Cortex 64: 6 Days to Air
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so we watched six days to air which is
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documentary about how an episode of
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South Park is created and the reason
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this documentary exists and the reason
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it is interesting is that for the last
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number of years the team behind South
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Park they will come up with an idea for
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an episode right the episode animator
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and voice actor within six days and then
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it is played to the world on Comedy
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so that is why this documentary team
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decided to come and take a look at what
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that process is like because I this has
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never been done before this is the only
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animation to be done in this way at this
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scale for this long so they are wholly
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unique and it presents with it a bunch
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of very interesting challenges that the
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team goes through which is what we want
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to look at as a way to kind of do a mini
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I guess it's a kind of like a case study
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on how people work under pressure I can
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hardly think of other jobs that would be
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this kind of pressure mm-hmm you know
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running through the roster and I'm
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thinking uh air traffic controllers I
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know that's a lot of that's a lot of
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pressure but but producing creating from
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nothing and going to a completed show in
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the space of a week is insanity and for
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comparison they mentioned like The
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Simpsons which is the most comparable
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animated show to South Park in no small
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part because they have both been on the
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air forever and we're sort of started
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around the same ish era The Simpsons
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takes months to produce each episode so
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it's not just like oh they're doing it
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in six days and other other shows take
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two weeks I know it's a it's an it's an
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incredible difference between the the
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production cycle and other shows the
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creators of South Park Matt and Trey you
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know they are interesting guys they've
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done a lot of different projects over
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the years and when I was watching South
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Park when I was younger like the show
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has been on now for 20 plus years and
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I've seen a lot of the first ten
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years I haven't seen a lot of it in the
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most recent 10 years but when I watched
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it back in the sort of pre-internet days
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I remember noting how quickly things
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that happened in the world were able to
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work their way into the show and I
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always wondered like how is it that a
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show like South Park is able to respond
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to things in the world on such a such a
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short timeframe whereas everything else
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that's created for television it clearly
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is created that can have in a void of
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timelessness that it could it could
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occur at any point I always just found
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that notable and weird and it made South
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Park feel like a a special different
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show that it could react to something
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that happened last week and I always
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wondered and now I have the answer the
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way they were able to do that is with an
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insane working schedule that nobody else
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in the world would copy so the
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documentary begins and when set is March
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2011 and for context the show we've been
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on a bit of a break a longer break man
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had ever taken before because Parker and
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stone had just debuted their musical the
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Book of Mormon and it was up for a bunch
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of Tony Awards and they just kind of got
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the first run or the first few shows out
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of the way before returning back to
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South Park so there had been a
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significant period of time where the
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show had not been on the air because
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without Parker and stone
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there is no South Park but they couldn't
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make it without them as you kind of come
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to learn over the course of the
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documentary so they took a break they
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took a long break and then they come
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back and episode one of this season also
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just completely lucky on the documentary
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makers parts ends up becoming one of the
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most infamous episodes that has ever
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been created it was an episode called
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we don't need to go into it right like
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it is what it is it's one of the most
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infamous episodes that they ever made
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but it was just interesting to watch how
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that all came together over the course
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of this week it's an infamous episode
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because it is iPads crossed with the
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human centipede yes oh yeah
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yeah it's very South Park it is the most
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South Park it could be but because they
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taking this break one of the things that
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I was astounded by was how long it took
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them to come up with the concept of the
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episode it's like one or two days of the
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six days they're still working out what
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the episodes about and that seems wild
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to me right like I assume that as the
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seasons go by they have some ideas in
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the bank but they started on just like a
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completely blank slate trying to work
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out how to complete the episode right so
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it's like dead nothing can happen so
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everybody's kind of is so much hanging
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around like the rest of the team are
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just waiting like there's times later on
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in the episode where individuals are
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sleeping in the offices because the
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script might come at 3:30 in the morning
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and then they can get the work like
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there seems to be this just really wild
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work schedule that everybody goes
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through the way the show usually runs is
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that they're there they build up some
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kind of events that are occurring
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throughout the several episodes and so
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that there's they end up with ongoing
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stories that take place over the course
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of the season but because because like
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you said they're coming back into work
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it's the start of a brand new season
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it's also because they've been on such a
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big break that I found the same thing
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was astounding where it's I think is
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sort of like six people in the writers
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room you know Matt Matt and Trey are the
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two main guys obviously they have the
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producer there they have a couple other
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writers that they're people who are
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but the beginning of the documentary is
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just all of these shots of them just
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sitting there I may stay in a room a lot
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of chasing looking up looking up at the
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ceiling and they're just they're just
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tossing out things that are zeitgeist II
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all right so they're like uh there's
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been a lot of there's been a lot of news
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about that tsunami that occurred our
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tsunamis funny alright they're looking
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around trying to think of tsunamis are
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funny and it I agree with you when you
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see that the premise of the documentary
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is okay it takes six days to make an
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episode of South Park and you realize
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that close to a third of that time at
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least on the first episode
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is just sitting around trying to think
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up what the show is going to be it makes
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it even more astounding and it's it
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really it's like the production is a lot
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closer to four days to air and and we we
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have the actual idea on the morning of
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the fourth day that that's what it
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that's when it starts to come together
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yeah there's a quote from one of the
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producers and this is like at the
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beginning of the six days there's a show
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on Wednesday we don't even know what it
