everything i googled this week

getting up close and personal, a peek into my brain

Google and I are practically inseparable. Some might say I spend more time searching things up on the world wide web than talking to my friends. I love my friends, I really do but they aren’t going to answer my obscure questions, are they? Trust me, I have tried.

Which is why if you had a peek at my screentime, you’d see Google Chrome reigning supreme. I have too many questions and I need all the answers. Stat!

Yes, I'm still loyal to Google, perhaps a bit old-fashioned in the eyes of my counterparts, who, according to a recent Forbes article, are gravitating toward TikTok and Instagram for their search needs. I have tried that and have been let down and the story is too embarrassing to relay here. I find it hard to trust any information I come across on either Tiktok or Instagram. Too many blabber heads talking about things they just aren’t qualified to talk about (in retrospect, that’s what I do on this substack actually). I’d like my information from a reliable source even if it’s a bit tricky on Google as well sometimes.

I love having my UNIX System moments after spending hours wading through the sea of misleading titles and finally discovering the answer I’ve been looking for.

So here are some selected (sometimes obscure) questions I asked on Google the past week and yes I do search in full sentences.

i. when is it okay to call yourself a writer?

Starting off strong by exposing myself - one of the things that I overthink a lot these days is writing. I have only recently picked up writing again. I have always wanted to write. It’s been something that I have had a strong pull towards consistently through the years. After fighting my imposter syndrome for so long and overcoming my fears of not being a good enough writer, here I am trying.

But am I a writer? I feel like a fraud giving myself a title like that, feels like I haven’t done enough or even, good enough. What makes someone a writer? Isn’t just the mere act of writing enough to call yourself a writer? I have contradicting thoughts about it.

It’s because I have immense respect for the title because I’ve grown up being an avid reader hence putting myself and someone as wonderful as Sylvia Plath or Bell Hooks under the same umbrella makes me feel uncomfortable.

There’s also the pressure and the expectation that comes with calling yourself a writer. If I am calling myself that I have to be good. I am not even close yet.

Therefore I will settle with calling myself an aspiring writer, leave some room for learning and experiencing. Because at the end of the day the title is the last of my motivations. I write because I like it, it makes all the cogs in my brain turn and it makes me happy. Who knew a simple google search would spark this epiphany?

clearly i wasn’t alone

ii. can I wash my hair everyday?

In other news, I am happy to report that I have joined the workout enthusiasts club, which means I now spend at least 30 minutes a day putting my body through some sweaty, good kind of pain. This new routine has been great for my health and creativity, but as a self-proclaimed germaphobe, it has also made me even more concerned about staying clean. You can judge me. But I constantly wonder why no one teaches us the right things to do for our bodies. Social media is filled with these so-called beauty influencers and health coaches but they offer such mixed information and tips.

The conflicting advice about everything on social media is overwhelming. I genuinely fear the TikTok-ers who yell at me through my screen daily about the right way to wash my hair, the right way to wash my face, and so on. Their aggressive certainty makes me question my own routines and leaves me more confused than informed.

In this age of information overload, with so many voices clamouring for attention online, it's no wonder we're left feeling bewildered by the conflicting advice thrown at us from all directions. It's like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded.

TikTok and Instagram have only added fuel to the fire, bombarding us with assertive yet contradictory messages about health and beauty. It's a constant barrage of "do this, don't do that," leaving us scratching our heads and wondering who to believe.

In the end, it's clear that our personal routines are deeply influenced by the digital world we live in. But amidst all the noise and confusion, one thing remains certain: we have to trust ourselves to make the best decisions for our own well-being. This realisation comes from spending a good amount of time searching for the answer to this question and getting absolutely nowhere.

with no one yelling ‘don’t do this, do that’ in my face ahhh

iii. does working out make you creative?

In other news, working out has been doing wonders for my creative brain. My best ideas have come to me right after I have finished a workout (apart from when I am about to fall asleep). It’s a phenomenon I’ve noticed time and time again: the moment I’m done exercising, my mind feels clearer, and creative thoughts start flowing. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but there’s a scientific reason behind it, of course. According to various studies, exercising promotes proper brain function, hence pushing you to live your best creative life. It turns out that the increased blood flow and endorphins do more than just make you feel good—they help you think better too. I’m now kicking myself for not giving in to this lifestyle sooner.

Who knew that breaking a sweat could also break through creative blocks? It made me wonder how creativity is within everyone; we just have to find ways to access it. As Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist’s Way once said, “I believe that everyone is creative. Whether you declare yourself an artist or not, you make creative choices every day. You are handcrafting a unique life whether you feel you are “artistic” or not.” I’ve learnt through Julia that creativity is the ultimate key to experiencing personal growth and fulfilment in all aspects of life. What do you think?

iv. funniest gilmore girl episodes

Sometimes, no matter how much you try to keep your endorphins flowing and your mood stable, you’re human, and an overload of intense emotions is inevitable. In those moments, there’s only one thing that can fix my mood: getting into bed, turning on my Do Not Disturb and escaping into the world of Star Hollows. I don’t make the rules, I find solace in this show. It portrays womanhood in all its forms. Despite not being culturally represented in the show, I still feel validated for my experience as a woman in this big scary world. As a brown woman I might not empathise with them on certain issues because I have had such contrasting experiences growing up but, at the end of the day watching two strong, independent women figure life out in times of stress is the ultimate gift of comfort (the bar is in hell).

