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Somehow, the stars have aligned, and my morning coffee is doing its job. So, I’ve found the time and energy to toss out a new “Thoughts for Thursday” for the three of you that are kind enough to read this drivel. I hate going more than a month without having a new TfT to add to your collection. If it happens too often, I’ll need to rename this “Monthly Madness” or some other stupid name and then I would have wasted all the money I spent on getting a trademark for “Thoughts for Thursday” plus the T-Shirts I just had made and that would just make me even more irritated than I normally am and who wants that? As much as I enjoy having thoughts and sharing them with the universe, I do this when I’m able and in the right mood because I don’t want writing this to become work. And there you have the inevitable topic for today- Work. Thoughts on Work. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Jack who? Can we get some specifics here? He was probably dull to begin with and work had no effect whatsoever. But I digress. At some point, I am certain we have all been asked, “What’s your dream job?”. Usually, this is asked when you are far younger than I am, and your life is an endless road of possibilities instead of the one lane highway with bumper-to-bumper traffic I seem to wake up to everyday, but I digress yet again. What’s your dream job? I recently saw a Twitter post from Work Chronicles that asked this very question and provided a fantastic answer: Why would I dream of Labor? It seems like a trivial joke for a tiny 4 panel comic, but what a thought-provoking answer. We value hard work immensely, but why? We often value people by what they do for a living and in fact, it frequently defines us. I’m a Lawyer, I’m a Doctor, I’m a Business Owner, I’m a Teacher, I’m a Drugstore Cowboy (I’m not entirely sure that last one is a real job or not, I never saw the movie). Your initial impression of a person’s intrinsic value as a human being is often dictated by what they do for a living, which more times than not is completely inaccurate. Some teachers are jerks. I’m not naming names here, but I’m just saying. Now I’m talking first impressions and certainly don’t want to suggest that I go around stalking people on Facebook to see what they do for a living so that I can secretly judge them behind their backs. That’s what LinkedIn is for. I honestly do respect hard work. I have spent most of my life attempting to avoid it, so those who seem to have become so disciplined and hardened that they can do things I could never imagine being capable of would seem to deserve my respect. But do they? Maybe we need to rethink this a second? “Keep your head down and work hard and you’ll be rewarded”. Ok, this sounds like a propaganda poster that hangs on the wall at a sweatshop. “Hard work is its own reward”. Hold up! This one is definitely an ad campaign created by Big Business to keep us pacified while we work 12-hour days for minimum wage and are told we can’t take our vacations and need to come in when we’re sick because that’s what hard workers do. Seriously? No, the money I get paid and what it allows me to do with it is the reward. (A quick tip from Uncle Steve- beware of companies that tell you they treat their employees like family. Families don’t have legal protections when they don’t pay you and if “mom” is the HR department, you’re probably not going to like the outcome of your complaint, but I digress for the third time). Do you see my point here? Yes, hard work is great, but let’s get real. If you didn’t have to work as hard as you do, why would you? Even if you enjoy your job, I hope you have something else in your life that you would rather do instead. That’s called fun and I hear it’s what makes life worthwhile (not that I would know personally). An interviewer asks a job applicant, “Why do you want to work for our company?” “Well, I’ve sort of become addicted to eating and paying rent, so I thought it might be nice to keep doing that”. I’m a fan of a Reddit forum called Antiwork. It tends to be stories of awful businesses and how they frequently mistreat employees (I like to read them because sometimes they make my job seem better by comparison, so that’s nice). Since I’m old and have been at the same job for so long, (Working at Computer Greeks located at 12222 S. Harlem Ave in beautiful downtown Palos Heights- Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm for all your tech needs) I haven’t been out in the workforce having to go through the process since I applied to be an apprentice musket maker a few years back. The stories they tell are absolutely nuts and the nonsense that employers are trying to normalize is even more insane. Did you know that less than 20% of job postings list what they pay? How can you be expected to apply for a job when they can’t even bother to mention what they value the work they require from you? Employers don’t like being asked what the compensation is for jobs on the first interview. They consider it rude and want to hire someone who values other things above money. What