TopPodcast.com
Menu
  • Home
  • Top Charts
  • Top Networks
  • Top Apps
  • Top Independents
  • Top Podfluencers
  • Top Picks
    • Top Business Podcasts
    • Top True Crime Podcasts
    • Top Finance Podcasts
    • Top Comedy Podcasts
    • Top Music Podcasts
    • Top Womens Podcasts
    • Top Kids Podcasts
    • Top Sports Podcasts
    • Top News Podcasts
    • Top Tech Podcasts
    • Top Crypto Podcasts
    • Top Entrepreneurial Podcasts
    • Top Fantasy Sports Podcasts
    • Top Political Podcasts
    • Top Science Podcasts
    • Top Self Help Podcasts
    • Top Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Top Stocks Podcasts
  • Podcast News
  • About Us
  • Podcast Advertising
  • Contact
Not in our directory?
Add Show Here
Podcast Equipment
Center

toppodcastlogoOur TOPPODCAST Picks

  • Comedy
  • Sports
  • News
  • Politics
  • True Crime
  • Business
  • Finance

Follow Us

toppodcastlogoStay Connected

    View Top 200 Chart
    Back to Rankings Page
    News

    Back to Work – 5by5

    Back to Work is an award winning talk show with Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discussing productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more. Hosted by Merlin Mann & Dan Benjamin.

    Advertise

    Copyright: © Copyright 2021 5by5

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify
    Latest Episodes:
    544: Tentpole of Nostalgia Aug 31, 2021

    Links for this episode:

    • Scotch-Mount™ Extreme Double-Sided Mounting Tape | 3M United States
    • Community (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Magneto | Marvel Database | Fandom
    • Story Structure 101: Super Basic Shit | Channel 101 Wiki | Fandom
    • (10) Blade Runner 2049 Cells Interlinked Scene 1080p - YouTube
    • Matter
    • List of James Bond films - Wikipedia
    543: Clownitentiary Aug 24, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Nicholson movies; Synology yums and yucks; difficulties of shows about music; upcoming rabbit rabbit plans.

    Links for this episode:

    • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest What’s Up With the Epigraph? | Shmoop
    • 1962–1966 - Wikipedia
      a/k/a "The Red Album"
    • 1967–1970 - Wikipedia
      a/k/a "The Blue Album"
    • The Beatles’ RED & BLUE Albums - Their BEST Compilations? - YouTube
    • The Chaotic Story of Dexys Midnight Runners & "Come On Eileen" | New British Canon - YouTube
    • Dexys Midnight Runners - "There, There My Dear" - YouTube
    • Dexys Midnight Runners - "Geno" (TotP, 1980) - YouTube
    • Dexys Midnight Runners - "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" - YouTube
    542: MRSA Mann Aug 17, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Catching up; Merlin's Travel Results; praise for Best in Show, SCTV, and public libraries; Dan has a new computer.

    Links for this episode:

    • Reconcilable Differences #162: A Pile of Bed - Relay FM
      Remembering various animal actors, enumerating genres that need a name, considering the philosophies behind "bag in a bag," and contrasting college with the ordinary crucibles of post-adolescent life.
    • Home | Nanoleaf » USA » Consumer IoT & LED Smart Lighting Products
    • Best in Show (film) - Wikipedia
    • Top Gun Auditions - SNL - YouTube
    • AmazonSmile: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, Most Streamers & Other A/V Devices : Electronics
    • AmazonSmile: IKEA 172.283.40 Frakta Shopping Bag, Large, Blue, Set of 5: Home & Kitchen
    • Best in Show (3/11) Movie CLIP - We Met at Starbucks (2000) HD - YouTube
    • Best in Show (1/11) Movie CLIP - Two Left Feet (2000) HD - YouTube
    • Best in Show (5/11) Movie CLIP - Where's Winky? (2000) HD - YouTube
    • Schitt's Creek - Moira's Commercial - YouTube
    • Knocked Up: We Can't Legally Ask You to Lose Weight - YouTube
    • Inteset Universal Remote Control Device Code Lookup
    • The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: Gawande, Atul: 9780312430009: Amazon.com: Books
    541: Proprietary Escape Key Jul 27, 2021

    A celebration of M1 devices, the benefits of learning how to learn, and considering when a new learning curve might be worth the climb.

    Links for this episode:

    • Gordon Solie - Wikipedia
    • Final Cut Pro - Wikipedia
    • 2022 Mac Pro Rumored to Use Intel's Ice Lake Xeon W-3300 Chips - MacRumors
    • System Of A Down - Chop Suey! (Official Video) - YouTube
    • Descript | All-in-one audio/video editing, as easy as a doc.
      All-in-one audio
    • Aldus Pagemaker - The Interface Experience: Bard Graduate Center
    • System Of A Down's Toxicity at 20: inside the new issue of Metal Hammer | Louder
    • Tabs versus Spaces - YouTube
    540: Extreme Medical Sloth Jul 20, 2021

    Find the tool you need—but, keep asking yourself, "Soooooo…now what?"

    Links for this episode:

    • The paradox of abundance – Jon Udell
    • Could Gen Z Free the World From Email? - The New York Times
    • Difference Between Temples, Synagogues & Shuls | JewishBoston
    • School Lunches, P-Hacking and the Original “Pizzagate” — Maintenance Phase — Overcast
    • 469. The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not — Freakonomics Radio — Overcast
    • Tony Buzan | Inventor of Mind Mapping
    • How To Mind Map With Tony Buzan (Using 3 Simple Rules) | MindMaps Unleashed
    • AmazonSmile : Cambridge Limited Business Notebook, Legal Ruled, 8-1/2" x 11", Top Bound, Action Planner, Black (06092) : Wirebound Notebooks : Office Products
    • Wild Animals: Chimp Uses Twig to Fish for Termites - YouTube
    539: Where the Ghosts Live Jul 13, 2021

    Things get pretty silly, yet somehow land on some extremely Back to Work points about time management, compression, values, and moving your own goalposts. For some reason, McDonald's becomes an important controlling metaphor.

    Links for this episode:

    • Could Gen Z Free the World From Email? - The New York Times
      “It’s actually crazy how outdated it is.” People born after AOL Mail was invented seem to prefer to communicate in almost any other way.
    • Is work from home working?
      White-collar workers are heading back to the office. Will anything be different after a year and a half away?
    • Wes Anderson Horror Trailer - SNL - YouTube
    • Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay
    • Hofstadter's law - Wikipedia
      It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.
    • Alison Agosti on Twitter: "When is one of these white male billionaires gonna try to have a baby it’s the true final frontier" / Twitter
      When is one of these white male billionaires gonna try to have a baby it’s the true final frontier
    538: Tossed Salad of Remembrance Jul 06, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Dan begins a journey into new worlds of voice control and home automation.

    Links for this episode:

    • Run Farther, Faster: tips from Endure author Alex Hutchinson.
      To run farther and faster, you must first train your mind.
    • Macdrifter
    • Dan Moren
    • Inside The Cameras Of Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” | by NYU Local | NYU Local
    • J.F. Sebastian | Off-world: The Blade Runner Wiki | Fandom
    • Eve | evehome.com
    • 4 more victims found in rubble; death toll rises to 32
    • Spoon - "Gimme Fiction" (reverse track order)
    537: Insane Corner of My Own Design Jun 29, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Some ups and downs of living the smart speaker lifestyle.

    Also: the dramatis personae of The Land of Make Believe; feeding the demon dogs; and learning to be careful with the words we put in front of other words.

    Links for this episode:

    • I Midwest Hate Myself | Do By Friday
      This week’s challenge: explore smart lighting.
    536: Fonzie Slap Jun 22, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin and his wife realize the moment they crossed a line; in Follow-Up, your hosts celebrate the late great Fred Willard; in further Follow-Up, the state of the union in smart voice devices is considered; and, finally, the long arc of calendar talk starts to wind down with some hard talk on disambiguation and actually really getting real.

    Links for this episode:

    • BusyCal - The Best Calendar App for Mac
    • Flexibits | Fantastical | The calendar and tasks app you won't be able to live without.
    • He Layeth on High - YouTube
    535: Long-Term Play Value Jun 16, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Dan finally gets more three-six-five, and Merlin gets extremely deep in the stack. Also, just a little more calendar talk, including a model for deciding where something goes.

    Links for this episode:

    • Most Days on Vimeo
      I'm Merlin, and I'm making a video most days. Sometimes.
    • S. I. Hayakawa - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Language in Thought and Action: Fifth Edition (9780156482400): S.I. Hayakawa, Alan R. Hayakawa, Robert MacNeil: Books
    • Watch Special When Lit: A Pinball Documentary | Prime Video
    • Sir Ian McKellen's acting process - YouTube
    • Extras David Bowie - YouTube
    • Arcade | Plex
      Let the gaming begin. Play old school Atari classics plus your own collection of game ROMs and emulators on your favorite devices, courtesy of Plex Labs and Atari. It’s a guaranteed win!
    • GE Profile™ Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker - XPIO13SCSS - GE Appliances
    • Watch The Sci-Fi Boys | Prime Video
    • Watch Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary | Prime Video
    • Watch Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons and Dragons | Prime Video
    • Watch The Image Revolution | Prime Video
    • Watch Plastic Galaxy | Prime Video
    • Watch Astonishing X-Men: Gifted Season 1 | Prime Video
    • Watch Chris Claremont's X-Men | Prime Video
    • Watch Starring Adam West | Prime Video
    • What's new on Descript
    534: Manga and Others Jun 09, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin runs into some problems reporting live from the show floor; is social media making us as happy as we'd like to think?; thoughts on pro wrestlers and the films of John Carpenter; finding the triggers for action that you didn't know you needed; recommendations for videos and Firefox extensions; why we use the web browsers that we use; your hosts dive into their favorite announcements coming out of WWDC; how exactly do you decide where something should go?; Dan reveals he has become the third kind of calendar person; exploring the ineffable (but indisputably real) value of finding technologies and experiences that you actually enjoy; and, finally, Merlin shares a novel misunderstanding with a voice dingus.

    Links for this episode:

    • Fakespot Fake Amazon Reviews and eBay Sellers (Firefox extension)
      Protect yourself from bad sellers and fake reviews on Amazon and more
    • ReviewMeta.com Review Helper (Firefox extension)
      ReviewMeta analyzes millions of reviews and helps you decide which to trust
    • Mental health days: Learning from Naomi Osaka - The Washington Post
    • Why There are Now So Many Shortages (It's Not COVID) - YouTube
    • Randy Savage - Wikipedia
    • Download Firefox Browser — Fast, Private & Free — from Mozilla
    • Fakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviews and counterfeits
    • macOS 12 Monterey upgrades Continuity with Universal Control | TechCrunch
    • Jazz in the Background | Spotify Playlist
    • Words That Mean Nothing - In These Times
      Our political discourse is dominated by issues that don’t exist
    • Cancel Culture — You're Wrong About — Overcast
    • How China Broke the World's Recycling - YouTube
    • How Universal Control on macOS Monterey works - The Verge
      It’s simpler — and cleverer — than I expected
    • The Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be (Official Music Video) - YouTube
    • Lucas With the Lid Off on Vimeo
    • Why Planes Don't Fly Faster - YouTube
    • VideoWriter - Wikipedia
    • Original Talking Moose - YouTube
    533: A Container for Your Future Plans Jun 01, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Part one of a deep dive into calendars.

    Links for this episode:

    • 206 - Narcissism — You Are Not So Smart — Overcast
    • Dark triad - Wikipedia
      In psychology, the dark triad comprises the personality traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy.
    • Increase Apple TV screen contrast - Apple Support
      In Settings on Apple TV, go to Accessibility > Increase Contrast > Focus Style, then choose High Contrast.
    • Kaleidoscope (software) - Wikipedia
    • Larry Miller (comedian) - Wikipedia
    • I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson - Wikipedia
    • ATP 432: I Shouldn't Need to Wiggle — Accidental Tech Podcast
    • Chris Voss FBI hostage negotiator on being assertive
      I disable bombs for a living. But I hate confronting people.
    • Never Split The Difference | Chris Voss | TEDxUniversityofNevada - YouTube
    • The art of misdirection | Apollo Robbins - YouTube
      Hailed as the greatest pickpocket in the world, Apollo Robbins studies the quirks of human behavior as he steals your watch. In a hilarious demonstration, Robbins samples the buffet of the TEDGlobal 2013 audience, showing how the flaws in our perception make it possible to swipe a wallet and leave it on its owner's shoulder while they remain clueless.
    • selective attention test - YouTube
    • 463. How to Get Anyone to Do Anything — Freakonomics Radio — Overcast
    • The Lick - YouTube
    • Adam Neely - YouTube
    532: That's Not My Ghost May 25, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is full of beans this week.

    Links for this episode:

    • Adam Neely - YouTube
    • Once More, With Feeling
    • Thread Benefits
    • HomeKit over Thread | evehome.com
    • Bacon Ray - "Sundays in a Row" (1995)
    • Wrong Tools Cost Lives — Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford — Overcast
    • Sublime Text 4 - News - Sublime HQ
    • Mr Show - Thrilling Miracles! - YouTube
      (see if you can spot a young Judd Apatow in the audience)
    • Company Broadway revival starring Raul Esparza Great Performances 2006 - YouTube
    • PBS Great Performances, Stephen Sondheim's Company-Not Getting Married Today - YouTube
    • Raul Esparza - Being Alive - YouTube
    531: Where Grog Got Eaten May 18, 2021

    DISCUSSED: A classic, old-school “Odds ’n Sods” episode that includes: Apple’s audio upgrade announcement; AirTags and the promising future of UWB; lots of thoughts on anxiety; caffeine weaners; tongue-rolling; and a salt and pepper of media recently enjoyed (and now recommended).

    Links for this episode:

    • PSA: AirTag can be used as an NFC tag for Shortcuts automation - 9to5Mac
    • ts1/BLEUnlock: Lock/unlock your Mac with your iPhone, Apple Watch, or any other Bluetooth LE devices
    • AmazonSmile : Tieman's Fusion Coffee, Low Acid Dark Roast, Ground, 10 ounce bag (pack of 6) : Grocery & Gourmet Food
    • How Well Can You Hear Audio Quality? : The Record : NPR
    • Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind - Kindle edition by Brewer, Judson. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
    • Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring for AirTag – Black - Apple
    • troglodyte mode
    • The Computer-free Automation of a Jukebox (Electromechanics) - YouTube
    • Quentin Tarantino and the Poetry Between the Lines - YouTube
    • Spotify: Weezer - "Pinkerton"
    • Apple Music: Weezer - "Pinkerton"
    • [Sleep Anxiety audio Merlin likes]
    • Do you inherit the ability to roll your tongue? - BBC Future
      It’s long been thought that the ability to roll your tongue is a clear-cut case of genetics. BBC Future finds it’s not that simple.
    530: Nouns in America May 11, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has been cracking nuts, and Dan is enjoying a beverage; in Follow-Up, Dan has made great progress with his new voice assistant; Merlin has thoughts on choosing a dingus ecosystem that’s right for you; words mean things, and often you want the right “procedure word”; Merlin has some good Back to Work-adjacent media recommendations; do we really want to rebuild The Embarcadero Freeway? Really?; and, Dan has some new scholarship on the films of Stanley Kubrick.

    Links for this episode:

    • Opinion | That Anxiety You’re Feeling? It’s a Habit You Can Unlearn. - The New York Times
    • Efficiency is the Enemy
    • Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind - Kindle edition by Brewer, Judson. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
    • Watch YouTube TV on your Google Nest Display - Google Nest Help
    • Procedure word - Wikipedia
    • (7) Collative Learning - YouTube
    • Embarcadero Freeway | CNU
    • Old San Francisco: A Look At Before And After The Embarcadero Free Came Down | by UpOut SF | Medium
    • An ode to the Embarcadero Freeway, the blight by the bay
    • Amazon.com: Celery Man: Alexa Skills
    529: Different Flavors of Fear May 04, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Dan is actively gaslighting Merlin, and this can be proven; please stop stealing focus; praise for Ferris Bueller in general and the knees of Sloane Peterson in particular; passing thoughts on fear, procrastination, impostor syndrome, and solving the right problem; Merlin is delighted to discover a much-improved Little Snitch; Dan has thoughts on his Ford’s weird button; in gadget updates, Dan has found some useful headphones and has thoughts on trying to use his new Google dingus; finally, just in general, try to keep your hands away from the dragon’s mouth.

    Links for this episode:

    • Little Snitch
      As soon as you’re connected to the Internet, applications can potentially send whatever they want to wherever they want. Most often they do this to your benefit. But sometimes, like in case of tracking software, trojans or other malware, they don’t.
    • How to overcome impostor syndrome.
      How to overcome impostor syndrome.
    • Why You Should Talk to Yourself in the Third Person
      Evidence suggests that there are real benefits of talking to yourself in the third person—in your head, not out loud.
    • Does Distanced Self-Talk Facilitate Emotion Regulation Across a Range of Emotionally Intense Experiences? - Ariana Orvell, Brian D. Vickers, Brittany Drake, Philippe Verduyn, Ozlem Ayduk, Jason Moser, John Jonides, Ethan Kross, 2021
      Research indicates that a subtle shift in language—silently referring to oneself using one’s own name and non–first-person-singular pronouns (i.e., distanced self-talk)—promotes emotion regulation.
    • Amazon.com: AFTERSHOKZ Air Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones, Slate Grey, AS650SG
    • Front Door Camera Package - Google Store
    • Twitterrific: Twitter Your Way
    • Air – AfterShokz
    • <p>Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones</p> | WH-1000XM4/B | Sony US
    • Vincent Adultman | BoJack Horseman Wiki | Fandom
      His right hand is a broom and his left hand is a mannequin hand.
    528: Half a Parachute Apr 27, 2021

    Merlin has a whole new setup, and Dan has a whole new TV.

    Links for this episode:

    • My Secret Sauce of Blogging
      This is where I give away all of my blogging secrets. I’ve decided to divest myself of any advantages Macdrifter has built over the past 12 years.
    • The Technium: 99 Additional Bits of Unsolicited Advice
      I have another birthday, and another bunch of unsolicited advice.
    • How to overcome impostor syndrome.
      I’m Great at My Job. So Why Do I Feel Like a Fraud? How to overcome impostor syndrome.
    • Why You Should Talk to Yourself in the Third Person
    • Does Distanced Self-Talk Facilitate Emotion Regulation Across a Range of Emotionally Intense Experiences? - Ariana Orvell, Brian D. Vickers, Brittany Drake, Philippe Verduyn, Ozlem Ayduk, Jason Moser, John Jonides, Ethan Kross, 2021
      Research indicates that a subtle shift in language—silently referring to oneself using one’s own name and non–first-person-singular pronouns (i.e., distanced self-talk)—promotes emotion regulation.
    • The Bureau (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: SAMSUNG 55-inch Class Q80A Series – QLED 4K UHD Smart TV with Alexa Built-in (QN55Q80AAFXZA, 2021 Model): Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Jay Strongwater Kong Pave Gorilla Figurine: Home & Kitchen
    • Easy macOS Loads By Way of Homebrew Bundle — Liss is More
    • Amazon.com: RECUR Large Albino Gorilla Toys King Kong White Realistic Hand Painted Walking Gorilla Ape Wild Animal Figurine Model – Replica Gorilla Godzilla vs Kong 2021 Figure Gift for Collectors Boys Kids 3+: Toys & Games
    • Reconcilable Differences #147: Pan-Pan! - Relay FM
      As something like a main topic, Merlin offers a sheepish series of recent anecdotes regarding technology and hasty decision-making. He seems not to remember this being his idea (he did that), which he is surprisingly not all that sheepish about. But, let's be honest. Technology can be terrible and very confusing.
    527: Classic Mentos Situation Apr 20, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is reporting live from the show floor; sleep is complicated; food is complicated, too; Dan tries to build muscles the right way; he also has strong feelings about TV shopping; Merlin just wants someone to tell him which is The Good One.

    Links for this episode:

    • Feeling Blah During the Pandemic? It's Called Languishing - The New York Times
      The neglected middle child of mental health can dull your motivation and focus — and it may be the dominant emotion of 2021.
    • The Importance of Routines, Even Interrupted by a Pandemic - The New York Times
      By setting routines for myself, I was able to shield myself from chaos. Then the pandemic happened. I set out to get them back on track.
    • Reviews and Ratings - RTINGS.com
    • HDMI 2.1: What you need to know - CNET
    • ::: LG | webOS TV Developer :: Discover webOS TV
    • Android TV
    • LG Smart TV w/ webOS: A World of Content | LG USA
    • LG CX 65 inch Class 4K Smart OLED TV w/ AI ThinQ® (64.5'' Diag) (OLED65CXPUA) | LG USA
      Merlin's beloved fancy TV.
    • LG CX OLED Review (OLED48CXPUB, OLED55CXPUA, OLED65CXPUA, OLED77CXPUA) - RTINGS.com
    • TV Tools - RTINGS.com
      Take things into your own hands. Use our tools and find the best TV for your needs
    • TV Size to Distance Calculator and Science - RTINGS.com
      Use our size to distance calculator to see which size TV you should get based on how far away you'll be sitting from the screen.
    • Reconcilable Differences #150: The Stands - Relay FM
      "Next, the focus turns to TV stands. While pretty much all of them are incompatible with John's house, this generates a careful visual interrogation of the bizarre manner in which Sony thinks your home works." [Siracusa, picking nits at his best]
    526: Above-Average Practices Apr 13, 2021

    DISCUSSED: some important movie follow-up; films (and other media) can be a powerful way to talk about things we aren't supposed to be talking about; Merlin has some links to help think about what comes next as we get back to ““normal""; plus, follow-up on Dan's Kindle journey, including some really useful tips.

    Links for this episode:

    • Pinboard: Merlin's Covid Bookmarks
    • Welcome to Kindle Unlimited
    • Dan's Godzilla Movies
    • Some Kung Fu Movies for Dan
    • The Celluloid Closet (1995) - Reference View - IMDb
      A documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film.
    • Dirty Ho (1979) - The Prince's Bodyguard - YouTube
    • Dirty Ho (1979) - Wine Tasting - YouTube
    • Dirty Ho (1979) - Final Fight - YouTube
    525: The Pollution of Modernity Apr 06, 2021

    DISCUSSED: fake southern accents lead to some movie talk; Merlin apologizes; Dan does not want to spend a night in The Box; please utilize the restroom that conforms to the color of your gender; a guardsman pitches Merlin's wife; Merlin goes off on a surprisingly long tangent on kung fu movies--especially the work of The Great Gordon Liu; Dan needs a syllabus to get Cash even more into Godzilla movies; there are some words on DC movies; your hosts begin a dive into the Kindle ecosystem that turns into a dive into ""The Kindle Ecosystem""; Friend-of-the-Show, Moisés, provides some beneficial real-time follow-up regarding the king of monsters; Merlin needs some movie backstory but also wants wants to make it extremely clear that he is very attracted to an English actress.

    Links for this episode:

    • Standard Ebooks: Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover.
      "Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover." (The awesome website Merlin couldn't remember)
    • We Have All Hit a Wall - The New York Times
    • The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - Wikipedia
    • Gordon Liu - Wikipedia
    • Dirty Ho (1979) - The Prince's Bodyguard - YouTube
    • Dirty Ho (1979) - Wine Tasting - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Kindle Paperwhite – Now Waterproof with 2x the Storage – Ad-Supported
    • Ex-Men: Gambit - YouTube
    • Shin Godzilla - Wikipedia
    • The Libby App by OverDrive: Free ebooks & audiobooks from the library
    • calibre - E-book management
    • Free eBooks | Project Gutenberg
      Project Gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks
    • Welcome to Open Library | Open Library
    • Amazon.com: Kindle Unlimited: Kindle Store
    • Letterboxd: "Some Kung Fu Movies for Dan"
      Merlin does some quick curation.
    • Mr Show - Senator Tankerbell (season 1) - YouTube
    • Terrigen Mist | Marvel Database | Fandom
      Terrigen Mist is a mutagenic, or mutation-causing, substance arising as a vapor from the Terrigen Crystals, which are able to alter Inhuman biology.
    • Rogue (Anna Marie) (Earth-616) | Marvel Database | Fandom
      Rogue was not able to control her absorption power at first
    • Rebecca Hall - IMDb
    524: The Silver Linings Guy Mar 30, 2021

    DISCUSSED: iOS has gotten really good; still, there's some Apple stuff we'd love to see get better; some Covid updates; anxiety and OCD in these fraught times; finally, Dan and Merlin need your advice for some networking upgrades.

    Links for this episode:

    • How COVID-19 Affected People With OCD and Anxiety - The Atlantic
      The pandemic’s retreat doesn’t necessarily mean life will get easier for people with OCD.
    • Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs? | The New Yorker
      Test-driving a batch of posture-enhancing devices that are supposed to make you stand tall.
    • Amazon.com: TP-Link WiFi 6 AX3000 Smart WiFi Router (Archer AX50) – 802.11ax Router, Gigabit Router, Dual Band, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Parental Controls, Built-in HomeCare,Works with Alexa: Computers & Accessories
    • Firewalla | Firewalla: Cybersecurity Firewall For Your Family and Business
    • Dramatic Drop in Colds and Flu Raises Question: Masks Forever? : Shots - Health News : NPR
    • Cargo ship news is bad news.
      Max Cho, a product manager at Google, joins Felix Salmon and Emily Peck to talk about that cargo ship stuck in the Suez Canal and its effect on supply chains, the bloodbath at Medium and the media in general, and what the post-pandemic return to the office will look like.
    • Netflix - "Brian Regan - On the Rocks"
    • Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on Vimeo
      For you, my friends, a free- ONE HOUR HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - enjoy and download at your leisure- it's yours. Sell it at the Flea Market out of the back of your van with packs of socks and old phones!
    • ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review Checker
      ReviewMeta analyzes Amazon product reviews and filters out reviews that our algorithm detects may be unnatural.
    523: My Fingers Know It Mar 23, 2021

    DISCUSSED: DST and rebooting sleep; some quick documentary talk; a challenging H.R. Giger poster; updates on sane prepping, looking at some interesting sources for electric power; on rational prepping; oh, boy, fatbergs; and, finally, a quick dive into the joys of "The Everything Button" and the myriad benefits of learning the key commands.

    Links for this episode:

    • Bitfocus AS
    • Do By Friday
    • Paletro
      Command Palette in any applications on macOS
    • Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support
      By pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device.
    • 30 keyboard shortcuts Mac users need to know | Computerworld
    • Memory: The Origins of Alien - Wikipedia
    • Jodorowsky's Dune
    • Amazon.com: [Upgraded]BigBlue 3 USB Ports 28W Solar Charger(5V/4.8A Max), Foldable Portable Solar Phone Charger with SunPower Solar Panel Compatible with iPhone 11/Xs/XS Max/XR/X/8/7, iPad, Samsung Galaxy LG etc.
    • 1900 Galveston hurricane - Wikipedia
    • Drafts 26: The Customization Update – nahumck.me
    • Glen Campbell - Galveston - YouTube
    • Fatberg - Wikipedia
    • 40-ton 'fatberg' the size of a double-decker bus removed from Londo.. - ABC7 San Francisco
    • Amazon.com : Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000, 1002Wh Solar Generator (Solar Panel Optional) with 3x110V/1000W AC Outlets, Solar Mobile Lithium Battery Pack for Outdoor RV/Van Camping, Emergency : Garden & Outdoor
    • Amazon.com : Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, 240Wh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V/200W Pure Sine Wave AC Outlet, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Not Included) for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Emergency : Garden & Outdoor
    • Amazon.com: Jackery SolarSaga 100W Portable Solar Panel for Explorer 240/300/500/1000 Power Station, Foldable US Solar Cell Solar Charger with USB Outputs for Phones (Can't Charge Explorer 440/ PowerPro): Garden & Outdoor
    • AmazonSmile: Anker PowerCore II 20000, 20100mAh Portable Charger with Dual USB Ports, PowerIQ 2.0 (up to 18W Output) Power Bank, Fast Charging for iPhone, Samsung and More (Compatible with Quick Charge Devices)
    • (HD Trailer) The Holy Mountain | Alejandro Jodorowsky - YouTube
      Warning: Not Safe for…Anything
    • Acorn 7 | Full Featured Photo Editor for the Mac
    • Drafts | Where Text Starts
      “Easily one of the best iOS apps I’ve ever used.” – Merlin Mann
    • iOS Changelog - Drafts User Guide
    • Consensual Disruption | Do By Friday
      This week’s challenge: reboot your sleep.
    522: Where All the Memories Go Mar 16, 2021

    Diving deep on the power of infrastructure. Yes, for you, too.

    Links for this episode:

    • The new, improved StyleStealer for Marked 2 - BrettTerpstra.com
      This tool is great if you’re on online writer who wants to see how their work will appear on the destination blog or publication. It’s also great if you like to Markdownify articles and be able to read them later with their original look.
    • Consensual Disruption | Do By Friday
      This week’s challenge: reboot your sleep.
    • Consensual Disruption - After Show
      We've unlocked this extremely good after show for you monsters.
    • THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob Ager
    • (2) Collative Learning - YouTube
    • FH Mini #24 - Goofs Twofs — The Flop House — Overcast
    • Phish - "Farmhouse" - YouTube
      The Phish song Merlin likes.
    • Deborah Ann Woll talks D&D, Acting and Storytelling - YouTube
    • Ethan Schoonover
      Games, Technology, Education, Communications
    • MkDocs
      Project documentation with Markdown.
    521: Nozzle Tov Mar 09, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot to say about fizzy water and the drugs of Florida; someone please help Dan get his old Twitter name; talking recent media and deciding when a kid is "ready" for it; some Marvel talk; Jack Kirby ruled; finally, hey, tell us what you'd like to hear on topics related to preparation and infrastructure.

    Links for this episode:

    • How to stop overthinking.
      "I’m newly married but I can’t stop thinking about an old flame."
    • AmazonSmile | iSi Classic MeshSodamaker for Making Carbonating Beverages, 1 Quart, Stainless Steel: Seltzer Bottles & Chargers
    • Siouxsie And The Banshees - Cities In Dust - YouTube
    520: Preemptive Punishment Food Mar 02, 2021

    Preparing isn't just for preppers. But, how do you incorporate scope and infrastructure without turning into a nut?

    Links for this episode:

    • Four-Day Work Week Gains Popularity Around the World - Bloomberg
    • Merlin Mann's Best Tweet Ever
    • Deepfake TikTok videos of Tom Cruise watched by millions | News | The Times
    • Dan Benjamin is creating Videos | Patreon
    • The Dark Knight with Aubrey Gordon | Why Are Dads?
      We unpack the plethora of dad issues presented in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight with the delightful Aubrey Gordon.
    • Bill Hader Reveals All the Things Seth Taught Him at SNL - Late Night with Seth Meyers - YouTube
    519: Designated Toilet Feb 23, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Dan has updates on Texas's recent weather events and the unanticipated cascading effects on complex and interconnected infrastructures; then, for dessert, your hosts explore the delights and insights of the "isolated tracks" rabbit hole.

    Links for this episode:

    • Van Halen - Dance The Night Away - Guitar Track - YouTube
    • The Who- Won't Get Fooled Again - John Entwistle's isolated bass (live) HQ SOUND - YouTube
    • The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Isolated Bass) (Surround Sound) - YouTube
    • Deconstructing And Your Bird Can Sing (Isolated Tracks) - YouTube
    • Eddie Van Halen - Unchained - Isolated Guitar Track INCREDIBLE - YouTube
    • Eddie Van Halen Talks Revolutionary Gear Mods and the Death of Rock in his First-Ever Interview from 1978 | GuitarPlayer
    • Jas Obrecht – “Eddie Van Halen: The David Lee Roth Years” (2010) | The Beat Patrol
      “Pat Travers blew you off? I can’t fucking believe that! Why don’t you interview me? Nobody has ever wanted to interview me.” —Eddie Van Halen (1978)
    • Texas energy supplier under fire for five out-of-state board members
      Texas controls its own electrical grid, but at least five of the fifteen people serving on the operator’s board of directors do not appear to live in the state, a fact that has angered some state officials as Texas navigates widespread blackouts that have left millions without power.
    • Austin Today - YouTube
    • Dan Benjamin is creating Videos | Patreon
    • Charles looks forward to 2066
      "Just set a 2/23/2066 reminder for myself to nag our now-12-year-old that when I was HIS age (57), I was running playing soccer w/ him most days like a much younger rhino. So maybe get up out of that zero-g La-Z-Boy holo-chair orbiting Io & get your 102-year-old dad a space beer."
    • Van Halen - Unchained - 6/12/1981 - Oakland Coliseum Stadium (Official) - YouTube
    • Backfire effect - RationalWiki
      The effect is claimed to be that when, in the face of contradictory evidence, established beliefs do not change but actually get stronger.
    • Ryan Deiss on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @maddow Here’s a redneck clip that will probably get me trouble with NBC. :) https://t.co/dHWxdK8YBE" / Twitter
    518: 10% of a Headache Feb 16, 2021

    DISCUSSED: As The Lone Star state struggles with a surfeit of anomalous weather events, your hosts dig into the challenges inherent to all sorts of complex, interconnected systems.

    Links for this episode:

    • Brandon Friedman on Twitter: "Water stored in the bathtub froze solid last night. That's how it's going in Dallas. https://t.co/cJdUMDT6pN" / Twitter
      (Show art swiped from this tweet by Brandon Friedman.)
    • Coldest temperatures in decades continue; more wintry weather mid-week | kvue.com
    • Causality
      Chain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented.
    • Cautionary Tales – Pushkin
      We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these cautionary tales are for the education of the grown-ups — and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “Messy” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They’ll delight you and scare you, but also make you wiser.
    • Causality — Overcast
      Chain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented.
    • Cautionary Tales — Overcast
      We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They’ll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
    • Bernard Purdie - Wikipedia
    • “Babylon Sisters” by Steely Dan — Strong Songs — Overcast
    • Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench - Kiss Guy - Austin, TX. 4-18-18 (Yayo Sanchez) Multi-Cameras - YouTube
    • Led Zeppelin - "Fool In The Rain" - Isolated drum tracks - YouTube
    • I’ll Do The Procrastination Episode Tomorrow
      In an episode that could not be put off any longer, Merlin Mann joins John to unpick the habit of procrastination, how to identify when you’re doing it, why you’re doing it and how to stop yourself from doing it and get yourself back on track.
    • Bernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTube
      The great Bernard Purdie breaks down exactly how The Purdie Shuffle works. Do not miss.
    • Steely Dan - The Making of "Aja" - YouTube
    • Cautionary Tales - La La Land: Galileo's Warning on Stitcher
      Galileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely to happen. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos.
    • La La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — Overcast
      Galileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely to happen. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos.
    • Marie-Louise Munter (@missmunter) / Twitter
      Friend of the show!
    • House of Prime Rib | 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco | 415.885.4605
    • Sloan - The Good In Everyone - YouTube
    • Easy Rider - Airport dealer - YouTube
    • Random Walks
      A random walk is the process by which randomly-moving objects wander away from where they started.
    517: How Daddy Make That Paper Feb 09, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Doing pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good; Dan discovers a shark is menacingly circling one of his product names; there's a reason Merlin is not in the corner office; your hosts fondly recall the Avon products of their youth; Dan shares a terrific anecdote about George Harrison and Phil Collins; please don't use my things for things those things aren't things to be used for; Mission: Impossible movies are very good; if you want to really appreciate something, it helps to make yourself be an amateur again; a recommendation for a very smart Mac location managing app; Merlin presents a lengthy and disordered jeremiad on HomeKit, HomeKit apps, and the new iOS playground; which is mostly all just to say: why are email apps still so terrible?

    Links for this episode:

    • Phil Collins recalls the time George Harrison played the biggest prank on him - Smooth
      Despite two hours of Collins' enthusiastic conga contributions, it was all seemingly a wasted effort when Phil Spector asked the congas to be played – and everyone realised Collins' microphone had been turned off for the entire two hours he'd just been playing.
    • Phil Collins Was An Extra In The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night” Movie | FeelNumb.com
      The “fans” that were there that night were each paid a standard union fee for their appearance and among them was Phil Collins, then a 13-year-old child actor who years later found fame with the band Genesis and as a solo artist.
    • dustinrue/ControlPlane: ControlPlane - context-sensitive computing for OS X
      ontrolPlane - context-sensitive computing for OS X
    • Homebridge
      Bringing HomeKit support where there is none
    • HomeDash | The Ultimate HomeKit App
      The HomeKit App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
    • Home+
      With Home you can control more than just your HomeKit accessories.
    • Mark Cuban is co-founding a podcast app where hosts can talk to fans live and monetize their conversations - The Verge
    • Burj Khalifa | Mission Impossible | Fandom
    • Bare Bones Software | Super Get Info Support Home
    • Fincher and VFX - YouTube
      Merlin curates a short list of videos highlighting David Fincher's subtle but powerful use of VFX for ordinary-looking (or even invisible) effects in his films.
    • ArtStation - Ted Lasso Stadium, Barnstorm VFX
    • "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Porno Gil (TV Episode 2000) - Reference View - IMDb
      A bizarre chain of events starts with Larry accidentally being invited to have dinner with a former porno star, Gil, (Bob Odenkirk).
    • Simplify Gmail v2: The inbox and keyboard shortcuts - On Simplify
      "3. Rewarding you for reaching inbox zero"
    • Ding Dong Avon Calling - YouTube
    516: The Steely Dan Dad Feb 02, 2021

    No way am I even going to attempt a description this week.

    With that said:

    [this is a good one]

    Links for this episode:

    • harrumph! still crazy ("Rabbit rabbit!")
      "It's the end of the month and you know what that means...."
    • Donnie Darko: Movie Explanation - A Detailed Explanation Of What happens In Donnie Darko - My ASP.NET Application
    • Goodfellas Painting | Painting From the Movie Goodfellas
    • Over the Garden Wall - Wikipedia
    • Roundball Rock - SNL - YouTube
    • "I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson" - Netflix
      There is no such thing as an ordinary interaction in this offbeat sketch comedy series that features a deep roster of guest stars.
    • "Netflix Presents: The Characters" (Tim Robinson) - Netflix
      Tim Robinson breaks out characters like a frenzied Rat Pack wannabe, a disturbed limo employee, a gun shopper with bathroom issues and more.
    • I Think You Should Leave | Hot Dog Car Sketch | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTube
      Time to get to the bottom of this. Seriously, who crashed this hot dog-shaped car?
    • 'Focus Group' Sketch | I Think You Should Leave w/ Tim Robinson | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTube
      We don't make the rules: Paul HAS to marry his mother-in-law!
    • Baby Of The Year [Full Sketch] | I Think You Should Leave | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTube
      Drama, bribery, show tunes, and beauty... which baby will win the most heated competition of the year?
    • Netflix Presents: The Characters | Tim Robinson | Netflix - YouTube
      "You guys pay WHATEVER you think is fair!"
    • iOS 14.5 features, release date, beta, and everything you need to know | Macworld
      Several welcome features are coming soon to your iPhone.
    • The Pot Roast Principle | Psychology Today
      "I don't know why I cut the ends off, but it’s what my mom always did. Why don't you ask your Grandma?"
    • The Making of "Peg" - Steely Dan - YouTube
    • Over The Garden Wall | Potatoes and Molasses | Cartoon Network - YouTube
      Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice get all mixed up in the musical antics of a schoolhouse of animals, a lovelorn teacher, a grouchy old benefactor, and an escaped gorilla.
    515: Please Do Not Tapdance for Me Jan 26, 2021

    DISCUSSED: There are things that one wants to see less or fewer often; is this particular button actually hooked up to anything?; there is literal must-see TV and you must see it literally immediately; everything is catching on fire; four basic steps for being a successful adult (who has to deal with other adults); thoughts on creativity and focal length; the process of unpandemicizing, or: do we still know how to put a Casual Corner in a mall?; Dan is loving his iPad; Merlin introduces a theory on The Velocity of Writing Instruments; and, finally, a quick celebrity cameo.

    Links for this episode:

    • XY problem - Wikipedia
    514: Chicken Wipe Jan 19, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Dan continues to explore the exciting possibilities of his latest hardware acquisition.

    Links for this episode:

    • Wisdom From Merlin
      Or: “Everybody likes being given a glass of water.” It's only advice for you because it had to be advice for me.
    • Paperlike, the iPad Screen Protector: write and draw like on paper
    513: A Preferred Testicle Jan 13, 2021

    DISCUSSED: life's relentlessness continues apace; Cash enjoyed Dan's modified Godfather trilogy; celebrating Lil' Inappropriate Books; a terrific recent use of "Layla"; some Inside Baseball talk about a recommended app segment; then, for the balance of the episode, your hosts start diving into Dan's exciting new acquisition and how best to put to good use.

    Links for this episode:

    • ‘Y’all don’t wanna hear me, you just wanna dance’: A cognitive approach to listener attention in OutKast’s ‘Hey Ya!’ - Matthew Voice, Sara Whiteley, 2019
    • Toolbox Pro
    • John Cazale - Wikipedia
    • Solfège - Wikipedia
    • Music That Sounds Like The Lyrics - YouTube
    • iPad Pro - Apple
    • Goodfellas Proud Boys
      "As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a patriot."
    • I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale (2009) - Reference View - IMDb
    • HomeDash | The Ultimate HomeKit App
      The HomeKit App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
    • Home+
      Home 4 is the most advanced iOS app to control and automate your HomeKit accessories.
    • RoomScan LiDAR — Locometric®
    • Jay J. Armes - Wikipedia
    • the double amputee you can play with: J. J. ARMES - YouTube
    • Cool Stuff: Pixar Artist Josh Cooley's Lil' Inappropriate Golden Book Movies R Fun – /Film
    • Movies R Fun!: A Collection of Cinematic Classics for the Pre-(Film) School Cinephile (Lil' Inappropriate Books): Cooley, Josh: 9781452122335: Amazon.com: Books
    • Velvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies To God - Amazon.com Music
    512: You Have a Mustard Fetish Jan 05, 2021

    DISCUSSED: Merlin looks at a shelf and then, for some reason, discusses it; walls and Japanese beds and jokey-sized dishwashers all benefit from wheels; life is different when you live on a boat; it's important to find the right tool for the job; some people see forests, while others see trees; Merlin performs his very good Gordon Ramsey impression; Merlin also performs his very good David Lynch impression; in Follow-Up, we learn the extremely unsatisfying reason Personal Requests weren't working on a HomePod; there is discussion of the power of Siri alongside frustrations with its poor documentation; interesting bugs are discussed; your hosts explore the similarities between good documentation and good recipes; weird comic book feet are explored; tips on good media your hosts are enjoying; and, finally, there's some rapid-fire app and scripting recommendations.

