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Episodes
It's Been BeautifulNov 6, 2023 · 24 minOn this, our final episode, we hear from a new listener who discovered Tiny Victories a mere week or two ago…and still called in with her Tiny Victories-related tiny victory. As Annabelle points out, the caller has 158 more episodes that she can enjoy.
As podcasts go, this is but a tiny little show, and yet in the course of three years, it’s helped Annabelle and Laura and the Tiny Victories community feel connected as the world itself fell–and continues to fall–apart.
But even as Tiny Victories wraps up, the tiny victories frame of mind will not.
Join Annabelle and Laura in this final episode, as they react to listener calls and share their love for you, the Tiny Victories community. Also, keep in touch! The show’s going away, but Annabelle and Laura are online, reachable, and happy for you to share your victories with them.- ¡Nuestro Episodio Penúltima!Oct 31, 2023 · 23 minIt’s Tiny Victories’ penultimate episode and listeners are reaching out to Annabelle and Laura with heartfelt messages of what this show has meant to them. Plus, a listener calls in with a victory en Español.
- Breakfast, The Breakfast Club & BasquiatOct 23, 2023 · 20 minIf you like breakfast and Basquiat, you’ll LOVE this episode of Tiny Victories. First up, Annabelle tells us about her experience staying at a hotel in Singapore that featured breakfasts from around the world. As she traveled the world, her taste buds traveled even further. Plus, after missing the Keith Haring exhibit by just 1 day, Laura gets back on her art bike to see the Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure exhibition, curated by the artist’s estate. Naturally, the movie Breakfast Club comes up.
- F*ck the Enchanted ForestOct 16, 2023 · 20 minAnnabelle has returned from her multi-country tour that took her to Singapore, Tel Aviv and Uganda. In this episode, she’ll tell us about her plans for the Uganda trip that were thwarted almost immediately, and how she learned how to let it go, and accept life on life’s terms. Plus, Lisa from Raleigh calls in with what Laura House describes as “an office supply victory”.
- Laurie Kilmartin Is Ready for Her Push-upsOct 9, 2023 · 21 minThis week Laurie Kilmartin joins Laura House and the two L-s have perhaps the longest introductory conversation in Tiny Victories history about a subject that’s super personal to both of them.
And for anyone who’s even thinking of challenging Laurie to a push-up contest, just don’t. It’s not worth it, man.
- My First Shovel (ft. Laurie Kilmartin)Oct 2, 2023 · 19 minYou know how you start talking gardening tools and next thing you know you’re swapping stories about how fathers born in the thirties never really talk about themselves? Well that happened in this week’s episode with Laura House’s guest co-host Laurie Kilmartin. Two victories in one tiny episode!
- The Paddle Boarder: Liver of Life! (ft. Stefanie Wilder-Taylor)Sep 25, 2023 · 24 minThis episode could also have been titled, “And It All Started with My Dog’s Eye Infection”. The “it” here would be everything that happened after she had to cancel a proper vacation to tend to an eye infection afflicting Millie. Stefanie Wilder-Taylor filled in for Annabelle again for the second week in a row, and tells us about every step of the journey she took deciding whether–or not!-to meet her friends for dinner on the tail end of a busy weekend. It’s an edge-of-your-seat, thrill ride for anyone who gets anxiety over leaving the house.
- Rage But Don’t Engage (ft. Stefanie Wilder-Taylor)Sep 18, 2023 · 19 minThis week, guest host Stefanie Wilder-Taylor joins Laura House while Annabelle travels the globe. Laura and Stefanie establish their “dog people” bona fides as House relates the huge sacrifice she made on Minnie’s behalf. Stefanie confesses to almost canceling out the tiny victory she shares, but she musters up the intestinal fortitude to hold the line. This will make sense when you listen to the episode.
