Apparently reading can drop stress by 68% in just 6 minutes? Wild. Also activates multiple brain areas and strengthens connectivity over time - may even lower your risk of memory loss as you age. This is why I love reading - feeds my writing, sparks ideas, builds vocabulary, boosts creativity and focus. Fiction builds empathy, too. Legit brain training for longevity. Another good article: “10 Brain Reasons To Make Reading a Habit.”
“an active engaging of the imagination…cause you to enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness.” - Dr. David Lewis, Sussex University (WebMd)
Building Meaning in Finite Time
You're lying in bed, scrolling. Two hours vanish before you even realize it's happening—until suddenly you do. And there it is: the awareness. Your book's still on the nightstand. Your essay's waiting on your laptop. The puzzle's half-finished on the table. The coloring supplies are untouched.
I catch myself here, too. Not in a guilt-spiral way, but in that quiet moment where you realize: this is finite time, and I’m choosing how it goes. That’s when everything shifts. Because it’s not really about doing enough—it’s about whether I’m actually building something that feels like mine.
Photo by Jesse Blom on Unsplash
The weird thing about …
A good read! We need to spread awareness about how important libraries are. I’d love to borrow from the library, but I’m terrible with deadlines—not because I’m a slow reader. Too many distractions, and I never finish in time. 🙄 Need to build better habits. Maybe 10 minutes daily, or reading in the morning before my day starts and again before bed. Once the habit sticks, back to borrowing from the library.
Antonio La Cava on why libraries still matter in a digital world: dmirams.micro.blog
Ooh, I can’t wait to see The Super Mario Galaxy movie. Check the trailer out. It looks good.
Watched the Project Hail Mary trailer—looks good. I really like Ryan Gosling. But what is this thing I saw? Not only that, but a space mystery, lone astronaut, humanity in trouble? I gotta read the book first before watching. Same author as The Martian (which I watched and it was good).
Watching: Alien: Earth Season 1, but I cannot remember which episodes I have already watched. Right now, I am at episode 6 to see if I remember watching it last. It has been a while since I watched the series last summer. It was good so far. I heard a second season is on the way but not until 2027!
I decide to read another book, I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes 📚, while I am still reading The Secret of Secrets (Robert Langdon, #6) by Dan Brown 📚.
TrumpRX launched this week with discounts on prescription drugs—but it’s not the only game in town. GoodRX and Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs have been doing this for years. Good to have choices, though TrumpRX prices run higher than the other two. Read more here (NPR)
I’m curious why posts without a blockquote are limited to 300, while those with a blockquote can reach 600. Please help me understand why they are treated differently. Hmm.
I have not been asked why I become a writer, but I will answer anyways. Like she said, reasons are: words bring me joy and I always question constantly about everything, I always learn new every day and would write about them. The quote was from this link, she was talking about the burnout, but I just thought I share her quote and want to share with you.
When people ask me why I became a writer, I have plenty of reasons to list: Words bring me joy. I ask questions constantly. - Isobel Whitcomb
70% of U.S. grocery stores are ultraprocessed. New study shows cutting back improves insulin sensitivity and metabolism—even without trying to lose weight. Being diabetic makes me rethink my pantry choices, but honestly? Not gonna be easy. Link
Two months into managing diabetes and still learning so much. Found this article on bedtime routines—checking blood sugar before bed, timing dinner right, prepping your room for sleep. Actually helpful stuff worth checking out—Steps To Take Before Bed If You Live with Diabetes
Reading strengthens your brain, builds empathy, improves sleep, & might even help you live longer. I will do a 30-day winter wellness challenge—just reading daily. Feels like the kind of self-care I can actually stick with. Benefits of Reading Books: How It Can Positively Affect Your Life
Switched to ad-tier streaming and now every other commercial is for some medication. GLP-1 weight loss drugs even hit the Super Bowl. When did watching TV stop being about relaxing and start being a trip to the pharmacy? 🙄 Link
You might want to read this, “Why There Are More Drug TV Commericals”
Came across a review for Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-Reum, and now I’m sold. 53 gentle, bookish prompts to help me fall back in love with reading? Yeah, I need that. [Link]
P.S. If you are not a member of Medium, here is the Friend link.
Saw Samsung’s planning a Galaxy Fold 8 Wide for this summer. Looks pretty cool, but wait—didn’t Google basically do this w/ the first Pixel Fold? Makes me wonder if this is all about Apple. Are they scrambling becuz a foldable iPhone might actually happen?
Photos: they may not be the final designs.
This Vietnamese multigenerational home is built entirely with terra-cotta, brick, and bamboo. I love the terra cotta color—find it so relaxing and soothing. The way they used it here, from walls to tiles, creates this warm, earthy vibe that just feels calming. Link
Randomly asked: In which countries do the most adults smoke? Got me curious, so I looked it up.
Top 5:
- Nauru (Pacific island nation)
- Serbia
- Bulgaria
- Papua New Guinea
- Croatia.
Nauru’s rate is wild—never would’ve guessed a tiny Pacific island would lead. Geography doesn’t predict habits. Link
Just found the full 2026 horror movie lineup—The Bride, The Mummy, Evil Dead Burn, Insidious: The Bleeding World, Resident Evil. I love horror movies and will absolutely be checking these out whenever I can. My streaming queue is about to explode. Link
Found a list of 20 book adaptations—Scarpetta with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis? Project Hail Mary? Yes. Started People We Meet on Vacation, haven’t finished but will shortly. Should read the books first, but my watchlist keeps growing. Link
Niagara Falls partially froze this week, and thousands of people are braving sub-zero temps just to see it. I get the appeal—nature holding its breath is stunning—but my toes are cold just reading about it. Sometimes beauty demands suffering, I guess.
Frozen Niagara Falls draws captivated tourists
Gas dropped from $3.13 last year to $2.90 now. Thirteen cents. That’s what we’re celebrating? With all the talk about what Trump’s doing for prices, I expected more than pocket change. Not exactly the massive improvement promised. 😕
So turns out Jupiter’s been catfishing us for 50 years. Juno just revealed it’s smaller and flatter than we thought—only by a few miles, but enough that textbooks need updating. Wild how we’re still learning basic facts about our own solar system. Link
And the photo is amazing!
Masters of the Universe live-action drops June 5th and I’m buzzing! Had the He-Man and Battle Cat toys as a kid—they were everything. Prince Adam transforming? Pure magic. Really hoping they nail this one.