    Links for this episode:

    • Personal Requests not working : HomePod
      "Turn off hey siri recognition on your iphone and set it up again."
    • How To Control Your Apple TV with the HomePod – Shane Whatley
    • My favorite shortcuts to use with my Apple TV | iMore
      These shortcuts and automations are great to use with your Apple TV.
    • Siri Shortcuts plus HomePod is amazing! : appletv
    • Conversational Siri Shortcuts for the Smart Home! | HomeKit Siri Shortcuts for the Apple HomePod - YouTube
    • Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - Wikipedia
    • Noodlesoft – Noodlesoft – Simply Useful Software
    • American Gods (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Order of operations - Wikipedia
      In mathematics and computer programming, the order of operations (or operator precedence) is a collection of rules that reflect conventions about which procedures to perform first in order to evaluate a given mathematical expression.
    • simple machine | Examples, List, & Facts | Britannica
      Simple machine, any of several devices with few or no moving parts that are used to modify motion and the magnitude of a force in order to perform work. They are the simplest mechanisms known that can use leverage (or mechanical advantage) to increase force. The simple machines are the inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, and screw.
    • Garner's Quotations: A Modern Miscellany - Kindle edition by Garner, Dwight. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ AmazonSmile.
    • Coach John Wooden - Pyramid of Success - UCLA
      Coach Wooden's 'Pyramid of Success' is his 15 building block initiative in the form of a pyramid. The cornerstones were Industriousness and Enthusiasm, climbing to such strived-for human traits as Intentness, Team Spirit, Poise and Confidence, all leading to the top of the pyramid to reach the ultimate goal of Competitive Greatness.
    • AmazonSmile: Cover Run: The Dc Comics Art of Adam Hughes (Adam Hughes Cover to Cover) (9781401227821): Hughes, Adam: Books
    • Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style - Kindle edition by Dreyer, Benjamin. Reference Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
    • The 40 Worst Rob Liefeld Drawings
      But he doesn't "draw" comics. Oh God, no. Just…ugh, just let me show you.
    • Craft - Create Amazing Documents
      Built for digital devices from the ground up, Craft brings back the joy to writing.
    511: One Ringy-Dingy Dec 29, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Making a problem go away is not the same thing as solving the problem.

    Links for this episode:

    • Craft - Create Amazing Documents
      Built for digital devices from the ground up, Craft brings back the joy to writing.
    • Craft Review: A Powerful, Native Notes and Collaboration App - MacStories
      Craft is the strongest 1.0 note-taking app I’ve ever used. It offers a thoroughly native experience, taking advantage of all the best system features across its respective platforms, while also retaining the power and versatility of modern web-based services like Notion.
    • MacStories Selects 2020: Recognizing the Best Apps of the Year - MacStories
      Craft, a note-taking app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, is the kind of new experience that not only singlehandledly redefines a category, but it’s so exquisitely well thought-out, so elegantly designed, it pushed me to reconsider the very basics of my note-taking workflow.
    • XY problem - Wikipedia
      The XY problem is a communication problem encountered in help desk and similar situations in which the person asking for help obscures the real issue, X, because instead of asking directly about issue X, they ask how to solve a secondary issue, Y, which they believe will allow them to resolve issue X.
    • Air quality matters but don’t trust Foobot on it | by DHH | Medium
      So in summary: There’s nothing wrong, and even if there was, it would be too expensive to do it right!
    510: I Cannot Afford Your Loyalty Dec 22, 2020

    DISCUSSED: The generational struggle to understand things we can't understand, dealing with other people, and Star Wars.

    Links for this episode:

    • Craft - Create Amazing Documents
    • Craft Review: A Powerful, Native Notes and Collaboration App - MacStories
    • MacStories Selects 2020: Recognizing the Best Apps of the Year - MacStories
    • Ultimate Fakebook - Far Far Away - YouTube
    • Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
      Not just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors’ complete filmographies episode to episode.
    • In A Galaxy Far Far Away… - The Phantom Podcast — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
    • Skullcrusher Mountain - YouTube
    509: The End of the River Dec 15, 2020

    Sometimes, no one can see the ball—let alone reach the ball.

    508: Oscarbation Dec 08, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Habits, cycles, and patterns of thinking. Why it's difficult to rehearse success—but surprisingly easy to rehearse failure.

    Links for this episode:

    • Linky Linky - This has to become a regular thing.

    Brought to you by:

    • Backblaze(Get a 15-day free trial at Backblaze.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    507: Voltron of Luck Dec 01, 2020

    Discussed: the paths of thought and emerging from a rut the size of the Grand Canyon.

    505: Everything is Everything Nov 24, 2020

    DISCUSSED: From Jerry Lewis to a drinking bird in a scant 80 minutes.

    Links for this episode:

    • Opinion | Your Brain Is Not for Thinking - The New York Times
    • Hook – Find without searching
      Hook’s nimble context-sensitive navigator is loved by people who need to focus on project info, such as professors, researchers, lawyers, software developers
    • King of Comedy: The Life and Art of Jerry Lewis: Levy, Shawn: 9780312132484: Amazon.com: Books
    • Jonah Hill 'hospitalised' after snorting so much fake cocaine on Wolf of Wall Street | The Independent | The Independent
    • Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin Reunion 1976 MDA Telethon - YouTube
    • Top 100 | Project Gutenberg
    • 5 Hours of The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4! - YouTube
    • The Evening Read
    • Dan Benjamin - YouTube
    504: Double Wrong Nov 17, 2020

    DISCUSSED: lot of projects going on!; praise for Nicki Minaj; some recent TV shows that are important to your hosts; Merlin is a little obsessed with a new Mac productivity app; interrogating problems with deliveries and porch pirates; vehicle theft can be very confusing; and, finally, some insight nobody asked for into Merlin's ambitious new hardware project.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Omni Show: How Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin Creates “Cognitive Productivity” Software - The Omni Group
    • Hook – Find without searching
      Link
    • Netflix
    • HBO Max
    • Billions (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • How 'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek became America's most beloved TV icon, as told by contestants - The Washington Post
    • The Woke Oracle | Do By Friday
      This week's challenge:draft your Diamond Dogs from Ted Lasso.
    • "Monster" - Kanye West, ft. Nicki Minaj, et al. - YouTube
    503: My Emotional Porthole Nov 10, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin's additions to Bunch have him stepping on his own dingus; maybe it's time to invert the permissive legacy model for who gets access to us (as well as how and when); there's no amount of technology that can make other people be decent; Oh. Hey. Defaults? Be better; also, please quit stealing my focus; Dan is not buying anything new; your hosts talk about the various (often non-obvious) costs of adding, changing, or removing features; maybe building your whole business on Facebook wasn't such a great idea; passing discussion of Bloom County, Muppet dogs, and a Tilikum bottle; the tale of Underscore's unexpected success, and the costs it brought; talk of affordances; and, finally, Just cough up some dough, Mac!

    Links for this episode:

    • Can U2’s Songs of Innocence Be Removed From Apple Account?
    • ELECTION PROFIT MAKERS
    • Strong Songs is creating podcasts about music | Patreon
    • Blackfish (film) - Wikipedia
    • The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film) - Wikipedia
    • Opus the Penguin - Wikipedia
    • The Flop House Animated - The Porthole of Time - YouTube
    • Bunch - BrettTerpstra.com
    • 15 Early Telephone Etiquette Rules We Should Bring Back | Mental Floss
    • Semantic satiation - Wikipedia
      Semantic satiation is a psychological phenomenon in which repetition causes a word or phrase to temporarily lose meaning for the listener, who then perceives the speech as repeated meaningless sounds.

    Brought to you by:

    • Teamistry (Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts)!

    • Command Line Heroes (Search for Command Line Heroes anywhere you listen to podcasts)!

    • Remote Works (Search for Remote Works anywhere you listen to podcasts)!

    502: Lifestyle Billy Butcher Nov 03, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot to say about the benefits of making lists; this leads to an old-school stemwinder on "Journal" calendars, functional playlists, shared Notes, the lessons of the cutlery drawer, desire paths, arbitrary grids, "Reference" albums, urban bike hooks, auxiliary paper towel holders, and more; praise for The Boys; the magical combination of Halide and Pixelmator Photo; Dan resurrects a beloved podcast; and, finally, Merlin endorses a really weird British weather report that can help you sleep.

    Links for this episode:

    • Desire path - Wikipedia
    • The Pot Roast Principle | Psychology Today
      "I don't know. That's just the way my mom always cooked it. Why don't you ask her?"
    • Star Trek Dr. McCoy Pop Art T-Shirt
    • My Happy Place - YouTube
      Videos I watch pretty often when I need a little pick-me-up.
    • "The Boys" (Prime Video)
    • Halide
    • Pixelmator Photo
    • QUIT! with Dan Benjamin
      Dan's amazing podcast QUIT! has returned!
    • The Secret History: Howard Hughes, Bizarre Billionaire - YouTube
    • 5 Hours of The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4! - YouTube
    • The Shipping Forecast.mp3.zip
    • The Shipping Forecast: A Miscellany: Compton, Nic: 9781785940293: Amazon.com: Books
    • What are Affordances? | Interaction Design Foundation

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • SaneBox (Visit the link and get a $25 credit applied to your account on top of the 14-day free trial).

    501: You're Sad Wrong Oct 27, 2020

    DISCUSSED: hey, it's an advice episode!; San Francisco has a lot of available office space; a musical unguent for your soul; a cool font that makes accessibility pretty; getting in front of your next wave of depression; the Emotional Police are here to cite you for your numerous infractions; and, finally, Merlin highly recommends a recent podcast episode about why we're all so exhausted and what we might want to do about it.

    Links for this episode:

    • Visualizing the Vacant Office Space in San Francisco
      In other words, there’s roughly 8.7 Salesforce towers, or 516 Salesforce tower floors, worth of empty office space in San Francisco at the moment, which is roughly enough space to accommodate between 67,000 (based on an average, pre-Covid, density) and 91,000 (a la twitter) worker bees.
    • Nick Lowe & The Southsea Alternative Choir - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding - YouTube
    • Download the Atkinson Hyperlegible Font | Braille Institute
    • Everything is Exhausting | To The Best Of Our Knowledge
    • Everything is Exhausting — To The Best Of Our Knowledge — Overcast
    • Help for people who suffer seasonal and pandemic depression - The Washington Post
    • Watch SEDUCED: INSIDE THE NXIVM CULT Online: Stream Full Series on STARZ - Free Trial
      This four-part documentary series follows the story of India Oxenberg's perilous journey through the dark and criminal world of the notorious self-help-group-turned-sex-slave-cult NXIVM.
    • Reconcilable Differences #141: The Panopticon of Frasier - Relay FM
      No spoilers, but if you're a big fan of Facebook, you might want to skip this one. Because, oh boy, do your hosts ever go off.
    • Marked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writers
      Marked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save.
    • Why Zoom School Is So Awful for Parents and Kids
      We're only a few weeks in. We can't keep doing this.
    • President Donald Trump: The 60 Minutes 2020 Election Interview - YouTube
    • How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy: Odell, Jenny: 9781612197494: Amazon.com: Books
    • Salesforce Tower: Official Web Site
    • John Mulaney: New in Town - Ice-T on "SVU" & Old Murder Investigations - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Linode (Get started on Linode today with a $100 in free credit by visiting linode.com/backtowork).

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    500: The Legacy of Guessing Oct 20, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Sending good vibes to The Dude; Merlin has a couple awesome app recommendations; some Follow-Up on the Apple Event, including what your hosts are ordering and what they're each excited about; which kinds of things your hosts do and do not find useful about the Apple Rumor Industrial Complex; Dan tries on a new iOS camera app; Merlin recommends a clever web cam app; some of our voice friends hear well, others understand well, and some sound good, but none (for now) do it all; finally, Dan finds some productivity insight, courtesy of The Buddha.

    Links for this episode:

    • An overly complex hack for finding books on cluttered shelves (Interconnected)
    • Memos - Private Memory
    • Bunch - BrettTerpstra.com
    • Reincubate Camo - Use your phone as a pro webcam, free
    • Marriage Logic Map
    • Adittapariyaya Sutta: The Fire Sermon
    • Jeff Bridges Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters | GQ - YouTube
    • Jeff Bridges Remains 'Chill' During Troubling Times - YouTube
    • Jeff Bridges, John Goodman And Steve Buscemi Talk ‘The Big Lebowski’ In Extended Inteview | TODAY - YouTube
    • 10 Questions for Jeff Bridges - YouTube
    • Dakota Johnson & Jeff Bridges Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED - YouTube
    • Too Many Cooks | Adult Swim - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Teamistry (Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts)!

    • Linode (Get started on Linode today with a $100 in free credit by visiting linode.com/backtowork).

    • LinkedIn Talent Solutions (Get $50 off your first job post by going to LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK).

    499: Where the Boulder Lives Oct 13, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is reporting live from the show floor; Dan is due for a new phone; nostalgia for buying a carton of cigarettes; praise for Netflix's "Challenger" series; Merlin shares some updates on his big resource-leveling project; gotta find those big rocks, amirite; interruptions are the death of the tech person's day; remember, your work is part of your life—not separate from it.

    Links for this episode:

    • "Challenger: The Final Flight" (Netflix)
    • Apple’s new HomePod mini speaker revealed in leaked images - The Verge
    • Nostromo patch | Etsy
    • NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Shuttle Carrier Aircraft | NASA
    • F-1 Rocket Engine | National Air and Space Museum
    • You Are Allowed 20 Birthday Parties - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Linode (Get started on Linode today with a $100 in free credit by visiting linode.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    498: Soviet Satellite Hair Oct 06, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin craves an easy visit with Floyd; Spirit's lawsuit no longer winds on down the road; Question: what obligation does a company have to support their developer tools? And for how long exactly?; when are new film editions not "the good one?"; despite swearing not to do so, a popular service for monetizing indie content is, as they say, put on blast; lot of talk about business things; waiters shouldn't lie to people who used to be waiters; exciting developments in the Drafts ecosystem; and, finally, Merlin unleashes an old school stem-winder on taking a recent stab at resource-leveling—using technology!

    Links for this episode:

    • Introducing the ThoughtAsylum Suite for Drafts | ThoughtAsylum
    • ThoughtAsylum - Tasks & Lists | Drafts Action Directory
    • Airtable
    • Guide to kanban view – Airtable - Support
    • Introduction to Kanban Guide – What is Kanban? | Planview
    • What Is Kanban And How Can It Be Used To Increase Productivity? | by Sandeep Kashyap | Medium
    • Led Zeppelin emerges victor in 'Stairway to Heaven' plagiarism case | Reuters
    • 40 Years Ago: George Harrison Found Guilty of 'My Sweet Lord' Plagiarism
    • An update on Patreon’s API - Updates - Patreon Community
    • Patreon raises $60M Series D, targets international growth and more customization | TechCrunch
    • Patreon Tops $1 Billion Valuation as Pandemic Brings a Surge in Creators to Platform - WSJ
    • Kanban (development) - Wikipedia
    • Alien: The Differences Between Theatrical & Director's Cut
      Ultimately, the director’s cut of Alien doesn’t drastically change much for fans of the movie. Even Ridley Scott himself considers the theatrical release the true version of the film and representative of his vision for it.
    • Why the Katy Perry/Flame lawsuit makes no sense - YouTube
    • warner music claimed my video for defending their copyright in a lawsuit they lost the copyright for - YouTube
    • Every Melody Has Been Copyrighted (and they're all on this hard drive) - YouTube
    • Quote by Kurt Vonnegut: “Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist wh...”
      “Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist who couldn't explain to an eight-year-old what he was doing was a charlatan.- Said by Dr. Asa Breed

    Brought to you by:

    • Teamistry (Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts)!
    497: HBO Plus 98 XP for the Enterprise Sep 29, 2020

    DISCUSSED: the boys update one another on some very good media they're enjoying; everybody loves a movie with a big world; Merlin pitches Dan on the improbable magic of Ted Lasso; talk turns to some new features of Apple's recent OS updates; at length, Merlin makes a case for exploring the amazing new functionalities of widgets, complications, and especially the apps of Underscore David Smith; Guardian gets an exciting update and a pro plan; there's some talk of the challenge in finding a VPN that actually does what you think it's doing; it seems like the show is over, but then there's twelve minutes of movie talk with a focus on children and boobs; finally, Merlin kinda busts a gut about trying to run a Mr. Rogers on the kids you care about.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ep. 397: "Open Ticket" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John likes to divide his life up into stories.
    • Shortcuts Catalog – Matthew Cassinelli
    • Raised by Wolves (American TV series) - Wikipedia
    • HBO Max
    • Chris Gethard Loves Kit Fisto | Blank Check with Griffin and David - YouTube
    • @BlankCheckPod | Linktree
    • In A Galaxy Far Far Away… - The Phantom Podcast — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
    • 5by5 | 5by5 Specials #32: Film Review: Goodfellas with John Siracusa
    • Capabilities - Guardian Firewall
    • FruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —
    • coconutBattery 3.9 - by coconut-flavour.com
    • Vincent Schiavelli - Wikipedia
    • Christopher Lloyd - Wikipedia
    • Jim Ignatowski - Wikipedia
    • May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications - YouTube
    • An American Coach in London: NBC Sports Premier League Film featuring Jason Sudeikis - YouTube
    • The Backfire Effect – You Are Not So Smart
    • The Backfire Effect: Why Facts Don’t Always Change Minds – Effectiviology
    • Blue Monday (New Order song) - Wikipedia
      It cost so much to produce that Factory Records actually lost money on each copy sold.
    • Which VPN Providers Really Take Anonymity Seriously in 2020? * TorrentFreak
      To help you pick the best one for your needs, we asked dozens of VPNs what their logging policies are, how they handle torrent users, and what else they do to keep you anonymous.
    • VPN Comparison by That One Privacy Guy
      This section is meant to be a resource to those who value their privacy, specifically those looking for information on VPNs (that isn’t disguised advertising).
    • Apps - David Smith, Independent iOS Developer
    • Vincent Schiavelli - IMDb
    496: The Costume Beej Sep 22, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Folks, this one is a doozy, and that's all I'm gonna say about that.

    Links for this episode:

    • Inbox Zero: Merlin Mann's Tips for Managing Your Life Online | GQ
      “I've come to think of it as more of a philosophy than a methodology,” he says now. “It’s about trying to put a stake in the ground with regard to your attention. It’s a way of saying, ‘Some people are allowed to have some of me, some of the time. Regardless of what the world demands of me, here’s what I’m offering.’”
    • On Chasing the Right "Zero" | kung fu grippe
      In my view, the titular ‘zero’ in Inbox Zero is not about the number of email messages that are sitting in your inbox at a given time. And, contrary to popular opinion, it’s absolutely not about spending hours of your precious day trying to achieve that empty inbox at any cost. That’s just monkeyballs.
    • Social rules - Recurse Center
      Feigned surprise is when you act surprised when someone doesn’t know something. Responding with surprise in this situation makes people feel bad for not knowing things and less likely to ask questions in the future, which makes it harder for them to learn.
    • Henry V - Saint Crispin's Day Speech (1989) - YouTube
      For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition…
    • Henry V - SCENE III. The English camp.
    • Henry V (1989) - IMDb
      In the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.
    • iOS 14: 14 Tips for Apple’s New iPhone Operating System | WSJ - YouTube
    • iOS 14 popular features: how to use them all - 9to5Mac
    • AirPods Pro now support 'spatial audio' for movies & TV series - FlatpanelsHD
    • 5 Best iOS 14 HomeKit Features: Adaptive Lights, Activity Zones | Digital Trends
    • iOS 14: Explore All the New Features. Start Here.
    • Gmail can now be set as the default iOS 14 email app - The Verge
    • Announcing the Shortcuts Catalog for iOS 14, feat. 300 shortcuts & 300 actions – Matthew Cassinelli
    • 9 hidden iOS 14 features you'll love discovering on your iPhone - CNET
    • iOS 14: All the New Features With Guides and How Tos - MacRumors
    • iOS 14 Widgets Offer iPhone Users Creative Home Screen Ideas - MacRumors
    • The iOS 14 Privacy and Security Features You Should Know | WIRED
    • No feigning surprise
    • I, Podius | Maximum Fun
    • Room 237 | The Shining Wiki | Fandom
    495: Even the Mammals Sep 15, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is reporting live from the show floor; remember to photograph your kid's room; some bearded dragon updates; some thoughts on pets; Merlin's grandfather was a reluctant dog obsessive; Dan wants to read you a label; Merlin met a fellow cadet; check out Dan's videos; Merlin is loving iOS 14, especially the smarter Siri suggestions; speculation on how machines learn; your hosts still want Macs to be Macs; Big Sur notifications are basically a Bop It; are we getting diminishing returns from theoretical Mac improvements?; Dan has a really good analogy involving wrist watches; there's a reason normal people don't like their apps to change; Merlin puts review requests on blast; an edit button would still be nice; Merlin finds himself with an unusual opportunity to field test some disused home tech; and, finally, it is hoped that Frasier will leave of his own volition.

    Links for this episode:

    • Cataract surgery - Mayo Clinic
    • Dan Benjamin - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Craftsman 9-31794 Slotted Phillips Screwdriver Set, 17 Piece: Home Improvement
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "No new @RoderickOn this week, but I did make something new with something old, mostly for my own amusement. "In a world…" https://t.co/6UicdysnES" / Twitter
      Merlin made a trailer for the "Supertrain" episode of Roderick on the Line.
    • Bop It - Wikipedia
    494: The Sucker’s Sort Sep 08, 2020

    DISCUSSED: California has no shortage of crises; Dan's got a brand new bag; thoughts on exercise as prophylactic medicine; extremely anecdotal data on the rise of fake ratings and reviews on Amazon; the return of "A cool thing I learned this week" brings some very neato apps, tips, and whatnot.

    Links for this episode:

    • TextSniper is a great Mac utility for converting graphics to text - 9to5Mac
    • TextSniper - Capture any text from your Mac's screen
    • LaunchBar Help (Clipboard History)
    • Use Time Machine on your Mac to back up to multiple disks - Apple Support
      Time Machine rotates the backup schedule among the disks. For each disk, Time Machine backs up everything that’s changed since the last time that disk was used. If you designated items that shouldn’t be backed up, the list of excluded items applies to all backup disks.
    • Versys VS.1 | Century Martial Arts
    • Knixx on Twitter: ""My back hurts all the time for no reason." How I sit every day: https://t.co/E8W9PDfYSc" / Twitter
    • High-intensity interval training - Wikipedia
    • Seconds iOS App
    • Ep. 396: "Yreka Bakery" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: We were ruining the world.
    • TextSniper - Capture any text from your Mac's screen
    • jakehilborn/displayplacer: macOS command line utility to configure multi-display resolutions and arrangements. Essentially XRandR for macOS.
    • Service Station – Customize your Right-Click Menu
    • Late Show with David Letterman - "Please Stop Calling Me Chief" 06-26-2001 - YouTube
    • John Bonham - Led Zeppelin - Fool In The Rain - Isolated Drum Track AWESOME - YouTube
    • Bernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTube
    • Dan Benjamin - YouTube
    • TimeMachineEditor
      TimeMachineEditor is a software for macOS that lets you change the default one-hour backup interval of Time Machine.
    • PhotoScan – scanner by Google Photos
      Don’t just take a picture of a picture. Create enhanced digital scans, with automatic edge detection, perspective correction, and smart rotation.
    • ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review Checker
      ReviewMeta analyzes Amazon product reviews and filters out reviews that our algorithm detects may be unnatural.
    • ReviewMeta.com: iPhone Cable,Sharllen Metal Spring iPhone Charger Cable Lightning Cable 3FT/6FT/10FT Long Charging&Syncing iPhone Charging Cord Data Wire Compatible iPhone 11/XS/Max/X/8/8Plus/7/7P/6/6 P/6S/iPad Black Amazon Review Analysis
      An example of some VERY sketchy product reviews.
    • Use Magnifier with your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
      With Magnifier, you can turn your iPhone or iPad into a magnifying glass so you can zoom in on objects near you.
    493: Flimsy, but Useful Sep 01, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Rabbit, rabbit!; Dan wants to be sedated; at some point, Merlin had most of the optimism bred out of him; a lot of problems and small beefs get overlooked for survival and sanity reasons right now; Dan shares listener recommendations for movies like the Missions Impossible; time was, you went to the weird video store and just hoped you got the good guy; Dan wants to remind you that he signed a letter of agreement—a CONTRACT; maybe it's time we abandon that increasingly meaningless term, "screen time"; Merlin thinks you can give a baby a name that's funny in only one way, but never in more than one way; every generation demonizes a new technology that they're sure will corrupt the youths; Dan has strong thoughts on the Indiana Jones trilogy (yes, there are exactly three and only three); no one is as persuasive as Sean Connery; Merlin made some movie lists; sometimes you get something that's "mostly for your kid" when it's totally not for your kid; Dan draws inspiration from Roald Dahl's work setup; this is probably a pretty good time to be risk-averse; a reminder that there are still always opportunities to improve how you operate; this leads to an examination of "desire paths" and learning from what your intuition and previous behaviors are trying to tell you; Merlin's Infrastructure Week is extended as he goes ham on speeding up his Mac; and, finally, Merlin discusses a useful Mac utility before putting it on blast.

    Links for this episode:

    • Marvel Classic Sticker Book: Marvel Entertainment: 9781419743436: AmazonSmile: Books
    • [Podcast] Cheat Sheet: How To Ace Zoom School
      With thoughts on "screen time."
    • Merlin’s Weird Movies for Weirdos
      Keep yourself occupied with these weird movies for weirdos. I want so many more movies like these. TIP: if you see some movies you love here, you can trust my taste. If you don’t, you will probably hate these. They are all weird. All of them.
    • Some Next-Level Shit
      Okay. Your concerns have been heard. Those ““Weird Movies”” weren't weird enough for you, huh? Well, buckle up, Buttercup. This is movie fandom on Difficult Mode.
    • Jack Kirby - Wikipedia
    • CleanMyMac X: Make Your Mac As Good As New
      The most user-friendly problem fixer for Mac. Delete system junk, unwanted apps and malware, and tune your Mac for maximum speed. For a slow computer, use immediately.
    • Roald Dahl interview and short film - Pebble Mill at One 1982 - YouTube
    • Why Everyone Is So Clumsy During Quarantine - The Atlantic
      I’m running out of glasses.
    • EtreCheck
    • Go64
      Quickly scan your disk for applications, see which ones are 32-bit, and find upgrade information with the click of a button.
    • (309) Wes Anderson's visit to Roald Dahl's Buckinghamshire home - YouTube
    • Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated (Official Music Video) - YouTube
    • The Shining (1980) - Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance - IMDb
    • "…retweets are not endorsements…"
      I saw your disclaimer about how retweets are not endorsements, and I appreciate this sage, lawyerly sentiment, but maybe another option is to stop retweeting shit that any garden-variety human who hasn't carefully reviewed your disclaimer will definitely assume is an endorsement.
    • Merlin has thoughts on recommending media
    • Ted Lasso on Apple TV+
    • Desire path - Wikipedia
      The path usually represents the shortest or most easily navigated route between an origin and destination. The
    • Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users
      Elaborate usability tests are a waste of resources. The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford.
    • Apple accidentally approved malware disguised as Flash, new report finds - The Verge
    492: Siracusa Daylight Time Aug 25, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot of infrastructure going on; your hosts share strong feelings on time zone discrimination and its attendant big-timing; Dan has more cool videos coming to his channel; some boring nerd talk on voice recording options; Dan needs your suggestions for more movies like the Missions Impossible; in Follow-Up, there's some good news and some bad news related to both COVID and San Francisco; hurricanes are coming!; Merlin figures out why Safari on his Mac got so slow; thoughts on DNS Server choices; Merlin endorses a podcast episode that involves some very Back To Work ideas; everything is copy; and, finally, some concerns about nicknames plus several important questions about the consensuality of Jake Robert's titular snake.

    Links for this episode:

    • Dan Benjamin - YouTube
    • Comedian Tig Notaro advice on dealing with crazy neighbors
      The standup comedian helps our listener stand down and have some laughs.
    • Nora Ephron in Jacob Bernstein's 'Everything Is Copy': Prophet of Privacy - The Atlantic
    • Bad things keep piling on — when is enough enough in the Bay Area? - SFChronicle.com
    • ‘AeroNabs’ Promise Powerful, Inhalable Protection Against COVID-19 | UC San Francisco
    • How to Get the Best Guest Audio for Podcasting - YouTube
    • AmazonSmile: ARRIS SURFboard SBG7400AC2 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem & AC2350 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router, Approved for Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity & others (black): Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Cloud Microphones CL-1 Cloudlifter 1-Channel Mic Activator - Feedback Reducer Bundle with 10-FT Balanced XLR Cable, and 5-Pack of Reusable Cable Ties: Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First: Musical Instruments
    • Amazon.com: Universal Audio Arrow Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface,Gray: Musical Instruments
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Unrelated but related, here's my own (admittedly less interesting) March list of weird movies for weirdos in lockdown. https://t.co/yNfNmtWvKu" / Twitter
    • 1.1.1.1 — the Internet’s Fastest, Privacy-First DNS Resolver
    • Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - Wikipedia
    • Hurricane Laura updates: Storm is intensifying with Texas, Louisiana in crosshairs - The Washington Post
    • I'm Still Here - Elaine Stritch - YouTube
    • 203: Recordings for Someone - This American Life
    • Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names
    • 1.1.1.1 — The free app that makes your Internet faster.
    • Cloud Delivered Enterprise Security by OpenDNS
    • More Than Half Of San Francisco Storefronts Closed Due To Pandemic – CBS San Francisco
    • Number of Homes for Sale in SF Surpasses Recession-Era Marks
    • Election Day Asteroid: Is an Asteroid Really Hitting Earth Nov 2?

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • eero (Go to eero.com/backtowork and enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get FREE overnight shipping with your order).

    491: You and Your Hog Aug 18, 2020

    DISCUSSED: time is hard; X-Men for eight cellos; in follow-up, Dan has some clues for troubleshooting his jumpy screen; it's valuable to understand what problem you didn't solve; then, of course, comes the extended weekly airing of COVID grievances; Merlin needs advice on choosing a Zoom recorder; check out Dan's new thing!; recommendations for Ted Lasso and Ethan Hunt; some lessons to bring home from vacation; plus, some more reckons on life after COVID.

    Links for this episode:

    • How Dan Records Back to Work
    • How to slit and fold a map for special use (ArmyStudyGuide.com)
    • Miura fold - Wikipedia
    • How to Fold a Topographic Map and Other Techniques - ITS Tactical
    • Home design is adapting to the pandemic, too - Marketplace
    • COVID-19
    • Samara Ginsberg on Twitter: "I had A LOT of requests for this one! X-Men: The Animated Series https://t.co/D1W5TAAs0I" / Twitter
    • Parents are furious that schools can’t reopen - The Washington Post
    • What we’ve learned about this coronavirus.
      The pandemic moves quickly. The scientific consensus changes slowly. Did we waste time waiting for data when we could have adopted low-cost safety measures?Guest: New York Times reporter Apoorva Mandavilli.
    • Apoorva Mandavilli - The New York Times
      Apoorva Mandavilli is a reporter for The Times, focusing on science and global health. She is the 2019 winner of the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting.
    • Amazon.com: Zoom H4n Pro All Black 4-Track Portable Recorder (2020 Model), Stereo Microphones, 2 XLR/ ¼“ Combo Inputs, Guitar Inputs, Battery Powered, Multitrack Recorder for Music, Audio for Video, Podcasting: Musical Instruments
    • Mic Technique - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Zoom F6 Field Recorder/Mixer, Professional Field Recording, Audio for Video, 32-Bit Float Recording, 14 Channel Recorder, 6 XLR Inputs, Timecode, Ambisonics Mode, Battery Powered, iOS Wireless Control: Musical Instruments
    • Amazon.com: Zoom F8n Multi-Track Field Recorder with Protective Case For F8n Recorders Bundle: Musical Instruments
    • Ted Lasso on Apple TV+
    • Rosanne Cash - Seven Year Ache - YouTube
    • ‘A Smoking Gun’: Infectious Coronavirus Retrieved From Hospital Air - The New York Times
      Airborne virus plays a significant role in community transmission, many experts believe. A new study fills in the missing piece: Floating virus can infect cells.
    • Opinion | Yes, the Coronavirus Is in the Air - The New York Times
      Transmission through aerosols matters — and probably a lot more than we’ve been able to prove yet.
    • Viable SARS-CoV-2 aerosols detected in a hospital room with COVID-19 patients
      Recently, the WHO said aerosol transmission is confirmed, especially in areas that are not well-ventilated. Previously, the WHO said that airborne transmission is only possible in hospitals via medical procedures that involved the release of aerosols, including nebulization and suctioning.
    • Spotify – 7. I Don't Care, Fire Me - An Oral History of The Office | Podcast on Spotify
      We pull back the curtain in a room that is usually kept from the public: the writers room. The Office writers share their tricks for coming up with ideas, why they pulled in the actors to help, and what they did to help launch an industry-wide battle.
    • Sturgis Rally 2020: Despite Coronavirus Thousands Converge in South Dakota - The New York Times
      “We are allowed to make our own choices,” she said. “If we get it, we chose to be here.”
    • Zoom H4 Handy Recorder - Wikipedia
    • Report Shows Record Increase in San Francisco Real Estate Listings as People Continue Moving to More Affordable Cities
      With remote work more popular than ever — amid companies like Google and Facebook now saying employees can work from home well into 2021 — people are leaving SF in throngs. A new Zillow report further supports that idea, showing a 96 percent year-over-year increase in local inventory listings.
    • Nearly 2 times as many San Francisco homes are for sale - Business Insider
      San Francisco is just one of the major cities across the country is at the center of a debate around the post-coronavirus future of urban areas.

    Brought to you by:

    • Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    490: Penetration Engineer Aug 11, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Dan is joining a campaign, and Merlin's eyesight now precludes him from being an AD&D dungeon master; Dan has a concern about his laptop screen and needs your help; then, the boys settle in for a good, old-fashioned recommendations episode; podcasts, pens, video editing apps, a 3D printer, a new SoundSource, hard drives, and even a moisturizing cream for your little patch.

    Links for this episode:

    • AmazonSmile : MUJI Aluminum Body Fountain Pen - Fine Nib - with 2 Refill Ink Cartridge : Office Products
    • Blank Check with Griffin & David
      Not just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Each new miniseries, hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims delve into the works of film’s most outsized personalities in painstakingly hilarious detail.
    • RoboCop — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
    • AmazonSmile: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black 4/pk: Office Products
    • AmazonSmile : PALOMINO BLACKWING 3Pencils SET(Original, 602, Pearl 1each) : Office Products
    • Monoprice MP Voxel 3D Printer, Fully Enclosed, Easy Wi-Fi, Touchscreen, 8GB On-Board Memory, Polar Cloud Enabled - Monoprice.com
    • OFFICIAL Wondershare Filmora9 Video Editor (Win & Mac) | Download Filmora9!
    • Professional video editor | Adobe Premiere Pro
    • Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects
    • Rogue Amoeba | SoundSource: A Superior Sound Control
    • Rogue Amoeba | Quality Audio Software for MacOS
    • Amazon.com: SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD 2TB - Up to 1050MB/s - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive, Black (MU-PC2T0K/WW): Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: WD 2TB My Passport SSD External Portable Drive, USB 3.1, Up to 540 MB/s - WDBKVX0020PSL-WESN: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: AnuMed Vitamin D3 Cream with Magnesium 10,000 IU | Healthy Skin Care & Face Cream | Maximum Calcium Absorption | Non-Greasy Moisturizer for Dry Skin - 3 Ounces: Health & Personal Care

    Brought to you by:

    • Indeed (Try Indeed out with a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/BACKTOWORK. This is their best offer available anywhere).

    • Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com/backtowork and enter promo code BACKTOWORK).

    489: Not a Monkey Man Aug 04, 2020

    DISCUSSED: the joys of a movie that reveals itself over multiple viewings; good storytelling is difficult but so rewarding; as you know, Bob, a lot of movies have that Walk Hard problem; Merlin has questions about Dan's day-to-day in Travis County; people are cooking the books; why do so many people have the Extremis virus these days?; we could still make a big dent; and, finally, wow, the demands for performance sure can be exhausting.

    Links for this episode:

    • Fair Play Mystery (Concept) - Comic Vine
    • Edgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: 2 PCS Men Women Safety Face Shields with Protective Clear Film, Reusable plastics Elastic Band and Comfort Sponge. Eye Protection: Home Improvement
    • Why the Pandemic Is So Bad in America - The Atlantic
    • (49) AXIOS on HBO: President Trump Exclusive Interview (Full Episode) | HBO - YouTube
    • Lampshade Hanging - TV Tropes
    • Chekhov's gun
      "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off."
    • As You Know, Bob…
    • You Are Not So Smart #185 - Masks

    Brought to you by:

    • Mint Mobile (To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to mintmobile.com/backtowork
    488: Uncle Dad Jul 28, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has discovered a unique new voice emerging from the medical and spiritual communities; your hosts interrogate the implications of this new material; Dan and Merlin have media recommendations; as a main topic, your hosts explore the many, intertwined complexities of trying to figure out "the future" right now.

    Links for this episode:

    • Stella Immanuel, Trump’s New COVID-19 Doctor, Believes in Alien DNA, Demon Sperm, and Hydroxychloroquine
    • Walls Are Back - The Atlantic
      Personal space is finally back in style, but re-creating it after two decades of its destruction is hardly a straightforward task.
    • Parents are furious that schools can’t reopen - The Washington Post
      I can’t be the only parent who finds containing my anger about this to be a full-time job on top of the two I’m already performing poorly.
    • America’s Schools Are a Moral and Medical Catastrophe
      Companies are quickly learning lessons about the varied necessities of remote work, from appropriate tools to new styles of management. Fortunes may be won or lost as innovators and upstarts bet on what best suits a homebound workforce.
    • 9 Future of Work Trends Post-COVID-19
      As the pandemic resets major work trends, HR leaders need to rethink workforce and employee planning, management, performance and experience strategies.
    • The future of work after COVID-19 | Deloitte Insights
      As they stage the return to work, organizations need to ask themselves critical questions to help them prepare for the perceived and actual ethical impacts of business decisions.
    • 185 - Masks - You Are Not So Smart - Omny.fm
    • Humans are notoriously bad at assessing their risk. In a pandemic, that’s a problem - SFChronicle.com
    • Why I Can’t Believe in ‘Spirit Husbands’ and ‘Spirit Wives’ - TGC Africa
    • Watch the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast reunite for 10th anniversary table read | EW.com
      Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, director Edgar Wright, and more got together for the special event.
    • 185 - Masks — You Are Not So Smart — Overcast
    • Gerald McRaney - Wikipedia
      Note: Gerald McRaney is not David McRaney
    • Kobayashi Maru scenario | Memory Alpha | Fandom
    • Kobayashi Maru - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    487: Nostradamus Pants Jul 21, 2020

    DISCUSSED: There's really only one topic right now, and it's not going away any time soon. Many analogies and historical echoes are explored. The future, if it exists, is going to be very weird.

    Links for this episode:

    • And the Band Played On (film) - Wikipedia
    • Cooter (30 Rock) - Wikipedia
    • And the Band Played On streaming: where to watch online?
    • What teachers really think about school reopening in the fall.
      Four teachers on their fears and frustrations heading into the 2020 school year.
    • There Is No Plan (For You) - In These Times
      Unemployment, evictions, business failure, a pandemic and health crises are all here at once. The federal government doesn’t care.
    • Splitting (psychology) - Wikipedia
    • MSNBC: Atlanta Mayor: Despite rising cases, Georgia Governor ‘wants to silence me’
      Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says that in Atlanta, the city is facing 13% left in ICU capacity, yet Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ‘wants to silence me.’
    • Adam Alma on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies let me be the nth Floridian to tell you about the wagon wheel closing just last month. Sorry if you mention it later in the show, only 20 mins in https://t.co/3yBdluXoxg" / Twitter
    • Iconic Wagon Wheel Flea Market closes after five decades in Pinellas Park
    • Skyfall - Wikiquote
      No. You take them, and release them into the trees. Only now, they don't eat coconut anymore. Now they will only eat rat. You have changed their nature.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • Indeed (Try Indeed out with a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/BACKTOWORK. This is their best offer available anywhere).

    486: The Ballad of Danny Knife Jul 14, 2020

    DISCUSSED: knife talk and flea market nostalgia; a deep dive on state knife law; knife tips from listeners; Merlin reinstalled Homebrew; comfort viewing amidst these challenging times; also, a healthy fear of Australian spiders.

