Shows
Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)139 - So Long, FarewellHello, Queens! Betcha didn’t expect a bonus episode! Well, you’re welcome. Alexis and Mary give some final updates as we wrap up this show. Mary talks about cars and school, while Lexy talks about her job and being toxic AF.
We also talk about emotions, and Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2, and we’ve included a blooper reel at the end of this episode for your listening pleasure.
You can find some of our episodes on YouTube. Check it out here
Thank you for listening, and for your...
2024-07-1538 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)138 - Frida, Bruce, and Big MagicHello, Queens. This is a bit of a different episode–Mary is flying solo today. She ties together a few things: artist Frida Kahlo, musician Bruce Springsteen, and the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, which she has been talking about for several weeks now. You can find links to all of the books we have recommended on the podcast here on Amazon.
Mary goes quickly through the sections of the book, and describes how both Kahlo and Springsteen used these concepts in their creative careers. As promised, here’s a link to Mary’s Bruce Sp...
2024-07-0832 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)137 - Emotional ImmaturityHello, Queens! We start today’s episode with a Mama Ximena tip of the day/pearl of wisdom: “Be patient with yourself. Wait until the water is clear–then you can think. Don’t try to think in a whirlwind.” Or a whirlpool. How’s Feral February going for you? Lexy is dejunking, to help make her psyche as strong and brilliant as possible. And Mary will never pass up a chance to plug Gretchen Rubin, who says that outer order leads to inner calm. Read her manifesto here, and check out her book Outer Order, Inner Calm here. (And here’s a...
2024-07-0135 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)136 - DisappointmentHello, Queens! Alexis and Mary are talking about how many people may disappoint us, and how difficult it can be to give ourselves permission to disappoint others. The solution is not always in the pulling of weeds, but possibly in allowing ourselves to be in our ‘disappoint everybody’ era.
Lexy talks about The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi. As usual, here is a list of all our book recommendations here on Amazon. Mary mentions the film (500) Days of Summer, and in particular this clip of Expectations vs. Reality. We also talk about boundaries and b...
2024-06-2431 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)135 - Breathwork, Bridgerton, and Being ALL THE THINGSGreetings, Queens! Alexis and Mary are recording at 1:30am, and we’re a little loopy after doing a heavy breathwork session. We may or may not have new merch that says: “Fire Crotch. Give me a meat stick.”
Mary talks a little about her obsession with Bridgerton on Netflix, especially Season 3, which just debuted last week. They are based on a book series by Julia Quinn, which you can find here. Mary hasn’t read the books, so she can’t exactly recommend them, but (as per usual), here are all of our book recommendations here on Ama...
2024-06-1736 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)134 - Big Magic AtticGreetings, Queens! Alexis and Mary are recording remotely, while Lexy is driving, so the sound quality is not the greatest. Thanks for bearing with us!
Mary talks about her trip to Denver, and about a book with a very interesting premise: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. She also talks more about Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. As always, here are all of our book recommendations here on Amazon. Mary listens to most of her audiobooks on Libby, but the audio versions of these books are available everywhere as well.
...
2024-06-1030 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)133 - Why is Fear Holding You Back? (Big Magic, Part One)Greetings, Queens! Alexis and Mary are starting off with some vocabulary lessons, but it doesn’t take us too long to sift through the rocks to get to the gold of this episode. The best part is that you get to pick what is the gold in your life!
Mary talks about a wonderful book purchased last year, but which she hadn’t read until she listened to it (twice!). It’s called Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. As always, here are all of our book recommendations here on Amazon. Mary listens...
2024-06-0331 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)132 - Things That Matter with Tracy MunsonHello Hello, Queens! We’re here to “undo that mood and give you a vibe,” so we hope you are in for a fun ride! Alexis and Mary are joined today by our friend Tracy Munson, who works in the Chamber of Commerce in Cache Valley, Utah. She talks about authenticity, being a Christian, adoption, identity, active listening, and some other interesting topics. She mentions being a guest on another podcast, called Hearing the Unheard from Paz Wellness. Listen here on Apple and here on Spotify.
Tracy also mentions the show “This is Us,” which she really r...
2024-05-2752 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)131 - Late Night at the Ice Cream ParlorGreetings, Queens! We recorded this episode live, without any special equipment, so we hope you’ll forgive the background noise and sound quality. It’s a pretty random conversation, so we hope you enjoy!
We talk a bit about the delightful stage production of Pride and Prejudice by Melissa Leilani Larson performed at Salt Lake Community College. It is playing through June 8. We both highly recommend going, if you are in the Salt Lake area. Get your tickets here! And here’s a link to our recent conversation with Melissa (podcast episode 122).
We dis...
2024-05-2042 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)130 - You ARE Sexy. Own it!Welcome, Queens! To nobody’s surprise, Taylor Swift makes her way into our conversation again, as we talk about “Good Girl Syndrome,” lingerie, sexiness, confidence, and worth. Alexis talks about dominating vs competing. And how we all secretly want to be #everydaysexy
Lexy references a book called Worthy by Jamie Kern Lima, and Mary references the book The Gift by Edith Eger. As usual, you can find all of our book recommendations here on Amazon. Mary also references “Notting Hill,” which you can rent here on Amazon Prime.
Here’s your final reminder th...
2024-05-1336 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)129 - Becoming RealWelcome to the Hot Mess show, Queens! The reality is that we’re legit in our Midlife Crises, so we’re a little unhinged, and apparently in our “Banging Era,” but this Friday Night Confessional is a good time.
Mary finished a couple of books this week: Becoming by Michelle Obama, and The Gift by Edith Eger. As usual, you can find all of our book recommendations here on Amazon. She also talks about The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. There’s also some discussion on the Man vs. Bear debate, which has been going around on so...
2024-05-0636 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)128 - The Confidence Mask (You Are Your OWN Trophy!)Hello, Queens! Get ready for us to drop some real “Dingers,” or words of wisdom from Mama Ximena. We talk about confidence, how we talk about our bodies, and how we perceive our own worth. We’re taking the Cher approach, where a man is not a necessity, but a man is a luxury.
We also talk about the sales bros culture of Utah. Shockingly, Alexis is NOT a Sales Bro, but she is learning a lot and enjoying her new job. We talk about masks and costumes, and how they affect children (and adults, tbh) an...
2024-04-2934 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)127 - Taylor Swift, The Albatross, and The Fire-Breathing B*tch QueenGreetings, Fire-Breathing B*tch-Queens! You might want to break out the peppermint oil, not because this episode stinks, but to help you bring your own hype. Sorry this isn’t a real hype-you-up kind of episode, but can that really be expected after having spent so much quality time roaming the halls of The Tortured Poets Department? Or is it the Tortured Poets Society? Mary’s pretty sure her GenX is showing, since she has been in love with some Dead Poets since the 80s.
We reference quite a few songs in this episode, so here’s...
