diff --git a/localcache2.py b/localcache2.py
index d2c85a8..7f333c7 100644
--- a/localcache2.py
+++ b/localcache2.py
@@ -669,8 +669,79 @@ def insert_usefulinfo_record(parsed):
     date_label = parsed.get('date')
     short_text = parsed.get('short') or ''
     summary_text = parsed.get('summary') or ''
-    tags = parsed.get('tags') or []
-    events = parsed.get('events') or []
+    # Normalize tags into a flat list of strings
+    def _norm_tags(t):
+        if t is None:
+            return []
+        if isinstance(t, list):
+            out = []
+            for x in t:
+                if isinstance(x, (list, tuple)):
+                    out.extend([str(y) for y in x if y is not None])
+                elif isinstance(x, dict):
+                    # accept {name: "..."}
+                    name = x.get('name') if 'name' in x else None
+                    if name:
+                        out.append(str(name))
+                elif x is not None:
+                    out.append(str(x))
+            return out
+        if isinstance(t, str):
+            # try json first
+            try:
+                j = json.loads(t)
+                return _norm_tags(j)
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+            # split by comma
+            return [s.strip() for s in t.split(',') if s.strip()]
+        return [str(t)]
+
+    # Normalize events into a list of dicts with expected keys
+    def _norm_events(ev):
+        def _one(e):
+            if not isinstance(e, dict):
+                return None
+            dt = e.get('dt') or e.get('datetime') or e.get('date') or e.get('when')
+            length = e.get('length') or e.get('duration') or e.get('dur')
+            title = e.get('title') or e.get('name') or e.get('summary')
+            desc = e.get('description') or e.get('details') or e.get('note') or e.get('body')
+            return {'dt': dt, 'length': length, 'title': title, 'description': desc}
+
+        if ev is None:
+            return []
+        if isinstance(ev, list):
+            out = []
+            for x in ev:
+                if isinstance(x, dict):
+                    y = _one(x)
+                    if y:
+                        out.append(y)
+                elif isinstance(x, str):
+                    try:
+                        j = json.loads(x)
+                        if isinstance(j, dict):
+                            y = _one(j)
+                            if y:
+                                out.append(y)
+                        elif isinstance(j, list):
+                            out.extend(_norm_events(j))
+                    except Exception:
+                        pass
+            return out
+        if isinstance(ev, dict):
+            y = _one(ev)
+            return [y] if y else []
+        if isinstance(ev, str):
+            try:
+                j = json.loads(ev)
+                return _norm_events(j)
+            except Exception:
+                return []
+        return []
+
+    tags = _norm_tags(parsed.get('tags'))
+    events = _norm_events(parsed.get('events'))
 
     s_hash = _sha256((source or '') + "\n" + (date_label or '') + "\n" + short_text + "\n" + summary_text)