    Links for this episode:

    • Flea Market | Drive in Movies| Florida Swap Shop
    • California’s Knife Laws – What You Need to Know
    • California Knife Laws - Rules On Possession And Use
    • California Knife Laws 2019 - Is It Legal to Carry One? - Riderz Law
    • Crater C33T Knife | Leatherman
    • LEATHERMAN, Skeletool Lightweight Multitool with Combo Knife and Bottle Opener, Stainless Steel - - Amazon.com
    • Wagon Wheel Flea Market
    • Vendors
    • aden films - YouTube
    • Choir! Epic! Nights with Colin Hay - Men At Work "Overkill" - YouTube
    • Choir! Choir! Choir! sings Sloan - Coax Me - YouTube
    • Olive Wagyu in Japan - The rarest Steak in the World - YouTube
    • The Law of Hot Places | Do By Friday
      This week's challenge: check out some flashlights and knives.
    • Gerber EAB Pocket Knife [22-41830] - Gerber Knives - AmazonSmile
    • Seymour Duncan Unleashing The Mysteries Of A Scalloped Fingerboard - Guitar Pickups, Bass Pickups, Pedals
    • a-ha - Take On Me (Live From MTV Unplugged) - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    485: Travis County, P.I. Jul 07, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has flies in his bathroom; Dan's town is really going through some times; there's some COVID talk, duh; Merlin solved a very strange iOS beta bug; main topic involves some thoughts on the Apple betas and the tantalizing future that they imply; Dan has a new keyboard and an accompanying conspiracy theory; leathers men are discussed; and, finally, Merlin needs to use the bathroom—provided the flies will allow it.

    Links for this episode:

    • European Union - Wikipedia
    • Our Ability to Process Information Is Reaching a Critical Limit
    • Amazon.com: Logitech MX Keys Advanced Wireless Illuminated Keyboard - Graphite: Computers & Accessories
    • AmazonSmile: LEATHERMAN, Wingman Multitool with Spring-Action Pliers and Scissors, Built in the USA, Stainless Steel with Nylon Sheath: Sports & Outdoors
    • LEATHERMAN, FREE P4 Multitool with Magnetic Locking, One Hand Accessible Tools and Premium Nylon Sheath and Pocket Clip, Built in the USA - - AmazonSmile
    • LEATHERMAN, Squirt PS4 Keychain Multitool with Spring-Action Scissors and Aluminum Handles, Built in the USA, Black - Multitools - Amazon.com
    • Chicago (typeface) - Wikipedia
    • Charcoal (typeface) - Wikipedia
    • System 6 | Apple Wiki | Fandom
      System 6 was the name of the operating system of the Apple Macintosh computer, which was introduced in April 1988, prior to the introduction of System 7.

    Brought to you by:

    • Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).

    • Mint Mobile (To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to mintmobile.com/backtowork

    484: Default Settings for America Jun 30, 2020

    DISCUSSED: the things we can and cannot do anything about; the things that can and cannot change; and the wisdom to know all of the differences.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ep. 389: "The New March" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
    • State Flag - 1845 - Florida Department of State
      On March 3, 1845, Florida became the twenty-seventh state. Citizens of Tallahassee presented incoming Governor William D. Moseley with a flag that flew at his inauguration. However, because of a controversy surrounding its motto, it never became an official state flag. The flag shown here is reconstructed from a written description.
    • Apple introduces macOS Big Sur with a beautiful new design - Apple
    • European Union - Wikipedia
    • "Fawlty Towers" The Germans (TV Episode 1975) - IMDb

    Brought to you by:

    • Backblaze(Get a 15-day free trial at Backblaze.com/backtowork).
    483: You Are Free to Leave Jun 23, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin take a first look at Apple's recently-announced iOS and iPadOS updates.

    Links for this episode:

    • iPad Keyboards - Apple
    • Paul Verhoeven - Wikipedia
    • Secure, Fast & Private Web Browser with Adblocker | Brave Browser
    • AmazonSmile : Arlo Pro 3 – Wire-Free Security 2 Camera System | 2K with HDR, Indoor/Outdoor, Color Night Vision, Spotlight, 160° View, 2-Way Audio, Siren | Works with Alexa | (VMS4240P) : Camera & Photo
    • WWDC 2020 Special Event Keynote — Apple - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    482: Two Pills Only Jun 19, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is nauseated, and Dan has advice on what you definitely should or should not buy at a gas station; Merlin says he'll be brief, but, as usual, it turns into a real stem-winder as…; Merlin addresses the complexity of treating mental illness in a way that doesn't upend your body and life; Dan needs some TV show recommendations, but has very strong feelings about talking animals; Merlin wonders aloud if he's ever met @Darth; case close.

    Links for this episode:

    • 5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second Arrow
      Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.
    • darth™ (@darth) / Twitter
    • DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD – ADD Resource Center
    • ADHD DSM-5® Criteria | Diagnostic Criteria for ADHD
    • Depression and anxiety spike among black Americans after George Floyd's death - The Washington Post

    Brought to you by:

    • Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).
    481: Feelings of Mouth Jun 09, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin talk about hot dogs.

    Links for this episode:

    • Uncured Beef Frankfurters (Natural Casing) | Boar's Head
    • Products - Hot Dogs - Applegate
    • PRODUCTS « Kahns
    • Donate - Howard Brown Health
      "Howard Brown was established on the premise that healthcare in the LGBTQ community should be a readily accessible right, not a luxury – that those who lack the privilege of adequate health coverage or access to competent medical providers should be able to find care in a confidential and supportive environment."
    • Does Bond’s product placement go too far? - BBC Culture
    • Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on Vimeo
    • VINTAGE 1967 ARMOUR HOT DOGS COMMERCIAL - KIDS MARCHING & SINGING - YouTube
    • To Differentiate: High Ceilings and Low Floors |
    • PredictIt: Search Results

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    Memberful (Memberful is the easiest way to sell memberships to your audience, used by the biggest creators on the web. Sign-up for FREE by visiting the link).

    480: A Gracious Dyad Jun 02, 2020

    DISCUSSED: not everything can be everything; pain accumulates; getting weepy about a cool teacher; expanding on our new thought technology for reframing negative thoughts and feelings; abstracting that new thought technology to tons of different endeavors; why won't they just let me win this video game?; the scissors and Scotch Tape are wherever you left them; the joys of ritual and control; the importance of infrastructure; break the big thing into a bunch of little things; Merlin performs a brief recitation of Back to Work's Greatest Hits; please cut up my food for me please; theme dining nights rule; praise for Daniel Kahneman; it used to be so confusing when TV shows had inside film and outside film.

    Links for this episode:

    • 5by5 | Back to Work #479: Use or Avoid
      Dan Columbos Merlin with a question about napping, which leads to some surprising insights on our feelings about success and failure.
    • Thinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia
    • Fawlty Towers - Wikipedia
    • "Fair is…"
    • Penny Arcade - News - Dear Diary
      So I’ve always worried about things. I also always knew that most of the time there was nothing to worry about. For me it wasn’t even just worrying about something. I understand that everyone worries. The best way I can describe it is "Chain worrying."
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second Arrow
      Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.
    • Laozi - Wikiquote
      A journey of a thousand miles started with a first step.
    • Rocky & Philadelphia Morning - YouTube
    • Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life: Lamott, Anne: 8601404243813: AmazonSmile: Books
      "The first draft is the child's draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later."
    • The Men Who Started a Thinking Revolution (Ep. 271) - Freakonomics Freakonomics
      Starting in the late 1960s, the Israeli psychologists Amos Tversky and Danny Kahneman began to redefine how the human mind actually works. Michael Lewis’s new book The Undoing Project explains how the movement they started — now known as behavioral economics — has had such a profound effect on academia, governments, and society at large.
    • Think Fast with Daniel Kahneman | Hidden Brain : NPR
      We found our own mistakes very funny. What was fun was finding yourself about to say something really stupid.
    • CaddyShack Cinderella Story - YouTube
    • The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles: Pressfield, Steven, Coyne, Shawn: 8601420220232: Amazon.com: Books
    • One Zoom to Rule Them All | Reunited Apart LORD OF THE RINGS Edition - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
    479: Use or Avoid May 26, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Skype struggles; nobody likes parsnips; Dan remotely teaches Merlin to cut his own hair; Dan introduces a new game show, and Merlin is dealing with poop; life is not currently optimized for multiple-event days; Merlin challenges you to remember when exactly eight minutes has gone by; why we'll eventually each discover what the hell happened on our personal Galápagos; the exhaustion of Zoom calls; an omnibus recommendation related to movies; finally, Dan Columbos Merlin with a question about napping, which leads to some surprising insights on our feelings about success and failure.

    Links for this episode:

    • 30 Singular Films to Watch in Quarantine - The Atlantic
      These films, each unforgettable in its own way, are essential viewing.
    • Mad Max: Fury Road with Emily Yoshida — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
    • RoboCop — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
    • The Book of Henry — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast
    • Blank Check with Griffin & David is creating Podcasts | Patreon
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Are you a weirdo? Do you enjoy movies? Cool. I got the hook-up. https://t.co/UVog1T7Ide" / Twitter
    • Uncut Gems on Netflix: What’s the True Story Behind Howard Ratner’s Bet?
    • Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they can | Graham Shaw | TEDxHull - YouTube
    • David Sims: 30 Movies That Are Unlike Anything You’ve Seen Before - YouTube
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Power is the ability to make strangers live your "normal."" / Twitter
    • The reason Zoom calls drain your energy - BBC Worklife
    • 5 reasons why Zoom meetings are so exhausting
    • [1986] The Housemartins • Happy Hour - YouTube
    • Amazon.com : Wahl Color Pro Complete Hair Cutting Kit, #79300-400T : Hair Clipper Kits And Sets

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • ExpressVPN (So protect your online activity today and get an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package by visitingexpressvpn.com/backtowork).

    478: Morbidly Obese Clemenza May 19, 2020

    DISCUSSED: discussion of The Freshman and thoughts on what makes a movie "hold up"; has anyone ever craved a three-star movie?; what Merlin really wants is a smart friend; Dan is enjoying On Becoming a God in Central Florida; the difficulty of making weird good; I didn't buy it a beer; your mask is not a case for your beard; Dan has follow-up on bikes; Merlin has follow-up on companies and WFH help; thoughts on what we know and don't know about the difficulties of ““reopening””; the benefits and challenges of being a chain-worrying project manager; praise for the Austin Grackles.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Freshman (1990) - IMDb
    • Bruno Kirby - Biography - IMDb
    • Carmine Said One Boy - YouTube
    • Freeway movie review & film summary (1997) | Roger Ebert
      "Occasionally an unsuspecting innocent will stumble into a movie like this and send me an anguished postcard, asking how I could possibly give a favorable review to such trash. My stock response is Ebert's Law, which reads: A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it."
    • Penny Arcade - News - Dear Diary
      'So I’ve always worried about things. I also always knew that most of the time there was nothing to worry about. For me it wasn’t even just worrying about something. I understand that everyone worries. The best way I can describe it is "Chain worrying."'
    • Idiot plot - Wikipedia
      'In literary criticism, an idiot plot is "a plot which is kept in motion solely by virtue of the fact that everybody involved is an idiot," and where the story would otherwise be over if this were not the case.'

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
    477: The Immediacy Filter May 12, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Here we are in Spain; a lot went on behind the scenes of The Wizard of Oz; also Modern Problems existed; further discussion of 80s movies; they used to make more movies; B-MO gets a show?; secrets of the child whisper network; Saturday morning memories; C19 is making a lot of holes and gaps in kids' lives; what even is the deal with colleges?; wisdom from the great Kevin Kelly; it's one thing to know something, but it's another thing to know something; and, finally, beginning to explore how best to level resources and expectations as many of us work from home.

    Links for this episode:

    • Merlin's Twitter poll from Monday
      "Poll: as your company prepped for people to WfH, how much interaction did you have to address your specific challenges, get extra resources, and set individual expectations?"
    • National Remote Work Survey
    • The Technium: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
      It’s my birthday. I’m 68. I feel like pulling up a rocking chair and dispensing advice to the young ‘uns. Here are 68 pithy bits of unsolicited advice which I offer as my birthday present to all of you.
    • New Beginnings
      After he goes to Jerusalem and sleeps on what is supposedly the very spot where Jesus was crucified, Kevin Kelly has a revelation: that he should live the next six months as if he would die at the end of them.
    • Modern Problems - Wikipedia
    • ADVENTURE TIME: DISTANT LANDS Official Teaser Trailer (HD) HBO MAX Series - YouTube
    • Suspend SAT for UC admissions, Janet Napolitano says - Los Angeles Times
    • Valley Girl (1983) - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube
    • Spotify – Valley Girl SOUNDTRACK
    • Slim Whitman Commercial 1980 - YouTube
    • Slim Whitman All MY Best 1979 Record Commercial - YouTube
    • The Best Of Red Sovine TV Commercial - YouTube
    • Zamfir Master of the Pan Flute Commercial - YouTube
    • Classic Freedom Rock Commercial 1988 Best Quality on You-Tube!!! - YouTube
    • I Hanker for a Hunka Cheese - YouTube
    • Wonderama with Bob McAllister - YouTube
    • Eight Men Out (1988) - Reference View - IMDb
      A dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series.
    • Coronavirus: CSU to have mainly online classes in fall 2020 - Los Angeles Times

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
    476: Paul Williams Sat Alone May 05, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Dan has concerns!; every road has many parts, but you seriously need to show your humanity; stop signs are really just velocipede serving suggestions; not all wood floats; too soon; an ambitious crossover is proposed; Cormac McCarthy rules; Phillip W. Battery sure has a lot going on for a busy and attentive new dad; as a main topic, your hosts bounce off a terrific recent episode of Merlin's beloved You're Wrong About; hey, what B2W-ish lessons can be drawn from the response to the Y2K "bug"?; ultimately, it is just so hard to solve one problem without potentially creating five other problems; memories of New Year's Eve, 1999; for once, Dan wasn't concerned at all; more praise for YWA, and a humble apology to Sarah; hey, listen, don't be ashamed to find delight; praise for Slugline 2; a recommendation for a James Franco movie.

    Links for this episode:

    • You're Wrong About
      With Michael Hobbes & Sarah Marshall
    • The Y2K Bug — You're Wrong About — Overcast
    • You're Wrong About is creating a podcast | Patreon
    • La La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — Overcast
    • Blood Meridian (Audiobook) by Cormac McCarthy | Audible.com
    • Is Motorcycle Lane Splitting Legal in Texas? Bike Crash Legal Info
    • Stranger Danger — You're Wrong About — Overcast
    • The Satanic Panic — You're Wrong About — Overcast
    • Konrad Lorenz: Godfather of Animal Imprinting Theory - How Animal Imprinting Works | HowStuffWorks
    • Slugline
    • From Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (read by... | kung fu grippe
    • Brainstorm (1983) - Reference View - IMDb
      Researchers develop a system where they can jump into people's minds. But when people involved bring their personal problems into the equation, it becomes dangerous - perhaps deadly.
    • Brainstorm (1983) [Trailer] - YouTube
    • Y2K | 2 weeks after Mad and I met; 2 weeks before she moved … | Flickr
    • y2k | New Year's Eve at Michael's house on McAllister. 10 da… | Flickr
    • Saturday Night (2008) - YouTube
    • Behind the Planet of the Apes | Considerable
    • AmazonSmile: On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft eBook: King, Stephen: Kindle Store
    • Grimes - We Appreciate Power (Lyric Video) - YouTube
    • Merlin's thoughts on Phillip W. Battery
    • After Twitter rant, Elon Musk lists two California homes - SFGate
    • Folk devil - Wikipedia
    • 5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver — Back to Work — Overcast
    • Basement Jaxx - Rendez Vu ( Official Video ) Remedy - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).

    • Meh (Head on over to Meh.com to see what's on sale today!)

    475: ¿Why Not Dos Otros? Apr 28, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is having a strange day, and Dan notices everything; please remember that fear and stress and anxiety are pretty terrible motivators; praise for On Becoming a God in Central Florida and 1Password; security theater vs. security reality; Dan's new mouse is as quiet as a…what's the word?; Brushing with Hardest Available Toothbrush Considered Harmful; Dan is gently exposing his son to one of the great films. So what?; a couple great pieces on making actual good passwords; recommendations for a Sondheim special and a terrific YouTube guy; extensive advice and suggestions for a listener moving to a Mac; learning almost anything is a lot like learning The Metric System; and, finally, praise for the great Peter N. Lewis.

    Links for this episode:

    • Multiple Level Thinking | Levels Of Thought In Poker
    • Ep. 378: "Lion, Tiger, Horse, Monkey" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John has rarely driven a car hard and hung it up wet.
    • Ep. 379: "Garbage Island" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John feels like the world is changing.
    • Ep. 380: "The Impossible Me" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John is trying not to paddle alone in life.
    • Password Manager for Families, Businesses, Teams | 1Password
    • Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration - YouTube
    • When can Mario retire? | Unraveled - YouTube
    • brian david gilbert - YouTube
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "You know it's been a sound night's sleep when you wake up at 3:50am thinking, "Huh. It's been a while since I watched Holy Mountain." https://t.co/aVbNYqwTIV" / Twitter
    • Toward better Master Passwords | 1Password
      The strength of a password creation system is not how many letters, digits, and symbols you end up with, but how many ways you could get a different result using the same system.
    • xkcd: Password Strength
    • COVID-19 Response - Removing trial limits to help businesses work securely from home | 1Password
    • Amazon.com: Logitech M330 Silent Plus Wireless Mouse – Enjoy Same Click Feel with 90% Less Click Noise, 2 Year Battery Life, Ergonomic Right-Hand Shape for Computers and Laptops, USB Unifying Receiver, Black: Computers & Accessories
    • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3 (Audiobook) by J.K. Rowling | Audible.com
    • Bartender 3 - Organize your menu bar icons on Mac
    • Mizage - Shush
    • Daring Fireball: Interarchy Interview: Peter N Lewis and Matthew Drayton
    • The Holy Mountain (HD Trailer - HD) | ABKCO Films - YouTube
    • The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play: Fiore, Neil: 8601400338544: AmazonSmile: Books
    • Work in multiple spaces on Mac - Apple Support
    • Witch · Many Tricks
      The built-in macOS app switcher is great if all you use are one-window applications. But you probably have many windows open in many apps, possibly with many tabs, and navigating them all is a pain. Enter Witch, with which you can switch everything…
    • uBar - The Dock replacement for the Mac
      The Dock replacement for the Mac. Boost your productivity with the most advanced and versatile app and window manager for the Mac.
    • Moom · Many Tricks
      Moom makes window management as easy as clicking a mouse button—or using a keyboard shortcut, if you're one of those types of people.With Moom, you can easily move and zoom windows to half screen, quarter screen, or fill the screen
    • folivora.ai - Great Tools for your Mac!
      BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to customize various input devices on your Mac.
    • Keyboard Maestro 9.0.5: Work Faster with Macros for macOS
      Whether you are a power user or just getting started, your time is precious. So don’t waste it. You can quickly benefit from Keyboard Maestro. Let Keyboard Maestro help make your Mac life more pleasant and efficient.
    • Kirsten Dunst Just Couldn’t Let Go of On Becoming a God in Central Florida | Vanity Fair
    • On Becoming a God: Seasons, Episodes, Cast, Characters - Official Series Site | SHOWTIME
      This dark comedy series stars Kirsten Dunst as Krystal Stubbs, a minimum-wage water park employee who lies, schemes and cons her way up the ranks of the cultish, multibillion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her family to ruin in the first place.
    • Acorn 6 | Full Featured Photo Editor for the Mac
      Acorn has everything you need in an image editor.
    • Pixelmator Photo
      A powerful photo editor created exclusively for iPad.
    • LaunchBar 6
      Start with a single keyboard shortcut to accessand control every aspect of your digital life.
    • TextExpander – Communicate Smarter
      Easily insert text snippets in any application from a library of content created by you and your team.
    • JAY-Z - Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)... - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • ExpressVPN (So protect your online activity today and get an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package by visitingexpressvpn.com/backtowork).

    • Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).

    474: The Confidence to Keep Pedaling Apr 21, 2020

    DISCUSSED: our perception of value is definitely personal and maybe even a little generational; sometimes, the only thing you can afford is the best; a listener question about where your hosts are with comics; further praise for TaskPaper; updates on macOS text editing; Merlin capitulates to Catalina; Dan answers a listener question about coping with chronic back pain; learning how to stop rehearsing frailty by embracing the wonders of momentum.

    Links for this episode:

    • CBR and CBZ Files (What They Are and How to Open One)
    • nvALT - BrettTerpstra.com
    • Sublime Text - A sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose
    • Bare Bones Software | BBEdit 13
    • TaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for Mac
    • alefore/edge: Edge - a text editor
    • Rowing Machine - Model D with PM5 | Concept2
    • Amazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper Barista's Choice - Bonus 100 Filters Included (18 oz Large, Clear): Kitchen & Dining
    • The Incomparable | Kids Have Bad Taste (Episode 104)

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).

    473: French on Tom Sawyer Apr 14, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Dan loves it when things just work and so does Merlin; Dan is composting, and Merlin is down to clown; ¡repita después de mi!; massive real-time follow-up; playing with iBeacons; excellent follow-up and notes from listeners; many reccomendations; memories of Grad Night; this is a very silly one.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Weirdly Enduring Appeal of Weird Al Yankovic - The New York Times
    • Estimote – experts in location and proximity solutions
      We are experts in location and proximity solutions
    • folivora.ai - Great Tools for your Mac!
      BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to customize various input devices on your Mac.
    • Netflix - "Unorthodox"
    • PicPedant (@PicPedant) / Twitter
    • Celery Man - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Celery Man: Alexa Skills
    • Bar None // ShaunInman.com
    • Mac Power Users #528: The Merlin Awakens - Relay FM
      MPU Hall of Famer Merlin Mann returns to discuss using plain text, home automation, the Apple TV and more.
    • Automators #39: Automating iBeacons - Relay FM
      In this episode, David and Rosemary try all sorts of iBeacons and look at why, where, when, and how you use these little devices.
    • Releases · JetBrains/JetBrainsMono
    • Rasmus Andersson on Twitter: "Inter is now available from @googlefonts! https://t.co/IoTMQDefNN Congrats to @ThunderNixon who worked tirelessly on getting Inter on-boarded to Google Fonts. https://t.co/tSVb9nLM2c" / Twitter
    • How I got to 200 productive hours a month
    • Bookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
    • Botany books!
    • Paul Bruno on Spotify
    • Feed the Animals by Girl Talk on Spotify
    • Dazz Band – Let It Whip Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
    • DisneyWorld Grad Night Bands 1972-2008 - The DVC Boards at MouseOwners.com - the place to talk DVC and Walt Disney World
    • The Elements of Typographic Style: Bringhurst, Robert: 9780881791327: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Elements of Typographic Style: Version 4.0 (-20th Anniversary)
      Renowned typographer and poet Robert Bringhurst brings clarity to the art of typography with this masterful style guide. Combining the practical, theoretical, and historical, this edition is completely updated, with a thorough revision and updating of the longest chapter, -Prowling the Specimen Books, - and many other small but important updates based on things that are continually changing in the field.
    • The New Typography
      Since its initial publication in Berlin in 1928, Jan Tschichold's The New Typography has been recognized as the definitive treatise on book and graphic design in the machine age. First published in English in 1995, with an excellent introduction by Robin Kinross, this new edition includes a foreword by Rich Hendel, who considers current thinking about Tschichold's life and work.
    • Down to Clown (Harris Wittels Tribute) - Chris LaCroix - YouTube
    • "Feed me," you said, and I was feeding you, Jack.
    • Felt letterboard trend history: how the vintage product became inescapable.
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "I really like Rachel Maddow, but when she gets particularly worked up, it kinda feels like she's explaining something to her cats." / Twitter
    • Difference Between Rotate & Revolve
      Rotation and revolution are terms that describe the angular motion of objects, that is, motion about a real or imaginary axis. They are often confused not only for this reason, but also because they often apply in different ways to the same object at the same time (especially in astronomy) and to some extent because the words look somewhat alike in English.
    • High School Seniors: What is a Grad Night?
    • Exile - kiss you all over - YouTube
    • Pushcut - Triggers & notifications that kick off your automation
      Triggers
    • Amazon.com: Exercise? I Thought You Said Extra Fries! Graphic T-Shirt: Clothing
    • The Meadowlands by The Wrens on Spotify
    • Rogue Amoeba | SoundSource: A Superior Sound Control
      Get truly powerful control over all the audio on your Mac!
    • Parks and Recreation - flintstones work whistle - YouTube
    • insidegui/PodcastMenu: Put Overcast on your Mac's menu bar

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).

    472: Sunday Afternoon Feeling Apr 07, 2020

    TW: very brief mention of suicide around minute 24.

    DISCUSSED: a classic three-act episode! Expertise is difficult to explain—let alone to teach; the Sunday Scaries are real; it's an interesting (and surprising) time for people with anxiety and depression; let's keep trying to give each other a break; some follow-up on Descript and the One-Drawer Project; You Look Nice Today is back; finally, Dan has some tips on surviving working from home.

    Links for this episode:

    • Coronavirus Is Making a Lot of People Anxious and Depressed. But Some Sufferers Actually Feel Better Now.
    • Lucy Dacus - "Addictions" (Official Music Video) - YouTube
    • Reconcilable Differences #127: Advice Nurse - Relay FM
      In a main topic, your hosts try to share some ideas on sustainably working remotely from home. History and experience can be pretty good teachers, but working yourself to a damaged nub is a terrible game for the young and should be considered harmful.
    • You Look Nice Today
    • California King
    • California King Episode 1: What is HØL?
      Our work was done. We'd said all we needed to say. We apparated from this world, much like monks who retreat to a mountaintop hovel. Only for us, we apparated via Greyhound and hoveled in an abandoned Bauxite mine outside Eufaula, Alabama.
    • Descript | Create podcasts, videos, and transcripts
    • Bootstrap · The most popular HTML, CSS, and JS library in the world.
    • Amazon.com: Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM2: Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Microphone - Hi Res Audio and Active Sound Cancellation - Black (2017 model): Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones, 40H Playtime, Hi-Res Audio, Deep Bass, Memory Foam Ear Cups, for Travel, Home Office: Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Plantronics Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat - Headphones (Black & Tan) (Pro 2)
    • Amazon.com: Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3: Wireless Bluetooth Over the Ear Headset with Mic for phone-call and Alexa voice control - Industry Leading Active Noise Cancellation – Black: Electronics
    • Trattoria Da VittorioTrattoria Da Vittorio
    • Podcast Hosting and Analytics - Welcome to Fireside!
    • "Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
      The earliest attribution of this to Gandhi yet located is in a T-shirt advertisement in Mother Jones, Vol. 8, No. 5 (June 1983), p. 46
    • Toxoplasma gondii - Wikipedia
      The OTHER Godii.
    • The 'Sunday Scaries' Are Real — This is Why
      This what happens to your body when you get the Sunday blues.
    • Generalized anxiety disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • eero (Go to eero.com/backtowork and enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get FREE overnight shipping with your order).

    • Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).

    471: One-Drawer Project Mar 31, 2020

    In this very intimate episode, Dan and Merlin share some ideas for positive yet do-able projects to improve your life and world in these dumb, scary times.

    Also, covered in this episode: recommendations for Max Richter's Sleep and an insane new podcast production app called "Descript".

    Links for this episode:

    • Sleep (album) - Wikipedia
    • Max Richter: Sleep Album Review | Pitchfork
      The audacious composer Max Richter has created an eight-hour piece meant to serve as a sleep aid. But it is more than that. For these 31 uninterrupted pieces, Richter accepts the extraordinary challenge of not only aiding sleep but also translating the act into art. If you listen while you’re awake, many of these pieces conjure dreamy states, where ideas seem fluid and flexible and the world around you seems somehow softer.
    • Max Richter SLEEP
      The glacially-paced movements slide in and out of focus throughout the concert inviting the audience to experience what Richter essentially considers a protest against our relentlessly ‘switched on’ lives. Offering the unique opportunity to participate in this confrontation of our mechanized way of living.
    • On the Mattress for ‘Sleep,’ an 8-Hour Lullaby - The New York Times
      Composers from that movement were Mr. Richter’s earliest inspirations. As a boy in small-town Britain in the 1970s, he would get records from his family’s milkman, an artist who was tapped into the music of La Monte Young, Terry Riley and Philip Glass. He fell in love with Satie’s furniture music, and, eventually, the ambient soundscapes of Brian Eno.
    • On The Nature Of Daylight, a song by Max Richter, Louisa Fuller, Natalia Bonner, John Metcalfe, Philip Sheppard, Chris Worsey on Spotify
    • Descript | Create podcasts, videos, and transcripts
      It’s how you make a podcast.
    • folivora.ai - Great Tools for your Mac!
      BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to customize various input devices on your Mac.
    • Council of Dads author Bruce Feiler on how to be a better family.
    • Quarantine - YouTube
    • Hello. We're Sandwich.
    • Podcast Method
    • Merlin's Tweet About Descript
      Includes cool screen grabs
    • It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff - Kindle edition by Walsh, Peter. Crafts, Hobbies & Home Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
    • The Only Thing Better Than Netflix's Tiger King Are the Memes / Twitter
    • Four Yorkshiremen- Monty Python - YouTube
    • Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World - Black Sheep [HD] - YouTube
    • 5 Hours of The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4! - YouTube
    • Very low cello music with binaural effect, peaceful and mourning - YouTube
    • Windham Hill Records – Windham Hill Fan Discography and Community
    • In the Age of Disco, Windham Hill Founder Will Ackerman Helped Solo-Acoustic Guitar Thrive – Acoustic Guitar
    • Sleep by Max Richter on Spotify
    • quotes to get right runx.md
      Merlin's very good quotes text file
    • "Rock Island" The Music Man (opening scene) - YouTube
    • The Eisenhower Matrix: Introduction & 3-Minute Video Tutorial
    • Duck Soup (1933) - IMDb
    • Speech disfluency - Wikipedia
      A speech disfluency, also spelled speech dysfluency, is any of various breaks, irregularities, or non-lexical vocables which occur within the flow of otherwise fluent speech.
    • Definitions and Examples of Filler Words
    • Drums and Wires - Wikipedia
      Drums and Wires is the third studio album by the English rock band XTC, released 17 August 1979 on Virgin Records. It is a more pop-oriented affair than the band's previous, Go 2 (1978), and was named for its emphasis on guitars ("wires") and expansive-sounding drums.

    Brought to you by:

    • ExpressVPN (So protect your online activity today and get an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package by visitingexpressvpn.com/backtowork).
    470: Battery Car Man Mar 24, 2020

    Difficult times and the Venn overlap between anxiety and OCD. Hang in there, everybody.

    Links for this episode:

    • Epistemic Trespassing | Mind | Oxford Academic
      Epistemic trespassers are thinkers who have competence or expertise to make good judgments in one field, but move to another field where they lack competence—and pass judgment nevertheless. We should doubt that trespassers are reliable judges in fields where they are outsiders.
    • On "epistemic trespassing"
      In which Merlin has learned a useful new concept!
    • Found My Place - Blog
      Found My Place is a creative musical project by me, Merlin Mann. It is generously sponsored by Squarespace, in conjunction with their kind support of the Back to Work podcast I do with my pal Dan Benjamin. I hope you enjoy it, and many thanks to Squarespace for making this possible.
    • Attractive nuisance doctrine - Wikipedia
      It states that a landowner may be held liable for injuries to children trespassing on the land if the injury is caused by an object on the land that is likely to attract children.
    • The Picard, a Podcast About Star Trek: Picard

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
    469: Israel, Jr. Mar 17, 2020

    DISCUSSED: “CATS — Now and Forever!”; BokBok.wtf; on civic responsibility; Dan browses worms, and Merlin finds him a spider; Dan wants some keyboard advice, and Merlin just needs a ride; some thoughts on engaging versus escaping right now; praise for Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo; suggestions for leveraging the wonder of libraries today; Dan is working on a big Minecraft project, also some listener letters.

    Links for this episode:

    • Bok Bok — Merlin Mann (BokBok.wtf)
      'How come Merlin says “Bok Bok” on Back to Work?'
    • Amazon's Supply Chain Is Breaking and Small Businesses Are Screwed - VICE
    • Live Insects & Feeders | Josh's Frogs
    • Episode #302 – CATS The Flop House
    • Silent Mechanical Keyboard - Razer BlackWidow Lite
      silent
    • Kanopy - Stream Classic Cinema, Indie Film and Top Documentaries
    • Libby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooks
    • 15 Things You Didn't Know You Could Get From the Library | My Money | US News
    • 11 Things You Can Borrow From Libraries Besides Books | Mental Floss
    • 200 Things You Can Check Out of a Library Besides Books | Money
    • An Incomplete List of the Non-Book Things You Can Get at the Library | Literary Hub
    • Local files - Spotify
    • Richard Reid - Wikipedia
      aka ““The Shoe Bomber””
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Here's the origin of my oft-quoted line about The Flintstones and why I think it's important. https://t.co/2Lis7nciE7" / Twitter
      Here's the origin of my oft-quoted line about The Flintstones and why I think it's important.
    • Mr. Trump Sir / Twitter
      Thank you for your service Mr. Trump Sir
    • Oingo Boingo - "Dead Man's Party" - YouTube
    • Oingo Boingo - "Weird Science" - YouTube
    • Watch Parks and Recreation Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)
    • Elizabeth Warren Is Unlikely to Endorse Bernie Sanders. Here’s Why. - The New York Times
      “But at the same time, I come from the lens of an organizer, and if someone doesn’t do what you want, you don’t blame them — you ask why. And you don’t demand that answer of that person — you reflect. And that reflection is where you can grow.” —AOC
    • Alf Clausen - Wikipedia
    • Kelso on Twitter: "From UCSF COVID-19 Panel: A bit of a read but a somewhat scary realization I think people should be aware of. https://t.co/JhUU8fYAb2" / Twitter
      From UCSF COVID-19 Panel: A bit of a read but a somewhat scary realization I think people should be aware of.
    • Jobbo — You Look Nice Today — Overcast
    • CHVRCHES - "The Mother We Share" - YouTube
    • Bat'leth - Wikipedia
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "From my anxiety and minor situational depression, may 10,000 flowers bloom! https://t.co/AtVStqSrTg" / Twitter

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • MasterClass (Get unlimited access to every MasterClass, and as a Back to Work listener, you get 15% off the Annual All-Access Pass! Go to masterclass.com/backtowork).

    468: Cancellation Christmas Mar 09, 2020

    DISCUSSED: heck, yeah, there's a lot of uncertainty; the woeful knock-on effects of COVID-19, from SxSW to presidential handshaking; Dan graciously accepts Merlin's apology; it's so important that you not touch the fish's face; Dan's Podcast Method is back, baby; you can tell an ecosystem is healthy when the advice about it diversifies; Dan explains the Kelvin Timeline and why he hates it; a Celebration of Bones emerges; Merlin is intrigued by Otter and a little unsure about Jumbo; Dan wants you to know it's still him; breaking handshake news; the boys get a nice letter from a listener; Merlin kinda busts a gut about where his head was at when Back to Work launched; audio is afoot; recommended starter episodes are offered; and, finally, praise for Lost and Japanese Queer Eye.

    Links for this episode:

    • Otter Voice Meeting Notes - Otter.ai
    • Jumbo: Take back control of your data and privacy
      At Jumbo, we believe that your data belongs to you. That’s why our app empowers you to take control of your privacy and security, right from your phone.
    • Podcast Method
    • Iran's Coronavirus Problem Is a Lot Worse Than It Seems - The Atlantic
      The surprising number of Iranian government officials succumbing to COVID-19 offers a hint that the disease is far more widespread than the official statistics indicate.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a Living
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #52: Walk the Coastline, Bitches
    • #158 The Case of the Missing Hit — Reply All — Overcast
    • Kelvin Timeline - Official Star Trek Online Wiki
    • Yesterday's Enterprise - Wikipedia
      Critic Marc Bernardin described the episode as Star Trek's "smartest time-travel experiment" and a fan favorite.
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Sei kein schmutziger kleiner Junge. Wasche deine Hände. https://t.co/RnreVrwYqM https://t.co/7BkCmaNpJj" / Twitter
      Sei kein schmutziger kleiner Junge. Wasche deine Hände.
    • Omakase - Wikipedia
      a Japanese phrase that means "I'll leave it up to you"

    Brought to you by:

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    • Handy (Get your first 3-hour cleaning for ONLY $29 when you sign up for a cleaning plan by visiting the link).

    467: I Loved My Garden Mar 03, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin's uvula thing is back; some handy one-liner suggestions; the boys are loving uBar, and this leads to a dive on how they use the macOS Dock; praise for Witch; Ultraman is back, baby!; 500,000° is very, very hot; some nebulous, initial thoughts about a bracing call to focus on doing the work (and not how it looks to others when you're doing the work); a listener letter on alternatives for music hosting and streaming in the Apple ecosystem; wow, hard drives sure got super-cheap, huh?; nostalgia for those awesome old Jasmine BacPac hard drives; and, finally, a listener needs your help finding good episodes about surviving and thriving while working in a corporate environment.

    Links for this episode:

    • Drafts | Where Text Starts
    • Typora — a markdown editor, markdown reader.
    • Marvel reveals cover and story details for ULTRAMAN
    • uBar - The Dock replacement for the Mac
      The Dock replacement for the Mac. Boost your productivity with the most advanced and versatile app and window manager for the Mac.
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Early candidate for the best 26 seconds of wisdom I've heard this month. Minister describing why he welcomes all visitors to his church—including gawking white tourists. https://t.co/OPwwvrV7op" / Twitter
    • 695: Everyone’s a Critic — This American Life — Overcast
    • Merlin’s Playlists — Merlin Mann
      I love making playlists for myself and my pals, and, since you're a pal, you may enjoy these too.
    • Tot
    • The Official DragThing Home Page
    • PCalc
    • bashoneliners.com | Bash One-Liners
    • maxresdefault.jpg (JPEG Image, 1280 × 720 pixels)
    • Setapp | The best apps for Mac in one suite
    • Witch · Many Tricks
    • Ultraman (1966 TV series) - Wikipedia
      Beta
    • Ultraman (character) - Wikipedia
    • In-group and out-group - Wikipedia
    • Tracy K. Smith changed how I read poetry — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcast
    • moved off of itunes | malvasia bianca
    • Prism | A versatile music player for iOS
    • Amazon.com: Seagate Expansion Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC Laptop (STEB8000100): Computers & Accessories
    • Ultra Rare Jasmine BacPac Hard Drive for Compact Macs - 100mg | eBay
    • The Official DragThing Home Page
    • JustWatch - The Streaming Guide
    • 1970s Vintage Dixie Cups Mod Fruit Design | Etsy
    • Archers of Loaf - Raleigh Days (Official Audio) - YouTube
    • Raleigh Days, a song by Archers Of Loaf on Spotify
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the Bathroom
      In the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver
      Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about the black art of paying attention to the right things, how lamps are no substitute, that it's hard whether you’re working from home or a cube, being honest about your expertise before looking for independence, and the need to move past inspiration.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #7: Vocational Wheel
      Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin relate to Richard–a listener in the middle of a quarter life crisis working jobs he doesn't like–with stories from their pasts, suggestions to combat the cascade of seriousness, and some first steps for breaking out of the vocational wheel.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #9: Out of Scope!
      Dan and Merlin improvise topics this week and get from Synechode, NY to dopamine, being scared and being safe, believing your thoughts and coloring your dreams, and solving problems by moving your hands instead of thinking.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    466: The Maturation of Pillow Forts Feb 25, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Skype steals focus, and Merlin ate your poem; music is pretty great; some odds and sods and recommendations; everyone should have a bell; learning to trust your system (and yourself); listener mailbag; Dan loves his new backpack; more on bulwarks against madness.

    Links for this episode:

    • Carole King 1971 - YouTube
    • USBPre 2 Troubleshooting Steps - Sound Devices
    • How to turn your Mac startup chime back on
    • Say It, Don't Spray it: Specific Tasks for Specific Outcomes - YouTube
    • BBC Four - In Concert, Carole King
    • The Midnight Special (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Rick Wakeman - Wikipedia
    • "Don't Mine At Night" - A Minecraft Parody of Katy Perry's Last Friday Night (Music Video) - YouTube
    • Rick Wakeman The Myths and Legends of King Arthur / Knights of the Round Table Vinyl Album Side 1 - YouTube
    • AppleInsider Podcast
    • How novelty and comedy songs topped the charts before memes.
    • Daypack - Ballistic Nylon - DSPTCH
    • Where's the One? on Spotify
    • Amazon.com | Side by Side Travel Tech Bag Organizer - Cables & EDC Gear Pouch - Electronics & Cord Case. Power Packer Shadow | Packing Organizers
    • FruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —
    • George Carlin Talks About "Stuff" - YouTube
    • YouTube
    • Bee Gees - Musical Evolution (1960-2016) - YouTube
    • Category:Songs written by Carole King - Wikipedia
    • List of songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin - Wikipedia
    • Culture Gabfest: Gender Swap — Slate Culture — Overcast

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!

    465: That 20-Minute Sting Feb 18, 2020

    DISCUSSED: Merlin isn't quite awake yet and has some audio struggles in the midst of a new project; Dan is bringing back The Podcast Method; committing something to media can still be very special; podcasts are cool, and you should make one; praise for Temple Grandin, a Jason Snell video, and a big upgrade over the stock Home app for iOS; solid syncing has raised a lot of boats; updates on the iOS text editor landscape; and, finally, thoughts on the future of sustainable iOS app development.

    Links for this episode:

    • Podcast Method
    • Audient iD4
      Merlin's guitar interface.
    • The world needs all kinds of minds | Temple Grandin - YouTube
      Autism activist Temple Grandin talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.
    • RØDE Microphones - PodMic
    • Video: Editing Podcasts with Ferrite and Apple Pencil - Six Colors
    • Home+ 4 Released with Refreshed Design and iOS 13 Features - MacStories
    • Home+ 4
      Home+ 4 is the only full featured HomeKit app on the App Store which supports all HomeKit automation features. You can control all your HomeKit accessories from different manufacturers in one app and create your very own smart home.
    • Mouseless
    • WMNF | Community Conscious Radio
    • Vintage Ross Solid State Stereo Cassette Deck Tape Player Recorder Model 6350 for sale online | eBay
    • The Very Best of Jiminy Glick - YouTube
    • Don’t Kiss Your Pet Hedgehogs, C.D.C. Warns - The New York Times
    • 5by5 | Podcast Method

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
    464: Winter's Not Done with Me Yet Feb 11, 2020

    DISCUSSED: new muting!; infrastructure is hard; on dogs; Dan gets a podcast recommendation from his fish guy; who we're 'shipping on Star Trek; a free musical performance for a beloved sponsor; some good TED talks; do we like ligatures in monospace fonts?; Dan is getting restarted with OmniFocus, and Merlin has many, many thoughts and suggestions; finally, your hosts conclude by communicating The Pig Joke. Classic.

