Comical Start
548 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingDon't let the name fool you. This is not a comedy podcast. Send feedback to [email protected].
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Episodes
…How About a Piñata?
August 03, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.6 MBGrant is introduced to the fearless march of technology observable in the Bay Area. Mark purchased a party favor that hit just right. Grant brings Bear with Me. Mark would rather not use his horn. Maybe there’s some trauma to unpack there. Mark brings Pickles. Grant is only occasionally a speed demon, while Mark has some regrets. Send feedback to [email protected].
Hydration by Proxy
July 27, 2023 08:00 - 42 minutes - 19.6 MBMark has a new toy, and self-describing phrases are difficult. Are gardening-based puns an email faux pas? Mark brings Animal Crackers. He hopes to dredge up a social media campaign from Grant’s past. Lab safety makes that difficult. Grant brings Bound and Gagged. Mark gives unhelpful answers to unnecessary questions, all for the sake of Grant getting to say “No Whammies” and “Zonk”. Send feedback to [email protected].
Icons of Style
July 20, 2023 08:00 - 42 minutes - 19.5 MBMark tells tales of the descent of Deadheads onto San Francisco. Totally separately, he separated a metal fidget puzzle. Grant’s on the hunt for an odd crochet gift. Grant brings Frank and Ernest. After a solid Whose Line reference, your hosts get deep into a discussion about wallpaper. A business that was presumed dead is found to be thriving. Mark brings Invisible Bread. Grant is only interested in payback. Send feedback to [email protected].
Save Penguin, Break Ice
July 13, 2023 08:00 - 50 minutes - 22.9 MBThis episode starts with quite the introduction. Sweet treats? Tiny games? Knock-off products? Check, check, and check. Mark brings Overboard. Grant has a measured, discipline thought on prioritizing communication to others. Grant brings Cathy Classics. He's frustrated with the world. Send feedback to [email protected].
The Power of God and Anime
July 06, 2023 08:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBMark uses some fancy footwork to justify Grant’s poor communication. Your hosts find new uses for old tools. There’s not just one way to use dish soap. Grant brings Wallace the Brave. Mark has an Altoid anecdote, which turns into a confusing trip to a website. Cinnamon, yuck. Mark brings The Awkward Yeti. Post-rain activities are varied and fun. Send feedback to [email protected].
Oh, the Actual Spanish!
June 29, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBWith both hosts back in the mix, a proper and extremely minimal commemoration of 5 years occurs. This puts them on the precipice of quarter life crises. Grant gives his thoughts on large malls yet again. Mark brings Imagine This. A rewatch of a short video commences after an inspirational sentence from Grant, and the topic is left behind. Grant brings Calvin and Hobbes. Woods stuff resurface. A geographic revelation is had. Send feedback to [email protected].
You've Been a Bad Spoon
June 15, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBMark doesn’t sleep as well as Grant, and hates certain foods for pseudo-breakfast. How does one properly fry rice? Mark brings The Other End. What’s in a cloud? Do shapes just come about, and can you find their true form? Grant brings Ink Pen. It’s nor quite special burger time. Send feedback to [email protected].
Uploaded Nine Years Ago
June 08, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 20.8 MBWhat’s going on in the neighborhood? Your hosts go to the source with some hard-hitting reporting on youth dance classes, animal rescue, doctor visits, and scat. Grant brings Barkeater Lake. Pie is super good. Mark brings Sunshine State. Software updates are difficult to balance. Send feedback to [email protected].
The Gloves Are Off
June 01, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 20.7 MBA toy from the past is thoroughly explored. Mark almost spends between $25 and $150 to experience the thrill of the game one last time. Mark brings Junk Drawer. Grant’s one critique is that he doesn’t always get what he wants with criticism. Grant screws up by bringing Speed Bump. Mark briefly tells an unrelated story before answering a question. Send feedback to [email protected].
House Not Worky
May 25, 2023 08:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBMark needs an intense brainstorming session. All ideas are good ideas until they’re not. Grant brings Alley Oop. Mark is happy to fix a toilet, but not wires. Mark brings Rose is Rose. Childhood is fun and dumb. Send feedback to [email protected].
I Don't Like to Say "Panic"
May 18, 2023 08:00 - 41 minutes - 18.8 MBBaseball and nice weather. What more could you ask for? How about some new cooking tips? Mark brings Truth Facts. After an obvious tangent regarding toilet paper, Mark wants a metaphorical discussion of productivity and deadlines. Grant brings Calvin and Hobbes. A power outage has caused some introspection. Send feedback to [email protected].
More Like Milking a Cow
May 11, 2023 08:00 - 48 minutes - 22 MBWe’re at the intersection of technology and music. Mark has something new to share. Expensive audio equipment probably isn’t worth it. Grant brings Cornered. He monologues before Mark asks for clarification on something related to wine for which Grant can only provide a conjecture. Mark brings The Adventures of Business Cat. Awards are awarded. Send feedback to [email protected].
Had Any Good Pineapples Recently?
May 04, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.4 MBOfficial documents are a pain, particularly when they aren’t on your person. Grant doesn’t put in enough effort to please Mark in this landmark episode, so sniffing and pulling of produce is addressed. Mark brings Sarah’s Scribbles. Grant listens to new music, while Mark has only recently begun adventuring into new audio domains. Grant brings La Cucaracha. Mark would not read the magazine in question. Suddenly, a pivot to Minor League Baseball teams. Send feedback to [email protected].
Well-Designed and Awful
April 27, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 20.7 MBMark and Grant attempt to learn something new from the internet, which is always a dangerous place to go. Grant had a watch whoopsie. Grant brings Calvin and Hobbes. Mark rapidly loses the plot as he discovers an incredibly bad website with a strange inventory in the online shop. Mark brings Freshly Squeezed. Your hosts plan their sabbatical. Send feedback to [email protected].
Aspect Ratio of an Elephant
April 20, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 20.7 MBSpicy thumbs and long walks to the store are your standard weekend fare. That’s really not as green as your hosts would have thought. Mark brings Super-Fun-Pak Comix. He unexpectedly asks Grant to defend his monitor situation. Moose are hard to appreciate. Grant brings Barkeater Lake. What’s worth your time to do? It’s hard to put a price on experience. Send feedback to [email protected].
It All Really Started on Thursday
April 13, 2023 08:00 - 47 minutes - 21.6 MBMark wants to vicariously experience Grant’s lackadaisical weekend. Social batteries get drained like all others. Grant brings FoxTrot Classics. Mark would like to add a couple air quotes to that. Your hosts agree that eggs have gotten worse, but this one hot tip may change the game. Mark brings Ollie and Quentin. Grant confuses anatomical features with pink invertebrates. He also has a picnic blanket. Send feedback to [email protected].
A Specific Instance of Coleslaw
April 06, 2023 08:00 - 42 minutes - 19.4 MBMark is finally taken in by the promises of ChatGPT to do silly things. He spends far too much time amusing himself with fake episodes. Grant smiles along. These titles and descriptions are cheeky and subtle. Mark brings Poorly Drawn Lines. Grant pronounces a name correctly, and your hosts discuss radio. It’s basically a forgotten technology. Grant brings Baldo. Well, kind of. Send feedback to [email protected].
The Can Shed
March 30, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 20.8 MBMark has a vibrant drink, and Grant requires more insight into a line of fizz-producing products. Grant brings Pearls Before Swine. He basically asks Mark to search something for him, and they both end up using a certain large language model instead. Mark brings Ordinary Bill. Delegation is difficult. Hot tip of the day: use it as training. Send feedback to [email protected].
My Cow's Number
March 23, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBIt turns out that a lack of instructions doesn’t lead to a great recipe outcome. Using a Goldilocks approach may fix some of the issues. There are issues with some online schooling platforms. Mark brings Sticky Comics. Grant considers things that aren’t all that amazing in his apartment, and a few things he adores. Grant brings Lucky Cow. Idle car games are rather amusing. Send feedback to [email protected].
An Infringement On My Freedom
March 16, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 20.4 MBA certain island nation really needs to up its design game. Grant brings Lola. Mark dives deep into his soul via self-reflection questions from Grant. Personal accountability is difficult. Mark brings Pearls Before Swine. Negative feedback is way easier to handle than flattery. Send feedback to [email protected].
