October 8, 2013 at 4:30pm • 1 hour 24 minutes
TOPIC: Special Guest, Matt Alexander
This week, Merlin is joined by Bionic co-host, Matt Alexander. They discuss ““technology ecosystems,”” life as a self-described trans-atlantic, tech scenes that thrive and don't, dating someone from Florida (and her Mum), and getting back into Marvel comics.
Special guest Matt Alexander.
October 1, 2013 at 3:00pm • 1 hour 25 minutes
TOPIC: Grab Bag, plus Tasks vs. Calendar Items
This week Dan and Merlin administer an epic grab bag episode, chockablock with new app, book, podcast, and music suggestions.
Also, a return to the evergreen topic of where stuff goes. How to decide whether a given thing goes on a calendar, a todo list, reference files, or an alarm. Great ninja stuff.
September 24, 2013 at 3:00pm • 1 hour 30 minutes
TOPIC: Informal Background Self-Quantization
This week Dan & Merlin discuss the merits of self-quantization. Which is fancy way of saying, "Merlin got a new Fitbit."
Why is anecdotal self-reporting a sucker's bet? What are the benefits of making your life a little video game? And, why is Merlin's scale accessing APIs via the internet?
September 17, 2013 at 3:30pm • 1 hour 24 minutes
TOPIC: Etiquette, Intros, and Endorsements
This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the surprisingly complicated topic of email introductions.
Who emails whom? Who gets cc'd and for how long? How much homework are we making (or accepting)? And, thorniest of all, how do you ““introduce”” someone you'd reeeeeeally rather not introduce?
September 11, 2013 at 1:15pm • 58 minutes
TOPIC: Fear of Your Own TODO List
This week, Dan and Merlin cover a topic suggested by listener, @jeff_nordstedt: not wanting to look at your todo list.
From capture to completion, there are a million ways to fall off the path. The boys take a deep dive on what those ways might be as well as how to get yourself straightened out and, as you say, back to work.
Honestly. It's why people hate TODO lists. Well. That and the odor.
September 3, 2013 at 3:30pm • 1 hour 20 minutes
TOPIC: Joss Whedon GTD; Meeting Redux
This week, Dan and Merlin talk about getting specific with your productivity and why every meeting needs an agenda.
Now, take a drink.
August 26, 2013 at 8:30pm • 1 hour 29 minutes
TOPIC: Talk Shows, Baseball, and Inboxes.
This week, Dan and Merlin cover a range of topics related to expertise, experience, professional repetition, and management, culminating in a tour of Merlin's current email filtering strategy.
August 20, 2013 at 3:45pm • 1 hour 14 minutes
TOPIC: How many keys do you really need?
This week, Dan and Merlin return to the question, "What do you want ten times more of?" and weigh the risks and benefits of increasing the amount of complexity in your life.
August 13, 2013 at 1:30pm • 1 hour 14 minutes
TOPIC: Fraud vs. Failure
This week, Dan and Merlin dive into what makes us feel like frauds and what makes us feel like failures.
August 7, 2013 at 3:15pm • 1 hour 27 minutes
TOPIC: Power, Yelling, and Airport Kung Fu
This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion of power and how it does or doesn't work.
Do real leaders actually talk like the douchebags, serial entrepreneurs, and screamy travelers struggling to imitate them? Not really. That's one way you can tell they're leaders.