2024-04-2229 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)126 - Light Switch Stories and Random Embarrassing MomentsWhat’s goin’ on, Queens? We recorded this episode from Lexy’s kitchen table, using Mary’s iPhone. So the audio quality is not great, and in addition to the karaoke, there’s a fair amount of background noise, mouth sounds, and knocking on wood (literally). We hope you don’t mind, and thanks for your patience!
Here’s a link to Mary’s favorite sparkly Stila eyeshadow. #thirsttrap #millennialcringe #priorities. You can follow along to Mary’s #carpoolconcertseries here on Instagram. Here’s the ever-growing list of our recommended books on Amazon. And here’s a link to the “Acting...
2024-04-1539 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)125 - How to Make Decisions: Pretty vs PracticalHello, Queens. We hope you are remembering to eat . . . may we recommend some cheese? Alexis is particularly squirrelly today, and Mary is still thinking about Pride and Prejudice . . .
Speaking of . . . here’s your reminder that we are going to see Melissa Leilani Larson’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice at SLCC’s Grand Theater on Friday May 17, 2024; if you’d like to join us for this performance, please get your tickets here! You can also check out Melissa’s play Bitter Lemon at Plan B Theater Company in Downtown Salt Lake in April 2024.
Mary ta...
2024-04-0839 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)124 - Paper CutsHello, Queens. Thanks for listening today!
Here’s a reminder that we are going to see Melissa Leilani Larson’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice at SLCC’s Grand Theater on Friday May 17, 2024; if you’d like to join us for this performance, please get your tickets here! You can also check out Melissa’s play Bitter Lemon at Plan B Theater Company in Downtown Salt Lake in April 2024.
If you’d like to support this podcast, please visit our Patreon page for some extra goodies. Support starts at just $5/month.
...
2024-04-0141 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)123 - That Gritty Bennet SisterHello, Queens. Mercury is in retrograde (again!), and apparently it’s really effing with our lifestyle. Utah is slowly inching its way toward spring, and as Lexy re-listened to our episode on Beliefs (find Episode 117 here), she can confirm her previous rant about Salt Lake vs. Cache Valley weather. Alexis is also learning to let loose her secret nerd by playing D&D.
We talk about several books in today’s episode, all of which can be found here on our recommended reading list on Amazon, including The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, Grit by Angela...
2024-03-2537 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)122 - Why Vulnerability is Both Terrifying AND Necessary (with Melissa Leilani Larson)It’s not “just the two of us” today, Queens! We have a special guest–the incredible Melissa Leilani Larson. Mary met her bonding over a giant plate of cheese, while watching a production of Pride and Prejudice at the Parker Theater in Salt Lake City, and invited her to be a podcast guest that night. What a great discussion!
Melissa is an author and playwright, and we discuss a bit about Melissa’s own adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (#foreshadowing) which enjoyed a completely sold-out run at Hale Center Theater Orem in 2023. She...
2024-03-181h 06Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)121 - UncertaintyWell, Queens, the winds of change are a’ blowin,’ . . . or they’re ripping everything apart. Either way you want to look at it, today we are talking about uncertainty. Mother Nature is a little on the bipolar side, and Alexis insists on blaming the retrograde (and renegade) planets, because “they don’t do anything but float in space.”
Mary and Lexy talk about the uncertainties in their lives currently. Lexy quotes Tony Robbins and his description of the six human needs and motivations, which include certainty, and uncertainty/variety.
Mary talks about a book of e...
2024-03-1133 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)120 - Choosing the Bigger Life and Editing Our Stories (Addie LaRue)How are we doing, Queens? We hope your lip gloss be poppin’. If you’re looking for a good “plumper,” Alexis recommends the Polite Society brand, which she found at Ulta. Lexy is carrying the torch for the Carpool Concert Series with Lil’ Mama, since Mary is still off of social media for Lent (#sorrynotsorry). If you’re not following Lexy, please do so here! And feel free to follow Mary when she comes back after her hiatus, but more importantly, please follow the Midlife Cry, Sis Insta and join our Facebook group. We’re not great at social, but we do love...
2024-03-0440 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)119 - 20 Questions (The Hot & Cold Session)CW: Some talk about drug use, attempted SA
Welcome back to another day in Feral February, Queens! Mary and Alexis attempt to sing this Katy Perry song, but don’t do a great job at it. Oh well. “GET TO THE BUS!” Mary mentions a book she just finished called The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab and Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, and Lexy started listening to the Audible version of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Mary also talks a bit about Nyad, a film about maratho...
2024-02-2655 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)118 - Perspective, Tracy Chapman, and Why Your Story MattersSalutations, Queens! How is your brain at remembering boring things? Mary and Alexis could use some help on that front. It’s time to leave Never Neverland, and thinking happy thoughts is not enough. Mary just finished reading Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward (here’s a link to this book and all of our Amazon book recommendations). It’s not long, but it’s a very heavy read.
Mary talks a little about 1st, 2nd and 3rd person points-of-view; check out this article from literarydevices.net. Listen to Brené Brown talk to Tim Ferriss about “arm...
2024-02-1934 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)117 - BeliefsGreetings, Queens! It’s still Feral February, and Lex is a little bitter about it, because she lives in “blizzard land” (February and March are not her favorite months). We talk a little about difficult stories, history, and failures.
Today, Alexis talks a bit about beliefs–what they create and destroy. And what you believe leads to the actions you are going to take. She refers to a post she made a while ago on Murano glass. You can read her post here on Instagram.
Please look critically at your beliefs. Are they t...
2024-02-1239 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)116 - Intentions (I.S.S.)Welcome to FERAL February, Queens! Is the Groundhog on your blacklist? Lexy and Mary are both very ready for Spring and ready to “unleash the animal inside,” but Punxsutawney Phil tends to be wrong every year, and Lex is entering her “Feral Femme Fatale” (Triple-F, baby!) era. So here’s hoping for an early Spring and minimal swass. . . for Phil’s sake!
Mary has started reading the Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series by Sarah J. Maas, and it has definitely been added to our list of recommended books. Check it out here on Amazon!
2024-02-0534 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)115 - Do You Need an Alignment?Welcome to the ‘padcast,’ Queens! We encourage all terrible accents around here. Have you listened to That Midwestern Mom on Instagram? She’s hilarious, and her Minnesota accent is so great; Mary’s a little jealous. Today’s Mama Ximena tip was a great one: “For a better future, you’ve gotta make today your best.” Even if you have to fight with technology, which Alexis and Mary have to do frequently.
Mary goes back to Harry Potter (it is “Harry January,” after all!) and talks about how the movies tend to create a montage, or slip past the hard...
2024-01-2934 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)114 - Have You Seen This?Yasss, Queens! Welcome back to the Midlife Cry, Sis podcast! We recorded this episode live (in Mary’s car, with not great clip-on microphones), and fought a little with the technology (“always and forever”), so please excuse the audio quality. If you’d like to watch us on YouTube, check it out here!
Mary and Alexis went to see Six the musical at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City and we LOVED IT. It’s a retelling of the story of Henry VIII from the perspective of his wives, as a “historemix.”
Mary is als...
2024-01-2237 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)113 - WWOD? (What Would Oprah Do?)Welcome to the Cry Me A River Bitch-Fest! Or rather, the Midlife Cry, Sis podcast! We’re starting off talking about our very disappointing holidays, and how Alexis and Mary are attempting to tackle 2024. We’re “a little on the dark side now,” so we’re actually trying to figure out what we want to be when we grow up. In case you were wondering, neither of us are going to be computer programmers. Good thing we have other strengths!
Mary went to see The Color Purple (2023) in a movie theater last week, and she realized it...
2024-01-1530 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)112 - Do You Have 5 Minutes?Oh hey . . . this wasn’t actually supposed to be a podcast episode; it’s Alexis and Mary just talking, so we could figure out if the whole video thing worked. But it was pretty funny, so we UPLOADED IT TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL! Check it out here!
If you have any suggestions for good (and cheap) webcams, let us know. And thank you for bearing with us as we figure out this whole rebranding thing. It's definitely going to be a process.
Please get in touch! Send us an email at midlif...
2024-01-0806 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)111 - Year-in-Review 2023 (Part 2)Happy New Year, everybody! This is part 2 of our annual (well, we did it last year, so I guess we can call it “annual” now?) year-in-review episodes! It will make more sense if you listen to part 1 (episode 110 here on Apple or here on Spotify). We jump right back in at question 21. Check out the list of questions for free here on our Patreon page!
Who were your best friends? What have you done that’s been meaningful for others, and what is something that someone else did that is meaningful to you? What are some of...
2024-01-0129 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)110 - Year-in-Review 2023 (Part 1)Welcome to our annual (well, we did it last year, so I guess we can call it “annual” now?) year-in-review episodes! This is part 1 of 2. Check out our Year-in-Review for 2022 here on Apple and here on Spotify). Mary talks a little about her *non-existent* “23 for 23 list,” but she is planning on doing a 24 for 24 list. Check out some New Year’s Resolution resources from the inimitable Gretchen Rubin here.
Who do you know who gave birth? Who passed away? Where did you travel in 2023? Lexy stayed pretty grounded, but Mary is quite proud of hitting 18 states this...
2023-12-2840 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)109 - Christmas Squirrels“Stop effing with my life, stars!” Friends, we’re not sure we can blame the insanity of 2023 on celestial events and planetary alignments, but we’d sure like to! Today Alexis and Mary are talking about this Christmas season, and how we’ve been handling it. There’s a lot of people-pleasing on Mary’s side, and more introspection on Lexy’s side. It’s been challenging for lots of people, yet in very different ways.
There’s quite a lot of talk about Christmas cookies and Spice Girls in this episode. Also, how you feel about your pets...
2023-12-2537 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)108 - Sharing Your Trauma is a Gift. Interview with Cindy (Part 2)108 - Cindy, Part 2
CW: suicide ideation
This is part two of our interview with Mary’s friend Cindy. They live in the same neighborhood/ward, and Cindy has been an inspiration to Mary for several years now. We hope you enjoy hearing more from this remarkable woman! You’ll hear a few background street sounds, but this was really a heartfelt, vulnerable conversation between friends. It is very church/Utah centric, and we talk about sexual assault, abuse, and suicidality, so if any of these things are triggering for you, please proceed with cautio...
2023-12-2240 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)107 - Life is Hard AND Beautiful. Interview with Cindy (Part 1)CW: Sexual assault, abuse, drug use, suicide
Hello, our pretitas!! Today's episode is the first of a two-part series, and we have a very special guest–Mary’s friend Cindy. They live in the same neighborhood/ward, and Cindy has been an inspiration to Mary for several years now. We hope you enjoy hearing from this remarkable woman! You’ll hear a few background street sounds, but this was really a heartfelt, vulnerable conversation between friends. It is very church/Utah centric, and we talk about sexual assault, abuse, and suicidality, so if any of these t...
2023-12-1842 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)106 - Help is a Gift (Viola Davis)Today we’re talking about one of the greatest actresses of our generation: our friend Viola Davis. She recently starred in the new Hunger Games movie as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, and Mary recently listened to her Memoir Finding Me as an audiobook on Spotify. It’s a difficult listen, but one that is very rewarding. Viola says that this book was written for “anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.”
Mary has started doing a silly “Carpool Concert Ser...
2023-12-1135 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)105 - What Does Your 2023 Spotify Wrapped Say About You?It’s almost like Christmas . . . if an app you use all the time stalks you all year and then tells you what it learned! Once again, it’s time for our annual Spotify Wrapped Breakdown, and what we were listening to (and when) is a pretty interesting way of making sense of your 2023. Listen to our 2022 episode here on Apple Podcasts or here on Spotify. Alexis is quite a bit more adventurous when it comes to genres; Mary tends to know what she likes and stick with it. Mary laughs pretty hard at Lexy when she is told she list...
2023-12-0433 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)104 - Talking About Ted (Lasso)
Howdy, neighbor! Now, “don’t you fret, Boba Fett”– Alexis and Mary have some stuff to work through, but we’re still good. Life is crazy, and we’re both exhausted, but we’re here. Today we're FINALLY talking about Ted Lasso! (Watch it here on Apple TV+). Well, Mary’s talking about it, because it’s one of her favorite ‘comfort shows,’ but Lexy hasn’t seen it yet, because she “sucks at TV,” and she’d rather watch a crime docu-series or Full House (stream it here on Max).
Mary first learned about Ted Lasso by liste...
2023-11-2742 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)103 - Forget Turkey Talk; Are You Ready For Hunger Games?Well, hi. Mary’s voice is extra squeaky today, so even though it might be as painful to listen to as it was for her to speak, we hope it’s at least tolerable for you, friends. But it’s definitely worth it to hear Lexy’s insights and stories from her work as security for Lionsgate, at several Utah premieres of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (the 2023 film, based on the 2020 Novel and Hunger Games prequel by Suzanne Collins). Also, check out Lexy’s cool P.I. aunt here on Instagram.
Alexis was able to get...
2023-11-2034 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)102 - Love Languages, Relationships, and BalloonsGreetings, ladies and gents!! Alexis and Mary are talking about the Five Love languages, and some of their pitfalls today. We talk a lot about balloons (IYKYK), and how they are attention-seeking and temporary. Mary also references this article about the love languages. Women are pretty good at sniffing out those 'half-a**’ presents, so please put some thought and intention into your gifts!
Alexis talks a bit about Kelly Clarkson’s album “Chemistry” (listen here on Spotify or here on YouTube). And Mary hearkens back to Episode 22 of The Bettys Podcast (listen here on Spotify, or here on...
2023-11-1334 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)101 - Looking Back & Looking ForwardHello, friends! Happy Episode 101! We’re going to talk about armpit hair. We hope you are feeling fresh today, and clean shaven (or not . . . it’s cold outside, so you do you)!
We talk about some of the statistics for the Bettys Podcast in the past year/100 episodes, and have a little discussion about the virtues of Apple vs. Spotify vs. Amazon.
