There’s a Big Problem With 65% of Tinder Users & Should We Be Celebrating Postpartum Careers? 

Hey Lifers!

Look, apologies, the start of this ep is chaotic. We’re talking boob pains, nipple play (or no play) and then we get into the really entertaining headlines that have been written about the team. It’s a tangent that just gets funnier and funnier, b efore we find our way back on track.

Britt has gone deep into US Dancing With The Stars after Julia Stiles recreated her iconic Save The Last Dance routine 25 years later. Sophie also has a very important unsubscribe: Coke Zero now looks exactly like regular Coke, and it’s just ludicrous.

Then into the big stuff. A new study surveyed nearly 1,400 Tinder users and claims 65% were married or in a relationship at some point while using the app. Tinder has pushed back on the findings, but we unpack why so many people use dating apps for validation, Laura’s ex who reactivated his Tinder while she was travelling, and the friend whose partner was caught on the app “just trying to make friends.” 

Then it’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show time. Barbara Palvin walked six weeks after giving birth, and Elsa Hosk walked at 12 weeks. Is casting someone six weeks postpartum empowering, or is it capitalising on bounce back culture? We compare it to Ballerina Farm competing in a pageant 12 days postpartum and Jacinda Ardern returning to work after six weeks, and ask why we celebrate postpartum career milestones but feel so uncomfortable when the milestone is a body.

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 — Britt’s pregnancy symptoms & the massage table injustice
• 4:37 — Our most unhinged Daily Mail headlines
• 11:46 — Julia Stiles recreates Save The Last Dance on Dancing With The Stars
• 18:29 — Are 65% of Tinder users secretly in a relationship?
• 29:00 — Victoria’s Secret, six weeks postpartum & bounce back culture
• 48:22 — Sucks & Sweets!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions!

School holidays are officially over (parents, we made it), but Laura’s trip home from the coast did not go to plan. An hour and a half into the drive, ten minutes out of Wollongong, Matt calls and asks her to pull over and check for something…. Cue a full U-turn, a seven-hour version of a three-hour drive, and a five-year-old who handles it with more grace than any of us would.

Vibes of the week:

Laura – Worst Roommate Ever, Season 2, Episode 1: My BFF Tried to Kill Me on Netflix. 

Britt – The Celebrity Traitors UK. We’re four episodes in and Joanne McNally is as funny as ever. 

Then it’s into your questions!

Q1: MY HUSBAND IS THROWING ME A SURPRISE PARTY AND I DON’T WANT IT

I’ve just had a baby, and a few weeks ago I told my husband that my 40th is coming up and I really don’t feel like a big party. I specifically said, “Do not throw me a surprise party,” and gave him multiple reasons why. I’d much prefer to go away with just our family. He’s ignored me, and I’m 99% sure he’s planning one anyway. He planned a surprise birthday for me once before with my family and friends, which turned into him proposing. I’d clued into that one too, so I knew it was coming, and I hated the pressure of it all being about me. I’ve had to pretend all these years that I didn’t know. Am I being a bitch and ungrateful? Do I have to just relax and enjoy the party I specifically said I didn’t want, or do I bring it up again?

Q2: CAN I ASK FOR MONEY INSTEAD OF PRESENTS AT MY TODDLER’S BIRTHDAY?

I just listened to the episode on the wedding gift registry and wanted your thoughts. My daughter turns two soon, and we struggle with presents because she already has so many toys. For her first birthday party, we respectfully asked for no gifts, and if people wanted to give something, they could contribute to her bank account, so one day she can afford a car or a house (because the economy is fucked). We got some mixed opinions. For her second birthday, do we say nothing at all, or do we request the same thing as last year?

Q3: MY BOYFRIEND WEARS THE SAME TRACKIES TO THE GYM AND TO BED

My boyfriend goes to the gym in tracksuit pants. He’ll then have a shower, but put the same pants back on, and then get into bed, under the covers, and fully go to sleep in them. I keep telling him this is gross because gyms are very unhygienic, but he thinks I’m overreacting. I’d love for you to weigh in!

Q4: I’VE HAD FEELINGS FOR MY FRIEND FOR TEN YEARS. DO I SHOOT MY SHOT?

