In this episode, Cynthia Kane, author of The Pause Principle: How to Keep Your Cool in Tough Situations, joins the show to discuss how to improve communication by mastering the art of pausing. Cynthia, a communication expert, explains why taking a moment to pause before reacting in difficult situations can lead to more effective and mindful communi…

In this Shortcast edition, Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, shares how we can reclaim our time and attention by taking control of our relationship with digital technology. Rather than rejecting tech entirely, Cal proposes a minimalist approach—using technology with intention and only when it suppo…

In this fun episode of Remote Ruby, Chris and Andrew dive into a wide-ranging chat that kicks off with Nintendo’s new Switch 2, dentist nightmares, and the chaos of Mario Party. From there, it transitions into some highly practical Rails development discussions, including a slick new implementation for MetaTags in Jumpstart, the headaches and benef…

In this special Shortcast, Jess Cording, author of The Little Book of Game Changers: 50 Healthy Habits for Managing Stress and Anxiety, shares practical strategies to manage stress and anxiety by making small, sustainable changes across mind, body, and spirit. Jess offers gentle, doable practices that go beyond willpower—emphasizing progress over p…

In this episode, Shira Gill, author of Lifestyle: Your Guide to a More Organized and Intentional Life, joins the show to discuss her approach to minimalism and intentional living. Shira, a professional organizer, shares how she applies the principles of minimalism not just to physical possessions but to all aspects of life—helping to create space f…

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Chris and Andrew catch up on recent travels and food experiences, including the best Philly cheesesteaks they’ve ever had. The conversation shifts towards development topics, particularly testing challenges and solutions in Ruby on Rails, featuring discussions about emoji pickers, asset pipelines, and the prawn libra…

In this episode, Jim Guinn, co-author of How to Get Along with Anyone: The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and at Home, joins the show to discuss the art of conflict prevention. Jim, an expert in mediation and conflict resolution, shares practical tools for recognizing and managing conflict before it escalates into full-blow…

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Andrew and Chris discuss the frustrations of working with React and the advantages of using Hotwire. They also talk about upcoming plans, including Andrew's retreat to Philadelphia and Lancaster, and the new features they've been working on, like an inbox for notifications. The conversation touches on the complexity …

In this special Shortcast edition, Baratunde Thurston, shares his experience of unplugging from social media for 25 days—and what he learned about stress, productivity, and the importance of being present. Baratunde reveals how stepping away from constant digital interaction can lead to more meaningful real-world connections and less burnout. In th…

Andrew and Chris dive into issues with SMTP configuration on new Digital Ocean droplets, their experiences with various email delivery gems like Postmark and Mailtrap and go over some best practices for handling account creation and user associations in Rails applications. The conversation also touches on deployment automation, developing new featu…

In this episode, Melody Wilding, author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from People in Charge, joins the show to discuss the often-overlooked skill of managing up. Melody shares insights on how to communicate more effectively with those in higher positions, ensuring that you get the support and guidance you need for your career while maint…

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Chris and Andrew discuss various technical challenges and developments. Chris provides insights into recent updates and debugging issues with Stripe integration, including transitioning from usage records to billing meters. Andrew shares a complicated debugging session involving a mysterious test suite freezing probl…

In this episode, Courtney Carver, author of Rest More, Stress Less: How to Live the Life You Actually Want, shares her transformative approach to prioritizing rest and reducing stress. Courtney, a simplicity and decluttering expert, discusses how rest is not just a reward but a necessity for productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. In this…

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Chris and Andrew catch up on recent events and dive into their experiences with various conferences. They discuss their travels to Brazil, Philly, Chicago, and Vegas, sharing the highlights and challenges of each trip. The conversation then shifts to technical topics, including insights from the Tropical on Rails con…

In this special Shortcast edition, Jeremy Kubicek, author of The 100X Leader: How to Become Someone Worth Following, shares how we can lead with both support and challenge to help others reach their full potential. Drawing inspiration from Sherpas guiding climbers on Mount Everest, Jeremy illustrates what it means to lead others by being fully for …

In this episode, Angus Nelson, author of Confidence Comes Later, discusses his journey of building confidence through action and embracing uncertainty. Angus, an entrepreneur and personal development coach, explores how to disrupt your life by taking bold steps instead of waiting for confidence to appear, and how this can lead to personal growth an…

This episode of Remote Ruby starts with Andrew and Chris discussing how busy they are this month and how they're managing new feature releases, travel, and bulk recording episodes. They continue answering listener questions from Episode 300, covering key improvements they wish to see in Rails, best practices for hybrid remote work, and methods to i…

