Podcast
Back to Work
Hosted by 5by5 · EN
Back to Work is an award winning talk show with Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discussing productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 644: A Tony Bennett Hair Hat
Apr 3, 202401:00:52Tap to summarizeAn important discussion about aging as examined and explained through the lens of James Howlett.Links:David Ferrie - WikipediaMerlin's Wisdom Project — "It's only advice for you because it had to be advice for me." Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) | Marvel Database | FandomMagneto | X-Men Wiki | Fandom
Transcribe →Episode 643: The Price of Lies
Apr 1, 202401:29:06Tap to summarizeMerlin thinks LLMs have raised the bar for voice assistants in general and Siri in particular. Dan and his kid watch the excellent HBO series, Chernobyl. Merlin’s weird, truncated contexts in Things. Links:Seven Little Pieces of My Heart — Merlin really likes music, and he has a delightfully economical way to share it with you. Dr.Feelgood 【She Does It Right】 - YouTubeHisashi Ouchi, The Radioactive Man Kept Alive For 83 DaysThe Chernobyl Podcast | HBO - YouTubeBleachers - Tiny Moves (Official) - YouTubeUnder the Radar #289: Vision Pro Numbers - Relay FMextratone/siri: complete list of siri voice commands — siri voice commands list
Transcribe →Episode 642: A Better Roll of Toilet Paper
Mar 20, 202401:42:36Tap to summarizeYour hosts discuss facial hair, notebooks, the metric system, flexing about local weather, and becoming the bathroom supplies you want to see in the world. Links:Amazon.com : kleid 8902 Notebook, 0.08 inch (2 mm) Grid Notebook, A5, 0.08 inch (2 mm) Grid, Olive : Office ProductsKleid StationeryKinokuniya USAAmazon.com: Maruman MNEMOSYNE Notebook 8.27 x 5.83 Inches (A5), 5mm dot grid, 80 Sheets (N105), white : Everything Else — Merlin's notebook.Amazon.com: Kinsa Smart,Fever, Digital Medical Baby, Kid and Adult Termometro - Accurate, Fast, FDA Cleared Thermometer for Oral, Armpit or Rectal Temperature Reading - QuickCare : Health & Household — Merlin's thermometer.Le Grand K – Saint-Cloud, France - Atlas Obscura — The former global standard for the exact mass of one kilogram sits under lock and key outside Paris. Metric Paper - YouTubeSMISKI - 【OFFICIAL SITE】SMISKIShopkins Brand Page - Moose ToysMerlin's Wisdom Project — "In thinking about optimizing how you work, try to distinguish between the parts of your job that are necessarily difficult versus the parts that are harder than they actually need to be. The former is the reason that you get the big bucks, and the latter is the reason why you may often feel like the bucks should be bigger."sam elliott young - Google SearchThe Cornell Note Taking System – Learning Strategies CenterEx-Men: Wolverine - YouTube
Transcribe →Episode 641: Germans in the Wild
Mar 13, 202401:17:12Tap to summarizeTravel is not always about traveling, but it is definitely always about your life. Links:Wacky Races (1968 TV series) - WikipediaCincinnati Superhero Connection | Cincinnati ExperienceMuttley - WikipediaSimple Scan | Agile TortoiseAmazon.com: Anker MagSafe Charger Compatible, Anker MagGo 3in1 Charging Station, Qi2 Certified 15W Wireless Charger Stand, Apple Watch Charger, for iPhone 15/14, AirPods, Apple Watch S9 40W USBC Charger Included : Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: 150W USB C Charger, Anker 747 Charger ( GaNPrime), 4-Port Fast Compact Foldable Gan Charger for MacBook Pro/Air, iPhone 14/Pro, iPad Pro, Dell XPS 13, Galaxy S22/S21, Note 20/10+, Pixel and More : Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Anker Magnetic Battery, 10,000mAh Foldable Wireless Portable Charger with Stand, 20W USB-C Power Delivery for iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max, iPhone 14/14 Pro / 14 Pro Max/13/12 Series : Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Anker 727 Charging Station (GaNPrime 100W), Compact Power Strip for Travel, Work, 5 ft Detachable Extension Cord with 2 Outlets and 4 USB Ports, for iPhone 14, Samsung, iPad, MacBook (Not a Battery) : Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Anker GaNPrime Power Bank, 2-in-1 Hybrid Charger, 10,000mAh 30W USB-C Portable Charger with 65W Wall Charger, Works for iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max/14/13, Samsung, Pixel, MacBook, Dell : Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Baseus USB C Cable, Mini 100W Retractable USB C to USB C PD 5A Fast Charging Cable, 4-Stage Length Preset USB Type C Charger Cable for iPhone 15/Pro/Plus/Pro Max, MacBook, iPad Pro, Samsung S23/S22+ : ElectronicsBravo Sling Max Limited Edition Black (V2)Amazon.com : AeroGarden Harvest 2.0, Indoor Garden Hydroponic System with LED Grow Light, Holds up to 6 AeroGarden Pods, Cream : Patio, Lawn & GardenHop Along - "Waitress" (Recorded Live for World Cafe) - YouTube
Transcribe →Episode 640: Bob's Big Mess
Mar 12, 202401:19:42Tap to summarizeA classic odds n' sods episode. Plus, Merlin has thoughts about memory and ecosystems, and Dan is considering jetting through an eclipse.