I Have a Bear In My Desk
March 09, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 20.1 MBAfter circumspect conversation related to a certain regional religion, Mark discusses some of his tourism and Grant gives some pro-tips about honey. Mark brings Haircut Practice. The benefits of various moisture levels in burritos are interrogated. Grant brings Cathy Classics. Shipping isn’t too awful these days. Send feedback to [email protected].
Something Silly Like “A Farm Madam?”
March 02, 2023 09:00 - 42 minutes - 19.3 MBYour hosts wish they were cool, too. Mark admits to also using a to-do list. In fact, he’s a certified master. Grant brings Marmaduke. One tenuous leap later, meme knowledge quickly turns into a broader conversation about capturing information. Mark brings Moderately Confused. He fails to sell Grant on the concept of crossword puzzles. Send feedback to [email protected].
…And I’m All Out of Food
February 23, 2023 09:00 - 41 minutes - 18.9 MBThings go a little haywire during the intro. Capitalism is given a critical look, followed by discussion of jurisprudence. Despite what his lovely wife has to suggest, he refuses to have a cherry. Turns out niche products aren’t that niche. Mark brings The Wandering Melon. Car accessories are discussed, particularly those that create holes and safety concerns. Grant brings Ink Pen. Panera is now a genre of salad. Send feedback to [email protected].
You're Such a Good Little Scientist
February 16, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes - 20.9 MBGrant weighs in on the big game, and Mark shares the most-discussed storylines from penalties to Super Smash. Grant got a boo-boo in a way that neither host can discern, and Mark impresses Grant with his OSHA compliance. Grant brings Red and Rover. Mark has indeed experienced blindness from obvious items, as recently as the day of recording. They swap several tales. Mark brings The Adventures of Business Cat. Grant failed to get himself stuck in a tree, and Kelly Clarkson has made some sol...
Allegedly a Raincoat
February 09, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBMark and Grant share their varied issues with technology. A Trader Joe’s scam is followed up by a potential dine-and-dash. Mark brings Art by Moga, and gives Grant an assist on comic interpretation. Grant provides a healthy dose of reality. Rain jackets can be awesome. Grant brings Luann. He is nice enough to praise Mark for his descriptive capabilities. Mark is not a dancer. Send feedback to [email protected].
So You're a Hider
February 02, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes - 20.9 MBMark has a new toy, and is thrilled about what it could mean for his hobby. He’s also curious about Grant’s history with graphic novels. The conversation is surprisingly insightful. Grant brings Non Sequitur. Mark details his casual approach to cable management. Mark brings Back in the Day, but there’s no time. Send feedback to [email protected].
You Can’t Inception Me
January 26, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBMark provides necessary updates on the state Mario Kart in the household. He likes being a bully to the computer players. Names are difficult. Grant reads the recording timeline too quickly. Mark brings Eyebeam. Is there any meaning to be taken from dreams? Who cares? Winter driving in real life is exciting enough on its own. Grant brings Candorville. He quizzes Mark on his ambitions for the future. Mark comes in with a hard dose of reality. Send feedback to [email protected].
236: You Can’t Inception Me
January 26, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 20.3 MBMark provides necessary updates on the state Mario Kart in the household. He likes being a bully to the computer players. Names are difficult. Grant reads the recording timeline too quickly. Mark brings Eyebeam. Is there any meaning to be taken from dreams? Who cares? Winter driving in real life is exciting enough on its own. Grant brings Candorville. He quizzes Mark on his ambitions for the future. Mark comes in with a hard dose of reality. Send feedback to [email protected].
I Think it’s All Giggling
January 19, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 18.2 MBAs is tradition, there is a recap of some excellent food. Grant takes it in stride. Then the quadrennial review happens thanks to data that… Wait… It has an unresolved error. Yikes. Grant brings Peanuts. Mark immediately takes issue with the talking points, and Grant pivots to eye correction tools. Mark brings Mt. Pleasant and requests Grant discuss his relationship with antiquated books. Send feedback to [email protected].
