Category: Journey of Life

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AI and the Universe

How are you feeling about AI lately? Excited? Anxious? A bit bewildered? If you’re like most of us, you’re probably riding a rollercoaster of emotions. That’s completely normal. After all, we’re witnessing the birth of a technology wave that’s set to rival the discovery of the steam engine or the rise of the internet. As a technologist, I find myself marveling at the possibilities. But I also understand the concerns, questions and especially change at this scale. It can feel unsettling.

Today, I want to explore what this is all about, why it matters, and what practical steps we can take.

What is AI, really? Artificial intelligence isn’t just about building clever machines or automating tasks. At its heart, I believe AI is humanity’s bold quest to extend our minds. It is the ultimate tool for understanding ourselves, our world, and the universe beyond. Imagine a technology that doesn’t simply crunch numbers but helps us solve mysteries that have stumped us for generations. The grand purpose of AI is to accelerate discovery, deepen insight, and help every one of us flourish through knowledge.

Will that happen? Is this happening? Absolutely! We’re already seeing AI move from science fiction to real science. It is impacting everything from disease diagnosis to energy production, from weather prediction to artistic expression. Here are some examples that I recently came across that inspired me. Warning here, this is very nerdy content, so feel free to skip to the end if you are so inclined.

  • Solving Biology’s Biggest Puzzle: For decades, predicting a protein’s structure from its amino acid sequence was one of biology’s toughest challenges. This is essentially a problem of physics and chemistry, predicting a stable 3D structure from a 1D amino acid sequence. This painstaking experimental work could take a PhD student their entire doctorate to solve for a single protein. AlphaFold’s AI cracked this puzzle in seconds, transforming structural biology, accelerating advanced drug development, and bringing deeper insight into disease. Its latest version, AlphaFold 3, extends this impact by modeling complex interactions between proteins, RNA, and DNA. This breakthrough suggests a paradigm shift.  While physics can be described by elegant mathematics, biology’s immense complexity may be best understood through AI. It may even unlock the mystery to truly decode life.
  • Taming the Hottest Matter in the Universe: Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) has been applied to control high-temperature plasmas that are hotter than the sun, within tokamak fusion reactors. Plasma is highly unstable, requiring a controller to predict its behavior and adjust massive superconducting magnetic fields within milliseconds. The AI system created a controller able to contain and hold the plasma in specific shapes for record amounts of time, successfully addressing a bottleneck in fusion research.  By learning to balance magnetic fields in real time, AI edges us closer to abundant, clean energy.
  • Modeling Intuitive Physics and Dynamics: Video generation models like Google’s Veo demonstrate an ability to reverse-engineer physics from passive observation (e.g., watching YouTube videos). They accurately model complex dynamics such as liquids, specular lighting, and materials flow. This capability suggests these models are learning an underlying structure, or a “lower dimensional manifold” of the very nature of all creation and our reality. That’s mind-blowing! It is fundamental to building generalized understanding and may even unlock the mysteries of our universe.
  • Advancing Quantum Chemistry and Materials: AI is learning to approximate solutions to Schrödinger’s equation, enabling us to simulate the quantum behavior of electrons with remarkable efficiency. This breakthrough is vital for materials science, as it makes it possible to model the properties of large, complex materials that were previously too costly or computationally intensive to study with traditional methods.
  • Accelerating Algorithmic Innovation: Systems like AlphaEvolve, which blend large language models (LLMs) with evolutionary computing, are already evolving and improving algorithms, finding, for example, faster solutions to complex problems like matrix multiplication. This marks a leap toward intelligent systems that can generate and optimize their own tools. They are evolving themselves. It’s amazing to witness. Yes, I know, also terrifying!

The ultimate aim of creating powerful AI is to build tools that help us. It allows us to better understand the universe and accelerate science to the maximum. If successful, I believe this technology will usher in an era of radical abundance and lead to the profound transformation of the human condition.

Picture a world where disease can be cured mostly in computers, where clean energy is limitless, and where anyone can explore vast new knowledge with the help of an intelligent partner. AI is guiding us towards a time where scarcity, of knowledge, health, and opportunity, can be truly challenged. It’s not about replacing people. It’s about augmenting our potential, surfacing new connections, and igniting a new golden age of discovery. The mission is not to hand over control, but to embrace this power for all humankind. 

