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Description

For the first time in the history of Add to Cart, SuChin and Kulap recorded this episode in the same room. Kulap could see the sweat form on SuChin’s hairline as she talked about her dentist appointment, while SuChin saw mist form over Kulap’s eyes as she talked about her pillows. Plus, the two are joined (via Zoom, sadly) by Alison Rosen, who brings a new item from the iconic Dr. Tungs.

Follow Alison at @alisonrosen.

Please note, Add To Cart contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

 

For a list and links to all products mentioned in this episode, head to @addtocartpod on Instagram.

 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

 

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Transcript

SPEAKERS

Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, Alison Rosen

SuChin Pak  00:11

All right everyone welcome to another edition of ADD TO CART. A show about the things we buy and buy into and what they truly say about who we are. I’m SuChin Pak.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And I’m Kulap Vilaysack. This week our friend and fellow podcaster Alison Rosen is joining us but first, let’s talk about recording in person together for the first time ever.

SuChin Pak

Now, it may be lost in our audience because this is not a visual medium. But, it is not lost on us. My heart, my heart is racing. My blood pressure a little higher. I got a little bit of an upper lip sweat happened in. We are in person together for the very first-time recording.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Sitting across from each other in a rental at a table.

SuChin Pak 

So many wires that I I’m so afraid of the setup that that is here and laid out for us.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Not done by us. Done by Mr. Scott Aukerman. Yes, Mr. podcast himself.

SuChin Pak 

Yes, exactly. I don’t even know what to do. Like I keep looking at the screen. But I don’t need to. But actually, it’s scarier that way. I don’t know. I’m just so used to seeing your face on a screen. I don’t know. Is this weird?

Kulap Vilaysack

Yeah. I mean, we’ve never, this podcast was born November. Pandemic.

SuChin Pak 

That’s right. So November 2020. This is a pandemic podcast, baby. And so looking directly into human eyes is..

Kulap Vilaysack

Is just new period. I’m very comfortable right now. I’m like sitting cross legged and have to worry about a light, ring light on my face. I like it. I prefer it.

SuChin Pak  02:08

I’m TBD. I don’t know.

Kulap Vilaysack  02:11

I want you to keep us updated.

SuChin Pak 

I will give you updated. So but this is exciting.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Can we stay where we are?

SuChin Pak 

Let’s stay where we are.

Kulap Vilaysack 

We’re in Santa Barbara, California. The Central Coast.

SuChin Pak 

Yes. As my mother-in-law likes to call it the Californian Mediterranean Coast. Ever heard of that?

Kulap Vilaysack 

I have, it very much is, this a place that olive oil feels welcome.

SuChin Pak

Well, it is the place where there’s royalty. Yeah, Ariana Grande just got married here, just dropping that and Oprah.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You said royalty and didn’t bring up Prince Harry and..

SuChin Pak 

Oh, yeah, you know, royalty them. But our royalty Ariana Grande.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And Oprah.

SuChin Pak

And Oprah are also located here. So I think it’s only fitting that quality podcasts should be broadcast from here for the first-time face to face postbacks.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I love it here. I love it here. I get why you moved here. I will come visit you more often.

SuChin Pak 

Yeah, I’m starting the campaign of you moving here but anyway.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Moving? I don’t know about that. That’s what you said. Do you have an update from your dentist about our beloved product? Dr. Tungs Ionic? Iconic toothbrush.

SuChin Pak

Listen, ionic iconic. I just had a teeth cleaning and I was going to ask my dentist who gave me a not very satisfying answer, which was, well I don’t know, there’s not enough research on it. So, I’ve decided to go the route that I should have gone in the first place. Which is to ask an Instagram dentist so I don’t, do you follow Instagram dentist?

Kulap Vilaysack 

I don’t, how many are you following right now?

SuChin Pak  04:04

Wait a minute Hold on a second. You don’t follow any Instagram dentist?

Kulap Vilaysack

Zero.

SuChin Pak 

Wait, Claire do you follow Instagram dentists just pop a chat right there. I thought everyone followed at least one Instagram dentist. Oh, she asked what is an Instagram dentist.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It’s a dentist who does a lot of Insta lives and has an account and you know is got gleaming teeth.

SuChin Pak 

Shocked that you don’t follow dentists on Instagram? What the hell is this for? If not following dentists?

