J.R.: 0:00

Hello everyone and welcome to the 1000 Gurus Poh with me, your host, jr Yonagruz. So today's guest is Monster Poh. So Monster Poh is a full-time registered nurse who enjoys creating content via cosplay, comedic skits, beauty and food. She has over 150,000 followers across her social media platforms and enjoys traveling with her husband, justin, and has two rescued terriers, toru and Yuffie. So it was nice to reconnect with Poh after several years, but I've been following her content creation journey for a while now.

J.R.: 0:32

She's really good at what she does and what I like about her is that she takes pride in her work, which which are just a few reasons why I really wanted her for season one of the show. In this conversation, we talk about her getting into nursing and some of the struggles that she's had to deal with as a nurse, and we talk about travel a bit, particularly Philippines and Japan, and she shares some of her own travel tips. And then we get into balancing family life with career and hobbies, as well as considerations of what kind of parent she wants to be in the future. So overall, it was a very fun conversation and Poh is really reflective and insightful on all these topics. So a lot of really good takeaways. Without further ado. Hope you enjoy this episode with Monster Poh. Welcome to the show, Poh.

Poh: 1:17

Hi everybody, Thank you for having me.

J.R.: 1:20

Yeah, thank you for being here. So, yeah, I wanted to just start off with how I know you normally with my guests. So we met like end of 2018, 2019. We did that the dance cosplay project for KDA, right yeah. And then you were already big in the cosplay community and I was just like meeting people in it. You're also big in like the photography community and I know that your husband, justin, was like one of the producers for that project that we're in. You're also a full-time nurse content creator. You're a big foodie. You do a lot of like collabs and Poh and stuff like that and you and your husband are like world travelers, anything else More like Asia travelers.

Poh: 1:54

Asia travelers yeah.

J.R.: 1:55

Anything else I missed that you like doing. Oh, I think one of the things I can add to the list is pickleball, yes, lately.

Poh: 2:03

So yes, we've been doing that and I wouldn't say like I'm super famous and all that stuff I dabble right and I'm glad people enjoy it exactly exactly I feel the same way.

J.R.: 2:11

I'm like I just do what I enjoy and it's cool, people like it, so anyways. So yeah, pickleball, we'll get into that soon, because I've seen a lot of your recent contents and it's like super fun. So so we know that you go by monster Poh. So like where did that name come from and like how did you decide to use it?

Poh: 2:28

Oh, some people get sad about it. So Monster Poh Poh was my rabbit's name, my late rabbit. She passed excuse me, he passed right before I actually made my account. I dedicate that page to him and he was my little monster. So I figured like why not Monster Poh? It actually used to be Monster Poh S2, because I wanted to be cute and put a heart. Oh I see, but then I didn't want people to think I had a second account. It's like Monster Poh 2.

J.R.: 2:52

Right, right, right. So I just omitted it before. Oh, okay, that makes sense, that makes sense, cool. So anyways, people like to do so, like where did you grow up and what was it like growing up?

Poh: 3:09

and then like how did you? Well, let's start with that. I was born in Philippines, so I am 100% Filipina. Yeah, I know I don't look it though. I'm mixed somehow.

Poh: 3:18

We're all mutts in our own way but yes, I was born in Philippines, raised till I was nine years old, so I do still have my accent. That comes out every now and then, especially when I work in the hospital. Oh, when I talk to Jesus it comes out. Other than that, I moved to California following my dad because he came here for, you know, the American dream. So he brought the rest of the family here and I've been in a normie in California since.

J.R.: 3:41

Yeah.

Poh: 3:41

Until I tried to make some something of myself, at least something that I thought was more enjoyable for myself.

J.R.: 3:47

Right, right, so how did you get into? Okay, I guess we'll jump around a little bit, but so I know, like we said, you do a lot of things. But then how did nursing come into play? So I can make an assumption, and Filipinos like, nursing is our thing A lot of it's like a family thing too. It's okay. We expect you to go into healthcare or nursing specifically. Was that also similar for you or was it like no, actually there's something about that that was inherently, I feel, like, my choice or I don't know.

Poh: 4:15

I think nursing was something my family wanted me to do. There was no one in the medical field, I think, in my family other than my generation of cousins. I wasn't the first. Obviously my cousins were first because I was the youngest girl out of all my cousins. But nursing was more of my family's dream, my parents' dream. So I knew nothing but nursing the moment I was born. You're going to be a nurse, like okay it just guided you to it. Yeah, just basically here's my path.

J.R.: 4:44

You want a doctor set for toys and stuff like that so, like you like to paint, great, that looks good.

Poh: 4:48

What about nursing?

J.R.: 4:51

nice.

Poh: 4:52

So then I'm assuming that was just the thing they were focusing on throughout college, and then becoming a nurse and whatnot yes, yes, I actually took my time, not because I didn't want to get into it faster, but because, you know, I didn't have that much money, so I worked in school just trying to get into nursing. So my whole focus is what can I do to graduate, what can I do to get into nursing school, what can I do to get that nursing job and, you know, make that money and whatever. But in the long run, though, I'm not saying that I'm just doing it just because I was forced to I do enjoy it.

Poh: 5:21

As I was going through that path, I saw my family and friends going to the hospital, seeing the care the nurses have given and I'm thinking like that's going to be me one day and I'm going to be a good, I'm going to do a good job, be a good nurse and yeah.

J.R.: 5:33

Do you have any? Okay, well, I have a few questions that come to mind, which is you're the first nurse that I have on the show, so if you have any insights on what the process is like to becoming a nurse like how challenging is it or how easy do you feel like it was, and then from there like best parts and or worst parts are like challenges of being a nurse.

Poh: 5:53

Okay, well, trying to become a nurse is very hard, I will tell you this.

Poh: 5:57

And I don't know if this is a fact, but I've heard people say I'm going to get lashed out for this. They're saying that just the path to nursing is so fast that it's on par with trying to get to like med school. I'm not saying it's we're like harder than them. They're like what they have to do is way worse than what we have to do. But because we have to do it so fast, it's just there's no time to breathe For me personally. I don't know how other people did it, but for me I focused on like work, paying for school, and then just like my studies, and that took like 90% of my time like sleeping, drinking. I was doing it like while I was studying.

Poh: 6:34

It was bad, but in the end it was worth it. But there was a lot of tears, a lot of what am I doing? Why am I doing this? Is this worth it? But in the end definitely was, especially when you finally hold that degree, like I did it.

J.R.: 6:49

Nice, that feeling of accomplishment. So, as a nurse, I'm sure that you have seen so many things. How long have you been working as a nurse for? Since 2016. 2016. So it's been what is it? Eight years? Something like that Don't look at me, I'm bad at math. Yeah yeah, eight years, so I'm sure you've seen a lot of crazy, different crazy things. So do you have any things that are like best parts and or hardest parts about being a nurse?

