The Switched ON Show

Helpful Products

Version3 — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:11:28 +0000

So back when I made the job-quitting comic book, something someone said got my mind working. A boss a level or two up said something like “…what a great way to soften the blow giving bad news!” When going over how the whole thing went later that day, it occurred to me that there is a real need for more fun ways to deliver really bad news. Immediately, I started thinking of products that could be created to help deliver bad news, and here is what I came up with.

For Medical Professionals

There may be very little that is more difficult than delivering bad news to a patient and their family. Not being emotionally attached, you are telling people that they will soon die, maybe even in a very painful fashion. You may even be telling someone’s family that despite your best efforts, you completely failed and now they don’t have a dad, wife or brand new baby. This doesn’t have to be so stressful for you, and who says bad news can’t be a little fun? The Bad News Word Find is a great way to let your patients find out about their ailments gradually, while they are focused on the challenge of finding each and every word. Puzzles like “Paralysis Below the Waist” let patients find calming words right along-side the all important message you want to convey. With a little luck, maybe they’ll actually find “routine” or “low-risk” long before they find “never walk again”. This process really helps with the more challenging puzzles with themes like “Complications During Delivery” and “Accidental Decapitation”. For quicker or simplified message delivery, a Hangman activity book is also available.

The stress for those in the medical field doesn’t stop there. In addition to delivering bad news, the stress persists beyond the onset of symptoms or a procedure, and often continues through recovery and coping. For those serious patients in your exam rooms, very little comfort may be found within the pages of old editions of Motor Trend, Cosmopolitan or Highlights! magazine. Even serious patients could benefit from message oriented wall posters, that do more than depict the layout of your respiratory system. Posters like “Loss of Limbs” from the Living a Full Life Series focuses on this void, and provides patients with the kind of quiet reassurance that can really make a difference.

The Kids. Won’t Someone Think of the Kids?

Receiving devastatingly bad news and coping are among the hardest things a person may have to face in their lifetime. Nowhere is this more true that with children. If you have to be the person tasked with delivering painful news to such a child, the heartbreak can be overwhelming. For these situations, the Bad News Pop-up Books can make things easier, and even a little entertaining. Using pictures that send clear messages to young children, understanding is made simple and clear. Youngsters really respond to the bright colors and playful themes, which can be important in their time of pain or loss.

Death can be particularly difficult, particularly for children who have not had any experience with it yet. Early preparation using our books can provide information in easy to understand pieces, and let younger children know what to expect if they attend the funeral, a wake or go to visit their lost family member’s final resting place.

There are many types of loss, and the much more common and often devastating Divorce, is exactly the time when an entertaining little story can help in a seriously big way. Our Divorce themed books are available in so many common themes for kids to understand, including Differences, Imprisonment, Adultery and our new book about Coming Out.

Products that can Help, in your time of Hurt.

View All Product Samples in Gallery.

[Show as slideshow]

Being Professional Does Not Mean Being Boring

Version3 — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:12:57 +0000

I was given a job offer recently, and although I was really ready to make the move from my current position, I really wanted to say something less typical about my departure. –Or at least say it more creatively.

If you search the whole damn inner net of webbed pipes and shit, you’ll find a crap ton of professional view on how a resignation letter should be written, and they’ll all be 90% the same, and 95% bullshit. You are leaving a job, it’s no fucking secret that something better has indeed come along. Many people are very happy and excited to get the fuck out of the cubicle hole they are in, yet they all include things like “It is with a heavy heart”, “…I’ve learned so much from each and every one of you…”, ”…I appreciate the shared knowledge and professionalism…” or “…I’ll still keep the department photo up every night that I stroke it after the new better, hotter and sexier job…”. In the end, it’s boring, nobody cares and everyone knows which part is total crap. If you want to stay professional just send over “Announcement Purpose: Resigning Effective Date: [insert date here]” That’s enough to do what you have to do professionally.

Now in searching the whole damn inner net of webbed pipes and asian walrus porn what you will find is creative solutions to quitting your job. If you don’t mind not only burning the bridges, but also the town and all of the daycares that surround it with cute little cooing babies in them. Why are people creative and professional? Why can’t you have fun, and leave on good terms? I say you can… so I did.

