What was the last thing you searched for online?

If you really want to know someone, ask them about their internet search history. That little trail of questions can be revealing. In my case, my search history might make me look like an unhinged movie villain with a tech problem.

As a writer, I spend a lot of time googling things that would raise eyebrows if you didn’t know the context. For example, “would a person drown easily” was one of my recent searches for a story I was writing. Not because I’m plotting anything nefarious, but because fiction demands believability. 

Then there are the health-related searches. A friend asked me about her medical condition, and I wanted to give thoughtful advice, so I did some quick online digging. Without knowing this, someone looking at my search results may think I was the one with the health issue.

I search for a lot of places as well, especially when deciding on where to dine. I’ll check how to get somewhere…and then never actually go to that place because I found a place more convenient. So I appear to plan ambitious trips and abandon them before leaving my driveway.

And TV shows? I have the patience of a two-year old. I’ll watch something, get curious, and search, “How does episode 4 of season 2 end?” or “Who is the new guy?” because I skipped a few episodes. Online searching is a real time saver.

The one constant in all my searches? Tech problems. Easily a quarter of my searches are about the software I use, price comparisons, if the latest virus is a real threat or a hoax, or what-on-earth is this tech term I just heard about.

All in all, my search history paints a funny, chaotic picture—equal parts dark, nerdy, and hopelessly curious. In other words, a writer just trying to figure it all out.

Daily writing prompt
What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?
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What’s Your Favorite Time of Day? For Me, It’s Night

Everyone seems to have a favorite time of day—some love the fresh start of morning, others love the productivity of afternoon. For me, night has always been my favorite. There’s something about the world after dark that feels different and almost otherworldly.

At night, the busyness of the day fades. People have dinner, clean up, and work on their hobbies and fun activities. Then late in the evening, there’s the silence that invites deeper thinking and creativity. I find it’s the best time to write, especially when writing supernatural stories and creating videos for my YouTube channel. There’s an undeniable inspiration that comes from looking up at a full moon, casting its glow across the sky. 

I think part of it is conditioning, too. Growing up, evenings were always associated with winding down. After school or work, it was the time to relax and reflect. So when night comes, my brain naturally slips into that reflective mode. Time to watch TV or read a book. It’s when I check in with myself, review my goals, and allow space for new ideas to surface.

Mornings, on the other hand, carry the weight of responsibility. There’s pressure to shake off sleep and dive into tasks. Afternoons are filled with errands, calls, and appointments that are necessary, but hardly relaxing. But night is different. Night feels like freedom. It’s the time when the world slows down just enough to let the imagination run wild.

So while others may find energy in the sun, I find my spark in the moonlight. Night isn’t just my favorite time of day. It’s when my creativity truly wakes up.

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite time of day?
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Why I Love Writing: Expression with Infinite Interpretations

One of the things I enjoy most about writing is how much you can express yourself through words. Whether I’m creating instructional documents for my job or writing stories and blog posts in my free time, writing allows me to communicate ideas in a way that is both precise and open to interpretation.

At work, my writing is focused on clarity. I create documents that explain procedures so someone can follow a process. In this context, my goal is to teach and guide the reader to a specific outcome. It’s satisfying to know my words helped someone accomplish a task successfully.

But in my hobby writing, the goal shifts. I’m not just telling someone how to do something; I’m inviting them to experience something. Unlike videos, where the visuals are presented for you, writing leaves space for the imagination. The words on the page are only half the story—the rest is created in the reader’s mind.

That’s the greatest part of writing fiction: the way a scene feels or a character looks can be interpreted in different ways. When I describe a main character, I might picture them vividly in my mind, but each reader will visualize their own image based on their interpretation and imagination.

Writing is not just communication; it’s a creative collaboration between writer and reader.

Daily writing prompt
What do you enjoy most about writing?
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The Most Expensive Meal I Never Paid For

The most money I’ve ever spent on a meal is, technically, zero dollars, but the value of that dinner was probably the highest I’ve ever experienced.

Early in our careers, my friend received a gift certificate from work to a five-star steakhouse. He invited me to go with him. We’d never been to a place like this before. (We were more accustomed to three and four-star restaurants.) It was a bit too fancy for us, but we thought it was worth a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So we got all dressed up and pretended we were elite upper class for a day.

From the moment we sat down, the whole experience was different than usual. We ordered our food without caring about the prices. Our salad order was a performance. Our server wheeled over a cart and made Caesar salads while we watched, tossing and mixing with more gusto than I apply to a simple salad at home. You would think it was the salad of the century. We ordered perfectly cooked steaks that melted in our mouths, and desserts that were tasty pieces of art.

The meal was completely covered by the gift certificate, but the experience was priceless. It wasn’t just about the food; it was a glimpse into a lifestyle we hadn’t experienced before. It wasn’t until afterward that I realized we should have taken more photos!

Daily writing prompt
What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?
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What I’d Change About Modern Society: More Tech for Less Chaos

Modern society is fascinating with all the available tech at our fingertips. It’s a hyper-connected world with endless options and distractions. Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in information as a result! If I could change one major thing about modern life, I would use technology to simplify life. Here’s what that could look like.

A Digital Household Assistant for the Forgetful

It’s easy to remember the obvious things, like a monthly bill, because you get the monthly reminder, but it’s the less obvious stuff that gets you. Like remembering when to check the flashlight batteries or vacuum behind the fridge. With so many other responsibilities, it’s easy to forget basic maintenance. Imagine feeding an app your household inventory and having it create a custom schedule: reminders to clean your gutters, test smoke detectors, or renew that annual insurance. Set it and forget it!

The Service Search Revolution

The last time I needed a home repair, it took hours to comb through pages of reviews and visit multiple websites. I’d like an app that aggregates all reviews from various platforms, including Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc., and provides a concise, reliable summary of the best repair company for the job. It’s like having a savvy, trustworthy friend who did all the research to save you time.

Unsubscribe Means Unsubscribe

You give your email once for something you can’t remember, and suddenly you’re getting daily promos and sales pitches from that company. Even worse, some companies make it intentionally difficult to unsubscribe so you have to throw that email into spam. How about a universal email filter tool, something to identify and auto-delete unwanted promotions before they hit your inbox, or block auto-subscriptions at the source, unless explicitly accepted.

Social Media, But Filtered for You

Social media is overwhelming. One scroll and you’re hit with mindless cat videos, political rants, and jokes you don’t find funny. Or, worst of all, seeing the same post ten times in one hour. We need a smart filter—a system that lets you curate your feed not just by who you follow, but by topics that interest you. The tech is there—it just needs to be deployed in user-first ways.

A News Feed That Saves You Time

If you’re into tech, staying up-to-date on what tech to use is a full-time job. New AI tools, software updates, startups, gadgets—it’s endless. What we need is a smart tech digest that pulls the most relevant, interesting updates based on your preferences and summarizes them weekly according to your needs.

The End Goal: More Tech, Less Tech-Obsession

The better we use tech to organize and offload the mental load of daily life, the less time we need to spend using it. Once your systems are in place, your email filters itself, your chores remind you automatically, your tech news comes pre-digested, and your social media is what you want to see.

What’s left? Free time to take a walk, read a printed book, hang with family, or just enjoy the silence without the nagging feeling you forgot something important—like paying your annual property tax.

It would be a dream to have tech that works in the background to make life smoother. 

Daily writing prompt
What would you change about modern society?
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