the actual heck! Many jobs also have a policy where you can be terminated for discussing what you get paid with other employees. It’s a freaking job! I’m not leaking military secrets to the enemy here. If I had won the lottery like I planned on last week, I wouldn’t even be writing this TfT right now. Ok, maybe I would, but that’s because of my overall generous spirit and need to give until it hurts. Plus, the overwhelming adulation and acclaim isn’t so bad. The social stigma of discussing our jobs and what we get paid is entirely created by employers who don’t want to be held accountable for pay inequality, discrimination, and general abuse of their employees. If this country hadn’t instituted child labor laws, you’d still have 8-year-olds working 16-hour days in the coal mines for a snickers bar they had to purchase from the company store for more than they made each day. “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”. At least this expression seems reasonable. Encouraging someone to find a job they enjoy is certainly good advice, but then again, how many of us are this lucky? Statistics show less than 20% of people are “passionate” about their jobs. That means 80% of us are shooting for a level of job satisfaction that is just good enough so that we don’t have to go out looking for somewhere better to work. Not exactly a high expectation. For all of those that do love their jobs and are passionate about going to work every day, how many of them would show up next week if they didn’t have to? Wouldn’t it be nice to do what you love when and where you want to, instead of when and where you have to? With so many of the monumental changes that the pandemic brought, one of them was the migration of so many to a work from home dynamic. Jobs that always insisted could only be done in the office miraculously became jobs that you could do from your house without even having to put on pants (this is one of my dream job requirements if you want to know). Amazing, isn’t it. And now that Covid seems to have relaxed enough, many employers are demanding that everyone return to work 5 days a week (they actually want you there 7 days, but those pesky overtime laws get in the way). Every study shows that work from home for most jobs creates better productivity, results, and quality of life for the workers. Sadly, many employers are not concerned about these trivial things and despite the last 2+ years proving a work from home or hybrid model is superior, they are back to insisting that everyone return to what they want you to believe is still normal- 16-hour days working for a snickers bar. I’m sorry, that was the old normal, I mean the new normal, 40+ hour work weeks with no regard for any semblance of quality of life. I understand that I am exaggerating for the sake of making a point. Exaggerating just a little mind you. I understand there are many great employers out there that genuinely care about the people that allow them to exist at all. I like to think that I’m one of the good ones. But I can still vividly remember what it was like back in the olden days when I went through my job journey. Being screamed at over the phone for calling in sick. Being insulted and berated and told how lucky you were to have a job at all and how easy it would be to find someone to replace you. Being told I couldn't take off the two weeks I had scheduled for my honeymoon. (Spoiler- I took the 2 weeks off exactly as planned). Being made to feel guilty and then fired for taking time off to bury my father. Yeah, I remember these things just fine. Times have changed and over the last few years so have some of the expectations along with them, thankfully. People got sick of being taken for granted, mistreated, and underpaid and began to demand more. Suddenly, many businesses discovered you couldn’t pay minimum wage if you wanted anyone to work for you, especially the crappy jobs. The world began to expect more than to just to have a job and work hard. They wanted to be happier doing it. Absurd, right? No one wants to work anymore! They’re all just lazy! I can not tell you as a business owner and an employer for over 25 years how completely idiotic this statement is. Are there lazy people? Of course, I’m one of them. Do I want to work? Not even a little bit. I do it because it is a choice. I choose to support my family. I choose to eat. I choose to not live in the woods. I choose to be a productive member of society and not expect someone else to pay my way. That doesn’t mean I haven’t spent my life looking for something better and easier and higher paying than what I might have had before. In general, people want to work. They just don’t want to be miserable the entire time and at the end of the day, still not be able to afford a 2-bedroom apartment and a meal out every now and then. It doesn’t seem too much to ask, does it? As far as my dream job, that I mentioned earlier? Pro Wrestler. Unfortunately, that was definitely one of those work really hard jobs that was never going to fit my play games all day lifestyle. Oh well, until next time, Stay safe and be well, Uncle Steve.

