randInt podcast with Raffy and Chandra

In this episode, Raffy and Chandra discuss the topic of burnout recovery. They share their personal experiences and strategies for dealing with burnout. They emphasize the importance of recognizing burnout and taking action to address it including the unusual but effective.

Things mentioned in the episode:

We're back with another interview-sode and this time, we chat to Bryan Quah from Samsung Regional HQ in Singapore!

Raffy first met Bryan during a launch event last year and found out about the twists and turns in his journey to his current role. Bryan shares his journey from being born in the US to growing up in Singapore and studying in Western Australia. He also talks about his passion for gaming and how it led him to his career in marketing and community management.

In addition to his work life, Bryan discusses his journey into competitive Pokemon TCG. He highlights the importance of community management and building relationships in both professional and personal settings. Bryan shares his passion for people and how it drives his work and hobbies. He also explains the complexity and fun of Pokemon TCG and the sense of achievement it brings. He also talks about the role of human connection and the joy of seeing others happy.

Is any randInt chat complete without SOME mention of AI? Bryan shares his thoughts on the limitations of AI in community management and the importance of personal connections.

Things mentioned in the episode:

We have the first interview-sode for 2024 and boy, is it a good one! We're chatting to Eric Czuleger, who shares his journey from aspiring playwright to joining the Peace Corps in Albania, teaching kids in Iraqi Kurdistan, writing a book and becoming a diplomat. And that's only part of the journey!

This is one of THE most random and diverse chats that we've every had at randInt podcasts and somehow, there is a thread that ties it all together...

If you've ever wondered what a country actually is? Or what does a geopolitical intelligence forecasting involves. Or why you should/shouldn't get into a van that you can't open the door from the inside, listen on.

The conversation explores the themes of seeing the world differently, saying yes to adventure, spontaneous trips, unexpected experiences, traveling with no expectations, disappointing travel experiences, challenges of traveling in the United States, and final thoughts and recommendations.

[ LINKS ]

Welcome back to a new year of randInt! Can you believe it's the 4th year of the podcast?!

This episode is all about resolutions. After a quick catch up about how the holiday season went, we dive into resolutions and a mini book review of Ali Abdaal's "Feel Good Productivity" as a framework for new resolutions that we might ACTUALLY do in 2024!

In this conversation, we discuss goal-setting strategies and resolutions for the new year. We explore the SMART vs NICE goals framework and the importance of creating habits for goal achievement. The power of rest and recharging activities in maintaining productivity is also another discussion.

And of course, we have our resolutions to share so YOU, dear listener, can keep up accountable!

Links

It's the last episode of season 3 before we take a break for a few weeks! Chandra shares his AI project and the challenges and enjoyment of programming. We chat about the different types of projects that we enjoy: Chandra loving the exploratory and exciting new things and Raffy focussing more on implementing things that already exist.

We also focus on our personal highlights of the year and discuss potential changes to the podcast for the future.  We almost became too deep in reflections on life so to balance, the episode ends with a random note about sardine oil.

But for the future, we are seriously considering a name change to improve the podcasts discoverability. Any suggestions?

Takeaways

• It's fun to discover new things but there's also a challenge in implementing the innovations in to the day-to-day

• Reflecting on the highlights and challenges of the year can help in setting future goals.

•  Time is finite, and it's important to make the most of the limited time we have.

• Finding the right balance between work, play, and rest is essential for a fulfilling life.

Things mentioned in the episode

Not content on exploring the concept of six degrees of separation on just one episode, we're back with part TWO!

We share stories of unexpected connections they have made with people in various spheres of their lives, including the clinical innovation course, the startup world, the sailing community, and the medical and tech fields. We also explore connections between their friends and family members, as well as the surprising connections between their parents. The episode concludes with the mystery of a taxi driver who seemed to know a lot about Raffy's family. Overall, the conversation highlights the interconnectedness of people's lives and the small world phenomenon.

Question for the listeners:

Do you have a six degrees of separation you'd like to share?

Takeaways

• The six degrees of separation concept is often evident in people's lives, with unexpected connections and overlaps between different spheres.

