Peter leaned in enthusiastically. "OK, Jeremy, you need to get back on that horse. Sit down, and just think until you've got a story you want to tell."
Lois rolled her eyes. "No, Peter, you're not going to play life coach with Jeremy. Let him do things naturally."
Peter looked a bit deflated but shrugged. "Fine, fine. But sometimes a little push is all someone needs."
Jeremy smiled at both of them. "I appreciate it, Peter. But I think Lois is right. Inspiration will come when it’s ready."
Lois gave Peter a satisfied look. "See, Peter? Not everyone needs your... 'motivational' speeches."
Peter grinned. "All right, but when you're the next big writer, just remember who got you there."
Everyone chuckled, and Jeremy shook his head with a smile.
Jeremy sighed, his expression darkening. “The reason I haven’t been writing much besides that one story? This time last year, my PC’s graphics card broke. Now, lucky for me, I had a three-year warranty with Assurion. Unlucky for me, though, they stole my 128GB hard drive with the OS on it. They erased everything—my stories, novels in progress, even backups for my newsletter, Code and Creed.”
Lois’s eyes widened. “That’s awful, Jeremy! Losing work like that…”
Jeremy nodded, a bitter edge to his voice. “Yeah, and it’s not like I didn’t try to get it sorted. I went through everyone—the attorney general, consumer advocates, even John Matarese at the news station. Not one of them could get Assurion to pay me back for the lost data or the missing drive.”
Lois shook her head, sympathizing. “I can’t even imagine. All that work…”
“Exactly,” Jeremy said. “It wasn’t just data; it was years of effort, ideas, pieces of myself. It’s hard to feel inspired when you’ve lost so much. It’s like someone cut the thread I was hanging onto, you know?”
Peter looked thoughtful. “That’s rough, man. Maybe starting fresh is the key, though. You’ve done it before, and you’ve got stories to tell.”
Jeremy nodded, considering.
Jeremy sighed, his frustration evident. “I wish I could make them understand the damage they've done—not just deleting files, but everything I poured my heart into. Losing that data was a devastating blow, emotionally and physically.”
He glanced away, gathering his thoughts. “Even Linda, our Thursday night supervisor, was furious when she found out. She got how much this meant to me.” He clenched his fists, recalling the moment of realization. “If anyone ever asks me if I’d recommend Asurion? I'd tell them flat-out: it's a waste of money.”
Lois shook her head sympathetically. “Some people don’t get that data can be a part of you, not just files.”
Peter nodded, chiming in. “You’ll rebuild, Jeremy. And maybe next time, keep double backups.”
Jeremy nodded. "Exactly. That’s why I use Docker to run my own Nextcloud instance—it's like having my own private cloud, but on my own terms."
Lois tilted her head curiously. "So, Docker... that’s what you use to make it work? What is it, exactly?"
“Basically, Docker lets me run applications in these things called 'containers.' They’re self-contained environments, so I can set up Nextcloud and keep it separate from everything else on my computer.” Jeremy explained. “I’m not a fan of using free cloud services like Google Drive or OneDrive. They’re convenient, sure, but they’re also after your data. Google, for example, uses your docs to learn about you and target you with ads.”
Lois’s eyes widened a bit. "I never thought about it that way.”
Jeremy chuckled. “Yep. So, running my own Nextcloud means I control my data without any of that lurking in the background.”
Peter scratched his head. "Why aren’t we learning about this stuff? I mean, we could be geniuses by now if we knew what you know, Jeremy!"
Lois chuckled. "He’s a smart cookie, that’s for sure. He knows things that could really, like, elevate us."
Jeremy smiled. “Docker’s actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it—as long as you’re careful not to erase your main Windows partition by accident.” He laughed. “I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve heard stories.”
Lois’s eyes lit up with curiosity. "So what else can you run on Docker? I know you mentioned media servers in the car."
“Oh, tons of things,” Jeremy said. “Game servers, like Minecraft, for one. And there’s software that can create a dashboard to connect everything you’re running, so it’s all in one place. You can even set up home automation software, like Home Assistant, to manage your smart devices.”
Lois raised an eyebrow. "So basically, anything you want to keep private, you could run yourself on Docker?"
“Exactly,” Jeremy said. “If you’re not into public AI models like ChatGPT, you could even run local AI software—there are options like LLaMA or Mistral that you can set up right on your own machine.”
Peter’s jaw dropped. "So, it’s like you’re running your own tech empire here."
Jeremy laughed. "Well, something like that.”
Jeremy continued, "Once Penticosto gives me the initial draft, I feed it into ChatGPT. It helps refine everything, making sure it's clear and concise, and helps me with things like 'show, don't tell.' It’s like having a second layer of editing, fine-tuning the language to make it more engaging."
Lois raised an eyebrow. "So you’ve got two AIs working together to perfect your articles?"
"Exactly," Jeremy nodded. "Pentacosto comes up with the ideas and the first draft, and ChatGPT polishes it. It saves me a lot of time, especially with the amount of content I put out."
Lois smiled. "That’s smart. Sounds like a pretty solid system."
"It works for me," Jeremy said, with a confident grin. "Helps me stay consistent and still produce high-quality work."
Lois looked at Jeremy with a mix of respect and concern. "That’s a really powerful story, Jeremy. I had no idea you went through something like that."
Bryan seemed thoughtful for a moment before speaking, "I can understand why that would make you believe, Jeremy. It’s hard to argue with something that personal."
Jeremy nodded, his expression serious. "Exactly. It wasn’t just some feeling. It was a real moment where I felt God’s presence, and I can’t deny that. It’s not about following blindly—it’s about knowing what I felt, and what happened afterward. God kept me alive for a reason."
Bryan scratched his head, still processing. "I can’t say I have the same experience, but I respect that you have one that’s so strong for you. I can see why you’d believe after going through all that."
"I’m not saying everyone has to believe," Jeremy added. "But for me, it’s been a life-changing experience. That’s why I’ll never stop believing."
Lois smiled gently. "I think what matters is that you’ve found something that’s given you strength, Jeremy."
Jeremy gave a small smile in return. "Thanks, Lois. That means a lot."
Bryan looked at Jeremy, piecing things together. "So, that’s why you suggested I use AI for my writing. You’ve got a double AI setup."
Jeremy chuckled, but his tone was serious. "Yeah, but it’s not just about that. Bryan, I know you’re an atheist, and I’m not going to judge you for it. Some Christians would, but my beliefs are the way they are for a reason."
Bryan raised an eyebrow. "So you actually have a compelling reason why you believe in God?"
Jeremy’s expression grew serious. "Yes. And it’s not just because 'God told me to' or something lame like that. I don’t believe in luck. I believe because God saved me from committing suicide."
Lois’s eyes softened with concern. "What happened, Jeremy?"
Jeremy took a deep breath. "I was at a point in my life where I didn’t want to go on anymore. There was this atheist named Edd who used to make fun of me every day for believing in God. He’d say, 'Do you still believe in God?' and I’d say yes. And he’d just call me an idiot. This went on for nearly three years."
Bryan nodded, listening intently.
Jeremy continued, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "But one day, I was standing on a highway ledge, and I was ready to jump. I had a 97% chance of dying instantly if I did. And that’s when I heard God’s voice. He said, 'Jeremy, don’t do this. I have people I want to put in front of you, and I can’t if you’re dead.'"
Lois looked at Jeremy with a mix of respect and concern. "That’s a really powerful story, Jeremy. I had no idea you went through something like that."
Jeremy nodded slowly, a small, sad smile on his face. "It wasn’t just a feeling—it was a real moment. I stepped down from that ledge, and I’ve never looked back. I know God kept me alive for a reason."
Bryan scratched his head, still processing. "I can’t say I’ve had that kind of experience, but I respect that you have one so strong. I can see why you believe."
"I’m not saying everyone has to believe," Jeremy added. "But for me, it’s been life-changing. That’s why I’ll never stop believing."
Lois smiled gently. "I think what matters is that you’ve found something that’s given you strength, Jeremy."
Jeremy gave a small smile in return. "Thanks, Lois. That means a lot."
Rose called out, "Hey J, can you come up here? I can't find my thumb drives."
Jeremy quickly responded, "Sure, Rose, I'll be right there."
As he walked towards her room, it suddenly clicked in his mind. He stopped and called back, "Rose, remember you put them in your fanny pack. I just remembered."
Rose paused, then laughed. "Oh, thanks! Here they are."
Rose sat on the step, casually smoking her cigarette. "Mmm, nothing better than a menthol cigarette," she said with a contented sigh.
Lois raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Rose. I didn’t know you smoked."
Rose shrugged nonchalantly. "Yep, I smoke Maverick menthol 100s. I only smoke five a day, not a whole pack like some people might do."
Lois smiled, appreciating Rose’s consideration. "Anyway, thank you for smoking outside instead of assuming we’d let someone smoke inside."
Just then, Rose’s cigarette blew out in the wind. "Dang it, the wind blew out my cigarette," she muttered, annoyed.
Lois watched as Rose lit her cigarette again. "Rose, that’s a unique lighter."
