There’s a line in a Wolf Parade song that goes, “I’m not in love with the Modern World”. In many ways, this lyric serves as a mantra of mine because so much of what the modern world delivers is trivial and an absolute time suck but now when I say out loud while working in the kitchen, “Ok Google, play Wolf Parade on YouTube Red”, I realize that I am head over heels in love with a modern world capable of making my home life better, more futuristic and, really, so freaking fun.
I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, standing on my cushioned mat that’s advertised to help those with back and knee issues but I dunno if I believe it. Still, it’s better than having nothing between my bottom digits and the cold hard tile floor. Whether I’m prepping, cooking, creating a recipe, up to my elbows in soapy suds or putting clean dishes away, the kitchen has and always will be my happy place. That’s why I placed Google Home nearby, on the divider between the free flowing dining/family room space and my humble kitchen, although my helpful Google assistant can still hear me from pretty much anywhere in our 1500 square foot rancher. Google Home answers me when I call out ‘Hey Google, how do I spell precipitation?’ from my office as I write about something that apparently involves moisture of some kind and it doesn’t miss a beat when I frantically say ‘OK Google, what’s the weather look like for tomorrow in Nashville?’ as I scramble around my bedroom packing at the last minute for a quick 2-night getaway to Music City.
Everything in life, from screen time to sleepy time has pros and cons to weigh but not Google Home. I’ve experienced only positives from having this wondrously futuristic assistant in my life. As I move from laundry room to bedroom to kitchen to office to guest bathroom (to check on Trixie, the newest member of our family) I am never too far away from hearing what’s next on my calendar (oh right, Mouse has after school concert rehearsal tonight!), what’s happening in the world right this very moment (although to be fair I’ve been tending to stay away from that Google Home query these days), how many tablespoons are in an 1/8 of a cup as I attempt to halve an already complicated recipe, and to get an update on the score of the Red Wings game. I’ll usually follow that with, “Hey Google, please make me laugh” to hear a joke and change my mood after learning that we’re losing. Again. If only Google Home could chip in a few goals, we really could use the help this season.
As I type this, I’ve just ordered a Phillips Hue starter pack which will pair with Google Home allowing me to control much of the lightning in my house simply by saying, ‘Hey Google, please dim the family room light to 25%’. I mean, is this real life?
As if Google Home wasn’t cool enough, right now you get 6 months of free YouTube Red with every Google Home purchase so you can ask Google to play pretty much any song from any band, and voila! you’ll be singing along in seconds, thinking all the while how brilliant is our modern world!
*OWTK has partnered with Google to tell this story. I received financial compensation and a Google Home unit to facilitate the telling of this tale. All opinions expressed above are honest and unbiased, as always. Google Home truly is remarkable and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t use it to make my home life better.
8 Comments