058: cry, sweat, connect | marie from one vo1ce, dj jayou, + coach mike on wellness beyond fitness

Oct 20

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 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!

Speaker 8: 00:00
I think I would shrug stuff off, like, okay, cool, man. We're just signing autographs, whatever. Because for me, it didn't get to my head. I don't think I ever was like, Oh, I'm so cool, I'm signing a 8x10 photo. Yeah. But I think she saw my like a daisical attitude and she was like, you know what, people think we're a big deal? I go, really? Yeah. Like we're just, you know, we're just singing.
Speaker 3: 00:19
I would go to every gym for like a whole week.
Speaker: 00:21
Oh, and free trials. Free trials all day.
Speaker 3: 00:24
Yeah, like but just to see like what can I do to take these strong elements of these really like high brand like gyms and like and just combine it with what I know and what I feel would be the best at my gym.
Speaker 5: 00:36
I got asked, like, oh, would you like to DJ at Seafood City? I was like, uh, yeah, that looked amazing. Like, I can't believe I'm getting asked to DJ at Seafood City. I think we were in between like aisle six and seven in between check stems. Like my friend's son was dancing on like the uh belt thingy, and then we got bigger. So we had to move to those fish sections. This is BRB Crying.
Speaker 10: 01:16
And I'm Nins, and welcome to our podcast where we make the emotional approachable. I know. She thought about that. I know, I know, I know. I'm just really good. Um, this is a podcast where we dive deep into our emotions by telling each other something that makes us cry. That's usually what we do. We got a little something different for today, as always.
Speaker 9: 01:41
I guess it's not usual at all.
Speaker 10: 01:43
It's so obnoxious. It's every time now. Every other time. We rebrand constantly. Yes. We are doing something different every episode.
Speaker 11: 01:51
It's okay. Yeah. You get used to it. Yeah. If you're new here, welcome. If you're old, welcome back, Cry Baby. Love to have you. If you don't already follow us, we are at beer becrying.podcast on all socials. We also are doing a little promo. If you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a written review, we'll mail you a sticker.
Speaker 10: 02:10
Cute. So cute. It is really cute. And also a shout out to all of those that have written a review. Oh my gosh. It makes me cry every time, but keep it coming. Keep it coming. Alright. Alright, what are we doing today?
Speaker 11: 02:23
We're doing something a little special. So if you have not already read everything about what this episode is about, let us tell you. We are putting on a little event for our local crybabies here in the Bay Area, California. We are collaborating with The Premise SP, and it's gonna be a rhythm and burn event where we have a little DJ lined up, a little workout lined up, and we are inviting our local crybabies to come out and get into wellness with us in real life. So in order for us to kind of give you a taste of who will be there, who are we collaborating with, who will be teaching, who will be teaching this workout. We're gonna have not one, not two, but three guests on today's podcast. It's fucking crazy. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 03:15
We're doing a speed podcast round today. Okay. Not really. We are gonna spend a good chunk of time with each of these three guests who will be collaborating with us on this workout class. The first of which is legendary Marie Ceralvo, who is one of the members of One Voice. If you don't know what that is, keep listening, you will find out. But uh Marie will be teaching our class this Saturday at the Premise SP Gym. Then we will be having Jen, otherwise known as DJ Jayou, who will be DJing the class on Saturday. And we are gonna hear about her involvement in the iconic Seafood City late night market parties. Cannot wait to get into that discussion with her. And then we will close things off with Mike, who is the owner of the Premise SP Gym, and we'll get into his story of how he got into fitness and what inspired him to open up this gym and then take it another step by combining things like movement and music and community together. It is going to be such great conversations. We are so excited to share all the good energy that we had with each of these three guests. And we hope that after listening to this, you will also be like, wait, I want to join. I want to be part of this. I'm gonna fly all the way. I'm gonna go to California California.
Speaker 11: 04:45
That was you, by the way.
Speaker 6: 04:47
You by the way. That's in my mind, that's you.
Speaker 10: 04:51
Why do we always do that? Like insult our listeners. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Well, you know what? Because we love you, we insult my friends. Exactly. You know what I mean?
Speaker 11: 04:59
And we're just so comfortable with you.
Speaker 10: 05:02
So, yes, we hope that you enjoy our conversation with these. Yes, with these three guests of ours, and that it builds up the excitement for this event. That we are so, so, so thrilled to be collaborating with all three of them on.
Speaker 11: 05:17
Yes, and thank you. I know y'all are listening to our three guests. Thank you so much for coming out here one more time. Oh my god, these were amazing. Can't wait to have all of you get in on it too. Okay, okay, let's get it's just do it. Let's just do it, let's just do it.
Speaker 11: 05:36
All right, so this guest that we have for you, how do I describe her? She's a bit of a legend, a living legend. Okay, so let me backtrack. If you grew up in the late 90s or early 2000s and you're a Filipino, and especially if you were in the Bay Area, you had to have known who One Voice was. All right. I personally was part of many Cotillions and Deboos. So from our our our non-Filipino crybabies, that is uh an 18th birthday celebration. And you had to have the cha cha to always on my mind. Oh my god. You know? Literally the best song. The best song.
Speaker 10: 06:23
The best I can no, I don't want to embarrass myself in front of the legend by singing it a little bit.
Speaker 11: 06:29
Oh, well, I thought we were gonna do a three-part harmony, is what I thought we were gonna do.
Speaker 10: 06:34
But anyway, sorry. Backtrack. Yes. One voice. It's one voice. So one voice is a Filipina music group that focused on a lot of like very 90s RB music. Butterfly clips. That's why we're wearing our butterflies today. Um, they were incredible. Yeah. They are incredible. Yes. Just so much of my childhood had this music on in the background. Yeah. Well, it's funny that you say like the 90s, because I swear to God, in the year of our Lord 2015, I was at my husband's family reunion. Okay. And all of the cousins, because you know, Filipino family has like 120 cousins. Yes, at least. We all did a cha-cha to Always on my mind. Yeah.
Speaker 11: 07:19
It's like our anthem. I was listening to it the other day and I was like, oh my God, I still remember every fucking word. It was like so deep in my soul. So that that's just a little taste for all of you. And we will obviously link One Voice's page and all like their Instagram and everything in the show notes. But yeah, incredible. So today we have one of the members. The biggest honor of our lives to have her here. We are fangirling. She's right behind the camera and we're sweating bullets because we're so excited. Okay, so today we have Anne-Marie Seralvo, and she was born and raised in Vallejo, California. Shout the fuck out, Val the fuck out, Vallejo. She's also a Virgo. We love an Earth sign here.
Speaker 10: 08:04
We love an Earth sign. It's Virgo season right now. Virgo season gets October, not that this episode is out, but we're recording in Virgo season.
Speaker 11: 08:11
Virgo Sun, Virgo rising, another Virgo on the set. So Earth Energy is so strong right now. She's sushi obsessed and a huge wanderlust.
Speaker 10: 08:21
And she's also a fitness fiend. Please, let me let's tie it all back to the theme of this episode. Yeah, we didn't just like plop her in this episode. But um, to tie in with our collaboration with Rhythm and Burn, Anne Marie is also a fitness instructor. She teaches Pilates and Bar Method classes. So she will actually be the instructor during our Rhythm and Burn event this Saturday. Yes. So we wanted to talk to her about yes, her iconic time with One Voice and what that was like, what that meant to the Filipino community. But we also want to see where she is in her life today and how she still seamlessly weaves music and fitness and overall wellness in her life today. So that's kind of a little preview of our conversation with her. But without further ado, please welcome Crybabies, Anne-Marie.
Speaker 11: 09:26
Hello,
Speaker 11: 09:27
Anne-Marie. Or should I say Marie? And welcome to Beer Be Crying.
Speaker 10: 09:31
Yay! Thanks for having me. We are so thrilled to have you here with us. You you can't even imagine what's going on in here. Yeah, it's like this.
Speaker 7: 09:39
It's like this, okay? Oh my god, you guys, I'm so honored.
Speaker 8: 09:43
Seriously. Yeah. Humbled. Seriously. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Thank you for making it all the way out here.
Speaker 11: 09:50
It's so cozy. It is, right?
Speaker 10: 09:53
I'm trying to create here. Wait, is your birthday coming up? Oh, it was on the eighth.
unknown: 09:58
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 7: 09:59
I know. It just happy birthday. Thank you.
Speaker 10: 10:02
You just turned 21. Yes. Well, there's so much that we want to ask you about. I know. But okay, we did mention that your group, One Voice, started in the 90s. So I have to ask right off the bat, very 90s question. Very 90s. What was your screen name? Oh my God.
Speaker 7: 10:22
That just feels like such a private question. Well, I don't hear my I love that's such a curveball question because I was like ready to answer questions about like touring and recording and like dirty laundry, airing dirty laundry.
Speaker 6: 10:38
We gotta start off with like a real. So you guys are gonna laugh. Okay.
Speaker 8: 10:41
Just watching a few of your episodes, um, even listening to one of them on the way here, I noticed that you guys, um, you gals are into vocabulary, which I appreciate. Oh, we are word obsessed. Um, and so my screen name was called Penchant for Pumas.
Speaker 6: 11:03
Whoa. Yeah. I have no idea what that means. Penchant.
Speaker 11: 11:09
Penchant. No, I don't.
Speaker 8: 11:10
You don't know.
Speaker 11: 11:10
Oh, you there's a teaching opportunity here. Oh, inclination. Yeah, like a pension for her. Yeah.
Speaker 8: 11:16
Oh my god. And so at the time, I think I was working for the Puma store. Okay. On Monsteras. Yeah, right. Are you guys still around? Um it was a store on Market Street in San Francisco. And this was like early 2000s. But I before that, because we're talking about the late 90s, I was already purchasing Puma. Okay. You know? Yeah. Like I said, you were a Puma girl, alright? Puma girl. Yeah. And so and I think I was like getting into words at the time. Yeah. And so I'm like, what does this mean? I'm learning how to read. And yeah, I was expanding my vocabulary at the time. And so I'm like, this sounds cool. Yeah. Okay. I love that. She used it a puma. She did it. Yeah. And so when I say it, people know what the word means. I'm like, yes, you know what it means. And they like Pumas. Yeah. So that's what yours. What was yours?
Speaker 10: 12:02
Um, the defensiveness? My full name is Angela. Okay, okay. So my screen name was Angie Blah. Obviously. You know, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 11: 12:13
Yeah. Okay, I like that. What was yours? Sweet Sunshine 28. Oh. SWT, obviously.
Speaker 10: 12:22
SWT. Sunshine was spelled H1.
Speaker 11: 12:26
Ooh.
Speaker 10: 12:27
Like four voice. Okay, that's a great segue. Let's bring it back to lots of what we actually kind of related.
Speaker 8: 12:35
So the the four in penchant for Pumas was the number four. No, yeah. No, no significance. It was just easily. You like to use it. Yeah, let's use numbers. Kenny Mace. Okay, so one voice. Back to one voice.
Speaker 10: 12:47
Okay. So we researched a little bit before coming here today. Academics. Academics, as you know. And we saw that One Voice actually started with your middle school friends.
Speaker 8: 13:00
Yes. Can you tell us about the origins? Oh gosh, it goes back so far, so deep. Um okay, I'm trying to make it a short story because it is a long story. Sure. Um so the members, there were five of us. I don't know if you remember, there were five of us. And then there were four, and now there's three. Um we all met because of sports. And one summer I linked up with um Melissa, who was one of the OG members, and she found out that I like to sing. And she's like, Oh, I'm in this group, but we're about to hit high school and she's moving or she's going to a different school, and so we're gonna lose a member. Do you want to be part of our group? And I was like, sure, why not? And then I recommended Amy and Monica, which were like my best friends, and we all became a group. And it wasn't like super, super official. Um, but by the end of our freshman year, it says, Oh my god, I want to say the year, you guys. I'm so young. I'm so young. I don't want to say the year. So at the end of our freshman year, our other friend who wasn't in the group though, she was part of student council, and I guess at our high school they have like a talent show of sorts um to represent each class, right? And no one from our class signed up. And she knew that we'd love to sing and she would hear us in the hallways, everyone talked shit.
Speaker 7: 14:17
Like, shut the fuck up, stop singing, we get it. You guys like harmony, shut the fuck up.
Speaker 8: 14:22
I swear to God, you guys. This is like our friends, our friends, they're like, okay, really, dude? Like, just sh stop. Yeah. And so when she signed us up, we found out, like, oh, I thought you didn't like when we sang, but you signed us up. So you just needed representation. That's cool. Okay. So we were kind of like, what are we gonna sing? Yeah. So we chose. Have you guys seen the Miserab?
Speaker 2: 14:44
Yeah.
Speaker 8: 14:44
Okay. Do you remember the song Castle on a Cloud? That is so serious. I know, I know. It is, I know. And so we Well, they were serious guys. They were so serious, we took ourselves so seriously. So I don't know who introduced that song to us at the time, because I at the time I didn't even see it. I didn't see the musical, I didn't see the movie. I don't even know if the movie was out back then. We learned the the melody, and I don't think there was harmony in the actual musical, but we just kind of applied our own harmonies. Yeah. Yeah. And so we picked that song. I don't know who the genius was that picked it, or all of us did. And so we literally were standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder, stiff as a Ouija board. I don't even know why I said Ouija. That's a little throwback to what my cousins and I used to do back in the day. Um right in front of the fucking seniors. Oh, yeah. Okay, so they're they're on the bleachers. You're nervous. I'm nervous for you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so we do it. It's so fucking silent. You can hear a pin drop. Yeah. Like you really want to hear us sing. Yeah. It's so silent. Because usually people are just talking in the background, you know, being rude and shit. But um, so we sing it and people give us a really good round of applause. Yeah. And then after that, everyone's like, oh my God, you guys should like become really serious and like sing for real. And I'm like, okay. So we kept doing it. But yeah, we met in middle school. We went to high school together. And then at one point, my sister joined the group. But yeah, and we all stupid in touch. So there's no, there's no beef, there's no bad blood or anything. We're all cool. We just all have different lives now. Yeah. But Monica, May, and I will perform once in a while. Yeah. Yeah. And it's been a while.
