Catherine Finger

Tech Talk

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I have a confession to make: I may have a slight tech addiction. And I’m not just talking about killing zombies or expanding my online Township empire. I’m talking the rabbit holes I jump down on a regular basis that more often than not find their way into my fiction writing. My current novel features a sixty-year-old protagonist living in the year 2061with a limited vision for life after retirement. Sound familiar?

In an effort to illustrate what addiction looks and feels like in a novel world, I have her growing overly dependent on her A.I. companion, Carver. As the story opens, she prefers his company and their private world to “real” people. What will it take to lure her out of her head and into the real world? What lures us into living in our own “real world” today?

Meaningful relationships, the beauty of nature as represented in my awesome mare Clara, my fabulous canine companion Christie, and the beauty of the Wisconsin world around me—even in winter—all lure me into living robustly on a daily basis. Weaving these basic concepts into a future fictional world are forming the basic structure of my newest story world.

A tech addiction in the year 2021 may not look all that different from a tech addiction in the year 2061—sure, the toys will be cooler, but the basic human drivers remain the same. Our need for connection, intimacy, safety and knowing and being known by others can help us build more satisfying relationships and communities in real life—or online.

What if the relationships we build in the future are with artificial intelligence (A.I.) entities? Will they still count? More to the point, will our minds, hearts and souls make distinctions between humans and A.I. entities in our online relationships? And if you build relationships online—what unique factors exist to differentiate between an A.I. friend and a human friend?

These questions bubbled up as I noticed the changes in my own behavior as a result of COVID19. I have developed deep friendships with people in my coaching and writing communities online—and I “see” many of them on a weekly basis. I haven’t seen most of my “real” friends in my “real” life that often as a result of quarantines and social distancing over the past year.  Integrating these concepts into my writing has led to a story world that keeps me coming back to the keyboard.

Cruising into 2020–with the Three C’s

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I realized recently that some of my favorite beings have names beginning with the letter C. I swear I didn’t plan this, and I think it could make for a great blog series, when I get around to it. Especially the travel piece. Maybe next year? But I’m getting ahead of myself. 

My own name, as you may have noticed, is Catherine. I don’t count myself as one of the Three C’s—but I suppose I could. Four C’s doesn’t sound as cool though.

My dog’s name is Christie—short for “Christie, The Christmas Pup.”  (She comes with a story of her own.) Well into her eleventh year, we’ve been a tight team since she first crawled up my leg like a little kitten when she was a tiny six weeks old.  She came into my life in the earliest moments of a long period of pain in my life and having her little heartbeat and loving personality was a blessing time without number. 

My horse’s name is Clara—she came with this name. Meeting Clara truly was a love at first sight experience and we’re about to celebrate our third year of partnership bliss in January. If you’ve never been in love with a horse before, I highly recommend it. Horses invite you into a slower, surer world with gentle, knowing eyes and whisper soft muzzles. You can’t be in tune with your horse if you are divided in your mind, heart, or soul. They have this miraculous way of bringing balance and peace in the midst of a noisy, fractured world.

Last but not least, comes Cosmo. Cosmo may seem an unlikely addition to the Three C’s—but he provides a sense of safety with the promise of adventure without even breaking a sweat. He’s an easy to maneuver home on wheels making it easy for the aforementioned C’s and I to travel around the country seeking adventure, horse shows, conferences, and the occasional independent bookstore. Sure, he has a lot of parts, and he can be rather cranky and complicated (usually late at night during inclement weather.) Other than that, he’s the perfect gentleman.

As I contemplate the vast expanse of a brand-new year tucked inside a brand-new decade, I’m looking forward to whatever lies around that next bend in the road. The Three C’s and I hope to see you down the road in 2020. We’d love to hear about your travel and adventure plans for the new year—online or in person!