Poh: 7:12

Oh, I think the best parts we'll start with that is everyone's appreciation for nurses. There'd be patients where, hey, you know, I see the hard work that you're doing and those moments just make you feel so good and appreciated. But then you know, it's not like that all the time in the hospital. People are in the hospital because they're in pain, they're like, they're hurt, they're, you know, x, y and Z. So as nurses, we have to understand that we are the forefront when it comes to patient care. Sure, the doctors come and see them, but they're not there the entire 12 hours, like we are. They're there for 30 minutes, if they even get 30 minutes with them. And, understandable, they have 100 patients. And for us nurses, I think the struggle is when you get patients who just don't understand what it's like your Poh. You know I go in and they lash out at me. I called you five minutes ago and like why weren't you here? And I'm like I'm doing CPR next door to a patient dying. I'm sorry, I couldn't get your water.

J.R.: 8:08

Literally trying to save someone's life here.

Poh: 8:10

Yeah, and like that. I think that's one of the hardest parts. There are, like the outlier, where you get like really confused patients, where I've had a patient throw coffee at me. They're confused. I have to understand that, but it still sucks. But I think the more worse part is when I have a patient who's more cognizant of what's going on about, like me trying to get to their room and trying to help them, and then they're just not as patient. Like just a smidge of patience is all I ask, especially on those harder days where I just want to sit down and cry and then have to go back out there.

J.R.: 8:44

Would you say. Are you like more extroverted, introverted? Oh, Just curious.

Poh: 8:48

I've taken. What was it Myers-Briggs? Yeah, Myers-Briggs, yeah, yeah yeah, I've taken that test multiple times and I'm actually right in the middle.

J.R.: 8:55

Okay.

Poh: 8:55

So I think it depends on who I'm with, what the crowd is like, and I could be either way, but if I had to pick, I'm actually more introverted.

J.R.: 9:03

Okay, okay. Yeah, I know that's not super relevant, but I'm just curious because I imagine that well, from my understanding as an outsider, like nursing is difficult because you have to deal with so many people, but there's obviously technical aspects of that right. You have to know your stuff, like what you're doing medically. So, whereas you know, maybe doctors are seeing a lot of people, they're putting their expertise to play, but, like you said, they're not there for a majority of the time. So I imagine it must be really tough that you have to juggle your tasks with taking care of the patients and then jumping from task to task.

Poh: 9:33

There's definitely excuse me, there's definitely a lot of not therapy, but like a lot of mental health aspect in the nursing realm I've I personally I don't know, can I even say this I'm really good at kissing ass when it comes to patients.

Poh: 9:47

I'm pretty good at trying to put out fires because I, for people who go to therapy you guys got this but I've gone through my own therapy and I've taken everything I've learned from my therapist in the nursing community, cause it's there's a lot of patients, like I said, a lot of them are going to be unhappy because they didn't like the care, they don't like what they heard, or I'm sick and tired of being sick, so they take it out on us. So for me, it's okay. You're struggling, I get it. Let me put my feelings aside of you you know borderline abusing me and let me help you, like, get through this and, in the end, like, the appreciate.

Poh: 10:27

I still remember this one shift. Um, I went in, uh, and this patient was absolutely done with her day, like she was upset with the doctor, she was upset with the other nurse that was taking care of her and, mind you, they didn't really do anything wrong, but she was just unhappy overall. Um, and in hearing her aspect, okay, fine, I get it. So when I went in, I said, hi, how are, how are you? And she's like, don't you talk to me? Like that? I'm like what did I say?

Poh: 10:49

And I remember walking out of that room and looking at the other nurse and I'm like, how am I going to get through my shift with her? What do I do? And I was actually about to cry. I was like I just walked in here, my patient just yelled at me and now I don't know what to do and then just thinking I have 12 hours, 12 hours, how do I do this? And then moving on throughout that day when I was like every time I go in there I'm like, okay, I can do this okay, breathe, yeah, smile, try to perform.

Poh: 11:16

Yes, yes, pretty much. So I go in and then she's again venting and I'm just like I'm already prepared, so I know she's gonna vent, so she starts venting, and then I'm just like I'm already prepared, so I know she's going to vent, so she starts venting, and then I put in that therapy aspect and she, by the end of the shift, was super happy, super nice, and said and even told me like you're the only nurse who's ever taken the time to talk to me. And that was a huge impact on me, regardless of me feeling like I was on eggshells the entire night of me feeling like I was on eggshells the entire night. Just hearing that made me feel like, okay, I'm doing something really good, you know. And I talked to my coworker who had that day shift and I asked how she was and he was saying like, oh, she was the sweetest patient. And I was like, wow, okay, okay, yeah, you're welcome.

J.R.: 12:00

What do you think? What aspects do you think of, like how you treated her went into that that made her like have that switch. I guess anything specific that you feel like worked I think she felt like she wasn't heard.

Poh: 12:11

She had all this concerns and complaints and I think human nature if there's a complaint, we defend ourselves. I'm not saying this, I'm not saying this is what happened, um with the other, with the doctor and the nurse or whatever, but I feel like she just wasn't heard. So I just sat there and I told her, like this is how you feel, this is what I understand, how you felt, am I right? Can you tell me more? And I think people, especially if you're in a small room, like all the rooms, are private so there's really no one in there other than the patient and if family comes, in her case, no family was there.

Poh: 12:44

You have that white wall syndrome. So you had to go a little crazy. You know what I mean. So she just needed someone to talk to and have someone hear her. So I took that time. I had to. You know I have other patients, but I figured out how to manage my time better to be able to accommodate to her. So I think that that was something that she appreciated and she voiced it. I was like I really felt like I was heard and I really appreciate you and I think you're doing a great job as a nurse Nice.

J.R.: 13:12

I think that's a really good takeaway for a lot of people. You know these people. They don't want to be there but they're in the situation and you have a lot on your plate. But then I think taking the time to like really make someone feel understood helped that whole process. I think taking the time to like really make someone feel understood helped that whole process. I think it's a great lesson, so like an interesting pivot. But have you worked in the same hospital or what is your hospital like?

Poh: 13:34

I actually started at a smaller hospital and I love that hospital. If it wasn't for certain things that I had to move. But if I had to have a choice, I would have stayed there. It's a small hospital, but because it's small we're like family, right.

J.R.: 13:48

So yeah.

Poh: 13:49

Shout out to Placenta Linda I love you guys.

J.R.: 13:52

So you work at a bigger hospital now.

Poh: 13:53

I do work at a bigger hospital. I also really love this hospital. I work at Kaiser, yay, but yeah, I enjoy Kaiser.

J.R.: 14:01

Yeah. So my next question was like so I have a friend who is a travel nurse and he makes comedy content right, but one of his things is like sometimes working as a nurse can be very toxic because of, like the administration of the people you work with, and I don't want to try to like Poh fingers or say everyone is evil, right.

Poh: 14:18

Right.

J.R.: 14:18

But it seems like that's not really your experience. But I'm sure it depends on the hospital or I'm not sure.

Poh: 14:31

What experience, but I'm sure it depends on the hospital or I'm not sure what do you.

J.R.: 14:33

I think it depends on the hospital. I think when you work 12 hours and you have to deal, with a lot of external kind of what's the word?

