In this episode of Giggles & Shit, we start with Simone Biles being called by her husband’s name and somehow end up in women’s sports, equal pay, politics, business, burnout, and one unforgettable “car wash of dicks.”

This one is for every Gen X woman who has ever been talked over in a meeting, watched a wildly qualified woman get reduced to “somebody’s wife,” or thought, “Honestly… maybe the matriarchy should take a turn.”

What’s Inside This Episode?

• Why calling Simone Biles “Mrs. Owens” hit such a nerve
• The ongoing disrespect of women’s sports
• Equal pay, profitability, and why women are still fighting the same damn fight
• Women in business, politics, and leadership
• The exhaustion of being competent in rooms full of nonsense
• Why Gen X women are very close to grabbing a torch and pitchfork

This is midlife real talk for women over 40 who are tired, funny, furious, and still somehow holding everything together.

👇 Tell us in the comments:
What’s the most ridiculous way you’ve ever been dismissed, talked over, or renamed?

💥 If this episode made you laugh, rage, or whisper “same,” hit that **SUBSCRIBE** button for more midlife chaos, smart-ass honesty, and real women talking real shit.

📰 Subscribe to our Substack:

Giggles & Shit

We’re Jill and Dianne, two Gen X women trying to survive midlife with our humour intact. We talk about the mess and the magic of midlife, the stuff that makes us laugh, cry, rage, doom scroll, and question our life choices.

By gigglesnshit

📺 Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GigglesnShitShow

👭 Join the GenX Giggles n Shit Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DegEiZc4r/

🎧 Listen to the Podcast Playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTn8gsa3aoCrXsAu0hg4VyAqn947uR98O&si=jM0ooR2IApzsrkCv

Smart, sassy, and a little bad-assy, for Gen X women who’ve earned their laugh lines.

🌈 Glitter Beats Hate

Hey Gigglers,

Pride Month tends to bring out the best and worst in people.

For many, it is a celebration. For others, it is a reminder of how far we have come and how much further we still need to go. And then there is the vocal crowd that seems personally victimized by a rainbow flag, a drag queen story time, or a kid being told they are allowed to exist exactly as they are. Honestly, some people need a hobby that does not involve policing joy.

This issue is about Pride, but not the sanitized corporate version where a logo turns rainbow for 30 days and then quietly goes back to beige on July 1st. This is about the actual meaning of Pride: safety, visibility, dignity, protest, community, and the right to live without being treated like your existence is up for debate.

It is also about our children, our grandchildren, our nieces, nephews, neighbours, coworkers, friends, and the people sitting beside us at family dinners who may still be figuring out whether it is safe to tell the truth about who they are.

So pour the coffee, pour the wine, or pour whatever is getting you through the week. This one has glitter, history, some hard numbers, a unicorn, and a reminder that staying silent is not the flex some people think it is.

🌈 Why Pride Month Exists

Pride Month is celebrated every June because of the Stonewall Uprising, which began in New York City on June 28, 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gathering place for LGBTQ+ people. At the time, LGBTQ+ people faced widespread discrimination, police harassment, job loss, family rejection, and social exclusion. Stonewall was not a parade. It was resistance.

The first Pride marches took place one year later in 1970, including the Christopher Street Liberation Day March in New York. What began as protest evolved into a global movement for LGBTQ+ rights, safety, visibility, and equality. You can read more about the history of Pride Month in this overview from Time⁠.

In Canada, Pride events began growing through the 1970s and 1980s, often led by people who were taking real personal and professional risks by showing up publicly. Pride has always been both celebration and protest. It is music, colour, chosen family, drag, dancing, and joy. It is also a reminder that rights are not handed over politely. They are fought for, defended, and passed forward.

That matters now because we are watching a renewed wave of misinformation, homophobia, and transphobia show up in school board meetings, municipal politics, social media feeds, and comment sections that make you want to throw your phone into Lake Ontario.

🏳️‍⚧️ Let’s Talk About What Transgender Means

A transgender person is someone whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. That is the basic definition. It is not an ideology, a trend, a social contagion, or something a child catches because they saw a rainbow sticker at the library.

Some transgender people transition socially, medically, legally, or in a combination of ways. Some do not. Some are binary trans men or trans women. Some are non-binary, which means they do not identify exclusively as male or female. The details are personal, but the basic human need is not complicated. People want to be safe. They want to be respected. They want to live without being mocked, targeted, erased, or treated like a political football.

SOGI stands for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. SOGI education and resources are designed to help schools create safer, more inclusive environments for all students. It is not about forcing children into identities. It is about helping them understand that families and people come in different forms, and that every student deserves dignity. You can learn more through SOGI Inclusive Education⁠ and SOGI 123⁠.

For Gen X women, this can feel like one more culture-war topic being thrown into the already overflowing laundry basket of life. We are managing aging parents, adult kids, careers, menopause, rising costs, family group chats, and whatever fresh hell the algorithm serves before breakfast. But this one matters because the stakes are not theoretical. They are deeply personal.

📊 The Numbers We Need to Talk About

The mental health risks facing LGBTQ+ youth, especially transgender and non-binary youth, are not vague or exaggerated. They are documented, serious, and directly connected to how young people are treated by families, schools, peers, and communities.

According to the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey / Being Safe, Being Me, conducted by researchers connected with the University of British Columbia’s Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre, 65% of transgender youth reported seriously considering suicide during the previous year, and 35% reported at least one suicide attempt during the previous year.

For comparison, suicide attempts among the general youth population are significantly lower. The exact comparison depends on age group, survey year, and method, but Canadian public health data consistently shows that transgender, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ youth experience much higher rates of suicidal ideation and attempts than their heterosexual and cisgender peers.

Statistics Canada has also reported that transgender and non-binary Canadians experience higher levels of stigma, harassment, violence, and discrimination, all of which are linked to increased suicide risk. More information is available through Statistics Canada⁠ and related Government of Canada health equity publications.

The Public Health Agency of Canada⁠ identifies LGBTQ2+ people as a population facing elevated suicide risk, with stigma, discrimination, social exclusion, and lack of support identified as contributing factors.

Family acceptance is one of the most powerful protective factors. The Family Acceptance Project⁠ found that LGBTQ+ youth who experience high levels of family rejection are more than 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than LGBTQ+ youth who experience strong family support and acceptance.

Those numbers are not just statistics. They are kids sitting in classrooms. They are teenagers at kitchen tables. They are young adults deciding whether it is safe to come home for Thanksgiving. They are the child, grandchild, niece, nephew, cousin, neighbour, or friend who may be listening carefully to what the adults around them say when LGBTQ+ issues come up.

The elevated risk is not because someone is LGBTQ+. It is because of bullying, rejection, isolation, discrimination, harassment, homophobia, and transphobia. When people are supported, accepted, and protected, outcomes improve. That should not be controversial

🎧 Episode 11: Not Today Hate

📺 Watch the full episode here:

This Pride Month conversation became very real when we sat down with Brenda Holdsworth, an award-winning documentary filmmaker from Pickering. Brenda joined us to talk about her documentary, local activism, and how a group of community members responded when misinformation, homophobia, and transphobia started showing up close to home.

What began as concern over the actions and comments of a local city councillor evolved into something much larger. Community members started speaking out, organizing, and supporting one another because, as Brenda put it, people reached a point where they simply “can’t do nothing anymore.”

The documentary follows that response. While it began with local politics, it became a story about what happens when ordinary people decide they are no longer willing to ignore misinformation, discrimination, and division in their own community.

🦄 Enter Glitter

Every movement needs a symbol, and this one got a unicorn.

Glitter became the rainbow mascot for a community response that chose creativity over confrontation. When protesters showed up outside drag queen story time events, Brenda and others organized bubble dance parties, rainbow signs, music, and family-friendly activities that created a buffer between children and the adults shouting outside the library.

As Brenda explained, it was about finding “creative solutions to combating hate and misinformation.”

The approach may have looked unconventional, but it carried an important message. The goal was never to out-shout the people spreading hate. It was to create something more positive, more welcoming, and ultimately more powerful.

💔 The Story That Stayed With Us

One of the most difficult stories Brenda shared involved a young girl who attended a drag queen story time event and later came home upset after hearing hateful comments from protesters outside. Her mother was left trying to explain why strangers were saying hurtful things about people the child cared about.

Moments like that remind us why these conversations matter. The impact of intolerance rarely ends with the intended target. It affects families, children, friends, neighbours, and entire communities. This is one reason Pride continues to matter. It is about creating a world where no child is left wondering whether they or the people they love somehow deserve less respect, dignity, or acceptance.

🎬 From Local Activism to Award-Winning Documentary

Brenda’s documentary recently received the Best Future Documentary Award at the Niagara International Film Festival. Using a unique storybook format narrated by a drag queen alongside real footage and interviews, the film tackles a difficult subject in a way that is accessible, engaging, and deeply human.

What makes the documentary so compelling is that it takes a national conversation and makes it personal. It reminds us that hate does not only happen somewhere else. It can show up at a library, a council meeting, a school board session, or on a neighbour’s Facebook feed between posts about lasagna recipes and rising grocery prices.

Gen X Giggles & Shit Facebook Community

🎉 It’s an Exciting Time for Giggles & Shit

Speaking of community, we have some exciting news of our own.