Kulap Vilaysack 

So funny to me is that you stay off the social media like Add To Cart is pulling you kicking and screaming into social media. But now I understand why because left your own devices You’d be following Instagram dentists and you have.

SuChin Pak 

Oh, wait. As you asking the question, I realized that my answer is just going to sound so much stupider than I ever thought. Okay, number one, I follow Instagram dentists because I enjoy all aspects, as you know, of oral health.

Kulap Vilaysack  

This came around when you turn 40, right? It wasn’t always.

SuChin Pak 

Yes, when I turned 40 my teeth started falling out of my head. And then I realized that I started to get really obsessed with dentists. I found an amazing dentist who I had to leave in Los Angeles, Dr. Siegel, because I moved and she was my guiding light. You know, she introduced me to lots of different dental methods. Most that she learned in Japan, not Japanese, but obsessed with Japanese dental hygiene, which some would argue is the best in the world. So then I started following these dentists. And they don’t do anything medical or dental related on their feeds. Most of them do skits. Around dental humor. And then one I will also follow, I think in the Texas area, this just really amazing. choreograph dances in his dental office.

Kulap Vilaysack  06:34

So like TikTok style dances with his dental hygienist? Cool, like, near the chair with his tools and stuff?

SuChin Pak

You know, you think about what a dentist is, and then you’re like, wow, you really have some serious moves.

Kulap Vilaysack

Okay, now we get to it. Now we get to the bottom line. Let’s get into things that we have added to cart. Should you buy your kid a Nerf gun?

SuChin Pak

So this has been a controversial topic in my household for a while, but it recently came up because I am the parental weakest link. So we decided long ago that we were not going to allow any type of gun toys in the house.

Kulap Vilaysack 

This because I’ve met Kai via Zoom and he’s a cool kid. I can tell this kids cool. This kid is a So-Cal sorry, a central coast. Cool kid. Cool kids need gear.

SuChin Pak

I and he most of all appreciate that. But yeah, so as he’s gotten older, you know boys play with guns. That’s what they do. It’s like a they play with guns and they play with fire. I feel like it’s a microchip that they put in in the hospital. Because I don’t think there’s a boy out there that’s not fascinated by guns or fire. You have a nephew firing guns?

Kulap Vilaysack  08:22

I don’t know. I’m not sure but I also am interested in those things. But I lean a little I got you know, a healthy, healthy amount of testosterone. I love in action film. I’d love to walk away from a bigger explosion, slow mo style. But I do understand why a parent or anyone would not want to normalize guns in their household. I 100% understand that.

SuChin Pak

So but as he’s getting older and he’s going to his friend’s houses, you know, Nerf guns, but the thing about it is and about life and about kids is the harder you resist something, the stronger it comes back. So now he’s become obsessed with guns. So now we’ve created a situation where because we have made such a big stink about it. All he wants his guns in his life. And sure enough, we were at a store. He was been saving up money. He says the only thing he wants is this Nerf gun. He says he promises he won’t bring it to the house but he’ll play it with it only at his grandparents’ house and somehow in the back of my brain. I thought that that was a line that was okay. Guess what Mike thought? That I got bamboozled by an 8-year-old who somehow strategize, knew my faltering parenting. Yeah, my blind spot and said, well, I’m not gonna bring it in the house. But I will take it straight to […] Papa’s house and I won’t play with it in our house. I’ll only play to their house. And I said yeah, sure. Okay. Sure. Sure. So still no guns in our house check, check, check. Let’s go.

Kulap Vilaysack  10:09

Did you have to get returned? Or did he get to keep it?

SuChin Pak

No, I mean, it didn’t get returned. But mama got to talking to and we have to have a big sit down. And I got really defensive. And I got real. Don’t tell me how to live my life.

Kulap Vilaysack

Sure, sure.

SuChin Pak

Anyway, you know, I don’t have an, you know, this is sort of an add to cart that is more of a, you know, this isn’t in a handbook. I have no idea how to handle this situation. And so I’m sure it’ll come up again when we’re talking about video games and phones. And can I get a you know, Instagram account? And can I?

Kulap Vilaysack

Oh, the negotiations continue?

SuChin Pak

Yeah. So I failed this negotiation. 1 point for Kai, zero points for Mama, but I don’t know what the rule is going to be.