- When in Rome, Look UpSep 11, 2023 · 21 min*Best of Episode* You know how some people collect sand or rocks from the places they travel? Annabelle collects sounds. At the beginning of summer, she toured with a band that played a huge music festival in The Netherlands, and one souvenir of that trip was the croaking of Belgian frogs. She’s recently-returned from Rome, Italy, with two new sounds, and her sightseeing highlights.
- It’s Alright to CryyyySep 4, 2023 · 19 minThe hosts are both traveling this week so they’ve selected a favorite episode to run.
“Back-up” vibrators: Should you get one? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, and then wondered, ‘How would someone who’s not me answer this?’, then this, our 77th episode, is for you. Well, 5% – 8% of this episode is for you, and it comes in the second half of the show.
Also, Laura House is no longer afraid of her emotions, and Adam finally does a thing he meant to do, which inspires Annabelle, to do the same thing, instead of putting it off. You’ll probably NEVER guess what that thing is! Listen to the episode to find out.
- Answering the Call for an Able-Bodied VolunteerAug 28, 2023 · 20 minAre you the type of person who says, “I’m the type of person who…”? This week Guest host Maggie Rowe tells us about a recent experience where she challenged herself, and answered the call for “able-bodied” volunteers at the Zen Center to help move some rather large items. Annabelle recounts a cohabitation-with-the-boyfriend tiny victory that marks a new milestone in her life. Plus, a hotline caller might be great at something she’s never done.
- Spontaneous Dance Party w/ Maggie RoweAug 21, 2023 · 17 minYou know what goes well with a difficult divorce? A dance party. But don’t think it’s a matter of simply throwing a dance party, because that’s now how this works. Annabelle and guest host Maggie Rowe give us the anatomy of a spontaneous dance party.
- Karaoke Machines Equal Joy…or Do They?Aug 14, 2023 · 16 minIf you’re someone who finds joy singing karaoke, this is the episode for you! Similarly, if you’re someone whose hell would be to sing karaoke, this is the episode for you. Could the world be broken up into people who see karaoke machines as joy factories and those who see them as nightmare weavers? Plus, does it have to be hard to take a vacation?
- Keep Saying YesAug 7, 2023 · 20 minAnnabelle travels to Sardinia without leaving her home, and she continues to benefit from simple advice: Keep saying yes. Plus, House deals with Minnie eye issues, and may have found her forever vet.
- Coffee Shop Tales of Heroism and Vicarious EuphoriaJul 31, 2023 · 16 minYou know the dread you feel when you realize you left your purse or wallet at a location you visited earlier in the day? Now imagine going back to the location to search for it while Laura House stares you down, only in this scenario you don’t actually know who Laura House is. She’s just some woman who seems very invested in your every move. In this episode, House explains to Annabelle why she was so invested. Plus, Annabelle bonds with a stranger over being a big baby.
- So Happy for Your Mishap!Jul 24, 2023 · 17 minLet’s go ahead and put this out on the table now: there’s a LOT of drama behind the scenes at Tiny Victories. Well, a lot of tech drama. One of the hosts has a pretty good relationship with technology, and the other does not. This means that sometimes there are tech delays, and the start time gets pushed back. Last week was such a week. And this week, someone wants to gloat a little bit about last week. It’s kind of like schadenfreude, but with a bit of glee sprinkled in. This will make sense once you hear the episode. Plus, listener Josh calls in with the best bad trip turned good trip tiny victory.
- The Three Components of Great WritingJul 17, 2023 · 17 minThis week, Gurwitch falls hard for author Lorrie Moore’s latest book, “I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home”. What makes this collection of short stories great? Well, three three things, which Annabelle lists, including examples of each of those things. Plus, the sweet, sweet sound of car honk support.
- The Kindness of CraftersJul 10, 2023 · 15 minThis week, Annabelle is moved by a group of really crafty people with big hearts. And if you, like Laura House, wonder if Annabelle was moved by a group of schemers as opposed to people into the craft arts, you are mistaken. Plus, a listener writes in with a pillow breakthrough. It’s a feel-good episode from start to finish!
