Best 20 Somethings Doing Nothing Podcasts (2025)

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Should pickup trucks rule the road? Is the customer always right? 37:01

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6h ago37:01

37:01

We’re revving up the humour when we decide if pickup trucks are the best kind of vehicle. Then, we’re making the call on whether the customer is always correct. Featuring: Katie Ellen-Humphries, Dan Taylor, Yumi Nagashima and Faris Hytiaa.

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Episode 483: My team hated me from day one and should I stack PTO before my resignation 38:22

3d ago38:22

38:22

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: How would you handle a situation where a team forms a negative opinion about you from day one — without any clear reason and without ever giving you a real chance to prove yourself? Even when you contribute technically, your suggestions are ignored… until someone else repeats the same thing …

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Are podcasts superior to music? Are date nights the key to a good relationship? 32:29

7d ago32:29

32:29

It's full stream ahead when we pit podcasts against music. Then, we go to town on whether date nights should be crucial to every couple. Featuring: Erica Sigurdson, Myles Anderson, Kyle Brownrigg, and Kate Davis. We value your input. Fill out our listener questionnaire here!

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Episode 482: I got a promotion, but a tiny raise and an imposter interviewed for my team 31:47

10d ago31:47

31:47

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: After a year of trying, I recently got promoted to staff engineer! It’s great to receive recognition for my work, but i’m not actually very happy, because I only got a 4% raise! I spoke with a former coworker about how much a staff engineer in my role should expect, and he said that he would…

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Should curling be Canada’s national sport? Is Canada's Thanksgiving better than America's? 39:38

14d ago39:38

39:38

We’ve got a stone cold debate on whether curling should be Canada’s national sport. Then, who dishes out a better Thanksgiving, Canadians or Americans? Featuring: John Cullen, Elvira Kurt, Clifton Cremo, and Nathan Macintosh. Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input!

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Episode 481: I'm bored and will I ever find out why I was fired? 29:03

17d ago29:03

29:03

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Is meeting the parents important? And is Victoria, BC cool? 37:36

21d ago37:36

37:36

We’re deciding if meeting the parents is a major milestone, and whether Victoria, BC has the cool factor. Featuring: Syd Bosel, Abdul Aziz, Ivan Decker, and Katie-Ellen Humphries. Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input!

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Episode 480: Do I just coast until I quit and going back to work after a long time 27:09

24d ago27:09

27:09

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: (follow-up from question 449) Hello. Return question asker here. You answered my question from episode 449 “my tech lead ignored my warnings”. I want to give a follow up. I sat by and did not say anything else, he shipped the broken feature, and it broke in production. Instead of fixing it h…

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Does Velcro beat laces? Do dress codes at work matter? 35:02

28d ago35:02

35:02

We have a fasten-ating debate on Velcro vs. laces, then, we get down to business when we discuss dress codes at work. Featuring: Lisa Baker, Sean Cullen, Chad Anderson, and Brittany Lyseng.

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Episode 479: Contractors to the rescue and dinged for delay 34:57

1M ago34:57

34:57

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey skillet nation, long time skilletee first time skilleter here. I started at a scale up about 6 months ago and recently, I was asked to help with a project that was greatly behind schedule. The folks responsible for the original system are no longer at the company, and the team currently …

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Is wireless better than wired? And do you actually need a driver’s license? 34:40

1M ago34:40

34:40

We’re deciding if Bluetooth just makes you blue, and if everyone should be driven to get a driver’s license. Featuring: Arthur Simeon, Matt Falk, Jackie Pirico, and Derek Edwards.

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Episode 478: Can you coach self-awareness and my boss is an llm 38:18

1M ago38:18

38:18

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Can you coach self-awareness? I manage someone who seems to believe their skill set is on par with their teammates, regardless of their constant PR feedback regarding the same issues over and over, the extra attention they are regularly given to help them overcome coding challenges, and the …

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Should married couples renew their vows? And is living up North worth it? 34:36

1M ago34:36

34:36

We’re deciding if it makes sense to say “I do” all over again, and whether we should give living in the North the cold shoulder. Featuring: Charlie Demers, Erica Sigurdson, Gavin Clarkson, and Quincy Thomas.

