brb crying

We're getting sweaty, y'all! Ahead of our Rhythm & Burn x brb crying workout on October 24, we’re bringing together the souls behind the experience: Marie Ceralvo of iconic Filipina American music group One Vo1ce, Jen Uy (DJ Jayou) from Seafood City's Late Night Madness, and Coach Mike Pacis of The Premise Strength & Performance.

On Saturday, Marie will lead our Pilates-inspired workout, Jen will DJ, and Mike will host us at The Premise SP. But first, in this 2-hour special (we are extra what can we say!!), we’re getting to know the people making it happen—and how music, movement, and community can nurture both physical and emotional wellness.

First, Marie gives us a peek into her One Vo1ce days and how her lifelong love of music and movement led to a career in fitness. She opens up about the SoulCycle class that brought her to tears, why it’s okay to not be okay, and what the only acceptable Taco Bell order is.

Jen then takes us behind the scenes of Seafood City's Late Night Madness, the Filipino grocery store parties bringing generations together through music and dance. We talk cultural connection, the healing power of DJing, self-discovery, and letting our community in...all while getting a little woowoo.

Finally, Mike shares how martial arts, fitness, music, and audio engineering inspired his gym and the community-driven Rhythm & Burn experience. He opens up about entrepreneurship, what keeps him going, and what it means to model vulnerability and emotional strength for his kids. Real men cry, y'all :’)

These conversations remind us that wellness isn’t a finish line or something we have to figure out alone. Sometimes, it’s movement that helps us release what we've been holding onto, music that connects us to our roots, and community that makes us feel safe enough to show up as our whole selves.

Come cry, sweat, and connect with us!

Join us on Saturday, October 24, at 10:00 AM PST at The Premise Strength & Performance in San Jose for our Rhythm & Burn x brb crying event. Expect a Pilates-infused workout led by Marie, a live set by DJ Jayou, a cry corner hosted by brb crying, and a chance to move, sweat, and connect with our community. Check out the event listing for tickets and details.

Referenced in this episode:

Marie:

• Anne Marie Ceralvo (IG: @amceralvo)
• One Vo1ce on Spotify and IG (@ladiesofonevo1ce)
• "Always On My Mind" by One Vo1ce
• “All Day All Nite” by One Vo1ce
• “When U Think About Me” by One Vo1ce
• “How Filipina Girl Group One Vo1ce Paved the Way in the ’90s” by Amyra Soriano for KQED
• “The Bay Area’s Hottest Club Is a Filipino Supermarket” by Rocky Rivera for KQED
• Marie’s cry recs: “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by Peter, Paul, and Mary; “When We Were Young” by Adele; “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith

Jen:

• Jen Uy (IG: @jayou)
• Jen's therapy group/therapist: Sweet Mango Therapy Group
• Jen’s breathwork rec: Angelina's Art of Healing
• Jen’s cry rec: Aaron Murphy (IG: @murphslife)
• Arns’ people pleasing quote: from “Energy Budget” by Toni Jones

Mike:

• Coach Mike Pacis (IG: @coach_mike26)
• The Premise Strength & Performance gym (IG: @thepremisesp)
• Mike's cry rec: Armageddon

Chapters:

• 0:00 - preview
• 1:12 - about today's Rhythm & Burn collab
• 5:36 - introducing: Marie Ceralvo from One Vo1ce
• 9:26 - Marie: growing up with One Vo1ce
• 24:22 - Marie: one vo1ce's lasting impact
• 27:41 - Marie: finding movement again
• 31:04 - Marie: the SoulCycle Class that made Marie cry
• 44:21 - introducing: Jen (DJ Jayou)
• 47:36 - Jen: the story behind Seafood City's Late Night Madness
• 59:16 - Jen: healing, self-discovery, + learning to feel
• 1:14:51 - Jen: why music, DJing, + community can be healing
• 1:22:09 - introducing: Coach Mike from The Premise SP
• 1:26:03 - Mike: threading together martial arts, music, & fitness
• 1:36:00 - Mike: building The Premise beyond fitness
• 1:41:44 - Mike: Rhythm & Burn - where music meets movement
• 1:52:49 - Mike: vulnerability + what it means to be strong
• 1:58:23 - thanks for tuning in!

