Does This Make Me Look Old? show

Does This Make Me Look Old?

Summary: Does This Make Me Look Old? is a podcast about aging, that was started by two friends who are in denial about getting older. Talking to each other helps. Talking to the rest of the world might help even more. Like it or not, they will age - with, or without grace!

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Podcasts:

 Episode 46: Sex and the City reboot - Is it worth our need for nostalgia? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:31:43

Sex and the City will be back!!! Remember that show where there were four friends who represented four different aspects of women?  There was Carrie who was the personification of romance in all its insecure girly non-glory. Samantha was passion incarnate - confident and focused. Miranda was practical, sensible and the career driven one. And Charlotte was the nurturer, the traditional one who wanted to be a wife and a mother. It was a show that defined a entire generation (or two!) of women, and so of course, the news that there will be a reboot is met with a huge flurry of interest.  Every time there is a reboot - especially with the same characters (and the actors who portrayed them), there is a risk of ruining the original. This is something that people who grew up with a show face - as we get older, we want our memories of watching that show to remain intact. A reboot challenges that, and it's impossible for many of us not to compare.  Both Sim and Shiv will definitely watch it, but they are both worried it will negatively impact their love for the show (we're looking at you, Gilmore Girls!). On one hand, it may introduce a new generation of viewers to one of their favourite shows (always a win!!!). But there is always this discomfort too, that what we liked and found appealing "back then" may not translate to modern times. And what does that really say about us? :)     

 Episode 45: Climate change--Is it really a war between Gen Z vs. everyone else? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:55:23

The UN's 26th Climate Change Conference just wrapped up, creating a debate about whether enough has been done to reverse the effects of climate change. Shiv and Sim discuss the media's spin on the topic and their need to create a generational divide. Is there really a difference in the thinking around climate change between the generations? Is Gen Z the only generation taking responsibility for tackling this issue? Or is this a plot to pass the buck to the younger generations? Join us as we chat about climate change through the generations, corporate approaches to climate change, ethical investing and whether or not our lifestyles promote climate change.

 Episode 44: The secret to a long life? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:48:46

Are curmudgeons born or made? Shiv and Sim have a debate about this as well as whether or not they're becoming curmudgeons. In the process they find out they're on different sides of the computer/artificial intelligence divide. Who knew that Sim wants to bring on the sentient robots?!?!!? Regardless, their curmudgeon-ness (is that a word?) is probably because they're getting too little (Sim) or too much (Shiv) sleep per day. They also have a discussion (rant?) around new "longevity clinics" opening up in Toronto, the disparity in lifespans between the rich and poor as well as biohacking. 

 Episode 43: Second Career, Second Passion - Midlife Changes or Midlife Crisis? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:34:20

Guess what?! We're #15 on Feedspot's "Best 30 Aging Podcasts" list", the Internet’s Largest Human Curated Database of Bloggers and Podcasts :) So definitely check out the site and follow us there ! This week, Sim wanted to talk about - without any actual evidence - how people pivot at some point from their careers, and start a completely new career. People like Julia Childs, Colonel Sanders, Ken Jeong, Ina Garten, Martha Stewart and (one of Sim's favourites) Jimmy Stewart! And these are just some of the famous examples. They're sure you know at least one person - though they can't prove it :)  But what is it that makes them do this? Shiv is sure there's a story there - but it's hard to figure out how they were able to do that. What motivates them? Or gives them the confidence? And why - is it to free up time to pursue non-work passions? Or is it to change career tracks and redirect their energies towards a career they're passionate about? Or maybe it's just to feel like they have more meaning in their life. And when is it too late to make a change? There are no clear answers of course, but it's certainly worth a conversation or two! Somehow they also find a few minutes to rant (reminisce?) about 90's fashion and how Generation Z's are bringing it back and don't even know it. 

