40ish - Slippers, Buddymoons & Graham Norton

Episode Date: September 11, 2025

Welcome back to the brand-new season of 40ish! On today’s show, Lauren is on a mission to figure out: where exactly are we with slippers? Are they chic? Are they tragic? Meanwhile, Nicole is determined to keep those gym endorphins flowing; even if it means hobbling around the studio like a gladiator who lost to a foam roller. We’ve also got a bride-to-be who wants to know if a “Buddymoon” is a red flag or just group fun 2nd time around. And, because life isn’t fair, Graham Norton has started a podcast that sounds suspiciously familiar to ours… and the worst part? He’s obviously really good at it. So, buckle your slippers (or sneakers), because we’re back, we’re caffeinated, and we’re diving right in! This episode is sponsored by London Nootropics Get 20% off at LondonNootropics.com with the code 40ISH To book tickets for our live show in October click here: https://cheerfulearful.podlifeevents.com/festival/40ish---live-from-cheerful-earful-podcast-festival-16-oct-2025-tickets?clientside_routing=true We love to hear from you! To share your feedback, dilemmas, rants, funny stories or general complaints about midlife please be in touch at: Email [e-mail] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/40ish.podcast  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@40ish.podcast Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/share/DVQWb6y2vesgeHEK/?mibextid=LQQJ4d  To order our book HAVE YOU TRIED THIS?” click here  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Have-You-Tried-This-Only/dp/1801293139/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1O7EA4ZF1O5CS&keywords=have+you+tried+this&qid=1699449028&sprefix=have+you+tried+%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Listen closely. That's not just paint rolling on a wall. It's artistry. A master painter, carefully applying Benjamin Moore Regal Select eggshell with deathly executed strokes. The roller, lightly cradled in his hands, applying just the right amount of paint.

It's like hearing poetry in motion. Benjamin Moore, see the love. Here's my dilemma. My fiancé has announced that instead of a honeymoon, which is for two of us, we'd really like to do a buddy moon, as in, take along a gang of best mates. I need to get this off my chest before I explode. My husband has been unemployed for three months, and suddenly he has decided that what the house needs is a full DIY overhaul. It does not. Fet up with Viagra ruining people's marriages and lives I am. That's the first thing I thought when I woke up this morning, you know. Welcome back to a brand new series of 40-ish, I'm Nicole Goodman.

And I'm Lauren Mishkon. This is the podcast where we tackle all the chaos of 40-something life. We dive into midlife. news, your stories, your dilemmas, and of course we bring you our own mess and how we're navigating wind life. Every week. Without fail, we bring you our mess. From mundane to ridiculous here we figure out how to survive midlife and we do it all together, one rank, crisis and or meltdown at a time. And please don't forget that you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts for early access, add free listening across both our shows and bonus content you won't get anywhere else. And you can watch the video of this on Spotify every week

or you can listen on any other podcast platform. So if you have something to share big or small and really, we prefer the small, the mundane, the boring. We don't mind the big. We don't mind the big. Or the big. But the mundane and the small seems to get the most reaction from our listeners. For some reason.

And I don't know what that is. Email us. Hello at 40ish.com. Okay. Please be in touch and be part of the conversation. What's going on? How have you been? I've been fine, but I want to talk to you about something. Middle-aged.

Okay. Well, I'll just start with the following question. Oh, God. It's not controversial. Good. Good. Do you own slippers? I do own slippers.

What do they like? No, I need another question. Do you wear slippers? The answer is no. So you own slippers? them but you don't wear them they're very old I probably need a new pair what do they like though they're like booties oh okay like the soft fluffy booties okay and when I'm really really cold at home like in the depths of winter I do stick them on okay

do you feel it's a bit middle-aged to have slippers my mom always had slippers always has slippers in fact to the point where she keeps slippers at my house are they gold with a small heel yes they are gold with a small heel my grandmas both Oh, I thought you'd seen them in my cupboard. I haven't, but both of my grandmothers used to wear those at home. And I always, I never thought anything of it. And then as I got older, I thought, the heel. The heel is a thing.

