Forget organized sports leagues and structured activities. Today's episode celebrates the original "unplugged" generation: Gen X! We're taking a deep dive into the impromptu, self-governed world of neighborhood games that defined our childhoods. From the chalk artistry of Hopscotch to the frantic dashes of Kick The Can, these weren't just games; they were life lessons in strategy, teamwork, and knowing when to run for cover. We'll share the top 10 neighborhood games according to our society members along with hilarious and sometimes cringe-worthy memories of getting dizzy with Swinging Statues (or Statue Maker as Kristin calls it) and the sheer force required to break (or be broken by) a Red Rover chain. Get ready to laugh, wince, and remember a time when the biggest challenge was getting home before dark.

Today we’ll be saving the precious messages inscribed into our school yearbooks that no one ever imagined would be read aloud PUBLICLY 40 years later. But that's exactly what we did -- welcome to Gen X Yearbook Reader’s Theater! (Sorry, Debbie). There may not be anything that signals the end of the school year more than the distribution of yearbooks. And the signing frenzy that follows..And so – we all spent significant time with the yearbooks that documented our academic experience in the Gen X era. We read every scribbled message from every single person – friends, enemies and complete strangers alike – and we’ve come away with something bigger than we thought. It's a time capsule of not just fashion (neon), hairstyles (big) and culture (everyone's an icon) -- it's also a time capsule of who we were and how people saw us at a particular moment in time. And reading those messages now, with your adult eyes, might just change your whole perspective on high school. Join us for a hilarious, heartbreaking but also humbling performance of yearbook inscriptions recalling government tests, a D in Humanities, mock trial club, CPR fumbles, fetal pigs and, of course, lots and lots of crushes (just ask Carolyn aka 'Mrs. Crosier').

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Get ready to kick off Season 16 as we flash back to the glorious chaos of Field Day! We're diving headfirst into the GenX end-of-year tradition that either filled you with the thrill of victory (and a coveted ribbon!) or the dread of impending physical exertion. We'll reminisce about the agony and the ecstasy of the tug-of-war (remember that glorious rope burn?), the awkward coordination of the three-legged race, and the surprisingly stressful egg-on-a-spoon relay. Join us as we learn why some of our listeners lived for the competitive spirit and sunshine and who is still salty about not winning a ribbon.

Kristin and Carolyn each share some exciting news, too.

Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here

Follow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTok

Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.

Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation here

Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" here

Send us an email at hello@poppreservationists.com