Kulap Vilaysack

I’m proud of Kai. He got in and he got one and through the goalposts.

SuChin Pak

He wouldn’t even attempt this if Mike was there. But he saw an opening.

Kulap Vilaysack

And that’s a good skill to have. Don’t, like you got a shot? Shoot your shot.

SuChin Pak

That is Kai, though. Right? He’s the kid that’s wearing the bathrobe, with the camera Zoom camera faced up to the ceiling in class right now, like a full bathrobe. Like, really? Oh my god, I didn’t tell you this. Like I walked in and I was like, Kai, you really have to get dressed. He’s like, don’t worry, the cameras pointing up. So you know, he’s in Zoom school. And so he just points the camera up so that he can stay in his bathrobe throughout high school.

Kulap Vilaysack

This kid’s very cool.

SuChin Pak

That’s one word. Anyway, so that’s my Add To Cart but could be a remove. I don’t know. All right. What about you?

Kulap Vilaysack  12:00

Well, I you know, we brought up Sleep Crown last week. I’ve been thinking more about you know, I’m a very reflective person. Stop laughing, why are you laughing? I can see you laughing in person, right? There’s a lot happening. There’s all this like, we’re in person right now. There’s a lot of stimulus.

SuChin Pak

It’s eye contact.

Kulap Vilaysack

Yeah, eye contact. We’re coming up against people who it’s not just me. And the dogs anymore. There’s just more way more stimuli. So sleep is even more important. And the days are getting longer. The weather is getting hotter. I really I want to tell you talked about sleep crown last week. I want to talk about it a little bit more. How much I love it. Okay. And I look at it it’s a little weird looking. It’s a little weird looking and it’s a little weird. I wasn’t a SuChin sleeper where I burrow everything but my mouth and nose. Underneath clothing […] then just an opening for the steam.

SuChin Pak

You always got to let the steam out.

Kulap Vilaysack

Yeah. Or you’re like a whale in the water. Is that the blowhole?

SuChin Pak

Is that the blow hole. That’s right. Every four hours.

SuChin Pak

You know, sometimes I’ll sleep I’m a heavy sleeper. And sometimes we’ll just sink. Like maybe two three pillows and I’ll sink all the way down. But sometimes I’m on my side. And the sleep crown is still good on the side. Moving on the side, right? Because you can just adjust. You have this gentle pressure that’s coming up on top of your face. It’s blocking out some light. It’s blocking out a little bit sound but it doesn’t feel oppressive. It’s soft. Cloud like, I don’t know, it’s really taking my sleep to a next level. Now I’ve got this little sleep crown. And do I like it because the word crown is on it? That’s just sad. That I am a queen. And well I like to call myself a woman King. That this woman King needs her sleep crown. That’s right.

SuChin Pak  14:08

You like a full fit.

Kulap Vilaysack

SuChin, you want to talk about some what is this very specific Father’s Day HanBooks. What is this?

SuChin Pak

This is a very specific father’s gift in general. So my parents obviously, you know are from Korea. And they don’t speak or I mean, they read English but it’s very rudimentary. And so my father, he’s, you know, he’s a poet. He’s a reader. He’s a creative. He is a creative that has been, you know, that has been through life circumstances. Cooking chicken for 40 years or so in the restaurant. A poet but out of necessity, she had to grill some chicken. And so for many years, for my father, one of the greatest losses of coming to this country has been his loss. Can you imagine he hasn’t been able to really read a book since he came to this country.

SuChin Pak

And that hurts me. I know. And I never really realized this until, let me see the first time I ordered from this place was 2017. I was thinking about what to get my father for the holidays. I mean, what do you get a guy? I mean, he doesn’t. He wants three things. You know what I mean?

Kulap Vilaysack

What are those three things?

SuChin Pak

I don’t know, like maybe a large bag of beef jerky loves, a nap. And you know, some really thick socks.

Kulap Vilaysack

Hard to wrap a nap.

SuChin Pak

Yeah. So I was thinking about and I thought, oh, my goodness, I live near Koreatown, there has to be a place where I can pick up books that are in Korean. Right? And there are tons of those places. But what about those books that I love that I’ve read over the years that have changed my life? So could those books that have fed my soul be translated into Korean so my father could read them, and we both can have this experience? I mean, it just like it blew my mind. And very quickly, I found this place called HanBooks. It’s a website that sells books in Korean. And on there, they have books, a lot of New York Times bestseller books that have been translated from English to Korean.

Kulap Vilaysack  16:45

So you go www.hanbooks.com. Also, there’s a second one.

SuChin Pak

Well, I started to kind of look around. And I was wondering if there were other sites that had this not just in Korean, but so I found one that was in Vietnamese, I just think it’s worth looking if you have had this experience where your parents don’t speak English. But you would love to give them something like this, because I think it is a pretty, pretty powerful experience for the both of you guys to do a little digging, because I bet that there are other languages that do this.

Kulap Vilaysack

And so the Vietnamese one is tiki.vn

SuChin Pak

Yeah, I just found this I was like looking through the great source on the internet called Reddit. Oh. So over the years, for example, I bought him The Power of Now. I bought him a Deepak Chopra book that I love, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. I bought him The Alchemist and that was the first time in my entire life that I have ever had a conversation with my father, about what do you call it, about a book, but I’ve never talked him about a TV show or a movie, a piece of music. Because we none of that translates like we don’t have that common language. And so this is like the first time I’ve ever talked to him about something that is..

Kulap Vilaysack

Soul fulfilling..

SuChin Pak 

Soul fulfilling, intellectually stimulating in a way that’s outside of just like the basic needs and the basic things that you’re talking to your parents about, and especially Asian parents about. My father hasn’t read a novel since 1980 when we moved here, so it’s profound on many levels, because yes, he hasn’t read a book, a novel since he moved to this country. We haven’t discussed a book and we both love books, my love of books comes from my father, reading, watching him read and reread all the Korean books he brought, you know, just the handful when he moved here, for him to be able to relate to that in that way and for him to understand that conversation is so profound to participate.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Today’s guest is a writer, podcaster, and TV personality, a good personality, who hosts Her Name Is Your New Best Friend and Childish with comedian Greg Fitzsimmons, she got her start as a journalist and has been published in numerous outlets including the LA Times Rolling Stone Village Voice L17. Timeout in New York and others. Her first book is called Tropical Attire and Courage and other phrases that scare me. Please welcome, Alison Rosen!

Alison Rosen 

Yay. Thank you so much for having me. I want everyone to know. I invited myself on your podcast. You guys graciously allowed me to do this. But let’s not pretend that this was anything other than me. Just crashing your podcast.

Kulap Vilaysack  20:01

You were bold, but not bold and that we wanted it.

Alison Rosen

So I was bold, not pushy.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It has always been consensual and invited.

Alison Rosen 

Okay, good, thank you.

Kulap Vilaysack 

What type of shopper would you say you are?

Alison Rosen

I am? Well, I’m someone who loves, loves, that we can do online shopping. Because even before the pandemic, I’m someone who was like, if I can do grocery delivery, even though I do sort of enjoy going to the grocery store. But in general, I just feel like it’s so much more convenient to have stuff just arrive at my house. But I can be a very indecisive shopper, especially when it’s something not particularly important, but where there are so many options. So I’ll put something in my cart. And then I’ll think, well wait, have I done enough research and then I’ll research it. I can read one negative review, and then it’s like out of my cart. And then it goes back in and then eventually I just get really sick of the whole thing. And I go, oh, who cares? And I just buy it.

Kulap Vilaysack

I mean, it’s a dance.

SuChin Pak 

I relate and then I do the opposite, which is like I don’t want anything ever. And then I go extreme. Where I’m like, I’m never buying anything again. This is bullshit consumers. Like I get so frustrated by my own you know, shuffling.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah. So SuChin will like have a bunch of cards open across the internet. And then she’ll buy it. And before it has arrived, she’s like, I’m going to return it.

SuChin Pak 

Pre-returns. Critical.

Alison Rosen 

Yes. I used to be someone who loved to shop. Maybe all preteens were this way. I feel like this was I read teen magazines. And I think I had it in my head that I’m supposed to enjoy going to the mall and hanging out and shopping and I really did. But as an adult. I don’t enjoy that stuff nearly as much.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Well, because there are teens in the mall.

SuChin Pak 

That’s right. It’s not for us.

Kulap Vilaysack  22:01

There just teens everywhere.

SuChin Pak 

Just belly buttons walking around.

