Reconcilable Differences

John eventually tells us what it is he's so mad about.

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John eventually tells us what it is he's so mad about.

(Recorded on Tuesday, September 1, 2026)

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Give to St. Jude!

John’s Mastodon thread about his Apple ID problem

“That’s where I’m a Viking!’

“Synecd...

Subtitle: Loneliness is where John is a Viking.

What is the role of loneliness on "Survivor?"

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Things kick off unexpectedly. For Merlin, anyway. Honestly, that's what had happened.

And, then, an old friend from the before times has a Thing It Took Him Too Long to Realize. It involves music and butts. And, while your hosts can recall that the listener's wife was way more famous, they can neither remember her name nor pronounce his.

For a main topic, John and Merlin consider the role...

Subtitle: This ain’t no Gendry boat.

For people who don't personally enjoy being on a boat, John and Merlin sure talk a lot about boats.

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For people who don't personally enjoy being on a boat, John and Merlin sure talk a lot about boats.

(Recorded on Tuesday, August 4, 2026)

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Subtitle: One time, Merlin helped Joe Walsh fix his internet.

John wants to talk about a phenomenon he's observed.

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John wants to talk about a phenomenon he's observed.

In this month’s member bonus segment, your hosts discuss Star City (Apple TV, 2025).

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(Recorded on Tuesday, July 21, 2026)

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John conducts some non-elective plumbing, and your hosts check in on the World Cup.

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John conducts some non-elective plumbing, and your hosts check in on the World Cup.

(Recorded on Thursday, July 9, 2026)

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TBros: Trethewey Brothers plumbing in Massachusetts

Mexico vs. England World Cup 2026 highlights - YouTube

Subtitle: Merlin doesn't want anyone policing his corn.

Merlin wants to talk about computers a little, and John has questions about why you'd throw away a toilet roll that still has some slices on it. Then, your hosts discuss an upcoming movie remake that seems kind of difficult to understand.

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Merlin wants to talk about computers a little, and John has questions about why you'd throw away a toilet roll that still has some slices on it. Then, your hosts discuss an upcoming movie remake that seems kind of...

Subtitle: Siracusa remembers he was upset that his head was bleeding.

Merlin's fans are spinning, and John has thoughts on a novel new Secret Weird Things People Do.

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Merlin's fans are spinning, and John has thoughts on a novel new Secret Weird Things People Do.

(Recorded on Tuesday, June 9, 2026)

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Merlin has a smell update, and John mourns the end of Destiny 2.

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Merlin has a smell update and then claims that he and John will not be discussing a dog-involved shooting.

Next, John mourns the end of Destiny 2, a game he has been playing for over a decade. So dawn goes down to day…

In this month’s me...

Subtitle: Don't bug the widow.

This time around, it's homework, Merlin-style.

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This time around, it's homework, Merlin-style.

(Recorded on Tuesday, May 12, 2026)

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The Pasta Song

Merlin's toot showing a video of his pasta timer.

Tarantella - Wikipedia

Tarantella in The Godfather Part...

In order to proceed with the extraction, John has needed to evolve his approach.

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In order to proceed with the extraction, John has needed to evolve his approach.

In this month’s member bonus segment, your hosts discuss homework.

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John has some questions for Merlin.

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John has some questions for Merlin.

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I Deleted My Second Brain, by Joan Westenberg<...

Subtitle: If you want to get into the puffy village, you have to have a child with you.

What we talk about when we talk about bagging your own groceries.

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Things kick off with some vintage and international Follow-Up on video extras. Your hosts also consider why you might not actually want to deliberately remove all the Fluoride from your family's drinking water.

John admits he was once residentially saddled with persistently discolored drinking water.

As a main topic, your hosts consider whether bagging your...

Subtitle: 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.

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Merlin has a question about a YouTube channel, and John has some notes on R.E.M. and their songs' lyrics.

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Subtitle: Why are you in the bathroom with our food?

Merlin's Garbage Apparatus.

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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.

...

Subtitle: John's systems are a problem.

On holes, art, and the nature of friendship.

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On holes, art, and the nature of friendship.

(Recorded on Tuesday, February 3, 2026)

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Five Short Graybles - Wikipedia

Naming Schemes

Elkay Dayton 25" Drop In Single Basin Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink

John explores how to repurpose an extra hole.

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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.

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Subtitle: 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.

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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.

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Subtitle: “I am the oven now.”

Merlin shares his Large Appliance Results.

(Recorded on Tuesday, January 6, 2026)

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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...

John's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children.

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John's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children.

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Merlin's toot: "I may have figured out why my phone keeps...

Subtitle: You can’t yell at math.

A quick check-in on whether or not the machines are helping.

(Recorded on Tuesday, December 9, 2025)

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A quick check-in on whether or not the machines are helping.

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Ge...

Subtitle: The beginning, the beginning!

The dog-blaming continues, and John has updates on the social component of arc raiding.

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The dog-blaming continues, and John has updates on the social component of arc raiding.

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Dog Accidentally Shoots and Injures a Pennsylvania Man...

Subtitle: Everybody starts out with the same quarter.

After some Follow-Up on phone dimming and naked swimming, John discusses a video game with some unusual—and possibly unintentional—social mechanics.

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After some Follow-Up on phone dimming and naked swimming, John discusses a video game with some unusual—and possibly unintentional—social mechanics.

In this month’s member bonus segment, your hosts discuss the first two episodes of Prur1bus (Apple TV, 2025).

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Empty Nest Results.

(Recorded on Tuesday, October 28, 2025)

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Things kick off with some quick Follow-Up on Merlin's hot phone and how our ancestors' brains dealt with Lead.

For a main topic, John's kids have left for college, so what kind of changes has he noticed so far?

(Recorded on Tuesday, October 28, 2025)

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Subtitle: Merlin can still smell the slide oil.

TiVo: The Exit Interview.

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John leads us through the TiVo Exit Interview.

In this month’s member bonus segment, your hosts discuss Alien: Earth (FX, 2025).

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(Recorded Tuesday, July 22, 2025)

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Ge...

Subtitle: “Periscope up!”

Main topic is the various voices in our heads. If the technology existed to expose the workings of our interior world, what do we imagine it might look like?

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John has Follow-Up on naked swimming as well as an update on his mystery beep. Merlin is increasingly concerned about his Lead, but it's a little late for that now.

The main topic is the various voices in our heads. If the technology existed to expose the workings of our interior world, what do we imag...

Swimming naked in school and thinking about Lead.

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In Follow-Up, listeners share their experiences with Swimming Naked in School. Won't someone please think of the pool filters? Merlin recalls that distant summer he attended swimming and trampoline camp—albeit in an admittedly non-nude context.

Next up, John does his level best to give updates on his finished room. Space is required for something called "blocking." Merlin confesses that he can't really identify where that beeping sound is coming from.

In the (free-to-you) member segment, things kick off wi...

Subtitle: This is where the tractors go.

John shares the results of some fascinating recent polling on TV obstructions and chewing gum swallowing.

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John speculates about a reference, then Merlin sings like Paul Simon for a few seconds.

In Follow-Up: if you thought "shirts...

Subtitle: “No Scraps!”

Canada blames the dog, John presents his Vacation Results, and Merlin talks about the beach. In this month's bonus member segment, Merlin shares some Professional Expert Results.

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Canada blames the dog, John presents his Vacation Results, and Merlin talks about the beach. In this...

Subtitle: We called them latex invitations.

John reports back with his Billy Joel Results.

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John reports back with his Billy Joel Results.

(Recorded on Tuesday, August 5, 2025)

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Subtitle: The folder is called “Pepperoni.”

How does John generate all that cool chapter art?

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Things kick off with John sharing some breaking news about The Flop House, plus it's clear that Merlin's Britishisms are becoming numerous, invasive, and a little un-American.

Next up, Merlin wonders how John generated all that cool chapter art for a rece...

On the complexities and constraints of pursuing the right answer.

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R.E.M. - Collapse into Now

Stephen Hackett: Ten Years Indie<...

Subtitle:  That's why it's hard to be Janice.

Merlin presents some Microwave Results and John shares his most recent Graduation Results.

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Things kick off with some document disagreements and a surprisingly long discussion of HTML.

Next up, Merlin presents some Mi...

John's Prom Results and Merlin's Camping Results.

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Lisa’s First Word (The Simpsons, season 4, episode 10) - Wikipedia

“The...

On goals and accomplishments.

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After some great Follow-Up on "Allentown" and The Apparatus, your hosts talk about goals and accomplishments.

In this month’s member bonus episode, John talks about playing Marathon (again).

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...

Your hosts finally discuss The Apparatus.

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Things kick off with some Billy Joel talk. Merlin thinks he's hearing double, but John's not so sure. Anyway, be sure to hang that graduation on the wall.

In follow-up, John shares a listener's collection of colorful zipper nudges from around the world. Next, Merlin's kid continues to unintentionally learn how to do computer things. The legends...

Subtitle: It's hard to look things up if they don't exist.

Merlin is very vulnerable, and John is encouraged to leverage this.

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Subtitle: Consider the Banana.

Stop blaming the dog.

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Things kick off with a second episode in which John has to force a context transition, then Merlin commiserates about how bad apps and institutions can be.

In Follow-Up, Merlin introduces both new data and new methodologies to...

This week, your hosts talk about ChatGPT's new image generation abilities.

And in this month's member after show, John and Merlin talk about the Netflix show, "Adolescence."

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This week, your hosts talk about ChatGPT's new image...

Subtitle: Merlin thinks John doesn't understand the whole point of the exercise.

This week's topic: Kids & Driving

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Things kick off with some Donkey Kong Follow-Up that leads to a fair amount of vintage video game nostalgia. Merlin has a new Thing It Took Him Too Long to Realize, but John seems determined to deny him any kind of credit or joy about it.<...

Subtitle: Grandpa is just "Pee Pad" now,

Follow-up brings updates on "all balls" plus a novel inversion to "Secret Weird Things People Do."

Main topic this week is cooking alone.

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Follow-up brings updates on "all balls" plus a novel inversion to "Secret Weird Things People Do."

This week's main topic is cooking alone.

In this month’s me...