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Back to Normal

Rob Attrell

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A small podcast about life in quarantine.

Back to Normal

Available episodes

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142 – A Normal Week

On the show this week, I talk about my most normal week yet in COVID times, a sure sign things are getting back to normal and I will have to start seeing people again. Click the icon below to listen.

141 – Is COVID Endemic in Ottawa?

This week I discuss my first week at the new job, my changing feelings on COVID now that we're almost all vaccinated (adults) and we move in to the fall, as well as looking back on my son's first year. Click the icon below to listen.

140 – Back to the Normal

As my parental leave comes to an end, I discuss the results of the Canadian federal election, some talk on electoral systems, and then my thoughts on parental leave and Ontario's new vaccine passport system. Click the icon below to listen.

139 – Vote Compass 2021 | Part 5 (Q25-30)

Go and Vote on Monday! Q25. How much should Canada do to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions? There is a lot the country can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it has to start from the top, either via redistributing subsidies, incentivizing green tech, or one of many other progressive climate agenda items. Q26. How much should the Canadian government spend on police services? Do the RCMP really do all that much anymore? Why are they still called the RCMP? Defund the Mounties? Q27. How high should the federal minimum wage be? Yes, it should be higher, but more importantly, it should be tied to inflation rather than changed piecemeal. Q28. How much should wealthier people pay in taxes? Oh so much more, with progressive taxation there's not reason not to have a ridiculously high 'wealth tax' rate. Q29. Canada’s human rights laws should require that transgender people be referred to by their chosen gender pronouns. I think this definitely shouldn't be a thing, but I'm far from convinced that being a dick should be punishable by law. Q30. Quebec should become an independent state. I think this is for Quebec to decide, but if you're all letting me decide, then sure, go for it! Click the icon below to listen.

138 – Vote Compass 2021 | Part 4 (Q19-25)

Q19. How much control should the federal government have over what Canadians say online? I don't know what the laws for online speech and related protections are now, but my gut feeling is they're OK. Q20. How much money should the federal government give to Canadians whose employment was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic? At this point, it feels like pandemic cash if you can't work because your business was closed is done, but I do still feel like Canadians should get employment insurance if they're working but can't work for an isolation period because they test positive for COVID (although maybe not if you're not vaccinated?). Q21. People should be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend public events. Vaccine passports make sense. Not all services will be able to offer this requirement, but I think as many as possible should. Q22. How much should the federal government make individual Canadians pay for every tonne of greenhouse gas they emit through fossil fuel consumption? Whether a carbon tax is levied on the individual or at the corporate level, cost increases will be passed on to the consumer. This is a good thing. Q23. The federal government should guarantee a minimum income for all Canadian adults regardless of whether or not they have a job. Yes. I love the idea of basic income. I am sharing a version of my idea for basic income here, with a 36% basic income tax and a basic income of $19,789. It's radical but it does work to accomplish what it sets out to (lift every single Canadian out of poverty). Q24. Quebec should be formally recognized as a nation in the Constitution. Quebec needs to make up its mind and decide whether it wants to be part of Canada or not. If you want to be 'a nation', doesn't that mean you want to be your own country? I don't know how these things work... Click the icon below to listen.

137 – Vote Compass 2021 | Part 3 (Q13-18)

This is week 3 of my Vote Compass 2021 series, and I encourage you (if you haven't already) to take the 'quiz' and see where you line up. Q13. How much should be done to accommodate religious minorities in Canada? Being a non-religious person, I feel I can say in a relatively unbiased way that religious minorities are pretty well accommodated here in Canada, but it's very possible I'm not in a good position to judge this and obviously being 'accommodated' has a pretty subjective meaning depending on who's being accommodated. Q14. All semi-automatic firearms should be banned in Canada. This question to me is very straightforward and to-the-point, and I totally agree with it. There's no reason to own a gun outside of defending yourself from wildlife on a farm or in rural areas, and even then, it's tenuous. In a city, there's literally no compelling reason you can give me to own a gun (that doesn't involve other people also owning guns). It's not worth it. Q15. Some provinces pay more than their fair share to support the rest of the country. Equalization payments will always be disputed by provinces who feel they're putting in more than is fair, but the equalization formula is pretty straightforward, and though I have no idea how much is actually paid/received by which provinces, I believe Ontario pays these payments, and I have no problem with it. Q16. How much tax should large corporations pay? Large corporations, especially those providing essential services (power/communications/utilities, etc.) should have a cap on profits they can make, and if that's not feasible, their taxes should certainly increase such that their remaining profits shrink. Q17. All Canadians should have access to government-funded prescription drugs. Obviously a national Pharmacare plan is a good idea, and seems to have overwhelming support. I'd be curious to know popularity stats on this, if there are polls on the subject. Q18. How many immigrants should Canada admit? I strongly feel Canada should admit more immigrants until nobody tells us they want to be here anymore, or until we start to run out of resources (haha). We have lots of room and should be welcoming people of all cultures with open arms. Click the icon below to listen.

136 – Vote Compass 2021 | Part 2 (Q7-12)

This week, we'll be delving in to the next set of Vote Compass questions. Some pretty strong opinions in this episode, and most of the questions here are reasonable without additional context. Q7. Canada should decriminalize possession of illicit drugs for personal use. This is a pretty clear question and evidence I've seen clearly shows rehabilitation is a better answer for possession of illicit drugs than criminal punishment. Q8. Canada's laws against hate speech place too many limits on freedom of expression. Canada doesn't have a particularly restrictive set of laws against hate speech, I see no reason why they should be removed or lessened. Q9. No new oil pipelines should be built in Canada. I strongly believe there is no reason why we should be extracting more oil from the ground in Canada than we currently are, and in fact I believe we should extract much less, and definitely stop subsidizing big oil. Q10. The federal government should give priority to visible minorities when hiring. This question as written seems to indicate that visible minorities would be prioritized over everything else (which I don't agree with), but I think a system in the federal that chooses qualified members of employment equity groups before those who don't is perfectly reasonable (and what is happening now in more general hiring pools). Q11. The federal budget deficit should be reduced, even if it leads to fewer public services. This one is simple and very close to my heart. I think there are many other things we should do to reduce the deficit other than cutting public services. Q12. Canada should rename public spaces which are currently named after historical figures accused of racism. Obviously there is no reason aside from propping up old, white supremacist systems to continue to let public spaces be named after anyone who was a part of such a system (and in every case it's much more than "accused of racism"). Click the icon below to listen.

135 – Vote Compass 2021 | Part 1 (Q1-6)

This week, I give a quick life update (a lot has happened, I'm on leave, etc.) and then delve in to my 5 part series on the 2021 CBC Vote Compass. Q1. Only those who speak both English and French should be considered for top jobs in the federal government. In a Canada without any historical context, as somebody not from Quebec, I would much rather English be Canada's only official language. However, given that's not the current reality, I somewhat agree with this. Lots of context could be really useful here. Q2. How much should the Canadian government do to make amends for its past treatment of Indigenous peoples? This question could use a lot of context, and a little 'More info' button could go a long way towards providing a little more about the current state of the amends being made. Q3. How much say should Indigenous peoples have over how Canada's natural resources are used? This question is also lacking in context for how much of a say Indigenous peoples have now, which is necessary when asking how much of a say they *should* have. Q4. How much of a role should the private sector have in health care? I don't particularly know the specifics of the private sector's role in health care, one that presumably differs between provinces, but my gut feeling is that I'd rather it be less than more. Q5. How accessible should abortion services be across Canada? This question is very tough for me to answer as a male, but having some context I think 'abortion services' is a blanket term and people's minds immediately go to early elective abortions, but that is not all that abortion services are used for. Q6. Canada should end its ties to the British monarchy. I'm not strongly against the monarchy, but I don't think the government should need to go to the Governor General for assent to make or change laws, and I think we can maintain diplomatic ties to the British government without being subjects of the monarchy. Click the icon below to listen.

134 – Checking in on MagSafe

This week before leaving for a week's vacation, I check in on my favourite Apple charging technology ever, MagSafe (iPhone version). Here are a few of the products I talked about in the episode: * Stand for MagSafe Charger, OMOTON Foldable MagSafe Stand Holder for iPhone 12 Series * ALA7 Thin Frameless Matte Hard PC Shock Absorption TPU Bumper with Non-Slip Rope (Blue) for iPhone 12 Mini Compatible with Magsafe * MagSafe PopSocket (popsockets.ca) Click the icon below to listen.

133 – I Got The Job!

Enough said. In 8 weeks (after some well-earned vacation and parental leave) I will be starting a new job as Senior Process Management Officer at NSERC. Let's talk about it. Click the icon below to listen.

132 – Voting Project Update

Today I'll be giving another update on the SharePoint voting platform I've been working on bit by bit since the late winter, focusing in on some key parts of the system and how it all fits together. Click the icon below to listen.

131 – Don’t Wanna Go (Back to Normal)

This week I'm in life-limbo, trying to figure out what normal looks like through the rest of summer and back in to the fall, as Ontario reopens to effectively pre-pandemic levels. Click the icon below to listen.

130 – Uneasy in Step Three(sy)

Now, in a household of fully vaccinated adults, I talk about the anxieties that are likely plaguing a lot of families about entering Step 3 on Ontario's reopening plan almost a week ahead of schedule. Click the icon below to listen.

129 – The Big Interview

In this episode, I spend a very long time talking through my upcoming interview at NSERC (yes, the one I've been talking about for what feels like months). It's very exciting and honestly this showed me just how much work I'll have to do to mention everything I want to mention in just a half an hour. I have some thoughts. Click the icon below to listen.

128 – Seven Hundred and Fifty One

How do I reach the 24 Hour Crisis Line? — Indian Residential School Survivors Society (irsss.ca) Click the icon below to listen.

127 – 100,000 a Week

In this episode, I'll catch you up on the massively accelerated vaccine timeline, discuss what we can hopefully look forward to this summer, and chat a bit about a new project at work. Click the icon below to listen.

126 – WWDC 2021 Highlights

This week I go over my favourite features of the new betas of iOS 15 on the iPhone and iPad. I'm a big fan of Apple and this year they continue to push the envelope on new abilities to keep your information private, as well as let you connect with your friends and your information in new meaningful and personal, but powerful, ways. Click the icon below to listen.

125 – Extremely Well Designed

This week, the second dose rollout has accelerated by almost a month, from an already accelerated timeline, and I discuss some vaccine hesitancy, along with why I trust these vaccines. I also give a work update with some exciting news. Click the icon below to listen.

124 – 2nd Dose Summer

In this episode, I'll be going through the 2nd dose vaccine rollout plan, and sharing a normal(?) story about a trip to the playground. Click the icon below to listen.

123 – Is There a Step 0?

This week, I talk through the Roadmap to Reopen the province of Ontario, all the way from the end of the Stay at Home and Emergency Break orders, through Steps 1-3 of the reopening plan. It's all very confusing and definitely warrants an episode to talk it out. Ontario Releases Three-Step Roadmap to Safely Reopen the Province | Ontario Newsroom Click the icon below to listen.

122 – One Dose Summer

In this episode, I discuss the process of getting a vaccine, post-vaccine effects, along with the Canadian public health guidance on what getting back to normal looks like. I also delve a little in to a new internal job posting at NSERC and what that might mean for my work in the future. Click the icon below to listen.

121 – Vaccination Day

Accelerated timelines indeed, it's vaccination day today and all I'm feeling is guilt because this government has such a hard time being specific. Click the icon below to listen.

120 – Accelerating Timelines

This week, I'll be discussing Ontario's vaccine rollout plan, how we're seriously speeding things up, but how a lot of questions about implementation are still really up in the air. Click the icon below to listen.

119 – Vaccine Rollout Poopshow

On the show this week, kind of a mild rant about the anecdote-based and seemingly random rollout of vaccines in Ontario, especially as compared to other provinces in Canada. Click the icon below to listen.

118 – Re-Re-Restrictions

On the show this week, I talk about burnout at work (which is completely new to me), the new (useless) restrictions the Ontario government has put in place, and Health Canada's authorization of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine for anybody over 18 again. Here is a list of the restrictions added yesterday for Ontario: Full list of new COVID-19 emergency restrictions in Ontario | CTV News Click the icon below to listen.

117 – Rolling Pandemic Ennui

On the show this week, I discuss the reasons why pandemics travel in waves, and how clear messaging from government could really make all the difference. Click the icon below to listen.

116 – Vaccine Rollout Update

This week, I'll be giving a vaccine life-update, talking about efficacy, and finally discussing the rollout approach Ontario has been taking, and how things could potentially be run more efficiently. Click the icon below to listen.

115 – A Technologically Modern Workplace

This episode centers on the idea that a modern workplace can help keep and attract talent, enable staff to make use of tools in new and interesting ways, and keep you from being forced to update by putting the choice back in your hands. Click the icon below to listen.

114 – Forward to Normal

This week, we're discussing vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, adapting to pandemic life a year in, and what 'normal' will eventually look like. Click the icon below to listen.

113 – Weekends Are For WordPress

This week, I spend some more time talking about the process of updating my WordPress theme to keep up with the times, along with the reasons you might want to wait to update technology. I also spend some time at the end of the episode talking about the current vaccine situation in Canada, especially as the rollout compares to our neighbours in the United States. Click the icon below to listen.

112 – Deep Dive on Microsoft Ignite

This week I'm skipping the big vaccine news and going straight for an in-depth look at the automation and programming options for Microsoft users, and how a dozen different options, very few of which work together, are available between the various Microsoft software platforms, and how much more powerful they would be if they were linked together. Click the icon below to listen.

111 – New Vaccine / Modern SharePoint

Our competition is now done, so I look to the future with new vaccine approval for AstraZeneca, and my work dives deep in to the various frustrations of SharePoint development. Click the icon below to listen.

110 – SharePoint, Power Apps, and Power Query (oh my!)

In this episode, I'll be focusing heavily on how our grants competition went at work, and then shifting to a discussion about how development and planning of how next year's competition stack is going to go. Exciting stuff! Click the icon below to listen.

109 – More Competition / Vaccine Politics

This week I'll be giving a recap of what I've been doing during week 2 of our grants competition at NSERC, and then talking a little bit about the politics of vaccine distribution in Canada lately. Click the icon below to listen.

108 – Competition Recap / The ‘Other’ in Media

This week's episode will discuss how the project I've been working on and discussing here for at least the last few months has finally started happening, and things went well! I'll also be talking about portrayals of 'the other' in various kinds of media, and how basically all art is about the 'other' in some way. Click the icon below to listen.

107 – Competition Prep

Our big competition is starting Monday, and I'm really excited that what we've been doing is finally coming to fruition! Click the icon below to listen.

106 – The Inauguration, Vaccine Delays

This week, we'll catch up on the Biden presidency, discuss some of the tradeoffs in ramping up vaccine production, and check in on WandaVision. Click the icon below to listen.

105 – Boring Biden, WandaVision, and Technical Debt

This week, I take a break from a very busy week to watch some new MCU TV, and discuss getting bogged down in technical debt at work. Click the icon below to listen.

104 – Chaos Reigns

In this episode, we'll catch up on the insurrection going on in the US, the vaccine rollout here in Canada, and how work is going now that I've had a week back at work. Listen to episode 33 of this podcast (from September 2020) for a window in to the fact that what happened in the US this week wasn't all that surprising: Click the icon below to listen.

103 – iPad Air (2020) Review / News Wrap-Up

As 2020 comes to a close, I refuse to look back on the year, instead focusing on what's to come, including my use of the new iPad Air which continues to blow my mind. Click the icon below to listen.

102 – Working in the Unknown

Today I'll be giving a short update on the Ontario-wide Christmas lockdown and how our family plans are affected. After that, I dive in to the difference between working on a set job you've done before and repeating it, versus working on something brand new, and why I prefer the new. Click the icon below to listen.

101 – COVID Christmas Plans

Today, I'll be talking a little bit about the kinds of Christmas plans we're looking at, why sacrifices we've made so far have prepared us for this, and what the future post-pandemic looks like. Click the icon below to listen.

100 – The Vaccines Are Coming!

Season 2 is here, and it's great to be back! Today our topics are: the Pfizer vaccine approval, ALL the new stuff announced by Disney yesterday, and the surprise Taylor Swift album drop. Enjoy! Click the icon below to listen.

99 – New Beginnings (The End of Season 1)

Today marks the end of Season 1 of Back to Normal. After a lot of thought, I've decided to switch the show from a daily podcast to a weekly one. Hear all about where I'm coming from with that decision and why I decided to switch things up. Episode 100 will be the first of Season 2, and will debut next Friday, where you can expect more of the same, but with less idea burnout! Click the icon below to listen.

98 – Worldwide Vaccine Rollout

In this episode, I'll be discussing the rapid pace of news relating to the COVID vaccine rollouts going on around the world, what that means for the pandemic, and when I think I'll be able to safely leave the house and go to work normally again. Click the icon below to listen.

97 – My Approach To Weight Management

Today I'll be talking about my approach to weight management, when it worked, when it didn't, and how I've had to adapt and re-apply it during major life-changing events. Click the icon below to listen.

96 – Junk News

Today I'll be talking about how the news is incentivized to give you the viewer MORE news, not necessarily better news, and how it can be very useful to learn the difference between what you need to know vs. everything else. I'm a Journalist Who Hates The News - Johnny Harris Click the icon below to listen.

95 – The Psychology of Sales

Today I'll be discussing the various issues I have with Black Friday and cyber Monday sales, along with reasons why such sales are very successful from a psychological point of view. Click the icon below to listen.

94 – Two Weeks With The iPhone 12 mini

In today's episode, I'll spend some time reflecting on the last two weeks with the iPhone 12 mini, what I liked and my thoughts on getting a new iPhone. Click the icon below to listen.

93 – The Politics of a Canadian Vaccine

In this episode, I'll get in to why I think vaccine distribution criticism in Canada is problematic, and how I don't want a political vaccine. Click the icon below to listen.

92 – What I Love About OneNote

In this episode, I talk all about my love of Microsoft's great note-taking platform, OneNote. Click the icon below to listen.

91 – folklore: the long pond studio sessions

In this episode, I'll be giving a basic review of the new Taylor Swift musical 'film' on Disney+, where she and her collaborators play through the album folklore they wrote and produced earlier this year. folklore: the long pond studio sessions Click the icon below to listen.

90 – Delegating Work

Today I'll be talking more about my new supervisory role, how I've been changing my ways when delegating work, and what's next for me now that I've got extra time on my hands for other things. Click the icon below to listen.

89 – Will We Get A Concession?

Today I'll be speaking about the possibility of a Trump concession speech, and what the time between now and January 20 might look like. READ: GSA letter to Biden stating that transition can formally begin Click the icon below to listen.

88 – My Favourite Mobile Work Apps

Today I'll be sharing my favourite work apps to use on my phone, and talking a little more about why I like using Microsoft's suite of mobile productivity apps. Click the icon below to listen.

87 – Black and Indigenous Lives Protest

Overnight on Friday, protesters in support of Black and Indigenous lives were arrested in a clear display of exactly what was being protested, systemic racism and white supremacy. Today I'll be discussing that news and giving some of my thoughts about the evils of white supremacy. Related reading: Protesters arrested during Black, Indigenous lives demonstration in Ottawa released Click the icon below to listen.

86 – Call A Coup A Coup

Today I talk about the general importance of a peaceful transfer of power after an election, and how flaws in the US system make a coup attempt so much easier for an incumbent president, especially in comparison to a system like Canada's. Reading: I Lived Through A Stupid Coup. America Is Having One Now Click the icon below to listen.

85 – What Makes A Developer

Today I'll be attempting to provide an answer to this question, as somebody who doesn't have formal training in programming, but who has built several different tools on the web and more traditional desktop platforms. Click the icon below to listen.

84 – Pokemon GO Beyond

Today I'll be talking about the latest set of updates to Pokemon GO: 'Beyond'. There's a lot to discuss, so buckle in! Click the icon below to listen.

83 – 6-Week Baby Check-In

Today, I do a self check-in with my work/life balance 6 weeks in to working from home with a newborn. Click the icon below to listen.

82 – Let’s Talk About Moderna

Today we will be discussing the Moderna version of the COVID-19 vaccine, including the very good preliminary results from its Phase 3 trial. Link: COVID Vaccine Excitement Builds as Moderna Reports Positive Result Click the icon below to listen.

81 – COVID Christmas

Today, I'll be talking about our preliminary set of plans for Christmas, and the complexities of figuring out what to do with all that. Click the icon below to listen.

80 – A Very Cold Vaccine (And Other Assumptions)

Today's episode, we'll be examining the requirement for extremely cold temperatures for the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19, and how making seemingly small assumptions early on in a project can really fundamentally change things later on. Click the icon below to listen.

79 – iPhone 12 mini First Impressions

Today I'll be sharing some of my first impressions of the iPhone 12 mini, my favourite new phone since the iPhone SE (original) due to its being the *perfect* size (for me). Links (to ergonomic phone holders I've used): * Phone Loops * PopSockets Click the icon below to listen.

78 – A Vaccine Around The Corner

Today I'll be discussing the ramifications of a timeline where we get a useful COVID vaccine from Pfizer in the spring, and the hope that things in that timeline quickly go back to something resembling normalcy. Click the icon below to listen.

77 – Google Monetizes Photos

Today I'll be talking about the Google announcement yesterday about starting to charge users for uploading to Google Photos and Google Drive. I'll discuss the consequences of the decision and offer some ideas for alternative revenue streams. Click the icon below to listen.

76 – Thoughts on the Apple M1 Event

In this episode I'll be talking about the Apple Event yesterday, featuring the release of three new Apple computers with the new M1 chip in them. I'm very curious to see how this future plays out over the next couple of years. Click the icon below to listen.

75 – Onboarding During A Pandemic

Yesterday, we had a new employee join our team at NSERC. I'll talk a little today about the process of remote onboarding and since this is the first time I've had a direct report, it's a whole new thing for me. Click the icon below to listen.

74 – iPhone Visual Voicemail

Today, we're leaving politics behind, and talking about the ridiculous cost for the simple service that is Visual Voicemail. Click the icon below to listen.

73 – Biden Declared Winner

Yesterday, Decision Desk HQ called Pennsylvania for Joe Biden, and along with it, the presidential election. The other networks followed suit, and today I talk about my feelings in the half-a-day or so since. Feels good man. Click the icon below to listen.

72 – Why Nobody Is Calling The Election

This episode goes in to the reasons why I think we haven't seen any media organization call the election for Joe Biden, in spite of the fact that much of what they describe explicitly mentions that it's effectively impossible for Trump to come back. Lots of potential reasons, lots of frustration from everybody watching. Click the icon below to listen.

71 – Election/Work Updates & Poppy Nonsense

Today is a mish-mash of news and updates, got a lot on my plate today! Enjoy! 😃💙🍑 Click the icon below to listen.

70 – Enough Politics Already

My episode title writer is freaking out, but it's hard to think about anything else. Relatively brief episode today, talking about the current state of the race in the US election. Click the icon below to listen.

69 – Very Much Not Nice

Election results have been rolling in over the course of the night, and it's not what we had hoped up here in Canada. I have some thoughts. Click the icon below to listen.

68 – Election Day Plans

Today, I'll give a few closing thoughts about the upcoming US election, what I got out of scrolling through conservative subreddits, and where the US goes from here. Everybody, take a deep breath, and buckle in. It's going to be a long day. Click the icon below to listen.

67 – The Eve of the US Election

What else can a sane person talk about on the morning of November 2, 2020 but the eve of the US election. Nothing else is occupying my mind right now. Don't feel like you have to listen if you already doing this. Click the icon below to listen.

66 – Ending Daylight Saving Time

Today, I'll be talking about Daylight Saving Time, and why I think we should be getting rid of it. I mention the following media as 'homework' as part of this episode: * Daylight Saving Impacts the Timing of Heart Attacks * The Problem with Time & Timezones - Computerphile * How time zones are subtly messing with you Click the icon below to listen.

65 – Pandemic Hallowe’en

Today is Hallowe'en, so I'll be talking about our plans for the day, how this will be different from some of the other major 'holidays', and how I think it's too bad Ottawa went for 'we don't recommend' instead of 'here are some ways to do this safely'. But I get it. Click the icon below to listen.

64 – Science and Tech YouTubers (Part 2)

This week, I go in to the next set of my favourite science and tech YouTubers. You can check out the channels here: * Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell * Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) * Tom Scott * Vsauce Click the icon below to listen.

63 – Managed vs Unmanaged WordPress Hosting

Starting or moving a website can be tough. In this episode, I'll try to discuss the ways you can set up a WordPress site for yourself, along some of the reasons you might want to set up your site as managed or unmanaged. My web host is DigitalOcean, and I'm very happy with them. For a $100 credit over your first 60 days, you're welcome to use my promo code. Click the icon below to listen.

62 – Buying A New iPhone

In the first worldiest of first world episodes, I discuss the prospect of buying a new iPhone during a pandemic, something which is sure to be rife with many options and small but important annoyances and caveats. Click the icon below to listen.

61 – Anxiety About the US Election

This episode is just the opposite of cathartic, the podcast equivalent of doomscrolling, so if you decide to sit it out, I don't blame you. Click the icon below to listen.

60 – COVID Frustration

Today, I'll be sharing some of my thoughts on the psychological effects of the lockdown on my family, and why it's so frustrating to get basically no information about how COVID-19 spreads in the city, and why it's so hard to know what's safe and what's not. Click the icon below to listen.

59 – Upload (s01e01)

Today I'll be talking about episode 1 of the Amazon Prime Original show Upload. I'm rewatching the show which came out this spring, and going through episode by episode here giving my thoughts. I really like the show and encourage you to watch along. Click the icon below to listen.

58 – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm ‘Review’

Last night, I watched the new Borat sequel, and I have some thoughts about it. It's hard to keep up with reality when making satire in 2020. Click the icon below to listen.

57 – Science and Tech YouTubers (Part 1)

Today I'll be talking about 5 of my favourite YouTube creators, discussing what I like about their channels, why I think you should subscribe, and what I think they all have in common. Channels: * Veritasium * SmarterEveryDay * Technology Connections * It's Okay To Be Smart * Stuff Made Here * Click the icon below to listen.

56 – Getting To Know SharePoint Online

Today, I'll be chatting about the process of migrating a website from WordPress to SharePoint Online. I'll discuss the pros and cons of the two platforms for this use case, and some of the things the two platforms have in common. Click the icon below to listen.

55 – This Week In Ontario News

Today, I'll be going through 3 news stories based on changes proposed by the Ontario government, some good, some real bad. * Ford government reveals proposed changes to blue box recycling program * Ontario driver's licences will go digital as part of major government services overhaul * Ontario moves to axe ranked ballots from municipal elections Click the icon below to listen.

54 – The Future of WordPress

This episode is all about the future of WordPress. Full site editing, Twenty Twenty-one, Gutenberg, block patterns, I'll be talking about why I'm so excited about this future, and why I do my best to stay on top of the latest developments and updates to WordPress. Click the icon below to listen.

53 – Going Deep on Apple’s New MagSafe

Today, I am following up on my fall 2020 iPhone event episode, with a deep dive in to what I think we can expect from MagSafe accessories with the new iPhone 12s coming out this fall, and where I think designs will lead in the future. Click the icon below to listen.

52 – Giving Up On Daily COVID Case Checks

Today, I will be discussing the process of giving up on checking daily Ottawa/Ontario COVID case numbers, generalizing to include other times I've given up on dumping a bunch of energy in to something I can't change and how it never pays off. Click the icon below to listen.

51 – My Podcast Queue

In this episode, I'll be going through the podcasts I listen to, what I look for in shows, and how my podcast listening has changed now that we're stuck at home. Click the icon below to listen.

50 – Personal #5 (Cystic Fibrosis)

Today, on this major decimal milestone, I'll be talking about my cystic fibrosis diagnosis, what's it's like, and how the pandemic is a little different for me. Click the icon below to listen.

49 – Back to Work (Kind of)

Today, I will be talking about my experience going back to work (from home) with a newborn, and how I've been navigating the balance of getting work done with a 2-year old nearby, particularly as it pertains to the use of technology. Click the icon below to listen.

48 – 2020 Fall Apple Event

It's time for an iPhone upgrade this year and I could not be more excited about what was announced in the iPhone 12 (mini!). This episode is all iPhone hype, especially with the new MagSafe functionality on the iPhone and the return to iPhone 5S-style form factor (flat sides!). Click the icon below to listen.

47 – Work/Life Rebalance

Today is my last day 'off' with a newborn, and so I'll be discussing what the plan is for working from home while at least taking part in child care for a 2-year old and <1-month old child, as things settle down for us at home. Click the icon below to listen.

46 – What It’s Really Like to Have A COVID Baby

Today, my wife joins me (finally, a guest!) to tell her version of the events leading up to (and including) giving birth to our new son right in the midst of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Click the icon below to listen.

45 – Post-Birth Follow-up

This episode, recorded in the car while waiting for my wife to finish our newborn's 48-hour follow-up appointment, revisits the time from 7 AM on October 5, until shortly after the birth of our child. Click the icon below to listen.

44 – Nope, It’s Not Normal (but in a good way)

This contingency episode was recorded on September 12, 2020. If you're hearing (or reading) this, it means the show will be taking a brief hiatus because we are having a child. Yay us! Click the icon below to listen.

43 – Giving Birth During the Second Wave

Today, I'll be discussing the situation my family has faced with being pregnant during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how our 'birth plan' for doing this during the pandemic need to keep being thrown out the window as things shift under our feet. Click the icon below to listen.

42 – Ted Lasso (s01e10)

In this episode, I talk about the season finale of Ted Lasso, how many of my predictions came true, and what happens next season (whenever they're able to make it). Click the icon below to listen.

41 – COVID SuperSpreading

Today, I'll be talking about COVID super spreader events, but not before discussing the news that Donald Trump and at least several people close to him have the virus. Please read the following links for background on what I'm discussing: * This Overlooked Variable Is the Key to the Pandemic * Elgin Street bar owners say two irresponsible drinkers closed five establishments Click the icon below to listen.

40 – Personal #4 (Politics)

Today, I'll be getting personal with my political history, how I come to form opinions on moral and social issues of the day. Click the icon below to listen.

39 – The First ‘Debate’

Today, I'll be doing a little dive in to the first 2020 presidential debate (though I would not call it that), talking about format changes, breaking the rules, and disavowing white supremacy. Click the icon below to listen.

In this episode, I'll be talking about RSS, the web aggregation tool that came in with a bang via powerful services like Google Reader, disappeared pretty much completely in the mid-2010s, and seems to be coming back in fashion lately. Click the icon below to listen.

In this episode, I'll be discussing why I think taxes are important, why income inequality is fueled by western tax law, and how I think the system can be fixed. Click the icon below to listen.

36 – Avoiding a Fall Election

This episode I'll be talking about the aftermath of the Canadian Throne Speech, wherein the Liberals were able to negotiate with the NDP and preserve confidence in Parliament to continue running things, avoiding a fall election. Click the icon below to listen.

35 – Ted Lasso (s01e09)

In this episode, I discuss the second-last episode of Ted Lasso, how I continue to feel very strongly that we all need this show right now, because of its focus on compassion and empathy, especially as it relates to masculinity. Click the icon below to listen.

34 – Control vs Burnout

In this episode, I talk a little more about my feelings on this project I've been working on and discussing in previous episodes, and how a lack of a clear leader on a project and many sets of cooks in the kitchen can contribute to eventual burnout. Click the icon below to listen.

33 – Civil War in the US

In this episode, I tackle an episode I've been wanting to discuss from the beginning of the show, the idea that the United States might just be on the brink of another civil war, very different from the one that preceded it. Click the icon below to listen.

32 – Building Systems and Enabling Communication

Today, I'll be diving a little further in to my work on the NSERC-related project I've been working on (talking about building the system), and then pivot in to building and testing systems to keep people in touch (enabling communication). Click the icon below to listen.

31 – Solving Problems with Excel

In this episode, I talk a little about solving problems creatively with Excel and how you can solve almost any problem involving data with the right combination of Excel formulas. Click the icon below to listen.

30 – Personal #3 (Programming)

In this episode, we get personal again as I talk about how I got started programming, how it wasn't easy to learn for me, and how I finally cracked the code (so to speak) and really jump in to development. Click the icon below to listen.

29 – Why I like Windows (and the Mac)

Today's episode, I'll be talking about the differences between Windows and the Mac that I've noticed over the course of my life, why I think in some ways they're very similar, and why I've never owned a desktop Mac. Click the icon below to listen.

28 – The Social Dilemma (Thoughts)

In this episode, I'll be discussing The Social Dilemma, a Netflix 'docu-drama' about social media networks, the attention economy, and recommendation algorithms. These networks do a lot of harm and addiction to them is an extremely serious issue that needs to be discussed more. Click the icon below to listen.

27 – The (Small) Joy of DIY

In this episode, I'll discuss my latest DIY project, which has motivated me to seek out new little projects and expand my horizons a little bit. Click the icon below to listen.

26 – iOS 14 (and more)

Today, I'll be talking about my favourite updates to Apple software (mostly related to iOS 14) that were announced earlier this week, having used a lot of it extensively during the beta period this summer. Click the icon below to listen.

Today, I talk about the potential need to reimpose restrictions on some kinds of businesses, to demonstrate what is safe and what's not. I also discuss the need for more of this type of reporting, sharing how the virus is currently spreading and what kinds of activities to avoid. Click the icon below to listen.

24 – The Promise and Shortcomings of Microsoft 365

Today, I'll be talking about the best and worst things about Microsoft 365, and why I think the set of services is absolutely worth it despite various missed opportunities. Hopefully, the service will continue to improve! Click the icon below to listen.

23 – Ted Lasso (start of the season)

This episode will focus on the nuance and emotion of the Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso. I love this new show and highly recommend you check it out, and I go in to detail as to why. I also mention the following episode of a YouTube series called Pop Culture Detective about Fantastic Beats and Where To Find Them which is very relevant, in my opinion: The Fantastic Masculinity of Newt Scamander. I highly recommend you check this video out as well. Edit (Sept 15): Here is the original set of NBC promos for EPL soccer where Ted Lasso is from: * An American Coach in London * The Return of Coach Lasso I should note that the character from these promos is actually quite different from how he's portrayed in the show, and I like the show's character a LOT more. Click the icon below to listen.

22 – Masks and Viral Load

In today's episode, I'll be discussing some of my thoughts relating to a story in the Telegraph about how masks might be affecting the way people are getting COVID-19, and how it might be good news for new infections. Click the icon below to listen.

21 – Welcome to Modern Email

In this episode, I go deep on a real example of software updates instantly and drastically improving my quality of life at work. We are in the process of migrating our work email to Microsoft 365, and it's amazing! Click the icon below to listen.

20 – Personal #2 (Internet History)

Today, I'll be delving in to my history of making things on the internet. There have been many a website and YouTube channel and podcast created by me over the years, and you can check out what they look like today from the 'Other Stuff Our Hosts Do' sidebar menu on unwindmedia.com. Click the icon below to listen.

19 – Fall Apple Upgrades

In this episode, I discuss where I'm at with technology, and what iPhone and iPad I would like to upgrade to this fall under different circumstances (or when things go back to normal 😉). Click the icon below to listen.

18 – Tailoring Your Job to Your Interests

In this episode, I discuss taking things that are not currently your job (but are your interests), and making them your job, including concrete examples and suggestions from when I've managed to make this work. Click the icon below to listen.

17 – Dealing with Repetition

In this episode, I talk about ways to deal with repetitive schedules, like the way many of us are faced with having to live basically the same day over and over again for months. Click the icon below to listen.

16 – The Power of Skepticism

Today I'll be discussing misinformation as it relates to politics and the pandemic, along with ways you can reduce your vulnerability (as a human) to amplifying or spreading misinformation, by being skeptical and taking a little extra time to verify before you share(ify). Click the icon below to listen.

15 – What You’re Good At

In this episode, I discuss the process of figuring out what you're good at, through the lens of the Frozen II documentary Into the Unknown, on Disney+. It took me a long time to figure out what my skillset was, but now that I have, I can really double down and work on it. Click the icon below to listen.

14 – Strong Opinions, Weakly Held

Today, I will be talking about why opinions too strongly held are bad, and then I end up veering hard in to Black Lives Matter and ongoing police brutality, which seems to be one important issue arising from the improper use of strong belief. Click the icon below to listen.

13 – The Plague of Cars

Today, I'll be talking about car culture, induced demand (more lanes = more traffic), and how motor vehicles are great in a few key ways but just awful in so many others. Click the icon below to listen.

12 – All About Updates

Today, I'll be talking about hardware and software updates, why staying on top of them is so important to an organization (big or small), and the best way to minimize risks while staying up-to-date. Click the icon below to listen.

11 – Progressivism

In this episode, I discuss progressivism, why I think equity, diversity, and inclusion are so critical to a progressive system, and why I will never accept the status quo. Click the icon below to listen.

10 – Let’s Get Personal #1

Today, to celebrate the 10th episode, I'm going to get a little more personal with some of my backstory, how I got interested in technology, and how I moved around at NSERC until I got to where I am. Click the icon below to listen.

9 – Work/Life Balance

Today's episode falls on a vacation day for me, so I'll be talking a little about work/life balance, why I don't really take vacations, and what does pull me away from work. Click the icon below to listen.

8 – Hits You Different

Today, I follow up on yesterday's spoilers episode, citing examples of ways TV and movies can change even after you've seen them, and the way sky-high expectations can ruin perfectly good media. Click the icon below to listen.

7 – All About Spoilers

Today's episode is all about movie and TV spoilers: why I don't care, the only kind of spoilers I really don't like, and why I encourage others to try this lifestyle. Links mentioned: * Desktop 17 – Glad She Wrote Her Name Down Click the icon below to listen.

6 – Owning your Online Presence

Today, I talk about owning your own website, making things for the internet, and my history with web development. Click the icon below to listen.

5 – Funding Education

This episode, I talk about the proper funding of school, as it applies to before the pandemic, during the pandemic (as schools try to reopen), and what education looks like after things are back to normal. Click the icon below to listen.

4 – Public Service Pride Week

Today, I talk about what Public Service Pride Week means to me, looking back at jokes where it turns out the punchline never made sense, and how we can all celebrate Pride in our own way with love in our hearts. Click the icon below to listen.

3 – Mask Mandates

Today, the topic of discussion is face masks as they relate to public health and reopening. Click the icon below to listen.

2 – Launch Day

This episode covers launching a podcast in 24 hours, where we go from here, and opening schools during COVID. Click the icon below to listen.

1 – Getting Back to Normal

This is a pilot. Stretching out the old podcast legs. Click the icon below to listen.

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