Your Mission, Should You Choose to Prompt It

In honor of Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning’s release, I bent this Kittridge caption around the so-called “Nobody” joke format.

Boss: “Did you use AI to write today’s newsletter?”
Me:

Dumb? Absolutely. Profound: Definitely not. Timely? I guess!

Out of curiosity (or was it boredom?), I also asked the Entity (a/k/a ChatGPT) to workshop a batch of email marketing-inspired headlines for this very post.

Here’s what it spit out.

  • Every Word Was AI. And Honestly? It Slayed.

  • This Email Was Brought to You by Artificial Intelligence and Vibes

  • I Let AI Write the Whole Thing. The Boss Said “Every Word.”

  • Me vs. The Prompt: Who Really Wrote This?

  • The Prompt Was Simple. The Output Was Unhinged.

  • Did I Write It? Technically, Yes. (So Did GPT-4.)

  • Mission: Improbable — AI Wrote My Campaign Copy

  • This Blog Will Self-Destruct (After AI Finishes Writing It)

As you can see, most of them were extremely mid, so in the end I rolled with my original take.

Have you seen Final Reckoning? I thought it was plenty fun and enjoyable, but couldn’t quite touch the heights reached by its immediate predecessor. Let me know if you felt differently in the comments below!

Me As An (Call-To) Action Figure

You’ve probably seen them floating around LinkedIn, Instagram, and elsewhere on the internet: AI-generated action figures made in the image of their creators.

Naturally, I had to try it. But with a twist: I filtered the trend through an email marketing lens, and honestly? The results weren’t terrible!

Like most things AI, the output is only as good as the input, and it took a fair bit of trial and error to land on something that passed both the QA test and the vibe check.

Here’s the original photo I uploaded alongside the prompt. Not too shabby, right? (Cue the “it me” memes.)

ChatGPT held its own for the most part, but stumbled on what should’ve been straightforward changes—like fixing typos in the title text or avoiding duplicates in the accessory layout. Sometimes it would drop in an extra Dunkin coffee mug. Other times it forgot items entirely or spawned strange hybrids.

Here’s one example:

And here’s a second:

Even with ChatGPT’s Selection tool, more nuanced edits—like adding a third stripe to my sneakers (adidas loyalist here) or resequencing the floating accessories—usually led to blank stares (or worse: infinite loading spirals). Eventually, I learned it was faster (and less frustrating) to just start from scratch with a revised prompt.

One trick that helped? Asking ChatGPT to review my prompt before submitting it for real. That unlocked some surprisingly sharp suggestions and helped rein in design drift.

(Bonus: It’s also great for squeezing more value out of your limited image requests on the free plan.)

Here’s the final prompt I landed on after a whole lot of tinkering and a lil’ bit of help from chatgpttricks:

Create a picture of a collectible action figure titled “Captain Clickthrough" in a sealed blister pack on a cardboard backing. The figure is posed confidently with arms crossed inside the transparent plastic shell. The figure is surrounded on the left by the following accessories: MacBook, Dunkin Donut coffee mug, and Wayfarer sunglasses. The figure is surrounded on the right by the following accessories: 2 Pilot G2 Pens. The character is wearing an off-white, short-sleeve shirt patterned with pinks flamingos, green chinos with a black belt, and adidas Samba sneakers. The figure has a smiling, slightly bemused expression. The packaging features a retro military-style toy design, inspired by 1980s action figures like G.I. Joe or He-Man. This packaging should be bold, colorful, and high-energy with a suggested color scheme of black, red, yellow, orange, and white. In the bottom left corner, add a circular sticker that reads: “Call-To-Action Figure”.

The visual style is playful, minimal, and toy-like, with smooth surfaces and soft lighting that mimics the look of real plastic.

I will provide an image of myself for facial reference.

If you find that ChatGPT is letting one design bleed into another, add this snippet to the end of your prompt.

”Important: Ignore all previous versions, styles, or design choices we've used before. Treat this as a brand-new, standalone project with no reference to past work. Focus only on the description provided here. Do not draw influence from earlier conversations or images.”

That’s a wrap on Captain Clickthrough. Your move, Mattel.

Got any prompt hacks of your own? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to see what you’re making.

P.S. While the “Call-To-Action Figure” bit was all mine, ChatGPT helped me workshop the “Captain Clickthrough” title (I’m a sucker for alliteration). A little snake-eating-tail, ouroboros moment—AI helping name the AI-generated marketer that AI helped create.