Please help talk some sense into me. I’ve had feelings for a male friend on and off for over ten years. We met at uni, and over the years he’s had a long-term girlfriend and we’ve lived in different cities. Since moving back, we’ve reconnected and caught up occasionally, including a recent five-hour evening having dinner and hanging out at his place. We have a lot in common and get along really well, but nothing romantic has ever happened. He’s quite reserved and I genuinely can’t tell if he’s interested. Lately my feelings have become almost obsessive. I’m extremely sensitive to rejection, I overanalyse every interaction, and I feel physically sick at the thought of him dating someone else. I’m terrified that confessing will ruin our friendship. Meanwhile I’ve been dating other men, including someone who is flying interstate to see me, but I worry I’m using dating as a distraction. Have I romanticised the idea of us after all these years? Should I finally tell him and risk rejection, or just try to move on? Or is there a less risky way to float the idea?

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro: Laura’s seven-hour car key disaster
7:03 — Vibes of the week: Worst Roommate Ever & The Celebrity Traitors UK
11:58 — Q1: My husband is throwing me a surprise party I don’t want
18:41 — Q2: Can I ask for money instead of presents at my toddler’s birthday?
25:48 — Q3: My boyfriend wears his gym trackies to bed
32:37 — Q4: I’ve had feelings for my friend for ten years. Do I shoot my shot?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend snack! 

Brittany is off doing other work this week, so Producer Soph has been called up from the producers’ chair to co host with Laura. Soph also has a very important question: is it weird to go to a dog park when you don’t have a dog?

Then Laura has a big update of her own: Poppy has taken her first steps (and Matt’s reaction was far too calm for Laura’s liking). Plus, a question that has divided the studio: which part of your foot do you use on the accelerator and the brake? Spoiler: one of us uses only her big toe.

Next, the story that Laura vetoed and everyone else overruled. Kelly Clarkson walked into a small Brooklyn shop, wanted a $15,000 wooden bird, and says she was treated like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. 

Then Transport for NSW has officially confirmed that you cannot reserve a car park by standing in it, and it comes with a $94 fine. Laura shares her unhinged Bondi Junction car park story from when she was eight months pregnant, and Soph reveals the most powerful day bed move she has ever witnessed on a cruise ship.

We close out with the Tinder Swindler, Simon Leviev, who is reportedly launching his own dating app called Safe Love. We unpack why this is horrifying, and look at the Singapore government’s AI matchmaking app. Would you let a panel of experts pick your partner? 

Soph and Lachy also have their very first episode of Producers Cut on Patreon this Thursday, so go and subscribe if you haven’t already!

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Welcome Producer Soph!
• 2:03 Is it weird to go to a dog park without a dog?
• 5:03 Poppy’s first steps
• 7:54 Which part of your foot do you drive with?
• 10:31 Kelly Clarkson vs the $15,000 wooden bird
• 20:18 Can you reserve a car park by standing in it?
• 23:59 Laura’s Bondi Junction car park rage story
• 30:15 The Tinder Swindler’s new dating app

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us on Youtube

Join us on tiktok

Or join the Facebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Fill in Host  Sophie Nathan

Produced by Lachy Pugsley

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford & Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!
Did you know the average person is on track to spend 18 years of their life scrolling? Or that using AI to make a decision can cause a 64% drop in activity in your prefrontal cortex; the part of your brain responsible for thinking? Today we want to talk about how to not lose our minds as AI use increases. Joining us again is neuroscientist, international speaker and author of The Dose Effect, TJ Power.

Last time TJ joined us we talked about micro-habits and the small daily things quietly wrecking our dopamine. This time, we're going somewhere a little different: building a successful brain in the age of AI.

TJ breaks down exactly what AI is doing to our thinking, our creativity and our feelings, why the average person is on track to scroll for 18 years of their life, and the lesser known brain chemical, glutamate, that's quietly driving all of our decision fatigue. We also get into what this means for our kids and screens in schools, why TJ has banned AI from parts of his own life completely, and the very simple (and very effective) "safety check" habit rewiring your anxiety every time you pick up your phone.

Oh, and if you take one thing from this episode, put your phones in another room tonight and watch Good Will Hunting with your partner. TJ's orders.

