Happy 2025!! While not ready to return to regular scheduled programming, Ge and David pop in for a (not-so) brief chat on recent travels, 2025 goals, and an update on the podcast. Ge recaps a bucket list trip to the Sahara Desert, reflecting on the unique experiences and challenges of such an epic adventure. Meanwhile, David offers his perspective on the benefits and downsides of traveling during the off-season. Inspired by New Year's resolutions, Ge opens up about some of her goals and aspirations for 2025, while David explains why he prefers to keep his goals private and focus on quietly working towards them. Grab your favourite drink of choice and join us for a good 'ol uncut catch-up!
We welcome your thoughts, feedback, and comments: that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram, @that30sshowpod.
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
As we close out Season 2 of That 30s Show, we've been so grateful to provide a space for sharing the stories that define this exciting and transformative decade. To celebrate the season finale, we're counting down the top ten most-loved episodes as chosen by you, our listeners! Join us as we take a deeper dive into these popular episodes, reflecting on the memorable moments, meaningful conversations, and key topics that resonated most. It’s an episode full of gratitude, laughter, and introspection as we reminisce about the journey so far. Thank you for being with us through this season—every single one of you has helped make this possible!
We welcome your thoughts, feedback, and comments: that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram, @that30sshowpod.
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
When friends or family experience the loss of a loved one, we want to do everything we can to be there for them. But often it can be difficult to know the right thing to do or say. Our guest, Aaron Lu, experienced the tragic and sudden loss of his wife just days after celebrating Christmas together as a family of four for the first time. In our most personal conversation yet, Aaron shares his ongoing journey through grief and what he's learned along the way. We're thankful for Aaron's courage and vulnerability, and we hope our conversation shines a light on a universal experience that we don't talk enough about as a society.
Mentions:
- The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O'Connor
We welcome your thoughts, feedback, and comments: that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram, @that30sshowpod.
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
00:00 - Intro
05:11 - Aaron's story
22:23 - How to avoid making things worse
26:43 - How to help others during a time of grief
37:58 - Talking about the loss and loved one
45:05 - Misconceptions about grief
51:33 - Keeping the memories alive
1:00:13 - The Grieving Brain
Ge and David are back in an unscheduled, unplanned Uncut (no edits, no filters!) to break down all the passionate feedback we heard from our last episode on friendships in your 30s. Do we really think friendships are secondary to your life goals? How do we decide to spend time with friends if we're not interested in the activity we're doing together?
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Navigating friendships in your 30s can be a complex journey. In this episode, Ge and David explore why maintaining close friendships can become challenging as life priorities change in our 30s. From the impact of moving to more affordable places to live, shifts in values and interests, increased focus on health and financial limitations, this episode explores the myriad of factors that test the durability of our social connections. Challenges aside, we also discuss some key ingredients to maintaining meaningful relationships, even when life throws new priorities our way. If you resonate with this episode, or even if you disagree, we would love to hear from you!
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Is it really too risky to give birth after 35? Is egg freezing a realistic option? What genetic tests can I do to ensure the health of my newborn? We're joined by Vicky Hsieh, Director of Genetic Services at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York, to answer all these questions and more! As a genetic counselor, Vicky unpacks some of the most common and pressing questions expecting parents may have about fertility, prenatal health, and genetic testing.
(00:00) Intro
(3:49) Genetic counselling
(08:40) Genetic testing practices in USA & Canada
(11:28) Impact of age on fertility and prenatal health
(16:51) Path to becoming a genetic counselor
(19:51) Egg freezing
(26:30) Carrier screen
(29:44) Standard genetic tests during pregnancy
(33:46) Solutions to fertility/pregnancy concerns
(36:35) Genetic testing methods
(37:56) Timeline of tests during pregnancy
(41:58) Standard vs optional types of tests
(43:35) Future of genetic testing
(47:23) Advice before trying to get pregnant
(52:35) Best part of being a genetic counselor
(56:52) Outro
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
On this uncut episode, find out what Ge and David have been getting up to this summer. While one of them is still going strong with weekend benders and raves in their 30s, the other drops the bombshell of tying the knot! Can you guess who's who? They reflect on how their travel styles have evolved over the years, from chasing every adventure to embracing a more laid back approach with an appreciation for the R&R. And of course, they tackle the breaking news of the week that has sent shockwaves through the airwaves. Tune in for laughter, surprises and a dose of conspiracy.
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
In this week’s inspiring episode, Graeme shares his journey of chasing a dream to start a YouTube channel. Reflecting back to his high school days, Graeme shares how he initially dipped his toes into the world of content creation, only to retreat after receiving a modest 36 views on his first video. Fast forward to present day, Graeme discusses the challenges he faced restarting his channel, the fear of judgment that often accompanies starting something new and talks about the importance of embracing imperfection as a part of the learning journey. Whether you're considering starting your own YouTube channel or embarking on a journey to chase your own dreams, Graeme's story offers encouragement on pushing through self-doubt and refining your craft through persistence and dedication.
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
One of the unique challenges that arise in our 30s is supporting our parents as they enter a new phase in their own lives. With old age comes new challenges with health, money, and changing social networks. While many millennials welcome the duty of taking care of their aging parents, it nonetheless presents a new challenge that provokes some difficult conversations. What will our parents do once they can no longer look after themselves? What are acceptable tradeoffs between medical care and maintaining a familiar quality of life? What makes home feel like home?
(00:00) Intro
(4:09) Disclaimer
(5:09) Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
(8:06) How do we determine life priorities
(10:05) Expectations from your parents
(14:05) End of life preferences
(18:11) How do you want to live out old age?
(22:58) Financial planning for old age
(26:42) Nursing homes and having control
(37:12) Wrap up
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Is your rent or mortgage too high? Have you ever wondered if there was another way to live? It actually exists, and it’s called co-operative housing! We’re joined by Sarah Jensen, Director-at-Large on the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada's Board of Directors. In this episode, we learn about a decades-old movement that provides a unique middle ground between renting and owning. Co-op housing offers security of tenure without the prohibitive cost of a down payment. You might also get to live next to your best friends for the rest of your life. This might just be the most intriguing topic we’ve covered yet!
(00:00) Intro
(6:58) What is co-operative housing?
(10:00) Traditional vs co-op 'ownership'
(13:23) A better 'landlord' relationship
(15:57) Security of tenure
(18:06) Community involvement & support
(23:20) Applying for co-op housing
(25:11) At-cost housing charges
(26:36) How do co-ops get built?
(31:00) Demographics and low turnover
(34:39) Future prospects and development plans
(39:20) Wrap up
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
This week, David and Ge talk about staying healthy in your 30s as Ge recovers from being sick for the 4th time in 6 months. Tune in to find out how Ge's first 5k race went and what kind of routine body checks she's doing. David gives us his initial review of CrossFit and reveals a shocking approach to managing screen time. The two end off with a trip down memory lane about bathroom entertainment before the smart phone was invented.
(00:00) Intro
(06:43) Ge’s first 5k race
(14:14) Routine health checks
(30:12) Well rounded exercise routine
(33:05) David’s CrossFit review
(45:29) Managing screen time for mental health
(55:54) Health reminder - wash your fruits and vegetables
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Krishanu Roy Sankar has had a lifelong passion for mathematics, which culminated in a PhD and 2-year postdoc, before shifting to working in industry. Now, he's part mathematician, part software engineer, helping to design quantum computing technology that does not currently exist. Sounds like the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, right? Not exactly. Tune in to hear about Krishanu's honest reflections on why he is now considering expanding his career beyond quantum computing, and how a 2-month trip back home to India may have planted some seeds of doubt about what a life well lived actually looks like.
(00:00) Intro
(04:44) Mathematician career journey in academia to industry
(08:55) Quantum computing work and its drawbacks
(17:30) Doing something for fun vs. for a career
(22:17) Redefining life purpose and how to change the world
(27:07) Ethics of quantum computing and technological advancements
(34:28) Career advice
(38:19) Reconnecting with cultural roots on trip to India
(46:32) Ethics of science advancing state/military goals
(48:10) Key to success is 'blind belief'
(52:26) How physical sport helps us redefine what is possible
(58:26) Expanding intellectual hierarchies of interest
(1:03:35) Outro
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Our first Uncut in 5 months?! Don't miss this week's completely unhinged episode full of hot takes and honest reflections. Join us as we catch up on what's been going on as we head into spring!
(0:00) Birthday celebrations in your 30s
(13:40) Creative and financial goals
(20:37) Love is Blind & reality shows
(32:40) Monthly fitness costs & Physical 100
(45:06) Conspiracy theories & solar eclipse
(51:15) Bandwagoning sports
(57:01) Physiotherapy
(59:22) Trying new activities
(1:02:39) Surprise reveal
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
We chat with Erin Lee who has a professional background in social support work, particularly helping people with mental illness in a non-clinical space. Highlights from our conversation include:
(00:00) Intro
(03:23) Social support work for people with mental illness
(08:16) A non-profit career path
(10:46) Supporting people in moments of crisis
(15:50) Drawing boundaries to avoid emotional burnout
(21:31) Work-life balance/job priorities change in our 30s
(29:23) Passion vs income in choosing fulfilling work
(32:33) Mental illness challenges during our 30s
(38:54) Are we overusing 'trauma' and how to really help others
(53:19) Effective communication and when to give advice
(1:02:49) David and Ge post-interview wrap up
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Have you ever sat at your job daydreaming about starting a whole new career path? This week, we explore the common reasons why job dissatisfaction might arise in our 30s, from challenging co-workers and bosses to our aspirations for doing something more meaningful. Join us as we discuss questions like do you like your job because you’re good at it or vice versa? What truly makes a great boss? We also discuss the challenges of wanting to pursue our passions and explore new opportunities while ensuring financial stability for ourselves and our loved ones. Whether you're contemplating a career change or seeking ways to reignite your passion for your current job, this episode will offer an insightful conversation about job dissatisfaction, career transitions, and the pursuit of fulfillment in our professional lives.
(00:00) Intro
(02:44) Mid-life crises
(07:05) Career by choice or circumstance
(09:42) Competence vs passion at work
(12:52) Dream job growing up
(14:11) Reasons we change jobs
(16:25) Worst kind of coworker
(18:25) Gauging work culture
(21:02) Good managers
(26:02) Pros/cons of being a manager
(29:54) Generational differences in career selectiveness
(32:31) American dream is dead
(36:42) What makes for a great career
(47:51) Changing careers in your 30s
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Have you ever wanted to read faster or forget something as soon as your hear it? In this week’s BONUS episode, we explore the limitless possibilities of your mind and learn how to break down the barriers you've set for yourself. We discuss Jim Kwik’s book Limitless, where he encourages readers to break free from self-imposed limitations and provides tangible tips to unlock your brain’s potential. Tune in to find out what the four horsemen of the digital age are, what a good brain diet looks like (it includes chocolate?!), and much more to turn "shelf help" into true self-help.
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Money is a hot topic no matter your age, but in your 30s, it can often be a turning point as you budget for kids, mortgages, and perhaps for the first time, retirement. Understanding money is essential to living a good life, but it's not just about knowing how to invest or budget. In The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel unpacks the emotional, often irrational side of how we make decisions around money.
This week, David shares his key takeaways from having recently read The Psychology of Money. We discuss:
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
This week, Ge is flying solo without David, but fear not, as she's joined by Alexi for an insightful girl chat about the unexpected twists that come with the passage of time. From a seven and a half-year relationship to getting engaged, breaking up, and finding herself again, Alexi shares candidly about the shifts she observed within herself and her relationships over time. Join us this week as we peel back the layers of of independence, the evolution of priorities, and the challenges of maintaining individuality within a long-term commitment.
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.
Happy 1 year pod-aversary! This week, That 30s Show officially turns 1 and to celebrate this milestone, David and Ge go through a self-indulgent journey of reflection, exploring the good, the bad, and the surprising parts of starting a podcast. Have our expectations for this podcast been met in reality? How has this partnership affected our friendship? While we still have hopes and dreams for the future of this podcast, one thing’s for sure: we are so proud of the consistency and the light we’ve been able to shine on all sorts of topics this past year. Whether you dropped in occasionally or tuned in weekly, your support means the world to us, and we look forward to the exciting journey ahead.
Do you have a story about what helps you thrive in your 30s, or challenges you’ve endured or overcome? Let us know at that30sshowpod@gmail.com or DM our Instagram. Perhaps we can have you on the show! Any questions and feedback are also welcome.
Links:
Theme music: “Grab A Bargain” by Scott Holmes Music. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license, at Free Music Archive.