TOPIC : You Are That Little Dot. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about notifications, beeps, bloops, flashes, and all the stuff we have zero control over . There's about a million ways people can contact us and just as many ways we can unintentionally disappoint every one of them. There's sanity in realizing which stuff you actually control, which stuff you have to let go, and how many of the expectations in-between can be reasonably managed. Links for this episode: Email Drafts the Hard Way "I l...
Oct 28, 2014•2 hr 36 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Reinforcement, Aikido, and Fear This week, Dan and Merlin try to tackle positive versus negative reinforcement. Links for this episode: Ad-free time! | Blocking ads, unblocking Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, BBC and more Ernie Kovacs - Droongo - YouTube Published for the First Time: a 1959 Essay by Isaac Asimov on Creativity | MIT Technology Review 24 Surprisingly Divisive Pooping Habits Ep. 129: "Museo De Garbagemen" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann Deep dive on the Savannah Cat ...
Oct 21, 2014•2 hr 34 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : People, amirite? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about neighbors, dogs, Macs, MLB.tv, and flavors of reinforcement. Links for this episode: Support Dan Benjamin creating Podcasts and videos Showbot 5by5 | Back to Work #190: C-3PO's Beard Watch Live Streaming Major League Baseball Games Online with MLB.TV | MLB.com: Subscriptions LOT of asterisks there. Neighbors | This American Life "Stories of people trying to love their neighbors...and failing." Sponsored by Squarespace (use code I...
Oct 14, 2014•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : The Ultimate Existential Investor This week, Dan and Merlin vent about Apple as only its superfans really can. What happens when things…don't… just work ? Links for this episode: Three Ring Binder Tickets, San Francisco - Eventbrite Batgirl (2011-) #35 - Comics by comiXology Barbara Gordon is no stranger to dusting herself off when disaster strikes so when a fire destroys everything she owned, she spots the opportunity for a new lease on life—and seizes it! FoxPro - Wikipedia, the free e...
Oct 07, 2014•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Starting the stuff we haven't started. This week—after some entertaining random talk and a handful of hardware and software recommendations—Dan and Merlin dive back into a familiar evergreen topic: why is it so hard to get started with a project? And, just as importantly, what can we learn from that persistent difficulty? In a nut? Just start trying to suck more regularly. Links for this episode: Advanced Tricycling - Merlin Mann - Constant Contact 2014 Video of Merlin's recent presentat...
Sep 30, 2014•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Media, Rarely Well Done This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the modern consumer media landscape and how we seem to be changing almost as fast as the technology. Almost . Links for this episode: Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #5 — Merlin Mann MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 25th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Introducing Exclusive iOS 8 Updates For All R...
Sep 23, 2014•2 hr 49 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Knowing What You'll Need to Know This week, Dan and Merlin talk about a recent presentation Merlin gave on expertise and curiosity. They also pour out a 40 for Macworld Magazine . Links for this episode: If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going | Quote Investigator In conclusion, the above citations represent a snapshot of current knowledge and future discoveries are possible. QI would tentatively credit Douglas Bloch with the adage containing the phrase “don’t stop” based on the 1990 ci...
Sep 16, 2014•2 hr 30 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Grab bag. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about—what? Well. They talk about privilege, empathy, bikes, bass players, Merlin's new mic, more bathroom signs, and a controversial anecdote about how Apple was maybe kinda not nice to a customer. Links for this episode: What is the blue light from our screens really doing to our eyes? — Tech News and Analysis “I discovered that using light at night is bad for people’s health and interferes with their sleep. I felt a moral obligation to do somet...
Sep 09, 2014•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : The Durable Impossibility of Email. This week, Dan and Merlin return to an evergreen topic: the impossibility of email . Chaotic, paradoxical, debilitating, frustrating, buoyant, and occasionally capable of causing short-term madness, email is still the medium that we'll never get right. But, quixotically, it never stops us from trying. Links for this episode: Engineers4Engineers 2014 Developer Conference [VIDEO] Two-Wheelin’ Per this week’s Back to Work. ... | kung fu grippe In which Me...
Sep 02, 2014•2 hr 30 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Is there anything else you want to tell me? This week, Dan and Merlin discuss what bathrooms can teach us about learning, expertise, and empathy. Links for this episode: Rules of the Road - San Francisco Bicycle Coalition The SF Bicycle Coalition is proud to be the leading resource for street safety in San Francisco. Every year, we reach tens of thousands of people with the Bicycle Rules of the Road. Here are the 10 bike laws you need to know to pedal safely and legally: 5by5 | 5by5 Spec...