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Episode 477: Four months and I already hate my job and grumpy and fuzzy 37:51

1M ago37:51

37:51

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey guys, I have been working for four months at my job and I already don’t like it. This is my first job out of college and I work as a C# backend engineer for a small B2B SaaS company. I really think this company is a dead end. There is a lot of technical debt and antipatterns and we have …

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Is 20 Years a long time? And do names need to have meaning? 35:38

2M ago35:38

35:38

It’s the premiere of our 20th season! So we’re asking: Is 20 years a long time? Then, what’s in a name? We’re deciding if these signifiers need significance. Featuring: Derek Seguin, Lara Rae, Ola Dada, and Wes Borg.

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20 Years of Debates: An Anniversary Special! 35:21

2M ago35:21

35:21

For the start of our 20th season, we're giving you a behind-the-scenes interview with our host Steve Patterson and Richard Side, creator of The Debaters! We'll be bringing you some of our most unforgettable debates, hearing from your favourite comedians, and getting the facts behind the funny!

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Episode 476: How much help is too much help and guarding against slop 37:36

2M ago37:36

37:36

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Two junior engineers recently joined my team, and I’ve been tasked with onboarding them. This is the first time I’ve been responsible for junior devs, and I’m struggling with how to coach them up. For context, we’re a small engineering team where self-sufficiency is highly valued; processes/…

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Episode 475: Am I too loyal to my big tech job and politely preserving time 33:26

2M ago33:26

33:26

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hi! I’m currently working for a big tech company and I’ve just accepted an internal transfer to another team. At the same time, an external company reached out, offering me a job for a role I’m interested in and twice my current compensation. I’m not sure what to do. The offer from the new c…

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Is it silly to hold a grudge? And does a kitchen party beat a shed party? 35:47

2M ago35:47

35:47

Should you never hold a grudge? Get ready for the ultimate grudge match! Then, a pair of East Coast comedians refuse to play second fiddle when they decide if kitchen parties are superior to shed parties. Featuring: Elvira Kurt, Arthur Simeon, Ryan Dillon, and Nikki Payne.

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Episode 474: I hate the idea of firing a low performer and cheaper context switching 38:04

2M ago38:04

38:04

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hi Dave & Jamison, Long time listener, first time google-form filler outer! I work in a hybrid role as a lead developer and manager of a small team (less than 5). I’m new to management and most of ny experience so far has been with smart, motivated engineers. . . UNTIL! My new recruit is dri…

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Episode 473: Mental health support and overcoming FOMO of taking a break from work 35:59

2M ago35:59

35:59

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hi Jamison and Dave! I am not a developer, but my question is hopefully transferable. I sit in between lawyers and developers. I advise on technology that can be applied to legal processes and I support our teams in using a range of platforms and AI tools to be more efficient across their wo…

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Episode 472: Should my junior dev use AI and thrown in to ETL 26:59

3M ago26:59

26:59

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I’m the CTO of a small startup. We’re 3 devs including me and one of them is a junior developer. My current policy is to discourage the use of AI tools for the junior dev to make sure they build actual skills and don’t just prompt their way through tasks. However I’m more and more questionin…

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Episode 471: Why does my junior engineer do so little and I fell asleep in a Zoom meeting 28:34

3M ago28:34

28:34

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I’m a senior developer on a small team, and I’m feeling frustrated with a junior developer I work with. They’re smart and perfectly capable, but they stick very strictly to the confines of their assigned work. They’ll finish their tickets, but unless they’re directly asked, they don’t offer …

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Is moving for love a good idea? And is it better to be a jack of all trades or a master of one? 37:38

3M ago37:38

37:38

We’re bringing you a moving debate on whether it’s always great to move for love, and hammering it home when a jack of all trades takes on a master of one. Featuring: Isabel Zaw-Tun, Paul Myrehaug, Chad Anderson, and Graham Chittenden.