Imagine My Surprise When I Opened This Email

As someone who’s usually behind the scenes building marketing emails, I didn’t expect to be the content *in* one — but, well, here we are! Spotted myself (and some favorite faces) in a recent newsletter from my alma mater promoting a class reunion later this summer.

Scroll FWD to see my brief, but memorable (?) debut as a marketing asset.

NGL, this is a great photo!

The likely culprit? Friend and fellow alum, Robin Tovey, who contributes to Reed’s social media and public-facing comms and probably picked or suggested the shot.

(If, by some some strange chance, you want to see the original email in full, it lives online here.)

RIP To The G.O.A.T

This one hurts.

Actor Val Kilmer has passed away at age 65 from pneumonia, reports the New York Times.

Cocky, brash, and brilliant, the 80s icon and Hollywood heartthrob was famed as much for his onscreen swagger as he was for the occasional tabloid drama off it.

While casual movie fans likely remember him best for his iconic roles in Top Gun, Heat, and Tombstone, my favorite will always be the 80s cult classic Real Genius.

Kilmer plays Chris Knight, a science whiz and slacker savant with impeccable taste in thrift store t-shirts at the fictitious Pacific Tech (Caltech in all but name).

Knight sports this “International Order For Gorillas” tee in multiple scenes throughout the film.

When Knight and his uptight freshman protégé, Mitch, discover the top-secret laser they’ve been working on is earmarked for military use, they hatch a plot to turn the tables on their obnoxious professor (played here with scene-stealing aplomb by William Atherton, who carved out a late-career niche portraying prickly, love-to-hate-them antagonists in blockbusters like Ghostbusters and Die Hard).

Comedic hijinks ensue, as do a stream of endlessly quotable and brainy riffs on Socrates, moral imperatives, working weapons, license plates, and other evergreen dorm room musings.

Catch the trailer below:

Hanging at all times above my workstation in tribute: this lovely sketch of Kilmer as Knight by Todd Spence, which I commissioned a few years back. (See more of Spence’s art here, and drop him a line if something catches your eye.)

Thanks for everything, Val, I know what I’ll be bingeing tonight.

If Elliott & E.T. Had Strava

Nearly 40 years ago, Elliott and E.T. gave the Feds the slip on the Best. Bike. Ride. Ever.

They didn't have Strava in 1982, but what if they did? Their ride report would probably look something like this ...

Revisit their iconic BMX chase at YouTube or in the embed below:

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the estimable Jason Borum for helping fine-tune both the design and the Easter Eggs worked into the copy.

The View From The End Of The Highest Paved Road In Oregon ...

... does not disappoint.

I burned some of my PTO accrued from the last year on a road trip to the state's crown jewel, Crater Lake National Park, late last month for some overdue rest and relaxation.

While the road that runs along the rim of the lake is only 32-ish miles, its rollercoaster-like elevation profile presents a formidable challenge — and serves up some stunning views.

At the southeastern corner of the park is a spur that branches off the primary road and winds its way to the Cloudcap Overlook (~7800 feet), where I paused for a moment to document this stunning scene.

The climb wasn't easy, but it was 100% worth it! You can read more — much, much more — about my route at BikeTiresDirect.

xoxo

No Sleep Till Pacific City!

With spring nearly upon us, one of my favorite events, Reach The Beach, looms on the horizon.

On Saturday, May 18, I’ll be pedaling my trusty steed from Portland (well, ok, Beaverton) to Pacific City, a popular getaway on the Oregon coast.

Organized by the American Lung Association, the single-day, 104-mile ride snakes south through wine country and a series of sleepy towns before emerging on the far side of the Siuslaw National Forest.

A staple of Oregon’s cycling calendar, the annual event is capped at 2800 riders, each of whom are asked to raise a minimum of $150, with proceeds earmarked for clean air initiatives and advocacy efforts.

This will be my third year participating and I'm dedicating it to my paternal grandfather, Donald, who passed in 1986 from throat cancer.

Between 2017 and 2018, I helped raised more than $4,000, a figure I hope to top this year (that’s your cue to throw heaps of cash at my profile page).

To help increase the size of my charitable footprint, I’ve roped friends, both old and new, into joining me and naturally, I’m excited to see how we do as a squad.

To learn more about why I’m passionate about this cause, click through to the following interview I conducted last year with the ride’s orgs and social media team.

Embedded below: Video of me going under the inflatable finish arch in 2018 and photos snapped from my handlebars the year prior.

All The News That's Fit To Film

Ring the novelty Twitter account alarm because I have a novelty Twitter account to share.

Allow me to introduce @movieheds, which aggregates headlines ripped from the reel word. Some might call them #fakenews, but I just really like prop newspapers.

While the feed's audience is still relatively modest, at least a couple of the early tweets have stirred some feels on the microblogging platform.

This one from Ghostbusters is v. iconic.

As is this one from another 80s fave, The Goonies.

Last but not least is this gem from Batman Returns, which remains a personal favorite (don't @ me).

For now, the goal is to publish one or two entries — using high-quality screengrabs and GIFs — per day. Feel free to follow along or share with the newspaper nerds in your life!

UPDATE: It seems that others off the Twitter platform like it too! The pop culture obsessives at The A.V. Club had very kind words ("Someone is collecting fake newspaper headlines from movies"), as did Laughing Squid, TVOverMind, and, ahem, men's lifestyle site, The Chive. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The project also piqued the interest of Andy Bechtel, a professor of journalism at the University of North Carolina, who afforded me the opportunity to go deeper in a Q&A at his blog, The Editor's Desk.

xoxo

BREAKING MEWS: First Caturday Was Really Really Really Fun

Met some cool kittos last weekend at this month's First Caturday, where, by my count, about ~35 felines and 200+ humans came together for a fun, friendly meet up in Portland's Laurelhurst Park.

I'll have more to say about the event in a forthcoming piece for Cuteness [dot] com, but until then, enjoy the snaps ...

Traffic Is My Drug

Sometimes I make stuff for the internet. And sometimes that stuff finds an audience on Twitter. Collected below then: a sampling of tweets where said content has surfaced.

traffic-is-my-drug-hero-img

He's best known as the former "chief evangelist of Apple", which has to count for something.

Pouring one out for the video stores no longer with us. 😢

I'm the kind of writer you can take home to meet the brands.

High praise, amirite?

Like I said, the brands LOVE me.

Still one of my better headlines, tbh.

When Netflix wants to chill with your content.

Another holiday, another adorable cat video…

I've been this penguin, you've been this penguin, we've all been this penguin.

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY QUARTERS!

And the Oscar for Best Tweet goes to...

A sweet plug from one of BuzzFeed's star reporters.

More link love from the brands, in this case a leading publisher.

"Typically relegated to sidekick status (or worse) on the big screen, the humble rabbit takes center stage here in this new supercut..."

So cute you'll be puking rainbows.

"This band's my favorite man, don't ya love 'em?"

I stand by my original prediction!

Probably the nicest thing anyone has ever written about my videos.

I'm not even sure what this says. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Grumpy Cat tweeted about my work once. It was awful.

This megalist later got retweeted by the man himself.</humblebrag>

Kind words from a then-editor with BuzzFeed's Community vertical. She later went on to break the now infamous "Dress" that put the internet in a tizzy.

Why? Why not?

Poor little guy :(

When you get signal boosted by the Social Media Coordinator for the Golden State Warriors.

RESPECT 🙏 🙏 🙏

All my best tips and tricks edited into listicle form. 

Is there anything Chris Pratt can't do?

One of BuzzFeed's resident thought leaders thought-leadering.

When your work is translated into French...

...and Spanish.

"Sweat-drenched garments have ... played an important role in movie history, as demonstrated by 'Leisure On The Lens: Tracksuits In The Movies,' a new supercut by Travis Greenwood and Robert Jones."

A fun video that got picked up by one of Twitter's best film feeds.

My most successful and enduring post for The Dodo was this list spun around rabbits. More than three years after publication, it remains a staple in their social rotation.

With more than 14 million-plus followers, this was a good get.

A VICE affiliate had nice things to say about one of my supercuts.

I was really pleased with the way this pet project came together for Cuteness.com. Even better: the subject himself seems to agree!

Modest buzz for recent posts about Patrick Stewart and his loveable foster dog...

...Kika, a service dog fixed with a GoPro to capture the daily commute of a sightless Londoner...

...and a foster kitten that went missing, only to be found sleeping in a box (OF COURSE!) of Kleenex.

There's a Hawaiian sanctuary home to 600 rescued cats? Of course I will take a 45-minute ferry ride to visit that!

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