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we're crying over two very different 2026 films (or maybe they're the same?): Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, and Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling and based on Andy Weir's bestselling novel.

Arns first takes us through The Odyssey, exploring why this 3,000 year-old epic is so much more than monsters, Greek gods, war, and adventure. Beneath Odysseus' epic heroism is a deeply human story about shame, control, and coming to terms with who you truly are versus who the world admires you to be. As it turns out, the hardest part of being a hero isn't facing danger—it's learning to forgive yourself.

Nins then gives a full recap of Project Hail Mary (spoiler alert to! the! max!!). The story follows Ryland Grace, a scientist-turned-teacher-turned-astronaut who's reluctantly been sent on a mission to save Earth. Grappling with what it means to be a hero, he ultimately risks everything for someone he loves, teaching us that maybe there is no "bravery gene"; maybe we just need someone to be brave for.

A cozy, comedic, & emotional conversation about The Odyssey, Project Hail Mary, Christopher Nolan, Ryan Gosling, Andy Weir, the hero's journey, friendship, love, courage, self-forgiveness, relinquishing control, and what it really means to be brave.

Content warning: discussion of death, grief, war, mass casualty, suicide mission, violence, and extinction.

Chapters:

• 0:00 - Preview: the hero's journey
• 0:55 - Welcome back, crybabies!
• 4:06 - Nins' rec: The Witch In The Moon
• 6:10 - Arns' rec: The Know Newsletter
• 8:14 - Arns: Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey
• 17:49 - Why it's so hard to be the hero
• 30:21 - What made Arns cry the hardest was *after* the film
• 33:54 - The true hero's journey: learning to forgive yourself
• 41:22 - Nins: Project Hail Mary (love u Ryan Gosling!!)
• 44:27 - About the author, Andy Weir
• 58:34 - Grace is *not* a hero
• 1:08:02 - Rocky, friendship, & finding someone to be brave for
• 1:27:52 - What it really means to be a hero

Referenced in this episode:

• The Witch In The Moon on Spotify & YouTube
• The Know Newsletter
• The Odyssey (2026 film)
• "When I'm Home" by James Blake, Travis Scott, Ludwig Göransson on Spotify & YouTube
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• Project Hail Mary (2026 film)
• A episode from the Overdue Podcast about Project Hail Mary
• "Author Discusses How ‘The Martian’ Went From Blog To Blockbuster" on the WPR blog

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

If you're not already an Arianator, you sure as hell are about to be—because this week, we're crying over Miss Ariana Grande. 

From a childhood destined for stardom to her rise as a global pop star, Ariana's life has been rife with grief, loss, trauma, public scrutiny, heartbreak...and through it all, healing. 

As Ariana Grande's #1 fan, Nins kicks us off by reciting Ariana's entire biography from memory, laying the 33-year context for her Eternal Sunshine Tour. Nins then breaks down the show's cinematic interludes, exploring why Ariana would choose to live with her pain rather than erase her past, and how doing so honors her inner child.

Arns—a much more casual fan—reflects on Ariana Grande’s positions album and why “pov” makes her ugly cry (hint: loving ourselves is harder than it seems!). She then gets into Ariana's newest album petal and “nowhere, nobody,” examining Ariana's artistry through the lens of her own journey toward self-love. 

A mirror for our own experiences, Ariana Grande shows us that while healing may be daunting, choosing to show up for ourselves is always, always worth it.

Content warning: discussion of terrorism/mass casualty, death, grief, drug addiction and overdose, mental health, eating disorder speculation, and public scrutiny.

