Waste Your Time Wisely with Tae and Ryan

WYTW, llc.

Being Productive While Wasting your Time: Waste Your Time Wisely — Smart conversations on creativity, culture, and modern burnout. WYTW is where curiosity meets chaos. Tae and Ryan dive into the Tae-pestry of life: fun facts, strange history, pop culture, sports, tech, books, and whatever else sticks. Tae’s a Korean-American veteran, writer, and wanderer. Ryan’s a scientist with dad-joke energy and “bear down” spirit. Smart, weird, and oddly comforting — perfect for drives, laundry, or existential dread. PLEASE 🙏 Follow, Rate, Comment, SHARE 🙏 It will help Tae with food, and Ryan with home

  1. Sep 29

    Rangers and Zeldas | Ep. 59

    Dental Guilt, Buick Rental Road Trips, & 2-Foot Hot Dogs We’re testing out a brand-new format this week! Instead of spiraling five levels deep down a single rabbit hole, we’re bouncing rapidly between all the ways we’ve been wasting (and saving) our time. From dentist office interrogation tactics to road-tripping in a brand-new Buick, we cover it all. On this episode: Format Shakeup: Keeping it moving before we end up in a dream within a dream (or inside a donut hole). Health & Productivity: The truth about flossing and gum pocket depth, setting ridiculously aggressive alarms, and overcoming the mental wall of staring at the front door in your gym shoes. History & Etymology: Why Yugoslavia isn't on the map anymore, the surprising origins of the "hat trick," and tracing the weird connections between Turkey the country, the bird, and the people. TDIH (9/22/1728): Ryan breaks down J.S. Bach, his work in Leipzig, and classical music history. Gaming & Tech Failures: Ryan discovers Zelda via his wife's Switch, and accidentally drowns his smartwatch in a pool (leading to a deep dive into hyper-expensive luxury watches). Road Trips & Texas Sized Eats: Tae drives a rental Buick to Dallas, tackles a 2-foot hot dog at a Texas Rangers game, and gives a proper shoutout to the legendary Hillsboro Buc-ee’s (and Aly!). Big News: Tae recaps producing a Labor Day weekend comedy show and drops a major announcement for this coming November. 👉 Check out: asianafshow.com👉 Read Tae’s writing: substack.com/@taesian

  2. Sep 22

    Atlanta, HOTlanta, A-TAE-L | Ep. 58

    From surviving Alaskan "Rocky" mosquitoes to dissecting Soviet vs. Peek-a-boo boxing mechanics, we’re back to break down all the ways we waste our time—wisely or otherwise. Plus, Tae takes a trip to Atlanta, Ryan gets triggered by Dragon Ball Z Abridged, and we debate which modal verb actually holds the ultimate hierarchy. On this episode: Mosquito Survival: Blood types, Korean bugs, and Ryan’s ultimate antidote for surviving Alaskan "Rocky" mosquitoes. Waste Your Time (Un)wisely: Is donating blood a waste of time? Plus, scrolling Netflix for an hour instead of picking a movie, delaying car registration, and Tae’s new habit of reading on an exercise bike. Boxing Mechanics & Tech: Tae’s deep dive into Soviet, Peek-a-boo, and Mexican boxing styles, plus why Netflix Premium's Dolby Atmos feature is worth the hype. Storage & Stats: Storage unit price ridiculousness in SoCal vs. Texas, radioactive fruits, and flag emoji technicalities (including the law-abiding ratio of the US flag). Grammar Hierarchy: "Could’ve, Should’ve, Would’ve"—which one actually rules supreme? Atlanta Travelogue: Tae hits Atlanta for a Braves game, the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and surviving the legendary Atlanta traffic. ATLiens Memory Swap: How watching endless videos is slowly overwriting our actual personal memories. 👉 Don't forget to rate, review, and follow!

