Frequently Asked Questions

"Where are you from?"
I was born in San Francisco, CA and I grew up in Daly City, CA.
"Where did you go to college?"
PictureUC San Diego
I graduated from University of California - San Diego with a BA degree in Communication.  I minored in Chinese Studies and Theater Arts.  
"Where do you live?"
I live in Los Angeles, CA.  The neighborhood is east of Downtown LA off the I-5, I-10, and US 101 freeways.
"Where are your parents from?"
Not Krypton.  My dad is from Asia, and my mom is from Utah.  No, she's not Mormon.
"What's your nationality?"
American

"I mean, what are you?"
Human

"Uhh, what's your ethnicity?"
Does it bother you to not know?  People have thought I was either Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, or mixed.  Mystery is better!

"So, you're Chinese? Do you speak Canto or Mandarin?"
My last name gives it away, yeah? I learned Mandarin in college, but forgot most of it.  I can't speak Cantonese well, but I can hear it well enough understand, because my dad's parents spoke it to me. My mom sucks at speaking Toisan, her mom's language, and therefore I suck at it too.

TWIN QUESTIONS

"Are you Russell or Ryan?"  
Russell

"No, really?  You're lying! Which one are you?" 
Russell, dude.  
"Do you have psychic powers/link? Can you feel pain when the other one does?"
As a matter of fact, the answer is YES, in a way.  It's called empathy.  I also call it intuition and being perceptive. 
"Who's older?  How many minutes apart?"
As far as I know, if my parents didn't switch us up by accident, I'm the older one.  Nine-ten-elevenish minutes apart.  I forget. 
"Identical or fraternal?"
It's a mystery.  I tell people we're identical because it's easier for casting.  We're mirrored twins, as I'm left-handed and he's right-handed.  I have a type A personality and he has type B.  The more you get to know us, the more you'll figure out how interesting the similarities/differences are.  
"How can I tell you two apart?"
- I'm better looking...(beat)...*smiles
- I have the earring...oh wait...Ryan got one too
- I have shorter hair..oops...I just grew mine out
- I'm left-handed and he's right-handed
- Ryan's the one with the bow tie.
- I've got the aquiline nose
- I dress more casual
- (THE LIST GOES ON....)
"Where's your brother?"
I don't know.  I don't have that Jedi power to know where my sibling is at a given moment. Check FourSquare!
"Are you guys close?  Do you fight?"
I have a feeling people ask me this because they already know the answer, but just want to hear it straight from my mouth.