The Gen X Giggles & Shit Facebook Community has officially launched, and membership is growing fast. Apparently, Gen X women have a few things to say. Shocking, we know.

This group is a place for the conversations we are already having in real life: aging parents, adult kids, menopause, marriage, friendships, careers, politics, mental health, technology, grocery prices, and all the delightful midlife chaos nobody warned us about.

Join the community here:
Gen X Giggles & Shit Facebook Community

Come join us, engage, post your own Shit List or Hit List, and invite your friends. Bring your sister, your work wife, your neighbour who rage-texts you every time lettuce costs $8, and the friend who says “I’m fine, everything’s fine” while clearly being one group chat away from losing it.

The more Gigglers, the better.

🎙 What’s Coming Up

Next week we will return to our regularly scheduled Gen X chaos. There will likely be ranting, questionable life choices, a little midlife reflection, and at least one moment where we wonder whether we are becoming our mothers.

We want to hear from you too. What should we talk about next? What is making you laugh, rage, cry, or hide in the pantry pretending to look for crackers? Drop a comment, reply to the newsletter, or bring it into the Facebook group.

💩 The Shit List

This week’s official Shit List:

💩 Adults bullying children outside libraries.

💩 People who think kindness is controversial.

💩 Having to remember 47 passwords just to order pizza.

Your turn. What’s on your Shit List this week?

❤️ One Last Thing

Pride is not just a month, a parade, or a flag. It is a reminder that visibility matters, safety matters, and belonging matters.

Brenda’s story is powerful because it shows what can happen when regular people decide not to look away. They did not wait for a perfect plan. They did not wait for a massive organization to swoop in. They started with what they had: signs, bubbles, music, community, and one very committed unicorn.

Most of us will not make a documentary. Most of us will not lead a protest. But we can pay attention. We can challenge misinformation. We can support LGBTQ+ kids and families. We can stop pretending hateful rhetoric is harmless just because it is dressed up as “concern.” We can make sure the people around us know they are safe.

That is not political correctness. That is basic human decency. And frankly, basic decency could use a comeback tour.

Keep giggling, even when the shit gets real.

— Jill & Dianne

Giggles & Shit

We’re Jill and Dianne, two Gen X women trying to survive midlife with our humour intact. We talk about the mess and the magic of midlife, the stuff that makes us laugh, cry, rage, doom scroll, and question our life choices.

By gigglesnshit

📩 Subscribe. Share. Comment. Keep showing up.

Mental Health, Suicide Prevention & Family Acceptance

Need Help? Canadian Mental Health Resources

Suicide Crisis Helpline Canada

Call or Text 988

Available 24 hours a day across Canada.

https://988.ca

Kids Help Phone

Free, confidential support for youth.

https://kidshelpphone.ca

Canadian Mental Health Association

https://cmha.ca

Trans Lifeline

Peer support by and for trans people.

https://translifeline.org

In this episode, we meet the woman behind an award-winning documentary that proves sometimes the best response to hate is a little courage, a lot of community, and a unicorn covered in glitter.

This week on Giggles & Shit, Jill and Diane sit down with filmmaker, activist, and storyteller Brenda Holdsworth to talk about her documentary:

🎬 HOOVES UP...with a Touch of Glitter: A Political Drag Queen Story Time

What started as local residents pushing back against misinformation, homophobia, and transphobia in Pickering, Ontario grew into a movement—and ultimately an award-winning documentary recognized at the Niagara International Film Festival for  Best Future Documentary.

This is a conversation about standing up when it would be easier to stay quiet.

It’s about community.

It’s about belonging.

And it’s about what happens when ordinary people decide enough is enough.

What’s Inside This Episode?

✨ The story behind HOOVES UP...with a Touch of Glitter
✨ How a local protest became an award-winning documentary
✨ Fighting misinformation with creativity, humour, and community
✨ Pride Month, activism, and why local politics matter
✨ The power of showing up for vulnerable people
✨ Why silence isn’t always the safest choice
✨ How one unicorn named Glitter became an unlikely symbol of resistance

Whether you’re a parent, ally, activist, or simply someone worried about the growing division in our communities, this episode is a reminder that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.

Learn More About Brenda’s Work

🎬 Documentary Promo Trailer

🦄 Glitter the Unicorn YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@glittertheunicorn1

🎵 Hooves Up Music Video

🌈 Follow Hooves Up with a Touch of Glitter
https://hoovesup.ca

About Giggles & Shit

Giggles & Shit is the podcast for Gen X women navigating midlife, menopause, aging parents, adult kids, relationships, politics, technology, reinvention, and all the beautiful chaos in between.

We’re smart.

We’re funny.

We’re occasionally unhinged.

And we’re talking about the stuff everyone else is thinking.

👇 Tell us in the comments:

Have you ever reached a point where staying quiet was no longer an option?

What issue would make you stand up and speak out?

JOIN our Facebook Community Group:

Facebook GenX GigglesnShit

👇Hit that Subscribe Button to subscribe to our YouTube Channel

If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who believes kindness, inclusion, and community still matter.

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Giggles & Shit

We’re Jill and Dianne, two Gen X women trying to survive midlife with our humour intact. We talk about the mess and the magic of midlife, the stuff that makes us laugh, cry, rage, doom scroll, and question our life choices.

By gigglesnshit

In this episode of Giggles & Shit, Jill and Dianne dive into monarch butterflies, midlife identity shifts, aging, reinvention, and why Gen X women are officially entering their “I truly do not give a sh*t anymore” era.

Somehow this conversation includes:
• caterpillar soup
• menopause rage
• emotional liberation
• existential birthdays
• monarch butterfly migration
• teenage insecurity hangovers
• and the deeply freeing realization that other people’s opinions are exhausting.

If you’re a woman over 40 trying to survive hormones, burnout, aging parents, adult kids, changing bodies, shifting identities, or the strange grief of realizing time moves way too fast now… welcome home.

This episode is funny, surprisingly emotional, slightly unhinged, and painfully relatable in the most Gen X way possible.

What’s Inside This Episode?

🦋 The shocking truth about butterfly metamorphosis
🔥 Why menopause can feel like becoming an entirely different person
😂 The joy of finally saying what you actually think
💥 Midlife identity shifts nobody warned us about
😭 The weird sadness of aging and unrealized dreams
🍷 Why women over 50 stop apologizing for existing
💛 How getting older can actually make you more powerful

This episode is for women who:
• are exhausted from pretending
• are questioning everything
• secretly want to disappear into the woods sometimes
• are tired of people pleasing
• feel invisible and liberated at the exact same time

And honestly?

Maybe we’re all just caterpillar soup right now.

👇 Tell us in the comments:
What’s ONE thing you officially stopped giving a sh*t about in midlife?

Subscribe for more smart, funny, emotionally honest conversations for Gen X women navigating midlife chaos with humour, honesty, and zero perfectionism.

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments:
Are you in your caterpillar soup era… or have you already grown your wings?

📰 Subscribe to the full show:

Giggles & Shit

We’re Jill and Dianne, two Gen X women trying to survive midlife with our humour intact. We talk about the mess and the magic of midlife, the stuff that makes us laugh, cry, rage, doom scroll, and question our life choices.

By gigglesnshit

#GenXWomen #MidlifeChaos #WomenOver40 #Menopause #FunnyPodcast #MidlifeWomen #GenXHumor #RealTalk #WomenOver50 #EmotionalSupportPodcast #MidlifeTransformation #HotFlashes #AgingWomen #ButterflyMetaphor #GigglesAndShit

Hey Gigglers,

Pull up a chair, pour something strong, and let’s talk some shit.

This month’s newsletter is basically what happens when Gen X women are forced to process artificial intelligence, economic warfare, global chaos, menopause rage, social media anxiety, and the terrifying realization that maybe the robots actually are coming.

Over the last few episodes, Jill and Dianne went deep into AI obsession, Canadian fury, doomscrolling, anxiety, politics, mental health, social media overload, and why women over 40 are officially done pretending everything’s fine.

And honestly? Same.

We also discovered that:

• AI can apparently run your business now
• Canadians will absolutely abandon strawberries out of spite
• Doomscrolling is basically a full-time job
• Menopause plus geopolitics is not a stable emotional combination
• Cat videos may actually be a legitimate mental health strategy

So let’s get into it.

🎧 Episode 007: AI Obsession… What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

📺 Watch the full episode here:

This episode started with Jill casually admitting she’s become fully obsessed with AI.

Not “oh this is neat” obsessed.

We’re talking Harvard AI course, AI agents, virtual employees, automated content creation, AI receptionists answering phones, AI sales teams, AI social media managers… full-on “the robots are in the building” obsessed.

Meanwhile Dianne, representing the rest of humanity, is sitting there asking the very reasonable question:

“What happens when none of us are needed anymore?”

Honestly? Fair.

The episode quickly turned into a fascinating and slightly terrifying discussion about the future of work, creativity, ethics, technology, and whether we’re all living through the beginning of Terminator mixed with Jurassic Park.

Which frankly feels accurate.

“I feel like we’re living at the beginning of Terminator or Jurassic Park… one of the two.”

