Ted Gresham – April 2026

Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going

AKA, Wherefrom and Whereto. Tedgresham.com is the website concentrating on wherefrom, as in where I came from. What was it that led me to this place at this time? What happened and why did I wind up where I am. I explore my past here basically to help myself understand how I got here. I also record it here for posterity, to explain how a life can go off the rails repeatedly and still keep going. And I record it here for my future family, how in the world did I make it this far?

Of course, where I’ve been is only half the story. The rest involves where I am and where I am going. In the enchanting words of Mister Spock: Indeed! Tedgresham.com brings me to right here where my soft slippers shuffle across the floor of our tiny house. The future, however, will be mostly elsewhere. I’m not working on a new site like this one. No, that would be too much for me… and the world! No, it’s a bit of a business adventure we’ve cooked up that may help us make a few bucks. Maybe. At least it will keep me occupied. THAT adventure begins with the name Back Roads Mercantile. You’ll find it at backroadsmercantile.shop. There folks will be able to buy some pretty cool stuff. I started to say, “cool shit,” but I did not want to give the wrong impression of our future offerings.

OK, yeah, as time goes on you’ll hear about some of my mis-adventures in the past, like the time I decided to start a handy-man business and it ended quickly one tragic night at El Chico’s Mexican Restaurant. There was the newspaper distribution where I went broke on in Corpus Christi. Maybe I never learn. Look at my history and you’ll see that. Nevertheless, this new things just feels different. And I have a new friend to help me do it: ChatGPT.

Of course I do. During all my previous efforts in the past I lacked two things: talent and advice. Give me words, lots of words, I’ll make a pretty good story, essay, whatever you need. I have had loads of practice and lots of compliments. But please do not give me a pencil and a piece of paper and ask me to draw a box. It would have three long sides and a short one, or some-such. I have never been worth a damn at art. Neither do I have a visual imagination. That’s why my websites have always sucked. I’ve always needed eyes on the project to give me input and guidance. And worse, picking or developing art work and images is beyond my ability. All of those limitations are best filled in by a real human person. I don’t have a real human person to give me art work or valid critical analysis. But I do now have my buddy ChatGPT.

A little aside here: ChatGPT is a fucking computer program, software, an APP in today’s vernacular. It’s an ‘it’ not a he or she. Too many people these days forget that little reality and turn to the AI as some new bestie. The designers of AI bots like ChatGPT made them sound so friendly and helpful it can be disconcerting. But that is by design. People would not use them if the bot acted nasty. So I resist the urge to “humanize” my AI buddy. I do not resist the urge to use it extensively in the new adventure Back Roads Mercantile. There it will be invaluable.

SO, as I was saying, the new venture has a much better chance at moving forward because I do have some good input about the nuts and bolts of the website, the structure of the business, and much of the artwork (make that mostly ALL of the artwork) both on the website and used in the products. I’m going to milk the ol’ ChatGPT bot for all it is worth. I’ll get this ball rolling and let much of the burden fall on the computer. That way I am not stuck doing things I don’t like to do and can do some of the things I do like to do.

Back Roads Mercantile (a name suggested by the chat buddy)) is a ‘country store’ in the fashion of an old store located on a back road selling everything from bread to auto parts. There won’t be any food stuffs but there will be everything from print booklets of word-search puzzles to, sure, auto parts. I want to feel excited about the plan but honestly I have a few qualms about this whole thing. Will it work? Will we make money? Will it blow up in my face? What makes me think this time will be any different?

Nothing makes me think this time will be any different. But then there’s nothing saying it won’t be either. There’s two important differences this time. One is the help of ChatGPT and other AI tools that eliminate my need to be artsy or even talented at all in some ways. The second is that my wife is in with me on this. In the past when I cooked up some goofy scheme I had to talk her into it or just go around her skepticism. With this new thing, however, it’s a “we” thing and not a “me” thing. If you know what I mean.

So here I go. On this site I will continue to add historical pieces and stories and such. On the new business site, backroadsmercantile.shop, I’ll be developing our business so at last, hopefully, I can afford a few things I want to do, like travel. That’s the plan, anyway.

As I write, this the new site is just a little page with a logo. I have to work on it when I finish up this blog. Then I have to head over to the old house where all our labors will be pointed towards building a really cool old-time feeling modern AI guided retail outlet.

I better get busy, then. I just wanted to update you folks with the news that I am daring to look up and even hope a little bit for a better future. May as well do that than just ball up on the bed and wait for the inevitable end of all things, right?

More later my friend,

Ted May 29, 2026