Phil Shapiro ChatGPT Explorations

People come to me often at my public library job and ask me for advice on buying their first home. Often, I'll hear people say "I'd like to buy a house, but I can only afford a $2 million house. What should I do?" When they ask me that question, I roll up my sleeves and explain: This is what you need to think about if you can only afford a $2 million home. First, not all $2 million homes are alike. There are some that can be fixed up to make them more habitable. Ask your real estate agent to help you find a house that is drafty. If you were to buy such a house, you could install new windows, and presto, your $2 million house is not as drafty. Also, a fresh coat of exterior paint can work wonders. With a fresh coat of paint, your $2 million home will no longer look and feel like a $2 million home. Look to find a house with serious structural problems. The phrase "serious structural problems" can be open to interpretation. A home inspector can inform you if th...

    Almost every family faces the situation where the children in the family beg their parents to get a mosquito as a pet. Before running over to the pet store to buy a mosquito, it's good to think carefully about choosing a mosquito as a pet. Those cute little baby mosquitos will soon grow up to be adult mosquitos -- and adult mosquitos are just not as cute as baby mosquitos.  Also, since mosquitos have an average life span of about 30 days, your children will grieve the loss of their beloved mosquito soon after they form a lifelong bond with the mosquito. Sure, you can get them another mosquito, but do you really want to be buying 12 mosquitos each year?      Parents have the important role of steering children in the decisions they make in their lives. Instead of getting a mosquito as a pet, parents should gently suggest a more practical pet, such as a hippo.  Baby hippos are the kind of pet your children can cuddle up to, right within the...

In a quiet classroom in Millfield High School, Ms. Turner was beginning her geography class as she had done countless times before. However, fate had other plans for her that day. Within the first ten minutes of the lesson, a sudden mishap unfolded. Ms. Turner lost her balance on a stool, tumbling to the floor with an audible thud. The class gasped as their teacher clutched her ankle in pain. Panicking, some students rushed to help, while others fumbled to find their phones to call for assistance. The school nurse was swiftly on the scene, and soon Ms. Turner was being carefully carried away on a stretcher. The remaining students exchanged uncertain glances, wondering if the class was dismissed. Amidst the confusion, Ariane, a diligent and responsible student, took a step forward. With a calming voice, she suggested that they continue with the lesson as planned. "I think we can handle this," she said, exuding confidence that belied her youth. Ariane began to ask the types of ...