GenX Journeys

What if the songs that shaped your life could also help you heal? In this episode of GenX Book Club , Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni welcome author Steve Matsumoto to discuss his heartfelt debut novel, The Last Mixtape . Set against the backdrop of the 1990s, The Last Mixtape follows first-grade teacher James Nakamura as he struggles to navigate life after the loss of his sister. Through gr...

What if the dream you had at five years old was still waiting for you? In this inspiring episode of GenX Journeys , Paul welcomes Stacie Jones , founder of AB & J Travel Agency , certified travel advisor, entrepreneur, stroke survivor, Guinness World Record holder, and someone who proves it's never too late to reinvent your life. As a little girl growing up in the 1970s, Stacie dreamed of seeing t...

What if you could step back into the neighborhoods, friendships, and moments that shaped your life? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul welcomes author Mike Di Leo to discuss his remarkable book, There Are Places I Remember . More than a collection of short stories, the book is a tapestry of interconnected memories spanning the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and beyond. Through themes of family, friendsh...

What do an arrow through the head, a white suit, a banjo, and two wild and crazy guys have in common? Steve Martin. In this episode of the GenX Book Club, Paul Stroessner, Suzanne Mattaboni, and Del Roehling take a nostalgic look back at Steve Martin's memoir Born Standing Up , a fascinating behind-the-scenes story of one of comedy's most innovative performers. The conversation explores Martin's j...

What happens when the thing you love most is suddenly taken away? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with singer-songwriter Greg Amici to explore a story of resilience, reinvention, and returning to a passion that never truly left. After building momentum with his band Big Honey in New York City's music scene, Greg's journey took an unexpected turn when a vocal cord injury forced him...

In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul welcomes Marine Corps combat veteran and author Keith Cole for a deeply honest conversation about trauma, burnout, faith, resilience, and recovery. Keith shares his journey from growing up wanting to become a Methodist minister to serving as a machine gunner in Vietnam, where he was wounded three times in combat. After returning home, he carried decades of em...

For this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with Devin Fish for one of the most honest and emotionally powerful conversations the show has featured yet. Growing up in poverty, constantly moving from place to place, and surrounded by addiction and instability, Devin entered adulthood carrying more weight than most people face in a lifetime. Before even beginning his Army career, he experience...

What happens after life changes in ways you never saw coming? In this episode of GenX Journeys , Paul sits down with author and personal brand strategist Chanoa Inez to explore what it really takes to rebuild, realign, and start dreaming again after loss, upheaval, or major life transitions. After experiencing a sudden and devastating loss, Chanoa found herself in a place many of us know too well...

What does it really take to change your life? In this episode of GenX Journeys , Paul sits down with Matt Melvin, whose journey includes prison, addiction, and multiple life resets—but more importantly, a complete shift in mindset. While Matt shares his story in his book Bullied Behind Bars , this conversation focuses on what came after: the inner work. From moving out of victimhood and into accou...

What do you do when the life you built no longer feels like it fits? In this episode of GenX Journeys , I'm joined by Camille Miller—three-time bestselling author, business designer, and founder of the Soul Professional Movement. Together, we explore what it means to step out of alignment… and how to find your way back. If you've ever felt stuck, restless, or like something is missing—even when ev...

What happens when the soundtrack of the 1980s comes roaring back to life with big vocals, big energy, and a whole lot of heart? In this episode of GenX Journeys , Paul is joined by GenX Book Club co-host Suzanne Mattaboni for a lively conversation with Rob and Lisa of Rubixx , one of the country's premier 80s tribute bands. Together, they dive into what makes 80s music so unforgettable, how Rubixx...

In this powerful episode of GenX Journeys , Paul welcomes Louie Alessio — a retired Marine who served 25 years, a husband, father, teacher in his parish, and author of the upcoming book So There I Was… Out of Ammo . Louie shares his story of growing up Catholic in Youngstown, Ohio, drifting away from faith, serving in the Marines, and eventually confronting the emotional and spiritual weight of tr...

In this episode of the GenX Book Club , Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni dive into Ordinary People , Judith Guest's powerful 1976 debut novel, and the acclaimed 1980 film adaptation directed by Robert Redford. Paul and Suzanne explore the emotional depth of this story, from Conrad's survivor's guilt and fragile recovery to the very different ways each member of the Jarrett family processes gr...

