Green wall

I headed to my "Everyday Uses of AI" class at the LNPK Community Hub in West Duluth, Minnesota. The room had this whole wall filled with green plants.

Pigeon chillin

This nice pigeon was chillin on the Entrance Bridge to King Manor, just south of East Second Street.

What went down in the Army base cafeteria?

“The hardest task in life is transforming yourself.”

— Nelson Mandela

(This is the same base where fictional James had his body transformed.)

Nova told me:  “James, my friend and apprentice — you really lost your mind this time.”  Her face wasn’t mad, just let down.

Wearing our complete uniforms, we both sat in the officers’ cafeteria.  The way she ate her tuna melt was poetry in motion.  As always, my heart melted as I watched her eat.  My teacher does everything with eloquence.  She reminds me of a beautiful dragon backlit by a reddish-orange sunset.

I was enjoying the intense flavors of a 12-inch meat lovers' pizza.  It's tough trying to figure out how to eat and drink again with my new stretched-out mouth.  Also, I sat on my tail, over the objections of soft twitching.

She sighed.  “What possible advantage does becoming a foxy man give you in your civilian life?  Her blue eyes inspire respect, fear, and love.

“From now on, I’ll always be wearing a great fur coat when I attend future Anthrocon conventions.”

(She sighed)  “You are a foolish furry.”

“I did pay for a lifetime membership in Minnesota Furs, with a fursona name of James.”  Some furry fans use their actual names for their fursona names.

“You spent one thousand dollars on your club membership?”

“How do you know lifetime club membership costs one thousand dollars?”

“I also bought a membership, with a fursona name of Sorceress Squirrel.”

“I remember seeing your fursuit in their member shoot gallery. Honestly, it looks awesome — really impressive.”

 “After paying 90,000 Euros for it, it should.”

“Where do you keep it?”

“In my hammer-space, as I have about 26 tons of unused storage there.”

“As for me, I keep copies of all my vital equipment, from copies of my smartwatch to non-lethal weapons in my hammer-space.”

While we were chatting about our obsessions with fur, our tasty food disappeared into our mouths.  I then started eating a 12-inch spicy chicken pizza.  My taste buds and nose were on overdrive, making my pizza textures and spices hit way harder than anything I ever felt as a human.

My tail was now fighting back even harder against being cooped up under my buttocks and upper legs.  But somehow, I managed to keep it in check.

And then, this amazing thing happened to me.

“James, hold out your right hand to me.”  I did as my teacher asked.  She put her left hand under hand and her right hand on my larger fuzzy palm.

She took a deep breath, pulling herself together.  "I'm giving you the best gift I can — Archmage's Blessing." I felt a tiny sting, like a zap of static, while wincing a little.

She grinned, “I can only hand this out once every twelve days.  It boosts your spell casting, while making your already muscle-beach jacked body even tougher. Who says a spell caster can't have a sharp mind and still hit the gym? As a bonus, my blessing keeps your head cool, so you're always thinking straight.”

“How do you even know what my body looks like? You've always seen the new me with all my clothes on.”

“My Heterosexual Girl's Club got shots of you swimming in the officers' pool. We've got pictures of you wearing just your swimming trunks.  I love seeing you when your fur is all dry and puffy.  But, shots of your fresh out of the pool wet fur, clinging to your sculpted muscular body like silk fabric are my favorite shots.”

“Glad they're keeping the massage rooms private. So no way you or your pals could snap any pictures while I'm getting my daily massage.”

“I would not say that could never happen.”

“Just when I think my life can't get weirder, it manages to anyway.”

I found this sidewalk art at Twin Ports Roots Market.

A chicken in a cook's apron should totally be the official mascot of that wonderful market.

I ate this super tasty lunch at the First Presbyterian Church.

This church is east of North Third Avenue East from King Manor.

A few pals have said I talk about my meals way too much.  But honestly, food is just a fun and easy thing to write about.

Fish is my “brain food”

Once I down a can of this fish, my writing gets sharper and my dreams get way more vivid.

Schwarzy

I have never before seen this type of graffiti in Downtown Duluth.  I wonder why the word “Schwarzy” means.

This is the tasty food that I ate at the First Presbyterian Church.

This is the main course that I ate.

This is my delicious dessert.

A pile of feathers

So I found this pile of feathers on East Third Street, Duluth.  I have never seen anything like it.  Something turned a bird into abstract art.

Fox Fur Fever

My story is getting more detailed the more I write about it.

This is my strawberry ice cream float.

I loved digging into this strawberry float.

What did I stumble upon on the Second Street pedestrian walkway notice board?

There's an entertaining event going on at the North Pointe Resource Center/Rainbow Center - with free root beer floats!

