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Josh Misner, PhD

Mindful Living in a Distracted World

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The Breakfast Club Reboot

I just threw up in my mouth a bit.

No, not because of that but because I don’t use obvious clickbait to title my work. That said, please forgive the title and suspend your judgment for a moment.

It will all make sense later, promise.

Today, I got to thinking about The Breakfast Club, especially the essay conceptualized as a group and penned by Brian at the film’s conclusion. That’s when the most random yet curious question materialized in my foggy noggin…

What might their letter sound like if they had to write it as kids today, in 2026?

For the hell of it, I took a stab at crafting such a message.

I ran the final product by some Gen Z kids on retainer to ensure it worked for them and didn’t just sound like an old Gen X dude writing what he thinks Gen Z might say because lord knows, I don’t need to sound like Steve Buscemi in a high school hallway.

My kids and I had an interesting conversation about what they thought the core of The Breakfast Club’s message was, but what was the most intriguing insight from all this speculation?

As predictable as it is sad, that letter was timeless. The same core message translates almost flawlessly for today, despite using different terms to appeal to a different generation in a different time.

I threw in some carefully camouflaged easter eggs for communication/linguistics geeks like me, but I’ll leave those hidden for now…

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Anticipating Vinegar, Surprised by Honey: The Power of Civility

* The following was an invited talk held on January 15, 2025 at the Portneuf Inn of Court, Pocatello, ID

Civility is a concept that starts with presuming the best from others to promote respectful dialogue. Whether in a state or federal legislature, boardroom, courtroom, or living room, civility is a byproduct of mindful listening and the willingness to collaborate.

Civility is both honest and productive, though it’s also uncomfortable and fraught with uncertainty, requiring a surprising level of patience and care when speaking and listening. The responsibility of maintaining civility rests equally upon the shoulders of those participating.

But it’s also important to define what civility is NOT…

Civility is not shouting louder so you’re heard.

Civility is not domination, nor is it a contest to be won or lost.

Civility is not limited to being polite, affable, and orderly.

Civility does not commence with force, nor does it require luring someone into a conversation already loaded with the verbal equivalent of landmines.

Civil discourse begins with an invitation to share dialogue and exchange ideas — not agree on ideas — for the sole purpose of understanding.

And through understanding, we find progress, innovation, and we challenge both ourselves and others in the pursuit of growth.

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School is Not for the Weak… Or Is It?

Behold, the wild geek in his natural habitat, singing Will Ferrell’s “Volcano Man” from Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga.

I opened an email from a college student this week that really struck me and ignited a somewhat dormant desire to write, so here am after, well, let’s just say a long time.

As they lamented the struggles of working while juggling college and family, it reminded me of my own story to an extent, since I hadn’t started college until the ripe old age of 28.

It felt ripe, okay? Viewing 28 in the rear-view from 48? Yeah, that looks a bit different.

Anyway, they nonchalantly stated in closing that “school is certainly not for the weak!”

And I agree, though the adage became a springboard from which I shall now go on to offer some unsolicited advice to anyone else who’s currently struggling through education and possibly wrestling with whether it’s all worth it.

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The Benefits of a Family Movie Night Tradition

A typical Friday evening as a 20-something single dude:

Meet friends for greasy bar food. Drink copious amounts of alcohol. Sing karaoke (quite badly). Dance even worse. Lose memory. Make questionable and regretful decisions. Repeat as necessary.

A typical Friday evening as a 40-something father of four:

Transform the living room, starting with a mattress base, then surrounded by our favorite stuffed animals, and top off with no less than 17 pillows and six blankets per person. Make a bucket of coconut oil and sea salt popcorn. Ensure steady supply of gummy cola bottles, Dots, and/or various forms of chocolate. Drape self with Snuggie. Gather remotes, power on the TV, close the curtains, turn out the lights, and make memories with kids.

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50+ Essential Horror Movies: A Guide to Introducing Kids to the Genre

Before we jump in, first a bit of context. I’m presuming some parents might stop reading at this point, wondering why in the deep-fried holy hell they would even want to introduce their kids to the horror genre.

For this movie-loving father figure, horror is precisely where my love of film originated.

The horror genre provides a benefit few other film types can offer a view: catharsis. What is this mystical and semi-obscure idea?

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89 Essential 80s Movies to Watch as a Family

Disclaimer: I was 5 (and a half) in 1980 and 14 (and a half) when we rang in the new year in 1990. That stated, get comfortable, because there’s a lot of ground to cover when it comes to 80s flicks.

I watched a fully rounded metric buttload (2.205 times larger than a SAE buttload) of movies as a kid, and as stated above, the 80s encompassed more than half of my childhood. Therefore, it’s understandable that I have a lot to say about my beloved childhood films, and even more obvious is the fact that I love to share those experiences with my kids.

Simply put, I watch a LOT of 80s movies with my children, often several nights each week. When we first started, I wasn’t sure how they would take them. After all, if my father had ever sat down to watch  a movie with me during the 80s and busted out some black and white movie from the early 1950s, then, well, no offense to classic movie lovers, but that’s a hard pass. With that in mind, when I offered to watch my faves with my two youngest children, I feared they would view them with similar disdain.

Boy, was I wrong and glad to be so. Movie nights featuring films from the 80s are my kids’ favorites, so I’m offering an essential lineup of films to watch with kids, and in doing so, I am including three items for each film: 1) Quick quote (first one that came to my mind), 2) My take on the significance of the film, and 3) My kids’ reactions to the movies where applicable. I’ve also included links to IMDB.com for each movie in case you want to learn more about them. I briefly entertained the idea of putting age recommendations on when to watch them for the first time, but then I realized how the comments section would ignite once other parents realized how terrible an influence I apparently have on my own children.

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