Poh: 14:35

external factors or correct correct. So there'd be times where you feel like, oh, this could have been done, done better, they could have done this or short staff. Sometimes there'd be times where, like, why, why, why did this person not go to work? Or like, why did they let this person stay home, when we're clearly short staffed? So those things. But I think one of the things that I've personally been trying to understand working, not working, but being with like small business minded. Small business minded sorry, small businesses, my other friends. I'm realizing there's so much more to it. So I'm thinking like maybe there's a reason why they're trying to keep that person home and having us work Like it sucks for us, like as the people actually working, but maybe there's like other things that we just need to. We haven't understand because we're not in their Poh, right right.

J.R.: 15:20

So you're saying that people in different Poh in like the company or where you work, have different perspectives, so they have different worries and different reasonings. Different reasonings so it can come into conflict or friction with people like yourself doing like the work that's different. That makes sense.

Poh: 15:34

And I've seen my hospital do things to try to appease us. So I'm not saying that they're not doing anything Like they're doing meetings. They're doing this. So I see the effort, but you know, I think when you're frustrated it's hard to be well-headed. Yeah, that makes sense.

J.R.: 15:50

So it's like every work environment, like you have some places that are more difficult, some places that are healthier, but just depends on the dynamic. Correct. Correct Makes sense. Okay, so if you don't mind pivoting, then I would like to talk about travel, because one of the things that I think myself included, I think, a lot of your followers it's like we live vicariously through all your traveling and I think you enjoy traveling too, right? What are some of your favorite places to go?

Poh: 16:12

let's just start with that, okay, my favorite places. I love Asia, for sure. I go to Philippines a lot because it's my home.

J.R.: 16:18

I see my family, so that's kind of a no-brainer from where is your family from in the Philippines, or the family knows you know.

Poh: 16:24

I was born and raised in Manila, so I was, I've been, a city girl, but my mom is from from Iloilo okay and I think I have like family in Cebu. Now they've kind of dispersed, but majority of my life was all in Manila okay, I think my dad was from Manila and then met my mom in Iloilo and uh, in college I think there out there nice, so you visit your family in Manila area mostly.

Poh: 16:45

Manila, but more so now when we visit I stay in my husband's family's condo in BGC, so it's like kind of close to Makati Bonifacio Global City. Is it south from Manila?

J.R.: 16:56

I'm not really good with the… I don't know either.

Poh: 16:58

Okay, I like… In my head I think it's north, but you know…. Insert map here. Yeah, insert map here.

J.R.: 17:06

So I've only been once, which is this last year, last May, and so we were in Manila. But then my parents and family are from Bangasinan, which is near Baguio, so it's five hours north or something like that. It's like really far north. And then Blessie's family is… Her dad is like down in what's it called Makati. So, yeah, I'm like, okay, I vaguely know, but I was only there for, you know, a few weeks.

Poh: 17:27

So I'm not really sure. Have you not gone back since?

J.R.: 17:29

Not since, yeah, so it was just May of last year, but yeah, definitely want to go back. Yeah, and I didn't even see my family Because I was with Blessie's family the entire time. Because I yeah so I'd be like, hey, you don't know me, but I'm sure you know of me, but we haven't met yet. So yeah, but yeah, next time. So yeah, Philippines.

Poh: 17:48

Where else do you usually like to go? I like to go to Japan. I think I don't know. I've always wanted to go to Japan because as a child, I loved anime and manga. I think that was the core of it at the beginning, and then, after I got to learn more about it, I took Japanese classes in high school. I took Japanese classes in college. So in those classes they also teach you culture and all these things and I just absolutely fell in love with it.

Poh: 18:13

And I think when I did start doing cosplay, I started hearing people like I want to go to Japan back then I was a kid it's not like it was just a dream the fact that I could actually, the idea of me getting the funds to be able to travel was non-existent, it was just nursing. And then, oh, japan, I love Japan, that was it. And then, as I got older, especially in the costly community, and then doing nursing at the same time, I'm like everything that I want could be feasible if I just work a little harder. And that's where I think one of my my friend at the time husband now my close friend, my close friend at the time.

Poh: 18:50

They went to Japan and I'm just thinking I'm like man, I want to go, so badly, like what can I do? And then Just marry him.

J.R.: 18:56

Yeah, that's all I did, just marry the man, he'll take me. Yeah.

Poh: 19:02

Which happened. Nice Thanks, babe.

J.R.: 19:05

So how was your experience like the first time? When was the first time you went to Japan? And then, what was it like?

Poh: 19:10

2019 was my very first time going to Japan and I was. The culture shock was just mind-blowing. The respect and the order in Japan is just something so different for me, because all I know is California and then I also know Philippines and Philippines' orders.

J.R.: 19:31

It's a little different, very Filipino, very Filipino.

Poh: 19:35

I think we have the cultural respect to people we communicate, but I think just how they drive, how they walk, how they like greet you, it's just completely different and I really like that. And wait, what was the question? I'm like jumping ahead.

J.R.: 19:47

Yeah, no worries. How was your experience? Like in Japan? So, like you said, it was the culture shock, how they do things, like it's very different.

Poh: 19:55

I don't want to put words in your mouth. So like, how else was it? What else?

Poh: 20:06

oh, the food, like, that's definitely like one of my biggest thing, and here in the us I, I love asian food like I love, like sushi, whatnot, but I think japan ruined that for me, because when I think of sushi, yeah, yeah, but I think it the biggest takeaway from my first time was just the environment how amazing food is coming from the place of its origin. Yeah, yes, and in the fashion, oh, of course. Oh, my gosh, it's so modest. And in the costly community, because I went in from the costly community and we're very, you know, we're very, uh, sexy, you know, we're dressed like that and I'm there, I'm like you're like oh, you know one thing that I noticed, not to cut in, but so in a lot of places they have, yeah, it's like more modest fashion, but it's still fashionable.

J.R.: 20:45

Yes, but then when I went to more of the cities, like shinjuku or something like that, it's a little bit more.

Poh: 20:50

You know, I mean flashy yes, but then it's crazy how, the further you get from those places, it's still fashionable, but different style yes, and they're fashionable is still modest and it's like something that I would throw together in my closet, but it looks good on them. But if I wear it, I'm like I look like I just woke up and decided to put something random.

J.R.: 21:08

Right right.

Poh: 21:09

They look so good in it. I just don't understand.

J.R.: 21:11

Yeah, Japanese people are very fashionable.

Poh: 21:13

Very.

J.R.: 21:14

I would say the same thing about Koreans too. When I studied abroad in Korea.

Poh: 21:17

It's obviously different type of fashion, but you walk around and eight out of ten people are fashion aware and you're like, oh geez, I should have done myself up a little more one of my friends was telling me like if you're, when you walk around Korea I think it's Korea she said that like you're gonna feel very out of place if you don't try yes, 100%.

J.R.: 21:34

that's how I felt the three months that I was there. I was like, oh man, I so out of place, so you just have to try a little bit harder. Okay, so Japan Do you have any places you recommend to go to Japan? How many times have you been so far? I want to say four or five times already yeah, yeah, I think that's… I think I saw a Poh and you said it was four or five times.

Poh: 21:53

Yeah, yeah, that sounds about right, I think maybe four and a half, because one of the times I went was only for six hours.

J.R.: 21:58

Oh, I see.

Poh: 21:58

Because it was just a layover. Gotcha how long.

J.R.: 22:01

So how favorite things to do, or? Like recommendations for people who want to go, as a Japan enthusiast.

Poh: 22:07

I want to say, if it's going to be your first time, pick some if not all of it like tourist stuff, just because you want to experience the tea ceremony wearing the kimono. Yes, they're very touristy, but it's something that you want to try first because you don't want to regret it. You know what I mean. Just, it's one of the basic package of first time Japan goers and then after that stray away from it. One of the things that I did recently that was not a norm would be going on a ferry. Like it wasn't a cruise per se, but it felt like a cruise. It was just an overnight trip from beppu to osaka, um, and it was an amazing experience. Like our room. I honestly look better than the hotel we stayed at. It was so nice and that was just a ferry where people just have their cars transferred from one like island to another so it was overnight it was just an overnight thing, yeah, but it was really nice.

Poh: 22:59

And then other things are try cooking with. If there's something that says cooking with grandma or something like that, do it. It's fun talking to the grandma and tell and them telling their life while they they teach you how to cook is very humbling, yeah you're like, wow, that's so nice. You know what I mean. And then you meet this grandma who's like yeah, I've been a chef my entire life and I've been this. And then I decided I'm just gonna retire and do this. I'm like whoa, you're too cool for me anything, sorry.

J.R.: 23:27

So, moving on from japan, any other places that you recommend that you enjoy going to because you said asia, so I don't know where- else oh shargao, absolutely shargao.

Poh: 23:35

This is also philippines.

Poh: 23:36

Going back to philippines okay, okay we went toargao for the first time We've been wanting to go. If you've ever been to Baracay, it's basically Baracay, but like more… it's much smaller, so it's not as Poh with tourists. Okay, so it feels nicer. I don't know how else to explain it, and I think in Baracay we didn't have the chance ride mopeds. In siargao you can. You go all over the island. It's not very big, so it's not like you're gonna stray too far. You'll figure out how to get back to your hotel, but it was an amazing experience and I wish I could go back oh, it's so much fun, nice, okay.

J.R.: 24:12

So one other thing I wanted to ask you, because I've seen you guys like is it like business class or something like that, like where you have the? You know you get to lay down and sleep and stuff like that right so do you have any? How do you do that? Okay, I don't make assumptions. Do you just pay for it, or do you guys use Poh, or how do you guys do that?

Poh: 24:27

we have a lot of Poh, we do Poh, and then I think our recent trip, the day before our flight, I want to say less than six hours.

Poh: 24:36

The price dropped from three 000 to 800 something like that yeah, and so the our last, our most recent trip for japan would actually be our final trip for a while. Yeah, um, so we decided it's the last trip, let's go all out paying for it. But the other trips we had a lot of Poh accumulated. My husband has his own business, so he has a lot of business Poh, so he used that. And then I had my own Poh that I accumulated and I used that too, so the our business class trips were all Poh, really Poh yeah, you have any tips on how to get Poh, or do you guys have any insider hacks?

Poh: 25:13

some people like do you know Poh?

J.R.: 25:15

hacking and stuff like that. But I've never heard of Poh hacking okay, yeah like we did it genuine, I will buy groceries, just putting everything, just use Poh gotcha, it's a good deal right?

Poh: 25:24

yes, yeah I think, just my. If you have a business small business use your card. If you don't have one, please get a card and and accumulate those Poh, because they're definitely worth it definitely you don't need to use business class. You can use, you don't have to use like I think it's um a hundred thousand Poh for business. You just use a little bit to be economy and it's fine too.

J.R.: 25:45

It makes sense. So last thing on travel, I wanted to know do you have any travel tips that you would recommend for first-time travelers? And a lot of people want to travel as much as you guys. But any pro tips?

Poh: 25:56

pro tips. Oh, you're gonna pack way more than you actually need. So just if you can try not to pack as much, there are lots. I guess it depends on where you're going. In Japan and Philippines we had no issues with this, but packing light would save you one the backache from pulling your luggage. And if you go to Japan there's not a lot of smooth pavement. There are the blind assist things on the floor and I've tripped over my luggage because of those. I remember thinking like why are these here? And then at the same time like, wait a minute, it's inconvenience to me, but imagine how inconvenient it is for someone who's blind. So I'm like, okay, just letting go but yeah, I've tripped over those.

Poh: 26:33

So pack light if you can. There's places where you can do your laundry. It's not that hard, even if you don't speak Japanese or you don't speak Tagalog. Figure it out, it's laundry, give it to them. They wash.

Poh: 26:43

Or if you have an Airbnb, they come with their own laundry. Yeah, so it's also very easy. Just use Google Translate to translate. That's one and then the other one. Even if you're like in an economy, we still like travel economy. We only Poh the business stuff because we're not cool yeah, of course, why not? But we still travel economy. My favorite thing that I got way back before I even met my husband, I have this foot hammock where you put it on your tray right. Have you ever heard of it?

J.R.: 27:12

I can imagine what it is.

Poh: 27:13

Yeah, it's so good, you put it on your tray and then like for girls who are short like me, we it's hard for our feet to touch the floor so I have this thing where I don't know if you can see it, but like you, basically put your legs up like this and you feel like you're in a recliner. It's really nice yeah I like that.

Poh: 27:29

And then I also have this thing called a sleeper. The pillow. Neck pillows don't do anything for me, it just still gives me stiff neck. So I have this neck pillow where you put it around the chair itself and then you either cover your eyes, your chin, your mouth, whatever you want. I don't like it on my eyes because I feel like my eye sockets are really back, but I put it here around my head and it just hangs.

Poh: 27:50

It feels so good. I put my eye mask on, I put my hammock and I'm like chilling and I sleep for six hours, no problem.

J.R.: 27:56

Nice, that sounds really comfortable. I've seen ads and stuff like that with those sort of things where it hooks up to your chair, but I imagine it does help you get better sleep.

Poh: 28:03

Yes, it's very, very comfortable, like I like it, but I can't really say the same for my husband, just because he's a lot taller than me.

J.R.: 28:14

So, like the hammock kind of just goes on his calf. I mean he says it helps. Yeah, that's good. Okay, if you don't mind, let's pivot a little bit. So I know you mentioned that when you were younger into anime, like we both are. So then how did you get into cosplay and then also content creation in general?

Poh: 28:30

Okay, cosplay, that's a fun one, I think in college. Well, actually, I've always wanted to cosplay. I've always wanted it. I've seen it and even before it was a huge thing. I do dress up as the characters, but I'm like that lone wolf, like I was surrounded by people who are like too cool for that. You know what I mean. So it's hard to break out of that space and be like I want to do this. I was also like a drama kid, so I like to reenact stuff.

J.R.: 28:52

Oh, I see.

Poh: 29:01

Yeah. So he started it. And then one of my co-workers told me about it because she was doing it with him. I'm not sure if they did it together or she was just helping him. But she told me like, hey, you like anime? Have you ever considered cosplay? You should come. But I was super shy. I was like no, no, no, it's okay, it's okay. But then I worked at the bookstore and the bookstore was going to have a little booth around the time. I was like, okay, you know, I'm just going to work and see what it's like. And then, as it got closer, I was like you know, let me see what I have in my closet, Let me put something together. Fun.