Anyway, here’s the link to the best/funniest episodes and I agree, they definitely can make you crack at least the faintest of smiles.

i am paris, paris is me

v. how old is chappell roan

Chappell Roan, also known as your favourite artist’s favourite artist, your dream girl’s dream girl, is on everyone’s mind right now (and will be for a long time). Rightly so—ever since her Coachella clip went viral on TikTok, her audience has grown exponentially. I’m embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t heard of her before this clip, but since then, she’s been all I can think about. But I am happy I know of her wonderful existence now because her music has genuinely altered something in my brain; it’s on repeat all day long. I have Pink Pony Club playing in my head right now as I am writing this.

However, every rose has its thorn. It's hard not to compare yourself to someone famous who seems to be your age, so naturally, I had to do a quick google search. Don't tell me you haven't done it too—we all do.

People often compare themselves to others, especially those who seem to be achieving success at a young age, as a way to gauge their own progress and measure their accomplishments. I might take it too far, though, because I end up having an existential crisis when I find out they’re as young as, or younger than, me. I know it’s not the healthiest of things but seeing someone my age achieve things I can’t even fathom fuels me to do better. Along with little a pang of jealousy. But it just keeps things interesting.

vi. must read books

I am not going to lie, I have been having a hard time reading lately. And, Google recommendations haven’t helped. It’s not because of a lack of desire to read, I’m itching to read. I’m itching to lose myself in the pages of a book that would keep me on my toes (no murder mysteries please) and stimulate my mind (nothing too science-y), make me want to skip sleep so I can keep reading (no horror thrillers either). Despite this intense desire to read, I have been unable to find anything that truly grips me. I start books and give up as soon as they lose my interest which is within the first ten pages.

I’m all for DNFing books that genuinely don’t interest you but I wonder: are we giving up on these books because they’re genuinely not interesting or because we’re inundated with too many, better options? With booktok raving about a new book weekly, a book you just have to read and, the rate at which some of these authors are churning out new books - have we completely lost room for giving anything a fair shot?

As Frank Zappa said and I agree, “So many books, so little time.” There are so many books, songs, films and essays I want to consume but I constantly fear I’d never be able to do it all. So I’m conflicted, should I DNF a book within the first 10 pages for a better book out there somewhere or put myself through the pain of reading something I am not interested in? What do you think?

Also it’s worth mentioning that I have also already achieved my reading goal this year. Before I tell you how many books that consisted of, you should know that last year was the longest reading slump I have ever been in therefore my reading goal for this year had to be a bit modest. - 12 books. Yes it’s only May (HOW?) and I have flown through my goal. However, rather than resting on my laurels, I'm determined to maintain this momentum. So I’m welcoming any and all recommendations with wide, open arms. Please.

vii. every song with the word dream in the title

When I am not stressing over what book to read, I’m spending a lot of time looking for what tunes to add to my hyper specific playlist. One quite afternoon, I was listening to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac when I had a sad realization: perhaps the one thing my life has been lacking these days is the feeling of dreaming. You know that feeling, when you get butterflies in your stomach when you’re daydreaming about travelling the South of France, or maybe one day writing a book, or something as simple as having a place of your own that you can adorn with things you find beautiful. That’s what I used to daydream about.

But I haven’t felt that in a hot minute, and recognizing the times we’re living in now, I don’t think a lot of others have felt like that in a while either. It’s such a hopeful, positive feeling to have, especially to keep you going in uncertain times. So many possibilities. So many what-ifs someday coming alive. I love having dreams and something to work towards no matter how big or small.

Naturally, to inspire me to dream more or rather kickstart the conversation in my mind, I decided to make a playlist full of tunes with the essence of dreaming infused in it. Not only to motivate myself but anyone who listens to it, to dream a little more.

Even though I always find an excuse to create a new playlist, this one holds a special place in my heart. It has brought me immense joy, and I find myself hitting repeat more often than not. You can listen to it here.

P.S - The reason why I had to google this was because Spotify’s algorithm doesn’t know me at all. But that’s a conversation for a different day.

There were a few searches worth mentioning just because of how weird/funny they were (found below), but I'll refrain from exposing all of them to maintain some balance in the universe. With all this oversharing, I've probably lost any sense of mystery. So, to even things out, why don't you share your funniest Google search of the week? Also, let me know if you'd like to see this become a monthly series and if you have any suggestions for changes to the format—I'm always learning! It was truly refreshing to use my Google searches as a springboard for deeper conversations and reflection. And, I’m really hoping when I re-read this in a few month I don’t cringe at myself.

i’m just a girl…

what good is a workout if it’s not added to my apple watch???

i still don’t know their name! TikTok gods haven’t helped either

you know the one

underworld? i am scared of the underwater

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Now onto a little recap of my week. As we all know, there was a severe drought when it came to reading this week but I did come across some fun media to dig into.

1. Philosophy is an art

2. Where Have All My Guy Friends Gone?

3. The empty brain

4. I think you guys might be thinking of yourselves too much

5. How I fixed my attention span

6. Anatomy of a RomCom

7. Psych - I have been binging this series and absolutely loving it! Why didn’t I discover it sooner?

Thank you for reading!

xoxo,

Reet