Reconcilable Differences

Things kick off with a cameo and Merlin's abortive attempt to make a connection. Next, John reeds Merlin the riot act on his unintentional use of red receipts. Merlin pleads _nolo contendere_ but, as you can imagine, this does not dissuade John from explaining how he broke some cockamamie social contract. The complexities and risks of asynchronous communication are explored. Merlin makes a case fo...

Things kick off with (_surprise, surprise_) some complaints about Skype, alongside ruminations on what might eventually replace it as the podcaster's app of choice. Also, please don't asterisk your first-person swears. It's unseemly. In some important John-centric Follow-Up, the listener is brought up to speed on the status of his eyeglasses and, regrettably, his deeply problematic toe. John also...

Things kick off with John's dissection of Merlin's bespoke automated filler text. This leads to a _fascinating_ discussion of Lorem Ipsum, type specimens, and lexical anomalies. Which, of course, leads to a look at _Tenet_ (available in cinemas everywhere now). John has some sports analogies, and Merlin found himself rewinding a lot (in the cinema, of course). Merlin likes specificity, and John se...

Things kick off with some new hardware, an examination of hair hats, and a look back at a self-similar fast food clown. John has questions about Merlin's projects. In the extended members-only episode, John and Merlin talk about making art. Go to to become a member today. (_Recorded on Tuesday, November 17, 2020_)

✅🇺🇸 (_Recorded on Saturday, November 7, 2020_)

Things kick off with a discussion of election plans. What a time. In an addendum to a previous topic, John talks about what it was like to actually attend the infamous Action Park as a kid. This leads to a discussion of the roller coasters and thrill rides that Merlin adores and young John very much did not. In the extended members-only episode, John and Merlin listen to music that was personally...

Things kick off with a post-mortem on the recent song challenge as well as an extension of that challenge that requires input from you, the listener. Hit us up at [@RecDiffs](https://twitter.com/recdiffs) with `#listen`. John goes a little meta to interrogate how Merlin's brain functions and wonders where a catch phrase *actually* started. Maybe you know? **You** do that. Considering phrases we pi...

In follow-up, John has extensive clarifications regarding the importance of saucing the pasta in accordance with his instructions. So, of course, he also has some more instructions. Ultimately, John just wants to help you, the listener. Moving on to kids and eating, your hosts contrast their views on how to manage a constantly moving target. Merlin doesn't want to contribute to an eating disorder,...

John quickly puts the kibosh on Merlin's idea for a special theme episode. John has Follow-Up on his self-imposed egg homework and invites some friends for a socially-distanced meal. Merlin's kid attends a socially-distance birthday party. What a fun time to be alive, huh? John's usual method of remembering a song fails him, and Merlin bemoans the weird chronological gaps in what makes it onto You...

John has Follow-Up on the name of an Australian rock, and Merlin learned New Zealand's true name from an old Split Enz song. Doesn't seem all that difficult to call things by the old name, but what do we know? Merlin did not watch any educational YouTube videos, but John is just asking the question. A glimpse into Merlin's perilous journey into John's pasta sauce recipe is teased. John job-shames...

This week finds John perusing some of Merlin's homework. This leads to a discussion of the benefits and risks of educational tourism. Will there be any Math on this Math test? John presents a new "Secret Brit," but it turns out that there is a Turns Out. For some reason, your hosts are really putting The British Empire on blast. Merlin is kind of out of it, and John is still thinking about his bug...

Things kick off with John rejecting some of Merlin's canny improvements to the doc. The doc *really* needs some work. It doesn't get any easier as Merlin attempts to do a normal podcast thing, but John keeps stepping on his bit. **John** does that. Anyway. Thank you. John has some follow-up on his haircut situation as well as sharing some important drop cloth advice. Next up comes a potential new...

Things kick off with a huge thank you to everyone who [gave Siracusa their money](http://GiveSiracusaYourMoney.com/), followed by a survey of listener suggestions for the name of the member feed. In follow-up, John shares some detailed updates on his chronically troubled toe. Merlin finds this content *extremely* challenging. Merlin relates an upsetting Walgreens anecdote, and John shares his etym...

Things kick off with an announcement on a new way you can help support the program—as well as get some _challenging_ new content. Please [give Siracusa your money](http://GiveSiracusaYourMoney.com). In follow-up, John has a very important haircut update. His barber was reluctant, and the experience was a little fraught. Do our ears and head really keep growing, or is that just a myth? Merlin puts...

Someone has tampered with Merlin's bell, and John is looking forward to his "vacation." This leads to an exploration of seemingly hippie-dippie workplace policies and how they actually get applied in practice. Especially for everyone who's not the boss. In follow-up, John has an update on a recent addition to his home. Boy, they really wanna push those extra "features" on you, don’t they? No one s...

In America, you are not allowed to hit back. Black Lives Matter. (_Recorded on Tuesday, June 2, 2020_)

Things kick off with a review of recent household paper cuts. Breaking the AirPods Rule, not using the hand rail, and barely surviving the chute into the kill zone. John hears the case of Merlin's exploding plumbing in order to adjudicate whether it constitutes _an actual emergency_. Service people are all about lead generation, but, John appreciates the input. The consequent verdict leads to expl...

Quarantine updates, Banana Results, follow-up on John's sleep heat needs, and home improvement is also sheltered-in-place for now. In a main topic, John asks Merlin to talk about why he loves improv comedy so much. What part of your brain do you want scratched?

Things kick off with Merlin bemoaning John's emerging role as his primary existential creditor. John reminds Merlin that all that grinding is just continually *sharpening* him. In follow-up, your hosts thank the many, _many_ listeners who remembered the movie that John and Merlin clearly could not. Turns out, it was not "Batman." Or "The Notebook." This leads naturally into a main topic that pulls...

Things kick off with John describing an unknown movie in bullets and Merlin thinking it sounds a little like Batman. Of course, this just ends up leading to John chiding Merlin for not utilizing his quarantine time to finish his long-overdue homework. The guys end up talking about the confusingly-titled resurrection of Merlin's old podcast. John has questions, and Merlin does his best to respond....

On top of all the sheltering-in-place, John is nursing a new injury, and Merlin doesn't love hearing it described at all. This leads to some medical technology discussion plus an on-air debriding agent demo. In a main topic, your hosts try to share some ideas on sustainably working remotely from home. History and experience can be pretty good teachers, but working yourself to a damaged nub is a te...

Things kick off with some soap talk, and then there's a deep dive into the current state of…things. Stay home, friends. There's some follow-up on Billy Joel Results. In the main topic, your hosts discuss what makes for a good car movie. John thinks it's different for car people, and Merlin saw a Tesla. Sometimes, it can be difficult to enjoy media that gets details you care about wrong. For homewo...

This week kicks off with some virus talk. Merlin is worried that we've lost the recipe for ice, and John is feeling very cynical. Don't worry about the giant barrel full of explosives; the water will cushion that. John remembers chicken pox parties, but Merlin is confused about exactly how a quarantine works. In follow-up, your hosts wrap up their (mostly spoiler-free) discussion of _Cheer_. As it...

Merlin is healing just as John is getting sick. Merlin has chained several bad decisions, and John has concerns about Merlin's office wall. John has moved some things around in the doc. In follow-up, John has acquired some Studio Ghibli from iTunes and reports back. This leads to further discussion of the beauty of Miyazaki films and a consideration of what makes them so special. Are the roles of...

This week kicks off with some accidental video and an update on Merlin's ill health. John has been maintaining some lists, and Merlin shares some confessions of the Banker's Box lifestyle. Many things still need to leave my house. A litany of the lost things is presented and analyzed, and a catechism for finding the lost things is interrogated. In follow-up, Merlin is ready to present his iTunes R...