#generationx

WHO IS GENERATION X?
We are sandwiched between 80 million Baby Boomers & 78 million Millennials. Born 1965 - 1980, we have just 46 million members. Small, but mighty!

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Book review: In light of recent events, by amy klinger

Nov 16
2 min

Book review: In light of recent events, by amy klinger

I don’t read novels often. I guess I am drawn more to non-fiction, because I feel like I need to be able to walk away with some learning or approach to be happier or more productive. It may be silly, but it's true. But when I heard about the novel In Light of Recent Events by Amy Klinger (The Story Plant, 2022) and its lead character, Audrey Rohmer, navigating the 1990s American workplace, I wanted to read it. Perhaps it would bring back some happy and funny memories. Audrey

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What Olivia Newton-John Gave Generation X

Aug 10
3 min

What Olivia Newton-John Gave Generation X

Grease was the word, but it’s "Sandy" we heard. Olivia Newton-John helped Generation X believe. In the possibility of reinventing yourself. In the idea that people can change. In that happy endings could exist - literally riding off into the sunset. Her Sandy character was a high school girl with feelings so many of us were about to experience or would some day experience in high school. Grease came out in 1978, and though some of us were just on the cusp of high school and s

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internship insights from a gen x girl

Jul 26
2 min

internship insights from a gen x girl

Maybe some things don't change across the decades. I found a photo (Polaroid of course) from my college internship today. WLS-TV (ABC) Chicago’s Creative Services Department, circa 1990. As many of today’s college kids finish their summer internships this week, I’m reminded that not everything can happen online, no matter how well-lit, well-documented, or well-connected they are on social media. You can’t always grab spontaneous opportunities through a webcam. Like technology

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Love's Baby Soft - The Film!

Jul 22
1 min

Love's Baby Soft - The Film!

If growing up in the '70s and '80s had a scent, it would be Love's Baby Soft. And now a special film is bringing us back to those amazing, exciting, and angst-ridden times of teetering between tween and teen - complete with record players and landlines! I recently talked with the team who brought this film to life! Check out my Facebook Live video if you missed it last week! And you can view the trailer here! Vicki Speegle - Writer & Producer Stacie Capone - Actress & Prod

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Tomorrow Night, 7/12, at 8pm ET! Love's Baby Soft Film Behind The Scenes

Jul 11
1 min

Tomorrow Night, 7/12, at 8pm ET! Love's Baby Soft Film Behind The Scenes

If growing up in the '70s and '80s had a scent, it would be Love's Baby Soft. And now a special film brings us back to those amazing angst-ridden times of teetering between tween and teen - complete with record players and landlines. It's 1976 and a feisty 12-year old desperate to grow up learns how tough it truly is when her world collides with her super cool 16-year old babysitter. Join me on the Gen X Girls Grow Up Facebook page at 8pm Eastern on Tuesday, July 12th, as I c

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tv characters I love to hate...but i'm not supposed to

Apr 30
3 min

tv characters I love to hate...but i'm not supposed to

I hate most of the TV characters I watch, yet I can't stop watching. Why? The older I get, the more I find myself hating on most of the characters on television shows I watch (religiously) week after week. These characters aren't TV's bad guys or girls we're supposed to root against (like I did with the ABC soap opera General Hospital back in the 80's - who remembers Mikkos Cassadine? - or Abu Nazir in HBO's Homeland?), playing nasty parts in horrific storylines (look what Wi

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book review - kids in america: a gen x reckoning

Apr 16
3 min

book review - kids in america: a gen x reckoning

An engaging book and revealing look at Generation X that goes behind the nostalgia and makes us wonder... how did we turn out so well? Liz Prato’s collection of essays truly reflects the culture and issues of our generation, and hindsight is 20/20. The book sheds some light on some not-so-nice realities often lost in the more frequent “bubble gum” nostalgia of the 80s. I found this book to be an eye-opening look back, leading readers like me – a Gen X girl – to take a more th

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a gen x girl goes to italy...

Apr 3
4 min

a gen x girl goes to italy...

Top Five Observations From My Trip I was a little hesitant to plan a trip alone to Italy to visit my oldest son, a college junior who’s there for a semester abroad. But only a little. I’d be traveling there alone to meet up with him first in Courmayeur, a tiny ski town in the Italian Alps, and would then have lots of time alone later in the week in Rome, while he would be in class. But I was confident I’d be fine. Despite the fact that I didn’t know Italian, didn’t like chees

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X says, z says

Mar 20
2 min

X says, z says

A new monthly series by Gen X Girls Grow Up Just how much do the decades and times we grew up in shape our perspectives and beliefs? How does what we look for and value in others change as we grow older? Does it? It’s hard to say, but we’re tackling one question from women of two generations. March 2022 The Question: What do you value in a good friend? X Says Erin, 52, Generation X First and foremost, I value friends who prove they are trustworthy. To me, this can only come w

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book review: the pandemic midlife crisis - gen x women on the brink

Feb 20
2 min

book review: the pandemic midlife crisis - gen x women on the brink

As a Gen X woman living in a strange, “middle age” period, in a pandemic, I knew I wasn't alone. But I wasn’t sure how much I would be moved by stories in The Pandemic Crisis: Gen X Women On The Brink, an essay collection by Jessica Smock and Stephanie Sprenger (HerStories Project Press, November 2021). I loved it. The writers’ stories span a range of socio-economic levels, family situations, parenting perspectives, life challenges, and other sandwich generation struggles and