  3. Sep 15

    Lottery Math, Bee Stings, Feels & Efficiency | Ep. 57

    Welcome back to Episode 57! Recorded back in July, Tae and Ryan cover a massive spread: the real math behind lottery taxes, military separation loopholes, Ryan’s swollen hand courtesy of a a friend, miter saw woodworking mishap, and the sheer inefficiency of airport line skippers. We also tackle Trevor Noah’s stand-up message of men’s vulnerability, the 10-year anniversary of La La Land, and the bobblehead secondary market. hit that Like & Subscribe button! On this episode: Pleasure Share & Lottery Math: Breaking down actual tax math on lottery winnings and navigating military separation under Secretarial Plenary Authority. Workwooding Disasters: Ryan’s French cleat and miter saw project gets interrupted by a bee sting and a ridiculously puffy hand. Airport Efficiency & Time Wasting: The agony of standing behind people in security who somehow don't know what they can and can't bring on a plane. "Feelings" vs. "Feels": Ryan catches Trevor Noah live, leading to a breakdown on how guys actually talk (or avoid talking) about their feelings and vulnerability. Pop Culture & Sports: Reflecting on La La Land turning 10, the underground Kike Hernandez and Andy Page bobblehead resale market, and why MLB foul ball counts are spiking. News Your Time Wisely: Does ego fuel ignorance, or is it the other way around? Tech & Gear: Fifine microphones review, plus a quick reminder on how to bypass Google AI search results using &tbs=1. 👉 Don't forget to rate, review, and follow!

  4. Aug 11

    Ep. 56 | Film Bros, Music Theory, & Hacking Google AI

    New room, slightly off audio, but full-on cinema and theory talk. This week, Tae dives deep into his latest movie hyperfixation, breaks down music theory modes, and gives you the exact trick to dodge Google’s AI search. Sponsored by Tae’s Substack: https://substack.com/@taesian On this episode: Literary & Cinema Corner: From The Odyssey and wood-splitting debates to Tae's film bro diagnosis, movie theater etiquette, and fixing Supergirl. Film Reviews: Quick takes on Motor City (which somehow only has three lines of dialogue), Disclosure Day, and why everyone is obsessed with Anne Hathaway. Studio Updates: Testing out the new audio room setup vs. Beats headphones, plus house Dolby speaker test drives. Music Theory Breakdown: A free (and possibly chaotic) lesson on Lydian and Mixolydian modes, plus the moody Gen-Alpha chord progressions (Aeolian & Dorian). Tech Hack: How to completely bypass Google AI Search using custom URL extensions (&tbs=1 or &udm=14). News Your Time Wisely: FDA updates on Peptides, Lindsey Graham, and why late news might be the best news. This Day In History & Sports: Cricket (why Tae isn't a fan), Ryan playing another laptop, and a quick World Cup recap. 👉 Don't forget to rate, review, and share with a friend!

  5. Aug 4

    Ep. 55: The Episode about nothing but Everything.

    We’re definitely not posting this a week late. Our colors are off, but hey; We’re an audio-first experience anyway. Give us a play, or "Fletch" this episode, (let it play and you go do something) Because we're all about time efficiency. On this episode: What’s Your Waste? Is work itself a waste of time? Plus: starting books you never finish and closet DIY projects. Architecting Systems: Why creating an efficient system always backfires when you're the one who knows how to game it. Public Speaking & PTO: Does prepping actually help for speaking gigs? Also, take your PTO... unless you’re pulling a Wally Pipp. 4th of July in Tennessee: Tae details a 4th of July trip where a massive wedding went down right next door (without an invite). Pop Culture & Hot Takes: Fireworks (yay or fire hazard?), Ryan’s predictions for upcoming album themes, and a deep dive into Flowers of the Killer Moon. Current Events & Sports: Maine Senate race, hypocrites vs. hippo-crites, and World Cup chatter. and of course. Movies. Movies. Movies And Tae's odd off-the-wall generation war theory, and if it actually does come through, actually that would be terrible. 👉 Don't forget to rate, review, and follow!

  6. Jul 4

    Ep. 54: 12 Years Sober, Zero Dark Alaska

    Welcome back to Waste Your Time Wisely — Season 3! Ryan's got a garage to rewire (already did), Tae's got a cloud to compute, and you've got dishes piling up. Perfect timing. We're back after 3 months, and a lot happened: Tae's 12 years sober — and he's off social media, back on Substack, and somehow still standing.Ryan went to Alaska (Tae's old stomping grounds) and may have caught a fish. Jury's out.We're both playing MapTap with a bunch of other ding dongs. Join us → (after you finish reading this, obviously)We're getting old. Working out now just means pain. "Am I going to tear my tricep to prove nothing?" — new circuit, new suffering.Ryan made a stencil for Pita's Pastries and we talk about it entirely too much. If you're in the LA area, click and find out more! No Fun Fact Friday. No This Day in History. Instead: Tae's 5 Steps to Cutting Drinking — take notes, or don't, we're not your sponsor. (Want the long version? Read Tae's 12-years-sober piece.) This season we're branching out — interviews with psychologists, pilots, veterans, and people from all kinds of industries are coming your way. We close it out talking about Lightyear (is it a measure of distance or time or a personality trait, we don't know) and somehow land on the Fermi Paradox. Start your load of laundry. Hit play. Waste your time wisely. Please Follow, Rate, Comment, and SHARE 🙏

