GenX Stories

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message! Old toys. Concert shirts. Boxes we haven’t opened in decades. In this episode, the podcast crew riffs on the chaos of the keepsakes we have (or wish we still did !) while trying to figure out what the topic is. It's funny. It's messy. And it's completely Gen X. If you've ever wanted your Walkman back, you gotta listen to this one. Episode links 8 Rare Vintage Tech Products Worth Thousands That Might Be Hiding In Your AtticFor some toy sellers, packing shelves with nostalgia pays off14 Nostalgic 80s and 90s Toys That Are Shockingly Valuable TodayFind Your Next Great Read Right in Your Own NeighborhoodLove Is In the Details — The Madame Alexander Story14 of the Most Valuable LEGO Sets You Might Have at HomeLincoln Logs history 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! In this episode of Gen X Stories, Eve and Courtney go full Stranger Things, unpacking the 80s DNA, the Stephen King–meets–E.T. references, and why this show hit Gen X right in the childhood. From killer needle drops to character arcs that grew up with us, they explore how the Duffer Brothers built a cross-generational phenomenon. BUT major spoilers ahead, so consider yourself warned. Episode links 'Stranger Things' holds a mirror to the '80s – and todayDecoding Stranger Things 5’s Most Notable Pop-Culture Nods“Stranger Things” and the frustrations of Gen X’s ’80s nostalgia habit A Review of Stranger Things from a Genuine Gen X KidStranger Things 5: Let’s Unravel the Secrets of the Upside DownStranger Things Finally Explained How The Upside Down Works, And The Duffers Told Us How They Decided Who Would Figure It Out‘Stranger Things 5’ Finally Reveals the Truth About the Upside DownMeet the musical mind behind the nostalgically '80s sound of 'Stranger Things'Running Up That Hill: an ‘80s hit makes millions in royalties thanks to Stranger Things8 best musicl moments on ‘Stranger Things’Every Song in Every Season of Stranger ThingsJourney’s “Separate Ways” remix featured on ‘Stranger Things” season 4How Steve Perry Surprised ‘Stranger Things’ Remix ArtistsSpotify Official PlaylistHow ‘Stranger Things’ Scored Two Prince Songs for Season FinaleConnect 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! 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 RecordsThe Highest Rated Albums of 1983The story of 1983 in music‘Colour By Numbers’: How Culture Club Painted A Pop MasterpieceCulture Club: Get to know the band behind 'Karma Chameleon'Classic Album: The Police – SynchronicityWhy The Police’s 'Synchronicity' — Their Final, Fraught Masterpiece — Still Resonates After 40 YearsUnder the Volcano Movie‘Under the Volcano’ Review: Rockers Recall the Remote Island Where Luxurious ’80s Record-Making Had Its Last StandHow 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 – MadonnaMadonna’s first hit ‘Holiday’ almost never happenedLucky Star VideoAbout the Lucky Star videoEve’s Madonna SketchEve’s Madonna Photo w/momMadonna’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Madonna’ OUR ALBUMS LoriColour By NumberCourtneySynchronicityChrisMurmurEveMadonnaConnect 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 anythingFerris Bueller’s Day OffIf You Leave - OMDPool Hopping23 Smells That Instantly Transport Us Back to Childhood: Hawiian TropicPhil’s Beach in WaucondahereVisitors flock to Wauconda beach made famous by ‘Blues Brothers’ for first time in decadesApril 25 is the 'perfect date': Here's what to know about Miss Congeniality DayThe Bizarre Way Sammy Davis Jr. Lost His Left EyeHonda PreludePretty In Pink SoundtrackThe Long-Misinterpreted Meaning Behind “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes12 Things Every Teen Did After School in the 1980s That Felt Like FreedomGen Z Is Choosing Not to DriveTeens aren’t getting their driver’s licenses – and the experts are completely wrong about whyStraight 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 friendsBouvierCavapoo DogsWhy GenX Doesn’t GIve a FuckConnect 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 2025Movies Turning 40 In 20251985 in filmFirst Blockbuster store opensThe Dawn of Unlimited Entertainment: How Blockbuster Changed ViewersThe Rise and Fall of Blockbuster: A Look Back at VHS Rental CultureI remember doing the Time Warp: The 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' turns 50Connect 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” Meme10 things that irrationally scared the hell out of a lot of Gen X when they were kids11 Things That Terrified Gen X As Kids That Turned Out To Be No Big DealMost Ridiculous Things That Scared Gen X KidsConnect 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 Life11 Reasons Gen Z Thinks Gen X Had The Saddest ChildhoodsGen Z Is Calling Gen X The "Karen Generation"College Admissions: Why My Mom Had It Way Easier in the 80’sConnect 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 Survived23 Crazy Things Everyone Did In College In The ’80s15 Things 1980s College Students Did That Would Baffle Kids TodayConnect 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 ReelWikipediaGame rulesSample questionsGame targets Ed MeeseTeddy Ruxpin0’s kids changing cassettes in TeddyThe Early Days of Andre Agassi and Steffi GrafK.I.T.T.Gordon GeckoSade Retired to a Reclusive Life After a Legendary Music CareerDavid BowieChristian Slater's Road From '80s Movie Heartthrob To Television LegendHollywood Flashback: Before the Podcast Era, ‘Pump Up the Volume’ Made Noise20 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 YouEddie Murphy's furious ‘Delirious’ daysIce Cream Man Throwing shoesCharlie 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-electionThe episode about ‘86 albumsThe episodw about ‘87 albumsThe episode we fakedThe episode about my compter eating our recordingsThe episode about genealogyThe episode about agingThe episode about AIWalk this way Run DMC/Aerosmith videoGlass brick 80’s trendClan of the Cave Bear bookGreed is Good Wall Street movie speechStrawberry pretzel tartHistory of the Jello CakeGen Alpha slang wordsHostess Pudding PieFord PIntoconnect 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 NomadDigital Nomad StatsReport on Digtals NomadsThe 10 best cities in America for digital nomadsBest Countries For Digital Nomads In 2025CTO Lunches'Rose-colored glasses': The stressful reality of being a digital nomad5 Steps For Digital Nomads To Source And Attract Clients Worldwide Info on our guests Jason’s WebsiteJason’s Instagram Jason on ThreadsLinkedinRachel’s WebsiteChoose Happiness Podcast:Rachel’s Music on SpotifyRachel’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! We're wrapping up Season SIX (can you believe it?!), and we want to hear from YOU — yes, YOU! For the last episode of this season, we’re flipping the script. Instead of an “Ask Me Anything,” it’s an Ask US Anything — and we mean anything (well, anything show-related… don’t go nutty, kids 😄). Got questions about the four of us? Curious about how our generation sees the world? Burning topics you want us to cover in Season Seven (OMG, Season SEVEN!)? Drop us your questions, hot takes, or wish list ideas. We’re all ears and are ready to spill the tea in the final episode of the season. It’s ALL up to YOU. ways to contact us Fill out the form on our websiteEmail usSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Share in our FB group 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 KillerA search for a biological father, and the surprise of a lifetime23andMe Just Filed for Bankruptcy. You Should Delete Your Data Now.Finding Your RootsWho Do You Think You Are? EP Lisa Kudrow Tells Why Show Is ‘Fascinating’No Taste Like Home with Antoni PorowskiAncestry.comMy HertitageGED MatchInfo on our guest, Aryn Youngless Geneology by ArynSubstackIGTikTokBlueskyFacebookMy Mom, Her StoryMy Dad, His StoryThe Genealogy JournalFrom Research to NovelConnect 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 2The Digitally Savvy Generation: How Gen X Embraces TechnologyGenX, We Bridged the Technological GapDescript app for podcast editingFathom AI notetakerNew York Times: GenX Career MeltdownAI 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 conceptBest albums of 1987How Sting made art from lossSting’s November 1987 Nothing Like the Sun Spin Cover Story: Invisible Son10 things you didn’t know about INXS’s KickThe 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 AlbumJust Like A Dream: The Cure’s Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me RevisitedOUR ALBUMS LoriKick, INXSCourtneyNothing Like the Sun, StingChrisWarehouse: songs and stories, Husker DuEve 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” lyricsDove’s “My neck, my back” adBudweiser wassup commercial“We built this city” lyricsKars for Kids jingleMahna mahna - Muppet ShowCamptown Races songWhat 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 - HersheyWe quilt this city - quilted northernDon't change – Chevy EV carListen to your heart – repatha heart medSimply irresistible – Calfia almond milkI wanna be with you, Everywhere – PayPal I want you to want me – kerrygoldHolding out for a hero - Bet 365Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Downey rinse and refreshGoodbye to you - Airsupra asthma drugYou make me feel like dancing – Osteo Bi-FlexRoam - 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, examinedHow Old Were The Golden Girls During The ShowOPINION: Are old folks looking younger? They are. Now, get off my lawn!Why Gen-X Women Will Not Be Aging QuietlyGen 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 wellGen X Is Getting Plastic Surgery Right10 Gen X Celebrities Who Make Us Feel Good About AgingI'm an Influencer in My 50s—These 6 Ageless Trends Have Refreshed My WardrobeDressing Bridget Jones in her 50s: The ‘Frazzled Englishwoman’ grows up16 Clothing Brands Every Woman in Her 40s and 50s Needs in Her WardrobeSociety ‘disappears’ ageing women. So I harnessed that cloak of invisibility to do all sorts of ‘inappropriate’ thingsHere'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 marketWhy Divorce at 60 Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to MeAARP GenX ASMRYounger 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 CartoonsThe 40 Best Nostalgic Saturday Morning Cartoons That Fans Still LoveMuttleyKids weren't always 'Free to Be... You and Me' — here's a look at its legacy, at 50Free to Be. . . You and Me: 50 Years of Stories and SongSchoolhouse RockKnowledge Is Power: The History of Schoolhouse Rock!‘Schoolhouse Rock’ premiered 50 years ago — and shaped a generationSchoolhouse Rock Rocks! Album12 far-out things you never knew about 'The Jetsons'‘We jumped the shark in the very first episode!’ Thirty-five years of The SimpsonsEvery Simpsons Episode Conan O’Brien WroteHow Pixar StartedAll 28 Pixar Movies, RankedThe Making of Fantasia: Disney’s MasterpieceWhen the Wind BlowsAdult SwimCartoon Network Website Shuts Down, Warner Bros. Discovery Kicks Visitors Over to MaxStar Trek Lower DecksThe Best Current Animated Series Airing NowConnect 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 Had10 Things Kids in the 80s Did That Would Shock Kids TodayThings '80s Kids Did That Could Get Us Arrested Today21 Things ’80s Kids’ Did That Would Horrify Us NowThings in the 80s that are unacceptable in today’s society27 Dangerous And/Or Illegal Things People Did As Kids That Would Never, Ever Fly TodayHow 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