Jaym Gates
@jaymgates.bsky.social
Wearer of many hats. TTRPG, video game, and fiction writer & editor. Co-editor of Strategy Strikes Back, War Stories, co-founder of Falstaff Books & Project Lodestar, etc. No kings. Abolish ICE.
But the dogs have been loving the beach, and it has been good to be away and let my head clear.
December 25, 2025 at 10:22 PM
But the dogs have been loving the beach, and it has been good to be away and let my head clear.
Well, Merry Christmas us. Of course my first broken bone would be on vacation when I still have three days plus a 200 mile drive.
Thankfully, it's just a mild fibula break on my left knee, so I can hobble and drive okay.
Thankfully, it's just a mild fibula break on my left knee, so I can hobble and drive okay.
December 25, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Well, Merry Christmas us. Of course my first broken bone would be on vacation when I still have three days plus a 200 mile drive.
Thankfully, it's just a mild fibula break on my left knee, so I can hobble and drive okay.
Thankfully, it's just a mild fibula break on my left knee, so I can hobble and drive okay.
It IS kind if funny that work put me in charge of the AI integration for our team, but it has enabled me to be a very loud and educational voice, probably to the dismay of a few people also on the project who used to be excited about LLMs. I have broken several spirits recently.
December 20, 2025 at 12:59 AM
It IS kind if funny that work put me in charge of the AI integration for our team, but it has enabled me to be a very loud and educational voice, probably to the dismay of a few people also on the project who used to be excited about LLMs. I have broken several spirits recently.
Reposted by Jaym Gates
It has the same energy of the dude in the HR training who thinks "Don't harass women" warrants a "JEEZ, guess I'll never speak to a woman again, god..."
December 20, 2025 at 12:54 AM
It has the same energy of the dude in the HR training who thinks "Don't harass women" warrants a "JEEZ, guess I'll never speak to a woman again, god..."
I am getting very tired of "oh, so if we can't use LLMs, I GUESS THAT MEANS WE CAN'T USE SPELLCHECK, EITHER", especially when it's said as a gotcha.*
I know context is hard, but come on. There's a vast difference between farming out the creation of your work and using a tool to check your spelling.
I know context is hard, but come on. There's a vast difference between farming out the creation of your work and using a tool to check your spelling.
December 20, 2025 at 12:52 AM
I am getting very tired of "oh, so if we can't use LLMs, I GUESS THAT MEANS WE CAN'T USE SPELLCHECK, EITHER", especially when it's said as a gotcha.*
I know context is hard, but come on. There's a vast difference between farming out the creation of your work and using a tool to check your spelling.
I know context is hard, but come on. There's a vast difference between farming out the creation of your work and using a tool to check your spelling.
I have whatever the auditory version of photographic memory is, holding huge amounts of complex music in my head, which can be bad if I'm having a bad brain day, but also has been a hugely important tool for managing anxiety, insomnia, and boredom.
But I get earwormed like nobody's business.
But I get earwormed like nobody's business.
December 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM
I have whatever the auditory version of photographic memory is, holding huge amounts of complex music in my head, which can be bad if I'm having a bad brain day, but also has been a hugely important tool for managing anxiety, insomnia, and boredom.
But I get earwormed like nobody's business.
But I get earwormed like nobody's business.
I spent nearly an hour trying to remember a musical artist a few weeks ago, without any luck.
Lying in bed just now, tuned into the ADHD radio channel always running in my head and realized it was the artist I'd been trying to remember, complete with lyrics that let me look him up (Chris Isaak).
Lying in bed just now, tuned into the ADHD radio channel always running in my head and realized it was the artist I'd been trying to remember, complete with lyrics that let me look him up (Chris Isaak).
December 8, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I spent nearly an hour trying to remember a musical artist a few weeks ago, without any luck.
Lying in bed just now, tuned into the ADHD radio channel always running in my head and realized it was the artist I'd been trying to remember, complete with lyrics that let me look him up (Chris Isaak).
Lying in bed just now, tuned into the ADHD radio channel always running in my head and realized it was the artist I'd been trying to remember, complete with lyrics that let me look him up (Chris Isaak).
I am so existentially tired right now. I literally took my first full emotional breath this weekend and then got slammed with an immense, complexly traumatic family thing yesterday.
The fucking timing of it, ffs. Even defanged by senility, my grandmother continues to spew trauma onto the family.
The fucking timing of it, ffs. Even defanged by senility, my grandmother continues to spew trauma onto the family.
November 26, 2025 at 12:12 AM
I am so existentially tired right now. I literally took my first full emotional breath this weekend and then got slammed with an immense, complexly traumatic family thing yesterday.
The fucking timing of it, ffs. Even defanged by senility, my grandmother continues to spew trauma onto the family.
The fucking timing of it, ffs. Even defanged by senility, my grandmother continues to spew trauma onto the family.
I was getting a little sleepy on the couch and then Magni dug the point of his elbow into the top of my foot and pushed off, grinding it across the top of my entire foot, sideways, at full weight.
I am no longer sleepy, although possibly still whimpering.
I am no longer sleepy, although possibly still whimpering.
November 21, 2025 at 4:05 AM
I was getting a little sleepy on the couch and then Magni dug the point of his elbow into the top of my foot and pushed off, grinding it across the top of my entire foot, sideways, at full weight.
I am no longer sleepy, although possibly still whimpering.
I am no longer sleepy, although possibly still whimpering.
There was a huge outbreak of a particularly awful equine virus from a major rodeo a couple of weeks ago and now everyone is scrambling to protect their horses as it spreads across the country. We're safe, but I am tired of pandemics.
November 20, 2025 at 9:50 PM
There was a huge outbreak of a particularly awful equine virus from a major rodeo a couple of weeks ago and now everyone is scrambling to protect their horses as it spreads across the country. We're safe, but I am tired of pandemics.
The fastest way for a piece of music to win my heart is to take a sudden dip into a minor key.
November 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
The fastest way for a piece of music to win my heart is to take a sudden dip into a minor key.
It's also useful to tell it that it's wrong and prompt that it has missed an item which does not exist, bc it will flat-out apologize for missing this non-existent item and include it. Which makes for fun conversations in workplaces which have high accuracy reqs.
Like mine.
Like mine.
November 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
It's also useful to tell it that it's wrong and prompt that it has missed an item which does not exist, bc it will flat-out apologize for missing this non-existent item and include it. Which makes for fun conversations in workplaces which have high accuracy reqs.
Like mine.
Like mine.
However, since work wants me to show them how to use AI, I'm having a delightful time using it to build a case against itself.
Malicious compliance ftw.
Malicious compliance ftw.
November 10, 2025 at 10:42 PM
However, since work wants me to show them how to use AI, I'm having a delightful time using it to build a case against itself.
Malicious compliance ftw.
Malicious compliance ftw.
AI: because why use your actual brain when you can use something slower, more prone to error, and which is destroying the planet?
November 10, 2025 at 10:39 PM
AI: because why use your actual brain when you can use something slower, more prone to error, and which is destroying the planet?
Currently fighting with Lowes over a defective brand new fridge, which is obliterating what little patience and resilience I have right now, so the sheer satisfaction I felt when I was the reason their Google ranking went down a star can perhaps be forgiven.
November 9, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Currently fighting with Lowes over a defective brand new fridge, which is obliterating what little patience and resilience I have right now, so the sheer satisfaction I felt when I was the reason their Google ranking went down a star can perhaps be forgiven.
You know, I have like 100 things AI could actually do to improve my job, and yet I am consistently scraping the barrel for ideas when the CEO tells me to find ways to incorporate AI.
*AI IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ENOUGH TO REPLACE A SINGLE HUMAN*. I can't even use it to reliably check broken links.
*AI IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ENOUGH TO REPLACE A SINGLE HUMAN*. I can't even use it to reliably check broken links.
November 5, 2025 at 8:23 PM
You know, I have like 100 things AI could actually do to improve my job, and yet I am consistently scraping the barrel for ideas when the CEO tells me to find ways to incorporate AI.
*AI IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ENOUGH TO REPLACE A SINGLE HUMAN*. I can't even use it to reliably check broken links.
*AI IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ENOUGH TO REPLACE A SINGLE HUMAN*. I can't even use it to reliably check broken links.
I took tomorrow off from work but I keep forgetting that and getting nice little mental and emotional surprises.
October 31, 2025 at 5:57 AM
I took tomorrow off from work but I keep forgetting that and getting nice little mental and emotional surprises.
I made muffins and took them to work. My skip-level manager messaged today and was apologizing for not saying thanks because "I thought they came from a store! Like, a high-end bakery. I didn't know you made them!"
I will take "I thought these came from a high-end bakery", that's very affirming.
I will take "I thought these came from a high-end bakery", that's very affirming.
October 31, 2025 at 2:45 AM
I made muffins and took them to work. My skip-level manager messaged today and was apologizing for not saying thanks because "I thought they came from a store! Like, a high-end bakery. I didn't know you made them!"
I will take "I thought these came from a high-end bakery", that's very affirming.
