GenX Stories

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Grab some popcorn and a wine cooler--we’re going to the movies! On the final episode of our first season, we discuss growing up on Star Wars, E.T, and Sixteen Candles in the 80s and then having our lives reflected back to us in 90s indie hits like Slacker, Reality Bites, and Singles. Plus, we sit down with film producer Josh Goldsmith who co-wrote 13 Going on 30 (along with his wife and writing partner Cathy Yuspa) to talk about the inspiration behind the movie, the movies he loved growing up, what he’s working on now (Hint: it's headed to Broadway) and more. And...we wrap with a few clips from our latest virtual happy hour (including a special little guest at the end!)

Resources
140 Essential 80s Movies (via Rotten Tomatoes)
140 Essential 90s Movies (via Rotten Tomatoes)
The Films That Defined a Generation (via BBC)
10 Best GenX Directors
What Happened to Val Kilmer? He’s Just Starting to Figure It Out (New York Times)

Josh Goldsmith’s Top (More than) 10 Movies:

• Raiders of The Lost Ark
• Star Wars (Episodes IV, V & VI)
• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
• Breakfast Club
• Vacation/Caddyshack/Stripes/Ghostbusters
• Risky Business
• Back To The Future
• Three Amigos (most underrated)
• Trading Places
• The Outsiders
• Broadcast News
• Dirty Dancing
• E.T.
• The Princess Bride
• The Shining
• Rocky
• When Harry Met Sally 

Eve’s top 10 Movies That Made Us

• Princess Bride
• Star Wars
• Say Anything
• Breakfast Club
• Pump up the Volume
• Wargames
• Some Kind of Wonderful
• Footloose
• Sixteen Candles
• Reality Bites

Sacha’s top 10 Movies That Made Us

• E.T
• Star Wars
• Flashdance
• Annie Hall
• When Harry Met Sally
• Slacker
• Reality Bites
• Sex, Lies and Videotape
• Desperately Seeking Susan
• Singles
  
  

Connect with Us!
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Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.
Join the GenX Stories Facebook Group
Follow along on Instagram
Send us an email at [email protected]
Learn more about Eve here
Learn more about Sacha here

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

Music makes the world go round, even in a quarantine. In the second to last episode of the season, we throw back to the music of the 80s and 90s and talk about the music that made us who we are today. From teenage heart throbs and pop music icons to grunge, rock, punk, hip-hop, and alternative--we’ve got all the bases covered. Plus, we chat with Colleen Wright, a founding member of Gonzo’s Nose about her musical influences, what it was like to be a lead singer in a popular 90s cover band, and why she and her husband started doing #quarantineconcerts from their front porch.

Resources
Gonzo’s Nose
Mood Music with Brad and Amy
120 minutes
Take On Me by Ah-Ha
We’re GenX, Motherfuckers playlist
Dystopia and Biscuits playlist
GenX Stores Illin' Mixtape

Essential GenX Albums
(via this article by Richard Guzman)

• Nirvana, “Nevermind”
• Pearl Jam, “Ten”
• Dr. Dre, “The Chronic”
• Radiohead, “OK Computer”
• Rage Against the Machine, “The Battle of Los Angeles”
• Sublime, “Sublime”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”
• De La Soul, “3 Feet High and Rising”
• No Doubt, “Tragic Kingdom”
• Smashing Pumpkins, “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”
• REM, “Out of Time”
• The Notorious B.I.G., “Life After Death”
• Depeche Mode, “Violator”
• Jane’s Addiction, “Ritual de Lo Habitual”
• 2Pac, “All Eyez on Me”
• Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill”
• Fugees, “The Score”
• Soundgarden, “Superunknown”
• A Tribe Called Quest, ‘The Low End Theory”
• Green Day, “Dookie”
• Wu-Tang Clan, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)”
• Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Doggystyle”
• Beastie Boys, “Ill Communication”
• Lauryn Hill, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”
• U2, “Achtung Baby”

Connect with Us!
Visit GenXStories.com for more GenX stories and information
Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.
Join the GenX Stories Facebook Group
Listen to the GenX Stores Illin' Mixtape on Spotify
Follow along on Instagram
Send us an email at [email protected]
Learn more about Eve here
Learn more about Sacha here

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

Dating during a pandemic. Is it even possible? And, are there any good things about meeting a potential suitor via Zoom? We sat down with Matchmaker Extraordinaire Laurie Berzack to discuss what’s has happened with dating and matchmaking since we all went into self isolation. And earlier this year, we also chatted with our good friend Mollie Mulvanity about her dating life as a GenXer. A lot has changed since this interview but some things have stayed the same, like managing expectations, the importance of clear communication, and the very human need to connect no matter the circumstances. 

Plus, we’ve included some amusing, booze-fueled moments from our most recent GenX Stories Zoom Happy Hour. Special thanks to Liz, Sonia, Brad, Jennifer, Jon, and Nikita for letting us use their clips.

Resources
Laurie Berzack: https://carolinasmatchmaker.com/

7 Ideas for Virtual Dates

Online Dating Surges During Lockdown 

Connect with Us!
Visit GenXStories.com for more GenX stories and information
Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.
Join the GenX Stories Facebook Group
Listen to the GenX Stores Illin' Mixtape on Spotify
Follow along on Instagram
Send us an email at [email protected]
Learn more about Eve here
Learn more about Sacha here

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

It’s been just over a month since most of us went into self-isolation. How is GenX doing under these remarkable circumstances? Is the resilience that served us well over the years enough to get us through this insane situation? Are introverts managing better than extroverts? We checked in with some of our friends during a GenX Zoom happy hour and discussed how hobbies like collecting Star Wars Storm Troopers and dressing up in costume are keeping some of us sane. Plus, we delve into our favorite wines, self-soothing tips, and more.

Special thanks to Sonia, Liz, Lori, Mary, Derek, Cheri, Steph, and Jason for letting us use their clips!

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

The coronavirus crisis rages on, forcing us to shelter in place and socially isolate. The very fabric of our lives has been shredded like an old punk rock t-shirt. But we persist. In today’s special episode, we discuss what it’s like when everything is cancelled, how to give back and support our communities during the pandemic, and how GenXers are coping in sickness and in health.  

Plus, we share outtakes from our recent virtual GenX Stories happy hour including  we're dealing with rebellious parents, kids stuck at home, and what we’re looking forward to when it’s all over. Like the rest of the world, we’re taking all of this day by day and doing the best we can. 

Resources:
How You Can Help During the Coronavirus Crisis (Washington Post)
50 Ways Companies are Giving Back During the Crisis (in case you wanna support them)
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

Connect with Us!
Visit GenXStories.com for more GenX stories and information
Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.
Join the GenX Stories Facebook Group
Listen to the GenX Stores Illin' Mixtape on Spotify
Follow along on Instagram
Send us an email at [email protected]
Learn more about Eve here
Learn more about Sacha here

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

A global pandemic that once existed only in sci-fi films is now our reality. Self-isolation, social distancing, Zoom all day long, obsessive hand washing, toilet paper shortages, and trying to keep our parents and kids in check...welcome to this brave new world.

Sure, GenXers have faced tough times before including recessions, 9/11, and acid washed jeans, but nothing like this. In this episode, we discuss how GenX is handling the coronavirus pandemic and how our survival skills from growing up are playing a key role in staying sane. Plus, you'll hear from other GenXers on their coping strategies, first concerts, and why we’re uniquely prepared to deal with this crisis. 

Resources:
GenX Stories Illin’ Mixtape (on Spotify)
How to Take Your Social Life Online
The Case for Empathy
Some GenX Covid-19 Memes

Connect with Us!
Visit GenXStories.com for more GenX stories and information
Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.
Join the GenX Stories Facebook Group.
Follow along on Instagram
Send us an email at [email protected]
Learn more about Eve here
Learn more about Sacha here

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

Sugar cereal, the weird joy of carob, McDonald’s happy meals, The Silver Palate Cookbook, Ally Sheedy's Captain Crunch sandwich in The Breakfast Club, and early introductions to health food. Today's episode looks back at the food of our youth and how it shaped how we cook and eat today,

Plus, we chat with food writer Kristen Hartke about her childhood grilled cheese obsession, the organic food movement, TV chefs of the 70s and 80s, making her first birthday cake, and much more!