    Links for this episode:

    • Joe Smith: How to use a paper towel | TED Talk
    • Mouseless on Setapp | Unleash your keyboard’s superpower
    • Amazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDPB Panic Button Microphone Routing Box: Musical Instruments
      Allows entertainers to switch the mic signal path from front-of-house to backstage or an alternate location. The A/B switch allows the unit to be used as a muting switch. Built-in status indicator light. AC power supply is included.
    • Pretty Lady Mouth | Do By Friday
      This week's challenge: do more with Drafts.
    • Fall of Civilizations Podcast
    • LBJ and the Great Society — Overcast
    • The Top 15 Star Trek Fanfiction 'Ships
    • Van Tour | 2019 Sprinter Conversion, Full Shower, Kitchen, Garage, & Open Concept - YouTube
    • Apollo Robbins: The art of misdirection | TED Talk
    • Introduction | IBM Plex
    • IBM/plex: The package of IBM’s typeface, IBM Plex.
    • GitHub - fabrizioschiavi/pragmatapro: PragmataPro font is designed to help pros to work better
      DownloadingWant to be notified of new releases in fabrizioschiavi/pragmatapro?Sign inSign up
    • PragmataPro coding font designed by Fabrizio Schiavi
    • PragmataPro - Wikipedia
    • Task Management Software Built For Pros - OmniFocus - The Omni Group
    • Dogs' Dazzling Sense of Smell | NOVA | PBS
    • She Transformed A $1,900 Vintage RV Into A Gorgeous Tiny House On Wheels - YouTube
    • Woman Builds £1000 Tiny Earthen Home To Live Close To Nature In Welsh Woods - YouTube
    • This Ultra Modern Tiny House Will Blow Your Mind - YouTube
    • Adam Friedland on Twitter: "Took my dog to the beach to piss https://t.co/jjsrWfc1mb" / Twitter
      "Took my dog to the beach to piss"
    • West Side Story - Tonight Quintet and Chorus (1961) HD - YouTube
    • Great Performances | "Company" Opening Number with Neil Patrick Harris | PBS - YouTube
    • Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: Books

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • MasterClass (Get unlimited access to every MasterClass, and as a Back to Work listener, you get 15% off the Annual All-Access Pass! Go to masterclass.com/backtowork).

    463: Begloved in Otherness Feb 04, 2020

    DISCUSSED: thoughts on hand-washing and habit-building; Dan has a really good scarecrow joke; Merlin still can't figure out how many 12-year-olds Dan owns; Dan has a question about laptops and backpacks; the Tao of Backpacks; how to listen to a podcast; Dan has a question about iPhone cases; what we talk about when we talk about ad blocking; Merlin recommends a TED talk and a podcast about delight; Dan's new Picard podcast is going well; Dan has questions about OmniFocus; finally, Dan has questions about Los Angeles and, then, repeatedly ruins Merlin's very good endings.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ligatures in programming fonts | Butterick’s Practical Typography
    • Tim Harford — Cautionary Tales
    • Cautionary Tales — Overcast
    • A powerful way to unleash your natural creativity | Tim Harford - YouTube
    • The Show of Delights - This American Life
      In these dark, combative times, we attempt the most radical counterprogramming we could imagine: a show made up entirely of stories about delight.
    • Amazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDSS Short Stop Mute Box: Musical Instruments
    • Joe Smith: How to use a paper towel | TED Talk
    • Myriam Sidibe: The simple power of hand-washing | TED Talk
    • DSPTCH Daypack Review - Matterful
    • Daypack - Ballistic Nylon - DSPTCH
    • Synapse 25 - Backpacks - Travel Bags – TOM BIHN
    • Short Stop - Pro Co Sound
    • How To Use Plaque Disclosing Tablets
    • Talking Heads - Live in Rome 1980 [Full Concert] - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • [Health IQ][(http://healthiq.com/backtowork) (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz. Depending upon your score, as well as other related qualifying factors, you can save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers).
    462: A Contract About Your Future Jan 28, 2020

    Merlin is pretty out of it this week, and Dan shares some listener questions.

    Links for this episode:

    • Reilly's a match for show business / Actor-director here in one-man show - SFGate
    • The Complete Adventure Time Timeline | Channel Frederator - YouTube
    • The Picard
    • Amazon.com: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black 4/pk: Office Products
    • The Sopranos - Wikipedia
    • Mad Men - Wikipedia
    • The Duffer Brothers - Wikipedia
    • Dust Brothers - Wikipedia
    • LADDA Rechargeable battery - IKEA
    • Download your data - Google Account Help
    • Charge Apple Watch
    • john on Twitter: "hbd to this man https://t.co/xajeX4NoZD" / Twitter
    • I Remember You | Adventure Time Season 4 DVD | Cartoon Network - YouTube
    • Adventure Time | Simon and Marcy's Origins Story | Cartoon Network - YouTube
    • Adventure Time | Simon & Marcy | Cartoon Network - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
    461: Dead Noon Jan 21, 2020

    DISCUSSED: strongly-held podcast preferences; Skype hates you; praise for Rogue Amoeba and Strong Songs; a small B2W milestone passes; Dan likes 1917; what Jack did; praise for Match Game; a couple app and font reccos; tips for tricking out your Logitech mouse; no, seriously, Skype actively hates you; Merlin nabs an excellent new domain name for the program; Merlin continues his deep dive into LaunchBar; and, finally, some thoughts on burritos and tacos.

    Links for this episode:

    • “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin — Strong Songs — Overcast
    • “Tiny Dancer” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John — Strong Songs — Overcast
    • “Satisfied” from Hamilton — Strong Songs — Overcast
    • The Talk Show: ‘SPORT MODE’, WITH SPECIAL GUEST MERLIN MANN
      Special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include the renewal of U.S. law enforcement officials’ disingenuous campaign against iPhone encryption, the Houston Astros cheating scandal, how that cheating scandal relates to the Trump impeachment saga, and Catalyst and the art of Mac software design. But mostly we talk about finding a good pair of slippers.
    • JetBrains Mono: A free and open source typeface for developers | JetBrains: Developer Tools for Professionals and Teams
    • Introduction | IBM Plex
    • GitHub - insidegui/PodcastMenu: Put Overcast on your Mac's menu bar
      PodcastMenu is a simple app which puts Overcast on your Mac's menu bar so you can listen to your favorite podcasts while you work.
    • Download Logitech Options to Increase Work Productivity
      Logitech Options is a powerful and easy-to-use application that enhances your Logitech mice, keyboards, and touchpads. Customize your device with Options and do more than you thought possible.
    • Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support
      By pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device.
    • LaunchBar Help
    • LaunchBar Help - Instant Send
      Instant Send is an extremely efficient way to send files or text selections to LaunchBar, and optionally send them further to other items such as applications, folders, email contacts or search templates.
    • LaunchBar Help - Instant Open
      Instant Open is a powerful technique to open items via LaunchBar even more quickly. You no longer have to press the Return key - you just hold down the last entered abbreviation character and the selected item opens immediately.
    • LaunchBar Help - Modifier Taps
      As an alternative to LaunchBar’s Command-Space shortcut it’s also possible to activate LaunchBar by tapping a modifier key.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the Bathroom
      In the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction.
    • No man's land - Wikipedia
    • Dan's Mouse: Logitech G305
    • Amazon.com: Kidrobot Adventure Time The Lich 8-Inch Medium Vinyl Figure: Kidrobot: Toys & Games
    • Amazon.com: Zeiss Lens Care Pack - 2 - 8 Ounce Bottles of Lens Cleaner, 2 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: Health & Personal Care
    • Star Wars (radio series) - Wikipedia
      An expanded radio dramatization of the original Star Wars trilogy was produced in 1981, 1983, and 1996. The first two radio series, based on Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, were produced and broadcast by National Public Radio (NPR) as part of NPR Playhouse. A dramatization of Return of the Jedi was produced by most of the same team and it was also broadcast on NPR.
    • Hit Parade with Chris Molanphy.
      What makes a song a smash? Talent? Luck? Timing? All that—and more.
    • Song Exploder
    • Strong Songs
    • The English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom [Official Music Video] - HQ - YouTube
    • English Beat: "Save It For Later" - YouTube
    • Merlin Mann | Patreon
      The excellent projects to which Merlin gives money.
    • Match Game Marathon (Top 25 Best Episodes Of All Time) - YouTube
    • MBMBaM - "PLAY with me in the space!" - YouTube
    • Back to Work dot Limo
      Nailed it.
    • Guardian Firewall - Guardian Firewall

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    460: Listen to the Jar Jan 14, 2020

    DISCUSSED: A fun and creepy new face swap app; Twitter is not creating much new happy; this leads to a discussion of generational perceptions about what's acceptable or even desirable (especially with Apple products); praise for the podcast, The Dream; Merlin gets a new clock; the origin of #MerlinsPoopList; who pays $168 for a bikini?; Merlin has uvula problems; Dan explores P&S Liquid and an upsetting gurgling noise; and, finally, "Back to the Mac 2020™" kicks off with a first dive into the magic of Obdev's LaunchBar.

    Links for this episode:

    • Digital Calendar Alarm Day Clock - with 8" Large Screen Display, am pm, 5 Alarm, for Extra Large Impaired Vision People, The Aged Seniors, The Dementia, for Desk, Wall Mounted, White
    • LaunchBar 6
    • Instant Send
    • Amazon.com: JALL
    • Hypercritical: Front and Center
    • Hypercritical: Front and Center
    • DOUBLICAT | Face swap in GIFs
    • Hour of Code
    • Smartphones: 72% of people will use only mobile for internet by 2025
    • S2 E4: Take With Caution — The Dream — Overcast
    • S1 E1: Wanna Swim in Cash? — The Dream — Overcast
    • Phenol topical Reviews & Ratings at Drugs.com
      swall
    • Action Movie FX
    • Home | Masquerade
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "I legit love you guys, but here’s one thing to think about: The happier I am, the less I look at Twitter. And, the less I look at Twitter, the happier I am." / Twitter
    • Christmas Eve Twitter feels like the raw and ill-advised Twitter of 2007
    • Toolbox Pro
    • Pushcut - Smart notifications that trigger your automation
    • LaunchCuts | LaunchCuts is a powerful, customizable, and elegant launcher for shortcuts on iOS. Organize your shortcuts manually into folders or create smart folders using tags.
    • Quicksilver (software) - Wikipedia
    • Alfred - Productivity App for macOS
    • Butler · Many Tricks
    • Comparison of desktop application launchers - Wikipedia
      These desktop application launchers work with the Apple macOS operating system only.
    • That's a Reference on Twitter: "233-31:40 @Siracusa “That should be the title of my biography…” DONE cc @hotdogsladies https://t.co/s30a7O70Bl" / Twitter
    • Narrow your search results on Mac - Apple Support
    • A Slack comment by Merlin
      "…how many of the folks at Apple right now grew up using iOS way more than a Mac?"
    • Connected #276: Symbiosis, Osmosis, Whatever - Relay FM

    Brought to you by:

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    • HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!

    459: Alley Oop to Yourself in the Future Jan 07, 2020

    Merlin needs help in the NOC; Dan discovers sensitive sauce; there are thresholds; hurting your roller skating muscles; new printer; and, finally, Merlin conducts a long exploration of unnecessary efficiencies, evolved technologies, and the minimum viable productivity system.

    Links for this episode:

    • Sensitive Marinara Sauce | Rao's Homemade
    • Amazon.com : Rao's Sauce Homemade Marinara Sensitive, 24 oz : Tomato And Marinara Sauces
    • Amazon.com: Lenox Gold Titanium Coated Utility Knife Blades - 10 Pack - Last 3X Longer Than Standard Blades: Home Improvement

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    458: 2 Fury 2 Road Dec 31, 2019

    For this very special end of the century, fin de siècle episode, Dan and Merlin make bespoke personal recommendations for music, podcasts, apps, TV shows, YouTube videos, and gadgets.

    Links for this episode:

    • Pen Computing Magazine: VisorPhone
    • Handspring (company) - Wikipedia
    • Setapp | The best apps for Mac in one suite
      The frontier platform that packs 160 Mac apps into just one. A personally curated membership for $9.99/mo.
    • MailMate
    • Fastmail
    • Amazon.com: Tenergy TN438 16 Bay Smart Charger with LCD and Built-in IC Protection, AA/AAA NiMH/NiCd Rechargeable Batteries Charger with AC Wall Adapter and Car Adapter: Home Audio & Theater
    • Text Case
    • Interact Scratchpad for Mac | Agile Tortoise
    • Zotero | Your personal research assistant
    • Jellyfish - Joining a Fan Club - YouTube
    • Dan Reeder - Clean Elvis - YouTube
    • CHARMPIT - Bridges Go Burn (Official Music Video) - YouTube
    • Pete Holmes & Friends: "Ex-Men"
    • Amazon.com: Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu Ray Player with 4K HDR and Dolby Vision + 6FT HDMI Cable - (UBP-X700): Electronics
    • 40. David Letterman — Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend — Overcast
    • 45. Paul Rudd — Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend — Overcast
    • You're Wrong About... — Overcast
    • The O.J. Simpson Trial: Nicole Brown Simpson Part 1 — You're Wrong About... — Overcast
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Dammit, that guy who plays Ethan on Silicon Valley—what the hell do I remember him fr…oooohhh, yeah! Snikt! https://t.co/Q4lP37XRN5" / Twitter
    • Predestination streaming: where to watch online?
    • Halide
    • Filmic Pro Mobile Video
    • Amazon.com: Attmu 50 PCS Reusable Fastening Cable Ties, Microfiber Cloth 6-Inch Hook and Loop Cord Ties, Black: Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Nintendo Switch – Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con - HAC 001 (Discontinued by Manufacturer): Video Games
    • Official site | Minecraft
    • The Top 10 TV Shows of the Decade | The Watch — The Watch — Overcast
    • Amazon.com: Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard – Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV Compatible – with FLOW Cross-Computer Control and Easy-Switch up to 3 Devices – Dark Grey: Computers & Accessories
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #38: Sorry. You Can't Have a Candle.
      Dan and Merlin talk about bombing the deck, advancing the slides, and striving to improve the self-perpetuating bad culture of presentations.Slide?!?
    • Full text of "Harrison Bergeron (& Activity)"
    • Folk devil - Wikipedia
    • ‘Star Trek’ Movie: ‘Fargo’s Noah Hawley In Talks To Write & Direct For Paramount – Deadline

    Brought to you by:

    • [Health IQ][(http://healthiq.com/backtowork) (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz. Depending upon your score, as well as other related qualifying factors, you can save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers).
    457: A Buddhist Gift Dec 24, 2019

    DISCUSSED: holiday lizard talk; some benefits of using "Environment" and "Journal" calendars; nostalgia for the Palm family of products in general and Graffiti in particular; responses to listener letters about: finding a "hook" for a new habit, physical media follow-up, HomeKit dinguses, Markdown editors, the joys of the TaskPaper lifestyle, advice on recovering from a disruption, and, finally, some thoughts on the unexpected benefits of disruption.

    Links for this episode:

    • Brumation Dormant Period in Reptiles
    • Amazon.com : Feeding Tongs 15" 2 Pcs Super Thick Stainless Steel Forceps Curved and Straight Snakes, Reptile, Lizards, Gecko, Spider Long Tweezer : Pet Supplies
    • Amazon.com : Josh's Frogs Hornworms Habitat Cup (25 Count Cup) : Pet Supplies
    • bearded dragon cat friends - Google Search
    • Palm VII - Wikipedia
    • Graffiti (Palm OS) - Wikipedia
    • Doonesbury comic strip on Newton - CHM Revolution
    • Amazon.com : Palm V Hand held PDA : Handhelds And Pda Gps Peripherals : Electronics
    • Revisiting the Palm Pilot's uncanny alphabet: Design Observer
    • The Gadget We Miss: The Palm V - People & Gadgets - Medium
    • Wemo Mini WiFi Smart Plug
    • Wemo Mini Smart Plug, 2-pack
    • The Social Life of Paper | The New Yorker
      The solution to our paper problem, they write, is not to use less paper but to keep less paper.
    • Mark Text
    • Mind Mapping by Tony Buzan, a great effectiveness tool | ToolsHero
    • Tony Buzan – Inventor of Mind Mapping
    • David Allen (author) - Wikipedia
      "Allen was also one of the founders of Actioneer, a company specializing in productivity tools for the PalmPilot."
    • Mitch Kapor Introduces Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet Software - YouTube
    • The Hacker's Diet - Wikipedia
    • Using Drafts 5 Taskpaper with OmniFocus – Rosemary Orchard
    • TaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for Mac
    • Take Control of Shortcuts for iOS with Rosemary Orchard's New Book – The Sweet Setup
    • Take Control of Shortcuts – Take Control Books
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #7: Vocational Wheel
    • Tim Harford — Podcasts
    • Tim Harford — Article — Cautionary Tales Ep 7 – Bowie, jazz, and the unplayable piano
    • Bowie, Jazz and the Unplayable Piano — Cautionary Tales — Overcast
    • Benefits of Forced Experimentation: Striking Evidence from the London Underground Network* | The Quarterly Journal of Economics | Oxford Academic
      We show that a strike on the Underground, which forced many commuters to experiment with new routes, brought lasting changes in behavior. This effect is stronger for commuters who live in areas where the Underground map is more distorted, which points to the importance of informational imperfections.
    • "A mistake is a Buddhist gift."

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
    456: Urinal Cup Dec 18, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan presents a curious new bathroom project; some thoughts on OCD, procrastination, and empathy; praise for Fury Road, Inglourious Basterds, and Dunkirk; Dan has follow-up on his awesome new laptop and the state of Unix shells; Merlin makes the case for occasionally getting unused to things.

    Links for this episode:

    • I’ll Do The Procrastination Episode Tomorrow
    • The MacBook Adorable — Liss is More
    • Moving to zsh – Scripting OS X
    • Apple replaces bash with zsh as the default shell in macOS Catalina - The Verge
    • Amazon.com: Samson Q2U USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone Recording and Podcasting Pack (Includes Mic Clip, Desktop Stand, Windscreen and Cables): Musical Instruments
    • Causality
    • Compartmentalization (psychology) - Wikipedia
      Compartmentalization is a subconscious psychological defense mechanism used to avoid cognitive dissonance, or the mental discomfort and anxiety caused by a person's having conflicting values, cognitions, emotions, beliefs, etc. within themselves.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    455: Talc Mandala Dec 10, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Drafts for Mac is out!; check out Damon Lindelof on The Watch; suggestions for HomeKit power strips; and responses to listener letters on rediscovering the joys of physical media and getting started with addressing chronic pain.

    Links for this episode:

    • Plex launches a free, ad-supported streaming service in over 200 countries | TechCrunch
    • Drafts | Where Text Starts
      “Easily one of the best iOS apps I’ve ever used.” – Merlin Mann
    • Damon Lindelof on the World-building of ‘Watchmen’ | The Watch — The Watch — Overcast
    • Amazon.com: VOCOlinc Smart Power Strip Multi Outlet, Surge Protector, Energy Monitoring, USB Fast Charging (QC3.0), Timers, Works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, No Hub Required, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, PM2: Home Improvement
    • Amazon.com: Smart Power Strip WiFi Power Bar 5ft Extension Cord Compatible with Alexa,Google Home and IFTTT, TECKIN Surge Protector with 4 USB Charging Ports and Smart AC Plugs for Multi Outlets: Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Wemo Bridge - Works with Apple HomeKit
    • CDs and vinyl are more popular than digital downloads once again - The Verge
    • The Official Watchmen Podcast — Overcast
      The official podcast of the HBO series Watchmen. Over three episodes, host Craig Mazin (HBO’s Chernobyl) discusses Watchmen with its Executive Producer and Writer, Damon Lindelof. Join Mazin and Lindelof as they divulge narrative choices, explore the show’s connection with the groundbreaking graphic novel, and how it reflects our modern times. Watchmen airs Sundays on HBO at 9 PM.
    • It's My Plastic Straws | Do By Friday
    • Chris Walker on Twitter: "me to my kid: “if you trip while running that way, you’ll Naruto Knock Your Front Teeth Out.”" / Twitter
    454: Enough Women Nation Dec 03, 2019

    Discussed:

    • the commercials you get in your head
    • listener feedback on music management
    • first results of Merlin's own deep dive on music management alternatives
    • thoughts on the "safety" that ends up making us less safe
    • the perverse magic of "ghoti"
    • thoughts on Dan's cool new laptop
    • getting the shell you want
    • sometimes Daddy needs to go in the closet

    Links for this episode:

    • The Plain Text Project
    • MusicBrainz Picard
    • JRiver Media Center software
    • Volumio - The Audiophile Music Player
    • foobar2000
    • MinimServer
    • DLNA
    • What is the difference between DLNA and UPNP? - Super User
    • Audio Station | Synology Inc.
    • La La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — Overcast
    • Tim Harford — Podcasts
    • The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety: Alan W. Watts: 8601300190136: Amazon.com: Books
    • Ghoti - Wikipedia
    • “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead — Strong Songs — Overcast
    • Turbo Boost Switcher for OS X – rugarciap.com

    Brought to you by:

    • Bombas (Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/backtowork).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!

    453: Shoulder the Brunt Nov 27, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has an email confession; Dan steps up with a shoulder; listeners have given your hosts a season of the show; praise for HBO's Watchmen; a discussion of curating media for kids; Merlin exercises Personal Privilege; everybody is different!; praise for the new MacBook Pro (and who it may or may not be good for); the beginnings of what could be an extensive series on reclaiming control of your own media; some Plex homework for both listeners and your hosts; a brief rant on the downsides and limitations of renting other people's music; Merlin is birthday-gifted with Planty II plus some awesome @pants materials.

    Links for this episode:

    • Amazon.com: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, most Streamers and other A/V Devices: Electronics
    • google sheets - how do I find the values that are in one column but not in the other - Stack Overflow
      ISNA
    • Amazon.com: Seagate Expansion Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC Laptop (STEB8000100): Computers & Accessories
    • Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families
    • Over the Garden Wall (TV Mini-Series 2014) - Reference View - IMDb
    • Nathan Hale
    • Over the Garden Wall - Wikipedia
    • Nathan Hale
    • List of expressions related to death - Wikipedia
    • 28 Profoundly Beautiful Quotes About Life And Death
    • 360 Death Quotes That Will Bring You Instant Calm
    • SoundJam MP - Wikipedia
    • Over The Garden Wall | Potatoes and Molasses | Cartoon Network - YouTube
    • MusicBrainz - The Open Music Encyclopedia
    • MusicBrainz Picard
    • mr. joshua (@pants) / Twitter
    • LUMBERJANES

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Kensington (Test drive a docking solution today with the Kensington Pro C program by visiting Kensington.com/backtowork).

    452: Wine is My Travel Drink Nov 19, 2019
    • updates on travel and packing
    • a new notebook Merlin likes
    • finding a notebook that accommodates both your brain and the shape of your day
    • Merlin's bespoke six-block notebook method
    • Dan struggles mightily with his hotel room
    • a notional badge for gauging lifetime exposure to a ubiquitous TV celebrity
    • some more travel talk, including the promise for a future dedicated episode on travel updates
    • a suggestion for trying iOS Voice Control
    • finally, in some detail, we return to Synology Corner

    Links for this episode:

    • STANDARD ISSUE NOTEBOOK No.12 | GREEN – DesignWorks Ink
    • STANDARD ISSUE NOTEBOOK NO.3 | GREEN – DesignWorks Ink
    • Having a bad day? Dave Eggers can help. — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcast
    • Tweet on iOS Voice Control
    • Use Voice Control on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
    • How to use Voice Controls on iPhone and iPad | iMore
    • The Trick That Lets You Set Your Hotel Thermostat to Any Temp You Want
    • Amazon.com: WD 8TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive - USB 3.0 - WDBWLG0080HBK-NESN: Computers & Accessories
    • Seagate Expansion Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC Laptop (STEB8000100)
    • WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN
    • Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 5900 RPM 64MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage – Frustration Free Packaging (ST4000VN008)
    • “The Theme System Journal” graphic notebook by Cortex Podcast. | Cotton Bureau
    • Panobook – Studio Neat
    • Mead Data Center - YouTube
    • Mead Data Center & The Organizer (1986) Trapper Keeper - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, most Streamers and other A/V Devices: Electronics

    Brought to you by:

    • RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork).

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    451: I Am Not a Herpetologist Nov 14, 2019

    Our worst episode ever. Enjoy!

    Links for this episode:

    • Mark Text
    • CommonMark Spec
    • Venice ‘on its knees’ after second-worst flood ever recorded
    • Sweeping Study Points To Devastating Impact Of Climate Change On Global Health : Goats and Soda : NPR
    • Notational Velocity - Wikipedia
    • Bunch - BrettTerpstra.com
    • nvUltra - Searchable, portable, MultiMarkdown notes
    • Accidental Tech Podcast: 352: No One Else Had Calipers
    • Pi-hole®: A black hole for Internet advertisements – A black hole for Internet advertisements
    • TitleCase - Text Conversion Solutions
    • Drafts | Where Text Starts
    • TableFlip - Simple Table Editor for Mac

    Brought to you by:

    • RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!

    450: Slow-Motion Hypocrisy Nov 05, 2019

    Dan is getting a Synology, Merlin has been making stuff, plus the return of "Cool Things I Learned This Week."

    Links for this episode:

    • Keyboards, Computer Keyboards, Wireless Keyboards | Logitech
    • Shortcuts - Drafts User Guide
    • Draft It
    • Merlin's Bluetooth Keyboards - Google Sheets
    • Keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets - Computer - Docs Editors Help
    • Amazon.com: Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 5900 RPM 64MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage – Frustration Free Packaging (ST4000VN008): Computers & Accessories
    • TaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for Mac
    • Shortcuts Archive - MacStories
    • iOS and iPadOS 13: The MacStories Review - MacStories - Part 17
    • Rana Foroohar joins Slate Money to discuss political ads on social media, the NCAA, and the California wildfires.
    • Matthew Cassinelli (@mattcassinelli) / Twitter

    Brought to you by:

    • RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Bombas (Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/backtowork).

    449: Tom Hardy Blindness Oct 29, 2019

    DISCUSSED: coincident birthdays; mathowie's gigantism and very online Ex Machina house; extensive actor and media talk; you probably hadn't heard, but, The Revenant was very difficult to make; Apple TV+ is getting…not great notices; success is a great deodorant, but could iPhone : 2010s Apple :: Windows : 1990s Microsoft?; hardware follow-up on Merlin's new modem and UPS setup; the value of always showing hustle, and why you should always run out first base; Dan's in a jam-up with his internet provider over a seemingly unnecessary piece of harware; further hardware follow-up from Merlin on spreading his wings with his Synology; Dan has a new keyboard he loves; praise for several Logitech products; and, finally, why Merlin just can't quit his MX Master Mouse.

    Links for this episode:

    • Locke (film) - Wikipedia
    • The Drop (film) - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard – Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV Compatible – with FLOW Cross-Computer Control and Easy-Switch up to 3 Devices – Dark Grey: Computers & Accessories
    • See on Apple TV+: Less Game of Thrones, more unintentionally funny SyFy | Ars Technica
    • Amazon.com: APC Sine Wave UPS, 1500VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector, Back-UPS Pro Uninterruptible Power Supply (BR1500MS): Electronics
    • Amazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard Docsis 3.1 Gigabit Speed Cable Modem, Approved for Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity, (SB8200 Frustration Free): Computers & Accessories
    • NAS Selector | Synology Inc.
    • Amazon Prime Now: Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Touch TV Keyboard with Easy Media Control and Built-In Touchpad: Computers & Accessories
    • 5by5 | Hypercritical #44: A Little Bit More Sad

    Brought to you by:

    • RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork).

    • Kensington (Test drive a docking solution today with the Kensington Pro C program by visiting Kensington.com/backtowork).

    • Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).

    448: Spaghetti on Spaghetti Oct 22, 2019

    This week, Dan and Merlin dive into the benefits (and fun) of a NAS project. Also, Merlin goes off about the horror show of letting old people determine the future. Also, also, hey, kung fu movies!

    Links for this episode:

    • Kids these days: Why the youth of today seem lacking | Science Advances
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: ""I don't need my Dad to understand why I think 'Future is Good.'" —Andy Greenwald https://t.co/WatUkVcQCl" / Twitter
      "I don't need my Dad to understand why I think 'Future is Good.'" —Andy Greenwald
    • Amazon.com: Synology 6 Bay NAS DiskStation - DS1618+ (Diskless): Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard (16x4) DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem, approved for Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity & more (SB6183 Black): Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard Docsis 3.1 Gigabit Speed Cable Modem, Approved for Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity, (SB8200 Frustration Free): Computers & Accessories
    • Breaking Down the Season Premiere of ‘Watchmen’ | The Watch — The Watch — Overcast
    • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - Reference View - IMDb
    • Ip Man (2008) - Reference View - IMDb
    • Hero (2002) - Reference View - IMDb
    • Adam Ruins Everything - truTV - Official Site
    • Adam Ruins Himself | Adam Ruins Everything Full Episodes | truTV
    • A Former TV Critic Puts Himself Under the Microscope - The New York Times
    • Regina King on Twitter: "Part 1 of a note to all who are already devoted fans of Watchmen and to those who will hopefully soon become fans. #WatchmenHBO tonight 9pm.. https://t.co/1H9578Dtmx" / Twitter
    • Hiija EZ RJ45 Crimp Tool Pass Through Cat5 Cat5e Cat6 Crimping Tool for RJ45/RJ12 Regular and End-Pass-Through connectors with 50PCS Connectors, 50PCS Covers and Network Wire Stripper - - Amazon.com
    • Amazon.com: Monoprice Cat6 Ethernet Bulk Cable - Network Internet Cord - Solid, 500Mhz, UTP, CMR, Riser Rated, Pure Bare Copper Wire, 23AWG, 250ft, Blue: Computers & Accessories
    • How to Make a Category 6 Patch Cable

    Brought to you by:

    • RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork).

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    447: Mating for Life Oct 17, 2019

    It's Infrastructure Week! Dan and Merlin start with California's power crisis and end up pivoting to phones, cable TV, and, of course, Apple.

    What happens when a resource we think of as a solved part of our infrastructure suddenly isn't so solved?

    And, what would Apple look like if it treated all of its services as seriously as it once treated the Mac?

    Also: lizard updates, but please don't Google "hornworms."

    Links for this episode:

    • Episode 925: A Mob Boss, A Garbage Boat and Why We Recycle : Planet Money : NPR
    • Episode 926: So, Should We Recycle? : Planet Money : NPR
    • Episode 926: So, Should We Recycle? : Transcript
      "China was not very careful about what got into their ocean for a long period of time. And if some of the plastic piles were just too corrupted, they could do whatever they wanted with it."
    • Brian EdwardsTiekert on Twitter: "Hello everyone who's mystified by all the blackout posts coming from California's #Powerpocalypse , here's an explainer thread:" / Twitter
    • Twitter - Bando - @BandoManndo
      "Chill West Coast Lizard."
    • #925: A Mob Boss, A Garbage Boat and Why We Recycle — Planet Money — Overcast
    • #926: So, Should We Recycle? — Planet Money — Overcast
    • Compost, Recycle, & Landfill | Recology San Francisco
    • How to Recycle and Compost in San Francisco | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our Planet
    • S.F. Reacts to the Bin-sanity of the New Recycling Landscape - May 22, 2019 - SF Weekly
    • Dr. Drang on Twitter: "Given the past few weeks of software releases from Cupertino, I didn’t think this needed explaining, but I guess it does. I’m not complaining about the quality or style of the presentations." / Twitter
    • Hetch Hetchy System
      The cities, water districts and private utilities represented by the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) rely upon the Hetch Hetchy system for water to protect the health, safety and economic well being of 1.8 million citizens, businesses and community organizations.
    • National Sword - 99% Invisible

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork).

    • Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).

    446: Charm Offensive Oct 08, 2019

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about living in a world of hardware choices.

    How do you decide which device is best suited to a given task? Which ones do you find yourself preferring to use because they're friction-free—or just fun?

    And, in what ways do our previous behaviors, habits, and expectations end up unconsciously coloring our future decisions?

    Links for this episode:

    • Spotify rolls out Siri support and new Apple TV app - The Verge
    • SmartSockets® Table Top Surge Protector with USB | Surge Protector & Power Strips | Smartsockets® - Kensington | Kensington
    • THE CHURCH | The Blurred Crusade | Live Concert 1982 - YouTube
    • The Church - Almost With You (Video) - YouTube
    • KLOE4 Outlet eu - Koogeek.com
    • Amazon.com: VOCOlinc Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip Multi Outlet, Surge Protector, USB Charging, Timers, Works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, No Hub Required, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, PM2E: Electronics
    • Amazon.com : Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant : Electronics
    • Amazon.com : Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant : Electronics

    Brought to you by:

    • Kensington (Test drive a docking solution today with the Kensington Pro C program by visiting Kensington.com/backtowork).

    • Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).

    445: Hipster DMV Oct 01, 2019

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's OS rollouts, changes in Apple retail, and week two with the new Apple Watch.

    Links for this episode:

    • Release dates for iOS 13, iPadOS 13, macOS Catalina, watchOS 6, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, and more | Macworld
    • Broken iCloud reminders are the latest reason to delay your iOS 13 upgrade - The Verge
    • This App May Be the Culprit Causing Your Apple Watch's Battery to Drain
    • Bunch - BrettTerpstra.com
    • Apple confirms iOS 13 Reminders will be fixed with macOS Catalina rollout

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Bombas (Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/backtowork).

    444: Seasoned Horologist Sep 24, 2019

    This week, Dan and Merlin focus on the new Apple Watch.

    Links for this episode:

    • New iPhone set up: Transfer data directly to a new iPhone wirelessly, or using a cable
    • Siri on Apple Watch: The ultimate guide | iMore
    • What is a Moonphase? | Complete Guide to Moon Phases on Watches
    • Missing Meridian watch face - Apple Community

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    443: Immediate Electric Smugness Sep 19, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has a cool new voice from talking to friends late last night; Dan has an automotive collision anecdote, while Merlin has thoughts on how preparation fails us in extreme moments; in follow-up, Listener Steve has terrific advice on dealing with bad hotel room technology; your hosts love insider information from pilots and other category pros; Dan ordered a watch, and Merlin is apparently not actually wrecking a plane; the guys respond to listener letters about ages of people in movies, Dan's world-destroying Disney fact (that he can't remember), plus a listener's concern about company password hygiene; and finally, Dan has great news about refreshing an iMac, but less great news about household password hygiene.

    Links for this episode:

    • Lizzo: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, most Streamers and other A/V Devices: Electronics
    • Override Your Hotel Room Thermostat and Set It As Hot or Cold You Like
    • Rivals of Waterdeep - YouTube
    • Scooters (and Roller Skates) — Pessimists Archive Podcast — Overcast
      As cities freak out over e-scooters today, it’s worth looking back at when these devices were actually new. Why did people love motorized scooters in 1915, what’s different a century later, and what does all of this have to do with roller skates? They’re big questions. And the answers just might lead us to rethink how our cities are designed.
    • Inteset Universal Remote Control Device Code Lookup
    • Steve Whittaker (@swhitt) / Twitter
    • Steve Whittaker on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Also I always enable VIP mode on my hotel thermostat if it matches this guy: https://t.co/19pNzwgRCx" / Twitter
    • Hotel remote trick
    • Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections, Patrick Smith, eBook - Amazon.com
    • AskThePilot.com » THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE SITE FOR EVERYONE WHO FLIES
    • Toward better Master Passwords | 1Password
      The strength of a password creation system is not how many letters, digits, and symbols you end up with, but how many ways you could get a different result using the same system.
    • xkcd: Password Strength
    • 129 Cars - This American Life
      We spend a month at a Jeep dealership on Long Island as they try to make their monthly sales goal: 129 cars. If they make it, they'll get a huge bonus from the manufacturer, possibly as high as $85,000 — enough to put them in the black for the month. If they don't make it, it'll be the second month in a row. So they pull out all the stops.
    • Amazon.com: Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 1TB - USB 3.1 External SSD (MU-PA1T0B/AM), Black: Computers & Accessories
      (Merlin's hotel room SSD drive. Load it up!)
    • DIY Bundle 1.0TB OWC 6G SSD and HDD Kit for 21.5" iMac (2012 and later)

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).

    442: Dog Eating Chair Digestion Sep 10, 2019

    Dan and Merlin discuss the upcoming big Apple event and why this one's potentially interesting. Also, dog anecdotes.

    Links for this episode:

    • AVIATOR VISUAL EFFECTS - BEHIND THE SCENES
    • The Dark Crystal - Wikipedia
    • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance - Wikipedia
    • Upgrade #261: The 2019 iPhone Event Draft - Relay FM
    • Supported devices - Computer - YouTube TV Help
    • Watch YouTube TV on your TV - YouTube TV Help
    • Samoyed Dog Breed Information

    Brought to you by:

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    441: Boggle, Boggle! Sep 03, 2019
    • hurricanes!
    • hyperactivity
    • exposing kids to the canonical films
    • that weird, affected Hollywood accent
    • a name for that time comparison phenomenon
    • making your voice interactions more fun
    • catching up on the Platinum Age of TV
    • dealing with device charging at scale

    Links for this episode:

    • Saffir–Simpson scale - Wikipedia
    • HURRICANE DORIAN
    • Mike's Weather Page... powered by Sparks Energy!
    • Hurricane Neddy - Wikipedia
    • Hurricane Neddy | Simpsons Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
    • The Aviator (2004 film) - Wikipedia
    • Technique Critique - YouTube
    • Ben Affleck’s Armageddon commentary resurfaces, along with a few other confessionals - Polygon
    • Can you bike to the top of GTA 5, with ONLY your voice? - YouTube
    • Pop overachievers Genesis—including Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel—competed head to head on the charts.
      Meet chart overachievers Genesis: ’70s prog rockers turned ’80s pop juggernaut, spinning off multiple careers, countless hits, and thundering drums.
    • The Invisible Miracle Sledgehammer Edition — Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia — Overcast
    • Ultimate Sticker Collection: Marvel Studios: With more than 1000 stickers: DK: 9781465478863: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: CKCOCO Multi Charger Cable 2Pack 5FT Nylon Braided Universal 4 in 1 Multiple USB Charging Cord Adapter with 8Pin x2/Type-C/Micro USB Port Connectors for Cell Phones Tablets and More (Charging Only): Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: USB C Charger, Anker 60W PIQ 3.0 & GaN Tech Dual Port Charger, PowerPort Atom III (2 Ports) Travel Charger with a 45W USB C Port, for USB-C Laptops, MacBook, iPad Pro, iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel and More: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Portable Charger Anker PowerCore 20100mAh - Ultra High Capacity Power Bank with 4.8A Output and PowerIQ Technology, External Battery Pack for iPhone, iPad & Samsung Galaxy & More (Black): Gateway

    Brought to you by:

    • Monday.com (Start your 14-day free trial by going to monday.com/backtowork).

    • Cirkul (Get your own Cirkul bottle plus two flavor cartridges for just $5 by going to DrinkCirkul.com/backtowork and using code BACKTOWORK).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    440: It's Never Been About the Suit Aug 27, 2019

    Lots of talk about the changing media landscape, plus some odds and sods.

    Links for this episode:

    • Jia Tolentino on what happens when life is an endless performance — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcast
    • Disney World: Celebrating Utopia — Nice Try! — Overcast
    • Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando: Richard E. Foglesong: 9780300098280: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion (9780525510543): Jia Tolentino: Books
    • Amazon.com: Logitech Rugged Protection Combo Keyboard and Folio Case for iPad 9.7 (5th Gen) / (6th Gen) - Bulk Packaging - Navy Blue: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: CKCOCO Multi Charger Cable 2Pack 5FT Nylon Braided Universal 4 in 1 Multiple USB Charging Cord Adapter with 8Pin x2/Type-C/Micro USB Port Connectors for Cell Phones Tablets and More (Charging Only): Cell Phones & Accessories
    • TechPilot Labs - TechPilot Labs
    • SchoolMDM Mobile Device Management for Schools - TechPilot Labs
      The intuitive, cloud-based MDM designed specifically for schools. We bring simplified mobile device management to Apple deployments.
    • Monster Factory: Fallout 4 — Episode 1 - YouTube
    • Hyperice | Hypervolt featuring Quiet Glide™ technology
    • i-Puffy Massage Cushion - Relax The Back
    • [593] Gallium vs. Titalium - Abus Padlock Meets a Gruesome End - YouTube
    • Joe Rosensteel on Twitter
      Follow Joe!

    Brought to you by:

    • Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).

    • Monday.com (Start your 14-day free trial by going to monday.com/backtowork).

    • Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).

    • Casper (Get $100 toward select mattresses by visiting Casper.com/backtowork and using BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    439: Servant of the Red Badge Aug 20, 2019

    DISCUSSED: finding an actor's age and height; time analogies; Merlin needs help naming two critical phenomena; Dan is dissatisfied with how cars look; could Wolverine get a Caillou tattoo, and would it grow back, hmmmm?; Merlin is getting into plants (no, not sexually); the return of that time when Danny held the license plate; and finally, Merlin has a long stemwinder on an admittedly amorphous topic: the unimpeachable benefits of undoing most of the buttons we've clicked.

