Inspiring Journeys

About Inspiring Journeys

Welcome to GenX Journeys, the podcast that celebrates reinvention, resilience, and the unstoppable spirit of Generation X! 🎸💥 Formerly known as Journey of the Rhode Runner and Inspiring Journeys, this evolution reflects the path so many of us are on—rediscovering our passions, rewriting our stories, and proving that it's never too late to thrive. Each week, we bring you: 📅 Wednesdays – New episodes of GenX Journeys, featuring inspiring conversations with thought leaders, athletes, entertainers, and everyday warriors who embody the GenX mindset: work hard, play hard, and never stop growing. 📅 Thursdays – Throwback Thursdays, where we revisit classic episodes from Return to the '80s—a nostalgic deep dive into the movies, music, and pop culture that shaped us. 📅 Fridays – Power Surge, a short, high-energy dose of inspiration to fuel your mindset and keep you moving forward. Each episode begins with a heartfelt tribute to a fallen hero, honoring the mission of 22 Too Many. Because the best part of your story? It's still being written. 🎤 Hosted by Paul Stroessner, runner, writer, pop culture enthusiast, and proud GenXer on a mission to inspire. #GenXJourneys #NeverTooLate #ThrowbackMeetsFuture #Reinvention #NostalgiaAndGrowth

Publisher

Paul Stroessner

Category

education · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Mar 2018

Latest episode

3 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

215 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Sept 2026

   GenX Book Club: The CBGB Conspiracy with Gabriel Rotello

   This month, the GenX Book Club heads back to New York City in 1977, a city of punk rock, poetry, underground art, the blackout, Son of Sam, and a little club on the Bowery called CBGB. Paul Stroessner Jr. and Suzanne Mattaboni are joined by author Gabriel Rotello to discuss his novel The CBGB Conspiracy, a historical murder mystery that mixes fictional characters with real people, places, and events from one of the wildest and most creative periods in New York City history. Gabriel didn't just research this world. He lived in it. He arrived in New York in the 1970s, played music during the early CBGB era, and later became a journalist, activist, author, and documentary filmmaker. The conversation quickly moves beyond the mystery itself and into the New York that inspired it. Gabriel shares memories of the downtown music and art scene, the real history woven throughout the novel, the Everard Baths fire, the Anderson Theater and CBGB's attempted expansion, and the remarkable collection of artists, musicians, writers, and outsiders who found one another in a city that was simultaneously falling apart and exploding with creativity. Suzanne brings her own memories of New York and the New Wave era, while Paul digs into Gabriel's experience of turning history into fiction and why writing the novel was so much fun. And at one point, Gabriel shares a piece of CBGB history that he says nobody else knows about. They also discuss Steven Sprouse, William S. Burroughs, Holly Woodlawn, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, the transformation of New York nightlife, and whether the conditions that created that extraordinary downtown culture could ever happen again. This is a spoiler-free conversation, so you can listen even if The CBGB Conspiracy is still sitting on your TBR pile. Because sometimes a great book isn't the end of the conversation. It's where the stories begin. Connect with Gabriel Rotello: GabrielRotello.com The CBGB Conspiracy can be found at Amazon (https://amzn.to/4yEjn5F) and anywhere else where books are sold. More from the GenX Book Club Crew 📖 Suzanne Mattaboni (Author of Once in a Lifetime) 🔹 Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com (https://onceinalifetimenovel.com/) 🔹 Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com (https://suzannemattaboni.com/) 🔹 Follow Suzanne: 📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s 🐦 X: @suzmattaboni 📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni 🎙️ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM) 🔹 Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes 🔹 Get your daily dose of '80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page 💡 Connect with GenX Journeys 🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net 📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net (mailto:Paul@GenXJourneys.net) 📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys 📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys 🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s 📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys 🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys 🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on: ✅ Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/) ✅ Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/) ✅ iHeartRadio (https://www.iheart.com/) ✅ Podbean (https://www.podbean.com/) ✅ PlayerFM (https://player.fm/) 💡 Whether you're a die-hard '80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow/subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave a review.

2. 

