As 2018 draws to an end, Eugene and I reflect on what this year has represented for us and what’s in store for the future. We discuss some of our biggest regrets and our New Year’s resolutions, and David gets unexpectedly triggered by some Christian-speak. Thanks for listening!

What I'm Reading:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rmGsRHNFLGW3CdbXndnnS8CeCmw0qavfTwCuiSzmGEY/edit

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/34364?sort=date_added

Music

Ikson – Do It

Musicphrase – Jingle Bells Ukulele

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“Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.” – Anonymous

Eugene and I really enjoy talking about personal consumer technology. In today’s episode, we revisit our first episode about smartphones (ep. 33), Eugene breaks down what Apple’s Screen Time has taught him about his smartphone usage, David talks YouTube, and we debate Tesla, Elon Musk, and the future of electric cars. Thanks for listening!

Music

MBB - Breeze

Couple N - Starry Night

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“Technology is good or evil depending upon the creator. Many times, it’s not that the creator set out to do evil, it’s that there wasn’t an anticipation of these negative things it could be used for.” - Tim Cook

Maybe I got it all wrong. I thought it was better to live a life of contentment and gratitude. But in today’s episode, Eugene and I discuss whether it’s better to be deeply unsatisfied with life, whether or not happiness is merely a state of mind, and how we both ended up in traditional, single breadwinner family structures. Thanks for listening!

Music

Lindécis - Blind

Twice - Yes or Yes

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“I assigned mystical qualities to his zipper teeth, his tattered jeans, his flat palms, as if these were not only different from other fathers’ but better, and now that he was in my life, I had not waited in vain. I would be better off than children who’d had fathers all along.” - Lisa Brennan-Jobs

In 2016, NYT reporter Michael Luo—who was born and raised in the U.S.—was told by a stranger to “Go back to China!” His 7 year old daughter was there when it happened and later asked him, "Why did she say, ‘Go back to China?’ We’re not from China.” Since then countless Asian Americans have recognized the problem of “perpetual foreign syndrome” often disguised in the form of the classic question, “No, where are you from, really?"

What's less often talked about is whether it's possible to ask that question in a way that's NOT insensitive, offensive, or quite frankly, racist. I believe there is. In this special episode, Eugene and I discuss this and several other challenging questions related to our divergent Asian American identities. As always, thanks for listening!

Music

FitzSuppe - Funkaholic

Ikson - Verge

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“Abide at the center of your being. The more you leave it, the less you learn.” - MJ Ryan

Does it feel like the country is tearing itself apart? That a volcano’s about to erupt? That, as some suggest, we’re headed toward a “second civil war”? Why is all of this happening? And why is it happening NOW? David has some answers.

Link:

“Hey, Democrats: Pack The Court,” Zach Carter https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hey-democrats-pack-the-court_us_5b33f7a8e4b0b5e692f3f3d4

Music:

nymano x Pandrezz – Fireworks

JayJen - Imaginary

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“There is nothing magical about the number nine.” – Zach Carter

How do you work smarter, faster? How do you stay organized, stay motivated, and stay efficient? In today’s episode, David and Eugene share their secrets, tricks, and strategies to stay productive. David discusses the importance of routine and habits in his life, while Eugene reveals the top software tools and apps that keep him on schedule. Thanks for listening!

Music
Fredji – Happy Life
Mira Costa - Seasons

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“You may delay, but time will not.” —Benjamin Franklin

David and Eugene continue their series on productivity, and talk about how they prioritize the activities and experiences that are truly important to them. Eugene discusses his aspirations of being a more systematic “life planner” while David gets personal about how his priorities have changed since his early 20’s. Thanks for listening!

Music

BTS – Idol

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“Living is choosing.” – Eugene Chang

My one takeaway from the dazzling “Crazy Rich Asians.” Thanks for listening!

Links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/magazine/what-a-fraternity-hazing-death-revealed-about-the-painful-search-for-an-asian-american-identity.html

https://slate.com/culture/2018/08/crazy-rich-asians-the-movie-adaptation-reviewed.html

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“Finding that I could cry watching the most over the top aisle walk on the planet.” – Chrissy Teigen

Eugene's 4 Levels of Productivity Operation ("PAPE"):

1: Defining PURPOSE in life.
2: Deciding on the ACTIVITIES that belong to this purpose.
3: Creating a PLAN to accomplish these activities.
4: Developing EFFICIENCIES in execution.

Thanks for listening!

Music:

Waimis - Heaven Voices

Nature - Allegro Cantabile

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“He ruled out paying attention to almost anything but business—art, literature, science, travel, architecture—so that he could focus on his passion." - Alice Schroeder on Warren Buffett.

David and Eugene have a genuine debate over whether Mission Impossible: Fallout was one of the best Mission Impossible movies EVER or fell short of a truly great M:I movie. David talks about an important change to Ethan Hunt’s character that made him brilliantly Tom Cruisey, while Eugene discusses his own real life experience flying a helicopter (!). PLUS we spend a few bonus minutes debating the very polarizing Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Warning: SPOILERS! And thanks for listening!

MI6 behind the scenes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzhb3Su8TAE

Music:

Fallout – Lorne Balfe

Mission: Accomplished – Lorne Balfe

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“This is a bad idea.”

“Is it ever a good one, honestly?”

Who are you? In today’s episode, Eugene and I plumb the depths of our upbringing to talk about our childhoods, our values, and our attitudes toward race, religion, and politics. Eugene reveals what happened when he played “the line game” as a resident advisor in-training at Michigan, and I talk about why I consider myself the “black sheep” of the family, at least when it comes to my faith.

Thanks again to my podcasting partner Eugene Chang. And thank you for listening!

Music:
FREDJI - Happy Life
GFRIEND - Time for the Moon Night (instrumental)

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"And this is the part where you find out who you are.” - The Maine

Your smartphone is your constant companion. Your connection to the world. An extension of you. But is your smartphone REALLY bad for you? In this episode, Eugene Chang and I talk about how we use our iPhone and Android devices respectively, and discuss whether this is a good or bad thing. Eugene talks about some apps that have been especially useful for him as a techy, and I describe (and attempt to defend) the Rube Goldberg like contortions I make to "stick it to big telecom."

This is the first of what hopefully will be a series of “conversations with my brother” about topics we think are interesting and relevant in our modern age. Thanks for listening!

Music:

Oshóva - Summer's Tides

Flamingosis – She Loved Me 

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“We are made of the same stardust of which all things are made, and when we are immersed in suffering or when we are experiencing intense joy we are being nothing other than what we can’t help but be: a part of our world.” – Carlo Rovelli

Is the Star Wars cinematic universe in trouble? Jennifer, Rob, and Eugene come back to discuss and review Solo: A Star Wars Story. We talk about what went right, what went very wrong, our reactions to spoilers, and what the future holds for the SW franchise.

Thanks for listening!

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"Everything you heard about me is true." - Lando Calrissian

The Power and Perils of GRIT.

How to become more gritty, how to teach your children grit, and why you need to think about grit in a completely different way. 

References:

Jess Lee: "Partner at Sequoia Capital and Former CEO" | Talks at Google: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwjZHFMdgLk

Angela Duckworth, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-book/

Kieran Setiya, “Midlife: A Philosophical Guide”: http://www.ksetiya.net/midlife.html

Thanks for listening!

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A brief afterword to close out the K-pop series, and some personal reflections for 2018. Thanks for listening and Happy New Year! :)

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I’m usually not an aggressive self-promoter, but having listened to several reviews of the latest Star Wars movie, I believe our podcast offers one of the richest, most engaging discussions you’ll find of this film. And that’s due to my remarkable friends Jennifer, Rob, and Eugene, who joined me in a no holds barred review of the film. We talk about what we loved about The Last Jedi, what troubled us, Jennifer’s theory of what may happen in Episode 9 (hint: rise up!), and much more. This was one of my favorite episodes of the year and I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for listening!

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“At the premiere, there were cameras everywhere and people saying my name. First of all, they knew my name, which is very different for me. And then I saw this girl who was dressed as Rose and I just lost it.” – Kelly Marie Tran