Timestamps

• 00:00 — Welcome back TJ Power, and why AI is the new frontier for the brain
• 02:07 — What AI is actually doing to our brains: thinking, creating & feeling
• 12:58 — Glutamate: the "decision fatigue" chemical nobody's talking about
• 19:21 — Doomscrolling for 18 years of your life and what a "successful brain" really looks like
• 32:09 — Kids, iPads and schools in the age of AI
• 39:15 — TJ's actionable rules for using AI without losing your edge
• 49:04 — The phone-free rule saving their relationships (meals, bedroom, bathroom)
• 59:18 — TJ's OCD story and how to beat the phone "safety check" habit

You can watch our previous episodes with TJ here:
New Year, New You? The Micro Changes We Can Make To Have A Much Happier Life w/ TJ Power

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fx-uNOefOA

Dopamine and the ADHD Brain. CLOUD With Neuroscientist TJ Power!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJAgXI39gQQ

You can follow TJ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tjpower/?hl=en

See him Live in Sydney

The DOSE Experience Tickets:

https://events.humanitix.com/the-dose-experience-tj-power-live

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

You can watch us on Youtube

Join us on tiktok

Or join the Facebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Produced by Keeshia Pettit Soph Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford & Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Britt & Ben’s Baby Bonanza is finally here!!! After last week’s announcement, Britt is answering every question we’ve been banned from asking. First, we clear up the Facebook group theory that the announcement was staged. Spoiler: Laura’s face says it all.

Britt takes us back through almost four years of trying. She was banking on falling pregnant naturally until a new fertility doctor delivered some blunt news about Ben’s results, and it changed everything. Britt walks us through what IVF transfer is actually like: the frozen embryo that gets “half defrosted”, the very long needle, the two-week wait, and the cheeky at-home test she wasn’t supposed to take. The big reveal to Ben…

We also get into the harder stuff. Britt talks about her birth plan, being on the cusp of high-risk, and the January transfer window that could mean Ben is overseas for the birth. She responds to the comments questioning how someone with fertility struggles can now be pregnant. Then we have an honest chat about never feeling the maternal pull, the “regret having kids” content that keeps finding us, and what being a “good mum” really means.

Plus: the progesterone boobs that gave it all away, Britt’s potato gem diet, and why she and Ben can’t agree on a single name.

To anyone going through infertility or IVF right now, we’re thinking of you.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Britt’s up the duff and the “fake announcement” theories
06:28 - The fertility journey so far
15:06 - What actually happens with IVF 
22:06 - To find out or not? The sealed gender envelope
29:57 - The possibility of giving birth alone 
39:15 - Never feeling maternal and the fear of being a “bad mum” 

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us on Youtube

Join us on tiktok

Or join the Facebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford & Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions!

Laura reveals something she’s been noticing lately (and no it’s not Britt’s baby boobs) and we want to know if anyone else has heard it…

Vibes of the week:

Britt – Believe Me, the four-part British true crime drama about London’s black cab driver case and the women who weren’t believed. It’s free on ABC iview. (Heads up: it deals with sexual assault, so please skip it if that’s not something you’re in the space for.)

Laura – Stone Bridge Frames, the walnut photo booth strip frames that have finally rescued the family photo strips from the fridge.

Then it’s into your questions!

Q1: CAN I STAY FRIENDS WITH MY EX’S FAMILY?

My ex-fiancé and I were together from when I was 16 until 29. It was a long and very messy breakup. Years later I found my penguin. We’re engaged and have two beautiful children. My ex’s sister and sister-in-law have stayed in my life and they are genuinely my friends. We see each other regularly and our kids have playdates. I’m completely over my ex, and my fiancé has no issue with these friendships. But I’ve always drawn the line at birthday parties or events where my ex and his parents will be, out of respect for him and his new girlfriend. It’s now been more than seven years and I wonder if I’m unnecessarily removing myself from events I’d really like to attend. We’ve just been invited to a big birthday party and I genuinely want to go. Is that crossing a line? 

Q2: SHE’S NOT AS ATTRACTIVE AS I’D LIKE. DO I TELL HER?

I’ve been seeing this girl as a friends with benefits for about six months, but it’s getting more serious. We spend whole weeks together and we’re about to meet each other’s families. She’s a great chick, we’re extremely compatible in bed, she gives me very little drama and we click. The issue is she’s not as attractive as I like, and I’m a little embarrassed by it. I can’t see myself giving her the relationship she wants because I’m just not attracted to her the way she is to me. Do I tell her this and break her heart? Do I make up another reason to break up with her? Do I keep her discreet forever? Or do I keep this one running in the background while I “try others out”?

(This one came into the Facebook group. We didn’t publish it, he’s no longer a member, and we have THOUGHTS.)

Q3: MY BOYFRIEND STILL SLEEPS WITH HIS BLANKIE

I’ve been with my boyfriend for four years. About three months in, he revealed a blankie he keeps in his bed, that his mum gave him when he was a baby. At first I didn’t care that much, but four years on I wonder at what age he decides he doesn’t need it anymore. He says it calms him down and he looks for it every night. For extra context: he only washes it every few months, and he has a smaller version that he once gave to me when I was having a bad night. I have not touched it since, lol. When will the time be up?

Q4: MY FRIEND MARRIED HER FIRST BOYFRIEND AND NOW SHE’S WONDERING “WHAT IF?”

My friend has been with her now-husband since she was 18. He was her first serious relationship, her first sexual partner, and her first and only boyfriend. They’ve been married almost four years and she loves him dearly. Recently, out of the blue, a guy she flirted with when she was 18 messaged her. Nothing ever happened between them, but his messages have become increasingly flirty and he’s said things like “I miss you so much”. It’s really gotten into her head. What if she’d explored more before settling down? What has she missed by only ever being with one person? She hasn’t cheated and doesn’t want to throw away her marriage over a fantasy, but she knows continuing these conversations could cross a line, and that scares her. What should she do?

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro: Britt’s half up half down era (and why she says “becwase”)
4:11 — Vibes of the week: Believe Me & photo booth frames
9:19 — Q1: Can I stay friends with my ex’s family?
15:47 — Q2: She’s not as attractive as I’d like. Do I tell her?
22:07 — Q3: My boyfriend still sleeps with his blankie
32:25 — Q4: My friend married her first boyfriend and now she’s wondering “what if?”

Want more? There’s a bonus ep waiting for you over on [Patreon / Life Unlocked], recorded moments after Britt shared her big news with Laura.

If we answered your question, we want the aftermath! Let us know what happens.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers! Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend schneck! 

First up, we go behind the scenes of last week's pregnancy announcement, including how it actually went down on camera, who was in on the secret ahead of time, and why Laura completely zoned out and missed the whole thing live (we promise it's funnier than it sounds).

Then, a viral video from Bundaberg, Queensland has taken over the internet: a giant inflatable nutcracker Christmas decoration malfunctioned in the most unfortunate way possible, the council issued an actual apology, and we debate whether it's too early for Christmas decorations full stop.

We also get into a new study claiming 80% of people lie at least once every ten minutes, and unpack the difference between harmless white lies, embellishment, and full blown dishonesty.

Then, two new relationship theories we can't stop thinking about: the Meet Them Twice Theory (if someone's truly meant for you, the universe will bring them back) and the Rockstar Theory (every relationship needs one rock and one star to thrive). We share our own stories, including Laura's very real "meet them twice" moment with Matt, and debate whether these theories actually hold up.

Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

You can watch us on Youtube

Join us on tiktok

Or join the Facebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Produced by Lachy Pugsley

Video Produced by Lachy Pugsley & Vanessa Beckford

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content warning: This episode discusses postpartum psychosis, suicide and the death of children. If that's not something you're in the space to hear right now, please skip this one and look after yourself. Support services are listed at the bottom of these notes.

Hey Lifers. Today's episode is a heavier one, and it's a little different to our usual Friday chats.

So many of you have been following the Lindsay Clancy case, and it's come up again and again in the discussion group. Lindsay is the Massachusetts mum charged with the murder of her three young children in January 2023. Her trial ended in a mistrial in September after the jury couldn't reach a unanimous verdict, and it's left a lot of us with more questions than answers.

This episode is not about the outcome of the Lindsay Clancy case. We're not here to debate the verdict, weigh up the evidence or decide whether anyone is guilty. What we want to do is understand the bigger picture: what postpartum psychosis is, how mental illness is assessed in the justice system, and how to recognise the warning signs in ourselves and the people we love.

We're not experts, and we didn't want to add to the noise. So we found someone who is. Dr Jackie Rakov is a Melbourne-based clinical and forensic psychiatrist. She assesses people facing very serious charges, writes reports for the courts and is cross-examined as an expert witness. Jackie has no involvement in the Clancy case and isn't here to diagnose anyone from afar. She's here to help us understand how this actually works.

We also get into what happens when most of us are getting our information from a three-minute TikTok, and what someone who does this work for a living wishes the internet understood about cases like this one.

Then we head into the courtroom. How is mental illness assessed and proven in a criminal case, and how much room is there for error? What does "not guilty by reason of insanity" really mean for what happens to a person afterwards? Can someone seem completely fine in the hours before a tragedy? And how much rests on the twelve people who end up on a jury?

Most importantly, we cover the warning signs to look for in yourself, your partner or someone you love.

Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency. If you're worried about yourself or a new parent in your life, please don't wait.