We also talk a little about our Patreon! It’s a little more raw and unfiltered, and we’ve got some good stories coming. If you feel so inclined, please joi...
2023-11-0634 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)100 - Our Most Personal Episode Yet: The Bettys Top 10 Defining Moments of Our LivesHere we are, Bettys and Jacks. We actually made it to 100! On our one-year anniversary, no less! Alexis and Mary (and our special guest Rebecca) are extra squirelly during this live recording; we hope you can follow this hilarious, intimate and heartfelt conversation. We also recorded this on video, which we are definitely not used to, so please forgive us as we talk about cameras and fight with microphones and complain about how pale Mary looks compared to Lexy. We ARE the gift. (Anyone want to be our T-Shirt designer?)
We do have some special g...
2023-10-3149 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)099 - We’re Doin’ It! Our Top 10(ish) Things That Make Us Happy
Bettys and Jacks, we’re doin’ it. And doin’ it. And doin’ it. Not sure about doin’ it well, but we are definitely doin’! We’ve launched our Patreon! If you feel so inclined, please join us here! We’ll be including lots of awesome bonus content, including some behind-the-scenes, spicy bonus episodes, group coaching, and more! Starting at just $5/month. We really appreciate your support.
This episode is about things that make us happy, like:
Roasted pineapple from Rodizio Grill (and pineapple upside-down cake . . . though we’re not too sure about upside-down pineappl...
2023-10-3030 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)098 - It’s ”Snuggle Up With a Good Book” Season. Here Are The Betty’s Top 10 BooksHi, y'all. We’re trying to keep these “Top 10” episodes light and fluffy, but this is not a light and fluffy time in our lives. We’re moving forward, one step at a time. So . . . let’s talk about books! We’ll attempt to “numerize” our favorites!
Here’s an Amazon List of the books we recommend in this episode. Enjoy!
Mary references a podcast from Elevation Church: watch this incredible sermon from Pastor Travis Greene here on YouTube. It’s a set-up, friends. The universe is conspiring FOR you.
Pl...
2023-10-2932 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)097 - Need To Laugh/Cry/Get Out of Your Head For a While? Bettys Top 10 Movies of ALL TIMEGreetings, movie lovers!! As much as Mary would like for this to be an episode about Space Movies (here’s a good list to start from!), Lexy has some major issues with them. If you like space movies, and haven’t watched Interstellar (2014), Mary highly recommends it, though it would likely give Lexy a panic attack.
So between the two of us, it’s a pretty good cross-section of our personalities. Lexy’s number 10 is Dances With Wolves (1990). Although Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) did not make the top 10, that is Mary’s favorite Kevin Costner movie...
2023-10-2829 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)096 - Need Some Help With The Kids? Our Top 10 Mom Tips & Hacks096 - Mom Tips Top 10
Hello, Bettys and Jacks! We hope your October/Spooky Season is not being squished into a big pile of crap! We had to get ourselves a little hyped-up to record today, but luckily we had our Bettys Podcast HYPE Playlist! Check it out here on Spotify.
Mary complains for a bit about the registration process for the lottery for tickets to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert in Salt Lake City. It’s frustrating, because it’s a lovely (and free!) concert every year. Check out this one from 2014 with the M...
2023-10-2536 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)095 - Swiftie Sisters: Talking About TSwift, and our Top 10(ish) Taylor Swift SongsHey, Lovers! We hope you're "doing fine, and looking fine.” Mary and Alexis welcome our sister Rebecca as a special guest on this episode to talk about our friend T. Swizzle. We went to see the Eras Tour Concert Film recently, so she’s been top of mind lately. Also, there is a lil’ bit of swearing on this episode, so be prepared for some Vigilante Sh*t (and the like). Rebecca’s favorite album is Red, Lexy’s favorite is Folklore, and apparently Mary’s favorite is 1989 (Taylor’s Version coming soon!).
We talk a little about...
2023-10-2333 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)094 - Vacation, All I Ever Wanted: The Bettys Top 10 Travel AdventuresDon’t we all love ‘too much Lexy?’ When you listen to the Bettys Podcast, you too can hear gems like, “Which side of the cactus is South?”
Anyway, today Mary and Alexis are talking about some of our favorite (and if not favorite, then at least unforgettable) vacation memories. We’ve got some from Mount Rushmore, Venice, Mexico, Glacier National Park, Disneyland, and more!
Please get in touch! Send us an email at thebettyspodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram @thebettyspodcast, on Facebook as The Bettys Podcast, on TikTok as TheBe...
2023-10-2034 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)093 - Don’t Get Scammed! The Bettys Top 10 Dumb Things We’ve DoneUnfortunately, we’ve all been victims of scams and we’ve all done some dumb things. Today’s Top Ten are some stories that are either a) relatable, or b) should help you feel smarter than we are. Mary almost fell victim to a scammer in an attempt to get even more Stanley mugs (get your own Quencher here–this website is legit). Beware of Phishers (learn some tips on avoiding them here), think twice before you send money overseas via Western Union, accepting payment by check, or when a five-year-old tries to convince you of something ridiculous. But don’t ov...
2023-10-1635 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)092 - You Need a Hype Playlist. Here’s Lexy’s Top 10 (or so . . .)We’re hooked on a feeling, Bettys and Jacks! As Alexis and Mary lead up to our 100th episode and one-year anniversary, we are continuing to do our 10 “Top Ten Lists,” and today it is some epic HYPE songs! This episode is a little chaotic, because we got a nation-wide phone alert, dogs barking, and a BeReal notification. Hmm . . . maybe we need to minimize distractions while we’re recording!
We’ve got Rihanna, Blackstreet, Lizzo, Adam Lambert, Tina Turner, Elton John, Queen, and TSwift, to name a few. Check out The Bettys Hype Playlist on Spotify her...
2023-10-1322 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)091 - The Songs Are In Your Eyes: Mary’s Top 10 U2 SongsIt’s a Beautiful Day in October, Bettys and Jacks!! Alexis and Mary start off “Smoking With Jesus” (using Palo Santo), and we’re going to try and keep things light and fluffy for A Little While, leading up to our 100th episode! We’re going to do 10 “Top Ten Lists” (because 10 x 10 = 100, right? Because, Math). Mary has been Stuck In A Moment as a U2 fan for years, and has lots of opinions on them.
Mary also went to Las Vegas to see U2 at the Sphere in on opening night (read a review from Variety he...
2023-10-0930 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)090 - Betty Byte: Hidden Talents, and Hints of What’s Coming
Let’s DO IT, Bettys!! We hope you’re ready for some tween-level humor and slightly naughty random conversation today; Alexis has been playing Pokémon Go to connect with Zeke, her 12-year-old, and Mary has perfected her ability to make anything sound dirty from her time working in the O.R.. So fair warning–the word “candies” may be ruined for you from here on out.
We’re still talking about Dan in Real Life, the 2007 movie starring Steve Carell, which you can stream here on Disney+. In the movie, Dan sings a cover of “Let...