As AI continues to reshape our world, I believe we have a responsibility to meet this moment with adaptability, humility, and genuine curiosity. We should be experimenting with new tools, asking bold questions, and venturing beyond familiar boundaries. The most exciting breakthroughs emerge where creativity, technology, and storytelling intersect, so let’s embrace collaboration across disciplines and learn from one another. Above all, let’s serve as ethical stewards, ensuring these innovations benefit everyone, not just ourselves. And as we explore, let’s stay connected to our passions and strengths, blending them with new opportunities to grow, make a difference, and shape a future we can all be proud of.

AI is here, the revolution is real, and the mission is bigger than any one team or company. Let’s approach this with wonder, humility, and courage. Let’s steward this technology toward outcomes that inspire hope and serve the flourishing of all people.

 What will you learn next? What new ideas can you bring? What story do you want to help tell? The future may be unpredictable, but together, we can make it magical.

Let’s build, learn, and dream!

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We are Doomed! How to Rewire for Hope

This post is a bit heavy. If you need to skip it, I won’t mind. I will understand. But if you do read on, I hope you’ll stay with me to the end.

Let’s be honest: things feel pretty bad right now. We have problems. Many people are hurting, frustrated, or scared. Conflicts are erupting in every direction. There are disasters, wars, and pain across the globe. Social media is perpetually buzzing with anger, violence, shocked emotions, and unmitigated outrage. Nothing good is happening, or ever will, it seems. It feels like evil has infected the planet like a parasite and is sucking the life out of us.

Do you ever feel that way? If so, you’re not alone.

I don’t know if you realize it, but it turns out that we are designed to focus on the negative. We fixate on threats, real or imaginary. We tell stories about doomsday and relish revisiting trauma, bad news, and disasters, over and over. This is our natural bias. It’s part of how we’re made.

But why?

Well, I’m sorry to say, it’s because we are human.

Simply put, it helped our ancestors survive. It meant we needed to amplify threats more than rewards. After all, it makes sense: overlooking a predator would be lethal! Forgetting a pleasant sunset or delicious treat wouldn’t matter, but avoiding a treacherous enemy could be a matter of life or death. Our brains have an asymmetrical “negativity bias” to survive. Specifically, the brain’s amygdala (linked to emotion, fear, and threat detection) is highly sensitive and processes negative stimuli much faster than positive ones. Studies show that negative experiences are even encoded in memory more intensely than pleasant ones. That’s why insults stick longer than compliments, and why we prefer to talk about the evil lurking in the clouds of uncertainty rather than the hope of the untapped horizon.

I suppose I could end here. We are built to worry and fret. It’s survival. Optimism is cake without calories and nothing good will come of it. Sorry, everyone. You are doomed. Was that what you were expecting? Ha! Well, I see a ray of hope starting to form on your face, and you don’t even know why. It’s because you know the truth.

Here’s where the story changes, and it’s why I wanted you to read to the end. It turns out that we have more power over ourselves than we give ourselves credit for. It’s true. We hold in our hands the ability to choose. Our natural, survival-tuned human wiring is merely an autopilot that, left unattended, can lead us to despair. But the truth is, we can absolutely take control. Every one of us is equipped with that override. That’s right, you can flip off the autopilot and take the wheel.

In a world full of negativity, doom-scrolling, and reactivity, we can choose a different path. Let’s strive to be the ones who bring light to the darkness, who offer kindness in the face of adversity, who choose to overcome evil with good, and who meet hardship with hope. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t be easy or popular. The autopilot is strong. And this doesn’t mean ignoring struggle or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about being proactive and intentional in our approach. It’s about believing in the magic that we hold in our own hands, to bring out the best in ourselves and each other. It’s about making this a better world.

We have the power to inspire, uplift, and transform lives. Let’s use that power to make a positive impact, not just for ourselves, but for each other, right here, right now. Let’s choose to be the change we want to see in the world. Let’s choose to be the ones who bring joy, who bring hope, and who bring light to ourselves and those around us. I believe in each and every one of you, and I know that, together, no matter what’s happening in the world, we can make a positive difference.

Overcome evil with good.
Choose kindness.
Choose compassion.
Choose to be the spark that ignites a brighter future for us all.

We need it, and the world needs it… now more than ever.

Thank you for being here and helping us make a brighter world!

References & Further Reading

  • Daniel Kahneman — Thinking, Fast and Slow (on the brain’s “autopilot” systems)
  • Baumeister et al., “Bad Is Stronger Than Good,” Review of General Psychology (2001)
  • Viktor Frankl — Man’s Search for Meaning (on hope amid suffering)
  • Romans 12:21 — “Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
  • Desmond Tutu — “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

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Unleashing Impossible Dreams

When Fred first stepped into the world of television, he was surrounded by a medium filled with slapstick, noise, and mindless distraction. Executives told him children’s programming had to be loud, fast, and flashy to work. But he believed something different. He believed children deserved to be listened to, respected, and gently taught about feelings, kindness, and community.

His calm, caring approach seemed impractical, even foolish, compared to what was “working” in the industry. But he cared. He wanted to make a difference. He was willing to do more than others thought was wise. And in doing so, Fred Rogers built one of the most trusted and enduring voices in American life. His story reminds us that real impact often comes from daring to go against the grain.

Claude T. Bissell once put it this way:

“Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible.”

Those words aren’t just inspirational; they’re a roadmap to bold leadership and meaningful work. They are a call to action. Each line pushes us past comfort, beyond convention, and against the current. It says leadership requires energy. It pedals when others just coast. It swims when others float. It defies gravity. It takes the path few dare to take and challenges the rules others refuse to defy. It does the impossible.

Like Fred Rogers, Walt Disney embodied this as well. At a time when most people saw amusement parks as noisy, dirty carnivals, Walt imagined something radically different: a place where families could step into a world of imagination, where Main Street never faded and where fairy tales came to life. He dreamed of creating not just rides, but experiences filled with storytelling, fanciful delight, and an optimistic future.

People laughed at him. They called the project “Disney’s folly.” It was too expensive, too ambitious, too impractical. But Walt didn’t settle for what was safe or what seemed possible. He risked everything, dreamed bigger than anyone thought reasonable and out of that dream came Disneyland, one of the most successful and beloved ventures in history.

Decades later, Steve Jobs carried that same spark. His vision of “a thousand songs in your pocket” sounded impossible, until the iPod transformed not just music, but entire industries.

Every breakthrough begins with someone willing to risk, to care, to dream, and to expect more.

What is your dream? What obstacle is standing in your way? Perhaps there is some fear or trepidation holding you back. Perhaps you have grown comfortable floating down the river of life, and you’ve tucked away your dreams as frivolous follies. Maybe you’ve resigned yourself to expect little, so your hopes are never disappointed. But is that where you want to be?

If you had a magic wand or unlimited power, what impossible thing would you change? What impact would you want to make on your team, your life, your family, or the world? What would you pursue? What would you build or reimagine? And what would you be willing to risk to get there?

Can I offer this observation? The wand is in your hand. You are more powerful than you even know. Use it for good!

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Be the Miracle

Dec. 21, 1968, NASA’s Apollo 8

Jim had seen it all before. As he stared out the portal of the spacecraft at the moon, he remembered the last time he was here. It was Christmas Eve, and he and his crew were in lunar orbit, broadcasting a holiday greeting back to the inhabitants of planet Earth. He remembered looking out at the moon’s surface and seeing the long shadows that the sunrise was casting across its features. It felt as if he could reach out and touch it. He was ready to tread where no one had gone before.

Jim Lovell passed away last week at the age of 97. He was a true pioneer—first to orbit the moon with his crew, and famously the commander of Apollo 13. He dreamed of walking on the moon, and the Apollo 13 mission was meant to make that possible. But as we all know, things didn’t go according to plan. Instead, the mission became a story of crisis: a mid-flight disaster that threatened the lives of the crew. Jim’s quick thinking, together with his crew’s steadfast work, turned near-certain tragedy into an extraordinary story of survival and teamwork. The world watched with bated breath, and there was collective relief and joy when the crew returned safely to Earth.

Jim never set foot on the moon. But he became an inspiration for how to tackle the unexpected. “You can’t suddenly have a problem, and then just, you know, close your eyes and then hope there’s a miracle coming on, because a miracle is something you have to do yourself, or have people to help you.”