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Episode 470: I said something stupid in a meeting and just want to code 30:12

3M ago30:12

30:12

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I was on a meeting with a team generally regarded to be pretty annoying to deal with and not particularly useful. The meeting was pretty annoying and not particularly useful. I audibly said to myself after leaving “holy crap what a waste of time.” Turns out I hadn’t left and may not have bee…

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Episode 469: Passed over for lead role and perhaps I'm the jerk 35:53

3M ago35:53

35:53

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I’m a long time listener to the podcast. Thanks for reading and answering my question! I have over 20+ yrs experience as a manual QA and 6+ yrs experience as a SDET. I’m in a new role as a hybrid manual QA / SDET for a company that hasn’t had QA for a few years. After a couple of months a ne…

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Episode 468: Should I take a mini-retirement and doubling down on anachronisms 31:12

4M ago31:12

31:12

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hi Dave and Jamison, Long-time listener, first-time question asker. Thank you both for the wisdom, perspective, and jokes you bring to the podcast. I recently received an inheritance of around $500,000. It’s not “quit your job and buy a yacht” money, but it is enough to reshape my life. I’m …

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Episode 467: I can't get promoted if I do my job and should I get a degree to get a job in this economy 40:52

4M ago40:52

40:52

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I am a data scientist and was recently passed over for promotion to senior because my projects weren’t “senior level” enough, and I do too many ad hoc requests that delay delivery of my bigger projects. I am a go to for VP and C suite level execs in my company and am commonly asked to help w…

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Is Canada’s national anthem the best? And does everything happen for a reason? 35:59

4M ago35:59

35:59

It’s all about true patriot love when we ask if Canada’s national anthem is at the top, and a fateful debate questions whether everything happens for a reason. Featuring: Jon Steinberg, Ali Hassan, Courtney Gilmour and Nour Hadidi.

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Episode 466: Bad performance review and moving in to the caves 29:56

4M ago29:56

29:56

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I had my performance review two months ago where I scored a “Does not meet expectations”, which I definitely understand, and my manager told me that some of my coworkers had been complaining about me. I’ve been working hard on improving ever since and my manager told me that they were really…

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Are shopping carts better than baskets? And is an invitation to the cottage the secret to summer fun? 37:04

4M ago37:04

37:04

Our season finale episode is a grocery grudge match and a real re-treat! Featuring: Matt Wright, Jan Caruana, Laurie Elliott, and Tamara Shevon.

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Episode 465: Talking to your report's previous manager and how to replace a 30-year-old ticketing system 29:44

4M ago29:44

29:44

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: A listener named Mike says, To what degree do you think it’s appropriate to talk with your peer managers about people that have moved from their team to yours? How much weight do you give their criticisms of an IC that they used to manage that is working out just fine under your leadership? …

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Which is better: Mother’s Day or Father’s Day? And do coaches matter? 35:16

4M ago35:16

35:16

We’re pitting parental holidays against each other, and deciding if coaches are a make or break mentor. Featuring: Dave Hemstad, Elvira Kurt, Emmanuel Lomuro, and Patrick Dussault.

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Episode 464: Rehiring an overpaid boomerang and AI has taken over my teammate's brain 49:38

5M ago49:38

49:38

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Mr A. N. Onymous says, Hi Dave and Jamison, Long time listened, second time caller! I wrote a little while back with a common new-manager question about how to handle one of my reports who was at the lower end performance wise, but at the top end on the pay scale. I’d been trying to manage i…

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Are jeans the best pants? And is food delivery easier than ever? 38:15

5M ago38:15

38:15

We decide if wearing denim is a dream and whether ordering delivery is a breeze. Featuring: Stacey McGunnigle, Myles Anderson, Graham Clark and Lachlan Patterson.

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Episode 463: CTO w/ weak resume and I tried management and it was TERRIBLE 27:16

5M ago27:16

27:16

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Albert Nonymous asks, I am the CTO at a small (5 engineers) tech start-up with non-technical founders. I was their first full-time employee and as such have been able to fully form this company the way I want. I’ve worked here for 9 years now and own 10% of the company. I enjoy the tech and …

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Episode 462: Supporting laid-off employee and how to rebuild culture after layoffs 28:46

5M ago28:46

28:46

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: One of my employees is probably getting laid off, what do I do!?! I’m a tech lead / manager for a consultancy and a contract reduction means that one of the people I supervise is likely going to get laid off soon! We’ve found new roles for most of my people, but it’s likely that at least one…

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Which is better: Plastic or paper? And are you nobody until somebody hates you? 35:21

5M ago35:21

35:21

We decide if plastic beats paper and whether being hated has its benefits. Featuring: Ivan Decker, Martha Chaves, Nikki Payne, and Bruce Clark.