Rose grinned, "Yeah, it’s electric. It uses electric plasma to light the cigarettes. Jeremy got it for me a couple of Christmases ago.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7T4Eq3j9be
Lois raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Wow, he finds unique gifts for you, huh, Rose?"
Rose smiled proudly. "Yeah, he does. He's really good at picking out Christmas gifts."
Lois giggled. "Oh yeah? What other gifts has he gotten you?"
Rose thought for a moment. "Well, for a few years, he got me some Squishmallow dogs, some Bluetooth over-ear headphones, and that's just to name a few."
Lois raised her eyebrows in admiration. "Wow. You guys have been dating for how long?"
Rose grinned. "Five and a half years."
Just then, Chris wandered over, noticing something unusual. "Hey Rose, what are those strange... um, cassette tape-like things sticking out of your book reader?"
Rose chuckled. "Oh, those are talking book cartridges. I don't own them; they're actually owned by the Ohio Library for the Blind."
Chris looked confused. "I thought they were some kind of broken cassette tapes, and I was about to throw them away until I looked closer. That, and Stewy told me to leave it alone."
Jeremy, overhearing the conversation, piped up, "Chris, have you ever had Japanese candy or soda?"
Chris shook his head. "No. Are they any good?"
Jeremy grinned. "Yeah, this is Pocky. It's like a thinner version of a KitKat, but it’s a rice cookie instead of a wafer cookie."
Chris’s eyes lit up. "Wow!"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VUeEGPGLW
Jeremy picked one and said, "I'll take the blueberry." He showed them each how to open the bottle by pressing the little ball down into the neck of the bottle.
Lois watched curiously. "Oh, the little ball falls into that chamber, keeping the bottle from spilling. How interesting."
Jeremy smiled. "Yeah."
Peter took a sip of his soda. "This strawberry soda is pretty good."
Chris, sipping his own, said, "I got Lychee. Stewie, pineapple. Rose, orange. Jeremy, blueberry. Lois, I got raspberry."
Jeremy grinned. "So, how’d you all like those drinks?"
Everyone nodded in agreement. "They were great!" they all chimed in.
Jeremy added, "These are called Ramune. They're a popular Japanese soda."
Then Peter spoke up, remembering something. "Jeremy, what’s the Vortex Mod Manager? I saw that on your computer when I hooked it up to our Wi-Fi network."
Jeremy smiled. "It’s for modding different video games like Skyrim, Fallout, and so forth. Not for Minecraft, though."
Here's the revised version with your changes:
Jeremy turned to Lois and asked, "Let me know next time you want to go to the store. I’d like to go with you."
Lois looked at him curiously. "Sure? Why?"
Jeremy grinned. "I have a dessert I want to make for you guys. It uses only three ingredients."
Lois raised an eyebrow. "Really? What are those?"
Jeremy's smile widened. "Thai glass noodles, coconut water, and Honey. which I already have that.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVRQcsbJgv
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDCRzTG15Q
Lois furrowed her brow. "What are Thai glass noodles?"
Jeremy smiled and explained, "They're a chewy noodle that has an almost translucent quality to them, like stained glass."
Lois's eyes widened. "Oh, wow!"
Jeremy continued, "They're also called mung bean noodles."
Stewy hesitated. "I don't know if I want to try something called mung bean noodles, but it sounds interesting."
Bryan chimed in, "Mung beans don't have a taste of their own, similar to tofu. They take on the taste of what they're cooked or soaked in."
Stewy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, how interesting. So, if these noodles are soaked in rendered beef fat, they would taste like beef?"
Bryan nodded. "Yeah, exactly."
Jeremy then pulled out his Alphasmart Neo 2, taking a moment to write something down. He looked at the leaves he'd just photographed and wrote:
When I think of the autumn leaves,8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjejq8WUIGs
I think on God in whom I believe.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjujDQveUwz
Eternal life, Jesus gave, and freely we receive.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ucRjGZgYC
I believe in going to the house of the Lord,8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVTL7rCBHy
Helping by pulling up my sleeves.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkAXqNhCnh
The house is God's, from the foundation to the eaves.
Jeremy sent the document over Wi-Fi to his computer, printed it out, and showed it to Lois. She read it and then passed it to Peter.
Peter glanced at it and frowned. "What the heck is this crap? This isn't a story; it's a poem!"
Lois shot Peter an angry look. "Peter!" she scolded. Then, turning to Jeremy, she softened her tone. "It's a good start."
Jeremy smiled, encouraged by Lois's support. "Thanks, Lois. I think it has potential too."
ns 15.158.61.6da2
