Podcast Summary: Everything’s Perfect…Except Adulting | Q&A Edition
Podcast: Everything's Perfect
Hosts: Autumn Calabrese & Donald Stamper
Date: October 7, 2025
Episode: Q&A Edition – “Everything’s Perfect…Except Adulting”
Overview
This lively Q&A episode takes a candid, sometimes hilarious, but always insightful tour through the challenges and wins of “adulting.” Autumn and Donald field listener questions ranging from parenting and nutrition, skincare and self-care, divorce, weight-loss drugs, boundaries with negative friends, navigating sex and dating as adults (and single parents), and much more. With spontaneous storytelling, honest reflections, and plenty of best-friend banter, the hosts offer both personal anecdotes and actionable advice for listeners navigating the messy middle of adulthood.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Technical Glitches and Weekend Vibes
- Timestamps: 01:00 - 02:12
- The episode starts with playful frustration: after technical issues, the duo had to re-record an entire episode, showcasing their commitment.
- Both express anticipation for the weekend and upcoming events, including Katrina's dance class and ESPN outings.
2. Parenting & Kids’ Nutrition/Activity
- Timestamps: 03:01 - 09:45
- Listener Q: “How to help kids stay active and find nutritional balance?”
- Donald reflects on past messaging around weight in childhood, acknowledging cultural shift (“When I was a kid the help... was, 'You don't wanna get fat, do you?'—I'm just keeping it real.” – Donald, 03:20).
- Autumn describes her own upbringing—lots of outdoor play and homecooked meals—and emphasizes family activities over workouts ("We were so active as kids, it wasn't even a conversation" – Autumn, 03:42). She advocates family walks, sports, and being deliberate about treats: "We have treats together... I just explain to him, that's a treat... We don't have that every day." (07:13).
- Advice for picky eaters: encourage “one bite” trying games, and provide healthy options.
- Both reflect on involving kids in meal choices (salad dressings as fun decisions), making healthy foods enjoyable, and not demonizing certain foods.
- Listener Q: “How to help kids stay active and find nutritional balance?”
3. Beauty Hacks & Skincare Routines
- Timestamps: 10:30 - 14:25
- “Beauty starts from the inside out,” Autumn insists—prioritize hydration, whole foods, sleep, and always remove makeup before bed: “I will never, never go to bed without washing my face.” – Autumn, 11:40.
- Donald shares a love for simple routines, using castor oil as a finishing touch. Both trade TikTok-trendy products like beef tallow and favorite moisturizer brands.
- Quote: “So many people are like putting so much stuff topically on their skin—you're fighting a losing battle, baby. You need to drink some water and eat an antioxidant or two.” – Donald, 12:40.
4. Divorce & Co-Parenting
- Timestamps: 14:34 - 18:11
- Autumn offers a deeply personal, pragmatic account of her divorce: no villain, just a mutual decision to separate before resentment grew.
- She stresses the importance of amicable co-parenting: “I feel like we’re way more successful and I’m way more proud than if I would have stayed in a marriage that neither one of us was actually happy in.” – Autumn, 16:22.
- Donald and Autumn joke about ex-spouses as “weird cousins,” and shared work/family dynamics.
- Memorable moment: Donald jokes about Kent getting the wrong coffee mix and SD cards.
5. “Everyone’s on a Weight Loss Shot” & Thoughts on GLP-1s
- Timestamps: 18:11 - 25:45
- Both tackle the prevalence of GLP-1 agonists (weight loss drugs like Ozempic), with Autumn urging medical oversight, transparency (“If you’re using them, you should say you’re using them…”), and coupling them with lifestyle changes.
- They acknowledge stigma and the complexity of self-image, especially in perimenopause, as well as the relief some feel from food obsession.
- Notable quote: “Don’t shame them... Just stay in your lane and do you.” – Autumn, 24:58.
- Donald adds, “If you like it, I love it, baby.”
6. Handling Negativity in Friendships
- Timestamps: 25:46 - 32:41
- Questions about negative or exhausting friends prompt a discussion of boundaries and brain wiring.
- Autumn self-identifies her own anxious/negative brain patterns (“I ruminate—they can see that too [on my brain scan]”), and the importance of self-awareness.
- Both suggest honest communication and boundaries: “We’re going to talk about this for 10 minutes, and then we gotta put it down…” – Autumn, 28:54.
- Donald highlights the value of gently redirecting friends: “Being that supportive friend who isn’t judging but also holds the ground...” – Donald, 30:09.
7. Protein Intake & Nutrition Advice
- Timestamps: 32:54 - 36:28
- The hosts advise against blanket protein recommendations.
- Autumn: “It’s not just protein: you need a balance of your macros...” – Autumn, 35:24.
