In this podcast episode, Lucy and Lisette, two childhood friends who recently turned 70, reminisce about the evolution of communication technologies in their lifetime.

They discuss their early memories of rotary-dial telephones, the cost and challenges of long-distance calls, the introduction of first black and white, then colour televisions, and the progression from clunky computers to mobile phones and email. The conversation covers how these technological advancements transformed daily life and social interactions, reflecting on the significant changes they have witnessed over the past 70 years.

*The telephone in the hall*

Lucy and Lisette recall how the main – or only – phone in the house would always be in the hall when they were young. This meant lack of privacy and parents telling you to ‘Get off the phone’ when you were calling friends or boyfriends. They can recall exactly how it felt to dial a number on the old rotary dials and the sound of a 'real' phone ringing. Later, wall phones and cordless phones were exciting innovations that changed how and where you could call people.

*Social etiquette around phones*

The friends share memories of the social etiquette around using shared phone lines and the juggling involved in making calls to friends or family. Unlike calling an individual’s mobile these days, when you called from a landline (in the hall!) you never knew who would answer the phone and how long you would have to make polite conversation before asking to speak to the person you were actually tyring to call.

*The cost of communication*

Parents were always worried about the cost of phone calls, and especially international phone calls. When Lucy went to live in Australia in the late 1970s, she could only call home once a month and everyone would crowd round the phone to talk. So different from today when you can always catch up with someone on a mobile or other app on your phone, Zoom and video call at any time and keep in touch across distances so much more easily.

*When TV came along*

Lisette and Lucy’s families were both late adopters of television, so both were about 8 years’ old when a heavy box showing programmes in black and white appeared (was rented) in each of their houses. They recall how there were only a two and then three or four TV stations, how children’s TV started at 4pm and ended at 6pm, and that there was nothing on before that, or after 10pm except the ‘Test Card’. In the Netherlands and the UK, both girls watched and loved ‘The Avengers’ with Diana Rigg as Emma Peel – luckily colour television had been introduced by then.

*The internet changed everything*

Lucy and Lisette were both working when computers arrived to disrupt the business environment. Email also changed communications, as did fax machines, from paper-based communications that had to be typed up and posted or couriered to recipients. Mobile phones and car phones were big and clunky for their first few years, until everything got smaller and now a slimline mobile contains every kind of communication that’s currently available.

*Key highlights in this episode*

# Memories from a bygone era of bakelite phones with plaited cords taking centre stage in the hall of a home. Of huge square televisions with inefficient aerials and fuzzy black and white screens that were rented rather than bought.

# How Lucy and Lisette have lived through 70 years of changes in technology that have revolutionised communication in personal life and the world of work.

# Swings and roundabouts - they reflect on how communication has become much more instantaneous and ubiquitous with the rise of mobile phones, email, and messaging apps, but also how some of the intimacy and intentionality of past communication methods has been lost.

*Conclusions: Why you should listen*

Overall, the conversation provides a rich and nostalgic look at the technological...

In this captivating episode of The Year of Being 70 Ep 12: Three Surprising Confessions from Lucy & Lisette, we delve into the unexpected and intriguing world of two lifelong friends, Lucy and Lisette, both 70 years old. These remarkable women share three secret pleasures and aversions that most people don’t know about them, revealing sides of themselves that are rarely seen by others.

What You Didn’t Know About Lucy and Lisette:

Lucy, a book mentor and author, confesses to an aversion that might surprise many—she doesn’t enjoy music, and never has, even as a child. This lack of connection to music could be attributed to a condition known as Musical Anhedonia, a neurological condition affecting 3-5% of the population, where dopamine receptors aren’t wired to the music audio circuits. On the other hand, Lisette has a strong dislike for Coca-Cola and has only tried it once in her life. Her experience in Amman, where she couldn’t refuse a glass of Coke from a generous taxi driver, adds a layer of complexity to this confession.

Lucy reveals her love for TV soap operas, game, and quiz shows like EastEnders, Neighbours, and The Archers, despite her professional image as an intellectual. Her fondness for these shows reflects a side of her that contrasts sharply with her highbrow persona. Lisette enjoys shopping at local markets but admits that she rarely cooks the ingredients she buys. Their confessions extend to everyday habits—Lucy loves to swear, finding a kind of joy and release in it, while Lisette showers only every three days, sparking discussions about hygiene and societal norms.

Will They Be Judged?