• Connections can be made in various contexts, including education, work, hobbies, and personal relationships.

• The interconnectedness of people's lives can lead to surprising encounters and coincidences.

• The concept of six degrees of separation highlights the idea that everyone is connected in some way, even if the connections are not immediately apparent.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Internet Connection

01:06 Difficulty Finding Stories for Six Degrees of Separation

02:08 Raffy's Clinical Innovation Course

03:14 Connections in the Clinical Innovation Course

04:12 Connections in the Startup World

05:06 Connections in the Sailing Community

06:11 Connections in the Medical and Tech Spheres

07:24 Connections Between Friends and Family

09:19 Connections in the Medical Field

10:18 Connections Between Parents

11:46 Connections in the Tech Startup Scene

13:36 Connections Between Medical and Tech Spheres

15:37 Connections Between Chandra's Sister and Work Colleagues

17:35 Connections Between Raffy's Parents and Chandra's Parents

19:34 The Mystery of the Taxi Driver

23:39 Wrap Up and Spotify Wrapped

Links to other Raffy & Chandra projects

We’ve covered influencers, now lets niche down to travel influencers (or travelfluencers as were calling them)! We explore the rise of travel influencers and how they showcase their experiences through social media. There’s lots of pros and cons of travel influencing, including the impact on tourism and the potential for overcrowding in popular destinations. So buckle up and let’s get into the world of travelfluencers!

Things mentioned in the episode

• Natures Window, Kalbarri - https://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/site/loop-and-natures-window
• 500px - https://www.500px.com
• Paris Highline - https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jun/07/paris-promenade-plantee-free-elevated-park-walkway-bastille-bois-de-vincennes
• Montparnasse Tower - https://www.tourmontparnasse56.com/en/

Takeaways

• Travel influencing has become a popular niche within the influencer industry, with people sharing their travel experiences through social media.
• Travel influencers often showcase the highlights of their trips, creating a highlight reel that may not reflect the full reality of their experiences.
• There are both positive and negative aspects to travel influencing, including the potential for overcrowding in popular destinations.
• Travel can be a transformative experience, allowing individuals to see different perspectives and appreciate other cultures.
• Exploring new places and discovering hidden gems can be a rewarding part of travel. Australia has a space agency and is involved in space exploration.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Topic Introduction

00:35

Becoming a Travel Influencer

02:16

Highlight Reels and Authenticity

03:01

Meeting Other Travel Influencers

04:00

The Good and Bad of Travel Influencing

05:06

Discovering New Ways of Living

06:32

The Subtlety of Travel Influencing

07:36

Unrealistic Expectations and Manufactured Experiences

09:00

The Impact on Tourism and Overcrowding

11:04

Finding Hidden Gems and Local Recommendations

13:08

Different Perspectives and Sonder

19:00

The Joy of Exploration and Unexpected Discoveries

27:40

Pros and Cons of Travel Influencing

30:37

Wrap-up and Positive Note

Links to other Raffy & Chandra projects

Chandra's back on land and since he's been in Perth, we've had more connection issues than we did when he was in the middle of the ocean!

One good thing about that is a more condensed episode that doesn't stretch for huge amounts of time. In this slightly delayed catch-up-sode, we talk about...

• How free time is making us busier
• Chandra's latest programming obsession
• Raffy's pushup challenge
• and more!

Links to things mentioned in this episode:

• Elon Musk - Lex Fridman podcast - https://youtu.be/JN3KPFbWCy8?si=HVmIcJkG7qTSVtw_
• Clinical innovation course - https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2022/05/clinicians-reimagine-healthcare-in-new-innovation-program/
• Debt Activist - https://www.reddit.com/r/UpliftingNews/comments/17fc62v/debt_activists_bought_10m_in_student_debt_for/

Links to Raffy & Chandra's stuff:

We're back with another catch-up-sode after both hosts have been galavanting around the world. Raffy gives us the highlights of Seoul, NYC & Paris while Chandra is his usual shady self and refuses to tell us where he is... Who knows why?

