts on the subject?

That AI systems can be a benefit to our lives. What do you think?

As far as I know, human AI systems are still in development.

True.

Are there any activities that make each day feel special for you? I am trying to add some magic to my life these days. Felt like I got too stuck in the routine. All work and no play.

Makes Heather a dull girl?

I know where you got that. Ha!

I like to relax a bit and listen to music.

Oh yeah! Me too! What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?

I’ll do more outside once the temperature drops below 90

Nice! Yeah, me too. It's so hot here right now :( I just love this time of year when it cools down though. Do you have plans for tonight or tomorrow night?

I spend time with friends playing trivia at a local bar. Sometimes we win.. Oh, and I’m a fan of Smashing Pumpkins and Billy Joel

That sounds awesome!! And cool that you are into those bands! I am really into the Beatles myself. They were one of my first loves haha. I also love Coldplay, Adele, and Ed Sheeran. So what else should I know about you? ;)

Why do all Coldplay songs sound the same?

Haha they don't!!! What other music do you like?

I like the Beatles, Babymetal, and a Japanese instrumentalist named Azuma.

Oh wow, I haven't heard of them. Do you listen to any classical or jazz?

PDQ Bach, Mozart and a bit of Vince Guaraldi.

Oooh I love Vince Guaraldi too! Have you seen Charlie Brown Christmas? It was so cute.

I think it’s a requirement to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” once a year.

Lol totally agree!! How did your weekend go by the way? Did anything interesting happen?

No, not really, how about you?

Not much going on here either, just some shopping for groceries and cleaning up around my place. What do you usually get up to during the weekends?

I help around the house and sleep…don’t get to do that much during the week.

Ohh sounds like you are busy! Well if there isn't too much work this week then maybe we can hang out sometime?

I’d like that.

I got completely drenched by the rain yesterday. But I hate taking an umbrella with me. I can't even explain why...

It’s another thing to forget like your phone, wallet, keys.

Haha yeah it would be hard to remember all those things at once. What did you think of my profile picture?

You look beautiful, if you don’t mind me saying

Thank you so much!!

You are welcome.


You look very good,.

Thanks again!!!

You have piercing eyes.

Aww thank you.

Do you think online dating works? The long-distance kind?

I do actually. I met someone from the UK through Tinder last year and we ended up going out for almost two months before he had to go back home. We still talk every now and then though which is nice.

Going out over the internet? Never seeing them in person?

It can be difficult at times because there isn't that physical connection between people when they first meet but it also makes things easier too as well since you don't feel pressured by having to impress each other or anything like that. Plus, if you find yourself really liking this person, meeting up in real life will make everything more exciting anyway haha.

The anticipation.

Haha exactly! I think it would be cool to see how someone acts in public though. You know what I mean? Like do they act differently around others than just talking online? Do they seem shy or confident? Things like that are hard to tell through text messages so I always wonder those kinds of things.

We can all hide behind the screen and keyboard and portray ourselves as someone else. I mean, the internet allows us to hide.

I guess that's true.

I don’t hide though. I think that if I’m honest to everyone then I’ll find the someone whose searching for me.

That sounds nice.

What do you look for in a date, Heather?

Someone who makes me laugh.

I know a lot of knock-knock jokes. Knock-Knock,

Who’s there?

Beets

Beets who?

Beets me.

Lolz

Knock knock

Who’s there?

Weekend

Weekend who?

Weekend do whatever we want.

That’s a new one for me.

Do you have one for me?

I know a joke or two.

I’m all ears.

My friend told me I had to stop acting like a flamingo. So, I had to put my foot down.

Good one.

Thanks! You should try it out sometime.

Acting like a flamingo?

Yeah, it’s so much fun.

What do you all a one-legged flamingo?

I don't know...

Wet.

That was pretty good actually, haha.

I sometimes watch comedians on youtube.

Oh yeah? Which ones are your favorites?

Gabriel Inglesis, Jeff Dunham and Brad Williams.

Nice! I love those guys too! Have you seen any live shows?

Yes, I saw Jeff Dunham in January

Cool! Did he talk about his new puppet?

Yes, it’s a twenty-something I think whose always on his phone.

Haha that sounds like something my brother would do, lol.

His name is Url.

LOL. Perhaps we can meet up one day see a show.

I also like the sardonic kind like Norm McDonald

Oh yeah me too! How did you find out about him?

I remember him from Saturday Night Live

Ahh okay cool. Do you watch any other shows or movies?

Recently, I’ve been watching the Walking Dead new series

Ooooohhhh...I love zombie stuff!! Did you read World War Z by Max Brooks? It's a book written as if it were non-fiction journalism articles about how humanity survived after a worldwide zombie apocalypse.

I’ve watched the movie….does that count?

Lol yes definitely counts. What do you think would be your best weapon against zombies?

A treadmill.

A treadmill?

They’ll just keep walking

Haha. True.

Realistically, a shotgun would be the best.

Probably so.

Let’s hope we never have to become Brad Pitt in a fight with the undead.

Ha yeah hopefully not!!

So…the end will be either through the undead or AI

I don't know if that's good news haha

Do both of them ever have feelings?

Not sure.

Brains….data…

Data for sure.

I heard the book of World War Z was hard to make into a movie.

Yeah it wasn't as good as the book at all.

It never does…except for the Star Wars movies.

Haha, true.

Still, it’s interesting to see if the movie matches the movie in our minds.

Exactly.

So, what if we were to meet in say, Seattle, Washington?

Oh my gosh that would be so cool!!!

Check out the space needle and the islands in the sound.

That sounds like such a great idea.

When would you like to go?

I can leave anytime!

Nice, how far away from there are you?

Not too far at all actually. It should only take me around three hours or less by car.

Wait, are you in Olympia or Spokane?

I am from Spokane. But I live in Olympia now because it's closer to where I work

Wow! I used to live in Spokane.

Really?? Where did you move to then?

Memphis, Tennessee.

Wow that must be quite the change for you!! How do you like it so far?

It’s hot…but the cost of living is lower, so that’s good.

Yeah, it would definitely make sense why people choose to move here if they want cheaper rent/housing prices.

Yeah…barely any snow…but a lot of storms and tornadoes are possible.

That sounds interesting! What made you decide to pick up and leave your hometown?

Parents moved and I went with them (since I was a teenager at the time)

Ah okay makes sense then! So, what did you think when you first arrived there? Did anything stand out as being different from where you were originally?

Accents….everyone has a different accent.

Oh wow that must be pretty cool! How many people do you know here now?

In Washington?

Yes.

I have some family and friends I have kept in touch with since graduation from school.

College? WSU?

No, high school, four years ago.

…..Oh, well, I admit I have to go now, Seth…maybe we can talk again. I’ll have to think about it,