Hi, welcome back to Eat Your Cress Podcast. I'm Crystal and I'm G-Soo.
All right, so before we get started today, as usual, we have a word, but we're actually
bringing it back to Millennial slang. I think this is Millennial slang, right?
Yeah, I would agree. Because it originated with our generation. The word is giga-chad.
I think this word is hella funny, but it also kind of has even more history than you realize.
I think it's an evolved form of Chad. Chad kind of came up somehow as the ultimate alpha male,
I guess. I remember the memes that I originally saw for being a Chad was basically, you know,
that meme of the blonde guy who's super buff. And then it's like, this dude does whatever successful
thing. The opposite to it, it shows the sad sheba dog. And this one didn't succeed or something.
I feel like the thing I know too is the Chad who is always successful does whatever. And then
the Virgin is the one who's not successful. So I just remember that spectra of the Chad
and the Virgin. Yeah, so that has evolved into giga-chad. So pretty self-explanatory that it's just
a Chad except like giga. A major Chad, if you will. The ultimate Chad. Yeah, the ultimate Chad.
I feel like this meme was also funny because the way I first heard about this term is through
that one photo. I guess people who know this term might think of that black and white photo of
a guy with like the ultimate jawline. It's super defined. His whole body is sculpted. You could see
like every vein on it pretty much because he's so buff. And I remember seeing a photo of that
and seeing the caption, oh, this guy is giga-chad because not only is he a Chad, he's so buff and so
I'll be looking that he's the giga-chad. But it's funny because I feel like the meme, at least the way
that I have incorporated it into my vocabulary is it's no longer associated with the picture for me
now. It's just like when someone is super successful, I just immediately think, oh, this person is a
giga-chad. Do you remember one the last time you might have said giga-chad was I don't I say it's so
often. I don't use it that often so I'm like trying to think if there was a time when I used it
recently, but I can't quite think of one. But to kind of go back to the Chad stuff, Chad, if you
want to know the origin of it way back in 2015, someone posted in a bodybuilding forum apparently,
he submitted a post that said, going on Tinder as Chad Thundercock is beyond depressing. And it
shows his profile because his name was like legitimately Chad Thundercock. No way. And then I think
that's how it kind of blew up because then someone on Tumblr made a Chad Thundercock Tumblr and
was like, dude, this fucking name, right? According to know your meme, that's how Chad kind of blew up
and became a thing. Holy shit, that's so funny. Yeah, Chad Thundercock is a tough name to live up to.
It also says on this Know Your Memepage that the female counterpart for the term Chad is Stacey,
which you know, that kind of makes sense. I think Stacey is sort of like a Chad-esque name.
Interesting, interesting. Stacey, that just reminds me of like the song Stacey's
small. I guess it's like a more casual way to say the alpha and the beta, like the Chad Thundercock and the Virgin
No Lasting. I feel like this is just one of the most applicable slang terms, giga Chad.
Highly recommend this because it's so like it requires no explanation. I think even if you have
never heard the term giga Chad, as soon as you hear it in a sentence, you're just like, yeah,
that makes total sense. Yeah, and I feel like it can be for any basic thing that no one else wants to do,
like, you know, maybe someone steps up and like gets the restaurant reservation. That's like kind of
hard to get. Then you're like, damn, you're such a giga Chad. True. Or when you hear about someone who's
like just doing very well for themselves, then you maybe haven't heard of that person in a while.
You're just like, oh my god, like he did this and now he works here and he makes X number of dollars,
like that guy is such a giga Chad. Yeah, it's a funny praise, I think. And it's very lighthearted,
too. If anything, it'll make everyone around you laugh while also making the person who's
being called a giga Chad feel a little good. That's true. And so it's like a friendly slang term.
