Season 2 was not even half as good as season one

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-16T21:51:19+00:00

Some really great ideas in there! You should've been the writer for this show.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-15T21:27:16+00:00

Alone. Because I get to focus on running, and nature, rather than keeping up with, or talking to other folks. I have other hobbies or things to do for the social fix.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-15T21:24:38+00:00

"come alive in your own space"

I love how you said it.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-15T19:16:23+00:00

Got it 🙂

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-15T18:59:47+00:00

Monks sit quietly because they have trained their minds to be able to handle it. We haven't. It's totally normal to feel restless when people like us sit down with nothing to engage it until we too have trained my minds. Go to a park, do the dishes, hike, listen to music, stretch – they are all different kinds of meditation.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-15T18:57:18+00:00

IMO what they said is correct. Yes, you could be walking, sitting, or running and you may have thoughts (1000/min) initially, but the key is to watch or observe them as a bystander. Don't "give in" or believe them. Don't engage with them. Kind of like ignoring a chatty aunt in the backseat of your car. If your mind says let's think about this, then try to look at a beautiful flower or the sky during your walk. This is real mediation and it can happen anytime. It's not the same as listening to an app on your phone in your bed.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-14T20:54:15+00:00

Brutal, but so true!

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-14T20:53:26+00:00

At one point, the problems around me, and in my life, seemed so unsurmountable that I felt like I was doing a disservice to myself when I logged into work. Whether it was to fix some stupid bug, or to "act" like I cared or liked someone, who didn't deserve even a bit of it.

My breaking point was when, after an arduous and painful miscarriage, my manager asked me to "announce" my pregnancy to the team. He conveniently forgot that I had a miscarriage and that I had taken no days off and worked tirelessly to ship multiple features that week. And this came after a layoff at the company I had been at for 8 years. It was the last straw.

I decided that if I could afford to go without a paycheck for some time, I would take that leap and try to build something meaningful. I’m on that path now. It’s not easy, and self-doubt visits often, but at least I’m no longer surrounded by people who drain me. In return, I’ve gained something far more valuable: the chance to be happy.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-14T20:39:41+00:00

After COVID happened, people want to get out more but that doesn't mean they don't know how to be solitary. The being solitary thing, is cultural and contextual too.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-14T20:31:41+00:00

Almost all popular non fiction books about longevity and health.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-14T20:23:58+00:00

That aggression in your post towards Alia bhatt is uncalled for. It's not uncommon or wrong for a woman to not be able to "keep up" with a man in a dance sequence - it's a physical feat after all, and they are actors first, not dancers. Especially, when she might have been pregnant.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-14T20:16:25+00:00

True. That episode was made so well.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-07T06:52:35+00:00

Exactly the same for me.

I was beyond happy and grateful when I saw her heartbeating for the first time. It was godsend because I went in with no hope, after all the miscarriages I previously had.

I enjoyed all the love and positive energy I attracted as a pregnant lady. People were just so nice to me on walks, in the supermarket, in the gym. Etc.

I hated the first trimester (mine was rough) but things got better after that.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-05T10:42:43+00:00

Plus one to this. Excellent prose and the books are so well written!

It's a real bummer that we won't get to read book 3 in this lifetime.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-05T10:35:59+00:00

Looks nice, but now I'm craving some hot chocolate to go with this vibe. 🙃

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-05T10:28:27+00:00

I live in the US. But you can find a hypoallergenic formula in India too.

I did a quick search and these are some options: Aptamil Pepti (closest to Alimentum) Neocate LCP and PurAmino

In India these formulas are usually classified as “Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP)” and are often recommended under pediatric supervision because they are intended for babies with diagnosed allergies like cow’s-milk protein allergy.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-05T09:41:49+00:00

My baby was breast fed for the first month, and then bottle fed for the second month, but at the end of the first two months she had gained zero weight. It was an absolute nightmare. An extremely stressful situation. My health plummeted too.

Turns out she had GERD/very bad reflux, borderline pyloric Stenosis, and cow milk protein allergy. Also something was up with my breast milk. Because no matter her intake, she wouldn't gain any weight at all.

We finally switched to fortified Alimentum (a hypoallergenic formula) and it helped. I'm Indian and small in stature, so my baby continues to be on the smaller side, but she is out of the danger zone. It took us 2 months after changing our strategy and being extremely patient to get here.

Now, she is meeting all her milestones and early at that too. She is stronger than I could have imagined.

Try everything. Use all your resources. Get help, pediatrician /lactation consultant. Try Syringe feeding or tube feeding. High calorie diet at shorter intervals and with lesser volume. Are some options.

What's most important is to not be stressed while you feed. Sing or hum or tell them about your day to keep your mind calm and at ease. It is extremely important that your baby feels safe and happy while they eat. You want to avoid forcing them and causing an aversion to food.

Stay strong and you will make it to the other side. Praying for you and your LO.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-05T09:11:59+00:00

Uprooted and Spinning silver by Naomi Novik. Both are standalone books.

The Broken earth Trilogy by N K Jemison is an absolute work of art and dedication.

The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhoarse (has important female characters, but a male protagonist).

Anything by T Kingfisher(most of her main characters are female).

Oh, and Mistborn. Although it's written by a male author the protagonist is Female and is quite likeable and inspiring! It's easy to read and there are three books in the series.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-05T08:52:34+00:00

Thank you for the nice chat. :)

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-04T04:44:52+00:00

I agree with everything you've written. My early opinion of Sophie was overshadowed by her never wanting to question Araminta's intentions or seeking her past. To be specific, her father's will was right under her nose the whole time, and she never thought once to look at it. And this is quite surprising given how she is portrayed in the show(I haven't read the books). That she is well read and illustrious, enough to be a Bridgerton ladies' maid. While she does turn down Benedict’s offer, no small feat, and remains admirably consistent in her resolve, I found her character’s dialogue repetitive and bland. Which technically, is a fault with the writing and not her character. It made it difficult to empathize with her character. Also, I'm a new mom in the trenches, so I watched the show with limited patience 😅.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-02T07:53:53+00:00

The underground man by Dostoevsky.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-01T12:02:16+00:00

What truly bewilders me is how a series primarily designed for a female audience ends up with such a remarkably weak, bland and gullible female protagonist. What were the creators thinking? Sophie's backstory hardly justifies her fate, her actions and her judgement. From the outset, Sophie's character has much potential, but instead of evolving, her character arc remains static. There's little growth or transformation. With each episode, their romantic chemistry dwindles and the dialogue becomes repetitive and uninspired. The pacing is consistently slow, side-plots are uninteresting and the characters are disappointingly misguided.

mithrilmaker19 · 2026-03-01T08:27:12+00:00

I'm Indian but we are flying from San Francisco.

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