Sometimes, a single word can feel like a lifeline.
In this deeply personal episode of Time Machine Diaries, Cullen explores The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows — a collection of made-up words for painfully real emotions we all experience but rarely name.

From the shock of realizing strangers have full inner lives (sonder), to the bittersweet ache of surviving your old self (énouement), to the quiet chaos of eye contact (opia) — this episode dives into the hidden corners of being human.

Cullen shares stories, real and imagined, drawn from listener messages, late-night thoughts, and everyday heartbreak.
With shout-outs to his wife, his father-in-law, and all of you.

This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt too much and didn’t know how to explain it.

Stick around for a heartfelt closer and one last laugh that might just make you text this to a friend.

Koenig, John. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. Simon & Schuster, 2021.

Koenig, John. “TED Talk: The Beautiful New Words We Need for Emotions We Feel—But Don’t Have Names For.” TED Talks, Nov. 2021. https://www.ted.com/talks/john_koenig_the_beautiful_new_words_we_need_for_emotions_we_feel_but_don_t_have_names_for

“The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.” Official Website, www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com. Accessed July 2025.

Koenig, John. Interview by Roman Mars. 99% Invisible, episode 470, Radiotopia, 2022. Podcast.

Koenig, John. Interview by Debbie Millman. Design Matters, episode from Oct. 2021. Podcast.