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. 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
  2. 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
  3. JAN 15

    Burning Man Changed My Brain

    Think a festival is just loud music and long lines? Try building a city from nothing, losing your tent to a dust storm, getting adopted by strangers, and watching 70,000 people cheer a sunset after the sky finally breaks. We go deep on Burning Man’s origin and layout, the wild generosity of the gifting economy, and why art cars, late-night DJs, and a “library” with severe late fees can add up to something close to a spiritual reset. Heidi takes us inside her first burn: a three-day drive with a near-stranger, the shock of dust, rain, and mud, and the kindness that appears exactly when you need it. We talk about flaming octopi and sheep-shaped sound systems, disco-themed porta potties, survival in scorching heat, and the moment the city shifts from spectacle to community. Her self-protection habits start to crack, and a different kind of courage comes through. We widen the lens to festival culture at large—from the Pythian Games to today’s explosion of music festivals—and why gatherings like this are popular. There’s a reason the phones go quiet and the conversations go deep. We unpack how to bring the best parts home: more play, more art, more purpose, and a renewed commitment to real human connection. Curious but not ready for the big burn? We point out regional burns like Alchemy near Atlanta as a welcoming on-ramp. If you’re craving less doomscroll and more aliveness, you’ll find ideas, laughs, and hard-won tips here. Hit play, then tell us: would you brave the dust for a week that might change your mind? Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Send a text Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.

    1h 12m
  4. JAN 8

    How a 7 Day Meditation Retreat Rewired Stress, Belief, & Healing Part 2

    What if attention and emotion could nudge your biology toward healing? We dive into a potent mix of emerging research, lived experience, and practical tools to explore how meditation, sound baths, and intention might change the way the body behaves. We talk through exosomes—tiny messengers that carry proteins and microRNAs—and the provocative idea that elevated neural activity and emotion could influence gene expression beyond the brain. It’s a big claim, but we ground it with routines anyone can try: loving-kindness, breathwork, yoga, salt baths, and self-Reiki. You’ll hear revealing stories: a sudden drop in sugar cravings after a full-moon sound bath, pain relief after a foot injury thanks to Reiki, and a long history of stress-linked dermatitis easing with consistent meditation. We also reflect on collective healing sessions, the role of epigenetics, and why feeling the outcome as if it’s already here is the key to seeing changes in your life. Along the way, we consider sleep, wearables, and energy hygiene—turning off devices, stepping away from EMF during deep work, and using movement as a gateway into stillness. This isn’t about blind faith; it’s about testing simple, low-cost inputs that quiet stress and let the body self-correct. Whether you’re “woo-curious” or data-driven, you’ll leave with things to try, resources to explore, and a renewed sense of agency over your inner world. If this conversation sparks something, share it with a friend who needs a nudge toward calm, subscribe for more curious deep dives, and leave a review to help others find the show. Send a text Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.

    42 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