Reconcilable Differences

John tells Merlin about Steam, and Merlin catches John up about Merlin.

Merlin explains his laundry number, and John has some quick Follow-Up on bathroom cups.

(Recorded on Monday, April 18, 2023)

What happens in the bathroom can no longer stay in the bathroom.

For this month's members-only bonus show, Merlin shares his surprising Vacation Results.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Monday, April 3, 2023)

This week’s challenge: share private mind motions.

John has discovered a community of people who seem to kind of know what they're doing is weird, and Merlin repeats an anecdote about when he almost lost his mind from washing dishes with the absolutely incorrect soap.

Things kick off with Merlin teaching John a thing people used to say in Florida. Then, John ends up repeatedly having to say a phrase that doesn't really seem like the kind of thing that John ever says. Old concert t-shirts are researched and considered.

This somehow leads to a discussion of where things go that then transitions nicely into a new installment of the fan-favorite "Secret Weird Things People Do."

Things conclude with a pop quiz and another plea to stop putting things on the stairs.

(Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2023)

How memory breaks.

Things kick off with Merlin's noisy electronic livestock and a frustrating health update from John. Whose family now hates him.

In Follow-Up, Mr. Siracusa provides his son with a correction on The Novocaine Story, which leads to a digression into how John's dad writes text messages........

This ends up providing a great segue into the main topic: how memory breaks, and how we try to address it.

Because, as you quickly realize, many memories involve other people who have—well—different memories. But, also, why did I go to the garage, because I'm pretty sure I went there for a reason.

For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts talk about artsy-fartsy video games like Life is Strange and What Remains of Edith Finch

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(Recorded on Monday, March 6, 2023)

The podcast episode about the misremembered broken arm.

It's barely SIX pages long. Read it!

Unsurprisingly and delightfully, there is a lot of really good Follow-Up on John's recent medical adventure.

Things kick off with Merlin auditioning a new on-air style, and John coughing in a way that portends imminent health developments.

Listener-experts chime in on all manner of issues. Also John reveals his test results, and Merlin feels like a hungry man.

Things seem to be wrapping with an update on John's Unexpected Side Effect, but then they end up talking about food and medicine for, like, twenty more minutes.

(Recorded on Tuesday, February 21, 2023)

"Pre-show: ✅ ATP hat-trick achieved ☹️"

John shares details of a recent medical adventure, including an unexpectedly positive side effect.

Follow-up brings updates on skiing metaphors and ideas for tricking your brain into drawing a little better.

For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts talk about The Last of Us in its incarnations as both a prestige TV show and a video game series.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, February 7, 2023)

John has questions about Merlin's fraught history with drawing.

Things kick off with a consideration of John's theoretical funeral. Merlin can't understand why John won't adopt him.

In Follow-Up, your hosts briefly consider their recent bicentennial and agree that words about parts or multiples of a thing are way too confusing.

What's it take to get good at a thing you care about, and what motivates us to stick with it?

Things end up touching on grit-adjacent stuff like consistency and tenacity. But, whether or not one is gifted, it does seem like we naturally tend to pursue things we like doing. Which just as naturally can make it difficult to stick with the things that don't come so easily. Gotta really pile up that paper.

Comparisons between the habits of making music and writing are made, and differences are easily reconciled regarding the genius work of Jonathan Coulton.

John thinks Merlin missed the focal plane on a photo he used to think was pretty good. Merlin recalls a movie poster whose Renaissance-era optical trick first made him wish he could draw better.

(Recorded Tuesday, January 24, 2023)

What's a thing you had as a kid that you kind of wish your kids could've had?

Things kick off with Merlin pressing John for some candid advice on a new affectation he's been considering. John is certain that using a Dremel is not actually part of Merlin's job, but Merlin's not so sure. Photos of Mr. Miyazaki are reviewed.

In Follow-Up, John has some toe updates. Mere moments after swearing he's not going to make noises and recoil, Merlin makes several noises and recoils.

Next up, John's favorite band announces a new project to release a bunch of cover versions of songs from their back catalog. This leads to a surprisingly wide-ranging discussion of a music industry that continues to evolve quickly and which now seems to necessitate an entirely new kind of creativity.

This week's member episode is already one of Merlin's favorites, so it's being included here so everybody can check it out.

Is it ahistorical to wish your progeny had gotten to see an epic baseball lineup? What exactly might happen if you tried to recreate your own free-range childhood? Did having less information lead to a deeper understanding of context and the parameters of the world? And, which kinds of community and scarcity feel elusive or even just irreproducible today?

If you'd enjoy hearing more from John and Merlin, we hope you'll consider becoming a supporter of the program.

And, hey. Thanks for sticking around through 200 of these things.

(Recorded on Tuesday, January 10, 2023)

"It's only advice for you because it had to be advice for me."

"THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN 43 HAYAO MIYAZAKI SCREENGRABS"

14 Pete Rose

Morgellons is not well understood, but the general medical consensus is that it is a form of delusional parasitosis, on the psychiatric spectrum.

This Granada TV documentary follows the recording process, circa 1978-1979, of Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds

How three British post-punkers named Joe, Graham, and Elvis helped “write the book” on New Wave.

It's time for Holiday Results, which somehow includes strong opinions on labeling leftovers, preparing strawberries, and sweating "le mot juste." Also, ponies are considered.

Merlin is pretty proud of his dinner, but John has questions about the dressing situation. Merlin may not understand how skiing works.

In Follow-Up, John shares more voices from the past, and your hosts confront an escalating international rift about the existence of a facial expression.

A documentary on how Los Angeles has been used and depicted in the movies.

Like all good mystical experiences, it happened in Vegas.

John has watched 204 films rated ★★½ .

John's family archive project produces some remarkable voices from the past.

Things kick off with a consideration of mouth noises and beloved bits. This leads to a look at entertainment that functions as comfort food. Wanna know what you're playing for?

Lot of great listener Follow-Up this week, including more on British facial expressions, hassles for the proper Lex, and some prior art around "sharrow."

The main topic relates to John's family archive project producing some remarkable voices from the past.

For this month's members-only bonus show, the topic is Andor.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, December 13, 2022)

Videos on the topics of StrongTowns.org, mostly about the financial viability of cities, and insolvent cities of America and Canada.

Merlin talks about "Free to Be…You and Me."

'Highlights: what we may call today “gender equity,” non-musical, Cincinnati, proto-Terry Crews, my cool baby, sharing media across generations, a (not so) surprising amount of Hamilton talk, the kids are alright, columnists.'