I finally gave in.

After years of avoiding Black Mirror because "I did not need extra anxiety, thanks", I caved.

Earlier this year, a friend casually showed me one episode — Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too — and suddenly I was extremely intrigued by this unsettling vortex of techno-dystopia. Honestly, the Miley Cyrus episode didn’t even feel like science fiction. It felt like someone had taken today’s pop-star-worship culture, tossed in AI assistants, and hit fast-forward. I've read a short story previously along the same lines — Taylor Swift by Hugh Behm-Steinberg. It even won the Barthelme Prize in 2015 because 'it casts a spell'. And I agree. The story is as strange and unsettling as the Black Mirror episodes I talk about below.

And you know what, the scary part in these stories is never the tech. It's always the fact that people can easily twist tech into something manipulative and profitable at the expense of other people.

That episode starring Miley Cyrus struck a chord because I’ve been working on a short story in the same AI-tech space. So with a blend of curiosity, dread, and writerly research greed, I started exploring more episodes. And wow… some of them are so real, it’s almost like the show is reporting live from our near future.

Let's get into a few of them that have been renting space in my brain for a while.

1. Fifteen Million Merits (Season 1, Episode 2) – We’re Already Pedalling Into It

Fifteen Million Merits is one of the earliest episodes and one of the most plausible ones. People cycling all day to generate power, earning digital credits, drowning in hyper-personalised ads — it’s weirdly familiar, isn't it?

Japan recently started converting footsteps into electricity. Train stations, stadiums, public pathways — people simply walking around are generating power. It’s incredible technology and a brilliant sustainability effort. But watching Fifteen Million Merits, I could see the extent to which this idea could be exploited. Technological inventions always start with a noble intention, then greed takes over. You don't even realise how trapped you are in the system. Moreover, when the ending did not disappoint, it became even scarier. I mean, how do you even fight against the system when you're dying at its feet, but it still manages to provide a lifeline?

2. Be Right Back (Season 2, Episode 1) - Digital Ghosts, Anyone?

Imagine losing someone you love… and then getting an AI version of them built from their social media footprint.

Comforting or creepy? The answer is yes.

What’s wilder is that this idea isn’t staying fictional. The Indian web series Mismatched played with a similar concept. And recently, there was news about an AI app developed by the former Disney Channel actor, Calum Worthy, that lets you create avatars of relatives who have passed away by learning from their videos.

At first, you'll feel relieved that something like this exists. But then you start to see how the dependency plays out and isolates the person who's grieving, and often drives them to madness. I loved how this episode ended with the thought that hyper-realistic AI models are just that - a piece of technological junk, or rather a toy to play with. It will never be the real thing.

3. Nosedive (Season 3, Episode 1) – The Social Media Olympics We All Signed Up For

This is one of my most favourite episodes solely because of the narrative curve. It was a chef's kiss for me. This pastel-colored world where your social rating decides whether you get a house, a flight upgrade, or even basic respect… we’re already halfway there. Aren't we?

Think about how much of life revolves around flawless Instagram aesthetics, perfectly curated LinkedIn updates, restaurant ratings, Uber ratings, Amazon reviews, Goodreads stars, “Did you like this ride?” notifications — everything we do gets scored.

We pretend it’s harmless, but all of us have felt the subtle pressure to appear better, happier, more “together” online. Nosedive just pushes that pressure to its natural, terrifying extreme.

It doesn’t feel like fiction. It feels like Tuesday.

4. Hated in the Nation (Season 3, Episode 6) – Hate + Tech = Combo that Kills. Literally.

Online hate is not a new thing. Sadly, it's a normal thing.

In this episode, what begins as online hate disguised as outrage spirals into something far darker, powered by tech that was apparently replacing bees because the bees went extinct due to rampant usage of tech. Talk about irony.

We’ve all seen how social media mobs operate: someone says or posts something, and within hours, thousands of people who don’t even know the full story are attacking them. This particular story takes the hate to a new extreme.

It goes on to highlight how much personal data we casually share online. Our photos, locations, preferences, connections — all floating around, waiting to be used by someone with enough audacity to take a disastrous step.

In Hated in the Nation, that data gets weaponised into teaching a lesson. But the ones who needed the lesson never really get it.

The Only One I Found to be on the Positive Side: San Junipero

Just when I thought Black Mirror was going to warp my brain and fill me with dread for the future, I watched San Junipero. And it was… beautiful but also predictable.

For once, I found the use of advanced technology to be healing, to offer connection for the helpless, to create joy. It explored death and the afterlife in a way that felt hopeful instead of horrifying.

I’ve only finished three seasons so far, but I’m hooked. I’ll definitely be back with more reflections, more worry, and hopefully another feel-good episode or two (right?).

What does Shah Rukh Khan have in common with Tarot?

So, here I am with this post to celebrate King Khan’s 60th birthday!

