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AI won’t fix your grief, but it can help manage it
“Hi, Kim, I’ve been taking care of my dad since his stroke. Your story about using ChatGPT to map out questions for our doctors has actually truly helped me feel a little more in control. It’s not perfect, but it’s been a lifeline.” — Maya in Ohio
Thanks for your kind note, Maya. Being a caregiver, whether you’re managing appointments, meals or moods, is a job you didn’t apply for, can’t quit and will never be fully prepared for. It’s lonely, scary and exhausting. I’ve been there.
The internet has a million tips on palliative care and side effects, but very little on the emotional black hole you’re staring into. That’s where AI, surprisingly, can actually help.
Note: This story is a little longer than most I put here in the newsletter. But it’s an important one that I feel will help you and many of my readers.
❤️🩹 Sample prompts
You’re not only dealing with logistics.
You’re managing panic, insomnia, guilt and anticipatory grief. And no, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot or any of the other AI chatbots can’t hug you. That would get out of hand, real quick.
Getting started is often the hardest part. I put together some prompts for you to try with your favorite AI chatbot. I hope this helps you, even a little bit.
Let’s start with you
Tell your chatbot what’s going on with you and your loved one. It won’t know how to help unless you are completely honest.
- “Act like a therapist and help me process the overwhelming stress I’m feeling right now.”
- “What are ways I can still be here to help but not let it consume me?”
- “What questions should I ask myself when I feel overwhelmed and guilty for just needing a break?”
Hard talks with family or patient
Nacho average kitchen
🔎 I found clever kitchen pros with secret skills up their sleeves.
- 🔥 Ten tricks, one box: A smart oven (5% off) bakes, broils and fries, all without hogging your counter.
- 👀 Seeing double? This reversible cast-iron griddle (13% off) flips from flat to grill in one hot second.
- 👩🍳 Chef’s sidekick: Peek inside this bamboo cutting board ($42). Boom, six color-coded mats pop out like magic.
- 🔄 Spin me right round: One turntable (6% off) works great for cake decorating or even as a monitor stand.
- 🧂 Together at last: Salt and pepper live in harmony with this two-in-one grinder (10% off). Neat.
✅ Just the tip of the spatula: Tap into my Amazon storefront for more multitaskers. Don’t miss today’s best steals while you’re there.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Travel MVPs: Must-haves under $50
Traveling doesn’t have to feel like an episode of Survivor crossed with a rom-com gone wrong, and you don’t need to drop a fortune to travel like a pro.
Whether you’re hopping on a plane, hitting the open road or planning a weekend getaway, the right gear makes all the difference. Think of this as your custom packing list so you can focus on the fun.
📊 Keep headers visible in Google Sheets: Scrolling through a long table and losing track of your column names? You can freeze the top row. Go to View > Freeze > 1 row. Need more to stay put? Hover over the thick gray line at the top and drag it down to row 2, 3 or wherever you need.
💥 3D guts and glory: Caltech’s researchers built PillTrek, a tiny 3D-printed smart capsule that monitors your gut like a biochemical Fitbit. It tracks pH, glucose, serotonin, you name it, by crawling through your insides like a nerdy spy. It’s cheap, wireless, and eventually, yes, it comes out the old-school way. Consider it a poop diary with WiFi.
The Amazon Bee
Amazon’s Bee records and transcribes your conversations. No secrets, no apologies, just full-on wearable surveillance.
99%
That’s how much less radiation this new AI bone scan uses. Only two X-rays and boom, your skeleton gets digitized faster than you can say, “WebMD, my head hurts. Is this the beginning of the end?”
🎨 Can’t pay for Photoshop? GIMP is a free image editor that’s as close to Photoshop as you can get without paying. You can create images, logos, thumbnails or retouch photos. Plus, it’s got all the tools you need, like filters, layers, color tweaks, masking and more. Works on macOS, Windows and Linux, too.