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Episode 461: How to do side projects with a family and demanding job and my company promised me a raise, but didn't give it 32:40

5M ago32:40

32:40

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey, long-time listener, listened to almost all episodes now and have been loving it since day 1!! I am a senior engineer at FAANG and work 45-50 hours a week and have a lot of cross-org responsibilities. I am lucky to have a beautiful wife and two wonderful young children. I guess, you can …

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Should you raise your family in Winnipeg? And is compromise the best solution? 37:42

5M ago37:42

37:42

When it comes to raising kids, does Winnipeg win? And is compromise a happy ending? Featuring: Chad Anderson, Lara Rae, Courtney Gilmour, and Jon Dore.

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Episode 460: Losing autonomy and I got skipped for a promotion even though I'm awesome 33:07

5M ago33:07

33:07

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I have managed a product for some months now. My previous manager split their team in to mini-teams of 2-3 people. They gave me a small team and plenty of autonomy to own the product and go crazy on it. I had the time of my life as the team lead. I learned a ton and was really developing man…

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Does nothing beat a day at the ballpark? And is Toronto the worst city in Canada to commute in? 37:06

6M ago37:06

37:06

It’s a homerun when we talk about a day at the baseball stadium, and whether commuting in Toronto is enough to drive you up the wall. Featuring: Patrick Dussault, Simon Rakoff, Isabel Zaw-Tun, and Don Kelly.

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Episode 459: Am I cutting edge and how to compliment someone who went from super jerk to super nice 22:44

6M ago22:44

22:44

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I work for a B2C fintech startup as a senior engineer. Our onboarding funnel has a lot of moving parts due to regulatory compliance and a litany of requirements from various parts of the business. As a startup, we also live and die by optimizing for and demonstrating growth, so we need to ga…

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Episode 458: Infinite tech debt hack and figuring out what is going on 34:00

6M ago34:00

34:00

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Nearly every time certain developers on the team want to address technical debt, they end up just adding more technical debt. Of course, after one round of addressing technical debt, the developers in question believe that yet another round of redesigning and refactoring is in order. This st…

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Do butter tarts beat Nanaimo bars? And is there no shame in quitting? 35:10

6M ago35:10

35:10

Which Canadian confection are you sweet on: Butter tarts or Nanaimo bars? And do quitters never win? Featuring: Deborah Kimmett, Jon Steinberg, Graham Chittenden, and Leonard Chan.

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Episode 457: How do I get off the on-call rotation and "big tech" == "big leagues"? 27:25

6M ago27:25

27:25

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: I am a senior software engineer in a big tech/faang company and this week is my first ever on call rotation. My team is doing a lot of CI work, monitoring pipelines and support queues during on call. It is probably not as much of a hassle as on call for product teams, but for me personally o…

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Shh! Is silence golden? Does a smoothie make a meal? 36:33

6M ago36:33

36:33

We decide if quiet is something to treasure, and whether a smoothie is meal-worthy. Featuring: Yumi Nagashima, Charlie Demers, Katie-Ellen Humphries, and Gavin Clarkson.

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Episode 456: Will I look bad on the job market if I'm a crypto developer and struggling to go from management back to dev work 31:39

7M ago31:39

31:39

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hey, I am a web developer getting bored of the regular development work. I am interested in finance and the monetary system and due to the overlap of finance and engineering I feel down the Bitcoin rabbit hole and even spiked interest in crypto like Solana and Sui. I am pretty sure most of c…

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Do billionaires have it harder than millionaires? And is there always something happening in Barrie, Ontario? 34:24

7M ago34:24

34:24

Which wealth bracket has it worse: Billionaires or millionaires? And we decide if Barrie, Ontario is the place to be! Featuring: Dave Hemstad, Don Kelly, Chris Quigley, Courtney Gilmour.

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Episode 455: UX designer without a mentor and I get bored too easily and stressed too easily 33:00

7M ago33:00

33:00

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: A listener named Dakota asks, I’m a UX designer, and I’m constantly looking for growth opportunities. I’m having trouble finding mentors to help challenge me, as every time my boss/senior designer leaves the company, I assume their work and we don’t backfill their spot or my old position. Th…