Transcribe →Episode 639: The Commodore's Club
Mar 5, 202401:15:53Tap to summarizeDan talks about what he's learned from traveling a bunch, and Merlin thinks a lot of weirdness comes from our twin fears of boredom and inconvenience.Links:Tailscale · Best VPN Service for Secure Networks — Tailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Amazon.com: MagSafe Charger Compatible, Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station, Qi2 Certified 15W Wireless Charger Stand, Apple Watch Charger, for iPhone 15/14, AirPods, Apple Watch S9 (40W USB-C Charger Included) : Cell Phones & AccessoriesThule Accent | Thule | United StatesHow to Pack a Bag Using the Ranger Roll | The Art of ManlinessAmazon.com: Veken 8 Set Packing Cubes for Suitcases, Travel Essentials for Carry on, Luggage Organizer Bags Set for Travel Accessories in 4 Sizes (Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small), Black : Clothing, Shoes & JewelryTrying the Same Breakfast at Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans, WinnerDelta Air Lines adds 2024 solar eclipse flight from Austin to Detroit
Transcribe →Episode 638: A New Kind of Bullet
Jan 23, 202402:14:16Tap to summarizeA classic odds n' sods episode.Links:Paterson Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Adam Driver Movie - YouTubeWilliam Carlos Williams - Wikipedia"Paterson" by William Carlos WilliamsNTFS for Mac on Setapp | Read/write support for NTFS on MacRename files, folders, and disks on Mac - Apple SupportTailscale · Best VPN Service for Secure NetworksRuby on Mac: Get Ruby working on your Mac in minutes with a single command. — With Ruby on Mac: Run a single command and you'll be up and running in 15 minutes or less.
Transcribe →Episode 637: The Minimally Viable Log Cabin Channel
Jan 17, 202401:35:06Tap to summarizeMerlin conducts a deep dive on being busy versus being time-constrained, and Dan has some updates on his task management odyssey. Links:wisdom/wisdom.md at master · merlinmann/wisdom · GitHub — "It's only advice for you because it HAD to be advice for me."Automation Academy: Introducing ThingsBox, an All-In-One Shortcuts Capture System for the Things Inbox - MacStoriesHowler Bros | Official online store – HOWLER BROTHERSextratone/siri: complete list of siri voice commandsOn Not Writing About New College - ungainly — "New College finds smart dingalings and helps them learn how to learn."Life Lessons From Bokonon: Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” | bound2books
Transcribe →Episode 636: Honoring My Pivot Table
Jan 9, 202401:21:20Tap to summarizeDan is navigating the landscape of task management apps, and, shockingly, Merlin has some thoughts. Links:Paperlike's iPad Screen ProtectorLà-bas (novel) - WikipediaÀ rebours - WikipediaGary Gulman: Born on 3rd Base | Now Streaming | Max — Gary Gulman: Born on 3rd Base. The comedian offers up hilarious insights with a generous helping of his inventive humor and absurdism.Decadent movement - WikipediaFin de siècle - Wikipedia — a French term meaning "end of century,” a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom "turn of the century" and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. The Ramones - "End of the Century"
Transcribe →Episode 635: Buffet de Canard
Jan 3, 202401:20:19Tap to summarizeDan and Merlin kick off the new year with a wide-ranging look at how tools and motivations evolve with how we work. Links:The Cornell Note Taking System – Learning Strategies CenterUnderstanding Paper Tooth - What to Look for in an Artist Charcoal Pap – Nitram Art Inc.Richard Artschwager: The artist who doesn't fit any category | Documentary "Shut up and Look" - YouTubeAmazon.com: Paperlike 2.1 (2 Pieces) for iPad Pro 12.9" (2020/21/22) - Transparent Screen Protector for Notetaking and Drawing like on Paper : ElectronicsPaperlike's iPad Screen Protector
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