Speaker 10: 16:15
But I I would love to hear, like, because in this KQED article that I read, you talked about how there were a lot of like, oh shit, this is really happening moments in this journey. Cause I mean, you know, You were so young. That's a good thing. That was a dream, right? Like 17, 18. Yeah. Like you just start it for fun, but then shit really took off. Like, can you walk us through what it felt like when When You Think About Me was literally number 17 on the billboard? That's crazy. That's crazy. I didn't know at the time that it was. Like I was. These were not super available on the internet. So you like didn't really know. But like, I like, can you give us like just an insight of like what was it like in that group? Like, were you guys just giddy all the time? Or like were you like, oh my God, this is kind of scary. What what were you feeling?
Speaker 8: 17:06
That's a great question. I feel like it was a combo of both. Yeah. Um before that song came out, I don't know if you remember All Day All Night. Yeah. So we were. I don't know if you remember. So we were on the verge of going to college, different colleges. And our manager at the time, we had performed at like showcases like a DVC or or community colleges all over the bay. Like we met Panay, we met Kai, and we're like, oh my God, we look up to you. And so we weren't, we didn't show any interest of like going all the way, you know. Just like we just left the sing. Yeah. And so our manager at the time, Curtis, he said, you know, before you go to college, why don't you guys just put out a single? Why don't you just put out a single? And then you can tell your grandkids, hey, we did this. We did this. And so he linked up with our producer at the time, James Earle, called him JE. And background on him, you can look him up later, but he produced people like MC Hammer and N. Vogue and even David Bowie before he passed away. I'm like, and at the time, like I said, we we're young. We're not like freaking out outwardly. And so he wrote All Day All Night. That was on the radio. That did pretty well, I guess, to certain standards. And so after that did well, we were convinced to make an album which included When You Think About Me and other songs, and When You Think About Me was the second single, technically, and then that did even better. And then the rest is his song.
Speaker 10: 18:32
I just have to say, Crybabies, if you have not heard that fucking banger, pause this right now and just click the show notes on. Lee is. It's an incredible song. Oh my god. Yeah, see the muster performance.
Speaker 6: 18:47
Wait, did you guys see the video? I did! Oh god. I watched it last night. Oh, I haven't seen it in a while. Cringe. Cringe. Cringe times 3,000. No, but I loved the makeup. I loved the fashion.
Speaker 8: 19:01
Oh, I was I looked like Dragon Ball Z. My hair was short and spiky. Yeah. Yeah. I was the middle finger of the group. The middle. So like there's five of us, right? They would call me the middle finger of the group. I am. I'm not tall. I'm 5'60. Yeah.
Speaker 11: 19:16
Okay, that was actually something that we wanted to touch on. We read in the article. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 8: 19:21
Sorry.
Speaker 11: 19:21
You and your other members kind of felt a pressure to feel or kind of make yourselves more distinct because there was a lot of like sameness in the way you looked.
Speaker 8: 19:31
And so what what was that like for you to I didn't feel okay, at the time, and like I said, we were young, I feel like I was the most, I'm being a like full transparency, was the most oblivious. I think I was just there enjoying the ride, and I have you know my friends with me, so I didn't feel as pressured because we're all going through it together. Sure, yeah. So at the time, I don't think I was heavily thinking too much about it. Like, oh, there's so much pressure. I was just having a good time.
Speaker 6: 19:59
Yeah.
Speaker 8: 19:59
And I was kind of going with the flow. Yeah. Um, and at the time, there were other music groups out there. And so I feel like our management team, if not other people around us, like choreographers and stylists, they helped us like kind of create our look and um our sound with our producer. So again, at that time I didn't feel the pressure so much. I see. Because we weren't in in the beginning, we weren't like, hey, we really want to make it big. Now, like a lot of people right now, they're actively going into groups, they're auditioning. Like, I mean, look at the K-pop groups. Yeah. It takes like four years to develop a group. So we weren't like that. It was more so cool, we love to sing, tell us what to do. I kind of love that for real. Like, at least for me. For me at least, I wasn't stressed out. Yeah. It was more so cool, we gotta learn choreography, great. If anything, the most stressful part was doing it when we were in college. Because we were, you know, studying and then rehearsing and then performing and then traveling. And at one point, we actually took a break. We took a semester off to focus on rehearsing and traveling. Because it did get it did get intense.
Speaker 10: 21:01
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 8: 21:02
But later on, like maybe like when you were 20, 21, supposedly.
Speaker 10: 21:04
But it sounds like when you were being told, oh, you you need to cut your hair so you look different from the other members. It seems like you were just like, okay, like whatever, I'm not gonna be too serious about it.
Speaker 8: 21:15
Okay, funny story. So when I was at Solano Community College, I went to Fleck a semester. That's in Fairfield, for those of you that are listening and don't know who that is. I got a perm. And that's what we all did. Yeah, right. It was tight curls, probably like your length. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, cool man, I have curly hair now, great. But I didn't realize it tick maintenance. Like you have to like put product in it and like blow dry and da-da-da. So I was like, fuck this. Like, this is too much work. Because for me, I'm I'm easy, I'm lazy. I take a shower, I let it dry. I don't even like straighten it, I don't do whatever, I don't put anything in it. And so I let it I just let it grow out. Yeah. And I didn't take care of it. I was like, okay, I'm over it. And so I think I decided, okay, my hair's growing out, it's really curly here, and it's straight here. Do I re-perm the three inches that I've grown out?
Speaker 7: 22:04
It's such a real problem.
Speaker 10: 22:05
It's a real problem. Hair math is crazier like that. It's a whole thing.
Speaker 8: 22:10
At the time we were seeing this hairstylist, her name was Ruby. I forgot what the salon was called. It's in Berkeley. It might not be there anymore. And I go in and I say, Hey, I think I want to reperm like the top three inches that have grown out. But my genius ass, I dyed my hair jet black, okay, right? Over the perm. And she goes, Well, I think that would be a bad idea because you just dyed your hair. And so if I try to perm it and there's just fresh dye, it's gonna fuck up your hair. Yeah. And so she said, Why don't you just chop it off? If anything, maybe just go drastic and try something new. And I literally just said, Okay. Wow. But that was that's the story behind it. You're like a hairdresser's dream. There might have been a little, maybe a little suggestion, like, oh, this will let you stand out.
Speaker 10: 22:53
Oh, yeah.
Speaker 8: 22:54
But I was literally it was just so she didn't have to perm my hair.
Speaker 10: 22:56
All right. But here's the thing in all of like the One Voice photos and the music videos, I was like, oh, there she is. Yes, you are distinct. Very distinct. That's true. But yeah, it honestly it was helpful.
Speaker 11: 23:10
Thank you for that. Thank you for that choice.
Speaker 10: 23:13
I look at like twice, like the K-pop group. They have like 50 members, and then they all look different every performance. And I just cannot be able to do that. It's very confusing. Yeah.
Speaker 8: 23:21
Yeah. Yeah. But you're like, oh, I know that one is. And she's a tall one.
unknown: 23:25
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 23:26
The middle finger. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Middle finger. But um I did want to kind of circle back on what you were saying about how you really just leaned into the joy and the fun of this cycle with one voice. Which I loved that because in a lot of the stories that Arns and I cover about celebrities, there does come a point where it becomes so intense that it no longer becomes a joyful thing for them. It becomes work and it becomes, you know, the fame is too much. And I'm just so glad seeing this journey that you've had with One Voice and seeing that you are still so enmeshed in it today, still, like you still perform with these girls. You still have so much love for these girls. You still love music. Like I love that you've kept that close to you this whole time. Like that's such a wonderful thing. I'm so glad that you kept that.
Speaker 8: 24:17
Thank you. I um I was gonna say, well, actually, so
Speaker 8: 24:22
Monica, um, who I'm still really, really close to, I think at one point she said, You don't realize, and she wasn't saying it in a bitchy way, it was like more matter of fact. Like, oh, you don't realize how much of an impact that we have on people. And this is when we were so like 18, 19. Because I was, I think I would shrug stuff off. And I don't think I was being a dick at the time, but it was just like, okay, cool, man. We're just signing autographs, whatever. Because for me, it didn't get to my head. Yeah. I don't think I ever was like, Oh, I'm so cool, I'm signing. I'm an 8x10 photo. Yeah. You know, and none of us were ever like that. But I think she saw my like a daisical attitude and she was like, you know what, people think we're a big deal? I go, really? Yeah. Like we're just, you know, we're just singing. Yeah. You know, we did have the choreography, which is really uncomfortable for me, honestly, because I didn't grow up doing any jazz, any dance. I like was a sports girl. If I tried to do ballet arms, you'd just laugh. But she said, Yeah, I mean, people think we're a big deal. Uh people connect with our music. Yes. And I didn't realize it at the time. I didn't. And even after she told me sincerely, I was like, okay, cool, whatever. Yeah. Yeah. And so I didn't realize it till later. Yeah. Because I would meet people that are like, oh my God, like I played your song at our wedding.
Speaker 11: 25:32
No, yeah.
Speaker 8: 25:33
I taught you to this. And I was like, holy shit. Like that's so fucking cool.
Speaker 11: 25:37
How did that feel?
Speaker 8: 25:38
I mean, like, kind of circling back. Still, it's still actually a shock to me. Like it does, it hasn't really fully hit me yet, even though it's been umpteen years. Yeah. But yeah, but I but I'm thankful. I'm grateful. Like, wow, I if I affected you positively, I'll take it. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 25:54
I'm grateful that it hasn't like paralyzed you in fear, right? Because I can understand like the pressure of being that kind of person for someone is a lot. And it can like really make you get in your head, but it sounds like it hasn't. And I'm really glad. It's like you still are able to live authentically and freely and just be yourself without taking it too seriously. Like I think it could very easily have been like, oh shit, like I have to be perfect all the time. But it does that's not how it's affected you, which I'm so glad to hear. Okay, good. Yeah. But it's true, you are a legend. That's crazy. In a lot of Bay Area girlies' hearts, ours included.
Speaker 11: 26:34
I wouldn't even just say the Bay Area, you know, like it was so like you were a cultural icon. And so again, such an honor.
Speaker 8: 26:41
Oh my god, thank you guys. Seriously. That's never gonna hit me, honestly. It really isn't. So if I if people when I see people that kind of freak out, want to take photos, I'm like, this is weird, but good. Do you take videos that do you like take photos of people? I do, and it's so funny. So are you guys mainly in the South Bay? Yes. Okay. I remember being at the Emeryville Marketplace. Okay. And I'm just having lunch. I'm not done up or anything. I think I'm in workout clothes, you know, I teach fitness, like you mentioned earlier. And this woman comes up to me and she goes, Are you Marie from One Voice? And I was like, Yeah. And it's so funny because my reaction is the same. I'm like, yeah. I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, yeah. I'm like shrinking. I'm like, why are we?
Speaker 6: 27:21
It's like my signature move, you know? Like, don't look at me.
Speaker 8: 27:24
Um, and then yeah, and take photos. This is it's it's fun and weird at the same time and like humbling. I'm like, this is really happening. Yeah. I hope you never lose that wonder.
Speaker 11: 27:34
I hope you keep that forever. No. So I'm curious about, I know you have a sob story, but I I don't know if this is related or not,
Speaker 11: 27:41
but I'm curious about how you started bringing fitness more into the forefront of your life.
Speaker 8: 27:48
My siblings and I, we grew up playing sports. And then I discovered Pilates, I want to say in college. Um little rewind. I tore my ACL in my right knee playing soccer. And so I was out for a year. And then eventually I tried to like continue to do sports, but it was just too intense. Like you really need to be so healthy and your joints intact to like go full force, even if it's just recreationally, you can still hurt yourself. So I had to like turn to other forms of movement. Yeah. And so going to the gym, doing rehab, physical therapy, Pilates, yoga, all that stuff. And so I've just been doing it ever since my early 20s, nine years ago. Um yeah, and I think during the pandemic, fast forward to the pandemic, um, there's a Pilates studio that opens near where I'm living in Oakland. And you know what's so funny? The establishment before this Pilates studio, it was a Taco Bell. And I got really sad. I was like, God damn it, you're replacing Taco Bell. Wait, what's your Taco Bell order? Sorry. Oh my god, Mexican pizza.
Speaker 7: 28:51
Stop it. Oh my god, so we door dash on right now. I'm just kidding. Oh my god.
Speaker 6: 28:57
Oh my god. I knew it was gonna be a Mexican pizza.
Speaker 8: 29:00
And two Taco Supremes extra sour cream. My heart is racing. You don't know how much this means to me.
Speaker 11: 29:08
Oh my god. Okay.
Speaker 9: 29:11
Sorry, okay. Oh my god. So yes.
Speaker 8: 29:15
We might have had Taco Bell last night. Maybe. I most likely had Taco Bell. Okay. I was tired. Oh, sorry. Um I don't know. My mind is on so so it replaced the Taco Bell. Yeah. And okay, another rewind. I lived in LA for 10 years. When I moved back, I was like, what am I gonna do? I was working at restaurants and bars. And um, instead of working at a bar or restaurant, I was like, I gotta do something else. So I turned to catering in private events. And um also I considered doing massage therapy and Pilates. And then I forgot about that idea and just went back to work, went back to work, grinding. And then pandemic happened and that studio opened. And one of the instructors, this is right before the pandemic, literally a month before the shutdown. Hey, do you want to sign up? I was like, oh shit, okay. So I had been thinking about it. As a member or teacher? As a teacher. Yeah, I see. Oh, and I was like, Okay, I'll just sign up. Because I've always wanted to. I thought about it, and then I just like turned away from it. Yeah, you know, maybe this is a sign that the Taco Bell was replaced. Pilates is here. Yeah. Stay fit. Yeah. And so I signed up to teach, and then the shutdown happened. And so I did a bunch of hours online, and then I didn't do in-person training until probably like eight months after. Wow. Like after the shutdown. And so we were wearing masks, of course. So there's like three of us in a classroom in the studio. We're literally just like going over the material. Um, so yeah, that's how I got back into fitness even more. But before that, I was just, you know, going on runs, going to the gym, taking classes. And now I'm just like even more into it because I teach.
