Yin & Young Episode 18 - Breana Harris and the Pre-Raphaelites

August 10, 2017 in Society & Culture, Spirituality, Writing

Yin & Young are back with an interview with writer Breana Harris! We dig in to her mysterious past filled with stories of Area 51, ghosts, disturbing movies and dreams of Pre-Raphaelite artists. Special guest: Laura Cox returns! Our MVP RWG (resident white-Brazilian girl).

Highlights:
Live musical opening!
Area 51, the moon landing and going to Mars
Watching rated R movies and porn
Movie talk: Baby Driver, Wonder Woman
Favorite literary writers
The Pre-Raphaelites and Dante
Fate, ghost stories, and the supernatural
Gastric sleeve surgery

LANGUAGE CORNER -
James - Taiwanese
吃飯 - chiah png - eat a meal, lit. eat rice.
吃飽沒？ - chiah pa bo - did you eat yet?

Dan - Japanese
頂きます - itadakimasu - about to partake
ごちそうさま - gochisousama - thank you for the meal

Laura - Portuguese - barbaridade - that’s barbaric, lit. barbarities

Breana - French - avez-vous du feu? - do you have a light? slang: did you want to hook up?

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Breana + cat. Photo courtesy of Breana Harris.

Yin & Young Episode 17 - The Journey of Robert Jay Arnold

July 18, 2017 in Society & Culture, Travel, Martial Arts

Y&Y w/ RJA: Martial Arts, Race, and Life in Taiwan

Yin & Young are back! In this episode we speak with martial artist and writer Robert Jay Arnold (孔有有). Robert is a martial arts lineage holder for Gao style Bagua Zhang (高式八卦掌）in Taiwan and a published author (links below). In this episode we get into some deep topics:

Growing up as a black kid in Ohio near the KKK
Martial arts as part of the Arnold family culture
When to fight
Martial arts as a lifestyle
Traditional Martial Arts and Mixed Martial Arts
Xu Xiaodong vs Wei Lei: "MMA vs Taichi match"
Blasians kids in Taiwan
Humility

Martial Arts Tips:

James - Try standing meditation aka standing like a post (站樁 zhanzhuang).

Daniel - Your forms are the language of your style, know them well.

Robert - Test your style in many different scenarios.

Check out Robert Jay Arnold’s novels here!

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Jay-Arnold/e/B01EKPEK7Y/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Robert's blog "Fox Bagua Zhang":

http://warriorfox.blogspot.com/

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Yin & Young Episode 16 - Byron Q: Writer/Director, Traveler, Meditator

June 24, 2017 in Society & Culture, Filmmaking, Travel, Spirituality, Asian American

Byron's the director of the feature films Bang Bang, Raskal Love, and Las Vegas Story. He joins us from Germany and shares some of his life experiences and spiritual thoughts.

Formative years living in many cities and locales including a four year stint in China living with various relatives.

Asian gangs were an early focus of Byron's due to his interest in seeing a different facet of Asian life represented in media and the camaraderie of gangsters reflect his own friendships growing up.

Meditation has led to more self reflection by Byron. He's embraced meditation as a way of living and seeing life.

Language Corner:

Dan - Japanese

残念 - zannen - tough luck, regretful

James - Taiwanese

沒辦法／沒方法 - bo hoat-to - there's nothing to do about it, no way

Byron - German

alles klar - all is clear, everything's fine.

Yin & Young Episode 15 - Film Director Henry J. Kim

June 11, 2017

Yin & Young Episode 15 - Film Director Henry J. Kim

Be sure to subscribe/review us on iTunes!: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?

In this episode, James talks with filmmaker Henry J. Kim about his journey from being a comic book enthusiast to film director, his thoughts on the craft, and the ethics of directing.

Highlights:

Warriors documentary in the works

Comic book love and art

Inspirations

The nature of artistic taste

The Tinkerbell effect

Mutual masturbation

What are you willing to die for

The ethics of directing actors

Can we appreciate the art while also condemning the artist?, i.e., can we separate the art and the artist?