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is there is it just an incredible
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pressure that goes to it and I mean
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there is a part of me that can
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sympathize in a very very small way so
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you know I produce a number of shows
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that are focused around news and
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sometimes you get to like two days
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before the episode and there's nothing
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but the episode is being recorded in two
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days so like what do you do and then
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there is that this do you come up with
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some kind of evergreen topic like
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something that isn't news based do you
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sit with your fingers crossed hoping
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that there will be news like is nowhere
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near the scale that this is at because
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it's like creating something wholly
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larger with many many dependencies but I
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can totally understand the feeling of
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like it being completely out of our
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hands like we don't know what it's gonna
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be and eventually there's gonna have to
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be an episode but as of right now no one
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knows what its gonna look like
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yeah and I've there are two moments with
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Trey Parker in particular where I felt
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like oh dude you have all of my sympathy
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in the world but but one of the scenes
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is he's trying to work on the script
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that's the McDonald's delivery I was
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wondering how I I specifically wrote
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down to ask you what you thought of Trey
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Pacha's script writing process there's a
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couple of things in here but it's like
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he's getting he's getting what looks
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like just the world's worst McDonald's
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meal delivered to him they say it makes
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me happy for five minutes yeah the
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documentary guy asks him about like this
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two bags of garbage he's about to pour
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into himself and yeah and that's that's
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a surprise like oh it makes me happy for
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and just talking about how at this at
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this point it's a little bit after they
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have come up with the actual idea but he
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still needs to sit down and turn it into
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a real script and I have a lot of
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sympathy for that behavior of like oh
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he's doing something that he knows is
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self-destructive but it's bringing him a
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little bit of joy in the middle of what
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is a miserable process because he
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clearly hates the scriptwriting thing
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and it's this unlike the writers room
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where they're trying to come up with the
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ideas and there's people and he's
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bouncing stuff off and you can see that
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he's much more lively there the script
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writing process is like well it's just
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Trey Parker sitting in a room with a
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computer with no one yeah it was wild to
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me that he writes it just him like they
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have writers but they're not writers in
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this in the sense of you know you know I
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don't know what the term is but like
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when I think of writers like are there
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write in the whole episode doesn't work
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like that they're coming up with the
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ideas and helping him flesh out some of
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the plot points but all of the dialogue
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is actually just written by Trey Parker
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yeah it's it's it's crazy I mean let
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alone the fact that they still to this
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day voice the vast majority of the cost
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as well yeah yeah I mean there's there's
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so much that they do it's it's
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unbelievable but the the the reason why
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I had this double sympathy for him was
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because it's like okay I get that like
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you're eating crap because you've just
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got a bunch of work to do and like
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that's a behavior that I have tried to
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breed out of myself over time and I've
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gotten way better about it but it's like
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when I was faster at producing videos
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it's like my health really suffered and
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it was like oh yeah this looks familiar
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I know this like yeah you happy for a
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minute but the other thing that to me is
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again in the smallest way but is also
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now much more my world than it was years
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ago is okay the one the one thing is no
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more but the new thing is where he talks
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about how he's sitting there writing the
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script and he just knows that the
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entirety of the staff of the production
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of South Park is waiting on him to
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how late of a night he's going to force
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on everybody who works on the show is
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entirely down to his ability to sit in
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this room and and write the script and
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just the the the pressure of that you
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know I I have things where's like oh I
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know people are waiting on me and it's
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like I hate that I hate being the
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bottleneck it makes me really unhappy
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and and him talking about like this
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entire team of animators and everybody
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else is just waiting for him to finish
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it I thought I can't I cannot believe
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that the two of them have done this for
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as long as they have and that they're
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and that they're alive that this that
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this has not killed them the production
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of this show because the the final
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scenes for this episode are delivered to
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the animators 24 hours before they air
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and this is not there's no dialogue so
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still what record the dialogue where you
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deliver the scenes I start animation go
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cord the dialogue good a match all the
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dialogue gonna put the whole thing
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together 24 hours like I love this this
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one moment like the 36 hour mark where
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this is the first time this has happened
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the producers are looking for Trey
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Parker they're like walking around the
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studio like where's Trey like they're
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trying to find him because they know
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just how horrific Lee late they are at
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this point because like it seemed like
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this one as being the first episode was
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particularly bad right like then they
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pushed it on particularly like late in
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the whole process and like another thing
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that I thought that you I want to see
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what you thought was when he's talking
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about the script and he still got like
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five scenes to go or whatever and he's
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like I have to cut so much of this mm-hm
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like he's like I've not finished but I
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know what I have here is a 40 page
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script which is like a 40-minute episode
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and we have to deliver a 25-minute
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episode and he's just like I have to
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take it all out and it's gonna suck and
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it is really interesting to watch as the
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week goes on to watch Trey's confidence
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mmm-hmm like by the end he's just like
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this is the worst episode we've ever
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done I'm like in he's being legit right
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like he it doesn't seem like he's joking
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now that's I mean but this is this is
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sort of legendary that the two of them
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but particularly Trey Parker always feel
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this way that's like oh this episode is
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terrible but I think it's also just like
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you've been so intensely involved in the
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thing in such a short period of time
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that all you can see are the gazillions
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of its flaws and I think this is pretty
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famously there's an episode of South
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Park that they did which is a crossover
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with World of Warcraft that was actually
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produced with the very people who
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animate that game and my understanding
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of it is that they thought that that
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episode was so terrible they came as
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close as they've ever come to actually
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pulling it to saying like we're not
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going to air it at the last minute and