- Both warn about the limits on usable protein per meal and debunk fitness myths, gently plugging Autumn’s nutrition programs as evidence-based alternatives.
8. When a Child Comes Out as LGBTQ+
- Timestamps: 36:45 - 42:25
- Thoughtful nuance: Both stress the importance of nonreactive support, curiosity, and open communication, allowing the child to explore identity safely without pressure or shaming.
- Autumn: “I love you for who you are and I will, as you grow up...love whoever you love, as long as they’re a good person.” (40:29).
- Brief, humorous warning about sleepovers and healthy privacy boundaries.
9. Managing “Having It All” as a Working/Single Mom
- Timestamps: 42:51 - 45:13
- Autumn admits imperfection: many good days, some missed moments, and why her own health can't come last—“If I’m not healthy, how can I show up for him at all?” – Autumn, 43:23.
- Tips: schedule priorities, multitask creatively (walking pads, weights with TV), and be compassionate about inevitable “fails.”
10. Therapy—Does It Really Help?
- Timestamps: 46:14 - 50:13
- Donald did faith-based therapy; Autumn prefers immersive programs (like Tony Robbins’) over talk therapy, which she finds maddening if not solution-focused.
- Notable insight: “If you have two conflicting beliefs, you’re not going to be happy.” – Autumn shares a takeaway about “toward” vs. “away” goals.
- Both advise: not every therapist is the right match; sometimes persistence is required.
- Donald did faith-based therapy; Autumn prefers immersive programs (like Tony Robbins’) over talk therapy, which she finds maddening if not solution-focused.
11. Sex & Relationships: Rekindling Intimacy
- Timestamps: 50:13 - 53:53
- Qs about lagging sex drive. Advice: address underlying stressors, discuss (but don’t “taskify” sex), and acknowledge physical chemistry as crucial for long-term partnerships.
- Quote: “Sex is an important part of an adult relationship. It really is. This is why...some people will wait till marriage and I’m like—you are rolling the dice.” – Autumn, 52:35.
12. Modern Dating—Single Moms, Apps, & LA Horror Stories
- Timestamps: 54:07 - 57:25
- Both share the perils and humor of dating apps (Raya, international matches), and why LA makes dating extra difficult.
- Autumn maintains boundaries: she doesn’t introduce every date to her son. Son tracks her on "Live360"—a hilarious reversal of parental tracking (“You're not the boss—you’re the kid!” – Autumn, 57:47).
13. Funny Fails, Adulting Realities & Closing Out
- Timestamps: 58:37 - End
- Rapid-fire fun: funniest “healthy living” fails (saved for a future episode), and when they realized “adulting is a scam” (aka: the first bills and taxes).
- Playful closing about bodily-fluid donations for extra cash (sperm, eggs, plasma), emphasizing just how unglamorous grown-up life can feel.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“I will never, never go to bed without washing my face.”
Autumn, 11:40 -
“If you're using [weight loss meds], you should say you're using them… Don’t shame them... Just stay in your lane and do you.”
Autumn, 24:58 -
“We’re going to talk about this for 10 minutes, and then we gotta put it down because we've got to also find the good in life.”
Autumn, 28:54 -
“Sex is an important part of an adult relationship...some people will wait till marriage and I’m like—you are rolling the dice.”
Autumn, 52:35 -
“You’re not the boss—you’re the kid. Don’t track me!” (re: son using Live360 location sharing to monitor her dates)
Autumn, 57:47 -
“You were so excited to grow up when you were little... and now: dying a slow death, pay all the bills and taxes.”
Donald, 59:02
Further Highlights
- The hosts’ chemistry shines, with Autumn’s vulnerability and Donald’s wit balancing the conversation.
- Frequent returns to “balance” as a priority: in parenting, eating, relationships, and self-care.
- Scatters practical takeaways amidst laughs—advice seldom feels like a lecture.
For Listeners:
If you appreciate podcasts that normalize imperfection, blend practical life hacks with honest talk about real adult struggles—and don’t mind a little TMI in the name of authenticity—this episode delivers.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:00 – Tech mishaps; weekend plans intro
- 03:01 – Q&A starts: kids, activity & food
- 10:30 – Skincare & beauty hacks
- 14:34 – Divorce & co-parenting
- 18:11 – GLP-1s & weight loss drugs
- 25:46 – Negative friends & boundaries
- 32:54 – Protein & macros
- 36:45 – Child comes out as LGBTQ+
- 42:51 – Working/single mom “balance”
- 46:14 – Therapy
- 50:13 – Sex & intimacy
- 54:07 – Modern dating as a single parent
- 58:37 – Adulting fails & reflections
Instagram: @everythingsperfectofficial
Contact: everythingsperfectpodcast@gmail.com