I SHAKE MY HEAD - podcast cover

I SHAKE MY HEAD

Lisa Gibson & Samantha Sperlingwww.ishakemyheadpod.com
Get ready to laugh out loud with I Shake My Head, the weekly podcast where best friends Lisa Gibson and Samantha Sperling—partners in crime for over 20 years—take on life with zero filter. From midlife curveballs and Gen X throwbacks to hot takes on pop culture and the everyday nonsense most people keep to themselves, nothing is off-limits. Lisa and Sam turn real-life frustrations, random tangents, and “wait…what were we talking about?” moments into comedy gold. With sharp wit, unfiltered honesty, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting, these two aren’t here to solve problems—they’re here to talk about them… loudly, passionately, and often without Googling first. Whether they’re ranting, reminiscing, or completely going off the rails, their friendship is the heart of the show—and the reason you’ll feel like you’re right there in the conversation. Tune in to I Shake My Head for laugh-out-loud, no-holds-barred chats that prove midlife isn’t a crisis—it’s just more material.
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Episodes

Weather Obsessed: The New Midlife Personality

Have you developed a whole second midlife personality dedicated to weather commentary? Are you morphing into your 80-year-old dad, texting weather warnings nobody asked for? Will three different weather apps give you the answer you want, or can your sore hip predict storms better than radar? Is "Jessica" the new "Karen," and will pitiful "Peter" ever escape the ridicule? Are AI chatbots your therapist, assistant, and best friend, or just one more way to get questionable affirmations? Will pancak...

May 22, 20261 hr 14 min

Bruschetta, Boxed Wine And Stupid Mistakes

Have you ever realized an urgent bruschetta craving could qualify as a full-blown crisis? Is “bruschetta on the brain” a real condition—and should snack fixations come with emotional support? Do you judge wine drinkers by the glass, the bottle, or the pure chaos of box wine? (Especially the kind that tastes like a “UTI urine sample.”) Have you ever lost your keys, overpaid your credit card three times, then found comfort in a dusty Werther’s from the bottom of your desk basket? Are fruit cup sea...

May 15, 20261 hr 11 min

White Panties, Dolly Parton & Patio Season

Why do panties come in packages with one rogue white pair? Is it the ultimate confidence test or just a disaster waiting for a splash of coffee, a loose laugh, or a bad period day? Is Dolly Parton allowed to age, or do we all need her to outlive us? Does a patio "reward" still count if you come home dirtier than when you left? Do you puzzle over why cupcakes are forbidden breakfast when muffins are celebrated? Are grocery prices so high you’re now contemplating selling your poop for extra cash? ...

May 08, 20261 hr 8 min

Appetizer Angst, Hormones and Adult Lunches

What even is an “adult lunch”? Is a frozen meal equal to a sandwich and do chips count as a side or the whole plan? Would you be annoyed if your doctor refused to test your hormones because you’re “not there yet”? Why do women still have to fight so hard to be heard even by other women? And appetizers…why is ordering them always this stressful? Is it too much to expect better-than-average, or are we doomed to appetizer angst forever? Meanwhile, Lisa and Sam go head-to-head over their out-of-cont...

May 01, 20261 hr 12 min

Pale Ankles & Salty Snacks: A Canadian Survival Guide

Is spring really a season, or just a mindset? Is it finally time to liberate your ankles from winter boots even if there’s 20 centimeters of snow on the way? Could baring your blindingly white limbs in April count as an act of optimism or just stubbornness? Are salty snacks like Hawkins Cheezies a Prairie rite of passage or just a regret-filled crunch? Do you believe anyone actually likes hickory sticks, or are we all just haunted by salty snack trauma? Is it mansplaining, sheplaining, or just a...

Apr 24, 20261 hr 11 min

500 Episodes of Judgement, Sass & Laughter

What makes a friendship last 500 episodes, twisted honesty or relentless mockery? Will Lisa and Sam ever agree on anything and are they just saying what everyone else is thinking (but not brave enough to admit)? Will arguing about the pronunciation of "chipotle" or "tankini" ever resolve, or is that just another chapter in the saga of Lisa vs Samantha? Are you more of a pop culture fanatic like Sam, or just weirdly obsessed with God’s D-list like Lisa? Is having fake food allergies grounds for p...

