Lee and Simon ensure they talk about something and end up deep in the land of world politics.A list of things they cover: Susan's concern about lack of content, fist bumps, clearing throat sounds in middle-aged men, slowing down, elderly neighbours, still being above ground, far right victory in the Netherlands, Christopher Isherwood's The Berlin Diaries, Lee singing, how and why something is important, requels, Scream 7 (and other horror movies), Melissa Barrera being fired, riots in Dublin, UK's Secretary of State calling a place in the north a shithole, things feeling febbrile, and not-so-long-ago anxiety about WWII.  Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Simon and Lee talk about how understanding one's role at work changes, and watching people under enormous stress. Oh, and Lee has a little tantrum.Some words that help describe this episode: management, stress, leadership, dog noises, acronyms, ambition, meeting challenges, not pushing a point, being right, mince pies, helplessness, uncertain emotional places, wanting to be heard, and the line between supporting and intervening.Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Simon regales Lee with stories from an airport and almost pulling an all-nighter. Lee mentions Marc Augé (for the first time) and cocktails (again).--- Related links (and necessary corrections):Humberto Delgado Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_AirportAir side: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/airsideMarc Augé and non-place: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-placeVenchi Rome airport: https://eu.venchi.com/venchi-cioccolato-e-gelato-roma-aeroporto-fiumicino-t2-dKarrasekare by Igor and Moreno: https://igorandmoreno.com/works/karrasekare/Because We Care by Colin, Simon and I: https://www.skellis.net/colinsimonandi/because-we-care Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee and Simon talk about merit, the meritocracy and doing selection processes by chance. --- Related links (and necessary corrections):Michael Sandel's The Tyranny of Merit (TED talk) https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_sandel_the_tyranny_of_meritGet in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee and Simon talk burlesque, cocktails and Cornish pasties. They do not talk about zombie stormtroopers but do (also) chat a bit about learning things (mostly because of a crisis of confidence on Simon's part)Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee and Simon talk pizza, pastel de nata and signing petitions.--- Related links (and necessary corrections):Rome pizza institution (called da Baffetto): http://www.pizzeriabaffetto.it/Naples tiktok thing: https://thetakeout.com/tiktok-viral-chaotic-italian-sandwich-maker-farewell-1849331317Da Michele pizzeria (Napoli and Julia Roberts): https://guide.michelin.com/en/campania/napoli/restaurant/da-micheleForensic architecture: https://forensic-architecture.org/Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee and Simon verge on talking about Sex Education but aren't quite ready. Instead they diverge into some Star Wars chatter before discussing being reasonable, being rationale, the backfire effect and deep canvassing. Oh, and pizza hydration.--- Related links (and necessary corrections):Return of the Jedi released in 1983: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_of_the_JediHow Minds Change by David McRaney: https://www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehomeBackfire effect (the thing Simon couldn't remember): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belief_perseveranceDeep canvassing (Simon got the year wrong): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_canvassingGet in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

There has been a stuff up and Simon explains.Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee cooks too much curry by accident and Simon wants to talk about Sex Education Series 4 (but Lee hasn't watched it yet). They talk a bit about (and rechristen) chatGPT before landing on the week's topic: the demise of the internet known as obituary pirates. --- Related links (and necessary corrections):bread hedgehog: https://www.mertonbakery.com/blog/caughtincoherent lyrics to Footloose: https://genius.com/Kenny-loggins-footloose-lyricsobituary pirates: https://www.wired.com/story/youtube-obituary-pirates/enshittification: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EnshittificationGet in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

The preamble nearly takes over the episode but Lee and Simon intrepidly get things on track in a conversation about labours of love (and emotional labour).Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee and Simon talk about bromances and chatGPT. These are not related.--- Related links (and necessary corrections):Wigan Pier and northern soul: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-66603612Wigan Casino: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigan_CasinoChav: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChavOwen Jones and the demonization of the working class: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavs:_The_Demonization_of_the_Working_ClassCentaurs and cyborgs (chatGPT) -- not Minotaur!: https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/centaurs-and-cyborgs-on-the-jaggedGet in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Simon and Lee talk about emotional affairs and love. Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Simon talks about a major structural change to his backhand in service of yet another bloody oven update. This just has to stop. They both then briefly discuss watching women's sport before their main conversation about coping with pressure while working in teams and asking for help.Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Could this possibly be the final oven update? Here's hoping. In the main topic Simon and Lee talk about love and disappointment. Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

A conversation about saying thank you, saying goodbye, adopting new technologies, being in competition and the buttons we push and have pushed.Dedicated to Mandy Smith.Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Stop the presses: Lee has a topic. Simon and Lee talk about why on earth they are friends and just how arbitrary it is to be in a friendship. No oven update included. Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Simon and Lee talk about the ways in which we are tested by others in social situations – as if being asked, "Do you belong or not?" – and the experience of passing the tests or not. Oven update included.--- Related links (and necessary corrections):Elon Musk lies website: https://elonmusk.today/Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Simon and Lee talk about masculinity, toxic masculinity and being men (check out photo link in show notes!). --- Related links (and necessary corrections):Photo of Lee on window ledge in Lisbon: https://skellis.net/midlifing/ledgeThe witch trials of J.K. Rowling (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-witch-trials-of-j-k-rowling/id1671691064Robert Jenrick has cartoon murals painted over at children’s asylum centre: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/07/robert-jenrick-has-cartoon-murals-painted-over-at-childrens-asylum-centreGet in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Lee and Simon talk about the net worth of pets, replacing oven parts and negotiating with landlords.Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

Hope these two (or three) parters aren't getting you down. In Part 1 Simon and Lee tried to make sense of a strange exchange between Simon and someone else (driven by anxiety? banter? mocking?), and then diverged into a natter about electric vehicles, smugness and cheapness. In part 2 they rock a conversation about deserving success (or not). Congratulations Professor Lee David Miller! Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)