235: I Think it’s All Giggling
January 19, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 18.2 MBAs is tradition, there is a recap of some excellent food. Grant takes it in stride. Then the quadrennial review happens thanks to data that… Wait… It has an unresolved error. Yikes. Grant brings Peanuts. Mark immediately takes issue with the talking points, and Grant pivots to eye correction tools. Mark brings Mt. Pleasant and requests Grant discuss his relationship with antiquated books. Send feedback to [email protected].
I Would Never Name My Child Zeke
January 12, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 21.1 MBMark has a couple stories of things not quite fitting correctly. Grant comes in with personal experience to waylay future issues. Mark brings Lost Sheep. All sorts of folks visited suburban houses in the early 2000s. Your hosts have different memories of frozen food/ice cream distributors from the great state of Minnesota. Grant brings JumpStart. What’s in a mystery? How do you deal with an unknown situation? Send feedback to [email protected].
234: I Would Never Name My Child Zeke
January 12, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 21.1 MBMark has a couple stories of things not quite fitting correctly. Grant comes in with personal experience to waylay future issues. Mark brings Lost Sheep. All sorts of folks visited suburban houses in the early 2000s. Your hosts have different memories of frozen food/ice cream distributors from the great state of Minnesota. Grant brings JumpStart. What’s in a mystery? How do you deal with an unknown situation? Send feedback to [email protected].
Sounds a T-Rex Has Never Heard
January 05, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 19.8 MBMark is paralyzed by choice regarding discussion topics over the past few weeks. But your hosts manage to strap themselves in and tackle a few topics that are as unimportant as ever. Grant brings Lio. He has a couple quick questions that Mark won’t play along with. All of a sudden, your hosts find themselves discussing ostriches and rheas. Mark brings Nothing is Not Something. Bubblegum tastes like bubblegum. Send feedback to [email protected].
233: Sounds a T-Rex Has Never Heard
January 05, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 19.8 MBMark is paralyzed by choice regarding discussion topics over the past few weeks. But your hosts manage to strap themselves in and tackle a few topics that are as unimportant as ever. Grant brings Lio. He has a couple quick questions that Mark won’t play along with. All of a sudden, your hosts find themselves discussing ostriches and rheas. Mark brings Nothing is Not Something. Bubblegum tastes like bubblegum. Send feedback to [email protected].
232: Dazzy Vance
December 29, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBAfter a quick Christmas card check in, Mark discusses his work trip. Speaking of which, neither of your hosts are “jet-setting”, regardless of which definition you choose. Baseball statistics are not infallible. Mark brings Off the Mark. He’s curious about the noises emitted from phones, particularly those that historically have contained rhythmic elements. Grant brings Berkeley Mews. Advent calendars? They’re pretty good. Send feedback to [email protected].
Dazzy Vance
December 29, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBAfter a quick Christmas card check in, Mark discusses his work trip. Speaking of which, neither of your hosts are “jet-setting”, regardless of which definition you choose. Baseball statistics are not infallible. Mark brings Off the Mark. He’s curious about the noises emitted from phones, particularly those that historically have contained rhythmic elements. Grant brings Berkeley Mews. Advent calendars? They’re pretty good. Send feedback to [email protected].
The First Thing I Ever Buy Out of an Elevator
December 22, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes - 19.2 MBMore updates! Furniture, mail, travel: what a potpourri of miscellany! Mark got a great deal, and discovered a flaw in our new-fangled postal technology. Grant brings The Born Loser. The only connection Mark is able to make is a piece of fine teenage literature that throws Grant for an incredible loop. Mark brings Off the Mark. Your hosts reminisce about a simpler time when our phones made noises. Send feedback to [email protected].
231: The First Thing I Ever Buy Out of an Elevator
December 22, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes - 19.2 MBMore updates! Furniture, mail, travel: what a potpourri of miscellany! Mark got a great deal, and discovered a flaw in our new-fangled postal technology. Grant brings The Born Loser. The only connection Mark is able to make is a piece of fine teenage literature that throws Grant for an incredible loop. Mark brings Off the Mark. Your hosts reminisce about a simpler time when our phones made noises. Send feedback to [email protected].
230: My Left Hand Will Come to the Rescue
December 15, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 19.9 MBWe’ll keep it simple: no comics were read in the making of this episode. What began as a simple question about phone cases snowballed into Grant learning much more about his phone than he reckoned he would coming into this recording. Send feedback to [email protected].