At least the way that we use it, I think. It's the ultimate high praise. Also, I think the photos
are so funny. If our listeners haven't seen the giga Chad photos, it's super funny. It always
reminds me of, you know, fairly odd parents like Crimson Chin. Oh, true. I can never make that
connection, but that's very accurate actually. Giant Chin. Yeah, the giga Chad photo is truly,
you'll see the image once and it'll be forever tattooed onto your brain. Like you would never forget
this photo. Yeah, such a funny photo. Well, speaking of other things that are forever tattooed
onto our brains, a little bit of a rough transition here. Today, we wanted to talk about family
birthdays. I think the user is something that you also hopefully never forget. And it's something
that comes up every year. And I actually feel like this is a very interesting topic because each
family does birthdays very differently. And we kind of talked about this before starting the
recording. I think depending on how your family approaches birthdays, I feel like it definitely
affects the way that you approach birthdays in your life in your adulthood as well. So let's kind
of kick this off by going back into our childhood and thinking about how did you and your family
do birthdays? Oh my God. So back in the day, I remember pretty clearly that sometimes I would do
my birthday at McDonald's. Wow. I don't know if it was a thing here, but it was kind of a thing
back where I lived. We would go to McDonald's and it was, you know, back when McDonald's still had
the like playground areas. So we would get a few tables. And I think it was also good because McDonald's
is relatively cheap. At least, you know, it still was back in the day. And all the kids are happy,
you know, we're eating our happy meals. And I think McDonald's used to do something kind of nice.
Like I think they put up a little banner for you or something like that. And then we got cake.
It was like a relatively easy birthday party. And it still felt special because it's like you're
going somewhere. And I think it was easy on the parents' wallets for the most part. There's things
to keep the kids occupied, the like playground area thing. So I remember doing that at least like
once or twice when I was kindergarten. Oh yeah. Do you remember if you guys invited a bunch of
your school friends or maybe your family friends or was it just you and your new family? It was like
a bunch of my school friends. And then like my parents were there, I think. I mean, they should be.
That's a nice one actually. And I feel like that also speaks to what feels very special when
you're younger. I feel like there's so much more that's like commodified now to wear
birthdays, especially looking at how celebrities do their kids birthdays have become this like
huge thing. But back then it truly was kind of like, oh let's go to like the jungle gym nearby or
like let's go to this fast food restaurant. And it was like just as special if not even more meaningful.
Yeah. I think there might have also been a couple times where it was just at our home. And then we
invited like a couple of our neighbors slash friends over just like eight cake together and then like
played outside. So it's like overall like pretty simple stuff. Damn, this is like taking me back.
The birthdays that I remember from when I was really young. One of them was my iconic second grade
birthday party. My parents actually rented like a bounce e-house, a jump house. Is that what it was
called? We had it like inflated up in our front yard. And at the time I think we lived in like a
corner house. So then a couple of the neighbors kids came by and then a bunch of my school friends came
then we like jumped in the jump house for a little bit and then we had pizza at like a little table
set up in our garage. And it was just like this gorgeous sunny day. And I think we had some sort of,
you know, like one of those kitty pools set up in our backyard as well. So it was super fun. And
actually a couple of years ago I was looking back at like old childhood photos at my parents' place.
And I guess my parents had borrowed a bunch of handbooks like kid handbooks for us. So there's like
photos of us all in little handbooks and whatnot. And of course, but them were not Korean. So I think
it was like more special and more fun. That sounds so cute. A bunch of little kids running around in
Humbok. And I think another year we did just a normal kind of like at home party. And then some of
the closer like family friends slept over. And actually that's one of the first times where I really
remember thinking, oh, so my school friends are here. And some of my family friends are here. And
we're like mixing friend groups. So I wonder if it's going to be weird. Whoa, the first time.
Yeah, because I remember this was probably, whoa, actually I wonder if this is the same second
grade birthday party. Because the house that we lived in was before we had moved into where I was
living for the third grade. So this could have been the same birthday party. But I remember being like,
whoa, are they going to get along or whatever? Which is crazy to think that I was like seven years old
thinking these things. Oh my god. And you continued to think them into adulthood. Yeah, actually.
That's when it started. That's your origin story. When the anxiety begins.
Do you have any other memorable birthdays you can think of? I do, but I was older in these times.
But do you ever remember going to other kids birthday parties and thinking, damn, this is so
different? Oh, oh my god. Wait, I don't know. At least in my memory, I remember one of my friends.
Dude, I honestly can't even remember who this was. But someone did like a Chuck E. Cheese birthday
party. And then one year someone did like a David Buster's birthday party. And then another.
Yeah, maybe that was more like in middle school. Okay. But another year someone did a birthday
party at the jungle, which is like a jungle gym. Oh, okay. And I remember all three times, I was like,
whoa, this is not what I would want to provide. I was like, this is too much chaos. Oh my god.
I feel like David Buster's gets really rowdy. I've never been to a Chuck E. Cheese though. Whoa,
really? Chuck E. Cheese is like a US only thing. And so by the time I was here, we're kind of too old
for it. And I was like, what is this Chuck E. Cheese thing that I keep seeing? Remember they did so
many TV ads and stuff? It's just like come here and eat pizza and play games. And I thought it
was such a cultural reference. But really even in my childhood, I think I've only been like once or twice.
