

Reconcilable Differences
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John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Hosted by Merlin Mann and John Siracusa.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 20, 2021 • 2h 24min
163: Big Flyers
Merlin shares his Vacation Results.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights
Links and Show Notes: Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. @Sage re "diminutives" in Australian English"The word you’re looking for here is “diminutive”. Which gives me an opportunity to share one of my all-time favorite Wikipedia pages"
Diminutives in Australian English - Wikipedia"There are over 5,000 identified diminutives in use in Australian English."
Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition) by Jon Kabat-Zinn: 9780345536938 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books "The Full Catastrophe" ~ Zorba the Greek (clip from the movie) - YouTube The Full Catastrophe - Wikipedia

Aug 7, 2021 • 1h 39min
162: A Pile of Bed
Remembering various animal actors, enumerating genres that need a name, considering the philosophies behind "bag in a bag," and contrasting college with the ordinary crucibles of post-adolescent life.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
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Links and Show Notes: Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

Jul 24, 2021 • 1h 52min
161: ASCII Salad Bar
Exploring Italian food, celebrating markup languages, and (finally) beginning to tackle the topic of college.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
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Links and Show Notes: (Recorded on Tuesday, July 13, 2021)
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Setext - WikipediaSetext (Structure Enhanced Text)[1] is a lightweight markup language used to format plain text documents such as e-newsletters, Usenet postings, and e-mails.
TidBITS announces its move to Setext"Welcome to TidBITS-100 and our new setext format!"
(January 6, 1992)
Little Original Joe's How to make a decent Italian hero at home - YouTube Dean Allen - Wikipedia Daring Fireball: Dean Allen"Every few months, though, it would occur to me that I dearly missed Textism, and I’d think to write Dean and tell him so — and to tell him that his offhand compliment in 2003 was still something I thought about all the time."
Daring Fireball: Introducing Markdown"I’ve written a text-to-HTML formatting tool called Markdown, which is now available for download."
Dean Cameron Allen"It is with unspeakable sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of Dean Cameron Allen, on January 13, 2018 at the age of 51….His absence is unfathomable.
We miss him with every
breath."
TextismArchive of the late Dean Allen's lovely website, ca. 2001.
Markdown reference links Fleetwood Mac - "Tusk" - YouTube E-mail addresses it would be really annoying to give out over the phone - McSweeney’s Illuminion: Infocom - classic text adventures"A venerable old trophy case stands in a corner. You curiously open the lid and peek inside."
Inside Job (2010) - YouTube"'Inside Job' is a 2010 American documentary film, directed by Charles Ferguson, about the late 2000s financial crisis."

Jul 10, 2021 • 1h 47min
160: The Spouse Trap
Merlin just woke up, John is full of beans, and things get a little silly.
Meet Lidlicker.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
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Links and Show Notes: Credits
Featuring additional music this week by Producer Jim.
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. RFC Editor RFC Style Guide RFC Style Guide (plain-text version) A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers BBN: In the Beginning J.C.R Licklider Dogen: Japanese lessons for English-speakers - YouTube Aspirated vs. non-aspirated "k" sound - YouTube WWDC video on sound recognition Wet-bulb temperature Wet-bulb temperature Twitter thread Brain Bag - Backpacks - Laptop Bags – TOM BIHN Synik 30 Backpack (Clamshell, Suspended Laptop Pocket, Comfy Straps) – TOM BIHN George Carlin Talks About "Stuff" - YouTube Hyman Krustofsky | Simpsons Wiki | Fandom

Jun 25, 2021 • 1h 20min
159: The Narrow Priesthood
Cameras! Just SO much about cameras.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights
Links and Show Notes: But, also: amusing primates, Taylor Swift, ““content creation,”” crummy band managers, widespread misunderstanding of Lucille Bluth, the genius and tragedy of Howard Ashman, RFC1178, plus John shares his nostalgia for one indefatigable computer naming scheme.
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. The Problem with Music (Steve Albini, 1993)"Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying sh*t."
Taylor Swift masters controversy - WikipediaShe condemned Braun's purchase; although she attempted to make peace, she denounced him as an "incessant, manipulative bully".
Taylor Swift - "Change" (2008) The Battle Between the Rolling Stones & Allen Klein'After countless lawsuits, verdicts and settlements (26 in all counting the Beatles), as each party licked its wounds and counted casualties in terms of lost property, wasted time and treasure, perhaps it was the Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards who summed up the battle best: it was “the price of an education.”'
Howard Ashman Howard | Disney+ Originals'[…]“Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals including “Little Shop of Horrors.”'
Sony A6600 Camera Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony E APS-C (AFB070S700) Sigma 56mm for E-Mount (351965) Sony 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS APS-C Lens (SEL70350G) SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Card Best Memory Cards for Sony A6600 Think Tank Digital Holster 10 V2.0 Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro(Merlin's fancy video camera)
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM Lens Sigma 50mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens RFC1178 - Choosing a Name for Your Computer Cattle, Not Pets [green beans monkey] [banana strings monkey]

Jun 11, 2021 • 2h 17min
158: Wait for the Wave
As a main topic this week, your hosts discuss Theme Dining Nights. Why can't more experiences be like John's old deli? Differences regarding leftovers are, unfortunately, not reconciled.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
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Links and Show Notes: This week kicks off with Merlin offering a heartfelt thank you to John for helping him know where he is. John shouldn't need to wiggle, and Merlin can't imagine ever asking for the return of "contact." Your hosts agree accessibility is good for everybody.
John has updates on drama in the NES Tetris Scene, and Merlin remembers bringing a pencil to the arcade so he could cheat. John repurposes an excellent graphic by Neven to ask how buttony a button needs to be to look like it's a button. This leads to a surprisingly interesting mini-dive into practical UX and ways that an affordance can let you know that it's an affordance.
John's worries that his dispose-all may be starving to death.
(Recorded on Tuesday, June 1, 2021)
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Increase Apple TV screen contrast - Apple Support Jigsaw puzzle glossary – Cloudberries In The Unlikely Event - 99% Invisible Trying Everything on the Menu at an Iconic NYC Restaurant - YouTube NES Tetris "Rolling" technique How "button-y" is your button? It Takes Two - PlayStation game LG G1 vs. Sony A90J - YouTube Pink tint off-axis on LG G1 (starts at 8:21) - YouTube HDMI Cables: Types and Specifications Explained Putting a Bolder Face on Google - The New York TimesHer decision was diplomatic, but it also amounted to relying on her gut rather than research. Since then, she said, she has asked her team to test the 41 gradations between the competing blues to see which ones consumers might prefer.
ATP 432: I Shouldn't Need to Wiggle — Accidental Tech PodcastCompacted sugar, Jade theories, TV-remote button feel, and looking — but not reaching! — very far upward.
What are Affordances? | Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF)Affordances are properties of objects which show users the actions they can take. Users should be able to perceive affordances without having to consider how to use the items. For instance, a button can be designed to look as if it needs to be turned or pushed.
Button-mashing classic Track & Field returns on PS4 and Nintendo Switch – DestructoidTrack & Field is notorious for its button-mashing ways, and has built many legends around the methods used by ’80s kids to get high scores, from having a third hand help out, to the game’s notorious “pencil trick” which saw players see-saw a pencil between their fingers for knuckle-crushing, high-scoring action… Ahh, the suffering we went through just to become number one.

May 28, 2021 • 1h 32min
157: Champion Snackers
Merlin's household has expressed a renewed interest in PlayStation games, and John has been wondering about "super babies."
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
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Links and Show Notes: Things kick off with some call confusion, a boombox cameo, and a roundtable on the problematic nature of John Hughes's movies. Automobile?
This leads to some nostalgia for the 1979 film, Breaking Away. Your hosts debate which one of them is which character in the movie, but both agree it’s still a stone cold classic.
John has a lot of thoughts, but his memory is getting really bad.
What happens when two talented people sire a child? Seems like sometimes they inherit their parents’ genius, and other times they just want to run in the opposite direction. What roles do wealth, support, and expectations play? And how about the times when someone would very much prefer that their kid not get into the family business?
Your hosts disagree on whether one super baby’s name is terrible but agree that “geriatric pregnancy” is kind of an awful term.
(Recorded on Tuesday, May 18, 2021)
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Hypercritical: Great GamesThese are some of my favorite video games. They also happen to be truly great games, though they vary widely in terms of the required time commitment and gaming experience.
Andre Agassi - Wikipedia [Relationships and family] "Extraordinary skills" - Jaden Gil Agassi wants to become a professional baseball player · tennisnet.comThe 18-year-old son of Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi is considered a great baseball talent. The career should pick up speed in autumn.
Breaking Away (1979) - IMDb "Refund?!" Phone Guy: Hearing Huey Lewis - YouTubeEXT. - OUTSIDE FRIEND'S HOUSE IN TOWN
Newcleus - "Jam on It" - YouTube