— Dianne

🤖 The AI Revolution Is Already Here

Jill talked about using AI tools to dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to create business content.

Articles that once took six hours now take five minutes.

Social media campaigns can be generated instantly.

AI “agents” can schedule meetings, answer phones, create graphics, write blogs, manage customer interactions, and even comment on social media posts.

Some of the tools mentioned in the episode:

•ChatGPT by OpenAI

•Claude AI by Anthropic
• NotebookLM by Google
• Harvard’s Free AI Courses
• Gander Social (Full disclosure, Jill is an investor in the 100% Canadian Social Platform)

And honestly? Some of it sounds incredible.

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, creator, consultant, or honestly just a human trying to survive capitalism, AI can absolutely make your life easier.

But then comes the bigger question.

Who gets left behind?

💼 The Fear Nobody Wants to Talk About

Dianne brought up something that’s sitting in the back of a lot of people’s minds right now.

If AI can already handle repetitive administrative work, scheduling, data entry, communication, research, customer support, and content creation… what happens to the humans doing those jobs?

And this is where the episode got real.

Not clickbait “AI is scary” real.

Actual existential crisis real.

Because unlike previous technological shifts, AI isn’t just replacing physical labour.

It’s replacing thinking tasks.

Creative tasks.

Professional tasks.

And that feels different.

“You better learn about how you can control AI and become the master, otherwise you will be displaced.”

— Jill

That line hit.

Because whether we like it or not, this isn’t theoretical anymore.

It’s happening.

And Gen X women are in a weird spot.

We’re old enough to remember rotary phones, dial-up internet, and stretching the house phone cord down the hallway for privacy.

But we’re also young enough to still be working for another 15 to 25 years.

So we can’t just opt out.

We have to adapt while simultaneously trying not to panic.

No pressure.

And yes… Jill is still trying to convince Dianne that AI “José,” the imaginary dinner-planning robot assistant, is humanity’s future.

Dianne remains unconvinced.

🎧 Episode 008: Elbows Up, Hot Flashes & Zero F*cks Left

📺 Watch the full episode here:

This episode?

Pure Canadian rage.

Dianne came in HOT.

And honestly, if you’ve found yourself aggressively reading grocery labels lately while muttering “absolutely not” under your breath in the produce aisle, you’ll feel deeply seen.

The episode tackled:

• Canada/U.S. trade tensions
• Buy Canadian movements
• Economic warfare
• Political exhaustion
• Misogyny
• Menopause rage
• Why Gen X women are officially done being polite

And wow… people really responded to this one.

Because apparently Canadians do, in fact, have a breaking point.

🍓 Grocery Store Patriotism Is Real

One of the funniest and most relatable moments was Jill loudly refusing to buy American strawberries in the grocery store.

Honestly? Same energy.

Canadians across the country are increasingly paying attention to where products come from and intentionally choosing Canadian-made goods where possible.

The episode referenced growing frustration over tariffs, economic threats, political rhetoric, and the broader feeling that Canada’s relationship with the U.S. has fundamentally shifted.

“I would rather go without than buy American products.”

— Jill

And look — regardless of politics — there’s something deeply Gen X about rage-reading labels while simultaneously forgetting your reading glasses.

Buy Canadian Resources & Articles

• Made in Canada Labels Explained: What ‘Made in Canada’ & ‘Product of Canada’ Really Mean: Shopper’s Guide – Middlesex London Food Policy Council

• Bank of Canada Interest Rate Announcements: Bank of Canada

🔥 Menopause Rage Meets Geopolitics

Honestly, nobody prepared Gen X women for the emotional cocktail that is:

• Hormones
• Global instability
• Inflation
• Political chaos
• Aging parents
• Adult kids
• Social media overload
• Democracy feeling fragile

All at the same time.

And the episode perfectly captured that specific kind of exhausted female rage where you’re simultaneously furious, emotional, practical, hopeful, and one bad grocery bill away from snapping.

The conversation also went deep into misogyny, female leadership, trad-wife culture, and the backlash against women simply existing loudly in public.

And honestly? It was refreshing hearing two women talk about this without pretending everything’s fine.

Because it isn’t always fine.

And women are tired.

🌎 Recommended Reading & Videos

• Mark Carney Davos Speech Coverage. If you have not seen this speech, you absolutely MUST watch it:

• The Rise of “Trad Wife” Culture Explained: https://globalnews.ca/news/10681509/trad-wife-trend-social-media-explainer/

Also worth noting:

Nothing says “midlife podcast” quite like transitioning seamlessly from global trade wars into beef tallow skincare recommendations.

Which frankly is why this show exists.

🎧 Episode 009: Doomscrolling, Anxiety & Saving Your Sanity

📺 Watch the full episode here:

This episode felt different.

Softer.

More vulnerable.

And honestly probably one of the most relatable conversations we’ve had so far.

Because apparently millions of us are lying in bed at night scrolling through:

• War footage
• Political disasters
• Economic collapse predictions
• Climate catastrophe
• Social media outrage
• AI apocalypse stories

…while wondering why we suddenly have anxiety.

Shocking.

Dianne opened up about how the nonstop negative news cycle has started genuinely affecting her mental health.

And for someone who openly said she’s never historically been an anxious person, that felt important.

“This is giving me actual anxiety.”

— Dianne

Honestly, that line probably resonated with a lot of listeners.

Because even people who historically felt emotionally steady are feeling overwhelmed.

📱 Doomscrolling Is Rewiring Us

The conversation explored how social media algorithms are designed to keep feeding outrage, fear, conflict, and negativity because those emotions drive engagement.

And unfortunately, our brains were not built for constant global crisis exposure 24 hours a day.

We were barely built for fax machines.

Now we’re processing wars in real time while simultaneously watching cat videos and trying to remember if we replied to that text from three days ago.

No wonder everyone’s exhausted.

🧘‍♀️ Things Helping Right Now

Jill shared some of the things helping her manage anxiety:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Getting outside
• Taking breaks from social media
• Morning routines
• Talking to friends
• Boundaries around news consumption

And honestly? The biggest takeaway was probably this:

Real life is not your algorithm.

Your life is:

• Your friends
• Your family
• Your coffee
• Your dog
• Your cat videos
• Your walks
• Your laughter
• Your tiny moments of peace

That matters.

🐾 Things Mentioned in the Episode

• Mars the Pygmy Hippo Videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mars+the+pygmy+hippo
• Yoga With Adriene: https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene

• Calm Meditation App: https://www.calm.com
• Insight Timer Meditation App: https://insighttimer.com
• Tom Hiddleston Dancing to Rasputin: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tom+Hiddleston+Rasputin

Because healing apparently looks like yoga, boundaries, and aggressively sending each other weird internet videos.

Which honestly feels correct.

🎙 What’s Coming Up

Next up on Giggles & Shit:

Caterpillar Soup (its not what you think)

More menopause

More midlife chaos

More political exhaustion

More honest conversations nobody else seems willing to have

We’re also diving deeper into:

• The Sandwich Generation
• Midlife reinvention
• Women and burnout
• Aging parents
• Why everybody suddenly wants to move to the country

And probably at least one completely unhinged tangent about skincare or groceries.

As always:

📩 Drop your stories, hot takes, questions, and Shit List submissions in the comments.

We read all of them.

Usually while rage-drinking coffee.

💩 The Shit List

Because honestly the world is exhausting.

This month’s nominees:

💩 Algorithms that somehow know exactly when you’re emotionally vulnerable and immediately show you global catastrophe content

💩 AI tools requiring “simple setup” that somehow still need 47 browser tabs and a YouTube tutorial

💩 Grocery stores rearranging everything every six months like it’s some kind of psychological experiment

💩 Menopause hot flashes arriving exactly when you’re already angry about politics

💩 Subscription fatigue. Why does literally everything need a monthly fee now?

💩 Social media wellness influencers telling women to “just reduce stress” while the world actively burns around us

Your turn.

What’s on YOUR Shit List this month?

Drop it in the comments.

The more unhinged, the better.

📩 Before You Go

Thank you for being here.

Seriously.

Whether you showed up for the AI panic, the Canadian rage, the Doomscrolling therapy session, or just needed to feel slightly less alone in the absolute chaos of modern midlife… we’re really glad you’re part of this weird little community.

Because the truth is:

None of us completely know what we’re doing anymore. Did really we really ever?

The world feels heavy.
Technology is moving too fast.
Everybody’s overwhelmed.
And women are carrying a lot.

But laughter still helps.
Friendship still matters.
And talking honestly about the hard stuff matters too.

So thank you for giggling with us through the chaos.

If this newsletter made you laugh, think, rage, or feel seen, forward it to your Gen X bestie.

And if you haven’t subscribed yet PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! We need the emotional support and validation (who doesn’t!) :

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By gigglesnshit

Until next time:

Keep giggling, even when the shit gets real.

With love and sarcasm,

Jill & Dianne 💕

What starts as a thoughtful birthday gift turns into a full-on procurement fail, wrong model, missing perks, customer service back-and-forth, and a decision to just roll with it. Because sometimes midlife is less about perfection and more about saying, screw it, let’s ride.

