Podcast
Reconcilable Differences
Hosted by Relay · EN
John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Hosted by Merlin Mann and John Siracusa.
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
283: Famous in My Head
Mar 2701:45:39Tap to summarizeSubtitle: I never say it's for kids.Merlin has a question about a YouTube channel, and John has some notes on R.E.M. and their songs' lyrics. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Vitally: Your Copilot for AI-Powered Customer Success. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting. Links and Show Notes: Merlin has a question about a YouTube channel, and John has some notes on R.E.M. and their songs' lyrics. 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. Victor Fell Yellin Behind the Scenes: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - YouTubeMerlin’s first Serious Feather video Practical Engineering - YouTubeGrady Hillhouse's YouTube channel. Behind the Scenes: True Grit - YouTube Mr. Scorsese - Apple TVThe life and work of Martin Scorsese. Merlin's Bluesky post containing questionable R.E.M. lyrics Merlin's Bluesky post showing a 1984 R.E.M. magazine pageThe magazine page includes the lyrics to So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry). Unjustly Maligned #48: Early R.E.M.Marlin talks about early R.E.M. with Antony Johnston. Best of Bootie Mash-UpsMore free mash-ups than you can shake a stick at. How R.E.M. Became The Preeminent College Rock Band (And Then Graduated) - YouTubeTrash Theory's video about R.E.M.
Transcribe →282: Sadness Accrues
Mar 1301:42:11Tap to summarizeSubtitle: Why are you in the bathroom with our food?Merlin's Garbage Apparatus. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Vitally: Your Copilot for AI-Powered Customer Success. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting. Links and Show Notes: Merlin has some Follow-Up on words, and John updates us on dishwashers. This week's main topic is Merlin's Garbage Apparatus. In this month’s member bonus segment, your hosts discuss the first season of HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and help support our program. (Recorded on Tuesday, March 3, 2026) 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. QI: Series O, Episode 7 - Opposites Backronym - Wikipedia Retronym - Wikipedia Aptronym - Wikipedia Dishwasher Air Gap Garbage Apparatus, v1 - YouTube Merlin’s garbage backboard system Stuff Made Here: Moving hoop won't let you miss (2020) - YouTube Stuff Made Here: I made a ball seeking hoop (2022) - YouTube Smarter Every Day 208: Laminar Flow - YouTube Nate From the Internet: short laminar flow demo - YouTube Epcot: Jumping Water Fountains at Imagination Pavilion - YouTube Jumping Water Fountains of Imagination at EPCOT in 4K - YouTube Kids playing with the jumping water fountains at EPCOT - YouTube The Man Who Made Water Fly: The Inspiring History of Epcot’s Leapfrog Fountains (Article) The Man Who Made Water Fly: The Inspiring History of Epcot’s Leapfrog Fountains (Video) The Line: Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Bloopers - YouTube A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms official podcast ALT SHIFT X - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Dunk & Egg) - YouTube The Dog Sitter Detective series, by Antony Johnston
Transcribe →281: I’m the Hero
Feb 2701:36:20Tap to summarizeSubtitle: John's systems are a problem.On holes, art, and the nature of friendship. Links and Show Notes: On holes, art, and the nature of friendship. (Recorded on Tuesday, February 3, 2026) Credits Beloved 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. Five Short Graybles - Wikipedia Naming Schemes Elkay Dayton 25" Drop In Single Basin Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink An image of a sink with 4 holes on the rim and one drain hole Thaddeus Quintin’s sink hole advice Todd’s soap dispenser Joris-Karl Huysmans - Wikipedia Colin from This Does Not Compute converts his Maclock into a working Mac Corgi 261 Aston Martin DB5 model car Maize. You call it corn. Wednesday is Prince spaghetti day
Transcribe →280: How Dangerous I Can Be
Feb 1201:46:49Tap to summarizeJohn explores how to repurpose an extra hole. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Surfshark: Use this link or use code DIFFS at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Links and Show Notes: Merlin comes clean about his slashed-sevens resolution, and John explains the sweatshirts of his storied attic. For a main topic, John explores how to repurpose an extra hole. In this month’s member bonus segment, your hosts discuss the Australian Open's 1 Point Slam. You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and help support our program. (Recorded on Tuesday, February 3, 2026) Credits Audio Editor/First Chair Saxophonist: 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. Swapfest: The Flea at MIT RFC 2822 - Internet Message Format RFC 1178 - Choosing a Name for Your Computer Pets vs. Cattle Stress-Shift: stress, accent, and rhythm explained - Dr. Geoff Lindsey on YouTube OpenClaw (née MoltBot, née ClawdBot) From Clawdbot to Moltbot: How a C&D, Crypto Scammers, and 10 Seconds of Chaos Took Down the Internet's Hottest AI Project Capocollo - Wikipedia Prosciutto - Wikipedia An example of a "Kitchen Side Spray" An example of a kitchen faucet with an integrated spray Gridfinity - Zack Freedman on YouTube Gridfinity 2.0 - Zack Freedman on YouTube Sir Alan Frederick "Tommy" Lascelles - Wikipedia Australian Open 1 Point Slam Galliano - Wikipedia The OA - Wikipedia Maddux (baseball statistic) - Wikipedia Australian Open 1 Point Slam highlights (20 minutes) - YouTube Australian Open 1 Point Slam highlights (5 minutes) - YouTube AstroTurf - Wikipedia
