In this episode we welcome MJ Eldridge, also known as MJ aka Mommie on social media. MJ shares about her childhood growing up in Rhode Island in a log cabin in the woods, and regales us with relatable and hilarious GenX latchkey kid stories. Her love for performance started at an early age, as well as an interest in invention. After a year at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York as a theater major, MJ traveled to New Mexico then settled in Denver, where she met her first husband. A move to Michigan led her to a position at Homedics, where she found an outlet for her incredible ingenuity. We touch on motherhood and postpartum depression, as well as the many ways women are not served properly in healthcare. We discuss how the female experience can’t exist in the workplace, and how sharing the challenges of perimenopause and menopause can be a double edged sword for women. MJ candidly shares about her experience returning to the dating scene post-divorce, which can only be summed up as one long jump scare. We learn about her work with start-ups, which includes her extensive knowledge of the international supply chain and doing business with China. It is obvious that MJ is a valuable asset to any company she’s working for or for any client who hires her on as a consultant. There is no question that she is a phenomenal resource when it comes to product design, manufacturing and the logistics of shipping products around the globe. She is a true expert in the complex space. After her second divorce, MJ returned to Rhode Island to work for a sustainability company, and she extensively covers how the tariffs are affecting businesses. We discuss the journey of self-discovery that many GenX women are currently on, as well as the three P’s that men operate off of: Pay, Praise and Pleasure. MJ shares how “MJ aka Mommie” began on TikTok, as well as her new project, the “Mediocre at Best!” podcast, where listeners will have access to MJ’s wit, humor and brilliance in longer form. We absolutely loved having not one, but two days with MJ in the studio and truly enjoyed such great conversation. We look forward to becoming loyal listeners of Mediocre at Best!
Check Out MJ at:
https://www.tiktok.com/@inappropriatemommie
Reach MJ at:
mjeldridgee@gmail.com
Check Us Out at:
https://www.genxadultingpodcast.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:30 The Music of GenX
03:43 Family Background and Childhood
04:51 Growing Up in a Log Cabin
12:50 Boomer Stay-At-Home Moms vs GenX Stay-At-Home Moms
15:13 The Two Types of GenX Parents
23:50 Elementary and Junior High and the Presidential Physical Fitness Award
27:32 GenX Boys in High School Looked More Like Men
33:02 Sinus Issues and Having Tubes in Ears
39:29 High School
40:53 Applying to College and Getting a Scholarship to Hofstra University
43:24 GenX Having a Job Since We Were Young
47:28 Parent's Divorce and the Societal Expectations of Marriage and Children
53:34 Postpartum Depression
58:06 Being a Latchkey Kid
01:03:48 Navigating College Life and Imposter Syndrome
01:13:05 Moving to Denver, Colorado and Selling Furniture
01:14:16 GenX Grinding Through Life
01:21:16 Meeting First Husband and Moving to Michigan
01:25:40 Working for Mobile Dentist
01:26:48 Becoming a Mother to Two Daughters
01:39:42 GenX Women Grew Up Being in Competition With Each Other
01:43:39 Women Having to Quiet the Female Experience in the Workplace
01:50:17 Career and First Job at Homedics
01:55:55 Divorcing First Husband
02:01:52 Returning to the Dating Scene
02:10:16 The Impact of Pornography on Relationships
02:35:49 The Changing Dynamics in the Current Dating Culture
02:42:05 Being a Lead Singer in a Band
02:44:40 Meeting Second Husband
02:47:00 Part 2
02:47:53 Moving Back to Rhode Island
02:51:07 Working With Start-Ups
02:53:33 The International Supply Chain
03:05:04 Doing Business in China as a Woman
03:14:50 American Retailers Influencing the Standards in Chinese Factories
03:17:23 Made in America
03:18:31 Migrant Workers in China
03:19:29 Feeling Safe as a Woman in China
03:21:27 The Vibe Towards Americans in China
03:23:23 The Challenges of Doing Your Own Start-Up
03:25:51 Working for The Lip Bar
03:26:45 Working for a Sustainability Company
03:28:09 Getting a Product Developed in China
03:37:21 How The Tariffs Can Affect Businesses
03:54:05 The Reality of Items Made in America
03:55:53 Mass Consumerism
03:58:49 How AI Has the Potential to Contribute to the Disconnect Between Men and Women
04:06:40 Hobbies and Finding Yourself
04:18:35 Men Operate Off of Pay, Praise or Pleasure
04:21:00 GenX Women Are Not Going Into Their Next Chapter Quietly
04:24:07 MJ aka Mommie on TikTok
04:32:55 Mediocre at Best Podcast
04:54:17 5 Year Vision
GenX Podcast
GenX Talks
Podcast for GenX
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