Back to Work

TOPIC: Aspects of Letting Go This week, Dan and Merlin talk about two very different viewports into doing what you want to do and being who you want to be. There's the non-fiddly value you earn from getting junk out of your head and into a place you trust (in this instance, OmniFocus location-based contexts). Then, there's the "what the cuss?" situation faced by listener, "Evan," who's struggling with a work conundrum that's hard on the office freezer and his feelings. How do you move toward doing the right thing in the face of a lot of wrong? And, how do you take care of the piddly crap that's made your brain such a messy white board? Also, there's our new t-shirts, some boot scoots, lots of tickles, plus, that total tool who pushed Shlomo out. Don't even get Merlin started. Literally. Links for this episode:5by5 | Mac Power Users #91: Workflows with Merlin Mann III5by5 | Subscribe to the NewsletterColor Merlin![SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`laydown`") [SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time![SPONSOR] Igloo SoftwareRecipes « World Aeropress ChampionshipTim Wendelboe » Blog Archive » Top 3 Aeropress MethodsTextExpander 4.0 Fill-In Feature on VimeoMe & You • In the second issue of the BULK BAG! newsletter of...Me and You: Tuck and Roll from _A Bug's Life_kung fu grippe - The Mandrill Thing For Joel Benjamin and family.xkcd: Duty CallsLos Vengadores - LHMPDM 1x06 Español (España) - YouTubeRoderick on the Line (Merlin's Favorite Episodes)The Long Winters - "New Girl" ["No! YOU are!"]OmniFocus for Mac - The Omni Grouprm (Unix) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaClobbering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - “Here. Put this bandit hat on.” My God, I love...kung fu grippe - “You Cussing With Me?” (Fantastic Mr. Fox)kung fu grippe - In Contexts Hey. You. Tune in to Mac Power Users...kung fu grippe - “Divide that by nine, please.” It’s real...Fantastic Mr. Fox (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - IMDbAmazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksRogue Amoeba | Freebies (SoundSource)revans/bash-it5by5 | The Pipeline #7: Merlin Mannrm -r * by Jeffrey Veen5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus DriverRecology SF • Curbside Recycling Program FAQThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace, Igloo Software, Smile Software.

TOPIC: Confidence, Courage, and the Problem with Thinking This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why we may or may not feel confident to do stuff. How do other people seem to get it so easily, and where do they find the courage? Well. You walk through The Forum, you check the mics, and you never let thinking get in your way. Too much thinking? UNACCEPTABLE! Dungeon. Seven years. No trials. Links for this episode:Dalrympled (Dan)Dalrympled (Merlin)solipschtick — By this point in my life, I’d also had enough...Me & YouTwitter / hotdogsladies: All of you. Dungeon. SevenHerb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey (1967)_HQ - YouTubeTandoor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDesigner drug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaToilets in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Accomplished entirely with that Peter Jackson...Biblical Mount Sinai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTom Baker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPresentation ZenThe Mosquito Coast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Inspire yourself…every day!!!!!Amazon.com: Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations that Inform, Motivate, and Inspire (Business Skills) (English and English Edition) (9780735627352): Cliff Atkinson: BooksFake AmazonToastmasters International - HomeChafing-dish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSterno - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChrome Web Store - TemplateLEMON GRAB UNACCEPTABLE - YouTubeCaltrop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaToto - Washlet S400Glassboard: Know who you're sharing with.The Fantastic Mr. Fox: You Cussing With Me - Movie Trailers - Video Detectivekung fu grippe - “You Cussing With Me?” (Fantastic Mr. Fox)[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`laydown`") [SPONSOR] MailChimpkung fu grippe - x-mann: Yeah. I went there.5by5 | 5by5 Specials #7: Dan Benjamin Guests on Episode #111 of The Bro ShowAmazon.com: Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (2nd Edition) (Voices That Matter) (9780321811981): Garr Reynolds: BooksBath Salts: Deep in the Heart of America's New Drug Nightmare | SPINoubliettekung fu grippe - Nerds of the Cornkung fu grippe - “So.”kung fu grippe - jxpx1138, shreddingMakebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) | 43 FoldersAmazonCritical précis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - The Mandrill Thing For Joel Benjamin and family.This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace and MailChimp.

