Flirtin After Forty

The last few weeks have been heavy.

Work stress, co-parenting stress, emotional stress… just one of those seasons where it feels like everyone needs something from you while you’re quietly trying to hold it all together.

And this week, I realized something about myself:
I’m really good at surviving alone.
But I’m terrible at asking for help.

In this episode, I talk about what happened when I finally admitted, out loud, “I can’t do this right now,” and someone stepped in without judgment and simply said, “I got you.”

We’re also talking about:

Because sometimes growth doesn’t look like winning.
Sometimes it looks like showing back up after getting absolutely destroyed the first time.

Also included:
some truly horrifying dating profiles
a man who proudly announced “I have a dick, I make the rules”
and my concern that men never emotionally evolve, even at 69.

It’s reflective, chaotic, funny, emotional… and honestly probably one of the realest episodes I’ve recorded in a while.

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In this episode of Flirtin’ After Forty, I’m catching you up on a heavy couple of weeks — co-parenting disappointment, the aftermath of calling out my ex-husband, and the sadness of realizing that J-Man and I are no longer together.

I talk about what it feels like to advocate for your kids, stop protecting people from the consequences of their choices, and navigate the guilt that can show up when you finally say the hard thing out loud.

I also get honest about the end of a relationship with a genuinely good man who still wasn’t my person. Because sometimes someone can be kind, willing, and wonderful — and it still doesn’t mean your heart is all in.

This one is about trusting the truth, choosing yourself, learning to be okay in the quiet, and remembering that if it’s not a fuck yes, it’s a no.

And yes, there is also a very important debate about basketball versus soccer. Obviously, basketball wins.

This week I’m talking about something that hit me harder than I expected: my son’s eighth grade continuation, the milestone moment, the packed gym full of families, and the empty seat where his dad should have been.

I went into the day thinking it was just another school ceremony, but watching my son look for his dad — and realizing he wasn’t coming because he forgot — broke my heart. In this episode, I talk about co-parenting, divorce, the emotional labor that often falls on one parent, and why it is not my job to remind someone else to show up for their child.

This one is honest, emotional, and maybe a little ragey — because our kids notice. They notice who is there. They notice who forgets. And they deserve people who show up for them. Plus, because we all needed a little relief, I end with a dating profile that somehow compares children to motorcycles. So yes, apparently third place is up for grabs. Hard pass. 

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This week came in swinging. My dad ended up in the hospital, work was frantic, my son had school stuff going on, I had bizarre dreams, a snake tried to move into my house, and somehow a barking dog at a job walk almost finished me off. I realized I’m really good in the middle of a crisis — I can make a plan, handle the facts, and keep moving — but the crash usually comes later.

In this episode, I’m talking about what it feels like to be the strong one, the capable one, the “I’ve got it” one… until your body says, “Nope, we’re done now.” I also share a hard conversation with J-Man about needing comfort instead of questions, the reminder that girlfriends and ridiculous birthday parties can be medicine, and why sometimes the best therapy is a nap, a basketball game, and a week with absolutely no snakes.

This week, I’m talking about Mother’s Day, disappointment, mental load, and the tiny moments that make women wonder, “Why am I managing everyone’s common sense?”

After a week with my mom in town, my kids home, and a very quiet house finally to myself, I realized how much I value my space — and how complicated the idea of living with someone again feels at this stage of life.

I also share the Mother’s Day breakfast saga, where “go big” somehow turned into bagels, McDonald’s, and me still doing half the work. From there, I get into dating updates, the strange feeling of being with someone sweet while still wanting time for myself, and how maybe this podcast has become less about finding love and more about figuring out who we are in this season of life.

And yes, we end with dating profile disasters — including one man who thinks women should meet a weight equation. Truly, the audacity came with a calculator.

This week felt like a weird mix of everything—snow days in May, finishing a home project I’ve been avoiding for eight months, and one of the most ridiculous dating profiles I’ve ever read.

But really, this episode is about moms.

With Mother’s Day coming up, I’m talking about the invisible load we carry, why this day actually matters (yes, it does), and how I’ve learned to make it special—even as a single mom.

I’m also sharing one of my favorite traditions you can steal, a proud mom moment (my son made the team ), and of course… a couple dating profiles that will make you question everything.

Including one man who compared women to used cars.
Yep. We’re going there.

It’s real life, it’s a little chaotic, and it’s exactly what dating—and parenting—after 40 actually looks like.

I had one of those days—running between nine projects, exhausted, getting hit with “what’s for dinner?” the second I sat down—and I almost lost it.

But then I found something that completely flipped my mood… my very first dating profile.

Like FULL novel-length, 20-prompts, oversharing-in-the-best-way dating profile.

And honestly? She was confident. Hopeful. A little unhinged (in a fun way). And very, very me.

In this episode, I read it out loud (yes, all of it), laugh at who I was, and realize something unexpected… I haven’t actually changed as much as I thought.

I didn’t record last week… and honestly, that kind of says it all.

In this episode, I’m sharing a very real update—yes, I’m dating J-Man again. But it’s not a fairytale reunion. It’s complicated, it’s uncertain, and I’m asking myself some hard questions.

He’s showing up differently. We’re communicating better. In a lot of ways, this is what I said I wanted—something safe, stable, and supportive. So why do I still feel unsure?

I talk about the confusion of not knowing what love is supposed to feel like, the fear of wasting time, and the tension between building something with someone… or choosing myself.

Plus, I go down a rabbit hole on how dating has changed (especially for our kids), and wow—it’s a lot.

This one is messy, honest, and very much a “figuring it out in real time” episode.

I hit my limit this week—between disgusting teenage bedrooms, a middle-of-the-night smoke detector meltdown, and just… life piling on, I needed out.

So I went to Vegas. Alone.

And somewhere between early morning slot machines, winning $$$ playing Keno, and meeting the kindest strangers at a bar, something shifted.

This episode is about losing your mind a little… and then finding yourself again. Why doing things alone is powerful, why small annoyances can push you over the edge, and why we need more people like Molly in this world.

Also—yes, I recorded myself yelling at my kid. You’re welcome.