Language Corner:

James - Mandarin

金盆洗手 Jīn pén xǐ shǒu: lit. wash one’s hands in a golden basin, to turn over a new leaf, move from gangster life to a legitimate life.

(a lyric from Shawn Sung - Life’s a Struggle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsrXRsXQHmM)

Yin & Young EP14 - Actor/Performer Judy Lei

Yin & Young Episode 14 - Actor/Performer Judy Lei

May 23, 2017 in Asian American, Society & Culture

Actor/Performer Judy Lei shares her tumultuous journey from growing up in East New York to Smith College and back to NYC to pursue acting.

Highlights:

- James met Judy at her one person show: The World's Greatest http://heyjudylei.com/theworldsgreatest/

- Judy is a hustling, Brooklyn girl

- Comparing Chinatowns of NYC, SF, and LA

- Smith College was a culture shock for Judy, seeing nature for the first time and learning to interact with Caucasians

- Enunciating with proper diction led to people asking her why she is portraying herself as someone else

- Her one person show dispels Asian stereotypes

- Judy had to create her own opportunities due to the dearth of what was available for Asian American women in film/TV

- Three key people helped shape her one person show

- Created her own major at Smith College

- Judy's dating preferences...

Language Corner:

Dan - Japanese

侘び寂び - wabi-sabi - the art of imperfection

James - Taiwanese

我去玩 - goar khix chitthøo - go out and play

Judy - Cantonese

堅持 - gin1 ci4 - to persist

Be sure to subscribe to Yin & Young the podcast! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?mt=2

Yin & Young EP13 - Aaron "Fish" Estrada

May 12, 2017

In this episode we talk with 10th planet student/ jiu jitsu practitioner/competitor/instructor Aaron Estrada! Topics:

- Aaron's Filipino background

- Aaron being sent home to live in the Philippines with various relatives

- CSUN Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

- Asian guilt

- Expressing emotions as a kid and learning emotions

- Debate on whether Bruce Lee is a fighter and the definition of a "fighter"

- Desires to fight

- Aaron's BJJ origins and ambitions to devote more time to fighting

- The dream to provide BJJ instruction to kids in need for free

- Aaron doesn't casually date

- The various martial arts Aaron has tried: Tae Kwon Do, Escrima

- Aaron likes saying "garage" in a way that adds character.

Language Corner:

James - Mandarin

半途而廢：bàntúérfèi - (idiom) to abandon halfway, to leave something unfinished is a waste.

Dan - Japanese

参った: maitta - I give up

Aaron - Tagalog

paalam: let you know I'm leaving.

Be sure to subscribe on iTunes!: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?mt=2

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#asianguilt #emotions #filipino #BJJ #MMA #CSUN #fighter #martialartist #BruceLee #language #podcast

Yin & Young Episode 12: Comedy Writer Michael Newman

May 01, 2017

Mike Newman - writer, comic, specializing in writing idiot comedy with his writing partner.

Guest host Gordon justifies watching “Ghost in the Shell”. Theater has lots of seats available.

Industry demand has changed from spec scripts to original pilots.

Studying chemistry these days to help tutor students.

"Get Out" film review.

Are Asians complicit in racism against African Americans?

Iron Fist and its crappy martial arts

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Martial Arts tips -

James: Two arms in, two arms out to avoid a submission in BJJ.

Dan: Throw a punch correctly - a straight fist should land on middle and index knuckle.

Mike: Keep your shoulders down.

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Be sure to subscribe on iTunes!: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015? and leave us a review =).

Yin & Young Episode 11 - Actor Freya Adams and the return of Laura Cox

April 16, 2017

Sorry for the delay! James has been busy with his thesis, but…the wait is worth it with our biggest episode yet!