Poh: 29:36

I bought one wig and I wore gosh, a maid kind of uniform I forget, but it's something along those lines and I went I didn't have the right makeup on, I didn't have contacts on, I actually didn't know how to put makeup on that at all. Back then it was just super basic eyeliner and then, you know, go about my day. So I did that and for some reason I had good, good feedback. So I had people like take photos of me, like one of one of the first photographers that took me, who was actually pretty well known in the community, was Nels. So shout out, nels. I still tell him about it like he was my very first photographer and he's also in the medical field oh nice so he was the one who shot me.

Poh: 30:17

he Poh my photo and then he asked my instagram and all of a sudden I was getting all these random like followers and I was like what's going on? So I got that good feedback and it becomes like a drug. Like you, I like that high and I'm a leo, so you know I like the Poh. So when that happened, I just like, okay, what else can I do, you know? And then I started. What was the subscription box? But there was a subscription box that I like I applied for and they had the like, some cosplay stuff, like a scarf, or they'll give you a goggle and I'll take advantage of it and just do my own little photo shoots in my room and then I would Poh that and then you'll get good feedback. So it's, I think, from there.

Poh: 30:56

That's when I got reached out by other photographers or say I'd go to a convention and I try a little bit harder, learn how to put makeup on, buy those contacts that I got from working my bookstore I have very little money, by the way, because it's going straight to my education but that little smidge of yeah, I can buy those really cheap contacts. And yeah, that's where it all started. That's where I bloomed into meeting all these other photographers, all these cosplayers that, like I idolized because, like I loved how they did the makeup, I would like loved how they did their costume and I would pick their brain and learn more. And that's where I feel like I grew and then I made everything my own because I feel like I'm a perfectionist, like I love art in general. So, like, trying to figure out how to make this look not haphazard made me feel like good you know what I mean.

J.R.: 31:44

Yeah, I like that. What do you think, um, makes you stand out? Well, two parts of it. What do you think makes you stand out as a cosplayer, like what is like monster Poh brand, and or do you think that there's like what do you think it takes to be like a cosplayer, to be big in the community? So I know you talked about like standards and excellence, but, like, I guess, first question, what do you think is your capitalizes, your brand, like how?

Poh: 32:08

you? Oh, I don't know. I think for my cosplays it needs to look good or I will not get out of my house. I think that's my thing. It doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be exactly like the character, but I just know I need to look at myself in the mirror and say, yeah, that looks good, I'm representing the character I'm representing. And then the other thing is, when I do the photo shoots I want to be in character Again. The whole drama kid in me needs to be perfect.

Poh: 32:39

I need my Poh and I need my expression to be in character again, like the whole drama kid in me. It needs to be like perfect, like I need like my Poh and I need my, my expression to be that character. I wouldn't say I was perfect at it, but in my head I thought I was, but and I think that that made it easier for other photographers to be like okay, she's actually pretty easy to work with oh, I see because I've actually heard people say that, like when they take photos, they're like like, okay, we'll give you direction, but I'm so used to constantly moving, like I will do my Poh, and then they click In my head, it's automatic.

Poh: 33:06

Okay, let's change my Poh. Like why would I stay in that Poh? You know what I mean. So I do that and I just change my Poh and everyone's like oh, I'm like, oh, what?

J.R.: 33:15

Oh, that was good. Do that again.

Poh: 33:16

Yeah, pretty much. So I think that was…. That actually was one of the things why, like, other photographers wanted to work with me. Like I got recommendations Like hey, she's really easy to work with.

J.R.: 33:25

Cosplays are not bad, so let… you know, if you want to work with someone who's barely new in cosplay but then you know is easier to work with, you know she can reach out to her and I think part of that, it seems, is you had standards that you want to be proud of your work, like what you do, and then how you take photos and then being easy to work with, helped with the networking, and then you met more people in the community and then just putting out more work and then do you think that's what kind of lends to you building like the following that you have now you building like you're the following that you have now, which is like that standard of what you do, yes and no.

Poh: 34:01

I would like to say that my my page is they all came because of how goofy I am. I I don't think I can take it seriously. Like the photos like, yes, like I try to be as badass as I can, but then I don't know my recent videos. Now I just can't. I can't do anything serious. I have to do something funny or silly or like just I just want to share that.

Poh: 34:21

I'm not like I don't bite yeah, you know like I've gotten people who said you have an rbf. There'd be times when I'm tired and I'm just like you know, and then they're like are you okay? I'm like I'm just tired, like I'm not like angry or anything, I'm just, like you know, just resting. But like my personality is just a big goofball. I wouldn't say I'm like entirely funny, but I do like to just be a little bit more expressive.

J.R.: 34:44

That makes sense, I think. My personal philosophy is I think that's how you build a following is being your authentic self, and people like that right I would imagine they Poh well to like your goofy side because that's authentically you.

Poh: 34:55

I'd like to think so, because I've had people always tell me, if you want your page to blow up, you need to stick with one thing. And I'm like no. If I'm sticking with one thing, I'm sticking with my personality and I will Poh whatever I want to Poh and if you guys like it, great. If not, then you don't have to follow me. That's okay. There's a lot of talented people out there that you can follow.

J.R.: 35:21

And I'm okay with that. You know I love that. So now, aside from cosplay, I know you do a lot of other types of content. I know I've seen food obviously pickleball, like what is. I don't make any assumptions, but what is your favorite type of content to create?

Poh: 35:29

oh, my favorite type of content is comedy. I really love the con comedy. I like acting. It's one of the things I truly enjoyed as a kid. So whenever there's a skit or anything that I want to just like recreate, I want to do it. I don't think I have the confidence to make my own stuff yet, like I did one and it was okay. The sound is bad and whatnot. You know I'm learning, but other than that, my comfort zone is here's a skit and then in my head I think I can do this. I think I can create a character from that like that one sentence, because it's not a huge like production or anything, it's literally just me, my phone and one-liners, you know, and people Poh well and I'm like I'm really happy about it and everyone's saying like I'm very expressive. Again, that's actually what I'm working on. You know my expressions, my eyebrows talk is what someone said and I'm like, yeah, they do.

J.R.: 36:21

I'm doing that on Poh. Yeah, I like that. No, I agree, I agree with that. I was like a lot of your videos that I mean I enjoy all of them, but it's the ones where it's like you're doing a voiceover and it's just like your facial expressions. I feel like it lends itself really well. I think you do work on it and then it shows. But also it's compared to other people who just do the skit and they're just like there and they're just looking good. But I think what makes yours like really compelling is that like you're actually putting like that effort into it of the acting and the drama kid in you, like you said. So I really like that about your comedy skits too. Thank you, anything else on like content creation that let's see. I would say, as a content creator who is, you know, well known, do you have any like advice or tips on how to approach content creation? I know maybe it's not necessarily a goal to blow up or build a following, or maybe it is, but like any advice on how to approach that?

Poh: 37:11

Honestly for me, don't go into thinking I'm going to make it big, because I never had that intention at all with my page. For me, it was more so. I'm going to do what I love and I'm going to share with people and if they like it, that's wonderful. That's why, again, I have no rhyme or reason in my page. It's just whatever modge Poh of whatever I want to do. I want to do art stuff in there too, but I think that's a little too much. I created a separate page for that.

Poh: 37:45

But yeah, just just go in having fun and don't have all these expectations that you're going to make it big, because if you don't I'm not saying you won't like definitely work on it. If you don't like, it's gonna hurt. You know what I mean and I've heard that from other people. Like other people have asked me this what did you do? How did you do this? I was like I just decided I wanted to have fun and that was like that, was it like I? I didn't like how people would say, oh, I want to do this like you. No, don't do it like me. Be you. People are going to follow you. They're not. They don't want to follow another Monster Poh. There is one Monster Poh, there's going to be one you, and you're going to be that special you. So just take it in, you know, and people will follow you. There's going to be a niche for everything you I think that's my biggest thing.

J.R.: 38:19

I love that um, yeah, because if you're finding your niche or your niche, that's you right, you're a niche of one. So it's, if you want to look for a niche, that's just look in the mirror. I love that. Okay, let's pivot a little bit. We have a little bit more time for the last section, but so one of the things that you mentioned of like maybe Poh topics was like balancing well, balancing hobbies and work, but also like family life, right? So like, how do you approach that? I know that you're very passionate about you, know what you do and you're also you love nursing, and then you have a family and I know you said you mentioned you want to build your family and grow it. So like, how do you approach like balancing all of that stuff?

Poh: 38:57

I think I got extremely lucky actually balancing all of that stuff. I think I got extremely lucky actually, since my husband is also part of this community with me. He's very Poh of what I do and I Poh him, so I think balancing the content creation and photography, modeling and nursing is just all easy in that sense with him. And then in terms of families my husband, we want to grow a family, we want to have babies. We want to grow a family.

Poh: 39:19

We want to have like babies we want to have, like we want to reach those milestones. You know, I think my goal, if I had to be more personal, is I want to be like I want to have great-grandkids, so I'm like work on this. But that's my personal goal, you know decades, hopefully, decades in the future, decades, hopefully, decades in the future. But yeah, that's, I want to be able to create a family. That, I think, would I'm trying to think of the right word for this Not make us happy, because I don't want to make, I don't want to produce something to make me happy.

Poh: 39:49

Right right right, but something that would like.

J.R.: 39:52

Sustain or you want to build a happy home. Right right, that's a good. That's a good like goal right, right. So, as I'm sure there's a lot of people out there who are also aspiring to start a family, build a family, what are some of your biggest considerations or worries or insights? From someone at your stage of you, know you guys are ready to start building a family, like what's something that you would pass along what do you mean?

Poh: 40:14

pass along like my worries, or yeah?

J.R.: 40:16

like the biggest considerations, because I'm sure like starting a family is a big leap right like from just okay huge, like having a relationship and then getting married. Right, it's one consideration. But then how do you sit down and be like, okay, let's start a family.

Poh: 40:28

And here are the things that we should consider, or this is what I'm really worried about I think starting a family wasn't an issue with us, because I think when we started and we talked for the first time before we went together, my first question was how many kids do you want?

Poh: 40:42

or you know what it might be the other way around. He might, he might have asked me okay, and I think, just going in we already knew we wanted it. So I think that part, thankfully, was easy. But I think my biggest struggle moving forward as a nurse is all the complications. I think that's my biggest fear because I like in my field I'm a float nurse, so I actually float from like DOU, which is a step down from ICU, it's called direct observational unit, and then I also work at MSD medical surgical and telemetry. So I do that, like that, two big sections. And then I also work at Poh. It was I had a rare Poh to get trained to take care of moms and newborn babies. So learning about the Poh part of it, like all the complications, like how I'm always going to be like one foot in my grave, so that part freaks me out. And then I make it worse by sending my husband things girls need to worry about and then he's like, so do you want to have a baby?

J.R.: 41:39

What are you trying to say? Okay, I'm getting mixed signals here.

Poh: 41:42

I'm just saying my baby moon better be good, Because I'm always like I'm going to be like half dead half the time apparently. But it's fine. I think it's something that I've already accepted and I still want, so it's not going to stop me from having a baby. But that is my biggest concern. I'm like I hope nothing goes wrong.

Poh: 41:58

And I'm also in the time of my life where my friends are having kids. So they tell me their stories and, like I've seen most of my patients since I'm not a primary Poh nurse, I'm just a floater, I don't get the complicated moms so most of my moms are like, oh, it was fine, we did this, it was great. And then I hear, like my friends, I hear other stories from other patients and then my friends tell me like, oh my gosh, I was X, y and Z, I was bleeding so much. I did this.

J.R.: 42:25

And I'm like close to home You're like okay, this might be your worst fear, but this is what happened to me. It was scary.

Poh: 42:33

Yeah, so I trust the hospital that I decided to go to, so I'm sure I'll be fine, but it's still that lingering fear, you know. Yeah, it's a very real thing, yeah.

J.R.: 42:42

Another question. So, on parenting, what kind of parent do you want to be? So I'm sure you'll get there when you get there, but you do a lot of fun stuff.

Poh: 42:53

But then? So how do you approach? Like how, what type of parent you want to be? I want to not cause trauma in my kids.

J.R.: 42:57

Oh, that's a good start. That's one of the biggest things.

Poh: 43:00

We joke about it how we always say, oh, childhood trauma. But it's true. You know, I love my parents, I think they're great people, but there's just some things that they grew up with that I just definitely don't want to cross over to my kids, and same with my husband. We're on the same page. We want to create a culture where our kids will be able to think for themselves. Like I don't want to do things for them without a good reason that I would need to step in. I want them to be able to think for themselves. I want them to be able to be independent, because who knows, like what might happen to us, like we might like pass before they can be an adult on their own. But even as a child, I want them to think okay, this is what my parents taught me, this is how I should think, and I think that it's a way for us to protect our kids. And then we also want it to be fun. Of course, I am definitely going to be a cosplay mom, like for sure, 100%.

J.R.: 43:49

That's going to be so fun Dressing up your kids.

Poh: 43:52

Yes, and it's funny too, because as I'm getting older, all of the people that I'm following are starting to Poh like family stuff. So you're trying to like. It's starting to kick in my head. I'm like, damn, I'm growing with these people and like my followers. I hope they grow with me too. So that would be, that'd be fun. Um, but yeah, I think as a parent, I want to raise my kid to be independent men and women, whatever they may be um and like a fun culture.

Poh: 44:18

Like I'm curious, there'll be times where I hope I don't hit my kid, but I'm like man. Can I stop myself?

J.R.: 44:23

you're like okay, I don't know how long my patience goes, yeah, I get it.

Poh: 44:27

I want to say I'm a very patient person.

J.R.: 44:28

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll see we'll see last question on that. So what do you have? Okay, I imagine you have a cosplay goal for your family, or is there a family cosplay dream that you have a cosplay goal for your family? Is there a family cosplay dream that you have, like you can dress up as this?

Poh: 44:44

I don't think I have a family one. I have some pregnancy ones. I want to do I've got that, and then I've got…. I really want to dress my kid as Poh whenever I can?

J.R.: 44:52

Oh my gosh.

Poh: 44:54

So I want to do that, but just to say like a full family one no, not yet actually. I. So I want to do that, but I just to say like a full family one no, not yet actually. I know one of the basic ones is the spy family right right so I think that's definitely in the works. If you know, if I ever get a girl, even if it's a boy, I'll make him dress up whatever you want you want to wear a dress, you do you?

Poh: 45:08

it's just cosplay, okay but if he loves the dress, if you love Nice, I love it. I think you're going to be a good mom.

J.R.: 45:14

I think it's going to be super fun. I hope so. Okay, so that's all the main questions. Ready for rapid fire? Yeah, these are the fun ones, okay, okay. So this is the billboard question. If you could have a billboard that says anything that millions of people would see, what would it say?

Poh: 45:32

God, oh my God, she's not as funny as she looks.

J.R.: 45:37

Nice, I like it. You're talking about yourself.

Poh: 45:39

I'm talking about myself. Yeah, myself, of course.

J.R.: 45:42

What is your favorite failure or something challenging that you learned the most from?

Poh: 45:46

Oh, my favorite failure was definitely not being able to communicate, because since I didn't know how to communicate, I went to therapy and now I feel like I'm a better person to be able to communicate to others. I'm still not perfect, don't get me wrong. There'll be times where I'm like, oh my gosh, I can't believe I said that, but I'm learning. I think the idea of just being able to learn and progress and grow as a person, to be a better person for myself and for my family and for my friends, I think is one of my greatest failures.

J.R.: 46:13

I see. Were there any specific Poh of communication that you learned? That was helpful for you.

Poh: 46:19

I think, to be able to acknowledge first, before you say… If you have… Say you have an argument and your friend says I feel like you did this and in your head I'm like, wait, but this happened and this happened. It's not your turn, this is their concern. This is what's making them feel sad or upset or whatever. You need to acknowledge that first. You need to hold your tongue and let them feel like they heard you before, because if you do, they'll be more open to hear you as well. Hopefully, and I think that has been the communication strategy that me and my husband have been doing and it's going well.

Poh: 46:51

It's not perfect. I still have times where I step back and put in my oh, but this, and he understand you feel that way, but right now I'm talking about myself and I'm like, oh, shoot, okay, I'm sorry, so it's. I think that's one of the biggest thing is, if someone has a concern, they want to be heard, especially if they're talking to you about it, because they trust you, they like, they appreciate you in their lives, so they want to tell you. So for you to lash back it sucks. Yeah, definitely, you know what I mean, definitely.

J.R.: 47:17

I like that. It's like you want to get your Poh across but you have to stop and like consider the Poh first, because then you can't have a good conversation if they don't at least feel heard.

Poh: 47:25

Yeah, because if they don't feel heard, they're not going to want to hear you.

J.R.: 47:27

Of course, cool Biggest regret. Or if you could redo something, what would you do differently?

Poh: 47:33

I don't think I have any regrets. I think things have happened for a reason and there's a domino effect to every action that I've made. So if I were to even change one thing in my life, I feel like it'd be different. And I don't know how comfortable I'd feel. I like who I am right now, the friends I've made, the culture I've created around myself, so I don't know. I think I'm happy with where I am. That's good.

J.R.: 47:57

If you could redo anything. Would that be a different sort of perspective? We think it's the same thing of regret.

Poh: 48:03

Redo anything. From any Poh in time.

J.R.: 48:06

Well, let me think it's a thought experiment obviously.

Poh: 48:09

I think if I had to redo something, maybe I would like in terms of cosplay I know it went well but if I had to do the very first cosplay because I cringe every time I look at it. I would fix my makeup, but nothing major. I think I would redo Because, like I said, I think there's a there was a reason for everything. So I think any hardships that I had to deal with, I think it was worth it because it just helped me grow.

J.R.: 48:33

If you could give your younger self advice from any age or time period, what would it be?

Poh: 48:38

I'll just keep getting better, yeah, yeah, I had a pretty like strict childhood so there wasn't much I could do. I was very limited in what I could do, and I just want to tell myself you got this. You will have your time in the future. You just have to get through nursing school. Just get through it. You got this, it'll be better yes, I like it.

J.R.: 48:59

Are there any new habits, routines or mindsets that you adopted in the last, let's say, few years that you feel have really helped you a lot?

Poh: 49:07

I think keeping up with my this is so silly, but keeping up with my notifications I've always been. I always have a hard time trying to navigate with my emails and my like all these things. So it's like when I do miss something I feel so horrible because that's time, sorry. I think time is precious, one of the things, one of the biggest things for me. So if I take away time from someone and it's entirely my fault, it's it hits me because, man, if I was in their Poh, I'd be so upset.

J.R.: 49:38

So that's definitely something yeah, habits or mindsets that you adopt in the last couple years that you feel like really helped you so you're staying on top of your notifications, yeah staying, basically staying on top of my stuff is definitely one.

Poh: 49:50

I'm not just notifications, that's just the biggest thing, the most recent thing for me. Um, and then allowing myself grace because Because, especially being in the content community, not everyone's going to like your stuff Really. Yes, of course that's crazy. Okay, I don't know if you're being sarcastic, very sarcastic.

J.R.: 50:08

Trust me, I know.

Poh: 50:10

I'm gullible, don't do that. I'm sorry. It's okay, there's that, and then there's something else.

J.R.: 50:15

Not everyone's going to like you.

Poh: 50:17

Yeah, not, oh yeah, give yourself grace. When you do content or do that stuff, you do it for yourself and if you do it for yourself it's not going to feel as bad. Stop comparing yourself to other people Like I've done. That Didn't feel good and then when you started, like embracing your own stuff, you realize you do have that talent, you do have that aspect that people enjoy. So, just like, take that in, you know what I mean and enjoy it. I think those two are the biggest ones for me, at least for me personally.

J.R.: 50:42

Yeah, I mean, those are really good. Who would you call successful and how do you define success?

Poh: 50:46

who would I call successful? Anyone in the entire world I want to say, like the first person I thought of was my husband oh yeah, I think he's very successful in his own way justin's really great yeah, like, but the thing is he doesn't feel like it.

Poh: 51:01

He feels like, no, I'm no big deal and that's great. I don't know if he's just being humble or he really doesn't see himself as so much more than I than how I see him. You know, I think he went to school for accounting, like all this, like jobs, that not jobs, sorry. Schooling where you can get like decent job, like accounting, right, but decide to be a photographer. And then he wasn't just any photographer, he was a successful photographer and he did it for what? 13, 14, 15 years? And he was very good at it.

Poh: 51:29

So that's why he was able to buy his house when he was 26. And not because he needed the house he needed. So he wanted the house because when he gets clients, he doesn't want to show them like photos or talk to them in his parents you know living room. So that's why he bought his house. He bought his car to show like I am, who I am today. I deserve respect because I'm going to give you respect. That's, that's what his stuff represents. So I find that really admirable. And then, even now, like he's moved on from photography he's, he does it occasionally, but now he's like a small business accountant of some sorts. So he's. Yeah, he went back to accounting full circle full circle and he's doing good and it's.

Poh: 52:06

He doesn't even advertise for any of it, he just he's so good that people recommend him. And now he has this good set of clients and I'm like, damn, how do you do that? Hey, how, the way he thinks, the way he presents himself, how he communicates is just so admirable that I want to say I want to be like him, but you know, I want to be me too.