The truth about doorbell cams
Law enforcement can access your videos without your okay. Here’s how to keep your footage private.
⚡ Office apps get speed boost: Microsoft’s new Startup Boost preloads Office apps like Word and Excel in the background at boot. Apps chill in a paused state until you open them, shaving seconds off launch time. It’s already live for some Word users and will hit everyone by September. Your PC: now preheating like an oven.
Grime doesn’t pay
🧽 I’ve got a cleaning fix for every mess life throws your way.
- 🏖️ Save $100: A robotic solar pool skimmer (25% off) is your 24/7 pool boy, minus the snack breaks.
- Irony you’ll love: This steam iron (23% off) heats up in seconds. 4.3 stars and 52,000+ glowing reviews.
- 🚗 Crumb patrol: From car seats to keyboard crevices, a handheld vacuum (15% off) gets the gunk bigger vacs miss.
- Dirty dog? Detangle, deshed or soothe your pup with a three-in-one dog shampoo & conditioner ($16.99).
- 🫧 Spill happens: Tide to go pens (25% off, three-pack) are perfect for when your spaghetti or wine takes a dive.
😌 Self-care isn’t optional: Click here for more personal care deals and my Amazon store to feel like “you” again.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Stolen data for sale
A startup is cashing in by selling your stolen data to debt collectors, lawyers, and rivals. It’s legal … sort of. Android phones detect earthquakes, Mark Zuckerberg expands his secret Hawaii compound, and cottage cheese has a viral moment.
Charlie Chaplin’s in theaters after 100 years
Charlie Chaplin famously rereleased his 1925 silent classic The Gold Rush in 1942 with new narration and edits, believing it would connect better with modern audiences. Now, thanks to film archivists and AI, the silent masterpiece has been painstakingly restored. The 4K version just premiered at Cannes and hit 250 theaters worldwide.
Uber’s new girl mode rolling out: Women Uber riders in LA, SF and Detroit can request women-only drivers. The Women Preferences initiative is already live in 40+ countries (paywall link) and has logged 100M rides. Such a great idea.
Clean up your PC automatically: On Windows 11, turn on Storage Sense to help your computer tidy up on its own. Go to Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense and toggle it On. It can delete temp files, empty the Recycle Bin and clear out Downloads.
Amazon packages pile up on her porch — July 19th, Hour 1
What if your house became an Amazon warehouse? Listener Karen from California is stuck in this nightmare. Plus, AI superintelligence, Beyoncé’s secret music files stolen, and how a bad Yelp review could cost you thousands.
Potty like a rock star
🛁 Your bathroom shouldn’t feel like a locker room.
- 💁♀️ Salon-level shine: This hair dryer (26% off) comes with more attachments than a Swiss Army knife.
- 😌 Stress who? Add a few drops of oil into a diffuser (15% off). Boom, instant at-home spa.
- 👀 Bye-bye, bags: Hello, hydration. Grace & stella’s eye serum (47% off) fights puffiness and dark circles.
- 💚 Minty fresh: Bad breath? Grab Crest’s antibacterial toothpaste (16% off, four-pack). 4.7 stars & 10,000+ reviews.
- 🧽 The mold goes: From shower grout to washer seals, this stain remover ($18.95) cleans deep.
✨ Your glow-up continues: Click this special link for more fab finds. I’ve got even more top-rated picks you’ll actually use on my Amazon shop.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🖼️ Smarter photo searches on iPhone: The Photos app can now understand natural language. Open the app, tap the blue magnifying glass at the top and type something like “beach walks with dog” or “1 year ago.” You can even search for sounds like “laughing” or “clapping” to find matching videos.
🧠 Mind over mouse: Meta just unveiled a wristband that reads your muscle signals to control devices. No touching, no implants. It decodes electrical pulses (paywall link) in your arm to move cursors, open apps and type midair. Write your name in space and watch it appear on your phone. I accidentally thought about Slack, and now I’m in six meetings.