Back to Work

TOPIC: No one cares about your demo anymore.

This week Dan & Merlin talk about realizing when life isn't all about you and getting better at learning how to say "thank you."

Also, lots of great practical (and philosophical) suggestions for getting started with or back into comics.

Links for this episode:

• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #13 — 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, April 7th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”
  

TOPIC: Staying out of Technology Detention

This week, Dan and Merlin do another giant-size grabbag episode that covers a lot of ground, including:

Links for this episode:

• Tablo 2-Tuner Over-The-Air HDTV DVR
  
• Amazon.com: Synology Disk Station 2-Bay Diskless Network Attached Storage (DS216play): Computers & Accessories
  
• Kids-In-Mind: Movie ratings & parents' reviews that actually work
  
• Deadpool [2016] [R] - 8.8.10
  
• The Big Lebowski [1998] - 5.5.10
  
• Finding Nemo [2003] [G] - 0.3.0
  
• The Big Lebowski (1998) - Alternate Versions - IMDb
  
• Big Lebowski - Edited For TV... Badly - YouTube
  
• Canvas #5: Typing - Relay FM
  This week Fraser and Federico dig into how to be more efficient with typing and text entry on iOS.
  

TOPIC: That's Not How the Future Works.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about evolving technology culture, the weird landscape of semi-smart devices, and why Merlin does and kinda doesn't do Getting Things Done so much anymore.

Links for this episode:

• Unjustly Maligned | "R.E.M., early" with Merlin Mann (Episode 48)
  On a day that shouldn’t exist comes a podcast equally paradoxical. Merlin Mann joins Antony to sit still, garden at night, and talk about the passion of rock band R.E.M.’s early work.
  

TOPIC: Grab Bag.

This week, Dan and Merlin cover the waterfront. This wide-ranging episode covers lots of listener feedback, corrections of egregious errors, D&D alignment, the danger of guessing why people are how they are, some fun Tumblr recommendations, considering the yak-shaving ordeal of time-shifting broadcast TV, plus further discussion of last week's topic re: kids and computer access.

Links for this episode:

• Ed Brubaker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• “Did You Lose the Keys Here?” “No, But the Light Is Much Better Here” | Quote Investigator
  
• HDHomeRun CONNECT - US - Watch Streaming TV Anywhere
  
• Amazon.com: SiliconDust HDHomeRun CONNECT. FREE broadcast HDTV (2-Tuner): Computers & Accessories
  
• Channels — Live TV on your Apple TV
  
• Captain America by Ed Brubaker (Reading Order)
  
• Captain America Reading Order | Brubaker, Winter Soldier, More! | Comic Book Herald
  
• Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Episode 10: There's An Old Guy Going Crazy On This Hotdog | Top Scallops
  
• Pottermore Sorting Quiz (all possible questions)
  
• Online Alignment Test
  
• The Alignment System - Neutral Good
  
• APELAD
  
• BONE #1: Out from Boneville: Jeff Smith: 9780439706407: Amazon.com: Books
  
• Firelight (Amulet #7): Kazu Kibuishi: 9780545433167: Amazon.com: Books
  
• The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1): Kazu Kibuishi: 0000439846811: Amazon.com: Books
  
• Firelight (Amulet #7): Kazu Kibuishi: 9780545433167: Amazon.com: Books
  
• SRA Reading Laboratory
  
• 5by5 | Road Work #3: I Now Declare This Mall Open
  
• 5by5 | Back to Work #259: The Transitive Quality of Misunderstanding
  
• I recently told Apelad (nee “Adam Koford”) how... | kung fu grippe
  
• Jodorowsky's Dune - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• 70s Sci-Fi Art
  
• Hayao Miyazaki
  
• deep-dark-fears
  
• craigslistmirrors
  
• Put You In A Better Mood.com -
  
• The Bristol Board
  
• The Marvel Comics of the 1980s
  
• Sci-fi Spaceships
  
• Restaurant Recipes - Popular Restaurant Recipes you can make at Home: Copykat.com - CopyKat Recipes - You have loved that recipe in the restaurant, now make that recipe at home.
  
• Studio Ghibli Gifs
  
• Episode #196 – Aloha The Flop House
  
• World of Tomorrow (2015) - IMDb
  
• Watch The Bachelor TV Show - ABC.com
  
• Mark Sullivan Research | SULLIVAN GENERATOR
  
• TVs on The Wirecutter
  
• The Best TV | The Wirecutter
  
• The Lowell Cats #96 on Flickr. - APELAD
  
• Amazon.com: Mohu Leaf 30 TV Antenna, Indoor, 30 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 10 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110583: Electronics
  
• Amazon.com: Mohu Leaf 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110584: Electronics
  
• TV Fool
  
• AntennaWeb.org
  
• EyeTV 3 | elgato.com
  
• TV Fool
  
• antennaweb.org
  
• A Minor Origin Story | kung fu grippe
  On September 21, 2012, Rob Corddry and I had one of our periodic ManCalls™, and the topic du jour was my newfound obsession with comics.
  

TOPIC: Epistemology and Parenting as Dumpster Fire

This week, Dan and Merlin end up talking a lot about what they don't know and how they know they don't know it. The biases, errors, and frames that make us feel wiser than we probably are.

Sometimes it pays to learn how to be a dummy.

Also, Dan learns what a "film projector" is.

Links for this episode:

• Heraclitus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Pottermore Sorting Hat Quiz
  
• Amulet (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Everyone’s offended these days / fuzzy notepad
  I love Stephen Fry, really I do, but this oft-repeated quote is bullshit and he is perfectly demonstrating why that is. What he’s really saying is this: everyone else’s feelings don’t matter, but his do, because he frames them as universal rules of discourse rather than feelings.
  

TOPIC: Feelings, Slide Rules, and The Franklin Test

This week Merlin hasn't had enough coffee and may have early-onset toxoplasmosis, so he and Dan respond to great feedback from listeners, mostly on feeling feelings.

Links for this episode:

• High-grade Amazing Fantasy #15 Anchors Heritage February Comics & Comic Art Auction - In The News
  
• Three Ring Binder Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
  THREE RING BINDERMerlin Mann and Scott Simpson talk to each other and to you.
  

TOPIC: Information, Context, and Courage.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the reaction to last week's episode about work and identity and respond to follow-up questions from listeners.

Also, Merlin buys a faucet.

Links for this episode:

• 5by5 | Back to Work #256: Every Minute Weighs the Same
  TOPIC: Coder, Kayaker, Father, Person.This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's attempt to vastly rejigger his schedule in the interest of mental and physical health.This leads to a long discussion of work, identity, expectations, and choosing which of the voices in your head to listen to and when.
  

TOPIC: Coder, Kayaker, Father, Person.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's attempt to vastly rejigger his schedule in the interest of mental and physical health.

This leads to a long discussion of work, identity, expectations, and choosing which of the voices in your head to listen to and when.

Links for this episode:

• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #12 — Merlin Mann
  
• Costumed character - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Zentai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Ultraman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Cortex #21: The E-Myth Revisited - Relay FM
  
• Abe Vigoda, Sunken-Eyed Character Actor, Dead at 94 - ABC News
  
• Paris syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Jerusalem syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• The Talk Show: Ep. 143, With Special Guest Merlin Mann
  Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include Winter Storm Jonas, the politics of sick kids, sweating out a fever, people going insane over the rumors that the next iPhones will omit the standard headphone jack, the seven-hour The Godfather Epic, and more.

TOPIC: Say something funny.

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about entertainment as a career and how difficult it can be to know whether you're suited for it.

Plus, discussions of X-Men, San Francisco's collapse, and the best way to get vomit out of the bathroom sink.

Links for this episode:

• Zentangle |
  
• Amazon.com: Design Originals, Joy Of Zentangle (0023863053983): Marie Browning CZT, Suzanne McNeill CZT, Sandy Bartholomew: Books
  
• Studio Series Artist's Tiles: White (75 pack): Peter Pauper Press: 9781441316318: Amazon.com: Books
  
• Amazon.com: Sakura 50011 11-Piece Zentangle Clamshell Pencil Set
  
• Watch David Bowie: Five Years | Hulu
  
• Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Stewart Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• You Look Nice Today - “Parlor Parlor” (XOXO 2015) on Vimeo
  
• You Look Nice Today - Layers 2015 on Vimeo
  
• Jim Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• 5by5 | Pipeline Classic #14: Jesse Thorn
  
• Paul Smith (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  
• Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #12 — 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, February 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.”
  

TOPIC: Budgeting the Primary Secondary Project

This week, Dan and Merlin do a deep dive on a very old and very thorny topic: managing time.

Thing is: this is not about bookkeeping—it's about accounting. Being honest, humble, and diligent in mindfully applying your time and seeing how it went.

(This is a good one.)

Links for this episode:

• Fixed point in time - Tardis - Wikia
  Fixed points in time were moments in the space-time continuum at which events were set in stone and could never, ever be changed, no matter what, with dire consequences if such a thing happened.