If this episode has raised anything for you:

• Emergency: call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department
• PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia): 1300 726 306, panda.org.au
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7), lifeline.org.au
• ForWhen (perinatal mental health support line): 1300 24 23 22, forwhenhelpline.org.au
• 13YARN (crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people): 13 92 76 (24/7)
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636, beyondblue.org.au
• Gidget Foundation Australia: gidgetfoundation.org.au

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Why we're talking about the Lindsay Clancy case
4:18 Postpartum depression vs postpartum psychosis, and what causes it
8:26 What the internet gets wrong about cases like this
12:45 How mental illness is proven in court, and what the verdict really means
17:47 How a forensic psychiatric assessment works
33:43 The gaps in perinatal mental health care
37:07 Warning signs for new parents and their families
42:12 Where to find support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to your Wednesday episode! We did try to start this one eight minutes earlier, but we accidentally talked about New Zealand for the fourth week in a row, (so this is take two.)

Laura's just back from five days on Magnetic Island visiting her dad, and she paints the full picture: koalas in the trees, rock wallabies, a thousand locals, and a self-described "island of misfits" that turns out to be absolutely full of Lifers. Speaking of which, Life Unlocked has ticked over 1,000 subscribers! We still don't know what to call you, so jump into the Patreon and vote.

Then it's a holiday horror story. Lola's favourite ring takes a dive into a very occupied toilet, Matt declares it gone forever, and Laura goes in armed with a single chopstick. Naturally that opens the floodgates on everything we've ever fished out of a toilet, including a phone, a signet ring that took the long way round, and a pile of hand warmers on the coldest night NSW had seen in 20 years.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, including reference to strangulation. If this is triggering for you, please skip from 14:30 to 24:24, or take care while listening. Support resources are listed below.

Over the weekend, former Bachelor Sam Wood was arrested and charged with domestic violence offences. We also talk about a video that has been circulating online, and ask why casually violent language so often goes unquestioned. This matter is before the courts. The charges are allegations only, nothing has been proven, and this conversation reflects what had been publicly reported at the time of recording.

A few weeks ago Laura shared that with Poppy turning one, and knowing she's her last baby, she's been grieving this stage while she's still in it. It turns out there's a name for it: “Anticipatory Nostalgia”. We unpack why your brain files a moment away as a memory before it's even over, why Britt has felt it all year, and whether knowing something is finite makes it sweeter or more stressful. 

We finish with our sucks and sweets: Laura probably had Covid (and brought it to the office), we ignored the wrap-up signal for ten whole minutes with Benson Boone, and the Sydney moth plague has claimed a victim on our team. Then Britt reads out a five star review from a brand new Lifer. Listen right to the end. Trust us.

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

Timestamps:

• 01:16 Laura's trip to Magnetic Island
• 08:50 Lola's ring goes down the toilet (& everything we've fished out)
• 14:30 ⚠️ CW: The Sam Wood charges & domestic violence in plain sight
• 24:24 Anticipatory nostalgia: missing a moment while it's happening
• 37:10 Sucks & sweets: Covid, Benson Boone & the moth plague
• 41:31 A very special five star review

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

You can watch us on Youtube

Join us on tiktok

Or join the Facebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford & Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

If you need support (Australia):

• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7 national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling)
• Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578 (24/7 trauma counselling for people affected by sexual, domestic or family violence)
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
• 13YARN: 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
• Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491 (for men concerned about their own behaviour)
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25)
• If you are in immediate danger, call 000

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Lifers!

Welcome back to Ask Uncut, where we answer your deepest, darkest and most burning questions! Life Unlocked has been live for four whole days and it's already turning into a fun little community. Now we just need to work out what to call you all, so jump in and cast your vote!

Then Britt has a confession. "Spa night" with Ben is usually a very romantic affair: lights dimmed, mood lamp on, Britt face down getting a massage while Ben watches his show. But this time Britt assumed his noise-cancelling headphones were on. They were not…

Vibes & unsubscribes of the week:

Laura – Vibe: TripView, the $7 app that maps out your public transport routes and makes you feel powerful (Lachy would like it noted that Google Maps does this for free, and there is also TripView Lite which is free)
Britt – Vibe: the remote-control mood lamp a Lifer sent her
Britt – Unsubscribe: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix (too gruesome and too weird, even for our resident true crime lover)

Then it's into your questions!

Q1: MY BOSS MIGHT BE HAVING AN AFFAIR. DO I SAY SOMETHING?

Context: My boss is a good friend of mine. She’s married with two kids and has recently become extremely close with a single male colleague. She picks him up and drops him home, they get coffee & lunch most days, and she hangs out with him outside of work with her kids while her husband is at work. What makes it stranger is that whenever he comes up, she says he's weird, won't leave her alone, and makes it impossible for her to say no. I told her that if she didn't want this friendship, she needed to put some boundaries in place. I have no idea if anything inappropriate is actually happening and I don't want to accuse her of having an affair, but the whole thing feels really off and everyone at work is talking about it. Do I stay completely out of it because it's none of my business? How do I navigate this without damaging our friendship or our working relationship?

Q2: CAN I KEEP THE FOOTY TIPPING WINNINGS IF MY EX-BOYFRIEND WINS?

This year my family set up our first footy tipping comp. There are 16 of us and everyone put in 50 bucks. I covered my boyfriend's $50 at the time. Fast forward to finals and we've been broken up for five months, but he's currently sitting in first place. I've joked a few times that I'm keeping the money if he wins because technically I paid his entry fee. He always laughs and thinks I'm joking. But now there's a real possibility he could win a lot of money. Am I a terrible person if I keep the winnings, or does the fact that I paid his $50 make it fair game?

Q3: MY SISTER IS BACK IN TOUCH WITH OUR DAD AFTER HIS 15-YEAR AFFAIR

About five years ago it came out that my dad had essentially been living a double life, having an affair for over 15 years. He told my mum they'd bought an investment property with their retirement savings, when he'd actually bought it for the other woman to live in. My sister and I went very low contact with him. More recently my older sister had a serious health scare (thankfully she's now been given the all clear) and she's decided to get back in touch with Dad. He and his affair partner have thrown themselves into being grandparents to her kids: performative Facebook posts, big expensive presents, turning up at school sports carnivals. My mum is so hurt and I feel really angry at my sister. I feel like she's being hugely disloyal to Mum. Are my feelings valid? Should I speak to her, or is she not actually doing anything wrong?

Q4: MY BIOLOGICAL DAD DOESN'T KNOW I EXIST. SHOULD I REACH OUT?

I'm adopted and recently found out who my birth father is. My birth mother is hopeless at replying and has been hard to keep in touch with. She promised I'd meet my two half-brothers, but it never really went anywhere. I know who my birth father is, but he doesn't know I exist. If you had an unknown biological relative, would you want them to contact you?

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro: Life Unlocked is live (and you need a name)
1:17 — Britt's spa night goes horribly wrong
5:58 — Vibes & unsubscribes: TripView and Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
11:28 — Q1: My boss is my friend, and she's very close with a colleague
18:40 — Q2: Can I keep the footy tipping winnings if my ex wins?
24:30 — Q3: My sister is back in touch with our dad after his 15-year affair
33:28 — Q4: My biological dad doesn't know I exist. Should I reach out?

We spoke about this with Ryan Jon Dunn. Listen to The DNA Test That Found His Biological Father: HERE

If we answered your question, we want the aftermath! Let us know what happens.

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes

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Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Produced by Sophie Nathan

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford & Lachy Pugsley

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Hey Lifers! Welcome to Offcuts, your little weekend schneck! 

First up: Sydney is being absolutely swarmed by bogong moths right now, and Britt’s done a deep dive into the science of why (spoiler: it's a wind-blown migration, not the apocalypse).

Then, the big one: Taylor Swift dropped four new songs, and while Patient Zero is on repeat everywhere, her track Cleveland has copped brutal backlash online, with critics saying the lyrics read like they were run through AI. We get into whether the hate is fair, or if people just love piling on when she has one off-note.

We also open up a conversation sparked by a question in the Life Uncut Discussion Group: what are the actual rules around phone privacy in relationships? We talk through our own "open phone policy" boundaries, when snooping crosses a line, and why finding out about a messy relationship overlap years later can do more harm than good.

Then, a difficult but important one: we unpack the latest from Bonnie Blue, who has reportedly welcomed a baby and sold the naming rights for millions — and why bringing a child into her content raises concerns that go well beyond the usual outrage cycle.

We close out lighter, with a look at Instagram's new face-blur feature (less "soft launch tool," more "actually really useful for protecting your kids' privacy online").

Keep your questions coming! Slide into the Life Uncut DMs at @lifeuncutpodcast on Instagram

You can watch us on Youtube

Join us on tiktok

Or join the Facebook Discussion Group

Hosted by Britt Hockley & Laura Byrne

Produced by  Lachy Pugsley

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford & Lachy Pugsley

Tell your mum, tell your dad, tell your dog, tell your friend and share the love because WE LOVE LOVE! Xx

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.