Against the Grain

Personal Best is a podcast that celebrates small ambitions, half-wins and the quiet satisfaction of getting less bad at things. Each week they help ordinary people work through the little things they’d never bring to a life coach — like having the courage to dine alone at a fancy restaurant or getting less awkward at handshakes. Let them be your self-improvement sidekicks! More episodes from the brand new season of Personal Best are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/-ds0LWix

An ex-cult-member tells the story of how he escaped mind-control and regained his freedom of thought, plus Gregor explains four easy steps for coping with negative thoughts.

Jonathan Goldstein's story about the real miracle of Hanukkah. Plus, Howard delivers singing telegrams for the holidays.

A man tries to win back his wife by buying her an iPhone, Howard tries to finally be cool by becoming a middle-aged hipster, and a couple makes a desperate attempt to have a child.

A woman tries to hold her tongue as a professional listener while Gregor tries to convince Jonathan to shush up, once and for all.

Stories of people doing things differently than everyone else. A man is convinced he's found a major scientific flaw that no-one else seems to have noticed and a young girl shares her thoughts on fitting in at school.

When Jonathan Goldstein was 11, his father gave him a book. It promised to teach you how to get rich, control other people's minds, and levitate. Jonathan found the book in his apartment recently and decided to look into the magical claims.

A series of furtive glances on the subway spark an unspoken love affair, a GPS navigates emotional loss, Gregor challenges Jon to an apples vs. oranges showdown, and Buzz & Dina contemplate how they'd spend the final minute of the universe.

We uncover the mysterious dilemna dilemma while a panel of experts helps listeners solve their moral dilemmas. Is it ok to steal your neighbour's kale? Are second-hand fur coats acceptable? Our ethicists have all the answers.

Breaking down the barrier between life and art, Howard decides to live his life as a musical.