Speaker 10: 30:51
Yeah. Yes. It sounds like you've always had like like bursting with all of this energy, and fitness is kind of your way to have an outlet for it. This is true. That's wonderful. Ah. Yeah. No, for sure. Yeah. Okay. Well,
Speaker 10: 31:04
we are gonna transition to your sob story now. So we're here for a little bit of a preview. And you said it was you said it's a surprise. Oh, that's like a surprise because it's a surprise. But it's still fitness kind of related. So I think this is a good segue.
Speaker 8: 31:17
Okay. Okay, so sob story. I am in a room, a dimly lit room, and the light is being provided by candles. And I'm surrounded by other people, we're all on bikes. And um, have you guys ever taken like an indoor cycling class? Okay, have you done soul cycle? Yeah, of course. Oh, okay, you've done soul cycle. And so this is the first class I've ever taken, like literally, literally circa 2016. I want to say spring or summer, and I'm in the class, and I'm like, okay, let's see what the hype is about. Right. Because one of my former colleagues in LA, she's an instructor. She's like a celebrity soul cycle instructor, and I see her Facebook page and she's ripped as fuck. I'm like, okay, I guess I gotta do soul cycle. All right, there's some legitimacy to this. So I go to the Walnut Creek location, and so I'm in class. I'm like, okay, it's like a, you know, it's dope, it's loud as fuck. I have earplugs, thankfully. And the energy is good though. Everyone's super into it. It's packed. Yeah. The instructor is hype as fuck, she's playing great music. And I wanna say the song Don't Let Me Down comes on with the chain smokers. Okay. Don't let me down, don't you? That one I think, and I think it might have been a remix. And this is during our cool down period. If you've never taken a soul cycle class or indoor cycling class, to everybody that's listening and watching, you know, but you have an intro, you have like the heightened period, you are uh standing up, you have weights, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, oh, okay, that's a thing. You had choreography, you're not just sitting on your ass the whole time. And so that song comes on. And the cooldown period is where they get all like, woo-woo, that's the word, woo-woo, woo. Where they're like being really motivational. Yes, and they're saying stuff like, okay, you've made it this far, you are stronger and more powerful than you tell yourself da-da-da-da-da. And it's like in combination with the lighting and the song. And I just literally just bust out crying. Oh my god. As she's saying all these like empowering words, I'm like literally just bawling my eyes out. The music is so loud, thankfully, because I'm like ugly crying. Yeah. I am like literally just like, why am I fucking crying? I'm crying, and while I'm crying, like, why am I fucking crying in my head? And I'm like, hope no one's looking at me. No one is because they're all fucking crying too, I hope. You know, and so I literally just start bawling and sobbing. I'm like, holy shit, as if like something was just let out. Yes. You know, and the music dies down, the lights come back on, and I'm like literally like my head's down the whole time because I don't want anyone to see me crying, because I'm still crying. Yeah. And then I go to the locker room and I'm still crying. Yeah. And I'm like, to this side, people are like going in and out, taking showers, getting ready, and I couldn't not get it together. And so the instructor comes in and I'm like, I think my tears have been dried by that time. And I say, just so you know, this is my first class ever, and I loved it, and it made me cry at the end. So thank you. And so at the time I was like, why the fuck was I crying? And I realized before that class, first class ever, um, as I mentioned earlier, I lived in LA for 10 years. I went there after I graduated from SF State, and I kind of just I just kind of went. I went to school for audio engineering for a year, and I thought I was gonna move back, but I ended up staying in LA and it became 10 years. It literally just became 10 years, and I had the best time of my life, and nothing bad or positive happened to propel me to come back to the Bay. I was just like, you know what? I think it's time. It's been 10 years. Yeah. And so before I dived into work, like figuring out what I wanted to do financially when I was up there, I didn't line up any work. I was like, you know, I'm just gonna go back. Yeah, I'll figure it out. Yeah. And so fast forward to the Soul Cycle class, I think what was released was a lot of emotions. It was more so like, okay, I'm scared. What am I gonna do? I'm embarrassed because I don't have work yet. And it was just like a lot of things. I think it was just I think I was just trying to figure it out. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 35:17
Yeah. It sounds like because I I feel like I know what you're talking about. It's like people in general tend to hold things in so closely. But when you do things like push yourself on a bike and all you're trying to do is just like catch your breath, it almost opens that door for you to release what you've been holding in.
Speaker 8: 35:34
Yeah, I think I was holding in what's it called? What's that another another word? Um pride. I know pension, a penchant for pride. No, I think it was I it was like a combination of pride and um shame and also embarrassment and also uncertainty, I guess. And it was like all those things, like holy shit, I don't know what the fuck I'm gonna do with my life. And I think I let it all out. And it's like, you know what, it's okay.
Speaker 10: 35:59
Yeah. But the thing is, like, once you let it out, then you get to that point where you're like, wait, it's okay though.
Speaker 8: 36:04
Yeah. So I think it I never that never happened to me. Yes. Like I've been working out my whole life. I've been pushed. I've had grueling exercise um routines, right, from different instructors. But that one I was like, where did that come from? Like it's never been an emotional release. And yes, it was my first ride with Soul Cycle. I don't normally cycle. I'm a runner, I'm a swimmer. So maybe that was it. But it was like, like you had said, it was just a combo of just a lot of things. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 36:29
And maybe it was because, because you're not a biker. Yeah. You were like, oh, this is new. Wait, what's happening?
Speaker 8: 36:33
And I think it was me admitting, like, I don't know what to do next.
Speaker 6: 36:37
Yeah.
Speaker 8: 36:37
I don't know. I think it was me also like just let that fear of starting and trying something new just let it go. I think it was just letting go of all the things.
Speaker 11: 36:47
I love that because yes, fitness related. And also, I know that there's so many people listening who feel that too. And even I feel a little bit of that, you know, like, oh my God, like what now? Like that that that kind of scary feeling and the fact that you just kind of like let yourself feel it all.
Speaker 8: 37:06
Yeah.
Speaker 11: 37:07
Um, and then not even necessarily knowing what it was until after after. Yeah. And realizing, you know what, it's okay to not be okay.
Speaker 8: 37:13
That piece, that piece, it is okay. It's okay to not be okay. Yeah. Yeah. And a lot of people don't think it is okay, but it really is. Yeah. Yeah. It is. Oh gosh. So going back to music, so we did an album during the pandemic, and there was no pressure. We're just like, you know, we're all stuck inside. Let's just create music. And it was with those guys I mentioned, Dom, Dom Brady. He has a lot of stuff on online, and I'll give you links later. But he sent me a beat and a groove, and I started writing to it, and it's called Okay, not okay. And that's pretty much the theme. Like, it's okay not to be okay. It's yeah, yeah. It's about a relationship and you're trying to figure out what your partner is feeling, and you can tell that they're holding something back. They don't want to burden you with it. Yeah. But it's like, yo, are you it's okay if you're going through some shit. Yeah. Just let me know. And so that's kind of like the whole theme of it. It's called okay, not okay.
Speaker 10: 38:09
I can't wait to listen.
Speaker 8: 38:10
Yeah, I'll give you guys a link.
Speaker 10: 38:12
What a beautiful message and reminder for us, for anyone listening, that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay. And as long as you can find whatever it is that can help you feel safe enough to just feel it and then maybe even let it go. Like I'm just so glad that happened for you. And I hope that this kind of pushes our listeners to also find that thing, whether it be fitness, whether it be music, whatever it is, just put yourself in a safe space and just release. Yep. Like that's such a beautiful message to share.
Speaker 8: 38:44
And if the lights were on, you want to be like, oh, bitches in pain. Yeah. Like my mouth was so wide open and I was like, like it looked reminded me of a little kid crying. Like that's how I felt. Yeah. But that's the most freeing way to cry, right?
Speaker 11: 38:58
Well, that was like, you know, your inner child, also that self-acceptance that you came to, right? Like that it is okay to not be okay. So yeah.
Speaker 9: 39:06
Yeah. Beautiful.
Speaker 8: 39:08
Yeah. Yeah. I was just like, I don't know where to go from here, but fuck it.
Speaker 9: 39:11
Fuck it.
Speaker 11: 39:12
Yes. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 39:14
Because we'll figure it out eventually. We'll figure it out. It always works out as it's meant to.
Speaker 8: 39:18
Yes. Yes.
Speaker 10: 39:20
Marie, this has been so wonderful. I'm so excited to first off like listen to the new music that you put out. This okay, it's okay to not be okay. Yeah. I'm also really excited to take your class. Yeah, no, it's gonna be super fun. I know. Yeah. I'm really excited. So again, if those of you are listening that are local and you've loved hearing Marie's story today, please come join us this Saturday at the premise. Marie will be teaching us a few things. Yes. A few little things. Pilates moves. Maybe some Pilates moves, maybe some life lessons, maybe some music lessons. I don't know. I don't know. Yes. I don't know. She's also a really good dancer if you can't tell from my stuff on.
Speaker 6: 40:01
Oh my God. That's so bad.
Speaker 8: 40:03
Holy crap. Oh my God. Yeah, no, it was invad- You guys, okay. The one thing that I dreaded every performance was literally a choreography. Really? Yes. I was crying inside.
Speaker 7: 40:13
Oh, I just wasn't a natural dancer. We didn't have a natural dancer either. But I'm just like, I don't want to be here. No, I got it. I just want to sing. Can we just sing and not have like a tip as Ouija board up on the stage?
Speaker 6: 40:29
Exactly.
Speaker 10: 40:31
Like this and sing, and that's all I want to do. Well, thank you so much, Marie. Where can people find you? How can people support you?
Speaker 8: 40:39
Okay, so I am also on Instagram. So it's A M, my initials, my first uh initials, and then my last name, Soralvo. So A-M-C-E-R-A-L-V. And then also, I don't know if Mike mentioned, or we talked about this briefly, so I also DJ. And I have you can follow me on Instagram as well. It's named after, it's gonna be, it's gonna sound weird, but I'll give you the backstory. So my my DJ name is DJ, it's Vieucare. Have you ever heard of that name? No. Okay, so Vucare is actually a French term, and it's actually a old, it's one of the oldest neighborhoods in New Orleans. Oh technically it means old square, which I think is pretty funny, but it's also a cocktail. So if you guys drink cocktails, Vucare is also a cocktail, and it's kind of a riff on Manhattan. So it's very strong. Okay. Um that I wouldn't drink it.
unknown: 41:31
Not for me.
Speaker 8: 41:32
But but um on Instagram, you can follow me um at DJ underscore V-I-E-U-X underscore C-A-R-R-E. Ooh, yeah. So Vucore.
Speaker 10: 41:45
I want to try it too. I want to try to show it. Is that your signature drink? Okay, another round of effect. I've been bartending since for for 18 years. That's right.
Speaker 8: 41:51
Because I'm a bartender too, so that's why I know what the drink is. And so when I first started doing craft cocktails, we learned all these cocktails, hundreds of cocktails. And Vukare like stuck out because I don't know, I've never I've never heard it before. And so whenever people would say, make me something, make me your favorite, I that was my my go-to. Oh, it's my go to signature. Yeah, I like. So you should try it. Okay.
Speaker 7: 42:12
Okay, fine.
Speaker 10: 42:12
I will. And I'll try it.
Speaker 7: 42:13
You can split one. Okay. Because it it's super, it is a very strong signature.
Speaker 10: 42:18
I'll have my gosh. This has been the best, Marie. Thank you so much. I hope you had as much fun as we had.
Speaker 8: 42:26
Let's keep going.
Speaker 10: 42:27
I know keep going.
Speaker 11: 42:30
Um I don't have to adult. I'm glad you feel the same way. Well, thanks for having me, guys. So this is something that we ask our guests for a cry recommendation. Ooh. A movie, a song. Yeah. You alluded to a couple already, but if there's anything that comes to mind.
Speaker 8: 42:49
So I wonder if your parents are my age. I'm just kidding. Oh, well, I have an older sister, so maybe. Maybe we're the same age. Yeah. Yeah. So okay. Are you familiar with Peter, Paul, and Mary? Mm-mm. I think so. Okay. But you might have heard one of their most famous songs. Um, Leaving on a Jet Plane. Have you guys? Oh, yes. Leaving on a Jet Plane. Yes. Okay. So that song always makes me cry. I don't know. I think because of the lyrics, of course, but also it reminds me of my dad. And my dad passed away in 2022. So that reminds me of him. And then that one song by Adele when we were young. Do you know that one? Of course. That one makes me cry a lot. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aaron Smith.
Speaker 10: 43:32
That's beautiful. Okay. And those are all beautiful songs. Okay. Yeah. We will link those all too. Yeah. Okay, good. Let's do that. Okay, and we have one more thing. One last thing. Okay, so earlier uh Marie was here and she saw that we have a bit of merch on the side, and she was like, Oh yes. I need to buy some merch. You don't have to. I want to. Because today we will be gifting you, as we do all our guests, with a BRB crying hat. Oh my god, yay!
Speaker 11: 43:57
Guests are you okay? It looks good on everyone. So beware you might be stunning. By design.
Speaker 9: 44:04
Oh my god.
Speaker 11: 44:05
Oh, it looks so good.
Speaker 10: 44:06
It looks stunning on you.
Speaker 9: 44:07
Yay!
Speaker 11: 44:08
Thank you guys.
Speaker 10: 44:09
Thanks.
Speaker 11: 44:09
Seriously. This was the best. This was amazing.
Speaker 6: 44:12
Thank you.
Speaker 12: 44:12
Thank you.
Speaker 6: 44:13
I want to do it again.
Speaker 11: 44:21
All
Speaker 11: 44:21
right. So this guest that we have is a bit of a local legend. Woo! If you have heard of Seafood City Late Night Madness, which if you are on the internet, I know you have heard of it. She's one of the OG DJs behind that whole movement.
unknown: 44:39
God.
Speaker 10: 44:40
I'm so excited. I know, I know. You know what? I was looking at like our past reels. We literally talked about this. We did. Like months and months ago. We like six months ago. Yeah, we randomly started talking about the viral, incredible videos of the Seafood City parties. You and I were like, why the fuck haven't we gone yet? Yeah, we didn't get to go. Yeah. Every week though, we were like, oh fuck, should we go? Should we go? Oh, I need to find a babysitter. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And knowing us, we did the most. And instead of going, we actually just brought them on the podcast. Yes.
Speaker 11: 45:11
Of course, of course. So our guest today is Jen Ui, otherwise known as DJ Jayou. So she will be the one DJing our rhythm and burn event on Saturday. But so Ninz brings up that when we talked about it on the pod, it was so meta because we were talking about how viral it is. And then our video went a little viral too, right? Like talking about it. Talking about the Yeah, it was kind of crazy. But if if you have not heard of Seafood City Late Night Madness, so Seafood City, if you haven't even heard of Seafood City at all, it is a huge Filipino supermarket chain in North America. I think there's like 40 locations, and half of them are in California alone.
Speaker 10: 45:48
Oh, really?
Speaker 11: 45:48
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 45:49
I mean makes sense.
Speaker 11: 45:50
Yeah, makes sense. Um so they were apparently trying to roll out some new features, and Daily City is kind of like their guinea pig location. I guess it's like one of their newer locations. So that's kind of like, well, let's try this out. Let's try this out. So they had this idea to put on these late night parties, and it fucking takes off. It is lit as heck. It's lit as fuck to get me on there. I mean, like, again, we didn't even get to go. We had the most FOMO watching it because I think everyone online was also watching it. Like a bunch of non-Filipinos too were like, wait, the Filipino community is so cool. Like, look at these fucking parties they're throwing at a supermarket.
Speaker 10: 46:29
With like the fluorescent lights on, like like freaking barbecue skewers on plates. Exactly. Jeffrey and hand, you know? Incredible.
Speaker 11: 46:39
I know, I know. So they, I mean, they had entire like DJ lineups and everything. And I mean, it was pretty much instantly this cultural movement. So you can imagine how hyped we are to have one of those DJs with us in the fucking house. So we're gonna get into Jen's origins, DJing, and then getting into how this whole Secret City thing came about. We're gonna get into community, community building, and how music and DJing kind of plays a role in that. And then in light of our wellness event this Saturday, we're also going to get into mental health because that is such a huge part of wellness. And so there's a lot to get into. So let's do it. Without further ado, let's welcome Jen Ui, otherwise known as DJ Jayou. All
Speaker 11: 47:36
right. Hello, Jen, and welcome to Beer Be Crying. Thanks for being here. Thanks for having me. How do you feel? Uh, I feel great. Okay. Nervous? I'm like, I'm nervous.
Speaker 10: 47:48
I'm like, oh, yeah, because we have a celebrity here.
Speaker 11: 47:50
We have a celebrity. Yeah. Exactly. We have a legend. We have a legend. Um, yeah, I'm we're so excited, as you can tell. We had a lot of FOMO watching from the sidelines, not being able to go.
Speaker 10: 48:02
You know what? I was looking at the dates of when things started. It was probably like exactly a year ago, right? When the first Seafood City started. I think it was September. September, yeah.
Speaker 5: 48:12
September was the very first one. Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 10: 48:15
Can you just okay, let's just talk about it. Let's get into it. Get into it. How how did this start? Or like how did you start getting involved in this? Well, let's back up. And so when you were born. Yeah, 2024.
Speaker 5: 48:28
Wait, what's your name?
Speaker 9: 48:29
Sorry, what's your birthday? Like genuinely, I'm asking. My birthday is September 24th. Oh. Shut the f Wait, so you're a Virgo too? No, you should be.
Speaker 11: 48:37
Oh my God. I'm September 21. Oh my God. Fucking chills. What the hell?
unknown: 48:42
Wow.
Speaker 11: 48:43
So funny. So do you have a lot of earth energy? Do you find that you have some earth energy even though you're an air sign? Because I know people on the cusp often. I'm definitely like a lot of people think I'm a Virgo.
Speaker 5: 48:54
Love that for you. I mean, it's not a bad thing. Oh, that's an incredible thing. I definitely think I have both Libra and Virgo characteristics. So yeah. No, okay. So backing up to, I guess, yeah, a year ago, definitely I was not a part of the very first birth of C-Fit City. I think we need to shout out DJ JP Burganza. Yes. As the very first DJ who's the very first DJ to do the late night madness concept before it was even late-night madness. Um and how it started, long story short, I'll try to make it short, because there's two stories, and that became one where one is JP and then the other is Patricia Francisco, who is the marketing director of Seafood City. Yes. I believe that's her title. Yeah. Shout the fuck out. Queen of Seafood City is what I call her. Yeah. Like, you know, I talked to her, I'm like, can you imagine? Like, Seafood City is kind of like a pop culture thing now.
Speaker 1: 49:52
It's iconic.
Speaker 5: 49:54
Yeah. And essentially what she wanted to do was bring in kind of a younger demographic into the stores. And that's why uh I don't know how her and JP got in contact, but that was the idea. Like she wanted to DJ. And I believe what JP was doing was he was doing a lot of different things. Like he always like stood out in what he did. Um so I think at the time he was DJing at a golf course. Okay. So all these different things, you know? Like, oh wow. Like I never would have thought to DJ at a golf course. I would have never thought to DJ at a grocery store.
Speaker 10: 50:33
I was scouring his, I think his TikTok because I was, you know, trying to research how this came about. And he said something, or I think it was a KQED article where he was interviewed and he was saying, like, when you think DJs, you think nightclubs, you think bars, but I would love to take that to other places. Like, have you ever DJ'd on a mountain or like have you ever DJed? Just like all these different places. So I think that was part of the creativity. That's really cool. He and Patricia, it sounds like this visionary to create this really cool type of event. So no, no.
Speaker 5: 51:05
So it yeah, essentially just two of them got together and the birth of, yeah, party in a grass. That is before it even had a name, before the late night madness was even like a thing. And then I got involved through um a colleague at the time who brought me in because I was already booking DJs for like markets or community events. Yes. What's funny is that when I got asked, I got asked, like, oh, would you like to DJ at Seafood City? I was like, and I've already saw the videos. I was like, uh, yeah, that looked amazing. Like, I can't believe I'm getting asked to DJ at Seafood City. Yeah. Well, I was like, what is happening right now?
Speaker 9: 51:48
Yeah, like it's crazy. Because like I saw it go viral. Can I ask, do they serve alcohol at these events? Or is it completely sober and it's still that fucking lit? Is it the lights are on?
Speaker 5: 51:59
And people for me as a DJ, like if I'm DJing a wedding or some type of party, private party, I'm like, okay, if the lights are on, no one's gonna get on the dance floor.
Speaker 10: 52:08
Right, exactly. Filipinos, man. It's just the Panoy Pride. You know what I mean? That's right.
Speaker 5: 52:16
Grocery store. And we started doing it, I think we were in between like aisle six and seven. Oh.
unknown: 52:23
Right.
Speaker 5: 52:23
We were lit yeah i in between check stands. Like my friend's son was dancing on like the uh belt thingy.
Speaker 1: 52:32
Yeah. And then we got bigger.
Speaker 5: 52:34
So we had to move to those fish section. Cause you know, it was more space. That's so cool. It was I remember one day like we had to move the position of a speaker just because the crab and lobster tank was leaking. I was like, I would never thought I've had this type of problem. God, this is so cool.
Speaker 11: 53:01
Oh my God. Wow. In the moment, yeah, could you tell, like, this is fucking crazy? This is already like, could you feel that it was already an iconic moment in time while you're like it's so weird, but like it works, you know?
Speaker 5: 53:15
Oddly, so I started booking because JP got busy. Like he went viral. JP got too busy. And uh, when I got asked, they were like, and we need to start next week, Friday and Saturday. I'm like, so I don't even have time to process, like, or even ask questions. Like, what are what's the expectation? Or just find DJs and we'll see what happens. Yeah. Um, and I was already booked.
Speaker: 53:41
Yeah.
Speaker 5: 53:42
And I was like, well, I have a huge pool and connection of DJs. I was like, yeah, let me start reaching out to people who I think would be a good fit for this and together. So I was booking at least two DJs. So I wasn't able to go to, I think the first weekend. I went the weekend after, yeah, I think we were doing it every every weekend. It was just crazy. I was so stressed out. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1: 54:09
It sounded like it was a great stress. I mean, it was like adrenaline.
Speaker 5: 54:13
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So my first time DJing was with DJ Cut So. Like one of the feelings I remember just looking around, like, like, wow, I just love our people. Like, we there's this auntie who was really just came to go go shopping with her daughter. And she has her, she just checked out. Yeah. So she has her bag, but she's stopped to dance because we're in front of the exit. Tito. Yeah. Yeah. And you know, what we saw was, you know, parents and children getting to party together. It's a thing that they don't get to do in a grocery store. But also one of the biggest comments, which I loved, was like a lot of the DJs too, were like, my parents got to come to um to one of the parties and they don't they don't ever see me DJ because all our gigs are my life or something. And uh parents don't come to that.
Speaker 2: 55:06
Yeah.
Speaker 5: 55:07
So that night that DJ Kutzo and I DJ'd, his parents, I don't know if they surprised him. Oh my god. His parents came in with a shopping cart. Like the crowd like parted. Oh my god. DJ Kutzo's mom in a cart, and he's like, that's my mom. Oh my god. I was like, oh my god, how cute. Oh, that's so cute. Super cute. So just hearing that from a lot of the DJs was was special. I love that. And I was like, we did something more than just throwing a party and getting lit in a street store.
Speaker 10: 55:35
Yeah. Going back again to that KQED article, they talked about how exactly what you're saying, Jen, there was like almost this nostalgia that DJ JP Braganza had about like missing Filipino family parties. And I'm sure you can, listeners, if you can take experience from your own life across different cultures, but there is such a magic and such a warm, home like feeling when you're at a family party where there's all of these different people, all these different ages coming together, enjoying food, enjoying music, and just enjoying being with each other. But as you get older, you kind of miss that. I could cry. It's exactly what this whole event, these whole series of parties is really like focusing on. It's just like bringing, as you said, all of these different generations back.
Speaker 2: 56:21
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 56:21
Like how beautiful.
Speaker 2: 56:23
That's so cool.
Speaker 10: 56:23
Fucking lit. Yeah. All of it, right? Yeah. Floor fluorescently. Fluorescently lit. Um so are they still doing it every weekend now?
Speaker 5: 56:34
No, no, no, no. So late night madness took a break for a little bit. I a much needed break. Yes. But we are bringing it back.
Speaker 10: 56:42
Patricia did reach out to me and say for sure, Arns, you and I have to go. So we can see it. So that we can go.
Speaker 5: 56:51
I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll let you guys know the date just so we can find babysitters ahead of time. Yeah. In the near future. Okay. Okay. I we will be there. But they do have a lot, not in Daily City, but a lot in SoCal. Yeah. They've been doing a lot of events.
Speaker 10: 57:05
I've seen some in like Chicago. And like, I mean, it really has taken off nationally. That's really cool. Internationally, because it's Canada. Internationally.
Speaker 5: 57:13
Canada has, yeah.
Speaker 11: 57:15
God, that is so cool to have inspired that. Yeah. It's crazy. That is incredible.
Speaker 5: 57:20
Yeah. What's funny is now like you're scrolling through Instagram or social media and you see, I remember seeing a DJ in Home Depot. Okay. I think I saw a DJ in like Rayleigh's or Safe. One of those.
Speaker 11: 57:33
Like, um, I'm like, wow, DJs are just they're just trying it. Well, because it's kind of like someone paved the way. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 57:40
Yeah. But nothing compares to the late night madness. I don't think.
Speaker 11: 57:43
But on our viral video about the viral seafood scene. I mean, people were commenting, like, God, no one does it. Like the bay. Like, it's so cool that they like and Filipinos. And it's yeah. Yeah. I was like, I'm so proud. Yeah.
Speaker 1: 57:57
Didn't get to go, but so proud. Come from afar.
Speaker 5: 58:03
Yeah. Exactly. No, you'll go to the next webinar. We'll come back to the percent. We will be there at the next one.
Speaker 10: 58:08
But there is, there is a lot to say, again, about the music and the community that it brings together. So that does kind of tie into exactly what we were trying to have as kind of the theme of today's episode, just bridging community into all these different aspects through fitness, through movement, through wellness, and you know, how that really is at the crux of just being a whole person. So I think we want to transition now into the feelings a little bit. So as you know, cry babies, we ask all of our guests to share a sob story, something that moved them. At first, Jen was like, Do I have to cry? You know, like, no, it's not required. It is not a requirement, definitely not. But it just allows our listeners to get to know our guests on a deeper level. And what better way to do that than through diving into our emotions? So we'd love to hear if you have something to share with us. And yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 59:08
So I always say I was like, I'm not, I'm not the cry, I'm not a crier. And like my friends joke are like, Do you have a heart? But
Speaker 5: 59:16
I'll say pre-pandemic gen is a different gen from post-pandemic.
Speaker 12: 59:21
Only because I had to the rest of the world too. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 59:25
Umly because I had to do a lot of healing and just like learning about myself. Um, I was in a relationship that taught me a lot. And I thought he was a messed up one, and I was not. And what I was seeing from him, I was just like realizing, I was like, wow, like me and my life are not perfect. Like I was living in this bubble for 30-something years. There's like a part of me, like, I wish I would have learned about the side of me a long time ago. Just because I'm like, no, I'm old and I'm just trying to relearn myself.
