GenX Stories

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Let’s go back to 1983, the year albums made us who we are. Thanks to a tip from our Facebook group, each GenX Stories host picked a favorite record from this legendary year and dove headfirst into its greatness. Nostalgia? Check. Hot takes? Double check. Accidental sing-alongs? We’ll neither confirm nor deny. The only thing left to do: press play and learn tidbits you never knew  about the epic music that basically raised us. Episode links  Best 1983 Albums: 67 Excellent Records The Highest Rated Albums of 1983 The story of 1983 in music ‘Colour By Numbers’: How Culture Club Painted A Pop Masterpiece Culture Club: Get to know the band behind 'Karma Chameleon' Classic Album: The Police – Synchronicity Why The Police’s 'Synchronicity' — Their Final, Fraught Masterpiece — Still Resonates After 40 Years Under the Volcano Movie ‘Under the Volcano’ Review: Rockers Recall the Remote Island Where Luxurious ’80s Record-Making Had Its Last Stand How Debut Album ‘Murmur’ Spread The Word About R.E.M. 5 Surprising Facts About R.E.M.’s “Murmur” The Murmur Trestle  Classic Album: Madonna – Madonna Madonna’s first hit ‘Holiday’ almost never happened Lucky Star Video About the Lucky Star video Eve’s Madonna Sketch Eve’s Madonna Photo w/mom Madonna’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Madonna’  OUR ALBUMS Lori: Colour By Numbers, Culture Club Courtney: Synchronicity, The Police Chris: Murmur, R.E.M Eve: Madonna, Madonna Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Buckle up, kids (or don’t cuz we survived the ’80s without 'em). This week, the Gen X Stories crew cannonballs into a conversation sparked by a Facebook community member’s mysterious question (which we’re absolutely not telling you until you hit play, because marketing). Expect kick-ass personal stories ripped straight out of an ’80s movie montage and of course, the perfect soundtrack. Episode links Topic from Season 6 , ep 12 - Ask us anything Ferris Bueller’s Day Off If You Leave - OMD Pool Hopping 23 Smells That Instantly Transport Us Back to Childhood: Hawiian Tropic Phil’s Beach in Wauconda and here Visitors flock to Wauconda beach made famous by ‘Blues Brothers’ for first time in decades April 25 is the 'perfect date': Here's what to know about Miss Congeniality Day The Bizarre Way Sammy Davis Jr. Lost His Left Eye Honda Prelude Pretty In Pink Soundtrack The Long-Misinterpreted Meaning Behind “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes 12 Things Every Teen Did After School in the 1980s That Felt Like Freedom Gen Z Is Choosing Not to Drive Teens aren’t getting their driver’s licenses – and the experts are completely wrong about why Straight outta the delivery room, into a robotaxi “Three on the tree” Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! No plan. No outline. No research. Just three Gen X women armed with mystery topics, unfiltered hot takes, and a few moments we’ll probably deny later. With zero adult supervision (or, even Chris), we wandered straight into NSFW territory and didn’t bother turning back. Seriously, be prepared for a little too much honesty that might’ve crossed the line a couple of times. (but in a good way). Episode links Taylor Swift’s ‘Wood’ Lyrics Are a Not-So-Subtle Ode to Travis Kelce’s...‘Manhood’ Reconnecting with friends Bouvier and Cavapoo Dogs Why GenX Doesn’t GIve a Fuck Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! The movies turning 40 in 2025 are aging like fine wine (or like us, depending on the lighting). Between the first Blockbuster store opening to the massive number of films appearing in theatres that year, let’s face it - 1985 ruined us for anything else. From The Breakfast Club to Back to the Future to Brazil to Cocoon the whole podcast crew is revisiting the classic 80's films we loved (and duh, still do). Some may call it a cinematic midlife crisis, but we call it awesome. So pass the popcorn (and the ibuprofen). Episode links 10 Classic Movies Celebrating A Major Anniversary In 2025 Movies Turning 40 In 2025 1985 in film First Blockbuster store opens The Dawn of Unlimited Entertainment: How Blockbuster Changed Viewers The Rise and Fall of Blockbuster: A Look Back at VHS Rental Culture I remember doing the Time Warp: The 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' turns 50 Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Before haunted houses,  we had real-life fear factories -like Pop Rocks (with Coke), the Bermuda Triangle, and that one creepy