Back to Work

This week, Dan and Merlin continue their series on updates, talking about the evolution of electronic task management in their lives. Hint: simplify, simplify.

Links for this episode:

• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin Mann
  MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”
  

TOPIC: Orinoco Flow

This week, Dan and Merlin continue their series on updates, focusing on the difference between the days before and after ubiquitous wifi.

Also, lots of fun odds and sods on Scrivener and surviving summer with kids.

Links for this episode:

• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin Mann
  MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”
  

TOPIC: Way of the future.

This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion on updates to their systems and their productivity worlds. In particular: how have new technologies and critical masses of users led to wanting or needing fewer intermediary communications layers?

For years, email was more than just the lingua franca; it was that one internet communication protocol that every user could be counted upon to have and use.

But, today? Options, baby, options! Sometimes for worse, but, so often, for much better.

Links for this episode:

• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin Mann
  MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”
  

Start with: s02e07 (Greg Pikitis)

TOPIC: Updates on Productivity and a modern Kobayashi Maru Scenario

This week, Dan and Merlin start a new series on updates. Which sounds really boring, but it isn't, we swear.

This time out, the boys start by diving deep on how and why just so much of their productivity systems have changed over the years. Innumerable ways in which technology and life has evolved to where so many of the old systems seem fiddly, unnecessary, or both.

[This is a good one.]

Links for this episode:

• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin Mann
  MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”
  

TOPIC: …and, then what happens?

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the unexpected cognitive benefits of ritual, repetition, and thinking through the fascinating question: "…and, then what happens?"

Links for this episode:

• 4th of July Fireworks Photos: 2016! | cabel.me
  
• The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and HowIt's Transforming the American Economy: Charles Fishman: 9780143038788: Amazon.com: Books
  
• Gravity Falls | Official Site | Disney XD
  
• Gravity Falls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Paregoric - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Philips 426353 Hue White and Color, Starter Kit, 1st Generation, Works with Alexa - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.com
  
• Philips 455303 Hue White Starter A19 Kit, 2nd Generation, Works with Alexa - - Amazon.com
  
• Philips 452532 Personal Wireless Lighting Hue Tap Switch - - Amazon.com
  
• Philips 259515 Friends of Hue Personal Wireless Lighting Bloom Single, Retail - - Amazon.com
  
• Shopkins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Shopkins - Official Site
  
• The Checklist Manifesto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Books of The Times - Hospital How-To Guide - Atul Gawande?s ?Checklist Manifesto? - Review - NYTimes.com
  
• Amazon.com: REAL Professional Premium Grade Gaffer Tape by Gaffer Power® - Made in the USA - Black (Available in White, Red, Green, Blue) 2 Inch X 30 Yards - Heavy Duty Gaffer's Tape - Non-Reflective - Waterproof - Multipurpose - Better than Duct Tape!: I
  
• The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: Atul Gawande: 9780312430009: Amazon.com: Books
  
• I Dreamed a Dream - Anne Hathaway (HD) - YouTube
  
• Florida's bizarre fireworks law still in place - Florida Politics
  
• Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine
  "Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the importation, purchase, sale, or use of fireworks used or to be used solely and exclusively in frightening birds from agricultural works and fish hatcheries."
  

TOPIC: People, amirite?

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the complexities of communicating with each other. And, brother, is it ever complicated.

Links for this episode:

• Blood Meridian Audiobook | Cormac McCarthy | Audible.com
  
• The Butterfield Diet (Peter Serafinowicz) - YouTube
  
• Geek Feminism Wiki - Wikia
  
• Resources for allies - Geek Feminism Wiki - Wikia
  
• Fox News host Bret Baier “grills” the Dalai Lama: “Have you ever seen the movie ‘Caddyshack’?” - Salon.com
  
• Apple doesn't understand photography
  
• Language in Thought and Action - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Episode 430: Black Market Pharmacies And The Spam Empire Behind Them : Planet Money : NPR
  On today's show, we have answers. Yes, people click on those links. Smart, sound-minded people are choosing to buy pharmaceuticals through black market pharmacies that spam them and just about everyone with an inbox. And those sound-minded people are happy to tell you how it worked out for them, right down to the odd packaging that shows up in their mailbox.
  

TOPIC: Varieties of pain.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's progress on building fireside.io and its imminent beta release. Lots of fascinating details on why he's made it and who it might be great for.

Then, there's discussion of the unexpected mental benefits of physical training, and the influence that various sorts of pain (real or imagined) can have on us.

Links for this episode:

• Lying in repose - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Shop Tommy Bahama | TommyBahama.com
  
• Fireside - Podcast hosting and analytics by podcasters for podcasters
  
• War dialing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• 5by5 | Back to Work #153: Anxiety's a Goat
  
• Ninety-ninety rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  "The first 90 percent of the code accounts for the first 90 percent of the development time. The remaining 10 percent of the code accounts for the other 90 percent of the development time."
  

TOPIC: Merlin's never sent his heartbeat.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of this week's WWDC announcements, the past and future of Apple, and that awkward feeling of wondering whether and when new technology is personally relevant.

Links for this episode:

• Apple Events - WWDC Keynote June 2016 - Apple
  
• Chandler (software) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Discover Music via Samples, Cover Songs and Remixes | WhoSampled
  
• Izzo (H.O.V.A.) - Jay Z | WhoSampled
  
• Do You Even Lift? | Know Your Meme
  
• Everything is a Remix Remastered (2015 HD) on Vimeo
  
• William Gibson (@GreatDismal) | Twitter
  
• The Hedgehog and the Fox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  "a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing"
  

TOPIC: Fill one bag.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about our relationship with the stuff in our lives and how overwhelming it can be. Solutions are offered—throw out that old cinnamon!

Links for this episode:

• The Talk Show ?: Ep. 156, With Special Guest Merlin Mann
  Merlin Mann returns to the show to talk about artificial intelligence and Eddy Cue’s flip-flops.

TOPIC: Disruptions in Service

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about that ineffable but growing feeling of disconnection from the collections we used to treasure. Music, Photos, Movies, Books—all the stuff we increasingly entrust to The Cloud.

Seems like there's a weird confluence of changing culture and buggy technology that makes us feel sadly meh about making everything work. And that feels weird.

Also? Don't be Randyll Tarly. That guy's a total choad.

Links for this episode:

• Roller Coasters & Thrill Rides | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
  
• Montu Inverted Roller Coaster | Busch Gardens Tampa
  
• Kumba Roller Coaster | Busch Gardens Tampa
  
• Medusa Steel Coaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Six Flags Great Adventure
  
• Rocksteady - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Apple May Introduce Next-Gen Natural Language API in its Amazon Echo Competitor - Mac Rumors
  
• Pessimists Archive (@PessimistsArc) | Twitter
  Pessimistic reactions to technologies throughout history
  

I can't even tell what one of my 99 Problems isn't.

Jiminy.