It’s easy to see our “moon shot” as our only objective, the sole definition of success. But life has a way of surprising us and changing our plans. When things don’t go as expected, those moments become the true test of our character. They can be the very moments that define us—not by whether we reached the goal we set, but by how we faced the unexpected. It isn’t just about accomplishing the mission, however important that may be, but about how we react and support each other along the way.

As we take on new challenges this week, let’s remember Jim’s example: don’t lose heart when the mission changes. Instead, do something—make a difference. Help someone else. Be the miracle. The measure of success isn’t the destination, but how we respond when the path shifts beneath our feet. Even when you are 234 thousand miles from home.

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Lilibet’s Story

When we first saw her, she was standing at the gate of the animal rescue, looking longingly in our direction. Her red Cocker Spaniel face was whitened with age. Her curly fur coat had been shaved off to relieve the matting that had formed over many years of neglect and weeks on the street. She was an older dog, but her dark, penetrating eyes longed to tell us her story.

Having pets was typically not in the cards for us. Allergies, asthma, and other caregiving responsibilities had steered us away from welcoming an animal into our home. But my girls had slowly convinced Mom and Dad that it was finally time to get a hypoallergenic pup. Their search had led them to Jake, a young male poodle mix at a local rescue shelter. We went to see him. But we quickly learned that Jake had issues from his past that would require isolation and a lot of training. The astute rescue worker suggested we consider an older dog for our first pet. He pointed over at Elizabeth (or Lilibet, as my wife would soon call her), and said, “What about this one?” She sensed our attention and even barked in our direction. He brought her over to us.

She wasn’t much to look at. Her exposed skin was covered in age spots and warts. Her tail was bare. She looked more like a pig than a dog. But we couldn’t help but smile at her. She crawled over to us and quietly laid down, looking up at us—begging to find a spot to settle into our lives. It worked. After a “family meeting” at the local Starbucks, we were convinced that she was the one. When we stopped to pick her up, she nearly ran to our vehicle. With her short legs, she struggled to get into the van, but she had no problem working her way into our hearts.

Now, as many of you pet owners already know, we quickly discovered the toll pets can take on your pocketbook: food, toys, snacks (because food again), ridiculous outfits, and of course, vet visits. This is especially true with the many medical issues older dogs can encounter. But I have to confess—it was worth it. After some treatment and care, she was soon enjoying her golden years, with a full fur coat and a happy, panting smile. She quickly became a member of the family. She loved walks, pup cups at Starbucks, and helping Dad fix breakfast on Saturday mornings. She didn’t even mind the many costume changes the girls picked out for her—from Christmas sweaters to Halloween hats—she put up with all of it. We took her everywhere. She would oblige any request and pant happily.

Over the past few months, her advanced years and harsh life seemed to catch up with her. She moved more slowly. Arthritis had become more serious, and her energy was low. She had lost her hearing, and we suspected her eyesight was fading too. She slept a lot. But she would occasionally spring to life and go on a perimeter check of the house or the yard. She began to stop and stare into the distance—or look directly at us. It was a different look, like someone succumbing to exhaustion, yet incredibly grateful for the love and care she had been given. We noticed that she eventually started to circle in place, as if she were trying to find a comfortable spot to rest. Sadly, the sunset of her golden years was beginning its final approach. Two weeks ago, she made one final circle, laid down, and drifted off into eternity.

We miss her. We are sad. But we are also grateful to have had Lilibet in our lives for a brief time. We do grieve but we remember that grief is the enduring echo of love. Yes, the heart hurts—but it reminds us of the preciousness of the time we have with each other and the love we share. It encourages us to record every moment, savor the journey, and give even more of ourselves and our time to others.

A path without grief is a path without love. Our time with Lilibet reminded me of that. Some of the greatest joys in life can be unlocked if you take time to love, to rescue, to care for someone else—even a pet. Open your heart to another. We need more of that. I suspect we are made for that. Life is short. We can make the most of it by loving, selflessly giving of ourselves, and enjoying the days we have. They pass by fast. Don’t miss the chance to live, to love, to care—and to be cared for. Expect heartbreaks ahead, but they are worth it. Love is the greatest gift of life. Unwrap it with all your heart!

Our First Meeting
Welcome Home!
Winter Walk!
Helping Dad with Breakfaster
Doing the Dishes
Party time!
Starbucks Pup Cup Treats!
Dressed for Halloween
Keeping the Paparazzi at Bay
Holiday Baking Lessons
Happy Girl!
Road Trip!
Doggie Social Media Post
Trying on New Sweaters!
Spring Dreaming!
Canine Coder!
Lilibet’s Family
Our Sweet Lady

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Beyond the Horizon

The sun blazed down on us, and the road seemed to stretch on forever. Last week we took a road trip to Tulsa to meet with family and celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday.  As we drove across the Mojave, the road seemed to stretch out as far as the eye could see. Bounded on both sides of the road were rolling piles of sand and rock. Just ahead, it looked as though someone had taken a putty knife and smoothed out a pallet of sand up toward the undulating hills just on the horizon. 

The hot desert road ahead looked like a gray ribbon placed on the tan, sage speckled landscape. It disappeared into a sharp point on the horizon and seemed to pierce the sky. The heavens were pouring out all over the road. The cool, watery blue sky had drained down into the otherwise hot and dry roadway, well beyond the horizon. It felt like if I kept driving, I would fall into the sky. It was uncanny! I had an incredible sense of power at that moment. I felt like we could rocket our way into the silvery blue pool of the celestial realm. I couldn’t help but wonder, how was this possible?

It turns out that an illusion like what I saw can occur when a hot surface like the road superheats the air just above it. The air becomes much hotter than the air just a few feet higher. This creates a steep temperature gradient — hot air below, cooler air above. Light travels faster in warmer, less dense air than in cooler air. As light rays from the sky travel downward and enter the hotter air near the road, they bend upward toward your eyes. This refraction is interpreted by our eyes as reflection, so I see the sky somehow pouring onto the road. Well, too bad. I was really hoping we could drive into that crystal blue oasis.

Instead of treading tracks on the celestial firmament, we eventually curved over the horizon and into “Holy Moses Wash”. If you have ever taken a trip across the country on Interstate 40, you will remember this surreal spot. It is located just south‑west of Kingman, Arizona. It’s massive and stark. It’s adorned with signature high desert rugged rocks and sun-scorched plants, but at a huge scale. The road climbs up the steep grades and curves around the enormous cliffs and boulders. Semi-tractor trailer trucks that previously seemed intimidating, now looked like matchbook cars from a kid’s playset. 

Cars and trucks were slowly crawling like ants up the rusty red and burnt orange slopes. Towering above us, I noticed several precariously perched boulders — ten times the size of the cars below. It was humbling. I felt so small! The scene all around us was overwhelming and I couldn’t help but be awestruck in the moment. Holy Moses! It was incredible. I felt that wonder wash over me in a peaceful moment of reverence. 

What an incredible shift in perspective! From a moment of significance of taking flight into the sky, to being brought back down to earth, in a moment of overwhelming humility. It occurs to me that life is just like that road. We drive along and discover wonders that raise our spirits and aspirations. We soar into the sky, drinking in the silvery milk of the heavens. Then at the next moment, we round the corner and are shaken to our core. Reality sets in and we realize how relatively small we are in the scheme of all things. It’s grounding. It’s comforting. And it’s utterly captivating.

Life has ups and downs. You never know what’s just ahead. It may be a rough patch, or a smooth one, but something different is on its way. Keep going. When it hands you a cup of silvery blue, dream into it. Drink it up and enjoy it. When it sets you in your place, be in awe and feast on the incredible and boundless nature of the universe. But no matter what, keep driving. There is more to come, just over the horizon.

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Pursue Happiness

I hope you all had a great Fourth of July! It was warm here in SoCal with clear skies. At the Cox house, our celebration for the USA’s 249th birthday was filled with the typical fare of summer culinary delight. Watermelons, hamburgers, hotdogs, chili, and chips. I was happy to have all our kids here, including our grand-dog. We had a good time together. We enjoyed sweet summer treats and celebrated life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The pursuit of happiness. I love that phrase. It reminds us that happiness is a mission, an optimistic way of life, not an accomplishment. It is a continuous journey, not merely a destination to be won or attained. We pursue it and unlock its rewards by placing one foot in front of the other. In a lot of ways, it may seem like happiness is a myth, a fantasy or reality distortion field. But I propose that it is an energy. Plugging in to this source requires deliberate effort and intent. The stream of happiness is all around us. But do we choose to dip our toes into it? Do we run into the deep waters with laughter, joy, and excitement? Can our hands scoop up the tranquility and euphoria that flows by our days?