My Left Hand Will Come to the Rescue
December 15, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 19.9 MBWe’ll keep it simple: no comics were read in the making of this episode. What began as a simple question about phone cases snowballed into Grant learning much more about his phone than he reckoned he would coming into this recording. Send feedback to [email protected].
Safer Than a Jar
December 08, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBThere are updates on some of Mark’s tools. It’s not particularly interesting, but you get what you get. Grant brings Pibgorn. Mark needs to get over his qualms with the phrasing of a request, but he does his best to interact with the spirit of the conversation. Mark brings Lard’s World Peace Tips. He attempts to deliver an earnest compliment, and some real advice may have actually been discovered. Send feedback to [email protected].
229: Safer Than a Jar
December 08, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBThere are updates on some of Mark’s tools. It’s not particularly interesting, but you get what you get. Grant brings Pibgorn. Mark needs to get over his qualms with the phrasing of a request, but he does his best to interact with the spirit of the conversation. Mark brings Lard’s World Peace Tips. He attempts to deliver an earnest compliment, and some real advice may have actually been discovered. Send feedback to [email protected].
I Can Make a Cake With Broken Eggs
December 01, 2022 09:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MBGrant owes some communication, and your hosts explore the metaphorical financial ramifications of being late to a conversation. Advice is swapped both ways. Mark brings xkcd. What’s the use of a GPS when you know where you’re going? That depends on where you happen to live. Grant brings Poorly Drawn Lines. Grant attempts to reference something that Mark has very little experience with, and doesn’t even finish his point before the recording ends. Send feedback to [email protected].
228: I Can Make a Cake With Broken Eggs
December 01, 2022 09:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MBGrant owes some communication, and your hosts explore the metaphorical financial ramifications of being late to a conversation. Advice is swapped both ways. Mark brings xkcd. What’s the use of a GPS when you know where you’re going? That depends on where you happen to live. Grant brings Poorly Drawn Lines. Grant attempts to reference something that Mark has very little experience with, and doesn’t even finish his point before the recording ends. Send feedback to [email protected].
Anti-Blenderness
November 24, 2022 09:00 - 46 minutes - 21.5 MBIt’s only been a few days in the real world since the last recording, so your hosts actually remember enough to have some flow between episodes. Why dirty extra dishes? After a failed segue, Grant brings Calvin and Hobbes. One long-winded transition later, your hosts discuss jargon and ideas in their professional vernacular. Mark brings Home Free to talk about lost and abused toys from childhood. Send feedback to [email protected].
227: Anti-Blenderness
November 24, 2022 09:00 - 46 minutes - 21.5 MBIt’s only been a few days in the real world since the last recording, so your hosts actually remember enough to have some flow between episodes. Why dirty extra dishes? After a failed segue, Grant brings Calvin and Hobbes. One long-winded transition later, your hosts discuss jargon and ideas in their professional vernacular. Mark brings Home Free to talk about lost and abused toys from childhood. Send feedback to [email protected].
We Know What Lincoln Logs Are
November 17, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBIt all gets off to a slow start, but your hosts find their groove. Spices can really sneak up on you. Mark brings Real Life Adventures. After a quick editor’s note, your hosts compare fire-building tactics. Do any of you remember Bionicles? Grant brings Heart of the City. He’s a simple man with a simple question about work cuisine. Send feedback to [email protected].
226: We Know What Lincoln Logs Are
November 17, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 20 MBIt all gets off to a slow start, but your hosts find their groove. Spices can really sneak up on you. Mark brings Real Life Adventures. After a quick editor’s note, your hosts compare fire-building tactics. Do any of you remember Bionicles? Grant brings Heart of the City. He’s a simple man with a simple question about work cuisine. Send feedback to [email protected].
225: Of Course They Needed a Handkerchief
November 10, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 19.9 MBMark fights through sleepiness, and Grant gave 100% effort to achieve 85% of what was needed. Your hosts connect with their past, and discuss punctuation at length. Grant brings a Lola comic. While the conversation roams around, he does pin down Mark for an opinion on hankies. Mark brings Ordinary Bill. You never know what Grant will be wearing. Send feedback to [email protected].