The life-stopping fears of a midlife divorcee

New Pipe Dreams

At 47, half your life is done. The big questions are supposed to be over: What should I be as an adult? Will I have kids? Who should I marry? Where can I live? And… do I have enough money for that full-moon party trip to Thailand? But are the questions really over? How much can I toss up in the air again without ruining the lives of all the people suddenly depending on me, including myself? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aparalleluniverse.substack.com [https://aparalleluniverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

When A broken Heart Takes You Places

Scratching an itchy scab can compare to that amazing first bite of a meaty kebab after a boozy night out. You know that moment when you finally tell your self-discipline to go f**k itself and you just give in—your hard fingernails rubbing up against that itchy spot that’s been begging for momentary relief. That’s sort of how a broken heart can feel to me. Sort of a painful relief. This is the story of trying to heal heartbreak in India and about finding out something unexpected. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aparalleluniverse.substack.com [https://aparalleluniverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Man Who Taught Me to Love Fiercely

Popular fiction often blames “daddy issues” for women’s struggles with love and maintaining healthy relationships. And how often do the strippers in movies come from a background with an absent father? Well, my daddy loved me—and he was an amazing man—so he’s not to blame for my bad luck in love. For that reason, I want to tell you the story of a man who (almost) cured leprosy, traveled the Silk Road, and once helped the sheriff of Singapore solve crimes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aparalleluniverse.substack.com [https://aparalleluniverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Torture of Not Being Seen

I have gone through hostage training and learned how to endure under extreme pressure and torture scenarios, but nothing prepares me for mornings where his gaze never meets mine. The kitchen chaos, the clanging dishes, the yelling all pale in comparison to the silence between us. Not being seen, not being recognized, feels like its own kind of captivity. What I do next might not be a good strategy, but at this time it is the only option I see. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aparalleluniverse.substack.com [https://aparalleluniverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Mistakes I Should Be Done With (Surfer Dude Part 2)

This is the tale of a midlife woman in Copenhagen who, fresh out of divorce, falls into a romantic fantasy with a surf instructor in Costa Rica who borrows a bed in a hostel, owns no long pants and no bank account. Part 2. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aparalleluniverse.substack.com [https://aparalleluniverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]