May 13, 2021 • 1h 44min
156: Feeding the Meetings
Finally, it's The Reconcilable Differences Quorn Pre-Post-Mortem Spectacular.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
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Links and Show Notes: Things kick off with the usual disagreements about who’s driving and who’s in the trunk, but then things briefly settle into an interrogation of the purpose behind begging for podcast ratings and reviews. Does it actually, really help new people to discover the show?
John tries to remember a song, and Merlin fondly recalls un cheval maladroit.
Next, John has some thoughts on grass and how it grows. Merlin wonders if it might be another “Trust Your Mechanic”-type situation. Both of your hosts agree it seems like there’s maybe a lesson about life in there somewhere.
Then, at last, it has come to this: The Reconcilable Differences Quorn Pre-Post-Mortem Spectacular.
While it is (obviously) way too early to talk about this business as if it’s done, it does feel like a useful moment to look back at what we’ve learned and what has changed—even as we look forward to what we might continue to learn and what might continue to change.
What BS did you miss, and what BS would you be happy to never have to deal with again? Whither handshakes and awkward hugs? When will we stop doing that weird retail crab walk? Will mask people remain mask people? Should more of us learn “the claw?”
What about subtlety and uncertainty? What about society and culture? Has the epistemological cherrypicking of The Dumb Guy just become our permanent way of life?
(Recorded on Tuesday, May 4, 2021)
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Cheval Maladroit.aka "Humanity Horse"

May 1, 2021 • 1h 30min
155: I Don’t Feel like It’s an Edge
Merlin needs a 4K monitor, and Apple won’t end his suffering by making one. John got his first vaccine shot, so he’s not sweating it.
This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:
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Links and Show Notes: Our members’ special episode is coming soon, with a special guest. Become a Relay FM member to get access to this and all our past special episodes. In the meantime…
Merlin’s grandmother liked to make lists and talk on the phone with retail staff. Do you have the exact product she needs? No sense in driving all that way if you don’t. Perhaps there is some post-COVID wisdom in this.
John’s smart outlet is once again smart. Not like everbody says! Like, dumb! It’s smart, and it wants respect! Meanwhile, Merlin’s Internet disappeared for a while due to a clerical error, which seems unfair. John missed a credit-card payment, which also seems unfair.
John’s son needs to learn how to pump gas, and also how money works. Watch out for the skimmers! Boy-Merlin sometimes had to go out for cigarettes, but he turned out fine.
John’s garage remains smol. It is apparent that some people don’t know what a basement is. Merlin did time on a "concrete apron" in Florida, where it smelled like clay.
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Become a Relay FM member! ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 Speedpass, by Mobil (NOT Shell) The definition of basement

Apr 16, 2021 • 1h 13min
154: Put Your Chair in the Queue
The main topic this week is vaccines and vaccinations, as your hosts share their frustrating and mostly fruitless journeys toward that elusive date with the needle.
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Links and Show Notes: Things kick off with the usual disagreements about the doc and its proper usage. Merlin thought he was going to be driving, but John curtly redirects him into the trunk.
Follow-up brings a handful of fun D&D-related content, including the work of John's talented Cousin Frankie. Outrage-based documentaries are considered.
As your hosts share their frustrating and mostly fruitless journeys toward that elusive date with the needle, hope you like filling out forms and hitting "refresh."
(Recorded on Tuesday, April 6, 2021)
Credits
Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
Music: Merlin Mann
The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons and Dragons - Prime Video Frank's fantasy art - Instagram We Have All Hit a Wall - The New York Times"Confronting late-stage pandemic burnout, with everything from edibles to Exodus."
Emerging From the Coronavirus - The New York Times"Will we go back to living the way we did before? And what if we do? Do we risk losing something we’ve learned from one long and terrifying year?"
V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker - CDCUse your smartphone to tell CDC about any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. You’ll also get reminders if you need a second vaccine dose.
ATP 426: Loaded Baked Potato - Accidental Tech Podcast(no spoilers, so listen to the RecDiffs ep first)


