For the book I've just written I had to research how to vandalise a building site (scary but interesting), spells for bringing back the dead (and one for making them be dead again - which fyi are much harder to find) and the de-composure rate of corpses. I have been building myself up to approaching a local undertaker and planning officer - and I don't know which one is the scarier prospect!
And this doesn't include all the stuff that you click on by accident ("...officer"). A friend of mine was looking doing some research about land contaminated with heavy metals. She was quite surprised to be faced with Slipknot and Black Sabbath.
I suppose we must all be keeping 'the authorities' busy - they must have us under surveillance by now. *whistles innocently*.
What's the weirdest thing you've ever found yourself Googling?
I tried to get information about standard procedures regarding accidents on the train line recently, from local transport services. No response. A very sensitive topic so I didn't push it. When bereavement (or a behavioural disorder, or a stammer a la Fish Called Wanda) is part of a plot element or a running gag, I feel bad, particularly if it's a quirky element or it serves the story, rather than the opposite. But I had to make a little train stuff up (as ought to be the case, of course), after researching brakage times, and it still doesn't feel right. Librarians have occasionally asked why I want to see a certain archive with a sense of near outrage, as if I'm overstepping boundaries, while being prompt in delivering on same. As for your actual query, " What's the weirdest thing you've ever found yourself Googling?" - None of your business!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your posts when I catch them. Thanks for this one.
Thanks for your comments - I wouldn't worry too much at librarians looking askance at you. I work in a library and they look askance at me all the time! I wonder how much readers mind if you make things up?
DeleteI think that's part of the sell, isn't it? If a reader whose intelligence or expertise I'd rate is pulled in by my creative mendacity, I feel a little more confident in my waffle. But it wouldn't sit right with me if someone is offended due to an insensitive ignorance on my part.
DeleteWhen my boys were very small, I was online looking for a certain type of diaper (nappy) cover for cloth diapers. I don't remember what exactly I put in for search parameters, but I do remember being horrified to discover that there was an entire adult lifestyle subgroup who call themselves 'adult bxbies'and guess what? They wear diapers, and indulge their inner babies to an extent that most people would find shocking. I was stunned into complete silence (something that almost never happens to me.) Fortunately at that time the spambots were not quite as sophisticated as they are now and my inbox didn't get deluged with all sorts of disturbing offers. I apologize in advance for the spam you're likely to get - even though I tried to throw them off track with the spelling.
ReplyDeleteYou did ask, you know.
The internet does let many things into our lives and homes that we weren't expecting... clicked on the Tate Liverpool yesterday and they've chosen to have a very lifelike full frontal male nude as one of their scrolling home page pics *blushes*
DeleteOur local funeral director was v helpful when I was writing Dead Ernest! Tho he seemed a bit surprised...
ReplyDeleteOddest google. Wait for it - how to get rid of the large and recalcitrant turd someone kindly left in our loo, which lurked like an alligator and refused to budge. Answer? Boiling water! Magic! (Sorry about that, but you did ask...)
I STILL haven't read your book ... *adds to 'to do' list* - did you tell him it was a comedy? I'm not sure mentioning the undead is a good opening for me 8-/
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