Raoul’s Two Cents: July 14, 2023
Summer’s Here
It’s beginning to look a lot like summer. Goodbye winter coats! Hello Hawaiian shirts, tank tops, bikinis, sunglasses and suntan lotions! I don’t know about you but I kinda like the bright sunny skies. It’s like creation announcing its presence in all its glory. I feel like stepping outside in the heat and welcoming this bright day. So far, no forest fires. So far no earthquake. It’s a true gift from God.
King David said it best in Psalm 118:
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
I still need to prepare for my talk on AI this Sunday. But in the meantime, here’s a song I just wrote:
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Summer
(Verse 1)
It’s beginning to feel a lot like summer,
Everywhere you go;
From the sunny beaches to
The cloudless skies so blue
And lemonade pitchers that seem to appear on cue.
(Chorus)
It’s beginning to look a lot like summer,
Bikinis and sunglasses in every store;
But the sweetest sight to see,
Is the ice cream truck that beckons me,
Bringing all the flavors I adore.
(Verse 2)
Can you hear the sounds of laughter,
As waves crash on the shore?
Children playing in the sand,
With their buckets hand in hand,
And brilliant paper kites that fly and soar.
(Repeat Chorus)
(Bridge)
A dip in the pool, a dive in the sea,
We’re feeling the summer vibes so free.
The sun is shining, the temperature’s high,
With sun tan in hand, we reach for the sky.
(Outro)
So let’s embrace this summer season,
With its warmth and joy so bright;
From the beach to the pool,
Any way to keep cool,
Let’s make memories of this delightful sight.
TGIF people!
Raoul
BTW, I didn’t really write that song above. It was AI generated. I just edited it a bit. Did you notice?
JOKE OF THE WEEK
Thanks to Wyne of Mandaluyong, Philippines
PARTING SHOTS
Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA
Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA
I found these
The Traveling Boy
My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.
Richard
July 17, 2023 at 1:54 pm
😀
Heather
July 17, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Hope your talk goes well. People don’t understand what’s on the horizon.
Tom
July 17, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Love the Song and the Humor. Evokes a great Smile for the week. Thanks Tom
Hilda
July 17, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Awesome lyrics!
Lois
July 17, 2023 at 1:58 pm
Regarding the poem, as I read it I was saying to myself: “Surely Raoul could do better than this.”
First, the meter was off throughout.
Second, in the first verse, the last word in the last line should rhyme with “go,” and the meter is way off.
“And lemonade pitchers standing in a row” would work.
It’s beginning to feel a lot like summer, Everywhere you go; From the sunny beaches to The cloudless skies so blue And lemonade pitchers that seem to appear on cue.
Anyway, it was a fun exercise. When my grandson introduced me to AI, I was flabbergasted. Watch out, Raoul, you could be replaced.
Raoul Pascual
July 17, 2023 at 2:01 pm
Yeah. Ai isn’t perfect. I admit the cadence was better before I tweaked it but it was repetitious and didn’t make much sense — making it rhyme was the priority.
I like your suggestion.
Indeed, Ai is gonna kill us all. Before I got out of bed, this song came to mind. It’s still very riugh:
There’s a world of Ai coming
And you’re not gonna like the scene.
No more work for all you humans
Cuz Ai will move your cheese.
All your years of higher learning
All your dreams of getting rich
Will be gone in just a second
Mark my words you’ll be replaced with ease.
Oh danger! Oh anger!
It’s getting stranger!
Where to run? Where to hide?
Where’s the fun when you’ve lost your pride?
Chorus:
Ai, Ai no!
Old McDonalds back to the farms we go!
Ai, Ai Oh!
Join the Amish
Or die in famish
What a way to go!
Lois
July 17, 2023 at 2:02 pm
Let me know if you’d like my critique.
Raoul Pascual
July 17, 2023 at 2:03 pm
Yes, please!
Polish it up as much as you like. I think I’ll share it in my talk.
Lois
July 17, 2023 at 2:04 pm
I couldn’t understand some of your rhyming patterns. Why did you rhyme the last line of the first verse with the last line of the second verse? Why rhyme “anger” and “stranger” when, by doing some switching, you can rhyme “danger” and “stranger.” I really can’t see “Amish” and “finish” rhyming. Instead of leaving society as you suggested, I took a different route. This may not be your message, but I think it works. Please accept any changes you like and disregard those you don’t.
There’s a world of Ai coming.
You’ll be replaced with ease.
No more work for all you humans
Cuz Ai will move your cheese.
All your years of higher learning
All your dreams of getting rich
Will be gone in just a second.
Ai is such a B____!
Oh anger! Oh danger!
It’s getting stranger!
Where to run? Where to hide?
Where’s the fun when you’ve lost your pride?
Chorus:
Ei, Ei no!
Back to McDonald’s farm we go!
Ei, Ei So
Accept the status quo.
Or Ei, Ei oh,
What a way to go!
Raoul Pascual
July 17, 2023 at 2:06 pm
Perfect!
I love it!
I like the cadence/ So much better.
Anyhoo (notice my spelling now), it’s good enough for the crowd.
Thanks a million! Will give you proper credits of course.
Title is Ai Ai Oh!
Oscar
July 17, 2023 at 2:13 pm
Good morning Raoul , The TGIF 😂😂😂 The AI song was cool too. I wasn’t surprised, I thought you really wrote it 🤷♂️😂🙏🙏🙏 Yeah I like the heat better than the cold, but ever since my I got involved with my ex, it’s has become a lot harder to stay hydrated 🤷♂️🙏🙏🙏