And now it's like gone, isn't it? Right. Out of business. Kind of sad, even though I've never been.
But it's so iconic, I feel like. Yeah. I think I've gone to other kids who also did a McDonald's
birthday before. Maybe it was something about our town because like the suburb area that we lived
in was pretty small. So there weren't like a ton of options. And so there was definitely a couple
McDonald's birthdays. Maybe there was also like, you know, going to the theaters. Sometimes they have
the room that you get to eat your food in and then all the kids go to the theater after.
I think I've attended something like that once or twice as well. I don't know. I think that's like
all that I'm remembering from like, you know, elementary school and kindergarten era.
Dude. Yeah, I think we also did kind of like the movie theater arcade and maybe like a movie and
pizza in one of those like rooms that you can rent after as well. Yeah. And it's kind of interesting
because now as adults, I feel like whatever party we go to, there's usually some sort of alcohol
whether it's like wine or hard liquor or whatever. But back then it was truly like candy and soda.
Dude. And I remember that shit like we would be hopped up on the fucking sugar. You know, I didn't
think much about it as a child, but now I'm like, oh my god. Yeah, sugar drives children crazy.
I remember in the beginning we would all be like, let's play a game or two or whatever.
And then by the end we'd be like screaming running around being absolute menacing.
We actually like why are there so many screaming children? Because they're being fed candy.
Oh my god. And to think at that time, we didn't know like ourselves, you know, so we were like, no,
this is just how I am. But like actually we're just high on candy. Like our blood sugar was just
out of control. Yeah. It's funny too. Because I guess depending on what kind of household you lived in,
what the like family diet was, you know, kids are more exposed to certain things based on their
family culture. So my family didn't drink a ton of soda back then. But like pizza and stuff was
not like super uncommon. Like we know we would have it. Like I wasn't like restricted from it.
Whereas other kids I felt like we're having soda every single day. So I feel like some kids got
more high than others. Yeah. I remember like soda was banned in my home usually for kids. But only
like, you know, if we're going out and I don't know getting fast food or something, then it's like,
okay, you can have soda this one time. But like we're gonna avoid that for the most part. But my
dad really liked soda. So I would always see him like drinking his Coke and I'm like dude,
like that looks so good. When can I drink soda? Actually, now that you mention it, I do feel like
there was sort of like a ease in process. I have like a vague recollection of only being able to
drink Sprite for a long time. And then Coke was like the adult drink. And then like somewhere in the
middle, it was like phantom was okay. So dude, that sounds kind of familiar. Yeah. I think I'd drink
Sprite more. Right. It's probably because Coke has like some caffeine in it. Yeah. So they're probably
like holy shit sugar plus caffeine. Like our kid is gonna go crazy. Yeah. Was also interesting too
to me about going to other kids' birthday parties is I remember even as a kid, I was like, oh this
person throws like big birthday parties. And every year they throw a birthday party. So one year
in elementary school, I must have been like fourth or fifth grade. This one girl invited me to
a birthday party. And I thought it was kind of odd even at the time because I had like a couple of
conversations like we weren't like close friends or anything. We just like chatted a couple times
and she was like, oh, you should come to my birthday party. And she had it at a trampoline gym.
Oh, it was someplace called sky high, I think, where the whole thing is like trampoline. They just kind
of like jumped for like hours and you can like jump through rooms or whatever. And I was like,
whoa, this is like a different scale kind of a birthday party. And another person that I knew
through childhood, I always felt like his mom was very into throwing birthday parties. So every year
he would do like a big birthday thing. But now that I think about it, like looking back, I'm not
actually sure if he's like a big birthday person. Like I just felt like his mom was very into throwing
him birthday parties. He's like, oh my god, let's throw the best birthday party. These five year-olds
could want. Yeah. And he's like, I'll show up, I guess. She's like, you're invited. So you
can show up. But I feel like trampoline, I don't know what to call them either, like a trampoline
house. Yeah. But I think I also might have gone to one for a birthday or something as well. I feel
like that's a pretty good children's birthday spot because it's like, you know, if you fall,
you just fall into a trampoline and you get to jump around and use up all your energy. So the
parents just get to watch and be like, nice, they're gonna pass out on the way home. Dude, I have like
this distinct memory. We were like jumping and like playing tag or whatever, having fun, like
basically wreaking havoc in this trampoline gym. And then we came out and all the moms were just
like sitting on a bench, making like very awkward and quiet small talk with each other. And I
remember thinking like, oh, why aren't they jumping? I was like, I wonder why they're just like
sitting here. But now that I'm thinking about it, I was like a 28 year old. It's like, there's only
so much jumping you can do before you're just like, I need to like sit down and have some water. Yeah.
