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A dark afternoon, a good cider, and one glittering memory: the roller rink. We follow that spark into a full ride through roller skating’s wild history and why it mattered so much to Gen X. From a violin-playing inventor crashing into a mirror to James Plimpton’s quad revolution, we connect the dots between Victorian spectacle, postwar neon boxes, and the utilitarian warehouses that became our weekend temples.

We talk about what those rinks gave us as kids: a semi-supervised freedom loop, a place to test courage on turns, and our first real music community. The DJ calls. The panic of couple skate. The pride when Another One Bites the Dust hit and you didn’t wipe out. Then we pull back the curtain on the deeper story—rinks as battlegrounds and sanctuaries. Black skaters staged skate-ins, built iconic styles like JB and Philly backwards, and turned rinks into essential venues for funk, disco, and early hip hop. Flippers in West Hollywood mixed drag, punk, and pop royalty; roller derby revived the punk-feminist spirit with women taking up blistering speed and space.

We track the shift to rollerblades, the tug of cable TV and video games, and why so many rinks closed or morphed into birthday factories. And just when it felt like the music faded, the pandemic sent wheels flying again: pastel quads on boardwalks, jam lines in parking lots, adult skate nights with old-school grooves. The recipe still works—smooth floor, lights overhead, music that moves your feet, and a little bravery to let go of the wall.

Got a rink story, your anthem, or a legendary wipeout? We want to hear it. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with the friend who always yelled “reverse skate.” Your turn: what song instantly drops you back onto that maple floor?

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TV static used to mean the world went quiet. We start there—two Gen X hosts trading dog stories and daylight saving brain fog—then pivot hard into Poltergeist, the 1982 suburban haunt that turned a living room ritual into a gateway for the uncanny. If you remember falling asleep to the national anthem and waking to snow on the screen, this breakdown will hit with a very specific chill.

We dig into why Poltergeist still works: the time-capsule set design (Star Wars cases, Speak & Spell, Alien posters), the sly social commentary hiding in a pool excavation, and the way the film never wastes a second arguing about belief. From the storm that swallows a tree to the rope-and-goo rescue that births a thousand parodies, the beats are tight, weird, and deeply human. We talk Spielberg’s fingerprints versus Tobe Hooper’s credit, ILM’s effects wizardry, and the infamous “they moved the headstones” twist that made cul-de-sacs feel like thin ground. Tangina’s entrance, the “They’re here” whisper, and the final motel TV toss get the love they deserve.

The conversation widens to the eerie production lore—the real skeletons, the so-called curse—and what the movie says about technology creep and American expansion. Along the way, we vent about SNAP cuts and why food is a human right, reflect on daylight saving fatigue, and share a Comic Con clown encounter neither of us needed. It’s nostalgia with teeth: equal parts critique, laughter, and heartfelt memory.

If you’re a horror fan, a Gen X kid, or just someone who loves a sharp cultural rewatch, you’ll find plenty to chew on. Hit play, then tell us: which 80s artifact still haunts you, and what movie should we tackle next? Subscribe, rate, and share to keep the conversation going.

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This episode was recorded remotely and there are changes in sound quality. We will be back in our usual digs next time!

Megan and Lesley unpack the “poisoned candy” panic of the 70s & 80s , track its roots in one tragic crime and the Tylenol tampering case, and explore how fear reshaped Halloween traditions. We trade haunted house confessions, Irvington lore, Disney delight, and a saving-ghost story.

• Irvington’s festival and neighborhood Halloween culture
• Disney’s Haunted Mansion and safe scares
• The myth of stranger-poisoned candy debunked
• 1974 pixie stick murder and its ripple effects
• 1982 Tylenol tampering and safety seals
• Why homemade treats disappeared from Halloween
• Trunk or Treat and mixed safety messages
• Social anxiety, Watergate, and horror’s rise
• Personal trick-or-treat memories and haunted houses
• Local legends, friendly ghosts, and community lore

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A caregiver makes a hard call, the internet sharpens its knives, and an entire generation remembers the day a teacher aimed to teach from orbit. We kick off with real talk about Emma Heming Willis, the relentless scrutiny women face around caregiving, and why “do everything alone” is a dangerous myth. From online backlash to real-world limits—Medicaid cuts, underpaid care workers, and families stretched thin—we pull the conversation back to compassion, resources, and the right to choose what keeps a loved one safe and comfortable.

Then we turn to a defining Gen X memory: the Space Shuttle Challenger launch on January 28, 1986. Krista McAuliffe, a social studies teacher selected for NASA’s Teacher in Space program, had millions of kids and educators watching live. Seventy-three seconds after liftoff, the shuttle broke apart. We unpack the chain of failure—frigid temperatures, O-ring warnings raised by engineers, and a culture that prioritized schedule over risk signals—and trace how the Rogers Commission reshaped NASA’s safety culture. What does it look like to trust expertise, slow down under pressure, and protect people over PR? The answers connect classrooms, caregivers, and mission control.

Along the way, we share personal memories of watching the broadcast at school, the weight teachers carried in the aftermath, and how these moments changed the way we think about progress. If science is our North Star, then listening to engineers, supporting caregivers, and funding the systems that hold families together are the course corrections we can make right now.

If this conversation resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend who remembers Challenger, and leave a rating or review to help more Gen X women find the show. Tell us your memories and your caregiver wins—we’ll feature them in a future episode.

Show Notes: 

“TV Brought the Trauma to Classroom Millions” — an article from Education Week that describes how millions of students were watching live, how teachers reacted, and how schools immediately responded.

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/tv-brought-the

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Welcome back! On "Who Died This Week?" Megan and Lesley talk about the ever so talented and foxy, Robert Redford (1936-2025) (though we have a terrible time remembering his filmography).  

In this latest episode Megan asks, "Where were you when Reagan was shot?" For many Gen X kids, the 1981 assassination attempt marks our first collective news trauma—that shocking moment when regular programming was interrupted and the world seemed to pause.

What began as a routine presidential appearance spiraled into a national crisis when John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots in less than two seconds outside the Washington Hilton. As Reagan lost nearly half his blood volume, Washington descended into constitutional chaos. Secretary of State Alexander Haig's infamous declaration "I'm in control here" revealed dangerous gaps in crisis management, while networks scrambled to report accurate information in an era before instant updates.

Beyond the political dimensions, this episode uncovers the strange, forgotten details that made this event uniquely bizarre. Hinckley's obsession with 18-year-old Jodie Foster dragged the young actress unwillingly into a national nightmare. Nancy Reagan's subsequent turn to astrology for White House scheduling decisions became both fascination and mockery. Meanwhile, Reagan's humor during the crisis—reportedly telling his wife "Honey, I forgot to duck"—transformed his public image into that of an invincible "Teflon Ron."

Most significantly, we explore how this single event catalyzed lasting change across American institutions. The Secret Service rewrote protection protocols, medical teams developed presidential emergency response systems, Congress tightened insanity defense standards, and the Brady Bill eventually introduced meaningful gun control legislation.

Join us for this nostalgic yet substantive dive into a pivotal moment when Gen X kids first witnessed history unfolding in real-time, complete with our personal memories of where we were when the world briefly stood still. If you remember this moment or want to understand how it shaped a generation's consciousness, this episode offers both personal reflection and historical insight that resonates even t

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Remember when your Dungeons & Dragons dice might summon demons and heavy metal albums contained secret Satanic messages? If you grew up in the 1980s, you lived through one of America's strangest cultural moments – the Satanic Panic.

We're taking a deep dive into this bizarre phenomenon that had parents checking under beds for devil worshippers and police departments training officers to spot "occult crime" using horror paperbacks as manuals. From the infamous McMartin preschool trial that cost taxpayers $15 million without securing a single conviction, to the demonization of everything from rock music to role-playing games, we unpack how mass hysteria shaped an entire generation.

This wasn't a random occurrence – we trace the pattern of moral panics from ancient Rome through medieval blood libel accusations and into modern times, revealing how fear of shadowy cabals has been recycled throughout history. The targets change, but the template remains eerily similar.

For those of us who grew up during this era, the Satanic Panic wasn't just headline news – it shaped our relationship with authority, media, and moral crusades. Yet ironically, Gen X didn't just survive these fears – we reclaimed and transformed them. The very things once considered gateways to hell became celebrated cornerstones of our culture. Dungeons & Dragons experienced a renaissance, heavy metal thrived, and the aesthetic elements once deemed "Satanic" now feature prominently in nostalgic pop culture.

Join us for a fascinating exploration of how the devil went from terrifying America to rocking out with Jack Black – and what this strange chapter in our cultural history reveals about the cyclical nature of fear. When you understand the Satanic Panic, you might just recognize its patterns in today's headlines.

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Remember when summer vacation actually lasted until Labor Day? When your biggest back-to-school worry wasn't active shooter drills but whether your Trapper Keeper matched your folders? We're diving deep into the nostalgia of Gen X school experiences this week as we honor the passing of Loni Anderson and reflect on the holiday weekend that once marked the true end of summer.

Our conversation meanders through the hallowed halls of department stores past – from Lazarus to Montgomery Ward, from Air-way to the early days of Target when we all thought "what a dumb name." We unpack the critical importance of metal lunchboxes adorned with our favorite TV characters, those big pink erasers that never quite worked, and the wide-rule paper with its blue lines and dotted middle line that guided our early handwriting attempts.

