Because We Said So - Gen X Unfiltered

Remember when MTV News was your source for what was happening in the world? This week, Fran is taking a quick trip back to November 1988 and reliving some moments and events Gen X experienced in real time. From what was playing on the radio to what everyone was watching on TV, Fran rewinds  the clock to see what made this week in 1988 unforgettable. So grab your cassette tapes, hop in the time machine, and join us as we broadcast live from November 1988...because we said so.

Please follow Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered on Instagram, FaceBook, w...

In this episode, Fran sits down with Rhett Fruitman, co-founder of Inherited Property Match, to discuss the unique challenges families face when inheriting real estate. Whether you've recently inherited a family home, are helping a loved one through the process, or simply want to understand your options, Rhett provides valuable insight into what can often feel like an overwhelming situation. From understanding probate and property ownership issues to deciding whether to sell, keep, or renovate an inherited home, this conversation breaks down the complexities into practical, manageable information. We also discuss the emotional side of inheriting a property and the...

Buying or selling a home is about more than square footage and interest rates. It's about people, life changes, and finding the right place to call home. In this episode, Erin** join Fran to share her experiences as a real estate agent, the lessons she's learned along the way, and the ways she helps clients navigate the emotional and practical sides of real estate. They talk about market realities, industry myths, and what people often wish they knew before they started the process. If you've ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes in real estate, this conversation is for...

In this spooky episode, author and paranormal enthusiast Theresa St. John, known as Ghost Girl, joins Fran to discuss her book Roadtrip New York: Searching for the Paranormal. They talk haunted locations, unexplained experiences, and the stories behind some of New York's most mysterious destinations.

Plus, Theresa shares what's next for her...and it's spooky!

**You can find Roadtrip New York: Searching for the Paranormal at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3V6ii8d

Please follow Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered on Instagram, FaceBook, becausewesaidsopodcast.com or email...

Coach Dan steps back into his past life as Sgt. Fury and shares how he got into professional wrestling, what it taught him, and why chasing your wild ideas matters. It’s a quick, fun, high‑energy conversation - and honestly, we barely scratched the surface.

If you’ve got questions for Dan about his wrestling days, his character, the behind‑the‑scenes stories, or anything you’re curious about...send them in! Email us at [email protected] We might just bring him back for a listener Q&A.

Follow us on Instagram, FaceBook, visit our website...

I Read it on Reddit is back from another Gen X-tra episode! Welcome back to Part 3 of this nightmare journey into the endless supermarket, which brings the tension to a new level. After taking dangerous risks and pushing past the boundaries of the rules, the couple is confronted with an impossible choice. This episode delivers an emotional gut punch that sets the tone for the rest of the series, and leaves you wondering what the supermarket wants from this couple.

This story is being read with permission from the Reddit user: u/pentyworth223 (follow him on Reddit)! from...

Across these two episodes, Coach Dan lets us see the full spectrum of what it means to chase big goals, and what happens when life rewrites the script. In Part 1, Dan opens up about the race season he trained for but never got to run. An unexpected surgery forced him into recovery, reflection, and rebuilding. It’s a raw look at identity, discipline, and the mental work required when your body demands a pause.

In Part 2, we rewind to a completely different chapter of his life - his days in the ring as Sgt. Fury. Dan shares how he...

In this quick episode, Fran is joined by her sister for a casual conversation about the spooky book they had just attended the signing for. Her sister shares how she met the author, how she became involved with the book, and provides a general idea of what readers can expect from this spooky collection of haunted places.

It's a short and fun introduction to the book...and yes...it was recorded immediately after leaving the book signing, while everything was still fresh...and scary.

Book: Roadtrip New York, Searching For The Paranormal by Theresa St. John<...

We're back with Part 2 of our Reddit story, "My Wife and I Got Trapped in an Endless Supermarket. Someone Left Us Rules for Surviving It." This one is a Gen Xtra - a bonus episode dropping on a Tuesday because, why not? Sometimes you just need the extra episode.

Grab your beverage, settle in, and let's get back into the story!

Reddit:

r/TheDarkArchive
u/pentyworth223

Follow this writer on Reddit!

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Thanks for listening!

What happens when a normal trip to the supermarket turns into something you can’t escape?

In this episode, I’m stepping into the creepy side of Reddit with “My Wife and I Got Trapped in an Endless Supermarket. Someone Left Us Rules for Surviving It.”  It starts with an ordinary couple, an ordinary supermarket…and then things get very, very strange. Endless aisles, unexplained rules, and the growing realization that getting out may not be as simple as finding the exit. So turn down the lights, settle in, and come with me into the endless supermarket...