Hello! I know it's been quite a while since my last "Thoughts for Thursday" (I've been extra lazy lately), but I was able to generate a few thoughts I thought I might share with you today. As long as you think that's ok? Thoughts for Thursday 04-06-2023 All Hail our Computer Overlords! I had a conversation with a friend recently that turned out to be far more intense than I had originally expected. I had made a passing comment about how amazing the ChatGPT AI Bot was that I had started playing around with and my friend was very angry and afraid that this technology even existed. What is a ChatGPT AI Bot you ask? (That's a lot of letters all in a row that don't seem to make much sense.) Simply, its a natural language processing tool that uses a super smart computer to have human-like conversations that can answer questions, compose emails and essays, and even produce software code. That may still sound a bit complicated, but essentially, you go to a website and type in stuff and it quickly provides an intelligent comprehensive reponse, unlike how most people work when you ask them a question. For example: I typed in "why are clouds white?", and it responded with a few paragraphs about sunlight and the atmosphere and how light scatters. Interesting and all, but not really something you couldn't do for years just using a standard Google search or by asking me, because obviously I know everything. But this can do so much more, it's actually terrifying. When I entered, "write an essay on why clouds are white", it responded with a much more extensive article on the subject that could easily be turned in as homework to any 8th grade classroom. Don't feel like spending a few hours doing research and writing your own paper for that boring environmental science class? No problem, this will do it all for you in seconds. And that's just the tip of the iceburg. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, it is increasingly being used to create art and written content. While some celebrate the possibilities that AI offers in these areas, others have expressed concerns about the implications of this technology. What are some of these concerns and what they might mean for the future of AI-generated art and text? One of the main concerns with AI-generated art is that it could potentially replace human artists. If AI is able to create works of art that are indistinguishable from those created by humans, it could threaten the livelihoods of professional artists. However, it's important to note that AI-generated art is currently seen more as a tool for artists rather than a replacement for them. Many artists are already using AI to help them create new works or enhance existing ones, and there is still a lot of room for creativity and expression within the field. Another concern is that AI-generated art and text could be used to spread misinformation or propaganda. For example, an AI-generated article could be used to spread false information about a political candidate or to influence public opinion on a controversial topic. This is particularly concerning in the age of social media, where information can spread rapidly and be difficult to track down or verify. It's important to remember that AI is only as unbiased as the data it's trained on, and there is always a risk of bias creeping into the output. Additionally, there is a concern that AI-generated art and text could lack the emotional depth and nuance of human-created works. While AI can create art and text that is technically proficient, it may not be able to capture the same emotional resonance that a human artist or writer can. This could result in a lack of connection between the audience and the work and could limit the impact and effectiveness of AI-generated content. Finally, there are concerns about the potential for AI-generated art and text to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and biases. If AI is trained on biased data, it could reproduce and amplify those biases in its output. For example, an AI-generated image of a person could be more likely to depict them in a stereotypical way based on their race or gender, even if that depiction is inaccurate or harmful. Despite these concerns, AI-generated art and text are already being used in a variety of contexts, from marketing to entertainment to scientific research. As with any new technology, it's important to carefully consider the potential risks and benefits and to take steps to mitigate any negative consequences. By working together to address these concerns, we can help ensure that AI-generated art and text are used in a responsible and ethical manner that benefits society. So, essentially, if people all work together and do the right thing we can make sure this new technology is used in responsible and safe ways. I don't know about you, but that hasn't been my experience dealing with most people over the course of my life. What's to keep someone from using this technology to do their work for them and instead, pass it off as their own? Would you even notice? I mean, what if the 5 paragraphs in this article after the sentence "and that's just the tip of the iceburg" was all written by ChatGPT and not the incredibly intelligent and entertaining author you thought had created it? Could you tell the difference? "Sure, Uncle Steve- that was the only part of this Thoughts for Thursday that made any sense and wasn't contrived and boring." Ok, that might be true, but is still hurtful. Maybe next time I'll actually write the entire thing on my own, and then again, it is alot easier this way. Until next time, Be Well and Stay Safe, Uncle Steve

