Gen X Hates Asking for Stuff. I'm Doing It Anyway.

I hate doing this kind of thing.

Asking people to become paid subscribers to Small Talk.

It’s a uniquely Gen X hangup, honestly. We pride ourselves on self-reliance, so asking for support can feel like MacGyver asking for a hand.

But I’m starting to think that’s pretty dumb.

We don’t think twice about tipping a waiter for bringing you food someone else cooked. Why should it be any different for the person whose writing you actually took the time to subscribe to?

So think of this as a semi-annual local PBS station pledge drive we all remember as kids. I need the support of “Viewers like you.”

Like any good pledge drive, there’s a small thank-you attached: Subscribe to Small Talk this week and lock in 25% off, for as long as you stay subscribed.

Here’s what your support actually goes toward:

• Time to write more essays on the stuff Gen X got right that nobody credits us for, and a playbook for putting that wisdom to work in your life right now.

• More frequent Small Talk Live interviews with guests like Dave Holmes and Jane Pratt.

• Building a real community by hosting live events like GenX Con, virtual Breakfast Club Zoom meetings, 80s and 90s dance parties, trivia meetups, basically creating spaces where people dealing with the same stuff can actually connect.

I know money's tight for a lot of people right now, so if now’s not the time, all is good in the hood.

As the Golden Girls theme song reminded us every week:

Thank you for being a friend.