TOPIC: The Problem with Passive-Aggression. If that's okay with you. This week, Dan and Merlin apologize if they've made you unhappy with an episode about passive-aggressiveness, wussy non-communication, and non-apology apologies. But, maybe, that'll just have to be okay with them. But, could you PLEASE take your tuna out of the fridge, pick up after your dog, make more coffee, change the toilet paper roll, and help with taking trash to the curb? Thank You In Advance For Your Cooperation! — The Management Links for this episode:kung fu grippe - Q: What’s my next X-Men? Obviously, a lot of you...Twitter / defunkt: Soon: http://t.co/ufqZ8FiZPassive–aggressive behavior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPassiveAggressiveNotes.comDays of Future Past - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDays of Future Passed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMultiverse (Marvel Comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEarth-616 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPDFpen for iPad: PDF Editing Software for Mac iOSBULK Bag! Issue #05kung fu grippe - The Avengers - “Hulk smashes Loki” I can watch...Five power tools of the unintentionally creepy guy | 5ivesLeave-A-Sign-About-Dog-Poop Guy | Flickr - Photo Sharing!5by5 | Back to Work #57: Start with Anger, End with a Signkung fu grippe - FIN Sigh. Finished #137 last night, drawing The...The Silent Treatment | PassiveAggressiveNotes.com[SPONSOR] MailChimp[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`laydown`") [SPONSOR] Smile (save $15 on PDFpen or PDFpenPro)IMG: Original "twttr" logo Twitter / rsa: "I have decided that @lonelysandwich, @scottsimpson and @hotdogsladies need to start a podcast. The absence of said podcast is a crime."This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by MailChimp, Smile, and Squarespace.

TOPIC: Recalibrating Expectations This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about struggling with expectations. Everybody's expectations. Including yours. Why it's worth recalibrating your own expectations, managing others' expectations, and accepting the impossibility of knowing—let alone meeting—the expectations of the entire world. Because, that's monkeyballs. We also learn that Merlin likes his buttons touched very gently. Links for this episode:Language Log » “Factlets”Back To Work - Igloo SoftwareHearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Back to Work: “Like Patty Hearst in a Closet” ...Back to Work (b2wshow) on TwitterAmazon.com: Apocalypse Now (Apocalypse Now / Apocalypse Now Redux / Hearts of Darkness) (Three-Disc Full Disclosure Edition) [Blu-ray]: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Francis Ford Coppola: Movies & TVAmazon.com: Heart of Darkness (Dover Thrift Editions) (9780486264646): Joseph Conrad, Stanley Appelbaum: Books[SPONSOR] Igloo Software[SPONSOR] MailChimpDruthers, CA | You Look Nice TodayEp. 34: "A Sh*t Barge Full of Long Pigs" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mannkung fu grippe - “Now, I have cloud hair.” ASTONISHING X-MEN...Sign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! Newsletter5ives | Merlin's Lists of Five Things5by5 | Build and Analyze #80: Please, Go to StarbucksChris Elliott as Brando on Letterman - Banana dance - YouTubeVIDEO: "I swallowed a bug." —Marlon Brando (1976)kung fu grippe - In Which Merlin Buys Some DollsTwitterThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Igloo Software and MailChimp.

TOPIC: Boogers and Expectations Are you making perfect reports when your boss just wants them on time? Are you making crème brûlée when you should be jumping in a trench? Are wangs and boogers causing problems at work? This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about expectations – whether you're willing to or not – and the risks of expectations of partners, bosses, and kids. How can you handle expectations? There aren't a lot of easy answers. As you'd probably expect. Links for this episode:middleclasstool - Blog - Something Something Meth JokePre-Cana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHanlon's razor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZagg Pepper | We’re super excited to show you our latest and...Found My Place - BlogTales of Wonder - Marvel Masterworks Uncanny X-Men Vol 2 New Ed TPConfessions of a Car Salesman - Print Friendly[SPONSOR] MailChimp [SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`goaheadcaller`") [SPONSOR} Warby Parker (10% off with discount code, "`5BY5TV10`") David Mamet’s Master Class Memo to the Writers of The Unit - Movielinegolden balls. the weirdest split or steal ever! - YouTubePrisoner's dilemma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGame theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFound My Place - Blog - Song: "Lost in Space"Amazon.com: The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 2 (Marvel Masterworks) (9780785137047): Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne: BooksDiplomacy (game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - "Public libraries rule." - In Which _Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 2_ Arrives!kung fu grippe - "I Love My Blended Family" - In Which Merlin Prepares to Read 5 Years of _X-Men_[KFG] You Look Nice Today - “Lot About a Thing Guy”Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls - YouTube'Actors should be treated like cattle.' —Alfred HitchcockThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Warby Parker, MailChimp, and Squarespace.

TOPIC: Incentive, Inspiration, and Motivation This week, Dan and Merlin are inspired to talk about the incentive and the motivation to make something. Inspiration is marketed as something you're missing, but it has a short expiration date, and if you're more scared than uninspired then it doesn't matter how many pieces of candy you're offered. And what do you do if selling bottled water cozies affects your intrinsic motivation to make them? Well. It's complicated. As usual. Links for this episode:Replication studies: Bad copy : Nature News & CommentThe Coffee Collective Blog: Updated Aeropress brewing methodLetters of Note: It has never got easierkung fu grippe • “La la laaaaaaaa…” (Sneaky Peek of next Squarespace song)[SPONSOR] PDFpen from Smile: A Proud Sponsor of Back To WorkSign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! Newsletter 5by5 | 5by5 Specials #6: Regarding The Talk Show5by5 Radio iOS AppAmazon.com: AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with Bonus 350 Micro Filters: Kitchen & DiningNerd BoyfriendnvALT 2.2 Public Beta - Brett TerpstraMarked - smart tools for smart writersMarked 1.5 Sneak Peak - Brett Terpstrattscoff (Brett Terpstra) on GithubSimpsons - Sideshow bob steps on rakes - YouTubeBulk Bag at Amy's Ice Creams | Flickr - Photo Sharing!marvel comics - Why can't adamantium cut through vibranium? - Science Fiction and FantasyAdamantium - Marvel Comics DatabaseDignan (Character)VIDEO: Roxanna & Adam - "The Aristocrats" on VimeoPinboard: global tag page for eatsleeploveJamie Phelps (jxpx777) on TwitterBlog - jxpx777.com—Personal website of Jamie Phelps [SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp Get Previous Issues of Back to Work's "BULK Bag!" NewsletterHearts of SpaceCEOs and the Candle Problem - A Mad Hemorrhage Blog | Nature Publishing GroupThe Smiths - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNerd Boyfriend - Pacino and WalkenAeroPress “Ritual” on VimeoThe Dark Phoenix Saga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • "The Black Queen"Jean Grey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus (v. 1) (9780785121015): Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne: BooksAmazon.com: X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga (9780785164210): Chris Claremont, Jo Duffy, John Byrne, Mike Collins, John Buscema, Jerry Bingham: BooksIntellivision® TV Commercial: Major League Baseball - YouTubeParis Review - The Art of Fiction No. 21, Ernest HemingwayInterviews, Writers, Quotes, Fiction, Poetry - Paris ReviewMeat is Murder by the Smiths (Album Version) - YouTubeThe Smiths - Reel Around the Fountain - Live - YouTubeThe Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - YouTubeThe Smiths - This Charming Man - YouTubeNVAlt Tips « MacdrifterSimplicity Is BlissgridwriternvALT 2.1 - Notational Velocity ForkVoodooPad: New Stuff in VoodooPad 5My Bodyguard (1980) - IMDbThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Smile and MailChimp.

TOPIC: Trying On The Change This week, Dan and Merlin (who might not have mentioned he didn't sleep much) discuss the balance between placing nickel bets versus going all-in—or at least thinking all-in. You might be talking yourself into stasis or change, but if you don't really try it on first, you may find out the techno and combat boots are nothing compared to living under incontinent grackles. Links for this episode:kung fu grippe • Example Portraiture (Tanforan Mall) Hm. Hm. ...kung fu grippe • 3rdmartini: Taco night was apparently a success....Found My Place - BlogIt's a Wonderful Life - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPictures & Photos from It's a Wonderful Life - IMDbits-a-wonderful-life_592x299.jpg 592×299 pixels"And don't tell me there isn't one bit of difference between null and space, because that's exactly how much difference there is. :-)"New TextMate Bundle, Edit Templates and Campaigns | MailChimp Email Marketing BlogThe surprisingly complicated legacy of Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee - GrantlandHofstadter's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCommon Grackle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBullseye | Maximum FunCleric (Dungeons & Dragons) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaYa Blew It... - YouTubeTim and Eric's Awsome Show Great Job- Mr.Henderson - YouTubeMarsEdit 3 - Desktop blog editing for the Mac.Amazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 1 (9781401229740): Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquereque: BooksAmazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 2 (9781401230708): Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquereque: BooksAmazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 3 (9781401233334): Scott Snyder: BooksAmazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 4 (9781401237189): Scott Snyder, Rafael Alburqurqe: Books[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp [SPONSOR] Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace (Extra 10% off with offer code, "`goaheadcaller`") Sign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! Newsletter Found My Place - Blog - Song: "Just Fine"CHRONIC JET-LAG INCREASES MORTALITY IN AGED MICECircadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders: Part I, Basic Principles, Shift Work and Jet Lag DisordersAn American Academy of Sleep Medicine ReviewExperimental ‘Jet Lag’ Inhibits Adult Neurogenesis and Produces Long-Term Cognitive Deficits in Female HamstersThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at MailChimp and Squarespace.

TOPIC: The Pete Campbell Problem Ever notice how you never really "arrive?" Or, have you ever noticed that right when you think you've "arrived," you don't stay arrived for very long—but now have a whole big bunch of new stuff to do? Yeah, us too. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about expectations, the wrong kinds of ambition, and the unquenchable lust for prestige and respect. Good practitioners practice, great leaders lead, and crummy managers just get their fingers all brown from digging around in your chocolate bag. How to see yourself more as your team does—and less as That Guy who deserves more everything. Because there will always be more "everything." Links for this episode:Found My Place - Blog - Song: "Staying Up"I loved Merlin Mann’s song Staying Up so much I...Orchestra hit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Arrival (1996) - IMDbMad Men's Pete Campbell: An interview with Vincent Kartheiser - Slate Magazine[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace (Extra 10% off with offer code, "`goaheadcaller`")Sign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! NewsletterPiriformis muscle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVanishing twin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Apple Magic Trackpad: ElectronicsSrirachaTapatio Hot SauceBeaverton Foods - Beaver Brand Mustards, Horseradish, Mayo, Tartar, Coctail Sauce and More!The Dark Phoenix Saga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe: "SCOTT! JEAN!"UnderscorefunkDesign (underscorefunk) on TwitterUnderscorefunk DesignNew Order - True Faith - YouTubeNew Order - Thieves Like Us - YouTubeNew Order - Bizarre Love Triangle Music Video - YouTubeFireballed.org - The Anti-FireballNew Order - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNew Order live, 1984, 'Temptation' - YouTubeCos Cob, Connecticut - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPete Campbell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • With success comes a level of sadness. You think,...Patton Oswalt – "You Are Allowed 20 Birthday Parties"Buddhism Plain and Simple: Steve Hagen: 9780767903325: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre (9780878301171): Keith Johnstone: BooksThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Squarespace and MailChimp.

TOPIC: Stressing Out About Stress Dan and Merlin talk about what happens when stress meets stress, anxiety feeds anxiety, and 10 guys maybe try to jump you in the woods. Which kinds of stress are simply unavoidable? Which ones are addictive? Which ones can be tolerated? And, yes, which kinds of stresses can be vanquished by firing your boss? Links for this episode:FoundMyPlace.net (Merlin's Music Project with Squarespace)[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimpSign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! NewsletterAeroPress “Ritual” on Vimeo[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Create a Blog - SquarespacePricing - SquarespaceAmazon.com: Das Keyboard Model S Professional Mechanical Keyboard: ElectronicsThe Stenciled Approach | You Look Nice TodayMN 82: Ratthapala SuttaDorothy Parker: "If all the girls attending it were laid end to end…"Dorothy C. Fisher: "A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary."Prayer (Direct petitions to God) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (9780449208397): Erma Bombeck: BooksThe Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank: Erma Bombeck: 9780345471727: Amazon.com: BooksThe World's Greatest Joke - "One penguin says, 'You look like you're wearing a tuxedo.…'"The Special Pig Joke - "OK, Fred. So just tell me. How did he get the wooden leg?"The Aristocrats (joke) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Aristocrats (2005)Gruber's Das Keyboard | Flickr - Photo Sharing! [1]Gruber's Das Keyboard | Flickr - Photo Sharing! [2]Ratatouille (2007)Ed Gein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGregg shorthand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPincer movement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[Weltanschauung] World view - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[MP3] "Obstacle Race" by Merlin MannFree Custom Domain Names — The Official Squarespace Blogkung fu grippe • Sickening. It’s like replacing a supermodel with...The Super Hero Squad Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitter / @hotdogsladies: "My 'z' key broke."This episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at MailChimp and Squarespace.

TOPIC: The Surprising Problems of "Doing What You Love" Merlin has some follow up on Agency: be in control of what you give away and why you charge what you charge, and Dan is interested in what happens when you stop loving what you love when you do it as a job. There are no guarantees, so don't mistake the Federalist Papers for Constitutional Law, and if you miss the signs you shouldn't be sailing, you'll just end up vomiting in your bucket hat. You're not going suddenly arrive and do what you love. You get there through course correction: look back at all the ugly birdhouses and look ahead for the next step toward building a home. Links for this episode:Mad Men's Pete Campbell: An interview with Vincent KartheiserTwitter / @danbenjamin: At last, the Bulk Bag at @ ...The Unofficial 5by5 SoundboardMicah's tumblog - It’s the post that @danbenjamin and @hotdogsladies...Greenview Studios - Journal - Back to WorkAmazon.com: Apogee JAM Studio Quality Guitar Input for iPad, iPhone and Mac: Electronicsbucket hats, Accessories at Zappos.com[SPONSOR] MailChimp[SPONSOR] SquarespacePlease don't let me hit the ground. on VimeoThe Man Who Broke Atlantic City - Magazine - The AtlanticWelcome to Amy's Ice CreamsAmy's Ice Creams - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia100-sided die - Google SearchZocchihedron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • “I want some ‘book bag.’” It’s “BULK Bag,”...Prolost - Blog - Chasing WildebeestsChasing Wildebeests - Scruffy - Scruffy | ThinkingCherryPy — A Minimalist Python Web FrameworkSubscribe to Back to Work's "BULK Bag!" Newsletterhorace greeley - Google SearchCranking | 43 FoldersHow Long Is the Coast of Britain? Statistical Self-Similarity and Fractional Dimension - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 FoldersEp. 29: "Eventually My Scabs Healed" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannHarry Nilsson - Me and my Arrow - YouTube"You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way"Dollar Shave ClubPhineas and Ferb Agent P PJ Pal for Boys | PJ Pals | Disney StoreJudy Garland - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - YouTubeGalette - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at MailChimp and Squarespace.