Introducing actor Freya Adams! Freya starred in “Advantageous” and has been in quite a few TV shows. (link below)

Return of LGBTQ community champion, Brazilian, and suburban woman Laura Cox!

Topics:

Recently moved from NYC to LA, just in time for pilot season.
Freya Adams origin story begins in Illinois and being one of the few people of color.
Whitewashing
Women aren’t allowed to have emotions
Stereotypes of Asians
Roles written for Asians are few
Brazil is in a bit of a mess.
Freya having to be better than her peers due to greater scrutiny
Teacher said "You'll need to work twice as hard to get half as much”
Cultural erasure
What actors look for in a script.

LANGUAGE CORNER:

Daniel: Japanese

しまった - shimatta - we’re screwed, oops

James: Mandarin Chinese

螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後

Tángláng bǔ chán, huáng què zài hòu

lit. mantis catches the cicada, the oriole is behind the mantis.

Don’t be too focused on an immediate goal that you forget your surroundings and other potential dangers.

Laura: Portuguese

Puta merda: Horse shit
Salsicha - Little sausage *

Freya: Urdu

بندر لڑکی - Bandaria - Monkey girl *

*note: used google translate on these, not sure of accuracy

Yin & Young Episode 10 - Enter the Gordon

March 29, 2017

Gordon’s origin story and how he decided to get into the editing field

Gordon has secret Vlogs locked away for Old Man Gordon to rediscover

Delving into interracial dating

How one scene from Full Metal Jacket ruined the reputation of Asian women

White Savior Myth

LANGUAGE CORNER

Gordon:

NEET - Not in Education, Employment, or Training

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEET

Daniel: Japanese

Mottainai - もったいない - what a waste

James: Taiwanese

機會, ki-hōe (ji1hui4 in Mandarin) - opportunity

related term in Mandarin: 危機, wei2ji1 - crisis

Yin & Young Episode 9: The Girl from Fullerton and other tales––also, Gordon Greer!

March 22, 2017 in Relationships, Society & Culture, Asian American

In this episode James shares a tale of the Latina that ghosts him and of the mysterious drunk girl from Fullerton. Gordon Greer joins us for the first time and he relates his terrible Tinder date.

Highlights (chronological):

James and Dan talk Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, takedowns

The Latina tale.

When do you ask a girl, “Where’s this going?”

The Girl from Fullerton tale.

Gordon talks Survivor.

Gordon’s Tinder catfish.

Language Corner

Gordon: Mid-west slang

skedaddle - to run away hurriedly.

Dan: Japanese

どきどき, doki doki - a mimetic word that mimics the sound of a heart beating, especially when near someone you like.

James: Mandarin

塞翁失马，焉知非福 (Sàiwēngshīmǎ, yānzhīfēifú) - Old man Sai loses a horse, who's to say it's bad fortune?

Yin & Young Episode 8 - Ivy Chu - Filmmaker: From Taiwan to the U.S. and back

March 13, 2017

Guest: Ivy Chu

In Episode 8, we talk with filmmaker Ivy Chu about her formative years moving from Taiwan to the U.S. during high school, finding her calling in film after college and eventually moving back to Taiwan to work on international co-productions.

Highlights

Differences in education between Taiwan and the U.S.: stress levels, getting enough sleep
How an economics background helps as a producer.
Film opportunities in Asia versus the U.S.
Standing up for yourself
Culture shock going back to Taiwan
The perception of Trump in Taiwan
Carrying on a social life and relationships while traveling all around
Conservative views of an older generation regarding LGBT
Having your age and photo on resumés in Taiwan.

Language Corner

From James: Taiwanese

你幾歲？
Romanization: Lí kúi hòe
- English Translation: How old are you?
- Explanation: A common phrase used in Taiwan. There seems to be less of a social faux in Taiwanese culture to ask people about their age.