2023-10-0615 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)089 - The Stories We Tell Ourselves (Dan in Real Life)Okay. “Do you remember the 21st of September”? We do, and it’s now on Mary and Lexy’s HYPE playlist (check it out on Spotify here!) We talk a little about how much we love the month of September, and its’ kick-into-gear vibe.
This song reminds Mary of one of her favorite movies: Dan in Real Life, the 2007 movie starring Steve Carrell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook (stream it here on Disney+). Check out the hilarious scene here, where Dan is trying to not show his attraction to his brother’s girlfriend.
Mary tal...
2023-10-0231 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)088 - Betty Byte: What If You DO Belong Here?Happy Friday, friends! We’re talking a little more about belonging today. Here are some of the quotes:
From Brené Brown: “The truth is: Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you're enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect.”
Lexy talks about a song called “Love Me For What I Am” by the Carpenters. Listen here on YouTube. If you need to go through your feels, turn this song on.
2023-09-2916 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)087 - Are You Fitting In or Belonging?Good day, Bettys and Jacks! You may think you know us, because we updated our pictures recently, but . . . actually Lexy’s hair is almost black now, and Mary’s hair is quite blonde. And we both want to go red for Fall. And next summer we’ll wanna go blonde again. Just when you think you know us! “It’s a circle!”
Everything comes down to belonging. Younger kids have a confidence that we admire as adults, which comes from naturally belonging to themselves. As we grow up, shame clouds our resilience and causes us to lose our fo...
2023-09-2531 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)086 - Betty Byte: Adventures in AustinHowdy ho, neighbors! This Betty Byte was recorded from our hotel room in Austin, Texas, so please forgive the burps and mouth sounds and stuff; there’s not a lot of editing here (which is a brave thing for Mary!). Lexy is brave when it comes to bugs, but she will scream. Anyway, beware of snakes, enjoy the music, and please, DON’T BE A ‘JIM.’
Please get in touch! Send us an email at thebettyspodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram @thebettyspodcast, on Facebook as The Bettys Podcast, on TikTok as TheBettysPodcast and on Tw...
2023-09-2216 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)085 - Bettys Take AustinYeehaw! Mary and Lexy recorded this episode from their iPhone, in a hotel room in Austin, Texas. We were very tired after attending a Coaching Summit with Brendon Burchard, and we were a little loopy. So there’s a lot of laughing, ums, mouth sounds and likes, because of minimal editing. #sorrynotsorry
We share a couple of our adventures, such as the underwhelming bats. Lexy talks about wanting to see the “famous” gas station Buc-ee’s (Bucci’s?). We didn’t actually get there, but we sure had a good laugh about it! Stay tuned for more of o...
2023-09-1830 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)084 - What Was I Made For? Barbie and PerfectionismHello, Bettys and Jacks! Even though Alexis doesn’t know Tears for Fears, she and Mary can have a light and fluffy discussion about music, reptiles, and road trip adventures. Listen to our Glacier Road Trip playlist here, and beware of Rawlins, Wyoming. Also, were you aware of the toad plague in Arizona during monsoon season? Weird. Get a (disturbing) taste of it by watching the scene from Magnolia here on YouTube.
Billie Eilish’s song “What Was I Made For” from the Barbie movie has really struck a chord with Lexy. Lex has been in therap...
2023-09-1529 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)083 - Alarms Going Off in Your Life? 4 Questions to Help Determine Your SpecialtyHello, Bettys and Jacks! We are fighting with technology today, but luckily the audio decided to cooperate. I probably shouldn’t point that out, but we’re very glad that we sound good! It is back-to-school season, so Mary and Alexis are kinda fighting with everything. Mary definitely went a bit overboard with the school supplies this year. Since Salt Lake Singers has started back up, Mary will take her excessive number of pencils to her choir practice to share. Listen to our interview with Dr. Jane Fjeldsted here on Spotify or here on Apple Podcasts.
Whe...
2023-09-1129 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)082 - Betty Byte: Snickerdoodles For The SoulHappy Friday, friends! Lexy tells us a story that starts with cornbread and ends with snickerdoodles. Is it magic? Maybe! You’ll have to listen to find out, but we’re pretty sure it has more to do with our friends–angels on earth–being in-tune with their higher power to answer such a specific need so kindly and anonymously. Don’t dismiss the tender mercies and little miracles in your life.
Please get in touch! Send us an email at thebettyspodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram @thebettyspodcast, on Facebook as The Bettys Podca...
2023-09-0813 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)081 - How Are You Handling Your Midlife Crisis? Finding Peace in Your Storm (Kanye vs. Brené)Greetings, Bettys and Jacks! Alexis starts us off today with a story about her closing performance of Seussical (Mic drop! Literally!). It wasn’t a “major wedgie,” but it was definitely a Circus McGerkus. Even though Lexy is the comic relief, the fact that she kept her cool, enlisted her friends to help, and finished the show tells you a lot about the kind of person she is.
Mary started researching (and listening to a little bit of) Kanye West. He’s a controversial rapper/singer/producer/fashion designer/presidential candidate . . . now divorced from Kim Kardashian...
2023-09-0430 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)080 - How to NOT Fall Apart . . . Even When You’re TriggeredHello, Bettys and Jacks. Mary and Alexis are back, and (as usual) we’re struggling getting into our back-to-school routines. So if you haven’t left any of your kids at home alone, and you can keep track of your stories while you’re trying to tell them, we think you’re doing pretty well. We’re kinda functioning brain-dead, so thanks for continuing to listen!
Lexy has heard this question a lot lately: How are you not falling apart? She was watching a presentation by Tony Robbins, who talked about keeping your momentum even when your w...
2023-09-0129 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)079 - Feeling Unwanted? 5 Ways to Help Rejection Sting a Little LessHello, friends. We’re back to recording new podcast episodes after all the craziness of the end of summer, so Mary and Alexis are trying to remember how to talk to each other without talking over each other. Thanks for your patience! Lexy’s children are extremely photogenic, and Mary kinda resurrected her photography side-hustle to do a family photo shoot recently, at Photopia Studios in Cottonwood Heights, Utah (highly recommend!). If you’re interested in participating in a Bettys get-together to do some headshots, please let us know! We’d love to meet you!
Do you love sum...
2023-08-2829 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)078 - Betty Byte: Core Memories at Bear LakeHappy Friday, friends! In the last episode, Alexis mentioned that her phone was still in a bag of rice . . . so here’s the story behind that! Make sure you watch the sky (and keep track of your inflatables, your kids, and your phone) when you are at Bear Lake! Apparently something about the lake beckons skinny dipping, so also keep track of your swimsuit. “Be careful with those things!”
Please get in touch! Send us an email at thebettyspodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram @thebettyspodcast, on Facebook as The Bettys Podcast, on TikTok a...
