No Dumb Questions with Mel

As the year comes to a close, I’m taking this moment to reflect on what 2024 has taught me and to set intentions for the year ahead. It’s been a year of challenges, growth, and big changes—moving to New York, navigating new routines, and embracing both the joys and struggles that come with it. In this episode, I open up about the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year, the memories that brought me...

Get ready for a trip down memory lane with my longtime friend Taylor Chan! You probably know Taylor from Wong Fu Productions, but what you might not know is that we go way back—to the lecture halls of UC San Diego. Taylor isn’t just a talented creator; he’s also my longest-standing friend in this wild world of digital media. In this episode, we’re spilling behind-the-scenes stories, reliving our c...

How am I really doing in NYC? Eight months in, and it’s time to get real about life in New York. I’ve shared glimpses of my excitement about the city, but behind the scenes, it’s been… different. I didn’t think moving here would feel this lonely, but leaving behind a tight-knit group of friends and adjusting to new rhythms has been harder than I ever expected. It’s tough to admit, but this might b...

In this episode, I’m diving deep into a relationship that’s been central to my life for almost 8 years—my friendship with my roommate, Dar. If you’ve listened to earlier episodes, you’ll know why I chose to live with a roommate, but today, I want to explore who that roommate is and how we became each other’s home away from home.  From our origin story to the pivotal moments that shaped our bond, I...

In this heartwarming episode of No Dumb Questions, I’m thrilled to welcome Jocelyn Chung, a graphic designer, creator, and newly-published children's book author, to the podcast! We instantly connected during my last visit to Taiwan, and today we’re diving into her debut book, “When Love is More Than Words”, a story that beautifully captures how love transcends language, especially within Asian fa...

Planning a big trip with friends can be both exciting and a little stressful. Today’s episode was inspired by one of my team members after I shared that I’m heading to Vietnam soon with my college friends! She asked me how I usually plan these types of trips, and it got me thinking—coordinating travel preferences, schedules, and personalities can be a lot to manage! With my Vietnam trip just aroun...

In this episode of No Dumb Questions, we dive deep into the world of TV writing and what it truly takes to make it in Hollywood. As someone who's always been captivated by the entertainment industry, today’s topic is particularly exciting for me. And to make it even better, we have an extraordinary guest who’s worked on incredible shows like Loot and Superstore—plus, she’s collaborated with comedy...

In today’s episode, I’m bringing back a special guest: my boyfriend Ray! Last time he was on the show, we did a fun Q&A where he answered all your curious questions. This time, we’re diving into some hot takes and having a lively discussion, since we’re both pretty opinionated. We answer hot takes like "Separate vacations can strengthen a relationship", "It's okay to sleep in separate bedrooms", t...

Well, I know that I’m not the only one having a tough year. After having some one-on-one calls with my close friends, I realize this year has rocked a lot of people already. People are facing tough times and being challenged in life! The saying “you really don’t know what people are going through” resonates more than ever. As we’re all struggling with our own things, I thought this episode could b...

Raise your hand if you know Jay Chou? Jolin Tsai? F4? lol One of the most common questions we get asked is “How do you stay connected to your culture?” or “Have you always been connected to your cultural identity?” In this episode, I’ll share why I’m so proud to be Taiwanese-American and how I stay connected with my cultural identity. Trust me, it’s more fun than you think! Join me for an inspirin...

Did you know I never took the SAT? Yet I still earned a Bachelor's Degree from a four-year university! And guess what? I saved $27,000 on college tuition! How? I started at my local community college for two years before transferring to UC San Diego. In today's episode, I’ll share why I chose community college despite having a 3.8 GPA in high school, what the experience was like (did I feel behind...

Join me for a special Q&A episode where we dive into the questions YOU submitted! From updates on the bustling streets of NYC to personal reflections on happiness and anxiety, nothing is off-limits. In this episode, we tackle everything from city life to emotional well-being. Plus, I had to answer your questions on what K-Drama I'm watching next and what I'm anticipating for this summer! Grab your...