Jill shares her experience researching and purchasing foldable e-bikes from Wildeway eBikes, including the ordering mix-up, first impressions, and why e-bikes might actually be the perfect Gen X answer to getting outside, moving your body, and still being able to walk the next day.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
👉 The e-bike purchase gone sideways (and why Jill ended up with the wrong model)
👉 Step-through vs. leg-over, aka the realities of getting older and staying upright
👉 First ride in freezing temps… because timing is everything (or not)
👉 Why e-bikes might be the perfect mix of exercise, freedom, and fun
👉 Real talk from the ER, helmets are not optional, people

It’s funny. It’s real. And it’s relatable AF. If you’ve ever bought something online and thought, “Well… this isn’t exactly what I ordered,” — welcome to the club.

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments:
Would you try an e-bike… or are you sticking with walking and wine?

📰 Subscribe to the full show:

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By gigglesnshit

#MidlifeUnfiltered #GenXWomen #GigglesAndShit #EBikes #WomenOver40 #RealTalk #FunnyPodcast #MidlifeAdventures #CanadianPodcast

From pandemic aftershocks to political chaos and a world that feels like it’s constantly on fire, Jill and Dianne unpack what it’s like to live in a hyper-connected world where every crisis is in your face, all the time. And for once, we’re not pretending it’s fine.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
👉 Doom scrolling and the mental health hit no one warned us about
👉 Why even the most “non-anxious” people are starting to feel it
👉 Pandemic fallout, political overload, and constant global crisis
👉 Real ways to cope, meditation, yoga, boundaries, and logging off
👉 The simple stuff that still works, girlfriends, laughter, cat videos, and getting outside

It’s honest. It’s raw. And it’s relatable AF. If you’ve ever picked up your phone for a quick scroll and ended up feeling worse about the world… you’re not alone.

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments:
What’s your go-to escape when the world feels like too much?

📰 Subscribe to the full show:

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By gigglesnshit

Did you know there’s an exclusive Giggles & Shit Chat?

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Join chat

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1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

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From trade wars and “Buy Canadian” backlash to grocery store standoffs over American strawberries, Jill and Dianne unpack what it really feels like when your country, your economy, and your kids’ future are on the line. And yes… there are hot flashes involved.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
👉 Canada vs. U.S. trade tensions and why Canadians are officially done playing nice
👉 The real impact, tourism drops, product bans, and billions at stake
👉 “Buy Canadian” in action, label-reading, product boycotts, and everyday resistance
👉 Misogyny, politics, and why the world still struggles with female leadership
👉 Midlife rage meets menopause, because apparently we needed more hormones in this conversation

It’s bold. It’s raw. And it’s relatable AF. If you’ve ever side-eyed a product label, yelled at the news, or felt your blood pressure spike mid-hot flash… this episode is for you.

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments:
Are you buying Canadian… or are you still sneaking in the occasional U.S. strawberry?

📰 Subscribe to the full show:

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By gigglesnshit

From AI agents replacing jobs to the reality of how fast technology is evolving, this episode dives into the good, the bad, and the downright scary side of artificial intelligence — all with unfiltered laughs and a few “holy sh*t” moments along the way.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
👉 Jill’s AI obsession and how it’s transforming her business overnight
👉 AI “employees” that can run social media, sales, and even answer your phone
👉 The real fear, will AI replace jobs and what happens next?
👉 Internet vs. AI, are we repeating the same mistakes all over again?
👉 Terminator, Jurassic Park vibes, and why this all feels a little too real
👉 How to survive the AI revolution without getting left behind

It’s smart. It’s sassy. And it’s a little bit “are we totally screwed?”

If you’ve ever wondered whether AI is the best thing to happen to us… or the beginning of the end, this episode is for you.

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments:
Are you excited about AI… or does it scare the hell out of you?

📰 Subscribe to the show:

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By gigglesnshit

#MidlifeUnfiltered #GenXWomen #GigglesAndShit #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #AIRevolution #FunnyPodcast #RealTalk #CanadianPodcast

The Giggles & Shit Newsletter: Your Monthly Dose of Chaos, Comfort & Questionable Skincare

Welcome back, Gigglers. If you’re new here, pull up a chair, pour something strong, and get comfortable because we are ready to GO! We’re Jill Button and Dianne Cross, your two Gen X co-conspirators, and this is the Giggles & Shit Show. The podcast where we talk about everything midlife throws at you: the heavy stuff, the hilarious stuff, and the stuff that makes you go “wait, what the f*ck is that and why is it on my face?”

Smart. Sassy. A little bad-assy. That’s us. If that’s you, let’s get into it.

This month we covered the full emotional spectrum from ugly crying to belly laughing. We said goodbye to a four-legged family member, battled the eternal question of what’s for dinner, and discovered that the beauty industry has been sleeping on cow fat this whole time. Buckle up.

🎧 Episode Recaps

Episode 004: When Love Means Letting Them Go

📺 Watch the full episode here

This one was hard to record, and we won’t pretend otherwise. Jill opened up about losing Rory, her 15-year-old dog, in November 2025 and it’s the kind of honest, heart-in-your-throat conversation that reminds us why we make this podcast. No filters. No toxic positivity. Just two friends talking about one of the most quietly devastating things that can happen in a life: saying goodbye to a pet.

The Love That Only a Dog Can Give

“Animals are put on this earth to give us pure, unreserved joy and loyalty. They love fully, they are present every day.”

Rory spent his last beautiful fall in a new home with a big backyard, virtually blind and almost deaf but nose up in the air, smelling all the smells, still fully in the business of being a dog. After 15 years of that kind of love, no amount of pragmatism fully prepares you for letting go. As pet lovers, we both know that.

Doing it Right: The In-Home Goodbye

One of the things Jill shared she was most grateful is finding Heart With Wings, an in-home veterinary euthanasia service out of Barrie, Ontario. Rory was surrounded by his whole family in a familiar, peaceful environment a world away from the traumatic experience Jill had when Luna passed at an emergency vet clinic two years ago. Luna was taken into a back room while the family waited, and they sat there for over an hour before staff could attend to her. Luna did pass with her family beside her, but the wait was agonizing and nothing about it felt peaceful or right. If you’re in Ontario and facing this decision, please know this kind of service exists. It matters for you and for them.

The Grief That Sneaks Up on You

Jill is a pragmatic person. And she still got completely levelled.

“I know intellectually that dogs don’t last... but this one hit me really hard.”

If you’ve ever been surprised by the size of your own grief over an animal, you’re not alone and you’re not overreacting. The episode closes on a gentle, funny turn Jill is now, reluctantly, a cat person and a brand new grandmother to Rex the cat. Life goes on, somehow.

Episode 005: What the F*ck Is For Dinner?

📺 Watch the full episode here

Okay, back to chaos. This episode was basically a full-on Gen X group therapy session about the soul-crushing daily question that nobody warned us would define adulthood: what are we eating for dinner tonight? Dianne came back from a glorious week in Jamaica at an all-inclusive where her only responsibility was towel and chair claiming at the beach and got promptly slammed back into the reality of figuring out dinner every single night for the rest of her life. Sound familiar?

The Mental Load Is REAL

Dianne is the one planning, and cooking in her house, mostly because she gets home from work first. And the invisible mental load of meal planning isn’t just about cooking it’s the knowing. The knowing what’s in the freezer, what needs to be used up, what’s a reasonable weeknight dinner vs. a “I forgot to defrost anything so I guess it’s a salt bomb from a box” situation.

Jill has tackled this with a household whiteboard where each day of the week is assigned to someone, including her adult children who still live at home (temporarily). It’s not a perfect system, but it’s a system, and at this stage of life, that’s everything.

The App We All Need (But Nobody Built Yet)

True story: about 15 to 20 years ago, Dianne actually had the idea for what is essentially the perfect meal planning app one that accounts for allergies and dislikes, builds a weekly menu, generates a grocery list, and sends it straight to a delivery service like Voilà or Instacart. She was actually in talks with a software developer friend. It never happened. Jill’s response on air?

“We should stop talking about this and build it.”

We also got into one of Jill’s favourite Recipe Keeper, a real app you can download right now, which lets you save recipes online from social media, schedule them by day of the week, and build your grocery list automatically.

Dianne, just for you, download link above. Download it now Dianne!

The Future Is José

Only on our show will a conversation about weeknight dinners spiral into a full pitch for a custom AI home agent named José. Jill, in full AI-obsession mode, painted a picture of the near future: smart fridges, AI agents that scan your pantry, plan your week, and auto-order groceries, all triggered by a voice command. Dianne is intrigued and mildly terrified. We’ve already teed up the full AI deep-dive for an upcoming episode stay tuned. But in the meantime: Sunday meal prep, a whiteboard, and Recipe Keeper are your best friends.

Dianne’s Sunday Meal Prep: Save Your Sanity All Week

In the meantime, of course Dianne came up with a weekly meal prep guide and recipes. If you are ambitious (Jill is NOT for the record), Here’s a sample recipe and guide for you to try out. Scaled for 2 with lunch leftovers — double everything for larger households.

The Weekly Menu:

If you like this weekly planner with recipes and want more, tell us in the comments and we (meaning Dianne) will add a new weeks worth in the next Giggles n Shit Newsletter.

