Humanism As I was growing up, it was often stated in church that “humanism” was the enemy of God. I got the impression that lifting up humans or humanity was denigrating the Almighty. Of course, it only became clear to me later that our precious creation story in Genesis 1 and 2 was the story of a God leaning down to make literal mud pies (latin root of “human” being humus — “dirt, earth or ground” and the name “Adam” from the Hebrew “adamah” meaning “earth” or “red dirt”) in

A Human Framework for AI Songwriting Collaboration The stage is dim, a stool at the center, and a man with a guitar, tuning strings slowly, deliberately. Around him, a restless chorus fidgets, unsure what they are meant to be. One asks if he starts with lyrics or music. Another wonders what their role is in the play. The man keeps tuning, then finally looks up. “Everything you need to know about catching and making songs is right here in the body of this instrument,” he says,

Introducing the Canyon Song Novella Series Every landscape carries a story. Some places announce themselves with spectacle — towering cliffs, sweeping oceans, mountains so large they make language feel small. Other places are quieter. A canyon outside a small town. A stretch of dry grass and limestone. A ridge where wind moves steadily through cedar and scrub oak. Those quieter places are easy to overlook. Until someone begins to listen. The Canyon Song series begins with tha