   29 Jul 2026

   Federal Prison, Resilience & Reinvention (Part 2) | Dr. Linda Varisco

   In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Linda Varisco, we continue her remarkable story where Part 1 left off. After being sentenced to federal prison for a crime that began with a devastating scam, Linda shares what life was really like behind prison walls. From self-surrender and prison routines to unexpected friendships, creative survival, and finding purpose in the most difficult circumstances, she offers an honest and deeply human look at incarceration. You'll hear stories about: Adjusting to life in a federal prison camp Using her chiropractic skills to help fellow inmates Teaching Pilates and building community Writing the first draft of her memoir by hand Finding hope through creativity, books, and service Learning to forgive and move forward The challenges of rebuilding life after prison More than a story about incarceration, this is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and refusing to let your worst chapter define the rest of your life. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, be sure to start there to hear the events that led to Linda's prison sentence and the remarkable journey that brought her to this point. About Dr. Linda Varisco Dr. Linda Varisco is a chiropractor, bestselling author, speaker, and survivor whose life has been marked by extraordinary highs and heartbreaking lows. She is the author of The Girl with the Million Dollar Smile trilogy, where she shares her incredible journey of love, loss, betrayal, federal prison, and ultimately, hope. Connect with Dr. Linda Varisco (https://amzn.to/4bP6AUD) https://lindavarisco.com TikTok: @thelifeofmrpeaches 🎙 GenX Journeys is where Generation X comes to embrace the past, own the present, and build an epic future. Follow, subscribe, and share wherever you listen to podcasts. 💡 Connect with GenX Journeys 🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net 📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net (mailto:Paul@GenXJourneys.net) 📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys 📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys 🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s 📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys 🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys 🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on: ✅ Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/) ✅ Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/) ✅ iHeartRadio (https://www.iheart.com/) ✅ Podbean (https://www.podbean.com/) ✅ PlayerFM (https://player.fm/)

3. 

   22 Jul 2026

   Heartbreak, Betrayal, and Resilience (Part 1) | Dr. Linda Varisco

   What happens when the life you've carefully built begins to unravel? In this powerful first installment of a two-part conversation, Paul sits down with Dr. Linda Varisco, bestselling author of The Girl with the Million Dollar Smile, to explore a journey marked by heartbreak, betrayal, resilience, and the courage to keep moving forward. Linda shares her early life on Long Island, the path that led her to a successful chiropractic career, and the personal and professional challenges that slowly transformed everything she thought she knew. Along the way, she opens up about marriage, family, loss, difficult decisions, and the betrayals that changed the course of her life. More than anything, this is a story about resilience. Even in life's darkest moments, hope has a way of finding us. This is Part 1 of Linda's remarkable journey. In Part 2, Linda shares her experiences with the federal investigation, life in prison, and the extraordinary path to rebuilding her life. In this episode, we discuss: Growing up on Long Island Building a successful chiropractic practice Marriage, family, and unexpected heartbreak Trust, betrayal, and life-changing decisions Finding strength when everything begins to fall apart Why resilience is a choice we make every day If Linda's story resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that our toughest chapters don't have to define our future. Connect with Dr. Linda Varisco (https://amzn.to/4bP6AUD) https://lindavarisco.com TikTok: @thelifeofmrpeaches 🎙 GenX Journeys is where Generation X comes to embrace the past, own the present, and build an epic future. Follow, subscribe, and share wherever you listen to podcasts. 💡 Connect with GenX Journeys 🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net 📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net (mailto:Paul@GenXJourneys.net) 📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys 📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys 🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s 📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys 🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys 🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on: ✅ Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/) ✅ Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/) ✅ iHeartRadio (https://www.iheart.com/) ✅ Podbean (https://www.podbean.com/) ✅ PlayerFM (https://player.fm/)

Who has been a guest on Inspiring Journeys

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Laura Lee
• Scott Compton
• Suzanne Mattaboni
• Cynthia Lok
• Del Roehling

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,632

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

84

Social presence

100

YouTube

68

Engagement

68

Contact Inspiring Journeys

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Inspiring Journeys