Aida Hashemi

YOU GUYS. I just had a total "aha!" moment. (And yeah, I might have thought this before, but it’s hitting differently today.) What if we only practiced  "friend-dating"  until marriage? The rules are simple: You don’t do anything a friend wouldn't do. You keep things platonic and low-pressure, but with one major twist: you’re viewing everything through the lens of marriage and long-term commitment. The goal? To stay objective. It’s so much easier to spot major incompatibilities, red flags, or value differences when you aren't blinded by intense physical or emotional attachment. If it doesn't work out, you’re just losing a friend. It hurts, sure—but it’s not the world-shattering heartbreak that comes from soul-tie-level bonding. The "Friends-First" Philosophy of Marriage - April 16th, 2026 The philosophy is "Commitment First, Attachment Second." By keeping the boundaries of a friendship while dating for the purpose of marriage, you get...

 Good idea or nah?

It’s hard to talk about this without feeling like I’m overstepping, but I’ve been reflecting.... He mentioned his attraction towards men several times, and if he were to eventually come out as gay or bi, it would explain so much. I think that's the last piece of closure that would be nice to have. But I would never ask directly.

Now I know why  The Lying Game  has been so healing for me. You get completely absorbed in a new world full of mystery, and for a moment, you totally forget about your own life—that’s exactly what I needed. Who knew that a good mystery and a cast of attractive people (shoutout to Alexandra Chando, I love you) could be so therapeutic for moving past old trauma?

Here’s the thing: I’m about to finally be free in about 2.5 weeks, and I’m scared of dying. I feel like I’ve started loving life again, so I really don’t want to lose it. That’s a big contrast from last year, when I felt like living was harder than death and being in heaven. Now I really want to see my family, play tennis and pickleball, and play the piano, among other things.

It's so weird—my childhood favorite TV show,  The Lying Game , is somehow bringing me back to life! Getting to escape into that world is such a blessing.