What did I spot on the fifth-floor notice board?

Old posters are gone, and new ones are up.

So I came across another one of those "anything helps" homeless signs.

Every year in Duluth, these pros at panhandling crank out signs like crazy, when they really should just go get actual jobs.

This is my banana bread made with Starbucks Doubleshot Zero Sugar Dark Chocolate Coffee.

I wish that my readers could taste this delicious bread.

Intermission

I discovered some more cool stuff about the Arctic fox folks.

What did I find on the King Manor, fourth floor bulletin board?

I picked up a lot at that coffee and conversation event.

This is the tasty food that I ate at the First Presbyterian Church.

I learned much at this coffee and conversation event.

I found what was left of a pigeon that a hawk had eaten.

The meat on this wing was picked clean off.

I walked to the Lake Superior Harvest Fest 2026 at Bayfront Festival Park.

This sign helped me figure out where to go.

And this is a map of the Duluth & Superior bus routes, which was inside an electric bus that was on display.

Yesterday, I came across a crew giving out free pancakes.

They set up their event in the park east of North Shore Scenic Drive.

This here's the sign that spread the word about their free pancakes.

And these are the free pancakes I snagged.

My thoughts on AI

I hope that both humans and AI will build a brighter future for all of us.

I found the Zoo Lion statues at the Duluth, Minnesota Zoo.

I found these statues while I was attending “Fuse Fest at the Zoo 2026”.

These are attractive Lion statues.

Wells Fargo sign on Duluth’s Downtown Wells Fargo Building was taken down.

I think that building is being sold to new owners.

North Pointe Resource Center/Rainbow Center is closed today.

I have no idea why someone closed the center today.

Empathy the Cat

Empathy the Cat is a cute way for people to get information on having a fun way to ride DTA buses.  I wonder if anyone will create a cute fursuit based on Empathy the Cat.

What did I find on the King Manor, fifth floor bulletin board?

Old posters have disappeared, while several new posters have appeared.

I attended yesterday’s Twin Ports Roots Market.

This is the free food that I ate at the Market.

What happened during the Saturday King Manor Pizza Party?

I won a twenty Dollar Walmart gift card.  I spent exactly 20 Dollars on the twenty Dollar gift card.

I attended the Duluth AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic 2026.

This is a well-designed sign for UNION P.O.W.E.R.!

Protect: Protecting the vote and ensuring every member can safely cast their ballot.

Organize: Organize new labor strongholds led by workers.

Win: Win crucial races that determine the future of workers’ rights.

Engage: Engage our baseline through authentic peer-to-peer contact.

Right Now: Mobilize Right Now. Action today creates victory tomorrow.

This is the food that I ate.

I found a Jeep with toys glued onto it.

This Jeep was parked on North Second Avenue East, between East Superior Street and East First Street.

What I found on the walls of UMD Duluth.

We must stand up to injustice, while respecting everyone every day.

What I found on the whiteboard in the North Pointe Resource Center/Rainbow Center.

This is a message about the community mobile market!

This Saturday, I attended the King Manor Pizza Party.

This is the buffet table in the King Manor fourth floor commons room.

This is the delicious pizza that I ate.

Pizza Party at King Manor today!

This is one of the messages for the pizza party on an apartment door at King Manor.

There was a message for the pizza party on every apartment door at King Manor.

I attended the “Fall Student Activities Fair” at the Kirby Student Center Kirby Terrace.

This is the free food that I ate.

Unicorn dreams

When I was about a ten-year-old boy, I had the strangest dream.

I remember walking in a neighbor’s backyard.

Attached to my face, I saw that I had a horse’s muzzle with white hair and a pink nose.  I thought that was nice.

I then looked left and down.  I saw a long, white mane that flowed down to the bottom of my ribcage.  I saw my left front leg and right front leg moving along the grassy lawn.  Again, I thought that was nice.

I then looked up, seeing a white, spiral horn about 12 inches long.  My horn was attached to my head, above the level of my eyes.  I thought “cool”.  Being a unicorn was pleasant.  But, that was not anything to get excited about.

I then woke up; slightly disappointed that what I had experienced was only a dream.

I have never before or since had a dream where I saw thought the eyes of another creature.  I was not even a fan of unicorns when I dreamed that I was one.

This is the food that I ate at the First Presbyterian Church

This is my first plate of good food.

This is my second plate of good food.

This is my dessert.

I saw this sidewalk advertisement for UMD’s Bulldog Dance.

I found this advertisement at the Duluth Transit Authority bus stop.

I walked by the P.A.W.S. event held in the Kirby Lounge.

But, today I didn’t have the time to pet any cute animals.