The Nightly

Josh Gondelman invites his wife, author Maris Kreizman, into the Pillow Fort to test-drive real compliments and affirmations on each other.What You'll HearUntangling the Difference: After a caller named Lucy stumped over the line between a compliment and an affirmation, Josh brings the debate home to Maris, and they work out where the surface-level nice thing ends and the deeper truth begins.Practicing Out Loud: Josh and Maris try the exercise on each other live, trading affirmations about diligence and connection for compliments about newsletters, earrings, and the art of small talk done right.The Compliments That Stick: From a stranger admiring Josh's secondhand sneakers on the train to Maris's advice for under-appreciated creative friends, they trade the kind of praise that actually lands.CHAPTERS00:00 Revisiting Lucy's call about affirmations01:35 Welcoming Maris Kreizman to the Pillow Fort!04:21 Practicing an affirmation and a compliment08:00 What makes praise feel sincere?11:53 Getting meta about real connection18:29 Closing affirmations to the world

Josh Gondelman talks with caller Holly about years of Costa Rica daydreaming, decision fatigue, and the underrated magic of hiring a travel agent.What You'll HearA Very Good Move: Josh recaps trading nine years in a slightly dim apartment for a new Brooklyn spot with giant south- and west-facing windows, a coffee terrace, and an honest-to-goodness view of Manhattan.The Costa Rica Standoff: Caller Holly admits she and her husband have been dreaming about a Costa Rica trip for years without booking a single flight, and Josh confesses he's just as allergic to building an itinerary.Enter, the Travel Agent: Together they talk themselves into hiring an expert who knows the storm season, the good waterfalls, and won't shrug and say "I didn't do anything" the way a chatbot might.CHAPTERS00:00 A big move and finally getting good light04:07 Welcome, Holly!04:52 The Costa Rica trip that's been stuck for years09:16 Should I use a travel agent?12:35 Instagram envy and the courage to "break the seal"17:21 Nailing down dates and committing to go

Josh Gondelman takes a late-night call from a listener who's been trying to work on her husband's love language.What You'll Hear"That's a compliment, not an affirmation": Caller Lucy is stumped on why "you're so tall" doesn't count — and Josh helps her untangle the surprisingly slippery difference between noticing someone and actually seeing them.The birthday card loophole: It turns out Lucy writes a killer Father's Day message, she just freezes up when she has to say it out loud. Josh makes the case that the warmth she puts on paper belongs in the room, too.Scratched behind the ears: Before signing off, Josh dishes out a real-time affirmation demo — and it's pretty good. Plus: a good night for World Cup fans who stayed up way too late.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & Maggie the pug's country vacation03:45 Welcome, Caller Lucy!04:28 Compliments vs. affirmations — what's the difference?09:00 Reverse-engineering the affirmation12:00 Two kids is spiritually more than twice as many17:00 The birthday card trick20:30 Relationship work & killing the cringe25:33 Good nights all around

Matt Young hosts The Nightly this week and takes a call from Kelsie, a singing teacher in Brisbane, Australia, who has questions about life after getting her wisdom teeth out.What You'll HearExtra space, big questions: Kelsie got her wisdom teeth out five days ago and wants to know what to do with the new room in her mouth. Matt has a suggestion involving marshmallows.A singing teacher in recovery: Kelsie talks about her recovery, her brother stepping in as caretaker, and whether losing her wisdom teeth might actually change how she sings.A cover band, a lockdown, and one famous mic: Kelsie and her brother started a covers band in 2019, right before the world shut down. Their one big gig included handing a mic to someone who turned out to be a future movie star.CHAPTERS00:00 Matt opens the show and talks about making the most of summer03:04 What to do with the extra space from wisdom teeth06:42 Kelsie's job as a singing teacher10:53 Starting a cover band with her brother11:45 The night Austin Butler showed up at a gig

Matt Young helps a caller reflect on how becoming a parent can reshape work, purpose, and what really matters.What You’ll HearWhen Priorities Change: caller Tyler opens up about returning to work after welcoming his first child and the surprising emotions that came with realizing he'd rather be home with his daughter than anywhere else.Grace Across Generations: Matt and Tyler talk about breaking old parenting patterns, making room for vulnerability, and why apologizing may be one of the greatest gifts a parent can give.Building a Village: From lifelong friendships to holiday cookie parties, they celebrate the communities that help families grow—and remind us that none of us are figuring it out alone.CHAPTERS02:25 Meet Tyler, a new dad finding his footing04:20 Why work feels different after becoming a parent08:43 Tiny laughs, big parenting moments12:21 A message for Tyler's daughter14:29 Extending grace to our own parents16:45 Raising kids alongside lifelong friends

