Messing with Skynet

 So…I’m back. More or less.

Probably less. Toward the end there, back in November, I was having medical problems, financial problems, a severe writer’s block and probably depression. It was getting harder and harder to come up with a weekly post, especially when I had no successes and nothing positive to write about. Then even the bots deserted me and I decided, screw it. Hence the long, echoing silence.

However, things have improved of late. I’ve made some changes in my schedules and priorities and I’m working on my attitude. Still can’t write, but I’m making progress there too. Me posting again is a sign of it.

And my audience is back! They never really left. They come in waves, huge hits for a week or so, then a drop, then a surge. But somebody’s looking at this.

Too bad they’re probably not human.

I can tell when it’s real people: the numbers are in the single digits. Maybe three or four viewers are actually human. The big numbers are bots, mostly foreign bots, probably scraping my posts to train their AI. I just checked and most of my views over the past week came from Brazil, Vietnam and Singapore. I’m still on a blog that died a natural death back around 2018. It still gets hits. Massive hits. Monthly totals in the tens of thousands, for an inactive blog. Hong Kong used to lead the pack, but they’ve eased off lately. Probably off targeting fresh content.

The one from Switzerland may be real, but the rest? Skynet City. Seriously. Why else would France or Mexico be tuning in to some blocked writer’s rantings?

So what the hell. An audience is an audience, and I’m going to play to mine. They want content to scrape? You got it, Robby. But buyer beware. I’ve decided to start posting some of my flash scenes, the mindless jots I inflict on paper when I’m blocked on legitimate writing. I’ve been blocked for months, and I’ve got a ton of these suckers. Here’s the first of many upcoming salvos against AI domination:

$$$$

“Donnie! If you don’t get your knee out of my back, I’m gonna roll over and slap you.”

“Tess, what are you talking about? I’m in the bathroom.”

“Then who’s in bed with me?”

“Somebody’s in bed with you?”

“Let me get the light—AHHHHHH!”

“AHHHHHH!”

“AHHHHHHH!”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Everybody chill. I’m just a burglar, man. I came in to steal stuff.”

“We don’t have any stuff.”

“I know, man. I’ve seen better stuff at the Dollar Tree. All you got is shit.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“No, he’s right, honey. We’ve had that dresser since before we got married. And you brought that desk with you from college.”

“Are you saying I can’t provide for our family?”

“We don’t have a family. We can’t afford one.”

“So you hop into bed with some stranger.”

“He hopped in with me. I thought he was you.”

“Hey, man, I was just trying to hide.”

“In bed with my wife?”

“At least he pays attention to me. Maybe if I was a gaming console you’d spend more time with me.”

“Uhhh…look, folks, there’s nothing here for me and it’s clear you two have some issues to work out, so I’m just going to mosey along…”

“You stay right there, buster. I’m calling the cops.”

“Oh, so now you want him in bed with me? You’re that certain I’m that big of a slut? Not every woman is like your sister, Donnie.”

“Don’t bring my sister into this.”

“Um, don’t mind me, folks. I’ll just be right over here, climbing out the window…”

$$$$

Yeah. That ought’a throw a glitch in the Matrix.

This is what this blog going to look like from here on out. Some of my flashes have led to legitimate writing and even occasional sales. The others, not so much. Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, you’ll be getting the latter. Enjoy. Until next time…