Speaker: 01:00:10
Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:00:11
But no, so a lot of me being in my feels, it really is me always just sitting with myself and like realizing, like, you know, it's okay. Cliche, it's okay to not be okay. Um but now, like, for example, there was something that triggered me a few weeks ago. And I was like, why am I so irritated? Like, this person is such a great person, and why am I so irritated about this? And like a few, maybe a few days later, I realized why I'm getting so triggered because this person reminds me of how someone else was treating me. And that outcome with that person originally ended up bad. Yeah. And I'm just like, okay, now I I, you know, I now I'm understanding why, because for me, I'm just like, why am I irritated by this person? Am I a bitch? Like this person is so nice, but why is it what's triggering me?
Speaker 10: 01:01:05
But even the fact that you're asking yourself that question, right? Right shows so much growth. Because I think I hear what you're saying. Like when you're younger, you think you are the only one that has it right. Right. There is no moment's pause when you're like, wait, maybe there's something that I need to address too. Exactly. Because in my mind, I'm like, no, you guys are all fucking dumb. Yeah. Right. Exactly. I'm the only one that fucking knows how to do anything. But now that that's so cool to see that it does take a lot of time and like knowing yourself to be like, oh, wait.
Speaker 11: 01:01:35
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:01:35
Let me back to a second.
Speaker 11: 01:01:37
Such a marker of like emotional growth.
Speaker 5: 01:01:39
Yeah. And there's just so many layers to it, just because I'm like, okay, and and then there's like this layer for me of like holding boundaries. Like, okay, you're annoying me, but I know you're you don't mean ill, but also you're still irritating me. Both, right?
Speaker 11: 01:01:55
Also validating how you feel. Because that's part of it too. Right. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:01:58
So I'm just like, okay, well, I'll know how to adjust with you. Yes. Exactly. Instead of acting impulsively and like saying something that you can't return.
Speaker 5: 01:02:06
It doesn't go, it's not black or white. It's not like I like you or I don't. Like I like you, but like the nuance of it. Yeah. And like one of my favorite like analogies that someone had told me was like, your life is as if you're on stage performing. And there are some people who are sitting in the balcony, and then there's people who have orchestra seats who are a little closer. And then you have your front row seat folks who are, you know, your good friends, your really close friends. And then you have the people in the backstage who like knows what goes on behind the scenes, you know. Yeah. So I was like, okay, yeah. Like younger me was like, everyone's my friend. Yeah. And wanting everyone to be your friend. Wanting to be liked, like, oh, all of that, all that. And you know, finding validation from all these people, like, is so exhausting.
Speaker 10: 01:02:52
Yes.
Speaker 5: 01:02:53
Yeah. Yeah. Now that I think about it. Yes. Yeah, no. So a lot of my feels are really just truly just about me. Like I I could be affected because of somebody else. Yeah. But at the end of the day, it's me and my feelings. Yes. And I have to own how I react. Yeah. And um, you know, I've had to like let go of some people just because I'm like, I doesn't serve me. It's the energy's not right. Like I have to be honest. And so it's okay. And that's okay. That piece. And that's okay.
Speaker 11: 01:03:22
And that's just how that's how it is. Life goes on. Yes. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:03:26
So you, you know, you just think about the bigger things and what really matters. And it really isn't. I guess at the end of the day, just because um Libras, right, are people pleasers.
Speaker 11: 01:03:37
I do see that among the Libras in my life. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:03:40
So that was one of the traits that I'm working on. Yeah. Just because like I do, I do want to keep people happy. I want to accommodate people. I want to. People you care about. Yeah. I want to take care of people. And I used to give that energy to everybody who didn't necessarily deserve it. Yeah. Who I thought only because I was afraid to say no. Yeah. And when I started to say no to things and people, it felt great. Yeah. And and for me, because I was always afraid, like, oh, I don't want them to be mad at me.
Speaker 10: 01:04:11
There is a difference between like setting a boundary and doing it kindly versus being like, no, fuck off. Like I think the expectation is like, oh, she said no to me. That means you hate me. But it's like, no, there is a way to still take care of yourself and still do it kindly with other people. Yeah.
unknown: 01:04:33
Yeah.
Speaker 11: 01:04:34
The quote this quote came to mind. There there's a song, and I will link it in the show notes, but uh the quote is people pleasing is not love, but it is fear. And I I was when I heard that, I was like, yes. Right? I mean, you're afraid of how people are gonna react. Like you're afraid of so many different things. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's crazy.
unknown: 01:04:55
Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 11: 01:04:58
And okay, I I do want to say it's funny that you started off by saying it's okay to not be okay, because I don't know if Marie told you what she talked to us about, but she literally that was like pretty much the theme of her sob story, too. Oh, really? Literally the words it's okay to not be okay. Really? Which is so funny because at the beginning, before we started recording Cry Babies, everyone listening, we were asking Jen how she and Marie know each other. And she mentioned, I don't know if you want to talk more about this, but they've known each other. It's actually only been like three years. Three or four years. I'm like, I think it's I don't know. But it feels like it's been from from the outside looking in, it feels like it's been an eternity. And you said you were just such an energetic match. And it's so funny to see you both sharing the safety. Because me and Nins do that all the time. We show because we never know what stories we're gonna share when we come on here. But there are so many times where we share like the same message with completely different mediums. But it's like when you're like a on that level with someone, that's so funny.
Speaker 5: 01:05:55
Oh funny. Yeah. Because we didn't talk about it. She told me we talked about she how much fun she had. Oh. But I didn't want to ask. Because I also want to kind of be surprised of what they talk about in their episodes. Yeah. Or in their segments. So yeah, that's funny. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 10: 01:06:15
How do you feel? Like where you are in life now. I know you mentioned that you feel like a different person than you were before and after the pandemic. Like, what are the things that you do to take care of your wellness beyond, you know, the obvious eat right and move your body? Like, what are the ways that you take care of your soul?
Speaker 5: 01:06:37
I feel like I'm at some peak level of adulting because I have like a crazy cipher. I have a therapist, a clinical therapist. I love therapy on the pod. We love the I have a um like a spiritual healer. I don't even know what you're like, we do really she does breath work. Oh, that's so cool. And I even have a hypnotherapist. Yeah. You do? I haven't done it in a long time. But my God. Spiritual clinical therapy, even like massage. Like back in the day thinking like, oh, massage is just, you know, for girls' days. Right, right, right. You know, treat yourself. No, like I need that. My body hurts. Yes. Yes. So do do those things. Yes.
Speaker 10: 01:07:23
But also you have to thank yourself too, because all of those things require like research and appointments and scheduling. And I feel like you have to go out of your way to prioritize those things. You know? Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:07:38
And interesting you say that because it it it's hard work. And that's why like most people don't uh do. Yes.
Speaker 10: 01:07:47
Yeah. It does take a lot of effort. And that's why I want to like commend you for that. Because it's like you it was a time where you were like, no, I am going to take care of me. Yeah. Prioritizing yourself. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:07:57
Yeah. Especially with our culture too. Um and which is one thing that I always like to put in my mental health just because it's such a stigma, right? Just in general, but more so with our culture. Yes. Um a thousand percent.
Speaker 10: 01:08:13
Therapy is great, guys.
unknown: 01:08:14
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:08:15
I have been so curious about hypnotherapy. I don't know why I haven't just done it yet, but I've talked about it so much on the podcast. Like I literally have like mentioned it many times. I'll do like guided meditations, like the f the free ones on YouTube. But like I've never actually gone to a hypnotherapist. If you're comfortable sharing, could you talk us through how that experience was for you?
Speaker 5: 01:08:34
The last why that was was a while ago, but essentially, like you're just laying there and the hypnotherapist. You're a practitioner is literally your eyes close and they're really it's I we oddly I've never done a guided meditation. I hate to admit that. Yeah. Just because for me, it's hard for me to sit there and do it myself.
Speaker 9: 01:09:01
Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:09:02
Um, even if it's you know through an app. But you know, having someone tell me, like, okay, close your eyes and imagine like think of like your safe place. Like what color is it? Where are you? What do you feel? And are you responding out loud, like verbally, or are you just in your head listening? Just listening, yeah. But what ended up happening in that session was I got to meet meet the little girl in me that got and that like absorbed some type of trauma, which isn't which wasn't me. Like, you know. First of all, we are the most woo-woo girls here. So you don't have to be a we talk about the shit and all these shit. No, um, it was it was essentially like probably like a little girl version of my soul that like gave me an understanding of why I think at the time why I was a people pleaser, other than being a Libra. Yeah. Um why I was always, I think, just always scared of like kind of voicing my opinion. Yeah. Which was a the very first time I did Reiki, that's the first thing someone told me, was like, your throat is really blocked. Your throat chakra, yeah. And then now it's like, I think y'all open it way too much.
Speaker 9: 01:10:29
Close it back up.
Speaker 5: 01:10:30
Scraping now. Yeah. So yeah, it it just gives you, like, I don't want to say like, oh, magically it healed me. That would that's not what it was, but it really gave me an understanding of, you know, why I react or, you know, why I feel certain things. And you take that and find another way to understand and and heal and get better. It's a tool. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 11: 01:10:57
I can I can see the tool. It's still you behind it, you seeking out the healing, yeah. You taking the information, doing something with it. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:11:06
And you and you never are fully, fully healed. Yeah. Right. You just get closer and closer and closer. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:11:11
I don't think I'll I'll be like healed, but I understand better. Yeah. I mean, um, and I'll I just know how to react.
Speaker 11: 01:11:18
What I love about that is the closer and closer you get, you know, the more you move towards this healed version of yourself. Like there's so much freedom and like self-love and self-acceptance. And you're like, oh my God, I can't believe I was withholding that from myself for so long. Like now, like when you are that more evolved version, you look back and you're like, I can't believe like I I was doing that. You know, like you know, you try to have like empathy for that, that older version of you, but like, man, like the kids. Totally. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:11:44
And like I said, I was like, I wish I I knew about all this work when I was younger just because like I could have been living such a you know.
Speaker 10: 01:11:52
Yeah. That is the sentiment that I see a lot. But I also just feel like you don't start until you're fully ready. Like if these options were available to me when I was 20, I don't know that I would have taken it with as much like value or like as much like appreciation. I've just been like, yeah, whatever. Well, I know everything. Everyone else is dumb. I don't need this. You know, so it it does just it just comes to you when you're ready. Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:12:17
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:12:17
You know?
Speaker 5: 01:12:18
Yeah. And again, going back to the stigma, it's like, I don't even think mental health was even a word back then. We I knew about therapy. Yeah and only, you know, if things were really bad is when you go to the went to their own. Yeah. Yeah. No, I I always just say it was like we take better care of our cars than we do like ourselves. Like we're getting the oil change, I'm getting the car wash like every, you know, month or whatever. But I'm not doing any of that for like my brain.
Speaker 11: 01:12:47
Right. Your soul.
Speaker 5: 01:12:49
In my soul, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 11: 01:12:50
Ooh, that's that's a good one. Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate you bringing up the mental health aspect in our communities. I don't know if it's maybe Asian American communities, especially or Asian communities, but yeah, Filipinos for sure. That's I know what we can speak on, but yeah, it the stigma is so real still now, but it's been so cool to see. Like, I have a Filipino therapist.
Speaker 9: 01:13:13
Yeah, and so it's like it's me too.
Speaker 5: 01:13:16
Yeah, I know. But like it's all the same one.
Speaker 11: 01:13:21
That would be so that would be crazy. No, but it but it's so cool to see that. Like, not only are we seeking the tools and like the practitioners to help us with our healing, but like we're finding people who look like us, who have the cultural competency around like our upbringing to affirm us in that way. Like, and the fact that we all have Filipino therapists, like wow. Yeah, like that's amazing. Like, how look how far we've come. My God. Yeah. Do you ever do like heli? No. Okay. What what is it? Just for our me and our listeners. I mean, it it's basically just a type of like it's I think it's an umbrella of like Filipino healing. Okay. Yeah. Cool. So it can be yeah, there's many different things. I think that's a cool piece where there's you see the intersection of like Filipino healing, and that that kind of ties back to like getting into like pre-colonization stuff. Like, what were we doing ancestrally to heal ourselves? And so there's lots of things like burning the paper, like with the oil, and then like kind of divination. Um, and then like massage therapy, like a form of massage therapy. And so I think that's a really cool space too.
Speaker 5: 01:14:29
I think it's very much like I need to learn more about heel. What's funny is because I'm Visayan and Hila in our dialect is massage. Yes. So when someone asked me originally, like, oh, how do you know about Hila? I was like, yeah, I am massage. But like a spirit.
Speaker 11: 01:14:44
But I didn't know it was an even bigger umbrella. Okay. Well, this is this is so good. But I do want to tie it back,
Speaker 11: 01:14:51
or like threading it with you as a DJ, like your journey as a DJ, and like and like community and like how important that is. So it's like mental health and wellness.
Speaker 5: 01:15:01
I mean, I knew for me I'd go to music when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm angry. But DJing in the community, one, you just see like the joy. And for me, that helped that fills my cup, that makes me feel good. And people coming up to me saying, like, this is so much fun, like I needed that. Like, yes. Um it's like I never would connect mental health with music, but like it really is, it's healing. I mean, even just not even on a deep level, like DJing for me, it keeps me sane because well, I still work a day job. So from 7:30 to like 5 p.m., I'm sitting at a computer stressed out from other people. Um, and I remember telling somebody recently, I was like, if I didn't have DJing, I'd probably be miserable. Like if I didn't have an outlet, yeah, I'd be miserable.
Speaker 10: 01:15:54
It's interesting when you were talking about your foray into the therapy, and you talk you even said something about like, I feel like I can do that in the safety or the comfort of my bedroom when I'm alone. But one thing that Arns and I have realized over the course of these podcast conversations is that when you start your healing journey, you can only heal alone so far. There has to be a point where you have to bring in your community to carry you through that next step. Right. And I love that the way that you can see that happening in your own life when you go to these events or when you're sharing music with other people and you're feeling the joy of other people. Like, yes, yes, other people are joyful, but you are receiving that for yourself too. Like that's so powerful.
Speaker 5: 01:16:44
Yeah, that just energy, like like even just going back to Seafood City, that level of pure just joy. Like I remember the the first night that I DJ'd and texting DJ Kutso at 3 a.m. The event was over at midnight. Yeah. And um just buzzing. Still buzzing, like both of us were like, I cannot go to sleep. Yeah. Like the energy exchange of that room was is crazy. And again, I'm like, I'm just so lucky I get to do that. Like that's so cool. With every event, like just seeing people have fun and you know, receiving energy from other people.
Speaker 10: 01:17:25
You are so lucky that you got to do that, and also the people that are there in that room are so lucky that you are giving that to them.
Speaker 5: 01:17:33
Like that is so powerful. That exchanges yeah. Yeah. Unexplainable. Yeah. I don't even think there are words.
Speaker 10: 01:17:39
Like I wanted to ask you, as a DJ, what is your go-to song that you know will get that party fucking pop in?
unknown: 01:17:52
Yeah.
Speaker 11: 01:17:52
What are you doing at Secret City?
Speaker 7: 01:17:54
What's it? As if we haven't been talking about it the whole time.
Speaker 5: 01:18:00
Um VST and companies. Awitimo is, of course, just a banger.
Speaker 10: 01:18:07
Hell yeah. Sorry, can I just tell you a small, like, quick side story? But Arns and I were in Vegas last year, uh-huh. And we were at a nightclub. We were at a nightclub. Okay. But Marquee has like their main dance floor. Yes. But then on the bottom floor is like their hip-hop room. Okay. Because we're from the bay, obviously we're gonna be in that hip-hop room. But it was like a, I don't even remember the main DJ, but very like almost like electronic like EDM. In the main stage. On the main stage. So there was so many people on the main stage waiting for him to come out. Okay. And like our group of five friends were the only people in the hip-hop room. Yeah. The old like like besides the bartender and the DJ, it was just us five in this empty ass room. Yeah. And like, you know, we were just trying to make the most of it and like doing the most. Like time of my fucking life. Time of our fucking life. But like all the space and dance. Yeah. But like acting a fucking fool. Like taking up the entire dance floor. And the DJ, I think, gathered that we were Filipino. Like very quickly, gathered that we were Filipino. He fucking played that song.
Speaker 7: 01:19:14
For us. He played it for us. It was the He also played like Filipino. Like there were many, many. Was he Filipino? No, it was Philippi N. Which is the best. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, he had a Filipino girlfriend.
Speaker 10: 01:19:30
Probably.
Speaker 7: 01:19:31
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:19:32
Oh my God.
Speaker 10: 01:19:33
But yeah, that's a classic one.
Speaker 5: 01:19:34
Yeah. That's funny. Yeah. He was like, I was gonna get you guys I have the right answer. You guys get the end.
Speaker 10: 01:19:44
Tie me up for sure. Oh my god. Yeah. Okay. And then why don't we do a non-music cry wreck that you can share with our crybabies?
Speaker 5: 01:19:53
So there's this Instagram account called Murph's Life. Okay. And I don't know if you guys heard it. So he is based in El Salvador, I think. Somewhere in South South America. Okay. But what he does is just helps the the families there. And so he has his site just has um a GoFundMe donations, and he'll feature like a family in a reel, and he'll, you know, ask for their story. And like for for example, there's one where this woman, she um single mom, I believe, like had a few kids and just really I think he met her because she was selling like maybe fruit, like on the streets or whatever. And she was like, I really just like one of her dreams was to have a store. So from the donations, he, you know, fast forward to a few months or however long later, like they were able to build a store for her and a home. Um yeah. And uh yeah, I watched that and was like, yeah, I'm crying for strangers again.
Speaker 9: 01:20:54
Yes. The only way to do it. Sometimes it's easier to cry.
Speaker 10: 01:20:59
That's such a great rec. Yeah. We will tag them in our show notes for sure. Yes.
Speaker 11: 01:21:04
Cool.
Speaker 10: 01:21:04
All right.
Speaker 11: 01:21:05
One last thing. Okay. The last last thing. So we give all our guests a B crying hat, and um it matches.
Speaker 10: 01:21:17
I'm just gonna say, oh yes. And it looks good on everyone. Thank you. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 9: 01:21:21
This is so cute. Yeah. Thank you. Obviously. We're giving it away.
Speaker 5: 01:21:27
Thank you so much.
Speaker 9: 01:21:28
Thank you for being here. Thank you for having me. It was so fun. This was so fun. Yeah, I was like, I'm nervous.
Speaker 5: 01:21:36
I sat down, I'm like, no, I'm not nervous anymore.
Speaker 1: 01:21:38
Yeah.
Speaker 5: 01:21:38
Forget there's cameras.
Speaker 10: 01:21:41
That's that's the intention. I hope that you enjoyed our conversation with us. We want to thank you again for opening up and for sharing so much joy and so many good rex. Yes. I need your wrecks after I'm serious. Yeah. I'm serious. And I can't wait to take this class on Saturday and listen to what you cook up on the fly.
Speaker 12: 01:22:00
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:22:00
Thank you so much.
Speaker 12: 01:22:02
Thank you.
Speaker 10: 01:22:10
Okay. So this guest that we are about to have on our show today is Coach Mike. So um, I actually know Mike through my sister. Okay. Shout out Chris. Shout out Chris. Shout out Chris and shout out Zasha. Hi. Shout out. Um, so Zasha is my sister's like childhood best friend. They went to school together all throughout middle school. They stayed in touch. Their kids are still friends today. And Zasha's partner is Mike. So I met Mike actually through my nephew's birthday party. Okay. Or I think that was the first time like Mike and I really like sat down and talked because the pizza parlor that we were in only had so many chairs. Yeah. So I actually got to talking to Mike and he was kind of like congratulating us on our podcast. I mean, we had just started, like, I think maybe we were a couple months into it. So it was still kind of like new territory for us, but like from the beginning, from the fucking beginning, like Zasha has been so like supportive and like she like bought our first merch when we had delivered it to her house and dropped that on her doorstep. Um, yeah, we love them. Yes. And Mike has been doing some incredible things in his community. And so he actually reached out to us to collab on this really exciting event that we have blasted all over our socials, which is this rhythm and burn fitness class that really integrates movement and music and community. And it's just the perfect, perfect thing for us to work on together. So um, so that's how I know Mike, but in preparation for today's episode, did a little internet stalking, right? Research. I'm on that IG. I'm scrolling, I'm in the archives. Yes. Okay. I'm in like 2016. You know what I mean? And like everything that I'm like reading about and all these things that he's posting, like just gives me such a wonderful picture of who he is. Like he's a father, he's a wonderful father. He just welcomed his daughter earlier this summer. And he's also this musician. He's also like a martial arts instructor. Like he's just so well-rounded. And I think that this is the type of person that you want in your community. Yeah. And like who's so willing to bring you along. So I'm really excited to talk to him. He is also the owner of the premise strength and performance gym. So today I'm really excited to learn how he got into fitness amongst all his other hobbies. I'm really excited to see how he's integrated music as part of this fitness journey. And I just, yeah, I'm just really excited to get to know him beyond just my sister's best friend's husband. Yeah. So cool.
Speaker 11: 01:25:08
Um, for me not knowing Mike at all, my impression is that like he's, like you said, truly at the crux of his community because when we first got into this whole partnership for this event, he was like, let's do this. And like the way he reached out to us. Yeah. And he had all these like really cool ideas, and like, let's loop in all these people who I think like it would be a great event. And I'm like, oh my God, this is so cool. Like this is a man who knows people and who's like so generous in making those connections. So that's my impression. Great first impression. Okay, let's get everyone else's impression. Yeah. What do you guys think? Yeah. Reddit to me.
Speaker 6: 01:25:46
I'll come them in.
Speaker 11: 01:25:49
Just getting to that. Just only praise. Five stars only. Okay.
Speaker 10: 01:25:53
All right. Well, without further ado, here is Mike.
Speaker 3: 01:26:03
What is up?
Speaker 11: 01:26:05
All right. Mike, welcome to Be Or Be Crying.
Speaker 3: 01:26:08
Thank you for having me here. I was just telling Marie, I was like, I think I'm more nervous to come to here versus like performing every week.
Speaker 10: 01:26:18
Really? Which is kind of weird, but um, I know we're so like intimidating and scary.
Speaker 3: 01:26:24
I guess it's because it's like I always watch podcasts all the time, but I never got to be in one.
Speaker 10: 01:26:28
Yeah. And now you're on the best one to be on.
Speaker 11: 01:26:31
Amen. Welcome.
Speaker 10: 01:26:33
Oh my gosh. Wait, so performing every week as what? Oh, at church. Okay.
Speaker 3: 01:26:40
Yeah. I used to perform all the time with my bands, like Filtered Soul, shout out to like all the milpitas heads that kind of know who that was back in the day.
Speaker 10: 01:26:49
Well, what do you perform? Like, do you are you What do you play? Yeah, what do you play?
Speaker 3: 01:26:53
I originally was a frontline vocalist, and then my band Filtered Soul started really playing like instrumentals, and I was like, I don't really play anything. So I just like got into percussion and I kind of learned that. And then I kind of mix those two. But when I get asked to play it, it's usually um percussion and vocals. And you just learned it. Just picked up a little bit. No, I learned from like different people, but I'm not like formally taught, I guess you could say.
Speaker 11: 01:27:20
Did you grow up singing?
Speaker 3: 01:27:21
In the shower and uh karaoke. Low-key No, this is real. Like my parents had a restaurant called Manila Rose Office.
Speaker: 01:27:31
I remember.
Speaker 3: 01:27:32
I remember Savers. And my dad, he would always wake me up at 5 a.m. in the morning to freaking cut meat and vegetables.
Speaker 2: 01:27:41
Oh my god.
Speaker 3: 01:27:42
I think I was like still in middle school. Oh my god. It sucked. I hated it. Um So he'd wake me up and I'd cut vegetables and meat. And as soon as he left, like he had this diesel like Mercedes, so you can hear it's hella loud. He would like leave the restaurant, and as soon as he left, I'd like look out the window and I'm like, I'd run to the karaoke machine. I'd turn it on. I'd turn on all the lights. Like because it's still nighttime at 5 a.m. Yeah. I would go all out, dude.
Speaker: 01:28:09
Oh my god.
Speaker 10: 01:28:10
How did that be?
Speaker 3: 01:28:12
That was like that's where it started.
Speaker 10: 01:28:14
Okay, honestly though, I actually have memories of going to that restaurant because I think your restaurant was like the only restaurant that had TFC. Like it was an early adopter of TFC, and my family didn't have it. Like didn't have the channel. The Filipino channel. The Filipino channel. And so we would go there. T T reason to go there. Did you see me?
Speaker 3: 01:28:36
I was such a bitter person back there. Like back then.
Speaker 10: 01:28:39
I mean, I I yeah, I don't I don't know that I was paying attention.
Speaker 3: 01:28:43
No, I was I just like didn't like being there because I was like working where I was. I always wanted to be out with my friends, but I really appreciate it now. Like I guess you could say work ethic came from that because I was like forced as a kid to do it.
Speaker 10: 01:29:01
Child labor.
Speaker 4: 01:29:01
Yeah. Child labor.
Speaker 10: 01:29:05
But this was, I'm guessing, also around the time where you started singing. You were also picking up the percussions later on in life. What about your like martial arts background? Because I saw that was something you highlighted on your website too. Was that also during this time? Like middle school, or is that something you pick up later?
Speaker 3: 01:29:24
I always wanted to do martial arts. I think that's like a guy thing. Like when you're a kid, you just want to be a freaking ninja turtle and like karate kid. That's like a thing. So like we couldn't afford it back then. Yeah. And I would always just like pass by this like karate school. I'm like, I want to do that, but I don't have money to do it. Yeah. Because we just came from like the Philippines.
Speaker 11: 01:29:41
Oh. Wait, were you born here or in the Philippines?
Speaker 3: 01:29:44
No, I was born in the Philippines. We moved here when I was three.
Speaker 11: 01:29:46
Oh, I can't remember.
Speaker 3: 01:29:47
Super fob kid.
Speaker 11: 01:29:48
Oh. I mean, three. You're that's so young.
Speaker 3: 01:29:52
Yeah. Um, I think in high school, I saw this Asian dude on TV and he's like doing spinning back kicks and like wheel kicks and spinning back fists. I'm like, I didn't even think you could do that for real.
Speaker 2: 01:30:04
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:30:05
Like in a real fight. Like I thought that was only the movies. And then he like obliterated this dude. And then he got on the mic and he's like, come check out my gym. It's in San Jose, you know. And I was like, What an ad. What?
Speaker 10: 01:30:17
You in high school, like, oh my god, this could be me.
Speaker 3: 01:30:21
Anyways.
Speaker 6: 01:30:23
Like, oh my god.
Speaker 3: 01:30:25
Where was I? I think I was in my my my apartment at the time. Yeah. Yeah. And then um I begged my dad for like every day for a month. I'm like, Dad, I have to train here. I don't care.
Speaker 9: 01:30:35
Like that specific place.
Speaker 3: 01:30:37
Yeah. So he finally took me after a month. And uh yeah, I met I met his name is Kung Li. He's like a buried legend.
Speaker 10: 01:30:45
Wow.
Speaker 3: 01:30:46
He fought in the UFC. He has the strike force world championship. And then I ended up taking the kids' class. I was there for a few years. I left to go to college, came back, and was working the front desk as like a receptionist. And then one of the coaches, uh, shout out to I don't want to put him on blast, but he didn't show up uh to class and or he was late and I would like warm him up.
Speaker: 01:31:13
Okay.
