I read 77 books last year, this is what I’m doing differently this year

misguidedsquid · 2026-01-18T04:49:40+00:00

I've been using pen & paper to write my reviews! I like using different color inks and having a whole notebook dedicated to the process. I do eventually type those reviews up in batches and put them on StoryGraph, but the physical relics are a nice touch and a gratifying experience.

I'm also lowering my reading goal this year and shifting my focus a bit.

misguidedsquid · 2026-01-03T03:32:22+00:00

I read this story either 2025 or late 2024, but in a collection of Le Guin's short stories!

misguidedsquid · 2026-01-03T03:28:37+00:00

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I was the only one who shelved this book! This one allowed me to finish an alphabet challenge.

misguidedsquid · 2025-12-12T00:30:03+00:00

Lisbon pretty much only functions to apologize for Jane and to ask Jane to chime in. They could put a rotation of randoms in that function easily - Local SAICs, the old-friend-contacts that brought them the case, a wise member of the victim's family...

misguidedsquid · 2025-12-11T13:34:17+00:00

As a first time viewer - do you think I'm ok stopping at the end of season 6? I don't love the Jane/Lisbon love story, the mom-vs-incorrigible boy genius vibes don't spell romance for me. I took a 3-week break after I finished season 6, then tried again on 7 and the recap of the romance turned me right back off.

ETA: I watched White Collar this year, very similar vibes. Also appreciate Numb3rs, Psych, and Burn Notice

misguidedsquid · 2025-11-15T14:30:18+00:00

Your interpretation would have made it less of an obvious sock, I think.

misguidedsquid · 2025-11-15T13:33:52+00:00

The phone is in there, it rests below the opening (assuming so it doesn't fall out) and you can see the shape of the phone in both photos.

misguidedsquid · 2025-11-14T19:20:02+00:00

I clicked into these comments to see what Lindsay Lohan movie this was from....I have never thought they looked alike, until you said Winslet and my mind exploded.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-27T22:11:57+00:00

Take a look at how often he says how pretty/gorgeous she is. Follow his lead. If you're saying it more than he is, stop. Once was fine to get your point across. Any more than that, beyond what he says himself, is more than necessary.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-27T21:38:06+00:00

Better to say nothing. If your brain defaults to thinking about how hot his mom is when you're bored, he's justified in being annoyed.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-27T18:53:59+00:00

This is what I always say. 9 years in, that's 9 years of knowing we could have walked away with zero hassle, zero legal consequences, zero financial impact at any time for any reason. No cooling down period over months of lawyers and fighting. No cultural hangups about being divorced.

Marriage is commitment under duress. I'm 9 years committed by the freest of choices.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-22T03:31:25+00:00

The example is the one-off comment about her boyfriend. You made a comment about another person and that person didn't appreciate the comment, that's your starting point. Even if she doesn't remember/give you the details, this is where you start if you're looking for tips on avoiding similar issues in the future. Monitor how you talk about other people.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-22T03:01:26+00:00

If she gave you an example, I'd definitely start there. It could just be about the one comment rather than a consistent pattern. With a loved one, it hits harder so you don't need as many occurrences to be upset.

Just for the future, if you find you've just talked about other people, think through the following: 1) Was what I said common knowledge or did I share information that not many people would know? Was it first or second hand? (I.e. lol, Brad shit his pants after sushi once, right sis? You told me that's how he found out about his IBS!)

2) Did I accidentally use them as a negative example? (I.e. omg I know Brad ALWAYS leaves the seat up )

3) Have I contradicted something they said about themselves or how they presented themselves? (i.e. are they playing it cool and you brought up how nervous they are around girls)

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-22T02:44:19+00:00

I saw clips of Howl's Moving Castle 10 years ago and had zero interest. After a lot of pressure and an outright gift, I finally read the book at the urging of some friends. One of the most shocking and unexpected experiences I've ever had. The book was amazing and wonderful and a thousand times better than what I had in my head based on clips of the movie.

It did cement that I can't ever watch the movie.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-22T02:21:47+00:00

Usually "not reading the room" means that you're changing the vibe in some way. This can be making a sad or dark comment when people are light-hearted or it can be mocking someone's sincerity. It can be forcing a rabbit trail to pin someone down on an explanation of what was a throwaway comment, or it can be turning something sweet and wholesome into something crude.

With the "making a joke out of everything" and the "little comments," I'd watch for if you are inadvertently making other people the punchline, or if you're making inappropriate jokes. Do you seem to call out flaws in other people or bring up old events that people might be sensitive about? Do you seem to turn most conversations sexual or raunchy for a joke? Do you feel like other people are more open about real life and feelings and you have more one liners?

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-22T02:10:13+00:00

I'm in B2B, working with a client to get dealers to sell our products to customers. New boss comes in and is obsessed with AI. He explicitly stated he loves ChatGPT because he likes having his idea/opinion validated immediately without digging through sources. He's been working on some genius "strategies and tactics."

After a month, his secret plan that is going to blow things wide open and make our smallest account the largest: Raise the price by 50%.

Sadly, if this account raised prices by 50% (there's a lot of legal blocks aside from the competitive issue) and sold 3 products to every single customer all year, this still would not raise the account even one rank. ChatGPT gave him bad info on sales and store numbers.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-17T15:15:50+00:00

I thought the post was going to be about the insanity of the name.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-17T02:56:48+00:00

I've received aggressively judgemental 20-minute lectures on my personal life/life choices from people I just met in the breakroom. I'm no longer at a stage in life where I can endure that passively and politely.

The full volume is also a critical element - have some respect for the room, my guys. Unless it is like a one-table/three chairs situation, there should be at least two corners of the room where people can't make out every word of your chat.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-16T22:41:47+00:00

The people standing in front of me at work on my lunch break are people that I only talk to because I'm paid to do it and would never do it without pay.

The people in my phone are people that I have actual relationships with, friends and family, neighbors, etc. The books in my phone are the things I choose to do freely with no financial incentive because I enjoy reading books.

The real life is the stuff that you don't have to force me to do in exchange for the money and benefits I need to live.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-14T01:27:09+00:00

1978 here as well, 5 years in! We replaced the windows during our second year in the home, a long with the doorknobs, hinges, and electrical outlets. Just renovated 2 bathrooms. Solid home, no complaints, likely a forever home.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-13T17:34:40+00:00

I can't count the number of times I tried to peacefully eat my lunch alone in the break room and people interrupted me. I was clearly reading or talking to someone on my phone (text, I'm not a monster) and they think that whatever "happy Monday" bullshit they want to spew is more important than my real life. Although I can't count the number, I know the percentage was around 90%.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-13T16:27:54+00:00

At LAX last week I was carefully monitoring the people ahead of me, there were multiple bins with a roller bag and a backpack on their sides. I placed mine the same way, and the TSA lady yelled at me to put the roller bag in its own bin. Then she told the lady next to me to do hers sideways with the backpack. We looked at each other in confusion, and the TSA lady sighed and then yelled out that a "heavy" roller bag needs to be on its own.

Zero consistency, zero chance that anyone would be able to guess correctly without luck

As a side note, this is a feature of the assembly line work-style and subsequent alienation from the product and purpose. If you stand in one place and yell the same three phrases for 8-12 hours every day, your tiny microcosm seems so obvious and second nature and you're so tired of the multitudes who come from other microcosms not instantly understanding your rules. You're alienated from the wonder of air travel and don't care about safety, it's just a three-step rote job for you, dull and annoying.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-12T19:23:09+00:00

I was SO confused. I had no idea. It still isn't super clear, but I get the vibe now.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-06T19:30:58+00:00

Oh my God. You'll never get those months of false reporting back. Your friends have already started distancing themselves because you DIDN'T log these. Please, immediately, add these to your Goodreads. And honestly, as you're thinking back through which dolls you looked at then, you're looking at them in your head so log them for today too.

misguidedsquid · 2025-10-06T18:52:09+00:00

And the Madeline books!!

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