Gallimaufry#126

JUST A GALLIMAUFRY OF AI-GENERATED IMAGES, REAL PHOTOS AND RAMBLINGS 📸

A hanging daybed in the restroom?

Restroom in Vassilikos Restaurant, Santorini

Sometimes, all you need is a cozy corner, even if it's in the most unexpected of places. Unconventional, yet oddly inviting. Who says relaxation can't happen in the midst of daily routines?

Breakfast - paratha

Paratha is a versatile flatbread from the Indian subcontinent made with whole wheat flour, water, and ghee or oil. It's rolled thin, folded, and cooked until golden brown and crispy. Paratha can be enjoyed plain or stuffed with fillings like potato or paneer, and is often served with yogurt or chutneys. Loved for its flaky layers and delicious taste, it's a popular breakfast in Malaysia.

Interestingly, did you know that frozen store-bought paratha, with its flaky, crispy, and buttery goodness, makes a fantastic pizza base?

Doughnut wisdom  🍩

AI-generated image

“Ah, doughnut, son. Doughnut.” I would always use that quirky reminder whenever my sons complain about trivialities. It’s a playful nudge to shift their focus from what’s missing to what’s there—a sweet reminder to savor life’s blessings.

So, what's with the doughnut, you might ask? It is a power analogy that our parish priest, Father Paul, used in his sermon during one Sunday Mass. "God gives you a doughnut and you complain there's a hole in it," his voice thundered through the pews, rousing half of the congregation from their slumber that morning. His words painted a vivid picture that resonated deeply with us.

The analogy encapsulates a profound truth about human nature — our tendency to fixate on what's lacking rather than appreciating the abundance of blessings surrounding us. We humans, in our ceaseless quest for fulfillment, often focus on the voids—the missing pieces—rather than savoring the sweet completeness of our blessings. 

FROM THE TRAVEL ARCHIVES

Statue of General Joffre, Paris 2019

Brussels 2019

It is said that the best chocolates on the planet come from Belgium!

How may I help you?

AI generated

Care for a taste of bourbon? Our bourbon-infused chocolates are our specialty.

AI generated

LOST IN TRANSLATION: "WESTERN FOOD"

Picture this: a wide-eyed American wanders the bustling streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in search of a taste of home. Suddenly, he stumbles upon a sign that reads "Western Food" in bold letters. Excitedly, he imagines himself chowing down on hearty cowboy grub – beans, brisket, and maybe a side of lassoed potatoes. Ha, he's about to embark on a culinary adventure that's anything but Wild West!

As he approaches the stall, visions of saloons and tumbleweeds dance in his head. Our intrepid traveler braces himself for a taste of the American frontier.

"Yee-haw!" he exclaims, ready to dig into a plate of Malaysian "Western Food." But wait – what's this? Instead of a slab of beef as big as Texas, he's presented with a chicken chop drizzled in black pepper sauce, accompanied by a mountain of fragrant rice and a side of crispy fries!

So essentially, what is western food in Malaysia?

Western food in Malaysia typically consists of dishes influenced by Western cuisine, particularly European and American culinary traditions. This includes a variety of items such as burgers, steaks, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, grilled meats, and salads. Malaysian "Western food" often incorporates local flavors and ingredients, resulting in a unique fusion of East and West.

A FUNNY TO SHARE

Marital Bliss 

Ever wondered?

Inspired by a scene from "The Twilight Zone" from the episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"

50 years on and I still feel a shiver of nervousness when I peer out of the plane window at night.

Note - Every AI-generated photo you see here is a product of artificial intelligence, meticulously and painstakingly crafted through textual descriptions alone. No actual photographs were utilized or manipulated in the creation of these images.

I've been getting requests to teach how to generate AI photos, so instead of responding to each email individually, I am sharing this in a post. But before we dive in, let me explain how this fascination with AI began. Remember those images of homeless people I shared on Gallimaufry#122? Long after my vacation in Greece, those sights haunted me, but I struggled to express them. Lacking artistic skill, words alone couldn't capture the vivid visuals in my mind. Like they say, "A picture paints a thousand words". That's when my son suggested I try using AI, but he warned me of the backlash I might receive. After generating a few images, well, you know the rest of the story.

I am no guru, just sharing what I've learned. 

Let's get started.

1. On your browser, type bing.com

2. Create an account. It's free!

3. Navigate to Copilot at the top of the page. Hit return.

4. Scroll up a little until you see this.

5. Choose "More Precise" for conversation style.

6. Describe your image in the text input box provided.

7. Submit your request.

8. Ta da! You're done!

9. If the generated image does not match your description or meet your expectations, you can refine your description and generate a new image. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary until you’re satisfied with the result.

Remember,  AI does its best to create an image based on your description, but it might not always be perfect. It’s important to be patient and willing to experiment with different descriptions to get the best result. Happy creating! 😊 

Here's an example inspired by my Paratha breakfast.

Haha! Notice the inaccuracy. The flatbread is not paratha, but chappati!

When it comes to AI, unpredictability is the name of the game. You never know what to expect, and sometimes you have to keep refining your description to get what you want. Occasionally, the images are way off, and they only get worse with each adjustment. In those cases, I find it easier to start fresh. If things aren't going as expected, start a new chat rather than continuously refining an inaccurate image.

AI operates on machine learning technology and AI models like Copilot rely on large amounts of data and continuous learning to improve their performance. Each interaction contributes to the model's understanding and capabilities, and it adapts based on the patterns it learns from a wide range of inputs. I've noticed that the accuracy of its outputs tends to improve over time as the model remembers and learns from my preferences and specifications.

If you were to type in the same text that I did in your input box, you will probably not get the same output that you see above. I think my past interactions with AI have trained it to adapt to my style and  requirements.

It’s important to note that while AI models can learn and adapt to patterns, they don’t “understand” in the human sense. They don’t have consciousness or subjective experiences. They process information and make predictions based on their programming and the patterns they’ve learned from data.