    Links for this episode:

    • How Old Were the Actors
    • Tropic Thunder (2008) - IMDb
    • List of cognitive biases - Wikipedia
    • Making the Clackity Noise | kung fu grippe
    • star wars release date to today - Wolfram|Alpha
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #27: Danny, Hold the License Plate
    • Ep. 348: "The Other Oregon" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: It was mostly pranks.
    • iOS 12 on iPhone: How Many Daily Notifications? - Ask Dave Taylor

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Monday.com (Start your 14-day free trial by going to monday.com/backtowork).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    438: The Mashed Potatoes Need You Aug 13, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has a little visitor today. Dan has some thoughts on conference scheduling. This leads to a broader discussion of the sensitivities we may or may not have to other peoples' limitations and constraints. It's nice to meet people.

    For some reason, religion, churches, and clergy are discussed. "This is what Peter did say!"

    Finally, the guys answer a listener question about working from home. Merlin poses a challenge.

    Links for this episode:

    • Disney’s Surprise Star Wars Stumble Hammers Quarterly Results
    • Ramadan - Wikipedia
    • Jon Stewart On Religion - YouTube
    • John Siracusa on Twitter: "@atpreferences Why does everyone forget the comma?" / Twitter

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Away (Visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get $20 off a suitcase).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    437: The Credit Section Aug 06, 2019

    Dan and Merlin explore the complexities of personal style. Not personal style as in fashion, but as in preferences, identity, and modes of interaction. How do we let others know how we are?

    How do we derive a sense of what works best for us, and why is it such a shameful struggle to effectively communicate that to others? What do AirPods, Snapchat, and Bloomberg Terminals potentially have in common?

    And, would it be cool if I just listen to this podcast instead of talking about my blouse and the weather?

    Links for this episode:

    • "Nathan for You" Private Investigator/Taxi Company (TV Episode 2013) - IMDb
    • The Bloomberg terminal: clunky, costly, addictive, ubiquitous | Financial Times
    • The Egg Is Bigger Than Before: What Is 5-Minute Crafts?
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #435: Scanner of Horizons

    Brought to you by:

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Warby Parker (Head to warbyparker.com/backtowork to order your free Home Try-On’s today).

    436: Better Than a Lipstick Jul 30, 2019

    DISCUSSED: the admirable candor of B.B. King; the simple joys of the Ordinary Night; movies that are or are not dated and how that affects your enjoyment; how sci-fi seemed to mostly miss the internet; our embarrassment of media options; tech in media and what it means for plot stuff; technology adoption curves are definitely speeding up; doing everything you can not to use your phone as a phone; more generational stuff; how time and context changes our perception; should they take all the smoking out of movies and tv?; remember: you're not making errors—you're adding information; and, finally, Dan has an exciting announcement and a wet notebook.

    Links for this episode:

    • 5by5 | Back to Work #434: Grist for an Unnecessary Mill
    • H. P. Lovecraft - Wikipedia
    • H. G. Wells - Wikipedia
    • "The Office" Chair Model (TV Episode 2008) - IMDb
    • Chart: The Rising Speed of Technological Adoption
    • Seeing What’s Next | Asymco
    • 5by5 | Amplified #157: A Three Year Cold
    • Who Are Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z?
    • Starman (film) - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Starman: Karen Allen, Jeff Bridges, Charles Martin Smith, Ted White, Richard Jaeckel, John Carpenter, Larry J. Franco, Columbia Pictures Corporation: Movies & TV
    • 5by5 | Amplified
    • Amazon.com : Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Top-Spiral Notebook, 3" x 5", Black Cover, Universal Pattern, 3 Pack (No. 735-3) : Gateway
    • "Detective Jigsaw" -MBMBAM Animatic - YouTube
    • TOSLINK: That one consumer fiber optic standard - YouTube
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: ""Remember, you're not making errors; you're adding information." —Isaac the Gamescape Guy (on figure painting)" / Twitter
    • The Boys in the Band (1970) - IMDb

    Brought to you by:

    • Rhone (Get 20% off your first purchase by going to Rhone.com/backtowork).
    435: Scanner of Horizons Jul 23, 2019

    DISCUSSED: kindness; eyeglasses, at length—including eyeglasses indignities, discounts, and injuries; a renewed surfeit of dingalings, fake friends, and a dumb podcast hit piece; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener question on getting stressed about personal quantization.

    Links for this episode:

    • How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail - Scientific American
    • Amazon.com: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm Closed Dynamic Headphones Bundle with Blucoil 6-FT Headphone Extension Cable (3.5mm) and Headphone Hook: Home Audio & Theater
    • Amazon.com: AS2M (1053121), Long Point Sharpener, sharpens in 2 steps; 2 spare blades includes. With lead pointers for 2 mm and 3.2 mm. BLUE only: Gateway
    • Portlandia - The Knot Store - HD - YouTube
      "I think we've arrived."
    • His Dark Materials: Season 1 | San Diego Comic-Con Trailer | HBO - YouTube
    • Dorkus Malorkus - YouTube
    • XY problem - Wikipedia
      The XY problem is a communication problem encountered in help desk and similar situations in which the real issue, X, of the person asking for help is obscured, because instead of asking directly about issue X, they ask how to solve a secondary issue, Y, which they believe will allow them to resolve issue X.
    • MBMBaM 188: Holler Smarts — My Brother, My Brother And Me — Overcast
      "Have you considered LegalZoom?"
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #433: The Muscle of Worry
    • Thinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia
      The central thesis is a dichotomy between two modes of thought: "System 1" is fast, instinctive and emotional

    Brought to you by:

    • Manscaped (Get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code BACKTOWORK at Manscaped.com).
    434: Grist for an Unnecessary Mill Jul 16, 2019

    Show notes are short this week because Merlin had to go buy contrast paints for his figs.

    Main topic is speculating about speculation.

    Links for this episode:

    • Steve Troughton-Smith on Twitter: "Wow. For a single coat, Contrast looks amazing. Maybe the hype is real? Of course, I understand it’s a very situational paint, but for organics and cloth this could be perfect… https://t.co/10RBmU49mC"
    • The TRUTH behind GW Contrast Paints - YouTube
    • Citadel Contrast Paints: Resisting the Hype? - YouTube
    • Warhammer (game) - Wikipedia
    • Squeezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 1988
    • The Perils and Rewards of Travel | The Hilarious World of Depression
    • Macular degeneration - Wikipedia
    • Yngwie Malmsteen-Arpeggios From Hell - YouTube
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Weird how the most competent and well-run aspect of United is their website for tracking your lost luggage."
      Weird how the most competent and well-run aspect of United is their website for tracking your lost luggage.
    • Angie Tribeca | TBS.com
    • MBMBaM: Candlenights 2017 | Maximum Fun

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
    433: The Muscle of Worry Jul 02, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan has found a terrific solution for his son's iPad case; on the benefits (and challenges) of getting away from our devices for a while; listener recommendations for YouTube keyboard commands, a book about cities, and some Disney scholarship; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener's question about "circular thoughts."

    Links for this episode:

    • Keyboard shortcuts for YouTube - YouTube Help
    • Len Testa and TouringPlans.com - Part One: The Origins - Coaster101
      Last month, we were able to connect with Len Testa, President of TouringPlans.com, and co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, and The Unofficial Guide to British Theme Parks, to learn more about how TouringPlans got its start, how a Touring Plan “works,” and to learn more about this vital Disney vacation planning guide.
    • The Works: Anatomy of a City: Kate Ascher: 8601400935996: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Logitech Rugged Protection Combo Keyboard Case for iPad 9.7 (5th and 6th Generation) - Bulk Packaging - Navy Blue: Computers & Accessories
    • Penny Arcade - News - Dear Diary
      The best way I can describe it is "Chain worrying."
    • Meet the designer cats with wild blood - YouTube
    • yak shaving - Wiktionary
    • Stack (abstract data type) - Wikipedia
    • Smart Playlist Creation Help - General / General Discussions - Plex Forum
    • Quote by Pema Chödrön: “You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just th...”
      “You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Linode (Visit linode.com/backtowork to learn more)

    432: Fingerspace Pollution Jun 25, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is a little hoarse; but what's an actual pony versus an actual little horse?; there's a lot of sadness and housing problems in the Hundred Acre Wood; the challenges of recommending starter media; the further challenges of being a media super-fan; (and how this relates to not seeing The Flintstones and stealing a copy of Fight Club from Blockbuster Video); Florida is hot; may everyone live long enough to feel bad for saying something really stupid on a podcast; is Piglet a small pig or just a pig baby?; Dan needs your help to find Cash a durable iPad case and keyboard solution; Merlin needs your help understanding the logic of keyboard media keys; to Dan, Piglet was always a baby pig; then, there's some follow-up on Disney parks; Dan again threatens to permanently ruin Disney for you, but he promises to clearly bracket it; and, finally, Dan has had it with people stealing flu valor. Just stop it, people.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Chernobyl Podcast — Overcast
    • 20+ Mac Productivity Hacks from CEOs, Artists, Developers, Youtubers and More | Boxy Suite
    • Netflix - "Dark"
    • Piglet (Winnie-the-Pooh) - Wikipedia
    • iPad 9.7-inch - Apple
    • Amazon.com: ZAGG – Rugged Messenger – Backlit Case and Bluetooth Keyboard – Compatible with 2018 (G6) and 2017 (G5) Apple iPad 9.7” – Durable Case with Built-In Stand – Multiple-Device Pairing – Black: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: OtterBox DEFENDER SERIES Case for iPad Pro9.7" VERSION - Retail Packaging - BLACK: Computers & Accessories
    • Roller Coaster Safety: How to Manage Too Many Trains at Once - YouTube
    • ‘Deadwood: The Movie’ and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge | The Watch — The Watch — Overcast
    • Our Vlog About Opening Day at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge - YouTube
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – Medium
    • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine In 82.5 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – Medium
    • The Replacements - Unsatisfied (REMASTERED) - YouTube
    • Satisfied - Hamilton Musical - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Rhone (Get 20% off your first purchase by going to Rhone.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    431: Costly Branded Waiting Jun 20, 2019

    First and most importantly, Dan is back! Woo!

    Second, now, listen: please bear with me, and do not leave. Because, when I say we talked mostly about Disney—and especially Disney properties—it's way more interesting than you'd think. Or, so we hope.

    Essentially, Walt Disney World in particular has the control, data, and means to be extremely good at resource management, and that's just fascinating to think about.

    There's also some thank-you's, as well as some podcast recommendations, plus a response to a listener's question about choosing to use Apple's native apps.

    Links for this episode:

    • 5by5 | Back to Work #430: Shiny Red Cleric
      Dan's away this week, so Merlin tries going it alone.
    • Episode 348: David Epstein — Longform — Overcast
    • Layers — Overcast
      A Miniature Painting Podcast
    • Food Safety Talk 185: Hot Diapers — Food Safety Talk — Overcast
    • Remain Seated Please - The Hoot and Chief Story (Epcot Horizons) - YouTube
    • Disney's $1 Billion Bet on a Magical Wristband | WIRED
    • What is a MagicBand? | Walt Disney World Resort
    • Managing Multiple MagicBands | Walt Disney World Resort
    • Annual Disney Park Attendance Statistics and Charts | Disney Resources
    • Everything We Know About Disney's Star Wars Hotel
    • Backup Software for Mac and Windows
    • Merlin on the complexity of SF transit options
      "Trying to explain anything about transit is insane…"
    • Stock keeping unit - Wikipedia
    • Just-in-time manufacturing - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout. Mack Weldon, it's better than whatever you're wearing right now).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    430: Shiny Red Cleric Jun 14, 2019

    Dan's away this week, so Merlin tries going it alone.

    Topics include lessons from painting D&D minifigs, listener letters, and some recommendations.

    Feel better soon Dan; we need you!

    Links for this episode:

    • Dan Benjamin (@danbenjamin) | Twitter
    • National Park Typeface
      A TYPEFACE DESIGNED TO MIMIC THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SIGNS THAT ARE CARVED USING A ROUTER BIT.
    • Band of Brothers (miniseries) - Wikipedia
    • Gamescape
      Excellent games and nerd store on Divisadero here in San Francisco.
    • Amazon.com: Miniatures Paint Set, 10 Model Paints with FREE Highlighting Brush, 18ml/Bottle, Miniature Painting Kit, Non Toxic Acrylic Paint Set, Wargames Hobby Starter Paint Set by The Army Painter (New Version): Gateway
    • Amazon.com: D&D NMU: Human Male Paladin W3: Gateway
    • Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe
    • CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Tile Pro with Replaceable Battery - 2 pack: Gateway
    • MINIATURE BASICS - HOW TO PAINT MINIATURES THE EASY WAY! FOR BEGINNERS! - YouTube
    • How to Paint Miniatures - The Basics - NPC Chris Vlog 004 - YouTube
    • Miniature Painting -Beginner Tutorial ( 1 mini in under 1 hour) - YouTube
    • Tony Buzan – Inventor of Mind Mapping
    • The COMPLETE Game of Thrones Recap | CRAM IT - YouTube
    • Wings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5 (Wings of Fire): Tui T. Sutherland: 9780545855723: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Funko 5 Star: Game of Thrones - Jon Snow: Toys & Games
    • Testors Paints
    • Ep. 10. Murder on the Rockport Limited - Episode One | Maximum Fun
    • Tile Pro and Tile Mate Review: The Best Key Finders Just Got Better

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    429: A Seer of Trees Jun 04, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin has a catastrophic off-by-one-week error; Roderick's June is very triggering to your hosts; sometimes, it's nice to be exposed to stuff you didn't expect, but…; at a certain point in life, you mostly just see trees of inconvenience and risk; this leads to a long (and surprisingly pretty good) meditation on FOMO, acceptance, and not pretending to be a person you never actually were; Dan helps Merlin unpack a scene near his workplace; Merlin gets in the weeds about Roger Deakins, Torquay, and two different Richards Burton; then, there's a brief side trip into the reboot of Nick Fury; and, finally the boys answer listener questions about taking notes in college and feeling resistance to completing tasks.

    Links for this episode:

    • Alexa Privacy Settings @ Amazon.com
    • The Wild Way Samuel L. Jackson Got The Role Of Marvel’s Nick Fury
      The original Nick Fury, i.e. the one from the main Marvel Comics universe, Earth 616, is a white man, but in the Ultimate universe continuity, which launched in 2000, he's a black man who looks just like Samuel L. Jackson. That wasn't initially the case, but when writer Mark Millar began penning The Ultimates limited series in 2002, he decided to model Fury after Jackson, who was his favorite actor. As Millar told THR, he had no idea that Jackson was a comic book fan, and after seeing his likeness alongside these Marvel heroes, the actor called up his agents, who got in touch with Marvel. The company apologized and promised to include Jackson in future movie adaptations, should they even be made.
    • The Cornell Note-taking System – Learning Strategies Center
    • Rule of three (writing) - Wikipedia
    • Bottom Of The Hill > Calendar & Tickets
    • 1299a.jpg 1,637×1,265 pixels
    • The Waves on the Curvy Wife Guy, the incels seeking out plastic surgery, and Fleabag.

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    • Backblaze (Visit Backblaze.com/backtowork to receive a fully featured 15-day no-risk free trial).

    428: Prepare for Draculas May 28, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Nobody got enough sleep last night, but they're gonna power through anyhow; your hosts fawn over the amazing Chernobyl miniseries; various hardware mute button options are discussed; Merlin can't draw but is very excited about making pictures on an iPad; Dan is looking forward to seeing more Olyphant; your hosts address a listener's question about their "everyday carry," but honestly mostly end up talking about bags; also, you really need a bag in a bag in a bag; and, finally Merlin has an admittedly privileged aspiration involving keys.

    Links for this episode:

    • Discover Procreate
    • Brain Bag - Backpacks - Laptop Bags – TOM BIHN
    • BASE CAMP TRAVEL CANISTER | United States
    • Fenix LD12 320 Lumen LED Tactical Flashlight USB rechargeable kit with EdisonBright AA battery - - Amazon.com
    • Pro Co Short Stop | Sweetwater
    • Pro Co Power Mute | Sweetwater
    • Linea – Drawing tools for your iPad and iPhone
    • Timothy Olyphant, episode #14 of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend on Earwolf
    • Danny Cordray | Dunderpedia: The Office Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
    • LEATHERMAN - FREE P4 Multitool with Magnetic Locking, One Hand Accessible Tools and Premium Nylon Sheath and Pocket Clip - - Amazon.com
    • Amazon.com: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black 4/pk: Office Products
    • Freudian Slip - Travel Accessories – TOM BIHN
    • RBMK - Wikipedia
    • Synapse 25 - Backpacks - Travel Bags – TOM BIHN
    • Patagonia Atom Backpack 18L
    • Amazon.com: tomtoc Laptop Accessories Pouch Bag Sleeve fit for Laptop Tablet Power Adapter, Charger, Mouse, Cable, Hard Drives, Pen Case Pencil Pouch, Travel Toiletry Organizer Shaving Dopp Kit Cosmetic Bag: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: tomtoc Portable Canvas Storage Pouch Bag Case Accessories Organizer compatible with Laptop Mouse, Power Adapter, Cables, Cellphone, SSD, HDD Enclosure, Power Bank: Computers & Accessories
    • Chernobyl. Cleaning the roofs. Soldiers (reservists). 1986. - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Twist (Visit twist.com/5by5 to get $100 in Twist Unlimited credits when you sign up for a new account).

    • Chartable (Sign up for Chartable podcast analytics for FREE right now by visiting Chartable.com).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    427: C. Thomas Hobbled May 21, 2019

    DISCUSSED: nasty, brutish, and short sleep; watching TV with a game controller; Dan has to deal with suite concatenation; your hosts crave the expertise of a craftsman; Merlin realizes he and his lady friend see very different forests (spoiler: hers is way better); popcorn ceiling comes in cans; your hosts contrast their views on kipple, sentimentality, and need; Dan struggles to turn off his buttons, and Merlin loves his iPad's Paste button; provisional, anecdotal praise for AT&T's Call Protect service; there's a distinction between long sleep and good sleep; Dan has to stab a prestige TV doppelgänger, and Merlin learns about Night Company; Merlin has recommendations for a Mac automation app, a new David Sparks Field Guide, and a handy new IoT dingus; speculation that smart home adoption truly won't tip until the interactions get less dorky; mobile charging options for travel are debated; everybody needs a Dad Hat; and, finally, with only three days of school left, Dan receives a very concerning email.

    Links for this episode:

    • Bunch - BrettTerpstra.com
      Bunch is a little macOS app that sits in your Dock. It doesn’t have any windows. When you right/ctrl-click it, it gives you a list of “Bunches” you can select from, each one launching a group of applications that you configure. Bunches can be configured to open apps, specific files in an app, and even web pages in your default browser.
    • Announcing Release of the Keyboard Maestro Field Guide — MacSparky
    • Lutron Aurora Always Ready smart bulb dimmer
    • Popcorn ceiling - Wikipedia
    • Rogue Amoeba | Audio Hijack: Record Any Audio on MacOS
      Record any application's audio, including VoIP calls from Skype, web streams from Safari, and much more. Save audio from hardware devices like microphones and mixers as well. You can even record all the audio heard on your Mac at once! If you can hear it, Audio Hijack can record it.
    • Startly - QuicKeys 4 for Mac OS X
    • Pinworm Infection
    • Bronn | Game of Thrones Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
      Lord Bronn is the Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Reach, Master of Coin, and the founder of his house. Bronn is a skilled and dangerous sellsword who comes to prominence when he champions for Tyrion Lannister in his trial by combat at the Eyrie. Bronn subsequently enters Tyrion's service as his personal bodyguard, assassin, and enforcer and in return was given knighthood, power, and wealth.
    • Amazon.com: Game of Thrones: The Complete Seasons 1-7 (BD + Digital): Various: Movies & TV
    • Security Apps to Protect You & Your Phone - AT&T
    • Hue Tap switch 046677473365 | PHILIPS
    • The Talk Show: Ep. 251, With Special Guest Merlin Mann
      Very special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include sleep and sleep-tracking (with Apple Watch), regional fast-casual dining, the nature of podcasting, and, of course, more.

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Twist (Visit twist.com/5by5 to get $100 in Twist Unlimited credits when you sign up for a new account).

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Rhone (Get 20% off your first purchase by going to Rhone.com/backtowork).

    426: New Wave Night May 14, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan has a new setup, and Merlin randomly recommends a kids' book; your hosts remember too much; Dan realizes he took the wrong shop class, and Merlin realizes why Generation X was (and remains) mostly useless; Dan walks us through his new setup, and the boys talk about the joys of VNC; Merlin is excited about the new "Guard" functionality of the Amazon voice dingus; Ferris Bueller's Day Off is still very good; what is the sound of one Koan falling?; your hosts discuss an article proposing why everything should take 20 minutes; Merlin dives deep on his own longstanding use of this heuristic; this leads to some classic #productivity talk; there's some instamatic camera nostalgia; Dan has a new project, and you should maybe contact him; Once AGAIN!; the glory of Spirited Away is discussed; Dan recommends a good TV show for date night; and, finally, Dan and Merlin admit they'd probably watch basically anything about Watchmen.

    Links for this episode:

    • Everything should take 20 minutes | The Outline
    • Cornell Notes - Wikipedia
      The Cornell Notes system (also Cornell note-taking system, Cornell method, or Cornell way) is a note-taking system devised in the 1940s by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University. Pauk advocated its use in his best-selling book How to Study in College
    • Everyday Carry - What are your EDC essentials?
    • Alexa Guard
    • Screens for macOS - Control Any Computer Remotely from your Mac
    • Amazon.com: GUND Spirited Away Ootori-Sama Fluffy Chicken Stuffed Animal Plush, 6": Gund: Toys & Games
    • Amazon.com: Kimkoala Spirited Away No Face Man Figure Figurines Anime Toy Home Gardening Decor Micro Landscape Decoration Ornaments Resin Crafts Doll: Toys & Games
    • Cooter (30 Rock) - Wikipedia
    • CiboSausalito
    • Mount Tamalpais State Park
    • The Incomparable | A Real Imaginary Friend (Episode 194)
      Grab your black cat and portable radio, climb on your mom’s broomstick, and join us for a king-sized discussion of Hayao Miyazaki’s classic animated film “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” This film features a climactic scene featuring an out-of-control dirigible, so you know we love it.
    • Put It On the List: Kristen Darbyshire: 9780525479062: Amazon.com: Gateway

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    425: Off the Cushion May 07, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan explains what the photos he sends mean; Merlin encourages Dan to air a beef, and Dan kindly assents; Oh, boy, Windows! My old nemesis…Windows!; the Mac's interoperability glory days were amazing; it really sucks to watch a computer start up and start up and start up; ports confuse Merlin, who is now officially an old; Dan and Merlin talk about a few things they enjoyed watching on YouTube; Merlin has a recommendation for downloading internet videos (purely for educational reasons); Merlin also recommends a really good podcast episode about "data-driven parenting"; then, Merlin kinda pops off a little; hey, listen: you can rarely have benefits without risks (and kinda vice-versa); Dan's watching Deadwood again, and Merlin gets kinda excitable again and does lots of quotes for some reason; and, finally, Merlin has a super-tip about improving your results in Apple Health.

    Links for this episode:

    • Manage Health data on your iPhone, iPod touch, or Apple Watch - Apple Support
    • 376. The Data-Driven Guide to Sane Parenting — Freakonomics Radio — Overcast
    • The Data-Driven Guide to Sane Parenting (Ep. 376) - Freakonomics Freakonomics
      Humans have been having kids forever, so why are modern parents so bewildered? The economist Emily Oster marshals the evidence on the most contentious topics — breastfeeding and sleep training, vaccines and screen time — and tells her fellow parents to calm the heck down.
    • Universal Audio | Audio Interfaces | UAD Plug-Ins
    • Downie - YouTube Video Downloader for macOS - Charlie Monroe Software
    • youtube-dl
    • Target Disk Mode - Wikipedia
    • 19 useful Mac startup key combinations you should familiarize yourself with
    • How to use disk mode on your iPod - Apple Support
    • WWF - Mankind vs The Undertaker (Hell in a Cell) - video dailymotion
    • 5by5 | After Dark #530: After Back to Work 424
    • Dr. John Ioannidis Exposes the Bad Science of Colleagues - The Atlantic

    Brought to you by:

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Twist (Visit twist.com/5by5 to get $100 in Twist Unlimited credits when you sign up for a new account).

    424: A Roach Riding a Rat Apr 30, 2019

    DISCUSSED: the restorative tonic of a good night's sleep; a return to sleep as video game; it's okay to tweet your hosts about hoagies and Publix; concerns about butt cancer; Dan recommends a Netflix series; Merlin endorses Overcast clips; the difficulty of balancing user requests with reality; Merlin commends the deliberate simplicity of his daughter's spork; Merlin recommends a podcast; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener's email about the therapeutic benefits of "controlling a small area."

    Links for this episode:

    • Clip sharing with Overcast – Marco.org
      With today’s 2019.4 update, you can now share audio or video clips, up to a minute each, from any public podcast. Simply tap the share button in the upper-right corner.
    • Against the Rules with Michael Lewis — Overcast
    • Breaking Government with Michael Lewis — Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes — Overcast
    • Mise en place - Wikipedia
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #385: A Picture of a Clown
      Dan and Merlin also answer listener questions about mise en place and doubting one's future after college.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #222: Full-Stack Obsessive
      Merlin and Dan use The Aviator as a jumping-off point to talk about OCD as it relates to perfectionism, creativity, and drive in the workplace. They discuss rituals and their consequences, the importance of mise en place, and eliminating disruptive processes.
    • Why Cleaning Makes Some People Feel Less Anxious - Tonic
      If you're one of those people, there could be a few explanations for why cleanliness translates to lower levels of stress and anxiety for you, says Darby Saxbe, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Southern California. “[Cleaning] gives people a sense of mastery and control over their environment,” she says. “Life is full of uncertainty and many situations are out of our hands, but at least we can assert our will on our living space. Clutter can be visually distracting, too, and serve as a nagging reminder of tasks and chores undone.”
    • AutoSleep
    • Sleep Watch App — Apple Watch Sleep Tracker App
    • Yass Cat (Original Vine) - YouTube
    • Netflix
    • Netflix Commercial - SNL - YouTube
    • List: E-mail Addresses It Would Be Really Annoying to Give Out Over the Phone - McSweeney’s Internet Tendency
    • Fireside Podcast Hosting
      Use promo code DRAGONGLASS for 20% off for three months.
    • "Mr. Show with Bob and David" Life Is Precious and God and the Bible (TV Episode 1998) - IMDb
    • Structured Procrastination

    Brought to you by:

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Away (Visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get $20 off a suitcase).

    423: It Only Hurts for a Minute Apr 23, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin get hungry, but they've had it with all the bread; the trough food is so costly; no one is sweating Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Marvel-ish movies are discussed, including the new one with Lady Sansa; Merlin is very concerned about aphasias; Dan introduces us to Forbidden Snacks and endorses his new shoe appliance; shoe appliances are then discussed; Dan hasn't had to use his sword…yet; people sure love them some pencils; there was some weather, so the seder got all fakakte; the finer points of Judaism and sundry Hebraica are clarified; Dan got scrolls-on-tape from a sympathetic cantor; Buster Scruggs is recommended; the boys receive a quick surprise visit from the great Tom Waits; and, finally, your hosts talk about a terrific YouTube video about what we can all learn from our worst trainwrecks.

    Links for this episode:

    • Adam Neely - "My Worst Trainwreck" - YouTube
      "Train wrecks happen on the bandstand. This is the story of a particularly nasty one at a wedding where we totally butcher a perfectly decent Elton John ballad."
    • Adam Neely - YouTube
    • Forbidden Snacks
    • Amazon.com: Set of 2 Metal Shoe Horns, 7.5" Long - Top Quality: Shoes
    • Against the Rules with Michael Lewis — Overcast
    • Aphasia - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk (9780785120124): Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan, Aaron Lopresti, Juan Santacruz, Gary Frank, Takeshi Miyazawa: Books
    • The 12 Marvel movies you need to see to make the most of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ next week – BGR
    • Home | Peanut Chews | Celebrating 100 Years | Join the Party
    • Destroying angel (Bible) - Wikipedia
    • "Planet Hulk" - Netflix
    • Shabbat elevator - Wikipedia
    • Activities prohibited on Shabbat - Wikipedia
    • Tango till they're sore -- Tom Waits - YouTube
    • Fiasco! - This American Life
      Stories of when things go wrong. Really wrong. When you leave the normal realm of human error, fumble, mishap, and mistake and enter the territory of really huge breakdowns. Fiascos. Things go so awry that normal social order collapses. This week's show is a philosophical inquiry in the nature of fiascos — perhaps the first ever.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second Arrow

    Brought to you by:

    • Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    422: Magic Rub Apr 16, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan has just started a new pen; there's some pen, pencil, and eraser talk; Dan has an important anecdote about utilizing eraser-based people skills; Dan's iMac is working fine, but he's concerned about the poofs coming out of the balloon blower; Dan saw Venom and has some thoughts; Merlin commends a comic and a podcast and an app launcher; the evolution of computer interaction has rewired our brains; why do they have to make the print so small?; Merlin has songs in his head; and, finally, Merlin apologizes to Nick Fury.

    Links for this episode:

    • My Worst Trainwreck - YouTube
    • Adam Neely - YouTube
    • Fun Fact, a podcast by Arik Devens and Allen Pike
      Arik Devens and Allen Pike serve up fun facts, including the practical, historical, technical, and trivial. New episode every other Friday.
    • Fun Fact — Overcast
      Two people talk about topics they find interesting.
    • LaunchBar 6
      Start with a single keyboard shortcut to access and control every aspect of your digital life.
    • Kneaded eraser - Wikipedia
    • Prismacolor MAGIC RUB Art Eraser, Vinyl, Dozen | OfficeSupply.com
    • Pentel Clic Eraser Pencil-Style Grip Eraser, Black | OfficeSupply.com
    • Medium Kneaded Rubber | Winsor & Newton
      A medium size ‘plastic’ or ‘putty’ rubber which may be moulded to a fine point for minute erasures. Useful for picking out highlights and erasing pencil, chalk or charcoal without smearing.
    • Amazon.com : Pilot Precise V7 RT Retractable Rolling Ball Pens, Fine Point, Black Ink, 6 Pack : Gateway
    • Amazon.com: Sakura 44162 8-Piece Identi-Pen Permanent Marker Set, Assorted Colors: Gateway
    • Amazon.com : Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil, 2mm. 780BK : Steatdler Mechanical Pencil : Gateway
    • Apple Mac Upgrades - RAM, SSD Flash, External Drives and More
    • Amazon.com: Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender: The Complete Collection Volume 1 (8601418338321): Rick Remender, Leonardo Manco, Jerome Opena, Rafael Albuquerque, Esad Ribic, Billy Tan, Mark Brooks, Robbi Rodriguez: Gateway
    • Amazon.com: Uncanny X-Force, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Solution (9780785148555): Rick Remender, Jerome Opena, Leonardo Manco: Books
    • Brian Regan-You Too and Stuff - YouTube
    • CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share - YouTube
    • Nick Fury: Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.
      "Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on." —Nick Fury (2012)
    • WTOG 44 Tampa - Commercials from 1986 - YouTube
    • Maido — Kinokuniya USA

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout. Mack Weldon, it's better than whatever you're wearing right now).

    421: Black Dress Cowboy Boots Apr 09, 2019

    DISCUSSED: What we talk about when we talk about optimism; the power of "Act as Though"; on edibles; a YouTube recommendation, then more YouTube recommendations; how even do we tell YouTube what we never want to see again? HOW?!; the difficulty of sensible algorithms; the fascinating concept of "pareidolia"; Professor Shoelaces's extensive metatags; your hosts answer a listener's question about when to go physical versus when to go digital.

    Links for this episode:

    • Chris Nagele on Twitter: "In other words, I'm trying to treat my computer more like a sewing machine or table saw. Something to do a job when I need it, and to walk away from it when I don't."
      In other words, I'm trying to treat my computer more like a sewing machine or table saw. Something to do a job when I need it, and to walk away from it when I don't.
    • Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Dr. Reid Wilson PhD: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: Books
    • Forgery Experts Explain 5 Ways To Spot A Fake | WIRED - YouTube
    • Movie Accent Expert Breaks Down 31 Actors Playing Real People | WIRED - YouTube
    • Exploring the World of E-Ink - YouTube
    • Ripple Training - YouTube
    • Larry Jordan - YouTube
    • Remain Seated Please - The Hoot and Chief Story (Epcot Horizons) - YouTube
    • Exploring the World of E-Ink - YouTube
    • Movie Accent Expert Breaks Down 31 Actors Playing Real People | WIRED - YouTube
    • Aglet - Wikipedia
    • Ian's Shoelace Site – Introduction
    • ProfessorShoelace - YouTube
    • Back to Work Listener Survey 2019
    • Pacific Rim (2013) - Quotes - IMDb
      Today, we are *canceling* the apocalypse!
    • Nick Fury: Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.
      Nick Fury: "Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on."

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout. Mack Weldon, it's better than whatever you're wearing right now).

    420: Baby Thorin Apr 03, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is back on his old cans; Dan is pivoting to video; Cash stepped in paint, and kids are terrible storytellers; a book recommendation; a case for the Oxford comma, please and thank you; Dan starts asking for help with his new iMac; gross nickel–and-diming by Apple; praise for Southwest Airlines; Dan (finally) gets to finish asking for help with his new iMac; a cool new open source Mac video app; the Mac laptop keyboard problems ain't going away; Dan really likes Final Cut; Merlin fights with UPS, both on principle and as a game; Merlin thinks Dan's egg cooker rules.

    Links for this episode:

    • Rogue Amoeba | Get Audio Hijack 3
    • Brian Regan- You Too! - YouTube
    • "Best Buy Rewards Card"- Pacific Rim Animatic - YouTube
    • Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style: Benjamin Dreyer: 9780812995701: Amazon.com: Gateway
    • Fresh Air for Feb. 5, 2019: Random House Copy Chief Benjamin Dreyer : NPR
    • Menu for Ted's Farm Barbecue & Coffee Austn, TX Menu
    • Oxford commas, Nelson Mandela, and Stephen King | Sentence first
    • IINA - The modern media player for macOS
    • Amazon.com: Dash Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity Electric Egg Cooker for Hard Boiled Eggs, Poached Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, or Omelets with Auto Shut Off Feature - Black: Electric Egg Cookers: Gateway
    • Dave Itzkoff on Twitter: "“Walter, I’m sure there’s a reason you brought your dirty undies.” “That’s right, Dude. The weight. The ringer can’t look empty.”… https://t.co/edrOW3ELK5"

    Brought to you by:

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    • Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)

    • Digital Ocean (Discover why developers love DigitalOcean and get started with a free $100 credit at do.co/backtowork).

    419: The Elephant in the Sword Mar 26, 2019

    DISCUSSED: allergy attack!; big anniversary today; elegy for Two Cats Comics; some D&D talk; Dan got a sword!; yet more D&D talk; key commands for line-moving; Dan got his YouTube URL back; a Theranos book recommendation; Dan almost got cast in a TV show; some observations and reckons about Apple's big Services event.

    Links for this episode:

    • Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup: John Carreyrou: 9781524731656: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm Closed Dynamic Headphones Bundle with Blucoil Audio 6-Ft Extension Cable and Stick-On Under Desk Dual Headphone Stand Mount: Home Audio & Theater
    • Texas Renaissance Festival – Tickets and Information
    • Player's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons): Wizards RPG Team: 8601421717694: Amazon.com: Gateway
    • Amazon.com: Frienda Zinc Alloy Metal Polyhedral 7-Die Dice Set for Dungeons and Dragons RPG Dice Gaming D&D Math Teaching, d20, d12, 2 Pieces d10 (00-90 and 0-9), d8, d6 and d4 (Black and Red): Toys & Games
    • The Satanic Panic — You're Wrong About... — Overcast
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "“I would marry my firstborn daughter to a juggalo before I let her date a juggler.” —Justin McElroy"
    • Lawrence M. Schoen - Wikipedia
      "Schoen founded the Klingon Language Institute…"
    • KeyBindings - BrettTerpstra.com
    • Dan Benjamin - YouTube
    • Apple Arcade - Apple
    • Apple Card - Apple

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    • Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).

    418: This Man…This Monster! Mar 19, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Top o' the Morling!; praise for the home release of Spider-Verse; Dan and Merlin offer some more TV recommendations; Merlin endorses an excellent "turns out" podcast; a deep dive on slow-rise squishes and related stress toys; Merlin wears his childhood privilege on his sleeve.

    Finally, the guys answer an excellent listener question about the complex work of maintaining a household with someone you love.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, March 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • You're Wrong About... — Overcast
      Returning to misremembered history
    • PEN15 - Wikipedia
    • Love Death + Robots Trailer: David Fincher Presents Animated Anthology | IndieWire
    • Stranger Danger — You're Wrong About... — Overcast
    • Amazon.com: TrimakeShop Jumbo Cute Cartoon Dinosaur T-Rex Kawaii Cream Scented Squishies Very Slow Rising Kids Toys Doll Gift Fun Collection Stress Relief Toy Hop Props, Decorative Props Large: Gateway
    • Amazon.com: AIKEMI Easter 6.5'' Slow Rising Squishies Slice Jumbo Soft Rainbow Sheep Cream Scented Squeeze Hand Wrist Gifts (Sheep): Toys & Games
    • Pomodoro Technique - Wikipedia
    • Reconcilable Differences #98: You’re Killing Your Father - Relay FM
      John has a mental model about how the TV remotes flow, but no one seems very interested. Unsurprisingly, this leads to the airing of household grievances.Can't we just always have the flaps face the same way? Shouldn't we just stack the forks here in the forks area? Why is Daisy leaving caltrops in the hallway? Does a child's backpack really need to extend seventeen feet? Can we please just leave some space that accommodates the snack bags? Do we really need all this toothpaste?
    • Question from Listener Sophie

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    417: Fish Bishop Mar 12, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is trying some new things and probably needs to adjust his DIP switches; audio equipment is discussed; remembering Hal Blaine; German words; fish dropsy; dining at Alamo Draft House; kids and crafts; follow-up on Power Puttering; recommending a Siracusa anecdote; recommending a philosophy podcast; recommending several cool products; some strong (if muddled) thoughts on the Michael Jackson documentary.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, March 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Hal Blaine - Wikipedia
      Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky
    • Philosophize This! – A free podcast dedicated to sharing the ideas that shaped our world!
    • Philosophize This! — Overcast
    • Episode #121 … Michel Foucault pt. 1 — Philosophize This! — Overcast
    • Reconcilable Differences #99: Coconut Scenario - Relay FM
      Merlin needs to be rebooted, and John shares a harrowing ordeal involving Apple IDs.
    • Reconcilable Differences 99: Coconut Scenario — Reconcilable Differences — Overcast
      Siracusa's Apple ID ordeal begins after `1:14:09`
    • Arrow | Desktop Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface | Universal Audio
    • Amazon.com: Universal Audio Arrow Portable Studio Recorder, Gray: Musical Instruments
    • Amazon.com: WHOOSH! Award-Winning Screen Cleaner – Safe for All Screens – Smartphones, iPads, Eyeglasses, Kindle, LED, LCD & TVs – Includes 3.4 Oz Bottle + 1 Premium Antimicrobial Microfiber Cloth: Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Zeiss Lens Care Pack - 2 - 8 Ounce Bottles of Lens Cleaner, 2 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: Health & Personal Care
    • Amazon.com: TechMatte MagGrip Universal Air Vent Magnetic Mount Car Phone Holder with Powerful Magnetic Grip Technology (1 Pack) - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Addalock - (1 Piece ) Portable Door Lock, Travel Lock, AirBNB Lock, School Lockdown Lock - Door Levers - Amazon.com
    • Slate’s Culture Gabfest on Michael Jackson abuse documentary Leaving Neverland.
      This week, Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss Leaving Neverland, a new documentary from HBO that centers on Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege that they were sexually abused by Michael Jackson beginning when they were 7 and 10 years old, respectively.
    • Michael Jackson, the Leaving Neverland documentary, and the limits of cancel culture.
      Nor would that be going far enough.
    • Merlin Mann - "Go Through Hell"
      Merlin's pop song based on The Waste Land and Dan.
    • The Ronettes - Be My Baby (Audio) - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get fifty dollars off your first job post).

    416: A Squishy for the Ages Mar 05, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Merlin is living the Domino lifestyle; R.I.P. Two Cats Comics; praise for iA Writer; Merlin needs help with his sudden Gmail spam; a meditation on comics as some awesome fun and an ugly damned business; nostalgia for hobby shops and Expedition to the Barrier Peaks; and finally Merlin reintroduces the concept of "Power Puttering."

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin Mann
      Friend, it’s time for this epic arc to come to its conclusion. After five years, twenty-five meet-ups, and countless new friends made and awesome comics recommended, this will be our last Ungainly X-Mann Meetup with our dear friends at Two Cats Comics Three-Twenty West Portal Avenue. My all-time favorite comic shop will be closing for good on March 26th.
    • Amazon.com: AIKEMI Easter Cute Pig Squishy Slow Rising Soft Scented Animal Long Eyelashes Stress Relief Baby Toys Gifts: Toys & Games
    • iA Writer: The Focused Writing App for Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone and iPad
    • Ep. 326: "The Cat and the Kettle" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John could funny crash.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #344: The Microwave Moment
    • Dude smokes the world's hottest pepper(Carolina Reaper) : HadToHurt
    • Brave man vapes a Carolina Reaper, the world's hottest pepper - YouTube
    • Domino (comics) - Wikipedia
      In addition to her exceptional marksmanship and hand-to-hand skills, Domino possesses mutant probability-altering powers, similar to those of the mutant Longshot.
    • Domino (Neena Thurman) | Characters | Marvel
      Given good luck thanks to her powers, Neena Thurman has served as both a dangerous mercenary and a tough and resilient hero.
    • Domino | Comics | Marvel.com
      Domino’s “good luck” powers activate, she escapes and takes up the life of a mercenary and eventually becomes a super hero as a mainstay member of X-Force.
    • "One Last Time" - Hamilton At The White House #ObamaLegacy - YouTube
    • Expedition to the Barrier Peaks - Wikipedia
      Expedition to the Barrier Peaks is a 1980 adventure module for the Dungeons
    • Reconcilable Differences #97: Invisible Work - Relay FM
      This week's sprawling main topic is "Emotional Labor." Why is it that women usually get saddled with being the Office Mom (as well as the "House Mom"), and why the heck doesn't Ralphie's dad help Randy put on his snowsuit? Who ends up ordering the birthday cake as well as justifying the ways of boss to employee? Further, how do we account for the tonnage of invisible work that, by custom more than policy, some people end up having to both identify and do?
    • Amazon.com : Kershaw Clash Black Serrated Pocket Knife (1605CKTST) 3.1" Stainless Steel Blade with Black-Oxide Coating; Glass-Filled Nylon Handle with SpeedSafe Open, Locking Liner and Reversible Pocketclip; 4.3oz : Hunting Knives : Sports & Outdoors

    Brought to you by:

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Care/of (For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50).

