Thomas Burnside
Personal Blog
Lord, what shall I do?
"Lord, what shall I do?" "Tom, give your gift to the world. I will be your strength".
In the age of AI, do we need stronger socialisation and regulation?
In just a few short years, AI has become a mainstream part of everyday life and work. Furthermore, with many people expecting AI and robots to become more productive and versatile, perhaps human labour will be rendered obsolete. This may be a good thing, making the...
Dearest tribe of mine
Dearest tribe of mine. It’s been such a hard decade. How my heart's missed you.
Discussing existential issues with my father over birthday dinner
The wooden furnishings of the steakhouse were bathed in warm, ambient light. I guided the heavy steak knife through a $75 medium rare rib-eye steak, dipped it generously in blue-cheese sauce and felt it melt in my mouth. Dad was communicating more openly than usual,...
Have you ever been frustrated so many times that you simply give up on people?
We returned to the familiar waiting room of the mental health clinic... and I noticed the mild grey, white and blue colours as if seeing the room for the first time. My case manager is always grinding on my nerves and feels like a lot of work to tolerate... but I can...
I create beauty
I create beauty. But keep your wits about you. I also destroy.
Under ancient light
Under ancient light. God’s whisper is deafening. He is here today.
No man is an island
I don't often break routine and go to a new place, so it felt like a holiday. The air was cool, but the sunlight was warm. This time last year, I would have been triggered by Valentina's attitude. Maybe I do feel vaguely disrespected. The best advice I ever got about...
Is love a universal principle that is always appropriate?
I crunched into one of the big, green grapes that Gran gave me. It tasted like the perfect combination of superior genetics, good agriculture and optimal ripeness. Gran had had a rough year - her brother, all her old friends and even her pet cat had died. "We went to...
Did you ever feel that you couldn’t trust yourself?
“Ritalin” I told the chemist. From Ireland, she was beautiful. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 8 coffees and the maximum dose of Ritalin, but at least I felt like I could control my anxiety. That’s new. I haven’t always felt this way. In...
Bitter emotion
Bitter emotion. Written on my Mother’s face. My evil urges.
What I have learned from my mother
All these 35 years, my mother has been my rock. She has put a roof over my head, put food in my belly and bailed me out when I have gotten in trouble. It has felt like she made me the priority of her life all these years, and this sacrifice is something I...
Extremely broad plans
The look of those unearthly perfect anime tits was emblazoned in my mind when I woke up at 2pm feeling drained. I impotently smiled at the young woman who was walking her dog but she seem disgruntled by my presence. I am not complete degenerate though - in some ways I...
Taking the scenic route
The scene of the state forest was gorgeous, rushing by. I could feel the crisp wind brushing against my skin and running through my hair. It was my week off from university because I had just finished the first term of my MBA. Escaping to the country is my way of...