Podcast – Not a Real Job

Oh, you thought NARJ was going to be 100% about business 100% of the time now that it’s back to a weekly schedule? Well, you thought wrong. This episode is mostly about Chris and Joel watching other people play a video game. But don’t fret, it does circle back to business eventually. Quotes “What makes the video series beautiful is that they’re bad at it.” “I am definitely in the camp that there’s nothing weirder about watching someone play a video game on the internet than watching someone play a sport on the TV.” “It tends to be better to be known and judged for the things you contribute to the world than the things you take from the world.” “How much do you want to stake your happiness on the decisions of others?” “Don’t negotiate on price, negotiate on value.” Talking Points Awful Squad – YouTube Playlist Gear Picks From a Certain Point of View Star Wars short story anthology iHome ISP6W Smart Plug Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Chris and Joel are keeping good on their promise to record regularly and talk about their experiences as business boys. Joel, specifically, has also increased his abilities at being a web boy and now has a shiny-new updated website. But is including pricing on your site a good idea? It’s certainly not common practice, and these two business boys discuss why! Quotes “My strategy for avoiding obligations was to not take any on.” “The earth is one big hill and we all die on it.” “What really sucked was telling a client they can’t afford us.” “The drive to build something is so strong, it still requires thought and effort every day to avoid building a large company.” Talking Points Paul Jarvis – “I don’t actually care about growth” The Family Knife Pop Culture Detective – “The Case Against The Jedi Order” Gear Picks The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks Eleanor Roosevelt Vol 1 by Blanche Wiesen Cook Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter Photo Credit

No time for fanfare or announcement, Season 2 of NARJ starts right now! Chris and Joel have big plans to get back to weekly ‘casting, and this week they are starting things off right with lots of business talk. What’s the deal with blockchain? What’s the best way to set achievable goals for your business and life? Quotes “We kinda forgot to talk about business for like 100 episodes.” “If everyone thinks this is the secret to get rich, you’re being duped.” “It’s a thing that’s built by humans so it’s just as fallible as anything before it.” “My imagination often exceeds reality.” Talking Points The Gap and the Gain SMART goals iOS 11 Commonplace NZ Gear Picks The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant: The Complete Annotated Edition Grant by Rob Chernow Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth by Gabriel Wickman and Justin Wickman Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Things have been quite busy lately for Chris and Joel, hence the long absence of episodes. As it turns out, running a business is difficult and requires a lot of emails.  And what better way to relax and catch up than to discuss all the successes and failures of Apple? But as business owners, there’s a lot to learn from Apple’s methods – both good and bad. Quotes “You’re a known email pervert.” “Not all islands are in Canada, Joel.” “Stability isn’t sexy, it’s not a ‘cool’ thing to work on.” “Coming out with 2 new phones in 1 year just screams there’s no way this stuff is gonna work as well as it used to.” “You don’t accidentally become the biggest company.” Talking Points iPhone X Gear Picks HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Strategy Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance by Michael E. Porter Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors by Michael E. Porter The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

It’s time for your very regularly scheduled video game discussion podcast! Chris and Joel have a little talk about Dragon Age: Inquisition and then have a very off-topic conversation about marketing and entrepreneurship. I mean, no one ever talks about those things, especially on this podcast. iOS11 is also briefly discussed even though Apple products are also definitely never talked about on this show. Quotes “Make everyone a romance option. Including the dragons.” “When do you become a serial killer?” “The runway is never as long as you hope it is.” “My prediction is that computers will be that shitty thing you have to use at work.” Talking Points Dragon Age: Inquisition The Family Knife iOS 11 Gear Picks Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work That Lasts by Ryan Holiday Scotts 2000-20 20-inch Push Reel Lawn Mower Nokia Body Wifi Scale Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