2023-08-2517 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)077 - Barbies and Boxes: Living in the Real WorldHello, Bettys and Jacks! We told you we’d be talking about Barbie eventually, and here we are! We’ve had some technology issues (“always and forever . . .”), including Lexy’s phone ending up in rice, but we are here. *whew!* Mary took Benji and her nieces Phoebe and Sabrina on a road trip to the Real World (i.e., through the midwestern United States), and ended up seeing the movie in Madison, Wisconsin. It took Lexy a little while longer to see it, but it was very validating for her as well.
Alexis refers to this article...
2023-08-2129 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)076 - Betty Byte: How We Can Follow Jesus by Defying Expectations (Manuals)Hello, Bettys and Jacks. Mary and Alexis continue their discussion about manuals (you might want to go back to Episode 15 and Episode 75 of The Bettys Podcast) by talking about another ‘leading man’ . . . Jesus. The Old Testament was literally a manual on how to worship, and when Jesus of Nazareth showed up, He did not look the way the elders expected Him to. He did things differently, and He ruffled a lot of feathers.
Are we so focused on the checklists and the details of our manuals that we don’t see the big picture? Mary was rem...
2023-08-1813 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)075 - Are Your Manuals For Others Making You Miserable? (Mission: Impossible)Hello, Bettys and Jacks. Mary and Alexis are talking a little about movies today. No, we’re not discussing Barbie yet (We will! We promise!!!). There’s some discussion about horror movies (check out the short horror-comedy Finley on YouTube, and Insidious, directed by Mary’s boyfriend Patrick Wilson, if you’re really brave). But we do reference the Mission: Impossible series, and the newest installment, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.
Now, we love a good action movie, if it has a good story (unlike the Fast & Furious series), and as we know, every good...
2023-08-1432 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)074 - Betty Byte: More Helps for Setting BoundariesHello, Bettys and Jacks. It’s time for another Betty Byte: a little taste of something helpful. And this short episode packs a pretty good punch.
Lexy continues her list of ways to set healthy boundaries, reading from this Instagram post by Dr. Atina Manvelian. Here are all of the steps (and some of Mary's and Lexy’s commentary) for setting healthy boundaries with difficult people:
Be mindful of how you feel around them
Identify when your boundaries get crossed. Crossing boundaries = disrespect
Pause. Decide the best way to respond. In general, responses are not w...
2023-08-1116 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)073 - Struggling with Difficult People? 5 Steps for Creating Healthy Boundaries (Glass Castle)Greetings, friends. On this episode of the Bettys Podcast, Mary and Alexis spend a few minutes talking about kids and their underdeveloped taste buds. We also talk a little about chickens and pigs, but this episode is actually about boundaries: how to create them and when we might need them.
Lexy discusses the memoir “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls. Lexy read this quote from the book: “Mom, you have to leave Dad,” I said. She stopped doing her toe touches. “I can’t believe you would say that,” she said. “I can’t believe that you, of all peo...
2023-08-0731 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)072 - What Price Are You Willing to Pay For Friendship? Four Questions To See If It’s Worth ItA little warning today, Bettys and Jacks–Mary is in a MOOD. . . enough for a lil’ swear warning. We hope you’re not too offended. Mary talks about friendship, and how she and Allen are spouses, but aren’t very good friends.
Mary talks a little about her mother-in-law, who lived with her for several years. While they have a good relationship, there was a price. Mary had some unhealthy patterns and work relationships in her ‘escapist era.’ Some of that stemmed from feeling like she didn’t belong and wasn’t needed in her home.
...
2023-08-0427 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)071 - Feeling Like You Want to Escape Your Life? 3 Tips on How to Belong to YourselfGood morning, Bettys and Jacks! A quick PSA: please don’t light fireworks under your sensitive areas. (This may or may not be among the things we don’t imagine having to explain to our children). We are having a weird summer holiday season; why do we have to be so responsible?!
Mary talks a little about her mother-in-law, who lived with her for several years. While they have a good relationship, there was a price. Mary had some unhealthy patterns and work relationships in her ‘escapist era.’ Some of that stemmed from feeling like she didn’...
2023-07-3131 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)070 - Betty Byte: What Your Heavy Emotions Can Teach You About YOUHowdy ho, Bettys and Jacks! Are we a little bit country? Not really, but this Luke Combs cover of the Tracy Chapman classic is SO GOOD. Mary grew up in Southern Utah, where her family tried (unsuccessfully) to fit in by getting into Country music, but this checkout girl will always love her Casey Kasem Top 40.
Lexy talks about how to objectively see your problems instead of getting lost in them. We’re adding a little bit to our conversation from Episode 69, and a big part of our problems is that we don’t love how t...
2023-07-2814 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)069 - Too Much Monkey Chatter in Your Brain? Why Listening to it Can Tell You a LotGood morning, Bettys and Jacks! After a little bit of talk about our “Hot Dog Summer,” today Alexis and Mary are talking about “Monkey Chatter,” or that constant (often negative) narration in your brain.
Lexy had to do a lot of quiet thinking, watching and observing to survive her childhood, and would often find herself having to think through every possible worst-case scenario before she could go to sleep. To help herself cope with all of this, Lex developed a gift (and a vice): the ability to paint any situation romantically, poetically and beautifully. The problem with this is t...
2023-07-2428 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)068 - Betty Byte: Honesty is KindnessHello, there! We’re trying out a new format for our Betty Bytes, so thanks for bearing with us!
Today Alexis and Mary are talking about one of Mary’s favorite fictional characters: Dr. Eleanor Arroway from the 1997 film Contact (available for rent/purchase on Amazon here).
While listening for extraterrestrial life, Ellie hears a transmission originating from Vega, a star about 25 light years from Earth. Embedded in this literal message from the universe are the plans for a transport, and in some of the drama surrounding who will get to represent the human race, Ellie...
2023-07-2112 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)067 - How to Build Character, Even When You’re Being an Anti-HeroWelcome back, friends! Today Alexis and Mary are talking about CHARACTER. There’s a lot of definitions (which we go through a little bit . . . thank you, Oxford Learners Dictionaries for this information! We also talk a little about overexposure and underexposure in photography. Here’s a good article explaining this concept.
Mary recently finished watching “Better Call Saul” (a prequel to “Breaking Bad,” available to stream here on Netflix) and attempts to explain some of the definitions of character using some of the roles and situations found in these fascinating (and very TV-MA) shows. Some characters ca...
2023-07-1753 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)066 - Betty Byte: Teddy RooseveltHey, friends! Today’s Betty Byte contains some more incredible quotes from the one and only Teddy Roosevelt. We’re into the full swing of summer around here, so we are basically living in our cars, trying to teach kids responsibilities, and fighting with those chaotic schedules.
One of Mary and Lexy’s favorite quotes is this: “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there” (explore more of his quotes here). We hope you will do the difficult mental work of believing that you can do whatever you want to do, even if you’re “living on a prayer...
2023-07-1415 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)065 - ”Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick.” Insights from Teddy RooseveltHello, Bettys and Jacks. Today we’re talking about Teddy . . . Roosevelt, that is. After a mild swear warning (Mama Ximena is a little spicy today!), and a discussion about how the only free thing in life is your mother’s love.
