Back to Work

Latest Episodes:

Episode 463: Begloved in Otherness Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

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

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Episode 462: A Contract About Your Future Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

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

Links for this episode:

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Episode 461: Dead Noon Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

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

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Episode 460: Listen to the Jar Jan 14, 2020

Show notes

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.

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

Show notes

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:

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Episode 458: 2 Fury 2 Road Dec 31, 2019

Show notes

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:

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).

Episode 457: A Buddhist Gift Dec 24, 2019

Show notes

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."

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Episode 456: Urinal Cup Dec 17, 2019

Show notes

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.

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Episode 455: Talc Mandala Dec 10, 2019

Show notes

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

Episode 454: Enough Women Nation Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

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

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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)!