First of All

We are going THROUGH IT, y'all. 2020 elections. Politicians. Family drama. Financial instability. Racism. Romance..or lack, thereof. Self-criticism. Loneliness. Friendships. FOMO. Climate change. Earthquakes! Hurricanes! Masks. Anti-maskers. Debates. Vaccines. Unemployment. Bad skin. The endless glittering evil of social media. Zoom meetings. Fried nerves. Fragile immune systems. Happy moments. Pl...

Many a hopeless romantic has walked around with the notion that things are or aren't "meant to be". That life, and certainly love, is a series of divinely coordinated ups and downs with a predetermined destination. Or is it like Forrest Gump says- who knows if we have a destiny or if we're all just floating around accidental like on a breeze? Maybe it's both. In this episode, MInji sits down with...

How do you define a "friend"? Have you ever broken up with one? Or just drifted apart? Does ghosting apply here? Realized someone that used to be a best friend no longer is? Had an unrequited friend love? Friends means a lot to us at every phase in life from the time we're wee little ones. They support us in hard times, inspire us to be better, hold us accountable, cover for us in crisis mode, sha...

If there's anything that 2020 has taught us thus far, it's that health is wealth, tomorrow is not guaranteed, community and connection keep us afloat, and there are crucial issues that require our humanity's conscious attention and action. Even for those who have been aware and passionate about activism, representation, and civic participation prior to 2020, this year is undeniably significant. Ti...

For anyone going through a tough time, this one's for you. In this episode, Minji shares her thoughts on riding waves of pain and uncertainty during a genuine moment of inspired action. She sends you all her love and encouragement to get through your hard moments if and whenever you need. You've got this and we've got you.  Follow Minji on: Twitter (@minjeeeezy) Instagram (@minjeezy) Music in this...

(Warning: this episode includes content regarding suicide. If you are not in a good space to hear thoughts on this topic, we recommend listening at another time. Be well & take care of yourself.) We're getting into all our feelings in this one. In this episode, Minji shares the story, memory, & lessons learned from her first love, Jay. In celebration of his life & the lasting impact he made on her...

In the wise words of King Mufasa, you must REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.  And to supplement that very meta, very poetic guidance from an animated lion with a perfectly resonant voice, it's OK to be figuring out who & what that even means every single day. In this week's episode, Minji sits down with comedian/actor/director Lilan Bowden to talk about her twists & turns of becoming said comedian then actor...

Time for a COVID mental/emotional/physical temperature check, fam. In this episode, we bring back Minji's friend, actor/stuntman/health professional Josh Han. Last time we sat down on First Of All, Josh shared his diagnosis with a shocking kidney autoimmune disease and coming to terms with his body taking a turn for the worse at a young age. In this homie catch up, Josh and Minji take stock of the...

If you're like most people, you've dreamt of great things for yourself - a fantastic career, a loving relationship, hilarious & supportive friendships, a killer body, an overflowing bank account, the list goes on. Whether it's to have that thrill of success, obtaining the validation of another, or having security to provide for loved ones, our aspirations have motivated us in one form another. But...

After a 15 year hiatus, Minji reunites with Korean dramas. And it just so happens to be THE K-drama of 2020, the K-drama that ended up being a fun, romantic, heart-wrenching, harrowing rollercoaster serving as a safe haven for us all while the world has been a dumpster fire with Coronavirus. Of course we're talking about the global hit Crash Landing On You. :heart eyes: In this episode, Minji sits...

2020 has revealed many growth areas for us all. Though the current madness is pretty signature for this particularly crazy year, a lot of what's been coming up for folks includes issues from many years past. Lifelong insecurities, bad habits, intimacy issues, & unresolved trauma just to name a few. Thankfully, we're opening up much more honestly about mental health and the powerful ways we can beg...

As more & more people are awakened to social justice issues & cultural nuances that have been long discussed & experienced in marginalized communities, there is definitely a learning curve as we deepen our understanding. To explore the complexity of intersectionality, Minji sits down with her friend, actor/comedian/writer D'Lo. As a queer, transgender Tamil-Sri Lankan-American creative force of na...

COVID has been a time for reflection and self-discovery for many of us. Whether it's contemplating career paths, the importance of certain relationships, or the way we cope with solitude, the pandemic has been a catalyst to evaluate parts of ourselves we may not have otherwise have slowed down to do. And while we have a ton of memes and public posts on new baking skills or our quarantine-hair-don'...

The United States is going through a massive reckoning and a crucial awakening regarding racial injustice in the middle of a global pandemic. Suffice it to say, it can be overwhelming for many of those who have been bearing the brunt of the struggle for many years leading up to this particular moment. In another light, perhaps they've also been primed to be stalwart leaders and eye-opening educato...

Well these past three months have been a blast, right guys? Quarantined, isolated, stressed, & socially distanced...it's the perfect time to find love & experience romance! Seriously though, all of us are learning to connect & relate to one another in new ways that could truly redefine all our relationships moving forward. And funnily enough, there could be some interesting pros to the dating & re...

Once more for the people in the back: BLACK LIVES MATTER. Periodt. The collective social upheaval that has taken over the US & spreading across the globe has been timely, empowering, liberating, gut-wrenching, costly, and eye-opening for so many of us. After witnessing the inhumane death of George Floyd in MN to the silence around Breonna Taylor's murder in KY, all in short succession after Amy Co...

Let's take a breath. It has already been extraordinarily rough for months because of COVID-19. And now, the pain of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless Black individuals who have been brutally and unjustly murdered due to racism and white supremacy is gripping the US and spreading to other parts of the world. So many are experiencing grief, fear, exhaustion, disillusionment....

As we all continue to adjust to the new normal, there's one part that definitely deserves some light: dating. To start an ongoing investigation of how people are connecting with others while in quarantine & social distancing (because FOA listeners are being responsible, right? RIGHT???), Minji chats with former college counselor Kevin Nguyen. Kevin is a higher education professional at a liberal a...

In this episode, Minji lets you in on her secret practice that has been changing her life in a really beautiful way. In the midst of some super fun crippling self-doubt, insecurity, & loneliness, she was challenged to try something that sounded a bit strange but intriguing: singing a love song.. not to someone else, but to HERSELF. She had an important realization of the fact that no matter where...

The importance of good leadership has never felt or been so significant. In a profoundly complicated and dire moment for humanity, we citizens of the world have had to lean on our various leaders to guide and decide much of our futures. We've seen more and more examples of the best and worst of them - those who lead by example with integrity, honesty, and vision, and those who attempt to dominate,...

Graduation is just around the corner for many college students. In our previous normal, there'd be the standard nerves about what to do in the immediate future, anxiety about making career moves, attempting financial independence, figuring out what dating even means -_-, & wondering about big things down the line like marriage/family/location. But Toto/darlings, we are not in Kansas anymore. To sa...

You doing OK? While there's the current baseline COVID protocol - wash hands, keep your distance, etc. - how are we caring for all the (many) other hours that are our lives? Self-care & self-love are terms that were being used increasingly before the coronavirus ever came to be, & it's safe to say they're more applicable now than ever. How we assess, practice, & change our habits on a mental, emot...

Hope you're all hanging in there, fam. In this episode, Minji sits down to chat with her friend, Dr. Chen Fu who is an attending physician at NYU Langone Medical Center in NYC. Besides having a beautiful voice and some impressive guitar skills that Minji witnessed at a Kollaboration Houston show many moons ago, Chen has tremendous brains and dedication that he pours into his role as a hospitalist....

Oh hi there, financial instability, existential crises (not just one, but 50), isolation, loneliness & uncertainty! So great hanging out with you all day, every dang day with no clear indication of when all this stress may start to ease up.  Hopefully you're not sitting in that headspace too much, but JUST IN CASE that you find yourself in a rough patch, we are here for you. You are not alone. In...

It's been a few days since we checked in, which equals many lifetimes in the era of the Rona. Everyone is finding their quarantine groove, managing their boredom, & preparing for the future as data & (mis)information comes in from the powers that be. In this episode, Minji checks in with her friends Jaeki, JoJo, & Michael from $6.99 Per Pound Podcast who are holding it down at COVID-19 Ground Zero...