Julie is back for Part 2, and the Gen X nostalgia keeps coming. We're talking everything from Exclamation perfume to the random memories that somehow stick with us decades later.

More laughs, more "OMG, I forgot about that!" moments, and more proof that Gen X really did grow up in  a completely different world.

Raised on MTV, sarcasm and hose water.

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Fran and her friend Julie planned on talking about the '80s...and then the conversation went absolutely everywhere. 90 minutes, lots of laughs, random tangents, and way too much fun for one episode - so we split it into two parts. And don't worry...Julie will be back soon!

Follow Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered on Instagram, FaceBook and email us at [email protected]

After a much-needed break, Fran is officially back! In the Season 2 premiere, Fran catches you up on everything that's happened since the last episode. From balancing life as a preschool teacher to taking on a bigger role with Seafood Run, this summer has been nonstop. 

If you've been wondering where I've been, this episode answers it all. Thanks for sticking around, let's catch up!

Please follow Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered Podcast on Instagram and FaceBook.

In part 2, Fran and Scott swap stories about travel, adventure, and the trip that finally convinced Fran to leave her comfort zone and head to Europe. From travel mishaps and memorable experiences to the benefits of seeing new places and cultures, this episode is a fun conversation about stepping outside your routine and saying "yes" to experiences you never thought you'd have.

Please follow Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered on FaceBook, Instagram and check out our website at becausewesaidsopodcast.com.

Part 1 of 2. This week, Fran finally got her brother Scott on the podcast. If you were expecting years of sibling secrets, childhood dirt, and complete chaos...so were we.

Unfortunately, Scott was running on fumes and brought the energy of a man who'd already mentally gone to bed. It may not have been the wild sibling showdown, but sometimes the best conversations are the ones that feel real, unfiltered, and familiar.

Don't worry...he'll be back!

Fran and Laura sit down with Steve and finally reveal the truth, or some of it, behind the latest gym Survivor-themed challenge, and poor Steve finds out in real time that he may have been living among complete psychopaths.

From hidden idols and strategic deception to fake alliances and absolute gym-wide paranoia, Team Unhinged Savages admits to tactics that leave Steve questioning everything he thought he knew about friendly competition. 

Stay tuned for Part 2, after the confessional videos are released...

In this episode, Fran sits down with her friend Katie as she shares what it was like becoming a young mom, a young grandma with fifteen grandkids, and having the strength to survive breast cancer. They talk about rebuilding your identity after life knocks you sideways, finding yourself again in midlife, and saying yes to new beginnings. It’s honest, hopeful, and full of the kind of wisdom you only earn the hard way.

Follow Katie on Instagram @the_groundedcollective

Fran sits down with Steve, and Laura dig into the GLP-1 conversation everyone’s having but no one’s saying out loud. They break down what the drug actually does, the side effects people don’t talk about, and how to weigh real medical benefits against the risks. It’s honest, funny, and grounded in the kind of midlife, Gen X clarity that cuts through the hype so listeners can make informed decisions without the drama.

Disclaimer: This episode reflects personal opinions only. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or make...

In this episode, Fran looks back on a season where nothing seemed to go right...plans stalled, doors closed, and every path felt like a dead end. But with a little distance, the pattern becomes clear: things were actually falling into place the whole time. It’s a story about timing, redirection, and the quiet ways life works out even when it feels like it isn’t.

If you want to see the project that ended up being the unexpected “it all makes sense now” moment, take a peek at the website Fran designed: https://seafoodrunllc.com

Ple...

In this deeply personal solo episode, Fran opens up about one of the hardest chapters of her life: her son’s journey with P.A.N.D.A.S.

What started as subtle changes turned into years of confusion, fear, and frustration—made even harder by the fact that almost no one believed anything was wrong. Except for one extraordinary school counselor who saw what others didn’t.

Fran shares the emotional toll of advocating for a child when the world insists everything is “fine,” the heartbreak of watching him struggle, and the long road toward answers. A...

What started as a drive to Rhode Island for fresh seafood turned into a full-blown business. In this episode, Fran talks with Steve, the man behind Seafood Run, about how it all began, what goes into those early morning runs, and how he built it one customer at a time.

If you've ever ordered from Seafood Run, .or just love a good real-life hustle story...this one's for you.

Joy is back...still unfiltered, still very much from Yonkers, and still not censoring herself...Fran wouldn't want it any other way. This episode is marked explicit (again( because when we talk about hormones, hot flashes, mood swings, brain fog, and the absolute lack of preparation we were given...we're not whispering.

We get honest about  what's happening to our bodies, what no one told us, and why Gen X women deserve better conversations around midlife. We talk symptoms, frustration, humor and how sometimes the only way through it is to laugh...loudly.