In this episode, we discuss (in no particular order)...

• how to cook jellyfish?!
• picnics in Europe
• "good" business class
• and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

After more delays in international waters, randInt is back with a brand new episode (and hopefully some semblance of regularity!).

We didn't want to do another catch-up-sode, but with the delays, we started catching up anyways, so hitting the record button was only natural...

In this episode we talk about...

• Finishing renovations!
• Life out in the ocean
• Innovation vs regulation
• and more!

Links to things mentioned in this episode:

Welcome to the first episode of the randInt podcast that has bounced to space and back! That's right folks, with Chandra over on his boat, the only way this episode came to be was by the technology that is Starlink satellite internet!

In this episode, we finally get a chance to catch up with each other after all the recent travels as well as explore some random topics. This episode, we cover:

• Chandra's new boat
• What it's like selling a home you've lived in for 7 years
• "High end" teas involving panda poop
• and so much more!

Links to Raffy & Chandra's stuff:

Welcome back, dear randInt-ers!

After 5 countries and 3 continents, we bring you another delayed episode- apologies for the delay! What began as another catch-up-sode with a Growing up Brown story turned into much more with Chandra having some unexpected backpack issues, Raffy having Ramadan migraines and so much more!

In this episode we talk about...

• The Bunbury break-in
• Raffy reviews...wine?
• Med students with ChatGPT
• and more!

Links to things mentioned in this episode:

Well, well, randInt doing something topical? That's new!

This episode came about because both Chandra and Raffy realised that the pandemic/work/life and lack of breaks were indeed taking a toll on things. What surprised them both was just how far they were both along on the scale of burn out!

In this episode, we get a bit serious and cover...

• what IS burnout?
• what are the early signs?
• what can you do about it?

While the hosts are both doctors, they're not here to dispense specific medical advice (c'mon it's a podcast on the internet!) so see your doctor/professional if you have a clinical concern.

Things mentioned in this episode:

So this WAS meant to be a mini-sode on a random topic, but in the usual randInt style, it covered a LOT of ground! After a quick catch up, we dive into all things ChatGPT and other AI models doing some pretty nifty things. Is terminator now inevitable? Or are we all going to utopia where AI medics solve all our problems? Listen on to findout…

Welcome to Season 3 of the randInt podcast! 🎉🎉🎉

What began as a chat over take-away has become an essential part of all things random in our lives. Thank you, dear rand-listener, for making this journey a possibility! We begin 2023 with Chandra on a boat and myself getting ready to head off to Singapore on a last minute "influencer" trip. How did it all come to this?! Listen on and find out...

NEW SEASON, OLD REQUEST?

Likes, Subscribes and voice messages are our way of knowing what you, dear rand-listener, are finding great about the podcast. If you found any of this interesting, a written review and rating on your podcast app would be very much appreciated. If you can, please try and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. That seems to move the needle the most in expanding our audience and being able to get interesting guests on here! Thanks in advance!

In this episode, we cover...

• What does Chandra's boat look like?
• Raffy's ridiculous renovation delays...
• Appliance ridiculousness
• How did a trip to Singapore come about?

Links to things mentioned in this episode:

A belated end of Season 2 is finally here!

After hitting some semblence of stability, randInt did it again and went all random. Blame the time zones, geography and the general lack of ability for Chandra and Raffy to do a podcast when they're in the same physical location. This time though, they DID manage to record one like it started: in an apartment (minus the food chomping noises like episode 1).

It's the end of season 2 and we both reflect on pretty big changes in our life circumstances: Chandra on his quest for the boat life and Raffy on cutting back on resolutions/work to focus on health...

Topics in no particular order include:

• Norfolk Island: Where the heck is it?!
• Chandra's boat life plans
• How we're approaching resolutions this year
• and much more!

Thanks to all the listeners both new and regular for coming along for the ride on yet another year of random. We'll restart regular podcasts from February after tidying up some loose ends. This is the time to message/email/DM and let us know any special requests while prepping for Season 3!

See you in Feb!

