The Women Are Plotting

Jane Gari, Etienne Rose Olivier, Heidi Willis
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture

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

    Leaving a Job You Hate & Finding One You Love

    You can have a respectable job, a steady paycheck, and a life that looks fine from the outside, and still feel like you’re slowly disappearing. We’re talking about that moment when you realize the job isn’t just “not ideal” anymore, it’s actively draining your health, your relationships, and your sense of self. Etty, Heidi, and Jane get honest about what it takes to leave a job you hate and find work you actually love, without pretending the risk isn’t real. We dig into why so many people stay stuck: low work engagement, burnout that creeps up in predictable cycles, and the brutal math of benefits when healthcare is tied to employment. Etienne shares what burnout looks like in nursing when you’re running on fumes, and Jane unpacks the “golden handcuffs” problem of being well paid while feeling trapped. We also talk about reinvention, how long it takes other people to trust the “new you,” and why midlife career change can be both scary and freeing. Then we get practical about the modern job market. AI is part of the equation now, whether you love it or hate it. Our take: use AI to amplify your impact and speed up your research, planning, and execution, but double down on what makes you impossible to replace: empathy, presence, creativity, and real human connection. Subscribe to Women Are Plotting, share this with a friend who’s stuck, and leave a review if it helped you take your next step. What’s the biggest thing keeping you from making a move? 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.

  2. Jul 9

    Our Threesome Experiences

    We trade honest threesome stories that range from awkward and hilarious to genuinely affirming, and we unpack what makes the difference between casual sex and real sex positivity. We also get practical about consent, safety, communication, and why fantasies are easier than three-person logistics.  • survey stats on threesome interest versus actual participation  • what sex positivity means to us and how it shows up in real encounters  • negotiating boundaries, including touching, kissing, and comfort levels  • Etienne’s first threesome attempt and what a “failed” goal can teach  • Heidi’s first threesome and how relationship cracks can surface  • movies and pop culture moments that shape expectations  • Jane’s close threesome experiences and why coercion is not okay  • using apps like Feeld and Grindr to find a third party  If you have a story you'd like to share or have any comments, we'd love to hear from you! 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.

  3. Jul 2

    Scams & MLMs

    We trade real scam stories, from a dating app crypto pitch to classic IRS impersonation calls, and pull apart the red flags scammers rely on to trigger urgency and secrecy. We also connect the dots between AI voice cloning, fake grandkid cons, MLM recruitment pressure, and timeshares that never stop charging.  • FTC romance scam losses and why dating apps are a target  • Fake grandchild scams using AI voice cloning • How a “financial guru” romance scam moves into crypto and fake websites  • The telltale lines scammers use, including “don’t tell anyone”  • How to verify URLs, domain age, and official support channels  • Teen prank-call “scams”  • MLM recruiting tactics and the sunk cost trap  • Timeshares, maintenance fees, and the secondary scams   • Practical rules like hanging up on the pause, avoiding gift cards and crypto, and calling companies directly  If you have a story you'd like to share or have any comments, we'd love to hear from you. 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.

  4. Jun 25

    Cults

    A cult doesn’t usually start with robes and chanting. It starts with a leader who feels magnetic, a group that promises belonging, and a subtle new rule: don’t question the story. We dig into the psychology of cult leaders, the behaviors that signal high-control groups, and why even smart, skeptical people can get swept up when love bombing, isolation, and fear take over. We connect the dots between infamous cases and modern life, from the real origin of “don’t drink the Kool-Aid," to Heaven’s Gate, NXIVM, and fundamentalist sects that use secrecy to protect abuse. Along the way, we talk about how cult dynamics can show up in places that don’t label themselves as religion at all, including certain MLM structures and relationships that function like a “cult of two,” where one person becomes the only allowed source of truth and validation. Heidi also shares a personal near-miss: a women-led community concept that rapidly morphed into something disturbing. We unpack the warning signs she saw only after stepping away, plus the practical safeguards that could've helped her. There’s even a modern twist on validation loops, including how AI can echo back paranoia in a way that sounds convincing. Subscribe for more conversations that mix dark curiosity with real-world self-protection, and if this resonates, share the episode with a friend and leave us a review. What’s the clearest cult red flag you’ve seen up close? 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.