    415: Fifty and Monogamous Feb 26, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan has an awesome new video; Spider-Verse is out!; Merlin's dorky Segway is discussed; app recommendations for a clean new Gmail and an even-smarter Dark Sky; Dan spills the beans on his new sound bar setup; TV selection and purchase is a known thistle; idiot trolls hassle poor Carol Danvers; Dan has an important new egg technology; and, finally, the boys fret about Apple's new 2FA requirements a little.

    Links for this episode:

    • This Is Fireside - YouTube
    • Dark Sky
      Hyperlocal weather forecasting.
    • What Is HDMI ARC?
    • HDMI :: Manufacturer :: HDMI 1.4 :: Audio Return Channel
    • Amazon.com: All-new Sonos Beam – Compact Smart TV Soundbar with Amazon Alexa voice control built-in. Wireless home theater and streaming music in any room. (Black): Gateway
    • Reviews and Ratings - RTINGS.com
    • LG E7 OLED Review (OLED55E7P, OLED65E7P) - RTINGS.com
    • Sorry, trolls: Rotten Tomatoes will no longer let users review a movie before its release
    • Yubico | YubiKey Strong Two Factor Authentication for Business and Individual Use.
    • Apple being sued because two-factor authentication on an iPhone or Mac takes too much time
    • The curse of the Twitter reply guy
      On Twitter, a place where a lot of bad things happen, there's a mostly harmless but decidedly annoying phenomenon. A lot of people, mostly women, have noticed that one or two men always, no matter what, reply to their tweets.
    • Dash Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity Electric Egg Cooker for Hard Boiled Eggs, Poached Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, or Omelets with Auto Shut Off Feature - Black

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Keeps (Stop worrying about hair loss for good! To receive your first month of treatment for free, go to keeps.com/backtowork).

    414: Inheritance of Pain Feb 19, 2019

    Mostly one big topic: screen time.

    Links for this episode:

    • How to Fix “Cellular Update Failed” on iPhone with iOS 12.1.2 SMS, LTE, Cellular Data Issues
    • 16 Surprisingly Funny Palindromes | Grammarly Blog
    • Pessimists Archive Podcast
    • Moral panic - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Super Stretchy Banana Assorted and Bouncy Ball Bundle by JA-RU | Stretches Long & Shrink Slow. Smells Good 3340 (Banana): Gateway
    • Leviton 67W82 20 Amp, 277/480 Volt- 3PY, Flush Mounting Locking Receptacle, Industrial Grade, Grounding, Wetguard with Cover, Yellow - Electrical Outlet Covers - Amazon.com
    • Frinkiac - S09E18 - WHAT IS YOUR FASCINATION WITH MY FORBIDDEN CLOSET OF MYSTERY?

    Brought to you by:

    • Grammarly (For 20% off a Grammarly premium account, go to Grammarly.com/backtowork).

    • eero (Get $100 off the ‘eero base unit and 2 beacons package,’ and 1 year of eero Plus, visit eero.com/backtowork and at checkout enter the code BACKTOWORK).

    413: Bumbleditch Cumperdam Feb 12, 2019

    DISCUSSED: It's the optimistic day, but Merlin really screwed up an edit; there's some Inside Baseball about how podcasts get made; it's nice to have someone notice the shaving cream on your jowl; movie ratings are explored; why all the bosoms in 80s movies?; Dan wonders if he should have approached a celebrity; Merlin introduces further thought technologies for not being a creep with a famous person; the paucity of public experiences; Dan talks about Austin's mussel water; we learn about the prevalence of weevils; meth sourcing; a nice note from a listener about when podcasts are absolutely not evil; and, finally, a desperate plea for podcast platforms to stay independent and open please please pretty please.

    Links for this episode:

    • macOS Keychain Security Flaw Discovered by Researcher, but Details Not Shared With Apple Over Bug Bounty Protest - MacRumors
    • Austin Water Responds to Unusual Odor in Water - Water is Safe to Drink | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin
      AUSTIN - Some customers are experiencing an unusual odor in their water. Water provided by Austin Water continues to meet all regulatory standards and is safe to drink.
    • Austin Water director apologizes, says zebra mussels a known risk
    • Exponent 162 — Why Exponent Isn’t on Spotify — Exponent — Overcast
    • Netflix
    • Do By Friday
    • Reconcilable Differences - Relay FM

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get fifty dollars off your first job post).

    412: A Hobo in a Cartoon Feb 05, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Gong Hei Fat Choy!; follow-up on the FaceTime bug and the complexity of getting bug and security reports from normals; the weirdness of bug-finders demanding a bounty; Merlin is fascinated to learn about "combinatorial explosion" and how it helps to explain why power-cycling fixes stuff; why you should always blow the dust out of the plug; recent examples of how restarting just fixes stuff; Merlin logs out of email apps and recommends an iOS calendar app; a case for killing OAuth where you don't need it; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener question about whether podcasts can be "evil."

    Links for this episode:

    • How to say Happy New Year in Chinese, just in time for Chinese New Year | Metro News
    • How a teenage 'Fortnite' player found Apple's FaceTime bug — and why it was so hard to report it
    • [53:35] Apple goes to war with Facebook and Google — The Vergecast — Overcast
    • Combinatorial explosion - Wikipedia
      In mathematics, a combinatorial explosion is the rapid growth of the complexity of a problem due to how the combinatorics of the problem is affected by the input, constraints, and bounds of the problem. Combinatorial explosion is sometimes used to justify the intractability of certain problems.
    • 2019 Super Bowl was the least-watched in a decade - MarketWatch
    • Super Bowl Ratings Hit 10-Year Low In Patriots’ Win | Deadline
    • Boring Game Plus New Orleans Rebellion Leads to Ratings Drop - The New York Times
    • Diagnosis and Management of Supernumerary (Mesiodens): A Review of the Literature
    • Bug Reporting - Apple Developer
    • Blow the dust out of the connector – The Old New Thing
      Here's the trick: Don't ask "Are you sure it's plugged in correctly?"If you do this, they will get all insulted and say indignantly, "Of course it is! Do I look like an idiot?" without actually checking.Instead, say "Okay, sometimes the connection gets a little dusty and the connection gets weak. Could you unplug the connector, blow into it to get the dust out, then plug it back in?"
    • Calendar 366 by n.spektor - For Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch & iPad
    • The Dropout Podcast - ABC Radio
    • Good QA Joke
    • Olivia Colman — David Tennant Does a Podcast With… — Overcast
      David Tennant talks with Olivia Colman. Stories about The Crown, The Favourite, Broadchurch and more. If you’re easily offended, there are some swears.
    • Merlin Mann's subscriptions
      Merlin Mann's podcast subscriptions
    • Big Star - "September Gurls" (1974) - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Honeybook (So get started at HoneyBook.com today, and use promo code BACKTOWORK for 50% off your first year).

    • Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).

    411: It's Not Butt Jan 29, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Dan's fighting his computer and explores font corruption; Merlin hates pebbles in his shoe; Dan has an anecdote about massages; Merlin has an anecdote about the FaceTime exploit; this leads to discussion about how big companies deal with huge-scale, unexpected problems; some thoughts on The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect; the problem with journalism about stuff we actually know about; remembering Michael Crichton; Heartbeeps!; a clever way to reduce damage from careless delivery; is there a new Browser War underway?; and answering a question from Listener Stephen about life after Editorial.

    Links for this episode:

    • Gell-Mann amnesia effect - Wikipedia
    • Why This Bike Company Put a TV on Its Box
    • Microsoft exec riles Firefox faithful by telling Mozilla to embrace Chrome - CNET
    • Runaway (1984 American film) - Wikipedia
    • Duracel Plastic Family & Creepy Parrot - YouTube
    • The Hudsucker Proxy - Wikipedia
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #372: Hole That Rabbit
    • Drafts: How Merlin uses it and what Greg's doing next | iMore
      Drafts is developed by Greg Pierce and used the hell out of by Merlin Mann. They sit down together to talk direction, workflows, and what's coming next.
    • 1Writer - A beautiful and rich-featured Markdown editor for iPhone and iPad
    • Bear - Notes for iPhone, iPad and Mac
      Bear is a beautiful, flexible writing app for crafting notes and prose.
    • How a teenage 'Fortnite' player found Apple's FaceTime bug — and why it was so hard to report it
    • Amazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle Devices - The New York Times
      In a move that angered customers and generated waves of online pique, Amazon remotely deleted some digital editions of the books from the Kindle devices of readers who had bought them.

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Hopsy (Go to tryhopsy.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK to get the SUB home draft machine, 2 mini-kegs of beer (equivalent to 2 six packs), 2 Hopsy glasses and free membership in the monthly beer Club for $99).

    410: The Childhood Cocktail Jan 22, 2019

    DISCUSSED: dreams and whether people like hearing them; turns out: Merlin recommends a podcast episode about mental stuff; practice vs. rehearsal; visualization as a rehearsal thing; follow-up on science fair projects; our new, post-search-engine habits; Math is hard; Merlin didn't get Anna's emails; cool screen-grabbing mojo; and Dan reviews excellent listener book recommendations.

    Links for this episode:

    • 363. Think Like a Winner — Freakonomics Radio — Overcast
      Great athletes aren’t just great at the physical stuff. They’ve also learned how to handle pressure, overcome fear, and stay focused. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to be an athlete to use what they know.
    • Raul Riera on Twitter: "TIL about COMMAND + SHIFT + 5… "
    • Artemis Fowl: Eoin Colfer: 8601400259580: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Chronicles of Prydain: Lloyd Alexander: 8601200472110: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree: Susan Cooper: 9781442489677: Amazon.com: Books
    • Sub-Human (Post-Human): David Simpson, Autumn J. Conley, Jennifer Simpson: 9781478343981: Amazon.com: Books
    • Wool: Hugh Howey: 9781476733951: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: So You Want to Be a Wizard: The First Book in the Young Wizards Series (9780152162504): Diane Duane: Books
    • Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians): Brandon Sanderson, Hayley Lazo: 9780765378941: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Skyward (9780399555770): Brandon Sanderson: Books
    • Amazon.com: The Last Magician (9781481432085): Lisa Maxwell: Books
    • Amazon.com: Divergent Series Four-Book Paperback Box Set: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four (0752423331765): Veronica Roth: Books
    • Amazon.com: The Maze Runner Series Complete Collection Boxed Set (5-Book) (9781524771034): James Dashner: Books
    • Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire: John August: 9781250294258: Amazon.com: Books
    • Mortal Engines 8 Book Collection: Philip Reeve: 9781338348910: Amazon.com: Books
    • Wings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5 (Wings of Fire): Tui T. Sutherland: 9780545855723: Amazon.com: Books
    • Bartimaeus Series 4 Book Set including: The Amulet of Samarkand / The Golem's Eye / Ptolemy's Gate / Ring of Solomon Prequel: Jonathan Stroud: 0719534865596: Amazon.com: Books
    • Fablehaven Complete Set (Boxed Set): Fablehaven; Rise of the Evening Star; Grip of the Shadow Plague; Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary; Keys to the Demon Prison: Brandon Mull, Brandon Dorman: 8601419663026: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set: Chris Colfer: 9780316480840: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Ranger's Apprentice Series (Complete 12 Book Set) : John Flanagan: 0680474137794: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Another Fine Myth (Myth, Book 1) (9780441023622): Robert Asprin, Walter Velez: Books
    • Amazon.com: Janitors (Janitors series Book 1) eBook: Tyler Whitesides, Brandon Dorman: Books
    • Amazon.com: Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle) (9780375846311): Christopher Paolini: Books
    • Amazon.com: Stormbreaker (Alex Rider) (9780142406113): Anthony Horowitz: Books
    • The Ender Quartet Boxed Set: Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind (The Ender Quintet): Orson Scott Card: 8601419656288: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set: Chris Colfer: 9780316480840: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: The White Tower (The Aldoran Chronicles: Book 1) eBook: Michael Wisehart: Books
    • The Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit: David Eddings: 8601404908262: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Redwall (9780142302378): Brian Jacques, Gary Chalk: Books
    • Amazon’s Wish List with Stacy Mitchell — Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes — Overcast
      What does Amazon want from us? For consumers, Amazon can be a frictionless gateway to find everything from bed frames to dog food, baby clothes to award winning original tv series. There’s nothing quite like it – a position they’re in not by accident but by design.
    • Thieves' World - Wikipedia
    • Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History: Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer, Joe Manganiello: 9780399580949: Amazon.com: Books

    Brought to you by:

    • Bombfell (Get $25 off your first purchase by visiting bombfell.com/backtowork).

    • Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    409: He Says Hard Jan 15, 2019

    DISCUSSED: moisture; kids and watches; some recent media consumption; encouraging kids to have good taste; memories of watching VHS movies in school; follow-up on Dan's new keyboard experiment; Drobo concerns; thinking about modern backup and, gosh, how that's evolved; frustrating typos; Dan and Merlin have iOS concerns; Dan has further thoughts on Bandersnatch.

    Links for this episode:

    • Becket (1964 film) - Wikipedia
    • The Beths 'A Little Death' | RNZ Music Live Session - YouTube
      Weirdly, Merlin's kid likes this one too.
    • The Beths - "Happy Unhappy" (official lyric video) - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Vortexgear 75% Programmable Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Grey Alu Casing - PBT DSA Profile Dye Sub Keycaps - Cherry Mx Switches [CNC Aluminium Casing] RGBY Modifiers (Cherry Mx-Brown): Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Clicky MX Blue Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACCLI): Computers & Accessories
      Merlin's primary Mac keyboard.
    • Amazon.com: Glorious Gaming Wrist Pad/Rest - SLIM TENKEYLESS - Black - Mechanical Keyboards,Stitched Edges,Ergonomic | 14x4 inches/13mm Thick (GSW-87) Slim Tenkeyless (Black): Computers & Accessories
    • LenovoEMC - Wikipedia
    • West Side Story - "Maria" (1961)
      "Say it soft and it's almost like praying."

    Brought to you by:

    • Honeybook (Visit Honeybook.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK to get 50% off your first year).

    • LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get $50 off your first job post).

    • Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

    408: The Pwn Key Jan 08, 2019

    DISCUSSED: Optimistic Tuesdays; office cleanup; a grave bleach mishap; follow-up on Wirecutter; a listener suggestion on, of all things, acupressure; Dan loves his cool new keyboard, but has a big caveat; Merlin is working with magnets; on "Hardware Disease"; request for Riordan-style book recommendations; exciting follow-up on the Burger Decay Project; plus, some closing thoughts on Apple's recent results dustup and what it might suggest about near-future tech trends.

    Links for this episode:

    • iPhone, move over. Make room for Alexa.
    • Upgrade #227: Twenty Nine TeeVee - Relay FM
      The new year starts with a bang, as Apple misses its iPhone sales forecast and announces surprising partnerships with Samsung and other TV makers in advance of the launch of its new video service. We discuss these earth-shattering issues in detail, not to mention Jason's world-exclusive trial of a new iPad Pro keyboard.
    • Upgrade 227: Twenty Nine TeeVee — Upgrade — Overcast
      It’s a new year and the news is huge: Apple missed its iPhone sales forecast and announced surprising partnerships with TV makers. Also Jason got to try the forthcoming Brydge keyboard for his iPad Pro.save in overcast
    • Amazon.com: Nayoya Back and Neck Pain Relief - Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set - Relieves Stress, Back, Neck, and Sciatic Pain - Comes with a Vinyl Carry Bag for Storage and Travel - As Seen in USA Today: Health & Personal Care
    • Science Snacks: Projects and Activities You Can Do! | Exploratorium
      Hungry for fresh, exciting science activities based in amazing phenomena? Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested, and use cheap, available materials. Satisfy your curiosity without ever getting full.
    • Hardware disease - Wikipedia
      Hardware disease is a common term for bovine traumatic reticuloperitonitis. It is usually caused by the ingestion of a sharp, metallic object. These pieces of metal settle in the reticulum and can irritate or penetrate the lining.
    • Magnetic Lines of Force: Physics & Magnetism Science Activity | Exploratorium Teacher Institute Project
      Iron filings trace out the lines of a magnetic field in three dimensions.
    • Portal from Facebook: Voice Enabled Hands-Free Video Calling
    • Fixing HomePod for 2019 - YouTube
    • I Gave a Bounty Hunter $300. Then He Located Our Phone - Motherboard

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • One Month (Head to OneMonth.com/backtowork for 10% off any coding course).

    • ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK).

    407: The Wad-Shooter Option Jan 03, 2019

    DISCUSSED: "Rabbit Rabbit!"; partial shutdown and the toilet problems it creates; updates on options for Bluetooth keyboards; some extremely random and anecdotal reckoning about the recent Big Apple News; your hosts' beef with Wirecutter; some odds and sods recommendations and cool life hacks.

    Links for this episode:

    • Logitech Backlit Wireless Keyboard for Apple Mac, iPad, iPhone & TV
    • Logitech K380 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Multi-Device with Most OS's
    • Netflix categories codes - Find all categories codes
    • Amazon.com: Vortexgear 75% - Grey CNC Case - PBT DSA Keycaps - Cherry Mx [CNC Aluminium Casing] (Mx-Brown): Computers & Accessories
    • My (current) keyboard: Vortex Race 3 - Six Colors
      This is the rare mechanical keyboard that’s civilized to come with a set of alternate keycaps for Mac users (Command and Option rather than Win and Alt), as well as a few variant color keycaps for modifier keys and the arrow keys. (It’s also got a Mac keyboard mode, so all the keys work properly without any remapping required.) The keycaps feature very pleasant capital letters dead center, and come in shades of gray. I’ve swapped in a red Esc key, yellow arrow keys, and a blue Enter key.
    • Twitter: Scott McNulty on the Apple News
      Here’s my hot take: most people look at their smartphones as an appliance not as a device that needs to be upgraded often. Just check out how many people are using phones with shattered screens. Only nerds with too much money and not much sense update every cycle (I’m one!).
    • Daring Fireball: Steve Jobs and Apple’s Last Previous Earnings Warning
    • FruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —
    • coconutBattery 3.7.2 - by coconut-flavour.com
    • Brimley/Cocoon Line (@BrimleyLine) | Twitter
      When 'Cocoon' reached theaters on June 21, 1985, Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old. This account makes note of people who have reached that age.
    • The Best Shower Curtain for 2018: Reviews by Wirecutter | A New York Times Company
    • NetFlix Streaming by Alternate Genres
    • Fraser Speirs (@fraserspeirs) | Twitter
      The teacher who set up the world's first 1:1 iPad school. Between podcasts right now.
    • On Switching from iOS to Android — Fraser Speirs
      I may be having the most boring mid-life crisis that any man has ever had, or I may be opening a whole new chapter of my computing life. I don’t know.
    • On Switching from an iPad Pro and a Macbook to a Pixelbook — Fraser Speirs
      The point, though, is that GSuite is so powerful and so much at the heart of everything I do at school that if you asked me to decide between giving up GSuite and giving up iPad, I’m afraid iPad has to go. It is for this reason that I have been vocally advocating that Apple make iOS Safari as close to a “desktop class” browser as it can be. I don’t know the technical reasons why GSuite can’t be accessed in Safari on iOS. I don’t know if the browser has limitations that mean the apps genuinely can’t run in it, or whether they could but Google just chooses not to allow it.
    • Reviews and Ratings - RTINGS.com
      Straight to the point buying recommendations. We purchase our own products and put them under the same test bench, so that you can compare the results easily. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. No ads. Only real tests.
    • List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | Flixable

    Brought to you by:

    • Care/of (For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order of the best seller variety pack, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    406: Peak Burger Decay Dec 24, 2018

    It's the most wonderful time of the year, so the boys answer listener mail and get a little silly.

    Happy Holidays, jackals.

    Links for this episode:

    • Elmore Leonard: 10 Rules for Good Writing - Gotham Writers Workshop
    • How Many Exclamation Points Do Great Writers Use?! - The Atlantic
    • Apple says some 2018 iPad Pros might ship with a bent chassis, but claims it's not a defect - 9to5Mac
    • They Might Be Giants-Ana Ng - YouTube
    • Purple Toupee - Wikipedia
    • Lincoln (album) - Wikipedia
    • AutoSleep
      Automatically track your sleep from your Apple Watch. No buttons to press. Even the Watch app is optional. Just sleep!
    • Is This Andre the Giant Holding a Beer Can?
    • AutoSleep 6: Effortless Sleep Tracking More Accessible Than Ever – MacStories
    • Uvex S0360X Ultra-spec 2000 Safety Eyewear, Orange Frame, SCT-Orange UV Extreme Anti-Fog Lens - Safety Glasses - Amazon.com
    • The True Size Of ...
    • @americanbeetles
    • Power Marketing - Upright Citizens Brigade (Video Clip) | Comedy Central
    • Apple confirms some iPad Pros ship slightly bent, but says it’s normal - The Verge

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).

    405: Can You Feed Coke to Rocks? Dec 18, 2018

    Discussed: the harsh mistress of holidays, Hanukah presents, Cash's cool gift, the joys of good UX, some excellent very good recommendations, an exciting Science experiment involving hamburgers, kids are terrible at writing things down, things that changed Merlin's game, and some excellent follow-up on how we recognize number patterns.

    Happy Holidays, you jackals.

    Links for this episode:

    • Disney•Pixar Short Film "Bao" - YouTube
    • The Impossible Feat inside Your VCR - YouTube
    • Closed Captioning: More Ingenious than You Know - YouTube
    • Amazon.com : GPD XD Plus [2018 Update] 5" Touchscreen Android 7.0 Handheld Gaming Console Portable Video Game Player Laptop MT8176 Hexa-core CPU, PowerVR GX6250 GPU, 4GB/32GB, 6000mAh Battery : Computers & Accessories
    • ODROID-GO – ODROID
    • Death Cab For Cutie - 405 (with lyrics) - YouTube
    • Moby 'Honey' - Official video - YouTube
    • Recomendo: 500 brief reviews of cool stuff: Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson: 9781726743655: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com : Melitta Coffee Maker, 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer with Glass Carafe, 1-Count : Single Serve Brewing Machines : Grocery & Gourmet Food
    • Amazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper, Large, 18 Ounces: Kitchen & Dining
    • Technology Connections - YouTube
    • Alice Walker under fire for praise of 'antisemitic' David Icke book | Books | The Guardian
    • DECONSTRUCTING: Dear Evan Hansen - YouTube
    • How Long Does it Take for Fast-Food Burgers to Decay? | First We Feast
    • byta - insulated stainless tumbler
    • Whole Earth Catalog - Wikipedia
    • Package Thief vs. Glitter Bomb Trap - YouTube
    • Mark Rober - YouTube
    • Giuliani’s Quest to Confuse Us Into Submission — Omnishambles — Overcast
    • Will Sommer (@willsommer) | Twitter
      Tech and internet reporter @thedailybeast—I write a newsletter about conservative media http://www.rightrichter.com —email william.sommer at http://thedailybeast.com
    • Numbers Guy | The New Yorker
    • Dayenu - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • One Month (Head to OneMonth.com/backtowork for 10% off any coding course).

    • Honeybook (So get started at HoneyBook.com today, and use promo code BACKTOWORK for 50% off your first year).

    • Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).

    404: Very Advanced Camping Dec 11, 2018

    Discussed: Merlin worries that Dan is getting ground down; web sites are getting very thirsty; Dan thinks it's like pads in football; Dan has updates and more thoughts about doing development work on an iPad; Merlin thinks we should talk more about which devices we choose for doing which things; the boys also have some recommendations.

    Links for this episode:

    • Amazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper, Large, 18 Ounces: Kitchen & Dining
    • Smudging - Wikipedia
    • Mosh for iOS, Best SSH Client - Blink Shell for iOS
    • Quantum Computing Expert Explains One Concept in 5 Levels of Difficulty | WIRED - YouTube
    • 5 Levels - YouTube
    • Linea Sketch – Drawing tools for your iPad
    • Reconcilable Differences #85: Comedy’s Not Funny - Relay FM
      Finally, the horn fires off at 1:23:13 for a Spoiler Slot on A Quiet Place (2018).

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).

    403: It's Just a Salad Dec 04, 2018

    Discussed: Why Tuesday is the optimistic day; pourover coffee for Dan's wife; confirm shaming; updates on iPad keyboards and covers; approximately annual history of "Bawk Bawk!"; some thoughts on Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart; kids and learning Programming; the things that are difficult to teach anyone.

    Links for this episode:

    • Jay Little on Twitter: "@danbenjamin if you're still looking for a cheap ipad case, this one has been fine with strong magnets when closed and in the triangle https://t.co/I4DqGljeYi"
    • Amazon.com: MoKo Smart Folio Case Fit iPad Pro 11" 2018 - [Support Magnetically Attach Charge/Pair] Slim Lightweight Shell Stand Cover, Strong Magnetic Adsorption, Auto Wake/Sleep for iPad Pro 11 Inch - Black: Electronics
    • confirmshaming
    • Melitta Coffee Maker, 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer with Glass Carafe, 1-Count: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen
    • Amazon.com: Logitech Keys-To-Go Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Keyboard for Android and Windows, Black: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Logitech Wireless Keyboard | Keys-to-Go: Ultra Portable Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Desktop and More (Red): Computers & Accessories
    • Thank you Easter Bunny, Bawk Bawk! - YouTube
    • Swift Playgrounds - Apple
    • Why this awful sounding album is a masterpiece - YouTube
    • Captain Beefheart - Frownland - YouTube
    • Logo (programming language) - Wikipedia
    • Turtle graphics - Wikipedia
    • Reconcilable Differences #39: Rocks Aren’t Magic - Relay FM
      This week’s main topic covers teaching kids about technology. When, how, and what should young students learn about computers at school? How far have things come since Merlin’s Business Administration class and the lectures John suffered on RAM vs. ROM?
    • Monster Factory: Fallout 4 — Episode 1 - YouTube
      Griffin and Justin play around with Fallout 4, and incidentally create one of the most horrific creatures to ever roam the wasteland.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order of the best seller variety pack, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    402: Watches & Barbecue Nov 27, 2018

    Discussed: Thanksgiving; spatchcock chicken; kids and their stupid eating; Dan's concern about how we talk to each other; Merlin encourages people to try not to be terrible.

    Also, some odds and sods on iPad Pro updates, and thanks to our nice listeners.

    Links for this episode:

    • Foobot - it's all about Indoor Air Quality Monitoring
    • Foobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor for Homeowners Renters & HVAC Pros - Measures VOC PM2.5 Humidity Temperature - Works with 120+ IoT Devices via Wifi - Best Protection from Mold & Indoor Air Pollution: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
    • Nebo | MyScript
    • Nebo 2.0: Boost Your Productivity – MyScript Apps – Medium
      We’re coming with a new version of our note-taking application based on artificial intelligence. It’s super-duper, and it’s super easy.
    • Ztotop Case for iPad Pro 11
    • Use Notes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    401: Carrier Fluid Nov 20, 2018

    Discussed this week: Dan's MOSH setup on iPad; Dan's new NEW iPad; ease of setup on iOS; some iOS photo editing app recommendations; two things Merlin learned this week; and a little rant about how everybody apparently already knows everything.

    Links for this episode:

    • welcome home : vim online
    • Krissy Brierre-Davis on Twitter: "How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped.… "
      How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped.

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Care/of (For 25% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50).

    • eero (Get $100 off the ‘eero base unit and 2 beacons package,’ and 1 year of eero Plus by visiting eero.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    400: In The Penal Colony Nov 12, 2018

    Dan and Merlin talk about their first week using the new iPad Pro.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Talk Show: Ep. 234, With Special Guest Merlin Mann
      Special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include the new iPad Pro and the state of iOS as a work platform, the mid-term election results, and holiday parties of yore.
    • 234: ‘Welcome to Dongletropolis’, With Special Guest Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — Overcast
    • Amazon.com: Newly Released Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac, Version 5: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Viozon ipad Pro Stand, Tablet Stands 360° Rotatable Aluminum Alloy Desktop Mount Stand for Ipad Pro Ipad Air Ipad Mini Surface and Surface Pro: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Buy iPad Pro 11-inch Smart Folio - Apple
    • Brydge - Award Winning Bluetooth Keyboards for iPad & Surface Pro
    • Merlin’s Playlists — Merlin Mann
      Sometimes I make playlists, especially for the particularly musical episodes of podcasts I do. I really like making these, so I'll probably do more.
    • In the Penal Colony - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Hopsy (Go to tryhopsy.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK to get the SUB home draft machine, 2 mini-kegs of beer (equivalent to 2 six packs), 2 Hopsy glasses and free membership in the monthly beer Club for $99)!

    399: Blue Whale Salt Nov 06, 2018

    Discussed this week: coffee water, voting, inertia, new iPads on the way, difficult buying decisions, returning merchandise (as a thing), some TV suggestions, Dan's new ODROID, 80s video game nostalgia, asking for your iPad-at-work input, plus seeking suggestions for apps for new joggers.

    Links for this episode:

    • Building A Better Ballot Box — To the Best of Our Knowledge — Overcast
    • Brydge - Award Winning Bluetooth Keyboards for iPad & Surface Pro
    • CREATE - Logitech Support
    • Bodyguard (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDb
    • start [ODROID Wiki]
    • Amazon.com: ODROID-GO open source gaming console : Assembly and learning WHY, CODING CAMP: Video Games
    • ODROID-GO Game Kit — ameriDroid
    • ODROID | Hardkernel
    • Gorf - Wikipedia
    • LG UltraFine 4K Display - Apple
    • LG UltraFine 5K Display - Apple
    • Lindsey Vehlewald on Twitter: "1/[Thread] Storytime. Listen up. It’s a long one. But it's important, I promise."
    • LG Corporation - Wikipedia
    • Ep. 312: “Always is How” - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John hasn’t earned a chair.
    • Reconcilable Differences #90: Cargo-Cult Thoreau - Relay FM
      This week kicks off with some Dear Evan Hansen talk, and Merlin admits he still hasn’t earned the second act. This leads John to interrogate this odd affliction of Merlin’s. Both hosts finally address how, whether, and when they commit to the full consumption of cultural products. Why does John so often stick with the whole season of a C-plus TV show, and when does Merlin know he’s ready for the second half of a given Broadway hit?

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).

    398: So Much Unnecessary Beauty Oct 30, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's Fall event in Brooklyn today. They liked the event.

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).

    • GreenChef (For $50 off your first box of Green Chef, go to GreenChef.us/backtowork).

    • Care/of (For 25% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK).

    397: My Manager is Water Oct 23, 2018

    Discussed: nailing it, the optimistic valence of Tuesdays, difficulties finding replacement parts on Amazon, headphone preferences, Alexa's service outage and new whisper mode, Austin's big water crisis and what it says about epistemology, reason, and society, plus 20 years of The Big Lebowski.

    Links for this episode:

    • Jeff Bridges, John Goodman And Steve Buscemi Talk ‘The Big Lebowski’ In Extended Inteview | TODAY - YouTube
    • Jeff Bridges Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters | GQ - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Twisted Veins HDMI Cable 30 ft, 2-Pack, Premium HDMI Cord Type High Speed with Ethernet, Supports HDMI 2.0b 4K 60hz HDR Except with Apple TV 4K and Xbox One X Where it Only Supports 4K 30hz HD: Home Audio & Theater
    • Alexa whisper mode rolling out to Echo starting today, here's how to enable it - 9to5Mac
    • Amazon.com: Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone: Musical Instruments
    • Amazon.com: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xDG LIMITED EDITION Professional Studio Monitor Headphones: Musical Instruments
    • Amazon.com: Plantronics Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat - Headphones (Black & Tan) (Pro 2): Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Status overview | Downdetector
    • Google Home Hub review: the best digital photo frame - The Verge
    • Expanding Brain | Know Your Meme
    • Epistemology - Wikipedia
    • male answer syndrome - Wiktionary
    • Amazon Alexa down? Current problems and outages | Downdetector
    • Home - Great Wall HardwareGreat Wall Hardware | Your Home Improvement Center
    • Amazon Dash Wand With Alexa: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet Food

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    396: Bean in the Sleeve Oct 16, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the FitBit Charge 3 and where it fits into their worlds—as well its place in the larger tracker and smart watch ecosystems.

    Excursions also include: BroBot, weather stations, weather apps, some TV and movie talk, some space talk, plus children's failures to understand how time basically works.

    Links for this episode:

    • Dew point - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: AcuRite 01014M Weather Station with AcuRite Access for Remote Monitoring, Compatible with Amazon Alexa: Home & Kitchen
    • First Man (2018) - IMDb
    • Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey To Tomorrow (TV Movie 2018) - IMDb
    • The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) - IMDb
    • Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow | Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow
    • Voyager 1 - Wikipedia
    • Voyager 2 - Wikipedia
    • FSNotes App
    • glushchenko/fsnotes: Notes manager for macOS/iOS

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • The Growth Show (Subscribe to the Growth Show on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen).

    395: My Sleeves are Dynamic Oct 09, 2018

    Discussed: the tyranny of earliness, the benefits of timeliness, an interesting horology episode about Apple Watch, more watch talk, a blog recommendation, a quick look at Merlin's new FitBit, an update on home WiFi options, Merlin raps a little, Dan gets wired for Ethernet, what we'd like so see in an updated Mac Mini, some listener followup on Bear export and (deliberately) slow interfaces, considering oneself touch-ed, skeuomorphic sounds, and various Florida wildlife encounters.

    Links for this episode:

    • Fitbit Charge 3 | Advanced Health and Fitness Tracker
    • Michael Tsai - Blog - Why Matthew Green Is Done With Chrome
    • Google is losing users’ trust.
      I used to trust some of its products, like Chrome. I increasingly don’t.
    • Apple And The Future Of Watchmaking — HODINKEE Radio — Overcast
      This week we’re talking all things Apple Watch. Stephen sits down with Ben and Jack just a few hours after they received their Apple Watch Series 4 sample units to get their first impressions and to hear what else they had to say about the Apple Watch and its relationship to the more traditional watches we tend to cover every day. Also, Stephen has a one-on-one interview with John Gruber, the proprietor of Daring Fireball, the premier blog covering all things Apple. Enjoy.delete
    • Michael Tsai - Blog
    • Amazon.com: Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker, Graphite/Black, One Size (S & L Bands Included): Health & Personal Care
    • Export your notes - Bear - Faq and support
    • Flying Meat Software - Awesome Software

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • CacheFly (Bandwidth for this show and all shows on 5by5 provided by CacheFly, the world’s most reliable CDN. Learn more at 5by5.CacheFly.com)

    394: Dead or Angry Oct 02, 2018

    This week: some TV and movie stuff, Dark Mode and accessibility, OS stability and beta temptation, Merlin has an anecdote, the powers and frustrations of Siri via Apple Watch, updates to the Fitbit family, tech that does enough, Dan tried Bear, updates on the Chrome login thing, and an intriguing listener comment about Apple's ASP/inch3.

    Links for this episode:

    • Shop Fitbit Charge 3™ Advanced Fitness Tracker
    • Fitbit Charge 3 Hands-On Preview | Digital Trends
    • Fitbit Charge 3 hands-on: Better controls come with a trade-off
    • Cary Fukunaga - Wikipedia
    • Bear - Notes for iPhone, iPad and Mac
    • Atom
    • How to Turn Off the Auto Sign-In Link in Gmail and Chrome
    • Inside Amazon’s Warehouse, Human-Robot Symbiosis - MIT Technology Review
      On the other side of the warehouse, workers pack products into boxes for shipping with help from Amazon’s central computer systems. Items retrieved from storage shelves are automatically identified and sorted into batches destined for a single customer. The computer knows the dimensions of each product and will automatically allocate the right box, and even the right amount of packing tape. Further along, before products are sent to different trucks for dispatching, boxes are weighed to make sure no mistakes have been make in packing.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Linode (Visit linode.com/backtowork and use the promocode backtowork2018 for a $20 credit).

    393: Legacy Meat Stuff Sep 25, 2018

    This week, Merlin's got a LOT going on. Full Catastrophe Living!

    Discussed: booger colors, some tv and movies, a dream deferred, various X-Persons, loving GoodTask 3, plus Dan and Merlin just cannot remember many, many things.

    Next, your hosts dive into their first day with Mojave and reminisce about the days when you could make your Finder look all steampunk. This leads to a deeper dive on what the future of Macs might be and why they feel how they do (hint: they are both kind of old).

    They also both want to know what the heck is going on with Chrome, and Dan pitches a movie.

    Links for this episode:

    • Canvas #70: Task Managers in 2018 - Relay FM
      This week, Fraser and Federico take a look at the "Big Four" task managers on iOS - Things, OmniFocus, Todoist and Apple Reminders - and consider how the iOS ecosystem has changed since the early days.
    • GoodTask 3 - Task Manager with iOS Reminders & Calendars
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • 15 Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a Banana
    • Charlie Sexton - Beat's So Lonely - YouTube
    • Box (Roger Bochs) Powers, Villains, History | Marvel
    • Watch The First Online at Hulu
    • I Brook No Truck With You « Historically Speaking
    • Appearance Manager - Wikipedia
    • Kaleidoscope (software) - Wikipedia
    • Locke (film) - Wikipedia
    • Why I’m done with Chrome – A Few Thoughts on Cryptographic Engineering
    • Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness: Jon Kabat-Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh: 8601300234281: Amazon.com: Books
    • Greenfield project - Wikipedia
      In many disciplines a greenfield project is one that lacks constraints imposed by prior work. The analogy is to that of construction on greenfield land where there is no need to work within the constraints of existing buildings or infrastructure.
    • Corner case - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Linode (Visit linode.com/backtowork and use the promocode backtowork2018 for a $20 credit).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    392: Gentleman's Calling Sep 18, 2018

    A classic odds-and-sods episode, featuring important discussions about sleep tracking, the Apple Watch, Succession, sound bars, Chris Nolan's Batman, and Nintendo Online.

    Links for this episode:

    • Amazon.com Help: About AmazonSmile
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Ep. 305: "The Hostess" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: John has more of a comment than a question.
    • Sleep Watch App — Apple Watch Sleep Tracker App
    • Apple drops official Apple Watch Link Bracelet price, some already sold out | 9to5Mac
    • Watch - Apple
    • Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel - Official Trailer - YouTube
    • Succession: Roman Roy Doesn’t Know How Chairs Work
    • Pricing Plans – Nintendo Switch Online – Nintendo Switch™ Official site
    • Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online – Nintendo Switch™ Official site
    • Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) - IMDb
      Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Amazon Prime Video (Start your free trials of over a hundred channels by visiting tryprimechannels.com/backtowork).

    391: The September Issue Sep 11, 2018

    Discussed: upcoming Apple announcements; do people with bigger screens use more apps more often?; some follow-up on adaptive testing; and comics for kids.

    Your hosts answer a listener question about knowing when it's time to quit something.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Project Jupyter | Home
      The Jupyter Notebook is an open-source web application that allows you to create and share documents that contain live code, equations, visualizations and narrative text. Uses include: data cleaning and transformation, numerical simulation, statistical modeling, data visualization, machine learning, and much more.
    • Do By Friday
    • Apple to Broaden Its iPhone Screens -- WSJ
    • Bone (comics) - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Kiite (To see if Kiite is what your company needs visit Kiite.ai/backtowork).

    • Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    390: A Festive Merry-Go-Round for the Very Lonely Sep 04, 2018

    Skype gets way too ambitious; sprinkling sauce on a service; a mandatory social network for doorbells; Dan acquires a new deity; some excellent listener follow-up on Computerized Adaptive Testing; Dan takes his boy to see a bona fide cinema classic; Dan has some great TV recommendations; Merlin reports in from the deep weeds of a fraught smart speaker ecosystem.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Podcast Digest: TPD 156 - Merlin Mann "An Old Man's Reframe"
      For the 4 year anniversary episode of TPD, it was my pleasure to have been joined by one of my favorite podcasters of all time - Merlin Mann! I talk with Merlin about his history in podcasting, working with his co-hosts, the difference in his shows and some of his favorite podcasts!
    • The Podcast Digest
    • Amazon.com: All-new Sonos One - Smart Speaker with Alexa voice control built-In. Compact size with incredible sound for any room. (black): Home Audio & Theater
    • The Dude Abiding kit
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #389: Butt Baking
    • CA Parent Opt-Out
    • Chain of Command (Star Trek: The Next Generation) - Wikipedia
    • 2001: A Space Odyssey (film) - Wikipedia
    • 2001: A Space Odyssey - in-depth analysis - by Rob Ager 2008
    • Computerized adaptive testing - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).

    • Chegg (For $5 off your first month’s subscription, go to chegg.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK).

    389: Butt Baking Aug 28, 2018

    Discussed: homework and testing; wallets and wallet philosophies; things to learn from wallet philosophy; how to fall asleep; watching Star Trek; Dan's new smart speaker; Merlin yells at Alexa several times.

