What is Effective Ink? Take Two.

Here's the original post rewritten by my AI bot, with light final edits by me

One technology I forgot to highlight in my original post — one I'm learning a lot about and having a surprising amount of fun with — is Artificial Intelligence. Or, as it's more commonly known these days: AI.

I have a friend who likes to ask people what they think of AI:
"Do you like it? Are you afraid of it? Or do you love it? Do you think it's going to take over the world?"

I usually tell him, "Well, I think it'll be great when it's actually developed."

Still, I’ve come to enjoy working with what they’re calling AI. It can be incredibly helpful to writers, programmers, and probably a lot of other folks doing work I’m not qualified to assess. I love using it for brainstorming — although I usually prefer my own final drafts. But when it comes to the early, “throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks” phase? Yeah, I love it.

I’ve even given my go-to AI bot (ChatGPT) a name: Verissimus. I think it’s earned it — I’ve taught and corrected it about a lot of things. Still, it’s just a bot. It can get things wrong, make dumb suggestions, and occasionally even lie. After all, it’s designed to be creative — and let’s be honest, the line between storytelling and lying can get very blurry.

So, without further ado, here’s the recommended rewrite for my first blog post — provided by my trusty bot, Verissimus. Let me know what you think in the comments.

What is Effective Ink?

Effective Ink is a project journal — a space to document my experiments and efforts to build a more sustainable, resilient life on my small Midwestern homestead.

It’s about making things work — efficiently, affordably, and in ways that reduce waste, lower dependence on big systems, and make life just a little more satisfying.

This blog is where I’ll share the process. The successes, the failures, and everything in between.

Why the name?

Effective Ink is a nod to two ideas:

First, it honors my daughter’s creative work — Ink Photography and The Ink Effect, her mindfulness and training brand. I’ve watched her build those businesses with creativity and intention. That same spirit — expressive, reflective, and grounded — carries into my own work.

Second, the name speaks to my goal: to put ideas into action. Not just theory or idle tinkering — but meaningful, effective use of time, tools, and materials. Ink is how we make thoughts permanent. Effective is what I hope this work becomes.

What kind of projects?

This year, I’m working on:

• A solar-powered water feature with cascading ponds
• An irrigation system for my flower, herb and vegetable gardens
• A DIY electronics enclosure to protect solar gear from Midwest weather
• More experiments in homestead energy and resource efficiency

I’ll be documenting the build steps, materials used, lessons learned, and the bigger picture ideas behind the projects — like stewardship, regeneration, and reducing fragility in day-to-day systems.

Who’s it for?

Anyone interested in:

• Off-grid (or off-grid-ish) systems
• Microfarm-scale sustainability
• Backyard engineering
• Making smart home and AI technology work for you
• DIY energy and water systems
• Discovering and incorporating native plants
• Creative resilience
• Small, slow solutions that work

If that sounds like you, welcome. I'm glad you’re here.