Episode 99 Not Dead Yet: Life Lessons, Dating After Divorce, & Aging Without Apology with Barbara Ballinger and Margaret Crane

What does it take to sustain a 38-year creative partnership — and friendship — through divorce, death, partnership, relocation, and countless life transformations? Margaret Crane and Barbara Ballinger, co-authors of Not Dead Yet, Suddenly Single After 50, and Kitchen Conversations, as well as lifelessonsat50plus.com, share their unfiltered insights on collaborative writing, making new friends in your 70s, navigating adult children, and why they both refuse to remarry. From Barbara's 350 internet dates (yes, she kept a spreadsheet) to Margaret's move from St. Louis, MO to NYC, these women prove that life after 50 is about risk-taking, reinvention, and refusing to play by outdated rules. They discuss aging without apology, cutting toxic friendships, why sex gets better with age, and the surprising freedom that comes from putting yourself first. Whether you're navigating an empty nest, contemplating a major life change, or simply trying to maintain friendships as you age, this conversation offers wisdom, humor, and the kind of candor that only comes from decades of lived experience.Episode recorded January 20, 2026. Show notes available at thebalancedilemma.com