From Ivy: Mandarin

我可以加你的LINE？
- Romanization: wo3 ke3 yi3 jia1 ni3 de LINE?
- English Translation: Can I add your LINE?
- Explanation: In Taiwan, almost everyone with an electronic device uses LINE, an instant messaging application. So if you see an attractive person that you want to get to know, getting their LINE is the way to go.

*correction: Dan and Ivy met before on set for a short film production, "Painting Hands" by James, James just forgot. Link: https://vimeo.com/174963663

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Thoughts, questions? Email us: yinyoungpodcast[at]gmail[dot]com

Yin & Young Episode 7 - Young in the South

March 02, 2017

Like our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/yinyoungpodcast/

Yin & Young are back from hiatus. James recaps his trip through the southern states, starting from Austin, James then heads to Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, and finally to New Orleans.

HIGHLIGHTS

Austin - Esther Follies, Salt Lick BBQ

Too much heart clogging foods

To intervene or not to intervene

Memphis - Elmwood Cemetery

Nashville - Free lesson at a boxing gym to work off calories

MARTIAL ARTS MINUTES: Punching techniques, hip first or hip and fist together?

Going to an all black bar

Little Rock - Checking out bars

Hiking in the Ozarks (and getting lost)

Atlanta - Taiwanese with Southern Accents

New Orleans - Swamp tour

Going around the French Quarter

Asians in the South

LANGUAGE CORNER:

Dan: 迷惑 - meiwaku - to cause trouble

- in reference to how people should not cause trouble for others.

James: 就是這樣 - tøsi an-ne - this is the way it is.

used to clarify, verify a claim or how something is done.

Yin & Young Song

Yin & Young

Tell us everything you want to be

Yin & Young

Share with us all of your dreams

Yin & Young

You gotta learn how to fight

Be yourself in this life

It’s alright

Relationships getting you down

Yin & Young

Racism’s making you drown

Yin & Young

Feeling shamed and alone

Right now you got a home

It’s alright

with

Yin & Young

You can also find us on iTunes or subscribe via our RSS feed!

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?

RSS Feed: http://www.jamesyshih.com/yin-young-podcast/?format=rss

Thoughts, questions? Email us: yinyoungpodcast[at]gmail[dot]com

Yin & Young Episode 6 - Martial Arts Talk with Eddie Niwata

February 22, 2017

In this episode we speak with martial artist Eddie Niwata.

Eddie has been practicing Choy Li Fut, a Chinese martial art, for over 20 years and currently teaches Choy Li Fut and Tai Chi

Heads up: this episode is going to be heavy on martial arts (techniques, training, style comparisons, etc...) with a bit on Asian American identity and racism in the first section.

HIGHLIGHTS (in chronological order):

Revised Guitar Intro Song!

Kendo

Choy Li Fut

Mixed Race (Hapa)

Japanese identity

Racism

The Death Touch

Finding your martial art is like finding your religion.

Tai Chi

Pedagogy: How to teach

Traditional vs MMA

Muhammed Ali vs Bruce Lee

The importance of sparring

Push hands

External vs Internal

Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation)

MARTIAL ARTS TIPS

We each share some advice we’ve picked up over the years.

James

Master Huang’s Five Loosening Exercises: good for loosening the lower back and body tension.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1S78x0fOJo

Eddie

Keep your butt tucked in: lessens lower back pain and increases stability.

Dan

Doing things with intent: makes movements more powerful.

You can also find us on iTunes or subscribe via our RSS feed!

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?

RSS Feed: http://www.jamesyshih.com/yin-young-podcast/?format=rss

Thoughts, questions? Email us: yinyoungpodcast[at]gmail[dot]com

Yin & Young Episode 5 - Laura Cox

February 14, 2017

Spend Valentine’s listening to the soothing voice of Dan Yin = )

In this episode, Dan and James speak to storyteller, grammar queen, LGBT advocate, beer drinker, cat and breakfast burrito lover, Laura Cox.

HIGHLIGHTS

New guitar intro song!

James and Laura re-enact James's online dating texts.

Sibling bullying

Double dating

Third wheeling

James's unhealthy obsession with the other Laura in The Glass Menagerie.

Laura's healthy obsession with the other James in James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl), podcasts, and the Gilmore Girls.

...and more!

Questions for the audience:

1) Is it weird to have a double date as the first date? Why or why not?

2) When do you start holding hands with someone you're dating? First date? Second? Tenth?

Please respond in the comments below, DM, or email!

LANGUAGE CORNER

James - Taiwanese

我給你講

goar ka lie korng

Let me tell you.

Dan - Japanese

ナンパする

nanpa suru

To flirt, to hit on someone.

Laura - Portuguese

saudade

A deep nostalgia or melancholic longing for someone.

You can also find us on iTunes or subscribe via our RSS feed!

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?

RSS Feed: http://www.jamesyshih.com/yin-young-podcast/?format=rss

Thoughts, questions? Email us: yinyoungpodcast[at]gmail[dot]com

Yin & Young Episode 4 - Ronnie Alvarez

February 05, 2017 in Asian American, Society & Culture, Relationships

Yin & Young are back with our first official guest podcast! We took a month off for the holidays, but promise we'll have a weekly schedule from now on.

Ronnie Alvarez is a Los Angeles based actor and a good friend of Dan’s. He shares his philosophy on approaching and dating women, a year long diet, mental approach towards auditioning, why not to be a whipping boy and more valuable life lessons.

Also we have our first language corner where we each share a phrase from a different language.

LANGUAGE CORNER:

Ronnie: “A una mujer ni todo el amor ni todo el dinero.”

Don’t give a woman all the love or all the money.

(Spanish)

Dan: 我慢 (gaman)

To endure.

(Japanese)

James: 靠腰（kaoyao)

Lit. so hungry you cry out. Commonly used like “bullshit”, to call someone out for saying something false and/or annoying.

(Taiwanese)

*Note: there's some crackling sound in the audio that I did my best to remove. Apologies!

You can also find us on iTunes or subscribe via our RSS feed:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?

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Thoughts, questions? Email us!

Yin & Young #3 - Americanness, James’s Bad Date, Dan Ghosts on a Girl

December 25, 2016

Happy Holidays! In this episode, Dan and James talk about the different nuances of Americanness. James shares a bad date he had with a overly critical girl and the concept of being thirsty versus being hungry sexually (thanks to DS for the share). Dan reveals his knowledge of forbidden martial arts, his terrible matchmaking experience, and why it’s ok to ghost.

James's movie review of "Arrival": https://letterboxd.com/film/arrival-2016/

For another perspective on why ghosting might be bad: http://lifehacker.com/why-i-stopped-ghosting-1789214550

Here's a short clip from the episode:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?

RSS Feed: http://www.jamesyshih.com/yin-young-podcast/?format=rss

Thoughts, questions? Email us!

Yin & Young: Episode 2 - Election Night Blues, Dating Advice, and Principles

December 18, 2016

Recorded on election night, Yin and Young (Dan and James) share their election anxieties, dating experiences and advice, as well as what it means to stand up for what you believe in. Young gets in depth about his online dating addiction and recommends dating self help books: Models and No More Mr. Nice Guy. Yin talks about almost fighting guy in Disneyland for cutting in line.

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yin-young-podcast-jys/id1185421015?mt=2&i=1000379097246

RSS Feed: http://www.jamesyshih.com/yin-young-podcast/?format=rss

Thoughts, questions? Email us!

Yin & Young Episode 1 - The Beginning - Asian American Identity, Superstitions, Martial Arts, and Whitewashing

December 10, 2016 in Society & Culture, Asian American

The first podcast of Yin & Young (aka Dan & James) where they introduce each other, navigate asian american identity, discuss Chinese/Taiwanese superstitions, martial arts, and whitewashing in Hollywood.

Thoughts? Questions? Email us.