brb crying

This week, Nins and Arns explore two powerful works that ask what it means to remain human in a world obsessed with labels, expectations, and letting go. Nins dives deep into Ariana Grande's "we can't be friends (wait for your love)," unpacking the heartbreaking music video inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the song's deeper meaning. What begins as a st...

This week, Nins & Arns explore two moving stories about identity, family, belonging, and the people who shape us. Arns revisits Disney's Moana (2016) and discovers an entirely new meaning hidden beneath the beloved animated film. What once felt like a story about adventure becomes a powerful reflection on self-worth, healing, ancestral wisdom, intergenerational trauma, and the courage it...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two stories that unexpectedly arrive at the same question: how do we keep hoping when the world feels impossible? Nins dives into A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck, the cult-favorite existential novella about a man trapped in an infinite library searching for the book of his life. What begins as a story about hell, eternity, and impossible odds becomes a medit...

In this Valentine's Day special of brb crying, Arns and Nins explore two very different stories that arrive at the same question: what does it mean to love deeply? Arns reflects on "Seed of a Seed" by Haley Heynderickx, the indie folk song about slowing down, resisting consumer culture, and finding happiness in life's simplest gifts. Through Heynderickx's music and philoso...

This week, Nins reflects on a simple phone call from her dad that unexpectedly unraveled everything she thought she understood about growing up, immigrant parents, adulthood, and the quiet ways love is expressed. Arns dives into one of the most emotional storylines from the hit anime Dan Da Dan , exploring a heartbreaking mother-daughter relationship, self-worth, inadequacy, and the universal desi...

Arns reflects on a transformative trip to Bali that unexpectedly changed her perspective on pleasure, healing, self-discovery, and what it means to intentionally create a life you actually enjoy living. Then Nins dives into the comforting world of The Great British Bake Off, sharing why contestant Nelly Ghaffar’s kindness, resilience, and wisdom left such a lasting impression. Through stories of f...

In this special bonus episode of brb crying, Nins and Arns step away from their usual format to share some of the most unforgettable listener sob stories from season two. From The Lord of the Rings ' iconic "You Bow to No One" scene to mysterious spirit encounters inspired by Journey of Souls , emotional park bench memorial plaques, beloved pets, PMDD, Hamilton, family friendships,...

Nins explores the transcendent beauty of Tems’ song and music video “Me & U,” uncovering a powerful meditation on spirituality, self-discovery, faith, and the deeply personal relationship we each have with a higher power. Then Arns dives into Daughter of a Lost Bird , the moving documentary that follows a Native woman reconnecting with her biological family, tribal community, and cultural iden...

Nins and Arns take a break from their usual stories to process the emotions surrounding the recent presidential election. Together, they reflect on post-election grief, anxiety, fear, disappointment, hope, and what it means to keep moving forward when the future feels uncertain. From conversations about women's rights, motherhood, and political division to community care, mutual aid, and coll...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two unforgettable stories about grief, love, mortality, and what it means to leave something behind. Arns reflects on J ulie: The Unwinding of the Miracle , the moving podcast and memoir chronicling the life of Julie Yip-Williams, a lawyer, mother, refugee, and writer who spent her final years preparing her loved ones for life after her death. Nins dives into Shark...

We're getting spoOoOky! In this week's brb crying Halloween special, Nins explores grief, death, and childlike wonder through Kate Braestrup's unforgettable story "The House of Mourning," performed on The Moth. Through the eyes of a five-year-old girl saying goodbye to her cousin, the story challenges our fears around death and reminds us that love is often stronger than g...

This week, Arns and Nins explore two stories about love, connection, and the people who stay with us long after we think we've moved on. Arns revisits "Beyond" by Leon Bridges, the soulful love song that captures the exhilarating terror of falling in love and wondering if you've finally met "the one." Through lyrics about vulnerability, commitment, and choosing love d...

