We’ve reached the end of another year. How are you doing? I want to say that however this year panned out for you, I’m so glad you’re still here (in all senses of the phrase). 🫂

I’ve been kneading the idea of what my presence on this platform could be for most of 2025. It’s kinda hard to describe, but I’ve found myself feeling boxed in other places.

It’s less about reach and more about how free I feel to express my ideas. Social media is also a big part of my career and I’m constantly thinking about it, so energy towards my own projects can be challenging.

When I started this Substack, I was newly out of an abusive work environment and branded myself here as learning how to deal with my silly little brain lol!!!

Two years later, I’m so sad for who I was then. Where I was back then, in so many places in life, had done a number on me. But in the words of my friend Hovey Benjamin, I’m Back (and I’m Worse) Just kidding – but Ben’s music is great! Please take a gander!

I’m back and I’m better. And I think I finally know what to share! Stick around for a delightful menagerie of topics that I think matter, that I find funny and think you might as well, social media industry takes, deep fried film scans – etc!

I’ve changed the name of this to Mindfull of Something with the goal of just writing about whatever is rolling around in my head with some *nuance*. Frequency TBD, but I feel like loosening the rules to find a solid path forward is what’s always worked for my particular flavor of neurodivergence, so we’re gonna roll with it!

Anywho, without further ado, let’s get to some of the wildest stuff I found on Facebook Marketplace this year:

That’s all, folks! Happy to be back.

Idk ya’ll. I’ve been trying to figure out how to write this and I’m afraid a long preamble will excite my executive dysfunction to a point where I can’t finish. I’m tired. This has already been a challenging year as a SoCal resident and my nervous system is a bit worn already. Let’s just jump right in.

I’ll admit it, I was on TikTok for a long time yesterday. I saw creators who became mutuals share their sorrow, their gratitude – how much this platform gave them a sense of belonging they had struggled to find in other spaces. I’d felt that way, too, especially as someone who’s late-diagnosed with ADHD and never felt like I fit anywhere.

Then, between 7:30 and 8 P.M. Pacific Time, I watched TikTok become inoperable. I couldn’t like or save anything. I’d click the button, it would light up, but then go out.

By 8:59 P.M., it was gone.

…but then it was back.

It was surreal watching it all go down. Over the last week, I listened to a lot of discourse on the geopolitical nature of it all, theories on how long TikTok would be down, and a potential merger with Meta.

What I want to talk about here is something I noticed throughout the day yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday) across both platforms that supports the theory of a potential Meta purchase.

First, many of us have seen that Instagram didn’t have an account on TikTok before Saturday. Now, Instagram has an account AND they’re running ads.

I want to raise something else I noticed that further supports the theory of a potential Meta merger.

Yesterday (again, Saturday) and today (again, Sunday), I began to notice a TON of ads for musicians and bands across Instagram. I would get them now and again when I’d look at Instagram Stories, but not like I have over the past 36 hours.

These ads for musicians and bands on TikTok? A very different story. Usually, whether I was scrolling through my Following Page or my For You Page, I would get an ad for musicians and bands every 3-7 videos.

So…why did the same thing begin to happen on Instagram…starting yesterday evening?

I wish my ADHD-supercharged pattern recognition had caught this yesterday evening when I first started to notice it, but the number of ads for musicians and bands exploded for me on Instagram. I started documenting it this afternoon when the increase in ads went from a “huh?” to a “WAIT!” in my mind.

When I look at the timestamps from my screenshots (above is an abridged grid), it becomes uncanny and unnerving (although, perhaps you could say the same about my screen time today).

• 2:07 P.M. – TikTok

• 2:24 P.M. – TikTok

• 2:30 P.M. – Instagram

• 2:33 P.M. – Instagram

• 4:36 P.M. – TikTok

• 4:37 P.M. – Instagram

This is what I thought to take screenshots of at the moment, but there were several more I left out. I first noticed an influx of these ads last night on Instagram. In the morning and early afternoon, I saw the same influx in Instagram and TikTok. In the evening, I noticed less across both platforms.

This can’t be a coincidence.

I have a lot more to say as I process what’s happening and what it all means. More from me on the implications soon. 🫶

I started working on a newsletter for my job awhile back and I really loved it. After signing up a fair amount of newsletters over the last few years, I felt inspired to make my own. But an important question needed to be answered before I got started: what would I write about?

A fun fact about me: I was diagnosed with ADHD this year at age 30. My diagnosis has been a journey of self-discovery in almost every aspect of my life. When thinking about what I wanted to share it finally came to me. I have A LOT of interests that also serve as tools that help me navigate a world not built for brains like mine, so why not write about them?

Welcome to An Olive Muses! Each episode might be a little different, but I promise it’ll be interesting!

Part 1: Podcasts 😈

If you know me personally, you know that I am ALWAYS down to talk about podcasts. Not only have I been an avid listener since Serial Captured my attention in 2015, but they’re also a big help in self-regulation and time management. Here are a few that I’ve been listening to:

If you like discourse on pop culture that is deeply nuanced and thoughtfully shared, Vibe Check is a great listen! I could go on (they deserve my flowers and more), but I want you to listen for yourself! I’m not immune from our collective interest in scammers and their psychology, so The Wedding Scammer has had a grip on me lately. Finally, if true crime podcasts feel kinda slimy due to how the storytelling is done, The First Degree is the antidote. Their approach is interview-driven with those adjacent to the crimes covered.

Part 2: Vanity in the wild 🪞

I love a vanity plate. I used to post them on my Instagram Stories when I lived on the east coast because Virginia, my home state, is the least expensive place to get one. Plus, what makes a trip up the 405 more interesting than seeking out vanity plates? It’s good stimulation for the ol’ hypothalamus (I think). Lately, I’ve been slacking, so enjoy some recent hits I definitely captured when my Prius was not in motion:

Part 3: I didn’t buy it, but you can 👀

As a neurospicy Olive, my brain naturally lacks dopamine and really enjoys an impulse buy as a quick hit of the ✨good stuff.✨ While I’ve gotten better about spending my actual American doll hairs, I do still get a little rush from swiping up on a targeted ad and putting something in my cart. Here’s some stuff I really loved, but didn’t commit to yet:

I've been deeply interested in this Cay Skin Isle Lip Balm (bonus points for SPF), this STUNNING bag from Poppy Lissiman, and I keep giggling to myself each time I think of this bumpersticker that was in a TikTok my friend Allison sent me (hi Queen 👋).

Part 4: I heard you fell into a rabbit hole *Conor Oberst voice* 🐇

I don’t know about ya’ll, but nothing scratches a particular itch in my brain more than a rabbit hole to sink a solid hour into. Okay, okay! Maybe more if it’s a weekend or I can’t sleep OR it’s just that interesting (it usually always is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯).

Here’s a few recent holes I’ve tripped and fallen head first into as part of my nonstop quest for dopamine:

The magic of foaming hair dye influenced me to give it a whirl (and it worked great)! Mark Rebillet came up on my FYP when I was looking for background music to use for some spec work and ya know, just fit! Finally, while I don't live in Los Angeles (a gal in the OC can dream of a bungalow in Highland Park) I love 404 by the L.A. Times. It's history, it's pop culture-y, it's esoteric - it's *chefs kiss*.

Anyway ya’ll - ciao for now! See you soon for Episode 2!