If Shah Rukh Khan, the person, were a tarot card, he’d be The Magician.



It is simple. The Magician is the master of transformation. He takes the tools in front of him (in Tarot: the sword, the cup, the wand, the pentacle) and turns them into alchemy. Just like Shah Rukh turned a middle-class Delhi boy with no industry godfathers into the King of Bollywood. He didn’t wait for permission. He just said it out loud, “I am the last of the stars.” The Magician is about charisma, manifestation, and sheer willpower. He’s the person who channels energy from above into the real world and SRK does that every time he steps on a stage, greets a fan, or owns a role like it was made for him. He doesn’t just perform for the sake of performing and it shows on screen. He makes the audience live the role through him.

As The Magician, Shah Rukh reminds us:

it is not about what you have, it is about what you believe you can do.

Now let us take a look through a tarot-inspired lens on Shah Rukh Khan’s roles over the years. I would like to pay a symbolic tribute to the way his roles mirror the soul’s journey. Think of it as cinematic astrology with a Bollywood twist. And who knows? You might just find your own soul card hidden among of one of his iconic characters.

Raj Malhotra (DDLJ) – The Sun


Keywords: Joy, Innocence, Radiance

Raj isn’t just a character, he’s a feeling. The wide-eyed charm, the cheeky humour… everything about Raj radiates warmth and light. He’s the embodiment of The Sun card, which represents joy, youthful optimism, and the kind of love that feels like home. But The Sun isn’t just about happiness. It is about authenticity. It is about showing up as you are, without manipulation or masks. Raj is playful and goofy, yes, but also deeply respectful, especially of Simran’s boundaries and her father’s authority. He chooses love with integrity, which is rare and powerful.

Raj reminds us that the brightest kind of love is the one that’s honest, patient, and brave enough to wait.

The Lovers – Aman (Kal Ho Naa Ho)


Keywords: Love, Choice, Sacrifice

If ever a character embodied the bittersweet beauty of The Lovers card, it’s Aman. His presence electrifies everyone around him. He is love in motion, laughter in chaos, life in a dying body. But The Lovers card isn’t just about romance, it is about the choices we make in life, especially the hard ones. And Aman’s story is ultimately about choosing someone else’s happiness over his own. He doesn’t fight for love in the traditional sense. He lets go. He steps aside so that Naina can have a future with someone who give her a ‘forever’. The Lovers card asks: What will you choose when the heart is divided? Aman chose selflessness.

Aman reminds us that love isn’t always about possession. Sometimes it is about giving someone else a lifetime when you only have a few moments left.

The Emperor – Major Ram (Main Hoon Na)

Keywords: Authority, Protection, Duty

Major Ram is the embodiment of order, discipline, and devotion; both to his country and his family. As The Emperor, he stands tall as a figure of structure and safety in a chaotic world. Whether he’s defusing bombs, tackling teenage drama in a college corridor, or trying to unite a broken family, Ram always brings calm, control, and unshakable principle. The Emperor in tarot represents the divine masculine: a provider and protector who leads with integrity. Ram is that archetype made flesh: a man in uniform who softens only for his loved ones, who holds his ground when everything around him threatens to collapse.

Major Ram teaches us that strength isn’t about stoicism. It is about showing up, staying grounded, and leading with heart led authority.

Justice – Rizwan Khan (My Name is Khan)


Keywords: Truth, Fairness, Moral Clarity, Cause and Consequence

Rizwan Khan’s journey across cities, heartbreaks, and hostile people is one of radical clarity. Diagnosed with autism and driven by purpose, Rizwan’s mission to tell the U.S. president that he is not a terrorist isn’t just personal. The Justice card is about accountability, truth-telling, and standing firm against prejudice. Rizwan embodies all of it, with sincerity and zero ego. He’s not loud, but he’s relentless. He doesn’t seek revenge, but he demands recognition. He is living proof that moral courage doesn’t need anger to be effective.

Rizwan shows us that justice, at its core, is love made brave.

Strength – Veer (Veer-Zaara)

Keywords: Inner Power, Compassion, Patience, Devotion

Veer isn’t strong in the way most heroes are. He doesn’t flex his muscles or raise his voice - ever. But when it comes to emotional strength, no one comes close. He sacrifices his future, freedom, and voice for love, for peace, for respect, and for Zaara’s dignity. The Strength card is about quiet resilience: the power to wait, to endure, to love without demand. Veer spends 22 years behind bars, not out of helplessness but from a place of deep, unwavering choice.



Veer teaches us that the strongest hearts are often the softest ones and that love isn’t proven through possession, but through patience.

The Hierophant – Mohan Bhargava (Swades)


Keywords: Tradition, Teaching, Values

Mohan Bhargava starts as a man of science (NASA engineer) but as he returns to his roots, he becomes a conduit between two worlds: the modern and the traditional. The Hierophant represents a spiritual teacher or guide, someone who honors existing wisdom while also reshaping it for the future. Mohan doesn’t come to the village to “rescue” it. He listens, to understand, and eventually, serves. What makes him the Hierophant is his reverence for learning , not just textbooks and satellites, but hand pumps, village elders, and the lives of those that history usually forgets. He learns as much as he teaches.

Mohan reminds us that true leadership lies in humility and that progress is most powerful when it honors its roots.

The Star – Jahangir Khan (Dear Zindagi)

Keywords: Hope, Healing, Renewal, Guidance

Jug isn’t just a therapist, he’s The Star. He is a gentle, steady light that appears after the storm, guiding Kaira back to herself. The Star comes after The Tower in tarot, symbolizing the calm that follows emotional collapse. That’s exactly where Kaira is when she meets Dr. Jehangir Khan. Burnt out, closed off, disconnected. And he doesn’t rush her. He listens, nudges, and invites her to see herself with compassion. The Star doesn’t heal with grand gestures. It heals with presence. With stillness. With the quiet belief that you can be okay again. Jug never promises to “fix” Kaira. He just shows her she was never broken to begin with.

Jug reminds us that healing doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it whispers: you’re safe now.

The Devil – Rahul (Darr)

Keywords: Obsession, Shadow Self, Control, Unhealthy Attachments

This isn’t the romantic Rahul we’re used to. This is Rahul with a knife and a stutter, weaponizing vulnerability and intensity. The Devil card in tarot is not evil. It is a mirror of our shadow selves: the parts of us driven by fear, obsession, possession, and the illusion of control. Rahul in Darr is dangerously fixated, mistaking love for ownership, attention for intimacy. What makes it so unnerving is how believable he is. He is soft-spoken, poetic, yet terrifyingly persistent. The Devil card reminds us that when love becomes addiction, it loses all tenderness.

Rahul shows us how unchecked desire can twist even the most romantic heart into a cage.


Death – Don (Don 1 & 2)

Keywords: Transformation, Endings, Rebirth. Power Shift

No one kills a version of themselves quite like Don. Not just once, but again and again. He is the Death card personified: not literal demise, but the complete shedding of one identity to evolve into another. Death in tarot is not an end, but a metamorphosis and Don is constantly three steps ahead, morphing from criminal to kingmaker, from hunted to hunter. What makes Don’s transformation powerful is that he is never apologetic. He reinvents himself with swagger, intelligence, and danger and forces the world to recalibrate around him.

Don teaches us that to become unstoppable, sometimes you have to bury who you were and build something scarier in its place.

The Fool – Sunil (Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa)

Keywords: New Beginnings, Naivete, Risk, Heart-led Choices

Sunil is all heart and no plan. The Fool card captures that wide-eyed, chaotic, sometimes foolish optimism and no SRK role captures this more vulnerably than Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. Sunil lies, fumbles, schemes, and crashes. But he also feels deeply, earnestly, unashamedly. The Fool isn’t stupid. He is brave in a way only innocence can be. Sunil leaps before he looks, and when he falls, he still believes the next thing will work out. And somehow, he’s right. The world bends just enough to give him another chance.

Sunil shows us that the beginning of every journey is messy, but the heart that leads it? That’s pure magic.

The Chariot – Kabir Khan (Chak De! India)

Keywords: Willpower, Victory, Redemption, Direction

Kabir Khan drives a redemption arc so focused that it burns through into the hearts of his audience. The Chariot is about sheer will, discipline, and moving forward despite resistance. Kabir channels humiliation, bias, and heartbreak into razor-sharp determination and leads his team (and himself) to glory. He did not do any of it for applause. He was there to prove a point. Not to others, but to himself. The Chariot is victory earned, not gifted and Kabir earns every second of it.

Kabir reminds us that strength isn’t just muscle. It is momentum, forged through pain and pointed toward purpose.

If tarot is the story of the soul’s evolution, then Shah Rukh Khan has lived it on screen many times over. He’s been the boy who loved too much and the man who lost it all. He’s played the rebel, the romantic, the redeemer, and the ruthless. From The Fool’s innocent chaos to The Chariot’s unstoppable drive… from The Lovers’ ache to The Devil’s grip… SRK has danced through all the archetypes like he was born with the deck in his veins.

And maybe that’s why we keep returning to him. Because in watching his characters stumble, fight, love, lose, and transform, we’re reminded of our own messy human journeys. His films echo our fears (what if I’m not enough?), our hopes (can I try again?), and our fantasies (what if someone saw the real me and stayed?). And like the tarot, his roles don’t just entertain — they reflect, reveal, and sometimes, even heal.

So the next time you pull a card, don’t be surprised if you see a familiar dimpled smile, arms outstretched, whispering,

“Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost.”

Psssst - Would you like me to match up rest of the Major Arcanas to other roles he has played?