  5. Jun 18

    The Books That Warped Our Young Minds

    We revisit the children’s books and fairy tales that felt normal at the time and realize how many of them were basically horror stories with a moral. We connect the nightmares to bigger questions about censorship, family dynamics, and what we want kids to learn now.  • shifting patterns in children’s book censorship from the 1970s to today  • VC Andrews and the secret pipeline of too-adult reads  • Struwwelpeter and the shock-value “cautionary tale” tradition  • fairy tale archetypes like evil stepparents and abandoned kids  • The Giving Tree as generosity versus dysfunctional emotional labor  • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and the power of illustrations  • Lois Duncan and Stranger with My Face plus fear that feels real  • choose your own adventure books that go wildly dark  • The Little Match Girl and other stories built to haunt  • Lord of the Flies compared with real survival stories  • LGBTQ children’s books, representation, and the future of labels  If you have a story you'd like to share or have any comments, we'd love to hear from you. 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.

  6. Jun 11

    Book Boyfriends Unmasked

    We get honest, funny, and a little feral about the fictional characters who live rent-free in our heads, from Regency classics to modern fantasy heartthrobs. Along the way we name the psychology behind it, swap our most questionable crushes, and admit what these stories let us desire without real world consequences.  • our favorite literary crushes across genres and eras  • the popularity of classic “book boyfriends” like Mr Darcy  • fictophilia and why novels can feel like relationships  • Outlander and the enduring appeal of Jamie Fraser  • fantasy romance tropes like immortals, vampires, and shapeshifters  • Magic Bites and the slow-burn pull of Curran and Kate Daniels  • True Blood crush debates and why certain vampires win  • “problematic” or embarrassing crushes we still remember  • how beautiful writing intensifies attraction in classics like Gatsby and Hamlet 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.

  7. Jun 4

    Dating Apps, Sex, & What We Want Now

    First, we share which U.S. state tops the charts for chlamydia, gonorrhea & syphilis--a wake-up call for anyone dating in midlife. Use condoms. Be safe. Especially if you live in or are visiting the certain areas of the country!   From there, we dig into modern midlife dating and dating apps, including what the data says about which age group is the fastest growing online daters (I wonder who that could be??) We talk about why apps can feel more efficient than meeting people “in the wild,” how intentions can be clearer, and why priorities shift after divorce. Emotional stability, kindness, and consistency start to beat drama and chaos, even when the chemistry is real. We also get honest about first-date sex and compatibility, including how different people wire differently around trust, attraction, and vulnerability.  We share personal stories about stating sexual needs upfront, learning the difference between sexting and follow-through, and what it looks like to build a casual roster without losing yourself. We also talk about body acceptance, feeling more liberated as we get older, exploring new attraction, and the way manosphere content and social media algorithms can quietly poison the dating pool.  If you want real talk about post-divorce dating, midlife relationships, sexual confidence, and staying safe while still having fun, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more midlife daters can find us. 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.

  8. May 28

    Sunscreen, Botox, & Aging Gracefully

    Aging gracefully sounds simple until you’re staring at a mirror, a sunscreen bottle, and a menu of “quick fixes” that all promise confidence. We get honest about what actually helps, what scares us, and what feels worth it, starting with the most unforgettable skincare lesson imaginable: a family melanoma warning that turned sunscreen into a lifelong habit. If you’ve ever skipped SPF, wondered whether “anti-aging” is even the right goal, or felt pressure to change your face to keep up, you’ll feel seen here.  We dig into everyday skin aging and photoaging with practical clarity and talk real-world routines that make sun protection doable. Along the way, we swap stories that make sunscreen non-negotiable.  Then we move into the complicated middle ground of cosmetic procedures: the history of facelifts, Botox, and how easily it can go sideways. We also share a sobering cautionary story about laser skin resurfacing, complications, and why “cheap” and “safe” do not belong in the same sentence when someone is literally burning layers of your skin. The bigger question underneath it all is identity: how do you care for your appearance without losing the version of you that people recognize, including you?  We end with the most human part of aging well: habits that support longevity and self-respect. Think movement, stretching, real food, staying curious, and even embracing your inner neighborhood guardian when something actually matters. If this conversation helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a calmer take on aging, and leave us a review. What’s one aging habit you’re keeping no matter what? 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.

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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 

Information

  • Creator
    Jane Gari, Etienne Rose Olivier, Heidi Willis
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Women Are Plotting
  • Show Website
    The Women Are Plotting