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think of myself as “old”. To clarify, I don’t know if you think about yourselves as “old”, not whether you think of me as “old” or not. I don’t want the answer to that question. I know my body disagrees with me every morning when it takes far longer for me to get out of bed than it used to, but still. I’m not old, am I? I’m pretty sure it was only a few years ago that I was just starting high school with all the opportunities in the world and nothing but time ahead of me. Shockingly, if you check this annoying thing called a calendar, the 1980’s were somehow more than a few years ago. When did this happen? Do you ever notice that when you need to enter your birthdate online in one of those scrolling date selector things, it takes far longer than it should before you get to your birth year? I’m pretty sure this is all a conspiracy. Also, why do they start with 2022? What infant is online entering their date of birth to sign up for a free newsletter or entering a contest to win a year’s supply of Mac and Cheese? Mmm, Mac and Cheese. Even now, when I see someone in their 30s, I still think of them as “older” people, until I remind myself that actually, these are now the “younger” people. After consulting with that same annoying calendar, it seems I haven’t been in my 30s for a very long time. Again, when did this happen? I know that over the last 40 years, I’ve done a lot of things. I went to school, found the love of my life, worked hard, got married, raised two children, opened a business, worked even harder, lost people I loved, made more mistakes than I would have ever imagined, and tried to enjoy as much of it as I could find time for. Which wasn’t near enough. I certainly understand that the years have gone by, but I know it didn’t seem to move especially fast at the time. I can distinctly remember a Calculus class I felt like I was in for an eon and there were several family gatherings that I know were not longer than a few hours, but I’m certain the calendar changed while we were there. Maybe I’m thinking about New Year’s Eve? My body also tells me it was more than a little while since I was at the peak of physical perfection. I may have even gained a few pounds over the years which I blame on unfair genetics and certainly not my poor diet, lack of exercise, and sedentary lifestyle. Did I tell you I went to my Kindergarten Reunion? It was terrible. All everyone talked about was how much weight I’d gained since they last saw me. So, we’ve confirmed that time has indeed passed. But does that mean that I’m old? When a membership invitation for AARP arrived in my mail, I did not think so. After putting on my reading glasses and verifying that it was indeed my name on the envelope, I threw it away in disgust. Obviously, a clerical error of some type. But then I received another… And another… And another… All told, I believe I was the recipient of nearly 678 AARP invites, which led me to believe that perhaps they did not agree that this was sent in error. So, I started to look them over. Did you know that AARP members get discounts on dining, travel, entertainment, insurance, technology, and much more? Your membership includes a bimonthly magazine, free hearing tests, savings on prescriptions and a personalized sign that says, “Get off my lawn!”. Did I mention the free trunk organizer just for joining? This was the first time that I realized that getting older might have some benefits. While I’m certainly not there yet, a time when I might be able to retire doesn’t seem like it’s in some absurdly far-off future anymore. I may even look at setting a tentative date and starting a “Countdown to Retirement” calendar, unless AARP already has one I can download. Did I mention the free trunk organizer? But does joining AARP (which I most certainly did- again, trunk organizer!) mean that I’m officially old? I do not believe so, but let’s continue to investigate. We have all heard the adage, “You are only as old as you feel”. Some days I feel 25 and some days I feel 95, so that’s a bit inconclusive. Simon and Garfunkel sang, “I am older than I once was, and younger than I’ll be”. It sounds profound, but is it really? Not very helpful in this case either. I checked several other famous quotes looking for some definitive insight onto whether I am old or not. “It’s not how old you are, but how you are old”- Jules Renard. Jules was a French author who died at 46, so not really a credible source. “Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been”- Jimmy Buffet. I like Jimmy, but that dude’s been 19 his whole life, so what does he know about getting old? “The best tunes are played on the oldest fiddles!”- Ralph Waldo Emerson. This sounds exactly like something an old person would say. “Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!”- Ingrid Bergman I have never climbed a mountain, so I cannot confirm this. “Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional!”- Walt Disney Ok, this one seems a little more on point. Perhaps age doesn’t have to dictate how immature I can continue to act? “Act your age.”- Everyone who knows me Wait, I’m confused again. “It’s important to have a Twinkle in your Wrinkle”. I am 100% sure this is a sign you can buy from the Hallmark Store. “You know you’re getting old when you stop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.”- George Burns This one is very accurate, and I am feeling attacked. “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.”- George Burns George Burns again? I really like this one. If anyone understood getting older, it was this guy. He lived to be 100! I’m starting to see a theme here. Getting older and being old are not the same thing. Perhaps my age is not always relevant. It most certainly is when I can save money on an early bird special or pay a lower price for my movie tickets, but maybe when it comes to what I think of myself and what I still have to accomplish in my life, it means nothing. I know that getting older has challenges, but so did being young and stupid. I need to work a little smarter, eat a little healthier, move a little more often, and take the time to enjoy where I am, where I’m going, and where I’ve been. To finish up here on a final quote: “The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.”- Robert Frost Now this might sound crazy, but my guess here is that Mr. Frost isn’t talking about the time of day at all. He might just be using a writing technique called a “metaphor”, where he isn’t being literal with his description, but is making a point about aging. Hopefully, I’m learning more every day as I get older as well. And while I begrudgingly accept that I may be getting older, I am definitely not getting old. And we’ve already confirmed that getting older has many benefits. Did I mention the free trunk organizer? Until next time- Be Well and Stay Safe, Uncle Steve