white van parked down the street. This Halloween, we’re unwrapping all the “tricks” that scared the hell out of us as Gen X kids… and realizing that while some fears fade,  ours just get funnier. Episode links GenX “Perils” Meme 10 things that irrationally scared the hell out of a lot of Gen X when they were kids 11 Things That Terrified Gen X As Kids That Turned Out To Be No Big Deal Most Ridiculous Things That Scared Gen X Kids Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Ever wonder what happens when a Gen X guardian tries to keep up with their Gen Z ward? Spoiler: it’s hilarious. This episode features co-host Chris’s teenager  - who, against all odds, gives us actual hope for her generation. Between vintage sarcasm, justifying lateness, and a shared love of ‘80s music (and epic eye-rolls), their relationship proves Gen X and Gen Z might have more in common than we’d ever admit. Bonus points if you can count how many times she pointedly says “Christopher!” Episode links Gen Z Vs. Gen X: 12 Key Differences You Need to Know in Everyday Life 11 Reasons Gen Z Thinks Gen X Had The Saddest Childhoods Gen Z Is Calling Gen X The "Karen Generation" College Admissions: Why My Mom Had It Way Easier in the 80’s Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Remember applying to colleges without a single YouTube tutorial in sight, lofting your own dorm bed without approval, and taking "never doing this again" 8am classes? Yeah, we do too, and we’re not holding back.  If you (barely) survived your own college years in the ‘80s and ‘90s, this one’s for you. Hear us flail through questionable life choices (and the lifelong friends who got us through them) and how we're prepping our Gen Z spawn for their own college daze. Episode links This Is What Dorms Looked Like In The 80s And We Survived 23 Crazy Things Everyone Did In College In The ’80s 15 Things 1980s College Students Did That Would Baffle Kids Today Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! We’re baaaack! Season seven kicks off the only way we know how: with absolute chaos. And by chaos, we mean a hysterical round of Kiss, Marry, [something]. What starts as harmless hypotheticals spirals into hot takes on Furries, a very sexy talking car, and a total meltdown over the rules (because do they even exist?). Buckle up for an episode full of the unhinged logic you’ve come to expect from us because honestly, the rules never mattered anyway. Episode links 80’s Hunks Reel Wikipedia Game rules Sample questions Game targets Ed Meese Teddy Ruxpin80’s kids changing cassettes in Teddy The Early Days of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf K.I.T.T. Gordon Gecko Sade Retired to a Reclusive Life After a Legendary Music Career David Bowie Christian Slater's Road From '80s Movie Heartthrob To Television Legend Hollywood Flashback: Before the Podcast Era, ‘Pump Up the Volume’ Made Noise 20 Years Ago, Madonna’s Three-Way Kiss Caused a Stir. Would It Today? PrinceIf You Thought You Knew Everything About Prince, Here Are Some Things That Will Shock You Eddie Murphy's furious ‘Delirious’ daysIce Cream Man  Throwing shoes Charlie Sheen’s Appearance in Ferris Bueller Would’ve Meant Much More in This Deleted Scene Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Season 6 of the podcast is wrapping up—and in true Gen X fashion, we’re doing it our way: a little chaotic, a little nostalgic, and completely unfiltered. For this special season finale, all four of us (yes, miracles happen!) are finally able to record at the same tme, answering the questions you—our gloriously curious, sarcastic, and slightly unhinged Facebook group—sent in. From deep thoughts to weird rabbit holes, nothing’s off limits. It’s part AMA, part group therapy, and 100% real. You’re welcome. (or… maybe sorry?) Episode links The episode about takimg a break post-election The episode about ‘86 albums The episodw about ‘87 albums The episode we faked The episode about my compter eating our recordings The episode about genealogy The episode about aging The episode about AI Walk this way Run DMC/Aerosmith video Glass brick 80’s trend Clan of the Cave Bear book Greed is Good Wall Street movie speech Strawberry pretzel tart History of the Jello Cake Gen Alpha slang words Hostess Pudding Pie Ford PInto connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! In this episode, we are diving into the world of GenX digital nomads—that’s right: people our age who are living and working from foreign countries, cool cities, or just wherever the Wi-Fi’s decent and the coffee’s strong. So how do they decide where to go? How do they find a place to stay? And most importantly, how do they do all this without losing their minds (or all their chargers)? We’ve got TWO guests with us today—yes, two—who just so happen to be married and currently living the digital nomad dream. (Bonus: Courtney and I have known them since college, so we’re legally allowed to ask inappropriate questions).  Tune in as we grill them about all things nomad-life, take notes for our own escape plan, and try not to sound too jealous. Episode links The rise and rise of the Digital Nomad Digital Nomad Stats Report on Digtals Nomads The 10 best cities in America for digital nomads Best Countries For Digital Nomads In 2025 CTO Lunches 'Rose-colored glasses': The stressful reality of being a digital nomad 5 Steps For Digital Nomads To Source And Attract Clients Worldwide Info on our guests Jason ColeJason’s Website Jason’s Instagram  Jason on Threads Jason’s Linkedin Rachel ColeRachel’s Website Choose Happiness Podcast: Rachel’s Music on Spotify Rachel’s Instagram Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! So why ARE Gen Xers suddenly obsessed with their roots? Just in time for Mother’s Day, we’re falling headfirst into the rabbit hole of family history (because apparently we're finally old enough to care.) We’re talking dusty records, surprise relatives, and the occasional “Wait… what?” moment, joined by a GenX guest who’s wayyyyy deep into the genealogy weeds too. Listen in to a kick ass episode that’s part scavenger hunt, part identity crisis, and 100% curiosity (because after genealogy found the Golden State killer, what else can it uncover?) Episode links How Genetic Genealogy Helped Catch The Golden State Killer A search for a biological father, and the surprise of a lifetime 23andMe Just Filed for Bankruptcy. You Should Delete Your Data Now. TV Show: Finding Your Roots Who Do You Think You Are? EP Lisa Kudrow Tells Why Show Is ‘Fascinating’ No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski Ancestry.com My Hertitage GED Match Info on our guest, Aryn Youngless Geneology by Aryn Substack IG TikTok Bluesky Facebook Substck BOOK: My Mom, Her Story BOOK: My Dad, His Story BOOK: The Genealogy Journal COURSE: From Research to Novel Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! While technology has changed a ton since we last did an episode about it in 2020 (OMG), we couldn't have anticipated then what it would become today. Is it possible to keep a Walkman mindset in an AI world? What's the impact on our humanity? Listen in for a brutally honest GenX take on how technology is shifting everything in our lives, for better or worse.  Episode links Last technology episode we did in season 2 The Digitally Savvy Generation: How Gen X Embraces Technology GenX, We Bridged the Technological Gap Descript app for podcast editing Fathom AI notetaker New York Times: GenX Career Meltdown AI was enemy No. 1 during Hollywood strikes. Now it's in Oscar-winning films Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Remember the episode earlier this season  where each co-host picked a 1986 GenX album and we got way too into it? Yeah… we’re doing that again. This time, it’s 1987—and no, we’re not out of opinions yet (not even close). Each of us picked an album from that iconic year, we all (mostly) gave ‘em a listen, and then lovingly (and loudly) overanalyzed them. Expect deep tracks, random trivia no one asked for, and at least one “omg I totally forgot about that song!” moment. Oh, and as usual, we’ll be dragging our former teenage selves and probably uncovering something weird about each other along the way. So press play, roll up those acid-wash jeans, and let’s get back to 1987—because clearly, we think it rocked. Episode links Did this concept earlier this season Best albums of 1987 How Sting made art from loss Sting’s November 1987 Nothing Like the Sun Spin Cover Story: Invisible Son 10 things you didn’t know about INXS’s Kick The Unlikely Story of How INXS Came to Rule the Late ’80s With ‘Kick’ Rock And Walk: Husker Du's 'Warehouse' ‘Warehouse” marked the begnning of the end ‘Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me’ Fall Back In Love With A Classic Cure Album Just Like A Dream: The Cure’s Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me Revisited OUR ALBUMS Lori: Kick, INXS Courtney: Nothing Like the Sun, Sting Chris: Warehouse: songs and stories, Husker Du Eve: Kiss me, kiss me, kiss Me: The Cure Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! We totally planned this episode… by not planning at all. Instead, we each showed up with a handful of random topics, hit record, and hoped for the best. So if you've ever wondered what Gen X ad jingles, annoying earworms, pet psychics, and a questionable amount of DayQuil have in common—same.  