Alison Rosen 

In groups laughing and then you don’t know. Oh, are they laughing at me? They don’t even see us. But they you know; I don’t know what’s going on.

Kulap Vilaysack

Isn’t that laughter in another way?

SuChin Pak

The cruelest laughter of all, the silent laughter.

Alison Rosen 

Exactly.

Kulap Vilaysack

To just be invisible. That’s what it’s like.

SuChin Pak 

Actually that is my high school self-dream, to be invisible. I’d rather enjoy a large crowd of crop top teenagers that have no, I’m a ghost. I am literally an Asian ghost moving amongst them.

Kulap Vilaysack

They treat her like the ring.

Alison Rosen

I heard that perms are coming back among the young people. Have you heard this as well? Is this true?

Kulap Vilaysack 

I have heard that. And my nephew who is, he was 10 at the time during the pandemic got a perm. That’s what he wanted. And it looks good.

Alison Rosen

That’s what I heard. I heard young males are wanting perms. Like is it like a surfer hair look that they’re going for or voluptuous waves? What are we you talking about?

SuChin Pak 

Well, that’s interesting that you say that because I mean, as Asian peoples men getting perms and people getting perms is very common. But you’re telling me that non-Asians like white people or white men are getting perms?

Alison Rosen 

Well, I read it on a mom board. That is something I need to remove from cart this toxic mom board but I read it on there. And I don’t know if it was my I don’t know if it was Asian people or white people.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You always want what you don’t have, right? Four years ago people were tattooing freckles. And it’s like, okay. All right. That’s, I mean, it’s sun damage. But I’m saying that I have lots of freckles.

Alison Rosen  24:04

I have freckles and I would like to get them lasered off and I have naturally curly hair and I get it Japanese straighten.

SuChin Pak 

Kulap’s theory proven right once again, here we are at the intersection of Kulap and right.

Alison Rosen 

I am the embodiment of this theory.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I want to get into your add to carts. And I’m very interested in your first one, which is Dr. Tungs smart floss.

Alison Rosen 

So I didn’t even know that my man Dr. Tung if there is a real guy named that had come out with this ionic toothbrush that has been raved about on your show that leaves your teeth like glass. I didn’t know about that. I feel like I’ve been sleeping on that. But I was very familiar with Dr. Tung because I’ve been using their dental floss for years and years and years and years. Like I will accept no other.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Really? This is exciting.

SuChin Pak 

I immediately right now adding to cart continue. I’ve been wondering about this.

Alison Rosen 

It’s so good. It’s thick, but not in a way where it’s hard to use. My husband puts it, he says that it’s like flossing with a towel. However that sounds impossible, but there’s something very like super absorbent about it and it’s just a little bit thicker and maybe more absorbent or porous or something than other dental floss. But yeah, it like works really really well but it’s really easy to use comes in a cool little scroll thing. And to me like if I ever run out and I have to use other dental floss, I feel like it’s just like I’m taking a piece of sewing thread and putting it in there doesn’t do anything and especially that wax floss get out of here with that.

SuChin Pak 

That’s pretend flossing.

Kulap Vilaysack 

What I’m hearing is this is like the Cadillac of flosses.

Alison Rosen  26:03

It might be the Tesla of flosses, I don’t know.

Kulap Vilaysack

Whoa, whoa. So it says it expands into inter dental spaces for super cleansing.

SuChin Pak 

My toes are actually curled. Curling of the toes.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It’s made of simple polyester fibers, more surface area for superior cleaning.

SuChin Pak 

Go on Kulap, tell me more.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And biodegradable container made with eco pure so like it’s gonna biodegrade faster in a landfill than regular plastic. Which can take up to 100 years.

SuChin Pak 

Did it say the floss is biodegradable? No? Just the container.

Kulap Vilaysack

Interesting. Good point.

Alison Rosen

The floss is going to be wrapped around a dolphin snout but the container is not going to be a problem.

SuChin Pak 

And my teeth will be very clean. Yes.

SuChin Pak 

Okay, I’m Immediately adding to cart because this podcast is making my mouth so clean. Like I’ve never given so much care to my mouth.

SuChin Pak 

It’s important.

Alison Rosen 

Have you guys purchased those toothbrushes?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh yeah. And have gifted it to other people because..

Alison Rosen

Okay, so it is life changing?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah.

SuChin Pak 

Your teeth are so glasslike that there is a part of you that wonders if you’re actually wearing down enamel or something. That’s how clean your teeth feel.

Alison Rosen 

I don’t understand how it works. It sounds like so much BS and yet everyone is I mean the report..

Kulap Vilaysack

You stand by the floss,

Alison Rosen 

I know I’m sorry Dr. Tung, I should not have said that. I’m just saying the whole like you create a circuit and it reverses the polarity in your mouth and all of that is like what?

Kulap Vilaysack 

But you know it’s the science I guess. I don’t know what I’m talking about.

Alison Rosen

I’m purchasing this right after the show. This is going back in my cart.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Add To Cart.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Up next we have Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara.

Alison Rosen 

Yes. I was very loyal my entire life to one mascara. I remember reading an article in like […] or something years ago it was talking about how there’s some cosmetics that people will try different like I think with lipstick you try a lot of different types. But with mascara that’s one where usually you choose your brand and it’s like for life and I always use […] in black. And then I tried this Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions. And I’ve totally switched I really like it. It’s a tubing mascara, which I had never used before. And so what that means, I think is that like I don’t know if it’s polymers ow now talking out of my butt but it kind of forms like a little tube around the lashes and then when you remove it, it stays in these little tubes so it doesn’t get black residue on your eye or smear or run.

Alison Rosen  28:54

And it’s very, very easy to remove because what was happening when I started at the beginning of the pandemic when I was Zooming a lot all of a sudden I was putting on eye makeup more often. So I was doing my show via Zoom. I mean there’s a video component with that and my eyes were getting really irritated from taking off my makeup constantly and then this like you can actually take it off with water and it kind of like there’s like little chunks that come off on your fingers but they just washed on the sink.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I haven’t tried this mascara but I have tried tube. I was to say tubular. Yeah, it was a totally tubular mascara. Some brands that I came across at Sephora.

Alison Rosen 

Did you like it?

Kulap Vilaysack 

I did, that part and I had forgotten I had walked away from that lifestyle. I’m sure that one had all of the chemicals. This is very clean.

Alison Rosen 

And so it’s Causemetics. And for every item you buy, they donate an item I believe to someone in need or they donate money. You can feel good about your purchase as well.

SuChin Pak

I love this idea. I’m not a man. ask our person because of what you just said. Which is, I have, go ahead, Kulap, thick salmon fold.

Kulap Vilaysack  30:09

No, I’m not gonna say that. That’s not my opinion. If I say it people think feel that. This is what you say.

SuChin Pak 

They’re greasy, they’re oily, they’re thick and juicy. And so any type of eye thing eventually just greases down my face.

Alison Rosen 

I am curious how it would work on salmon foldy omega three eyes.

SuChin Pak 

I’m going to report back it’s added to cart.

Alison Rosen

I have this black eyeliner powder liner. That’s now it’s like down to a nub like the cap is longer than the actual eyeliner. And I got it from a makeup artist in Orange County when I moved back after college.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You have a little roach.

Alison Rosen 

I need a clip. I don’t know what I’m gonna do when I run out.

SuChin Pak 

She has to whittle it whittle it to sharpen it because it gets lost in the sharpener.

Alison Rosen 

Yes, that’s true. I’m like holding loose like the little foam nub thing on the end.

SuChin Pak 

Well, let’s take a quick break and we’ll be right back.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I want to try this grout brush.

Alison Rosen 

So one of the weirder things that I have started doing during the pandemic is grout brushing. While I’m in the shower, while my conditioner is penetrating. You’re speaking SuChin’s language here.

SuChin Pak

I see that we’re having a meeting. We’re having a grout cleaning meeting. This is it. I didn’t know we were doing our weekly meeting here.

Alison Rosen 

Alison, I feel like we’re very similar in the overthinking, the needing to change underwear often. And now this. So I bought this grout brush, extremely cheap, like under $5. It looks like a horse toothbrush maybe. And so yeah, when I’m in the shower, I’ll just give the tiles a little scrub. And I did this for a while without any actual cleaning of the tiles in the bathroom. But like months into this I had to admit, okay, I need to bring in the big guns like actual cleanser. And I can’t be doing this while I’m just taking a shower. But for a while it really kept the yuck at bay. And then now that it’s like been, you know, cleaned again. It’s like upkeep. It’s maintenance. And it’s also soothing. And I feel like I’m doing something. It’s really like meditation.

Kulap Vilaysack  32:53

Yeah, so this is Rubbermaid, it’s commercial tile and grout brush. It’s only $3.30. And it sounds like it’s like the Dr. Tung’s of shower grout cleaning.

Alison Rosen 

Yeah. Although something that’s been in my cart for a while, and I’m having trouble pulling the trigger SuChin maybe you know about this, there’s an electric grout cleaner, like battery powered next level. And it has different attachments. It’s very aspirational for me personally, because I’m like, if I got that my entire life would change, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that change.

SuChin Pak

I say that often, I say that often about things like that, where I’m like, if I get that mechanized grout cleaner, or that monitor stand that goes vertical, I would have to change so much of who I am that I can’t do that. I can’t commit to that mechanized grout cleaner. There is something very easy about picking up a toothbrush while your hair is conditioning and just scrubbing the grout. I mean, you start to have to plug things in, you know, what happens is that you use it once and then never leaves the box again.

Kulap Vilaysack  34:14

And just for my edification that it’s designated toothbrush correct? For grouting?

SuChin Pak

Yeah. I mean, it’s definitely designated but I do have to say is it terrible that I have used toothbrushes that have been used in my mouth that then I don’t need any more and I use…

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah. No, that makes sense. I just want you to go back and forth.

SuChin Pak 

Oh, no, I I’m not even tempted to go back and forth. No, we got to keep the mouth grout and the bath grout separated for sure.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Gotta keep them separated.

Alison Rosen 

I think that’s what the song was about. I purchased a sweater shaver. Do you know what this is? And that was one of those things that’s gonna change my life. It’s gonna breathe new life into all my old sweaters knit stuff. And I really, you know, gave it a good go the night it arrived. And then I’ve never taken it out of the box again, ever. It was like what took me so long to get this I can’t I put up with pills on my sweaters

Kulap Vilaysack

It wasn’t pleasurable. It wasn’t satisfying enough.

Alison Rosen 

It was also scary, because I’m like, I might go, what if I, you know, just create new holes in my clothes.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Right. You go too hard. The last thing I want to talk about is something that isn’t a product. It’s sort of an idea. It’s a philosophy, you’re slowly removing from your car, your dependence on external validation. Can you tell us more about that?

Alison Rosen  36:03

Yes, this is like something I have been working on for so long. But I feel like I recently had a little bit of a breakthrough with it. And this is I just have to preface this by saying it’s so cheesy. And it’s so corny. And I feel embarrassed. Telling the story I’m about to tell because it doesn’t necessarily speak to like the better parts of me, it speaks to some kind of petty parts of me. But I’m hoping that it is relatable, hopefully helpful. So Instagram is the social media app. That for me, actually brings me the most negative feelings, because I think for a lot of people, it’s Twitter, because it can be really toxic, but Instagram. It’s just people posting images of how great things are going for them.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah, curated bespoke life.

Alison Rosen 

Yeah. And so I saw that another podcast, had this amazing guest on and instead of being like, oh, great, more greatness for everyone. I was just like, whoa, how did they? Why didn’t I get why don’t I have this? What’s wrong with me? I’m not doing enough. I’m not hustling enough. I go to such a dark self-negating place so fast. And it happened so fast. I really felt like I was like, walking lower to the ground that morning, I felt so tiny and like, weirdly, like invisible and insignificant and irrelevant. And I had opportunities. And they passed me by I mean, just, it was so sudden.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I mean, SuChin, I never seen her to be in so much agreement through that entire section of we speaking, she was like a bobblehead. Like she was like, yes, yes. This is it. This is me too.

Alison Rosen 

This is it, that makes me feel better. So I felt awful. And then I kind of caught myself, which was the thing that’s new. And I was like, wait a minute, are you going to feel this way? Every time someone other than you gets attention? Because if so, it’s gonna be like a long miserable life, or short miserable life, but it’s gonna be miserable. Like, think about what you’re doing? And then I was like, well, maybe I should look at my own metrics. Or look at my, you know, Patreon or read some nice things people have said to me, or to remind me of myself. And then I thought, no, that’s external validation too, even though it’s positive.

Alison Rosen  38:37

And then here’s the super cheesy part. I went in, and I was like, could you oh, my god. I’m so cheesy. It’s so cheesy. But could you Allison, could you love yourself enough? That this doesn’t hurt that you don’t need this outside stuff? Like Alison, what do you think about your show? What do you think about yourself as a host? What do you think about yourself as a mom as a friend, as a, you know. And it really helped it like, it was like a spell broke. It felt magical. Because I have been in the grips of these feelings for so long. Since that happened, like the second I start, I’m able to recognize it and stop myself like really fast. I hope this last because I feel suddenly so much stronger, where this kind of stuff is concerned.

SuChin Pak 

I think it will. And I think sometimes it doesn’t, you’ll be able to pick yourself up, you know, and write it quickly enough, because you’re now in the practice of doing that. Of course, I can relate to this. Of course, I can’t imagine. You know, the three of us. We’re not teens that’s been established on this podcast, but even imagine what it’d be like in my formative years. To have social media. I don’t know if Kulap would be with us at this time I read I’m being serious even though I went my voice.

Kulap Vilaysack  40:09

Because as an adult I to feel those feelings people are picking, they’re choosing their photos, they’re putting a filter, getting those angles there, you know, they’re telling the story that they want to tell. And not necessarily that it is their reality. It’s just the reality that they want to show you. Like, ah, and so like, but me. Yeah, that thing of like, how Why am I like making myself feel bad about this? When it’s like, truly none of my business. But social media is consuming. That’s the monster.

Alison Rosen 

I think it’s also for me, probably brings up really old sibling rivalry stuff cuz that’s the feeling is like, but I’m right here too. It’s silly.

SuChin Pak 

It’s silly but we do everybody does it.

Alison Rosen 

They do right?

SuChin Pak 

I hate this but I also find a lot of comfort in these like phrases that you know, we all have our own phrases. The phrase that I always use when it comes to that is it’s the human condition meaning that like the it’s just the deal that you make with whatever God there is whatever force there is, okay, I’m gonna be a human so these this is the trunk load of feelings and stuff that just comes with being human. I don’t know that there is a single person that doesn’t feel this way.

Kulap Vilaysack

And petty it petty if it doesn’t poison you, as funny. But there’s is it’s a blade. It’s a blade. You know if and you don’t want that blade to turn on yourself. But it is funny. It’s funny. It’s funny talk shit and you know, it’s fun. But you know, but not to dwell on it. And I know I’m not saying anything new. But I want to stand up for petty.

Kulap Vilaysack  42:06

Alison, thank you so much for joining us.

Alison Rosen

Thank you for having me.

Kulap Vilaysack 

What network are your podcasts on when do they come out and please your social media handles.

Alison Rosen  42:15

Okay, so I’m @Alison Rosen on Twitter and Instagram. And then my podcasts are independent. Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend comes out Mondays and Thursdays. Monday is a one on one. Thursday is a group share with you guys. It was a one on two. And then Thursday is a group show and then Childish comes out Wednesdays. So just wherever you get your podcasts, search them and you will find them.

Kulap Vilaysack

Yes, it’s fantastic. It’s so fun. You’ve had me on multiple times. You’re the best.

Alison Rosen 

Thank you. You guys are the best I loved coming on. I’m so glad I forced you to have me.

Kulap Vilaysack

That is not what happened. SuChin, do you have any final words before we let off and go?

SuChin Pak 

No, I’m just thinking about […]

Alison Rosen

Please report back let me know if it’s, you know, revolutionized your life.

SuChin Pak

I’ve been a little distracted. Because I keep thinking about how quickly I can get it in my mouth. Anyway, Alison, I apologize. I just feel so comfortable with you. You know I mean, and that’s, just thank you so much. All right. That’s it for this week’s episode. You can find all of our add to carts plus Allison’s Of course at Add To Cart pod.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And we really want to know what you think about young male perms, call us and leave a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

SuChin Pak

YMPs that’s what we’re calling them. Thank you so much for listening. We will talk to you next week.

CREDITS

ADD TO CART is a production of Lemonada Media. Our producer is Claire Jones and our editor is Ivan Kuraev. The music is by Wasahhbii and produced by La Made It and Oh So Familiar with additional music by APM music. Executive producers are Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Be sure to check out all the items we mentioned today on our Instagram at @AddToCartPod. Also, please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcast.