Today we are joined by ABC personality and author Jacinta Parsons. Jacinta has been single for 18 months after the end of a 25 year relationship. She's now embracing the single life and really leaning into solitude after a period of loneliness and adjustment. We discuss her brilliant article on loneliness and solitude and also, the effect of chronic illness on her life and relationships. We take an incredible listener call on relationships with neurodivergent men and end on our normal dating dealbreakers and "He's a ten, but."

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of Nelly's favourite mates, comedian Kirsty Webeck, is back for SLOPPY SECONDS. Kirsty and Nelly talk about breaking old patterns (of choosing the wrong people), Nelly's new romance (woot: gossip!) and they take a great listener call on how to handle a "Friends With Benefits" relationships when someone catches feelings. A wonderful and reflective episode with a Dear Nelly legend.

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are joined by academic Quah Ee Ling who has research specialities in divorce, intersectionality and cultural studies. I met Ee Ling at an event in Sydney last year and fell in (friend) love with her immediately. I just adore this intelligent, kind and sensitive soul. Ee Ling and I talk about marriage migration, PTSD, social anxiety and the idea that couples that grow and change together have the best chance. We talk about what romance actually is and how social introverts can manage dating and socialising. We take a listener letter on how to make friends when you have social anxiety and are a bit longer in the tooth. A wonderfully raw and fascinating episode with a very clever cookie.

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Tom Ballard is back for Sloppy Seconds and he asks Nelly a HUGE question: what is the lesson you have had to learn repeatedly throughout life and, have you learned it yet? Tom and Nelly talk about Tom's partner and ... Nelly's new sweetheart! Yes, she went back on the apps and it ACTUALLY WORKED. Tom and Nelly take a listener call about "weaponised incompetence" and respond to a letter about loving the chase and not the relationship. A fantastic episode with an old (young) mate.

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nato Green is a US comic and union organiser and Nelly is a huge fan of his. Nelly and Nato discuss his 20+ year marriage, how he thought he was unlovable and was super nervous about expressing vulnerability, how he wanted to date but just couldn't work out how until he was in his 20's and, how he had lots of platonic friendships with women that perhaps could have turned romantic. Nelly and Nato take two amazing listener calls - one on navigating your first Christmas as a single mum and another on how to talk to your kids about mental load. And Nato's solution to many things seems to be a finger in the butt. A great ep with an hilarious and thoughtful guy.

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nelly is having a week off but don't worry, Producer Sammy has pulled together a brilliant ep of the highlights from our first year! Listen, enjoy, share!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Van Badham is an author, playwright, Guardian columnist, broadcaster and general all 'round ratbag. Van and I talk about how she'd given up on love and then fell in love at Trades Hall, across a crowded room at the age of 39. We take a brilliant listener call on what single life can look like in your 60s and get into Van's dating dealbreakers and "he's a ten but...". A wonderful episode with a wise and thoughtful woman determined to wait for the best (chuck out the rest).

• Van's new play "A Fool in Love" HERE
• Van on Facebook HERE
• Van in the Guardian HERE
• Van's Book HERE

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I am joined by my favourite Drag Queen Spankie Bloody Jackzon. Spankie is LTS (long-term-single) and not prepared to settle for less. We talk about Fairytales and how much of a barrier they are to real love, how Spankie was going for "the wrong type" of men and how BME (Big Mum Energy) can get in the way of connection. We take a great listener call on preparing kids to be good grown-ups (who are ready for dating) and another call on period sex - yes, I asked a cis, gay man about period sex. Spankie has learned that love is effort and that he wants to be the Little Spoon sometimes. A fabulous and funny episode with an icon in the Australasia performance scene.

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we talk to author Amanda Hampson. Amanda in now a 69 year old author, but was once a scared teen mum, kicked out of home and giving her child up for adoption. She's gone on to have more children and a couple of marriages but is avowedly - and happily - single. We talk all that stuff as well as why quitting is for winners, how petty divorce can get and we take a wonderful listener call about how we can see past relationships in a very different light once we heal. A fascinating episode that reminds us that the good old days were not that good.

Love yas,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bev shares her top celebration./event tips:

• refuse to take on perfection
• be naughty and nice
• enjoy your guilty pleasures
• take the pressure down
• presentation is key - not the amount of money spent
• go where the love is

Bev and I also take some wonderful listener calls on navigating a tricky Christmas with step-kids and dealing with other people's ex's at Chrissy. We also take great listener letters on navigating your first Christmas without your kids and, what to do over the holidays if you family has rejected you.

Bev's Cashew But Roast: HERE

Roast chook recipe: HERE

LOVE YAS,

Nelly xxx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.