What if all it took to change your life was one honest step in a new direction?

In this episode of Gen X Crisis, Robert reconnects with Lainie Reisman, a childhood friend he hasn’t spoken to in nearly 40 years. What starts as a trip down memory lane—tracing their shared summers at a beloved (and now very politically incorrect) New Jersey summer camp—quickly opens into a deeper conversation about growth, identity, and what it means to reinvent yourself in midlife.

Now an international development expert, hiking guide, and self-described rebirth enthusiast, Lainie reflects on everything from her early years at the University of Pennsylvania to ditching the prestige track for a life of global impact. She opens up about raising kids in a changing world, letting go of old definitions of success, and why midlife has been the most creative, expansive time of her life.

It’s a funny, honest, and inspiring conversation about nostalgia, purpose, and the freedom that can come when you stop trying to live someone else’s version of success. If you’ve ever looked at your life and asked, “Is this really what I want?” - this one’s for you.

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What if the hardest part of being an artist in midlife wasn’t the work—but finding time to do it at all?

In this episode of Gen X Crisis, Robert talks with Boston-based singer-songwriter and longtime Berklee College of Music voice faculty member Kristin Cifelli about evolving your creative voice in midlife.

They trace Kristin’s journey from suburban New Jersey to Berklee, from early songwriting in Catholic school to co-writing during the pandemic. Kristin shares what it was like pursuing music full-time in her 20s and 30s—playing shows, releasing albums, chasing a career—and how that drive has shifted now that she’s balancing teaching, parenting, and reclaiming her creative identity on her own terms.

It’s a conversation about melody as memory, voice as identity, and the strange heartbreak of making music in a world that often rewards self-promotion more than substance. They also talk about parenting, aging, and why it’s still so hard to find balance as an artist—especially when your voice, your body, and your priorities start to shift.

Visit www.genxcrisis.com to subscribe to Robert’s Substack and get exclusive updates.

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What if you actually became the thing you dreamed of as a kid—and still found yourself wondering what comes next?

In this episode of Gen X Crisis, Robert sits down with his oldest friend, former TV anchor Ed Greenberger, for a thoughtful, funny, and nostalgic conversation about ambition, aging, and reinvention. Robert and Ed talk about childhood dreams of sportscasting, a 25-year broadcasting career, and why walking away can sometimes be the beginning of something new. Ed reflects on working in TV news, mentoring young journalists, parenting teenage daughters, and going back to school at 55 to teach the next generation.

It’s a wide-ranging look at changing priorities, the shifting meaning of success, and the strange awareness that sets in when the news isn’t what it used to be—and neither are you.

Visit www.genxcrisis.com to subscribe to Robert’s Substack and get exclusive updates.

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What if the thing you were meant to do was waiting for you all along—but it took a midlife detour to finally see it?

In this episode of Gen X Crisis, Robert reconnects with longtime friend and stand-up comic Robert Field for a funny, honest, and deeply relatable conversation about reinvention in your 50s.

They talk about chasing creative dreams later in life, the odd comfort of driving 17,000 Uber rides, and what stand-up comedy teaches you about energy, presence, and being fully seen. Field shares his journey from corporate America to the comedy stage, his complicated relationship with his father, and how parenting teens forces you to let go of control.

There’s talk of old friends, changing ambitions, parental expectations, and the strange beauty of saying what you really think, especially when the world says you shouldn’t.

Visit www.genxcrisis.com to subscribe to Robert’s Substack and get exclusive updates.

And visit https://itsanuberfullife.com/ to buy Robert Field's book.

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What happens when you start telling your story—not to impress anyone, but to finally feel like yourself?

In this episode of Gen X Crisis, Robert reconnects with writer and cultural commentator Dana DuBois for a wide-ranging, emotionally honest conversation about identity, parenting, and what it means to come of age again in your 50s.

Robert and Dana talk about writing as an act of survival, the risks of sharing personal stories in public, and how Gen X shaped the cities and culture they now barely recognize. Dana opens up about navigating her father’s dementia, and launching GenXy, a new media brand built to give voice to a generation that’s too often overlooked.

There’s talk of perma-adolescence, modern female artists, generational disconnect, and the deep need for meaning in midlife—plus a little Seattle nostalgia, parenting chaos, and the unexpected clarity that comes from finally owning your truth.

Visit www.genxcrisis.com to subscribe to Robert's Substack.

And visit Dana Dubois at www.genxy.io

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What happens when the person who’s always figured it out—suddenly doesn’t know what’s next?

In Episode 2 of Gen-X Crisis, Robert talks with his brother-in-law Gavin De West, a veteran of the film and TV industry whose 25-year career as an assistant property master was all about solving problems under pressure. Now in his 50s, Gavin finds himself in unfamiliar territory: between jobs, rethinking his future, and asking bigger questions about purpose, identity, and what comes next.

Together, they explore the mental tug-of-war that defines midlife—the urge to reinvent versus the pull of what's familiar. They talk about career pivots, the value of service, the myth of the “legit path,” what younger generations don’t understand about paying dues, and why it’s okay to not have it all figured out.

There’s also talk of love, partnership, the physical toll of standing on concrete for 20 years, and the eternal Gen X struggle between effort and apathy.

Visit www.genxcrisis.com to join Robert’s Substack and stay connected between episodes.

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What happens when you’ve climbed the ladder, raised your kids, and still can’t figure out how to slow down?

In this first episode of Gen-X Crisis, Robert sits down with longtime friend and TV executive Gary Rosenson for a raw, funny, and reflective conversation on what it actually feels like to hit your 50s and still be spinning your wheels.

Robert and Gary talk about the exhaustion that creeps in after decades of grinding, the weird disorientation of living in a world that feels increasingly unrecognizable, and the surprising freedom that comes with not needing to prove yourself anymore. There’s parenting, nostalgia, the loss of ambition, Rock Fantasy Camp, boats, and a bit of dread about AI...all wrapped into one honest conversation about where we are and what still matters.

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