Oh my god. You know what? I think there was also like bowling. Oh yeah. True. Bollywood birthday
parties. Yeah. Pretty good. And I feel like that's a very 90s kids thing. I don't know if it happened
as much after 2010 or whatever. Yeah. But you know, early 2000s, bowling parties. Pretty fun.
True. Do you think all these like activities and stuff that we remember for our childhood birthday
parties? Do you ever remember doing something like this for our parents' birthdays? Dude, not at all.
Yeah. So the thing is, I didn't know my parents' birthdays for the longest time. Wait, what? Yeah.
So basically one, I think they probably told me once or twice, but my stupid child brain just kept
forgetting it. But we never made it a big deal. So I think what happened was I didn't ingrain it
into my memory until later. So I would always just kind of forget. But like my parents would remember
each other's birthday, right? I think the most we would do is like, we would just eat a cake.
That's like kind of it. Like maybe get takeout or like go out to eat. It was just never a big deal.
So then later when I got older, I was like, dude, I'm such a bad child. Like how come I don't
know their birthdays? So I started to like commit it to memory more. I think that started in high school
probably. I was like, dude, what is wrong with me? So do you think your parents made it a big deal
for each other? Or they just like kind of secretly did it without making it a huge deal for the family?
Because sometimes it's kind of like, oh, it's not like a family affair, but like the couple,
you know, takes care of each other or whatever. So were you just kind of imitating what your parents
were doing? Or was it just like truly as a kid? You were like, I'm blocking this from my mind.
I think it truly was just pretty low key. And I think that might have been how my parents
are used to it as well. You know, small celebration, nothing too crazy and pretty chill. But one thing
that is interesting is my parents' birthdays are about three months apart and it's on the same
day. Like day of the month. So I'm like, okay, it's kind of easy to remember. Like what was I doing
when I wasn't remembering? Actually, it's slightly similar for my parents as well, where my mom's
birthday is on the 16th. And then my dad is on the 15th. I feel like because it's one day off,
I would as a kid always like mix it up. Like what is mom's birthday on the 16th or the 15th and
same for my dad? Dude, okay, also yeah, I like, what is wrong with our child brains? So my mom and
dad's birthday are on the 28th. But for some reason, I kept mixing it up with like the 29th or like
even the 30th. And I was like, dude, it's like the end of the month, but like which day?
Wait, what the fuck? But it's literally in my mom's email. Like 28 is like part of her email.
So later, I was like, dude, the clues were all there. What was I doing?
Yeah. Dude, did you ever do the thing where I don't know if you got like guess for your parents,
but at a young age, it's like you have no income and you're like, your life savings are like
$30 or some food. So then I would always think my parents coupons. And I remember my parents
were never redeem it. And after a certain year, I was like, is it a bad idea to make them coupons?
Like, should I stop doing this? But my dad would always get my mom something and same for my mom
for my dad. So then I would always like sign the card that they bought and it would be just like me
tacking my name on to whatever gift my parents were getting each other. Free loader. Yeah. I'm a leech.
Damn, what kind of coupons did you make for them? It was like, oh, free like shoulder massage,
free hug or use this coupon and I'll clean my room, which they like never redeemed it.
And honestly, if they did redeem it, I'm not sure if I would actually do. Oh, maybe they knew.
They're like, these are empty promises. They knew it would be too stressful. They'd be like, oh,
she she'll stress about, you know, the task at hand, but it's fine. Sure. I did not really give
my parents gifts, but I did occasionally for like Mother's Day and Father's Day.
Dude, okay, you know what? Maybe like when I was really young, I didn't think my parents had
birthdays and I just thought it was like Mother's Day and Father's Day. Well, oh, like that trumps or
like it takes precedence over their friends. Yeah. Just their role as parents. Yeah, because like at
school, they always make you make a card, think about Mother's Day and Father's Day. But I guess
because it was so ingrained in me from school, but like not their birthdays, you know, because they
don't know when your parents' birthdays are. So to me, I was like, oh, then Mother's Day and Father's
Day must be like the ultimate celebration. That's kind of interesting, actually. I guess it's sort
of like the concept of once you get married, you're wedding anniversary, probably trumps, you're like
dating anniversary or whatever. For me, my mom's birthday is like almost identical to Mother's Day.
