For decades we’ve known and experienced automation eating up not only our jobs, but more important, our life and work experiences. For me, working in journalism opened my eyes in ways that normal life could not. I have heard the stories of hundreds of real people over the decades, on three continents, enriching my life immeasurably. . Although not dead yet, journalism is fading quickly and it’s impossible to make a living in this field now for most of us. Local newspapers are struggling. Influencers don’t have to adhere to journalistic rules and methods. One way we can all help is to buy our local newspaper every day or week.

Eventually social media created the “citizen journalist”, someone who doesn’t need to even leave their living room, and the web is filled with talking heads who have never been anywhere. Much of working journalism in cities half the time is liaising with PR agents on the latest brand offerings.

Much of my business work, helping people run businesses, can be executed with an app these days, but people are still wary of putting their books or other sensitive data in an app on their phone. Plus, people will still not take a picture of every receipt with their phone, for the reason they didn’t want to collect physical receipts.

I’ve helped so many artists and creatives start and run businesses and this has given me so much invaluable knowledge and experience that, in future, will get gobbled up by an app and get sent as information to a corporation. We are giving our lives (and work) to corporations instead of each other. How are young people getting the experience they need now? How are they becoming resourceful enough to live a rich life?

What we are losing with automation is not just jobs, but community and we need to get back together, friends.

We are also losing focus. Fewer and fewer people are reading books. People have plenty of time to scroll, but no time to read a book. Book reading broadens the mind the way travel does. If you don’t support your local library it will go away, like your local newspaper. The argument against books (that it uses up trees, a precious resource) seems hypocritical now that we know how endless disposable electronics are using up our precious earth. Books are not disposable. Over the next few weeks, I will be giving away several books a week to the local library.

Finally, here at Upstate Dispatch, I’ve produced hundreds of words and images that may now just be stolen, recycled by AI and used for free, and so I decided to start my own analog project, which appears to be a growing movement. I’d like to use my background in communications for a real life. I opened a studio/gallery to sell real art and words, to real people and invite people into my life physically instead of virtually.

Please join me.

Sunday Letter Writing Project (part of The Analog Project)

SUNDAYS 11am – 1pm, March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th March, 2026

Come and write actual letters or postcards to, or make sketches for, people you haven’t spoken to, or heard from for a while. This group will be guided by me and, perhaps, you! Postcards of my photography will be for sale. Assorted art supplies, pens, printer paper, and small envelopes will be provided. For long fancy letters, bring your own stationery. Suggested donation: $10.

818 Main Street, Margaretville, NY

I look forward to helping you write IRL.

Future Projects coming up in Spring: A Writers’ Room, The Catskills Mandala Project, book club, small works club, and a sketch Club. I will also be highlighting ways to be more analog, if not “go analog”, here in the Catskills.