Chapters:

• 0:00 - preview
• 3:31 - introducing our ariana grande episode (+ outfits)
• 6:33 - why ariana grande is nins’ “super bowl”
• 9:44 - ari's childhood & becoming a performer
• 12:13 - from nickelodeon to pop star
• 15:19 - fame, controversy, & growing up in public
• 22:53 - manchester, mac miller, & surviving grief
• 39:50 - cozy during covid, wicked scandal, & beginning to heal
• 44:55 - eternal sunshine tour & ari’s inner child
• 54:05 - arns: “pov” & learning to love yourself
• 1:04:32 - petal, “nowhere, nobody,” & coming home to yourself
• 1:14:21 - ariana grande is a mirror for our healing journey

Referenced in this episode:

• Ariana Grande's biography on Biography.com
• "Ariana Grande Says She Doesn't Need a Relationship to Complete Her" by Kate Dwyer for Time
• "The Internet Blamed Ariana Grande for Mac’s death" by Ashley Fullerton for The Xaverian Weekly
• Vogue GRWM
• "Scooter Braun on The Events Leading up to One Love Manchester"
• Shay Omi (@isittherightword)
• "pov" by Ariana Grande
• "nowhere, nobody" by Ariana Grande

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we're joined by Jazzle (@jazzlesbooks), a pre-K teacher, mom, and “emotional book translator” who unpacks not just what books are about, but why they make us feel the way they do.

Jazzle shares the origins behind her bookstagram, including how postpartum cracked her open, how books became an outlet, and why she finally stopped being ashamed of feeling "too much."

Nins & Arns then get into Joanne Yi's All the Tomorrows After (handpicked by Jazzle herself!), a novel about a Korean American teenager grappling with abandonment, grief, and how to stay soft when life gives us every reason to harden. Jazzle reveals why this novel is "her whole identity", the way abandonment (and the people who stayed) shaped her, and how to tend to her inner child who's still healing.

In this episode:

• Jazzle's postpartum journey & the origin of @jazzlesbooks
• books as a tool for healing & self-discovery
• All the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi
• abandonment, family, & the inner child
• Asian American & first-generation family dynamics
• learning to understand our parents as complicated humans
• staying soft after being hurt
• finding home, hope, & love in unexpected places

Content warning: abandonment, parental estrangement, grief, death, depression, emotional abuse, and difficult family dynamics. Full spoiler discussion for All the Tomorrows After.

Chapters:

• 0:00 - Preview
• 1:51 - About Jazzle, emotional book translator
• 5:57 - Welcome, Jazzle!
• 8:34 - The story behind @jazzlesbooks: Jazzle's sob story
• 18:36 - All the Tomorrows After: Part 1 (Nins)
• 39:02 - Why this book is so personal to Jazzle
• 46:03 - All the Tomorrows After: Part 2 (Arns)
• 1:07:53 - Feelings of abandonment & inner child healing
• 1:16:53 - Final thoughts, where to find Jazzle, & Jazzle's cry rec

Referenced in this episode:

• Jazzle's bookstagram: @jazzlesbooks
• All The Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi (@writingjojo)
• "Why YA Deserves a Chance" by Joanne Yi for She Writes Magazine
• Jazzle's custom embroidery business: @lil.kikos
• Jazzle's non-book cry rec: From Scratch on Netflix

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we grieve the places we've left behind, the people we've lost, & the joy we find anyway.

Nins says goodbye to the apartment that held five years of her life, reminding us that moving to a new home isn't just about leaving a physical space; it means leaving behind the version of you who lived there, too.

Arns dives into Mai Nguyen's 2026 novel Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead, a story about infant loss, motherhood, depression, and the messy reality of grief. We explore why we should stop trying to "fix" our grief, how to help others grieve, and all the beautiful ways grief and joy coexist.

Content warning: pregnancy loss, infant loss, miscarriage, depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, postpartum grief, and death. Full spoiler discussion for Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead.

In this episode:

• the grief of closing a chapter and becoming someone new
• Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen
• infant and child loss, motherhood, & complicated grief
• why grief can look messy, uncomfortable, and even ugly
• the power of community, connection, & simply staying
• how grief and joy don't cancel each other out; they coexist

Chapters:

• 0:00 - Preview
• 4:29 - Arns' life rec: Elix
• 8:47 - Nins says goodbye to her old home
• 14:05 - The apartment that witnessed five years of becoming
• 25:40 - Saying goodbye to an old version of yourself
• 35:02 - Arns discovers Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
• 55:12 - When grief becomes impossible to carry alone
• 59:46 - Grief & joy are a dance
  
  

Referenced in this episode:

• Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen
• "My Family Never Talked About Death. Then I Lost My Baby" by Mai Nguyen for Oprah Daily
• Voicemails for Isabelle (2026)
• Elix cycle balance

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we ventured beyond the recording studio and into the real world for our very first brb crying pop-up at a local wellness event.

Armed with one simple question—"what made you cry?"—we invited fellow vendors and attendees to share the stories that have been living in their hearts. What followed were nine honest conversations about grief, healing, identity, creativity, parenthood, entrepreneurship, self-worth, showing ourselves grace, and the people who change our lives. Along the way, we got to spotlight incredible local small businesses doing meaningful work in their communities.

This episode is a reminder that everyone has a story worth sharing; sometimes all it takes is one question (and maybe a bit of heckling) to uncover it.

Content note: this episode includes conversations about grief, loss, and past trauma.

In this episode:

• vulnerability & emotional storytelling
• wellness, healing & community
• small business owners & creative journeys
• grief, love & personal growth
• mental health & self-discovery
• what strangers can teach us about being human

Chapters:

• 0:00 - Preview
• 1:56 - Show us some love by writing us a review <3
• 6:05 - Introducing our first live podcast event
• 9:39 - Tess the jewelry maker finds healing through crystals
• 13:31 - Alex the baker is happy to be alive
• 17:18 - Jacob cries over a serious Steve Carrell
• 19:26 - Neetal the social impact author moves through grief
• 22:53 - Joy the yoga instructor feels seen by her kids
• 26:48 - Chay the therapist holds space for people who look like her
• 34:36 - Lilyanna lives in the present and loves herself first
• 39:00 - Alexa the artist cries about coaching tee ball
• 42:49 - Jem the doula is an open channel for emotions
• 49:16 - Outro

Referenced in this episode:

• GAC Wellness Market organized by Gymparty
• Tess from Elevated Gemstones (@elevatedgemstones)
• Alex from Chipidee Cookies (@chipideecookies)
• Beautiful Boy (2018) starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet
• Neetal from Innov8social & Pineapple Friends Children's Books (@pineapplefriendsbooks)
• Joy the yoga instructor (@joykarakas)
• Chay (@chayteatherapy) from Reconnected Mental Health and Therapin*y
• Someone Great (2019) starring Gina Rodriguez
• Alexa from Kurated Kultura (@kuratedkultura & @forlittlealexa)
• Jem from Birth of the Divine (@birthofthedivine)

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we're back with Gabe (@daemoncorps) for part 2 of our cryable anime series.

Arns takes us through Mamoru Hosoda's 2012 masterpiece Wolf Children, a heartbreaking story following one mother's journey raising two half-human, half-wolf children all on her own. Beneath this single mother's relentless optimism lies a bittersweet understanding: that the greatest gift we can give a loved one isn't just sacrifice, but the freedom to choose who they want to be.

Note: this is the conclusion of our two-part cryable anime series with Gabe. Check out episode 051 (part 1) for Nins' coverage of 5 Centimeters per Second. 

About our guest: Gabe is a Filipino American, Bay Area-based, self-taught artist. A talented writer, he draws us in with his compelling video essays: some hot takes, others deeply emotional, but all incredibly thoughtful. Visit Gabe's portfolio or follow along on Instagram to learn more about him and his work.

