Why an S and not a V?
Why an S and not a V?
Jon, Dennis
"Why an S and not a V?" is a look at Vietnamese history, culture and food from the perspective of a Vietnamese person born out in the wider world. There's all these things my parents never told me because they were busy working and living, now I found some time to catch up on it.This is a metamorphosis of the original Post Cerebral Infarction and Your Internet Uncle podcasts, where I tried to remember things to help me learn about my roots. 
The Four Immortals
Send us a Text Message.We talked about Sơn Tinh (Sonny) previously, but in this episode, Dennis and I do an overview of the other three immortals. This includes Sonny's brother in law, Chử Đồng Tử (Chewie).
May 12, 2024
52 min
April 29
Send us a Text Message.So I made a mistake in stating April 29 was the fall of Saigon; it fell on the 30th. The 29th was the date of the initial invasion. You could say it was still the 29th in the Americas when Saigon fell.
May 12, 2024
8 min
Enter the (Year of the) Dragon
Send us a Text Message.Chúc mừng năm mới! Kung Hei Fat Choi (gōng xǐ fā cái)! We break in the new year wondering why nations wouldn't pick dragons as their astrological critter. Dennis critiques Vietnamese traditional food offerings of the period and I try not to bump the microphone.
Feb 13, 2024
52 min
2023 Trips
Send us a Text Message.In October 2023, was in LA with Beardsley and we stopped at Little Saigon in Westminster, California and then a few weeks later I went to Saigon proper to visit Jen and my family. Just some notes from the two trips.
Feb 5, 2024
41 min
Lemongrass
Send us a Text Message.We talk about lemongrass, Dennis' favourite herb and its origin and its uses. There are a lot.
Dec 30, 2023
33 min
Tony
Send us a Text Message.It got weird going from being the hidden middle child to being the oldest. I am the oldest biological child of my parents. Like Catelyn Stark, my mom hated this adopted child, though he did earn some of it. It gets complicated when you're uprooted from the home you know, ripped away from your bio mom and siblings and get taken to a frozen land. I wasn't sure what he was up to of late, but the old man met up with him in Nam.
Nov 21, 2023
6 min
Viet Fellas
Send us a Text Message.I never fulfilled the Viet stereotype in Canada, but I surprisingly met a number of people who did.PS - I was told viet folks will move to edmonton, calgary, saskatoon, etc. from vancouver / toronto, to escape heat from the police there
Nov 10, 2023
24 min
Songs of the South (Vietnam)
Send us a Text Message.It is weird on what Vietnamese will like from outside the nation. For example, in 2023, Jen tells me the popular foreign beer of choice is...Budweiser. For Vietnamese expats (Viet Kieu), Bud was popular in the 80s and 90s. Music wise, Hotel California seems to have made a lasting impression on older Vietnamese, including making me hate the song because it was played ad nauseum during the parties my dad went to in the 80s and 90s. While drinking Bud.Also, Vietnamese have...
Oct 31, 2023
31 min
Stiff Ones and their Hangover Friends (redux)
Send us a Text Message.I've tied on a few and can count the number of blackouts I remember on one hand!PS: Redux of Season 1, Episode 7 "Slightly darker black (out)".
Oct 19, 2023
19 min
NHL
Send us a Text Message.I used to watch professional hockey. No one in my family ever did. I don't know why or how I started, but I enjoyed it (also MLB when the Jays won back to back world series. Yes, I am a wagon hopper). The desire to watch took many blows over the years. It wasn't even because of the decline in the 90s with the VCR line or early 2010s drought (to be fair 2006 was a miracle and inspiring). I've become one of those guys who just doesn't care anymore. Ironic, because I...
Oct 7, 2023
11 min
Load more