Episode 006: What the F*ck Is Beef Tallow and Why Is It on My Face?

📺 Watch the full episode here

Just when you thought this podcast couldn’t get more Dianne speed, she showed up with beef fat skincare and made a genuinely compelling argument for it. Ok, what? back that up! A friend introduced Dianne to grass-fed beef tallow face cream, and after trying a sample, she is fully, unabashedly converted.

Jill’s initial reaction, for the record:

“What the f*ck beef tallow face cream?”

She’s (maybe) coming around.

Wait... Beef Fat? On Your Face?

Yes, you read that right. Beef tallow the rendered fat from grass-fed cattle, the same stuff McDonald’s used to fry their fries in before it got too expensive turns out to have a biological composition remarkably similar to the sebum in your own skin. Which means, unlike most of the water-and-glycerin moisturizers filling your bathroom cabinet, it actually absorbs. It actually does something.

“silky smooth and not greasy”

Dianne says the texture is silky smooth and not greasy and her hands stayed soft through multiple washes. No beefy smell either, once it’s been properly rendered and purified. We were skeptical (by we I mean Jill). The skin results are hard to argue with.

The DIY Rabbit Hole

Dianne’s friend Jill found a brand called Moo Balm (M-O-O-B-A-L-M, yes, really) and paid about $70 for a three-ounce jar. You can actually buy a pound of fully rendered, filtered, grass-fed beef tallow online for around $50, and with castor oil and a few essential oils, you can whip it up yourself. Literally whip it. Dianne is planning to commandeer the KitchenAid stand mixer for the project. The recipe is simple: rendered tallow, castor oil, and an essential oil blend (Dianne’s sample has tea tree and lemongrass and she is obsessed). The plan is to make a batch, split it with some girlfriends, and probably give most of it away which is very on-brand for Dianne. Jill found a more reasonably price brand on Amazon Rich Grand (which is what I’m sure they are becoming) and a Canadian brand Modii Natural if you want to try it for yourself.

The Natural Remedies Sidebar We Didn’t Know We Needed

We went deep on the old-school wellness habits we actually swear by. Dianne has been drinking turmeric tea daily for years and credits it with managing the joint pain that comes with menopause, specifically her knees and hips. She and Derek even pack it on vacation. Jill countered with a honey-based turmeric “syrup” she spotted on Facebook same ingredients, honey as the base, one teaspoon a day and the concept of “fire honey,” which is turmeric, cayenne, garlic, and ginger steeped in honey for immune support. And then we got into Hot Toddies and Jill’s mom’s extremely potent childhood version, which apparently worked as a miracle cure. If by miracle cure you mean knocking your children unconscious until they feel better. Not medical advice. But also... maybe don’t knock it.

📢 What’s Coming Up

🎙 Episode 007: AI Obsession… What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Get ready, Gigglers. In our next episode, Jill goes full AI and Dianne is not entirely sure she’s okay with any of it. We’re talking AI agents that act like employees, build content in minutes, manage your social media, answer your phone, and run parts of your business. Jill is obsessed. Dianne is skeptical and a little freaked out. And together, we’re getting into the questions that actually matter: Is this the next internet? Are we creating tools or replacing ourselves? What happens to jobs? And does this feel a little too much like Terminator to anyone else?

It’s smart, it’s uncomfortable, and yeah, it might freak you out a little. But in the best, most Giggles & Shit way possible.

Have questions or hot takes about AI you want us to dig into? Drop them in the Substack comments or reply to this email we read everything.

💩 The Shit List

Real life Gen X moments we’re all living through. This month’s nominees:

• Grocery stores that rearrange everything every six months so you can never find anything and end up rage-buying something from the wrong aisle

• Partners who do some of the dishes but only if the sink is already empty (we see you, hubbies)

• All-inclusive vacations that ruin you for regular life for a minimum of three weeks afterward

What’s on YOUR shit list this month? Drop it in the comments the more specific and unhinged, the better. The best ones get shouted out in the next newsletter.

📩 Before You Go

We say this every time and we mean it: thank you for being here. Whether you have been with us from the beginning, found us because of the dogs, the beef fat, or the fact that you also have no idea what’s for dinner tonight, we’re so glad you’re part of our community.

If this newsletter made you snort-laugh, forward it to your Gen X besties. If it made you tear up a little (Rory, we’re thinking of you), share it with someone who needs to feel a little less alone in this gloriously chaotic midlife we’re all navigating together.

👉 Subscribe on Substack so you never miss an episode, a newsletter, or a beef tallow update.

Keep giggling, even when the shit gets real.

With love and gratitude,

Jill & Dianne 💕

gigglesnshit.substack.com

From beef fat face cream to DIY kitchen experiments, this one goes off the rails fast, in the best possible way. Because apparently, the secret to glowing skin might be sitting in your frying pan.

Welcome to the Shit Show.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?

👉 Beef tallow face cream… what it is, why it works, and why it’s suddenly everywhere
👉 The moment you realize your moisturizer might just be glorified water
👉 Diane’s full descent into DIY skincare (and possibly ruining her KitchenAid)
👉 The shocking price of “natural” products vs making your own at home
👉 Turmeric tea, honey remedies, and the stuff our mothers knew all along
👉 Why Gen X women are circling back to natural, simple, no-BS solutions
👉 The line between “this is genius” and “this is completely insane”

It’s real. It’s raw. And it’s relatable AF.

If you’ve ever questioned your life choices while standing in the skincare aisle… or wondered how you went from anti-aging cream to beef fat on your face — welcome home, sister.

👇 Hit subscribe, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments…
would you try beef tallow on your face… or is this where you draw the line?

#MidlifeUnfiltered #GenXWomen #GigglesAndShit #SkincareTrends #NaturalBeauty #WTFMoments #FunnyPodcast #WomenOver40 #RealTalk #CanadianPodcast

From post-vacation reality checks to grocery bills that feel like a second mortgage, we’re diving into the mental load of feeding humans, managing households, and trying not to lose your shit in the process.

Welcome back to the Shit Show.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?

👉 The daily dinner decision fatigue no one prepares you for (seriously… every day forever?!)
👉 Meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking… and still being the one responsible for ALL of it
👉 The $400 grocery bill reality and why eating “healthy” feels like a full-time job
👉 Why “what’s for dinner?” is actually a mental load problem, not a cooking problem
👉 The dream app that would solve everything, and why it still doesn’t exist (yet…)
👉 Marriage negotiations, who cooks vs who cleans, and the unspoken household deals
👉 Midlife reality check, you don’t hate cooking… you hate everything around it
👉 And of course… AI, smart fridges, and the fantasy of never thinking about dinner again

It’s real. It’s raw. And it’s relatable AF.

If you’ve ever stood in front of your fridge at 6pm thinking “I swear to God if I have to figure this out one more time…” — welcome home, sister.

👇 Hit subscribe, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments…
what the F is for dinner tonight?

📱 Recipe Keeper App

• Website: https://recipekeeperonline.com/

• iOS (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/app/recipe-keeper/id974683711

• Android (Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tudorspan.recipekeeper

#MidlifeUnfiltered #GenXWomen #GigglesAndShit #WhatsForDinner #MentalLoad #WorkingWomen #RealLifeChaos #FunnyPodcast #RelatableAF #CanadianPodcast

Ready for a more raw and deeply human episode of The Giggles n Shit Show? This one hits different. In Episode 4, Jill and Dianne open up about one of the hardest parts of loving something deeply… having to let it go.

This episode dives into the emotional reality of losing a beloved pet, the grief that comes with it, and the impossible decision of knowing when it’s time. It’s honest, vulnerable, and a reminder that even in the hardest moments, there’s still love, gratitude, and yes… a few giggles.

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
👉 The heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to a 15-year-old best friend
👉 What “quality of life” really means (and how you know it’s time)
👉 The difference between a traumatic goodbye and a peaceful one at home
👉 Why pets leave a deeper mark on us than we expect
👉 Grief, guilt, and the quiet aftermath no one talks about

It’s real. It’s raw. And it’s relatable in a way that only fellow pet lovers will truly understand. If you’ve ever loved an animal like family, this episode will hit home. Hard.

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with someone who’s been through this, and tell us in the comments:
Have you ever had to make this decision… and how did you know it was time?

📰 Subscribe to the full show:

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By gigglesnshit

#MidlifeUnfiltered #GenXWomen #GigglesAndShit #DogMomLife #PetLoss #WomenOver40 #RealTalk #GriefAndHealing #CanadianPodcast

Smart, sassy, and a little bad-assy — for Gen X women who’ve earned their laugh lines.

“We’re too old to fake it, too wise to care, and too tired to give a shit.”
— Every Gen X Woman Ever

Hey Gigglers — welcome back to The Giggles & Shit Newsletter, your weekly dose of smart, sassy, and a little bad-assy.

This week, Jill’s settling into her new country digs (where the neighbours bring sandwiches and tomatoes instead of complaints), Dianne’s testing DIY eyelash lifts that actually work, and the two of them are side-eyeing billionaires, fake maple syrup, and mortgages that should come with therapy.

Grab a coffee—or a sangria if it’s that kind of day—and let’s dig in.

🎧 ICYMI - WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

Episode #003 – Maple Washing, Tech Bros & Country Neighbours Who Bring You Tomatoes

Jill and Dianne are back with equal parts giggles and righteous rage. From mortgage penalties to maple fakery and tech-bro ridiculousness, this episode is peak Gen X energy with a side of real-life relatability.

Here’s what went down:
👉 The Bank of Canada rate drop — hit or shit (depends on your mortgage and your wine budget)
👉 The “Maple Washing” scandal — when “Made in Canada” turns out to be made-in-somewhere-else
👉 Billionaire Tech Bros renting Venice (because apparently “humble” is for peasants)
👉 Country life — big backyards, blue jays, and neighbours who bring tomatoes
👉 Would You Rather? Gen X Edition — hot flashes vs. snoring husbands, braless forever vs. push-up 24/7
👉 Red light therapy, DIY lash lifts, and the joy of saying “screw it, I’m done pretending”

Catch the full chaos:
📺 Watch on the full episode on Substack or YouTube
🎙 Listen on your favourite podcast app
📩 Share this newsletter with your Gen X bestie who knows the pain of underwire and overthinking.

🍁 DEEPER DIVE #1: The Maple Washing Scandal — WTF, Eh?

So apparently, “Made in Canada” doesn’t always mean… it’s made in Canada. WTF!
Turns out some grocery stores—FreshCo, we’re looking at you—are slapping on the maple leaf while manufacturers are quietly importing ingredients or outright manufacturing elsewhere maybe using some Canadian ingredients. Jill called it “maple washing”—and it’s basically greenwashing with extra passive-aggressive politeness.

Check this: “Buying Canadian at the supermarket? It’s more complicated than that.” — a recent piece showing how FreshCo puts maple leaf branding even when the product is made in the U.S. Yahoo News

Campbell’s has been criticized for placing maple leaf / Canadian imagery on labels after shutting down its last Canadian plant (2018). Jill dug a little deeper into “Maple Washing” and turns out there is a ton of instances out there. Here’s just a few of what we found:

🕵️ Articles & Investigations on Campbell’s & “Maple Washing”

1. McGill University — “Pascal Thériault warns consumers to be on the lookout for misleading Canadian labels”
Covers Campbell’s being flagged for using “Designed in Canada” language on cans after closing its last Canadian factory in 2018 (which eliminated ~380 jobs). The article calls this “maple washing” — using Canadian cues to mislead consumers about origin.
McGill University

2. National Magazine — “A maplewashed minefield”
Deep dive into how companies are layering maple leaves, “Product of Canada,” “Designed in Canada,” etc., to confuse or entice consumers. It calls “Designed in Canada” claims especially problematic and cites Campbell’s / Habitant as examples.
National Magazine

3. Toronto CityNews — “Maple washing of products making it harder for consumers to buy Canadian” VIDEO. Explains how many products feature maple leaves or Canadian branding even when the origin is elsewhere. The piece quotes experts on the risk of misleading consumers.

Why its on our Shit List? Because we actually try to buy Canadian! We spend hours squinting at labels, walking the grocery aisles like detectives, trying to support Canadian farms, suppliers, and workers. And now, it feels like we’ve been duped.

“You know, I’ll go without blueberries before I buy U.S. ones—but apparently, I might’ve been duped by soup.” As Jill put it.

Classic Canada: polite outrage, eh?

Moral of the story: read your labels, ask questions, and when in doubt, buy from that nice lady at the farmer’s market who takes e-transfer and gives you too many zucchinis.

💸 DEEPER DIVE #2: Tech Bros, Yachts & $10,000 Purses

Remember when Jeff Bezos was the scrappy garage guy who built an empire? Now he’s renting Venice for his wedding while the rest of us are comparing mortgage penalties. Again, we put on our investigator hat and pipe and dug a little deeper into Bezos wedding, the backlash from Venus citizens and other gross displays of redonculous (sic) wealth.

🔍 Articles & Media Related to Tech Bros, Yachts & Bezos-Level Flexing

• Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez arrive in Venice for divisive wedding — The Guardian covers their arrival, noting the scale (superyachts, private jets) and local backlash. The Guardian

• Bezos wedding guests depart to pre-wedding party in Venice amid protests (Video) — DW News clip captures the glitz and protests tied to the event.

• Bezos’ Venice wedding party moved to isolated area on security concerns — Reuters reports the wedding plans were shifted to a more remote area due to protests and security. Reuters

• Billionaire Houston Rockets owner faces backlash after placing $165 million yacht up for sale — While not Bezos, this article is a good example of billionaire yacht flex and public reaction. Yahoo

Jill summed it up: “I admire what he built. But when you hit billions and start believing your own press, that’s when I check out.”

Dianne chimed in: “No purse is worth $10,000. You can’t fit your morals in there.”

Meanwhile, these billionaires flex yachts, rockets, and handbags that could fund small villages. The Gen X verdict? Buy the $1,000 purse if you must—but use the other $9,000 to help someone who can’t afford one.

Because honestly, empathy never goes out of style.

🏡 DEEPER DIVE #3: Country Neighbours & Tomato Karma

Jill’s country life is giving good energy. She moves in, and within 24 hours the neighbours show up with sandwiches, cake, and—no joke—bushels of tomatoes. Real tomatoes. Not metaphorical “welcome to the neighbourhood” fruit baskets or casseroles.

As Dianne said, “That’s just good karma. You moved from the city and upgraded your humanity.”

So maybe that’s the secret: get out of the noise, breathe the fresh country air, and find people who show up with food instead of opinions. Country hospitality might just be the cure for midlife burnout.

🍗 THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: Jill’s Fool-Proof Turkey Recipe (Even She Can’t Screw It Up)

Because it’s Canadian Thanksgiving, and yes, Jill has a reputation for… uh hum… “memorable” turkeys.

Here’s the fool-proof recipe—no stress, no tears, no smoke alarms.

🦃 The “Giggle-Proof” Turkey Recipe

· Preheat oven to 325°F.

· Pour generous glass of red wine (or white, I’ll allow it)

· Using a fresh or fully thawed turkey, remove giblets. The what now? Its the gross mass of semi frozen innards wrapped in the wet sack found inside the turkey. (don’t ask, just do it).

· Wash with cold water and pat turkey dry with paper towel. Slather that bird with softened butter — everywhere, even under the skin.

· Season generously, inside and out with sage, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little thyme or whatever herbs you fancy.

· Sip wine or what ever other wobbly pop you are enjoying

· Stuffing: Mix in a large (the biggest you got!) a whole loaf of white bread, ripped up to pieces about the size of a Looney.

· Mix in ¼ cup of melted butter, generous shakes of dried sage, onion and garlic powder and dried thyme.

· Stuff the cavity with the stuffing mixture both ends!

· Roast for 15 minutes per pound, basting every 45 minutes. When a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, she’s done.

· Let rest for 20–30 minutes before carving

· Pour yourself another glass of wine, you earned it!

Bonus Side Dish:
Slice up a butternut squash, brush with butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, and boom—you’ve got a side dish that’ll make even your mother-in-law smile.

🎙 WHAT’S COMING UP

We are looking for guests to join Dianne and Jill on an upcoming episode of The Giggles n Shit Show. Want to share some insights on the following topics? Let us know!

Gen X women navigating midlife, money, family, identity, and WTF moments. Here are 20 trending, high-interest guest topics for future episodes — drawn from current conversations on TikTok, Reddit, and Substack.

🎙️ 20 Guest Speaker Topics for Gen X Women

🧠 Midlife, Identity & Reinvention

1. The Reinvention Decade – How Gen X women are pivoting careers, launching side hustles, and redefining success after 45.

2. Empty Nest, Full Heart – Navigating loneliness, freedom, and rediscovering yourself once the kids move out.

3. Aging Out of the Algorithm – Why Gen X women are invisible online—and how to reclaim the narrative.

4. From Caregiver to Main Character – Mental load, boundaries, and reclaiming time after decades of putting others first.

5. Friendship Reboot – Why women over 40 are losing friends (and how to rebuild authentic connection).

💄 Health, Hormones & Body Image

6. Hot Flashes, Cold Truths – The unfiltered menopause talk: hormones, sex, mood, and midlife body changes.

7. The Beauty Backlash – Aging faces, filler fatigue, and Gen X leading the “pro-aging” movement.

8. Midlife Fitness Myth-Busting – Strength training, metabolism, and how to stay strong without chasing your 20s body.

9. Sleep, Stress & Survival Mode – The burnout epidemic among midlife women and how to finally rest.

💸 Money, Work & Meaning

10. Wage Gap 2.0 – The financial fallout of caregiving, divorce, and the gender pension gap no one’s talking about.

11. Gen X Entrepreneurs – Women starting businesses later in life and thriving.

12. The New Retirement Fantasy – Why Gen X isn’t dreaming of golf courses—but of cohousing, community, and purpose.

13. The Career Ceiling in Your 50s – Reinventing your professional life when the corporate ladder starts to disappear.

14. Financial Therapy – Healing money shame and building confidence around midlife finances.

❤️ Relationships, Family & Community

15. The Sandwich Generation Without Snacks – Caring for parents and adult kids without losing your mind (and your savings).

16. Marriage After 25 Years – Real talk about boredom, intimacy, and starting over together—or apart.

17. Modern Motherhood, Gen X Edition – Parenting adult kids in the era of anxiety, inflation, and endless group chats.

18. The “Good Daughter” Trap – Why women feel guilty setting boundaries with aging parents.

19. Menopause, Marriage & Murder Fantasies – The hormonal truth behind midlife irritability (and why laughter saves marriages).

🌎 Culture, Joy & Escape

20. Soft Living, Gen X Style – Redefining luxury as quiet mornings, cozy spaces, and peace of mind—not Prada bags.

💬 Have a story or a rant and want to be a guest on the show? Reach out in the Substack comments or reply to this email.

We might just feature your “real life chaos” in the next show.

Leave a comment

💩 THE SHIT LIST

Because sometimes laughter’s the only thing keeping us from screaming.

💩 Grocery store sticker shock — $9 for a bag of chips? That’s not inflation, that’s extortion.
💩 People who call Thanksgiving “Friendsgiving” but still don’t bring wine.
💩 Tech bros renting entire cities while we’re renting Netflix.

Your turn: what’s on your Shit List this week?
👉 Post it in the Substack Chat. We’re reading (and giggling) at every one.

BONUS LINKS:

• Bank of Canada press release lowering the policy rate to 2.50 % on Sept 17, 2025 Bank of Canada

• Reuters “Instant view” covering BoC’s rate cut Reuters

• Global News article explaining the rate cut due to weaker economy Global News

• News piece “Buying Canadian at the supermarket? It’s more complicated than that” about maple washing / Campbell’s labels Yahoo News

• AYASAL Lash Lift and Coloring Kit: https://a.co/d/3IV20CJ

• If you are too lazy, want gorgeous lashes done for you and live in the Barrie area check out Motta Lash! Ask for Shannon. Meet The Team | Motta Lash House | Barrie, Ontario

Thanks for reading and giggling with us these past weeks. Life’s messy, midlife’s wild, and laughter’s still the cheapest therapy on the market.

Until next time — keep giggling, even when the shit gets real.

💋
— Jill & Dianne
gigglesnshit.substack.com

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
👉 The Bank of Canada rate drop - hit or shit? (depends on your mortgage)
👉 Maple Washing scandal - when “Made in Canada” isn’t what it seems
👉 Billionaire tech bros - renting Venice and how residence responded
👉 Country living perks - amazing neighbours & backyard bliss
👉 Would You Rather? Gen X edition - hot flashes vs. snoring husbands, braless forever vs. push-up 24/7, and more…

👇 Hit that subscribe button, share with your bestie, and tell us in the comments:
What’s on your Shit or Hit List this week?

📰 Subscribe to the Giggles n Shit Show:

Giggles & Shit

Smart, sassy and a little bad-assy, delivering real-talk, humor, and sharp takes on life, politics, parenting, entrepreneurship, and aging from a Gen X female lens.

By Jill Button

Get in on the discussion & Join the Chat!

#MidlifeUnfiltered #GenXWomen #GigglesAndShit #CanadianPodcast #MapleWashing #FunnyPodcast #MidlifeMarriage #WomenOver40 #RealTalk

Hey there, Gigglers (or Shitters if you prefer? Hmmm, maybe not)

Welcome to The Giggles & Shit Newsletter — smart, sassy, and a little bad-assy, just like the podcast. This is where we take the best of our latest episode, stir in some extra real talk, and serve it up hot (like our flashes).

🎧 Episode Recap: What Just Happened?

Episode #002 Recap: Menopause, Broken Sleep & All Hands on Deck!

Hot flashes, broken sleep, dogs in the bed, friendship pacts, and the minefield of mixing politics with relationships — welcome to another week in Gen X land.

We covered:

• 😴 Sleep? Never heard of her — 3 a.m. wake-ups, couch escapes, and the broken sleep shuffle that’s become our nightly routine

• 👯 All Hands on Deck — the genius girlfriend pact that gets the basement cleaned, the house staged, and the ugly lamp out the door

• 🔥 Menopause confessions — from hot flash triggers (red wine, we’re looking at you) to the small victories we cling to

• 🗳 Politics and relationships — why sometimes keeping quiet is the bravest move

• 🐕 Dog drama — because bed space battles with pets are absolutely a thing

• 🛒 Late-night shopping regrets — yes, the mini waffle maker really happened

📺 Watch the full episode here on Substack → Watch Episode #002

🎙 Or listen on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube.

📩 Share with your ride-or-die who gets it without you having to explain

This week’s episode hit close to home for a lot of us — and not just because most of it was recorded in pajamas. We talked about sleep (or the lack of it), the power of showing up for your friends, menopause reality checks, and the delicate art of keeping politics out of relationships you care about.

Sleep deprivation was the uninvited guest in the story. We agreed that a good night’s rest has become rarer than a concert ticket without service fees. It’s not just the hot flashes — although they do their best to keep us up — it’s the bed-hogging dogs, the partners who wander in late, and that mysterious 3 a.m. wake-up when your brain decides to run through your to-do list like it’s a competitive sport.

“Getting back to sleep is my superpower… I can wake up 50 times a night and be asleep again within 30 seconds.” — Diane

For some of us, it’s a gift. For others, it’s the reason the couch has become a second bedroom.

From there, we shifted to friendship — specifically, the “All Hands on Deck” pact Diane has with her girlfriends. It’s simple: when someone calls it, you show up. No excuses, no keeping score. Whether it’s cleaning out a basement, staging a house, or tackling a project that feels overwhelming, the crew just gets it done. And yes, the work goes faster with music, snacks, and the occasional debate over questionable home décor.

It’s more than help — it’s connection. These are the women who will move heaven, earth, and your ugly lamp to make your life easier. And they know you’d do the same for them.

Menopause made its inevitable appearance in the conversation — not in a clinical way, but in the way real women talk about it over a bevy. We compared symptoms, coping strategies, and the triggers we’ve learned to avoid. For some, it’s late-night snacking or stress. For others, like Jill, it’s alcohol (red wine to be more precise) oh the horror!

“The only thing that gives me hot flashes now is alcohol — red wine especially. So I can’t drink it … what the hell?” — Jill

Of course, there’s a shared understanding here: every woman’s experience is different, and while we can’t control all of it, we can share what works, laugh about what doesn’t, and give each other permission to ditch anything that makes us miserable.

We also waded into the territory of politics in family and friendships. It’s one of those topics that can turn dinner parties into war zones and social media feeds into minefields. Our take? If you can have a respectful conversation without losing your cool, great. If not, it’s perfectly fine to steer the discussion somewhere else. Sometimes, protecting a relationship is more important than proving a point.

There’s a shared fatigue that comes from the relentless news cycle. Staying informed matters, but so does your mental health. Turning it off isn’t ignorance — it’s survival.

And because this is Giggles & Shit, there were plenty of detours:

• Dog drama — sharing the bed with a senior dog isn’t for the faint of heart (or the light sleeper).

• The politics of pajamas — Diane swears by flannel pants at 6 p.m., Jill’s “official couch blanket” marks the start of her off-duty hours.

• Late-night online shopping regrets — a cautionary tale involving exhaustion, wine, and a mini waffle maker.

These moments are more than filler — they’re the threads that make up midlife for Gen X women. The everyday stuff that’s equal parts exhausting, hilarious, and weirdly comforting.

What’s Coming Up

🎙 Coming soon! Dr. Fiona McConville, Gynecologist — answering your most candid questions about Gen X women’s health, menopause, and aging well.

📣 Your Turn: Drop your questions for Dr. Fiona in our chat. If you’re not in there yet, whatcha waiting for?! Scan the QR Code below — or reply to this email and we’ll send it straight to you.

💡 Topic Ideas Wanted: What do you want us to tackle next? The more “Oh my god, YES!” moments, the better.

Got a story to share or helpful insight for our Gen X subscribers? Become a GUEST on the Show! Comment below your idea for an upcoming episode. We would love to hear from you!

The Shit List - Oh this was a goody!

Because some things just need to be called out.

🛋 $7,000 couches. Are you kidding me? No. For that price, it should also pay my bills, fold my laundry, and have a built-in wine dispenser.

🥬 The cost of healthy food. Why is it still cheaper to buy chips than a salad?

🚗 Car salesmen (men) who ask you if there is someone else involved in your decision. “You mean my husband?”

Now it’s your turn — what’s making your Shit List this week? Share it in the Substack chat and you might see it here next Friday.

💌 Thanks for reading, listening, and being part of our gloriously unfiltered corner of the internet. Share the podcast with your people — the ones who get the joke without you having to explain it.

Until next time— keep giggling, even when the shit gets real.

— Jill & Diane

Giggles & Shit on Substack

We’re diving into what it really means to stay connected in midlife, how friendships evolve, why loneliness creeps in, and what happens when political arguments blow up at Christmas dinner. (Yes, we went there.)

🎙 What’s Inside This Episode?
💤 Why sleep is broken AF
🔥 Red wine-induced hot flashes (should you give up red wine?)
📦 The myth of guilt-free asking for help
📺 And the show that made us cry about friendships we’ve lost… and grateful for the ones that stayed

This one’s a hug in podcast form. With a side of righteous rage.
Welcome to Episode #002. Welcome to The Shit Show!

📝 We want to hear from you! Tell us in the comments who’s on your all-hands-on-deck crew? Politics at the dinner table? How tense was your holiday dinner?

Leave a comment

If you're a Gen X woman who's ever felt overwhelmed, overlooked, or just plain over it, this podcast is for you. We’re here to talk about the real shit, to laugh, connect, and remind each other we’re not alone.

Please drop a comment, share this episode with your besties, and join the conversation. Your voice matters. Your story matters. And together? We can turn this midlife madness into something honest, hilarious, and healing.

Let’s build this community, one giggle (and one hot flash) at a time.

Share

#GigglesnShit #GenXWomen #MidlifeUnfiltered #HotFlashesAndHeartfelt #WomenSupportingWomen

Did you know there’s an exclusive Giggles & Shit Chat?

This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. We’ll post questions (What’s on your Shit List?), Hot Topics and Comments that come our way, and you can jump into the discussion.

Join chat

How to get started

1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

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2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

We want to hear from you! Is Giggles & Shit a Hit? Or is it Shit?

Join the exclusive Chat and have your say!

Every other week (ish), we drop one of these little bombs into your inbox — filled with behind-the-scenes moments, deeper dives on the topics we tackle in the episode, a look at what’s coming up next, and of course… The Shit List.

If you laughed, cried, or snorted wine during Episode 001 (same, sister), you’re in the right place.

Share Giggles & Shit

💬 Quote of the Week

“They say you are what you eat. Funny, I don’t remember eating a menopausal, sleep-deprived, slightly unhinged woman with hot flashes.”
— Probably someone’s best friend in a group chat

Welcome to the Shit Show, where the only thing hotter than our flashes is our take on midlife.

🎧 Podcast Recap: What Just Happened?

Episode 001: Bidding Wars, French Châteaux & Doggy Dementia

Midlife chaos, real estate rage, old dogs with back problems, and a French castle fantasy—just your average week in Gen X land.
We covered:

• Almost buying two houses. In a panic. Without your husband seeing either.

• Selling a house while eating cold pizza in the Giant Tiger parking lot. With your senior dog and a cat.

• Doggy IVDD surgery that cost $12K and was still cheaper than a divorce lawyer

• The dream of retiring with your besties on a private island (No assholes allowed).

• Feeling invisible, overwhelmed, and lonely—while pretending you’re totally fine.

🎙 Listen to the full episode here!

🧹 Deeper Dive: The Sandwich Generation Without Snacks

When You’re Caught Between Aging Parents and Adult Kids

We’re stretched thin—and still expected to smile through it. (Spoiler: we are the crusty corners holding the whole damn sandwich together.)

According to Statistics Canada, about 6% of Canadians aged 35 to 64 are part of what’s called the sandwich generation—providing unpaid care to both children and aging parents. For women, it jumps to 7%. That’s an estimated 2.4 million people stuck managing both ends of the family tree with zero extra hours in the day and even less mental bandwidth. Most are in that sweet 35–54 window—also known as the age when you’re Googling mortgage rules while explaining to your dad, for the 10th time, how to “tap and pay.”

And here’s the thing: we’re not doing this because we have endless energy, magical budgets, or a secret, personal assistant. We’re doing it because we were raised to figure it out. No matter what.

In one story from our recent episode, the decision to buy a house with a basement apartment wasn’t just about smart investment, it was survival instinct. The goal? Help a daughter get ahead in a market that makes homeownership look like a unicorn. A real solution to a generational problem. That’s what sandwich caregivers are doing every damn day: putting out fires with leaky buckets and a tired smile.

Meanwhile, your parents are calling. If they’re local, we’re doing weekly visits. If they’re not, we’re on Zoom tech support duty—usually while eating dinner, managing emails, and explaining to the dog that no, it’s not walk time again.

We Are the Infrastructure

We’re the launchpad for one generation and the landing pad for another. The adult child trying to build a future. The aging parent trying to hold on to their independence. And in between? Us. The sleep-deprived, emotionally tapped-out center holding it all together.

And for the record, we don’t need:

• A productivity planner with stickers

• A lecture on financial independence from a YouTuber who still lives in their parents’ basement

• Another Instagram reel telling us to “romanticize our lives”

We need support. We need systems. And occasionally, we need five minutes alone in the car with the heated seat on and a coffee that hasn’t been microwaved four times.

The Financial Fallout No One Talks About

According to a 2024 CareMakers Foundation report, nearly three-quarters of sandwich caregivers have scaled back work or declined job opportunities because of caregiving responsibilities. That’s not just burnout, that’s missed promotions, lost income, and pushing back retirement until… maybe never?

And caregiving isn’t free. Even if your aging parent isn’t living with you, you’re probably paying for groceries, meds, or transportation. Your adult kids? Maybe you’re covering tuition, phone plans, or “just one more month of rent.” At this point, we’re not sandwiches—we’re charcuterie boards. And not the cute kind on Pinterest.

Strategies for Staying (Sort of) Sane

No sugar-coated advice here. Just real strategies that make the load a little lighter:

1. Get Real About Shared Space

Multigenerational living can be smart, but only if you talk it out. If there isn’t a separate space and you’re cohabiting, discuss and agree on who buys groceries? Who cooks? Who does dishes? Who’s paying the gas bill? This isn’t a sitcom; it’s your real life. Set the rules before someone loses it over laundry.

2. Set Boundaries Without Apologizing

Boundaries aren’t mean. They’re how you avoid yelling into a throw pillow at midnight. You can love your mom and still say, “I can’t come today.” You can support your adult kid and still say, “I’m not paying for Skip The Dishes every night.”

3. Automate the Chaos

Group calendars. Shared grocery lists (magnetic whiteboard on my fridge). Voice memos. Use the tech. Write it down. Stop trying to juggle everyone’s lives in your head. You’re not a human whiteboard.

4. Ask for Help and Accept It

Ask your husband, wife or sibling to step up. Let your friend take Mom to her appointment. Order takeout on Skip The Dishes. Hire the cleaner. Have groceries delivered (Instacart saved my sanity). Stop pretending you can do it all just because someone once said you were “the strong one.” That’s bullshit. You are human not Superwoman!

Save $10 on your 1st Instacart order with Discount Code: JBUTTON1BD1E9

You’re Not Failing—You’re Just at Capacity

If you’re snapping at people, forgetting birthdays, or crying in the Costco parking lot, congratulations: you’re an actual human. And overwhelmed. This isn’t about not trying hard enough. It’s about doing too much with too little help for too long.

This role wasn’t meant to be carried solo. We need policies that acknowledge that—better caregiver tax credits, more workplace flexibility, actual supports that don’t involve waitlists and paperwork the length of a Tolstoy novel.

Let’s Redefine the Sandwich

Instead of being “stuck in the middle,” maybe we’re the strongest layer. The ones holding the crusty corners together. Not because we should, but because we can.

And that takes strength. And stamina. And a sense of humour, because without it, we’d cry every time we find a passive-aggressive sticky note on the fridge.

Tell Us Your Story

Are you caring for your kids and your parents—sometimes on the same day?

Have you rescheduled a mammogram to help someone else with their errands?

Did you buy a house just so your adult child had a fighting chance in this economy?

Drop your story in the comments. Let’s laugh, cry, and maybe start a GoFundMe for wine (or Drambuie).

Leave a comment

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📰 Subscribe to Giggles n Shit

📺 Watch the full Episode #001 Bidding Wars, French Châteaux’s & Doggy Dementia

💬 Share this with someone stuck in the same sandwich

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🔮 What’s Coming Next: Gen X Women’s Health with Dr. Fiona McConville

In our next episode of the Giggles & Shit Show, we’re bringing the gynecologist we all wish we had: Dr. Fiona McConville. She’ll be answering our real questions on:

• Hormones

• Sex after 45

• What the hell is happening to our skin

• How to age like a badass (or at least stop the random chin hairs, seriously WTF!)

👉 Got a question for Dr. Fiona? Drop it in the comments or reply to this email. We’ll ask them on your behalf. No filter required.

Leave a comment

📝 Help Us Shape the Giggles n Shit Show

• What’s keeping you up at night (besides perimenopause)?

• What stories do you want to hear?

• What topics should we rant, giggle, or cry about next?

🎯 Hit reply or drop a comment. We actually read them.

Leave a comment

💩 The Shit List: Our Monthly Call-Out Corner

This month’s top Shit List inductees:

1. Real estate agents who book showings at 7 PM and roll in at 8:45 forcing you to eat cold pizza in your car, in the Giant Tiger parking lot, with a geriatric dog and a high strung cat who is a “Jack” ass. The fur was flying!

2. People who steal central air conditioning units before closing.

3. Husbands who “eye shush” you at parties.

Got your own nomination? Join the Chat! The best ones will be featured (and possibly judged).

💬 Keep Giggling, Keep Talking

This show is for you—the overextended, under-caffeinated Gen X woman who’s still doing it all, still showing up, and still laughing about it.

📩 Share this with a friend who needs a giggle

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Until next time,
Jill + Dianne
Co-Conspirators, Co-Creators, Co-Hosts & Survivors of the Shit Show