After some fun facts with Lex (“Half the facts, all of the laughter!”) about the life of President Roosevelt, with some minor fact-checking by Mary (thanks, Wikipedia!), Alexis gives a lot of great quotes by this fascinating conservationist, cowboy, governor, war hero, and President of the United States. One of his most famous quotes is “The M...
2023-07-101h 02Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)064 - How Change Can Make You a Better Person (Les Misérables, Part Deux)Salut, Bettys and Jacks! Welcome to Part Deux of our Les Misérables series (it’s not really a series, as much as it is we just had a LOT to say about it, and didn’t want the episode to be two hours long!). If you haven’t listened to episode 63, please do that first. Mary and Lexy spend at least the first 20 minutes of this episode talking about injuries, and some of the descriptions are a little graphic. If that kind of talk is not your thing, go ahead and skip to about the 20:00 mark. You’ll miss our...
2023-07-031h 02Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)063 - 3 Keys to Changing Your Heart (Les Misérables, Part One)Bonjour, Bettys and Jacks. Our obsession with musicals continues, so you get not one, but TWO glorious episodes (“ah, ah, ah”) about one of our all-time favorites: Les Misérables. Mary was fortunate enough to see it when the U.S. tour came through Salt Lake City, but Lexy has never seen the stage production, and is a petit peu angry about it. After quite a lot of makeup talk (we highly recommend Tarte Shape Tape and NYX Undereye Concealer) we spend a lot of time talking about the story; a little about the classic novel by Victor Hugo, but m...
2023-07-0356 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)062 - Betty Byte: Off The RailsThis hilarious episode gets derailed rather quickly into ‘hot tub conversation’ (Sting, Kama Sutra, and Joe Millionaire, anyone?), so you might want to keep this one away from littles. Or your mom. Or anyone who might get a little uncomfortable when we talk about S-E-X, baby. The logistics!
We also chat about social media, musicals, and self-service (wink, wink).
Please get in touch! Send us an email at thebettyspodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram @thebettyspodcast, on Facebook as The Bettys Podcast, on TikTok as TheBettysPodcast and on Twitter @bettys...
2023-06-3028 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)061 -Needing More Peace in Your Life? Some Techniques That Are Helping Us Right NowGreetings, Bettys and Jacks. This episode starts and ends with some heavy breathing (no, not that kind). Lexy tries to pep us up to begin, and to calm us down at the end. She is a pretty good hype-girl, even if she’s not great with parking (or directions).
Mary and Alexis talk about cognitive bias or the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. Lexy seems to have been seeing and hearing a lot about finding peace lately, so she wanted to speak about that subject today. As a teenager, Lexy needed to be a fighter for her peace, and...
2023-06-261h 00Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)060 - Betty Bites: Under The SeaHey, friends. This is not a Betty Byte–it’s Betty Bites. This episode is a little tough, because we talk about the tragedy of the Titan. We also talk about the live-action version of The Little Mermaid, which was released recently, and how some people are willing to risk everything and pay the ultimate price for an incredible experience. FYI, Lexy has major FOMO, and would probably jump off of the bridge at St. Mary’s Falls in Glacier National Park. Mary wouldn’t do that, but she would totally go to space on the Virgin Galactic.
2023-06-2429 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)059 - Becoming a Happier Version of You: Interview with Melanny OsbornHello there, Bettys and Jacks! Today we have a fascinating interview with our friend Melanny (who was driving, so the sound quality is not always the greatest). It’s also a rather niche conversation about Melanny’s faith journey, which led her away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormonism). There is some discussion about church history, including healing canes (listen to more information on that here) and Heavenly Mother (see the Gospel Topics essay here). We are looking forward to the publishing of her novel!
In addition to her f...
2023-06-1957 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)058 - Betty Byte - Fishing in the Dark, and Other Embarassing StoriesIt’s our second Betty Byte! Thanks for joining us for this little girlfriend chat. We talk about being the Mom Uber Service, lizards, organized chaos, and Mary’s Father’s Day win.
Lex talks about one of her most embarrassing moments during a date auction, and Mary relates one of hers that happened during a snow-shoeing incident. But neither of those compare to Zeke’s issue at a church camp . . .
Please get in touch! Send us an email at thebettyspodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram @thebettyspodcast, on Facebook a...
2023-06-1631 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)057 - 5 Ways to Plan Your Own Comeback (Tina Turner)
Greetings, Bettys and Jacks! Today we are talking about the one and only Miss Tina Turner, who passed away recently at the age of 83. Even Mama Ximena knew that everybody has problems and nobody is living a wonderful life. It’s easy to look at Tina’s successful solo career and think that she had it easy, but she definitely overcame a lot of obstacles.
Mary goes over Tina’s history, and how after being abandoned by her parents, Anna Mae Bullock left her tiny hometown and met Ike Turner, becoming the lead singer o...
2023-06-1256 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)056 - Betty Byte: Stories in a CemeteryWelcome to the first Betty Byte! We’re trying out a little different format for this episode: it’s basically Mary and Lexy recording themselves on a phone, so the sound quality isn’t great. Also, we’re sitting in a car with the windows down on a lovely spring evening, so there is some ambient noise, like wind and motorcycles (and possibly ghosts).
Lexy talks about the Weeping Widow in the Logan City Cemetery, and it’s not just her “making something up out of my butt.” Alexis is a big fan of Halloween and being scare...
2023-06-0926 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)055 -Expanding Your Talents with Dr. Jane FjeldstedWe have a treat for you today, friends. Our special guest for this episode is Dr. Jane Fjeldsted, who is currently director of choirs at Westminster College (University) in Salt Lake City. She directs numerous other choirs, and contracts professionally as a singer and conductor for films, video games, operas, concerts, and many other projects. Mary has been singing in her community choir, the Salt Lake Singers for several years, and we feel very lucky to have been able to speak to her.
Jane tells us a bit about her life, her “inauspicious start” at BYU...
2023-06-051h 03Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)054 - Are You Out of Alignment? 5 Ways to Align With Our Higher SelvesHappy Monday, Bettys and Jacks! We hope you want to listen to Mary and Alexis talk about random music, naming children, and pets. Lots of pets, including therapy dogs, and Lexy’s cat named Mary. Apparently she was a slut and had lots of kittens. Just remember–don’t mess with Vicky.
Mary refers to Firefly Lane, a Netflix series based on the book of the same name by Kristin Hannah. She also talks about alignment in cars, and how sometimes our vehicles need more than just an alignment or a tire rotation–maybe it’s a whole C...
2023-05-2956 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)053 - Subjective and Objective Perceptions: What is Real?Oh my heck, Betty! Don’t sing Katy Perry in an inappropriate register! And don’t get hit on when you go to karaoke in a bar! This episode is a little woo-woo, and all over the place, but we hope it will get you thinking outside of your box.