Apr 17, 20261 hr 37 min

Lazy Shoes, Cheap Bananas & Ridiculous Menus

Are bananas suspiciously immune to inflation, or just nature’s favorite budget-friendly fruit? Is it time to launch a banana conspiracy theory, or should we just be grateful for a cheap snack? Should you embrace the family pack of bananas, or break them up and risk bad banana karma? Are you ready to slip into your shoes hands-free, or will you tip over like Humpty Dumpty trying out those Skechers step-ins? What exactly is Quirkle and will it end friendships faster than a heated game of Skip-Bo? ...

Apr 10, 202649 min

Saucy Mayhem, Chip Clips & Unhinged Opinions

Are you feeling lost in the barbecue sauce aisle? Has “Bold and Bossy” got you questioning your entire sauce identity? Is choosing a new condiment supposed to feel this stressful? Should you just settle for the tried and true or risk it with new and improved? Why are there so many types of mustards, milks, and relishes do we need this many choices? Are chip clips a sign of defeat because real heroes finish the whole bag, right? Is buying homemade chicken noodle soup from Facebook Marketplace a c...

Apr 03, 20261 hr 18 min

Broken Boots, Hillbilly Jeans & Spa Day Squabbles

Have you ever panic-bought boots that now collect stylish office dust, while your favorite pair splits in half but still gets you through the day? Do your socks seem to change your mood, depending on whether they’re warm or damp? Do you dream of quitting winter boots mid-blizzard, only to recall the haunting shame of white ankles from spring's past? Lisa is threatening to manufacture another pair of hillbilly jeans, is that the wisest of choice? Can anyone imagine Lisa going for a spa day? She t...

Mar 27, 20261 hr 16 min

Kegels, Food Fails & Gen X Memories

Is the sound of melting snow outside your office the Pavlovian bathroom trigger you never saw coming? Have you ever found yourself contemplating whether Kegels are a bladder workout, a ticket to youthful glory, or is the secret to conquering midlife just to “Kegel it away”. Is Firehouse Subs worth all the hype, or is Samantha still stuck on its sweet bread? Have you ever bought no-name fruit cups only to regret your thrifty choices like Lisa? Are school zones and speed limits a baffling concept ...

Mar 20, 20261 hr 12 min

Fruit Cups, Bowling Shoe Nightmares & The Bro Code

Are you obsessed with fruit cups… or is it just the syrupy sugar you’re really after? Does your inner 9-year-old still sneak sugar whenever possible? And honestly, should fruit cups come in adult-sized portions, or are they forever stuck in the kids’ lunchbox lane? Do you side-eye bowling shoes, haunted by the ghosts of foot fungus past… or do you bring your own like a professional bowler? Is the bro code really stronger than the sisterhood, or are women just better at calling each other out? Ar...

Mar 13, 20261 hr 7 min

Slippery Stories, Boybands and Midlife Mayhem

Can you spot a professional "ice walker" in the parking lot simply by the fear in their shuffle? Have you ever narrated your own step-by-step parking lot journey only to realize you’ve become the star of your own nature documentary? What’s the boy band that had you crying at concerts—NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, or are you sticking with New Kids on the Block? Are we all just midlife women secretly regressing to preteen status because we skipped the baby phase? Is late-night water drinking causing you...

Mar 06, 20261 hr 4 min

Coffee Pot Panties, Grapefruit Regrets & Saggy Boobs

Would you wash your underwear in a hotel coffee maker…or is that travel hack where you even draw the line? Why does buying one grapefruit suddenly make Lisa believe she’s entering her “grapefruit girl era” — only to discover it tastes like citrus betrayal? And who keeps spreading the myth that there’s a bra so comfortable you’ll “forget you’re wearing it”? (We have questions. Strong ones.) Also up for debate: Are Mother Nature and God in a group chat coordinating snowstorms? Who is brushing thei...

Feb 27, 20261 hr 9 min

Savvy Observations: From Camel Toes to Mediocre Men

Is camel toe back…or are pants just fighting women now? Why are mediocre men walking around with the confidence of a Marvel superhero? Frozen canned juice disappearing like it’s not a full on Canadian childhood emergency? Also, why does skin require a maintenance schedule, a budget, and emotional resilience? This week Lisa and Sam tackle: • The unflattering photo conspiracy (IT’S THE ANGLES!) • Bathroom procrastination, why do we wait like it’s a competitive sport? • 80s nostalgia that now quali...