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HBO's "Euphoria" and Me

Jan 30
1 min

HBO's "Euphoria" and Me

I’m the Same Generation as the Characters in And Just Like That. Why Would I Rather Watch Euphoria? These high school kids feel everything. And when I watch Euphoria, I do too. I was thrilled to write this piece for Slate Magazine and share my perspective as a Gen X woman watching a show targeted to Gen Z. Lately, I just want to be entertained. Check it out! #genxgirl #euphoria #hbo #generationx #genz #genx

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gen x girls giveaway! the "80's girl candle"

Jan 29
1 min

gen x girls giveaway! the "80's girl candle"

Smell Love's Baby Soft again! Don't miss the "80's Girl Candle" giveaway, happening on my Gen X Girls Grow Up Facebook page through 10pm Eastern Time, Sunday, January 30! Head over there to enter. Courtesy of Hardin Soy Candles. To further celebrate cool '80s stuff, I went behind the scenes with Stacy Hardin, Owner of Hardin Soy Candles, to hear what inspires her... 1. How did you get the idea for an 80’s Girl candle? I wanted something that embodied who I was - to me, the

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My latest post on the reveler blog: Give us the memories of our pop culture moments

Nov 29, 2021
1 min

My latest post on the reveler blog: Give us the memories of our pop culture moments

Forty years ago, thousands of Gen X girls across the country got their moms to call them into school “sick,” and parked themselves in front of the television for one of the biggest entertainment events of their lives to date: Luke and Laura’s wedding. The iconic General Hospital couple (a hugely popular ABC soap opera in the ‘80s, for those who don’t know) were getting married. Why did this matter so much? I’ll get to that in a minute. First, though, a shout out to the girls/

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Ready for '80s trivia night?

Oct 20, 2021
1 min

Ready for '80s trivia night?

Join me on Sunday night, October 24 at 8pm Eastern as I host our first '80's Trivia Night - Movies & Music virtual gathering on Hello Revel! RSVP now to save a spot! Hope to "see" you there on the Zoom! Erin #genxgirl #80s #generationx #genx #hellorevel

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A Millennial/GenX-er/Boomer Mentoring Mash up!

Oct 10, 2021
1 min

A Millennial/GenX-er/Boomer Mentoring Mash up!

This is such a cool premise and platform I recently learned about! Early in her career, CIRKEL Founder Charlotte Japp noticed a huge gap between the 20-somethings she worked with and baby boomers like her parents. Older workers had decades of experience, but were forced to retire or start secondary careers due to ageist hiring trends. Her friends and colleagues wanted career mentorship, while her parents and their friends were looking for new skills to stay competitive in the

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Five Things Generation X Wishes Millennials and Gen Z understood

Jul 24, 2021
2 min

Five Things Generation X Wishes Millennials and Gen Z understood

In response to a recent BuzzFeed piece, "Millennials Are Sharing The Things They Wish Older Generations Understood, And It's Kind Of Heartbreaking"...here are five things I would like THEM to know. #1 – You left us/GenX out of the article title. Wish Boomers understood? Don’t you want US to know, too? We need to understand, because sometimes we are shaking our heads at what other generations are thinking and doing. What the heck? #2 – I know you all got shiny trophies for sho

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Go-Go's Giveaway!

Jul 23, 2021
1 min

Go-Go's Giveaway!

A Go-Go's GIVEAWAY for Gen X Girls! Win a copy of the Go-Go's Documentary DVD. To enter, head over to the Gen X Girls Facebook page and view & comment on the Go-Go's post, naming your favorite song. Enter by July 26. I loved their behind-the-scenes stories and was so impressed with how they drove their success! They talk about the documentary here. #gogos #genxgirl #generationx #genx #80s

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Gen X Girls Speaks Out in NBC News "THINK"

Jun 5, 2021
2 min

Gen X Girls Speaks Out in NBC News "THINK"

Here's my Letter to the Editor in NBC News THINK's newsletter today, June 5, in response to: We were supposed to be over the 1980s by now. Why we're still not. Bryan Reesman: The Decade of Decadence was a time of excess, for sure, but its brash attitudes, bold colors and cultural icons resonate because of the artistic forces it unleashed. What do you THINK? Erin Mantz of Potomac, Maryland, responds: Bryan Reesman got it right in his recent THINK piece — the '80s are having

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Graduation Season: Class of '88 Manifesto

May 31, 2021
1 min

Graduation Season: Class of '88 Manifesto

When you are 18 in 1988 and write a high school graduation piece to your friends, using song lyrics and titles from the times... The best four years! Now I've Had The Time Of My Life June 8, 1988 #generationx #genx #80s #genxgirl #classof88 #highschoolmemories

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Gen X Girls Grow Up Featured in SeeMe Beauty's "SeeMe SOAR" Spotlight

May 18, 2021
1 min

Gen X Girls Grow Up Featured in SeeMe Beauty's "SeeMe SOAR" Spotlight

Did you know there's a skin care product line especially fomulated for '80s girls, by '80s girls? Three women at Procter & Gamble created SeeMe Beauty, and I had the opportunity to chat with the team. Check out our interview, where they spotlight how Gen X Girls Grow Up began and how and why we're growing so fast! I loved talking about the pride of our generation and the things I learned growing up; some of the best advice I ever received from wise women in my life (like my B

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Don't miss my Huffington Post pieces on Generation X: