Reconcilable Differences

John complains about a podcast that Merlin likes, and Merlin announces that professional eye care is a racket.

John thinks Merlin drinks too much water, which naturally leads to a deep dive on the landscape of consumer ice machines.

Merlin shares two recent experiences with Apple technology that were unqualified successes. Which, of course, leads to a jeremiad about some consumer tech that's a good deal less successful. John explains how writing books is like jazz, man.

Follow-Up opens with a correction from John and an admission that he's very disappointed in you, the listener. John clocks Merlin's sudden overuse of some given word.

John guides Merlin through an unusual form of communication.

Topic include perception, misdirection, binaries, and how it is that "Survivor" so rarely leaks.

A new season of _Survivor_ brings an amazing new dingaling with a novel definition of "several." Then, John chats with Merlin about his recent Apple Vision Pro experience.

Follow-up, Billy Joel, and Apple Vision Pro.

John has Follow-Up on the Ides of March that leads to an examination of Roman numerals, contextual adjectives, and the challenge of adapting software for the peoples of Volapük.

Your hosts begin unpacking some of the things it took them too long to realize

John shares some updates on "Secret Weird Things [Other] People Do,"

On the complexities and frustrations around seeking medical help. Especially when it involves more than just finding an egg.

The main topic this week is ideal versus actual holiday plans.

Merlin's networking is not working, John continues to be vexed by UK speakers, and they both can't stop talking about the software and services that ostensibly exists to help them watch moving pictures on the TV.

Your hosts return to topics around AI—with a focus on the new class of wearables intended to bridge the gap between meatspace and The Great Intelligence.

As a main topic, your hosts officially introduce their concept of "Best, First, Favorite" (or "BFF"). An exegesis ensues on the distinctions and purposes of this powerful new Thought Technology.

Your hosts talk about pronunciation and BFFs.

Your hosts discuss _Station Eleven_ and strategies for surviving a given apocalypse.

Things kick off with another segment of Pronunciation Corner plus an interrogation of some newfound Britishisms. In Follow-Up, John has accomplished a love match, but he is asked to please pay in cash. Also, apparently Merlin quit Twitter. There's also some pretty good material about the terrible working conditions on Sodor, and John shares a novel retirement strategy. As something like a main topic, John introduces an unusual work-from-home practice. Which leads to your hosts wondering how they would row across the ocean in an open boat. For this month's members-only bonus show, John has questions about [Merlin's 3D printing journey](https://ungainly.me/little-guys "Merlin’s 3D Little Guys"). You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, September 19, 2023_) ---- [](https://ungainly.me/little-guys "Merlin's latest little guy may look familiar.") [Merlin's little guys 👈](https://ungainly.me/little-guys "Merlin's little guys.")

John has Follow-Up on his tile guy and cover band Mad Libs. As a main topic, your hosts consider how we each should be supporting social media platforms we like (or hope to like). (_Recorded on Tuesday, September 5, 2023_)

In Follow-up, John shares some updates on his tile and paint journey. Also, he reaches a critical junction in the saga of his freezer. Next, we learn a little about eggcorns and mondegreens. Then there's some confusion about when the kid from _There Will Be Blood_ was in Iron Maiden, and John corrects Merlin's Conan quote. Again and again. For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts consider whether John might be a Secret Buddhist. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, August 22, 2023_)

In Follow-Up, John has updates on his omnibus home improvement project. As a main topic, Merlin is interrogated about his AI journey. (_Recorded on Tuesday, August 8, 2023_)

John reports in with his Vacation Results, but he seems reluctant to set Merlin up with his aunt. For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts discuss _Hack My Home_ and the world of home makeover TV shows. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, July 25, 2023_)

Things kick off with an exploration of sharing a mic on-stage and the Battle of Stalingrad. John reminds Merlin he's repeatedly tried to get him into airplane videos. John's effort to get his username on a new site is being thwarted by a mom who claims to work too hard. Lemongrab is discussed, and this leads to a real time review of your hosts' avatars on select streaming service. On *my* account? In Follow-Up, John interrogates the source of Merlin's recent infection. Merlin shares that he needs to watch TV with his kid at night in order to feel alive. A case is made for normalizing rest, and Merlin shares his worst-received onsite corporate visit. John has been lifting very light weights, and Merlin suggests John start really focusing on his *core*. There's a brief discussion of Steven Spielberg in general and _Jaws_ in particular. John informs Merlin that he's pronouncing the name of the movie wrong. Merlin teaches John how to pronounce an umlaut, and John reciprocates by explaining the automotive traffic of Long Island. Unsurprisingly, this leads to yet another discussion of pronunciation, accents, and regional usage. Then, Merlin tells John about a time he barfed jimmies really hard. (_Recorded on Tuesday, July 11, 2023_)

A question about question marks becomes a fairly detailed exploration of proper calendar usage and workplace culture. This inexplicably leads to a conversation Merlin recently had about engineering. John has some Follow-Up on how Vision Pro might handle being used in unusual situations. Casting the right shadow is *hard*. Next up, John has questions about Merlin's new interest in onions. Plants are discussed. For the main topic, John has questions about Merlin's recent Wedding Results. John also tells Merlin things he should have said on other podcasts. For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts discuss *Spider-Man: Across the Universe* (2023). Also: a surprising amount of R.E.M. talk. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, June 27, 2023_)

In follow-up, John addresses a question from one of Merlin's co-hosts in which John agrees that Merlin is weird. Also, there's a new movie that John saw and that Merlin hasn't (at the time of recording), and John wants Merlin to figure out how it lost part of a star on his letter box dee. As a main topic, your hosts talk about Apple's recent Vision Pro announcement. (_Recorded on Tuesday, June 13, 2023_)

At last, the pop quiz show. Then, for this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts discuss their summer plans. (_Recorded on Tuesday, May 30, 2023_)

Things kick off with some sundry food talk. John shows no interest in party-cut pizza or fruit juice concentrates, and Merlin identifies a perplexing class of food that's made of the wrong food. Follow-up brings updates on how John tries to make his app play nice with macOS weirdness, and there's some important reconsideration regarding what Larry Mullen, Jr. actually said about the location where The King was laid to rest. Speaking of music, with pretty much zero provocation, Merlin launches into a jeremiad about a pet peeve with bad needle drops. What a waste. Finally, your hosts talk about the movie, *Gattaca* (1997). John saw it a long time ago, and Merlin has watched it most of the way through. Which is just to get to the **actual** point: how would your hosts approach teaching the other to _be_ them? John dutifully lays out a bulleted list of items Merlin needs to immediately start changing about himself. (_Recorded on Tuesday, May 16, 2023_)

Things kick off with Merlin giving John a pop quiz on music and a font. Merlin would also please like a special episode for his birthday. After an admittedly overdue U2 Tangent, John gives Merlin a pop quiz on what their show is about. Then, Merlin clarifies what John can expect from an omnibus "Before Show" super-episode. Follow-Up covers John's count of Steam games, much *Succession* lore, plus you, the listener's, stated position regarding the correct toothbrush water temperature. Also, Merlin has finally rid himself of a problem with a meddlesome dæmon. For a main topic, John has a new project involving music playlists. Generational divides are identified, and we learn the lengths to which John will go for his ungrateful children. Finally, Merlin reveals one of the numerous ways in which he is a *terrible* liability. For this month's members-only bonus show, there's more on playlists and disambiguation, with Merlin offering an impassioned paean to the magic of scene naming—including improbable places we might benefit from standardization in the future. Music is so good, you guys. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, May 2, 2023_)

Merlin explains his laundry number, and John has some quick Follow-Up on bathroom cups. Next, for reasons he can't remember, Merlin wanted to learn more about a video game platform, and John obliges. Then, it's time for John—who's behind on his podcasts—to catch up on what Merlin has been up to, and Merlin obliges. (_Recorded on Monday, April 18, 2023_)

What happens in the bathroom can no longer stay in the bathroom. For this month's members-only bonus show, Merlin shares his surprising Vacation Results. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Monday, April 3, 2023_)

