Humans Being Human

Welcome or welcome back my gorgeous listeners 💗

Tune in because it’s the only way you’ll learn SO MUCH about Siya Rao, unless you’re in her inner circle. Despite being a serial introvert and chronic under-sharer, she decided to take the hit for me and spoke her heart out. It was so wholesome to hear my childhood best friend talk about grown up stuff when we were literally the epitome of embarrassing teenagers growing up (we got fake married on Valentine’s Day in the 7th grade 💀)

Walyu Mahra, gorgeous listeners! Meet Javed Bhat, our tour guide in Kashmir who drove us through the khoobsoorat wadiya of this beautiful state. He's a man of few words, but speaks from his heart. I hope you enjoy this impromptu conversation!

Pretti, being an experienced and successful professional in the film industry, had me fooled when I thought that the majority of her episode was going to be about filmmaking and Bollywood. To my pleasant surprise, it’s quite the opposite of that. I’d describe this episode as looking at the realities of India through the lens of a proud “fauji kid” who grew up in the protected and almost utopian cantonment zones all around the country.

Pretti spent her childhood and adolescence in 11 different schools in 11 states throughout the country, where she lived in the truly secular environment of the army cantonments that greatly influenced her identity and beliefs. While she believes her background as an “army brat” to be one of her greatest strengths, she also reflects on the culture shock of moving to Mumbai, working in the film industry, and starting from the bottom. However, this added all the plot to her life, with 2 of her films getting shelved, having to spend the night in her broker’s office, failed relationships, and every other experience that seemed disastrous at the moment but ultimately brought her closer to understanding herself better.

For everyone who knows Pretti professionally or personally: tune in because I’m sure you will learn something new about her. For those who don’t know her: it’s my pleasure to introduce you to this headstrong, intellectual, and empathetic feminist. Our conversation was about family, career, the societal pressure to get married, money, giving back, and spirituality. Stay tuned until the very end for movie/show recommendations, one of which inspired the title of this episode.

"I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I'm like, 'My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don't have it. I just want to chill.' We all have self-doubt. You don't deny it, but you also don't capitulate to it. You embrace it."

~Kobe Bryant

In this week’s episode, Noel solves one of the greatest mysteries of the world: why are men so emotionally attached to sports… and how some men are more loyal to their sports teams than they are to their girlfriends (his words not mine 🫢)

On a more serious note, in our conversation we talk about volunteering, finding our life’s purpose, being a good leader, and many such topics that make Noel much more than just a sports fanatic.

Namaste khoobsurat listeners 🙏🏼

It’s a pleasure to introduce you to Mohini Rao, aka Amamma/Amma (grandmother), and her simple yet beautifully intricate life. Mohini was born and raised in Manglore, a place she still cherishes most in the world. Soon after graduating 10th grade, she was married off to Shantaram and moved to Mumbai. Since then, she has been a dedicated homemaker and lovingly raised not only her own children but several others in Mumbai, through her babysitting gig. I am so grateful to hear her perspectives on god, marriage, friendships, grief, and life as a whole.

Trying new things with this episode. This is the first time I have a guest who’s not in their 20s, and they won’t be the last. I’m also excited to start diversifying in terms of language. Since Hindi is the common language we speak (she speaks 5 herself), this podcast is almost entirely in Hindi. Language barriers work both ways😌…

A liminal life is a life sensitive to the fact that we are always betwixt and between a settled past and a not yet actual future. Liminal people cannot easily be placed in a single category or feel fully integrated in one specific group. Each one of us is liminal or stuck in a liminal place at least a couple times in life. While psychology defines this feeling or phase as being uneasy and uncomfortable, some of us manage to find solace and happiness in this uncertainty. Listen to this episode to know how Ali embodies this word.

Welcome or welcome back my gorgeous listeners 🕸️

Tune in to my conversation with Zachery: a researcher, extrovert, exotic pet dad, tattoo junkie, oldest sibling, metalhead… there’s so many layers to this person.

In this two part episode, we talk about Zac’s childhood, his siblings, where he grew up, high school days, exotic pets, moving to LA, and how he has the most basic white boy name while his siblings’ names sound like Greek gods.

The the second part we talk about all things psychology: schools, a career in the field, and what you need to know if you decide to pursue psychology. We also talk about relationships, hobbies, and all that good stuff

Welcome or welcome back my gorgeous listeners 🕸️

Tune in to my conversation with Zachery: a researcher, extrovert, exotic pet dad, tattoo junkie, oldest sibling, metalhead… there’s so many layers to this person.

In this two part episode, we talk about Zac’s childhood, his siblings, where he grew up, high school days, exotic pets, moving to LA, and how he has the most basic white boy name while his siblings’ names sound like Greek gods.

His time in LA living with his roommates was no less than a Netflix special starring a short Asian dude, chainsmokers from Saudi who were wanted by homeland security, and an escort who disappeared to Canada.

Hello my gorgeous listeners!

Meet MJ, who in my eyes is a super articulatior (I just coined that term). In the first part of this two part episode we talked about what’s it’s like to:

- Raise 5 other siblings

- Be homeschooled for 8 years, up until high school

- Know wtf a coop school is and be a part of one for 8 years

- Be raised religious and growing up to not aligning with it

- Being white in a predominantly black school and understanding privilege from that lens

I had to give this professional yapper another episode to share other important aspects of their life, like their struggles with mental health, dating, and being single and happy, which will come out next week. Y’all don’t want to miss these!

Hello my gorgeous listeners!

Meet MJ, who in my eyes is a super articulatior (I just coined that term). Tune in to this two part episode to know what’s it’s like to:

- Raise 5 other siblings

- Be homeschooled for 8 years, up until high school

- Know wtf a coop school is and be a part of one for 8 years

- Be raised religious and growing up to not aligning with it

- Being white in a predominantly black school and understanding privilege from that lens

I had to give this professional yapper another episode to share other important aspects of their life, like their struggles with mental health, dating, and being single and happy, which will come out next week. Y’all don’t want to miss these!