In this episode:

• Wolf Children (2012) & Mamoru Hosoda
• motherhood, identity, & unconditional love
• learning when to hold on—and when to let go
• anime as emotional storytelling
• stories showing the complexity and messiness of parenthood
• letting go as the ultimate act of trust and love

Chapters:

• 0:00: Preview
• 2:00: Welcome back to Gabe & introducing part 2
• 7:39: Why Gabe recommended Wolf Children to Arns
• 10:37: Arns breaks down Wolf Children (extreme spoiler alert!)
• 29:13: Ame's arc & the soul-crushing ending of Wolf Children
• 38:41: What does it mean to be a parent?
• 42:16: The complexity of parenthood in Wolf Children
• 53:13: Diversify your pop culture
• 54:39: Gabe's cry rec
• 58:39: Gift giving & goodbye, Gabe!

Referenced in this episode:

• Mamoru Hosoda's 2012 animated film Wolf Children
• Gabe's YouTube channel (@daemoncorps)
• Gabe's portfolio
• Gabe's list of cryable anime

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we're joined by Gabe (@daemoncorps), a cartoonist and letterer with "too many opinions on anime," for the first installment of our two-part cryable anime series.

Gabe shares his journey re-discovering himself as an artist—including an anime convention horror story that accidentally made him go viral on YouTube—and how he found his authentic voice publishing video essays online.

Nins then takes us through 5 Centimeters Per Second, Makoto Shinkai's heartbreaking animated film about first love, distance, timing, and the quiet grief of growing apart. Together, our hosts unpack Shinkai's melancholic storytelling, how nostalgia can become its own kind of heartbreak, and why longing for the past can stop us from living in the present.

Note: this is part 1 of 2. Next episode, Arns brings her own anime to sob over. :')

About our guest: Gabe is a Filipino American, Bay Area-based, self-taught artist. A talented writer, he draws us in with his compelling video essays: some hot takes, others deeply emotional, but all incredibly thoughtful. Visit Gabe's portfolio or follow along on Instagram to learn more about him and his work.

In this episode:

• creative careers & viral YouTube success
• anime as emotional storytelling
• Makoto Shinkai's 5cm/s
• longing, distance & missed timing
• growing up and accepting change
• finding happiness in moving forward

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Preview
• 00:01:58 - Introducing this week's guest
• 00:05:00 - Welcome, Gabe!
• 00:06:32 - COVID: some people made sourdough, Gabe made a YouTube Channel
• 00:09:03 - Gabe's journey toward making art again
• 00:11:03 - An anime convention horror story that accidentally went viral
• 00:16:21 - When art becomes performing vs. creating
• 00:19:26 - The point of art
• 00:25:43 - Nins' confession about anime
• 00:27:14 - About 5 Centimeters per Second
• 00:49:16 - How we choose to reminisce about the past
• 00:54:29 - Why the ending of 5 cm/s was so emotional
• 01:00:59 - When leaving the past behind *is* the happy ending
• 01:07:25 - Outro: stay tuned for part 2!

Referenced in this episode:

• Gabe's YouTube channel (@daemoncorps)
• Gabe's portfolio
• "Michael Brings Pam to Tears at Her Art Show - The Office"
• Gabe's "Making Art is Hard" YouTube essay
• Gabe's "Drew Pickles is Trash and I Can Prove Why" YouTube essay
• Makoto Shinkai's 2007 animated film 5 Centimeters Per Second
• Makoto Shinkai's Z Kai prep school commercial
• Makoto Shinkai's "She and Her Cat"
• Across Time and Space: The Films of Makoto Shinkai

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

ep 050 (!!) is our biggest milestone yet, so we're celebrating the only way we know how: by crying over Olivia Rodrigo.

This week, Arns unpacks the iconic "Drop Dead" music video, exploring why filming at Versailles was so culturally momentous, what it means to watch a fellow Filipina take up space, and how someone else's audacity can give our inner child permission to dream big, too.

Nins then dives into "The Cure," acknowledging the painful belief that love from another person can fully heal us. While relationships can support us, the song and music video remind us that no one else can build up our self-worth—that journey begins with loving ourselves first.

From Filipino identity and representation to self-worth, healing, and the emotional brilliance (devastation?) of Olivia Rodrigo's songwriting, this episode celebrates the Pinay pop-punk princess who feels as deeply as we do—while also celebrating 50 episodes of crying, laughing, and growing alongside our crybaby community.

In this episode:

• celebrating 50 episodes of brb crying!
• Olivia Rodrigo's 2026 album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love
• "Drop Dead" analysis
• "The Cure" analysis
• songwriting & storytelling
• growing up, healing & vulnerability
• why music makes us cry

Chapters

• 0:00 - Preview
• 2:25 - Celebrating 50 (!!) episodes
• 9:56 - We're featured on Apple Podcasts (again)
• 11:04 - We *had* to talk about Olivia Rodrigo for our 50th episode
• 18:17 - "Driver's License" was the cultural reset the world needed
• 25:23 - Olivia Rodrigo claims her Filipino identity HARD
• 27:56 - Dan Nigro is Olivia's musical soulmate
• 30:49 - Arns: "Drop Dead" & the power of Versailles
• 38:07 - Olivia gave my inner child permission to dream again
• 44:47 - Nins: "The Cure"
• 56:34 - Feeling inadequate: a recurring theme in Olivia's music
• 1:00:38 - Someone else's love can't heal you
• 1:04:12 - Olivia is emotionally hyperaware and vulnerable as hell

Referenced in this episode:

• "Drop Dead" by Olivia Rodrigo song & music video
• "The Cure" by Olivia Rodrigo song & music video
• "Olivia Rodrigo’s New Music Video Is a Dizzying Romp Through Versailles" by Vittoria Benzine for Artnet News
• "Olivia Rodrigo donates all sales from historic Manila show to group that helps women and girls" by Kimy Yam for NBC News
• Olivia Rodrigo saying she feels "so filipino" (IG: @liv.source)
• Château De Versailles official website
• "'I’m Definitely A Lover Girl': Olivia Rodrigo On Yearning, 'London Vibes', And Her Most Experimental Album Yet" by Amel Mukhtar for British Vogue
• "How Olivia Rodrigo’s Love Songs Became a Breakup Album" by Popcast
• "From Disney to 'Drivers License': Inside Olivia Rodrigo's Musical Journey to Become the Voice of Her Generation" by Ellise Shafer for Variety
• "Olivia Rodrigo Is in the Driver's Seat" by Lizzie Widdicombe for Elle 
• Tissue box from CleverSimple on Etsy

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.

This week, we welcome our first ever guest (!!): Dr. Nicole Garlit, physical therapist, entrepreneur, and founder of her own private practice.

Nicole joins Nins & Arns to talk about the emotional reality of building a business, navigating uncertainty, and learning to trust yourself when there's no guaranteed path forward. From chronic stress showing up physically in the body to the fear of leaving stability behind, Nicole shares the moments that pushed her to take a chance on herself and shape a career aligned with her values.

Together, we explore entrepreneurship, burnout, perfectionism, emotional health, asking for help, self-trust, motherhood, physical therapy, and the courage it takes to build something of your own.

To all our crybabies who are dreaming of starting a business, considering a career change, or simply trying to believe in themselves a little more: this one's for you. (And to anyone interested in working with Dr. Nicole, enter code "BRBC50" on the contact form of her website for 50% off your initial assessment!)

Content warning: discussions of stress, burnout, anxiety, chronic pain, and emotional overwhelm.

Chapters

• 0:00: preview
• 0:30: welcome to brb crying's first-ever guest
• 3:36: how we know our guest
• 6:38: welcome to Dr. Nicole!
• 12:16: Dr. Nicole's sob story: crying after school drop-off
• 15:55: can emotional stress cause physical pain?
• 22:02: what healing and emotional release actually feel like
• 34:47: Nicole's "why": pursuing PT & leaving traditional healthcare
• 38:41: building a business and betting on yourself
• 46:00: overcoming imposter syndrome
• 54:20: advice for anyone chasing a dream
• 1:00:57: Nicole's cry rec + where to find her

Referenced in this episode:

• Dr. Nicole Garlit's website
• The Notebook (2004 film)
• Bonus cry rec: "Heartbeat" by James Arthur

Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears.

Follow us:
» Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast
» TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast
» YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast

Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com.

Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.