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like we'll just have to run a like a
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rerun in the in the space and of course
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like that went on to be one of the most
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famous and acclaimed episodes that
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they've ever done is that episode but
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it's it's like you can see he is crushed
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every time at the end of these episodes
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but the thing that kills me here is this
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is just the start of the season I feel
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like I have I have watched two men live
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a year's worth of life in six days and
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►
it's not like oh it's over go take a
◼
►
break guys enjoy the weekend is another
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►
the next episode is starting up right
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►
now they get one day right which I
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►
assume is not a day off yeah not in any
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►
not in any normal sense yeah but the the
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►
other part where I just had such
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►
sympathy is when they're still in the
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►
coming up with the ideas phase in that
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►
in the first two days where they really
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just don't have anything and Trey
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►
mentions how he's like oh I'm gonna try
◼
►
to get away and just not think about
◼
►
this for a little bit so he goes home
◼
►
and turns on his xbox to just turn off
◼
►
his mind for a little bit but the ad on
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►
the Xbox is South Park coming this
◼
►
Wednesday right at this point it's
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►
Friday and he's like that was I love
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►
that it's like that's so just so cruel
◼
►
right like he escaped because everything
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►
cuz it's at the point it's at the size
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►
that it is that by this point it's
◼
►
everywhere right like and there's just
◼
►
if no escape from it oh yeah yeah and as
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►
mentioned I think this documentary
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►
happened at the exact magical right time
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►
yeah because there was probably no
◼
►
season of South Park promoted more than
◼
►
the we're returning after a break and
◼
►
also the episode where they've just
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►
produced this incredible musical that
◼
►
has received all this wide acclaim
◼
►
so that everywhere at this point because
◼
►
the book exactly you know it's wet you
◼
►
know it had like every Tony nomination
◼
►
which also happened in that week they
◼
►
got a time Tony nominations right like
◼
►
because the Book of Mormon was was huge
◼
►
it was huge right and so there's so much
◼
►
pressure on them they probably got more
◼
►
people that were wanting to see South
◼
►
Park then they have had in a while
◼
►
because they're not they're like hot and
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►
in the news again you know I can't even
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►
I just can't yeah yeah but it is like
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►
the universe is so cruel like this poor
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►
guy is just trying to turn off his brain
◼
►
for a little bit and his lifestyle for
◼
►
coming this day like I just can't
◼
►
imagine what that feels like to be
◼
►
sitting there thinking like oh there's
◼
►
Wednesday I guess I need to come up with
◼
►
it you know I'm just forgot it's just
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►
awful this episode of cortex is brought
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◼
►
to the working conditions at the South
◼
►
Park studios then I'm going to recommend
◼
►
a book I read recently to you which is
◼
►
called masters of doom how to guys
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►
created an empire and transformed pop
◼
►
culture by David Kushner I played a lot
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►
when I was a kid but I didn't really
◼
►
know anything about the development of
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►
it and this book covers how John Carmack
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and John romão came together to create a
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►
thing that sucked thousands of hours out
◼
►
of my childhood it's a very interesting
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►
look at what could be described as a
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►
troubled working environment you can't
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make more time but you can make the most
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maybe give masters of doom
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a listen thank you to audible for
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supporting the show the thing about this
◼
►
documentary that I find so fascinating
◼
►
is so many people talk about how they
◼
►
work better under deadlines and you know
◼
►
personally that is a thing that I have
◼
►
not found is is true for me I work worse
◼
►
under deadlines but obviously it does
◼
►
work for a lot of people and this feels
◼
►
like the most extreme version of that I
◼
►
have ever seen that not only do Trey
◼
►
Parker and Matt Stone work well under
◼
►
deadlines because they produce these
◼
►
very popular very funny shows but
◼
►
they've also created around them an
◼
►
entire team and production company that
◼
►
just has to be filled with people who
◼
►
work well under deadlines it has a quote
◼
►
from the animation director thing and he
◼
►
says if it takes you four days to get
◼
►
something done you can't contribute
◼
►
right like if you are slow they can't
◼
►
you can't work there and like they're
◼
►
saying that in usual animation houses
◼
►
you have teams of people that do the
◼
►
specific parts right storyboarding and
◼
►
then animating and that kind of stuff
◼
►
but the South Park team everybody does
◼
►
everything because they just don't have
◼
►
the affordances of time to have it go
◼
►
through a slow process you know you get
◼
►
a scene or whatever that you're working
◼
►
on and you will do it from scratch you
◼
►
know and there are things that they have
◼
►
obviously done over time right
◼
►
like their process has been optimized
◼
►
and in an animation style to allow for
◼
►
them to create something in that amount
◼
►
of time right like the the the
◼
►
well-known like what started with
◼
►
literal pieces of paper cut out and
◼
►
moved around in stop-motion I have no
◼
►
doubt that that style of animation helps
◼
►
them to work a little bit faster oh yeah
◼
►
oh yeah I mean there was this funny
◼
►
thing where you know now as an adult who
◼
►
has a tiny toe in the world of animation
◼
►
but from my perspective watching this
◼
►
documentary it's really interesting just
◼
►
a couple of little offhanded comments
◼
►
that the animators make I was like oh of
◼
►
course I can I can see exactly what this
◼
►
is where yeah that they they talked
◼
►
about how oh this this style is
◼
►
intentionally done because you don't
◼
►
have to actually draw every frame that
◼
►
in in animation there's this process
◼
►
where you you can have a static thing
◼
►
you can draw something and then you can
◼
►
just specify oh it has to move from here
◼
►
to here and the computer fills in that
◼
►
motion in between and as I'm listening
◼
►
to it like that's what I do like it's
◼
►
exactly my animation process like I
◼
►
don't draw every frame so you know every
◼
►
one of my videos is in a much simpler
◼
►
way but it's the same thing where I'm
◼
►
taking objects and specifying key frames
◼
►
of this needs to move from here to there
◼
►
in an arc and computer you just draw the
◼
►
60 frames in between that needs to make
◼
►
but but I was also just so aware of that
◼
►
that you know their comparison to the
◼
►
Simpsons takes months to produce an
◼
►
episode it's like well yes but this the
◼
►
even if they're using computers to help
◼
►
the the Simpsons is not composed
◼
►
fundamentally of geometric shapes that
◼
►
you're sliding around and because of the
◼
►
way the show is animated
◼
►
they're able to do this in a way that
◼
►
you couldn't possibly do with anything
◼
►
that even looks like hand animation and
◼
►
then the other thing that I did find
◼
►
that comment really interesting where
◼
►
the lead animator says oh yeah we don't
◼
►
have separate storyboarding and
◼
►
character design teams everybody just
◼
►
and I have having had some peripheral
◼
►
experience with various teams of various
◼
►
sizes you know producing things for
◼
►
YouTube there there really is an
◼
►
interesting trade-off in size and scope
◼
►
that when you do have smaller teams of
◼
►
generalists if you are also able to
◼
►
limit your scope in the way that South
◼
►
Park does with what they're trying to do
◼
►
in animation their animation is quite
◼
►
limited it's like you can work very
◼
►
quickly with a bunch of generalists and
◼
►
then on the other end of that spectrum
◼
►
you have larger production houses you
◼
►
know what I would imagine like some
◼
►
place like Pixar where you might have
◼
►
three people who their whole specialist
◼
►
job is what does hair look like when
◼
►
it's wet you know how do you animate
◼
►
that and it's like well then then you
◼
►
can produce something that is incredibly
◼
►
beautiful that you know a team like the
◼
►
South Park team could never ever produce
◼
►
but it's also going to take 20 million
◼
►
man-hours to to bring into the world and
◼
►
again I just think like the South Park
◼
►
guys are so interesting because they've
◼
►
clearly chosen to be optimized on a
◼
►
particular end of that spectrum like
◼
►
they've chosen to keep that animation
◼
►
style the way it is so that they can
◼
►
keep themselves under constant deadlines
◼
►
so that they produce these shows that
◼
►
are relevant to the world around them as
◼
►
opposed to all other all other kinds of
◼
►
TV but you know I have seen and it's
◼
►
very easy for people to do where you
◼
►
want to expand the scope of what is
◼
►
possible and and then you have to keep
◼
►
adding like what but how long does it
◼
►
take and and that's the thing that they
◼
►
they've clearly designed everything to
◼
►
to stay nice and short and in fact
◼
►
there's a little part where they talk
◼
►
about as well about how they've
◼
►
shortened the process over time
◼
►
unlike kind of accidentally though right
◼
►
yeah yeah it was interesting that they
◼
►
returned with the the production of the
◼
►
technology that they're like oh we used
◼
►
to use these incredibly expensive
◼
►
and now it's just an office full of IMAX
◼
►
that the machines have gotten fast
◼
►
enough and the animation style has
◼
►
remained simple enough that that it's
◼
►
it's pulled down the amount of time even
◼
►
further and further that they need to
◼
►
produce one of those shows in terms of
◼
►
the animation and yeah it is it is crazy
◼
►
to think that the last 24 hours is when
◼
►
the vast majority of the animation
◼
►
actually occurs like it's it's just
◼
►
so obviously me and you are very used to
◼
►
collaborate in all creative endeavors we
◼
►
work with people to have an output and
◼
►
that's what's happening with Trey Parker
◼
►
and Matt Stone they're collaborating and
◼
►
there's a moment where they sit down
◼
►
with Matt stone and do kind of a
◼
►
one-on-one because looking at the show
◼
►
you know he's obviously important but
◼
►
doesn't seem to have as many roles in
◼
►
the production right purely because of
◼
►
the fact that Parker is writing it and
◼
►
directing the show he does both and
◼
►
Parker is also the louder personality
◼
►
yes so host on camera like Parker takes
◼
►
up space on the screen right just just
◼
►
with his physical presence drawers he
◼
►
draws everything towards him mm-hmm and
◼
►
they're you know he's kind of met sounds
◼
►
kind of talking about the fact that they
◼
►
the way that they work together and they
◼
►
understand each other and they know
◼
►
which one is in control in that moment
◼
►
and that that has enabled them to
◼
►
continue to work it's understanding the
◼
►
way that each other works I'm just
◼
►
playing into that has allowed for their
◼
►
collaboration to last for 20 years
◼
►
now I thought that little moment where
◼
►
they talked to each of them about you
◼
►
know the roles they play and how the
◼
►
other fits into this this production I
◼
►
thought that was really interesting
◼
►
because I've always thought that there's
◼
►
this there's this very important meta
◼
►
skill which is knowing yourself like and
◼
►
recognizing what you're good at and what
◼
►
you're not good at that can be developed
◼
►
and even just in that little section I
◼
►
thought like man these are two guys who
◼
►
know really well where their strengths
◼
►
are and where their own weaknesses are
◼
►
and and how they work together with each
◼
►
other and you know it's like it's really
◼
►
interesting because Matt stone in
◼
►
particular is talking about a thing
◼
►
that's really hard to talk about on
◼
►
on camera where he's saying how Oh when
◼
►
South Park was becoming popular he was
◼
►
getting offered all these direct oral
◼
►
jobs yes and he turns them down and he
◼
►
turned it's like he turns them down
◼
►
because he knows that that is not his
◼
►
even though to the outsiders it seems
◼
►
like oh the two of them are making South
◼
►
Park together and they must be dividing
◼
►
these things up equally and he
◼
►
recognizes like he might be able to make
◼
►
a few movies but ultimately it's not
◼
►
it's not where he's strong and it just
◼
►
it wouldn't really go anywhere I thought
◼
►
like man that is just that is like such
◼
►
an underappreciated skill in a person to
◼
►
recognize that what many people would
◼
►
think of is like oh this is an amazing
◼
►
opportunity is actually a mistake that
◼
►
that wouldn't be the thing to do and
◼
►
that his time and energy are better
◼
►
spent working with Trey on South Park
◼
►
you know and it's really interesting
◼
►
then they then they go talk to Trey like
◼
►
and there's these situations where like
◼
►
Trey is the louder personality but he's
◼
►
not not confrontational in situations
◼
►
where maybe he would need to be
◼
►
confrontational like and then that's
◼
►
where Matt stone steps up and you know I
◼
►
just like how they both talk about this
◼
►
this metaphor of like being the members
◼
►
of the band and it's like yeah there's
◼
►
there may be one person who looks like
◼
►