This week Chris is back from visiting Joel in Canada! And you better believe they went treasure hunting… They also discuss Apple’s recent WWDC reveals like HomePod, iOS11, HomeKit changes, and AR. Quotes “I don’t get AR at all but that’s because I’m an old man.” “I have a certain je ne sais quoi… I don’t know.” Talking Points Apple WWDC 2017 announcements Gear Picks Street Tribe collapsible water bottle Satechi Bluetooth media button Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Don’t have any expectations about this episode and everything should go great! Lindsay (you know, the one writing this intro summary) is on the podcast this episode to talk about being genderqueer. Chris and Joel have some questions and learn more about not being straight cis dudes. Just for the record – I went with the general LGBTQ rainbow pride flag as the featured image for this episode because the “official” genderqueer flag is purple/white/green and I think it’s ugly. Quotes “Gender is a social construct and nothing matters.” “Do you ever wear pants?” “I’m just trying to exist.” “Is it just me being an anxious awkward person? Or is it a gender thing?” “Don’t have any expectations.” Talking Points Genderqueer definition Lindsay’s Medium article on coming out as genderqueer Gear Picks Gender and Sexuality for Beginners by Jaimee Garbacik (old pick but relevant) Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Changed American Women’s Lives at Work by Gillian Thomas Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Ducky One fullsized mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Red switches Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Joel is about to go through a transition period of his life as he makes a job-related change. This brings out a discussion on the lasting impacts of “major moments” in one’s life and how we remember things later in life. What is career-related moments overshadow the smaller, warm and fuzzy moments of day to day life? Chris thinks Joel is maybe overthinking things before they even happen. One thing is for certain though: this podcast is continuing to get more and more philosophical as the episodes go by. Dear listeners, is that what you want? We are super desperate for any kind of input from you. Let us know you exist and are listening. Recommend us some cool guests, while you’re at it. Quotes “New York is the greatest city in the world and always will be.” “I feel like you’re putting the cart before the horse here.” “I don’t want my life story to be one of career moments.” “If there is a moment for reflection, now is the time.” “Everyone read some books, they’re good for you.” Talking Points Narrative Fallacy Gear Picks 30″ stainless steel over-the-range shelf Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Carrying on from our recent trend, this episode is heavy on the philosophy. How does stoicism and Buddhism fit into today’s world and political climate? Should we be trying to disengage from our emotions and situations or embrace them? Joel and Chris have two different takes on these ideas, but they are both feeling some anxiety and guilt around non-productivity lately. This all manifests into a very thoughtful episode, even if it does start off with TV show pun names and video games. Quotes “You get swept up in the lack of drama.” “I’m always feeling that I’m not as productive or as focused or that I’m not putting enough work into my future.” “I wonder if removing yourself and unengaging in a situation is the best course?” “It’s okay to be angry and not do anything about it.” “We’re going to do this anyway so it may as well be something you enjoy!” Talking Points The Great British Bake Off Terrace House Pod Save America Pod Save the World Gear Picks A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening by Stephen Batchelor After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age by Stephen Batchelor Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor Flavacol Popcorn Seasoning Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

It’s a tough time for everyone these days. Should we discuss the bad things happening in the world? Or should we try to bring some lightness and escapism for those whose mental health is suffering under the weight of all the terribleness? It’s a fine line we all have to tread, including NARJ. In light of this, Chris and Joel discuss airpods and language processing in technologies like Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and chatbots. Quotes “Our most sexual episode yet!” “Are you a dirty jean boy, Joel?” “Understanding intention is at an infant stage in technology.” “Hang on to your butts.” Talking Points Buddhify – Mindfulness app Donate to… American Civil Liberties Union Planned Parenthood Council on American-Islamic Relations National Immigration Law Center Amazon Smile Gear Picks The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle Series Book 1) by Ursula K. Le Guin Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

In a post-2016 US Election world, Chris and Joel get philosophical. What is morality? Is it possible to understand, empathize, and fine common ground with others without legitimizing views we find immoral? Why are these people spending so much damn money digging up Oak Island?! All of these questions are thoroughly discussed for your listening pleasure. And if you need some last-minute gift ideas for this holiday season, we’ve got you covered with this extra long Gear Picks this episode! Quotes “What a major bummer.” “Like if Lost Season 3 was a documentary.” “That could be any of us about anything!” “The world is not necessarily the way you always want it.” “How can I be the best person I can be?” Talking Points Chester, Nova Scotia Unattended Consequences Gear Picks The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Penguin Guide to the United States Constitution by Richard Beeman Ugly is Only Skin-deep: The Story of the Ads That Changed the World by Dominik Imseng Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Changed American Women’s Lives at Work by Gillian Thomas Roost Laptop Stand Paddywax Library Collection Scented Candle – John Steinbeck (Smoked Birch/Amber) Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Since the last episode, Chris and Joel have been through some stuff. Joel is giving not-drinking a try and Chris has just plain had the worst week ever. Habit formation and replacement is the big topic of discussion because of it. How much of our actions are just deeply ingrained habits? Are cultural habits part of why China is dominating the manufacturing industry? Quotes “We’re just doin’ a show about stuff and we’re people.” “It’s just like any part of your diet. If some one goes gluten-free and then eats bread 10 weeks later we don’t hate them.” “If you hear something that makes you pause, apply a mitigating balm to it.” “When I do have a drink again, it’s not out of habitual action but with a purpose.” “Go out and support capitalism.” Talking Points Rise of the RoboMasters – the Verge Behind the Crash of 3D Robotics, North America’s Most Promising Drone Company – Forbes Repeater podcast Gear Picks Phillips Hue LED Starter Kit The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg UE ROLL Wireless Mobile Bluetooth Speaker (Waterproof and Shockproof) Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

Chris and Joel are back again this week with a new episode. Sorry again for Ep 119’s delay! In this episode they discuss the controversial iPhone 7 and its removal of the headphone jack. Is it merely a herald of a more streamlined technological advancement? Has Joel caught all of the Pokemans?! Quotes “Whiskey is the love of liquids.” “Regular people bring a nostalgia to the headphone jack that Apple underestimates.” “Read your Twilight and play your Pokemons.” Talking Points iPhone 7’s Lightning Earpods Byline notepads by Field Notes Chatwire Gear Picks Pokemon Moon (or Sun) Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter

It’s been awhile, friends. But never fear, NARJ was just sleeping for a bit. Well okay, what actually happened was we all kind of forgot to mention it was recorded and then we didn’t edit it and then we didn’t do show notes. So this episode has been delayed. Originally recorded in early May you could say it’s a bit overdue. In this one, Joel and Chris talk about soda wine, Hawkeye, and Canadian radio. They also discuss tech evolution in the new Tesla and iPhone models. Enjoy! Quotes “Hold on to your butts… and never let go.” “Marshal is Joel’s dog-” “HE’S MY SON.” “Buying a car is like buying a computer – it’s always the wrong time.” Talking Points Tesla S’s Battery Unlock Chatwire Gear Picks Alemon Lavalier Lapel Microphone for Mobile Devices Tile Phone/Key/Item Finder Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter  

After a maximum of three years, NARJcast finally has its triumphant return! In this extra long episode, Chris and Joel give everyone an update on the State of the NARJcast as well as what they’ve been up to with Firsthand. They also discuss travel anxiety and their latest creative endeavors. Quotes “I don’t remember anything else that we typically said.” “You’re going to hear episodes that are a bit more different but also less frequent.” “I’d challenge the idea that anxiousness makes you less inclined to travel. I think it directly correlates to me wanting to travel.” “I think [Amazon Echo] is the future.” Talking Points Firsthand Website Gear Picks Fujifilm X10 Mirrorless Digital Camera Nordic Ware 15040 Cast Aluminum Stovetop Belgian Waffle Maker Listen [powerpress] Find us on:  iTunes  •  Stitcher  •  YouTube  •  Twitter