Pursue happiness. Can I suggest that you pause for a few minutes right now? I know there is a lot going on. My calendar is rocky with sharp and dry edges too. There are plenty of demands and needs all around. But to navigate the treacherous journey that this day may bring, we need energy. We need oxygen. We need a dose of happiness. 

The good news is that happiness is nearby. We just need to capture it and enjoy it. Pause. Look around. Breathe in and out. Feel the tranquility of life settle on you for a moment. Close your eyes. That glowing ember just in front of you is the heart of happiness. Do you see it? Reach out and grab hold of it. That merriment is meant for you. Drink it in! All of it. Celebrate the contentment of the moment. Here, right now, there is peace. There is joy. Now breathe again and open your eyes. Go ahead, let that smile take over your face. You plugged in to happiness and are powered to go into the day. Go make it a great one!

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The Overview Effect

I can’t even imagine what it must feel like. You are 420 kilometers above the earth and traveling at a speed of 28,000 kph. That’s over 22 times the speed of sound! Looking out into space you see stars and galaxies populate the otherwise pitch-black void. Your mind reaches for those distant specks while it swims in the vastness of the universe. Turning to face your home planet, you see Earth wrapped in a dark blanket of night. Faint lights paint the cities and a tiny translucent golden arch floats above the circular surface of the Earth’s horizon. You begin to make out some of the continents and oceans, tracing the manmade illumination across the coasts.

Suddenly, the horizon begins to erupt with energy. First, some blues and deep reds drip into view, then vibrant yellows spray across the surface. Brilliant whites flood your portal as the sun enters the stage. You now spot wisps of clouds and atmospheric rivers that radiate the sun’s majestic dance and render a surreal dimension onto the vibrant crystal blue and green globe. You are suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Tears fill your eyes as you behold the glowing globe of water, land, and life below. It is home. Your home. Our home. Our wonderful world of color. Majestic, vast, and singularly alone in the surrounding vastness of outer space.

Astronauts report a life changing emotional experience when they look back at the Earth for the first time. Scientists call this the “overview effect”. It seems to be tied to the sense of scale, the majestic view and an overwhelming connection with the planet and its people.

NASA and others have attempted to virtually replicate this experience for the rest of us. Sadly, traditional display technology, even with scale, high resolution, and dynamic range, doesn’t quite capture the same look. Astronauts report it doesn’t quite look or feel the same. It turns out, there is a good reason. Digital reproduction of visual experiences is currently limited by RGB technology.

RGB attempts to render the spectrum via red, green, and blue wavelengths. This seems adequate in most cases because it roughly maps to the signal processing of our eyes. Our eyes have three “cones”, specialized cells that have light-sensitive proteins that react to different wavelengths of light. Yes, you probably guessed it, we have one that reacts to red, one to green and another to blue. However, it tuns out that it isn’t just a single wavelength that excites these cones, it is a curve, a spectrum of wavelengths, sometimes overlapping with other cones. Standard RGB technology sends out similar curved spectrums of light. However, it has gaps. It can only produce about 45 percent of the visible colors that our eyes will detect.

There are companies like 6P Color that are looking to expand beyond the RGB technology to deliver a richer fidelity of color experience. They do so by focusing the color spectrum into more narrow bands and adding cyan, magenta, and yellow wavelengths. Working with NASA, they speculated that if they were able to accurately reproduce the images from space of the Earth, they may be able to better simulate the overlook effect. It turns out, they were right. When astronauts saw the expanded color spectrum displays, they reported the same feeling and view they had when orbiting our planet from space. How is this possible? It turns out that one of the colors especially, cyan, excites the proteins in the cones so much so that it creates an emotional response to the scene.

Colors can evoke emotions, convey meaning, and create atmosphere. Color is a powerful tool in our storytelling arsenal. It can awaken memory. It can stir passion and energy. It can soothe, calm, and heal the mind and body. Just as cyan can amplify the overlook effect, other colors can bring foreboding, fear, mystery, relaxation, and affection. We have been telling stories in color for quite some time. It turns out, we can tell even more. Just add some cyan, magenta, and yellow.

It occurs to me that we often find ourselves locked into practices, current understandings, and technology. We think it is good enough. After all, it does 45% of what we want. And yes, that may be adequate for a while. But why settle? The full spectrum is there, waiting to be explored. Lean into cyan, embrace some magenta and adopt some yellow. See what happens!

Let’s continue to look beyond the obvious. Explore new possibilities. Challenge the status quo. Who knows what incredible discoveries, innovations, and experiences wait for us. I bet it will be out of this world!

ss072e340644 (Nov., 18, 2024) --- An orbital sunrise crowns Earth's horizon in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above Brazil. At top right, the city lights of Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo on the Atlantic coast are visible from the orbital outpost.
(Nov., 18, 2024) — An orbital sunrise crowns Earth’s horizon in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above Brazil. At top right, the city lights of Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo on the Atlantic coast are visible from the orbital outpost.
iss064e033237 (Feb. 15, 2021) --- An orbital sunrise is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles southwest of Mexico. Date Created:2021-02-15
(Feb. 15, 2021) — An orbital sunrise is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles southwest of Mexico.
iss066e152101 (Feb. 22, 2022) --- The Earth is illuminated shortly after an orbital sunrise in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 above the Pacific Ocean south of Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
(Feb. 22, 2022) — The Earth is illuminated shortly after an orbital sunrise in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 above the Pacific Ocean south of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

The sun's glint beams off a partly cloudy Atlantic Ocean NASA ID: iss072e695136
The sun’s glint beams off a partly cloudy Atlantic Ocean
NASA ID: iss072e695136

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Are we alone?

“The search for life elsewhere is remarkable in our age because this is the first time that we can actually do something besides speculation. We can send spacecraft to nearby planets; we can use large radio telescopes to see if there is any message being sent to us… And it touches the deepest of human concerns. Are we alone?” – Carl Sagan

Are we alone? That fundamental question that Carl Sagan posed in that 1985 radio interview, pondered the possibility of extraterrestrial life. But that question is not only relevant at the astronomical scale, it is relevant at the terrestrial and even personal one. Are we alone? Are you alone? Do you feel alone? PIXAR’s latest movie, Elio, takes an unsurprisingly emotional and profound look at that query. We’re fundamentally social creatures, often introverted, reserved, or timid, yet we crave connection. We seek belonging and meaningful relationships. We hunger for community, either in person or via digital venues. We aspire and yearn for recognition by others. Feedback, we often say, is pure gold. It touches us deeply. Connecting with others seems to activate a grounded certainty that we are indeed, not alone. We belong. We are seen. We matter.

Elio delivers spectacular visuals. It develops relatable, lovable, and fun characters. But more than subtle, it sends you home with a great reminder. Don’t miss the obvious connection sitting right next to you (possibly even in the theater with you). You are not alone. We are here. Don’t look past the blessings in human form right next to you. Make an effort to see beyond your pain or loneliness and recognize, the answer might have been there all along. Know that others are here and others do care. And, just as you may be feeling lonely at times, recognize that there are others around you who may feel the same. Be kind. Be aware. And of course, be there, when they need you too. 

I’ve been guilty of being oblivious at times. I think back to the many occurrences when I was so in my own head that I completely overlooked a precious soul sitting right next to me. Buried in my calendar, my phone, or my computer keyboard, I might as well have been a lightyear away from the present and sometime critical need next to me. This is a good reminder to pause and better connect to the human treasures all around us. We need each other. We need to belong. We do belong.

Remember, you are not alone! Be kind to each other and connect. And, of course, go see Elio if you haven’t already. It is marvelous and profoundly human. A message we need to hear. Well done, PIXAR!

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Summer Vibes

I hope you all had a great weekend! And for any fellow dads out there, I hope you had a great Father’s Day! I spent time with all four of my kids watching movies, grilling outdoors, and of course, celebrating over some ice cream on these hot summer days. Now, to be fair, it doesn’t take much to need to celebrate in our household. Life is full of excuses that merit a need for a soft serve dose of that dairy goodness, but this weekend seemed particularly poised for that indulgence.

