How's it hanging?

Does just staying alive seem more difficult to you? This is the question on our minds as we end Season 1 and break for the rest of the summer. Because when you reach your 50s, you start coming to terms with the weird pains and limitations that your body starts imposing on you, often thinking “OK, what now?” It also becomes apparent that asking someone “How’s it hanging?” is absolutely a gender-neutral inquiry. In fact, anyone at this stage of the game who only has one “it” that’s “hanging” is making out pretty well, tbh. We’re all dealing with something, and nothing works for everybody. But we see value in sharing some of the maladies that we’ve had, the remedies that have worked, and the “meno-posses” that we’ve consulted. The more knowledge we all have, the more ready we are to take our pain seriously when we need to, and to wait it out when we don’t. Thanks for listening to When the Flames Go Up! We’re a listener-supported enterprise, so please consider a paid subscription to support our writing and podcasting. We also wonder: Is vegetarianism an important exercise in empathy? Was Magda’s husband born to be a Marine? And what’s the right term to call yourself when your ex-spouse dies? Thanks for listening over the past 15 months, and have a great rest of your summer! Other links: * Kakotherēs = “unfit to endure summer heat” * The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause * Frozen shoulder syndrome * The gender gap in life expectancy is getting bigger * Noma is closing because “fine dining is unsustainable.” * How to do chair yoga This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whentheflamesgoup.substack.com