 Episode 42: Menopause. Let's not be shy about it. | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:34:09

Did you know October 18th is World Menopause Day? And October 11th was World Perimenopause Day? In fact, the entire month of October is actually menopause month! The purpose of both events is to raise awareness about the effects of menopause on health and well-being.  Given that this was the first time they had heard about the day, and given that 50% of the population have/will experience menopause, Shiv wonders why the day doesn't have bigger recognition in our society, and why more people don't openly talk about menopause, and what we can do to help women during the process. For example, in the UK, there is a campaign to try and make HRT (Hormone replacement therapy), a treatment to relieve menopause symptoms, free for women.    Of course, no discussion on well-being and health would be complete without Sim realizing that diet and exercise is often also key to dealing with menopause symptoms as well. Maybe this will motivate her to finally take action?  As always, please note that any information discussed here is not a substitute for professional advice. If you feel that you may need medical advice, please consult a qualified health care professional.

 Episode 41: Discussing mental health (Part 2) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:48:48

Shiv and Sim continue their discussion on mental health, with a focus on burnout. They talk about the symptoms of burnout as outlined by the Mayo Clinic and to make it fun/competitive, Sim turns them into a scored questionnaire. They talk about possible ways to take action in preventing and dealing with burnout as well as their opinions on these recommendations. Please note that any information provided is not a substitute for professional advice. If you feel that you may need medical advice, please consult a qualified health care professional.

 Episode 40: Discussing mental health (Part 1) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:46:03

October 10th was the World Health Organization World Mental Health Day, and coincidentally, Sim and Shiv decided to have a discussion around their own mental health this week. They touch on how the pandemic has affected their mental health, and how it has had an effect on society at large, including middle-aged and older adults. Shiv talks about her issues with self-care and Sim discusses her issues with work-life balance while working from home. Perhaps adopting some aspects of European work culture would do them a world of good! Please note that any information provided is not a substitute for professional advice. If you feel that you may need medical advice, please consult a qualified health care professional.

 Episode 39: (Belatedly) Celebrating the U.N. International Day of Older Persons! | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:39:52

Shiv and Sim somehow manage to relate the weather and a reminiscence around "Northern Exposure" (remember that show?) to the 30th anniversary of the United Nations' International Day of Older Persons and Australia's inaugural Ageism Awareness Day held on October 1st. Did you know there is an International Day devoted to older people? Shiv didn't and this leads to a discussion around whether this is due to poor marketing practices or whether it might actually be due to hidden ageism in society. Shiv also possibly comes to a realization about her own inherent ageism! Sim and Shiv also discuss other countries and their celebration of older people and the need to do so in North America as well. Happy (belated) International Day of Older Persons! Come and celebrate with us on this week's episode of Does This Make Me Look Old?

 Episode 38: Two sides of being sexy when older | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:50:53

Do celebrities really have a responsiblity to disclose if they've gotten plastic surgery to enhance their physical assets?  Are we doing the right thing by constantly admiring and praising older women and actresses who look younger than they are? Is it a requirement that you should want to look sexy, or value sexiness, at all ages? These are some of the questions that Sim and Shiv tackle in this week's episode. We've all read and heard how aging is not easy if you're in Hollywood. Celebrities, especially female celebrities, have long called out the ageism that exists in their respective industries, especially movies and TV. However, a certain level of vanity and perhaps insecurity seems to drive many celebrities to look and behave a certain way, a way that is youthfully sexy and vibrant. This in turn may be impacting how the average person is influenced and pressured into emulating those celebrities. Do we ever get to just let go of ourselves a little, and still feel good?