This is the actual (and only version) notice I provided to my supervisors at my most recent job, and the one that is going in my permanent employee file. HR loved it, my bosses seemed to like it, and women keep dialing me at 2am for sex. Yes, this method made me a well-known booty call.

For best results, enjoy with an Orange Crush.

Revisiting the Past

Version3 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:59:11 +0000

It’s been a long time since the website was complete, and I’m sure that fact that I’ve decided to print that means that I need to backup everything n-n-n-now. -But it actually looks as though we are approaching complete again: The Switched ON Show Gallery has returned. Beginning with the show artwork of years past, we’ve relaunched the gallery for the sole purpose of trying to create more ways for you to spend entirely too much time on the website.

Now you can look back in time to see just how sexy Rob started out, what stupid art ideas has The Captain running off-mic to make show notes and what Jerry’s random subject matter is represented in full-color glory. I first started creating the artwork at show 101, as a way to fancy the files up and just generally entertain myself. A few of these were actually funny, and I committed to during unique artwork for each and every show, as well as over-committing to traveling back in time to do the first 100. Well listen, I gave it my best shot, but contrary to popular belief, I’m not made of time and success. My sharp wit, chiseled features and substantial presence can’t be brought to bear on the world’s problems without something slipping through the cracks until such a day comes as I am sick of doing the work I’m paid to do, and I actually decide to spend 7 minutes mending the broken and bringing a glimmer of hope to those lives I touch each and every day. In short, don’t expect to much from me, I’ll let you down. But for now, let me distract you from that point by sending you back in time to the sort of half-ass working gallery! Don’t hold your breath for immediate updates, I’m not a fucking miracle worker over here… I’m just one man.

Go to the Gallery n-n-n-now.

The Switched ON Phrase Generator

Version3 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:45:33 +0000

Another of these little project ideas that has come on the show, is now yours to enjoy or confuse others. The Switched ON Show Phrase generator was created to give you something to say in every situation. Just hit generate, and you’ll be able to compare the beauty of a woman in public to something anyone can relate to: “Did you see her? She’s as hot as a gynecologist with down syndrome!” You’ll amaze your friends and they’ll be as envious as a gallon of accountants at a Six Flags theme park or as confused as an army of bionic wookies at an adult film shoot; either way you are likely to be given the key to the city, be the benefactor of a virgin sacrifice, and be elected the king of words.

Premature Movie Endings

Version3 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:43:41 +0000

An idea that’s come up on the show a few times, the Premature Movie Ending is just what it sounds like; we take well-known movies and end the story before it really begins. These have come up in SOS-072, SOS-074 and even later in SOS-094 in the form of short movie trailers, early credit roles and totally anti-climatic endings. So, we’ve done it. Well, a few times anyway.

This summer we edited a few of these to get the ball rolling, and have seen them pulled from YouTube already, with Back to the Future being removed multiple times. So, we’ve moved them here for your enjoyment. We bring you Star Wars, Top Gun and Back to the Future.

Star Wars: A New Hope

[See post to watch Flash video]

Top Gun

[See post to watch Flash video]

Back to the Future

[See post to watch Flash video]

To Comment, see the original thread

The Return of Comedic Chaos and Stuff

Version3 — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:12:55 +0000

In 2007, we announced that show 150 would be the our last show; the end of switched:ON. -A decision that was hard to make, but necessary none-the-less. We always knew when we announced it that we’d want to get together and record something, but what that would be, and how we would relate that to a show that was ‘over’.

Of course we did record, and even when the original show domain was gone, we still put a few odd shows out and released them into the feed. A few core listeners stuck around and heard these, and a few casual people stumbled on then as well. For many, these remain unheard.

Now, we’ve returned. Coming back for a less agressive schedule (one release per month) we are bringing back the same old thing… because it works for us. We’ll hang out, we’ll turn on the mics, we’ll sing some songs or play an odd game when we get bored, and we’ll try to make each other laugh. Will we do this forever? We don’t know. Will there be insane laughter every show? We hope so. Will Rob totally lose it with stupid people? Probably. What we do know, is that we are back, and we will try to have the best time we can… and let you hear it.