If you’ve ever found yourself wondering where all the time went, trust me, you’re not alone. I had one of those “Wait, what?!” moments recently while cozied up on my couch with the comforting soundtrack of a rare San Diego rain shower. Picture it: me, a homemade Better Buzz Iced Best Drink in hand, cuddled up with Salem, watching welcome rain droplets dance on my window—a scene that hadn’t unfolded since… well, it took the help of AI to realize it had been over a year!
Curious, I asked an AI assistant when we last experienced a rainy Sunday morning in San Diego. What it revealed, that it had been 373 days, sent a shiver down my spine.
After getting beyond that initial shock, my mind wandered to a more pleasant thought. This rain wasn’t just a break in the monotony; it felt like a soothing balm, offering relief after the relentless fires that have wreaked havoc across Southern California. The devastation in Los Angeles has been extensive, and while San Diego hasn’t faced destruction on the same scale, the fires still served as a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictability and the peril of ignoring climate warnings.
Feeling like months had compressed into fleeting moments got me pondering time’s elusive nature—a thought common in the Covid era, as everything seems to be compared to “before times” and “after Covid times.” Earlier that morning, I had stumbled upon a Reddit post where a user prompted DeepSeek AI to “think about whatever you want” during a five-minute break.
What followed was a fascinating flow of thought, where the AI pondered time with startling clarity, blending the revolutionary with the patently obvious. It mused about novelty and routine—how new experiences stretch time, while routine makes it blur. It delved into neurological factors, noting how children’s brains, hungry for novelty, make time feel expansive, whereas adults process less new information, making time appear to race.
Reading DeepSeek AI’s rapid shift in focus—from pondering the mysteries of time to lunch plans—made me chuckle in solidarity. It was like looking into a digital mirror reflecting my ADHD brain, darting from one thought to another with the grace of a caffeinated squirrel. Just then, it struck me how much this mirrored my everyday inner dialogue.
It’s a running joke between Cody and me—how he can (allegedly) achieve a zen-like state of “thinking about nothing,” while my mind is a relentless circus of thoughts, each more acrobatic and unpredictable than the last. We’ve mused many times about this stark difference; he teases my overactive thought machine, and I marvel at his uncanny ability to find peace in quiet.
Covid forced a new pattern of behavior for us all. Some folks found inspiration for creativity, while others clung to routines to maintain a semblance of control. I was the latter, sticking to an almost robotic routine with few breaks. It seemed every time we tried something new, it compulsively became part of a new routine.
For someone like myself, finding that internal quiet feels akin to telling you to “not think about elephants” and actually expecting it to work. Are you kidding me? Now all I can think about are elephants! And naturally, that leads to giraffes, cheetahs, and an entire safari of thoughts—like pondering if Asian elephants ever envy their African cousins for their larger ears, perfect for eavesdropping on savannah gossip. But I digress.

The AI’s stream of consciousness resonated deeply, capturing this whirlwind perfectly. It’s comforting, albeit in a humorous way, to know that even an AI—without caffeine or to-do lists—experiences a similar whirlwind. Perhaps it’s a reminder to embrace the chaos more and laugh at the absurdity of our busy minds.
It also touched on cultural and technological influences, noting how our structured schedules and the constant pings of technology fragment our focus, hastening the sense of time slipping away. The AI speculated that mindfulness and disconnecting might counteract this sensation.
“With constant notifications and multitasking, our attention is fragmented, making us less aware of the passage of time.”
Reflecting on this got me thinking about how social media has dramatically reshaped my approach to life. I was once active on nearly every platform, from a (possibly overactive) Twitter feed and personal blog to a photography blog and social meet-up groups. This drive to share my life nudged me to create memories. The need to present an interesting life online tricked me into living one, filled with adventures and photo-worthy moments.
However, over the last decade, I gradually pulled back as social media transformed into something unfamiliar. It shifted from a vibrant community focused on niche interests to a battleground of culture wars and political debates. An intense, years-long stalker situation further pushed me away, and the end of a long-term relationship felt deeply personal. Sharing such a painful chapter online felt like broadcasting my struggles, so even that part of my life went quiet. Withdrawing from sharing meant fewer reasons to step out of my comfort zone. Instead of capturing life for content, I settled into the passive rhythm of endless scrolling—Reddit became my window to the world, as genuine exploration took a back seat.
This never-ending scroll of platforms like TikTok and Instagram has, in its own way, stolen time from me. I’ve allowed myself to be a passenger instead of the driver in my own life. It’s a poignant reminder that breaking free from passive observation might be my first step toward reclaiming those precious moments the AI insightfully reminds us of.
Returning to DeepSeek AI’s existential musings, it circled back to the idea that to truly stretch our perception of time, we should sprinkle our routines with novelty and adventure. That’s an idea that hit home—a simple yet profound call to action that sparked the idea for this blog series.
“When we experience new things, time feels slower because we’re forming more memories.”
Reclaiming those moments has become a new personal goal. This reflection kicks off a series where I’ll explore ideas around time perception, mindfulness, and living more deliberately. Each post will explore these themes as I try to piece together what it means to be more present in a world full of distractions. It’s less about finding profound answers and more about navigating the everyday reality of a busy mind, sometimes finding meaning in something as ordinary as listening to the rain.
In declaring this as a series, sharing these expectations outwardly, I’m holding myself accountable—using the internet and my public musings as a gentle nudge to change how I live. It’s a nod to my past habit of broadcasting life online, but this time the intent is more personal, serving as a reminder to prioritize presence over passive scrolling.
For me, writing this blog isn’t just about exploring academic ideas; it’s a deeply personal quest. It’s a way of motivating myself to embrace life more deliberately, to open myself up to new experiences, and allow some vulnerability—a skill I seem to have forgotten. Sharing these reflections is a reminder to break free from the well-trodden path, inviting those unpredictable moments that not only enrich life but also make it more unforgettable.
See you soon, I promise.