  7. May 5

    Ep. 53: The Sub-2 hour Marathon, the African Map, and The Other Guys

    Ryan is rewiring the garage. Tae is ghosting the algorithm. What are YOU doing? Welcome to the Season FINALE of Waste Your Time Wisely Podcast. Don't just sit there—hit play, crack open that LEGO set you’ve been ignoring, or finally empty the dishwasher. It’s time to level up your Efficiency Quotient. This week, Tae and Ryan break down the "Fletch Method" and explore why the most productive thing you can do today is absolutely nothing (as long as we're in your ears): The SPLC Bombshell: We dive into the DOJ’s 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center. From secret informants to wire fraud allegations—is this political persecution or a massive internal collapse?The "Silent Assassin" Sub-2: Sabastian Sawe just deleted a human speed limit in London. 1:59:30. We talk about the sheer efficiency of the greatest marathon run in history and why we’re still reeling from it.George Washington’s Side Hustle: In This Day in History, we look at the "Provisional Chaos" between 1776 and 1789. Plus, why our first President was the ultimate "No Party" pioneer (and who exactly was the George Washington of instant coffee?).The Name Game: From Jack Black (the Royal rat-catcher) to the "other" Paul McCartney, we explore the cosmic "coinkydinkies" of people sharing legendary names.The Social Media Blackout: Tae explains life on the "outside." Since he’s off the grid, he can’t post this—so YOU have to. Look for the upward arrow or the connected nodes on your screen and share the wealth.Wasting your time? Do it wisely. Hit subscribe, keep our perfect Spotify rating alive, and let’s get those chores done. Chapter Markers (For Spotify/YouTube) 00:00 — Fixing Dryers & Off-Grid Living 05:45 — The Efficiency Quotient: The LEGO/Dishwasher Mandate 12:20 — The Fletch Method: How to help us (without even listening) 18:15 — NYTW: The SPLC Indictment & The DOJ 30:50 — Sabastian Sawe: 1:59:30 and the Sub-Marathon 42:10 — TDIS: 1789 & The Farewell Address tradition 55:30 — WIF: The "Other" Bill Nyes and George Washingtons 01:05:00 — Farewell & The "Share" Request

  8. Apr 22

    Regulations, Losing Weight, and Magic Pills - Ep. 52

    Ryan has a "red alert" at 200lbs. Tae is gardening in 4K Falcon Vision. What are YOU doing?Empty the dishwasher and hit play on Ep 52. This week, Tae & Ryan redefine "wasting time" with the Efficiency Quotient:Why just sit there when you can fold a load of laundry?Why just listen when you can finally pull those weeds out of the grass? We’re diving into: Regulations Written in Blood: A heavy dive into the Sewol Ferry tragedy (Dong Guo Chado), the cost of accountability, and why South Korea stocks gas masks in every subway station. The "Fletch Method": Our secret strategy to boost the charts (shout out to the surgical nurses and sleep-listeners). Superpower Pill Draft: $500 in loose couch-change daily vs. summoning a monthly lightning strike on scammers. Megalodons & Muscle: Why prehistoric sharks went extinct and the science behind why pit bulls are naturally "jacked." News Your Time Wisely (NYTW): The 2026 NDAA draft changes, the "American Canyon" poetry of RFK Jr., and why DC lobbyists are "cheap whores." Maritime Rules & Survival: Why the captain didn’t go down with the ship and why you need to leave your Gucci backpack behind in a plane crash. Hit subscribe, start your chores, and let’s waste some time wisely. Not feeling the entire episode? Episode too long?Browse through the chapters below, brought to you by Spotify. LA folks >>> Please check out asianafshow.com for the hit Asian American comedy variety show at Upright Citizens Brigade. Getting something to show off your pet? >>> Tiffany D Naka Custom Pet Portraits (Based in Orange County)

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About

Being Productive While Wasting your Time: Waste Your Time Wisely — Smart conversations on creativity, culture, and modern burnout. WYTW is where curiosity meets chaos. Tae and Ryan dive into the Tae-pestry of life: fun facts, strange history, pop culture, sports, tech, books, and whatever else sticks. Tae’s a Korean-American veteran, writer, and wanderer. Ryan’s a scientist with dad-joke energy and “bear down” spirit. Smart, weird, and oddly comforting — perfect for drives, laundry, or existential dread. PLEASE 🙏 Follow, Rate, Comment, SHARE 🙏 It will help Tae with food, and Ryan with home

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