they're more the lead person in the band
◼
►
but the band is still the members like
◼
►
you know one person can be the band the
◼
►
band is the two of them I just thought
◼
►
that I thought that was really
◼
►
interesting and you could just see like
◼
►
these are guys who work together a lot
◼
►
and and really know where their
◼
►
strengths lie whilst also remaining
◼
►
friends like that cuz one of my favorite
◼
►
examples of this is the Mythbusters are
◼
►
you familiar with the story there no I'm
◼
►
but I'm not sure what you're talking
◼
►
about here so they especially Adam
◼
►
Savage it gives more interviews than
◼
►
this because he's more of a like a
◼
►
public person he is someone who has
◼
►
remained kind of in the spotlight since
◼
►
Mythbusters ended and he said this is
◼
►
fact they're not friends they seem to
◼
►
not particularly like each other very
◼
►
much one of the quote
◼
►
step adam savage mentions a lot is that
◼
►
they have never eaten a meal alone hmm
◼
►
and they worked together for 10-15 years
◼
►
Mythbusters was on the air for a long
◼
►
time yeah and but before that Adam
◼
►
Savage worked for Jamie like that's how
◼
►
like who's an employee his prop shop and
◼
►
their part they just they can work
◼
►
together incredibly well they know what
◼
►
the other one is thinking they can have
◼
►
a kind of like a language between the
◼
►
two of them apparently they argued and
◼
►
debated about every single point but
◼
►
always at the end one of them knew that
◼
►
the other was right and that was the way
◼
►
that they work together and it's so
◼
►
interesting to me because I can't
◼
►
imagine that environment like I only
◼
►
work with people I consider friends I
◼
►
couldn't imagine being in that way but
◼
►
what's going on is the same thing right
◼
►
like they just know how the other one
◼
►
works so like whether they're friends
◼
►
like it doesn't matter because what you
◼
►
actually need to know is to understand
◼
►
yourself understand the other person and
◼
►
their needs and then you can work
◼
►
together over a long period of time that
◼
►
I think people assume that you should
◼
►
have to be friends with someone but I
◼
►
think that they are a good example of
◼
►
why you actually don't need to be you
◼
►
just have to have the fundamentals of
◼
►
what you'd consider a friendship but
◼
►
they don't actually have to result in
◼
►
being friends which I just find that
◼
►
comparing to these two is very
◼
►
interesting is that they it's all there
◼
►
it's the same thing as then they know
◼
►
the strengths and weaknesses and they
◼
►
play to that they don't overstep and
◼
►
they work within their boundaries it's
◼
►
the same thing I didn't know that about
◼
►
Mythbusters and I'm I'm willing to bet
◼
►
that that I know like I don't want to
◼
►
say it annoys but I bet I bet that's a
◼
►
thing that bothers a lot of people I
◼
►
think it does yeah when when you're
◼
►
watching a show is like you want to
◼
►
think that they're friends and that
◼
►
when I first found that out I was really
◼
►
bummed out about it cuz I love yo I love
◼
►
the show and they seem to work so great
◼
►
together and I just assumed that they
◼
►
were the best of friends so when you
◼
►
hear that you're like oh no like they're
◼
►
my buddies yeah I get I guess part of
◼
►
this is also I think that people might
◼
►
have a hard time a hard time
◼
►
understanding that kind of professional
◼
►
relationship or it's like are they
◼
►
friends they but they don't have to be
◼
►
friends but it doesn't mean that they
◼
►
hate each other right like they're just
◼
►
they're there they work together they
◼
►
know how to work with each other but
◼
►
that's that's interesting I could that's
◼
►
interesting you hear that that's your
◼
►
reaction because that's what I would
◼
►
think most people would feel that way
◼
►
where they're like oh I want to imagine
◼
►
that everybody's friends that like they
◼
►
and the whole crew sit down and have
◼
►
birthday cakes together at the end of
◼
►
each shoot I was like it but things
◼
►
don't need to work that way especially
◼
►
like in Hollywood right people don't
◼
►
need to be friends they just need to be
◼
►
able to work together but it is or at
◼
►
least it comes across in this
◼
►
documentary that that Trey Parker and
◼
►
Matt Stone are clearly friends and also
◼
►
you know thinking thinking of things
◼
►
structurally it certainly seems like
◼
►
South Park is able to be what South Park
◼
►
is because Trey Parker and Matt Stone
◼
►
are great friends and it seems like they
◼
►
might not have a lot of friends in the
◼
►
wider Hollywood world they reference
◼
►
that yeah it's you know when people say
◼
►
something like that in documentary I do
◼
►
always wonder like how much do you
◼
►
but I can really believe it from these
◼
►
two for everything that they have done
◼
►
over the course of their careers but
◼
►
it's like there's a there's an
◼
►
interesting moment here because it
◼
►
getting like South South Park will
◼
►
really make fun of celebrities and
◼
►
people in the public eye and in a way
◼
►
that very few other shows will go like
◼
►
as hard into it as South Park will but I
◼
►
do think like it that doesn't just
◼
►
happen it happens structurally because
◼
►
of the personality of these two and
◼
►
because they don't really have any
◼
►
with the wider Hollywood world that goes
◼
►
so far as to reject it but the thing
◼
►
that like really highlights that in the
◼
►
documentary is that one of the writers
◼
►
in the writers room works on Saturday
◼
►
Night Live and explicitly says how oh
◼
►
I'm sorry Night Live the the politics of
◼
►
making fun of public people comes into
◼
►
the writing of their skits and it's like
◼
►
yeah like I can see that and I would
◼
►
think like that's also probably one of
◼
►
the reasons why at least to my tastes
◼
►
South Park is way funnier than Saturday
◼
►
Night Live and it's because Saturday
◼
►
Night Live is structurally constrained
◼
►
by the kinds of jokes they can make
◼
►
because if they're making jokes about
◼
►
public figures they can bet they're not
◼
►
going to get that public figure to host
◼
►
the show or if they're making jokes
◼
►
about the public figure they have to be
◼
►
within a certain bounds they can't go
◼
►
too far in one direction or another but
◼
►
it just it hadn't really occurred to me
◼
►
until seeing that but it's like oh right
◼
►
that makes total sense that that this is
◼
►
structurally why the show is able to do
◼
►
this and other comedies play it much
◼
►
more safe when it comes to referencing
◼
►
specific people in the real world but
◼
►
South Park doesn't care because Matt and
◼
►
Trey have nothing to lose it's like
◼
►
they're not losing their friends they
◼
►
don't have any friends in that world you
◼
►
know they clearly thumbed their nose at
◼
►
that world like they did at the was the
◼
►
Oscars was that the party that they
◼
►
showed the dresses it's interesting on
◼
►
it's funny I remember seeing that when
◼
►
it happened and I was much younger and
◼
►
just thought like oh those kinds of just
◼
►
in dresses but watching the clip now as
◼
►
particularly Trey Parker there's a
◼
►
moment it's like dude you are so clearly
◼
►
I and on drugs like I cannot believe
◼
►
you're just showing up to the Oscars
◼
►
like this but yeah that's that's how you
◼
►
don't make any friends in the
◼
►
professional world but yeah so I is very
◼
►
interesting to watch seeing that whole
◼
►
process seeing how long it takes to come
◼
►
up with the ideas just as someone who's
◼
►
watched the show it's also very
◼
►
interesting to watch the the writer
◼
►
you can see them start to play with the
◼
►
ideas and and they start to do the
◼
►
voices and you can see then like come
◼
►
together with the puzzle pieces of of
◼
►
what the show should be like I have to
◼
►
say it was very interesting to watch
◼
►
that develop over time but towards the
◼
►
very end the thing that I just could not
◼
►
believe is that this episode was in the
◼
►
end delivered five hours before the
◼
►
broadcast time that that's that's when
◼
►
they got the final render out of the
◼
►
animation and it's like they hand a they
◼
►
had to tape to a guy who brings it to
◼
►
the the machine that's going to
◼
►
broadcast it across Comedy Central and
◼
►
it's like with a five hour five hours to
◼
►
spare it's it's unbelievable that they
◼
►
do it there's some guy in his car and
◼
►
tries to over it's that way you know
◼
►
just put it on a DVD and taking it there
◼
►
I mean the thing that is worth mention
◼
►
as well cuz I can imagine like if you're
◼
►
not seeing this documentary they're like
◼
►
how is that possible right because it's
◼
►
such a racy edgy show like how can
◼
►
Comedy Central allow it
◼
►
well it seems like that they have
◼
►
developed a system and a process where
◼
►
the executive producer will have
◼
►
multiple calls with the standards bodies
◼
►
and of Comedy Central
◼
►
all of the cuss words they're allowed to
◼
►
use how many they're allowed to use
◼
►
which ones they can replace for
◼
►
something else what they complete what
◼
►
they can't bleep and it ends up in just
◼
►
this wild these wild phone calls that
◼
►
you over here with and the the executive
◼
►
producers name is and Gary Fino and it's
◼
►
so funny to just watch her reading these
◼
►
lines in like a totally deadpan way
◼
►
she's using a boring corporate voice
◼
►
discuss the details of exactly how
◼
►
graphic they can be with their Human
◼
►
Centipede and then it's just like well
◼
►
you know happy Easter Bob right and
◼
►
click something like that right is it
◼
►
happy is it something like that yeah
◼
►
just wishes them like a great afternoon
◼
►
or it's just so strange but you can
◼
►
imagine after 20 years there is no trust
◼
►
bill up yeah right they kids they're not
◼
►
do something so crazy that they would
◼
►
get shut down like at that point they're
◼
►
well enough no identity and I guess this
◼
►
is like another sign of collaboration
◼
►
that we don't get to see a lot of but
◼
►
like how they work with Comedy Central
◼
►
it's kind of is kind of strange so I
◼
►
have a question for you right and I
◼
►
think I know the answer to this but I
◼
►
want to ask you anyway
◼
►
could you work in this environment oh my
◼
►
god now I'm kind of you know it's again
◼
►
there's a thing there's a thing that I
◼
►
sometimes think is underappreciated in
◼
►
the world but that some people who are
◼
►
very successful it is not obvious to
◼
►
outsiders just how much of their life
◼
►
they are burning on the thing that they
◼
►
are successful with and I think this
◼
►
documentary is a is a great view into
◼
►
that of of just what these guys are
◼
►
putting into this is just inhuman and
◼
►
then when you add on top of it like
◼
►
other side projects that they do you
◼
►
know successful musicals other movies
◼
►
the video games like like all of this
◼
►
other stuff it's it's just crazy but it
◼
►
gets them such an amazing level of
◼
►
success and I know we were discussing
◼
►
last time about the question a little
◼
►
bit about oh just because you put in the
◼
►
hours doesn't doesn't mean you're
◼
►
successful even if someone even if a
◼
►
genie could come along and could say to
◼
►
me like oh if you put in the hours
◼
►
you could be as successful as these - is
◼
►
that something you would want to do I
◼
►
would say no because I just this is a
◼
►
place where I do know myself and I I
◼
►
don't work well under deadlines I
◼
►
couldn't possibly dedicate as much in
◼
►
human time and energy as they do into
◼
►
this so I feel like I know myself and
◼
►
that I am much happier with a much
◼
►
diminished relatively level of success
◼
►
for for not having to produce
◼
►
episodes within six days and having to
◼
►
stay up until 5:00 in the morning and
◼
►
pulling these all-nighters and eating
◼
►
sad McDonald's and all the rest of it
◼
►
it's just I couldn't I couldn't possibly
◼
►
even if it meant it came with all the
◼
►
rewards that it does would you Mike
◼
►
which you took would you take that deal
◼
►
contrary to almost everything else about
◼
►
my personality and my disposition is a
◼
►
I have always worked and thrived in
◼
►
crisis situations so especially when I
◼
►
was working at the bank if something
◼
►
went terribly wrong if there was
◼
►
something that was going wrong I could
◼
►
and always did work very well in those
◼
►
environments like everything's crumbling
◼
►
down how do you fix it
◼
►
to the point that like if a team member
◼
►
was having a crisis I would want to be
◼
►
involved in it to help because I kind of
◼
►
thrived on that pressure and the kind of
◼
►
impending disaster it's very strange
◼
►
because there is nothing else than what
◼
►
my personality which would indicate that
◼
►
I would enjoy this but I did yeah but I
◼
►
think this is a trait that some people
◼
►
just have yeah I and and I think you
◼
►
have it and you know it doesn't it
◼
►
doesn't it really doesn't gel with
◼
►
anything else about the way that I work
◼
►
because you know I could be a nervous
◼
►
person I can be a warrior like it's very
◼
►
strange that I have those two parts of
◼
►
me but there they are so I don't think I
◼
►
could work there for very long but I
◼
►
think I could do it for a not tiny
◼
►
period of time I think for a few years I
◼
►
could I could work in that environment
◼
►
and would enjoy the last 24 hours and
◼
►
that's why I would keep coming why keep
◼
►
putting it myself through it would be
◼
►
for the last 24 hours
◼
►
mm-hmm but I think I would burn out
◼
►
often maybe two or three years of it
◼
►
like I don't think I could do it for
◼
►
long but I think it's something that I
◼
►
could enjoy not that I ever want to work
◼
►
in an environment like that necessarily
◼
►
I'm not gonna seek it out but if I was
◼
►
in it I think I would enjoy it but you
◼
►
don't think you could do it for 20 plus
◼
►
most definitely not I it's wild people
◼
►
doing anything for that period of time
◼
►
the same thing is astounding to me you
◼
►
know I used to work with people that
◼
►
have been in the same jobs in the same
◼
►
and I think it's an unbelievable thing
◼
►
cuz I couldn't do that like I wouldn't
◼
►
be able to stay just doing the same
◼
►
thing and I find it astounding that they
◼
►
have kept the same roles that they've
◼
►
had for 20 years and like basically
◼
►
uninterrupted that is a commitment that
◼
►
I don't think I could have to something
◼
►
like that I agree with you there I agree
◼
►
with you there but I've got to say Mike
◼
►
I'm glad you mentioned this a while back
◼
►
as a thing that we should watch I feel
◼
►
like I'm really happy that I saw it
◼
►
I hope for the people who did watch it
◼
►
that they found it interesting even if
◼
►
you're not necessarily a fan of South
◼
►
Park and I would I would be curious if
◼
►
the listeners out there do know of any
◼
►
other documentaries in this kind of
◼
►
genre of following people at work or
◼
►
people who work on interesting things I
◼
►
would love to hear some recommendation
◼
►
yeah because I just I can't think of
◼
►
anything else that's like this off the
◼
►
top of my head and I'd be very curious
◼
►
to see some more we could just do a
◼
►
rewatch of the office looking for
◼
►
something that's real wait I have bad
◼
►
news for you my British office is not
◼
►
real they're very different things yeah
◼
►
the American office is more my style of
◼
►
comedy in the British office today's
◼
►
episode of cortex is brought to you in
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part by indogene oh we're vintage Chino
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has some really helpful videos it shows
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you exactly how to measure each part of
◼
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your body and then so you submit the
◼
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measurements to them they check it all
◼
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to make sure that they will seem logical
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when I put my measurements in I think I
◼
►
measure myself incorrect in a couple of
◼
►
places and the system was like hey you
◼
►
should check this area because I think
◼
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you got that wrong I redid it and they
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were right I did get it wrong a few
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weeks later my suit arrived in the mail
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and it's fantastic it is now my super
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our thanks to enter Chino for their
◼
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support of this show okay Mike I have
◼
►
another little little update for the
◼
►
year of order order no no Mike it's just
◼
►
that don't say it like that so I said it
◼
►
in a totally normal way which is the
◼
►
year of order right that's that's the we
◼
►
have a little update for that so my my
◼
►
moment is empty everything needs to be
◼
►
there's packages that have been
◼
►
delivered to my glass cube all of that
◼
►
is underway I want to get that stuff
◼
►
finished are you up to three desks and
◼
►
the cube now or we still did two there's
◼
►
I just make a silly joke but it ends up
◼
►
turning into like there's actually
◼
►
something really going on yeah well do
◼
►
now there's two desks in the glass cube
◼
►
and I I think that they are going to end
◼
►
up being two desks in the Home Office
◼
►
but I need to I need to settle on that a
◼
►
little bit more but more that happens we
◼
►
spent so much time talking about like
◼
►
the specifics of the one purpose of the
◼
►
Home Office if it has two desks there's
◼
►
two purposes no we can't get into this
◼
►
now Mike we can't I refused to be
◼
►
derailed on this because I still I still
◼
►
have thoughts okay and and you cut me
◼
►
off last time anyway with with
◼
►
discussing the Home Office glass cube
◼
►
situation I had so much important to
◼
►
talk about what we have to bring that so
◼
►
I I wondered if you notice ya know I'm
◼
►
no fool I know exactly what you were
◼
►
doing there was there was much more to
◼
►
be discussed you have touched upon it
◼
►
now but you know what I'm refusing to
◼
►
talk about it I'm gonna I'm gonna let it
◼
►
percolate I tried to write you out of
◼
►
that right that was that being the
◼
►
director so very subtle very subtle
◼
►
thing Mike I didn't notice at all so
◼
►
anyway we're just gonna skip that we're
◼
►
yeah so I don't I don't have a long
◼
►
topic on the year of order but I did I
◼
►
did just want to mention something
◼
►
because I know something people are
◼
►
interested in which is my eventual
◼
►
return to full-on use of task managers
◼
►
this is a thing that's going to happen
◼
►
at some point but I did just want to to
◼
►
mention that I have been using things a
◼
►
lot this year so this is things three is
◼
►
the name as always with TAS managers and
◼
►
timers you have to have these names that
◼
►
are very difficult to talk about and
◼
►
things is one of those it isn't as bad
◼
►
as do you though a do is do is the worst
◼
►
to do is close oh I saw another one I
◼
►
saw another one there's something well
◼
►
it was called like do but it was like do
◼
►
oh I was like all your dooms you do a
◼
►
start task manager one of my favorite
◼
►
studies Ted you seen that right I don't
◼
►
think I don't think I've seen that one
◼
►
no te ux de UX oh yes I have seen that
◼
►
you said yeah it's not yes but it's the
◼
►
problem is there's so many task managers
◼
►
right if you're trying to come up with a
◼
►
name you're limited for things but it's
◼
►
they all end up being relatively
◼
►
ambiguous but hmm I did just want to
◼
►
mention things because I've been using
◼
►
it just just a little bit sort of very
◼
►
informally to keep a record of some of
◼
►
the projects that I have active but I
◼
►
wouldn't say that I'm like I'm all in on
◼
►
using it as a task manager I've just
◼
►
been using it as kind of like a
◼
►
placeholder like where do I write down
◼
►
the things that I'm currently working on
◼
►
but I have to say I just I'm really
◼
►
impressed by it as a task manager I
◼
►
think the the things three redesign like
◼
►
for a long time I didn't touch things to
◼
►
because it seemed like it was not
◼
►
actively under development it hadn't
◼
►
been updated in a really long time but
◼
►
things three is just a really really
◼
►
great update and I know on the show
◼
►
previously I have said that my sort of
◼
►
default task manager recommendation if I
◼
►
don't know anything about a person is to
◼
►
just use clear and said let go just just
◼
►
run with clear but since I know they
◼
►
have a new one in development but it
◼
►
isn't available yet but right now I
◼
►
think I would have to switch that to
◼
►
things as if you want to get started
◼
►
with the task manager and you don't know
◼
►
I really have to recommend things 3 as
◼
►
to start it's just it's very simple it's
◼
►
very beautiful and it has a couple of
◼
►
really clever features in it that are
◼
►
things that I originally thought like oh
◼
►
I don't know about this but I have have
◼
►
come to love and wish that other task
◼
►
managers do like this there's the one
◼
►
thing that is just so simple but when
◼
►
you're laying out a project things gives
◼
►
you this option to create little
◼
►
subheadings and those subheadings aren't
◼
►
tasks they're not anything they're just
◼
►
a way that you can group something into
◼
►
different areas and say like oh all of
◼
►
these tasks go under this heading and
◼
►
all of these tasks you under this
◼
►
heading and it's it's so nice and
◼
►
freeing to have a visual distinction
◼
►
between things that doesn't also have a
◼
►
meaning right like these things are not
◼
►
sub projects or anything like that it's
◼
►
oh here's here's some visual separation
◼
►
between these different tasks what does
◼
►
this visual separation mean nothing it
◼
►
means nothing at all and they have a
◼
►
very simple way to specify tasks that
◼
►
you should be doing today which a lot of
◼
►
task managers have but everybody have an
◼
►
additional nice feature which is you can
◼
►
specify oh this task is for this evening
◼
►
and it just moves it down to the bottom
◼
►
of the list just a lot of really really
◼
►
nice touches and have to say I'm very
◼
►
impressed with it and I like it a lot as
◼
►
a simple task manager that isn't
◼
►
completely stripped back I don't know
◼
►
have you played with it at all Mike or
◼
►
are you totally unfamiliar with things
◼
►
no enough of my friends have been
◼
►
gushing over it that I decided to give
◼
►
I know titi likes it a lot were talking
◼
►
about things yes and that's why I
◼
►
decided to give it a go just because of
◼
►
how much she's been enjoying it and I
◼
►
know that Steven tried it and he liked
◼
►
it but it ultimately didn't work for him
◼
►
and I've played around a bit very little
◼
►
but I know it's not the right app for me
◼
►
just for a couple of reasons the main
◼
►
one being the way in which you select
◼
►
dates and alerts is so cumbersome
◼
►
it's it feels very clunky to me after
◼
►
having used to doest loop for so long
◼
►
it's all natural language and once you
◼
►
get used to typing in take-out-the-trash
◼
►
at 4 p.m. pound sign personal and then
◼
►
what that does is takes the task puts a
◼
►
reminder in and an alert for 4 o'clock
◼
►
and it puts it in my personal project
◼
►
group that's wonderful and all of that
◼
►
in things you're hitting a bunch of
◼
►
buttons in here a bunch of dropdowns and
◼
►
they're repeating tasks UI is not good
◼
►
yeah I loved the design and some of the
◼
►
thoughts behind it I mean it is a
◼
►
beautiful iPhone app in which to duyst
◼
►
is kind of like just a decent-looking
◼
►
cross-platform application right like
◼
►
that's how even decent there I'm I feel
◼
►
like that's it's fine right like it's
◼
►
not offensive because it's so plain I'm
◼
►
not saying it's offensive but it's not
◼
►
great it's not great but ultimately what
◼
►
I'm looking for my task manager is the
◼
►
functionality either I want as opposed
◼
►
to do with the design and whilst things
◼
►
design is wonderful they're missing a
◼
►
bunch of things I mean and also like
◼
►
whilst I don't use a ton ton of it like
◼
►
having the Web API stuff is important to
◼
►
me now because I like to have things go
◼
►
in on their own and just as an option
◼
►
for the future I don't really show that
◼
►
sort of stuff off but I've tried things
◼
►
I don't know if it would be my
◼
►
recommendation for people but I but I
◼
►
can see why it would be somebody's if
◼
►
that makes sense like what's not what I
◼
►
would give I would still recommend
◼
►
todoist especially because to-do list
◼
►
you can try for free I don't even think
◼
►
things has a subscription plan and it is
◼
►
a in the world of applications a
◼
►
relatively expensive application and you
◼
►
have to buy it on all platforms
◼
►
individually but it is beautiful and if
◼
►
you are if you really care about design
◼
►
in your applications like you really
◼
►
really care then this is probably the
◼
►
one you should try I agree that I would
◼
►
have a hard time if I had to use that as
◼
►
my main and only task manager forever
◼
►
that the limitations I would find really
◼
►
frustrating but there's two things here
◼
►
I find I always find it an inch
◼
►
a thought experiment about if you had to
◼
►
make a recommendation and you didn't
◼
►
know anything about the person like what
◼
►
would you recommend if you knew someone
◼
►
was going to buy Mac but you didn't know
◼
►
anything about them like what would you
◼
►
recommend is the default knife I guess
◼
►
this is an interesting thought
◼
►
experiment and I feel like things is my
◼
►
task manager' recommendation if I didn't
◼
►
know anything about the person what
◼
►
would I do what would do that but also I
◼
►
just want to recommend it because I have
◼
►
really enjoyed it because I think that
◼
►
there are times when the limitations are
◼
►
helpful it's the very fact that things
◼
►
is lacking some of the more complicated
◼
►
features that has while I'm still
◼
►
feeling out the edges of what does the
◼
►
year of order mean it's forcing me to be
◼
►
more limited in what I'm actually
◼
►
keeping track of right now and it's the
◼
►
same reason why if someone has no
◼
►
experience with task managers whatsoever
◼
►
I always recommend someone just starts
◼
►
with paper like just get a notebook and
◼
►
paper and write things down because you
◼
►
don't even know where you want to begin
◼
►
and like force yourself with the
◼
►
simplicity of that before we move on
◼
►
from this topic do you have any thoughts
◼
►
about OmniFocus 3 like the upcoming
◼
►
announcements and stuff of OmniFocus 3
◼
►
yeah well well this is this is one of
◼
►
the questions right if I can't stick
◼
►
with things for forever where am I gonna
◼
►
go and then and we see on the horizon
◼
►
there how many focus and the thing I
◼
►
love about OmniFocus they're their
◼
►
strongest suit as always is hiding from
◼
►
you the things that you can do nothing
◼
►
about right now that to me is such a
◼
►
killer feature it's why I always I
◼
►
always come back to OmniFocus and I'm
◼
►
always happy when they publish their
◼
►
roadmap at the beginning of the year
◼
►
because of course I'm intensely
◼
►
interested in what they're doing and
◼
►
especially having been away from task
◼
►
managers for so long I feel like I'm
◼
►
coming back to it with different eyes
◼
►
one of the things I'm really really glad
◼
►
to see that OmniFocus is doing they are
◼
►
finally getting rid of the concept of
◼
►
contexts and replacing them
◼
►
with tags I feel like that is there is a
◼
►
huge improvement so that you can have a
◼
►
task and you can put an arbitrary number
◼
►
of tags associated with it rather than
◼
►
having to pick a single context which
◼
►
they discuss on their blog post that
◼
►
this is this is a thing that as time has
◼
►
gone on that people who are unfamiliar
◼
►
with getting things done have a hard
◼
►
time understanding like this concept of
◼
►
what is a context supposed to be and
◼
►
I've always argued that I think in as
◼
►
time has gone on one of the ways that
◼
►
getting things done has not held up is
◼
►
this idea that your work is so clearly
◼
►
defined by the physical world and like
◼
►
that just and that was what context grow
◼
►
out of is this idea of these physical
◼
►
constraints it's like we just kind of
◼
►
don't live in that world anymore I think
◼
►
this doesn't make sense for most people
◼
►
the way it used to so I got to say I am
◼
►
really really glad that they're bringing
◼
►
in tags and they're ditching contexts
◼
►
I'm super happy about that there's a
◼
►
bunch of other great features I like it
◼
►
it looks like they're improving
◼
►
notifications they're changing around
◼
►
the design which I think can be improved
◼
►
they're working on automation of course
◼
►
I always love automation there is one
◼
►
question though that I have from reading
◼
►
this blog post I was reading a section
◼
►
real close as I can't quite figure out
◼
►
what do you mean by this omni group and
◼
►
it is their section on how dates are
◼
►
managed with OmniFocus because I love
◼
►
OmniFocus but the one thing that really
◼
►
kills me sometimes is the way that at
◼
►
least currently they handled dates where
◼
►
there's this strange thing where if you
◼
►
have a task and you assign a due date to
◼
►
it it remembers what time zone you're in
◼
►
when you assign that due date but
◼
►
there's no way to modify or change that
◼
►
time zone and I think had I been using
◼
►
OmniFocus over the previous year with
◼
►
the amount of travel that I have have
◼
►
been doing that would have driven me
◼
►
crazy because I was just constantly in
◼
►
different time zones or working with
◼
►
different things I'd like to have
◼
►
that have this invisible time zone
◼
►
associated with them would be madness
◼
►
and my whole system revolves around the
◼
►
idea of gray master time that almost
◼
►
every single one of my tasks is due or
◼
►
needs to be done relative to me and my
◼
►
time not relative to like what is the
◼
►
time not relative to like what is the
◼
►
time in California right now or what is
◼
►
the time in New York and this is one of
◼
►
the reasons that I love and used to do
◼
►
list because if you do this when you
◼
►
arrive in a new place it asks you do you
◼
►
want to change to this your task to this
◼
►
time zone and if you say yes if you add
◼
►
a task it was going off at 12 o'clock in
◼
►
London it will go off at 12 o'clock in
◼
►
New York right like just full it just
◼
►
changes all of your task times for you
◼
►
to do it is great because it asks the
◼
►
vast majority of task manager systems
◼
►
don't even ask they just assume that the
◼
►
time is relative to wherever you are so
◼
►
like if you said if you set a reminder
◼
►
and Apple say like go remind me about a
◼
►
thing at 2:00 p.m. and you get on a
◼
►
flight and change time zones in the mean
◼
►
time it'll remind you at 2:00 p.m.
