Strangers With Kittens: Gen X Stories from the Least Parented Generation.

Picture this: It's an 80s summer. You have sunshine for days, a bike, and a neighborhood ripe with opportunities. Your days are filled with movies at the drive-in, hours at the video arcade, a custom 80s mixtape pumping through the cassette player, and ice cream for a dollar. Could you do it all over again?

In this episode of Strangers With Kittens, Eileen uses the summer as a portal to travel back to the past. She dives into the ultimate 1980s childhood nostalgia to remind us to be greedy with our time and protective of the company we keep.

Discover how to reclaim the season, break free from midlife burnout, and spend more moments creating memories in the present—just like we did when we were young. Let's tap into that unfiltered Gen X freedom and live this season intentionally.

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

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This week, Strangers With Kittens is celebrating National Gen X Day with a minisode. An episode that combines some of our favorite moments on the show. 

Revisit clips with guests: Chris Shahnahian, Vijai Nathan, Cynthia Levin, and Becky Veduccio. 

Strangers With Kittens returns to their regular scheduled programming next week! 

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

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Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

Why are the things we are most afraid to say out loud often the exact stories that need to be heard?

This week on Strangers With Kittens, special guest Becky Veduccio joins host Eileen Kelly. These two instantly reconnect through invisible threads, shared memories, and a healthy dose of dark humor.

In this deeply candid episode, Eileen and Becky pull out the dark, embarrassing, and traumatic parts of life that we usually hide away. Together, they explore how sharing our vulnerabilities helps us find ourselves, heal from past wounds, and become human once again. You'll quickly discover that the secrets we are most afraid to reveal often become the ultimate punchline for our best jokes. Tune in for a raw, funny, and deeply relatable look at Gen X midlife healing and female friendship.

Connect with our guest: 

Becky Veduccio is an established stand-up comedian, an award-winning writer and a professional Joke Fluffer.

See Becky LIVE  Starting Tonight!

6/13 Warwick NY
6/28 Long Island NY
7/3 Comedy Triathlon Bucks County, PA
7/11 West Side Comedy Club NYC
7/14 West Side Comedy Club NYC
7/16 MomComs Staten Island NY
7/18 Rhino Comedy Suffern NY
7/24 Room52 NYC
7/26 Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club NJ
7/30 Evansburg Winery PA
8/15 The Milton Theater DE
8/22 Rhino Comedy Suffern NY
9/16 Curtains Up Comedy NJ
10/29 Laugh Lounge PA

Gel Fluffed Here:
https://www.beckyveduccio.com/joke-fluffer

Connect and Follow Here
IG: https://www.instagram.com/beckyveduccio/
FB:https://www.facebook.com/becky.langton.52
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@beckyveducciocomedy?lang=en

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

Relationships are complicated. If you are a woman who currently finds herself stuck in a toxic relationship or a loveless marriage, this episode is a warm embrace just for you.

This week on Strangers With Kittens, Eileen is joined by guest Kristi Belcamino to talk about the terrifying but exhilarating reality of dating over 50. Kristi opens up about her personal journey, detailing how she found unexpected peace, happiness, and ultimate freedom as a single woman thriving in her 50s.
.

Today, she has become a safe space and a guide for other women navigating life after divorce or seeking independence after decades of marriage. Your 50s should be about three non-negotiables: Fun, Peace, and Freedom. Tune in to discover why this chapter of midlife might just be your absolute best one yet. This is 50—and it is flirty, fun, and completely free.

Kristi Belcamino is a USA Today Best-Selling Author.

You may also know her from the Gia Santella Crime Thriller Series

The Queen of Spades Series or The Gabriella Giovanni Series

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

What happens when you grow up in a world where you have to figure out everything for yourself?

This week on Strangers With Kittens, Eileen looks back at a poignant moment between the latchkey generation and younger generations. She reflects on the universal truth that we are all just trying to navigate life for the first time—a compassionate lens that was rarely extended to Gen X children.

Unpacking the reality of growing up with detached parents, Eileen digs into a childhood littered with emotional manipulation, insecurity, and childhood neglect. She shares the story of the Boston family vacation of 1976 that never actually happened, confronting the unfair blame put on kids who were just trying to survive their upbringing. Tune in for a raw, honest exploration of generational trauma, breaking free from toxic parenting cycles, and finding sanity in adulthood.

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

Instagram

TikTok

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Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

We are ushering in the summer season just a little bit early with a fast-paced Strangers With Kittens minisode!

This week, Eileen takes a trip down memory lane to recall some of the most obscure, long-forgotten 80s products (The AYDS Diet Plan, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?). Were they actually too legit or just full of formaldehyde?

Plus, we tackle the modern world and the major side-eye thrown at GLP-1 medication trends and weight loss culture. Finally, don't miss an essential Gen X Spotify hack designed specifically for anyone who's sick and tired of the Spotify algorithm trying to dictate your mood and music choices. Tune in now for a quick, chaotic, and totally necessary reality check.

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

Instagram

TikTok

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Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

When you think San Francisco in the 70s and 80s you think the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement, the AIDS crisis, rampant drug use, a thriving music and counterculture scene, and profound social challenges. Now imagine navigating this scene as a kid and throw in an earthquake.

This week on Strangers With Kittens, Eileen is joined by Emmy award-winning television producer Taigi Smith to explore the three C's of the latchkey generation: Creativity, Community, and Chaos. Taigi opens up about her unique Gen X childhood, sharing what it was like being raised by a single mother and navigating the streets of San Francisco completely unsupervised.

Plus, the studio audience grows by one canine companion, doubling the drama (and maybe a little bit of the trauma!). Listen in as Eileen and Taigi dredge up some of our funniest collective Gen X trauma and exchange jaw-dropping childhood stories that sound completely unreal but are 100% true.

Read More About This Week's Guest Here: 

Taigi Smith is a Television Producer for the award-winning ABC NEWS Show, 20/20. She has an incredible fascination with true crime and a passion for stories. When she isn't on camera or behind the scenes, you'll find her at the local food co-op or in the garden.

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

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Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

Motherhood is hard, and if you are struggling to "enjoy every moment," you are not alone. In this special Mother's Day parenting episode, Eileen sits down with psychotherapist and mom Audra Socinski to have an honest conversation about motherhood—including the exhausting moments that nearly knock you out.

Forget the traditional cards and macaroni necklaces. Today, we are sharing real parenting advice, validating the struggles of raising kids, and giving you the compliments you actually deserve. This one is for every mom who needs to hear: you're doing great.

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

Are you looking at the news headlines and wondering what year it is? This week on Strangers With Kittens, Eileen dives into the striking similarities between Gen Z and Gen X in the workplace.

Inspired by her daughter's upcoming college graduation, Eileen looks at the harsh realities of entering the workforce today. When Gen X first entered the job market, things were bleak—and for Gen Z entering adulthood, it feels like history is repeating itself. Tune in for your weekly dose of Gen X cynicism, comedy, and generation gap musings.

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

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TikTok

YouTube

Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/

Why are we still telling young boys to toughen up? This week on Strangers With Kittens, Eileen sits down with Kimmi Berlin, founder of the non-profit organization BuildUpBoys, for an honest conversation about parenting boys and eschewing outdated gender roles.

Gen X moms Eileen and Kimmi challenge society's toxic cultural norms regarding masculinity. Boys aren't inherently bad—it isn't in their biology. Discover practical parenting advice on how to nurture a boy's emotional intelligence, teach them how to communicate feelings, and raise empathetic sons. Boys aren't bad, it isn't in their biology. We can nurture boys' ability to remain attuned to their emotions, love unabashedly, and communicate. Turns out boys will be boys... but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. 

BuildUpBoys serves boys from Pre-K through 6th grade. But also educate their parents, grandparents, caretakers, teachers, and coaches on why encouraging them to feel, express, and regulate their entire range of emotions is so important. If you would like more information or to donate, please visit 
www.buildupboys.com

Support the show

Strangers With Kittens is a podcast created by Eileen Kelly and Produced by Ashley Aker. Original music composed and performed by Chris Hajian. You can listen to full podcast episodes on Spotify, Amazon, Audible, and Apple Podcasts. 

✨ If you love raw, authentic Gen X stories, hit the FOLLOW button on Spotify to help our podcast grow!

Follow Strangers With Kittens On Social Media 

Facebook 

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Keep The Conversation Going 

https://www.strangerswithkittens.com/