- Minnie’s Upright Canines Brigade RoutineJul 3, 2023 · 16 minMight as well get this out of the way: Laura House’s bull dog Minnie is more than a dogfluencer. She’s a student of improv as well. The dog’s got verve and moxie and “it”. But underneath her cute exterior, is a lil’ ball of feelings. This episode is for anyone who cares about their pets’ feelings. Plus, listener Julian writes in with a call-in victory.
- Three Glorious Words: “You Were Right”Jun 26, 2023 · 19 minThis week’s episode is likely to give you the feels. Annabelle and Laura get into the differences between playing the short game versus the long game, and share personal victories in both categories, including a parenthood win. Plus, Liz calls in with a victory that takes the cake!
- The Dolls That Moved into a MailboxJun 19, 2023 · 15 minThis week Annabelle tells Laura about an article in the Washington Post that she’s read over and over again because it’s just that delightful. It concerns a family of dolls that moved into an Orchard Lake, Michigan mailbox in the dead of night. Plus, hotline caller Lou has an issue with being late, and may or may not have had a tiny victory about it.
- The Joy & Personal Hell of Bird SongsJun 12, 2023 · 17 minThis is a particularly polarizing episode of Tiny Victories during which we learn that Laura is not a fan of the birds. While she’s happy that Annabelle has found a tiny victory in some recent bird news, for some people (esp. dog people), birds are a flying, squawking menace. Plus, we got a Hotline Email from Jesse that’s super chill.
- Our Plumber Is the Coolest!Jun 5, 2023 · 18 minLaura House tells Annabelle how plumber Frank did great work on her and Brian’s home…and their hearts (platonically). And now that Annabelle is back from her book leave, House dusts off the Tiny Victories hotline to play one of the calls that came in while AG was out.
- When Los Angeles Gives You LemonsMay 29, 2023 · 16 minThis week, we have a few tiny victories that happen to share a theme: Mother Nature giveth, and taketh away. This is one thing Annabelle knows all too well as someone who tends to her own, private orchard (read: two fruit trees). And we have a hotline call about a choir fire.
- Blocked by the Royal Family & New BraMay 22, 2023 · 20 minLaurie Kilmartin is back again this week, filling in for Annabelle who is still on book leave. We learn that Laurie is obsessed with the Royal Family, and that the Royal Family has blocked her on Twitter. And House may or may not have had a tiny victory with a new bra.
- There’s No Sexting on BarhamMay 15, 2023 · 20 minFilling in for Annabelle while she’s on book leave is Laurie Kilmartin of The Jackie & Laurie Show, and author of the book Dead People Suck. This week–and likely the next few foreseeable weeks–Laurie and Laura are walking the picket lines for the ongoing WGA Writer’s Strike. Though they would no doubt prefer NOT to strike, while they are striking, House and Kilmartin look for the tiny victories in their struggle for better working conditions and better pay.
- Oprah, Malala and the Crass GardenerMay 8, 2023 · 21 minJackie Kashian fills in again for Anabelle while she’s on book leave and working hard. In this week’s episode, Laura recounts her run-ins with Oprah and Malala, only one of which reduced her to tears. Plus, an NSFW tiny victory involving squash.
- An Audible Arrangement and Workout WoesMay 1, 2023 · 17 minThis week the delightful Jackie Kashian of The Jackie and Laurie Show is filling in for Annabelle. House has a victory so tiny she’s almost embarrassed to bring it up, but Tiny Victories is a shame-free zone, so her tiny victory about working out may actually inspire a listener or two.
Jackie takes advantage of an Audible arrangement she has with her brother so she can consume her literature in a very specific way that works for her. It involves the same title, multiple formats.
- The Importance of Shallow FriendshipsApr 24, 2023 · 18 minThis week, Annabelle tells Laura about a recent interaction she had with a sanitation worker who covers her neighborhood. This relatively brief interaction could prove to be life changing…in a tiny way. This encounter brought to mind a study about the importance of these types of “shallow” relationships, and why you should be grateful for the dentists, baristas, mail carriers, fitness instructors, pick-up basketball court mates…in your life.
- Succession ObsessionApr 17, 2023 · 19 min**Spoiler Alert**
There is Succession talk ahead and a reference to something from a recent episode. If you’re not caught up, consider bookmarking this episode and coming back to it once you are caught up. Or don’t! Up to you 🙂
How is HBO’s Succession so good?! No matter. It’s dark. It’s funny. It’s all House can think about. And the only thing to do in this kind of situation is…lean into it.
- Edit Thyself Thusly: A tiny BreakthroughApr 10, 2023 · 18 minWriting is hard, so why do writers make it so much harder by not following simple advice? This week Annabelle tells us about a minor adjustment she made in her writing process that anyone who has wrestled with words will be able to appreciate.
Plus, a magnetic tiny victory for a mom.
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- The Mystery...Drug House?Apr 3, 2023 · 17 minAs listeners know, Annabelle is a big fan of walking the hilly streets of her neighborhood. At night. One house in particular caught her attention because it didn’t seem quite right, and Annabelle thought it might be abandoned, or maybe a drug house. Then she switched up her routine and made a discovery.
- Brea Grant & jarrett hill Did What Had to Be DoneMar 27, 2023 · 19 minFor week two of the MaxFunDrive, fellow MaxFun hosts Brea Grant and jarrett hill each share a tiny victory about doing what needed to be done. These are (tiny) tales of growth, grit and perseverance.
- Slow & CheesyMar 20, 2023 · 16 minHappy Maximum Fun Drive! If you’re not familiar with the MaxFunDrive, it takes place from March 20th to March 31st. During these two weeks of the year, we ask listeners who enjoy the show to show their support by becoming new or upgrading members at MaximumFun.org/join. There are many different membership levels, including the $5 a month membership which gives you access to ALL of the bonus content created by MaxFun shows across the network.
- The Tiny ZeitgeistMar 13, 2023 · 19 minTiny Victories listeners know Annabelle and Laura have been championing little joys and minor accomplishments for a while. It seems that it’s catching on. Is there a tiny zeitgeist happening? House brings the receipts. Plus, The Sporkful’s Dan Pashman calls in with a Shake-y tiny victory, and let’s us know about his new podcast.
- In Earth’s Innermost Core, a Wig-toryMar 6, 2023 · 17 minDid you hear the news about earth’s innermost core? It’s even core-ier than previously thought! That’s a bit of science news Annabelle read about in the Washington Post, and it made her happy, though not for a reason one might think. Plus, author Laura Cathcart Robbins calls in with what House is calling a “wigtory”.
- Commit to the BitFeb 27, 2023 · 15 minWhy does the word “guilty” so often seen before “pleasure”? It’s a pleasure. Own that it’s a pleasure! This week, Laura House enthuses about “committing to the bit”, but not in the way Gen X comics first understood it to mean. Plus, a hotline caller tells us about the “upside” of COVID.
- Finding FlacoFeb 20, 2023 · 18 minDid you hear about Flaco? If you haven’t, you, like House, were in the dark about the escaped owl from the Central Park Zoo. Everyone else in the world (that Annabelle follows on social media) has been worried sick about him. So what made Annabelle get on the Flaco bandwagon too? She explains.
- Radical BoredomFeb 13, 2023 · 17 minAchieving success is an elusive business, especially if it’s the business of show. Take Laura and Annabelle. They write, perform, take meetings, do comedy, promote shows…It’s a constant hustle. But does it have to be? This week, House talks about doing the unthinkable: nothing. Or, rather, focusing on ONE thing. It’s something overworked Americans rarely do, and House is reminded that we should.