I will take "I thought these came from a high-end bakery", that's very affirming.
Reposted by Jaym Gates
The sheer volume of people showing signs of mania, psychosis, and suicidal ideation each and every week on ChatGPT is staggering, alarming, awful, all of it. from @lmatsakis.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/chatgp...
OpenAI Says Hundreds of Thousands of ChatGPT Users May Show Signs of Manic or Psychotic Crisis Every Week
OpenAI Says Hundreds of Thousands of ChatGPT Users May Show Signs of Manic or Psychotic Crisis Every Week
www.wired.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The sheer volume of people showing signs of mania, psychosis, and suicidal ideation each and every week on ChatGPT is staggering, alarming, awful, all of it. from @lmatsakis.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/chatgp...
Reposted by Jaym Gates
Until SNAP is funded, here’s an ongoing list of Bay Area restaurants where SNAP recipients can receive free food. Just bring your EBT card!
While the feds continue to play stupid games, SNAP recipients are set to lose food aid for the next month. In the Bay Area, a growing number of restaurants are stepping up to help, and we're maintaining the list. Share with anyone who needs it. www.coyotemedia.org/these-bay-ar...
These Bay Area Restaurants Are Offering Free Food to SNAP Recipients
Amid a government shutdown that will cut off aid for 42 million Americans, local food scene folks plan to pick up the slack.
www.coyotemedia.org
October 28, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Until SNAP is funded, here’s an ongoing list of Bay Area restaurants where SNAP recipients can receive free food. Just bring your EBT card!
Reposted by Jaym Gates
October 27, 2025 at 11:32 PM
There is something so satisfying about snuggling into a pile of blankets in a very cold room.
Granted, some of this is definitely learned from growing up sleeping in a building without heat, but I'm also definitely at least a bit cave mammal.
Granted, some of this is definitely learned from growing up sleeping in a building without heat, but I'm also definitely at least a bit cave mammal.
October 28, 2025 at 7:21 AM
There is something so satisfying about snuggling into a pile of blankets in a very cold room.
Granted, some of this is definitely learned from growing up sleeping in a building without heat, but I'm also definitely at least a bit cave mammal.
Granted, some of this is definitely learned from growing up sleeping in a building without heat, but I'm also definitely at least a bit cave mammal.
Reposted by Jaym Gates
🌟Exciting Astra Fauna news!🌟
Getting the last bit of writing done today for the Astra Fauna solo ttrpg and then it's off to @jaymgates.bsky.social for editing!
I'm so excited to have Jaym on the team and SO excited to have reached these stage in the process.
It's gonna be good friends.
Getting the last bit of writing done today for the Astra Fauna solo ttrpg and then it's off to @jaymgates.bsky.social for editing!
I'm so excited to have Jaym on the team and SO excited to have reached these stage in the process.
It's gonna be good friends.
October 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
🌟Exciting Astra Fauna news!🌟
Getting the last bit of writing done today for the Astra Fauna solo ttrpg and then it's off to @jaymgates.bsky.social for editing!
I'm so excited to have Jaym on the team and SO excited to have reached these stage in the process.
It's gonna be good friends.
Getting the last bit of writing done today for the Astra Fauna solo ttrpg and then it's off to @jaymgates.bsky.social for editing!
I'm so excited to have Jaym on the team and SO excited to have reached these stage in the process.
It's gonna be good friends.
We're about to get walloped with big winds and an atmospheric river, so I spent my morning finishing the flood mitigation project in front of the garage, ran errands, got the dogs outside, and let the horses graze.
Unfortunately, I'm spending my weekend outside...
Unfortunately, I'm spending my weekend outside...
October 24, 2025 at 8:39 AM
We're about to get walloped with big winds and an atmospheric river, so I spent my morning finishing the flood mitigation project in front of the garage, ran errands, got the dogs outside, and let the horses graze.
Unfortunately, I'm spending my weekend outside...
Unfortunately, I'm spending my weekend outside...
I'm participating in the big annual animal search and rescue training exercise this weekend and just signed up to be in charge of cleaning gear and putting it away.
Which is going to be extra fun on a day we're supposed to be getting an atmospheric river and 40+ mph winds.
Which is going to be extra fun on a day we're supposed to be getting an atmospheric river and 40+ mph winds.
October 23, 2025 at 3:48 AM
I'm participating in the big annual animal search and rescue training exercise this weekend and just signed up to be in charge of cleaning gear and putting it away.
Which is going to be extra fun on a day we're supposed to be getting an atmospheric river and 40+ mph winds.
Which is going to be extra fun on a day we're supposed to be getting an atmospheric river and 40+ mph winds.