I want to talk about AI for a second, because in my ignorance, I genuinely didn’t realize how much anger some people carry around it. I know when I first saw it on America's Got Talent, I thought, oh fuck that's bad, because they were using it to mimic a person and their voice. Who couldn't see that going into the wrong hands?

But this year I am choosing to use AI for good things. Instead of spending countless hours planning my garden — what can be planted next to what, what needs shade, what needs sun, what needs to rotate, what can’t be near each other — I thought:

“Why am I doing this alone when I can use a tool?”

So I uploaded my garden layout into AI, and it gave me:

• companion planting

• spacing

• sun/shade orientation

• north/south/east/west considerations

• and a full planting plan

It saved me HOURS. I was thrilled. So, I shared it on my personal facebook page.

And in no time at all, two people were deeply unimpressed with my use of AI. One even told me to “use my own intelligence,” which is hilarious because I literally explained that I’ve spent YEARS using my intelligence on this exact thing — which is why I was so excited to save time.

That told me she didn’t actually read what I wrote. She reacted from her own frustration or misunderstanding.

And the other person… well… was just being a shit. And sometimes people are. And we get to say: “No thank you. Go be a shit somewhere else, friend. I do not need or want you anywhere near my energy.”

Let's Excavate a Little, With a Story from My Marketing Days…

Since we’re talking about AI and creativity, let me share a piece of my past that explains why I love this tool so much.

After getting my GED and going to college- mind you I was coerced into a degree I didn't want, but because of my circumstances I did it anyway...so when I thought I’d be working in a medical office, I somehow ended up working for the Catholic Church in a marketing-type position. My job was to design layouts and promote the retreat center, even though I had zero formal training in graphics.

One day, the priest I worked for told me, “If you can get this program up and running, you’ll get a gold star.”

It was an Apple graphics program I had never used in my life. I didn’t know the system. I didn’t know the software. I didn’t know what I was doing and this was in the mid 90's.

But I was persistent. I didn’t give up. And eventually, I figured it out — enough to create the weekly flyers for Mass. That job kicked off my entire career in marketing and graphics. But here’s the truth:

I was never formally trained. I always felt like I was trying to keep up. I always felt like I was falling short in the design department- and let's be honest, I sure did but I NEVER quit trying. And I would never have said, “That’s not my job.” I would just figure it out, because that’s who I was back then — someone who thought she had to do everything to prove herself.

Fast‑forward through several more jobs in marketing and graphics… and the feeling was always the same:

I could do it, but it took me forever and it might not have looked super professional. I could create, but it never felt natural. I could produce, but it wasn’t my zone of genius- but I sure wanted it to be.

And now — here we are.

I finally have a tool that lets me take the visions in my head and actually bring them to life. A tool that saves me time. A tool that helps me express what I feel. A tool that fills in the gaps I was never trained in.

And suddenly people are angry about it. 

It’s fascinating to me.

Because for the first time in my life, I have something that supports my creativity instead of draining it. Something that helps me help others. Something that lets me focus on the message instead of wrestling with the mechanics.

And yet — here come the pitchforks and fear mongers. 

About AI Imagery

Along with my garden layout, I’ve also been using AI to create graphics — and I LOVE it. I love the simplicity. I love being able to put my ideas into form. I love being able to tweak and shift and refine. It's the assistant that I've needed now for friggen YEARS! It's the helper. The tool that aides.

And yes — that upset people too.

Someone brought up water usage, so I did my research. Yes, AI uses water for cooling. That’s true.

But if water usage is the thing that activates you, then I gently invite you to look at all the places water is being misused — industrial agriculture, food waste, unpicked orchards, fast fashion, bottled beverage companies, oil and gas, golf courses, leaking city infrastructure, and manufacturing. These industries use exponentially more water than AI cooling ever will. So, if we’re going to talk about water, let’s talk about all of it — not just the newest thing people are afraid of.

If you want to see incredible ag water waste, come to Washington. We’ve had years where entire orchards weren’t picked — not opened to the public, not donated, not harvested. Just wasted...

So, if we’re going to talk about water usage, let’s talk about all of it. Not just the thing that’s trendy to be mad about.

The Real Question

Why does this thing make you angry, but that thing doesn’t?

Is it awareness? Is it fear? Is it unfamiliarity? Is it projection? Is it discomfort with change? Is it easier to attack a tool than to look at the larger systems we’re all participating in?

These are honest questions — not accusations.

Where I Stand

AI is a tool. Just like:

• a calculator

• a camera

• a garden planner

• a photo editor

• a spreadsheet

• a search engine

Tools don’t disconnect us. Disconnection disconnects us.

And I’m going to keep using the tools that support my creativity, my time, my energy, and my joy.

If someone doesn’t like that, that’s okay. They don’t have to use it. They don’t have to understand it. They don’t even have to agree with it. But they also don’t get to police my joy.

FURTHER EXCAVATION:

Tools & Technologies That Use Water (Far More Than AI Alone)

1. Social Media Platforms

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat — ALL of them run on massive data centers that use water for cooling.

Every time someone:

• scrolls

• posts

• watches a video

• uploads a photo

• goes live

• sends a message

…they’re using water indirectly.

If someone is angry about AI water usage while posting their outrage on Facebook, the irony is… thick.

2. Streaming Services

Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Apple Music — Streaming is one of the largest digital water users.

Every movie, every song, every binge session = water‑cooled servers.

3. Cloud Storage

Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive — Storing photos, videos, documents, backups… All of it uses water.

People who have 20,000 photos on their phone? Water.

4. Email

Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo — Every email sent, received, archived, or searched uses water.

Even the angry emails about AI. Water.

5. Online Shopping

Amazon, Etsy, Walmart, Target — Every product search, every cart update, every order confirmation = water.

6. GPS & Maps

Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze — Navigation uses real‑time data centers. Real‑time data centers use water.

7. Banking & Finance Apps

Your bank app? Your credit card app? Your Venmo or PayPal?

All water‑cooled servers.

8. Video Calls & Messaging

Zoom, FaceTime, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram — Video compression and real‑time communication require huge server loads.

Huge server loads = water.

9. Gaming

Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Steam, Fortnite, Roblox — Gaming is one of the most water‑intensive digital activities.

10. Websites — ALL of them

If it exists on the internet, it uses:

• servers

• cooling

• electricity

• water

There is no digital activity that doesn’t. In fact, Google publicly reports that its data centers use billions of gallons of water per year globally, and that they’re trying to balance energy, water, and local watershed health in how they cool and site facilities.

So yes—Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, Drive, and navigation all sit on top of the same kind of water‑using infrastructure people are suddenly upset about when it’s labeled “AI.”