- Where Is Real-Life E.T.?!Feb 6, 2023 · 18 minIn this week’s episode, Annabelle finds solace in astronomer Keith Cooper’s op-ed on the enormity of the cosmos, and we also discover that Laura and Annabelle do not share the same excitement regarding alien contact. Plus, a hotline call from someone proud to be crafty!
- Anchor Tonguing AroundJan 30, 2023 · 19 minThis week Laura ropes professional jazz trumpet player Brian Swartz into coming on the show with her and Annabelle. The Tiny Victories theme song creator, Swartz, decided to try this “anchor tongue” technique out…and was blown away by the results. Plus listener Erin has a tiny victory about staying in.
- Joan Didion in Less Than a DayJan 23, 2023 · 17 minHouse knows no one who is busier than author, activist, advocate and 2022 Thurber Prize Finalist Annabelle Gurwitch. Listeners of the show have heard Annabelle tell us about frogs she heard at a Belgian farmhouse, the birds flying in the skies of Rome, or stumbling into a workshop she discovered by happenstance by the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir. This week, Annabelle tells us about how she over-extended herself, and then did something she’d never done before that made her feel recharged.
- The Neck MassageJan 16, 2023 · 15 minDo you enjoy neck massages from the person you’re seeing? Annabelle sure does, but she didn’t always know the path that would get her there. And then, voilá, the idea came to her right before her yoga class started.
Plus, Annabelle and Laura praise Lou and their veggie victory.
- Hooray for Dicks!Jan 9, 2023 · 18 minIt’s award season. This is the time of year *Angelenos get inundated with screeners for the buzziest films of the year, and movie studios beg Academy members for their consideration. And this year, the Acadamy is considering nominating a project in which our own Laura House has a part. What part? What film? Take a listen to find out.
- Tiny Steps and Atomic HabitsJan 2, 2023 · 21 minNew York Times Bestselling author Annabelle Gurwitch was not familiar with New York Times Bestselling author James Clear until recently. TV writer and aspiring author Laura House gets to take credit for telling Annabelle about Clear’s wildly successful book Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. There’s even a tease on the book’s cover that makes it all the more surprising it escaped Annabelle’s notice: “Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results”.
- Sonic Victories from the Southern HemisphereDec 26, 2022 · 18 minAnnabelle has returned from a trip to Australia and New Zealand, where she traveled on 8 planes in 9 days and met her beau’s family members. To keep her hectic schedule, and her sanity, Annabelle came up with a strategy that involved sheep and singing with the Central Aboriginal Women’s Choir.
- The MetaverseDec 19, 2022 · 22 minThis week, House attempts to change Annabelle’s mind about The Metaverse, by bringing it to her. Will Annabelle be able to get over her disdain for virtual reality based on House’s reasons for loving it? Plus, the benefits of embracing the holidays.
- When in Rome, Look UpDec 12, 2022 · 21 minYou know how some people collect sand or rocks from the places they travel? Annabelle collects sounds. At the beginning of summer, she toured with a band that played a huge music festival in The Netherlands, and one souvenir of that trip was the croaking of Belgian frogs. She’s recently-returned from Rome, Italy, with two new sounds, and her sightseeing highlights.
- How to Avoid the Extra Bag Fee (ft. Laurie Kilmartin)Dec 5, 2022 · 20 minIf you tried sending Annabelle an email this week, you saw her auto-reply message: In Rome until Dec. 2nd. Great for Annabelle, but Laura House still needed to record the show. Thankfully her pal Laurie Kilmartin was not only available, but still riding high off a recent packing victory. The Jackie & Laurie show host fills in for Annabelle, and she and Laura talk air travel and comedy.
- Victory in a Florida Hotel RoomNov 28, 2022 · 20 minThis week, Annabelle reveals a new fear: traveling to Florida for a book event, and discovering it’s really an intervention. Plus, Adam calls in with a complex journey involving auto repair and a type of crack.
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