In this episode we revisit a conversation with Julie Fast, author of Getting It Done When You’re Depressed: 50 Strategies to Help You Achieve Productivity Even with Depression, Anxiety, or ADHD. She shares her expertise on how to overcome productivity barriers caused by mental health struggles. Julie, who has lived with bipolar disorder, depression…

In this episode, Sara Sherman, author of Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, joins the show to discuss the powerful and often underestimated role of music in our lives. Sara, a classical musician and educator, explores how music can not only enhance our emotional well-being but also improve focus, productivity, and social connections…

In their milestone 300th episode of Remote Ruby, Andrew and Chris celebrate six years of podcasting, reflecting on the journey since their first episode in June 2018. They discuss how the show has evolved, highlight memorable moments, and dive into listener submitted questions about Rails, Ruby, podcasting, and more. Hit that download button now! L…

In this episode, Anne-Laure Le Cunff, author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, joins the show to discuss her experimental approach to goal-setting and personal growth. Anne-Laure, a neuroscience enthusiast and founder of Ness Labs, explores how shifting from traditional goal-setting to small, iterative experiments ca…

In this episode, Madelin Mann, author of Reverse the Search: How to Turn Job Seeking into Job Shopping, joins the show to share her expert advice on transforming the traditional job search process. With years of experience in HR and recruiting, Madelin provides valuable insights into how to stand out in today’s competitive job market by shifting fr…

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Andrew and Chris discuss a variety of topics, including their experiences with the podcast, the upcoming milestones for Remote Ruby and Go Rails, and their plans for future content. Chris dives into their recent work on the ‘Learn Hotwire’ course, explaining its extensive coverage of technologies like iOS, Kotlin, Sw…

In this episode, Ximena Vengeochea, author of The Life Audit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering Your Goals and Building the Life You Want, shares her approach to re-evaluating life’s priorities and making intentional changes. Ximena, a former LinkedIn leader, uses her background in user research to help others take a fresh, introspective approach…

In this episode, Elizabeth Lotardo, author of Leading Yourself: Finding More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have, shares her insights on how to find purpose and fulfillment in your current job. Drawing on her background as an organizational psychologist, Elizabeth explores how shifting your mindset can help you thrive at wor…

In this episode, Andrew and Chris discuss Chris's new hardware upgrade to a Mac Studio, diving into its benefits for video processing and development work. They share stories about troubleshooting a perplexing bug related to WebSockets and Cable Ready, and discuss the conference proposal process, offering insights into writing effective CFPs based …

In this episode, Andrew Brodsky, author of Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication, explores how virtual communication can be improved for both productivity and relationship-building. Andrew, a professor at the University of Texas and expert on virtual communication, discusses his research and personal journey in understanding how we …

In this episode, we welcome Jenny Wood, a former Google executive, founder of Own Your Career, and author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It. Jenny shares powerful insights into overcoming fear, taking bold risks, and navigating personal and professional growth with courage. In this conversation, we explore: The Courage to Overcome …

In this episode, Chris and Andrew navigate scheduling mishaps, discuss the quirks of time zones, and dive deep into their transition from asdf to mise for managing development environments. They explore the benefits of mise tasks, automation, and encrypted environment variables. Chris shares the challenges of migrating Hatchbox without disrupting d…

I’m excited to welcome Oliver Burkeman back to the show to discuss his new book, Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts. You can find his previous conversation on the show here. Oliver is a journalist and author best known for 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. His latest book offers a p…

I’m excited revisit this conversation with Ximena Vengoechea to the show to discuss her book, Listen Like You Mean It: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection. Ximena is a user researcher, author, and expert in communication and active listening. Her book explores how we can deepen our conversations, overcome common listening mistakes, and foste…

In this episode, Chris and Andrew start out talking about personal milestones and upcoming birthdays. The conversation then moves to technical issues faced with PostgreSQL configurations on Hatchbox. They delve into the functionality and challenges of different tools such as Asdf and its alternatives like Mise, a tool for managing programming envir…

I’m excited to welcome Michaela Alexis to the show to discuss her new book, No Fear Networking: A Guide to Building Connections for the Socially Anxious Professional. Michaela is a keynote speaker, LinkedIn expert, and networking coach who helps professionals overcome social anxiety and build meaningful connections in their careers. In this convers…

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Chris and Andrew dive into a discussion that spans the worlds of gaming and software development. They kick off by sharing their experiences with Cyberpunk 2077, reflecting on how the game has improved since its initial release, then on to Balatro, a deck-building poker game that's influencing Andrew's real-world cas…