We love movies! As part of this weekend’s festivities, we had a full playlist of cinematic magic streaming on our living room screen. You all know me by now, so it probably doesn’t surprise you to know that I have my garage-based AI system curate our movie selection. It sends out text suggestions on what to watch. It keeps track of our viewing habits and has a good idea of what we like to see. But despite all that tech, my wife wasn’t quite satisfied. She suggested that it should consider recommending movies celebrating the anniversary of their general theatrical release. For example, “Incredibles 2” was released on June 15, 2018, so it would be a great one to watch on Sunday. I loved that idea! So, I went to work adding that context to our resident AI. I just needed data.

Good luck! I tried finding a good data source, but everything I found was driven more toward discovery, and most of it was flawed, including bad release date information. I finally landed on TMDB as a good listing of movies, with references to IMDb that could pull more official release dates from OMDb. Yeah, it was confusing, but sadly, there wasn’t a clean way to get this data. I needed a web service to aggregate all of this for me and my AI.

I’m going to stop now and just acknowledge that many of you are probably tired of hearing me talk so much about Vibe Coding. If that’s you, you can stop now. I won’t be offended. For the rest of you, yes, buckle up, here is another vibe coding story.

I launched VSCode with my GitHub Copilot-powered assistant that I call JoJo. I switched him to agent mode (super important, by the way), and began having a chat. I told him about my vision to create this web service, how I wanted to build this dataset and APIs for easy access. He created a movie_db folder and went to work on a script. The script ran right away and pulled down the data. I suggested a high-speed way to process the data, and he suggested caching the API calls to prevent overloading the providers. What a smart aleck! But he was right. That was a good idea because the free tier of API access was rate-limited.

Finally, I had a good dataset to use, and JoJo had compressed it into a serialized object for fast access. I then switched to having him create the Python web service and gave a general idea of the APIs I wanted. He suggested some routes to use and wired together a Python Flask app. I told him that I wanted to use FastAPI and that I wanted to build all the tests before we built the APIs. He reluctantly complied and had me run pytest to verify. All good. Then the fun began. he started churning on the code for the APIs.

At this point, I should acknowledge that I was very tempted to jump in and code some lines myself. You can definitely do that, and these tools will co-develop with you, but I wanted to see how far I could go just vibing my way along. It turns out, a long way! The APIs were looking good, and it was extremely fast. I decided I wanted a nice UI, so I told JoJo to build a web page and gave him a general idea of what I wanted to see. He spun up some templates, added some tests, and plumbed in a new route for the landing page.

“Show the movies that were released on this day in history and sort them by popularity.” Boom! In less than a minute, JoJo had a basic screen up and running. I asked him to tweak the colors and make it more modern with a date navigator. He did, but I didn’t like some of the placements, so I asked him to nudge things around a bit more and adjust the style. I must confess, this is where I spent probably too much of my time. It was too fun and easy to ask him to make minor tweaks to scratch my curiosity itch. But he never complained; he just kept coding and plodding along. I even had him add additional pages for “Search” and “About”, which had nothing to do with my original goal.

About eight hours later, we were done. Yes, that is probably about four times longer than I needed, but I was having so much fun! Fun? Yes, legitimate, awe-inspiring fun! I finished up the project by asking JoJo to build the Dockerfile and help me launch the app as a public website for others to use. He complied. In case you are wondering, I even spent the $11 to get a domain: https://moviesthisday.com. I still have a non-stop list of updates spinning in my head, not the least of which is a MCP server for AI.

When I launched my first startup, we spent over a year getting our business and first website launched. There was a lot of development time for that. I can’t imagine how different that story would have been if we had Vibe Coding to accelerate our efforts back then. This is a game changer! I want all of you to get a chance to vibe too. If you tried it in the past and weren’t impressed, please try again. The advances they are making are happening on a weekly basis now. I’ve seen it myself. They just keep getting better.

Technology amplifies human ability. Vibe Coding feels like digital adrenaline. I’m a little addicted. But it feels great! It has definitely helped bring the fun back into coding again for me. I wonder if the same could happen for you?

Now, for those of you who managed to actually stay with me through today’s way-too-long blog post, thank you! I’m excited for you. We are living through an amazing time in technology. Let’s get busy putting this great tech to use for the betterment of ourselves, our companies, and our world. Lean in! Try your hand at this ice cream of coding. The scoops are amazing!

Oh, and in case you are wondering what movie to watch tonight…

Code available on Github page: https://github.com/jasonacox/MoviesThisDay