Balancing Ambition and Motherhood (Yes, It's Possible!)
Plus! What does a normal libido look like over 40?
There are people you meet through the course of your professional life who make a lasting impression, and Laura Fischer is definitely one of those people for me.
Not only does she work hand-in-hand with beloved comedy icon and director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, the all-lady version of Ghostbusters, Spy, Freaks and Geeks) as Co-President of his super successful feature film company, but she also runs another company called Powderkeg under Paul’s umbrella, which produces comedy content from new writers and directors who are women, people of color, and LGBTQ. I love a producer on a mission!
Listen Here! Ep 104: Producing Your Best Life: Movies and Motherhood with Feigco's Laura Fischer
Laura’s business partner Paul Feig co-wrote and directed Bridesmaids (written with Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo)
Getting a feature film or television series made - heck, even getting a short form scripted mobile series like the one we made together for Snapchat, Everything’s Fine - requires persistence, diligence, drive and flexibility all at once. Laura is a person who always has occurred for me as rock solid in her confidence and clear in the knowledge that she is a person who gets difficult and complicated things done, and the conversation we have in this episode proves my gut about her is spot on.
One thing about a job like Laura’s that has always intimidated me is the considerable amount of pressure that comes with the gig. When you work with a big movie director, in a way you also work for the big powerful agents and other muckety mucks who represent them, and the most successful of those people are intense!! There is a lot of money at stake with movies like, oh, I don't know, Ghostbusters, and that creates a lot of pressure.
In this conversation, Laura shares the smart and systematic way in which she approaches her professional workload, and how she sets her priorities as a single Mom. In a world where mothers (even single ones) are expected to be selfless and treat their children as their first priority above self and career and everything else, it’s refreshing to hear Laura talk plainly about how her work, which is also extremely creative and fulfilling, must come first because without gainful employment, there can be no life for you *or* your kids.
Laura is an inspiring example of how ambitious women can intentionally create a life that balances art, business and motherhood. If Laura can pull that off against the crazy backdrop that is show business, maybe we can too.
Listen Here! Ep 103: Straight Talk about Libido Over 40 with Dr. Maureen Slattery
I wish Dr. Maureen Slattery was my OB-GYN. I love the doctor who delivered my twins, but to this day I’ve never had a lady doctor I felt totally comfortable telling all my lady secrets to.
Dr. Slattery would take the time to ask questions and listen to what's going on with me and my perimenopausal body. She would also be an open door to talking about libido and sex and anything else - physiological or otherwise - that is going on in my life and impacting my overall well-being.
How’s your libido? Dr. Slattery wants to know.
Very few of us have an OB-GYN like Dr. Maureen Slattery because even OB-GYNs don't get taught much about sexual health or - God forbid! - menopause in medical school. As we get into in this episode, this is why training doctors and residents how to talk about these critical issues with their patients is part of Dr. Slattery's mission. When she clocks out at her regular doctor job - and in between raising two teen girls and driving them to travel sports events - she's taking steps to change the medical system so that it serves women’s actual needs.
Between libido talk and defining what is “normal” in human sexuality (hint: most things are!) Maureen and I discussed how to raise girls who are not afraid of their sexuality in this confusing and contradictory post-Puritanical culture.
Maureen is hilarious as well as being brilliant. I wish she lived nearby so we could hang out.