Does it all make sense? Probably not. Will it be fun to hear? Absolutely. Tune in for a totally unplanned, mildly chaotic ride—because let’s be real, we could all use a few unhinged laughs right now. Links  The Local Chicago Commercial Hall of Fame “My Neck, My Back” lyrics Dove’s  “My neck, my back” ad Budweiser wassup commercial “We built this city” lyrics Kars for Kids jingle Mahna mahna - Muppet Show Camptown Races song What does an animal communicator do? Wanda Sykes and the Mosquito Man Eve’s list of Ads using GenX Music  Push it - soda stream  Melt with you - Hershey  We quilt this city - quilted northern Don't change – Chevy EV car Listen to your heart – repatha heart med Simply irresistible – Calfia almond milk I wanna be with you, Everywhere – PayPal  I want you to want me – kerrygold Holding out for a hero - Bet 365 Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Downey rinse and refresh Goodbye to you - Airsupra asthma drug You make me feel like dancing – Osteo Bi-Flex Roam - Marriott bonvoy  Situation - [ truly ] hard seltzer  All nite long  – mattress firm  Oohh yeahhh - Meibo  Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Look, we weren’t gonna talk about aging, but here we are—because apparently, it’s happening whether we like it or not. People say GenX is aging differently, but tell that to our knees, eyesight, and ability to function after 9 PM. From shifting looks to mystery aches to questioning if we can still pull off certain outfits, we’re covering it all. As always, expect brutal honesty, a little oversharing, and plenty of “WTF happened?!” moments. Buckle up, cuz midlife is wild. Episode links Aging Well: Generation X, examined How Old Were The Golden Girls During The Show OPINION: Are old folks looking younger? They are. Now, get off my lawn! Why Gen-X Women Will Not Be Aging Quietly Gen X Woman's Epic Response to Those Who Say You Should 'Dress Your Age' Gen X has hit 'that stage' of life and is not handling it very well Gen X Is Getting Plastic Surgery Right 10 Gen X Celebrities Who Make Us Feel Good About Aging I'm an Influencer in My 50s—These 6 Ageless Trends Have Refreshed My Wardrobe Dressing Bridget Jones in her 50s: The ‘Frazzled Englishwoman’ grows up 16 Clothing Brands Every Woman in Her 40s and 50s Needs in Her Wardrobe  Society ‘disappears’ ageing women. So I harnessed that cloak of invisibility to do all sorts of ‘inappropriate’ things Here's the Real Reason Older Women Don't Want to Be Invisible 'Gen X has had to learn or die': Mid-career workers are facing ageism in the job market Why Divorce at 60 Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me AARP GenX ASMR Younger Is Here to Stream, and It’s Never Too Late to Watch Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Grab your sugary cereal and get comfy—we’re throwing it back to the cartoons that defined our childhoods! From Saturday morning classics to the animated gems we still love today, we’re diving into what made these shows so special. Did we move on to “grown-up” animation, or are we still watching our old favorites? OH! And you know you want to know Courtney;s saturday morning parental theory and why Eve named her Roomba after a favorite cartoon chatacter. Tune in for a kickass & nostalgic ride! Episode links The 50 Greatest Saturday Morning Cartoons The 40 Best Nostalgic Saturday Morning Cartoons That Fans Still Love Muttley Kids weren't always 'Free to Be... You and Me' — here's a look at its legacy, at 50 Free to Be. . . You and Me: 50 Years of Stories and Song Schoolhouse Rock Knowledge Is Power: The History of Schoolhouse Rock! ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ premiered 50 years ago — and shaped a generation Schoolhouse Rock Rocks! Album 12 far-out things you never knew about 'The Jetsons' ‘We jumped the shark in the very first episode!’ Thirty-five years of The Simpsons Every Simpsons Episode Conan O’Brien Wrote How Pixar Started All 28 Pixar Movies, Ranked The Making of Fantasia: Disney’s Masterpiece When the Wind Blows Adult Swim Cartoon Network Website Shuts Down, Warner Bros. Discovery Kicks Visitors Over to Max Star Trek Lower Decks The Best Current Animated Series Airing Now Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group Follow our 80’s inspired Instagram Send us an email

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Miss us? We took a little breather after the 2024 election, but guess what? We’re BACK, whether you’re ready or not! Today, we’re diving into all the wild, questionable, and downright dangerous things we did as kids. Seatbelts? Helmets? Never heard of ‘em. Left home alone with zero supervision? Of course. Roaming on our bikes for hours with no cell phone or tracking? How did we even survive?! Plus, our Facebook group chimed in with their own insane childhood stories—you won’t believe what they got away with. Buckle up (or don’t, in true 80s style) and hit play! Episode links Those Who Grew Up Latchkey Kids Are Opening Up About The Lives No One Knew They Had 10 Things Kids in the 80s Did That Would Shock Kids Today Things '80s Kids Did That Could Get Us Arrested Today 21 Things ’80s Kids’ Did That Would Horrify Us Now Things in the 80s that are unacceptable in today’s society 27 Dangerous And/Or Illegal Things People Did As Kids That Would Never, Ever Fly Today How did “Latchkey” Kids Become Snowplow Parents? Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group Follow our 80’s inspired Instagram Send us an email

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! While we’re on hiatus, we thought you’d dig hearing this Thanksgiving episode again! Enjoy. 🤘 ——- Embracing holiday traditions, dealing with crazy family and filling up on appetizers - that’s what is on the holiday menu this week with Eve, Courtney, Chris and Lori. Prepare for your Thanksgiving by hearing our insane family stories (because weaponized sticky buns), finding out the right time to eat holiday dinner and getting advice for this hectic time of year, including the best way to handle a "drive-by bunning”. Hanging out at the kid's table was never this fun. original episode links Family holidays memes Holiday “Incidents” What time should Thanksgiving dinner be? Home for the Holidays (movie) Dealing w /family during the holidays How to ask for vaccine status before holiday Tips for a peaceful family holiday gathering Recipe for sweet potato orange cups Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group Follow our 80’s inspired Instagram Send us an email

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! After the shock of the 2024 election, the podcast crew has decided to take a little breather. We want to show up as our most authentic (and snarky) selves, so we’re putting the show on hold for now while we figure out next steps. To all our listeners—you have no idea how much you mean to us. This show has been a lifeline for the four of us through all the ups and downs of the past few years, and we just need some time to reset & regroup. We hope to be back with new episodes in 2025, but if anything changes, we’ll let you know! In the meantime, come hang out in our Facebook group to stay in the loop and soak up some GenX vibes. Seeya on the flip side, kids. #loveyou #meanit Links TikTok Rabbi’s thoughts Join our Facebook Group  Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group Follow our 80’s inspired Instagram Send us an email

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Get ready for a blast from the past! This encore Halloween episode, originally released in October 2020 (remember the lockdown Halloween?!) is one of our favorites—and when Lori, Courtney, Chris, and I started to come together as a podcast family. Join us as we dive into Lori's candy corn obsession, my blue fuzzy dog costume, Courtney's legendary front yard celebrations, and Chris’s hysterical late-night TV pumpkin adventures. Get a taste of Gen X Halloween experiences that are sure to make you laugh your pillowcase right off. But make sure to hide those candy wrappers. Episode links (from the original episode show notes) Original episode (Sn 2 ep 6) Mike Pence pumpkin meme Mercedes Ruhl in Married to the Mob Halloween masks of the 70’s and 80’s Halloween family photo Cincinnati dad created a Halloween chute  Krispy Kreme and Lowes costume drive-by What IS a trebuchet? Who created the t-shirt cannon? OPI’s Stay off the Lawn nail color  Songs of the Humpback whale that chris says played at level 10 will solve your neighbors loud music issue Connect with us Subscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast app Buy some kickass merch Write us a review Visit our site Join our Facebook Group Follow our 80’s inspired Instagram Send us an email