We have limited data on this, but based on a sample size of one we can confirm that the second first anniversary is a lot more fun than the first. It turns out that—once you’ve set aside the burden of synthetic romance—it’s really great to relax and chat about how we manage to pilot our little boats through the riptides of middle age.
After 44 episodes, 36 guests, and one remarriage, we’ve also determined that our primary apprehensions fall into four basic buckets: our bodies, our parents, our kids, and our overall mental wellbeing. And if you’re lucky, two of those buckets aren’t leaking all over your hardwood flooring.
We’ve had some frank discussions about some really tough topics like estrangement, dementia, college, injury, and the Big Inevitable: grief. But sharing the collective experience has made us feel closer to our age cohort and more equipped to deal with whatever shock to the system is lurking around the corner.
We also delve into Doug’s debilitating trust issues, assert that ChatGPT wipes the floor with Google Translate, and urge America Ferrara to run for president.
Other links:
Why writing by hand beats typing for thinking and learning
Sofia Vergara’s adventures with English dialogue
Age ranges for the demographic “generations”
A recurring favorite: “Mr. Zero knew.”
Jodie Ousley’s blog on Medium
Hat tip to Ocean’s Twelve
Episode 45: "The four horsemen of the Fiftypocalypse."