Speaker 3: 01:31:13
And then that turned into not showing up and then taking over a class. Oh wow. Oh and then and then eventually running my own class, like kind of was like, hey, you're doing pretty well. Yeah. We want you to run a class. And then I was just learning like on the spot. And then I was like, hey guys, what'd you think about my class? They're like, uh, there's this, this, and this. I'm like, okay, I gotta fix it. Yeah. So it was just like repetition. Yeah. And then um that turned into boot camps, like at I don't know if you guys ever heard of Can I Be, but it was like a thing in 2012.
Speaker 11: 01:31:47
Okay.
Speaker 3: 01:31:47
In Mulpitas High. That turned from like five friends trying to get in shape for Vegas. They're like, hey, can you train us?
Speaker 10: 01:31:54
That's so you want to be like that's the motivation. Like we've got to be. In my 20s, it was like, dude, I'm going to Vegas in like six months, lock the fucking day party.
Speaker 11: 01:32:02
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:32:03
We called it Vegas mode.
Speaker 11: 01:32:05
Oh my God.
Speaker 3: 01:32:07
And uh yeah, shout out to the homies like RJ and uh Evo and all them. They they were all part of that. And it was, it was great. Um, but that turned into five dudes who are like, hey, can we invite our friends? And then it turned from like five people to like 30 consistently.
Speaker 2: 01:32:21
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 10: 01:32:22
Wow.
Speaker 3: 01:32:22
And then one day I was counting out there, I was like, dude, there's like 90 people out here right now. What? Yeah, it was wild.
Speaker 10: 01:32:28
Were you leading these workouts?
Speaker 3: 01:32:30
Yes. And then some of the people there, they're like football players. Some of them were like formal football players, and then some track, and some people were just like fitness enthusiasts. So I was like, hey guys, um, let's split this up because like there's way too many people. Manageable. Yeah. So I was like, let's have advanced, let's have a beginner and an intermediate. And then we just spread them out, and then I was just like, dude, this is crazy. Yeah. So yeah. And it was cracking, like people got married from that group. Like we met, like people, a lot of people met there, and like people are still like really good friends from that from that community. Wow. And uh yeah, when I opened up my gym, I put, what is it, Facebook groups? Yeah. It's still alive there. And I was like, hey guys, I opened up a gym, so they all came out. I was like, Oh my god.
Speaker 11: 01:33:16
I love that.
Speaker 3: 01:33:17
You had already built a community and they just migrated with you. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:33:21
Testament to you as a community leader. Yeah. And I love that part where you were talking about like, okay, you kind of just accidentally found yourself leading a martial arts class, but you were already looking for, okay, but how did I do? How can I be better? It's like there's always been, it sounds like this driving you to like, okay, how can I improve this and how can I bring other people along? And I don't think that's necessarily taught. Like some people just really naturally do that, which is such an admirable thing. And like you can see it in in in these communities that you've built. So that's really cool.
Speaker 3: 01:33:55
Yeah, it's it's been a journey. And uh what I learned from that whole experience with the it was free. It was completely free. We did it for like two years.
Speaker 12: 01:34:05
Completely free for two years.
Speaker 3: 01:34:06
I mean, we did like a little fundraiser, uh, a fundraiser for um Vegas. No, not Vegas. We did the Vegas trip and we have all these pictures, super douchey pictures, just like with like glasses on, and we're like hella flipped. I'm gonna put that in the IT post.
Speaker 11: 01:34:22
I mean, what better advertising than you know? Dude, it was it was fun.
Speaker 3: 01:34:27
It was fun. Um I just learned a lot from that doing like a bunch of communal stuff. I basically took all the things that I know that wasn't gonna work from that whole platform and like brought it to my gym. I'm like, okay, definitely not gonna do all that. Yeah. And then this is what I'm gonna, you know, bring to the actual gym aspect. And a lot of it is really just like, you know, supporting and being there to serve people.
Speaker 10: 01:34:53
I love that. I love that that's at the heart. Um, okay, I'm gonna actually introduce your gym and I'm gonna read off of your website. This is how the gym describes itself. Okay. So your gym is called the premise strength plus performance. And you say, at the premise, we're all about growing together. Through fitness, wellness, and creativity, we create a space where you feel supported, encouraged, and inspired. Here, it's not about competition, it's about finding your rhythm, celebrating progress, and discovering what lights you up. With programs like Rhythm and Burn, we invite you to move, connect, and explore new passions in a community that nurtures both body and spirit, which is incredible. Beautiful, right? And I think that like that is exactly what you want out of a business, right? It's like you're not just looking to, okay, how can I make profits and how can I get ahead? It's like it sounds like there is this innate desire to like bring people along and help them discover that. So I would love to understand, okay, so you have this like pop-in Facebook group, you guys are going to Vegas every weekend.
Speaker 10: 01:36:00
How did like that eventually turn into this dream of yours? Like, oh my God, I think I want to open up my own gym and like I'm gonna actually do it. Can you talk us through what that process was like?
Speaker 3: 01:36:12
Dude, that was a long process. Um I actually, I guess you could say I was at a point where I was working at Kaiser and I was like, you know what? Not not to knock anyone that works at Kaiser because it's a great job over there. Actually, my business partner, that's a nurse, works at Kaiser. Anyways, I was there working as a pharmacy clerk, Derek for five years. And I'm like, is this it for me? Like, am I gonna retire here? Which isn't bad. Like, you get great retirements, great benefits. And then I told Zasha, I was like, hey, like, I think I want to move to LA. And then when I moved to LA, I was still doing fitness. Like, I would do these boot camps with random people that I met, like at work, where you know, I got a job because I wanted to go to school for music out there, but it like never happened. And I was like, yeah, this wasn't the plan. But as I mentioned, I was still doing fitness like constantly. I would do this thing where, because at the time I was like, I was struggling to, you know, just make ends meet out there, so I would go gym hopping crazy. I would go to every gym for like a whole week.
Speaker: 01:37:17
Oh, and free trials. Free trials all day. Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:37:20
I just do their classes and I think I probably hit about I don't know, like 15 to 20 gyms. Oh wow. Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:37:29
Yeah. 15, 20 different email addresses.
Speaker 3: 01:37:32
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I I went to like a lot of the MMA gyms because that's like my background. Like, so I took a lot of like the elements that I was like, dude, I love this from this gym.
Speaker 10: 01:37:44
I love that, yeah. Like it was like research.
Speaker 3: 01:37:46
Yeah, and I was like, oh, I love this about this gym. I remember this dude, like, he was crazy. He wouldn't let us drink any water for an hour and a half class. I was like, I didn't do that, but I was like, dude, it's it's crazy. Like but just to see like what was out there and see like, okay, like what can I do to take these strong elements of these really like high brand like gyms and like and just combine it with what I know and what I feel would be the best experience for anyone that wants to be a member at my gym. So when I moved back, I went to go back to school for music, which I got my degree at uh SAE for audio engineering. Oh and I don't do that.
Speaker 11: 01:38:27
So, however, but you recognized this mic when you saw it.
Speaker 3: 01:38:30
So dude, I am a gearhead to the fullest. I know I know I know all this stuff. Yeah. And then working at Guitar Center for 10 years, doing the music thing. Yeah. And then again, I find myself like, you know what? There's management positions, and I'm like, I kind of want to see what it's like to be a manager for all these types of things. So I ran the lessons department at Guitar Center, and then I got my own store. And then I was like, you know what? I got a lot of experience from learning this stuff from lessons. I got a lot of experience from running the store. I think it's time for me to start my own thing.
Speaker 10: 01:39:03
I love that. Yeah. It's like you didn't even realize, like, oh shoot, I'm being led on this journey. I'm like picking up all these little things, and then you finally had this realization, like that's what all of this was for. In retrospect.
Speaker 3: 01:39:15
How cool. Sometimes I'm like, couldn't I have done this in my 20s?
Speaker 11: 01:39:21
It it it's always like that though, right? It's like it was gonna unfold the way it was meant to unfold. Like you wouldn't be doing exactly what you're doing. Like your gym wouldn't look exactly as it does now if you hadn't done the stint of the 1520 gyms, right? It's like every single piece now fits together. Yeah. That's so cool.
Speaker 3: 01:39:40
Yeah. And I mean, the gym that I'm at, uh to be quite honest, like it's not even my gym per se. It's a place called Active Space, which is great. Shout out to Joe and Jacob. That place I ran into like randomly. Me and Paul like left our gym space. We were at this place called CCK. They they helped us get started. It was a kickboxing gym, which is tied to Kung Lee's, like my original place from the beginning.
Speaker 12: 01:40:05
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:40:06
Yeah. So like there was Kung Lee's, and then there was Kung Lee's in Santa Clara, and coach Ed ran that place. So he knew that I wanted to open in the gym, so he gave me the opportunity to kind of like get my bearings rolling under him. Yeah. Which I learned a lot from that place. And then we're like, you know what, we're kind of limited in what we want to do because what I want to build is something different. I know I have like the fighting background, but I don't want that to be like the sole purpose of my gym. Like, I want to cultivate like creativity in not that martial arts isn't creative, it's super creative.
Speaker 12: 01:40:41
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:40:41
But what we have at the premise is like I basically called in like, hey, if you're a dancer or if you're a singer, or if you're, you know, a content creator, or you know, you guys just love creating podcasters. Yeah, right. We want you here because it's like we fully support what you guys do. Um, so after sessions, when we work out, it's like, hey, what are you guys working on right now? Do you guys have a show coming up? Do you have an upcoming performance? Like, how can we, as a community, support you and go out and like cheer you on? Oh, that's so cool.
Speaker 10: 01:41:16
Yeah. Cause like I would go to, you know, these corporate kind of like yoga studios or these Pilates studios, and there really isn't an opportunity to make that type of community. You go, you go to your class, like arm's length. Barely talk to anyone, you dip after. And I love that your studio or your gym is really like, wait, but how can we support you? Like, wow, I've never been in a space that has offered that. That's so cool. Um
Speaker 10: 01:41:44
can you tell us a little bit more about this event that we're working with you on? You started the series Rhythm and Burn. Could you tell us what that is and how it came to be?
Speaker 3: 01:41:56
Uh Rhythm and Burn actually started at the school I was going to college for audio engineering and you know, me being like always working out during my breaks. I would go to the parking lot and I have battle ropes in my trunk and like kettlebells, and I'd work out in in the parking lot. And then students saw me and they're like, Hey, can we work out with you? And I was like, Yeah, come on in. And then professors are like, Hey, can we work out with you? And I was like, Yup.
Speaker 11: 01:42:22
This is crazy. Sorry, like all of your stories are like, let me do this thing that I love doing, and like all these people like just just live. Like, that's so sorry. I just have to. Oh my God. Okay, okay.
Speaker 3: 01:42:35
Yeah. So the college professors are like, hey, it's raining. Let's go do it in the live room. And the live room is like I think you said library.
Speaker 6: 01:42:41
Yeah, no live. Interesting.
Speaker 3: 01:42:43
Be like, kettlebell scanning.
unknown: 01:42:46
Exactly.
Speaker 3: 01:42:47
Yeah, anyways, the the the college professors are like, they started working out with me in the live room. It was actually pretty dope. And when I have like my own space, I would like to make my workout room look like a freaking stage and like a whole full-on like music performance type of like vibe. Yeah. So, anyways, it was like that when it first started. And so we're like doing regular workouts, and then my college professor, um, shout out to Jeff, he's a drummer, and he's like, hey, what if we did a wall sit and we did paradiddles with the drums? And I was like, I was like, okay, let's do it. I was like, all right, let's try it. So I was doing it, he was teaching me like just fundamental stuff, and I'm like, okay, my legs are burning like crazy right now, but I'm doing like these drum rolls, and we're doing it to like random music that's popping up through like a mix. And I was like, dude, this is kind of cool. Yeah. So we kept on doing it and we added like different things. We're like, okay, we have this like ladder drills where you're like, you know, moving your feet. So we're like, hey, if you do this ladder drill, it has to be to the rhythm of the music.
Speaker 11: 01:43:52
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:43:52
And we're like, okay. So there was that. And we started adding all kinds of stuff. As you know, it's like everything is communal. It's like, hey, what can we bring into this? That'll be cool for everyone to do, but also like you're working out, so it can't be too crazy. But we've already tested so many limits to that.
Speaker 11: 01:44:09
I love that because music and fitness, like you were saying how the ladder drills. I'm imagining like it does matter. The music that you're listening to when you're working out, it makes a difference in like how you're showing up and then like pumping you up and stuff like that. And I I love that it sounds like it's about having fun. Yeah. Because what's the fuck is the point of it all if you're not having fun?
Speaker 10: 01:44:31
Yeah, I mean, I just love that you took all of this life experience and you tried to define, okay, what does it mean to be healthy? Yes, that means movement and exercise, but there really is this like almost like artistic component. Like you need art, you need to celebrate, you need to be in community with other people to feel whole, right? You can't just like eat healthy and like nurture, nurture your soul and as well as your physical body. Like that makes perfect sense. And like weirdly, I never see it, right? Like, like I'm so glad you had the vision to execute that in your work. Yeah. Rhythm and burn. Yes. That is what our event is going to be this Saturday. Yes. So it's going to be a workout, yes, but so much more than that. As we can tell. Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:45:20
But yeah, collaborating with Marie and DJJU has been a blessing. They're definitely like high energy, as you guys know, and had her on your show.
Speaker 10: 01:45:29
So thank you so much for going over this fascinating history, but we do ask our guests to share a sob story with us. And so I would love to get into it.
Speaker 3: 01:45:42
I got no sob stories. I'm super just like. Yeah, you're just so freaking strong.
Speaker 10: 01:45:45
And like, whatever. Men don't cry. Yeah, men don't cry. What the heck?