◼
►
wherever you landed and it's same thing
◼
►
same thing with almost every single task
◼
►
manager I've ever used it's just
◼
►
OmniFocus has this one this like weird
◼
►
feature and they they do discuss in
◼
►
their article talking about how the
◼
►
dates are going to change that
◼
►
currently there are five different times
◼
►
that are tracked with each task but the
◼
►
user only has access to two of them and
◼
►
I'm wondering like what the heck are
◼
►
those other two I don't understand but
◼
►
so anyway I am deeply deeply hoping that
◼
►
this is addressed that OmniFocus that
◼
►
you can set a task to be a floating task
◼
►
that it does not have a time zone again
◼
►
not not least because I'm still looking
◼
►
at this year where there's going to be a
◼
►
lot of travel ahead and if if this
◼
►
hasn't been addressed I'm going to need
◼
►
to figure out what is it that I'm going
◼
►
to do with my task management system but
◼
►
if it has been addressed and I feel like
◼
►
almost almost certainly a couple months
◼
►
from now I'll be telling you about like
◼
►
oh this this system that I've set up in
◼
►
OmniFocus but in general though
◼
►
OmniFocus like it looks really great the
◼
►
roadmap and the things that they're
◼
►
doing I hope to god that they fix the
◼
►
time zone thing they're doing a really
◼
►
interesting idea with collaborations I'm
◼
►
just I'm very curious to see where it
◼
►
goes and I think it's I think it's just
◼
►
a great piece of software although I
◼
►
think also a custom icon wouldn't go
◼
►
yeah custom icons huh how are those
◼
►
working for you well you know Mike I
◼
►
think the thing is a custom icon you
◼
►
need custom icons all apps should offer
◼
►
custom icon colors because when you're
◼
►
trying to arrange a home screen colors
◼
►
are very important can't have too many
◼
►
of the same colors near each other or if
◼
►
their color is that you don't like you
◼
►
don't want them on your home screen so
◼
►
custom icons very important for home
◼
►
screen arrangement today's episode of
◼
►
cortex is also brought to you by
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there was stuff on that laptop that I
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know is gone you know what
◼
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real problem is I don't know what I lost
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that's way worse than knowing what you
◼
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lost the feeling of things have gone and
◼
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I don't know what they are don't be a
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fool like me I had that place set up on
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all of my max now and it makes me so
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happy to know that even though I have my
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local backups I have absolutely
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everything in the cloud ready for me in
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preventing countless disasters and for
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supporting this show and real afm client
◼
►
just mention it mention why not just
◼
►
throw home screen arrangement around as
◼
►
a phrase you know you have to give it up
◼
►
let's see what you got we have not
◼
►
exchanged our home screens since we
◼
►
moved to the iPhone 10 it feels like we
◼
►
do home screens every week I help you do
◼
►
this all the time this already once a
◼
►
year we do this and I want to see if the
◼
►
iPhone 10 has changed things for you I
◼
►
will mention that the the wallpaper the
◼
►
core-tex wallpaper that the wonderful
◼
►
designer forgotten tale put together for
◼
►
us was painstakingly updated for the
◼
►
iPhone 10 like I was helping him out
◼
►
with it and we were trying to get it to
◼
►
just work just right it has been
◼
►
painstakingly updated so it aligns
◼
►
properly so you know I know a lot of
◼
►
people like that wallpaper and it's
◼
►
still available and there is now a true
◼
►
black version ooh nice on the OLED
◼
►
screens it is black it's not blue or
◼
►
gray anymore so that's the thing that is
◼
►
available there are a couple of options
◼
►
and that's still available for free and
◼
►
I'll put a link in our show notes if you
◼
►
want to grab that but it has been
◼
►
updated so if you have an iPhone 10 then
◼
►
you may want to you may want to check it
◼
►
out so okay let's exchange home screens
◼
►
here okay Mike I've sent you I've shown
◼
►
you my home screen it's time for you to
◼
►
show me yours oh you've done a whole bit
◼
►
thing again oh my gosh I haven't done a
◼
►
whole big thing I have not done the
◼
►
whole big thing again and what you have
◼
►
just sent me you have no right to talk
◼
►
about ugly yeah I don't know no no I'm
◼
►
like I feel like we're starting all over
◼
►
again this is like the first time we
◼
►
exchanged home screens my home screen
◼
►
looks like how people's home screens
◼
►
look it's a wallpaper and there's a
◼
►
bunch of apps yours is like oh here's a
◼
►
grid of 12 smack bang in the middle of
◼
►
the phone yeah your home screen looks
◼
►
like people's home screens look like
◼
►
which is what garbage looks like and
◼
►
it's not the comparison you're like oh
◼
►
my screen looks like most people's
◼
►
because I always peer over everybody's
◼
►
shoulders to see what their home screens
◼
►
look like and most people's home screens
◼
►
make me want to vomit and this is this
◼
►
very busy mic this is a real real busy
◼
►
screen just a full screen it's it's very
◼
►
it's very colorful so yeah this is a
◼
►
special members-only really I found
◼
►
wallpaper that I have so if you want to
◼
►
get that wallpaper you have to be a real
◼
►
AFN member we have a whole pack of
◼
►
wallpapers and this is one from the
◼
►
remaster podcast that I do and I love it
◼
►
very much it's nice and bright I spent a
◼
►
long time trying to get it aligned it's
◼
►
not perfect but it's as close as I can
◼
►
make it happen yeah I think I like the
◼
►
remaster artwork retro video game fan
◼
►
globe it's sort of Trani and also Epcot
◼
►
Center II it's the remaster artwork one
◼
►
of the best artworks on the whole of the
◼
►
relay Network I don't like that you've
◼
►
just zoomed in on the central part so
◼
►
that it's it's just this is how gross is
◼
►
horrible look this is just a wallpaper
◼
►
you you know you've chosen this and it's
◼
►
I'm not a fan not a fan at all I think
◼
►
it's it's really ugly I never expected
◼
►
you to be a fan but I think that you are
◼
►
working with some grotesquerie right now
◼
►
with this situation you've got going on
◼
►
why is everything in the middle okay
◼
►
can can I wait before before we get that
◼
►
can I can we just we need to focus on
◼
►
you from huh okay it's ugly
◼
►
we can just get past that make sure um I
◼
►
mean I mean look at Mike it's like
◼
►
you're trying to pick all of the colors
◼
►
in the world because you've also gone
◼
►
with a custom P calc icon which has the
◼
►
rainbows around it yeah you've chosen
◼
►
icons to make more colors all over the
◼
►
place oh my color again it's clown vomit
◼
►
the only one you've actually gone the
◼
►
other way with is the bear icon you've
◼
►
chosen the the black black and white
◼
►
bear you don't choose the argument I
◼
►
choose the theme Michael I wish they
◼
►
would separate those two things because
◼
►
right there developers if you're
◼
►
listening that the fact that you have to
◼
►
choose your theme and your icon at the
◼
►
same time and they have to match is
◼
►
crazy I want I want a big bear icon and
◼
►
the true black theme in the inside the
◼
►
application that's one yeah I have
◼
►
definitely moved back towards all color
◼
►
again I'm in an old color season for
◼
►
whatever reason it's the reason for the
◼
►
colored season that's where I am right
◼
►
now I can't explain why very Wonka here
◼
►
okay it's Bru it's the season for colors
◼
►
okay why is it so full like what why
◼
►
have you just why have you felt the need
◼
►
to use them every single space a lot of
◼
►
things to think about I need access to
◼
►
stuff immediately yes there will be
◼
►
there I mean there are a couple of
◼
►
applications that I don't necessarily
◼
►
need on the home screen but then it's
◼
►
gonna throw it out of whack balance wise
◼
►
right I have like maybe one or two that
◼
►
I would move away but then yeah there's
◼
►
always a bit of balance you know so
◼
►
there are a couple in there in here that
◼
►
I probably don't need to be there but I
◼
►
look at my home screen every now and
◼
►
then and I evaluate and there is nothing
◼
►
I would take off that screen right now
◼
►
okay and we have covered many of these
◼
►
apps many times but I also feel that
◼
►
this is there's a few on here that I
◼
►
have no idea what these things are
◼
►
what is pipedrive Oh pipe drive is a
◼
►
sales management CRM tool uh-huh
◼
►
right okay yes that's my that's my big
◼
►
my big grown up adult application right
◼
►
my discussed that my corporate sales app
◼
►
right with the mandatory lowercase
◼
►
letter logo okay great yeah
◼
►
what is anchor okay so anchor is audio
◼
►
social network they respond sir and
◼
►
relay FM and I've been playing around
◼
►
with their application so okay alright
◼
►
too much but yeah there is a cool app I
◼
►
like it okay and canary
◼
►
I don't know canary canary is my home
◼
►
security system oh right okay right so
◼
►
that's that that's the home security
◼
►
camera little bus that we call him
◼
►
you're right that makes sense yeah I
◼
►
bust the criminals I'm calling Busta
◼
►
little name right he's busting busting
◼
►
criminals all day it's crime crime
◼
►
busting she's just me walking around
◼
►
though honestly like 1:30 in the morning
◼
►
fussing you tell me again I see you're
◼
►
also a cool guy who's on not one not two
◼
►
but three test flights with these apps
◼
►
you see that City Instagram want up
◼
►
there look at me now I'm super fancy no
◼
►
I know that's that's the thing it's like
◼
►
ooh you're on the histogram test why
◼
►
isn't somebody fancy I know these people
◼
►
just need my good opinions you know they
◼
►
certainly don't need your good designed
◼
►
opinions though that's that's for sure
◼
►
oh yeah okay yeah this just expansive
◼
►
disgusting just darkness with these I
◼
►
just I couldn't I couldn't I couldn't
◼
►
possibly look at this purple monstrosity
◼
►
all the folders with one application in
◼
►
them and a bunch of dots great it
◼
►
doesn't scream and his it's barely such
◼
►
a missed balance of color as well like
◼
►
the three molt like green applications
◼
►
and there will kind of spread out
◼
►
weirdly and then there's green in the
◼
►
maps icon yeah yeah I'll give you that
◼
►
the green the green is a thing that
◼
►
needs to be worked on but that is partly
◼
►
like I can't choose the color bear icon
◼
►
that I want which has like knock-on
◼
►
effects so yeah I agree this this screen
◼
►
is not what I want the final version of
◼
►
it to be but I think it is clearly way
◼
►
disgusting homescreen disagree what what
◼
►
are you using filmic perfil okay well
◼
►
let me let me let me paint it let me
◼
►
paint a word picture for the people Mike
◼
►
no people no no cuz you're gonna paint
◼
►
it nicely people need to just go to AA
◼
►
showing us and open this horrific image
◼
►
that I've been put in front of my eyes
◼
►
with just this weirdo square or
◼
►
applications sitting in the middle of
◼
►
this screen it's such a waste
◼
►
such a waste yeah so rather than junk up
◼
►
my home screen and take every available
◼
►
slot like I'm some kind of app hoarder I
◼
►
have I have chosen instead to do a
◼
►
little bit of a four by four grid of
◼
►
apps on my phone I don't need all of
◼
►
those slots occupied hmm space is a
◼
►
luxury Mike and so I have luxurious
◼
►
space on my phone how are you doing this
◼
►
by the way well what you are about what
◼
►
you're asking here is I have the grid
◼
►
centered on the phone because with the
◼
►
iPhone 10 and with the OLED screen black
◼
►
backgrounds just look fantastic like the
◼
►
black levels are great it makes
◼
►
everything else pop and that's always a
◼
►
thing I've really liked about the
◼
►
backgrounds that I choose is trying to
◼
►
pick backgrounds that highlight the
◼
►
applications that don't detract and I
◼
►
don't know if I'm going to stick with it
◼
►
