Midnight Vowels

Sometimes I feel desensitized from the news & events occurring around the world, and at other times it's impossible to ignore how messed up things still are even though it's 2021. It can be frustrating to feel powerless and to understand that many things are outside of our control. There's a Spongebob meme called "Push It Somewhere Else Patrick," which references an older episode where Patrick suggests relocating the entire town of Bikini Bottom in order to avoid dealing with a raging Alaskan Bull Worm. Yeah... I wish it were that simple. Let's push our global problems and all the harmful people somewhere else, PLEASE!Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

This is a nonsensical episode comprised of me rambling on about "Love Alarm," a Korean drama about an app that enables its users to be notified when someone within a 10-meter radius has romantic feelings for them. Along with what I discuss in the podcast, consider the following and decide whether you would download the app (if it was real) or not:What if your love alarm never rings?What if you're already in a relationship and your love alarm rings by someone else (maybe by someone you both mutually know)?What if you want to like someone but you can't ring their love alarm?What if someone you dislike keeps ringing your love alarm?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

Think of the last time you felt jealous about something. What about a time when you felt envious? Don't know the difference between jealous vs. envious? I certainly thought the two terms were interchangeable. And to an extent, they kind of are sometimes. However, there's usually specific distinctions when using one term versus the other, and I explore this in more detail on this week's podcast episode. Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

If you've never worried about someone referring to you by the wrong gender pronoun, you might not be aware of the privilege that you hold. We can't assume someone's gender just by the way they look, and people are often referred to by the wrong pronouns due to these assumptions. Displaying your gender pronouns is a good way to normalize sharing and using correct pronouns, and respecting the diverse gender identities of the people we encounter. Of course, we should also respect and not question those who choose to keep this information private. Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in addition to being Mental Health Awareness Month. After posting last week's episode, I realized that one topic we could dive deeper into is the framework of self-care and mental health from the Asian American perspective. Though our experiences growing up are unique and diverse, there are some mental health experiences that feel like a collective struggle. However, with resources readily available on the Internet, and consequently more awareness spreading — we are slowly taking steps in the right direction towards healing and destigmatizing.Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

Self-care seems like a simple concept, but it's easy to muddle things up as adults often do. Time constraints, pressure to be productive, and our own personal issues can get in the way. In this week's episode I ponder the classic question: why is it so hard to take care of ourselves?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

This one goes out to anyone who has a non-English/American name, like me! There's another level of awareness that you acquire when growing up in America with a name that other people have difficulty pronouncing. For example, I've had to anticipate correcting teachers during roll call, using an alternate name for coffee orders, etc. Join me this week as I share some of my experiences living as Huong, but also as Hương.Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

This episode is best listened to if you're having a hard time falling asleep. Why? Because I spend most of it just reading, haha. We're taking it easy this week as I take a personality quiz and find out 'which Yu Yu Hakusho character is my twin.' You don't need to know anything about the anime/manga because all the questions are pretty much random. I was expecting more out of the quiz question & results, but I guess if I wanted more YYH content, I could binge watch some video clips. Do you have a favorite character from YYH?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

I've seen several headlines throughout this past month marking the one-year anniversary of when the pandemic went into overdrive, lockdowns started happening, and our lives were universally altered. I mostly just ignored paying attention to these, but have recently been feeling the impact of living through a year of... everything. Join me on this week's episode as I discuss a few items I've been struggling with and give you a brief update of how I'm feeling at this stage of the pandemic. Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

Grab a snack and join me & Ann as we discuss a few scenarios pulled from the subreddit r/AmItheAsshole. AITA is an online forum where users can post about their conflicting situations, and other users will vote and discuss whether OP (Original Poster) was in the right or wrong in regards to their actions. I'd love to hear whether you agree with our verdicts or if you think differently! Below are the topics we discuss, if you're curious to read through any of the  individual threads:* AITA for making my roommate pay the full cost of a wedding cake?* AITA for not giving a little girl one of my scrunchies?* AITA for telling my brother (30M) that no girl would want to date him and I feel sorry for any girl who meets him?* AITA: My friend is serious on becoming a KPOP idol but she doesn’t sing well at all and I’m starting to be concerned for her.* AITA for making fun of a white girl for being poor because she was being racist?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

The Asian American community has been hit hard by hate crimes and violent attacks on what feels like a daily basis. Regrettably, this week is yet another instance of xenophobic, racist, and misogynistic behavior, acted out through a white gunman who decided to murder innocent women of predominately Asian descent because he was having "a bad day." There's a lot to unpack about everything that occurred, but I only have the time & energy to touch upon a few quick points. Many Asian Americans are in a collective state of grieving, processing, and overall low morale. Please look out for your Asian-American peers and seek active ways of supporting the Asian community in any way you can (donating, supporting local businesses, calling & writing your govt officials, learning about the model minority myth and the history of racism against Asian Americans in the U.S., etc.)Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

I'm an overthinker. And one thing that I've 'overthought' about in the past has been who to keep as my friends and followers on social media. During high school and college, the more people I could add on Facebook, the better. But with a combination of time passing by, my own privacy preferences, and also just not interacting with a whole lot of people on my friend lists - the question sometimes becomes: should I keep or delete?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

I'm on my way to completing another trip around the sun. Turning another year older is certainly worth celebrating, but at the same time it can be hard to shake the feelings of anxiousness as I think about the clock ticking and time passing me by. This week I'm reflecting on some positive reminders I'm keeping in mind for myself, and also sharing a song that I often think about when birthday time rolls around.Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

SHINee's back y'all and they don't want you calling them. This week I'm providing commentary on a few Kpop updates - I plan on recording more episodes like this every now and then! I'm a longtime Kpop listener and it's something I get enjoyment out of, whether just listening on my own or discussing with others. I'm not super up-to-date on newer groups though... any recommendations of groups or songs I should check out?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowelsSongs mentioned:SHINee - "Don't Call Me" (also CØDE, Kiss Kiss, Body Rhythm)GOT7 - "Encore"Kang Daniel - "Paranoia"BTS - MTV Unplugged performances: Telepathy, Blue & Grey, Fix You (Coldplay cover), Life Goes On, Dynamite

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." You get the gist of this quote... be prepared! It's sometimes harder than it sounds though. Over the weekend, Oregon experienced a windy snowstorm, followed by icy conditions, followed by widespread power outages. These conditions were yet another reminder of the importance of being prepared and also proof of how under-prepared a lot of us are, myself included. Follow along as I unpack some reasons as to why it's easy to be complacent when it comes to preparing for the worst.Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

Lunar New Year is upon us as we now enter the Year of the Ox. I don't normally do much to celebrate and this year there are no events being held anyways, so I'm basically doing nothing but eating bánh tét (savory sticky rice cake). Today's short podcast episode has me contemplating a potential downside of using the more inclusive title of "Lunar New Year" as opposed to Chinese New Year, Tết, Seollal, etc. I also end up skimming through a 2021 horoscope for funsies. What's your prediction - is it going to be a lucky year?Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

This past year of social distancing has forced many of us to come up with creative ways to stay connected to those we care about. It is logical to want to maintain your relationships with close friends and family. However, one segment of friendships that is overlooked are those that are categorized as "weak ties." These include a wide range of people in which we might have fleeting encounters with, or no direct interaction at all. However, they still play an important role in our social health and how we relate to the world around us.Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

We got our first dusting of snow this week and though it melted away quickly, the cold weather inspired me to think about things that make me feel warm and happy inside. I kept the list short and included things I think anyone can identify with, but might not immediately recognize as a source of happiness.I hope you're staying warm and safe! We're heading into February next week already... If you're someone who is motivated by fresh starts, I hope the upcoming week finds you motivated and rejuvenated. Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

This week I'm reflecting on my own self-esteem and discussing the concept of imposter syndrome. As human beings, we're (arguably) lucky to be self-aware and know how to analyze our own thoughts and emotions. Yet sometimes these thoughts can turn on us as we become overly critical of ourselves for no good reason. I hope this episode serves as a reminder to give yourself a break... from yourself. You're doing great. Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

This week I'm joined by my friend Ann as we answer some "Would You Rather" questions. As you listen along, I hope you think about what your response would be and let me know what we might have overlooked in our reasoning! Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

Having access to multiple social media platforms is a fun way of staying in touch with friends and family. At what point does being constantly connected and inundated with updates become harmful to our mental health though? Sometimes I find it tiring scrolling indefinitely through my feeds, but when I refrain from doing so, I feel like I'm missing out on something. Anyone else feel the same way? We've come a long way since having Tom as our only friend on MySpace, but with advances in technology & apps come unique concerns revolving around mental health and our dependence on social media.Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels

2020 was a rough year, but I'm thankful for a few of the positive things that it brought forth for me. In this episode, I review some of my favorite things from this year and briefly go over what I'm looking forward to in the year ahead. What brought you joy or entertainment in 2020? Feel free to share your thoughts with me on Instagram: @midnightvowels