Posts by Kate Nguyen2

I was sitting in a quiet corner of a library the other day, just trying to get some reading done, when I realized how much I’ve started to crave "bigness." Not big in the sense of being loud or obnoxious—I actually find a lot of modern pop production to be incredibly grating and shallow—but big in terms of scale, complexity, and sheer physical presence.

There’s this specific kind of awe you get when you encounter something that feels like it was built to challenge the very limits of human perception. I’m talking about those massive, monolithic works of art or music that don't just sit in the room with you, but actually seem to vibrate the floorboards and settle deep in your chest. It’s a different sensation entirely from listening to a singer with an acoustic guitar in a coffee shop. One is an intimate conversation; the other is a confrontation with something much greater than yourself.

Lately, I've been thinking about why we are so drawn to these "monsters" of the art world. Whether it’s a massive pipe organ that can shake your very bones, a sprawling epic novel that takes a month to finish, or a cinematic masterpiece that uses every bit of sound design to create a physical sensation, there is something deeply primal about it. It’s almost like our modern lives are so sanitized, so digital, and so "small" (everything fits in our pockets now!) that we are starving for something that has weight. Something that has a physical footprint.

I remember visiting a cathedral in Europe a few years ago. I wasn't even particularly religious, but when the acoustics of the space hit a certain frequency during a performance, I actually felt a sense of vertigo. It wasn't just that the sound was loud; it was that the sound felt architectural. It felt like the music was a physical pillar holding up the ceiling. It made me feel tiny, but in a way that was strangely comforting rather than diminishing. It reminded me that there are things in this world that we cannot fully control or even fully grasp.

But I also wonder if we are losing our capacity for this. We live in an era of the "snackable." We want the three-minute pop song, the 15-second clip, the quick headline. We are being conditioned to avoid anything that requires a massive investment of sensory attention or physical stamina. If a piece of music is too dense, or an instrument is too overwhelming, our instinct is often to turn it down or skip it. We seek comfort, and true grandeur is rarely comfortable. It’s demanding. It asks you to stand still and be swallowed whole by it.

I’ve noticed a weird divide lately between the "minimalists" who want everything stripped down to its essence and the "maximalists" who want to push every medium to its absolute breaking point. I find myself leaning toward the latter. I want to see the limits. I want to see how much a single instrument can do, or how much emotion a single room can hold before it overflows. There’s a certain bravery in creating something that is purposefully "too much."

I’m curious to hear what you all think about this. Do you find yourself seeking out those massive, overwhelming experiences—the kind that leave you feeling a bit breathless or even slightly intimidated—or do you prefer art that stays within the bounds of the "human scale"? Is there a point where "grandeur" just becomes "noise," or is the pursuit of the monumental a necessary part of the human experience?

I'm so glad switching to a black diet actually worked for you. Did you cut out dairy too, or just stick to meat? I’m asking because I was reading somewhere that casein from milk can actually trigger or even make period cramps way worse—so I'm wondering if it's just my body being weird or if other people deal with that too? Are you eating more veggies now? Honestly, I feel like what we eat and the supplements we take have a massive impact on hormonal health... probably way more than most people realize.

Oh, I totally forgot one more biggie—healthy fats. I’ve basically purged all vegetable oils from my kitchen, except for olive oil and coconut oil. I’m cooking almost every single meal now, sticking to pasture-raised eggs, eating way more fish—like wild salmon and tuna—and taking fish oil capsules. I don't necessarily take them every single day, but I definitely make sure to during my period.
From what I’ve been reading, most people aren't getting nearly enough Omega-3s compared to the massive amount of Omega-6s found in the modern American diet—which just causes all this inflammation in the body, and that can seriously ramp up menstrual cramps. Honestly, I felt such a huge sense of relief after that first Omega-3 supplement and cutting out certain junk.
I don't even touch margarine anymore, even when I'm out at someone else's place... but I use butter regularly because it doesn't have the lactose or casein that really messes with me when I eat other dairy products. Then again, for someone else, it might be something completely different—maybe a sensitivity to gluten, caffeine, nuts, seeds, some random additive... there are so many possible triggers for period pain if you don't have a specific diagnosis.

Quick update — I finally switched up my supplement routine, and honestly? It’s a game changer. Now I’m just sticking to zinc + trace elements and using magnesium chloride spray, which works even better... whenever I feel any pressure or that nagging ache in my lower abdomen, I just give myself a good spray and—boom—goodbye pain. Plus, unlike taking magnesium orally, there’s zero laxative effect, so I can take it on an empty stomach without any drama, and it hits almost instantly. I genuinely haven't felt this good in forever; instead of dreading my period every month, I actually feel relieved that my body is finally doing what it's supposed to do. I still drink tea mostly out of habit rather than necessity, and I haven't touched a single painkiller since. I know everyone’s biology is different and this might not work for everyone, but hey, maybe it helps someone else too. For me, the winning formula is zinc + magnesium + cutting back on dairy + eating more veggies, soups, and high-quality meat. I’m working my physical job without any issues now, whereas less than a year ago, I could barely get out of bed because of the pain. Just hang in there, ladies... there's hope for all of us to find a solution eventually.

I’m totally with you—this goes way deeper than most people realize, and yeah, fixing it is gonna cost a fortune. But honestly? Think about how much we’d save on social services, healthcare, even the police and the legal system if everyone actually went through regular mental health screenings... if counseling was free and easy to get, and people actually had some basic tools to handle their own heads? I agree that family plays a huge role, sure, but where are the free workshops for expecting parents? Where are the counselors available for both parents right after birth, or psychologists who actually sit down with a new mom to make sure postpartum depression doesn't take hold? Or experts to guide parents through the whole growing-up process? Right now, you either have to deal with some random church-run marriage prep course, or—and this is the fun part—try to convince your primary care doctor to give you a referral so you can wait weeks for an appointment and pray they give you more than thirty minutes of their time... it should be a routine part of our healthcare and social safety net. Look, it won't solve every single problem in the world, but it’s definitely a massive step forward.
And then there's the question of "we don't have the budget" for psychologists or educators to act as advisors and lecturers—that's a bit of a loaded question, isn't it? Money is basically being thrown out the window on overpriced IT equipment, and they keep reinventing the wheel with new textbooks every few years just for the sake of it. In my opinion, learning how to spot a psychopath, an abuser, or a manipulator is literally a life-saving skill... something you just can't say about half the other stuff taught in school. Learning how to help yourself and others manage daily stress or recognize signs of mental illness—those are things 100% of the population will deal with at least once. Meanwhile, programming is a niche skill that only a tiny percentage of specialists actually need...

Hey everyone! So, I was scrolling through this other political thread the other day—total rabbit hole situation—and it got me thinking about how little we actually get as a society when it comes to psychology, psychopathology, and just... human behavior in general. There was this one specific case being discussed about a terrorist who everyone swore was just this totally chill, harmless guy. And it hit me—that pattern repeats *so* often. That "quiet kid next door" or the "perfectly polite neighbor" who suddenly snaps and commits some horrific act... it’s terrifyingly common. It’s the same thing with domestic violence, too. Neighbors and friends are always left standing there like, "Wait, what? But he was such a gentleman!" or "She was always so bubbly and sweet!" while they're actually suffering behind closed doors. Not even mentioning all those tragic cases of self-harm or suicide where even the closest friends didn't see it coming until it was too late... I know empathy and just plain old caring are huge factors here—people tend to look the other way or downplay red flags because, let's face it, it's not their business—but I can't say it's always like that.
My thought is—hear me out—what if we doubled or even tripled the amount of psychology classes in our public schools? In a perfect world, every student would learn how to spot the warning signs of depression, violent tendencies, narcissism, or manipulation... plus, they'd actually learn how to react, how to deal with it, and more importantly, how to help themselves and others.
Another big change that I think we desperately need is making a chat with a psychologist or psychiatrist part of the standard annual physical checkup. Sadly, so many mental health issues go completely unnoticed until things reach a breaking point. People are still so heavily stigmatized and just plain uninformed about mental health, which honestly just makes everything so much harder for the person struggling.
I realize this would cost a ton of money and time, obviously, but in my opinion, it would pay for itself in the long run. I'm curious to hear what you guys think... and if this topic has already been covered, mods, please feel free to merge this.

So, I've been dealing with brutal period cramps since I first got my cycle at eleven—and yeah, it’s been a lifelong struggle. It usually starts with this intense bloating the day before, and then the first two days are just pure, unadulterated agony in my lower abdomen. I haven't passed out or thrown up, thank god, but "easy" isn't even in the vocabulary for those days. There were months where I’d just lie in bed all day crying because the pain was so relentless... not to mention the mood swings, which are a whole other nightmare. Taking Advil or Tylenol would help for a few hours, but then the pain would just come crawling back. My gynecologist says everything looks fine—ultrasounds are clear, skin is okay (aside from some annoying whiteheads), so I’ve always been totally against birth control. Honestly, the list of side effects is way too long for something I feel I can manage differently... plus, the idea of pumping hormones into my system and tricking my body into thinking it's constantly pregnant? No thanks. A few years ago, I started experimenting with herbal teas—a mix of chamomile, lemon balm, fennel, and anise—which helps, though it doesn't kill the pain entirely. I also swear by nettle, mint, and doing massages with lavender and chamomile essential oils diluted in sesame oil.
On top of all that, things actually got *worse* after I moved to Germany. The tea stopped working, and I was back to popping one or two Ibuprofen a day just to survive. Eventually, I picked up some 400mg magnesium supplements with folic acid and B vitamins, along with a specific women's multivitamin blend (you know, the works: magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, folate, Vit C and D)... and honestly? The last time I had my period, it was almost painless👍... well, if I felt any pressure, I'd just sip some tea and I was good to go. My mood stayed steady too—no sudden crying fits or random irritability. I also cut out dairy and acidic foods during those days, and my stomach didn't even act up once. I really recommend everyone give this a shot. Sometimes the reason is something as banal as a mineral deficiency, which doctors rarely bother to check for—they usually just run an iron test and call it a day, but iron isn't the only player in the game. In my opinion, you should fix your diet first, try supplements, test out natural stuff like teas and oils, and only if everything else fails should you reach for the heavy-duty painkillers or hormonal pills.
As for the psychosomatic side of things—maybe not for everyone, but I'm certain the mind plays a huge role in how much pain we actually feel. I’ve struggled with self-confidence and self-acceptance my entire life; it's a constant battle. Back in school, I was definitely the "freak"—a victim of bullying—and getting my period early didn't exactly help matters. I used to be so ashamed to even mention what was happening to me or that I was feeling pressure or pain. To make matters weirder, I was one of those rare cases where my cycle stabilized super fast—within three months—but back then, I weighed less than 90 pounds and was basically flat until I was eighteen. Just imagine all those hormonal surges and PMS symptoms hitting a girl who looks like she’s barely ten... Why am I bringing this up? Because that same feeling of being completely alone and having nobody to talk to came rushing back after I moved, especially when the pain intensified. Ever since I found friends who actually get me, fixed my diet, and started the minerals, I've felt better than ever. Sorry for the massive wall of text, but maybe this helps someone out there...