Things kick off with Merlin teaching John a thing people used to say in Florida. Then, John ends up repeatedly having to say a phrase that doesn't really seem like the kind of thing that John ever says. Old concert t-shirts are researched and considered. This somehow leads to a discussion of where things go that then transitions nicely into a new installment of the fan-favorite "Secret Weird Things People Do." John has discovered a community of people who seem to kind of know what they're doing is weird, and Merlin repeats an anecdote about when he almost lost his mind from washing dishes with the absolutely incorrect soap. Things conclude with a pop quiz and another plea to stop putting things on the stairs. (_Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2023_)

Things kick off with Merlin's noisy electronic livestock and a frustrating health update from John. Whose family now hates him. In Follow-Up, Mr. Siracusa provides his son with a correction on The Novocaine Story, which leads to a digression into how John's dad writes text messages........ This ends up providing a great segue into the main topic: how memory breaks, and how we try to address it. Because, as you quickly realize, many memories involve other people who have—well—*different memories*. But, also, why did I go to the garage, because I'm pretty sure I went there for a reason. For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts talk about artsy-fartsy video games like *Life is Strange* and *What Remains of Edith Finch* You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Monday, March 6, 2023_)

Things kick off with Merlin auditioning a new on-air style, and John coughing in a way that portends imminent [health developments](https://atp.fm/523). Unsurprisingly and delightfully, there is a _lot_ of really good Follow-Up on John's recent medical adventure. Listener-experts chime in on all manner of issues. Also John reveals his test results, and Merlin feels like a hungry man. Things seem to be wrapping with an update on John's Unexpected Side Effect, but then they end up talking about food and medicine for, like, twenty more minutes. (_Recorded on Tuesday, February 21, 2023_)

Follow-up brings updates on skiing metaphors and ideas for tricking your brain into drawing a little better. Then, for the balance of the episode, John shares details of a recent medical adventure. Including an unexpectedly positive side effect. For this month's members-only bonus show, your hosts talk about _The Last of Us_ in its incarnations as both a prestige TV show and a video game series. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, February 7, 2023_)

Things kick off with a consideration of John's theoretical funeral. Merlin can't understand why John won't adopt him. In Follow-Up, your hosts briefly consider their recent bicentennial and agree that words about parts or multiples of a thing are way too confusing. As a main topic, John has questions about **Merlin's fraught history with drawing**. What's it take to get good at a thing you care about, and what motivates us to stick with it? Things end up touching on grit-adjacent stuff like consistency and tenacity. But, whether or not one is gifted, it does seem like we naturally tend to pursue things we _like_ doing. Which just as naturally can make it difficult to stick with the things that don't come so easily. Gotta really pile up that paper. Comparisons between the habits of making music and writing are made, and differences are easily reconciled regarding the genius work of Jonathan Coulton. John thinks Merlin missed the focal plane on a photo he used to think was pretty good. Merlin recalls a movie poster whose Renaissance-era optical trick first made him wish he could draw better. (_Recorded Tuesday, January 24, 2023_) <hr /> <figure> <img src="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/recdiffs/croc.jpg" alt="The Croc" /> <figcaption>The Croc Photo in Question</figcaption> </figure> <figure> <img src="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/recdiffs/lunch.jpg" alt="Merlin's Old Lunch Notes" /> <figcaption>Merlin’s Old Lunch Notes</figcaption> </figure> <hr />

Things kick off with Merlin pressing John for some candid advice on a new affectation he's been considering. John is certain that using a Dremel is not actually part of Merlin's job, but Merlin's not so sure. Photos of Mr. Miyazaki are reviewed. In Follow-Up, John has some toe updates. Mere moments after swearing he's not going to make noises and recoil, Merlin makes several noises and recoils. Next up, John's favorite band announces a new project to release a bunch of cover versions of songs from their back catalog. This leads to a surprisingly wide-ranging discussion of a music industry that continues to evolve quickly and which now seems to necessitate an entirely new kind of creativity. This week's member episode is already one of Merlin's favorites, so it's being included here so everybody can check it out. The topic? ***What's a thing you had as a kid that you kind of wish your kids could've had?*** Is it ahistorical to wish your progeny had gotten to see an epic baseball lineup? What exactly might happen if you tried to recreate your own free-range childhood? Did having less information lead to a deeper understanding of context and the parameters of the world? And, which kinds of community and scarcity feel elusive or even just irreproducible today? If you'd enjoy hearing more from John and Merlin, we hope you'll consider [becoming a supporter](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) of the program. And, hey. Thanks for sticking around through 200 of these things. (_Recorded on Tuesday, January 10, 2023_)

Merlin is pretty proud of his dinner, but John has questions about the dressing situation. Merlin may not understand how skiing works. In Follow-Up, John shares more voices from the past, and your hosts confront an escalating international rift about the existence of a facial expression. Finally, it's time for Holiday Results, which somehow includes strong opinions on labeling leftovers, preparing strawberries, and sweating _le mot juste_. Also, ponies are considered.

Things kick off with a consideration of mouth noises and beloved bits. This leads to a look at entertainment that functions as comfort food. Wanna know what you're playing for? Lot of great listener Follow-Up this week, including more on British facial expressions, hassles for the proper Lex, and some prior art around "sharrow." The main topic relates to John's family archive project producing some remarkable voices from the past. For this month's members-only bonus show, the topic is _Andor_. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, December 13, 2022_)

Merlin shares a new insight about the pre-flight, but, as usual John disagrees. Then, there's some discussion of playlists and that time John got Merlin into Chvrches. There appears to be some continental disagreement about a ubiquitous facial expression, and John directs Merlin on some more of the things he supposedly pronounces weirdly. Your hosts might could want to explore the things it took them too long to realize, and Merlin graciously reads John one of his dreams. Follow-Up turns to the continuing mishegas over on The Bird Site. Yikes. And this was even before they added the bedrooms and gave a copy of the keys to a right-wing nutty bar. Woof. Eventually, this leads to a slight turn into how different people are exploring Mastodon. Do you treat it strictly as a Twitter replacement, or is it maybe a fresh opportunity to learn how a social media site *wants* to be used? Merlin misses a lot about LiveJournal, and John is just happy to be someplace that isn't owned and controlled by The Birthday Boy. John's goodnatured insistence that Merlin's household acquire a dog is starting to have an impact, and John leads us on a close exegesis of an unpersuasive Billy Joel photo. Finally, talk turns to Christopher Nolan in general and the movie *Tenet* in particular. How can you know when you're not *supposed* to understand what's happening in a film? Also, can an SUV really go that fast in reverse, or is that just because it's driving on the backwards side of the time partition? Who knows. Also, good robots are considered, and Merlin extolls the virtues of the Mr. Noodle family.

Things kick off with a quick look at the recent TicketMaster dustup. Merlin shares what a "news peg" is, and John has simple ideas for avoiding unnecessary logjams on the web. As a main topic. upon Merlin's request, John generously provides a tour of his app, [**SwitchGlass**](https://switchglass.app/). We learn what itch John was scratching and how SwitchGlass differs from various other rows of icons on your Mac. In the members-only bonus show, the guys talk about, you know. Twitter. You can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, November 15, 2022_)

<a style="display:none" rel="me" href="https://mastodon.social/@RecDiffs">Mastodon</a>Things kick off with about ten minutes of very useful nail clipper talk. Up next, lots of good listener Follow-Up on the origins of CSS color names, how to pause a TikTok with your meat fingers, plus revealing some scalable methods for finding free money from the government. Next, comes some FU on Lifestreams that somehow kind of becomes the basis for the rest of the episode. How can we track the stuff that's valuable to us—but also provide the specificity and context needed to annotate that data in a way that makes it *actionable*? Then, of course, you wonder about the privacy implications of living in a panopticon. Sure isn't working out too great for the Uyghurs. *Won't somebody please think of the children?* The digital divide is real, but you may not realize how real until you watch someone else use a computer. Secret gestures, powerful browser plug-ins, and even general internet hygiene are still anything but evenly distributed. Finally, John shows Merlin how to fix his notifications even as he continues to refuse a very generous job offer. (*Recorded Thursday, November 3, 2022*)

Things kick off with John's strident observation of pre-show hygiene, and Merlin struggles to know his Targaryens from his Velaryons and his Valyrians. Merlin has a *lot* of problem with twins, and John mourns this new generation's lack of respect for proper media queuing. As ever, Merlin's demos are the worst. There's some brief confusion about 80s music, and, even though he's drop-tuned, Merlin plays John a nice "`FMaj7`" chord. John *claims* to have no interest in Merlin making him a mixtape. In Follow-Up, John interrogates Merlin about a new domain name. John pushes some commits to Merlin, as various tool tip options are workshopped in real time lol. Merlin offers John a prestigious new position, because he's got a **bunch** of computer problems to put him on. John demurs. John has been looking into the unclaimed property of Massachusetts, but Merlin always assumes everything like this is some kind of jam-up. This somehow leads to a surprisingly deep discussion of Letterboxd and the inevitable return of the evergreen topic of ratings and reviews. John and Merlin do not want to host their own email. In the (101 minute!) members-only bonus show, John has real-time Letterboxd homework for Merlin, and your hosts consider what it will be like to pick through their digital lives after they die. And, finally, yes: John has *even more* updates on his seemingly endless journey towards "home improvement." Remember, you can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, October 18, 2022_)

Things kick off with an ambitious proposal to recognize outstanding work by team members and keep the relationship fresh. After ticking an item off of his "`queue`," John leads a nominally rapid-fire round highlighted by a controversial new Secret Weird Things People Do. Things wrap with a provocative Dog Update in which John leverages the love of a British TV show to re-home a new friend with Merlin's family. Merlin identifies the wrong Helen. (_Recorded on Tuesday, October 4, 2022_)

John has concerns about why his fans are spinning up, and Merlin interrogates his recent obsession with the previous vice president. The main topic this week concerns a question that's been banging around in Merlin's brain forever: *is John inoculated against stress?* Once the usual arguments about wording and meaning have been (mostly) settled, numerous angles are explored. Including an exploration of one of life's thorniest differences to reconcile: how much can I be "how I am" with other people? In our (85-minute!) members-only bonus show, John has updates on his "home improvement" projects. [This is a good one] Remember, you can [sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, September 20, 2022_)

John learns a little about a legendary Hollywood producer, and Merlin may not know how to do his job. Apple announces some new products, London Bridge is down, and your hosts continue their tour of mini-topics.

Things kick off with a brief debate on whether using things wrong makes you a hacker. In Follow-Up, John has updates on that announcement about dropping a device in a plane seat, and Merlin expresses skepticism about announcements in general. Then, there's some updates related to the prior discussion of performance reviews. Believe it or not, quantifying the unquantifiable is even more difficult than it sounds. And, finally, we learn why John is still behind on his podcasts as well as why Merlin liked it better when podcasts were less…_professional_. In our members-only bonus show: John has updates on _Half-Empty Nest Syndrome_. [Sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to get lots of extra stuff and to support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, August 23, 2022_)

In Follow-Up, John reminds everyone that RecDiffs listeners knew what’s bad about TV stands before any of the normals. John also shares his Vacation Results—alongside some anthropological observations on the state of air travel in 2022. Finally, your hosts dig in to the continuing saga of John’s TV. (_Recorded August 9, 2022_)

This week finds both John and Merlin helping things leave their house. In our members-only bonus show: John previews vacation planning progress. [Sign up today](https://www.relay.fm/rd/join) to get lots of extra stuff and to support our program. (_Recorded on Tuesday, July 19, 2022_)

Once John is ready, things kick off with a discussion of Merlin's increasing asymmetry. Follow-up concerns pinned messages. Merlin thinks Marco still doesn't understand what a priority is, and John thinks skeuomorphism doesn't mean what it used to mean. John graciously saves Merlin's sanity, and then your hosts express skepticism about the wisdom of offering subscriptions in premium automobiles. As an extended mini-topic, you hosts talk about the recent FX show, _The Bear_. John points out that Merlin is still misquoting Billy Joel. But, **so** close. Finally, John is discovering life with SwiftUI to be a bit of a drag. (_Recorded on Tuesday, July 12, 2022_)