79th letter from Mihai

Tue 17 Feb, 2026 Bangkok, Thailand

Hey Reader,

I don't have a big story this week (though you can read my daily realisations in Cold Showers), so I decided to share some behind-the-scenes of the Rooted Dad.

About a year ago, I committed to sending you a letter each Tuesday. It's been a challenge, but I kept my promise. 80+ letters prove I am committed to sharing what helps me stay present as a father and husband, and not to lose myself in the middle of it all.

What you probably didn't know is how I was able to do all of this. My process was simple: I recorded myself speaking about what was meaningful to me, fed the transcript into ChatGPT, and worked with it to edit the letter. This allowed me to deliver when I didn't have much time.

What using AI also did, sadly, was dilute my message, make me doubt myself, remove parts that were meaningful to me, and make my message sound more generalised than personal. It would take a meaningful letter and turn it into a polished, artificial version.

AI prevented me from improving my writing skills by delegating the editing. Many times, I would end up arguing with ChatGPT, turning writing into a frustrating experience instead of a joyful one. And don't let me get started with trying to keep up with all the tools, updates, or practices.

A few days ago, I came across this post from Steven Bartlett's content manager and couldn't stop thinking about it:

What would it be like to write without AI? I got scared and defensive: I don't have time, it won't sound good, I won't be able to deliver.

But then I asked myself: what brings you here, Reader? Why are you reading this? It's not for the polished writing, I'm sure.

And why am I here writing these letters? For sure, it's not collecting subscribers like Pokémons (this is a reference I wrote a while back in one of my letters, but ChatGPT removed it). I want to share what truly is on my mind and heart, and if you resonate with that, amazing. If not, that's also fine. I don't need to perform, I don't need to be validated. But I want to be authentic. And I can't, as long as AI censors my voice or my thinking.

So I'm off the AI hamster wheel. No more AI in these letters. My message will sound messier from now on, but at least you know it's 100% AI free. This is Mihai writing these words. If you're looking for perfectly crafted stories, I'm not the one for you. But if you're here for the pure, raw, messy family life and everything it brings, we'll have a great time together.

I'm not going with the flow, neither against it. I'm separating myself from the AI flow completely. And I also want to be more personal, raw, and unedited.

So I'll start sharing my secrets, what helps me stay present, without worrying what will happen. I'll stop being anxious that I will lose you. If you're ready to hear what I have to say, great. I'm happy to have conversations and build my village. If not, also fine. But better to be clear about what I stand for.

​I want to be with those who know secret things or else alone.

So here's my first secret that brought so much peace to my family: the way through which viruses have been isolated doesn't follow the scientific method, thus viruses have never been proven to exist. The entire contagion paradigm is based on something that has never been proven.

If you're open to a different view on contagion, if you were ever suspicious or unsure about vaccines, germs, the medical system, or BigPharma, this video is a great place to start. It's made by a fellow former military officer and very well researched. I'm not as passionate as he is about the theme, so I prefer to share the link to the presentation he made. If you watch it and want to talk about it, let me know. I'd love to know what's your view on it.

​

One dad figuring it out, same as you.
​

P.S. These letters aren’t a broadcast, they’re a conversation. If something speaks to you, or even stirs you the wrong way, just hit reply. I read every message.

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