The movie follows Gabriel (a low ranking angel) who observes Arj (a gig economy worker) and recognises him as a "lost soul" and decides to intervene. 

With a strong cast which includes Aziz Ansari who wrote, directed and stars in the film, along with Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh, we were strapped in for strong performances and not only did we get strong performances, we also got one of the best comedy movies of 2025.  

In 2025, when we look around, we realise that everyone in the world is struggling (emotionally, financially and more) while the ones who are rich are getting richer. When I am scrolling through my social media apps, I see another person getting laid off, while simultaneously reading about a millionaire becoming a billionaire. In this current environment, Good Fortune talks about the gig economy in an extremely realistic and tender manner. 

Arj (Aziz Ansari) is a gig economy worker who finds it hard to make ends meet and is perpetually broke. Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) observes Arj's plight and decides to help him by teaching him an age old lesson - "money doesn't solve life's problems" by swapping his life with another (Jeff played by Seth Rogen). Arj, Gabrriel and Jeff learn a lot about each other while they dispel their beliefs and collect new experiences along the way. 

Keanu Reeves has given one of his most charming comedy performances. His Gabriel is confused, innocent and a bit slow. His discoveries (cheeseburgers, taco, smoking, alcohol) and his remarkable bewilderment gives the movie a lot of heart. 

Aziz Ansari has done it again! He is a brilliant writer (if anyone has seen Master of None then you know what I mean) and in this movie he has been able to capture the soul crushing reality of the gig economy. Arj's character does not just struggle, he is living in his car and donating his plasma for cash. The film explores app based work not just as a plot device but as a modern form of exploitation (remember Amazon delivery staff's 14 hour work day with no pee break?) 

Ansari has been able to make the film reflect about poverty in a funny way while making you simultaneously angry for these circumstances. Ansari's chemistry with Reeves makes you believe that the characters have genuinely changed each other's perspectives by the end of the movie. 

Ansari as a director has captured LA in a way where we can see the neighborhoods where people work in impossible jobs and sleep in cars while also following the lives of the ultra rich who have soo much money that they spend a day running between their hot sauna and their cold plunge bath because of "health benefits". 

Seth Rogen's character Jeff is not portrayed as a cartoonish villain, instead he is shown as a product of his circumstances and privilege that have kept him insulated. When he learns about the hardships, we end up laughing with him and there are moments where we feel bad for whoever is on the receiving end of the cruelty of living pay cheque to pay cheque. 

Here's What I Liked about Good Fortune:

If you are looking for a film to entertain you on your day-off, then this one isn't it.

Better Days destroyed me completely. It has been months since I watched it, and I haven't been able to talk to anyone about it at all.



To be frank, I started watching it expecting a social drama about bullying and a bit of romance. What I got was a story that cracked me wide open, wrung me out, and left me crying for days after. This is a movie that doesn’t just tell a story, it changes the way you look at people.

The story follows Chen Nian (Zhou Dongyu), a high school girl crushed under the weight of absentee parents, and the rigorous exam system. Things only get worse when she finds herself the target of the school bully. One day she crosses paths with Xiao Bei (Jackson Yee), a small-time street thug with more scars than swagger. When she sees him getting beat up, she tries calling the police to help, instead gets caught by the thugs. One thing leads to other, and Chen Nian ends up asking Xiao Bei for protection from bullies outside school. Together, they form a fragile alliance, not quite romance, not quite survival pact; but something raw and real that makes your chest ache.

The performances are so good that you believe in the characters and forget that these are just actors playing a role. Zhou Dongyu's performance gives Chen Nian's character a quiet sort of strength that makes you want to shield her from the world and cheer her defiance in the same breath. Jackson Yee, in his first major film role, is shockingly good. He is a small-time street thug, trying to survive on his own and at times we forget how young Xiao Bei is. Behind the rough edges, there’s a vulnerability that makes his bond with Chen Nian extremely tender. Their chemistry isn’t romanticized; it is survival, intimacy forged in fire.

What makes Better Days extraordinary is how it threads tenderness through brutality. The bullying scenes are unbearable. I wanted to skip them, yet sat through them anyway. They are filmed with an unflinching honesty that puts the spotlight on not just cruel classmates but the entire system that lets cruelty fester. And in the middle of all that pain, the film dares to show us love. Pure love. Love as defiance, love as shelter, love as a reminder that even in rubble, something fragile and beautiful can grow.

Cinematically, it is a world of muted grays and dirty streets, a realism that mirrors the suffocating weight on its characters. But it’s in that bleak palette that the smallest gestures - a glance, a touch, and a shared silence shine through like stolen sunlight.

Better Days isn’t an easy watch. It’s brutal, it’s devastating, and it will leave you gutted. But it is also a movie that everyone MUST WATCH. This is a story about youth, cruelty, and survival that refuses to be sanitized, even under censorship pressures. It’s the kind of film that makes you cry not just for the characters but for every young person who has been failed by the world meant to protect them.