Links to Raffy & Chandra's stuff

Dr Vyom Sharma join us for this episode of the randInt podcast and boy, did the topics go into some random territory! Vyom is medical practitioner, health commentator, a performance artist and so much more. After graduating from Monash University, he has done the following in no particular order:

• Took time off and toured the world performing magic
• Finished his specialty train in General Practice
• Hosted his own radio show
• Appeared as a guest on various TV shows
• and much more!

This chat began as it always does in terms of looking back at the key moments that were influential in how our guests arrived at where they are but then took some pretty interesting twists. We explored:

• trying to balance different interests
• the role of media in society
• leading a life off the beaten path
• mis/dis-information and so, so much more!

These last few episodes before the end of the year break are really coming in spits and spurts, aren’t they?! Have no fear, more randInt is (finally) here! With a segment that has been long requested by some listeners…

SHAMELESS REQUEST!

It’s time for another interview and this time, our guest is Dr Evelyn Chan, paediatric doctor and current CEO of a health-tech startup, SmileyScope! Both Chandra and I have known Evelyn from medical school and it’s been amazing to see her journey so far. It’s certainly been an atypical path through medicine with lot’s of interesting deviations along the way.

In this episode we talk about...

• How a chance coffee meeting changed Evelyn’s career
• What exactly is Medical Anthropology?
• Or consulting for that matter?
• How life is being a start-up CEO
• and much more!

Apologies in advance for the tech issues during the recording.

Well, look who’s back with a new episode! That’s right, it’s randInt more extra random after a month long break!

SHAMELESS REQUEST!

After an accidentally long delay, we’re back with a new episode!

Finally a random topic minisode after a few long episodes! In this one, we tackle a topic Chandra is quite passionate about: learning something new in the fastest possible way! Given the current trend toward “knowledge work” and the relative new pace in innovations coming out everyday, we thought we’d summarise our approaches to how we tackle new information and learn new stuff!

Our last catch-up-sode seemed to have hit a listener nerve with so many self destructive/toxic traits that people wanted to tell us about! We got so many via Spotify polls, messages and DMs that we focused this whole episode on it! Apart from a catch up, we ALSO GOT ANOTHER VOICE MAIL! Which means, it’s time for more “Growing up Brown” stories…

Other things in this episode include...

• What full-time work looks like from an outside perspective
• Finding our own “toxic traits’’
• Over optimising everything
• and more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

Dr Antony Rapisarda is our guest for this episode of the randInt podcast and this may be one of the most far ranging, funny and (of course) random conversations we’ve had thus far on the podcast! Anthony is a medical doctor who spent years doing research in various fields including molecular genomics then proceeded to complete his medical studies only to find himself in the US start-up scene. After several years in the fast-paced environment seeing that project take off, he chose to return to Australia to continue his medical training, only to find more problems needing solutions, which led to the founding of OrthoDx, his latest project!

Everything about the episode from how we crossed paths with Anthony (introduced by a previous guest) to the topics we cover are both random, but also very insightful of a person who has followed his curiosity to build a diverse career that truly values tackling the bigger challenges. Along the way we talk about the many, many hurdles, challenges and chance encounters that led him to where he is today.

Some of the things we cover include…

• How chatting to a random Texan guy led to him being offer the role of Chief Medical Officer
• Why he DECLINED the offer!
• What it’s like pulling SHARK TEETH off a leg
• Why someone who’s been so successful CHOOSES to go back to square one (essentially) in medicine
• How to maintain focus on a project when there’s just so many things going on
• and more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

We’re getting back on track with the randInt podcast with more of the scheduled regularity! This episode, we’re having a long overdue catch up and talking about the VERY random month we’ve had.

In this episode we talk about...

• When we plan to stop working
• Why Chandra is commuting across the continent
• Why I woke up to messages from my family having booked flights to Melbourne at short notice
• How I finally got the rona!
• and how all that has to do with me getting married!

Things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 009 of Season 2 brings another guest to the randInt podcast universe and this time it’s Paul Willison! One random encounter with the maritime world changed the course of Paul’s life toward all things sailing related. That’s how he ended up teaching Chandra the ropes on the water.