Alexis and Mary talk about objective and subjective reality. One is unbiased, facts-only, and the other is all personal–seen only through your particular lens. Lexy refers to The Infinite Spark of Being Podcast (listen to Episode 7 here). We learn that the ego wants to drive s...
2023-05-261h 05Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)052 - How to Not Take Everything So Seriously (Sixteen Candles)CW: Mild swearing and some discussion of suicide
“What’s happening, Hot Stuff?!” We hope you are doing well on this fine Monday morning, and that this episode can help you to not take things so seriously. Mama Ximena definitely believes in karma, so be wise about what you say and do (like don’t play in wheelchairs!), but remember that there is life beyond whatever disappointments we have today. And freeway dance parties are always in season.
Alexis and Mary talk a little about the 1984 John Hughes movie “Sixteen Candles” (rated PG, avai...
2023-05-221h 06Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)051 - Queen CharlotteHey, Bettys and Jacks! We love it when the girls come out to play! Laughing is good, especially when it comes to Mama Ximena’s Words of Wisdom (“Turn on your lambada and clean your house!”). We talk about dancing, including Lexy’s breakdancing and Mary’s college ballroom dancing classes. And, because we always have to point out our segues, the dancing in Bridgerton; specifically Queen Charlotte–A Bridgerton Story (now streaming on Netflix). We’re also manifesting a Queen’s Ball Experience in SLC!
Mary talks a little bit about the series (it’s historical fiction...
2023-05-1550 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)050 - Altered States, Ego Death, and KimCW: There is some talk of drug usage in this episode.
Today’s episode of the Bettys Podcast is a little all-over-the-place (shocking, we know). We had to restart this episode due to some technical difficulties, so we tried to recap Mary’s entertaining experience taking a caffeine pill. Both Alexis and Mary are a little delirious, and in need of a good laugh, so much of that comes in the form of talking about ‘altered states.’ And Bridgerton. And how Bridgerton apparently puts Mary into an altered state.
What does it mean to you whe...
2023-05-1255 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)049 - HairsprayHello, hello, Bettys and Jacks!! Today we’re talking about a different musical. Or movie. Or movie-musical based on a movie. Anyway, we’re talking about Hairspray! Mary saw the Broadway touring company version of it recently, and watched the 2007 movie-musical version (with John Travolta) which is available to stream on Amazon Prime here (Mary and Alexis also talk about tsunamis and the 2014 masterpiece Interstellar).
Mary has a few lessons she learned from this story:
Some people will try to talk you out of your dreams. Don’t let them.
Good things can come from un...
2023-05-0840 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)048 - School of RockHello, rockstars! We spend a fair amount of time in this episode talking about music, concerts, and the Cache Theater Company production of School of Rock, a musical based on the 2003 film starring Jack Black. Because of this, we felt this episode needed a Spotify Playlist to go along with it! (And here's a great list of concerts coming to Utah this summer and fall!)
Mary and Lexy talk about reconnecting with yourself, and how concerts are one way Mary reconnects with her inner rocker. Lexy likes to connect with her inner child by “hitting it...
2023-05-0553 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)047 - The Happiness Agenda“Chug! Chug! Chug!” Yes, we believe that drinking water will help us with our happiness, but so do pink spandex shorts. Welcome to the Bettys podcast
Mary and Lexy talk about growing up ‘off-the-grid,’ and how there wasn’t a lot to do in Logan, Utah when we were growing up. Even though our kids may be super busy these days, we are very much fans of seatbelts and helmets. And Doritos.
Mary references an article from the New York Times about “The Finnish Secret to Happiness.” The article references the fascinating 2023...
2023-05-0151 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)046 - Breathe (with Bonnie Gray)Hello, friends! Get out your notebooks and pens, because you’ll definitely want to take notes on this very special episode of The Bettys Podcast. Today we are joined by author Bonnie Gray to talk about her book Breathe: 21 Ways to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm. Bonnie Gray is a Soul Care mentor and coach, and the author of several other books: Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace and Sweet Like Jasmine, an ECPA 2022 Christian Book Award Finalist. Having healed from PTSD, Bonnie is passionate about helping thousands of listeners detox stress and flourish in emotional wellness with...
2023-04-2458 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)045 - Men & EmotionsHi, friends. This episode was recorded a few weeks ago, before certain current events unfolded. We hope to be in actual Spring now, though it is still snowing in some places. Heaven help us, with roofs collapsing and flooding . . . we’ll just stick to the Bunny slope.
We talk a bit about Robin Williams, an American comedian who both Lexy and Mary adored.. He died by suicide in 2014, and we hope to open up a little more conversation about the mental health of men we love. We talk about how men often have big emotions, but...
2023-04-211h 02Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)044 - Wisdom From LexThis episode is chock-full of wisdom that Alexis has been collecting from various sources and trainings. She cites Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, and even Sylvester Stallone as sources of inspiration. We hope to pass on some delicious tidbits to enlighten your beautiful minds.
Here are a few of those nuggets of wisdom that Lex is passing on to you, Bettys and Jacks:
Energy is a habit. If you want to produce more results, you’ve gotta raise your energy
Don’t make your family suffer because of your ego
Focus = Feelings
Is life happening to yo...
2023-04-171h 03Midlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)043 - Back in a BitHi, friends. Sorry we don't have a full episode for you today. The last couple of weeks have been really tough--including Spring Break and a trip to California for our sweet Grandmother's funeral. We'll get back to our regularly scheduled programming of 1-2 episodes per week as soon as possible.
Thanks for your patience and your continued listening. And we love you more.
2023-04-1100 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)042 - The Second Act, or The Middle of the Road“We’ve got wiggles!” This episode of the Bettys Podcast contains some spoilers . . . for The Fugitive (1993). And some for season one of Succession (watch on HoboMax here, rated TV-MA for lots of language and mature content), and for season one of Shrinking (watch on AppleTV here, rated TV-MA for language and a lil’ bit of nudity). Be careful what you watch, though, because it can really affect your headspace!
Mary references a Wikipedia article about the Three-Act Structure for many films, and uses The Fugitive as an example. The first act is the exposition–world building, s...
2023-04-0351 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)041 - Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs (Jamie Kern Lima)No, the incredible Jamie Kern Lima is not a guest on this episode of the Bettys Podcast (though we’d be honored to have her!), but we are talking about her story, her book Believe It (2021), and we quote some of her very wise words. Mary and Lexy also talk about being ‘in the arena,’ which is a reference to this quote from Theodore Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit be...
2023-03-3157 minMidlife Cry, Sis (Formerly known as The Bettys Podcast)040 - Cancel CultureFor two people who know very little about Astrology, Alexis and Mary sure spend a lot of time talking about it! Lexy’s kids are obsessed with space, and there’s some discussion about planetary alignment and asteroids. But, “in other space news . . .”
Lexy has been thinking about our conversation about Rachel Hollis (listen to Episode 34 of the Bettys Podcast here!), and how and why we ‘cancel’ people. We feel the need to hold people (especially women) to an impossible standard of perfection, if they are willing to put themselves out there. Mary talks a little about...
2023-03-2749 min