Back To Work

TOPIC: LEGO and Expertise This week, Dan and Merlin talk about LEGO and what becoming a Master Builder can teach us about expertise. Also: tooth fairies, binder clips, and the pedagogical warning shot. WARNING: This episode of B2W contains information about holiday-related personalities that may be of a sensitive nature. Listener discretion is advised. Links for this episode:How Much Good Is Antibacterial Soap Doing You? - YouTubeIt's Been 25 Years Since World Wide Web Debuted : NPRSince then it's transformed daily life. To look back at how far the web has evolved and where it may be headed in the next 25 years, Renee Montagne talks to Kevin Kelly, a founder of Wired magazine. To Keep Teenagers Alert, Schools Let Them Sleep In - NYTimes.comNew evidence suggests that later high school starts have widespread benefits. Life as a LEGO ProfessionalTwitter / danbenjamin: Serious question and something ...Serious question and something to think about: have you ever bought a LEGO set and found a piece missing

TOPIC: ““Experiencing Issues”” with Customer Service This week, Dan and Merlin analyze what's really going wrong when we get bad customer service. Spoiler: The brand is only as sound as its day-to-day implementation. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #161: Zeitgeist HelmutTOPIC: Time, Sleep, and AspirationsThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about impossible trade-offs and the benefits of remembering this is actually your life. The 40 Worst Rob Liefeld Drawings - Progressive BoinkThis is Rob Liefeld. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about Rob Liefeld ... well, I'm sorry for this in advance. Ron Swanson Supercut - YouTubeBeam & Whiteside NFS daemon - Google Groups|>         I would like to know if anybody else than myself is using Beam Judaism 101: TorahThe word "Torah" is a tricky one, because it can mean different things in different contexts. In its most limited sense, "Torah" refers to the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. But the word "

TOPIC: Time, Sleep, and Aspirations This week, Dan and Merlin talk about impossible trade-offs and the benefits of remembering this is actually your life. Links for this episode:More Reflection, Less Action - NYTimes.comCAPS To Launch Original Art Auction to Benefit Stan Sakai and Family - Comic Book ResourcesContributors include: Adam Hughes, Alex Maleev, Arthur Adams, Batton Lash, Eric Powell, Jan Duursema, Jerry Ordway, Jordi Bernet, Matt Groening, Michael Allred, Mike Mignola, Paul Gulacy, Sanjuliàn, Scott Shaw!, Jim Steranko, Tim Sale, William Stout, Bill Sienkiewicz, Cameron Stewart, Dan Brereton, Daniel Parsons, Dave Gibbons, Dean Yeagle, Doug Sneyd, Dustin Nguyen, Bill Morrison, Tone Rodriguez, Sergio Aragonés, Fabio Moon, Francisco Francavilla, Gene Ha, Geof Darrow, Gilbert Hernandez, Jack Davis, James O'Barr, Kevin Eastman, Jeff Lemire, Jeff Smith, Kazu Kibuishi, Liam Sharp, Tom Richmond, Michael Jantze, Olivia, Oscar Martin, Paul Chadwick, Richard Corben, Tom Mandrake, Walter Simonson, Charles Ves

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about shaving, lights, and Dan's amazing new superpower. Links for this episode:5by5 | CMD+Space #85: Being a Geek, with John SiracusaThis week Myke is joined by John Siracusa. They discuss what it means to be a Geek and explore what John is geeky about.Special guest John Siracusa. Ep. 98: "A Mastiff of Spinach" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: They made John check his jingle stick. Twitter / settern: I don't think I'm going to ...(In which Serenity gets 59,000 on Threes) Moxibustion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMoxibustion (Chinese: ? Amazon.com: Braun Series 7- 790cc Pulsonic Shaver System, Silver: Health & Personal CareShaving - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThere are two types of manual razors: straight razor and safety razors. Safety razors are further subdivided into double-edged razors, single edge, injector razors, cartridge razors and disposable razors. Be A Part Of ItZero Charisma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZero Cha

Merlin and Dan talk about Library Elf, app launchers like Quicksilver and Alfred, Stanley Kubrick, pushing people to create greatness, not knowing what you like until you see it, the typefaces of Moon, and more. Links for this episode:Elf | Your Personal Email Library Reminder ServiceMoon | Typeset In The Future[VIDEO] Camper Van Beethoven - "Good Guys and Bad Guys""And let me plaaaaaaaay your guitar." The One Literary Reference You Must Know to Appreciate ?True DetectiveTrue Detective takes us to the void at the center of meaningThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “SLEEP”) Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code “BACKTOWORK214”) BackBlaze BusyCal

TOPIC: Why We Have Doors. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about internet nostalgia, hacking vs. whacking, and why we have doors for a reason. Links for this episode:FAQ Friday - What have you wondered about sleep? : askscienceTips for a good night of sleep are usually referred to in a scientific context as "good sleep hygiene". Here is a list from the National Sleep Foundation. Finger protocol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn computer networking, the Name/Finger protocol and the Finger user information protocol are simple network protocols for the exchange of human-oriented status and user information. Defeating Emailfarce definition - Google Searcha comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations. Adventure Time #24 - Comics by comiXologyPrincess Bubblegum faces the consequences of her science experiment gone wrong as she finally finds a way to save the day! But is it too late? Find out if Princess Bubblegum is able t

TOPIC: The Spreadsheet of You This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about sleep and how self-quantization can goose your mindfulness. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Application Performance Management & Monitoring | New Relic[SPONSOR] Website Hosting Services, VPS Hosting & Dedicated Servers - HostGatorUngainly X-Mann Meetup #3 — Merlin MannMERLIN 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, February 13th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” John Nack on Adobe : ** Announcing a big change: I’m going to Google.Ben Sherman Menswear | The Official Ben Sherman Online StoreAmazon.com: Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder: Musical Instrumentsjohn roderick (johnroderick) on TwitterRescueTimeRescueTime helps you understand your daily habits so you can focus and be more productive. Pink Floyd

TOPIC: Better Sleep Habits This week, Dan and Merlin do a deep dive on building better sleep habits with a focus on the paradoxes and planning of daily activities that can make all the difference. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Application Performance Management & Monitoring | New Relic[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] lynda.com library | Trial Subscription[SPONSOR] Smile - Welcome Back to Work Fans!5by5 | Amplified #87: No Mac Pro for MeWhile at NAMM, Jim joins Dan and special guest Merlin Mann to talk about their favorite Macs new and old, the future of the computer in the home, the power of portable and wearable devices, amps, guitars, Yamaha's purchase of Line 6, new gear, why Jim isn't getting a new Mac Pro, and more.Special guest Merlin Mann. Logos Made Simple — The Official Squarespace BlogSquarespace Logo helps anyone create a simple logo on their own. Logos can be comprised of a few basic elements: text, a tagline, and an icon. With the help of The Noun Project and Google Fonts,

TOPIC: Isolation and Identity This week, Dan and Merlin talk about civility, identity, Florida, and how you can't unsee Idiocracy. Links for this episode:The Living Wiccan, Curse Removal & ReversalWhy Songs Get Stuck in Your Head - Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis - The AtlanticWhat Are You Doing Right Now? - Merlin Mann"Is this really what you want to be doing right now?" "Right Now, What Are You Doing?" | 43 Folders5by5 | Amplified #86: Nobody's Getting My PantiesThis week, Merlin Mann sits in to chat with Jim about the Nest acquisition, the problem with Google's opaque creepiness, Jim's upcoming trip to NAMM, plus some special interactive tips from Jim on working the pentatonic blues solo.Homework: Practice on GnR's "Knocking on Heaven's Door."Special guest Merlin Mann. Idiocracy (2006)The Future Is A No Brainer Idiocracy (Release) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn The New York Times, Dan Mitchell argued that Fox might be shying away from the cautionary tale about low-intelligence dysgeni

TOPIC: The Attention Stack This week, Dan and Merlin talk about—what?—maybe the attention stack. How what we pay attention to (and, yes spend our time on) can't help but affect how we see, think, feel, and decide. Not happy with any of those things? Start working your way down the stack. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Designer Frames & Online Eyeglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby Parker[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] lynda.com/backtowork | Trial Subscription[SPONSOR] FreshBooks - Online Invoicing, Accounting & Billing SoftwarePronoia (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn 2008 the writer and Electronic Frontier Foundation co-founder John Perry Barlow defined pronoia as "the suspicion the Universe is a conspiracy on your behalf". Bokononism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBokononism is based on the concept of foma, which are defined as harmless untruths. A foundation of Bokononism is that the religion, including its texts, is formed entirely of lies What's new with

TOPIC: The thoughts we think. And think. And think. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about anxiety, compulsive thoughts, and how to at least crack an air hole in a big problem. Way of the future. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockThe Rook: A Novel: Daniel O'Malley: 9780316098809: Amazon.com: BooksIMAGE EXPO 2014Thursday January 9th at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts San Francisco, CA Surviving Anxiety - Scott Stossel - The AtlanticI've tried therapy, drugs, and booze. Here’s how I came to terms with the nation's most common mental illness. Interview: Scott Stossel, Author Of 'My Age Of Anxiety' : NPRStossel's own fears include turophobia, a fear of cheese Five hindrances - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances (Sanskrit: pañca niv?ra?a [AUDIO] Andrea Fella: Anxiety Worry and Fear[VIDEO] "The Office (UK)" - Keith - "Fanny means your arse. Not

TOPIC: Consistency, Change, and Counting-Down This week, Dan and Merlin return to the evergreen topic of new year's resolutions. Remember: in the main, you are what you've already done a lot. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. 5by5 | Back to Work #47: Utter Failure & Hotel SteakTOPIC: Resolving to skip the New Year's resolutions.In the last episode of 2011, Merlin and Dan talk about fresh starts and modest changes rather than rehearsing for sucking. You don't need a calendar to tell you to change. Whether you want to give up nail biting, onanism, or drinking a gallon of vodka a day, you need a plan and a tolerance for failure. Plus, a little care never hurts.How to do it? Keep it small, keep it time-limited, keep it action-oriented.Happy New Year, jackals. We love you. Amazon.com: LEGO Creator 31013 Red Thunder: Toys & Ga

TOPIC: Christmas and Control This week, Dan and Merlin meander through holiday matters, including the Winter Warlock-like impotence of having your electric meter blow up on Christmas Eve Eve. Links for this episode:The 'Homeland' Finale, Reviewed : The New YorkerWhen John le Carr? concocted such maneuvers, we saw the characters? machinations but didn?t understand their intent. ?Homeland,? by contrast, just did it all off-screen, and I can?t be the only viewer who felt misled, as opposed to misdirected, when it all was revealed. The Incomparable #173: Santa-Based Christmas'Tis the season for holiday music! Unfortunately, while we unabashedly love the holidays, only some holiday music strikes our fancy. Join us as we talk about what makes a good holiday song and then stick around (if you dare) as we complain about some of the worst the season has to offer. Happy holidays, folks! Gaslighting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFrankfurt School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMeanwhile, many of these t

TOPIC: Enough. This week, Dan and Merlin meander around the meaning of, "enough," pondering the deep existential pit we dig for ourselves and maybe how to get out of it. Merry Christmas. Get your head out of your ass. Links for this episode:Even An 85 MPH Highway Can't Fix Austin's Traffic Tangle : NPRAustin is the largest city in America with only one interstate running through it. Just six lanes wide through downtown, Interstate 35 backs up for miles regularly. The Postal Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Postal Service was an American electronic musical supergroup composed of vocalist Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie), producer Jimmy Tamborello (of Dntel and Headset) with Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley) on background vocals/keyboards & samplers live. For the band's reunion tour in 2013, Laura Burhenn (of the Mynabirds) joined the lineup throughout the tour to provide additional vocals and instruments, with Jen Wood filling in for a few shows. Operator assistance - Wikipedia, the free

TOPIC: Criticism and Its Discontents This week, Dan and Merlin talk about criticism, people who don't like you, and how much to let each have anything to do with the work you produce. Links for this episode:Better - Merlin MannPolitics, celebrity gossip, business headlines, tech punditry, odd news, and user-generated content. These are the chew toys that have made me sad and tired and cynical. Snell-o-vision (How to watch "Doctor Who")As someone who became a fan of the show in the mid-’80s and who re-engaged with the show during its 2005 comeback, I have happily promoted it to numerous people and I hope I’ve learned a few lessons along the way. At the very least, I have opinions.So here are a few different ways to get into “Doctor Who.” [For my ultimate recommendation, scroll down to the bottom.] TextExpander Help: Detailed Release NotesUngainly X-Mann Meetup #2 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the

TOPIC: Gooseneck Options This week, with Dan re-sick and Merlin full of beans, the boys do a deep dive on hand washing, purpose-built bathroom activity gadgets, and the benefits of arming our children. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: CTA Digital Pedestal Stand for iPad 2/3/4 with Roll Holder: Computers & AccessoriesTechnical Difficulties - 057 - Reinventing Yourself with Merlin MannGabe and Erik are joined by Merlin Mann to talk about starting over, what you really should be doing with your life, verbing, inventors, and emotional petshops. Anastasia Helicopter - Unprofessional - Mule Radio SyndicateMerlin Mann joins Dave and Lex to talk about Jimmy Carter and vocabulary words. Accidental Tech Podcast: 41: Penny Wise, Pound FoolishUngainly X-Mann Meetup #2 — Merlin MannMERLIN 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, December 12th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Cubs - Bobcat RankBoy Scou

TOPIC: Perfectionism and Procrastination This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why the classic meanings of perfectionism mostly miss the mark; it's less about being scared to finish and more about being terrified to start. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] PDFpenPro: Mac PDF Editor - Create PDF Forms, PDF Table of ContentsEverything PDFpen can do and more! Make interactive forms, build tables of contents, and convert Web pages to PDFs when you go PDFpenPro. New in version 6: Microsoft® Word export! [SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockOver 30 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos [SPONSOR] Website Hosting Services, VPS Hosting & Dedicated Servers - HostGatorWeb Hosting made EASY and AFFORDABLE! “One Dog Goes One Way And The Other Dog Goes The Other Way” | Broadsheet.ie5by5 | The Best of 5by5 #1: November 17 - 23, 2013Highlights from this week's shows. 5by5 | The Incomparable #170: Let Zygons Be ZygonsIn this special unedited flashcast edition, we talk abo

TOPIC: Going Mobile-er. This week, Dan and Merlin are very sick, so they talk about being sick. Then, they talk about what it would take to move to using just an iPad Air on the road. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] OmniFocus - The Omni GroupOmniFocus is designed to quickly capture your thoughts and ideas to store, manage, and help you process them into actionable to-do items. Perfect for many different systems, OmniFocus helps you work smarter by giving you powerful tools to stay on top of all the things you need to do. From ‘Call mom’ to ‘Submit Annual Report to Investors’. [SPONSOR] BusyCalBusyCal is an alternative to the built-in Calendar app on OS X that provides powerful time-saving features in a friendly, easy-to-use package. My_Feedback.ppt - The Talk Show - Mule Radio SyndicateVery special guest Merlin Mann joins John Gruber for an as-usual rambling discussion about presentation slides, the new iPads, the Major League Baseball schedule, and Malcolm Gladwell. i

TOPIC: Grab bag This week, Dan takes a minute to sit down with Merlin to talk about bathroom GIFs, Marvel movies, private school ejection, and a new interview with Merlin that is very very long. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Website Hosting Services, VPS Hosting & Dedicated Servers - HostGatorThe best way to pee into a urinal, according to science - The WeekThat splash is due to a fluid dynamics term called the Rayleigh Instability. Basically your stream loses power about 6 inches from the urethra, scattering your spray into messy droplets. VineScope - Different ways how I open the bathroom doorDisney Shows Off The First Poster Of Angelina Jolie As MaleficentShe really is Maleficent brought to life. Who else could carry off this bone structure? [INTERVIEW] The Great Discontent: Merlin Mann"It’s been one anxious block of uncertainty after another." 5by5 | Systematic #69: The Health Episode with Dr. Pam PeekeShow 17: Spoilers | Unansw

TOPIC: Perception and Perspective. In their second ever live, face-to-face episode, Dan and Merlin talk about goats, noise gate, and taking a step back for a better view of where you are. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Designer Frames & Online Eyeglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby Parker[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] OmniFocus - The Omni Group5by5 | Bionic #66: Crossover EventThis week – with Matt on a secret Vlcnr mission – Myke is joined by Merlin Mann. They discuss the fact that Matt is probably on witness protection, the movies of Edgar wright, a little about Comic books and Blackberry in the enterprise. Scat Academy (Part 1) | You Look Nice TodayWelcome to the You Look Nice Today® Scat Immersion Program™.No dogs, babies, or squares allowed. Need / Curated Shopping for MenImproving Squarespace Analytics — The Official Squarespace BlogThe new Squarespace Analytics platform uses a method similar to Google Analytics, recording data from the browser using Javascript. This method provide