Feb 20, 20261 hr 16 min

Angel Wings: Take 'Em and Shove 'Em

Lisa has declined angel wings in the afterlife, citing fashion concerns. Samantha believes this may impact her final destination. If you’ve ever: • Judged someone silently in a public bathroom • Treated true crime like a life skills course • Considered compression stockings a personal attack • Or described a sandwich as “fake teeth friendly” You are our people. This week on I Shake My Head, two midlife women overanalyze everything, heaven, hygiene, aging, and Google search results, so you don’t ...

Feb 13, 20261 hr 21 min

Fashion Flops, Shankle Season and Misguided Compliments

Are you mystified by the cult of the shankle those brave ankles emerging prematurely at the first hint of spring? Can midlife women find a place to shop when everything is cropped and caters to the under-25 crowd? Is plaid ever a good look, or do you feel like an accidental lumberjack in the changing room? Is “you’re aging well” ever actually a compliment, or is the audacity too much to bear? Is your snack routine leading you to crunchy disappointment? Lisa dives into her love-hate relationship ...

Feb 06, 202658 min

Bras, Pleated Pants And The Audacity Of It All

Is your bra secretly plotting the course of your entire day, transforming from trusted friend to rib-crushing adversary before lunch? When exactly did weekend comfort boil down to finding the least mean-spirited bra in the drawer? Could men survive the daily struggle of strapping into something supportive and tight for 12 hours? Why do front pleats, bell bottoms, and neon keep coming, and is Samantha right to warn Lisa against making a pleated pants comeback? Sam is calling out the audacity of m...

Jan 30, 20261 hr 2 min

Questionable Hygiene, Steak Regrets and Midlife Rants

Do you question society’s hygiene habits? Is midlife really just about hating change, or is it about finding perfection in the same old experiences? Could your steak disappointment actually be a sign of maturity? Are you baffled by new bathroom behaviors—why are there four girls in one stall, and is it drugs or treats? Can you really trust squirrels, and have you ever refused to lend out a single one of your 500 cookbooks? Do you obsessively check the weather app like Lisa, or have you reached t...

Jan 23, 20261 hr 6 min

Midlife Madness: Fake Teeth, French Onion Soup & Impatience

Is impatience really just a desire for efficiency, or is Lisa in denial about her lack of patience? Do you get annoyed by slow elevators, drive-throughs that don't zigzag fast enough, or people who don't reply right away? Is it really being a “Karen” to want your new teeth just right, or is Lisa getting kicked out of the denturist's office for demanding perfection? Can refusing to appreciate French onion soup really divide friendships? Are book people annoyingly braggy about their TBR piles? Is ...

Jan 16, 20261 hr 9 min

Manageable Meat, MTV Memories And Midlife Exhaustion

Is there really such a thing as "manageable meat," or is Lisa's quest for the perfect bacon just another midlife crusade? Do you find yourself lost between crispy and softly cooked bacon and wish there was a word for the glorious middle ground? Are you mourning the era when MTV closed out with “Video Killed the Radio Star,” while Gen Xers everywhere lament the days of surprise playlists and recorded VHS tapes? Are you tired of January stretching on for what feels like 100 days, and do you also n...

Jan 09, 20261 hr 7 min

Organized Chaos, Psychic Nonsense & Sugar Problems

Could baskets be the magic cure for chaos, or are they just Lisa’s latest “organized pile” in disguise? Is buying bins truly the first step, or only wishful thinking before delegating the heavy lifting to an imaginary sidekick? Who really believes an email from a psychic who knows your exact birth date but still needs you to “click pay now” to unlock your destiny and why is Lisa so convinced her fate is 400 years in the making? Can a New Year’s no sugar resolution survive if every single sweet d...

Jan 02, 20261 hr 13 min

Public Scratching, Weather Woes and Heated Debates

Should you scratch an itch in public, or are you with Lisa and Samantha in championing the “cross your legs and pray” maneuver? Are warning colors like Code Yellow and Code Orange making winter more dramatic than necessary, or would you rather just call it “cold” and move on? There are several heated discussions around breakfast stipulations, pizza toppings and the kiss cam fiasco. How does one survive the emotional minefield of appliance gifts, and can a birdhouse ever say “I love you”? Is Hick...