 Episode 37: Legacy and Aging | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:43:16

What does it mean to leave a legacy? This week, Sim and Shiv tackle the topic of legacies. Not just the gifts of money, property and other financial assets - lovely though they can be - but also the a person's desire to make an impact, a sustainable impact, that will continue long after the person is gone. Shiv is still grappling with what she wants her legacy to be, though she's been thinking about it for a long time. Sim is more laissez faire about it at the moment, but this conversation definitely spurred her to start thinking about it more. The duo chat about philantrophy, work products, mentoring others, Steve Jobs and Facebook. And what conversation about legacies would be complete without mentioning getting older and having kids? Shiv goes down a dark hole about how do we ensure our contribution to the world is impactful enough, and if it'll really not move the needle" The question she wants answered is "Should I even bother?" (The answer, according to Sim, is of course she should! Though she doesn't really explain why!)  Ultimately though, thinking about legacies seem to go hand in hand with wanting our lives to meaningful. So perhaps it does come down to doing and being the best version of ourselves.   

 Episode 36: Top 5 Signs of Physical Aging | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:53:27

This week, Sim has a bit of a mini crisis as she starts to acknowledge the physical signs of aging in herself. While mulling over the graying hair, fall and drier skin, imagine her horror as she learns about feet getting wider, arches falling, potential shrinking (she's too petite to lose any inches in height!). Shiv, a lot calmer, graceful and scientific about these changes, talks her off the proverbial ledge. Barely :)   

 Episode 35 - Phishing and Phone Scams | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:49:29

This week, Shiv and Sim tackle the topic of phishing and phone scams. Shiv is paranoid that she's going to fall for one of them some day as she gets older, and the scams get more sophisticated. Sim worries about them but is also too lazy to do something about them. But jokes aside, the elderly are often successfully targetted for fraud scams, although surprisingly, turns out the milleneals aren't exempt either!   

 Episode 34: Aging and the dreaded 'N' word | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:38:04

This week Sim and Shiv decide to have a discussion around nursing homes. Sim comes across a number of articles reporting on nursing homes that cater to different cultures, something that will become more important as our population continues to diversify, and as that diverse population gets older. They talk about their attitudes towards their own care as they get older and how this may (or may not) differ from their parents' (and/or their culture's) attitudes towards the care of older adults. Shiv discusses her (possibly morbid) thoughts on her own end-of-life care and the life experiences that shaped these beliefs. Sim acknowledges that these types of conversations bring about a lot of anxiety, but hopefully talking things through will help lessen it over time. Hey, that's why this podcast was started in the first place! Feel free to write in to us at doesthismakemelookold@gmail.com or message us on Instagram (@doesthismakemelookold) to let us know your thoughts on nursing homes, end-of-life care, or how your culture views taking care of older adults. We'd love to hear from you!  

 Episode 33: Tick tock, biological clock for the last time (Part 3) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:34:45

The last episode on biological clocks with guest Tas, mom and health care professional. Biological clocks - while they exist of course - are morphing in definition and perception. In this episode, conversation delves into egg freezing as an option to delay having children and the consequences of having children at a later age. Sim brings up her experience growing up with really young parents who were the first among their friends to have children, Tas worries about whether she'll be around to see her grandchildren, and Shiv explains the science behind the quality of women's eggs and men's sperm, and if/how they are impacted by age (you'll hear about mutant chromosomes, mutant cells and placentas!). Enjoy!     

 Episode 32: Tick tock, biological clock again! (Part 2) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:32:42

Sim and Shiv continue the conversation on biological clocks with Tas, their 43 year old friend who balances the craziness of motherhood with the craziness of a full time job! Tas reminisces about about the magical, weird and scary period of pregnancy - when random strangers would want to touch her belly, it felt like an alien had taken over her body and she developed a random allergy. The trio also chat about the idea of being whole only once you have kids - how true is that? It's true that economic independence, focus on career or other options (egg freezing!) gives people the freedom to delay having children, or even decide it's not for them. But let's not forget that there are those who want children and are unable to have them.  And then there's climate change! A lot of people - men, women, other - wonder if it's worth having children with the acceleration of climate change. Are they being selfish bringing kids into this world? Or are they being selfish if they don't? Besides - will the next generation be upset with us for letting the world get to this state? Tune in and find out!   

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