On menopause, AI and “chaos gardening”

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View this email online Our friends from Pod Club are taking over Life Kit’s newsletter this week, sharing news you can use from across the NPR network. If you love podcasts (and newsletters!), subscribe here for handpicked recommendations from the people who LIVE for this stuff. We'll be back next week.  This newsletter was written by NPR’s Lauren Gonzalez, senior manager of content development.   When my mother was approaching menopause, she started openly questioning what her life’s purpose was. This was confusing, because to me her purpose had always been quite clear. She was my mom.   But things looked different from my mom’s point of view. Her kids were out of the house and her responsibilities had shifted. And other things were changing too. Who was she now meant to be? In theory the options were limitless, but there was no roadmap in sight. After listening to a recent episode of It’s Been A Minute, I’ve been reflecting on my mom’s experience. Host Brittany Luse talks to Radiolab’s Heather Radke about the murkiness of menopause. It’s a tricky phase to navigate because, as Radke puts it, “menopause has been largely unwritten in culture.”  Our culture has had little to say about menopause, except to frame it as an ending, or worse, a punchline. But this episode invites you to imagine it as a new chapter, one that liberates you from biological and societal expectations.  Just because you have the freedom to chart your own path doesn’t mean you should go it alone. I wish I could have shared another episode on the topic, from Short Wave, with my mom back in the day, because it has helpful — and actionable — advice.   I’ll start with the bad news: According to NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee, who reported the Short Wave episode, there’s no one-size-fits-all diagnosis for perimenopause. But the good news is there are plenty of ways to be proactive. Monitor your symptoms, communicate regularly with your doctor and find a community of women in your same phase.  In other words, build the roadmap together and see where that takes you. In my mom’s case, it led her to investing in her artistic talents! She just sold her first painting last week.  P.S. Here's a pic of my mom's painting. We both ❤️ Flamboyan trees. The week’s best episodes …to share with your mom on your next phone call 🤖 Will artificial intelligence replace midwives, detectives or baristas first?  Even though there's no straight answer on which jobs will disappear after an AI takeover, our friends at Planet Money talk to researchers about which jobs might change the most, and how you can prep for an evolving labor market. GIVE IT A LISTEN 👂How to talk – and listen – to people who disagree with you NPR’s Don Gonyea has made a career of talking with Americans across the political divide. On Consider This, he shares what he’s learned about productively talking to people who think differently from you – especially in today’s climate.  GIVE IT A LISTEN 🌿 No green thumb required for THIS garden  Have you killed more houseplants than you can remember? Then “chaos gardening” might be for you! On KUNC’s In the NoCo, an expert explains this new trend in low-lift landscaping. One tip? Fall is the perfect time of year to start one.  GIVE IT A LISTEN 🧑‍🍳 This recipe will make your nonna’s head explode  How to Do Everything’s Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag try to bake a lasagna with no oven. They’re podcast hosts, not chefs, so take their advice with a grain of salt.  GIVE IT A LISTEN One to Watch Budding influencers, take note! Viral video journalist Dave Jorgenson swings by KCUR and shares tips on how to craft the perfect TikTok:  @kcur893/Tiktok Woah that’s a LOT of great podcast recs (if we do say so ourselves). Subscribe to the Pod Club newsletter and get a fresh batch of can’t-miss episodes in your inbox every Friday. Written by podcast nerds, for podcast nerds. 👋 Who do you know that LOVES podcasts? Forward them this email, as a treat! Got something on your mind? We'd love to hear from you: podclub@npr.org NPR has so! many! great! newsletters! Politics, culture, identity... we've got you covered. You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy