Messy Middlescence

Happy New Year! In place of New Year resolutions, consider creating an annual "theme" instead. In this episode we discuss the how and why around creating a theme in hopes of motivating others to do the same.

In this short podcast episode, we discuss how the holiday season has evolved over the years, from the excitement of gift giving to the importance of spending quality time with loved ones. We explore the challenges of finding meaningful presents for adult children and the delicate balance between tradition and adapting to new circumstances. With children growing older, we have to navigate the compl...

This episode is part 2 of our conversation with Alan Harkness. It delves deep into difficult aspects of middlescence, particularly the challenges of caring for aging parents and the loss of a parent. Alan shares his personal experiences of moving his disabled mother into his home after his father's passing and the subsequent decision to transition her to an assisted living facility. He discusses t...

On today's episode of Messy Middlescence, we talk with Alan Harkness, the husband of our oldest sister, Amy.  Alan shares his inspiring life story, starting with his journey from almost failing out of college to becoming a renowned library director. He discusses his passion for libraries and the joy he finds in his work, as well as the challenges and rewards of leadership. Alan emphasizes the...

Today on Messy Middlescence, we talk with Amy Harkness who shares her experience as a medical librarian and mother of four children. Amy discusses her health struggles during middlescence and the frustration of not being taken seriously by doctors. She questions how much of her changing body is due to normal aging and how much is a sign of an underlying issue. Amy also reflects on the impact of me...

Today's episode of Messy Middlescence is with our youngest brother, Tom Conti. Tom is a gifted athlete, excellent student (majoring in computer science and math), devoted father, husband and friend, as well as super successful in his business endeavors. He is also thoughtful, down-to-earth and fun to be around.  In a previous episode titled “taking the leap”, we interviewed Tom&rs...

Today’s episode was recorded back in June right after school let out. Due to busy and conflicting schedules it took us until the fall to get our podcast live.  This episode is with Anne Meilke Conti. She is the wife of our youngest brother, Tom, and at the time of this interview had recently quit her job to spend more time with her family. Anne and Tom have three children. Anne has had...

This podcast episode delves into the concept of Middlescence, a transitional period between the ages of 40 and 60 characterized by the need for change and a sense of running out of time. Tara interviews her sister Tina to learn more about her story and experiences. Tina reflects on her idyllic childhood, challenging adolescence, fun college years, and hardworking twenties and thirties. She shares...

Premier eposide of our podcast, "Messy Middlescence" featuring the introduction of one of our hosts, Tara Bansal.  In this episode: We discuss why we decided to do this podcast Where the name came from Why we are different Learn about Tara's background and where she is now in her life