indefinitely but I have been enjoying
◼
►
the pure black background as a novelty
◼
►
with iPhone X and because it's pure
◼
►
black it now allows me to use that trick
◼
►
where you can put fake icons above the
◼
►
actual apps so all I did was I made a
◼
►
fake icon in workflow where it's just
◼
►
purely black color and then I added that
◼
►
to the homescreen so there's there's
◼
►
four like dummy apps with invisible
◼
►
names that are taking up the top row
◼
►
just to move the grid down so that it's
◼
►
centered on the screen if you can have
◼
►
the invisible names why do you have the
◼
►
dots there for the folders I have the
◼
►
dots there for the folders because
◼
►
I think it looks visually on like if I
◼
►
could if I could I wish I could add an
◼
►
accessibility feature on iPhone called
◼
►
your app names are dumb and I don't want
◼
►
to see them especially because they
◼
►
turned off the names of the apps in the
◼
►
dock I know if it's it drives me crazy
◼
►
like again every time I see that the app
◼
►
names I just I feel like those app name
◼
►
czar there for idiots and and it's like
◼
►
yeah anyone who uses their phone any
◼
►
amount of time knows what the icons are
◼
►
nobody is reading it and going like me
◼
►
where did my calendar go it's so stupid
◼
►
it's so stupid and I hate it I hate it
◼
►
so much I've hated it since the dawn of
◼
►
the iPhone having the stupid words
◼
►
especially when some of them don't fit
◼
►
and they like do the little dot that is
◼
►
a problem of being with so many cool guy
◼
►
betas is that sometimes they're little
◼
►
yeah you run out of space don't squish
◼
►
is the name up you know that can be a
◼
►
real problem it is if but it really is
◼
►
it really is a real problem so while in
◼
►
theory you would think oh you hate these
◼
►
words so you wouldn't want to have
◼
►
anything below the folders the four
◼
►
folders on the top I find that I tried
◼
►
it by putting invisible names in those
◼
►
folders but then it just looks visually
◼
►
unbalanced because all of the icons have
◼
►
something below them these stupid words
◼
►
so I feel like I need something below
◼
►
the folders otherwise it just looks like
◼
►
there's too much space between the top
◼
►
row and the next row so I put the dots
◼
►
there because I find them the least
◼
►
visually intrusive and that that's why
◼
►
they're there it's just as visual
◼
►
balance but they don't have any real
◼
►
function you ever tried emoji I tried it
◼
►
once but there's a problem that I don't
◼
►
I'm not a fan of the design of the Apple
◼
►
emojis I think they look dumb and I
◼
►
found them just more distracting to have
◼
►
on the home screen there are places
◼
►
where I use emojis actually do use
◼
►
emojis a lot in my time tracking system
◼
►
with toggle so that I can
◼
►
like visually identify stuff faster than
◼
►
reading but it works there but I don't
◼
►
like them on the home screen I just
◼
►
don't like the look of them there -
◼
►
there - 3d for my liking and so that's
◼
►
that's why I don't have them there even
◼
►
even though I think that it would kind
◼
►
of make more sense to have an emoji that
◼
►
represents what each of these folders
◼
►
are but rather instead I'm trying to
◼
►
pick the one icon that you see in the
◼
►
folder to be representative of what that
◼
►
folder is that that's kind of how I'm
◼
►
labeling these folders but yeah so I
◼
►
have the the top four folders which are
◼
►
there simply to act as categories to
◼
►
sort all of the apps that I don't want
◼
►
on my home screen into and so those
◼
►
categories are the first one has the
◼
►
Settings app in there and that is the
◼
►
miscellaneous category everything that
◼
►
doesn't fit anywhere else just goes in
◼
►
there the next one over has caret
◼
►
weather and that contains all of the
◼
►
apps that are I don't know a good way to
◼
►
describe this but in my head I think of
◼
►
them as location-based so they have
◼
►
something to do with where I currently
◼
►
am so these are like flight tracking
◼
►
apps or ride-sharing apps or I put the
◼
►
wallet app in there or if a conference
◼
►
I'm going to has an app like I put that
◼
►
app in there or food delivery services
◼
►
or train ticket apps like all of that
◼
►
kind of stuff is sort of location-based
◼
►
do you ever do like a time-sensitive
◼
►
promotion of an application to the front
◼
►
page at the folder one of the reasons I
◼
►
like to have space is so that I can have
◼
►
that bottom row available to put stuff
◼
►
down and normally when I'm traveling
◼
►
there'll be two apps that will go in
◼
►
that bottom row and it's mainly on the
◼
►
main screen on the main screen yeah
◼
►
it'll usually usually be the flight
◼
►
tracker and I'm still using flight log
◼
►
or as my main one for that okay I'll
◼
►
need a recommendation I did give up in
◼
►
the air a try it's interesting but I'm
◼
►
still sticking with flight logger as my
◼
►
main one it's pretty heavy-handed but I
◼
►
it is also definitely better than it
◼
►
used to be like if I had to use it I
◼
►
wouldn't be upset but I'll put flight
◼
►
that bottom row and then the other thing
◼
►
I'll put in the bottom row which I sort
◼
►
of silly but I'll put the wallet app
◼
►
down there because like if I don't know
◼
►
I find when I'm traveling I'm always
◼
►
real panicky about how long will it take
◼
►
me to access whatever ticket I have in
◼
►
my Apple wallet for whatever it is that
◼
►
I need and so I have the wallet
◼
►
available everywhere like I have it in
◼
►
the in the control center and then I'll
◼
►
put it on the home screen and then some
◼
►
tickets but not all tickets
◼
►
frustratingly will show up as
◼
►
notifications on the lock so like I want
◼
►
every way to be able to open up that
◼
►
wallet immediately because I'm oh it's
◼
►
just like real panicking when the guy
◼
►
comes over it's like tickets please like
◼
►
I don't know what second I'm the idiot
◼
►
with my phone right yeah yeah I feel
◼
►
that like there's a there's a train line
◼
►
in London called the Docklands Light
◼
►
Railway the DLR and unlike any other of
◼
►
the tube lines or the kind of DF of rail
◼
►
lines there's no barriers for this train
◼
►
and there's no drivers for the Train
◼
►
there's no drivers but there's a
◼
►
conductor or you could come up and down
◼
►
and check the tickets because instead of
◼
►
doing the barriers where like you have
◼
►
to have the Buried presser to get
◼
►
through you kind of work on an honor
◼
►
system if I'm gonna touch my Oyster card
◼
►
or my iPhone to the to the scanner and
◼
►
I'm gonna get on the train so because
◼
►
they have that kind of honor system they
◼
►
have a conductor periodically who may
◼
►
come and check and I feel like such a
◼
►
tool when I double tap my watch and hold
◼
►
my wrist up for this person to scan my
◼
►
wrist to make sure that I touched in on
◼
►
the the pad correctly I feel like such
◼
►
an idiot in those moments I have to
◼
►
agree while a lot of the ticket stuff
◼
►
will show up on the watch I feel
◼
►
socially reluctant to use the watch as
◼
►
I'd never do it it's just cuz it's Apple
◼
►
pay and I use it an Apple pay all the
◼
►
time but for like tickets for planes and
◼
►
stuff I would honestly typically still
◼
►
use the paper one if they give it to me
◼
►
but other than that I will always use my
◼
►
phone I like a paper ticket just in case
◼
►
you in such a high-pressure situation
◼
►
right when you're in the airports it's
◼
►
like if they're gonna give me a paper
◼
►
ticket I'll take it because I
◼
►
ever back up I don't print out the paper
◼
►
tickets but I'll say this I have never
◼
►
regretted it when someone gives me a
◼
►
ticket I give a thing comes up and I
◼
►
need to go to the gate a yeah never
◼
►
print it but if they if they offer to
◼
►
give me or they give me at the check-in
◼
►
desk that's what I'll use for the rest I
◼
►
will I will always take it and there is
◼
►
one real disadvantage which I think is a
◼
►
real structural disadvantage in an
◼
►
especially when lots of people are using
◼
►
a tickets which I'm just aware of a huge
◼
►
proportion of people are using the
◼
►
tickets on their phone like that has
◼
►
really skyrocketed in airports and the
◼
►
big disadvantage is everyone is real
◼
►
gentle with your phone and a lot of the
◼
►
scanners are built so that you just you
◼
►
have to give the person your phone to
◼
►
scan in the tickets yeah yeah and
◼
►
there's there's this weird like people
◼
►
are holding it just on the top side like
◼
►
nobody wants to really grab anybody
◼
►
else's phone and you really do think
◼
►
that that slows things down so and but
◼
►
it's also why that's in many situations
◼
►
like using the watch it's like oh come
◼
►
on you know I need to take your whole
◼
►
arm yes like it weirdly
◼
►
pushed your arm around and yeah it's
◼
►
never it's never gonna work
◼
►
but again I'm always like I'm very
◼
►
nervous on the lines about having my
◼
►
iPhone ticket ready because I just I
◼
►
don't want to be the person who's
◼
►
holding it up and every once in a while
◼
►
I've been like I've been so anxious
◼
►
about having the ticket ready that I'm
◼
►
fiddling around with it so much that
◼
►
I'll like lock the phone yeah right
◼
►
before them and I'm like oh now right
◼
►
and now now Here I am like now I'm a guy
◼
►
then you become the British person
◼
►
fumbling around making little noises
◼
►
yeah it's terrible but so that that's
◼
►
why I'll put the wallet in that bottom
◼
►
space because like any any button no
◼
►
matter where I can be to get to the
◼
►
wallet to get to the ticket is what I
◼
►
want as fast as possible so that that's
◼
►
the one folder the next folder over
◼
►
which has the toggle timer in it that's
◼
►
representative of a bunch of apps that I
◼
►
just use for work stuff in one form or
◼
►
another so I toggle that still kind of
◼
►
sucks right yeah it's not great and it's
◼
►
probably not very long-lived
◼
►
on my phone either because
◼
►
I can't I can't trace it exactly but
◼
►
somewhere in my system something isn't
◼
►
ending timers correctly and so I end up
◼
►
with these weird super long recorded
◼
►
times that problem is me I woke up this
◼
►
morning to a 19-hour invoicing timer ya
◼
►
see I'm always I'm always firing off
◼
►
timers so I don't have that problem but
◼
►
every once in a while there's some timer
◼
►
where it like it weirdly thinks that
◼
►
even though I have launched 20 timers in
◼
►
the day there was one timer from the
◼
►
morning and has also been going on all
◼
►
day long and I'm I think it's the iOS
◼
►
app that's doing it but but either way I
◼
►
just I have it there as a label that
◼
►
this is the folder for work stuff I
◼
►
don't use it a lot and I'm probably
◼
►
going to take it off my phone relatively
◼
►
soon and then the next one over has the
◼
►
Apple watch in it and then that just has
◼
►
a bunch of health-related apps in there
◼
►
so I have those four folders on the top
◼
►
for these sorting purposes so it does
◼
►
make it easier when I need to manually
◼
►
find an app I have an idea of where it
◼
►
probably is and also frankly it is like
◼
►
you were saying while with filling up
◼
►
the slots on your phone that you do run
◼
►
into these balance problems of I
◼
►
actually don't have a ton of apps that I
◼
►
really would want on the home screen
◼
►
there's lots of stuff that I'm happy to
◼
►
search for and so the four on the top is
◼
►
is again a kind of visual balance the
◼
►
thing I could get away with one folder
◼
►
but one folder looked really ugly and
◼
►
four is fine and I'm I'm looking for
◼
►
more spaces on the home screen anyway so
◼
►
I don't I don't mind putting those four
◼
►
across there but yes I will acknowledge
◼
►
that the color arrangement an exact
◼
►
location of some of these apps is not
◼
►
the best but this is partly coming off
◼
►
of the gray keishon and not having
◼
►
settled entirely on what the new phone
◼
►
will be that's partly why the the
◼
►
screenshot that I gave you is taken
◼
►
filmic Pro is on there which is the
◼
►
camera that I can use for some vlogging
◼
►
stuff because I was in a place where I
◼
►
was doing some vlogging recording but
◼
►
that's that's not an app that needs to
◼
►
live on the home screen under normal
◼
►
that's gonna get out how many plugs are
◼
►
you gonna record before you release one
◼
►
just I've vlog every day
◼
►
I just never put them out the question
◼
►
is Mike what is a vlog I can say that I
◼
►
have made several short vlogs that I've
◼
►
realized this is boring as all hell and
◼
►
so like that that has happened a number
◼
►
of times log falls in the woods and
◼
►
there's no one around blog vlog has
◼
►
uploaded to YouTube and nobody likes it
◼
►
did it exist who knows but so anyway
◼
►
filmic Pro is gonna go off and then of
◼
►
course that has huge knock-on effects of
◼
►
everything else but and also the the
◼
►
arrangement of to do tasks on the bottom
◼
►
row like that is ultimately going to
◼
►
change but you just happen to be seeing
◼
►
it where it is right now are there any
◼
►
other questions about this particular
◼
►
set of Evernote man Evernote it's just
◼
►
never gonna go away is it Evernote it's
◼
►
here's the thing though this is actually
◼
►
it's been a long time since Evernote has
◼
►
been on the home screen of my phone and
◼
►
part of this was part of this was just
◼
►
accepting as part of the year of order
◼
►
like every notes just gonna be with you
◼
►
right it's just gonna be here there's no
◼
►
way you're ever walking away from that
◼
►
embrace it and I've put Evernote on the
◼
►
homescreen specifically so that and it's
◼
►
worked so far I engage in a particular
◼
►
behavior which is I often have a thought
◼
►
for some video and in the past I would
◼
►
open up a note and I would write it down
◼
►
and then at some later point I would
◼
►
cycle that note into the appropriate
◼
►
place in Evernote and I've decided like
◼
►
well just just skip that step why not
◼
►
just accept that ever notes here put it
◼
►
on the home screen and put the note
◼
►
right where it belongs immediately and
◼
►
save yourself the effort later of
◼
►
sorting and categorizing it so that
◼
►
actually has worked pretty well and I'm
◼
►
liking the way that is how is the
◼
►
Evernote app now it's fine
◼
►
it's fine cuz I I haven't used it and in
◼
►
a very long time at this point just
◼
►
because Apple notes is it gives me
◼
►
everything I need like I don't need
◼
►
anymore from it like on the phone what I
◼
►
would say it's fine for putting stuff in
◼
►
it's fine from looking stuff up but if
◼
►
you're gonna do any organization you
◼
►
better be sitting at a computer or
◼
►
you're gonna hate your life so if I need
◼
►
to do any serious Evernote reorganizing
◼
►
that that'll happen on a computer that
◼
►
won't happen on the phone Apple Maps use
◼
►
Apple Maps I have a very particular use
◼
►
this is gonna sound I'm pretty sure I've
◼
►
told you this before I'm not sure I've
◼
►
said it on the podcast but well you know
◼
►
what's going here I have a I've
◼
►
increasingly had a lot of problems with
◼
►
motion sickness and it's very strange
◼
►
but when I'm in a car it's is very often
◼
►
like I can get motion sickness if I'm
◼
►
not looking out the windows or I'm not
◼
►
like yeah I just this is this is a
◼
►
sensitivity that has increased over time
◼
►
and do you just get it and caused you
◼
►
get it in planes luckily I have not
◼
►
gotten it in planes oh that would be bad
◼
►
I hope that ever happens to you
◼
►
yeah I'm a little worried just because I
◼
►
used to never get it in cars either and
◼
►
now I do and so I feel like uh oh
◼
►
there's some dial of sensitivity that is
◼
►
getting turned up over time but if I get
◼
►
motion sickness on planes like well I
◼
►
guess I'm just gonna restructure an
◼
►
amazing portion of my life like that's
◼
►
what's going to happen because I'm not
◼
►
gonna put up with that anyway I have
◼
►
Apple Maps there because I mean
◼
►
genuinely Apple Maps is is it is reach
◼
►
the point where it's fine for day-to-day
◼
►
use but the thing that is surprisingly
◼
►
helpful is if I'm in a car and I'm not
◼
►
driving I put the destination into Apple
◼
►
maps and it does the haptic feedback on
◼
►
my wrist and it is really helpful to
◼
►
actually have a little indicator of
◼
►
which way you're going to turn before
◼
►
you turn and so I find that is actually
◼
►
helpful with the car sickness sales
◼
►
thing so it's it's it's pre preparing
◼
►
yeah like I will always leave the
◼
►
navigation on on on my phone but it's
◼
►
useful because if I don't want to look
◼
►
at the phone I can just get the haptic
◼
►
feedback on the watch and yeah it's like
◼
►
my brain is is ready for the turns and
◼
►
people always ask like oh but what
◼
►
happens if the person doesn't make the
◼
►
turn where Apple Maps thinks it should
◼
►
make the try it doesn't seem to matter
◼
►
it just seems to know that like
◼
►
anticipation of a turn maybe upcoming is
◼
►
actually the only information that I
◼
►
really want and it it helps but I do
◼
►
have to say if you are doing any kind of
◼
►
actual serious strike like if I'm in
◼
►
America and I am driving to a place that
◼
►
I will almost always use Google Maps
◼
►
instead for the actual driving
◼
►
directions like Google Maps is a serious
◼
►
like you're doing a road trip in America
◼
►
you're crazy not to use Google Maps not
◼
►
least because they have some features
◼
►
like saving offline maps for when you
◼
►
get out of cell phone acts like they
◼
►
have a lot of really great features but
◼
►
I'm not really using Apple maps for my
◼
►
own navigation 99% of the time right I'm
◼
►
using it as like navigational awareness
◼
►
but it's there on the home screen
◼
►
because it when it's needed is needed
◼
►
urgently right there's no fussing it's
◼
►
good yeah there's no fussing and and
◼
►
also I do use the maps often enough and
◼
►
like I said it's fine it's fine for
◼
►
purpose when I'm looking for things so I
◼
►
just I just leave it on the home screen
◼
►
there in London Google Maps is so much
◼
►
better than Apple maps like the point of
◼
►
interest data is better they have like
◼
►
what time is this place busy day - it's
◼
►
it really is just excellent oh yeah no
◼
►
yeah I mean that is the thing if I want
◼
►
to know when a place is busy I always
◼
►
open up the Google Maps and I want to go
◼
►
to a place when nobody's there tell me
◼
►
Google Maps sites that that is one of
◼
►
the best features I love that feature
◼
►
and you're still using the start and
◼
►
stop time is there in the bottom what is
◼
►
it what is that one in the middle is
◼
►
that open like a log of your toggle
◼
►
activities or something okay so this
◼
►
this is a little bit different this was
◼
►
part of my effort to increase the amount
◼
►
of time captured I was trying think
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►
about like what time or do I hit the
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►
most and I've I've set up a timer I mean
◼
►
is months ago but I set up a timer which
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►
is called loading which I think of is
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►
like the loading screen in a videogame
◼
►
you know when you're trans
◼
►
from one area to another as realizing
◼
►
that there's a lot of my time in life
◼
►
which I can categorize as like loading
◼
►
screen behavior that I finished activity
◼
►
1 I've sort of like oh I'm gonna go get
◼
►
a coffee now and I'm like in that
◼
►
transition period of deciding what am I
◼
►
going to do next and so I've mentally
◼
►
trained myself that if I don't know what
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►
timer I'm going to hit for the next task
◼
►
I just automatically hit the loading
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►
timer and what that does is it stops
◼
►
whatever timer was previously running
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►
and begins this just generic you are in
◼
►
a transitional state timer which I
◼
►
really like because it helps me cut down
◼
►
on that transitional state it helps cut
◼
►
down on not deciding what's going to
◼
►
happen next because again I'm aware that
◼
►
there is this timer in existence but so
◼
►
that is by far my most frequently hit
◼
►
single timer is that one so I thought
◼
►
might as well put it right right in the
◼
►
center on the home screen in a in a
◼
►
prominent location so that's what I hit
◼
►
most of the time now Mike I know you
◼
►
don't I don't you don't like the home
◼
►
screen but here's here's a question that
◼
►
I want to know what you think of here is
◼
►
my lock screen oh look at that that's
◼
►
surprising surprising that would even
◼
►
come up what does that Mike is that one
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►
of these dynamic cool papers yes it is
◼
►
it is one of the dynamic wallpapers that
◼
►
Apple introduced years ago and has never
◼
►
updated ever but it's just the the blue
◼
►
little color blobs and what do you do
◼
►
you 3d touch on it and they move or
◼
►
something all that I just move around on
◼
►
their own they move automatically so
◼
►
whenever I pick up the phone the little
◼
►
blobs come into existence and they move
◼
►
around with the way the phone moves and
◼
►
I always hated those animated wallpapers
◼
►
I didn't think they look great but I'll
◼
►
tell you again with the black levels of
◼
►
the of the iPhone X it looks gorgeous
◼
►
and I always just kind of like having a
◼
►
little bit of a little bit of whimsy a
◼
►
little bit of difference when you switch
◼
►
devices and so this is again a thing
◼
►
if I'm going to keep this but I like it
◼
►
and it's it's fun for having the new
◼
►
device but yeah I like it I like it a
◼
►
lot and I was just curious if this was
◼
►
going to get Mike approval or
◼
►
disapproval I think that there are there
◼
►
are better options for what you're doing
◼
►
but I like that there's something going
◼
►
on so like with the with the infant and
◼
►
they added a bunch of these 3d touchable
◼
►
dynamic wallpapers like shifting sands
◼
►
shifting coloured sands and stuff like
◼
►
that they're pretty interesting I don't
◼
►
use them but they're fun yeah but the
◼
►
problem is they require an action on
◼
►
your part that's true like you have to
◼
►
like oh I'm gonna now 3d press my lock
◼
►
screen to see a thing move how many
◼
►
times you're gonna do that I like that
◼
►
this just happens automatically that
◼
►
they just show up and they move around
◼
►
and they've made them very reactive to
◼
►
subtle motions in the phone oh yeah I
◼
►
like I've just I'm trying to out now and
◼
►
you move it around then it all goes wild
◼
►
I don't think I would like that I
◼
►
originally thought I was gonna try it
◼
►
for this and the home screen and there
◼
►
is a nice there is a nice touch that
◼
►
when you unlock the phone and you swipe
◼
►
up it'll keep the bubbles in the same
◼
►
spot when you go to the home screen but
◼
►
turns out that I hate that icon small
◼
►
about it yes yeah oh I tried it I tried
◼
►
it for maybe a day and I was like what
◼
►
am i doing it's like horrible there's a
◼
►
Mines clan moment they're like clown
◼
►
trials us yeah it's it would be no good
◼
►
there was also a multicolored one which
◼
►
I was trying for a while and then I
◼
►
eventually settled on the blue as my
◼
►
personal favorite so i like that i think
◼
►
i think it's it's interesting to do and
◼
►
it looks great on the new phone for the
◼
►
but i have one more thing to show you
◼
►
but i just need to grab something from
◼
►
the other room so I'll be back in just a
◼
►
I was realizing that we've discussed
◼
►
home screens now for a while having done
◼
►
this show and I don't think I've
◼
►
mentioned one thing that I particularly
◼
►
like to do so I'm going to show you I
◼
►
can't show it on my phone because I
◼
►
don't have it set up right now but I'm
◼
►
gonna show you how I set up my iPad when
◼
►
I was on my winter vacation what are you
◼
►
laughing at Mike before you say anything
◼
►
I want you to realize that when I was on
◼
►
my gradation I did this on my iPad and
◼
►
on my phone for the lock screen and the
◼
►
home screen it's it's a snowy landscape
◼
►
of a forest but in this hylia cartoon
◼
►
aesthetic it's just a flat design
◼
►
aesthetic you have a little forests and
◼
►
some snow mm-hmm I'm a big believer in
◼
►
changing your homescreen and your
◼
►
for when you're on a holiday I think it
◼
►
helps make the time psychologically
◼
►
different so when I go on my gradations
◼
►
are my corporate retreats I often try to
◼
►
find a nice a nice little wallpaper
◼
►
which is not a wallpaper I would use
◼
►
normally but something that feels like
◼
►
it fits the matically in wherever
◼
►
wherever I am so I had this beautiful
◼
►
beautiful wallpaper on my iPad and on my
◼
►
home screen for my winter vacation time
◼
►
and it was lovely and I think it's a
◼
►
thing that everybody should do and they