Also, apologies for the delay folks, technical issues kept this episode from coming out on time but here it is!

In this episode we talk about...

• Why GPS is different on the oceans
• Are there ANY downsides to boat life?
• Relationships on the seas
• What’s life like living on a boat with a young family?
• and more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

It’s time for another catch-up-sode of the randInt podcast! In this rather long chat, we discuss the confusion that is caused by the official Scrabble dictionary, the joys of working holidays and Chandra returning to Victoria for a short stint.

Other things in this episode include...

• Severe fatigue, but not Covid!?
• What happens when a Tesla hits a pot hole?
• a challenge for one of our listeners and more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

Season 2 promised more interview-sodes and the first one where we interview someone totally outside our friend circle is here! Dr Charles Phillis hails from the sun-drenched lands of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia where he has crafted one of the more unusual medical careers...

In this episode we talk about...

• Charles’ love for all things fast
• what’s involved in occupational medicine
• how he’s crafted a career particular to his strengths
• and more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

It’s a week delayed, but hopefully worth it!

Apologies dear listeners for the week long delay in getting this episode out to you! In our quest to improve the production value of the podcast, we’re trying out some new software and with the challenges of clinical work, things just got a bit too much to be on time.

So, we’re fashionably late to the topic of this weeks minisode: the METAVERSE! What is it? Are we already there? Is Zuck really an android? Find out in the episode...

Things mentioned in this episode:

After starting Season 2, we both realised we hadn’t actually had a catch-up episode since the start! Given just how different the world looked since the last episode was released and how many times my recent travel plans changed, there was a lot to catch up on. So we decided a chat was in order and random banter ensued...

In this episode we talk about...

• why going overseas is much more complicated a process
• growing up brown - curry traits in our parents
• how much fish and chips cost in small country towns
• and more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

After promising more interview-sodes this season, we’ve finally synced our times and managed to do one! Hooray for that!

This episode, we’re talking to our mutual medical school friend, Dr Marion Chan (known as Maz-é to us). Marion isn’t JUST a renowned plastic surgeon, but also very active in the world of dance sports, baking and music. All this and she has a 15 month old child to look after!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Maz’s windy path to plastic surgery
• Breaking stereotypes in your field
• Keeping your hobbies and interests going when “adulting”
• ...World of Warcraft (yes, really)
• and much more!

For more information on Dr Marion Chan, see the following:

It’s another minisode of the randInt podcast

Two minisodes that are ACTUAL minisodes less than 30 mins?! Season 2 is very different to Season 1 indeed!

In this episode (which just missed Valentine’s Day), we talk about LUUUURRVVEEE. Well more like the nerdy stats related to it. In order to help one keen listener with their love life, we look at the data to see where did the people we know meet their significant other? Is that comparable to what generally the data suggests and how have things changed over time?

When we started randInt, neither of us ever though that THIS would be one of the minisodes, but that’s what happens when you live the randInt life...

Things mentioned in this episode:

Welcome back to another episode of randInt!

In this actual minisode (we managed to keep it to about half hour for once), we explore the world of philanthropy and charitable giving. It turns out that not all charities are created equal in terms of effectiveness. But does effectiveness even matter when you’re trying to do good for the world? That’s the main discussion in this minisode!

In this episode we talk about...

• charities that are “evidence based” vs “ appealing”
• should charities pay a comission?
• where we donate to and more...

Things mentioned in this episode:

Welcome back to randInt for 2022!

It’s been a little while since the last podcast so we’re beginning the year with a recap of what we’ve been up to and the plans for the year ahead...

In this episode we talk about...

• holiday plans getting Omicron’d
• Using biometrics to figure out maximum relaxation
• Our new project “doctor want’s a hubby”
• Only 4 things a month and more...

Links to Raffy & Chandra's stuff

It’s the last episode of our inaugural season of podcasting!

What a journey it’s been through the ups and downs of learning the art of podcasting and the many random detours along the way. In this episode Chandra and Raffy reminisce about the year that’s just been as well as catching up on what’s been happening.

