Tonight…
A little DLC from last week’s episode before we jump into this week’s topic.
We talk about saving face—looking successful even when you’re buried in debt.
Family members who never get acknowledged in public,
and why I didn’t talk to girls much in my younger days.
Appearances, pressure, and the quiet cost of keeping it all together.

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Trigger Warning

Tonight…
I talk publicly about drug use, the consequences that came with it,
a moment that crossed a line, a first kiss,
and how unprepared I was for life at that age.
This isn’t a confession—it’s a reflection.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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Tonight…
I trace my cooking journey through life—where it started, where it wandered, and what it taught me.
I explain how much I hate teriyaki sauce,
and why the mysterious, legendary chefs from New York…
are often just awful.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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The mourning of wasted potential.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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Tonight…
A quick fact about why many older Asians lean Republican,
why I’m not quite myself during the holidays—and why it’s not Mariah Carey’s fault.
I talk about a gift I was given, what it meant to carry it,
and how it’s now being passed on to Alex.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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Tonight…
We talk grandparents, identity, and how I became the Noy you know today.
There are Lao lessons along the way—
and yes, an honest discussion about why Laotians drink so much at funerals.
It’s cultural. Trust me.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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Tonight…
We keep things light this week.
I talk about how I learned English, what it’s been like relearning Lao, the origins of the name Noy,
and finish with a small Lao lesson along the way.
Easy conversation, shared language, and a little cultural grounding.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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**Trigger Warning**
Tonight… This episode contains a conversation about suicide—those who have attempted it, and those who are left behind. I speak openly about my own attempt, the thoughts that didn’t disappear afterward, and how I learned to live alongside them without letting them win. I also share a simple, practical technique that anyone can use in moments of real need— not to fix everything, but to get through the next breath.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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Tonight…
We talk about rules—living in D.C., not following many of them, and how that somehow led to me becoming a ninja.
Then it’s off to Rochester, New York, and the absolute shock of Rochester weather.
I learn how to control pain tolerance, experience my first crush ever, draw a line in the sand in fifth grade…
and somehow end up with a German man who really wants to wrestle me.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

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Tonight…
Starting at the beginning.
I talk about village life, the correct way to say my name, what it meant to come to America—
and how, somehow, the men in my family still haven’t mastered the water fountain.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/buddhistaf

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-buddhist-af-podcast--6119082/support.