J.R.: 52:26

But at the same time I like that Second best. You married him, so now you guys are partners. Yeah, yeah, Nice, that's awesome Cool.

Poh: 52:42

If money and time weren't an obstacle or I guess, yeah, money, time or an obstacle what would you be doing? Oh gosh, I do more content, yeah, more content. I think one of the biggest things that's stopping me from making more content and that's why I have times where I'm like afk, because I, I need sleep. One like it's hard sleep, that's crazy, sleep right, um no. So for nursing, I work 12 hour shifts, 12 hour shifts three to four days a week. So that takes a good chunk of my week already. And imagine doing that and then content creating.

Poh: 53:05

And I have to change my days to be able to go to these events, because they're usually weekends, if not weekends. It's on a weird time of the day and I work night shift. So as a night shift nurse, I lose my day and my night Because I have to prepare the day before and then the next day I have this dread of am I going to sleep before I do something, or am I just gonna, yeah, take three shots of espresso and then like Poh through and then go to sleep at 10, 8, 10 pm. That's my struggle.

Poh: 53:32

So I actually don't have a lot of time for my content creating um, which sucks, because I love it. It's art for me. What else would be contemplating? Um and then pickleball I played six hours, if I could wow, that's crazy when I started with six hours and then I like I didn't touch my instagram for a month so I've been busy.

J.R.: 53:49

Guys, I'm in the zone pretty much, pretty much, yeah.

Poh: 53:52

But hey, doing pickleball actually did something really great for me one of my friends, maggie. She owns this company called core and crew which actually I'm wearing right now. Oh, nice representation she. I met her and then, out of the blue, I asked her to be my pickleball partner because unfortunately one of my original partner got sick, so so played with her and then after a one day of training, 20 it wasn't even 24 hours, it was eight hours of training. The next day we won gold wow, that's crazy so we did really well.

Poh: 54:20

Because of that, I feel a lot of because, again, content creating. We've been reached out by the companies to be able to be Poh by paddles and all that stuff and I think it's really cool. So it's opening avenues and what. I don't know if I'm just super lucky, but, like, everything that I've done so far has been beneficial or has gotten good feedback. So I think in that sense, I'm either doing really well or I'm really lucky.

J.R.: 54:46

That's cool, I imagine. In my perspective, I feel like sometimes you create your own luck Because, like you said, you're doing what you enjoy and you're doing it for those reasons, and then these Poh come to you, but it's not like you weren't setting yourself up to be ready for those things, right? Yeah? That's true I love that. Okay, all right. Last rapid fire question do you have any favorite books, movies, tv shows, anime articles that you share or recommend the most?

Poh: 55:13

goodness, right now, what am I? Oh, I've been reading solo leveling oh so I it's an it's on net Leveling. I think it's on Netflix, netflix. I think it's on Netflix, I think.

J.R.: 55:22

Oh, the first season.

Poh: 55:23

right, the first season, but you've been reading it as well, yeah, because the first season ended and it's just a really terrible cliffhanger. Right right, right. So I had to read it, so I don't want to. And then I also…. Really, it's such a weird one. What is it the time I was reincarnated as a slime?

J.R.: 55:40

Oh, I heard good things.

Poh: 55:41

Very good have you ever seen?

J.R.: 55:42

it. I know about it. It's on my list. How many seasons is it?

Poh: 55:45

I don't remember, I don't think it's done.

J.R.: 55:47

Actually it's like three seasons or something.

Poh: 55:49

I think it's at three seasons, but again it's not done. Stopped at a part where I can binge a little bit, so I'm just waiting for it to finish the season, but again I'm on a weird cliffhanger. I'm like it sucks. And then, of course, one Piece. Oh, one Piece. Yes, that is the cherry on top of my anime stuff, and it's so funny because I hated it at the very beginning. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought the artwork was like awful.

J.R.: 56:16

It's old right. It was like it started in 1997, something like that yeah but back then too it was still.

Poh: 56:21

I grew up loving artwork that was more like beautiful and oh, it's cute. The guys look hot and the girls look so gorgeous. And then you see this anime where everyone's like weird looking. So, I was like nah, I think it's gross. And then later on Justin tells me you just have to try it, just try it. And I was like, fine, and then, you know, a month later I was like, are you watching the next episode?

J.R.: 56:43

and now I'm like obsessed that's what it's like. There's again. I'm diehard One Piece. But I feel like you fall into two camps you love One Piece or you have not watched One Piece yes, yes people who can't like the people who are scared… and maybe there's a third one People who are scared to watch it. There you go. There's that too. Favorite character Zoro yes, 100%, thank you. Okay, also mine. Cool, I think that's it for Rapid Fire. So let's do the ending questions. So first one, Poh, what are you most grateful for?

Poh: 57:19

I think these things that created the environment I'm in it makes me really happy. I'm just truly grateful for them and because of their help with my career, with my cosplay, with my content, I feel like I can't get anything better than this. You know what I mean and I don't think I want to, I don't think I care. I think that's when you know you like it. You know what I mean. I don't think I need more.

J.R.: 57:39

Yeah, this is it, definitely. I love that. Any final ask from the audience or final takeaways that you'd like them to have from this discussion, you can self-plug as well like self-prom for having me.

Poh: 57:56

There's a soft plug I can put. You know, I only have. I have my TikTok and Instagram. It is Poh, if you guys want to check it out. I'm trying to be more active on it, trying to put more like comedy stuff that I love, and maybe the biggest takeaway is adopt on shop. Oh yeah, love your dogs, I love my kids.

J.R.: 58:15

My mom's like that too. She's's big on, she volunteers at shelters and she also wants grandkids. So I feel like you and my mom would be best friends we're gonna be.

Poh: 58:22

We're gonna be the same people. Yeah, pretty much all right.

J.R.: 58:25

So where can we find you?

Poh: 58:26

if people want to reach out or connect um, I'll have all the links to your socials, but anywhere they can find you, mostly my instagram, but if you, if there's something that you guys really need to reach out for me, I do filter it, but my email, if there's something that you want to reach out, maybe like for content or or like a collaboration which I'm open to.

Poh: 58:45

I am very selective of my content now only because I really don't have a lot of time, so I have to. I don't want to Poh is my main thing. If safe, I promise and then I you know I haven't delivered because x, y and z. It's very Poh not only for you, but it's also Poh for me, because I don't want to create that a personality of oh Poh doesn't? You know?

J.R.: 59:07

she makes promises but never right, not good to work with that's awful, yeah, so I don't want that.

Poh: 59:11

So if it, um, if you want to reach out for anything specific like that, um, like, my email is Poh s2 s2 at gmailcom. So, for some reason, someone took Poh at gmailcom. That's not me, okay yeah, okay, cool.

J.R.: 59:25

Yeah, I'll put that in the show notes, okay. Well, I think that's it. Thank you so much, Poh, for being here. I really appreciate it, and so, if that's all, we'll log off. So thank you to you guys for tuning in again. Hopefully, you guys have learned something as much as I did. I think Poh story is amazing and she had a lot of good insights to share and also just a reminder to be kind to others, especially yourself, and that there's always something you can learn from someone if you just take the time to listen. So thank you guys for tuning in thank you.