In this episode, Chris and Andrew discuss their challenges and strategies around productivity, focusing particularly on sleep schedules and dealing with a sick dog. They delve into the practicalities of modern JavaScript tooling, specifically esbuild, and its configuration headaches. The conversation then shifts to the importance of reusable themes…

I’m excited to welcome Mo Hamzian to the show to discuss the future of workspaces and how to optimize environments for focus, productivity, and well-being. Mo is an entrepreneur, real estate expert, and the co-founder of VEL, a company dedicated to redefining workspaces for the modern workforce. In this conversation, we cover: The Evolution of Work…

I’m excited to welcome Duncan Wardle to the show to discuss his new book, The Imagination Emporium: The Creative Tools to Change the Way You Think. Duncan is a former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, a global speaker, and an expert in unlocking human imagination. His book presents practical tools for breaking free from conventional thin…

I’m excited to welcome Debra Eckerling to the show to discuss her new book, 52 Secrets for Goal Setting and Goal Getting: How to Stay Focused, Grow Your Network, and Get More Done in Less Time. Debra is a goal-setting expert, author, and the creator of the DEB Method, which helps individuals and organizations define, plan, and achieve their goals. …

You don’t want to miss this heartfelt episode as Jason, Chris, and Andrew discuss the impact of their podcast, the connections they’ve made, and the technical communities they are part of. They discuss their use of AI tools in coding, their favorite TV shows, and reflect on the changes in the Ruby community. They also share memories of past podcast…

This week, I’m excited to welcome Tyler Moore, also known as Tidy Dad, to the show to discuss his new book, Tidy Up Your Life: Rethinking How to Organize, Declutter, and Make Space for What Matters. Tyler is a teacher, writer, and advocate for creating intentional, organized spaces that support well-being. Through his Tidy Dad brand, he shares prac…

I’m excited to welcome Dr. Mithu Storoni to the show to discuss her new book, Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work. Dr. Storoni is a physician, researcher, and expert in neuroscience and performance optimization. Her latest book challenges conventional productivity methods and introduces a brain-based approach to workin…

In this episode, Chris and Andrew welcome guest Stephen Margheim to discuss his specialization in Ruby and SQLite. Stephen shares his journey of improving the developer experience with SQLite by addressing various pain points and adapting it for production in the Rails ecosystem. He talks about his contributions to Rails 8, making it the first full…

This week, I’m excited to welcome Ben Orlin to the show to discuss his new book, Math for English Majors: A Human Take on the Universal Language. Ben is a math educator, writer, and the creator of Math with Bad Drawings, a blog and book series that makes math more accessible, humorous, and relatable. His latest book approaches mathematics as a lang…

I’m excited to welcome back Ian Morgan Cron to the show to discuss his new book, The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between. Ian is a bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram expert, and host of the Typology podcast. His latest book explores how the …

In this episode of Remote Ruby, Chris and Andrew discuss the complexities and evolutions of developing mobile applications using Hotwire Native with guest Joe Masilotti. The conversation delves into the history, challenges, and features of Hotwire, highlighting its origins from Turbolinks to Hotwire Native. Joe shares insights from his upcoming boo…

This week, I’m excited to welcome back Melissa Urban to the show to discuss her new book, The New Whole30: A Fresh Approach to Food and Life. Melissa Urban is the co-creator and CEO of the Whole30 program, a New York Times bestselling author, and a respected voice in the wellness community. Her new book reintroduces the Whole30 program with updates…

In this episode, Jason, Chris, and Andrew catch up with each other before diving into a conversation with Jason Swett. Jason, an author, speaker, and creator, discusses his monthly snail mail newsletter "Nonsense Monthly" and the upcoming Sin City Ruby conference scheduled for April 2025 in Vegas, Baby! The discussion then shifts to various topics …

This week, I’m thrilled to welcome back Dr. Michael Breus to the show to discuss his new book, Sleep, Drink, Breathe: Simple Daily Habits for Long-Term Health. Dr. Breus, also known as “The Sleep Doctor,” is a clinical psychologist, board-certified sleep specialist, and a bestselling author. Known for making complex health topics approachable, his …

Welcome to the first episode of the new year where Chris and Andrew discuss their holiday activities and recent breaks from work, including travel experiences and Christmas celebrations. They delve into updates on Ruby and Bundler enhancements, and they emphasize the importance of Ruby Central’s role in maintaining Ruby's security. The conversation…

In this episode, Jason, Chris, and Andrew discuss a variety of topics leading up to Christmas. They talk about the number of ‘Eves’ until Christmas, share opinions about Jason’s dog named after a Pokémon, and delve into several technical discussions. These include new Rails Guide updates, Ruby's latest release notes, and the pros and cons of va…