(This was written for my Twitter Account (@JustAGuy66), but I never posted it) Let me begin by repeating something I’ve said many times in the past, I am an idiot. Please keep that in mind if you decide to continue wading through this writing. To save time, I will disclose my deep dark secret right away. I am a fan of the Harry Potter Franchise and have played many of the games over the years (I especially liked the Lego Harry Potter series). I understand that this may have shocked some of you, but hopefully you are still reading, otherwise I’ve wasted 10 minutes writing this for nothing. The first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, came out in 1997. The first video game based on that film was released for Game Boy, PlayStation and Windows in 2001. After “liking” Tweets that criticized the transgender community as early as 2017, the first inciteful (not to be confused with insightful) comments by the series author, “She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named”, began trickling out a few years later. I will not attempt to represent what she said, what she meant, or what she said she said she meant. I could not possibly do it justice. Simply put, it wasn’t anything good and regardless of her reasoning, it hurt a lot of people that felt personally attacked by a very prominent figure that created a world that many of them had escaped to for decades. I can tell you personally, that being a hugely popular and influential public figure is a tremendous responsibility. The dozens of people who read my Twitter and Facebook posts or watch my finely crafted videos, put their trust in me to provide informative and entertaining content. They are often disappointed, but that is something that they have also come to expect. Having attained this celebrity status has in no way made me more intelligent or capable in commenting on anything of import, so expecting my views to carry more weight solely because I’m so popular and universally beloved is a mistake. In fact, the more time I spend playing games, the less I devote to developing a better comprehension of the things that are meaningful in our world. I know this about myself and so I typically refrain from offering up actual opinions on anything of substance (meme posts require less thought). When you know that you are an idiot, it never hurts to remind yourself every now and then before someone else does. But occasionally, I ignore my own better judgement and speak out when I feel the situation demands it. In these rare instances, I chose to add my voice to issues that I felt particularly vested in. What instances you ask? Well, in the past I have chosen to take such risky positions as: Wearing a mask during a Pandemic is not really a thing to get mad about; Sexual harassment is bad; Hurting people just for being different than you is wrong; Pineapple on pizza should result in a fine; and Letting people live their lives however the hell they choose to when it doesn’t affect you in any way shape or form, is called being human. I know, wild stuff here. So, when another celebrity speaks out in a way that hurts an entire community, the backlash that it creates is as predictable as when I embarrass my kids on Twitter. You never know when it’s going to happen, you just know eventually it will. The issues that “She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named” created with her comments and support of anti-trans rhetoric are far beyond my competency level to discuss with the respect they deserve, and that isn’t my specific focus today. What I did want to touch on is this. Engaging with material that was created by a person or company that has behaved terribly in the past is interpreted as supporting that person or company. This is not new. Yes, Hogwarts Legacy is the current hot topic because of its amazing popularity and mainstream release. This type of widespread boycott has been targeted at many people, companies, and countries over a very long period. It can be a very effective means of protest and a powerful weapon to enact social change. The Boston Tea Party was a boycott. Boycotts and protests helped overthrow Apartheid in South Africa and were instrumental in the Civil Rights movement in the 50s and 60s. Gandhi used them effectively against the British occupation in India and consumer boycotts have helped change the workplace for the better for centuries. The US boycotted the 1980 Olympics in protest of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and four years later, Russia boycotted the 1984 Olympics as a protest against the traffic in Los Angeles. In 1966, John Lennon commented that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. If you’re not old enough to remember this, It didn’t go over well. In 2003, The Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks) were blacklisted for comments they made criticizing President Bush and the invasion of Iraq. It also didn’t go over well. In 1933 Germany, there was a widespread boycott of all Jewish owned businesses. All protests and boycotts are not the same. There is nothing wrong with using your voice or your choice to affect change. It is one of the fundamental rights that this country was founded on for a reason. What I do have are concerns over the way many of those who do not choose to join the boycotts are treated by those who do. I own Dr. Seuss books. This does not mean that I approve or condone the content of every one of Dr. Seuss’s writings or some of his very questionable behaviors late in life. I sometimes eat at Chick-fil-A. I honestly hope this is not interpreted as my supporting any agenda that is “anti” towards any group. I own a foreign car. I don’t hate America. I have been a big fan of comic books my entire life. Since the industry began, comic books have often been guilty of being racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and much worse. At times, they have also tried to lead the movement for social change and equality that society desperately needed. Reading comic books does not in itself make me a member of either the negative or positive side of their history. It just means I enjoy indulging in this form of entertainment. My actions in my life, my treatment of others, and my behavior as a whole