It's usually no more than like seven days off. Wow. And then my dad's birthday is very close to
Chuseok, which is like a huge holiday in Korea. So I always felt like we were coupling up their
birthdays with like, you know, whatever holiday was close. Yeah. So I just remember thinking like,
oh, I'm so lucky I have an August birthday because there's no holiday in August. Oh my god,
but one time speaking of gifts and stuff, I did get my dad a gift. It was like a watch because
I noticed he was kind of interested in watches for a hot second. So I bought this like random watch,
just like a cheap one. I think it was like 20 bucks or something, but it looked nice. One of those,
you know, off of eBay, and then I gave it to him. And then he was like, thanks for the gift, but
you should save your money for yourself. Oh my god. I have heard that line for my parents so many times.
And I was like, oh, okay. And then I never got him a gift again.
You're like the only gift you're getting from now on is love. Yeah, I've heard that line so
many times for my parents. And now looking back, it's probably so weird for them because like,
you know, how we used to get allowance from our parents. So then they know all the gifts that
you're getting them is just like their own money getting returned to them basically. But
through the form of a gift that they might not have even wanted. Like, you know how when you're a kid,
I feel like your budget is so constrained. Yeah. Like the things that you can afford are like
very, very cheap. Our parents are probably like, bro, I don't want this like duct tape wallet.
They're $10. Oh my god. I just thought of something really cursed that I used to do. What?
I used to dig through the cabinets of like our house and find old stuff and like wrap it and give
it to my parents house. Wait, that's so funny. What was the reaction? They were just like, oh, thank
you. This is so like they wouldn't be like, wait, is this from like the office? I remember being like,
oh, I should wrap them like this. I mean, it was like stuff that was either unused or like
still in their original packaging. So it's like new still, right? And then I would just wrap it.
But it's like our parents knew like my parents knew. They're like, wow, so clever.
They're like, what is wrong with this child? I think also like maybe my parents are weird about
receiving gifts. Oh, really? Yeah. Because I did give them a gift a couple of Christmas's ago.
And they like don't even use them. Oh, no. But they were like very simple gifts. So I got my mom
like this coach card holder. And then I got my dad this leather cast iron handle that you can put
on so you don't burn yourself. And then my my mom, she's like, wow, thanks. And then she puts her
cards in a Ziploc bag. And I'm like, why? She's like, so I look poor and no one will steal from me.
And I'm like, oh shit, that's so funny. And she's like, also, it's waterproof in this
Ziploc bag. And I'm like, dude, unrefeatable. That's actually facts. But I was just like, oh my god.
And then for the the like cast iron handle thing, like it wasn't being used for a while. It was just
like in the kitchen drawer occasionally. It gets pulled out to use to get used. And I was like,
okay, nice. I guess this one's getting a little bit of use. I feel like that's so funny because
my parents approach gifts in such a different way. Like my parents quirk about gifts sort of is
that they'll always make it a point to like use it when we're in there. Like I don't know if I'm
not there. Like if they're actually eating it or not. But when me and James go over, my dad is
always like, oh, remember the sweater? Like you got it for me. I'm like, oh, thanks for wearing it.
But I feel like the thing about my parents is one, whatever I buy for my dad, I feel like
is an idea for my mom or like sometimes I'll think of things like, oh, my I think dad needs this
or whatever. But my mom is always like, oh, yeah, you should get your dad the sweater or like a
scarf or whatever. Or some sort of idea. So that's always been helpful. She knows what he wants.
Yeah, dude, she's got all the intel. And then my mom is kind of interesting to shop for because she'll
like make these jokes about what she wants. So for Christmas, I called her and I was like, hey,
James and I are going to go grab some gifts for you at the mall. Like what do you want? She's like,
I want something shiny and glamorous. I was like, this is like even less helpful than just being
like, I don't know, get whatever. It's like so pointed and specific that I'm like, now I have to find
look at everything that's shiny in this. Yeah. Yeah, my guesses maybe it's how they were raised.