Speaker 3: 01:45:49
Yeah, I mean, I guess in more so in the business realm, like a quick one when I when I left my other gym that I was with. And like once you start getting into business for yourself, it's a completely different world. You have contracts and you're talking about people suing each other, and that really messes with you, versus like when you're part of a big entity, like you know, you're it's not it's not really under you. But anyway, so like we're having to part ways and like you have memberships and there's money connected, right? Yeah. So they're like, hey, well, you have all these members, and I'm like, dude, I don't have that many members. Like, this is three months of like getting like, I don't know, like 10 people. And that 10 people, like, I scratch and clawed for those people, right? And there are a lot of them are like my friends. So and they're like, Well, we have to figure out something. And I'm like, So it I was sitting in the car in front of Starbucks, and I was telling him I was like, dude, I don't have anything else. This is all I have. And then I started breaking down, like literally in the car, speaking to the assistant of the owner, and I was like, I couldn't even talk to him. He's like, Man, I'll just call you back, dude. Like, you're not, you're not there right now. I was like, Yeah. But yeah, that was that was super tough.
Speaker 10: 01:47:01
Yeah. Yeah. Just like trying to navigate. Cause it's one thing to have like a dream and a vision. And you so beautifully described what that is. But the reality is like to get there, there are so many hoops administratively and like so much money and so much planning and and all this boring, like heavy work contracts, whatever, all of that that can really take away from the dream that you had initially. So I can imagine like anyone that is an entrepreneur that's trying to figure out their way in the world, like sometimes shit like that happens and it's just like, fuck, like, why am I doing this? Is this worth it? Yes. Questioning it all.
Speaker 3: 01:47:41
Dude, that's like every week I ask myself. Every week. But I think you gotta just like keep rolling, like no matter what it is.
Speaker 10: 01:47:51
How long ago was this, this moment?
Speaker 3: 01:47:55
A year and a half ago. I already switched to my new spot, but then they were like, hey, you know, you're still you know, but no, no, not to them. Like that's business is business, and you gotta handle it.
Speaker 2: 01:48:06
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:48:06
Um, it just gotta make sense. You know, fortunately they had empathy uh for me and they know what it's like to start off.
Speaker 2: 01:48:12
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:48:13
And uh yeah, everything was good, like no ill will towards anyone or anything like that.
Speaker 12: 01:48:17
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:48:18
Yeah. And then yeah, just like moving on from business, like you would think, hey, I'm gonna open this gym and there's gonna be hella people, and it's gonna be super cracking.
Speaker 2: 01:48:26
Like, nope. Yeah, sorry.
Speaker 3: 01:48:28
Not like that. Yeah, like you would think. Yeah. And uh, I think you know it's weird, like when I have my own thing, and I I look back on my parents when they had a restaurant, right? I'm like, there was times where it was like super crowded and super packed, but there was also days where there was like no one there, and like the lights are still on, you're still cooking all this food, there's a bunch of food there that is probably gonna get thrown away. Like, you think about all these things that you didn't really understand when you were younger and you took it for granted back then. So just shout out to my parents for you know for going through that and then actually letting me see that in real time as a kid and like reflecting back now as a grown-up with my own kids. Exactly. Um, but yeah, and and my son too, like he's with me every Tuesday and Thursday, Zandin, my nine-year-old, and he's dude, he literally is grinding those two days with me, like going there, he's turning the lights on. Oh my god. And he's there's sometimes when like I don't have a coach to run the kids' class, and he knows it well enough to be like warming them up and like yeah, helping them get going.
Speaker 10: 01:49:37
I just got goosebumps imagining in like 20 years he's gonna be on a podcast talking about how he was nine years old and his dad made him work with the chat.
Speaker 3: 01:49:45
Dude, right? Yeah. Yeah. So he's been a blessing, man. Like kids change your life big time.
Speaker 10: 01:49:53
Yeah. But also just I want to acknowledge like the example that you're setting. Something that I think at least aren't I can relate to you is like you have this dream, you start off and you're like, wait, it's not viral. I have to work hard at this. And I think the the thing that kind of separates you from the pack is like really being committed to consistency, right? It's like that is what puts you ahead. If you just like take whatever life has to throw at you with a grain of salt, you just keep going and like not give up and like just keep moving forward. And that's how you eventually like rise above. And I'm just glad that it sounds like you're on a similar journey and then setting that example for your kids too. Like that's just really incredible.
Speaker 3: 01:50:41
Yeah. It's it's yeah. Every day I'm just like, oh my God, am I am I gonna continue to keep doing this? But like I also have the days where like, oh my dude, I'm doing like my thing. Like I'm fucking doing this.
Speaker 10: 01:50:56
Because I'm like, I'm hearing all these things about like, yes, it is so hard to like own your own business and manage it, but like that doesn't stop you from reaching out to us, from setting things up with like the 49ers or like just continuing to make the connections, like you will not back down. You know what I mean? Like that is something that I hope that you take moments for yourself to celebrate. Like, wow, it is hard, but like not that hard, you know, like you're still doing it.
Speaker 11: 01:51:22
Well, I was gonna ask, like, what what does keep you going on those moments? Week by week, you were half jokingly like, is it worth it? Like what what makes it worth it?
Speaker 3: 01:51:32
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't God in my faith. Because that really changed a lot of my my ways, which are very selfish and ego-driven. And I just feel like a heart posture change through that.
Speaker 10: 01:51:51
I d sorry, I know that like we I wasn't expecting to talk about religion today, but it is important because I think it's really just what moves you. And like just have that before. Like just let it live. Yes. What do you connect with? Yeah. You can call it the Holy Spirit, you can call it divine, you know, source, universe, whatever it is. But like to have that present and to acknowledge it is important. And I love the way that you acknowledge, like maybe in the beginning there were selfish intentions or like things that you personally wanted to get out of. But it sounds like you're making this change in your mindset, like, oh wait, maybe, yes, that can be true to an extent, but maybe I am a vessel for other people as well to have community. And like that, that is the magic that's happening in all of these little stories that I'm hearing about your life. It's like, no, this was always going to be your path. And yes, it's for you, but it sounds like it's for hundreds of others as well.
Speaker 2: 01:52:46
Hopefully. Yeah. Hopefully.
Speaker 10: 01:52:48
Yeah. Um so
Speaker 10: 01:52:49
one of the questions that I wanted to ask you, because obviously, from your bio, fighter, you know, like into fitness, like very like macho masculine kind of presenting lifestyle. But it sounds like even this short hour that we're getting to know you, there is so much more depth and softness in the best way that is coming through. And I think Arns and I both would want to learn a little bit more about like, what do you think it means to be a strong man in today's world? And how do you emulate that? Or how do you try to emulate that in your life?
Speaker 3: 01:53:26
Uh, to be as honest as you possibly can. Like, even when you feel like you have everything together, it's okay to be like, hey dude, I don't know the answer to that. Or, you know, it's okay to ask for help when when you are struggling really hard. Um and it's not even like a strength thing, like it's like emotional strength, I guess you could say. I think when you can just surrender to that, people will see that, you know, hey, like he needs help too, and I'm down to help him versus when you're like, hey man, I got all this stuff. Like it's whatever.
Speaker 10: 01:54:01
You know, that's not really I mean I just seeing like how in all these stories you shared, there was like almost like a shamelessness. Like, yeah, I cried. Like there was no like embarrassment. I and I just want to compliment you on that because I think it's so easy for not just men, but just people in general to think like I have to pretend that everything is fine all the time in order to look strong. But that's really kind of the opposite, at least for me, that like I feel like someone who is strong is someone who is not afraid to be vulnerable. Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:54:37
That's the word I was looking for.
Speaker 2: 01:54:40
In short. Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:54:41
And then also when you're when you have kids that you let them know that that's okay as well. Because they look at you like you're, you know, super dad or whatever.
Speaker: 01:54:50
Right, yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:54:51
And they feel like you're unstoppable. But you know, when you can also admit to your mistakes to them as as a parent, like when you can straight up say, Hey, you know what, I'm sorry for getting mad at you, even though, like, to be honest, like my parents never said that to me. They're just like, and then it was never like, hey, let's sit down. Hey, I'm sorry for that.
Speaker 11: 01:55:14
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And I think that that's a a great example. Again, coming back to like being a community leader, like bringing people together, like, and the honesty that you say, like is you feel is so important. Like that's what people see when they see you as as the crux of their community. So Right on. Yeah, right on.
Speaker 10: 01:55:32
Okay. So we have a few closing things that we want to do. First off, um, I just want to say thank you for sharing so beautifully today. I I'm so glad that you married my sister's best friend. Okay. Um, so we always ask our guests for a quick cry recommendation. So this could be a movie, a show, a song, maybe, and we would love to know what is a cry recommendation we can share with our crybabies.
Speaker 3: 01:56:00
If we go to a movie, sure. I could do that. Yes.
Speaker 10: 01:56:03
Sure.
Speaker 3: 01:56:04
I think it's like the only one that really hit me. It's definitely Armageddon.
Speaker 10: 01:56:09
When wait, hold on. I have to I just have to say, Marie mentioned Aerosmith's song today as one of her songs, too. That is so funny. Okay, let's keep going, keep going.
Speaker 3: 01:56:20
Yeah, when Bruce Willis is like, you know, he gives uh what's his name? Hella shit for trying to date his daughter. Yeah.
Speaker 2: 01:56:26
Like the whole movie.
Speaker 3: 01:56:27
Yeah. And then like right when they're about to like, he's like, hey, I'm gonna stay. And here, like, who was it, Ben Affleck? He already made the commitment that he was gonna be the one to sacrifice himself. Yeah. Yeah. And right before like he's about to go.
Speaker 2: 01:56:40
Yeah, spoiler alert.
Speaker 3: 01:56:42
If you guys haven't watched it, all you uh the youngsters out there, if you guys haven't watched it, definitely watch it. He literally pushes them out of the way, and then he, the dad sacrifices himself. And he's like, This guy is a good guy, and I want him to be with my daughter, and I'm gonna die for the world. And I'm like, dude.
Speaker 10: 01:57:00
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:57:02
Yeah.
Speaker 10: 01:57:03
That's a great one. And then you have Aerosmith. I don't want to clone. Amazing. Amazing. Okay, um, where can people find you?
Speaker 3: 01:57:12
You guys can find me on Instagram at coach underscore mike26 and my website, www.thepremise sp for strength and performance.com.
Speaker 11: 01:57:25
So we will link that all in the show notes. Yes. And then you can head to we also have the link down below in the show notes for registering if you are interested in coming to our event. Beautiful. And one last thing. I know you already have a hat on, but we give all our guests a little gift.
Speaker 3: 01:57:45
And I gotta give you one of mine, which is Oh yes, please read your shirt.
Speaker 9: 01:57:49
It's incredible.
Speaker 3: 01:57:50
It is. No diggity, no gout. Oh my god.
Speaker 10: 01:57:56
I love logo here. Oh, well, this was great. I'm so happy. This was such a beautiful conversation. It makes me really excited for this workout class. Like I'm feeling amped up. Yeah. I'm ready to I'm ready to do like backflips and drumming and like all of that shit. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2: 01:58:12
Yeah.
Speaker 3: 01:58:14
Okay. All right, cool.
Speaker 2: 01:58:15
Thank you so much. Thank you, Mickey. Thanks.
Speaker 10: 01:58:24
All right. What'd you think? Wasn't that just the coolest? The coolest. The fucking coolest. Yep. I just have to say, me and Arns, again, are both the youngest siblings. And so all three of these guests were, I think, roughly around our sister's age. And so going into this collaboration, I still have in my mind, like, oh my God, these are like the cool older kids. Yes. I still felt that way. And I hopefully they like, they thought I was cool too.
Speaker 11: 01:58:54
Yeah. No, those were, they were so, so cool. And I think all of them were like, oh, I'm kind of nervous right beforehand. Which is funny because I'm pretty sure every single one of our guests has said that. Yeah. But but I hope, and I hope you all listening heard it too. Like the energy is just so good. And it was so fun listening to just hearing more about each of those people's stories. Yes. And like the communities that they're part of and that they're building and how movement and music and all of that is just so intertwined in like who they are and they're like bringing us along with them on their journeys. Yeah. So cool.
Speaker 10: 01:59:33
And the coolest part to me is, you know, obviously these are people that are doing really incredible things. You see what they're doing on social media and you think like, oh my God, like, I don't know how they do it. And then sitting here and listening to them share their stories every single time, not just with today's episode, but with all of our guests, it's just so powerful to hear what they have to share beyond, you know, what their titles are or, you know, what accomplishments they have under their belt. Like just to hear the human side of every single one of these people. The word human, it's just so magical. It is. It just paints this beautiful, fuller picture of who these people are. And so, yes, thank you to all three of our guests today for just sharing that side of themselves with us today.
Speaker 11: 02:00:24
Yeah. It's so cool to connect with them in that way because when they share who they are as humans and the things that they feel, and it's like, oh wait, I I also feel that. Like our listeners also feel that.
Speaker 10: 02:00:36
Yeah. So I think I was like, I had like an idea of who they were before they sat down in the studio. And then I was like, wait, it's so much deeper than that. Yes. It was so cool.
Speaker 11: 02:00:47
What a privilege for us. Thank you again. And for everyone listening, if you have someone who you think would be a great guest, if you are interested in sharing your story, maybe not even being a guest, but like a sob story, we love to hear that. We love hearing from you. Reach out to us, DM us. This is like the coolest fucking thing. The coolest thing.
Speaker 10: 02:01:10
Incredible. Incredible. So that wraps up our episode for today. But the work continues. The fun continues. The vibes continue. So if you would like to join us this Saturday at the Premise SP for our class, check the links in bio. Check all of our social. We're not shutting the fuck up about it. You will know how to get involved in this. Come sweat a little with us. Yeah. That's what we got. That's all we got. So we will let you on your memory little way. We will come back. But until then, brb crying.

Until next time…brb crying :’)

nins & arns

058: cry, sweat, connect | marie from one vo1ce, dj jayou, + coach mike on wellness beyond fitness

transcript (click to reveal)

057: the hero's journey, the odyssey, + project hail mary | why love makes us brave

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