I'm 49 and thinking back to the 80s & 90s even the 2000s to a degree, everything seemed to slowly get BETTER over time. And then at some point everything started to either decline in quality and the few things that haven't declined have just stalled and there's been no further innovation. I can't pinpoint an exact year but at least since 2010 in my opinion. Seems like just about everything has been enshittified. The internet, the quality of food at restaurants, clothing quality, movies, video games, appliances, electronics, airlines, apps, streaming services. Everything is a fucking subscription now.

I know crap quality stuff has always existed and I know there were issues in the past but I don't remember anything to this extent. And that's not even getting into the cost of living now, the AI bullshit, and everything else.

Hi everyone, Thanksgiving in Canada just passed, and our hot debate topic at the table was whether it was professional or not for someone to bring a drink (coffee, water, etc.) into a job interview with them.

My Gen X mother and aunt argued that it was unprofessional because it shows the person is unserious and casual about the job they are interviewing for, and they probably wouldn't hire them.

Myself (older Gen Z) and my millennial aunt argued that it shouldn't even be a consideration during a job interview. If someone is dressed appropriately and has qualifications for the job, them having a drink with them shouldn't have any effect.

We were able to agree that if they were drinking it excessively during the interview or showed up late to the interview with it, it's a bad look.

My mom brought up that maybe it was a difference in generations and that the younger generations are less serious about job interviews and jobs in general, so I thought I would ask here to get a consensus from Gen Xers.

p.s. This was a silly argument that doesn't have any effect on our relationships. I'm just curious at this point if it really is a difference in generations.

What the title says. Had a really bad day today at work. Got blamed for something out of my control. I cried, vented to coworkers but I’m still angry, sad, disappointed. I have no close friends to vent to. My partner is great, but I really wish I had someone else I can lean on when the time is tough. I have friend, but we only socialize. They are not people I can call to talk to when I have a bad day. I thought I was becoming friends with a coworker I talked to, but it looks like she’s not interested. No call or text after work to check-in on me even though I cried on the phone with her. I understand people have families & are busy. But I feel if we are truly friends, they would make time for me. I also recently ended a friendship, still grieving that loss. I find myself becoming more anxious as I get older. I fear the day I lose my partner. My child will be out of the house in 6 yrs. Then I will be all alone. My mind is spiraling. I am so sad. Thank you for reading.

Took a digger in the shower this morning. Grew up working on farms and other blue collar work, thus have had my share of accidents.

Nothing like this morning. Living alone really got me scared this AM. Time for a bath mat.

My wife told me the other day, she has never tried or really cares to try sardines. I was kind of shocked! They were a staple, snack, for me during my childhood.

Just curious who less at sardines as a kid. I feel like GenX must have had a lot of canned food as kids. BTW I might be slightly high while typing this.

Twofer one, eh? Take off!

I grew up Gen X, where if you weren’t dying, you just worked it out and moved along.
As I became an adult, I discovered how important it is to exercise almost daily and eat pretty good, even if I did have a cocktail here and there.
Well, sometimes even healthy people have problems because I ran a fever for a week, which I was able to control with NSIDS, but then when I thought I should be feeling better I got pneumonia and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia that affected my heart and all of my other organs. I was there for eight days. It sucked.
Now I am living a whole new life with a whole new body because my heart is in failure, and my liver is a hot mess.
I guess it’s not so much advice as a reminder to myself that even if I grew up just shaking off any sort of illness, that now that I am a grown ass woman, I have to take a little better care of myself.

And did you have cable TV without it or was the internet-cable-landline bundle the reason you held onto your landline for as long as you did?

If you worked from home back then, did your work pay for the landline and/or internet?

Alvin, Simon and Theodore too!

I’m finding myself cooking favorite meals from my childhood, watching shows like The Waltons & Andy Griffith, and wishing I could trade in my iPhone for a rotary phone.

My grade 7 teacher Miss H gave me a lot of care and attention no teacher would. Had a lot of stuff to sort out and she put me on the right track. 15 years later when my mother passed away she came to the funeral. A little later after that I visited the same school where she was now principal. Told her I had a lot of teachers in my life but she stood out as my favourite. That made us both cry in her office

Has anyone here started getting or already have hammer toes? Why do they form? Is there anything you can do for them? Also, anyone have shooting pain on top of their foot, but only the outer half top of the foot? What other foot problems are we having? Thanks. I’m getting Achy Breaky feet and I don’t like it!

I think this toy has been "rebooted" but these things were more awesome than they had a right to be.

Born in 1970, I remember going to the local barbershop and others during the 70's and early 80's and chuckle at the memory of Playboy/Hustler/insert name here magazines offered for view. Obviously Dad would shield those when he could but I remember sneaking a peak now and then to see what the fuss was about. Anyone else remember those?

Anyone else celebrating October by taking a candlelit bath while listening to Type O Negative, or just me? And should you do it too?

I am 56 and own my home but money is tighter than I prefer. I have been divorced since I was 40. My daughter is moving out and getting it all figured out for herself(and I am so proud of her.) What is a good way to find a roommate? I am very self sufficient and not looking for a romantic or sexual partner. So just a roommate to help share expenses for the house.

What is the best way or place to find a person to be a roommate?

I don't know where else to ask this question so here it goes. I was preparing to shower the other day and when I turned I noticed the unmistakable odor of old man smell. I scrubbed extra hard and haven't noticed it again since but is it just time to accept the reality of an aging body and everything that goes along with it? Maybe I need to wear more cologne. Anyone else going through an olfactory transition?

Just rewatched Reality Bites and got some deep memories of the angst and why I loved the movie.
This should be in the top 10 GenX movies}
-The cameos are enough to warrant the top 10. I
-It touched on SO many of our issues.
-If nothing else, great soundtrack.

My child had a school assignment on marketing and media, so I showed them the 1984 commercial for the Plymouth Duster.

Them: I want that car now.

Gotta admit, that was my reaction to the ad when I first saw it too. Good thing I was still a kid.

https://youtu.be/c9_E_XXWP-Y?is=1R4cR7jWluYOuq0H

Can someone help us remember how this game goes? It’s kind of like telephone and everyone says a part and points to the next person who says the next part, somehow it ends and we can’t remember…

Does anyone else remember this and how it goes?

So, in the 80s, Ray Charles wasn’t doing well financially and did a few things to get his finances back in order.
Does anyone remember the KFC commercial with Hit The Road Jack” remake with the lyrics “cross the road jack and then you’ll come back for more, for more, for more.” I believe it was with an animated chicken crossing the road. Anyone else remember this?

Nearly 53F. I had a consult w a LTC insurance sales rep yesterday. We were running through the health questions and she said that about 30% of 50 year olds don’t qualify for LTC insurance bc of health issues. Intellectually I understand that not everyone has had the same genetics or access to healthcare, but 30% seemed high. especially at the relatively young age of 50. I don’t really have a question, just found this troubling. Stay well, friends.

I had a moment of clarity recently. I have joked that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Looking back, I wanted to be HAPPY when I grew up. If I work hard and be a decent person, I can have some "happy" right?

Back to the original question.

I only asked one thing from my children:

Be. Better. Than. Me.

They are. I hope I played a part.