The Garanimals clothing system perfectly encapsulates the self-sufficient nature of our generation: "Match your animals, get a Pop-Tart, get to the bus, and I'll see you at 3 o'clock." This hands-off approach to childhood would horrify many modern parents, but it was simply the norm for us latchkey kids. We compare our half-day kindergarten experiences (complete with mandatory nap time!) to today's academic pressure cooker that somehow starts in July.

For Gen X parents who've navigated the vastly different back-to-school landscape with our own children, this episode offers a comforting reminder that we survived and thrived with far less structure and supervision. So whether you were the kid with the perfectly organized Trapper Keeper or the one desperately trying to hide that you hadn't done your homework, this episode will transport you back to a time when school started after Labor Day and summer actually felt like summer.

Share your own school memories with us! Call 1-888-GEN-X-POD or visit genxwomenpod.com to connect and keep the conversation going.

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Remember that moment when your neighbor invited you over for "just wine and apps with the girls," only to ambush you with a sales pitch for overpriced leggings or miracle vitamins? You're not alone.

In this episode, we dive deep into the cultural phenomenon of multi-level marketing schemes that targeted Gen X women throughout the 80s, 90s, and beyond. From Tupperware parties our mothers hosted to the Mary Kay consultants with their pink Cadillacs, these pyramid-shaped businesses promised financial freedom while delivering financial ruin for 99.6% of participants.

Lesley shares her family's personal journey with Shaklee vitamins, including her grandfather's run-in with the IRS after some creative accounting with his vitamin business. We explore the awkward social dynamics of being invited to jewelry, candle, or kitchen gadget parties in our twenties when our bank accounts were running on fumes, and the guilt trip of saying no to friends who desperately needed to make sales.

The conversation covers a nostalgic tour through the MLM landscape - Amway, Avon, PartyLite, Pampered Chef, Silpada jewelry, LuLaRoe leggings, and dozens more that promised riches but mostly delivered debt. We analyze how these companies specifically targeted women with products related to beauty, home, wellness, and childcare, capitalizing on both financial needs and social connections.

As we reflect on these experiences, we question whether today's social media influencer marketing has simply become the digital evolution of the MLM hustle. Has anything really changed, or are we just seeing the same exploitation with new packaging?

Share your own MLM horror stories with us! Call our hotline at 1-888-GEN-X-POD or visit our website at genxwomenpod.com to connect with other Gen X women who survived the pyramid scheme era.

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What happens when the stars who shaped our childhoods turn out to be deeply flawed, problematic, or even criminal? Megan and Lesley dive deep into the emotional complexity of reconciling nostalgic memories with disturbing revelations about our once-beloved celebrities.

Fresh from their summer break, they tackle this thorny subject through the lens of recent celebrity deaths – particularly Hulk Hogan, whose passing stirred up complicated feelings given his history of racist comments. This kicks off a fascinating exploration of how we process disappointment when our heroes fall from grace.

The hosts compile an eye-opening list of over 40 celebrities from the 70s, 80s and 90s who've been "canceled" or revealed to have committed harmful acts – from Bill Cosby to JK Rowling, Michael Jackson to Johnny Depp. Some made offensive comments, others faced serious criminal allegations, and many simply couldn't adapt to changing social standards. The question isn't just whether these figures deserve forgiveness, but how we as fans reconcile our emotional connections to their work.

"You can have this complexity of thought," Lesley notes, offering a path forward that acknowledges both our cherished memories and the disappointing reality. This isn't about making excuses for bad behavior, but rather developing the emotional maturity to hold contradictory truths simultaneously – a skill that serves us well beyond just processing celebrity scandals.

Have your own 5 Minutes of Fame story to share? Call 1-888-GEN-X-POD to leave us a message we'll play in a future episode!

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Enjoy this episode from last summer while we get our shit together and take some vacations! 

We take a nostalgic dive into the world of soap operas and their impact on Gen X women's lives, exploring both daytime dramas and primetime sensations that dominated television from the 1970s through the 1990s.

• Daytime soaps like General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, and Young and the Restless provided entertainment primarily for stay-at-home mothers
• Famous stars including Rick Springfield, John Stamos, Demi Moore, and Mark Hamill got their start on General Hospital
• The "Who Shot JR?" Dallas storyline in 1980 was such a cultural phenomenon that one mother asked if her daughter's hospitalization was "serious enough to miss Dallas"
• Primetime soap operas including Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest and Knots Landing featured wealthy families, glamorous settings and high drama
• Soap operas evolved in the 90s to include supernatural elements with shows like Passions and Dark Shadows incorporating vampires, witches and paranormal adventures
• The shift from traditional melodrama to supernatural content parallels changing interests as Gen X women entered adulthood

Find us at genxwomenpod.com, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Call 1-888-GEN-X-POD to share your "five minutes of fame" story for a future episode.

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