Carole and Jay Furr

04/07/2026

https://furrs.org/2026/04/07/the-quest-for-the-one-ring/

04/07/2026

So there I was at church on Sunday, sitting next to my wife in a pew, when I glanced at my hands and realized that my wedding ring was nowhere in sight.

I am one of those people who basically freaks out when something is lost. I'll turn my entire house upside down trying to find whatever it is -- unless of course I'm on vacation and then I wind up turning my hotel room or cruise ship stateroom upside down. It generally does not matter how valuable the thing is. I'll go search a restaurant, looking on the floor and walking around annoying diners; I'll walk back and forth in a parking lot for hours, peering under cars. And here I was with my wedding ring in the "vanished" category.

02/02/2026

https://furrs.org/2026/02/02/murder-on-the-orient-express-at-vermont-stage/

I’m on the board of Vermont Stage, so I get an early look at what goes into each production. What we've got for you this time is really good.

Murder on the Orient Express, based on the legendary mystery novel by Agatha Christie featuring Hercule Poirot, is a Ken Ludwig-authored play that brings the suspense and thrills before an audience. The Vermont Stage production is first-rate: a professional cast and crew firing on all cylinders. This is not your next-door-neighbor's community theater production.

The first weekend is behind us, with six successful shows on January 29, 30, 31, and February 1. But good news! The show continues for three more weekends, with shows Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.

Show dates: Feb 5–8, Feb 12–15, Feb 19–22 (Thu–Sun)

We offer tickets at three pricing levels: $39/$49/$59.

Each price gets you the same general admission seat; the difference is the support level. Vermont Stage depends heavily on ticket sales to pay its actors, crew, and staff. But, if you use this ticket link, you get a discount: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35092/production/1241623?promo=AGATHA

For more information about the show, visit https://www.vermontstage.org/murder-on-the-orient-express.html

01/05/2026

It is no great boast these days to say that you're really good at leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to do things for you. People don't trust AI, they don't like AI, they worry that AI is sapping and impurifying their precious bodily fluids.

When asked about their views of generative AI, many people would say that they don't trust AI to not hallucinate and flat-out make stuff up. Others would raise the typical complaints about AI having been trained on copyrighted art and writing without compensation to the creators (and they're absolutely right).

It is no great boast these days to say that you're really good at leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to do things for you. People don't

01/04/2026

It is no great accomplishment these days to say that you're really good at leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT to do things for you.

Asked about their views of generative AI, many people would say that they don't trust AI to not hallucinate and flat-out make stuff up. Others would raise the typical complaints about AI having been trained on copyrighted art and writing without compensation to the creators (and they're absolutely right).

Then there're the real howlers: chats in which ChatGPT was asked how many 'r's there were in 'merrier' and ChatGPT's answer was "2". (There's a reason older models of AI did that.)

One of the worst aspects of generative AI is how it's robbing entire generations of students of the opportunity to learn how to think critically and present arguments in rational, well-written form. If you just input the assignment into ChatGPT and copy and paste the resulting text into a document that you then submit it for a grade, you've learned nothing.

It is no great accomplishment these days to say that you're really good at leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT to do things for you. Asked about their views of

01/04/2026

I have tediously posted about donating blood on many occasions over the years. I am O negative (O-) but I also have a hereditary trait called thalassemia trait which means that, among other things, my effective oxygen-carrying capacity is significantly lower than average, and moreover, my red cells are even teenier than average. They call those cells "microcytes" and on occasion over the years I have managed to severely freak out medical professionals who assume from the look of things that something really awful must have happened to me -- gamma irradiation, excess consumption of Vegemite, perhaps exposure to a mad scientist's shrinking ray.

Blog entry about donating blood despite thalassemia trait and low hemoglobin. The author shares what has worked for him.

11/26/2025

https://furrs.org/2025/11/26/pumpkin-pie-recipe/

I have been making the following pumpkin pie recipe for a very long time — since the mid-1980s or thereabouts. It’s not that fancy, but the extra molasses and cloves and such give it a…

09/25/2025

Hi friends,

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day is almost here, and I’m so close to reaching the fundraising minimum. I need to raise $2,300 by October 2nd to be able to walk, and thanks to your generosity I’m already at $1,786.97.

That means I’ve got just $513 left to raise in the next few days. Every donation, no matter the size, gets me closer — and every dollar supports breast cancer research, community programs, and patients who need help now.

👉 You can donate here: http://www.the3day.org/goto/jayfurr

This event is deeply meaningful to me, and I’d be so grateful for your support in helping me cross the fundraising finish line before I even set foot on the 60 miles.

Thank you for standing with me. Time is short, but together we can do this.

Send a message to learn more

09/08/2025

I need your help! 🚶‍♂️💗 This November I’ll be walking 60 miles in 3 days at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in San Diego. It’ll be my 25th walk, and this year I’m dedicating it to a friend we lost to breast cancer this spring.

I have to raise $2,300 by Oct 2 to participate — money that goes to fight breast cancer. If you can chip in, I’d be grateful.

👉

3 Days. 60 Miles. To End Breast Cancer. Support me with a donation, or register to join me!

07/30/2025

https://furrs.org/2025/07/29/less-salt-less-caffeine-less-me/

My history of weight loss and gain tracks very closely with how bad my depression has gotten. When I am really suffering from depression, my weight soars — I do not watch what I eat and predi…

01/16/2025

I am not going to be deleting my Facebook account, Instagram account, and Threads account just yet, but after the absolutely reprehensible things Meta and Zuckerberg did over the past few days, such as eliminating all transgender accomodations at Meta offices, discontinuing fact-checking, allowing users to refer to GLBTQ individuals as "mentally ill" and "freaks" and women as "property", discontinuing Meta's diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, removing all GLBTQ themes from Messenger......

I am not going to be deleting my Facebook account, Instagram account, and Threads account just yet, but after the absolutely reprehensible things Meta and Zuckerberg did over the past few days, suc…

01/16/2025

https://furrs.org/2025/01/15/key-west-trip/

We recently took a 7-night trip to Key West, Florida. We arrived the Friday before Christmas and flew back the Friday after. Highlights included: drinking, eating, bar crawling, more drinking, sky…