should be a much more clear indication of my value (or lack thereof) as a person. If you choose to judge me (and for all the Christians in the audience, I will refer you to Matthew 7:1-2), then at least do it with as informed a picture as possible. Isn’t judging and mistreating others for not thinking and acting the way you want them to what got us here in the first place? Not every choice should be so simply defined and not everyone sees things the way you or I might. And that’s ok. Close to home, Blizzard Entertainment has a past that includes harassment and abuse on an epic level, almost like they were working hard on earning an achievement badge for it. I happen to take these things very personally for obvious reasons. The fact that I still play games from this company is not a statement of support for any past or present failures. It is the notion that I can call out injustice and advocate for the changes that are obviously still needed, while enjoying games that were made by so many faultless individuals and that add value to my life. To those currently angered by the players and streamers of Hogwarts Legacy, I firmly believe you have every right to feel how you feel. You can advocate for others to join you and boycott the game and explain exactly why you know this is the right thing for everyone to do. I respect you for your convictions and would never believe I can completely understand how this must affect you. What I don’t agree with is the behavior by some that crosses that line, which include wishing any type of financial, emotional, or physical harm to befall those who don’t decide to join in. Life is tough enough as it is, and games are often one of the only escapes that allows it to be just a little less difficult. Don’t think that all those playing may not also be willing advocates and supporters for what’s right. We can be both. Be Well and Stay Safe, Uncle Steve

“What the Heck am I Doing Anyway?” For those of you who might be here reading my not-as-frequent-as-I-would-like “Thoughts for Thursday” for the first time, let me take a minute to catch you up. My name is Stephen Georgiou (Pronounced STEE VEN as God intended, not STEH FEN as the basketball player would have you believe), and I opened a local computer sales and service shop way back in 1996, called Computer Greeks. Computers had only been invented a few months earlier, but I was a big fan right from the start. I had intended to spend my days immersed in super fun video games and playing for a living, but instead found myself having to work a real job doing real grown-up things and spending far too much time having to figure out how to keep a business open that I was ill prepared to run. I’ve never been known for making smart decisions. The business grew. We got busy. People wanted us to fix stuff and sell things and answer hard questions and I spent a lot of time doing my best not to look confused and panicked. I believe this is officially known as “Being an Adult”. I don’t know about all y’all (a colloquial term frequently used in the South, and I am from the South Suburbs you know), but there ain’t much about me that’s adult-ish. I’m pretty much the same irresponsible idiot I was at 16. I’m just more afraid of acting like it than I was all those (far too many) years ago. Maybe that’s what being an adult is? Over the years, you screw up so much and you see the consequences so often, that you become too terrified of messing up anymore and you stop doing the dumb stuff. You still want to be lazy and careless and self-indulgent, but you don’t allow yourself to because you’re ultimately the one that must deal with the fallout. When you’re younger, your parents are there for all the nonsense you create and usually bail you out, so you don’t have to worry about it. That’s what parents are for, right? Well sadly, I opened Computer Greeks (located at 12222 S Harlem Ave in Palos Heights open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm- Closed Sundays) four short months after my dad passed away, so I had lost that safety net that had always been there for me. If I had realized that having to fix your own mistakes was not much fun, I might have made distinctly different choices back then. Like running away and joining a Circus. That always sounded like fun. Well, 27 years later, and I’m still the same dope I was when this started. I’ve just done it for so long, I make it look like I know what I’m doing. I don’t. I think that’s the secret to being an adult. Faking it. It’s just when you’ve done it so long, you get good at it. I would love to see what someone who actually knew what they were doing could have accomplished all this time, but I guess you’re stuck with me. The store is still there, and after 27 years, I guess that’s not nothing. We’re still the best computer shop in the world. Again, a pretty nice accomplishment that has little to do with me and much more to do with the people who have been kind enough to work there all this time. And like far too many small businesses, it’s still a challenge every month to keep going. I’ve never been able to figure out the secret to being successful, and no one wants to share it with me. I doubt I’d understand it if they did. Anyway, all caught up? Great! I was worried I was going to slip into far too much self-pity there for a minute. Back to my current TfT (Thoughts for Thursday for you noobs). What the Heck am I Doing Anyway? The answer is quite simple. Like everyone else, I’m doing the best job that I can. I still fake being an adult every day. I still do my best not to look confused and panicked. I still work hard to make sure I’m doing what I should and not falling into my lazy irresponsible phase if I can help it. Like right now for instance. I could be playing one of several video games I have lined up to try out, but instead, I’m writing this pile of nonsense just for you. You’ll have to decide if I made the right choice or not. Until next time… Be Well and Stay Safe, Uncle Steve

Bea Returns for a Special Thoughts for Thursday Since it has been almost exactly 3 years since I last asked my GrandDog Bea to take over my TfT, I figured it was long overdue. Let’s see how she’s doing and what new thoughts she has for everyone. 1. Grrrrd morning once again humans. 2. I am much bigger than last time I write this. Soon I will be like my hero, Clifford. But cuter. 3. My humans often bring friends to visit me. It is best part of their day. 4. Last night I hear big noise when everyone sleeping. I do my job and alert humans to big noise. I am not appreciated. 5. Attention please! Give me your attention. That is the message. 6. TV dogs must be borked at. It is a rule. 7. Since last time I write this, I take my humans outside much more. Going out is fun, but staying home is still funner. 8. Sometimes I will make borks at nothing. This is a rehearsal. 9. The best things in life are free. Like belly rubs. 10. I am confused why my humans treasure my poop so much. They collect all of it for some secret reason. This is a concern. 11. Bath is a four letter word. 12. I am sure the squirrels are plotting something terrible. I will keep observing them. 13. I asked you to stop with the fireworks. Why do I have to tell you again? 14. I have so many toys. I give extras to shelter puppies. This is a good thing. 15. My very best friend that lived with me, the cat called “Radar”, does not come to play anymore. I miss him. My humans were very sad the day he left. I did my best to make them happy, but sometimes sad wins. 16. Love with your whole self, and bite anyone who doesn’t. 17. My hair covers everything. It is my gift to you. 18. We found a ball at the park today. It was a great day. 19. There was a chimkin nugget left alone on a plate. It is now missing. No other information is available. 20. I think humans are like my toys, no matter how tough they look, if you tear them open, you find a tiny squeaker inside. 21. My human only had one bag for our walk today, but I had two poops. They are not good at maths. 22. If you leave this room to go to another, I will go with. Everything is more fun together. 23. So many smells, so little time. 24. My human forgot they had already given me dinner and gave me second dinner. Best. Day. Ever. 25. My humans keep making me do videos for them. I deserve a raise. 26. Today I did many naps. Worked out great. I will try this again tomorrow. 27. All dogs are good, but only a few are great. Like me for instance. 28. I found a good stick today but it broke in half. Now I have two sticks! 29. A new person we met on our walk today did not pet me. My human says that’s ok. I do not agree. 30. Car rides are the best thing. Except when we go to the one they call the Vet. This is not the best thing. 31. I still do not know who the good girl is they keep asking about. The mystery continues. Thanks for the help, Bea! Until next time, Be Well and Stay Safe Uncle Steve

A Very Happy Thoughts for Thursday Everyone!!! Just a reminder that Computer Greeks (located at 12222 S Harlem Ave in Palos Heights) is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm for all your tech needs and we are always delighted to see you (ok, not all of you, but most of you. Ok, many of you. Some of you…) In case you didn’t know after all these years of my TfT “Thoughts for Thursday” ramblings, I have two amazing children: My daughter, Cora and my son, Sage. I’m sure you are all familiar with my GrandDog Bea (she’s absolutely my favorite, but don’t let my kids know). Today is a very special day. It is my son’s birthday and two days ago was my daughter’s. I have always thought it was very cool how that worked out. I enjoy that the dates are so close together for many reasons. 2 years and 2 days difference in their ages has a nice ring to it after all and it makes trying to remember how old they are a little easier. If you guess right on the one, the math to figure out the other isn’t that hard and before you think to criticize if I don’t always remember their ages right away, I’m pretty sure they know, so it isn’t like we aren’t able to find out eventually. And I haven’t even mentioned how convenient it is. While you would agree that it’s easy to forget one of your kid’s birthdays (I’m sure we’ve all done it once or twice- right?), it’s a little harder to forget both. (Not impossible mind you, but definitely harder.) I mean, one kid or the other is probably going to say something like: “Hey dad, try not to forget our birthday’s again like you did last year, ok?” or “How can you even call yourself a parent?” “Do you have any idea how emotionally scarred we both are and who’s going to pay for all this therapy I need anyway?” or something along those lines. (Kids say the cutest things.) Having their birthdays so close together just makes perfect sense, for example: You only need to go shopping once. If you shop selectively, you can even give them a single gift and tell them they need to share. “How are we supposed to share a pair of socks dad?” You each get to wear one or just take turns. It’s not that hard to figure out and it teaches valuable life lessons. Another reason, you only need to buy one card. Just write both names at the top and since they are two years apart, I would always get a card that was the average of their ages. For example, when they were 8 and 10, I would get one that said Happy 9th Birthday- see, simple! (Quick Tip- you can get two cards at the Dollar Store for $1, and if you need to cross out “Bar Mitzvah” and write in “Birthday”- most kids can’t read anyway, so who cares?) It works the same way with a cake. “Hapy 9 B-day CorSag” (You pay by the letter for those cake decorations- what a scam). Parties were a little bit trickier having a boy and a girl that often had very different interests growing up. I still remember when they were 7 and 5 years old. Cora was really into Mermaids and Sage loved Science experiments, so we had a Fish Fry party that I think worked really well for both. I was even able to get a bunch of plates and napkins from Long John Silver’s for free that fit the theme perfectly. It takes a little effort to make it all work, but the look on their faces really made everything worthwhile. Sure, to the average observer, their faces might have looked like Shock and Terror, but I still say Awe and Wonder look very similar. I understand that at this point, many of you are thinking this all sounds really great Uncle Steve, but my kid’s birthdays aren’t close together like yours, so how does any of this help me? Now listen closely, here’s