| Sometimes story ideas come straight out of our own lives, and that's what happened with the article "You don't like violence but want to watch 'Squid Game.' These tips can help." by regular contributor Angela Haupt. I've never enjoyed watching violence, and there is a whole list of well-regarded films or television series I never saw and have no desire to see – my husband watched "Breaking Bad" and "Dexter" without me, and "Sopranos" with me after he had already seen it, so he could warn me when something gruesome was coming up. But my younger daughter and her boyfriend really liked the South Korean television series, which was becoming a cultural phenomenon along the lines of "Game of Thrones," and I was looking forward to discussing it with them. And I've been hooked on other Korean dramas (among them the romantic comedy "Crash Landing on You" – give it a few episodes – the gorgeous historical series "Mr. Sunshine" and, our favorite, the absorbing contemporary drama "My Mister"). So, yes, I wanted to see "Squid Game," and I had talked with other people who were similarly conflicted about it. I've always been puzzled about why violence that I intellectually know is fake affects me so viscerally, so I asked Angela to cover that in her story. I also was curious about whether there were other strategies I could employ besides my go-to of blocking my eyes or leaving the room during the violent parts and having my husband fill me in. I did learn some other tactics – including, watch the corners of the screen. But my favorite tip was a mindfulness exercise that goes beyond television watching and can be employed any time you are anxious, called the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. In it, you name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. I wish I'd known about it when my kids were young. I mentioned this to my younger daughter, who is working as a scribe (someone who documents doctor-patient interactions) in the emergency room of a local hospital. She shared another grounding technique, which she had just seen a doctor use with a patient who was having a panic attack: He put an ice cube in her palm and asked her to focus on the sensations. When you are holding an ice cube, it's tough to concentrate on anything else. So even if you think the premise of the "Squid Game" article is silly (which many readers did, judging from the comments that said things like, Grow a spine! or Just don't watch!), I hope these grounding tips will come in handy – whether you use them on yourself or help someone else through an anxious time. Another article I'd like to bring to your attention this week grew out of the Sept. 15th newsletter, in which I wrote about my family's tradition of eating rice with dinner and the health concerns it raises because the carbohydrates in rice cause blood sugar to spike. A few readers emailed to point out that there is also a heath concern about rice and arsenic, so I asked dietitian Cara Rosenbloom to tell you what you need to know in "Arsenic in rice: What is and isn't safe for adults and children." Please keep those emails coming! Take care. | 
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