Both friends feel they may be judged for their unusual or unexpected predilections or aversions. Lucy’s lack of interest in music once led someone to suggest she had no soul, while Lisette's infrequent showering raises concerns about being perceived as unhygienic. These intimate revelations open a window into the societal pressures and personal insecurities they navigate.

Soaps and Soap:

Lucy feels that people may be surprised by her love of soap operas, as professionally, she's mostly seen as an author and book mentor, so perhaps more highbrow than a lover of EastEnders and Neighbours—not to mention The Archers—suggests that she is. Lisette's very practical reasons for not showering every day—killing off the important microbes on our bodies, wasting water, putting excessive soap chemicals into the water system—might just look like she's unhygienic. This leads to Lisette and Lucy discussing the state of their fridges and whether they would pick up dropped food and eat it off the floor (spoiler alert—yes, in their own homes).

Key Highlights in This Episode:

• Not Liking Music Isn’t a Sin: Musical Anhedonia is a neurological condition—not just Lucy being weird. It means a person's dopamine receptors are not wired up to their music audio circuits.
• To Swear or Not to Swear: Lucy also claims that swearing, which she enjoys, has a useful biological function, as tested in an experiment by @Stephen Fry. You can check the experiment here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4d.... She is always surprised when people apologise for swearing in front of her and feels she is somehow not presenting her true self.
• Introvert/Extrovert: Lisette also feels misjudged at times when others see her as highly social and extrovert, but actually, she has a strong need to spend considerable amounts of time on her own and likes the term 'integration' for what introverts...

In this episode of The Year of Being 70 Ep 11 - Looking back to turning 40: Life Changes, Growth & New Beginnings, childhood friends Lucy and Lisette reflect on the significant changes they both experienced when they turned 40, sharing their journeys from a transformative and liberating time in their lives.

Lucy opens up about the tumultuous period when her first marriage ended and the start of a new chapter with her second husband. She describes how her 40s marked the beginning of a fresh start, both personally and professionally, as she transitioned into a career as a work-life balance consultant. Lisette shares her own experiences of embracing a childfree life and focusing on business and personal growth in her 40s. She also shares how she met her partner, Jos, who shared her decision not to have children.

Both friends discuss the societal stigma and expectations surrounding the age of 40 and how, instead of feeling like the start of "middle age," they both found their 40s to be a time of empowerment and transformation. They offer valuable insights into how life in middle age can be far from the negative narrative that is often portrayed.

Key Highlights in This Episode:

Stepping into Middle Age?

Turning 40 is often associated with leaving "youth" behind and entering "middle age," but for Lucy, it represented a completely new beginning. She started a new relationship, made plans for a new family, and shifted into a career as a work-life balance consultant. Lisette saw turning 40 as the moment she could finally embrace her decision to remain childfree, having passed the age where it was a possibility. Her partner Jos shared the same values, and together they embraced this life choice. Despite entering this phase of life, neither Lucy nor Lisette felt as though they were stepping into "middle age"; instead, they felt they were entering a new, exciting chapter.

Changing Careers

Lisette made a major career shift at 40, selling her company and moving away from the corporate world to explore more environmental and spiritual movements. During this transition, she connected with new groups of people, discovering the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland and participating in the life-changing Transformation Game. On the other hand, Lucy began working in the emerging field of work-life balance, running flexible working trials for businesses such as Microsoft, Virgin, government departments, and small businesses. She helped organisations adopt flexible working practices that improved employee satisfaction and work-life balance.

What’s in a Name?

Lucy and Lisette also discuss the role their names play in their new relationships. Lucy was surprised to learn that Lisette and her partner Jos had actually married, but Lisette had never changed her name. Lucy shares her own experience of changing her name after her first marriage, yet continuing to use her maiden name professionally for over 20 years. After her second marriage, she took her husband's name, McCarraher, to signify a fresh start and perhaps even a new identity. Lucy now has a unique name that sets her apart, as there is no other "Lucy McCarraher" that she knows of.

Conclusions: Turning 40 and Beyond

Lisette and Lucy concluded that both turning 40 and turning 70 are often seen as moments when people enter a new, "older" phase of life. However, their experiences show that turning 40 is not a time for slowing down or settling into the status quo. Instead, both women embraced their 40s as a time of development, new relationships, career changes, and personal growth. They encourage listeners to view middle age not as an end, but as a new, exciting chapter filled with endless possibilities.

Why You Should Listen:

This episode is a must-listen for anyone about to turn 40, currently in their 40s, or navigating any phase of life where personal growth and transformation are key. Lucy and Lisette’s candid...