The Life of a Showgirl might be a LOT of things, but the life of a swiftie is never dull.

As a Bengali, I was already in a festive mood with Durga Puja shenanigans right before the album release. But I would not deny the fact that I was more excited for the album than I was for Durga Puja this year.

First of all, when the tracks were declared and the fifth track of the album stared at me, I could almost hear it say, “It’s me. Hi! I’m the problem, it’s me.”

Taylor Swift admitted to placing her most “vulnerable, personal, honest, emotional” song as Track 5 on her albums in 2019 when the fans spotted that pattern. Of course, I was eagerly waiting to be wrecked by a song. Again.

In India, the album was released at 9:30 in the morning and I only got out of bed after listening to all the songs. With TLOAS being the shortest TS album till date, it took me just an hour to go through them all (yes, I might’ve listened to a few of them multiple times). I loved some songs immediately and others might’ve taken some time to gel with. After that 31-songs double album which was heavier than expected, I was relieved that The Life of a Showgirl is full of upbeat and lighter songs (except maybe two).

There was a time I used to open my blog with excitement. It was like stepping into a cozy little room filled with my books, my thoughts, favorite words, and the quiet thrill of expression. Then one day, it just felt heavy. I’d stare at the blinking cursor, feeling like a fraud. Every idea I had felt boring and every sentence sounded hollow. I’d open my dashboard, scroll a bit, sigh, and shut it again. Sometimes, I didn’t even bother opening it for weeks at a time.



It didn’t happen all at once. That’s the tricky part about burnout. It’s rarely loud or dramatic. It arrives quietly, in the form of “Maybe I’ll write tomorrow,” or “I don’t know if this post even matters.” It wraps itself in the language of guilt: “You haven’t posted in weeks.” “You’re letting your readers down.” “Everyone else is so consistent. What’s your excuse?” And before you know it, something that once brought you joy begins to feel like a chore that you are miserably failing at.

For me, blogging was never just a hobby. Initially, it was a form of self-expression, and finding a community that loved reading as much as I do. This blog specifically was how I made sense of the world while going through a huge transition in my life. I made sense of life and inevitable changes in life through reviews of K-dramas that made me cry at 2 a.m., personal essays on grief and healing, or lyrical reflections inspired by my favourite artists, re-learning tarot cards and re-igniting my love for long walks. But somewhere along the way, I got tired. Not just physically tired; soul tired. The kind of tired that sleep doesn’t fix. The kind of tired that creativity cannot flow through.

At first, I blamed myself. Maybe I was too busy with work. Maybe I wasn’t trying hard enough. Maybe I was being lazy. Maybe I had nothing more to say. But the truth was much simpler, and sadder: I was burned out.

The weirdest part? No one talks about blogger burnout as a real thing. We talk about content creators, influencers, journalists facing burnout all the time. But bloggers often get overlooked. And yet, we’re the ones pouring out the softest, rawest and scariest parts of ourselves into our words. Of course it gets heavy sometimes. If you’re a blogger, or someone who creates anything from the heart, who’s ever felt this way - I want you to know you’re not alone. Burnout is real. It doesn’t make you less of a writer, or less worthy of being read. And it’s not the end.

This post is not a listicle of productivity hacks. It’s not a 10-step formula to “crush your content goals.” It’s simply a story of how I lost my spark and slowly, kindly, found my way back to it. If you’re somewhere on that path too, maybe this can be a breadcrumb you follow home.

Watch out for those signs and take them seriously. There were signs I ignored at first. Small, ordinary signs that now seem almost poetic in hindsight. I stopped jotting down ideas in my notes app. My daily writing rituals - a cup of tea, a soft playlist, a few moments of stillness, faded into background noise. I didn’t feel excited to share my thoughts. I didn’t even feel connected to my voice. And that scared me.

Emotionally, I felt hollow. Like I was watching myself go through the motions, detached from any real sense of purpose. Creatively, I felt like a well run dry. No matter how many prompts or Pinterest boards I looked at, nothing felt true. And physically, it started showing up as mental fog, eye strain, and an odd heaviness in my chest every time I even thought about logging into my site. What made it worse was comparison. I’d see other bloggers pushing out content, growing their platforms and I’d spiral. I am not up-to-date on instagram algorthm or the reel trends and I felt like I was falling behind. I wasn’t just tired, I was inadequate. And that shame loop can be brutal. We rarely talk about how painful it is to lose something that once made us feel like ourselves. But that’s what burnout can do. It doesn’t just rob you of your energy. It robs you of your identity.

So, if you’re here... stuck, stalled, or silent... wondering why something you once loved now feels like a burden… please know this: It’s not your fault. You didn’t fail. You’re just burned out. And you deserve rest, not judgment.

