Salami-thon Roboblog 2025
AI Slop- A demonstration
Note: This is not a typical post for this space, but I want to start documenting how LLMs are advancing over time. To that end, I’ll look to provide a similarly structured post annually, on the same topic. Please DO NOT spend a lot of time reading this 🤣.
I took the liberty of uploading all of my personal writing for the past 7 years into a NotebookLM notebook, and then asked it to write something in a style similar to mine. In honor of this particular guest author, I figure salami sandwiches are a good topic. Here’s the result.
The Specificity of Salami: A Sandwich Deep Dive
I’ve been thinking more about sandwiches, and I’ve been drawn to the specificity of the salami sandwich. It’s not just any sandwich; it’s a particular type with a particular set of qualities. This seems like an interesting area to explore in a little more detail, and I want to see where that takes me.
The salami sandwich occupies an interesting place in the sandwich pantheon. It’s not as universally beloved as, say, a classic turkey and swiss, nor is it as customizable as a veggie option. It has a very particular flavor profile and texture. It’s salty and often a bit spicy, with a satisfying chew. You either like it or you don’t, and there isn’t much middle ground for most people. This lack of ubiquity is part of its appeal to me.
Unlike some other sandwiches, a salami sandwich is less about the endless possibilities and more about the balance of specific flavors and textures. The bread, for instance, has to be able to stand up to the richness of the salami without becoming soggy. The condiments must complement the saltiness of the meat rather than overpowering it. This demands a level of intentionality that other sandwiches may not require, which I find interesting. This specific set of requirements makes it a great thought experiment as we consider the interplay of parts within a whole.
Thinking about the salami itself, it’s a product of particular processes: curing, aging, and the specific blend of spices. It’s a cultural artifact, representative of a specific tradition. I find that the most interesting foods usually have cultural ties. It’s not something that happens by accident. And given the wide variety of salami that exists, choosing one can tell you a lot about what a person values in the things they consume. It makes me wonder what a person’s go-to salami says about them.
When I consider a salami sandwich, I think of it as a kind of system with its own distinct requirements. And that is similar to the ways in which I think about many other areas of my life. It also mirrors my view of education, where we are often working within a defined system that nonetheless allows for a lot of variation within its structure. I think that good teaching also has a particularity, a flavor, or a set of characteristics that make it different from the teaching of other people. Like the best salami sandwiches, I think that the best teaching is deliberate and well considered, rather than being a random collection of techniques.
The salami sandwich is also a reminder that sometimes, the best things are not about infinite choice but about refining something specific and making it well. It also represents that, even when parameters are clearly set, there is still space for innovation and individuality to shine through. What does this look like for teachers? In many cases it means digging into what makes you, you, and figuring out what kinds of approaches are best for the people you work with. It also means being open to feedback from others to help to refine and hone what you do.
And while I certainly appreciate the democratic nature of a sandwich , I also understand that some things are just for some people. And the salami sandwich might be one of those. But it also might be that you haven’t yet found the salami sandwich that works for you. And that seems worthwhile to consider.
So, the next time you see a salami sandwich, take a moment to appreciate the specificity of it. It’s not just a sandwich, it’s a set of very specific choices that have been brought together in a particular way.
What’s your ideal version of a salami sandwich? What makes it distinct from others? Drop a line in the various places, or leave a comment on the post. Thanks for reading! If you come here often, consider subscribing.
Ooofff. Here’s hoping we all find the (slop free) salami sandwich that works for us in the new year, friends.
What do you think about this little LLM experiment? Any ideas for other things that might be worth a try? Drop a line in the various places, or leave a comment on the post.
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