the secret: Kids have no idea when they were born. If you start early on, their birthdays can be whenever you want them to be. In reality, Cora’s birthday is in April and Sage’s is in September or November or one of those “ember” months, I think. When they were little, it became obvious that one party was easier and cheaper than two and moving the date to early August was just economically smart planning. It didn’t interfere with school and there were no other big holidays in August to conflict with like many of the “ember” months. My birthday is in May, so it wouldn’t work out with Cora’s in April because my birthday often takes 2-3 months of planning and preparation to pull off the event that I deserve. So, if your kids are young enough, get started now. And if your kids are a little older and already know when you’ve been celebrating, just tell them that they were adopted and you just found out what their real birthdays are and need to shift them around right away. Tell them it’s the law. Kids don’t know laws any more than they know their birthdays. (Another Quick Tip: If you celebrated their birthdays in the last 12 months, you get to skip their next “real birthday” and pick up with the following year. It’s like a birthday credit.) That’s all the time I have for today except to wish both of my kids a Very Happy Birthday! One of the great things about my “Thoughts for Thursday” (besides how amazingly entertaining they always are) is they don’t charge by the letter, and this totally counts as a Card and Present all in one- so I’m covered for another year. Until next time, Be Well and Stay Safe Uncle Steve

Here are my Thoughts for Thursday: Still keeping with our limited schedule, we are open today from 2pm to 6pm. As I described last week, the locked door thing is still a thing so don't hurt yourselves pulling on the heavy metal rectangle with a handle, it won't move until 2pm today. Note that our clocks are synchronized with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and as such there can be no debate regarding what you think the time is if we do not agree. Our clocks have the final say including the one in my office that I haven't gotten around to setting ahead for daylight savings time yet. I need to stand on top of my desk to get to it and seriously, I could break a hip or something and so instead I just do the advanced calculations to compute the correct time which again is irrefutable. Tomorrow is May 1st (I verified this with the NIST) the next day (Saturday) is May 2nd (More on this later). Beginning tomorrow, we will require anyone wanting to enter Computer Greeks to be wearing a Face Mask or Face Covering of some type. Calm down, I'm not finished. I realize this is a point of contention for many people. Some believe that the coverage of the Pandemic is overblown and the media are promoting fear for the sake of ratings like that would ever happen. Those holding to this opinion feel that the Stay at Home Order and the limits placed on their personal freedom are an example of the government overstepping their power, again- as if our leaders would ever want that. Others feel that the safeguards in place are reasonable and need to be enacted to provide all of us with the best possible outcome to a terrible situation. I have spent the last 24 years as a business owner working hard to keep the ?#@! out of political arguments for 2 main reasons. 1- Because my opinion about most things isn't something anyone should live their lives by (with all things computers and tech being the obvious exception- in this area I am a god! (A god, not the God), and B- It's a Lose/Lose situation for my business. If I say I like Pizza with Ham and Pineapple on top (This is an example and may or may not be my actual opinion) I will offend all of those who detest such a lifestyle choice. If I claim Pizza with Ham and Pineapple on top is an abomination (again, an example) then I have a group of protesters outside my store because I chose to discriminate against someone based on their choice of toppings. So for the most part I keep quiet and stick to my job. This is not the case in this instance and the choice we need to make seems clear, even for those who don't agree they are necessary. Early on during the initial spread of this nightmare, someone said something that stuck with me and I'm sure I'm not getting the quote exactly right but it was to the effect- We may never know if we overreacted with all of the restrictions and measures being put into place, but we will most certainly know if we did too little. There it is. Too Much vs Too Little. Which is worse. Staying home all the time sucks. Not having the freedom to go where you want how you want is no fun. Having a business that can't be open or is limited in what it can do is a nightmare both financially and for my blood pressure. I get it. I live it. Everyday, all day, and twice on Sundays. It's still the right thing to do for everyone. You're not wearing a mask for you, you're wearing it for me, and the others who work at Computer Greeks, and the grocery store and your family. It's an inconvenience, but one we can live with. Eventually this will get better. We will tell stories to our kids and grandkids about 2020 that they will never believe and that will be something to look forward to. But we need to get there first. So, to sum up: Need Mask - Mask Good - No Mask, No Entry even when the Big Metal Door is supposed to yield to your mighty pull. I have placed another necessary barrier in your way that I know you can overcome. I believe in you! And finally, as I mentioned so long ago at the beginning of this "Thoughts for Thursday" message, May 2nd is the day after May 1st. It is also, My Birthday. I will be celebrating at home, wondering where all of the years have gone, worrying about my increasing weight and decreasing hairline, and spending most of the day being genuinely thankful for everything I have had in my life. My family (shout out!), friends, health, and this business and its amazing customers. I will be gratefully accepting all warm thoughts, well wishes, and monetary donations that can be sent to my PayPal or Venmo accounts. Have a Great Day All! Stephen Georgiou Tech god (again, a god not the God, small g, please don't protest)