Disqus - Latest Comments for merlinmann

Re: Cranking and Bar Raising

Merlin — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:33:11 -0000

Thank you so much, Gabe. This means the world to me, friend. Wow. Just…thanks.

Re: Roderickin' - Too many universes. There really are too many...

Merlin — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 16:47:17 -0000

(FWIW, Hotrod actually said "Marble." Which is why I've broken up with him for 10 minutes.)

Re: http://snagamat.tumblr.com/post/31526542781

Merlin — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:43:20 -0000

I cannot think of a single topic in popular culture that's more overdue for a polemic. Many, many polemics.

Re: Q: What would you like to see here? — Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin Mann

Merlin — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:55:49 -0000

I don't know the answer for sure, but you can check out the portfolio-centric templates here:

http://www.squarespace.com/...

Also, it looks like this thread might be of interest to you:

http://forums.squarespace.c...

Re: Q: What would you like to see here? — Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin Mann

Merlin — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 19:45:44 -0000

This is a little out of my technical depth, but I think you can monkey with the responsive elements by doing browser targeting via CSS and/or Javascript. Pretty sure I saw something about that one time. Maybe poke around at http://forums.squarespace.c... ?

Re: Q: What would you like to see here? — Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin Mann

Merlin — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 19:39:02 -0000

I *think* it resizes dynamically to fit your available content well width (great for responsive design).

But, you could always force a certain width by using a "Code" block rather than an "Embed" block. Viz: https://merlinm.squarespace...

Make sense?

Re: Q: What would you like to see here? — Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin Mann

Merlin — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 19:32:57 -0000

You're (unfortunately) right on MMD. I cheated by copying and pasting from a Marked.app preview. :-)

Re: How To Use Calepin, the Easiest Blog Tool in the World

Merlin — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:45:43 -0000

Dude, I kid. Because I love.

(Longtime fan; first-time caller.)

Re: http://tumblr.jasonbaldwin.us/post/11152593004

Merlin — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:01:30 -0000

Hey, thanks, man. You made my day.

Re: Showbot

Merlin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:01:24 -0000

Glorious! You, sir, are a VIKING!

Thank you, Jeremy. This is seriously cool.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:16:36 -0000

Totally. It's like having a potion that makes you fly and hearing people say they're too busy to sip.

Although it is actually a VERY big bottle, I suppose.

Agreed, my friend.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:14:02 -0000

I think it totally can. Though, to me this is a classic—possibly canonical—case of the "what problem do you want to solve at what level" situation.

Viz—as someone who does a freelance version of this and isn't particularly great at it—man, is this ever hard to pull off outside advice in any but the most superficial of ways.

When you get too close to the metal as Jay-Sir says, a LOT of people on the business end of such a critique get really antsy. Understandably. I sure do.

Honestly, one reason I love nerds is their relatively common ability to dish and receive hard criticism without flipping out or holding a grudge. I haven't always seen that same quality in as many non-nerd parts of an org.

For example, imagine if processes like code check-in and code reviews were applied amongst director- or vp-level bizdev folks. I'd pop corn and grab a chair for that shit.

Anyhow, yeah I think it can be great to seek and accept such feedback. But finding the right mix between the right parties can be a really artful thing. Lot of balls swung toward that fence land foul and angry.

Good topic idea.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:54:40 -0000

Dude, your point was better.

Clearly, you're effing with me , too. :-)

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:18:09 -0000

Will check that out, A. Thankee.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:17:36 -0000

Just. SO. Angry.

You're effing with me, Eric.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:17:01 -0000

So. Angry.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:16:48 -0000

I sort of agree with you except inasmuch as a lot of people haven't had any opportunity to _hear_ any of that talking yet.

Same way that every day someone is born who's never seen The Wire. Just because **I** have seen every episode five times doesn't mean new people shouldn't. In fact, if anything, this fact makes me want to encourage them to see it even more. Not stop talking about it because I "know" it.

So remember—go light on the dogma…and heavy on the helpful…

:-)

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:09:46 -0000

Totally agree. Already started my list. Good note.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:28:16 -0000

I'm probably the wrong person to ask (for any variety of reasons), but I'd say, "Yes, Kinda."

I'm always really reluctant to show anybody anything I've drafted until I think it's "good." Or "done" even. Which I think is pretty normal and common. But it's totally Lizard Brain.

If I have the stones, I _really_ benefit from a good reader, even of a rough draft. Not even an editor, per se. But someone to say stuff like, "I see what you're trying to get at here, but this section is three times longer than it needs to be, you repeat yourself HERE, and you've buried the lede in the penultimate paragraph." That can be huge and humbling and just wonderfully constructive.

If you find that good reader, use the crap out of him. It's so great to have a friend like that.

So, yeah, I think it can be really helpful. Step zero is making the words, but, step something is getting feedback from a critical but empathetic eye. Good stuff.

Re: Back to Work #21: Episode 21 - 5by5

Merlin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:21:21 -0000

Dan and I are hoping to argue about my misunderstanding of Buddhism.

He effs with me.

Recommendation: hit those Alan Watts links ^above^. I _really_ like the bit about desire and the middle way. And, yeah, I totally want to lasso that concept back to "Getting Started" and getting *restarted*.

Unless Dan says I'm wrong. Which he probably will. Because he does eff with me.

Hope to see you Nerds. tomorrow at 2pm Eastern at http://5by5.tv/live

Re: The Talk Show #45: Episode 45 - 5by5

Merlin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:29:07 -0000

To me, logical punctuation feels like a practical cousin of bottom-posting.

I do like it better, I think it makes more sense, and my heart and brain tell me it's the right and better way to go.

But, THEN, when I try to do either, I feel like I'm pushing a rock. Both of these Better Ways confuse civilians, break (what's become) conventions, disrupt (what's become) flow—plus each leads to either weird Nerd Wars or the over-frequent need for an explanation.

I dunno. Hm.

I guess I'll to go for it. Starting…"now".

Re: Back to Work #17: Episode 17 - 5by5

Merlin — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:46:50 -0000

Bingo.

Re: Back to Work #17: Episode 17 - 5by5

Merlin — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:47:16 -0000

Hey, there, Nerds.

Our working topic for s01e17 is a favorite of mine, and, from what I can gather, it's a favorite for a lot of you, too. Viz.:

"What IS a Priority?"

Tactically, I'm really interested in

1. how we distinguish "prioritizing" vs. "force-ranking,"
2. how we account (GTD-like) for "priorities" we CAN'T do anything about, as well as
3. how we develop the gut sense of when to make a game-time decision about doing _this_ instead of _that_.

Personally, though, I'm MOST interested in the more strategic notion of priority as a living product of care and sacrifice.

Priority not so much as simply a good IDEA--but as something we care enough about to both say "no" to many other things, and then also _give up_ a lot to keep alive, healthy, and well. [see 43f links above]

At least in my own experience, people who suffer from priority-mania often are carrying around:

* a LOT of things that
* they aren't actually DOING much about from day to day, and that
* they kinda don't CARE all that much about, but where
* they feel perfectly TERRIBLE about all of a, b, and c, and yet
* they aren't really sure what to CHANGE about any of it.

Anyhoo. That's my observation and theory. I would love to hear yours.

Got a question, idea, or angle to offer?

Thanks for stopping by, Nerds, and hope to see you tomorrow.

Re: Back to Work #13: Episode 13 - 5by5

Merlin — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:38:41 -0000

Thanks, nerds. I appreciate it all.

Happy to followup more on anything that got left out (or weaseled out).

You rule.

Re: http://theoreticalpotential.tumblr.com/post/2558805303

Merlin — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:36:05 -0000

Join the club, my friend. Join. The. Club. :-)