Aug 26, 2014•1 hr 29 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Wait, what'd I DO?!? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about anger, misunderstandings, and trying to do the right thing. How bewildering (and emotional) it can be to feel misunderstood—as well as trying to better understand what we may have done wrong. Emotions are armor-piercing bullets. Links for this episode: David Letterman airs Robin Williams tribute | PopWatch | EW.com Letterman gave us a glimpse of just how electric Williams’ late night appearances were with a compilation video of hi...
Aug 19, 2014•2 hr 31 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Thinking, Thinking, Thinking. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the inextricable links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They also take some time to fondly remember Robin Williams. Links for this episode: BIOGRAPHY: Robin Williams Lifetime Williams was bullied badly during childhood for being chubby and would often spend much of his time playing alone in the family's large home to avoid his tormentors. Eventually, he conquered his overweight label though by joining the wrestli...
Aug 12, 2014•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast While Merlin takes a short sabbatical, Dan is joined by special guest David Sparks to talk about presentations, making your thing, balancing acts, iBooks author, paying for your kids' school with side projects, old man glasses, and more. Links for this episode: 5by5 | Mac Power Users Learn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users, one geek at a time since 2009.Hosted by David Sparks and Katie Floyd. MacSparky THE WAKE #1 ...
Aug 06, 2014•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Stupid can't stick to me. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the distinction between being against something vs. not having an opinion about it vs. just choosing not to let the world stick to you . Links for this episode: 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 tex...
Jul 22, 2014•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : A Personal History of Personal Publishing This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the constantly-changing landscape of online publishing. How we got from home pages to blogs to social media and beyond. Things move around, things get shorter (or longer), and things get super-weird and unpredictable. How do you decide where your stuff goes and who do you expect it to reach in this whackadoodle environment? You won't believe what happens next! Links for this episode: Ep. 117: "Put on the ...
Jul 15, 2014•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Yes. Yes. This week, Dan and Merlin follow-up on their recent 5by5 at the Movies episode about Glengarry Glen Ross , talking more about sales culture, media consumption, how our personal data gets used to close us, and why Dan admires Ricky Roma. Or, Tony Roma , as you call him. Links for this episode: 5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #3: A Slight Burglary: Glengarry Glen Ross Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about Glengarry Glen Ross. A Slight Burglary: Glengarry Glen Ross on Huffduffer See Y...
Jul 08, 2014•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC: Motivation This week, Dan and Merlin talk about their upcoming 5by5 at the Movies episode on Glengarry Glen Ross , which segues naturally into a discussion of the many aspects of motivation . Carrots, sticks, bonuses, fear, status, and just growing up all shape our understanding of why we (and, yeah, others) do what we do. What happens when our motivation starts better accounting for how other people are motivated? Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. Links for this episode: A B2...
Jul 01, 2014•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : (Not) Solving People Problems With Technology. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the challenge of finding business workflows that…actually work. And, what happens if you try to fix a "people problem" with a technical solution. Also, detailed discussion on Wolverine's healing factor, gruesome hand-shaving, Florida's giant grasshoppers, dangerous bourbon foil, and varieties of elves. Come to Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #4 PSA : Hey, if you live in the Bay Area and you like comics and/or Merl...
Jun 24, 2014•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : "Creativity" where you din't expect it. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about PIXAR, creativity, and FoldingText before finally succumbing to the treachery of Skype. Links for this episode: FoldingText — Plain text productivity for Mac users For Mac users who love plain text. FoldingText is the markdown text editor with productivity features. Unlike other editors, FoldingText does outlining, todo lists, and more. 5by5 | The Incomparable #197: Fail Fast We love Pixar, and we're a bunch of ...
Jun 10, 2014•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Dan & Merlin in Fancy San Francisco This week, Dan and Merlin visit across a table in a darkened room to talk about WWDC, San Francisco's lesser-known features, and how to spend less time bogged down in day-to-day junk. Links for this episode: Episode 20: Self Doubt with Merlin Mann — The Nudge Cotton Bureau – Sportsball by Jory Raphael Celebrate your love of sportsball with this officially sanctioned National Sportsball Association League shirt. Just in time for the Super World Bowl...
Jun 05, 2014•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Culture is what we DO. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about processing a hotel room and leading by example. Links for this episode: John Dickerson - How to Process a Hotel Room HOWTO process your new hotel room Replace any... | kung fu grippe Red Oxx Air Boss Carry-on Bag Designed for 1 Bag Business Travelers. Red Oxx Travel Basket Key Tray and Coin Valet HONEY, WHERE'S THE ROOM KEY? LOOK IN THE VALET! NEVER MISPLACE YOUR ESSENTIALS AGAIN. YOUR PERSONAL VALET. Showbot Listener-submitted ...
May 27, 2014•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : How to undig a river. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about an email message from a listener who's having trouble getting away from his inbox long enough to do what he needs to, introducing a mindfulness exercise that may help point to a deeper problem. (This is a good one) Links for this episode: 7: The Passionate Task Rich Stevens and Merlin Mann join Moisés and John to discuss the state of digital comics, content discovery, and recommend some good reads. "Melnibonér" - kung f...
May 22, 2014•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : It's like wallets and backpacks. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about H.R. Giger, Dan's latest Android experiment, more on app privacy, and why we need both wallets, backpacks, and suitcases. You know. Analogies. Links for this episode: [SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace [SPONSOR] Online Eyeglasses & Sunglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby Parker 5by5 | The Incomparable #194: A Real Imaginary Friend Grab your black cat and portable radio, climb on your mom's broomstick, and join us ...
May 13, 2014•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Merlin and Dan talk about Marked, Drafts, MLKSHK shutting down, App.net, routers, Hong King Phoey, poisoned meatballs, and more. Links for this episode: Hansure - Product Details HansureTM is a wearable device that makes hand sanitization possible at the point of patient care. Where tradional approaches to increase hand hygiene compliance rely on monitoring, judging, forcing, penalizing and collecting HCW's data, HansureTM is built on the fundamental principle to simplify the hand hygiene proces...
May 06, 2014•2 hr 34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about comiXology and the future of online digital purchases. Links for this episode: Wonder Woman (2009) (V) A modern man's trespass of the island of the Amazons enables an imprisoned war god to escape and Princess Diana wins the responsibility to recapture him. Nonsense From the Huffington Post Squarespace Metrics for iPad — The Official Squarespace Blog With its fluid design and powerful inspection tools, Squarespace Metrics provides valuable insight into your...
Apr 29, 2014•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Standing up to Attention Bullies. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the world's impossible expectations regarding each of our own time, attention, and access. What happens when we tacitly allow the universe to ask us anything any time for any reason? How do we develop the sympathy to understand how vastly our schedules and priorities differ at a given moment? Well. One possible solution is to learn to find the courage to not be terminally ""busy"" all the time. That's all on us. Links...
Apr 22, 2014•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Ubi Sunt, LCS? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the uneasy future of local comic shops—especially in light of Amazon's announced acquisition of comiXology. Links for this episode: [SPONSOR] lynda.com Favorite Podcasts for Writers | The Star-Dusted Sirens "But some episodes also cover more esoteric issues like agency or creativity. Merlin excels at taking all those nebulous ideas about work that we’ve all had, and then nailing down the core of them so they can’t wiggle off the examini...
Apr 15, 2014•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : The future we can't know. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about how quickly technology is evolving, how janky that evolution can be, and how terrible we all are at forecasting what will come next and beyond. Could Merlin have ever imagined he'd pay $3.00 for an episode of Under the Gunn ? No, he could not. Links for this episode: The health effects of a world without darkness – Rebecca Boyle – Aeon You Are Not So Smart List of cognitive biases - RationalWiki Cognitive bias describes the i...
Apr 08, 2014•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Words mean things. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the blight of buzzwords, jargon, and douchespeak writ large. Links for this episode: Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism popularized the term "thought-terminating cliché". This refers to a cliché that is a commonly used phrase, or folk wisdom, sometimes used to quell cognitive dissonance. Though the clichéd phrase in and of itself may be valid...
Apr 01, 2014•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast TOPIC : Curiosity & Creativity This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about expertise and how it relates to the ineffable qualities of curiosity and creativity. Can curiosity be inspired or taught? Or, is it just something you either have or don't? How do we buck the implicit authority to explore the vast universe of "unnecessary things?" Links for this episode: 21 Compelling Reasons Why Florida Should Be Kicked Out Of The United States | Thought Catalog Let me just start this by saying that I ...
Mar 25, 2014•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