Why? Why do you need a heel in a slipper? But why do you need a slipper? Like, I get if you want your feet to be warm, so like a fluffy sock. Like, I understand that. But why would you need to take shoes off and then effectively put shoes back on in your house? Especially gold ones with a heel. I mean, it's definitely was a look.

please don't tell me you've got gold ones with a heel no I don't I don't I don't and I'm not getting any okay let me just quickly get that out the way because I think it's a bit I've always thought it was a bit strange

do you wear slippers we're coming into slipper season listen the thing is the truth is I really prefer as much as I can always to be barefoot whenever I'm home I'm barefoot I like to be barefoot all the time but sometimes it just gets too cold

Yeah. And then you put on socks and then you might slip, you know. Slip? Yeah. They have wooden floors. So do I. They're slippy. They're slippy.

Actually, I don't have wooden floors. That's a lie. I have tiles. But they're not slippy. Anyway, yeah. And then I think. You get like a Pilates sock. I have those, but they're not cozy or warm.

So then I always get to this point where I'm like, I need slippers. In lockdown, I bought myself. I feel like we're talking about this too early on in the season. We're not. It's September. I know. Thank you. It's sweater,

sweater weather. It's not sweater weather yet. It's slipper weather. It's nearly slipper weather. September is still warm. It's like, if I look at my watch now, it's 19 degrees. Sorry, the workout was still on from this morning, so I've done a three-hour workout. Brilliant.

No wonder, I'm tired. Yeah, no wonder. You must be yours too. Look, I bought some of the Birkenstock shearing, like, slippers in lockdown. So they're like five years old now. They're really expensive, but I justified it by thinking, well, I'm stuck in the house or I'm allowed out for one hour's walk. So I'll buy a pair of slippers and a pair of wellies and I'm basically covered. And I was indeed covered. They're old now. I'm thinking, do I need new slippers? Are slippers middle aged? What's the appropriate

slipper for a person of my age? What do I do? Where are we with slippers? It's not gold with a heel. No, it's not gold with a hill. Where are we with slippers? That's what I'm asking you. Last question we had of where are we with? In fact, this should be, this should be a new segment. Where are we with? It used to be, where are we with jeans? Yeah. Where are we done?

Where are we with jeans and where are we with bras? And now you're talking about where are we with slippers. This is where I think I am. And you tell me if you think I'm on the right path. What is the right path? Who's to say? Well, not too tragic. Not too trendy, just appropriate.

Why can't you be trendy and appropriate? Why can't those two things coexist? Okay, this is where I am. I'm feeling like a clog shape, but soft. Like a felt clog. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, like a birkenstock clog, but in a soft, slippery. You've got a burkens, a fluffy burkenstock.

Yeah, but it's a sandal. So what, just stick those on? Well, the dog's kind of eaten them and they're five years older, and now Josh has decided that he wants them and, you know? Josh wants your fluffy burkenstocks. Yeah. And also they're sandals. So you've still got your toes out.

They're not covered. I bought a couple of years ago a pair of ugg slippers for my daughter. Are they ugg slippers? Yeah. Yeah. Ugg slippers for my daughter. She doesn't wear them. They were very expensive.

They were her Christmas present. Yeah. You can have them. What size is she? She's smaller than me. Six. Oh. Really?

I'll show you when we get home. I might try them on and see it. They're this color. They're shocking pink. Are they? Okay. I might see if I'm feeling that. So you're,

where are you with slippers is where like a fluffy clog that's where I'm feeling I'm going is that all right I don't think any of it's all right I don't think I don't think the fact that we're in slip at age is all right but children are in slipper age

surely slippers aren't ageless yeah you think slippers are ageless kids wear them here's a question listeners are slippers ageless I don't think they are because I definitely represent like in my head they define my mum My mum has always worn a pair of slippers

To me they're always an older person's accessory My sister doesn't wear slippers I don't know if my friends wear slippers That's where I am Okay, where are you? What's going on in your 40-ish life? I mean, this morning I have decided Not decided, I've just realised this morning That in the gym

With my gym mates All we talk about is injuries I thought we talked about sex What we'd bend over Tuesdays and everything else Oh, yeah, there was spend over Tuesdays. I thought it was quite racy chat in the gym. Well, it wasn't this morning because the chat in the gym this morning was with a friend of mine and he said to me, my knee is playing up something terrible.

So I was like, oh, my knee, my knees, oh, is it from paddle night? Yeah, he said, I said, are you going to, because paddle's coming to our club. It's very exciting. People keep asking me and telling me all about it. All people want to talk to me about is paddle. Or it might be the other way around. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

Which way around? is it, don't lie. Is it that you're very excited and you talk to everyone about it? Well, I am very excited, but I keep getting injured so I don't know how much I'm going to be able to play on these courts anyway. You can just be there with like a cheering everyone else on banner.