Dec 26, 20251 hr 3 min

Texting Trauma, Resolutions and Taylor Swift

Is your texting thumb your own personal MVP and have you ever experienced the catastrophic downfall that comes with a microscopic sliver? Could it bench your whole hand for a day, forcing you to re-examine your double-thumb texting identity? Does Lisa have what it takes to follow through with new resolutions like giving up “unnecessary sugar,” judging coworkers’ lunches and being an “accidental jerk”? Have you ever wondered if Taylor Swift’s tour docu-series could actually boost your moral fiber...

Dec 19, 20251 hr 19 min

Oatmeal Joy, Baggy Jean Drama & Charcuterie Chaos

Is instant oatmeal Lisa's life-changing discovery or just her new excuse to eat more sugar before bed? Will Lisa’s newfound snack make it a whole ten days before she's onto the next food fad? Have you ever been called out for your controversial fashion choices, like DIY jeans or baggy pants that maybe shouldn’t leave the house? Should we build salami and cheese into gingerbread houses, or has charcuterie crafting officially crossed into germ-fest territory? Should we ban snowball fights to prote...

Dec 12, 20251 hr 16 min

Fruitcake: The Holiday Brick We Can't Seem To Kill

Is fruitcake the culinary equivalent of emotional baggage heavier than your regrets and as dense as a gluten-free cake gone wrong? Did your boomer relatives force-feed you candied fake fruit squares and call it “Christmas joy”. Is it time to let Christmas cakes retire for good? Are you feeling the tipping fatigue when restaurant receipts now suggest 22% as the minimum? Did you spend your childhood loving the 80s salad bar, complete with baby corn, jello cubes, and all-you-can-eat beets, or does ...

Dec 05, 20251 hr 22 min

Inspirational Panties, DIY Denim Disasters and Squirting Sausages

Ever wished your underwear could tell you what day it is? Lisa wants to bring back the days-of-the-week panties but for adults! Would inspirational messages on your undies help you through a blurry week, Have you mourned the fate of a homemade jean gone rogue, revealing two inches of blinding Canadian calf above your boot? Do you also panic when breakfast sausages squirt unexpectedly, questioning whether you truly need that kind of morning surprise? Is parasocial your new identity because the di...

Nov 28, 20251 hr 6 min

Comfy Pants, Sloppy Crocs and Couch Naps

Is the true holy grail of after-work life comfy pants and no bra? Do you secretly judge folks who rock their “home” look in public, or are you one of the bold ones? Have you ever tried tracking down someone with a single sloppy Croc, risking a blurry hallway snap for the sake of podcast proof? Is couch napping the sweetest slumber you’ll ever find, or does it only lead to trouble and secret pillow betrayals? Is getting up in the middle of the night a rite of passage, or is it just a curse one fr...

Nov 21, 20251 hr 14 min

Santa's Lap, Grilled Cheese Heaven and Boob Relocation

Is sitting on Santa’s lap a charming tradition or a dated, uncomfortable ritual in need of a Mrs. Claus chaperone? Are grilled cheese sandwiches truly capable of healing emotional wounds you never knew you had? Do you think heaven is serving up grilled cheese perfection? Did you also discover that bras can apparently relocate your “girls” to a whole new postal code and should Wonderbra be sponsoring this level of excitement? Is driving in the first snowfall a Saskatchewan rite of passage or a ha...

Nov 14, 20251 hr 10 min

Advent Angst, Retail Rants and Mediocre Meals

Are Advent calendars actually a gateway to disappointment, or are they a legitimate excuse to eat twenty-four chocolates in one go and call it "practice"? Do you shop at messy stores and secretly judge everyone’s plaid pajama bottoms and slippers out in public? Is mediocre restaurant food ruining your World Series viewing parties, and should coffee ever cost more than a pancake? Has your life ever been ruined by a slippy black sock before 8am? Do you have an anti-bucket list like Lisa where you ...

Nov 07, 20251 hr 1 min

Washroom Woes, GenX Snacks and Signs From Above

Did you ever buy a childhood snack like Wagon Wheels only to discover they’ve shrunken and taste like waxy disappointment? Can you ever trust a bathroom shared with strangers after spotting mystery wipes and questionable hygiene practices? Is there a universal bathroom etiquette code, or are women secretly the worst offenders? Are you skeptical about messages from God and wondering if the universe has better things to say? Lisa gets direct email advice from the divine (and is clearly stuck on th...

Oct 31, 20251 hr 12 min
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