Gen X at Midlife

In this episode, I talk to my longtime close friend, Juli Huss. Juli lived in Manhattan during the best era, was a talented and hilarious writer, and experienced 911 before moving back to Southern California to help take care of her parents before they died. We discuss how she knew her mom’s cancer was gone, how she got sober, how she quit smoking, and what she’s up to now. Show music by Daniel Di...

At 46 years old, NYC copywriter Phoebe Assenza is in the tough early part of the midlife passage. We talk about what that’s like, what her bucket-list goal is, and whether or not it’s actually  her  dream or her dad's. She shares how AI is chipping away at her career, her surprising reaction to it, and why she enjoys writing on Substack.  Awesome show music by Daniel DiPrima.

In this episode I talk to high school classmate Victor Komlos, who lives in LA and works in the adult beverage industry. We reflect on a well-liked classmate, Jimmy Jongebloed, who passed away this summer. Victors shares a surprise plot twist in his career, why he won’t be retiring early like some of his friends, being on a different page than his spouse at the empty-nest stage, and how he shared...

Dani Klein Modisett couldn’t make her mom laugh, so she hired comedians. This led to her starting a business, Laughter on Call, that helps companies improve their culture and retain employees. In this episode we also talk about Don Rickles, vulnerability, Nic Cage in The Family Man , a phone scam Dani experienced, and what she most wants to do at this point in her life. Also, I share a few thought...

A lot of people I’ve talked to who are over 50 have a talent or skill they didn’t pursue to the fullest when they were younger. And now they regret it. In this episode, my friend Norm Schrager and I talk about this, as well as what dating is like on the apps, why middle-aged people should be in bands, plus Norm’s best advice for anyone this age or approaching it. Awesome music by Daniel DiPrima.

​In this episode I talk to another high school classmate, Kari Kolflat Harris. We discuss the passion she has for her job, the activities she'd like to do more of in the future, and her views on midlife crisis. I learned a couple of new expressions and really enjoyed her Texas accent.  Awesome music by Daniel Di Prima. 

In Hollywood, it’s particularly hard not to compare your career to others’. Jay Kogen, a longtime, very successful TV comedy writer, shares thoughts on how to avoid making yourself miserable. I needed his wisdom and will want to re-listen to this episode occasionally to stay in the right headspace. We also cover how much advance planning Jay and I need for social engagements, how comedian Neal Bre...

My friend Natalia Fabrizio recently had a brush with death. We discuss what she took away from it, how she's handling stress now, and the big questions she's asking herself in midlife. Music by awesome Daniel DiPrima.

Artist Ray Beldner knows what it feels like to have "zero mojo." Find out how he got it back after his “flameout years” ! Intro and end music by awesome Daniel DiPrima.

In this episode I talk to my longtime friend Tess Hawes about her experience of midlife crisis, my self-rejecting ambition, her divorce and career pivot, and how to get out of depression. We touch on the book "Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life" by James Hollis, "Mind Your Body" by Nicole Sachs, and my therapist, Lisa Chen, whom I highly recommend (you can find her at l...

In this first episode I talk to popular Substack writer Cintra Wilson. Cintra grew up in the Bay Area, was producing plays in the San Francisco theater scene by 19, wrote a million articles for every great magazine and newspaper when journalism was still a viable profession, and is now garnering a ton of fans with her Substack audio recordings of brilliant commentary on pop culture at Cintra Wilso...