Clipboard. Clipboard. What's on the clipboard? Are you looking at who's a good player? Who can play? Who's allowed to play on these three courts for 10,000 members? Yeah. Anyway, it wasn't about that.

He said to me, I said, are you going to play paddle when it comes? And he said, well, I've got a bit of a tennis elbow. I'm like, oh, do you play tennis? He goes, I don't even play tennis. tennis. He said, I got my tennis elbow from gardening. And I said to him, that is the most middle age thing I've ever heard. He goes, this is why I don't like gardening. It gives me tennis elbow. What was he doing? I'm trying to think of the action. Was it weeding? Trowling? Was it shares? Doesn't matter. You're missing the point. You're missing the, no, no, we're not going

into a gardening chat. What was the action? What was the action? Ask him what the action was. I don't want to ask him what the action was. You ask him. I don't know who he is. I'm trying to think, what do you do like that in the garden. The point is, the point is, is that he's getting injured from something that is supposed to be like good for you, like good for your mental

health, something that is supposed to be relaxing. Yes. And even that is bringing injury. I feel like he's not doing it right, whatever he's doing. Oh, I shall tell him. I'll tell him tomorrow. I discuss this on the podcast. I don't even know if he knows I've got a podcast

but I won't be mentioning it. I discuss this on the podcast. and my co-host tells me that you are gardening incorrectly. That'll make you feel really good at 7 o'clock in the morning. And is it hedge trimming? Because that's the only action I can think. Who cares? I care. I want to know.

The point is. I don't want tennis elbow. The point is you're missing the point. I'm not. The point is you can't even do a relaxing thing that older people are supposed to do without getting an injury these days. That's the point.

And the first 45 minutes of my gym workout is spent talking about my injuries and everybody else's injuries. That's what we talk about. Remember, we had a podcast episode where I had an injury from being asleep. I woke up, injured, on the neck. And all I've been doing was sleeping. So this is middle age. Welcome.

Just tell him welcome. He's older than me. I'm not going to do that. It might sound patronising. Maybe he thinks he's still young. He's not. I'll tell him. that do.

Oh, what a fun morning he's going to have to worry. You know, he's going to be a big fan of me by the end of this. I'm going to move on to have any. I have a listener one, yes. I'm sorry.

I haven't got a meltdown. You haven't got a meltdown? No. My meltdown is a council. same as your meltdown. My meltdown is quite controversial but I'm going to bring it

anyway and I know you feel the same because you messaged it to me last night. Basically, everybody seems to be popping up in the podcast space with our show. Oh yeah.

Our show. But it's not even they're doing it, they're doing our show as in 40-ish, not so okay club this very show you are listening to listeners.

They are like so many of this type of format and vibe and tone of the show but they're like major celebs slash broadcasters so therefore not only are they ripping off our show which obviously they're not

because they're producing their own show they're also doing it like with massive platforms and massive audiences and I've actually listened to some of these and they're really good and it's really annoying it's even worse that is what's annoying because I listened to one last week that I told you about and I was like

sorry you can name and shame it is it well Graham Norton's doing one Yeah, what's it called? It's called wanging on. You see, now all the listeners are going to go and listen to that one. Why are we plugging it? He doesn't need any advertising. He's Graham Norton.

Anyway. I listened to it. I was like, good grief. It's 40-ish, but hosted by Graham Norton. And annoyingly, I was quite entertained. Although it's a little, they do cover some more serious subjects. Like what? Lightweight and serious.

Like what? Well, all sorts of things in life. We did a serious subject a few weeks ago. We did. felt that she was becoming invisible. That was serious. Yeah. They cover all topics.

Like what? Inherit. Doesn't matter. Let's stop talking about it. Anyway, the point is that everyone's got one now. Sarah Cox has got one. Zayborn Joe Wiley have got one. It's our show.

It's our fucking show. I realize that we don't have like the say on this particular format. We don't. We haven't copied written it. No. But I'm telling you, it's not fair. That's my, that's my meltdown. Because we don't have.

access to that platform. So if you are listening to this, thank you for being here. Thank you for continuing to be here. Tell all your friends to come over here. You don't need Graham Norton. You need us. We're more relatable than Graham Norton. I know he's great. He's actually quite relatable. All right. Whose side are you on? I'm on Graham's side. It's a really good show. I'm sorry. It was annoyingly good. I know, but come on. Yeah, I know. This is not helping us. No, it's not helping us, but you brought it up. You've given him the plug, so it's on you now. If he gets all our listeners, I'm going to blame you directly.

We need you. Should I tell you the listener meltdown? And we also need you to tell everybody else about it. Thank you. Tell us the listener meltdown. Hi. Hi. I need to get this off my chest before I explode.

Oh, God. My husband has been unemployed for three months, and suddenly he has decided that what the house needs is a full DIY overhaul, it does not. But he needs something to do. It started innocently. He said he could fix the kitchen tap that had been dripping for nearly a year. Three hours later, not only had he not fixed it, he had removed it and couldn't get it back on.

Obviously, it's so standard, isn't it? That would drive me mad. That's so standard. Then came the shelves, or as I now call them, the leaning towers of IKEA despair. Oh dear. I know that he's trying to be useful, but he is absolutely shit. I am trying to be supportive Midlife patients growth

All of that crap But this week he threatened to re-grout our bathroom And at this point every time I see him Get the toolbox out My first instinct is to scream Yeah Yeah I hear that I hear that

I really don't know she's not asking for advice But I do feel like you need to let him just Do it Ruin your house No Do it Let him Let him

And then hire someone to fix it hard time being unemployed then hire someone to fix it at least he's doing something helpful or he's trying to be helpful i don't think she's finding it very helpful yesterday i asked ollie please can you put the hose back at the front so i can the hose you always bring hose stories i mean because he took a lot of he took it to do with your fucking i do i don't understand a hose is a hose i like i never think about my hose talk about my hose because adam doesn't remove the hose Discuss the hose with Adam. I never discussed the hose with Adam.

I never discussed. But I seem to discuss hoses and hose accessories and hose wear as we seem to discuss here on this show. I understand. He moved the hose over the summer. He removed it to take it. To take it somewhere else. Where? Where did he take it?

I just took it somewhere else. I said, where? To Limming. You took it to Limmington. You took it to Lamington, okay? He had something to wash and he went and washed it and he took it away. I said, can you please. Fit the hose back, because I need to wash the dog out the front.

I've got to drag the muddy dog out to the back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll do it. I'll do it. Yesterday I was like, please, for the love of God, fit the hose back. I get back from running my errands. The hose is on the front driveway, just lying next to the tap. It's not attached to anything. No.

It's not attached. I understand. I really, really understand. I took a photo of it, texted it to him. Nice and passive aggressive. And I said, that's the way to go. What exactly? is this half a job Bob

and then sent it to him. And he said I would explain later. He is yet to explain. Oh, we are all on the tip of our toes. He is yet to explain. Maybe that's my meltdown. Let me explain the show to you. Or maybe I'll start hosting it. Maybe explain it to Graham. Graham doesn't need any explanations

by the way. He's making the format work. No, he's taking our format and making it work with his 40 million years of television presenting skills. Yeah. Yeah. But in this section, we talk about meltdowns and what that really means is

things that are really pissing us off that did piss me off yeah that is perfect meltdown territory okay well there you go you've got one out of me after all I did dragged it out of you who's going to win this week then

Graham Norton you're upset over Graham this woman with the DIY fixer or my unattached hose issues I mean like I get it's annoying with Ollie but just one quick question. Again, we're back to the hose. Can't you just attach it quickly?

Just like pop it on and twist. No, obviously if it was that simple, I would have done that. There's pieces missing pieces. Attachments. Did they not all come back from Limington? I don't know. As I said, we haven't had the conversation. Because he's going to explain that he's left a lot of them in.

He's going to explain something and whatever he explains. I don't care. I just want it fixed to the tap. It's going to be a visit to be in Q, isn't it? Not by me. Well, then you can't wash the dog. no yeah it's problematic I just yeah

who's one you decide you decide I feel like DIY women's got it worse because her house is in disrepair and her husband's unemployed I'm sorry that is really unfair firstly you and I are in the same

we're on the same side here my meltdown is about our work our creative outlet our heart and soul our babies that is what mine is about I understand that but also it's about all the things that are really important to you and me and how hard we work

I'm also really enjoying Graham's show, so I can't really slag it off. I haven't listened to Joe Wiley's. Hold on, I wasn't slagging it off. I didn't slag it off. I said it's just annoying that every fucking celebrity is coming out with what is effectively our show. It is annoying. And taking up out the space for us. And I just, it's annoying, but we're the OGs.

That's okay. It's not okay. It is okay. And it has to be okay. It's not okay. It's going to have to be okay. Graham Norton, I mean, I don't know what to tell you, but we can't compete with that. Maybe we should write this very question to Graham's show as a dilemma for his show, you know?

Like, hey Graham, we're two independent podcasters and basically you've taken off what and you've even basically used our exact disclaimer to make this brand new show. Hasn't they have they? Yeah, and because you're Graham, like, it's, you know, it's a big show now. But you don't need the show, Graham, so give it over to us. Give us your RSS feed. Or come and co-host on this show. We won't pay you.

Just come for fun. Because he's not busy at all. No. How fun would it be to do a shirt, to do one with Graham Norton? I'd be so terrified, ain't you? No, I absolutely love him. Yeah, but he'd be such a fucking pro. And we would just look like such nonties.

We probably wouldn't have to do much. We could just sit and nod. Yeah. Let Graham do his thing. And then what would happen is all the listeners would go after Graham's show. They'd never come back here. That's what he would do. He would come over on our show and then he just nick all our listeners.

I think that all the plugs we've given him so far on today's show. they're already going, so too late. Listen, as you've got to come back, please. Otherwise, my meltdown next week will be, we lost all our lists. I'm so sorry. That will be really sad. We're just broadcasting to one person.

Your mom. Td Bank knows that running a small business is a journey. to growing and managing your business. That's why they have a dedicated small business advice hub on their website to provide tips and insights on business banking to entrepreneurs, no matter the stage of business you're in. Visit td.com slash small business advice to find out more or to match with a TD small business banking account manager. Let's go to our first dilemma, but before we do that, a quick. disclaimer we are not doctors or healthcare professionals so if there is an issue you're seriously

struggling with please contact a qualified expert dear lauren and Nicole i would love to hear your thoughts of my situation i'm 48 and getting remarried later this year congrats congratulations it's both of our second marriages and we're trying to keep the whole thing fun relaxed and a little less big white dress and formal than we both did the first time around and son her here's my dilemma my fiancee has announced that instead of a honeymoon with just the two of us, he'd really like to do a buddy moon, as in take along a gang of best mates. This is a thing!

I have heard about this. That's not a honeymoon. No, it's called a buddy moon. He insists it'll be amazing, like one big celebratory trip where everyone can let their hair down. Oh my God, it sounds like a stagnant. My own feeling is that it'll be a less wild partying

and more like the men leaving to play golf after breakfast and people moaning about their lactose intolerances and rather than having fun I'll be sitting there thinking why am I eating quinoa with three middle-aged men in sandals talking about cars? Oh no. He keeps saying we'll get loads of alone time too, don't worry but I can't shake this naggy feeling that I'm being cheated out of something special that's just meant to be about us.

I do know that at my age I should be over the whole rom-com honeymoon fantasy. Why? No, I don't think you should be over that. But also, you only get one shot at honeymoon. Shouldn't it still feel like just the two of you moment? Yes. Am I being too precious or is he being a total man-child who just wants to turn our honeymoon into a lad's holiday with cocktails?

This is shit. This is shit. This is shit. This is not okay. This is a red flag. This is a red flag. This is a big problem. I take it that you're not into the concept of a buddy.

moon, then. This is not okay. This is not okay. Is she allowed to take buddies or is it just his? Yeah, yeah. No, you take a group of your friends. Well, she's saying that because she was sat there, she'll be sat there at breakfast with three middle age men. No, I can't imagine he's just like, I'm taking three of my mates. That's not a

buddy moon. Oh, that's what it sounded like. No, it's like you take, well, and their wives, I'm presuming or their partners or whatever, but it's... It doesn't say that. It's a gang, it's a gang. It doesn't say that. Well, the premise of a buddy moon is that it's a whole group of people. he'd really like to do a buddy moon as in take along a gang of best mates

my own feeling is that it will be less wild party more like men leaving to play golf after breakfast and people moaning about their lactose intolerances well I'm assuming their partners are coming to thinking why am I eating keen one with three middle age men in sandals talking about cars okay if it's just his friends no way Jose forget it no way in hell

If it's a group of people Such a stupid saying, No Way, Jose. Why? What was Jose got to do with it? I don't even know who Jose is. Do you even know a Jose? I fact, I do know a Jose. No, I actually don't know a Jose.

Next time I see him, I'm going to ask him where that comes. Like, do you ever say no way, Jose? Why would he know? His name is Jose. You know what fucking saying comes from. He might. He might have looked into it. He's more likely to have looked into it than you.

That's true than you, yeah. If these men are bringing along their partners and your mates with their, like, really best, mates with their wives. She hasn't said that. That's not in here. She's just saying, I don't want to be sat there with three middle-aged men talking about cars.

That's a no. If there were other women there, would that soften the blow? I think it's all a big, big problem. Sorry, I do. This is not. This is, this is, this is, this is, this is not okay. You think it's quite offensive. Yeah, the fact that he doesn't want to spend time alone with her on their honeymoon.

is problematic, Lauren. She said, we'll get lots of time alone. Don't worry. No, that's a fub off. That is a fub off. This would like raise alarm bells for me. Like, why don't you want to be alone with me? Why do you feel that you need to bring mates along our honeymoon,

which is essentially supposed to be, let's assume they've got children, both of them, they're bringing children. Like, it's going to probably be quite difficult for them to get alone time outside of the honeymoon post-wedding because life gets busy and everyone's being in pooled in all different directions like this is the one opportunity

wouldn't you want to grab that if you're getting married wouldn't you want to grab that with both hands as a newlywed? I mean I've only been married once and on one honeymoon and we didn't take anyone else along neither did we it was just the top of us

and it would have been really inappropriate if anyone else was there I'm just saying I'm just trying to think like at that point wedding number one it's completely different if he'd suggested it I was in my 20s it's completely different

no no no I would have been absolutely appalled if it was debated now like hey listen instead of just a honeymoon with you and me walking on a beach holding hands moaning about our aches and pains and our joints might not be moaning about your aches and pains and joints probably because they're in their 40s well you'd take some ibuprofen with you then let's just go with a gang of people and it'll be like really fun and different from our first honeymoon that's a holiday it's not a honeymoon like do i i love going away with my girlfriends there's nothing i enjoy more to be honest but i don't need them on my honeymoon but if Adam said to me now oh do you want to go away with like our best

mates I'd be like yeah it'd be great but it's not a honeymoon no also Adam and I've been together 21 years so it's okay for me to want to do that yeah it's not okay no you're not being precious yes this is a problem this is a huge red flag you need to have a serious chat as to why he doesn't want to be alone with you I'm sorry but this isn't okay I'm not having such a visceral reaction to it as you are but I don't think I'd be up for it I think I'd be like you know

we've just got married this is kind of our one chance to get away from all these children on both sides and have some time together can we do that holiday next year the fact that he's already asked it's already out there because that's ultimately what he would prefer to do is go away with his mates than go away with her it's a problem

yeah it's not good it's not great is it It's not amazing. No, I'm so sorry. You need to have a serious chat and rethink. Do you think she should call the wedding off? I think she needs to figure out what's going on underneath all this. Wow. No, I don't think she should call the wedding off.

I'm not being responsible for that. No, I don't think she should call the wedding off. I think they need to sit down and have a serious chat as to why I doesn't want to be alone with her. Or I would just say no to this and push the Buddy Moon holiday to next year. Yeah, but they're not even married yet. And she's having to like, he's put her in a terrible position. It's a terrible, terrible position. That's terrible.

Terrible. I'm not into this guy. Really? I hadn't noticed. Do you know what is happening in midlife news? You know how last week we were talking about the gentleman who had started to take Viagra and his wife who was calculating the cost per shag. Yes.

Right. Well, there's been a... Six pounds. Six pounds per shag. There's been a news story about all this. Surprise Viagra side effect revealed as sex pill blamed for driving up middle age divorce rates. Why? Well, I shall tell you for why.

Improved treatment for erectile dysfunction, I thought to contribute to horny husbands playing away. Oh, God. Divorce rates among old adults have increased in Western countries. I mean, it's just like men can't be blamed for anything. A sociologist from Tilburg University in the Netherlands found cheating and drifting apart to be the leading reason in a poll of 575 divorcees, age over 45 in Switzerland. Half of the separations were put down to infidelity with sexual affairs found to be more likely among the men. Research shows increasing rates of infidelity among us. So women can't be bothered, yeah.

They may be attributed to the extended time period spared from severe health impairments in later life and the availability of treatments for erectile dysfunction. It affects one in ten men in their 40s and more as they get older. So that's what they're saying. Basically, they've now all got Viagra and they're all shagging their way around and the women like still can't really be bothered for it. Again, do you see that? You see that narrative?

Hear that narrative? it's the woman's fault because she can't be bothered so he has to take a pill so he has to get it somewhere so it's not his fault he's not responsible for shagging around it's Viagra

is Viagra's fault and the woman drove him to take Viagra you see it's the woman's fault did the women drive him or did his flaccid penis drive him whatever like this is this is a nonsense article

and I'm feeling very ramped up today what is going on although I did just go to the loo and discovered I had my period oh my god me too Today? Yeah. You know why?

Why? It was a full moon last night. And not just a full moon, but it was like this super, super, super moon, wasn't it? It was the big orange moon in Pisces, in something. It was like a real big one. Oh, yeah. Yeah, remember? I forgot.

Yeah. So I have to say I wasn't remotely surprised. Well, you think all women have got their period today? No, but many will, and also many will have gone into labour. And also, even more, across the population, women and men, will be admitted to psychiatric units. Why? That's what happens on. the full moon. People are mad.

What, once a month this happens? It does, yeah. The midwives always know to make sure there's a staff in, because waters tend to break. What is that about? Gravity. The pull of the moon. It's the thing. Whenever I had my clients and the full moon was coming,

I'd always kind of be extra on call. So I was not remotely surprised last night when mine appeared. Ding! Oh, well, I was very surprised that mine appeared. Ding. Yeah. Yeah. There you go.

Maybe that's why I'm so ramped up today. Maybe. Maybe. Or maybe you're just fed up with Viagra, ruining people's marriages and lives. I am. That's the first thing I thought when I woke up this morning. You know, fucking Viagra. And also the narrative around it that is a woman's fall.

I'm so sick of this. Yeah. You always wake up like that on a Monday morning. It's your first thoughts. I do. It's not. It's not. It's not my first thought.

on every morning this morning what was your first thought I really need we that was my first thought and also thank God the dog slept until now

that was my second thought nice yeah I don't know what my first thought was I think it was it's usually gym related it's usually like I've got to get up to go I don't want to get up oh no I do want to get up because I get to go to the gym

that's normally the first thing I think wow that's a really special mindset of a healthy person Thanks. Thanks. Because if I knew that I had to get up to go to the gym, I would definitely wouldn't get up. It gets me up. Yeah, a lot of people say this I can't get my head around that. I wish you could.

It sounds mental to me. Does it? Yeah. Wouldn't you love to think like that though? I can't imagine thinking like that. It's like the equivalent of you waking up in the morning and thinking yes, I get to go out because I've got loads of weeding to do this morning in the garden. Like imagine that, how much you hate gardening and the thought of gardening. I don't, I don't, I'm not, I'm not, I'm totally.

ambivalent to gardening. I don't hate it. I don't know. I've never done it. I've never done it. I wouldn't get you out of bed, would it? Uh, no. I don't think it would go. No. I need a better example. Okay. Oh my God. I get to get up this morning and go and clean all the toilets in my street. That doesn't get you out of bed.

No, I'm saying that's how fun the gym sounds to me. Going to clean everyone's toilet the street. Yeah. I don't get, I don't get it. I don't, I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't get it. No, just don't get it. It's just so weird to me.

I agree. Anything that I would, anything, anything, anything I would rather do than have to do that. It's like one of my most favorite things to do. Even if someone paid me, I don't think I could go. Why? Yes, you could. No. You have been to a gym.

I hated it. That's why I'd leave. I go, pay I leave. I don't know. understand what you hate like do you feel so good when you leave don't I do you know we've had this conversation before I don't believe in dolphins they're not a thing they're just made up by gym people to encourage other people yeah that's right we've made them up yeah collectively we all got together and decided it's a conspiracy theory it is if I don't go to the gym Adam is literally

like if I haven't been to the gym for like three days Adam is marching me out the door I'm so unpleasant I haven't been well you just need it yeah I do yeah need it so endorphins are a thing. For you. Not for me. I don't think I have them. Maybe I just don't have them. You've never experienced them.

My thing is what we're on covering here. So you would know. We will be back next week. Hopefully you will be with us, listeners. Don't forget to keep your dilemmas and your meltdowns coming in. Hello at 40ish.com.com. And please make sure that you come back here. We need you.

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