Matt Young talks with caller Emily, from Philadelphia, about how long it's reasonable to delay a celebration before letting it go.What You'll HearLetting go of things you no longer need: Matt opens by talking about giving away books and clothing he no longer uses, and the sense of relief that comes with unburdening himself of unused belongings.How long is too long to delay a celebration: Emily raises the question after her family pushed Father's Day back several weeks. She and Matt discuss where the line falls between a reasonable delay and letting an occasion go entirely, including rules around birthday weeks versus birthday months.A birthday that got rescheduled three times: Emily describes canceling a family birthday dinner twice due to illness, then deciding two years later that the celebration should simply be let go rather than revived for a different holiday.Combining five years of missed milestones into one party: Matt shares how he threw a joint celebration for his fiancée's two milestone birthdays after the first one was missed during the pandemic.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & the idea of letting things go02:02 Emily calls in from Philadelphia03:14 How long you can delay a birthday celebration06:39 The rules around birthday months08:02 A birthday dinner rescheduled three times14:23 Combining five years of missed birthdays into one party

Matt Young explores the curious world of lucid dreaming with a caller who's ready to take control of her dreams—even if she's still a little nervous to try.What You’ll HearDreaming on Purpose: What exactly is lucid dreaming? Matt and Erin imagine what they'd do if they could steer their dreams, from flying through the skies to revisiting meaningful moments from the past.Reality Checks & Dream Journals: They swap what they've learned about training for lucid dreams, including simple habits that might help you recognize when you're dreaming.When Dreams Feel Surprisingly Real: From recurring dreams about family to an unforgettable dream where Harrison Ford might—or might not—be Dad, they explore why some dreams linger long after you wake up.CHAPTERS02:09 A conversation about lucid dreaming begins05:01 If you could control your dreams, where would you go?08:32 Recurring dreams and waking awareness10:49 The Harrison Ford dream story15:14 Dream journals and reality checks

Josh Gondelman talks with food retail consultant Jonathan Raduns about zucchini blossoms, garlic scape pesto, and the density test for picking the perfect watermelon.What You'll HearFrom Farm Kid to Food Retail Whisperer: Jonathan traces his path from selling produce on his family's farm in Western New York to starting his own consulting company twelve years ago, all in the name of making grocery stores feel less like warehouses and more like places worth lingering in.The Zucchini Blossoms and the Garlic Scape Pesto: Josh gets the story behind one of Jonathan's favorite projects, a one-day event built around a mystery ingredient and a local farm that turned an ordinary produce aisle into a full-blown event.Grocery Stores as Community, One Staff Pick at a Time: From Trader Joe's staff pick stickers to the quiet art of small talk in the checkout line, Jonathan explains what actually makes a store feel like part of the neighborhood.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & welcome Jonathan!01:08 How Jonathan got into food retail consulting03:16 The zucchini blossoms & garlic scape pesto story04:59 What grocery stores get right that farms don't08:14 The design details shoppers never notice14:19 The secret to picking a good watermelon

KP Parker and Matt Bragg reunite after KP's first trip to Ireland, with strong opinions about breakfast food, beige biscuits, and horses wandering the streets of Los Angeles.What You'll HearA Block of Beige and a Pint of Something Dark: KP brings back her hottest takes from Ireland: Weetabix in yogurt, Guinness as a nutritional smoothie, and the discovery of a foil-wrapped mint biscuit that may have ruined American snacks forever.The Cliffs Were Beautiful: A quick tour through KP's Irish itinerary — coastal landscapes, locked castles, a 1916 walking tour, and the kind of pub hopping that makes you want to go back with friends instead of family.Midnight Horses, Mechanical Bulls, and a Very Confused Matt: KP once rode a horse on a main street in LA at midnight, for free, with no explanation. Matt does not know what a bucking bronco is. Neither subject gets fully resolved.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & hello from KP's jet lag01:00 First WhatsApp from Ireland: Weetabix03:30 The full Irish breakfast problem04:44 KP tries her first Guinness06:10 Candy haul: Wispa, mystery mint biscuits & more08:33 Irish wildlife: horses, sheep, and a very helpful dog13:00 Mechanical bulls, bucking broncos, and a lesson in livestock15:13 What KP actually did in Ireland: cliffs, castles & pints18:20 Goodnights