GenX Stories

Is there a better time to get real about the darker side of Valentine's Day, especially for GenXers? Is it all hearts and flowers, or is there more to the story? Things have definitely changed for a few of us since our last romance episode in 2021, but you know that we still have tons of opinions. Gird your loins for some straight-up GenX talk about this Hallmark Holiday and the Vday expectations game. Episode linksWe did a romance topic last on Sept 8, 2021, season 3Dark Origins of Valentine’s DayYou Can Blame Geoffrey Chaucer for Valentine’s DayTo be or not to be your valentine: Shakespearean expressions of loveThe Best Candy Heart Sayings from the Past 120 YearsJake Ryan articleWhat Is a Sadie Hawkins Dance and Where Did It Come From?GenXers dont care about Valentine’s DayGalentine’s DayWhen is Galentine's Day? What to know about the 'Parks and Rec' holiday Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Ready for some real GenX scoop? Today, we're dishing about the perks of being over 50 (yep, they exist!). From health and work to society, pop culture, relationships, family, and the dreaded 'Misc' category (aka, WTF moments) you know we never hold back. Want more? Tune in for the wisdom of our kick-ass FB group and our personal top three GenX bennies. Buckle up, kiddies.Episode linksThe 50 Best Things About Life Over 50 (gallery)50 Reflections at 50Top 10 reasons being 50 rocksReddit threadGolden age of happiness: Turning 50 is key to 'content and comfortable' lifeFB group member’s’ over 50 meme Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Yeah, we get the irony of discussing this here, but buckle up because today's episode is about Chris’s favorite topic -  social media (#not). What channels are GenXers on?  Are the people we follow doing our generation proud or making us cringe? Do we even belong there? And what the fuck is an influencer? Tune in for all the good, the bad, the ugly, and the “whatevers” about the socials. because GenX has entered the chat.Episode links Season 2’s Tech Episode: This is your brain on tech. DammitYeeting definitionEve’s accidental text to LoriGenX Social Media StatsYour Old MySpace Profile Is Still Taking Up Space on the InternetPeople Increasingly Turn To Social Media For NewsEverything you need to know about the internet's obsession with eating Tide podsThe Role of Social Media in the Arab UprisingsWhat is an influencer?Is Social Media Addictive? Here’s What the Science SaysGenX Social Media Influencers6 Awesome Gen X Creators to Follow on TikTokWould Emily in Paris’s Bot-like Instagram Actually Go Viral?GenX social media peeps we digKevin Bacon Tik TokSesame Street GenXer on TikTokKelly Manno on InstagramThe Holderness FamilyGenX guy dancing in supermarketTueNightCorbette on TikTokGirls of a Certain Age on SubStackSmartLessGenX_Reference DeskYou Wish You Were GenX Even more ironic - our social mediaGenX Stories on IGGenX Stories on FacebookEve’s IGEve’s TikTokLori’s IGLori’s TwitterConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us

Well, we survived 2023.  Wanna hear what the GenX Stories podcast crew is looking forward to next year? Of course you do. Listen in and you’ll even hear our words for 2024 (because you know how we feel about those stupid resolutions). Happy new year everyone! Seeya in January. Episode links Season 3 New Years Episode: Genie Wishes & ResolutionsPick a New Year’s nudge word instead of a resolution6 Unusual Alternatives to Traditional New Year's ResolutionsNew Year's Day 2024: Why Does the Year Start on January 1?Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Today we're talking all about video games,  both what they were like when we were kids and what they've evolved into. From Pacman to Space Invaders, Donkey Kong to Pitfall, and even the OG Pong, we're spilling the tea on our top three all-time favorite games from back in the day. Oh and admit it - whether you were rocking arcade adventures and console classics in the basement with your crew or diving solo into a computer classic, we were all  as competitive as our Facebook group. So, toss in that quarter and get those joystick skills warmed up, because this one's gonna rock!Episode linksBest Video Games That Defined Generation XBack to the Classics: Video Games Then and NowBest 10 Atari 2600+ Games to Feed Your NostalgiaPizza hut Pacman tablePongTabletop Pacman gameHotter than Mothers Music Tee shirtDave & Busters ArcadeIntellivisionColecoVisionHandheld Mattel football gameThe Legend of ZeldaMyst gamePurple Game BoyNostalgic gaming: how playing the video games of your youth reconnects you to yourselfAtari 50: the Anniversary CelebrationGoogle Doodle PacmanTwitchVibrating football gameConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Today we're taking on something Courtney has been after us to talk about for years - ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response).  From chasing the elusive 'brain tingles' to pondering its potential as the ultimate sleep aid for a restless generation, we're exploring how (or if) GenX engages with ASMR. Between uses by AARP, Super Bowl ads and even sports teams, find out if there's a quiet(er) side to midlife or if ASMR just ain't for us. Episode LinksASMR, explained: why millions of people are watching YouTube videos of someone whisperingASMR Is About to Have a Huge Super Bowl Moment. Here's What You Should KnowWhat is ASMR? The calming benefits behind those brain tinglesFrom Slinkies To Trapper Keepers, This Gen X ASMR Series Transports You To The Sounds Of The ’80sAARP TikTok: Gen X ASMR Series entry in the 15th Annual Shorty AwardsKC Chiefs ASMRYouTube Massage ASMR channelsDog ASMRFood/Cooking ASMRConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Get ready for a crazy musical ride on our latest episode. The experiment: Each host picked an GenX album they love, made the rest of us listen to it, and then we talked about it. This is a totally new thing for us so it could have been amazeballs or a total disaster (hint, it wasn't  a disaster). From dissecting tracks to digging into behind the scenes trivia to just sharing personal  stories about why these albums meant so much to us,  we're dishing it all out. And trust us -  you will NOT want to miss it.our album selectionsChris: The Replacements, Tim (The new Ed Stansium mix)Lori: Yaz, Upstairs at Eric’s Courtney:  Annie Lennox, DivaEve:  The Go-Gos, Beauty and the Beatepisode linksReplacements documentary about Ed Stasium's muscular new mix of 'Tim'The Go-So's DocumentaryWham DocumentaryThe Replacements Documentary (longer one)An Open Letter to the Pair of Gen-Z Men in the Northeast Regional Quiet Car Loudly Discussing Pitchfork’s 100 Best Albums of All TimeConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

In this episode, we dig into the movies that shaped who we are as a  generation. Whether you're looking to reminisce about your favorite coming-of-age movies (Breakfast Club anyone?) or are curious about the cultural touchstones that made us, step back in time with the GenX Stories crew.  We even reveal some of our Facebook group’s favorite flicks. Let’s  be demented and sad, but social together.Past movie episodesSeason 2: Epic Movie SoundtracksSeason 3: Is it a reboot or a remake?Season 4:  What makes a movie a cult classic?Episode linksQuintessential Movies That Define Gen-X15 Gen X Movies That Summarize An Entire Generation of Angst25 Movies That Defined GenerationXThe 22 Most Gen X Movie Characters Of All Time25 Movies You Should Watch to Really Understand Gen XersJohn Hughes, Who Captured the Lives of Teenagers in the 1980s, Dies at 59John Hughes: 10 essential filmsSimple Minds Make The Breakfast Club UnforgettableThe Original Ending of ‘Pretty In Pink’ and Why It Was AxedThis '80s Thriller Was Chilling Enough to Affect National Security PolicyMolly Ringwald feels differently about ‘Sixteen Candles’ in the wake of #MeTooConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

We hope you're hungry! It's time to talk GenX's favorite snacks & drinks. What we loved as kids, what kept us going as young adults (at least when we moved away from our parents!) and even what we're feeding GenZ these days. So spread some florescent Cheeze on a cracker, dig out that 40 year old Twinkie to nibble on and wash it all down with some Tang while you listen to  this tasty walk down memory lane.Past food episodesSeason 2:  Food Fight!Season 3: What’s Cookin; Good Lookin’Episode linksThe Existential Necessity of Midlife ChangePick Your Favorite Childhood Foods and We'll Guess If You're Gen X, Millennial or Baby Boomer27 Iconic Snacks Only Gen Xers RememberTop Ten Uniquely '80s Foods33 Foods That ’80s Kids Will RecognizeMaurice Lenell  cookieAfter 98 Years, Twinkies-Maker Hostess Just Made a Bittersweet Announcement About Its FutureGet some Handi-SnacksThe California Raisins: How A Bunch of Dried Grapes Became A Hit BandCharcuterie Boards Are Adult LunchablesRemember these retro air-pop popcorn makers?24 Specialty Oreo FlavorsAll the Takis Flavors, RankedGen X Food PreferencesGen Z’s Favorite Snack Is Not What You’d ExpectChill, ‘Girl Dinner’ Is Literally Just a Snack PlateConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

On today’s episode of GenX Stories we wonder if you can really change your world in midlife? What have we done that we thought we were too old to try? Or what are we still planning to try?  Life definitely ain’t over and you may be surprised how GenXers are choosing to reinvent ourselves in our 50s.Episode linksThe Existential Necessity of Midlife ChangeThe 5 Rules Of Reinventing Your Life At Any Age  Here’s How Generative AI is Reshaping Hollywood & the Entertainment IndustryThe Future of AI in the Entertainment IndustryKevin Bacon celebrates 65Kevin Bacon "walking into 65" TikTok48 Stars Who Didn't Become Famous Until After 40Jenny Laden's  book, This Terrible True thingA stunning second act! Meet the people who changed course in midlife – and loved itKim Hale on TikTokA new start after 60Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

On today’s kick-ass encore episode, we have a real treat - Eve’s cousin Jenny talks all about her debut semi-autobiograhical YA novel. Set in 1991 during the AIDS crisis, and revealed through sketches, journal entries & the music we grew up on, hear how sharing her story became an authentic statement about GenX for a younger generation.  When we originally recorded this in season 3, the book wsn’t published yet but now it’s OUT! You can buy it or catch her on her book tour! Also check out the Spotify playlist for the book.  Book blurbTold through sketches, journal entries, and first-person narration, This Terrible True Thing is a semi-autobiographical story of high school senior with a gay dad. Applying to art school, and yearning to escape her conservative boarding school, her world at home is struck by AIDS. Balancing mourning and physics, crushes and paralyzing fear, Danielle must struggle to find the positive in the dark days of the early 90s. In this heartbreaking multimedia debut--filled with drawings, poems, and journal entries--author Jenny Laden draws on her own experience to create a story of grief and transcendence, perfect for fans of Francesca Zappia and Jennifer Niven.Order from :IndieboundAmazonBarnes and NobleEpisode linksThe RecollectorsAdult Children of AIDS Victims Take Their Memories Out of the Shadows'The Recollectors' Gives Voice To Children Who Lost Parents To AIDSJennyLaden.comJenny Laden Art FB pageJenny Laden on TwitterJenny Laden on InstagramThis Terribe True Thing book Spotify playlistAbout Jenny: Journey to Becoming a Solo Mom by ChoiceConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Welcome to Season 5 of GenX Stories! While as kids we used to have a "break" over the summer, GenXers don't really get that anymore at midlife. So what the hell did we actually DO on our podcast hiatus? You'd actually be surprised what we've been up to. Between painting rocks, fuck-it travel and getting Covid, we were pretty busy. Plus our Facebook group shared all the cool shit they did. So listen, or don't. Whatever.Episode linksMovie: I know what you did last summerRock On! Painting Rocks- The Best Hobby You Never Heard OfAlluvial DefinitionThe Azores Our Season 3 Summer EposideNYC Marriot Marquis hotelSweeney Todd on BroadwayMuseum of Modern Art (MOMA)What is an unveiling?The Shiva LadiesMary Tyler Moore DocumentaryConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

While season 4 of the podcast was shorter than we planned, the Gen X stories gang is getting ready for season five. Usually we keep our goofy-ass brainstorms private, but we totally want you to listen in on this one. Not only will you get a behind the scenes look into what we are planning, but you can hear what topics our Facebook group suggested for us. If you have thoughts about anything you hear please contact us here.We will try to do a few encore/silly episodes for you this summer but when season 5 drops, we promise you won’t be disappointed. Thank you for being there for us over this tricky year and listening to our little show. Seeya in September!Episode linksASMR Meaning and Why ASMR Videos Are So PopularAARP TikTok“The fuck  you are”The Top 10 David Letterman Top 10 Lists100+ Hilarious Steven Wright Quotes and JokesWhy does everyone have a podcast?Kelly Manno on IGFrom Slinkies To Trapper Keepers, This Gen X ASMR Series Transports You To The Sounds Of The ’80sGeorge Carlin stuff bitPeople Are Saying GenX Retirement Homes Should Be in Abandoned Malls and It Sounds Like Heaven on EarthHow long should TV shows be? The rise of shorter TVConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

The band is finally back together! After months of dealing with so much personal big stuff this season, the GenX Stories crew is finally together just in time to talk about it all. On this episode, we discuss accountability and integrity, when we actually started adulting and how we manage the bumps along our midlife road with humor. We also gain insight from our Facebook community as they get really raw and vulnerable on a topic that demands it of us all. Cuz really - for such a grown up word, how do we determine what "adulting" means for our generation?Episode linksWhat is “adulting”?Urban Dictionary definitionWhat does it mean to be a grown up?How Oprah Winfrey inspired a generation of outspoken womenShe Invented Adulting. Her Life Fell Apart. She Wants You to Know That’s OkayThe Benny Hill ThemeThe Chicken DanceChoose Joy memeConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Today we've got a GenX topic that effects us all deeply: making friends at midlife.  Weird you say? Well you may be surprised to hear that after years of doing this podcast together, Lori and I had actually NEVER MET. At least not in person. All that changed earlier this spring and we’re going to spill all the tea. (well, most of it). Not only did we meet (and talk and talk and talk and talk) we had dinner with 2 other new friends we made through our facebook group (and drank, and drank and drank.) So here is the question -  is there a trick to making new friends at midlife, and are those “rules” different than when you were younger? Or is it just dumb luck. Listen and find out.Episode linksWhy It’s Harder to Make Friends After 40 (and How to Combat the Odds)The Scientific Reason It's So Hard to Make Friends as an Adult (and What to Do About It)Why Making Friends in Midlife Is So Hard12 Ways to Make Friends in Mid-Life and BeyondPast podcast ep: Bad Boys & Mother CrushesPast podcast ep: Ride or Die - Gen FriendshipsPast podcast ep: 30th College reunion friendsI Tried Bumble BFF for 30 Days—Here’s What HappenedGenX Stories FB groupConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

What happens when a generation that uses gallows humor to deal with trauma loses someone they love? That’s the question The Grief Mixtape Project will explore through stories from you, our community. To learn more and contribute your voice to the Grief Mixtape, go to at genxstories/grief.Related Podcast episodesLosing a Parent as a GenXerDo  you gotta have faith?Becoming  a sandwich generationEve’s writing about griefThe problem with caringGirlDadDad’s EulogyConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

On today’s encore episode, the gang digs into what makes GenX the latest “sandwich” generation and how we’re handling it. Smushed between taking care of our parents and our kids, how did we go from being ignored to being needed by two different age groups? No matter what kind of generational sandwich you are - club, open faced, keto, whatever - hear about choosing support groups over ice floes. Episode linksWhat is a sandwich generation?GenX women facing the caregiving crisisThe Sandwich Generation: When Caregiver Seems to Be Your Only RoleWhat Is a Mother-in-Law Suite, and Should I Consider Adding One?Swedish Death CleaningI Care A Lot movie  Care Options for People with Dementia or Alzheimer's 9 ways sandwich-generation caregivers can manage stress Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

In an encore episode, the crew dishes on one of the sexiest topics around: money. Ok, maybe not THAT sexy but we can make anything fun. Between paper route Ponzi schemes, having a monthly “nut”, wondering if we can ever retire, and how much we still owe Columbia House, you’ll never think of Gen X finances the same. Crack open that piggy bank and tune in today.Episode linksThe Flying Lizards "Money" songLook up social security and see your working history5 Interesting financial Facts About Generation X“I want my two dollars” from Better Off DeadWhat’s your monthly nut?Ewan McGregor Expedia ad about stuffGeneration X: All Eyes on RetirementBest money tips for people in their 40s and 50sGen Xers are the forgotten financial superheroesWhy Gen Xers Are Way More Worried About Money Than BoomersConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Well, it happened - we couldn’t get our schedules lined up to record this week. BUT the good news is that we have an encore episode for you we think is pretty special -  our first ever together on the podcast! Learn how Lori, Courtney, Christopher and I started doing this wacky thing in season 2 (since season one was a totally different format.) In this episode, we dig into what being GenX means to each of us knowing how pivotal the 80’s were for music, fashion, crisis and more. We'll also discuss our generation’s creativity & innovation and why Chris thinks that sequins and the SpaceX Dragon capsule don’t mix.So as spring is starting around the country, why not find out a bit more of our origin story? (Which also happens to be a really fun episode.)Fun Episode linksMeet our new hostsCheck out Tremor, the SpaceX sequined zero-g dinosaurSee Chris’ pug’s MRI on TwitterConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email

Today on the podcast we're talking all about jobs. The ones we had as kids, our first “real” ones, and even the ones that taught us a thing or two about life and ourselves. In a world where “quiet quitting”,“quiet firing” and the “great resignation” are now just part of work life, what do 50+ year olds expect in a job now? (Other that retire - well, maybe). We also share some of our beloved Facebook community’s first jobs, and pick one to send some awesome show swag to. Seriously, make it your job (see what we did there?) to listen.Episode links How to Highlight The Unique Attributes of a Gen X JobseekerBrief History of AOLThe short but destructive history of mass layoffsGenXers in the workforceJob searching for GenXersGenX and the Great ResignationEarly 1990’s RecessionThe Year in Quiet Quitting"Follow your bliss”How to balance your passion project with full time jobFor GenX, retirement bitesEve’s strange job path (plus video)Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our siteJoin our Facebook GroupFollow our 80’s inspired InstagramSend us an email