If you're in i...

What happens when two Gen X women "just catch up" and end up talking for two and a half hours?

In part One of this unfiltered conversation, Fran is joined by her friend Joy... born and raised in Yonkers, honest to her core, and absolutely not here to censor herself. We dive into growing up in the 80s and 90s, what it's like to move away from where you're from, and how your roots follow you no matter where you land.

Fair warning: this episode is marked explicit. Joy has a mouth. And we used it.<...

Fake bank calls, “Grandma, I’m in jail” scams, tech‑support nonsense...Fran has seen it all from her years overseeing the Consumer Assistance Unit in the banking regulation industry. She breaks down how scammers operate and how to protect yourself, with plenty of Gen X sarcasm and zero patience for fraud.

If you’ve been scammed: act fast...contact your bank, change passwords, enable 2FA, watch your accounts, freeze your credit, and report it. No shame, just action.

In this episode, Fran sits down with her friend Fay...a woman somewhere between Boomer grit and Gen X resilience...and she brings both.

Fay talks growing up with zero supervision, the soundtrack of her youth, life inside her special ed classroom, and what dating looks like now. Its nostalgic, honest and proof that age is just a number.

In this episode, Fran talks about that quiet nudge you've been ignoring...the thing you've been wanting to try, start, say, or change. The dream you keep pushing to "someday."

Here's the truth: someday has a sneaky way of turning into never. This is your little 12 minute reminder that you don't need permission. You don't need to be ready. You don't need everything perfectly lined up.

If not now...when?

Let this be the push.

Book recommendation: Make Your Bed by Admiral William McRaven (Ret)

In this fun Big Game Sunday episode of Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered, Fran tackles one of America's biggst TV traditions...not just the game, but everything that comes with it. Fran is joined by Patriots superfan Steve and Bills fanatic Laura, and whether you care about football like they do (or not at all like Fran), there' something here for everybody...like 3 point conversions.

If you like this episode please subscribe, like, share, follow on Instagram and Facebook and do all the things..thank you!

Some episodes have a plan...this one did not. In this week's episode, Fran sits down with friends Steve and Laura as they talk about everything and also a whole lot of nothing. They bounce from random observations to real-life moments, laugh a lot and go down a few side roads along the way.

There is no neat bow on this episode, no big takeaway, and no carefully curated topic list. Just three people talking the way friends actually talk...unfiltered, unscripted, and occasionally asking, "How did we even get on this subject?"

If you like...

This bonus episode is a throwback in the truest sense. Fran reads a story she wrote in high school - about being 17, skipping school with friends, borrowing a car, being completely boy-crazy and making the kind of choices that feel harmless at 17.

Fran may have been influenced by the trending movies at the time. It seems pretty obvious which movies influenced her writing. 

If this episode brings back memories, do Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered a favor...follow the podcast, rate it, and share it with someone who also survived being a Gen X t...

In this solo episode of Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered, Fran offers a gentle check-in for anyone feeling tired, overwhelmed, or stuck in that in-between space. No hot takes...just real talk and a reminder that you're not alone.

If this episode resonates, I'd love to hear from you. You can follow the podcast on social media and share what you've been feeling lately - messages, stories, recommendations, jokes, recipes, dedications, Christmas lists, grocery lists  or voice notes are always welcome!

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Steve to talk about finding your people later in life - when you're not in school anymore, your routines are set, and making new friends feels awkward at best and impossible at worst. We talk about how real connections can come from the most unexpected places (yes, the gym), how friendship looks different as adults, and why sometimes you don't even realize what you were missing...until you have it.

This conversation is about showing up, choosing community, and realizing it's never too late to build meaningful friendships that...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dan, we dig deeper into how fitness became such an important part of both of our lives. I share the origins of my own gym journey - how it started, why it stuck, and what it's meant to me beyond physical strength.

Dan opens up about his fitness journey as well, it's an honest vulnerable conversation about grief, resilience, and how the gym can become a place of healing, connection and survival - not just training.

**Trigger Warning:
This episode includes discussion of mental illness and suicide...

In the first episode of Because We Said So: Gen X Unfiltered, I sit down with Coach Dan for a real, unfiltered conversation about parenting, honesty and growth. We talk about what it really looks like to be honest with your kids about your own past - including mistakes, drinking and the lessons that come with them.

We also dive into Dan's journey into Spartan racing, how he got started, what drew him to the challenge and how those races became more than just physical - they became mindset. The conversation went so deep and so long that...

We raised ourselves. Now we have a podcast. Episode 1 coming soon!