The objects that define us: Shin Yu Pai on her new podcast, 'The Blue Suit'

Objects can sometimes tell complicated stories. An old collection of papers might be destined for the recycling, or it might tell us how someone lived and what they loved most. Plant clippings might be a hobby, or they might show a connection to home, the life of a transplant.

These ideas are at the center of the "The Blue Suit," a new podcast from KUOW Shorts hosted by poet Shin Yu Pai.

Throughout this series Shin Yu speaks with people across the Asian-diaspora about the objects they hold dear — from a classic miso recipe, to a red chador, to a Chinese-English dictionary — and how the meaning behind those objects changes over time.

"The object is able to humanize the individual who is telling the story, but in this almost red-herring, indirect way," Pai said. "People can maybe feel a softer entry point into that story, or something relatable, and then actually realize or connect to the universality of the human experience."

You can listen to The Blue Suit here and can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.