Resources:

The 10 recipes that defined the 1980s
https://www.thekitchn.com/10-recipes-that-defined-the-1980s-recipes-of-the-decade-200638

Foods 80s kids crave
https://www.foodnetwork.ca/fun-with-food/photos/foods-80s-kids-crave/

Snacks of the 80s
https://soyummy.com/1980s-snacks/

Recipes of the 80s:
https://frugalsos.com/vintage-recipes/food-nostalgia-40-popular-80s-recipes/

Woodstock birth year candies:
https://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-Candy-Birthday-Assortment-Childhood/dp/B01B36TXXO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?

Connect with Us!

Visit GenXStories.com for more GenX stories and information 

Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.

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Send us an email at [email protected]

Learn more about Eve here

Learn more about Sacha here

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

Only two things in life are certain, so the saying goes: Death and taxes. This week, we tackle mortality, celebrity deaths, and what it’s like to face life-changing loss. 

Eve opens up about the diagnosis that shook her world, Sacha discusses losing her mom (and best friend)  at age 40, and what it’s like to come to terms with knowing that our time on earth is limited. Plus, the importance of resilience and other life skills that can help us grapple with the death of a loved one. 

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Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.

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Send us an email at [email protected]

Learn more about Eve here.

Learn more about Sacha here.

Send a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!

Ah, dating in the 80s and 90s...

• Eve discovers boys and Bulletin Board Systems, and becomes Queen of the Geeks.
• Sacha spends high school pining for older boys who don’t pay any attention to her, and in general felt like a big loser until college.
• Sacha’s first college boyfriend, losing her virginity (finally!), and getting alternative mixtapes featuring 4AD bands.
• Eve explores dating an older guy and phone phreaking.
• Dating pre-social media and why we’re so thankful it didn’t exist back then.
• Peer pressure and life before #MeToo 
• Sacha sows her wild oats at Model U.N.
• Eve and her boyfriend program side-by-side at computer camp, then he comes to visit at her parent’s house.
• Sacha spends years dating bad boys, and finally meets her husband at age 40.
• Eve (aka “Schoolie”) reconnects with an old love on LinkedIn.
• Leah from the Good Girls Talk About Sex podcast shares her first kiss story.
• Derek narrowly avoids an arranged marriage.

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Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.

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Send us an email at [email protected]

Learn more about Eve here

Learn more about Sacha here

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Are GenXers really the “slackers” we were once called? History proves quite the opposite. Never ones to sit by and be comfortable with the status quo, GenXers questioned everything--from the racial injustice that was rampant in the 90s to the “greed is good” mentality of the 80s. 

During this episode, we take a look back at how growing up in the 80s and 90s shaped our own activism. We discuss Eve’s stint at the ACLU during college, free speech, Third Wave Feminism, reproductive rights, Anita Hill, #metoo, and Sacha’s introduction to protests during the “Take Back the Night” marches at the University of Wisconsin, and how the 2016 election jolted us back into activism.  

Plus, we talk to Elisa Camahort Page, one of the founders of BlogHER and the author of “Road Map for Revolutionaries: Resistance, Activism, and Advocacy for All” about how she started BlogHER, what drove her to write her most recent book, who inspires her, and how to make a difference.

Resources

Elisa Camahort Page

Road Map for Revolutionaries

BlogHER

Women’s March

Take Back the Night

New York Post article about homeless man at Whole Foods caused backlash 

Connect with Us!

Visit GenXStories.com for more GenX stories and information 

Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify or Apple iTunes.

Follow along on Instagram

Send us an email at [email protected]

Learn more about Eve here

Learn more about Sacha here