Welcome To The Real Us.
We’re Elizabeth Kraus and Sheila Lamont. We met as neighbors in Boulder, Colorado in 2010, and our friendship grew during frequent hikes in the foothills. We were great friends until…..we weren’t. Our friendship “paused” for eight years until we reconnected in a meaningful way when Sheila picked up the phone to have an eight-year-overdue honest conversation.
Although we now live thousands of miles from each other, we stay close with our imperfectly honest phone calls and written thoughts. We learn something from each other every time.
We welcome you to eavesdrop on our conversations and read about what we’re thinking. We hope that when you do, you learn a little about us and a lot about yourself.
Candid Conversations
Traveler’s Lament
Does upcoming travel create a fair amount of apprehension, in addition to anticipation? Sheila explores her own feelings on this subject, including personal daydreams involving easier options, as well as possible ways of coping with the actual reality of the experience.
Coping with Uncertainty Anxiety
One of my 2025 goals is to welcome change and uncertainty, but despite feeling grateful for this rare opportunity to explore new possibilities, the unpredictability of my future often gives me anxiety.
Letting Today Be Enough
Elizabeth and Sheila explore the tension between living fully in the present and planning for an uncertain future, particularly involving where we may live in the future and who we care about. Together, they ponder whether leaning into experiences that will inevitably end is brave, foolish, or simply human.
Am I Oversharing? The Benefits and Drawbacks of Honesty
I am an oversharer. It feels totally natural to me to share deeply personal details and self-reflections with store checkout clerks, Uber drivers, and nearly everyone else I randomly encounter.
Ethical Non-Monogamy | Seeing Right and Wrong in Color vs. Black and White
Elizabeth is currently in a relationship that can best be described as “ethical non-monogamy.” In this episode, she and Sheila dig into the ups and downs of open relationships.
The 47 Qualities I’m Looking for in a Man (And Why I Might Ignore Most of Them)
Because I’ve learned that my wishes are more likely to come true when I write them down, I’m keeping a running list of what I want to find in a romantic partner.