This week, Nins concludes our Hamilton tour of tears with Act 2 of Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical. From Alexander Hamilton's public downfall and the heartbreaking loss of Philip Hamilton to Eliza Hamilton's extraordinary act of forgiveness and her determination to preserve a legacy, Nins explores the moments that transformed Hamilton from a historical drama into one of...

This week, we dive into two stories that explore family, sacrifice, identity, and the complicated ways we love each other. Arns discusses A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, the acclaimed novel about an Indian-American Muslim family struggling with faith, belonging, estrangement, and the impossible question of what we owe ourselves versus what we owe our families. Through the story of Amar, Ha...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two stories that challenge the way we see ourselves—and our place in the world. Nins dives into Journey of Souls by Dr. Michael Newton, the bestselling spiritual classic that explores reincarnation, soulmates, spirit guides, the afterlife, and the possibility that every human life is part of a much larger journey of growth and purpose. Then Arns revisits Dove'...

This week, Arns and Nins explore the ache of loving people who live far away. Arns reflects on a trip to New York to visit her cousin, who feels more like a sister, and the quiet grief that comes with saying goodbye to long-distance loved ones. From childhood memories to adult friendships, she examines what it means to miss people deeply while knowing you'll only share a limited number of mom...

This week, we explore two vastly different stories that reveal the same universal truth: love is a choice we make over and over again. Nins shares a life-changing experience from a safari in Tanzania, where a week spent with a beloved guide named Emmanuel transforms the way she thinks about family, purpose, sacrifice, and what connects us across cultures. Through stories of wildlife, travel, and p...

Arns shares the story of Cosmo, the beloved Maltese who spent 16 years by her side and taught her some of life's deepest lessons about love, devotion, loss, and letting go. From puppyhood to saying goodbye, Arns reflects on growing up with Cosmo, the heartbreak of pet loss, and the dream that helped her find peace after his passing. Nins explores "Blurry" by JP Saxe, a soulful song...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two stunning works about love, belonging, family, and the desire to be fully seen. Nins reflects on "Confessional" by writer Sue Zhao, a moving poem about vulnerability, self-worth, and the question many of us quietly carry: on the days when we feel unlovable, will the people we care about still love us anyway? Then Arns shares When Lola Visits by Michell...

This week, we explore what happens when we stop running from our feelings and finally let ourselves feel them. Arns shares the life-changing lessons she learned from Victoria Song's Bending Reality , a book about emotional healing, trauma, contraction versus expansion, and why the only way out is through. Through Victoria's work, she reflects on childhood programming, nervous system heal...

This week, we explore what it means to be deeply loved, truly seen, and brave enough to start over. Nins shares a moving conversation from {THE AND} by The Skin Deep, featuring a mother and daughter reflecting on Down syndrome, unconditional love, family, and the extraordinary bond they share. Through their heartfelt exchange, they explore what it means to feel safe, supported, and fully accepted...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two vastly different stories connected by the same emotional truth: learning how to let go of a chapter of your life while holding onto the love it gave you. Arns reflects on the end of her breastfeeding journey and the complicated mix of grief, gratitude, motherhood, identity, and acceptance that came with saying goodbye to a ritual she shared with her daughter fo...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two heartfelt stories about what it means to feel truly seen. Nins shares Meghan Rose's viral "love letters to the zodiac signs," a series of TikToks that celebrate the quiet gifts, strengths, and forms of love that each astrological sign brings into the world. Through astrology, appreciation, and self-reflection, she explores why being recognized fo...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two stories about what happens when we stop chasing an idea and start paying attention to what's right in front of us. Arns shares the work of artist Anna Laura Sullivan ( @annalaura_art ), whose beloved watercolor comics gently explore purpose, presence, and the pressure many of us feel to find meaning in our lives. One simple illustration about a squirrel se...

This week, Nins and Arns explore two deeply personal stories about womanhood, inheritance, and the experiences that shape who we become. Nins opens up about living with Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), sharing a vulnerable story about depression, emotional overwhelm, mental health, and the invisible realities many people who menstruate face every month. Through her experience, she reflects...