Transcribe →279: I Promised Myself I Wasn't Going to Be Excited
Jan 3002:20:31Tap to summarizeSubtitle: Temperature is the enemy of glass.John tells Merlin how to do a fraud with his eyeglasses, and Merlin tells John about his air fryer. Then they talk about a new thing they've both independently started using a lot. Links and Show Notes: John tells Merlin how to do a fraud with his eyeglasses, and Merlin tells John about his air fryer. Then they talk about a new thing they've both independently started using a lot. 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. SNL: Taco Town - YouTube Merlin’s air fryer John’s air fryer First impressions of Claude Cowork - Simon Willison What Actually Is Claude Code’s Plan Mode? - Armin Ronacher My Claude Code Workflow And Personal Tips - Zhu Liang Status Board, by Panic Calculator Construction Set - Folklore.org OMG.lol Pondering an orb…
Transcribe →278: You’re a Dingleberry
Jan 1601:37:45Tap to summarizeSubtitle: “I am the oven now.”Merlin shares his Large Appliance Results. (Recorded on Tuesday, January 6, 2026) 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. Get a Job - The Silhouettes (1957)Dip dip dip dip dip dip dip… “…and that’s my trick.”Clemenza teaches Michael how to make sauce in The Godfather. 10 Apple TV Tips from Stephen Robles - YouTube Princess telephone - Wikipedia Trimline telephone - Wikipedia Five products so over-engineered, they're actually kinda worse, by Zack Freedman - YouTube Zack Freedman’s 3D Filament Tier List - YouTube Jumperless V5The next generation jumperless breadboard. Colin M. Ford's screenshot of the “Writing Direction” menu items’ icons in iPadOS “The Staten Island of San Francisco” - jwz.org Merlin’s big toaster oven: the Breville BOV900BSSUSC John’s favorite toaster over: the Breville BOV650XL The smallest Breville toaster over: the BOV450XL Lawn Darts from the 1980s - Reddit Aerobie - Wikipedia Raclette - Wikipedia Raclette grill mistakenly placed in the wrong orientation Old Trapper beef jerky Fight Club (1999) Demotivators from despair.com Meetings: None of us is as dumb as all of us Merlin Mann: Who moved my brain? - YouTube Midnight Commander Tautulli for Plex Blu Lights (2023) season 1 - Wikipedia Downstream #107: A Thanksgiving Visit from Alan Sepinwall The Wire - Wikipedia Nicola Coughlan - Wikipedia Nicola Coughlan on The Graham Norton Show - YouTube Richard Dormer - Wikipedia Merlin’s Trakt.tv list: The Troubles & Northern Ireland Siân Brooke - Wikipedia Taylor Tomlinson - Wikipedia Kelsey Cook - Wikipedia The Troubles, by U2 - YouTube Watching TV Makes You Smarter - The New York Times"The total number of active threads equals the multiple plots of "Hill Street," but here each thread is more substantial. The show doesn't offer a clear distinction between dominant and minor plots; each story line carries its weight in the mix." 7 - WikipediaMost people in Continental Europe, Indonesia, and some in Britain, Ireland, Israel, Canada, and Latin America, write 7 with a line through the middle (7), sometimes with the top line crooked Local files - Spotify Georgia-Pacific to Close Its Foley Cellulose Facility in Perry, FloridaThe paper mill that Uncle Bill mentioned. NEVER Touch "The Cornballer" - Arrested Development - YouTube"Hot! Hot! Hot!"
Transcribe →277: A Comma for Christmas
Jan 201:21:29Tap to summarizeJohn's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children. Links and Show Notes: John's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children. 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. Merlin's toot: "I may have figured out why my phone keeps dimming." Maclock on Ali Express Hatsune Miku figurine at Walmart Frieren figurine Hand-painted model kit of Nausicaä riding Kai - Reddit Stellar Blade’s Eve figurine Calico Critters LEGO Friends LEGO Creator 3in1 LEGO Duplo LEGO Quatro Four-Byte Burger recreation story - YouTubeFour-Byte Burger pixel art, by Jack Haegar (1985) re-digitized by Stuart Brown, Four-Byte Burger recreation (PNG) Cheltenham (typeface) - WikipediaIn 2003, The New York Times introduced a more unified Cheltenham typographic palette for its headline use in the print edition. Elmo's World: Jackets (DVD Rip) - YouTube James Bond's Aston Martin D.B.5 (261) – Corgi Model Club USA
Transcribe →276: Fact Bobby
Dec 1901:37:56Tap to summarizeSubtitle: You can’t yell at math.A quick check-in on whether or not the machines are helping. (Recorded on Tuesday, December 9, 2025) This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code DIFFS with this link and get 60% off an annual plan. Links and Show Notes: A quick check-in on whether or not the machines are helping. 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. Get 20% off annual membership until the end of 2025! Bloody Sunday (2002) Peelers - Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives Why are the Irish police called peelers? - Quora Plants with Seeds that Stick to your Clothing (aka burs), by Miles Hearn Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - Wikipedia The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias Richard Dormer - Wikipedia Game of Thrones cast singing I Hope I Don't Fall In Love With You, by Tom Waits Magic (1978) Trailer - YouTube
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