    Links for this episode:

    • How to Fall Asleep in 120 Seconds – Member Feature Stories – Medium
    • DonorsChoose.org: Support a classroom. Build a future.
    • Google’s Mark Risher changes our passwords — Converge with Casey Newton — Overcast
    • Computerized adaptive testing - Wikipedia
    • Can a Test Ever Be Fair? How Today's Standardized Tests Get Made. | EdSurge News
    • Are You Smart But Scoring Low on the SAT/ACT? What To Do
    • Fall Asleep Fast — In 2 Minutes or Less | Art of Manliness
    • Combating Fighter Pilot Fatigue | GO FLIGHT MEDICINE
    • Bison Leather Front-Pocket Wallet / Bison Leather Front-Pocket Wallet -- Orvis
    • Amazon.com: Taxi Wallet
    • Colorful Mini Card Book v2 | mochithings
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – Medium
    • Amazon.com: All-new Sonos One - Smart Speaker with Alexa voice control built-In. Compact size with incredible sound for any room. (black): Home Audio & Theater

    Brought to you by:

    • Kiite (To see if Kiite is what your company needs visit Kiite.ai/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    388: Defcon Water Aug 21, 2018

    Discussed: courting a vegetarian; The Information Problem; FU on Dan's new slide remote and keyboard; also, belts; travel pre-screening options; a recommended article on hypocognition; Dan saw IT; thoughts on Twiki and Erin Grey; and Dan's recent home problem.

    Links for this episode:

    • Episode 75: I Set Up a Fake Child – AppStories
      John is joined by Merlin Mann to discuss managing family tech use and the upcoming iOS 12 Screen Time family features.
    • Guide - Grey - Arcade Belts | Arcade Belts
    • Unknown Unknowns: The Problem of Hypocognition - Scientific American Blog Network
      We wander about the unknown terrains of life, complacent about what we know and oblivious to what we miss
    • PsycNET Record Display - PsycNET
    • Twiki | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
    • #83 Voyage Into Pizzagate — Reply All — Overcast
      A conspiracy theory, a pizza related map, and a website fighting for its very soul. This episode originally aired in December of 2016.save in overcast
    • Amazon.com: Logitech R500 Laser Presentation Remote with Dual Connectivity Bluetooth or USB for PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Prezi: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Soft Tactile MX Brown Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACSFT): Computers & Accessories
    • RAID™ BELT in Men Hats, Belts, Accessories | KÜHL Clothing

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    387: Deploy the Dongle Aug 17, 2018

    Discussed: tech that's gotten so much more dependable (and, yeah, so much less dependable); Dan needs a new presenter remote; Marvel's First Family (finally) returns; who would win if The Hulk fought The Thing?; Merlin introduces Dan to the Ponyverse; some camp equipment follow-up; and Merlin goes off on the awesomeness of libraries with some hot new service recommendations.

    Links for this episode:

    • Kanopy - Stream Classic Cinema, Indie Film and Top Documentaries
    • Libby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooks
    • Shop | Arcade Belts
    • Fantastic Four (2018-) #1 - Marvel Comics
    • Guide – Grey | Arcade Belts
    • Amazon.com: Jackery Portable Travel Charger Bar 6000mAh Pocket-sized Ultra Compact External Battery Power Bank Fast Charging Speed with Emergency Flashlight for iPhone, Samsung and Others - Orange: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Portable Power Supply Solutions – Power Outdoors | Jackery
    • keep your volkswagen alive - Google Search
    • Amazon.com : Kensington Wireless Presenter with Red Laser Pointer (K33374USB) : Presentation Remotes : Office Products
    • Gargac! | Do By Friday
      This week's challenge: be nice to someone.
    • Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money
      Amazon should open their own bookstores in all local communities. They can replace local libraries and save taxpayers lots of money, while enhancing the value of their stock.
    • Recirculated 7: Merlin Mann [2015] — Circulating Ideas — Overcast
      Back in September 2015, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of my favorite podcasters, Merlin Mann, about his view on libraries, which included a visit from the Library Elf.
    • DEADLY CLASS Official Trailer (Comic Con 2018) Teen, Action Series HD - YouTube
      TV Show based on the comic book series of the same name.
    • The Meaning of Preliteracy | Scholastic | Parents
    • Emergent Reading Skills: Preliteracy Skills to Teach Your Child
    • Library Extension - Chrome Web Store
      Find books at your public library again as you browse the internet.
    • Ike Perlmutter Under Spotlight Over VA Role in Trump's Administration

    Brought to you by:

    • Kiite (To see if Kiite is what your company needs visit Kiite.ai/backtowork).

    • Away (Visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get $20 off a suitcase).

    386: Cherry Brown Aug 07, 2018

    Discussed: Merlin sounds like a saxophone, keyboards are extensively discussed, pros and cons of various MacsBooks Pro, Dan likes using one monitor, pining for best-of-class hardware from Cupertino, Merlin has dorky and boring follow-up, recommending an Apple Watch sleep app and an iOS location tracker, some excellent ice replacements, Dan's favorite bespoke cooler, a disappointing belt, a very good belt, Dan gets a creepy email, Merlin did NOT forget something, Cash gets more cool stuff, and Merlin recommends a Zelda tome.

    Links for this episode:

    • Gyroscope · The new OS for the human body
      A new operating system for the human body
    • Sleep Watch App — Apple Watch Sleep Tracker App
      Track sleep with your Apple Watch automatically. No buttons to press. Just wear your Watch to bed and wake up to AI-powered, personalized insights about your sleep. Automatically log your data and follow your sleep trends with powerful charting tools.
    • Amazon.com : 3 Pack Large 18°F Cooler Ice Packs 10" by 14" - No More Ice! Replaces 18 lbs. of Ice and is Reusable - Easy Fill - You Add Water and Save! 12 lbs. Total When Filled (Screw Cap) : Sports & Outdoors
    • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The Complete Official Guide: -Expanded Edition: Piggyback: 9781911015482: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: WASD 6-Key Cherry MX Switch Tester: Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Soft Tactile MX Brown Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACSFT): Computers & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Griffin 2001-ADB iMate/Universal ADB to USB adapter: Electronics
    • Matias Tactile Pro & Mini Tactile Pro
    • Amazon.com: Newly Released Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac, Version 5: Computers & Accessories
    • Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Mechanical Keyboard
    • Amazon.com: Viozon ipad Pro Stand, Tablet Stands 360° Rotatable Aluminum Alloy Desktop Mount Stand for Ipad Pro Ipad Air Ipad Mini Surface and Surface Pro: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: (2 pack) Lampari lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack aux adapter for iPhone 7/7 Plus -(iOS 10.2,10.3) White: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Tundra Ice Chests | YETI
    • Amazon.com : Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler : Ultimate Extreme Wheeled Cooler : Sports & Outdoors
    • Patagonia Men's Quandary Pants - Regular
    • KUHL Raid Belt - Men's | REI Co-op
    • List: E-mail Addresses It Would Be Really Annoying to Give Out Over the Phone - McSweeney’s Internet Tendency
    • Child Passenger Safety | Features | CDC
      Whenever you’re on the road, make sure children are buckled in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, or seat belts. Children under age 13 should ride properly buckled in the back seat on every trip. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat or in front of an airbag. Airbags can kill young children riding in the front seat.

    Brought to you by:

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    385: A Picture of a Clown Jul 31, 2018

    Discussed: current monospaced font preferences, experimenting with text sizing, getting on the sucker list, old McDonalds had some styrofoam, new tech that would kill old stories, kids bewilderment with old tech, the bonkersness of Face/Off, wonderful listener gifts for Cash, a book about anxiety Merlin likes.

    Dan and Merlin also answer listener questions about mise en place and doubting one's future after college.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety: Alan W. Watts: 8601300190136: Amazon.com: Books
    • Mise en place - Wikipedia
      Mise en place: setting the stage for thought and action
    • Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Reid Wilson: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: Books
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #222: Full-Stack Obsessive
      Merlin and Dan use The Aviator as a jumping-off point to talk about OCD as it relates to perfectionism, creativity, and drive in the workplace. They discuss rituals and their consequences, the importance of mise en place, and eliminating disruptive processes.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #236: Finished for Now
      This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the perilous wonders of practice of all kinds.
    • Mise en place - Wikipedia
      Mise en place is a French culinary phrase which means "putting in place" or "everything in its place." It refers to the set up required before cooking, and is often used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that are expected to be prepared during a shift.[
    • Introduction | IBM Plex
    • All the President's Men (film) - Wikipedia
    • Face/Off - Wikipedia
    • Inconsolata
    • What is eero Labs? – eero Help Center
    • eero Plus | eero
    • What is Family Profiles? – eero Help Center
    • Texas Instruments TI-99/4A - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
    384: Cosmic Jazz Hands Jul 24, 2018

    Merlin really likes the ones where Dan prepares.

    Discussed: four-twenty in The Mile High state, some tv and movie recommendations, the creativity that comes from constraints, The Information Problem, plus thanks for some lovely gifts to Cash from listeners.

    Most of the episode focuses on a provocative new article about whether podcast hosting should be "free."

    Merlin nerds out on iOS Trackpad mode, and Dan drops a Science Corner about heat versus temperature. Also: Star Trek.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #23 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, July 26th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Why You Should Never Pay For Podcast Hosting – Nir Zicherman – Medium
      We don’t want a podcaster to ever pay for hosting again. We believe real change in this space is long overdue, and we can’t wait to show you what we’re working on.
    • Manton Reece - Anchor on free podcasting
      Some things are worth paying for. I share Nir’s goal that podcasting should be more accessible and more affordable to more people, but it’s dangerous to give one company too much control over podcasting. Anchor’s business model demands scale. It’s still unclear how that will play out.
    • There's no such thing as free podcast hosting - Six Colors
      There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Anchor is spending some of its millions in venture-capital investment to give free hosting to podcast users with a business model in mind: create enough volume that it can eventually monetize those podcasts by inserting ads and taking a cut.
    • Reconcilable Differences #82: Summer of Intentionalities - Relay FM
      This week's mini-topic involves Merlin's Summer Projects. Merlin likes choosing the right word, and John doesn't really do projects. This ends up leading to some deep discussion about buying a guitar and trying to get better at it.
    • How to use trackpad mode on iPhone and iPad | iMore
      Turn your keyboard into a trackpad for even easier editing.
    • iOS 12 brings trackpad mode to every iPhone and iPad | Cult of Mac
      In iOS 12, this neat trick comes to all iPhones, even those without 3-D Touch. Bonus tip: It also makes it even easier to use on your iPad.
    • New in iOS 12: keyboard trackpad mode on non-3D Touch iPhones
      Apple customers have been able to leverage 3D Touch to turn their iPhone keyboard into a trackpad since iOS 9. Wouldn’t it be great if you could select text with precision on non-3D Touch devices, like older iPhones or the sixth-generation iPod touch? With iOS 12, you can!This lets you swipe on the keyboard to position the cursor accurately when editing text.
    • Why won't Parker Solar Probe melt
    • A Quiet Place (2018) - Rotten Tomatoes
    • HBO Succession review: introducing my favorite show of the summer - Vox
    • Patrick Melrose: Seasons, Episodes, Cast, Characters - Official Series Site | SHOWTIME
    • ‘Succession’ and Updates on ‘Y: The Last Man’ and ‘Briarpatch’ - The Ringer
    • How does Temperature Differ from Heat?
    • Heat vs temperature - Energy Education
    • Heat and temperature (article) | Khan Academy
    • Minutemen - "Corona" - YouTube
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – Medium
    • Fear, uncertainty and doubt - Wikipedia
      Fear, uncertainty and doubt (often shortened to FUD) is a disinformation strategy used in sales, marketing, public relations, talk radio, politics, cults, and propaganda. FUD is generally a strategy to influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information and a manifestation of the appeal to fear.
    • Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth - Grammarist
      The phrase butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth or butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth describes someone who appears demure, innocent or sincere but is in fact unkind, devious or insincere.

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • CacheFly (They’re the fastest most reliable CDN in the business. Check them out at Cachefly.com).

    383: Funding the Unicorn Jul 10, 2018

    This week: Dan may or may not be sanguine, and Merlin is having another meetup; comics, movie and TV discussion (and recommendations) abound; Cash is impatient for a red DS; the magic of ubiquitous capture is extolled; Merlin has a problematic thumb and spends hours on the phone with AT&T; a book about anxiety is endorsed; handles for the emotional suitcase are offered; a new unicorn is born; and, Merlin has a summer project for you to try.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #23 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, July 26th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Merlin’s Playlists — Merlin Mann
      Sometimes I make playlists, especially for the particularly musical episodes of podcasts I do. I really like making these, so I'll probably do more.
    • Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Reid Wilson: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: Books
    • Batman’s Wedding
    • Catwoman revealed as bisexual in new DC comic | Books | The Guardian
    • Hard science fiction - Wikipedia
    • The Trip Michael Caine - YouTube
    • Random impressions - YouTube
    • Musical fractals - YouTube
    • ‘Succession’ Finds Its Stride and the ‘GLOW’ Showrunners on Season 2 - The Ringer
    • ‘Succession’ and Updates on ‘Y: The Last Man’ and ‘Briarpatch’ - The Ringer

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    382: Bad Tech Dad Jul 03, 2018

    Dan's ex-cold, some media recommendations, strobe light problems, Dan's new phone, bad eyeglasses, your fault versus your problem, plus listener feedback about estimating hours and costs.

    Links for this episode:

    • #850: The Fake Review Hunter — Planet Money — Overcast
    • Frequently Asked Questions - ReviewMeta Blog
    • Game Night (film) - Wikipedia
    • (2) Marques Brownlee - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase).

    • Casper (For a limited time, visit Casper.com/savings and save up to $225 off your order. Limited time only!)

    381: Sandwich Doctor Jun 26, 2018

    Discussed this week: head colds, Florida, vitamin shots, Pleiades, Pigeon Pose, a new kind of spam, some media recommendations, iOS 12, and a listener question about a job they just don’t wanna do.

    Links for this episode:

    • Making Vitamin B12 Injections Accessible to Everyone in the Bay Area
      Got Vitamin B12’s fun, pop-up style Happy Hours take place in 20 different locations around the Bay Area. Trained and licensed medical professionals are at every Happy Hour to provide personalized guidance for our B12 injection cocktail menu and serve up the shot of your choice. You don't need to make an appointment. Just come to Got Vitamin B12 for the healthiest cocktail out there!
    • Learn the King of Hip Openers: Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) - Yoga Journal
    • iOS 12 Beta: Our Favorite Tidbits and Hidden Features (So Far) – MacStories
    • iOS 12 public beta is out for all - Six Colors
    • Isle of Dogs on iTunes
      Visionary director Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast Trash Island, Atari sets off in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. With the assistance of his newfound mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.
    • Amazon.com: The Ringer - The Original Stainless Steel Cast Iron Cleaner, Patented XL 8x6 inch Design: Home & Kitchen
    • Astroturfing - Wikipedia
    • Frequently Asked Questions about Vitamin B12 Injections

    Brought to you by:

    • Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).
    380: Chung Chung Machine Jun 12, 2018

    Follow-up on the Benjamin family phone plan, what it's like to use a phone that's not a phone anymore, excitement for Siri Shortcuts, an AR measurement app recommendation, Dan's new TV recommendations, some travel headphone recommendations, massive disruption in the fizzy water space, some pseudo-insider-ish follow-up on Siri, plus Dan's adventure back into the world of Android and how it went.

    Links for this episode:

    • troglodyte mode
    • MeasureKit - AR ruler app for iOS 11
      Whatever you want to measure, we have a tool for that
    • WWDC 2018 - Videos - Apple Developer
    • Introduction to Siri Shortcuts - WWDC 2018 - Videos - Apple Developer
    • Siri Shortcuts FAQ: Everything you need to know! | iMore
    • Rise Up on the App Store
    • Safe (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Charlize Theron Finally Speaks Out About Her Failed Romance With Sean Penn, Says She Didn't 'Ghost' Him | Entertainment Tonight
    • Bad Boys (1983 film) - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM2: Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Case - Black: Electronics
    • Amazon.com: Plantronics Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat - Headphones (Black & Tan) (Pro 2): Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Jabra Move Wireless Stereo Headphones - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a Living

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    379: Permanent Hole Jun 05, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of their favorite announcements at the big computer show.

    They also deep dive into how to handle the Benjamin family's need for a new phone.

    Links for this episode:

    • Libby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooks
    • How Instagram’s algorithm works | TechCrunch
    • WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog
    • iOS 12 Preview - Apple
    • iOS 12 FAQ: Everything you need to know! | iMore
    • iOS 12: The MacStories Overview – MacStories
      Under the banner of helping users gain more understanding and control of how they use their devices, iOS 12 introduces improved features for Do Not Disturb and notifications, alongside a brand new area of analytics and monitoring controls called Screen Time.
    • Apple iOS 12 update: the 17 biggest new features coming to the iPhone - The Verge
    • Amazon.com: Tech21 Evo Mesh Protection Case for iPhone 7 Plus 5.5 Clear + Black: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Apple iPhone product line comparison | Comparison tables - SocialCompare
    • Hobby Horse

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    378: A Hong Kong Phooey Situation May 29, 2018

    Discussed this week: media dustups, the deleterious career effects of social media, a week or so of Instagram, love of dogs, a podcast appearance, two great services for spotting fake Amazon reviews, some Netflix recommendations, Inspector Gadget, remastering Star Trek, kids and black & white movies, serious mail, inventing The Sabbath, and some freestyle advice.

    Links for this episode:

    • @hotdogsladies/Political Twitter on Twitter
    • Free Agents #48: Lousy With the Stink of Freedom, with Merlin Mann - Relay FM
      Podcaster Merlin Mann joins us to discuss his long journey as an independent worker, during which he's pivoted from tech guy to productivity expert to a specializer in cult hits.
    • Fakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviews
      Want to analyze the reviews of a product?
    • ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review Checker
      ReviewMeta.com analyzes millions of reviewsand helps you decide which ones to trust
    • How merchants use Facebook to flood Amazon with fake reviews - The Washington Post
      There, an economy of paid reviews has flourished. Merchants pledge to drop reimbursements into a reviewer’s PayPal account within minutes of posting comments for items such as kitchen knives, rain ponchos or shower caddies, often sweetening the deal with a $5 commission or a $10 Amazon gift card. Facebook this month deleted more than a dozen of the groups where sellers and buyers matched after being contacted by The Post. Amazon kicked a five-star seller off its site after an inquiry from The Post.
    • 'Roseanne' canceled after star's racist Twitter rant
    • What It’s Like When Elon Musk’s Twitter Mob Comes After You
      When female journalists like me dare to question the SpaceX and Tesla founder, there’s a predictable result: We get called bitches, idiots, and worse.
    • How do I share a photo or video to my Instagram story? | Instagram Help Center
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #287: You Are Now Cleared for Salad
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #293: The Frame for Our Relationship
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #305: Quadruple Down
    • Mirror, Mirror (Star Trek: The Original Series) - Wikipedia
    • The Tholian Web - Wikipedia
    • The City on the Edge of Forever - Wikipedia
    • Netflix
    • 18 Things You Might Not Know About 'Inspector Gadget' | Mental Floss
    • Pocket-Run Pool is indie dev Zach Gage's version of 8-Ball | GamesBeat

    Brought to you by:

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
    377: Packs a Lot of Lux May 22, 2018

    Discussed: trust my method, beards, foo bar baz, casting Mysterio, villains of Peter Spiderman, an unpaid debt to Dan, medieval electric billing, endorsing Evil Genius and Belief, the power of Spotify podcasts via Alexa, more on Apple TV and voice commands, the pain of scrubbing, 4k HDR via Movies Anywhere, a question on soundbars, Hulu's awesome new "Live Guide" (finally!), a word on TV remote usability, eero's new "Labs," updates to Spark, a new light therapy lamp, and some suggestions on getting a FitBit.

    Links for this episode:

    • Help article: How do I use the Fitbit app to capture GPS data?
    • Introducing eero Labs: Building the future of home WiFi - The Download
    • The Live TV Guide Has Arrived – Hulu Press Site
    • Netflix - "Evil Genius"
    • Amazon.com: Verilux HappyLight Liberty 10,000 LUX Light Therapy Energy Lamp: Health & Personal Care
    • Use Siri on your Apple TV 4K or Apple TV (4th generation) - Apple Support
      "Fast-forward two minutes."
    • A movie is missing from my Movies Anywhere library – Movies Anywhere Help
      Movies Anywhere currently supports movies from the following participating studios, but not all movies from these participating studios are eligible for Movies Anywhere. Check back regularly as our movie catalog and list of participating studios changes: * Disney * Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. * Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. * Universal * Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
    • Spark 2 Hands-On: Email for Teams with App Integrations – MacStories
    • Eero lets you test new Mesh WiFi features in its app
      band steering
    • Jake Gyllenhaal 'joining the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie cast' | Daily Mail Online
    • Game Night (2018) - IMDb
    • Netflix - "Belief"
    • 'Exorcist' Director Makes A New Movie About Exorcism (It's A Documentary) : NPR
      Friedkin tracked down the late Rev. Gabriele Amorth, who was the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, and asked if he could ever watch an exorcism.
    • Passover Seder - Wikipedia
    • Should you buy the 32 GB or 64 GB new Apple TV? | iMore
    • Fitbit Charge 2™ Heart Rate + Fitness Wristband
    • Help article: How do I track my sleep?
    • The Apple Watch has found a surprisingly useful home with everyone that works on their feet — Quartz
    • Metasyntactic variable - Wikipedia
    • Victor Wooten - Isn't She Lovely - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase).
    376: Alexa, Light It Up! May 15, 2018

    Discussed: lame patents, Salvador Dalí, allergy season, backpack discrimination, friend cosplay, things Dan can't say, AT&T woes, Merlin saw a bear, a YouTube rabbit hole, and some excellent historical Disney content.

    Dan and Merlin answer a listen's questions about sleep tracking and leveraging Alexa at the office.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Vintage Disneyland Tickets: The Disney Look - 1977
    • Custom Alexa responses can now be created right from the Alexa app | AFTVnews
      Alexa Routines are a powerful feature that allow you to automate a series of customizable actions using a single voice command of your choice. So when you say “Alexa, I’m leaving,” for example, you can have multiple actions occur, such as turning off all of your smart lights and setting a specific temperature on your thermostat.
    • Defunctland - YouTube - YouTube
    • Defunctland: The Failure of Euro Disneyland - YouTube
    • Defunctland: The History of Disney's Worst Attraction Ever, Superstar Limo - YouTube
    • Supreme Court declines to hear “podcasting patent” case, handing win to EFF | Ars Technica
    • US8112504B2 - System for disseminating media content representing episodes in a serialized sequence - Google Patents
    • CNN on Twitter: "Watch clouds of pollen rise from a shaken tree in Millville, New Jersey https://t.co/MeFOyzg7LW… "
    • Bohemian Rhapsody | Teaser Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTube
    • Here's How to Set Up Amazon Alexa Routines on your Echo Device | Digital Trends
    • How to Create an Alexa Smart Home Routine
    • Since You've Been Gone - YouTube - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or a domain).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    375: Night Punching May 08, 2018

    Discussed: time flies, nesting dolls, cloud saves for Switch, oy vey the service subscriptions, wheat and chess boards, WiFi and health, abdomen cinchers, more Netflix recommendations, the hollow face illusion, Marked 2 update, and a couple more recommendations.

    Dan and Merlin answer a listener's question about balancing work momentum and "down time."

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Marked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writers
      Marked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save. With robust features for previewing, reviewing and exporting beautiful documents, you can work in plain text while reveling in rich formatting. See what's new!
    • Hollow-Face illusion - Wikipedia
      The Hollow-Face illusion (also known as Hollow-Mask illusion) is an optical illusion in which the perception of a concave mask of a face appears as a normal convex face.
    • OK Go - The Writing's On the Wall - Official Video - YouTube
    • Home | Automation Orchard
      The place to find resources to help you automate your life
    • AFTVnews | Amazon Fire TV & Fire TV Stick News, Guides, and Deals
    • The Best of Pema Chödrön: Life, Quotes, and Books
      One of the most beloved of American Buddhist teachers, Pema Chödrön has devoted her life to inspiring people to awaken and has changed many lives in the process. She is the author of many influential books, such as When Things Fall Apart, Living Beautifully, and The Places that Scare You. Her writing, which explores Buddhist concepts and offers paths to conquering subjects such as suffering, fear, and difficult times, has inspired people worldwide. Lion’s Roar has published many powerful teachings authored by Pema. Read below for some of our favorites and to learn about her life and work.
    • Words on Words: John Bremner: 9780231044936: Amazon.com: Books
    • Amazon.com: Adventure Time Wood Nesting Dolls - Set of 5: Toys & Games
    • Nintendo Switch Online service will include cloud saves - Polygon
      The Switch feature fans have been asking for is coming
    • A Penny Doubled Everyday
    • Merlin’s Playlists — Merlin Mann
      Sometimes I make playlists, especially for the particularly musical episodes of podcasts I do. I really like making these, so I'll probably do more.
    • Is WiFi Safe? Simple Steps to Reduce The Negative Effects | Wellness Mama
    • Amazon.com: BELLY ARMOR Anti-Radiation Maternity Embrace Belly Band (Nude, Medium) | EMF Protection for Pregnancy: Health & Personal Care
    • Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee - Wikipedia
    • Netflix
    • Nanette Burstein - Wikipedia
    • The Cake Server | Joseph's Most Complex Machine Ever! - YouTube
    • OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine - Official Video - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Stack Overflow for Teams (Try it today, with your first 14 days free. Go to s.tk/backtowork).

    374: Pouchboy May 01, 2018

    Discussed: places that are closed, dinosaur eyes that follow you, a TV show about makeup, some thoughts on Infinity War, the joy of content that really nails the medium, more on B2W shirts, Merlin hates everything, eminent domain, Dan has questions about Venom, Merlin recommends Uncanny X-Force (Remender & Opeña), and Rob Liefeld's pouch life.

    Your hosts also answer listener questions about finding a mentor and knowing if it's time to move on from a job.

    Links for this episode:

    • You might want to stop taking your vitamins
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • T Rex Optical Illusion - How The Trick Works! - YouTube
    • Imgur: The magic of the Internet
    • Amazing T-Rex Illusion - How to make ?! - YouTube
    • Face Off (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Rick Baker (@therickbaker) • Instagram photos and videos
    • ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Mega-pod, Plus ‘Killing Eve’ - The Ringer
      Chris and Andy review this weekend’s big release and discuss ‘Killing Eve’
    • Killing Eve - Wikipedia
    • Nebula Transformation Timelapse | Legacy Effects - YouTube
    • The Masks | The Twilight Zone Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
    • Uncanny X-Force - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Uncanny X-Force, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Solution (9780785148555): Rick Remender, Jerome Opena, Leonardo Manco: Books
    • [fan-art] THE POUCH. Created by Rob Liefeld. Drawn by Donal Delay. Colored by OP. : comicbooks
    • Donal DeLay (@DonalTDeLay) | Twitter
    • Thomas Robert Malthus - Wikipedia
    • Random Serling
      Random Serling is a show where I am joined by a guest to discuss a randomly selected episode of either The Twilight Zone or Night Gallery, two shows created by the late Rod Serling, master of suspense. New episodes will follow each week until we run out of material.

    Brought to you by:

    • Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).

    373: Red Cheekums Apr 24, 2018

    Discussed: Dan's gummi vitamins, vitamins in general, the childhood shame of those weird plaque pills, exotic sickness images, Fifth Disease comes to Austin, Dan's car troubles, Faraday Cages and how to build them, a potential t-shirt for you.

    Dan was cleaning out his garage, and Merlin has a lot to say about the philosophy and practical components of getting rid of junk at scale. Also, Dan really kills it on eBay.

    Merlin is very excited about Fantastic Four coming back and has some potential warnings about the new Wes Anderson film. Spoilers: there's nothing weak about knowing what freaks you out.

    Also, the boys discuss why Merlin changed his mic setup. Which is fascinating.

    Links for this episode:

    • A little-known California law is Silicon Valley's secret weapon - Vox
    • Apple, Google give high tech workers an extra $90 million in “no-poach” suit | Ars Technica
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • flickr downloadr - Batch download your flickr photos!
    • Amazon.com: Nature's Way Alive!® Immune Gummies, Food-Based Blend (150mg per serving) and Elderberry, Gluten Free, Made with Pectin, 90 Gummies: Health & Personal Care
    • Amazon.com: Jarrow Formulas Methylcobalamin (Methyl B12), Supports Brain Cells, 5000 mcg, 60 Lozenges: Health & Personal Care
    • The Basics on Fifth Disease
    • Amazon.com: Blocsilver High Protection EMF Wifi Radiation Shield Bed Canopy (Californian King): Home & Kitchen
    • Sara Pichelli's Excellent Tumblr [NSFW!]
    • Fantastic Four Returns this Summer from Dan Slott and Sara Pichelli
    • The Return of the Fantastic Four - The New York Times
    • Marvel Age-by-Age Guide | Common Sense Media
    • Isle of Dogs Movie Review
    • Does the Dog Die?
    • Isle of Dogs [2018] [PG-13] - 1.5.2
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter (re: "Isle of Dogs")
      Weird datapoint. “Isle of Dogs” was a movie I expected to utterly adore, then only _kinda_ liked in the theater, but now I keep thinking about it a lot a lot. So, I think maybe I liked it more than I thought?
    • Walter Hickey on Twitter: "#justice4hawkeye… "

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    372: Hole That Rabbit Apr 17, 2018

    This week, the boys discuss Drafts, The Archive, Merlin's love of Spotify, some great playlists, and weird rules for cheerleaders.

    In extensive follow-up, your hosts talk about the listener who was having trouble with addressing employees and social media use. This goes lots of interesting places.

    Next up, even more input from listeners on social media policies and living life in a fishbowl.

    Links for this episode:

    • Drafts | Agile Tortoise
    • Drafts (@draftsapp) | Twitter
    • Vector with Rene Ritchie: 033: Drafts, with Greg Pierce and Merlin Mann
      Drafts is developed by Greg Pierce and used the hell out of by Merlin Mann. They sit down together to talk direction, workflows, and what's coming next.
    • Upgrade #189: Obsolescence Isn’t What It Used to Be - Relay FM
    • Baby's Breath · Bill Callahan
    • "Wild, Wild Country" playlist on Spotify
    • How N.F.L. Teams Use Social Media to Promote, and Control, Cheerleaders - The New York Times
    • Smog - Your Wedding - YouTube
    • Burt Bacharach - The Look of Love
    • Key & Peele - Substitute Teacher - YouTube
      "Ay-ay-ron?"

    Brought to you by:

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK).

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    371: Avocado People Apr 10, 2018

    Bula vinaka, bee tee dubs nation! This is an epic odds and sods episode, replete with TV follow-up, font follow-up, and Wild, Wild Country follow-up, along with book recommendations, happy Splatoon 2 talk, and a pretty terrible 70s board game. Also, ubi sunt retail amirite?

    Also, your hosts finally (finally!) address a listener's excellent and very difficult question about her millennial employee's use of social media. Lot of levels!

    Links for this episode:

    • Rules of Thumb: A Life Manual: Tom Parker: 9780761150732: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Order of Things: Hierarchies, Structures, and Pecking Orders: Barbara Ann Kipfer: 9780761150442: Amazon.com: Books
    • Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: The Definitive, 4th Edition: Betty Edwards: 9781585429202: Amazon.com: Books
    • Toys R Us blames Amazon, Target, Walmart for dealing death blow over holidays
    • Kid80s.com: M&M's "Thanks, Easter Bunny" Commercial from the 80s - YouTube
    • Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Game Details
    • Splatoon 2 - Turf War Gameplay - YouTube
    • Splatoon 2 Review - YouTube
    • Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch – Official Site
    • tonsky/FiraCode: Monospaced font with programming ligatures
    • The Times Issues Social Media Guidelines for the Newsroom - The New York Times
      The new guidelines underscore our newsroom’s appreciation for the important role social media now plays in our journalism, but also call for our journalists to take extra care to avoid expressing partisan opinions or editorializing on issues that The Times is covering.
    • [PDF] Starbucks Dress Code
    • BBQ and Foot Massage

    Brought to you by:

    • Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).

    370: King Jeremy the Wicked Apr 03, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin discuss Jessica Jones and the problem of super power constitution, plus some more Netflix recommendations ("Look away! Looooook awaaaaay!"). They also do a dive into updates on the monospace fonts they like and use. Next, up they talk about the new app, The Archive, contrasting with nvALT.

    Finally, your hosts answer an excellent listener question about struggling to manage more experienced developers.

    Links for this episode:

    • The Archive (macOS) • Zettelkasten Method
    • Jessica Jones (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Alias (comics) - Wikipedia
    • Max (comics) - Wikipedia
    • Krysten Ritter - Wikipedia
    • Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Wikipedia
    • Top 10 Programming Fonts
    • Introduction | IBM Plex
    • Getting Apple’s SF Mono Font in macOS – Shashikant Jagtap – Medium
    • source-foundry/Hack: A typeface designed for source code
    • Roboto Mono - Google Fonts
    • mozilla/Fira: Mozilla's new typeface, used in Firefox OS
    • DIN Schriften™ - Desktop font « MyFonts
    • Factor Rainbows | Worksheet | Education.com
    • Rainbow method to find all factors of a number - MAT0018 Additional resources - Oliver - LibGuides at Polk State College
    • Amazon.com: ART Pro Audio HeadAmp 4 Four Channel Headphone Amplifier: Musical Instruments
    • Netflix - A Series of Unfortunate Events

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).

    369: Comic Blood Mar 27, 2018

    This week, your hosts say "Bula Vinaka!" They also discuss phone cards, some Netflix recommendations, Merlin's phone usage, and "accidentally" getting punched in the face by your kid. Of course, they also talk about the TV and voice control ecosystems.

    They also respond to listener questions about better active listening, and how they each take notes for podcasts.

    Links for this episode:

    • AT&T Fiji Commercial - YouTube
    • Netflix
    • Wild Wild Country | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube
    • Netflix
    • Netflix
    • Flint water crisis - Wikipedia
    • List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | Flixable
    • Customer relationship management - Wikipedia
    • nvALT - BrettTerpstra.com
    • Would ‘Black Panther’ Work As TV? Plus Guilty Pleasures and New Music In the Mailbag | The Watch (Ep. 236 ) — The Watch — Overcast
    • Michael Wolfe's answer to Why is Dropbox more popular than other programs with similar functionality? - Quora

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    368: Call the Mouse Guy Mar 20, 2018

    This week, your hosts discuss Steely Dan, digital mastering, The Police, Dune, high-quality VCRs, and Dan's brother-in-law's close call.

    Next, they dive into a fascinating article on why projects fail.

    Finally, the boys respond to a listener's question about cautious workplace enthusiasm.

    Links for this episode:

    • The meaning of snafu, clusterfuck, and shitshow: There's a difference — Quartz at Work
    • SPARS code - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    367: A Favorite Child Mar 13, 2018

    This week, your hosts talk about some stuff they're doing, loving Spotify, some Echo podcast-listening tips, the attraction of Google Drive, some thoughts on backup strategies, getting swole, the joys of rock tumbler ownership, scary times in Austin, weird iMac problems, some more thoughts on backup strategies, Merlin's obsession with drumming videos, and yet more Apple TV foibles.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #21 — Merlin Mann
    • Amazon adds follow-up mode for Alexa to let you make back-to-back requests | The Verge
    • Mindfulness in Plain English - Audiobook | Audible.com
    • Beatles '66 - Audiobook | Audible.com
    • All the Pieces Matter - Audiobook | Audible.com
    • The Dragonet Prophecy - Audiobook | Audible.com
    • Spotify
    • Spotify Integration - Fireside
    • Amazon.com: My Pod: Alexa Skills
    • Home - My Pod
    • Using Google Drive - New Features, Benefits & Advantages of Google Cloud Storage
    • Microsoft OneDrive
    • Google Photos - Wikipedia
    • How to use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple Support
    • Shirt Pocket
    • SuperDuper!
    • Etcher
    • How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support
    • How to download macOS Sierra - Apple Support
    • Cory Doctorow's craphound.com | Cory Doctorow's Literary Works
    • Audiobooks matching keywords percy jackson | Audible.com
    • School for Good and Evil
    • Bernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTube
    • No Retreat, No Surrender - Wikipedia
    • Jean-Claude Van Damme - Wikipedia
    • The Doctor's Promise - YouTube
    • Netflix

    Brought to you by:

    • Audible (Audible is offering you a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to audible.com/B2W or text B2W to 500-500 and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs.

    • Bombfell (For $25 off your first purchase, visit bombfell.com/backtowork).

    366: Five Sides of the Street Mar 06, 2018

    This week, your hosts talk about using Windows, technology modalities, making sane decisions as a developer, reality TV, 20th anniversary of The Dude, Merlin's new fondness for Spotify, analyzing takes on the HomePod, options for high-quality in smart speakers, dealing with recurring financial (and psychological) eels, competitive heat in the smart home ecosystem, Canadians, and the name of Scotland Yard. They also answer a listener question about feeling overwhelmed by content options.

    Links for this episode:

    • Amazon Alexa
      (Choose default music services)
    • STAMP - Move to Apple Music, Spotify or Google Music
      Stamp moves tracks and playlists across various services - Apple Music, Spotify, Google Music and others!
    • Amazon.com: AcuRite 01014M Weather Station with AcuRite Access for Remote Monitoring: Home & Kitchen
    • Under the Radar #120: Productivity by Inefficiency - Relay FM
      Adopting inefficient hacks to save developer time, since hardware is so fast that it's often a worthwhile tradeoff.
    • Under the Radar #70: The Hacks We Ship - Relay FM
      The difference between good and bad hacks, and some glorious hacks we've shipped in our apps.
    • GitHub Octoverse 2017 | Highlights from the last twelve months
    • GitHut - Programming Languages and GitHub
    • Sid the Science Kid, “Checking Out Charts” on Vimeo
    • Netflix
    • Credit union - Wikipedia
    • (1) The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England Explained - YouTube
    • Great Scotland Yard - Wikipedia
    • Bored and Brilliant | WNYC
    • The Beatles discography - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).

    365: Volume Eight Feb 27, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about weather as a thing and giving up on Cash's dumb iPad problem. This leads to discussion about the risks, opportunities, and frustrations of having lots of data in different places (probably).

    The main topic this week is an exploration of TickTick. Neat app.

    They also almost talk about Black Panther.

    Links for this episode:

    • TickTick
    • Overview · TickTick User Guide
    • Dew point - Wikipedia
    • Jaz drive - Wikipedia
    • MusicBrainz Picard
    • Queen - Somebody To Love (Official Video) - YouTube
    • TickTick - Todo & Task List - Chrome Web Store
    • STAMP - Move to Apple Music, Spotify or Google Music
    • Netflix

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).

    364: The New Fudge Feb 20, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk a little too much about Harry Potter, but also manage to cover some other media properties as well as the shockingly limited options for British casting. Dan has a new task management app, and Merlin decides to give it a spin too. The need for help from the jackals who make Cash's iPad app is escalated.

    In a somewhat classic style, the conversation moves to considering Big Issues around work, friction, modality, usability, and apps for pound-sign productivity.

    Twitter, its apps, and its perplexing (lack of?) company direction are discussed. Merlin has something like a razor for this.

    Dan is told that he is upset.

    Links for this episode:

    • Thought-terminating cliché - RationalWiki
      A thought-terminating cliché is a saying, often a tautology, that is repeated in order to relieve the stress of cognitive dissonance by avoiding all further consideration of a matter. Everyday examples include "it is what it is," "it's just common sense," and "you gotta do what you gotta do."
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #299: Unhook from the Comparison
      This week, Merlin shares some useful thoughts (via Patrick Rothfuss) on being careful about how we compare ourselves to others.
    • Manure Digester — Unattended Consequences — Overcast
    • Behind the scenes: Professor Flitwick - Pottermore
    • TickTick: Todo list, checklist and task manager app for Android, iPhone and Web
    • Merlin's Trick for Remembering HP ages and order
    • The Mythical Man-Month - Wikipedia
    • Towards a Bra-free Instagram Experience – NewCo Shift
    • Welcome to Willow Management
    • Douglas Adams - Wikipedia

    Brought to you by:

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).

    363: She's My Horcrux Feb 13, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about lots of recent experiences with the weird and often-frustrating world of streaming TV. What a mess.

    There's also some discussion of sauna suits, The Eagles, Mummers, and Dan's victorious t-shirt.

    Also, Dan needs your help with solving a terrible problem with one of Cash's iPad games.

    Links for this episode:

    • Welcome | Movies Anywhere
    • Eagles fan gets a tattoo of the Philly Special - NFL.com
    • Hulu Says Super Bowl Live-Streaming Outage Was Caused by Program-Extension Glitch – Variety
      An unknown number of Hulu’s live TV subscribers missed the final minutes of Super Bowl LII — just before the last-ditch effort by the New England Patriots to tie up the game failed — and the company on Monday blamed the outage on an error in its system for extending live programming past its scheduled stop time.
    • Philly Special
    • JustWatch - Streaming Search Engine for movies and tv shows
    • Forecast: A must-have tool for Mac podcasters - Six Colors
    • Ryan Hamrick
    • JASON KELCE FULL UNEDITED SPEECH - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES SUPER BOWL PARADE [2.8.18] - YouTube
    • Mummers Parade - Wikipedia
    • Home | Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
    • Mütter Museum - Wikipedia
    • Netflix

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or a domain).

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)

    362: A Yuck and a Yum Feb 06, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the Eagles' big win, what constitutes a catch, Dan's cool new shirt, Merlin's surprisingly positive interactions with Kabletown, the seeming magic of Movies Anywhere, some recent TV recommendations, and a great listener tip for using Nuzzel.

    Your hosts also respond to Listener Daniel's question about new job responsibilities making him feel like an impostor.

    Links for this episode:

    • Netflix - instantwatcher - The Ultimate Guide for Streaming
    • Explore | Movies Anywhere
    • Amazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard SB6183 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem - Retail Packaging - White: Computers & Accessories
    • Super Bowl Celebrations, Han Solo Trailer Reaction, and the Surprise Cloverfield Movie (Ep. 224) — The Watch — Overcast
      The Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald celebrate their beloved Eagles’ win in the Super Bowl (0:54), dissect the movie trailers that debuted during the big game (17:00), and discuss the hits and misses behind the surprise release of ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ (29:06).save in overcast
    • The Philly Special T-Shirt
    • Completing a Catch | NFL Football Operations
    • Super Bowl 2018: Illegal formation doesn’t apply to Nick Foles TD vs. Patriots - SBNation.com
    • Altered Carbon (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDb

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    361: Caveman Arithmetic Jan 30, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about crazy kids' homework, Dan's exciting nerd field trips in the Bay Area, the magic of PIXAR, a handy Netflix companion site, and using Siri on Apple TV.

    Things get a little heated during a discussion about all the weirdly fawning coverage of HomePod—and whether or when Apple's new speaker dingus might find a place in your hosts' lives.

    Recommendations include a podcast with Hawkeye Pierce, an excellent boiled eggs recipe, and some cool TED-Ed videos.

    Your hosts respond to listener feedback about bitter Nintendo cartridges and field an interesting question about creating consumer-friendly tech support.

    Links for this episode:

    • List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | Flixable
      Are you wondering what's new – or what's best – on Netflix? Flixable is a Netflix search engine that offers a complete, searchable and browsable list of all the movies and TV shows that are currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
    • Alan Alda Wants Us To Have Better Conversations — Hidden Brain — Overcast
      We’ve all experienced miscommunications. Their consequences can range from hilarious… to disastrous. The actor Alan Alda — yes, THAT Alan Alda — wants to help us avoid them.
    • Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs - Nom Nom Paleo®
      Here’s how to make perfectly-cooked hard-boiled eggs that are never overcooked (I hate the gray-green sulfur ring around overdone yolks) and are easily peeled:
    • TED-Ed - YouTube
    • Pixar's RenderMan | Renderman Home
    • The Food Lab: How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs | Serious Eats
    • Yes, Nintendo Switch cartridges taste terrible - The Verge
    • Amazon.com : Onyx Professional Stop The Bite Nail Biting & Thumb Sucking Deterrent Nail Polish 2 Pack 0.5oz : Beauty
    • Amazon.com : Probelle Anti-Bite, Stop Nail Biting and Thumb Sucking, Clear, .5 Fluid Ounces : Beauty
    • HomePod - Apple

    Brought to you by:

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    360: I Haven't Lost My Knife Jan 24, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk a lot about writing and respond to feedback from listeners.

    Links for this episode:

    • Bacon Method
    • How long to grill a steak on a charcoal grill - The rule of threes - Grilling24x7Grilling24x7
    • Rule of three - Wikipedia
    • Home – Nintendo Labo Official Site – Trailer, product information
    • Flu may be spread just by breathing, new study says

    Brought to you by:

    • ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    359: You Can't See Inside the Dog Jan 16, 2018

    This week, Dan has some weather, Cash makes a battery, homework can be a silly drag, management is about scalability and quantification, how to figure out how much you have to do, 80s movies can be problematic, ultracrepidarianism, making fish wanna get nasty, and you gotta give people ONE suggestion.

    Great listener feedback on the evolution of pro kitchens, real-life risk aversion, and a terrific use of Echo's drop-in functionality.

    Also, the possibilities and shortcomings of Machine Learning are discussed.

    Links for this episode:

    • SF Sketchfest 2018: Roderick on the Line
      Tuesday January 16, 2018 8:00pm - 9:30pm Gateway Theatre 215 Jackson Street San Francisco, CA 94111
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #20 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, January 18th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • “The Labour of Two Days, Is That for Which You Ask Two Hundred Guineas!” “No; I Ask It for the Knowledge of a Lifetime.” | Quote Investigator
      “The Labour of Two Days, Is That for Which You Ask Two Hundred Guineas!” “No
    • “But You Did That in Thirty Seconds.” “No, It Has Taken Me Forty Years To Do That.” | Quote Investigator
      “But You Did That in Thirty Seconds.” “No, It Has Taken Me Forty Years To Do That.”
    • Ultracrepidarianism - Wikipedia
      Ultracrepidarianism is the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one's knowledge.
    • Baghdad Battery - Wikipedia
    • Congo tetra - Wikipedia
    • C.G.P. Grey - How Machines Learn

    Brought to you by:

    • LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork.

    • Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase).

    • Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    358: Dumb Ohio Mouth Jan 09, 2018

    This week, your hosts cover some odds and sods, share some recommendations, design some fantasy podcast apps, and introduce an exciting new feature involving the Internet Science Site.

    They also respond to a listener's thorny question about dealing with negative chatter in the workplace.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #20 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, January 18th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Home - My Pod
      Link to your audio and web links and play them through your Amazon Echo.
    • Yerkes–Dodson law - Wikipedia
      Research has found that different tasks require different levels of arousal for optimal performance. For example, difficult or intellectually demanding tasks may require a lower level of arousal (to facilitate concentration), whereas tasks demanding stamina or persistence may be performed better with higher levels of arousal (to increase motivation).
    • Marchetti's constant - Wikipedia
      Marchetti's constant is the average time spent by a person for commuting each day, which is approximately one hour.
    • Ship of Theseus - Wikipedia
      The ship of Theseus, also known as Theseus's paradox, is a thought experiment that raises the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object.
    • Bruce Timm - Wikipedia
    • Ep. 273: "One Kilometer" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
      The Problem: It was the first thing that John had ever finished.
    • Huffduffer
    • Horace Dediu on Twitter: "Studies show that the health benefits of riding without a helmet generally outweigh the safety benefits of riding with a helmet, so if helme… https://t.co/zosIxcuwmN"
    • Ditching bike helmets laws better for health
    • Exploring an Alternate Universe | Lapham’s Quarterly
    • John Waite - Missing You [OFFICIAL HQ VIDEO] - YouTube
    • It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) | The Official Bob Dylan Site
    • Journey (2012 video game) - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories (9781401231156): Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Various: Books

    Brought to you by:

    • LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork.

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • MissionU (To learn more about MissionU and to earn $500 upon completion of the full year program, go to MissionU.com/backtowork).

    357: Scrolling Carousel of Pain Jan 02, 2018

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why they're trending, an exciting update on the Mr. Robot ATV bug, the frustrating opacity of using Apple's stuff, Dan's love for Nintendo Switch, nostalgia for NASA, Merlin's love for the Amazon Spot, the problem of fish food and regret, updates on your hosts' sleep technologies, possible solutions for killing spam on iPhone, and some more thoughts on dealing with Netflix's filtering, ratings, and…jeez kinda just everything about their dingaling interface.

    Links for this episode:

    • Introducing Echo Spot - Amazon Official Site - Stylish, compact Echo with a screen
    • How to Disable Alexa's Drop-In Feature
    • What other home “kits” can I assemble? - organization | Ask MetaFilter
    • The Worst Part of Working Remotely Is Trying to Read Minds
      My heart races as that familiar bubble pops up on my screen. My supervisor is typing for what seems like forever. In reality, it’s only a few seconds, but that’s still enough time for me to fall into a full-on worry spiral: Did I make a mistake? Is she mad at me? Finally, the text message appears: “Thank you.”
    • Square Signals : Successful habits through smoothly ratcheting...
    • sarahlemarie on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Back to Work made it into the bug report on the Mr Robot problem! And it's fixed! Maybe you heard already. Catching up on my… https://t.co/WONENExNEu"
      @hotdogsladies Back to Work made it into the bug report on the Mr Robot problem! And it's fixed! Maybe you heard already. Catching up on my B2W eps atm and heard you talking about it in Dec 19 show.
    • Amazon.com: rolls MS111 Mic Switch On/Off: Musical Instruments
    • Amazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDSS Short Stop Mute Box: Musical Instruments
    • GRIFFIN'S Top 5 Games of 2017! - YouTube
    • Super blue blood moon eclipse to appear January 31, 2018 | Miami Herald
    • Total Lunar Eclipse on January 31, 2018 – Where and When to See
    • Introducing Echo Spot - Amazon Official Site - Stylish, compact Echo with a screen
    • Edward Everett Horton - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Ziploc Space Bag- Vacuum Seal Bag- 13 Bag Variety- 4 Travel, 2 Med, 5 Lrg, 2 XL: Home & Kitchen
    • Amazon.com: Natural Talalay Latex Foam Pillow Standard with Eco-friendly Hypoallergenic and Anti-mite by SWEESLEEP (Soft, 23"x15"x5"): Home & Kitchen
    • Nintendo Entertainment System - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Nintendo Switch with Joy-Con Pick You Own System Bundle Options: Edition, Color, Games, Extra Controller, Case: Nintendo: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch: Video Games
    • Apple Will Replace the Battery in Your iPhone 6 or Later Even if It Passes a Genius Bar Diagnostic Test - Mac Rumors
    • #104 The Case of the Phantom Caller — Reply All — Overcast

    Brought to you by:

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).

    • LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork.

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    356: Politics or Gender or Iron Man Dec 29, 2017

    The boys wrap up a big year—a huge year—with an unintentionally thematic episode about feelings, expectations, nostalgia, and the black boxes of life, technological and otherwise.

    Links for this episode:

    • gyrosco.pe
    • Patriot (TV Series 2015– ) - IMDb
    • Fortitude (TV series) - Wikipedia
    • Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? (Part One) - The New York Times
    • Gyroscope V1.10 – Gyroscope
    • iPad Pro — What’s a computer — Apple - YouTube
    • Apple Is Ready to Ditch the Mac | John C. Dvorak | PCMag.com
    • Daring Fireball: Pressing the Side Button to Confirm Payments on iPhone X
    • Reconcilable Differences #29: Six Fax Machines - Relay FM
      To wit: Merlin can't contain his fascination and admiration with how John's rationality and long view of history has colored and redirected his own conceptions about what the future holds.How does John evaluate and interpolate new technology? How should inchoate cultural vectors inform our thinking? Why do some kinds of change take such improbably more time than others? And how much do we really want to learn about cannibalism?
    • GRIFFIN'S Top 5 Games of 2017! - YouTube
    • 038 - Why Are There No New Christmas Songs? — Reasonably Sound — Overcast
    • Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Tales of Fraud - NBC.com
    • To beat President Trump, you have to learn to think like his supporters - The Washington Post
      dwelling on scandal too much can be counterproductive, then the focus must be elsewhere.
    • Seinfeld - Kramer wants to cancel his mail
    • Thrill Rides | Six Flags Great Adventure
      Looking for thrills? Well, you've found them. In fact, you've found some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, gut-wrenchingest rides in the country-including a few record-breakers.
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "I feel like I've got a 5000-word essay about the levels of emotional engagement in this #DoctorWho in me. You're so lucky I don't have a Me… https://t.co/oWzdCCTsEt"
      I feel like I've got a 5000-word essay about the levels of emotional engagement in this
    • Yass Cat Vine 5 Minute Loop - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

    • TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com.com/podcast for 20% off your first year)!

    355: Eleven Dollars and a Bottle of Yoo-hoo Dec 19, 2017

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about keyboard preferences (and their noises), Merlin catching Dan's weird "Mr. Robot" bug on Apple TV, feedback about "inside jokes," exclusion as a weapon, more good Robert Wright interviews, a deepish dive on Netflix personalization techniques (alongside some speculation on how well it's working), platforms and technologies as lobster traps, the problem with cartoons about screaming, how much kids love YouTube, the challenge of partnering with podcast middlepersons, a new Netflix show Dan likes, possibilities for new Marvel properties, and listener feedback on the potential benefits of using work tools you don't prefer.

    Links for this episode:

    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Umm. @danbenjamin? Yeah. https://t.co/65GTE5UfpP"
    • #102 — Is Buddhism True? — Waking Up with Sam Harris — Overcast
      A Conversation with Robert Wright
    • Episode 171: Buddhism vs. Evolution with Guest Robert Wright (Part One) — The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast — Overcast
    • How does Netflix personalise its movie and TV recommendations? - Radio Times
    • Artwork Personalization at Netflix – Netflix TechBlog – Medium
    • The Shining (happy version) - YouTube
    • Maqaroon - YouTube - YouTube
    • HD & 4K Macaroon Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Macaroon Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Bourbon Whiskey Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Bourbon Whiskey Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Podcast Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Podcast Stock Footage
    • Updated: "Visual Guide to Marvel Character Movie Rights" Infographic by The Geek Twins [Infographic] - The Geek Twins
    • DoubleX Gabfest on the Democrats as the party of purity, Slack, and “Cat Person.”
    • Bram Stoker's Dracula - Trailer - HQ - (1992) - YouTube
    • James Thomson on Twitter: "I ran all the existing Doctor Who episode titles through a Markov chain, and it came up with some great new ones. https://t.co/6tbz00aK9A"
    • Doctor Who Episode Titles - Pastebin.com

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

    354: One Whale Dec 12, 2017

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about (partial) resolution to Dan's Apple TV bug, some venting about delivery problems, general complaining about customer service, a good TV podcast episode, a very good Buddhism podcast episode, some excellent Buddhism talk, listener follow-up on Dan's strange video mail package, shakeups and wild innovation in the TV bidness, that creepy/mean Netflix tweet, and a listener's question about whether the tech requirements at a promising new job should be a deal-breaker.

    Links for this episode:

    • Chapo Trap House | Free Listening on SoundCloud
    • What Buddhism got right about the human brain — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcast
    • Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment: Robert Wright: 9781439195451: Amazon.com: Books
    • The Best TV of 2017 With Sam Esmail (Ep. 210) — The Watch — Overcast
      The Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald are joined for their annual best TV of 2017 discussion with ‘Mr. Robot’ creator Sam Esmail. They cover what they are looking from their own television experience, this year in television (2:00), and their top-10 favorite shows of the year, including ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Mindhunter,’ ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ and more (14:00).save in overcast
    • Verizon, NFL agree to new 5-year deal worth nearly $2.5 billion
    • Comcast continues to inject its own code into websites you visit
    • You Are Two - YouTube
    • Netflix US on Twitter: "To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?"

    Brought to you by:

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).

    353: Superagency Dec 05, 2017

    This week, Dan and Merlin discuss theories on Dan's Mr. Robot/Apple TV bug, living in an opinion bubble, an update on flu shot efficacy, Dan's recent insane mail delivery, speculation on how giant ad buys work, consternation about memory-holed media.

    Your hosts respond to a listener's question about the difficulty of choosing a career path that wasn't what you'd expected.

    Merlin also explains his shaving strategy.

    Links for this episode:

    • Bizarre bug in Apple TV 4k - can’t access specific programme | MacRumors Forums
    • Vincent Racaniello on Twitter: "On recent B2W discussion of flu vax @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin there are 3 viruses in the vaccine, even if one is mismatched with circulati… https://t.co/Z5rVkBEqOW"
      On recent B2W discussion of flu vax @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin there are 3 viruses in the vaccine, even if one is mismatched with circulating strains, vax will still prevent severe disease/death, and others will still provide protection!
    • List of Mr. Robot episodes - Wikipedia
    • Social media bubbles: One graph shows how morally outraged tweets stay within their political spheres — Quartz
    • Confirmation bias - Wikipedia
    • Amy Sherman-Palladino on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
    • Marvelous Mrs. Maisel costume designer breaks down the looks
    • Del Tha Funkee Homosapien - Mistadobalina (Video Version) - YouTube
    • Del the Funky Homosapien - Wikipedia
    • Dan Benjamin on Instagram: “I have been sent a YouTube video in the mail.” • Instagram
    • Dan Benjamin on Instagram: “How it works ...” • Instagram
    • The Adventures of Pete & Pete - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Braun Series 7 790cc Men's Electric Foil Shaver / Electric Razor, with Clean & Charge Station, Cordless: Beauty
    • Here are the Monkees and Mister Bob Dobalina | dinnerfornoone
    • Eddie Money - Shakin' - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork.

    • Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • MOTIV (For $20 off your first order, visit mymotiv.com and at checkout enter BACKTOWORK).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    352: Get Away From My Formular! Dec 01, 2017

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about…so many things. Merlin had a lot of coffee.

    Big topics include:

    • Flickr nostalgia (and smart photo backup tips)
    • Dan's crazy Apple TV bug
    • A terrific podcast episode about Buddhism and the human mind
    • A tough listener question about gracefully leaving a job

    Links for this episode:

    • What Buddhism got right about the human brain — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcast
      I’m interested in mindfulness, and so have read a lot of books on the subject. This isn’t like those. It’s a not a how-to guide, or an argument for meditation’s health benefits. It’s a deep dive into theories of the mind, informed both by Wright’s scientific background and his study and practice of Buddhism. It’s about how our minds evolved to keep us alive, not to keep us happy or satisfied — and what can be done about it.
    • What Buddhism got right about the human brain
    • ‘Flu-pocalypse’ Predicted Due To Ineffective Flu Shots, Doctors Say « CBS Philly
    • Why do you need to get a flu shot every year? - Melvin Sanicas - YouTube
    • Flying monkeys (psychology) - Wikipedia
    • Confirmation bias - Wikipedia
    • dan/hivelogic-flickrtouchr: A Python script to grab all your photos from flickr and dump them into a directory, organized into folders by set name.
    • How to download your Flickr photo library and transfer it to Google Photos or iCloud Photo library | Macworld
    • Brattoo Propaganda Software - Products
    • Lisa on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies I think the font you liked in the video might be Formular."
      @hotdogsladies I think the font you liked in the video might be Formular.
    • RunPee: because theaters don't have pause buttons. on the App Store

    Brought to you by:

    • LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork.

    • TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com.com/podcast for 20% off your first year)!

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

    • Circle with Disney (Use code BACKTOWORK at meetcircle.com to get Free Shipping and $10 OFF your Circle with Disney device).

    351: Your Chest Is a Tunnel Nov 21, 2017

    This week, your hosts discuss: holiday disruptions, life patterns, the joys of regularity, discovering unnecessary existential vulnerabilities, scheduling as a video game, getting your head around sous vide cooking, modern kids' arithmetic, CBD dosage stuff, using the Sway app, meditation for improving attention management, dealing with the character who speaks your internal voice, some hot tips on starting meditation, a historical video series Merlin's family likes, a quest for a typeface, nostalgia for teeny tiny fonts, a listener question about how to end a conference call, a recommendation for Netflix's The Punisher, and some angry attempts to conceal ma' secret formular.

    Links for this episode:

    • Sway
    • PAUSE
    • Radiohead – Man of War (Piano Cover) - YouTube
    • Radiohead – Paranoid Android (Piano Cover) - YouTube
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #331: Hidden in Wigs
    • How does Amtrak deal with time changes? - One Mile at a Time
    • Food Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) — Food Safety Talk
      Merlin Mann joins Don and Ben for a discussion on food safety and cooking using science at home.
    • Food Safety Talk 85: I'm the jerky police — Food Safety Talk
    • HD & 4K Thanksgiving Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Thanksgiving Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Revenge Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Revenge Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Food Poisoning Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Food Poisoning Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Podcast Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Podcast Stock Footage
    • An Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation
    • How To Start a Meditation Practice
    • Ancient Rome in 20 minutes - YouTube
    • Ancient Greece in 18 minutes - YouTube
    • Silkscreen is a small free font for your Web graphics
    • Download Sevenet 7 Font
    • Mini 7 - Desktop font « MyFonts
    • DIN 1451 - Wikipedia
    • Jon Bernthal - Wikipedia
    • Elizabeth Olsen - Wikipedia
    • Create New Customer Account
    • Formular - Webfont & Desktop font « MyFonts
    • Formular Fonts by Brownfox » Fontspring
    • Item 17233 - Oral Dispenser with Tip Cap, Comar®, 1mL - Amber

    Brought to you by:

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    • HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).

    • Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

    350: Stacking Stones and Inspiration Nov 14, 2017

    TOPIC: Integrity and Fear.

    This week your hosts discuss: sandwiches, solar power, some recent movies and what makes them memorable (or not), the glory of Edgar Wright, fun movie commentaries, Dan's rowing machine, big changes for Chairman Bendis, a cool free font from IBM, awesome creativity from a listener, some thoughts on apps for meditation and relaxation (and the important distinction between those things), the downside of Competitive Mindfulness and similar, some excellent feedback on last week's episode, the fear of integrity loss, Dan's trip to NYC, follow-up on resetting an iPhone, and the fine art of computer troubleshooting.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, November 16th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Plica Plica Semi-Acapella Back To Work Theme by bakerhood
    • DC on Twitter: "We’re so excited to start working with @BRIANMBENDIS! https://t.co/v1tgsMaNTr"
    • Miles Morales, Jessica Jones creator Brian Michael Bendis signs exclusive deal with DC Comics - Polygon
    • Brian Michael Bendis Leaves Marvel, Signs Exclusive Deal With DC Comics
    • Brian Michael Bendis Signs DC-Exclusive Deal | CBR
    • IBM Type
      Thanks for your interest in IBM Plex, IBM’s new corporate type family. IBM Plex is open source, and should be used by IBMers for all typographical situations, replacing Helvetica Neue, whenever possible.
    • Sway is a slick meditation app that makes sure you relax
    • Wind River (film) - Wikipedia
    • Edgar Wright - Wikipedia
    • Baby Driver - Wikipedia
    • Hot Fuzz - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (8601421062619): Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley: Books
    • Netflix
    • Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes
    • Fonts - Apple Developer
    • How to use Apple’s SF Mono font in your editor – Blog post - Simon Fredsted’s blog
    • Sway on the App Store
      Sway is an ‘interactive meditation’ experience. It uses your phone to track movement and provides feedback to help you gain focus and improve your attention.
    • PAUSE - Relaxation at your fingertip on the App Store
      Based on the ancient principles of Tai Chi and mindfulness practice, PAUSE brings the act of focused attention to your mobile device. Using a patent-pending technique and a unique approach to modern technology, you can easily start the journey to relaxation – anywhere and anytime.
    • Before You Call a Song "EASY," Watch THIS! - YouTube
    • Pace Picante Sauce commercial - "Why this stuff's made in New York City!" - 1989 - YouTube
    • HD & 4K Chihuahua Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Chihuahua Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Crystals Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crystals Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Zen Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Zen Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Business Cards Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Business Cards Stock Footage
    • Reconcilable Differences #64: All Fight - Relay FM
      Merlin has a long history of cockamamie, and John fervently hopes that he only ever develops problems Real Science understands. The contemporary bugaboo of gluten and its ilk are discussed and argued by both anecdote and analogy. Elaine looks like she put on five, ten pounds.
    • Adam Neely - YouTube - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Thanks to Slack for supporting Back To Work. Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).

    • Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    349: The Kid Who Never Won Anything Nov 07, 2017

    TOPIC: Trials, Trophies, and Trying Harder.

    This week, the boys arrive from either the past or future to talk about Dan's spoon problem, the refuse racket, the slog of incremental improvement, the perils of black and white thinking, folding paper seven times, and Dan’s mad cart-riding skills.

    This leads to this week’s main topic: an epic exploration of success and failure. No spoilers, but this is a good one.

    Links for this episode:

    • Aseptic processing - Wikipedia
    • Mego King Kong Drinking Straw Commercial - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Stainless Steel Drink Straws- Set of 4 straws straws + Cleaning Brush - CocoStraw Brand Drinking Straw - FUN! Handy, Elegant, Metal,Washable, SAFE, NON-TOXIC non-plastic or glass - UNbreakable!: Kitchen & Dining
    • The Backfire Effect – You Are Not So Smart
    • Environment & Innovation | Recology San Francisco
    • Recycling Signs | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our Planet
    • San Francisco Recycles | What goes where
    • All Products | Horizon
    • Urban Dictionary: horseshoes and handgrenades
    • Backfire effect - RationalWiki
    • Are plastic bags and plastic wrap recyclable in San Francisco? | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our Planet
    • Two Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!

    Brought to you by:

    • ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress).

    • TopResume (For 10% off a resume writing service package, visit topresume.com/backtowork).

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    348: Optionitis Oct 31, 2017

    Dan and Merlin talk about Halloween, the Chromebook, Apple, WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), and hair removal.

    Links for this episode:

    • SNL Transcripts: John Goodman: 03/16/96
    • Mark Rober - YouTube - YouTube
    • GloZell! Hairiest Man in Australia uses Nad's Hair Removal!!! - YouTube
    • Death Becomes Her - Wikipedia
    • iPad2 Halloween Costume- Gaping hole in torso - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 - Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black & Tan): Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: JLab Audio Epic2 Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sport Earbuds, GUARANTEED fitness, waterproof IPX5 rated, skip-free sound, pristine high-performance 8mm sound drivers, 12hr play time w/ microphone - Black: Home Audio & Theater
    • Smoky Beef & Poblano Chili Recipe | HelloFresh
    • Windows Subsystem for Linux - Wikipedia
    • Home – Google Chromebooks
    • HD & 4K Scream Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Scream Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Clowns Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Clowns Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Emo Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Emo Stock Footage

    Brought to you by:

    • LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork.

    • PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/podcast for details on the PDFpen Family).

    • HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).

    • Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

    347: Beast Coast Oct 24, 2017

    TOPIC: Too much ambiguity in time.

    This week, your hosts discuss hot weather adjustments, Merlin's Skype woes, the state of the union on Skype replacement contenders, ruminations on Mac troubleshooting, the fraught future of retail comic book stores, a side rant on the really dumb economics of the comics industry, hobby shop nostalgia, lobby bell techniques and triangle mounting options, some great tips for pressing things on iOS Safari, the joys of Safari Reader mode, Chrome vs. Safari, changing our browser habits, and Dan's weird screen problem.

    Then, Merlin just goes freaking OFF on the problems with how we talk about time.

    Links for this episode:

    • Zencastr
    • Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing - Zoom
    • Comic Shop Locator| Find Your Nearest Comic Book, Graphic Novel and Pop-Culture Store - There's A Lot to See and Do at Your Local Comic Shop!
    • Two Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!
    • Austin Books & Comics
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin Mann
      A Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal.
    • Tips and Tricks: Ten Safari long-press shortcuts for iPhone and iPad | 9to5Mac
    • Rush - YYZ (HQ) - YouTube
    • HD & 4K Hacker Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Hacker Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Crying Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crying Stock Footage
    • HD & 4K Fidget Spinner Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Fidget Spinner Stock Footage
    • Swatch Internet Time - Wikipedia
    • Time Zones
    • Marvel Two-In-One By Chip Zdarsky And... Jim Cheung For Marvel Legacy In December - Bleeding Cool News And Rumors
    • Daylight Saving Time Explained - YouTube
    • Have you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.com

    Brought to you by:

    • Slack (Thanks to Slack for supporting Back To Work. Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).

    • Videoblocks (Go to Videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

    346: Disagreement of the Genders Oct 23, 2017

    TOPIC: Turns out.

    This week, the boys talk about audio problems, hot dogs, kegeling, Merlin's next meet-up, Tsum Tsums, comic suggestions, Battle of the Sexes, excellent recent TV series, All the President's Men, the app Pacifica, warming buns, Dan's encounter with Koo Koo Kanga Roo, a dearth of good information about VPNs (yikes!), levels of "Turns Out," a podcast episode about gluten, and hot phones with possibly low batteries.

    In a very surprising "turns out," Dan has a surprising call that leads to a very interesting experience with a hardware device. Dan really wants macOS on an iPad. Don't at him.

    There's also some fruitful if fraught discussion about habit-building. Merlin is not a fan of "The Countdown."

    Dan is attacked by a sky spider and might have to move now.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, November 16th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Tips and Tricks: Ten Safari long-press shortcuts for iPhone and iPad | 9to5Mac
    • Why You Can Focus in a Coffee Shop but Not in Your Open Office
    • Daylight Saving Time Explained - YouTube
    • Pacifica - Daily tools for managing stress, anxiety and depression.
    • Klok - Time Zone Converter Widget on the App Store
    • Have you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.com
    • Panobook – Studio Neat
    • Products - Hot Dogs - Applegate
    • The Sixth Gun - Wikipedia
    • Amazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: Books
    • How David Fincher Hijacks Your Eyes - YouTube
    • Amazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: Books
    • We Taste-Tested 10 Hot Dogs. Here Are the Best. - The New York Times
    • The Show That Never Ends | W. W. Norton & Company
    • Koo Koo Kanga Roo
    • The Demonization of Gluten - Freakonomics Radio - WNYC
    • Kegel exercise - Wikipedia
    • Disney Tsum Tsum - Soft & Plush Toys | Disney Store

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    345: Chow Mein Hour Oct 10, 2017

    TOPIC: Surface Tension.

    This week, Dan and Merlin discuss names of cities in Florida, wireless neckbands, elliptical bikes, chore systems (and parental withholding), iOS battery life, canny Mac laptop battery monitoring, how battery cycles work, Todd, and things you already know (unless you don't already know them).

    Two pretty good YouTube channels are recommended.

    Your hosts talk about that weird thing where iOS throws up a password pop-up, including some recent bad news on how it might be exploited. Gross.

    There's also some exciting news about possible Brand Synergies.

    Things wrap with responding to listener questions about smart home location woes and choosing a VPN.

    Murrrrrrph!

    Links for this episode:

    • Wireless neckband allows first voiceless phone call - YouTube
      Black Widow Spider vs. ScorpionBeanMeister22Recommended for you
    • EverythingApplePro - YouTube
    • What we talk about when we talk about talking: The CIA's guide to semantics
    • Philips Hue Labs - Multi user geofencing
    • iOS 11 Review! Should You Update? - YouTube
    • Why We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us - The New York Times
    • iOS Privacy: steal.password - Easily get the user's Apple ID password, just by asking — Felix Krause
    • Mac Power Users #399: Workflows with Merlin Mann - Relay FM
      This week for episode 399 our original workflow guest, Merlin Mann, returns to share how he's using his iPad(s), Mac, and that "voice stuff".
    • Taintsville, Florida - Wikipedia
    • TED-Ed - YouTube - YouTube
    • Brainstorm (1983) - IMDb
    • FruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —
    • coconutBattery 3.6.4 - by coconut-flavour.com
    • Determining battery cycle count for Mac notebooks - Apple Support
    • Twitterrific: Making Twitter Extra Terrific
      The Twitter app for people who actually use Twitter. Now all-new for macOS.
    • Which VPN Services Keep You Anonymous in 2017? - TorrentFreak
      VPN services have become an important tool to counter the growing threat of Internet surveillance. Encrypting one's traffic through a VPN connection helps to keep online communications private, but is your VPN truly anonymous? We take a look at the logging policies of dozens of top VPN providers.
    • Tunnel Your Internet Traffic Through an OpenVPN Server
    • 2GB Ram for $10/mo - Linode
    • How to connect to Synology's VPN Server using a Windows PC or Mac | Synology Inc.
    • Merlin Mann - Worst Website Ever - (SXSW 2008)
    • 538520.jpg 640×480 pixels

    Brought to you by:

    • ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).

    • RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit rxbar.com/backtowork and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout.)

    344: The Microwave Moment Oct 03, 2017

    TOPIC: You're not supposed to pet the car.

    This week, Dan and Merlin discuss Nest Cam updates, Ring doorbell tracking, Echo family additions, HDMI questions, the fraught landscape of 4K HDR TV stuff, and how shopping makes Merlin feel kind of vulnerable.

    Two excellent music podcasts are recommended.

    Dan has a new MacBook Pro and a lot to say about it.

    Merlin introduces something he calls "Power Puttering."

    Links for this episode:

    • Amazon.com: Cable Matters Combo, 270 Degree and 90 Degree HDMI Male to Female Adapter: Electronics
    • All-New Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD and Alexa Voice Remote | Streaming Media Player
    • Dissect – A Serialized Music Podcast
    • Dissect - A Serialized Music Podcast — Overcast
    • Cole Cuchna is creating Dissect Podcast. | Patreon
    • Hit Parade
    • Hit Parade — Overcast
    • Customize MacBook Pro - Apple
    • LG UltraFine 4K Display - Apple
    • Making Better Use of the Touch Bar - TidBITS
    • The Touch Bar’s Future – 512 Pixels
    • LG fixing Wi-Fi interference problems with UltraFine 5K Display, new units will be unaffected | 9to5Mac
    • Amazon.com: OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock: Computers & Accessories
    • (1) How QWERTY conquered keyboards - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase).

    343: Lo Sierra Mucho Sep 26, 2017

    TOPIC: Publix Hustle

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk about grocery store promotions, transactional help, the racket of school photos, Occam's Razor for public schools, Time Machine troubleshooting, the scourge of The Crackle, and BMO the salesman.

    The boys help a lot of people by responding to listener questions about the state of Siri, making friends after college, and the seeking of universal truth.

    Links for this episode:

    • OmniFocus for iOS 11 Adds Extensive Drag and Drop and Siri Support – MacStories
    • Episode 791: Tips From Spies : Planet Money : NPR
    • Amazon.com: A Spy's Guide to Thinking (Kindle Single) eBook: John Braddock: Kindle Store
    • Doing D-A-D-A | Inside Vendo
    • Cognitive bias - Wikipedia
    • Michael Tsai - Blog - OmniFocus and Siri on iOS 11
    • OmniFocus 2.21 for iOS User Manual - OmniFocus Extended
    • Shelves and Clippers for iOS 11
    • iPad Shelf Apps: A Roundup of the Best – MacStories
    • Always BMO Closing | Adventure Time Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
    • How to move multiple iPhone Home screen apps icons on iOS 11 using drag and drop [Video] | 9to5Mac
    • #105 At World's End - Reply All by Gimlet Media
    • #102 Long Distance - Reply All by Gimlet Media
    • Scientific wild-ass guess - Wikipedia
      Scientific wild-ass guess (SWAG) is American slang meaning a rough estimate made by an expert in the field, based on experience and intuition. It is similar to the slang word guesstimate, a portmanteau of guess and estimate.[1]
    • Apple Watch Series 3's "LTE problems" are actually an existing Wi-Fi bug | iMore

    Brought to you by:

    • PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/b2wfor details on the PDFpen Family).

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)

    342: Ultraman Scenario Sep 19, 2017

    After some Followup and Front Matter, your hosts dive into iOS 11. (Spoilers: it's really good.)

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin Mann
    • Video: Those 'Shot on iPhone' ads are not what they seem: Digital Photography Review
    • Checkmark 2 on the App Store
    • Is MSG Bad for Your Health? - Science Friday
    • iOS 11: The MacStories Review – MacStories
    • iOS 11 review
    • iOS 11 review: Smarter, better, faster, bolder | iMore
    • Here Come the iOS 11 Updates
    • Snapseed on the App Store
      Merlin's go-to iOS image editor
    • Home - LEGO® Worlds - LEGO.com
    • Amazon.com: Tech Restarter Digital Outlet Timer - Keep Your Devices Running Like New With this Tech Digital Outlet Timer, 2 Outlets: Home Audio & Theater
    • Century 7 Day Heavy Duty Digital Programmable Timer - Dual Outlet (Both Control) - - Amazon.com
    • AT&T Fiji Commercial - YouTube

    Brought to you by:

    • Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).

    • ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).

    341: Rich Boy Phone Sep 12, 2017

    This week, Dan and Merlin convene to talk about today's big Apple event.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Just Press Record on the App Store
    • ESPN launches rebranded Apple TV app w/ new design, live stream auto-play & on-demand content | 9to5Mac
    • iPhone 8 - Apple
    • iPhone X - Apple
    • Apple Watch Series 3 - Apple
    • Apple TV 4K - Apple
    • Apple Events - Keynote September 2017 - Apple
    • Apple stock falls on disappointment about iPhone X release date
    • BrowseTheStacks, More Marvel(ous) Covers Of Bill Sienkiewicz
    • Brent Jones on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @hotdogsladies Dan is mistaken about the camera orientation. 8 & 7 are the same. It’s the X that’s vertical."
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Wait. You wrote a letter from a wrecked car?"

    Brought to you by:

    • Care.com(To save 30% off a Care.com Premium membership visit Care.com/backtowork when you subscribe.)

    • FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).

    340: It's-a Me, Dan! Sep 05, 2017

    This week, Dan has useful updates on Windows backup options and answers questions about building a Hackintosh. Both of your hosts extoll the virtues of their new Apple TV remote case dinguses.

    The big topic this week is Nintendo Switch, and Dan has a lot of great stuff to share about his family's first weekend with their new console. (Spoiler: everybody likes it!)

    Your hosts respond to listener questions about iOS wishlist items and how to freshen up a moribund OmniFocus setup.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Nintendo Switch™ - Official site – Nintendo gaming system
    • Hackintosh Method
      Straight-forward recommendations and suggested parts lists by Dan Benjamin for building a Hackintosh capable of running macOS Sierra 10.12 (and Windows 10, Linux, etc.).
    • Canvas #36: Wishes for iOS 11 - Relay FM
      This week Fraser and Federico welcome special guest Merlin Mann to discuss opportunities for improvements that may - or may not - arrive in iOS 11.
    • Amazon.com: Remote Case for Apple Tv 4th Generation, Akwox Light Weight [Anti Slip] Shock Proof Silicone Remote Cover Case for New Apple Tv 4th Gen Siri Remote Controller with Lanyard (Black): Electronics
    • Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything
      Protect your personal documents, photos, music and e-mails. Upgrade your hard disk or try new operating systems in the safe knowledge that everything is securely saved in an easily recovered backup file. Macrium Reflect supports backup to local, network and USB drives as well as burning to all DVD formats. This version is for non-commercial home use.
    • The Best Computer Backup Software - Acronis True Image 2018
    • How To Run A Portable Version Of Windows From A USB Drive | Lifehacker Australia
    • Junecloud
      Deliveries will help you track your packages from UPS, FedEx, DHL, TNT, and many other shipping companies. You can also track orders from services like Amazon and Apple before they ship. Your full tracking details are just a tap away, and you can also see your package’s location on a map. If you like you can view the shipping company’s web page, or easily share your shipment over email, text message, or AirDrop. Deliveries can even add estimated delivery dates to your calendar.
    • Nintendo Switch Console in Stock Checker, Tracker and Locator
    • Amazon.com: Piggy / The Original Piggy Cell Phone Stand 6-pack / iPhone 6 / Samsung Galaxy S5 / Traveling Cell Phone Stand / Cell Phone Holder / Cell Phone Accessory / Piggy Back /: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Amazon.com: Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Con: Video Games
    • Mack Weldon | Men's Pima Long Sleeve - 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton
    • Amazon.com: amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2017 (2-Pack): Video Games
    • Amazon.com: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: Splatoon 2 - Nintendo Switch: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: Mario Kingdom Battle - Nintendo Switch Standard Edition: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: Nintendo Switch - Joy-Con (L/R)-Neon Red/Neon Blue: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: Nintendo Switch - Joy-Con Charging Grip: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch: Video Games
    • Amazon.com: Nintendo Switch Game Traveler Deluxe Travel Case: Video Games

    Brought to you by:

    • Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress).

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)

    339: True Love Weighs Aug 29, 2017

    TOPIC: Don't provoke Dan.

    This week, Dan and Merlin (once again) complain about what works and what just kiiiinda works with smart devices. Who's winning the voice control game, and who's struggling to play catchup? Ecosystems!

    Next up, the boys talk about some surprisingly handy and useful cases for that befuddling Apple TV remote. Also, Dan needs your help to back up Cash's Windows box. Merlin has an important request, too.

    Also provided are scientific updates on how much a scale weighs.

    Finally, Merlin offers a whole goddamned book's worth of awesome productivity advice via a cheap notebook and five (5) daily bullet points.

    Links for this episode:

    • Amazon Echo devices now support multi-room audio playback | AFTVnews
      After several leaks, Amazon has now added support for multi-room audio to the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. The new feature allows you to group together multiple Echo devices and play music on all devices simultaneously. The feature is also being made available to 3rd-party speaker manufacturers so non-Echo devices can also sync music with Amazon’s own speakers.
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #262: Large Platinum Spoon
      TOPIC: Staying out of Technology Detention
    • Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin Mann
      MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun.
    • Upgrade #156: The Silly Season - Relay FM
      Special guest Merlin Mann joins Jason to talk about Apple event rumors, why we care about Apple kremlinology, our approaches to keeping and deleting files in our digital libraries, and Jason's recent 11-day road trip to the total eclipse.
    • Remote Case for Apple Tv 4th Generation, Akwox Light Weight [Anti Slip] Shock Proof Silicone Remote Cover Case for New Apple Tv 4th Gen Siri Remote Controller with Lanyard (Black)
    • Amazon.com: elago R1 Intelli Case [RED]-[HEAVY SHOCK ABSORPTION][MAGNET TECHNOLOGY][LANYARD INCLUDED] for apple TV Remote: Cell Phones & Accessories
    • Deep Learning for Siri’s Voice: On-device Deep Mixture Density Networks for Hybrid Unit Selection Synthesis - Apple
    • Mack Weldon | Men's Pima Long Sleeve - 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton
      More Pima, more comfort. Designed with a slim fit and an enzyme wash for a smooth finish, this crew neck long sleeve T offers premium softness on colder days, indoors or out. Imported.
    • SuperDuper!
    • Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything
    • 5by5 | Back to Work #337: Cognitive Bottleneck
    • Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: Books
    • "True Love Ways" Buddy Holly - YouTube
    • Ring Video Doorbell for Your Smartphone | Ring
    • Merlin Mann on Twitter: "OMG. Just tried this and it totally works. Synced and everything. Holy crap. (h/t @joesteel) https://t.co/6sGGhElISf"
    • Sonos to announce new smart speaker on October 4th - The Verge

    Brought to you by:

    • TextExpander (Try TextExpander FREE for 30 days when you visit textexpander.com/b2w.

    • Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)

    • SendPro from Pitney Bowes (Visit pb.com/backtowork to learn more, and when you sign up you’ll get SendPro FREE for 90 days, you’ll get a free 10-pound scale, and when your free trial is over, you’ll get SendPro for only $5 a month).

    338: Ambush Site Aug 22, 2017

    TOPIC: It's like elevator buttons.

    This week, Dan and Merlin talk a lot about komodo dragons. Also, homework sucks, seed codes rule, and @Movesapp drools.

    How do we get so scared about things? How cool did flying used to be?

    Your hosts respond to listener questions about the state of self-tracking, and the scourge of extraneous device notifications.

    Links for this episode:

    • Ungainly X-Mann Mee