Topics in no particular order include:

• Upskilling as a doctor and why it’s like being a medical student again
• BBQs in Antarctica
• Caganer, The Pooper
• What is a Muslim doing at Oktoberfest?
• Our second ever message

and much more!

Thank you for following along on our podcasting journey. It’s been a fun experience for us both in getting started and maintaining a schedule to do this while in 2 different time zones. Every time we get feedback, we’re both thrilled and excited that anyone is ACTUALLY listening. If you’ve made it this far, maybe leave us a review on your podcast app and share it with your friends?

Happy Holidays and see you next year!

Links to Raffy & Chandra's stuff

Imagine growing up in Australia, moving to the US, getting into the highly competitive medical school there at the world renowned Mayo Clinic, finishing and NOT becoming a practicing doctor! Today's guest is someone who's done exactly that: Dr Ryan Begley!

Both Chandra and I have known Ryan for years but never really known how he ended up with such a wide range of skills that he uses in his various roles in many start-ups. In this interview-sode, we discuss:

• What made Ryan try for medical school?
• Why did he NOT pursue a medical career?
• What exactly is consulting?
• The many differences between the US and Australia
• does he even listen to this podcast and much more!

Achievement unlocked: Episode 20!

It's that magic milestone of episode 20! I can't remember the exact stats, but less than half the podcasts launched fail to get to this point. So after patting ourselves on the back, we'd like to thank YOU for sticking it out and listening to our random show.

In this episode we talk about...

• How Chandra nearly burnt down my shed and fried my cat
• Teslas in work mode?
• Unfair advantage baristas have
• sketchier than normal ponzi schemes
• and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

Is he back on land?

It's a bit late, but now that connection issues aren't ...erm...an issue, randInt is BACK with even more random tales! Hold on to your horses!

In this episode we talk about...

• Catamarans and other boats (how cool is the word "catamaran"?)
• Why Chandra's boat adventures reminded Raffy of backpacking (really?!)
• Getting back out there and treating Covid patient at this point of the pandemic
• Why bananas don't belong on a boat
• and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

Isn't this a bit unusual?

It's episode 18 and Chandra has gone AWOL and has barely enough signal to record an episode. Why? Well, listen on to find out (though the title of the episode is a bit of a giveaway).

In this episode we talk about...

• Why Chandra is on a boat
• What a day on a boat is like
• Everyday things that someone, somewhere took great care to design
• and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

Ok, it's hard to contain my excitement...

This is the first episode of the randInt podcast where we have a voice message! Only took 16 episodes!!! It turns out it was a challenge no less. What could it be?

In this minisode, we get way to excited about said voice message, discover what Chandra has been up to in the land of freedom (aka anywhere that's not Victoria or NSW) and bring back the most requested segment... Growing up Brown/Parental Paranoia

If you ever want to know what riding a bike as a brown child is like or the crisis incident that being picked up by a friend from school can cause, listen on...

Things mentioned in this podcast:

Well, do we have an episode for you! 

This time, we're putting on our interviewing hats and having a chat to Dr Lahiru Amaratunge, an anaesthetist with a range of other interests that's long enough to fill a few pages! In typical randInt style, we cover a lot of ground and find a whole bunch of surprising insights from someone who's arguably at the top of his game.

We discuss things like:

• How did his education side-gig start?
• How to overcome imposter syndrome?
• Finding the balance when so many projects demand your time
• The most impactful art/book/movie that's left a lasting impression

and so much more!

It was an absolute treat to pick Lahiru's brain for insights. Unlike most of our normal episodes, this feels like it actually has some wisdom in it. Not surprising considering it's coming from someone dedicated to teaching I suppose!

Where to find Lahiru:

Well, hello and welcome to Episode 15!

This would be our longest minisode to date (we may have gotten side tracked early) but never fear, it's filled to the brim with random as ever! In this episode, we learn about...

• Chandra re-reading a book (this never happens!)
• Oysters and Raffy's disdain
• and why old ceviche is bad ceviche

Things mentioned in this episode: