Back to Work

This week, Dan and Merlin determine that even the Chico Marx of notebooks is the right one if you're writing in it, failure is ALWAYS an option: fully committing didn't do Pickett any good, but you should commit to narrowing scope and deciding what success is. Why? Fact or Fiction: You can start a business on the side. Links for this episode:kung fu grippe - Robb Wolff on "Perfection"Letters of Note: PERSISTQPR: Jim Fairness and the 14-Second Work YearQPR: Commentary by Anton CantruskuPickett's Charge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJek Tono Porkins - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiWedge Antilles - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiToward Better Master Passwords | Agile Blog B2W Squarespace Signup (coupon code: "backtowork7") AgileBits: 1Password kung fu grippe - Need a fast primer on storytelling? The Civil...The Civil War . In the Classroom . Using the Series . Episode Five | PBSkung fu grippe - “Disjointed” A View to a Kill: Just giving up.Programmers NotebookHypercritical #23: No Sentence Left Behind - 5by5Schecter/Giffin 'Telecaster'-style Guitars | Pete Townshend’s Guitar Gear | WhotabsNorth Coast Music: Rickenbacker 660/12damn the torpedoes tom petty - Google SearchYouTube - M&Ms Commercial - "Thank you Easter Bunny, Bawk Bawk!"Tigermilk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLeaked! Dan's new show, "Go Ahead, Caller!"Anti-pattern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNetflix - Watch Ken Burns: The Civil Warkung fu grippe - Need a fast primer on storytelling? [Merlin's Notebook] Nothing Doesn't Go In Here - a set on Flickr American: The Bill Hicks Story (2009 Documentary)Risk and the Bin Laden Raid - Notions: John Dickerson's BlogPlayboy Interview With John Lennon and Yoko OnoJack Purvis - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiNothing Doesn't Go In Here: "Two Words" | Flickr - Photo Sharing!story in a grocery: Back to WorkWord play: A top newspaper editor helps demystify the writing process: PRSAGetting Into the Writing Game, With Words of Advice From a Coach | Special English | Learning EnglishCrapping on your Dream: Freelancing 101The Weight of a Good Notebook « The Bygone BureauSponsored by MailChimp and Sound Studio 4.

This week, Merlin and Dan share their Pick: The Macintosh Computer. Also, a 17-minute experimental startup sound, catching conflicts, shivving the stagecoach, machine-gunning with SoundMaster, the dangers of ResEdit, and the future of recumbent bike baskets. But not Charcoal. Are you KIDDING me? Links for this episode:Thoughts on (and pics of) the original Macintosh User Manual : peterme.comWelcome to AgileBitsToward Better Master Passwords | Agile BlogB2W Squarespace Signup (coupon code: "backtowork6")(NSFW) Mars bar party - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWebstock '11: John Gruber - The Gap Theory of UI Design on VimeoUmberto Eco's piece on Mac and DOS, Catholic and ProtestantMusic Thing: TINY MUSIC MAKERS: Pt 2: The Microsoft SoundWelcome to The 1920's Radio NetworksBritish Sixties Radio: Your Time Machine to Swinging London! - Live on the InternetDaring Fireball: It's All SoftwareiCloud and Apple’s truth: can you win if you don’t play? | This is my next...ResEdit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Folklore.org: Macintosh Stories macintosh system 6 - Google Search Ambient 1: Music for Airports - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDaring Fireball Linked List: Windows Phone 7 on the Carriers' Pay-No-Mind List?Appearance Manager - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFanedits.com Fan Edits - Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope "Revisited" [NTSC] (Adywan) - fanedits.comYouTube - Music For AirportsYouTube - Brian Eno - Music For Airports InterviewSan Francisco (typeface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCharcoal (typeface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCrystal Quest - mlkshkAfter Dark #32: After Back To Work 022 - 5by5Squidward Tentacles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMacintosh User Manual - Appendices | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Kids in the Hall: Daves I Know | MilkandCookiesBrainstorm (1983) - IMDbSponsored by Squarespace, Sponsor 5by5, and 1Password.

Merlin and Dan talk about the problem of permanent zeroes, desiring not to desire, why "hypocrisy" is killing you, stepping back on the path without apologizing, Merlin's new tattoo, and—yeah—going a little easier on yourself. Also, how almost everything is like a glass of water and John Siracusa is literally and uniquely Squidward.  Links for this episode:Heraclitus - The FragmentsSchadenfreude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Wire (TV Series 2002–2008) - IMDbSarlacc - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wikithe size of tiny changes in the heart[audio] Alan Watts: “Yet, here we are.”…"You are a wave of the stream itself. So, get with it!" - kung fu grippe[audio] Introduction to Buddhism by Alan Watts The Philosophies of Asia--Alan Watts (Introduction to Buddhism) The Sad, Beautiful Fact That We're All Going To Miss Almost Everything : Monkey See : NPRMaha-satipatthana Sutta: The Great Frames of ReferenceThe Agendas of MindfulnessBrahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the BrahmanRight Now by Thanissaro Bhikkhu | D.I.Y. DharmaThe 84th ProblemMindfulness: The practice of being "here" | 43 FoldersLifehacked by Matt Haughey; mindfulness, ho | 43 FoldersSometimes There's a Man - mlkshkDecision Maker ProUntranslatability - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaB2W Squarespace Signup (coupon code: "backtowork6")"Adulthood ultimately means becoming a hypocrite on your own terms.""People who regard honesty & hypocrisy as incompatible strike me as either dishonest, hypocritical, or both. Is that hypocritical? You bet.""David Simon: 'F*ck the Average Reader'" - kung fu grippeWabi-sabi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter Dark #30: After Back To Work 021 - 5by5Jan Tschichold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace and Sponsor 5by5.

Merlin and Dan talk about getting started, putting on your shoes instead of shopping for pedometers, false dilemmas, doing as much work with your hands as you've done in your head, why you should leave some water in the pump, meta-fiddling, and getting better. Links for this episode:Yeah, THIS just happened. Breville. 1800 watts. Toast. BOOM!Photo courtesy of @e_shirt - mlkshkAmazon.com: Breville BOV650XL Compact 4-Slice Smart Oven with Element IQ: Kitchen & DiningHypercritical #21: Reading Playboy for the Articles - 5by5MaxFunCon: Merlin Mann on Doing Creative Work; The Sound of Young America“Outline” - MaxFunCon Talk | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Wampa - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiAmazon.com: Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis (9780805048919): Joan Bolker: BooksAmazon.com: Ernest Hemingway on Writing (9780684854298): Larry W. Phillips: BooksPhotography, and the Tolerance for Courageous Sucking | 43 FoldersAmazon.com: Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (9780786880706): Jon Kabat-Zinn: BooksYouTube - Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-ZinnJanuary 18, 2011 - Wolfram|AlphaFake Rocks, Salami Commanders, and Just Enough to Start | 43 FoldersUm. Feel the magic first-hand: Episode... - kung fu grippeOn The MediaYouTube - HAPPY DAYS - Richie Almost DiesFlickr: chrisglass' PhotostreamChris GlassAmazon.com: Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: Camera & Photoparislemon.YouTube - Ira Glass on Storytelling, part 3 of 4NPR Fresh AirBack to Work - 5by5WikiBack to Work - iTunes. (Wanna leave us a nice review?)"Serial Entrepreneur. That's internet for 'I installed WordPress TWICE.'"Lawn darts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediajohn hodgman mustache - Google SearchAbout little thing called 750 Words on 750 WordsHOME « McKee StorySponsored by FreshBooks and Sound Studio 4.

Merlin and Dan talk about mindful tool adoption, screwdriver museums, why Vi users may (or may not) be cannibalistic insects—plus debate on whether a home video of a toy horse falling down in someone's bathroom is about Humanity. Also, Dan effs with Merlin's head. Again. Links for this episode:Maladroite Cheval. on VimeoVimeoTumult HypeYouTube - David Lynch - Funny MomentsHow and where not to do The Fishstick on VimeoThe most popular file utility for the MacintoshFetch SoftworksTextMate — The Missing Editor for Mac OS XDropboxElements — Dropbox powered text editor for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch from Second GearNotesyNebulous Notesvi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIntroducing "?—": A Distraction-Free Writing Environment - kung fu grippeBare Bones Software | WelcomeCoyote Tracks - Text Editor InterventionSublime Text: The text editor you'll fall in love withAcorn, a great Mac image editor, built for humans.PixelmatorTweetbot — Tapbotsgoodiware.com :: products :: GoodReaderPanic - Shockingly Good Mac Software.The Omni GroupByword • A Simple Text Editor for MaciA WriterContacts Cleaner on the Mac App StoreSyncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailMailplane - the best way to use Gmail on the MacSparrow — The new mail for MacBusyCal - Sync calendars on your Mac with MobileMe, Google, and the iPhoneFlexibits | Fantastical | Meet your new assistant.BlacktreeLaunchBar 5Alex Payne — How I Use TextMateQuickCursor — Your text editor anywhere for Mac.Tags - Simply OrganizedNoodlesoft: HazelSpirited Away - drikin.com - the Mac wayRogue Amoeba | Freebies: Free Software for Mac OS XAmazon.com: Sakura IDenti-Pen Permanent Dual-Point Pen, Blue: Arts, Crafts & SewingAmazon.com: Moleskine Plain Reporter, 9cm x 14cm (9788883705502): Moleskine: BooksField Notes — “I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.”Notational VelocityTuneIn: Listen to Online Radio, Music and Talk StationsSponsored by Rackspace and Shopify.

Merlin and Dan talk about educating "That's Just a Button Guy," practicing more humane pushback, asking better questions, why laundromats don't accept "focus," plus what happens when you put WAY too much crap in your five-pound bag. Links for this episode:Mindfulness in Plain EnglishSponsored by iStockphoto and MailChimp.

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about checking email under the table to catch up on your 27 high priority tasks, a good time to use the word priority, blowing cycles on meeting with Narnia's stakeholders, and getting tasks out of your dreamcatcher. Links for this episode:BONUS AWESOME: Too Close to the Metal Wallpapers (Chainmail for Manatees)ESSAY: Mud Rooms, Red Letters, and Real Priorities | 43 FoldersESSAY: GTD: Priorities don't exist in a vacuum | 43 FoldersESSAY: First, care. | 43 FoldersWIKI: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Importance vs. Urgency)WIKI: Alan Lakein (Lakein's question: "What is the best use of my time right now?")CONCEPT: GTD & "The Four-Criteria Model for Choosing Actions in the Moment" - Google BooksROCKET: Estes 1948 Big Bertha Flying Model Rocket Kit (Amazon.com)CONCEPT: Time and motion study - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWEBB: Cheaper by the Dozen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSONG: Bacon Ray - Sundays In A RowBONUS AWESOME: Cut the bullshit, do the hard work, on your desktop — Ice To The BrimCHART: covey quadrants - Google SearchROCKET: 001948 - Big Bertha™ - Skill 1 - Kits By Skill Level - RocketsVIDEO: Caddyshack: Playing Through ("Over on Briar")POEM: "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot as hypertext BOOK: The Waste Land: A Facsimile and Transcript of the Original Drafts Including the Annotations of Ezra Pound BOOK: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Amazon)HOWTO: Getting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 Folders HOWTO: Building a Smarter To-Do List, Part I | 43 Folders OAK of a Man: Ken Case — The Omni Group OBVIOUS Raymond Carver Joke: "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" (WIKI)VIDEO: American Tourister "Gorilla" Commercial (1971)DIAGRAM: Anatomy of the Derail: “You shouldn’t be throwing anyone.” Sponsored by Harvest and Sound Studio 4.

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin aren't afraid of lawyers, dentists, negative feelings, or of not being afraid of something. Sponsored by Rackspace and Shopify.

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin are here to discuss the awareness of fear, asking yourself why, and knowing the problem instead of chasing fake confidence, patches, and hacks. Links for this episode:Hetty Green - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNoble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMindfulness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAudio Dharma - Gil Fronsdal's Dharma TalksAmazon.com: Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition (9780861713219): Bhante Henepola Gunaratana: BooksMindfulness In Plain EnglishAbba - "Knowing Me, Knowing You"MP3: Sometimes There’s a Man - Part II "Then, When?" - kung fu grippe Canonical Photo of Hetty GreenAlan Watts - "The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety" YouTube - Joni Mitchell - "Talk To Me" YouTube - Joni Mitchell - "Blue"Sponsored by FreshBooks and OmniGroup: OmniFocus.

Merlin Mann joins Dan Benjamin to talk about problems that are impossible, problems that are boring, problems that you're scared of, and why you need to differentiate between fear and anxiety so you can be scared of something interesting. Links for this episode:5C6017AB.jpg 277×277 pixelsPrincess Ardala - Google SearchDo I love Terry Gross? - your monkey calledJeff Dee's Home PageDeities & Demigods - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaExpedition to the Barrier Peaks - [Merlin's favorite AD&D module]After Dark #20: After Back To Work 014 - 5by5 Sometimes There’s a Man (Part I) MP3 Download ... - kung fu grippe Sponsored by Webtrends and MailChimp.