The Women Are Plotting

Jane Gari, Etienne Rose Olivier, Heidi Willis

Do you know how to use a rotary phone? Worry about how much Aquanet you inhaled as a teen? Wonder about the creative worlds of writers? Believe belly laughs make the best ab workouts? Seek answers to the mysteries of menopause?    Then welcome to The Women Are Plotting -- a new podcast that allows a peek into the unfiltered minds of three Gen X writers. Give us a listen. And if you like what you hear, tell your friends.   If you have a story or an idea you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you! Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com 

  1. 1D AGO

    Accountability Is Love (Even When It Hurts)

    Something shifts in a friendship—you miss a call, dodge a check-in, or quietly stop showing up—and suddenly that easy, comfortable bond has tension running underneath it. We follow that feeling straight into the messy, meaningful world of accountability, where being called out might be the very thing that keeps a relationship alive. We dig into the science first: friendships aren’t just nice to have—they’re tied to longevity, mental health, and overall well-being. Add accountability, and suddenly your odds of actually following through on goals jump from 65% to 95%. But this isn’t just theory. Through personal stories, we see how real change often starts when someone else draws a line—like a partner finally saying “enough” after years of destructive drinking, or a friend calling out self-sabotage during a depressive spiral. Then we get into the uncomfortable part: why people avoid holding each other accountable in the first place. Fear of conflict. Fear of losing the relationship. Fear of being wrong. But again and again, the hosts show that when accountability comes from care—not judgment—it strengthens relationships rather than breaking them. And when it does break them? That might tell you everything you need to know. We also explore how accountability shows up in everyday life: sharing your goals out loud so you actually pursue them, noticing when a friend goes quiet and checking in, or creating systems—lists, habits, routines—that keep you honest with yourself. Even small nudges can be the difference between staying stuck and moving forward. If you’ve ever needed a push, avoided a hard conversation, or wondered why it’s so much easier to show up for others than for yourself, this one hits close. Listen now, share it with a friend who keeps you honest, and ask yourself: who’s holding you accountable—and who are you holding accountable in return? Send us Fan Mail Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.

    50 min
  2. MAR 12

    Bigfoot, Not Deer & Other Cryptids

    Something is “off” in the woods, your dog freezes, and suddenly every harmless shadow has a pulse. We follow that feeling straight into the world of cryptids, starting with the perfectly named “Not Deer” and ending with the question that haunts every Bigfoot thread: if everyone has a camera now, why is the evidence still so hard to come by? We dig into Sasquatch lore through personal stories and modern reporting, from a childhood “secret racetrack” in tall grass that later starts to sound like a Bigfoot nest, to a family member’s sighting of multiple Bigfoot figures moving fast between Iowa cornfields near the Raccoon River. We also explore how Bigfoot sightings stack up against black bear sightings, why some locations show up again and again in BFRO-style databases, and what makes classic footage like the Patterson-Gimlin film so sticky in the public imagination. Then we get practical and a little skeptical: expedition groups bring serious tools like specialized audio recorders, software analysis, infrared, and night vision, but weather can wreck everything and hard ground can erase footprints before they ever form. We also talk about the reality of “capture the moment” panic, why even good phones struggle with distance and darkness, and how AI-generated video makes the trust problem even messier for cryptozoology, paranormal stories, and UFO-style sightings. If you love Bigfoot, Mothman, local monster legends, and the psychology of why we believe, listen now. Subscribe, share with a friend who hikes, and leave a review so more curious people can find us. What cryptid do you swear lives near you? Send a text Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.

    43 min
  3. FEB 19

    Roommates From Heaven And Hell

    What if your roommate hung clown masks in the kitchen, nurtured a mold colony, or secretly read your pay stub? We dive into the relatable world of shared living—where tiny habits tell big truths—and trace the line between quirky and dangerous.  We start with internet legends—the bean scientist, the salsa collector, the almost-house‑trained dog, and the hidden parrot—then pivot to real life: dorm music wars, blinds killing plants, Air Force bunks where bedtime is not your own, and a basement apartment that becomes a masterclass in boundaries. When perfume levels mysteriously drop, groceries evaporate, and money questions won’t stop, trust breaks. A late‑night confession about sabotaging a car seals it. The escape plan is clinical and necessary: track debts, move utilities, set timelines, and protect your privacy. Not every story is grim. One roommate match brings daily tea, clean counters, and shared playlists, proving alignment matters more than sameness. We unpack the five pillars that make or break a roommate friendship—cleanliness, noise and guests, food and supplies, money and bills, and privacy and locks. Then we turn to partners: draped clothes at the foot of the bed, sloped ceilings that threaten bookshelves, and a “wait for the pink bill” philosophy that needs a system. Compromise, structure, and humor make it work. By the end, you’ll have a fresh lens for spotting red flags early—before the clown art hits the common area. If you’ve got a story that tops a hidden parrot or a mold experiment, we want to hear it. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s hunting for a roommate, and leave a review with your best rule for peaceful living. What’s your non‑negotiable? Send a text Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.

    53 min
  4. FEB 12

    Why Estrogen Matters: Daisy's Story

    Menopause shouldn’t feel like a mystery you solve in the dark. We pull back the curtain on overlooked symptoms and the relief many women are still told to fear—from local estrogen for UTIs and urethral irritation to transdermal estradiol that supports heart and brain health. Alongside our guest Daisy, we trace a two-year odyssey through shrugging specialists, “normal” labs, and finally a team that connected the dots: thyroid conversion issues, deep vitamin D deficiency, low iron, and classic perimenopause symptoms hiding in plain sight. We talk plainly about what too many guides skip: itchy ear canals, phantom cigarette smells, sleep shattered by hourly bathroom trips, rage that spikes out of nowhere, and a belly that refuses to budge because fat is making up for lost estrogen. We explain why timing matters for HRT safety, how patches and micronized progesterone change the profile, and why a single hormone test can’t capture a system in flux. The bigger picture emerges when you zoom out—estrogen influences hundreds of functions, so “random” problems often share a common root. This is a call for evidence over alarmism and agency over resignation. If unwarranted black box labels scare you, we walk through what’s changed, where the data is strongest, and encourage you to find a doctor who listens to you! Bring a clear symptom log, ask about transdermal options, test vitamin D, iron, and full thyroid markers, and don’t accept “you’re fine” when your body says otherwise. We’re Gen X loud on purpose regarding HRT: so you can feel better sooner, protect your heart and bones, think clearer, and keep joy in your body. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs answers, and leave a review to push this conversation further. Send a text Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.

    45 min

About

Do you know how to use a rotary phone? Worry about how much Aquanet you inhaled as a teen? Wonder about the creative worlds of writers? Believe belly laughs make the best ab workouts? Seek answers to the mysteries of menopause?    Then welcome to The Women Are Plotting -- a new podcast that allows a peek into the unfiltered minds of three Gen X writers. Give us a listen. And if you like what you hear, tell your friends.   If you have a story or an idea you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you! Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com