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Topic : Asking questions in order to find better questions This week, Dan and Merlin pick up their discussion of asking better questions and how sometimes the point of asking a question isn't to get an answer, but to get another, even better question. How do you do this? Blundell Chains, hypotheses, the clackity noise, and iteration. Links for this episode: [SPONSOR] TextExpander (coupon code: LAS...

This week Dan and Merlin talk about asking good questions instead of massaging your real problem until it fits the comforting solution you found on the cover of a magazine. Links for this episode: Macworld Check your music's iCloud Status | Music and Audio MacSparky - Blog - Macworld 2012 - Rob Corddry and a Magic Show  The Mountain Goats - "This Year" (2005) Lyrics: The Mountain Goats - "Thi...

Dan and Merlin talk more about why we get stuck and how might re-think getting "unstuck." Looking at process over product, remembering how you got here, and getting clear about what you're really trying to make. Merlin also has some updates and tips for your iTunes Matching and your Google searching. Links for this episode: The Great Style Revival - Blog - The Official Squarespace Blog Search...

Dan and Merlin talk about what it means for Google to change the meaning of "plus," and how it might bolster the production of "stuff and needy." They also consider options for "getting unstuck" with a creative project—how, sometimes, the constraints can help a lot more than the options. Links for this episode: Code Library - Squarespace Code Library [SPONSOR] Squarespace.com (offer code: `soangry...

On strength and tolerance. Dan and Merlin talk about the many facets of strength, including the complexity of knowing what to be strong about, to whom, and when. It's about way more than nailing the "clean and jerk" or yelling at Sips-His-Coffee-Really-Loud Guy. It's also about accepting all the things they just can't stand about you. Also covered: the inescapability of Italian disco, maintaining...

On improving presentation culture. Dan and Merlin talk about bombing the deck, advancing the slides, and striving to improve the self-perpetuating bad culture of presentations. Slide?!? (Also, kid germs in the spaghetti, meeting the angry corn guy, and moving closer to the metal with our Showbot hero.) Links for this episode: Jeremy Mack (mutewinter) on Twitter Kurtis Beavers Illustration Turtle L...

This week, Merlin loves and hates iCloud while loving and REALLY loving Dropbox. He and Dan observe angry corn, discuss emailing files to yourself, wonder what to do with an ugly photo, and explore Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle. Links for this episode: Apple - iCloud stores your content and pushes it to your devices. TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time! The Setup Dropbox: T...

Merlin Mann talks with Dan Benjamin about his dogged obsession with the flexibility of index cards—for propping up tables, giving very small cuts, and getting babies hygienically removed. Then, there is much talk of graphing your focal length against your time and attention. Links for this episode: The Dan Patrick Show | Official Home 43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at...

How to handle job interviews. Merlin and Dan can't solve the problem of interviews being dumb, but Merlin will tell you what is wrong with you, how long you'll have to wait for your resume to get you a job, how Larry Wall interviews for a Perl job, and whether or not the answer is always Yes, like they were just telling Stephen (yes, Hawking). Links for this episode: Seduction community - Wikipedi...

How to say "no." Merlin talks with Dan about saying No to toilet paper diamonds, mints on pillows, and things you don't have the wallet for instead of saying Yes to a crate of bananas you don't have enough information about or giving a qualified Yes to planning Christmas parties you don't have any interest in. Links for this episode: THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob Ager Amazon.com: Brandwashed:...

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin have a totally natural emotional reaction to the unreasonable demands they place on themselves after reading The Spongebob Report. Maybe they wouldn't have offended non-ex-Marines if they had just taken some time and consulted their Manager of Expectations. Links for this episode: kung fu grippe - [Probably the Greatest Keynote Slide of All Time] Dan Benjammin' (danben...

Merlin and Dan talk about Dan's sabbatical, hotdogs, services, triggers, Quicksilver, Launchbar, and why there's no 'I' in 'ordnance.' Sponsored by MailChimp and Smile .

With Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by John Roderick of The Long Winters to talk about life as a bull in a china closet, craving real-world constraints, making better records, and being banned for life from Interpol’s corn chip bowl. Links for this episode: Van Halen - Hot For Teacher - YouTube Def Leppard- Bringing on the Heartbreak - YouTube Robert John "Mutt" Lange - Wikipedia, the free en...

With Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by Jonathan Coulton to talk about traveling, horn sections, and Jonathan’s new album, Artificial Heart . Links for this episode: Jonathan Coulton - Home Page JoCo Cruise Crazy II: February 19–26, 2012 | A 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise on Holland America’s ms Westerdam, with Jonathan Coulton and friends | JoCo Cruise Crazy II Thing a Week Redux 002: Interv...

With Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by TV’s Rob Corddry ( Children’s Hospital , The Daily Show , Hot Tub Time Machine ) to talk about Getting Things Done , writing, fear, and finding success as a blood-soaked clown. Links for this episode: Who Are You in Sex and the City? from Naked Babies and Jordan_Morris Rob Corddry Has A Broner from Funny Or Die, Rob Corddry, and Brad X Lossless Decoder:...

Dan and Merlin talk about kid stuff, including the threat of Hot Wheels® donation, the inevitability of skinned knees, the nefariousness of the hospital gift basket, plus an important way every Dad has to go pro. Links for this episode: Wherein I go a touch more insane | dooce® 30 Years Ago Today: The Day the Middle Class Died | MichaelMoore.com Woodcarving: What is your secret? « Outside the Cave...

Merlin and Dan discuss the shameful state of film school, the realities of Ape Law, Merlin's rock opera, and the subliminal downside of Spongebob's big promotion. Links for this episode: We Commissioned A Rock Opera | MailChimp Email Marketing Blog Slideshows, Slideshows Everywhere - Blog - The Official Squarespace Blog Wufoo Docs · Notification Settings Sometimes There's A Man kung fu grippe...

This week Wutang Dan and The MZA bring the ruckus to finding a job, selling your Mustang, and putting your house on the market: remember that you can't negotiate with reality, Merlin can't do anything to make you love him, enthusiasm is irreplaceable, and you've got to find your position of strength. Protect ya neck! Links for this episode: A Sandwich, A Wallet, and Elizabeth Taylor's Cousin | 43...

Dan and Merlin talk about nerds getting problems and about using Markdown in BBEdit, Textmate or any text app because you need to find tools that remove friction, not distractions. Links for this episode: OS X Lion and the state of the new 1Password extension (Updated) | Agile Blog Daring Fireball: Markdown MultiMarkdown And now it’s all this (Blog of "Dr Drang") Welcome to BrettTerpstra.com, home...

Dan's in a closet, but Merlin has a lot of FU from the last show: good jobs don't get posted on Craigslist and while you may not know what's gonna happen next, you're not just gonna install Xcode and retire on your angry bird so either do your research, get mercantile and take the leap of faith or you'll be polishing your golden handcuffs. Links for this episode: MacSparky - Blog - Juggling Satisf...

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...

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.com Wel...

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 Fragments Schadenf...

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 - mlkshk Amazon.com: Brevill...

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 Vimeo Vimeo Tumult Hype YouTube - David Lynch - Funny Moments How and where not to...