The first step to healing wasn’t forcing myself to write again. It was admitting I couldn’t. And in that quiet surrender, the healing began. One of the hardest things I had to learn, and I say this as someone who prides herself on being productive even when I’m running on emotional fumes, was that I am allowed to stop.

Not pivot. Not rebrand. Not hustle in a “new direction.” Just… pause.

Here are the shifts that helped me find my way:

1. I reconnected with why I started this blog in the first place

2. I let the content priority change

3. I Wrote Without the Pressure to Publish

4. I Became a reader again

5. I made mini rituals around writing

6. I stopped pressuring myself

No single change “fixed” the burnout. But together, they gently co-created a space where writing didn’t feel like something I had to fight. It felt like something I could trust again. Coming back from burnout isn’t about going back to who you were. It is about building something more sustainable from the ashes of what once overwhelmed you. When I finally began writing again - truly writing, not just forcing words out, I realized that I didn’t want to go back to the pace or pressure I had set for myself before. I didn’t want to be a content machine. I wanted to be a person who created from a place of honesty, not obligation.

So here’s what I do differently now:

I don’t chase consistency. Yes, consistency is important. But connection — with myself, with my writing, with my readers — is sacred. If I can’t show up with my full heart, I’d rather wait until I can.

I plan for breaks before I burn out. Now, I build in rest periods. I treat them as necessary pauses, not signs of failure. I no longer wait until I’ve hit the wall. I slow down before I crash into it.

I embrace imperfection. Some posts are poetic, others are plain. Some are long essays, others are lists or rambles. And that’s okay. My blog is not a portfolio — it’s a living, breathing space. It grows and shifts just like I do.

I stay close to my “why.” Every now and then, I ask myself: Why am I writing this? Who am I writing for? What would I say if no one ever read it but me? That check-in helps me write from a place of truth, rather than perform for algorithms or imaginary critics.

I seek help. Whether it is ChatGPT to help me polish my ideas or certain sentences; or ask my co-blogger to pick up the slack from time to time. I am human and it is okay to ask for help.

I let myself write about what makes me feel alive. I do not care whether that’s a K-drama review that no one asked for, a tarot post that no one cares about, or a stream-of-consciousness post about sunsets and solitude. If it lights me up, it’s worth writing.

Burnout taught me that I am not a machine. I am a person with seasons, rhythms, and limits. I no longer romanticize hustle. I romanticize presence, purpose, and peace. And honestly? My life is better for it.

Taylor Swift’s NEW album is here, you folks!

THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL!

I mean, if you haven’t watched the 2-hour podcast episode yet, please find some time and watch it. The world embraced the sparkly orange, and only TS had the guts to do it when people in her country are already suffering under an orange power.

By the way, you probably know that Taylor Swift is often “accused” of writing songs about breakups. Yes, it feels like accusations the way the media portrays her music. The intent is always to demean her work because she mostly writes about love and breakups. Despite love being one of the most talked-about emotions, despite every other musician singing or writing about the same thing, it suddenly becomes unacceptable or too frivolous when it’s Taylor Swift?

Make that make sense, folks!

But hey, did you know TS wrote about other things as well?

If not, keep scrolling. We’re here to talk about thirteen (yes, 13) songs by Taylor Swift that are NOT about falling in love or breakups.

1.     1. Marjorie (Album: evermore)
Marjorie is the name of Taylor’s grandmother. She lost her when she was really young. She lost her when she was not in the same town. In an interview clip, Taylor mentions that she regrets not being around her when it happened. She regrets not knowing her and all of those emotions are poured into this song. It’s a deeply emotional song about her grandmother and how she still feels her and how she would’ve loved to spend more time with her and get to know her. Somehow, she even managed to find her grandmother’s opera vocals and put them in this song and that segment never fails to give me goosebumps.

My favourite lines: “Never be so kind that you forget to be clever, never be so clever that you forget to be kind.”

2.      2. this is me trying (Album: folklore)
In her Long Pond Studio Sessions, Taylor Swift talks to Jack Antonoff (they write songs together) about this song. They talk about how people with addiction and mental health illnesses are always in an active fight in their daily lives. The song depicts how the act of trying is almost a battle. Moreover, the song also talks about how someone who feels like they’ve lost it in life despite having so much potential in school years or earlier years. This song breaks my heart and is one of my most favourite songs of all time by TS.

My favourite lines: “They told me all of my cages were mental
So I got wasted like all my potential
And my words shoot to kill when I'm mad
I have a lot of regrets about that…”

3.      3. I Hate it Here (Album: The Tortured Poets Department)
If you have ever felt that you don’t really belong to this world and that you almost always want to escape into daydreams or in a world of imagination (like binge-reading or watching something), this song is the one for you. TS writes about being trapped in a body or a world where they cannot be what they really are and thus, need to escape to a different world. This is a song that will appeal to the introverts and hypersensitive people who are probably the more adversely affected lot due to the harshness of this world.

My favourite lines: “I'm lonely but I'm good
I'm bitter but I swear I'm fine
I'll save all my romanticism for my inner life
and I'll get lost on purpose
This place made me feel worthless...”

4.      4. Mean (Album: Speak Now)
One thing that Taylor Swift does best is turn her experiences into these superb songs that you can even dance to. In a few interview, she explains that she wrote this song ‘Mean’ about the critics who wrote about her albums by not giving any constructive criticism but just being mean. She was thinking about this powerless feeling of being at the receiving end of such mean comments from people no matter how hard she works. And then the song also gives an upbeat melody and lyrics that can fill you with hope about how all these mean comments will not affect her one day when she’s made it big.

My favourite lines: “Someday... I'll be living in a big old city
and all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
and all you're ever gonna be is mean.”

5.      5. 22 (Album: Red)
This song is so full of young energy. Although the title of the song very specifically is about the age “22”, what I feel from watching the music video is that TS wrote and sang how it feels to be in her early to mid-twenties, having a lot of fun and just enjoying life when you start to enter this new phase of life when you’re free from studies and have started earning. For some of us, this might even be the late twenties. Also, she’s surrounded by her female friends in this music video and even the lyrics is about how they’re taking a break from everything and just feeling young. In an interview, she mentions that she wanted to write how she was feeling while spending her summer with her friends.

My favourite lines: “We're happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time,
It's miserable and magical.”

6.      6. You Need to Calm Down (Album: Lover)
Here’s something for all the haters. Taylor Swift gets a lot of negative attention on the internet despite having a huge following of Swifties who are hardcore protectors of her. Although, TS have stayed away from engaging with politics or mixing it with her music for a long time… this is probably one of the times we see her touching upon issues she feels strongly about. Apart from being a response to internet trolls and haters, this song hints at her support for the queer community and she also talks about how female celebrities keep getting compared to each other despite each of them having a massive superpower themselves.

My favourite lines: “And we see you over there on the internet
Comparing all the girls who are killing it
But we figured you out
We all know now, we all got crowns
You need to calm down…”

7.      7. Only the Young (from the documentary Miss Americana)
This song, played in the credits of the documentary Miss Americana, is like an anthem. In this documentary, and various other interviews succeeding it, TS expressed how young people get affected the most with all the terrible issues in their country like gun violence, stalking, healthcare, climate change, etc. So, this song was pretty much Taylor openly expressing her political beliefs and also revealing her support against the then President of US, Donald Trump.
My favourite lines: “They aren’t gonna help us
Too busy helping themselves
They aren’t gonna change this
We gotta do it ourselves...”

8.      8. The Man (Album: Lover)
It’s not a new thing that Taylor often gets a lot of headlines for reasons her male contemporaries are left out of the discussions. Drawing from her personal experience as a businesswoman and from the collective experience of being a woman, she wrote this song to represent how the society views men and women in a vastly different lens. Another political number, Taylor Swift smashes the patriarchy with her lyrics in this song and hey, don’t miss this music video (and of course, the BTS of making this video) on her YouTube channel.

My favourite lines: “I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man.”

9.      9. mad woman (Album: folklore)
Now that we’ve talked about how women and men are treated differently just because of the gender, let’s talk about this freakishly beautiful song that is all about how women have been labelled as “mad” left, right, and centre for ridiculous reasons. One of my most favourite songs, this carries the rage of all the women who have been called either angry or insane. Just go and tell me, if it doesn’t chill your bones.

My favourite lines: “And there's nothin' like a mad woman
What a shame she went mad
No one likes a mad woman
You made her like that
And you'll poke that bear 'til her claws come out
And you find something to wrap your noose around
And there's nothin' like a mad woman…”

10. Long Live (Album: Speak Now)
This fantastic song is from one of her earlier albums and the whole meaning of it has evolved ever since she first started performing it. As per Taylor, this song is dedicated to her band and the fans who have been there with her for years, standing by her side, as they scaled the wobbly heights of the music industry. Full of gratitude, this song is one of the best live performances that addresses directly to all the struggles of an artist but at the same time, being grateful for everything she has achieved. While she performs this song during the Eras Tour, it sort of also hinted at how she keeps manifesting the stardom she’s so in fond of.

My favourite lines: “Will you take a moment?
Promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if, God forbid, fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine...”

11. Anti-Hero (Album: Midnights)
Ever had a bout of self-loathing? Well, this song is going to become your shadow then. Taylor explains in an Instagram post how we all have things we hate about ourselves. And this one particularly caters to that extremely unsettling and yet comfortable feeling most of us might have experienced.
My favourite lines: “It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me
At tea time, everybody agrees
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero.”

12. I Did Something Bad (Album: reputation)
The entire album of reputation has a huge lore behind it. In short, Taylor Swift received a lot of hate from the media in the years before this album for a lot of reasons. She disappeared from everywhere for a year. Came back with this banger of an album where each and every song is fueled by rage, frustration, and it shows how Taylor embraces whatever is thrown at her and turns it into the best possible songs. I Did Something Bad, if lyrics are decoded, refers to events in her life that aren’t so pleasant and where she’s painted as a villain for standing up for herself. Moreover, it is also speculated that quite a few songs on this album have references to the popular show on HBO, “A Game of Thrones”. This song is apparently about the Stark sisters, Sansa and Arya, plotting the death of Littlefinger. Oops, sorry about the spoiler if you haven’t watched the show yet.

My favourite lines: “This is how the world works
You gotta leave before you get left…”

13. Mastermind (Album: Midnights)
You know what’s the best thing about Taylor Swift? If you listen to a song enough number of times and really listen to the lyrics and know the entire lore, you’ll probably end up finding references to love and breakups in most of her songs. And yet, the song might be about something completely different. Like, this one – Mastermind. It might seem like she’s talking about a guy but this song is more about how she’s demeaned on the internet for being a strategist… a calculative planner who loves doing all of it so much. In an interview, she also ends up saying that she was inspired for this song by a movie she was watching. I don’t remember which movie she was referring to. But even if you look at how she planned her Eras Tour and all of her Easter Eggs for her fans, she lives up to this image of being a Mastermind and how!

My favourite lines: “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid
So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since
To make them love me and make it seem effortless
This is the first time I've felt the need to confess…”

So, there you go! And be assured that there are more songs by Taylor which are not about love or breakups. But hey, this list had to have 13. *wink wink*

Tell me now, which is your favourite Taylor Swift song that has nothing to do with a love story or a break-up?

If tarot decks had personalities, the Everyday Witch Tarot would be that cool aunt who brings wine to game night, tells you the unfiltered truth even when it stings, and somehow always knows when Mercury is in retrograde!

Released on 8 January 2017, this deck by Deborah Blake (with illustrations by Elisabeth Alba) is the perfect mix of magical whimsy and modern-day sass. It is like a spellbook wrapped in a self-help journal, illustrated with the cutest black cats you’ve ever seen.


Let’s start with the aesthetics, because yes, we all judge this book by its cover. The artwork is very detailed and absolutely alive. These aren’t your medieval, overly cryptic tarot cards that make you feel like you need a PhD in symbolism to decode them. Each card in this deck feels like a scene straight out of a fantasy novel where the protagonist is also figuring out how to pay the rent, adulting, and what the hell their crush meant by “you are like a friend to me.”

The cards feature modern witches on brooms, in kitchens, riding bicycles, practicing yoga, and occasionally looking like they might hex someone who cut them in line. It is absolutely relatable (if you are a witch) and delightful. There’s something incredibly grounding about seeing magical characters in relatable everyday settings, it makes the messages feel less “from the beyond” and more like they’re coming from a wise bestie who also happens to read runes on the side.

One of the standout things about the Everyday Witch Tarot is how approachable it is. You don’t need to know what a pentacle is or pretend you’ve memorized all 78 cards to get started. The images are clear, expressive, and emotionally intuitive. If you’ve ever read a meme and thought “too real,” you’re halfway to reading this deck. And, just in case you would like to know what a pentacle is, then there is the guidebook. It is not one of those “this card means chaos, good luck” situations. It is detailed, conversational, and genuinely helpful. You get upright and reversed meanings and explanations that go beyond the surface. The guide also has suggested spreads that aren’t just “past, present, future and a panic attack.” It is built to make you feel smart and seen.

What makes this deck truly special is how it mixes in traditional tarot archetypes with everyday context. The Fool? A witch stepping off a cliff with a cat and a suitcase because sometimes, life is just a vibe and a leap. The Lovers? Less dramatic angel-on-high, more “let’s do this together even if it’s messy.” This blend of classic symbolism with everyday imagery helps your brain actually connect with the message. You’re not trying to remember what the Ten of Swords meant from that dusty Rider-Waite-Smith PDF you downloaded in 2011. You’re just looking at a relatable scene that instantly says, “Yup. Been there. Felt that.”


The Everyday Witch Tarot has the kind of energy that makes you want to journal, light a candle, and be kinder to yourself; all without slipping into toxic positivity. It’s warm. Encouraging. Slightly cheeky. And whether you’re doing a one-card pull before breakfast or an elaborate twelve-card spread because Mercury just retrograded all over your plans; this deck shows up for you. It’s also a great emotional support deck when you’re spiraling. (I don’t need to explain how I know, do I?) This deck is equally great for deep introspection, practical guidance, and “I-just-need-a-sign” moments. You can use it to explore relationships, career changes, spiritual growth, or to dramatically whisper “show me my path” while sipping chai on a Tuesday. It works for everything, really. Except maybe tax advice… even magic has limits.