Steve Spears, creator and co-host of Stuck in the '80s , joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting—and to discuss his new book, Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade . From early podcasting chaos to unforgettable celebrity interviews and the community built along the way, this episode is a nostalgic deep...

Put on your skinny tie, crank the horn section, and try not to "black out" when you meet your heroes. 😄 In this roundtable episode, Paul is joined by GenX Book Club cohorts Suzanne Mattaboni and Del Roehling , plus special guests Caroline Connelly and Claire Young (from St. Louis, proudly repping their Huey shrine/koozie energy), to celebrate the music, movies, memories, and mythos of Huey Lewis...

What does it really mean to choose life? In this episode of GenX Journeys , Paul sits down with Sanet van Breda —a global community builder, voice amplifier, and passionate advocate for self-love—to explore how one powerful decision can change everything. Sanet shares her deeply personal journey of transformation, beginning with a moment of brutal honesty in front of the mirror and leading to a li...

Welcome back to the GenX Book Club —and happy New Year! Paul Stroessner , Del Roehling and Suzanne Mattaboni  talk about Future Boy by Michael J. Fox , a fast, entertaining behind-the-scenes snapshot of one of the most intense stretches of Fox's career: filming Back to the Future while also starring on Family Ties . The conversation dives into the pressure of stepping into a role that was already...

This week on GenX Journeys , I'm joined by the multi-talented and endlessly creative Will Padilla — host of the hit podcast 1980s Now , composer, writer, actor, and author of Totally Bogus But True: Tales of the 1980s . If you grew up loving breakdancing battles, MTV, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Beastie Boys, or the neon-soaked energy of the 80s… this conversation will feel like coming home. But thi...

In this week's episode of GenX Journeys , I'm joined by the extraordinary Terry Yoffe — an 83-year-young business and communications coach, speaker, and podcaster who proves that it's never too late to grow, evolve, and reinvent yourself. Terry's story is a masterclass in resilience: from overcoming childhood challenges, to building a thriving career in sales without experience, to launching a coa...

The GenX Book Club is back! Paul, Del, and Suzanne reunite to discuss The Celebrants — a touching, funny, and deeply relatable novel about lifelong friendship, midlife rediscovery, and the pact to celebrate each other before it's too late. In this episode, the crew dives into the book's themes of connection, mortality, and resilience — and why it feels especially relevant to Generation X. Along th...

On this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul welcomes Shellie Stark—creative entrepreneur, guided meditation instructor, and host of the brand-new Seen & Supported podcast. Shellie opens up about becoming a caregiver for her mom during and after the pandemic, how she gradually lost pieces of herself, and the exact steps she used to find her way back. We dig into practical tools Gen Xers can use right no...

Ahoy, GenXers! This week we're revisiting one of the cheesiest, campiest, and most gloriously over-the-top cult classics of the '80s — The Pirate Movie ! Originally released on August 6, 1982, this wild ride mashes up The Pirates of Penzance with slapstick humor, ridiculous musical numbers, and more innuendos than we realized as kids. Del Roehling and I (Paul Stroessner) first covered this back on...

Midlife isn't the beginning of the end — it's the beginning of your encore. 💥 In this episode of GenX Journeys , Paul sits down with Lydia Magnoli , online fitness coach, content creator, and founder of The Magnoli Method app. Lydia opens up about leaving a "safe" tenured job as a school psychologist to follow her true calling, losing 65+ pounds naturally, and helping women over 40 build strength...

We're cranking up the anthems for this week's Throwback Thursday with a very special guest— Stan Bush ! Best known for "The Touch" ( The Transformers: The Movie ) and "Never Surrender" ( Kickboxer ), Stan has built a career around motivational rock anthems that have inspired fans across generations. In this episode (originally released on December 22, 2020 ), Paul and Del chat with Stan about his...

This week we're flashing back to June 25, 2020, when Del Roehling and I revisited one of the greatest sequels of all time — Aliens (1986). Back then, I had just wrapped up a tough semester in my master's program for Creative Writing, and like so many of us, I was stuck at home during lockdown. Del and I took the opportunity to dive into James Cameron's explosive follow-up to Ridley Scott's Alien ,...