Episode Notes:

Life Update Catch-Up

- Aubrey's semester is peaking with finals, work, and wedding planning.

- Peter recounts a restful spring break, surgical wins, and a gentle rant about university fundraising.

The Topic: Unexpected Life Lessons

- Prompted by a podcast title she saw, Aubrey kicks off a conversation on the surprising places we learn from.

Aubrey's Lessons

- Working at a children's hospital taught her she didn't want a life in medicine--despite starting as a pre-med.

- Instead, she discovered a love for space and the importance of aligning her career with her values and emotional capacity.

- A failed organic chemistry class was a blessing in disguise, pointing her to a new path.

- A failed AR test in 4th grade (thanks to speeding through The Hobbit) taught her quality over quantity.

- A stranger's kindness during a botched Frontier flight connection became a lasting reminder: People don't always suck.

Peter's Lessons

- Working low-level jobs in a hospital and waiting tables gave him the humility and teamwork skills that make him a better surgeon today.

- Reading voraciously as a kid shaped his communication skills, creative thinking, and confidence in writing--skills that help him every day as a physician and author.

- Being able to smile through chaos (and scumbag customers) was a survival skill learned while serving tables on $2.13/hour.

- Embracing failure as a path to growth--backed up by wise words from Brandon Sanderson and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Final Thoughts

- Journaling gets a shoutout as a key tool for reflection and catching those life lessons.

- No medical news this time--just good vibes, honesty, and anticipation for the upcoming Spiritbox concert.

Got your own unexpected life lesson? Drop the hosts a line at feedback@generations.fm

Stay tuned for the next episode in two weeks!

Catching Up:

• Peter is in the final stretch of a 10-day call and looking forward to time off.

• Aubrey shares updates on her graduation timeline, wedding planning stress, and how her classes feel like a slog in the final semester.

Main Topic: Social Media Across Generations

Peter and Aubrey compare their experiences and attitudes toward various social platforms:

Facebook:

• Aubrey: Rarely uses it, mostly to check in on family posts; associates it with an older generation.

• Peter: Actively dislikes it, especially post-2020; only keeps it for limited practical reasons.

• Shared sentiment: Feels like a platform overwhelmed by misinformation and outdated content.

Instagram:

• Aubrey: Treats it like a personal photo scrapbook; now uses it sparingly and mindfully.

• Peter: Mostly follows memes, bands, and comics; minimal time spent but appreciates the humor.

Twitter/X, BlueSky, Mastodon:

• Aubrey: Never liked Twitter and hasn't touched it in years.

• Peter: Deleted his Twitter account after Elon Musk's acquisition; briefly explored alternatives like BlueSky and Mastodon but found them underwhelming.

TikTok:

• Aubrey: Used to spend a lot of time on it for humor and recipes but now imposes strict limits to avoid doomscrolling.

• Peter: Visits occasionally but hasn't engaged enough for the algorithm to work well; finds it underwhelming.

LinkedIn:

• Aubrey: Only uses it to play the games (!) and occasionally updates for academic reasons.

• Peter: Actively dislikes the culture of self-congratulatory posting; logs in solely to clear out spammy messages.

Reddit:

• Peter: His most-used platform, especially for niche interests and news. Recommends curating the homepage to filter out toxicity.

• Aubrey: Dislikes the general vibe; finds it to be full of complaints and arguments. Feels more like a "cesspool" than a community.

Mini Segments:

• Peter's Medical Fact:

Sleeping more than 9 hours regularly can be worse for you than getting too little sleep, increasing the risk of early-onset dementia and other health issues.

• Aubrey's Physics Update:

Aubrey revisits a previous topic about Microsoft's quantum chip and shares skepticism from a condensed matter physicist. Claims about stabilizing Majorana zero modes are likely overblown or misleading, casting doubt on Microsoft's announcement.

Episode Notes:

• Personal Updates & Music Discussion

• Aubrey shares plans for a spring break camping trip.

• Peter reflects on a hectic work schedule and the challenge of balancing clinic and surgery days.

• Discussion on Spiritbox's new album Tsunami Sea, its evolution from Eternal Blue, and its potential impact on the metal scene.

AI in Everyday Life

• Both hosts discuss their regular use of AI tools.

• Aubrey uses AI for tasks like rewording sentences, generating email drafts, and even creating AI images for fun.

• Peter extensively uses AI for running a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, generating content, summarizing documents, and simplifying technical tasks.

• The usefulness of AI in coding, including debugging and optimizing scripts.

Where AI Excels and Fails

• AI shines in summarizing information, brainstorming, and streamlining repetitive tasks.

• Math and creative writing remain weak points for AI, as it often generates incorrect solutions and generic prose.

• The dangers of relying on AI too much, particularly in academic settings.

• Apple's AI offerings, including Image Playgrounds and auto-summarization, fall short in comparison to more established AI tools.

Final Thoughts

• The importance of using AI as a supplement rather than a substitute for human effort.

• Excitement about the future of AI, particularly in creative and technical fields.

• A preview of upcoming topics and a reminder to like, share, and subscribe.

Join us for a fun and insightful discussion on the intersection of AI and daily life--whether for work, creativity, or just making life a little easier.