Okay, I have a theory here. Perhaps in China, you know, communism. So they didn't really get gifts
in the beginning of their life because you know, everyone gets the same stuff. So maybe that like
has evolved. So now they're like kind of awkward about receiving gifts because they're just used
to like, oh, if I want this, then I'll buy it. Now that I have the capability to. That's true.
I guess there's also a bunch of other stuff that I could think of too, where like families
were bigger back then. So maybe one birthday out of like six or seven people in the family,
not as big of a deal. Or I think Asia in general was a little bit more poor. So I know my parents
didn't grow up with like a ton of money. Yeah, I guess it's kind of sweet that they didn't make
their own birthdays like a huge deal, but they still threw birthday parties for us and try to make
our birthdays a bigger deal than it was for them. Definitely. Do you do remember what you did in like
junior high and high school? Because at that point, we're like sort of functioning humans.
And we can make decisions sometimes. So did you go to your parents and ask like, oh my god,
like, I want to do this for my birthday? Or were you kind of just like, whatever?
I don't know why, but I look. You have zero recollection of what I did for my birthdays in middle school.
But high school birthdays, actually, my parents were still fairly involved and they still
threw me birthday parties. So the big one that I remember was probably like my 15th birthday,
I believe, where my parents put up like a tent in my backyard. And then we put a bunch of sleeping
bags in there and a bunch of my friends came over. We didn't actually end up sleeping in that tent
because we stayed up playing just dance all night. Oh my god. So I got a TV in the garage
and like, a sofa and we literally just played just dance for hours and hours.
And not 5 a.m. We crawled into the sleeping bag and took like a 10 minute nap and then I
went left out like seven or eight. That's crazy. The amount of energy. Holy shit. Yeah.
Dude, that was wild. That's so sweet though. Yeah, I was like, it's sweet that they still cared so
much to be like, oh, you should do this thing. We'll pitch a tent, whatever. It's just nice to have
them still be involved, but not necessarily like helicoptering or like shopper owning the event.
Yeah. And then I think the other big one that I can recall was probably like my 16th or 17th
birthday, maybe my 16th, but we all went out to dinner at Santana Road, which I feel like is
such a like Bay Area classic. Yeah. And we all wore like our nicest dresses and wore heels. And
that was like the time to really dress up. We totally did something like that too for someone's
16th birthday, like the exact same thing we went to Santana Road. We went to what Mariana's I think.
And then yeah, we all like dressed up. Oh my god, you're bringing back memories. Dude.
So nowadays when I go to Santana Road, I guess I haven't gone for like a hangout in a very long time,
but I'm not really like dressing up, right? It's just like, oh, I need to stop by and grab something
from this one store. But every time I go, I think about like, oh, this used to be such a place
where I would wear like my nicest shit, like, come and like, address. And I'm like, oh my god,
it's like a huge deal that we're like wearing dresses. And we were like 15 year old. Yeah.
And I remember my friends got me a sash and it was like sweet 16 or something like that.
I also remember in high school, I think on average, birthdays were a little more like, oh,
let's just go out and get dinner. True. Yeah. So I remember like sometimes we'd go to places like
cheesecake factory and have dinner and then like walk around. Or sometimes it would be like, let's
eat dinner and then go watch a movie after. Like I think birthday parties started to like tone down
a little more. But but then like of course 16 was such a big deal. Right. I remember for 16,
I asked my parents, I was like, oh my god, I want to have a 16th birthday party. It's like a thing
here. Like for some reason 16 is a big age. Yeah. And my parents were like, that's interesting.
And then my dad was like, I guess at 16, you can get married. Whoa. Because that's what it
originally was, right? I had no, like I never made that connection. And so I just invited a bunch
of friends over to my place. And then we like cooked dinner together. And then we watched a movie.
That's so cute, actually. That's like kind of an adult thing to do to cook dinner together.
Yeah. We made pasta. Wow. That's also funny too, because I feel like when we were younger,
the coolest stuff to do were things that made you feel like an adult. I remember even when we went
out for dinner or like when we had people over and had dinner together, we always needed to have
cider. Because you know how the cider comes in like it almost looks like a whiner like champagne
bottle. Yeah. I remember that was a go-to thing. Like it always had to be there. Definitely, definitely.
And it always looks like champagne too when you pour it out. Yeah. I did feel like there was a shift
though during this time. Like as I mentioned around high school, I started being more like cognizant
of my parents birthdays. So then around that time, I started remembering like, oh my god,
like should we go get a cake? It's you know almost dad's birthday or it's almost mom's birthday
or should we go out to eat? Of course, at the time it could only be suggestions as a poor high school
student. And then in like college, I would always make sure to like text if like happy birthday,
whoever my brother would immediately text me after and be like, oh it's like mom's birthday today.
And I'm like, yes, that's why I said the text is like, okay, like send the text after. Now that like
we're adults, I feel like there's so much more power in our hands, I guess. So like especially
right now, because I'm so close to my parents like physically. So it's a lot easier for me to be like,
oh hey, it's like dad's birthday today. Let's go out and eat a meal. Or like, you know, hey,
it's mom's birthday. Let's go out and eat a meal. What do you want to eat? I'll like take us all
out or whatever. So I feel like there's slowly been a shift from like not even registering that
my parents had birthdays until like now kind of taking control of, well not taking control of the day,
but like stepping up to offer lands and suggestions. Dude, I actually totally agree with that because
it's like now that we're autonomous adults, I guess. And I think especially the pivotal moment for
me was when I got my license and got a car. So it's like, if I do want to get a present, I no longer
have to be like, oh mom, should we go to Mervins and get dad to get it? It's like, okay, I can drive
to Valley Fair and like get something for my dad. True. But I think the other weird thing for me too
is I guess age registers a little bit more for me now in terms of how I see birthdays for my
parents. And what I mean by that is like when I was young is like, oh, it's mom's 42nd birthday or
like it's dad's 45th or whatever, whatever. And it was just kind of like a number. But I think now
my dad hit 60 for his birthday last year. And I felt so many emotions about it. And I think my
dad did too. Because it's a big deal when the like first digit of your age changes. And it's kind of
like a thing where we lightly talked about it like, oh, ha ha, it's a big deal back in Korea and
the old days like 60 was a thing where you threw like a huge party because it's like, oh, you hit
60. Congratulations. That's rare. Now it's obviously not as crazy of a milestone to reach 60. But it's
just I think about it a little more like it's a little bit more bit in a sense and a little bit
sentimental. But I feel like age is like a big deal now. Dude. Yeah. Oh my god. Speaking of my dad also
turned 60 this past year. But the okay, the bad thing was my mom was out of town for that period
of time. So like the house wasn't complete. I think I had like plans or something. And so we kind
of like just like missed it in terms of like, you know, getting everyone together to like eat food
and like have a cake. And then when my mom came back, she was like, oh dad turned 60. Did you
guys celebrate? And I was like, oh. And I was like, well, you know, it's your birthday soon too.
And you both turn 60. So we'll celebrate for your birthday. I was like, but I did give dad like
a moon cake. And my mom was like, what the fuck? Wait, I feel like I had such a like the almost
exact opposite experience of you. So when my dad turned 60, I was like, oh, it's like a huge deal.
And it was kind of like in the throws of wedding planning. It was like two or three months before
the wedding. So we were super busy. But I was still like, okay, this is a big birthday. Like we
need to fly to Texas. So James and I took, we didn't take the week off, but I had made sure like my
weekends in Dallas were like completely free so that we could celebrate my dad's birthday, right? And
we were there for like a week or 10 days or something. But for some reason, my dad is busier than me
and James are. So of those 10 days, he was like out of town for like four days. And then like three
of those nights, he had like social obligations. Oh my god. Other people and his friends. And then like
one of those days, he was working and like busy with meetings all night. So we really had like maybe
like a day and a half to celebrate. So I was like, why are we here for 10 days when you can only
hang out with me to grab like dinner ones. And then we played like golf and other days. You're like,
wait a second. Yeah, I was like, dad is too busy and popular for me. Yeah. Wait, oh my god,
I'm remembering now what the plans were for my dad's birthday. He actually had plans to go camping
with some of his friends. Because I think it was like a full moon day of that month. You know,
they went up to a camp spot and all excited. And then it like poured. Oh my god. My dad was like
dude, like we didn't even see the moon. It was just like cloudy and cold and rainy. And then he
like came back and I was like, oh, happy birthday. And I gave him a moon cake. So we had the same
experience where I dance where like I don't want to spend my birthday with you. It slipped my mind
for a day. So I was like, oh, should I felt bad? And I was like, okay, we'll have to celebrate when
mom's back. I think also it felt kind of wrong to be like, just me and my dad, like we're missing
our third person. So I was like, oh my god, why are you out of town, mom? Actually, it's your fault.
Yeah, it's like interesting to me to the way you kind of said, now it's more of our role to take
charge. Or like we at least have the opportunity to like step up to sort of lead the whole birthday
shenanigans. And I feel like that's very true. One of the things that I remember my parents always
saying when I was younger, kind of going back to like the, oh, don't spend your hard earned money
on a gift for me thing is like, my parents would always be like, oh, it's not that big of a deal.
Like we'll celebrate it, but let's keep it low key. But now I'm like, why? You know, we can do the
whole thing, do the party hats and do the, you know, balloons. And I remember once I did bring
the party hats and I made all of us like wear it. And as like silly as it is, I feel like these
things kind of matter and they do sort of make an impact. And you can always at least have like
funny photos to like back on. Now I feel like especially after the whole like, oh, we did our wedding.
So let's just fucking celebrate everything we can kind of mentality. I'm like, maybe I'll get the
huge, you know, like the sorority girl balloons with like, like, the, like, the age of six.
My sweet 61. But it's like, let's just go all out and not, you know, not listen to them when
they're like, oh, let's keep it low key this year, right? Yeah. Also a reason why this topic is so
the top of mind is because today is my mom's birthday. So I was like thinking back on how I was,
like, yeah, we'll celebrate for sure when you're back and then you're both 60. We'll make sure to
get a cake and everything. Okay, also it's funny is that no one in our family really likes cake
except for my mom. So she was like, god damn, like every time we get a cake, it's just me left
eating it. Damn, maybe you guys should do like slices, although I guess it's not, doesn't look
visually as nice. We always make the birthday person blow out their candles. Yeah. But yeah,
I think what I started doing is after I discovered, thanks to you actually, that like Paris
Brigitte does the smaller cakes. I was like, oh, we should just get like not big cakes then.
Dude, it's the best because sometimes it's like a fucking chore. It's like birthday cake for
breakfast for the next week. Wait, actually, that's legitimately what my mom does. And she's like,
you guys aren't gonna help. And we're like, oh, you know, I don't really. But sometimes my dad
helps. I know I feel like it truly becomes like a mission. It's like, oh, don't eat too much for
dinner because remember, we have cake. Well, a very happy, happy birthday to your mom. Hopefully
you guys can have a nice celebration with your family. The cake thing is funny too because now
that I'm like long distance family ship with my parents, if I'm not able to celebrate their
birthdays in person, I'll like door to ash them cake. And especially since they moved around a
little bit, I feel like I'm always trying to find like the best bakery near them. But it's like,
I can really only go off of like, Yelp reviews or some shit. So I'm always like, how's this bakery?
Like should I go to this other bakery next time? Yeah, that's nice. And I feel like a lot of the time,
it's just like the acknowledgement and like, doing that we're also thinking of our parents that like
makes them happy. Hopefully. So, you know, even if it's a low key event, at least we are
participating in it and remembering like the special day, unless my parents are like, please stop.
I think I will continue to try and celebrate in whatever way with my parents. Yeah, I love that.
I think same for me as well. I'll always try to make it a little bit special for them,
even if the mission of figuring out what they truly want for their birthday is like the hardest ever.
Oh my god. Dude, maybe it's actually a blessing that my parents are awkward about gifts because
then they never ask for gifts. So I'm like, okay, then I'll just like pay for dinner today. Or like,
you know, I'll make sure to go get the cake today. And then I'm like, nice. I don't have to think
about gift giving for them. Dude, my parents literally just gave up for their gifts to me. Like,
I feel like I still try to get them something like a product. But my mom is like, I'm just going
to sell you like a hundred dollars. Like that cool. I'm like, okay, like, damn. I'm like, can I at least get
like a card or some shit? She's like, no, just the bankruptcy. But yeah, they're so like chill about
it. I'm like, oh my god. I need to get something special. My mom is like, yeah, you're getting cash.
Not even a birthday message on the zel payment, by the way. Oh my god. That's so funny.
Ultimately, I think it's really nice to just celebrate with your parents. And I think it's
also a good reminder that like, you know, our parents are getting older. So cherish the time
that we have with them. So for our listeners out there, if you have any birthday celebrations
that you've really enjoyed with your family, feel free to share with us. You'd find us on social
media at Eat Your Crosse Pod. And we also email EatYourCrosse Pod at gmail.com. And if you'd like to
catch our other episodes, then don't forget to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever
you get your podcasts. We upload new episodes every Wednesday morning. Thanks for listening.
And don't forget to Eat Your Crosse.