For today’s episode, it falls a bit after my 2 year anniversary with Ray. The last time I was in this long of a relationship was in high school and that was a very different time. With us moving in together, in a new city, we are definitely in a different stage in our relationship. Today, I reflect back on our relationship, compare year 1 & 2, chat through the other insights I discovered in our re...

Last time we chatted about New York, I announced I was moving. Now, it's been a few weeks moving to a new city and it's been tough! From all the emotional goodbyes in Cali, adjusting to living with a partner, to dealing with changes, it's been a roller coaster of a few weeks.  Tune in to see what the move has been like lately & what feelings I've been encountering while dealing with this change. B...

In this episode, we delve into the often overlooked yet profoundly transformative journey of self-growth. Recently, I came across a comment that struck a chord. The listener, who has been with us since the beginning, remarked on the noticeable growth they observed in me over the past few years. This observation made me realize that I’ve done a lot of quiet self work the last few years that had ben...

As I approach my 33rd birthday this week, I find myself reflecting on the significance of this milestone. In many ways, turning 33 is the age that, in my adolescent mind, symbolized "being an adult", a time when I thought I would have life all figured out. It is also the age I thought I'd be married. However, the contrast between childhood expectations and the realities of adulthood has become abu...

Today's topic is one I received a lot of votes on for a poll on Instagram. How does one maintain their independence or identity while in a romantic relationship? I've been with my partner for almost 2 years now, and while we are still learning a lot about our preferences, one thing we both learned quickly is that we both highly value our own independence. I share through the WHY aspect of this (*h...

The topic of reflection and goal setting is pretty popular amongst our generation. Around this time, whether you're looking through some self help podcasts or books, "setting intentions" and "goals" are everywhere. We actually did an episode recently on the main show (ep 252) talking through these topics. After preparing for that episode & being back at home, it made me think about my mom. I wonde...

Today’s topic is a reflective one. I just came back from my 2023 vacation to Asia & it was amazing. Traveling opens you up to the world, but it also has a way of revealing truths about yourself. I don't know what it is, but I always come back with some kind of clarity or something I need to do. Take a listen and let me know if you share similar feelings! __________________________________________...

Continuing the topic of college friendships, I chat with my bestie, Sally Le about how this college friendship evolved once we graduated college. How did we go from those innocent, FRIENDS-loving, eager college students to career focused young adults thrown into the real world? How did our friendship stick despite being "long distance"? I also share with Sally why she means so much to me in my 30'...

Friendships are a topic we get asked about a lot & I get it. It plays such a huge role in our lives! In today's two part series, I want to dive into a very special friendship of mine, that I haven't had the chance to share about on the pod. I'm talking about college friendships. This one, in particular, began in the dorms of UCSD transfer housing & it blossomed into one of my most precious adult f...

After getting fed up with the self loathing I had with my body image, I decided to finally do something about it. I started to consistently work out for the first time in my life. The "not athletic" girl joined OrangeTheory. I share my insecurities approaching my first HIIT class, the feeling of accomplishment to the rocking results that shook me back to a negative headspace. Now, in 2023, I also...

I've been avoiding this topic for 2 years now. My relationship with my body image is something I try to protect, because it's one that has brought me a lot of pain. There was a time that I blamed my body for my unhappiness and the demon of comparison was a very large figure that took over. It's a relationship that I'd consider a "work in progress" despite being in a better mental place. After gett...

You already met him briefly through the episodes where we introduced our partners for the first time on ABG (ep 225 & 226). But today, I bring on Ray, my boyfriend, for the first time, onto my mini show. We've been dating for a little over a year now and have learned a lot about each other during this time. Many of you all have been following me on my dating history during my single season, and ar...

How to maintain work, life, balance is a question we get asked a lot! It's something many of us struggled with, especially with juggling social schedules and finding boundaries with WFH. However, after a few years of fine tuning some of my daily habits, I found effective ways that have helped me create more balance in my life!  Listen in as I share my Non-negotiables when managing my work and life...