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Not Reading Much at the Moment
Oct. 21st, 2026 10:22 am I know today is "What are you reading Wednesday," but, oddly, I haven't been reading much. The only thing I can report on that end is that I rage-quit Sarah J. Maas' The Court of Thorn and Roses. "Rage quit" is probably too strong a word, but I found myself rooting for one of the two faerie men to just shred her already. I think Maas was going for the teenage vibe with how push-me/pull-me Feyre was about everything, but it read to me like stupidity and I really can not brook a stupid heroine.
I have The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell at home right now, but I have not been in the mood even crack open the book yet. I generally enjoyed Someone You Can Build a Nest In. But, admittedly, I skipped the last several chapters near the end because I found it a little too... touchy-feely? I'm not sure what to call what I felt, but I wasn't terribly interested in monster therapy being fond of monstrous monsters, myself.
But none of this particularly reflects well on me or my reading habits.
I look forward to seeing what you've all been reading. I did just download the e-book for Audition for the Fox by Marin Cahill, which I think I'd gotten from a Locus Recommended Reading List either earlier this year or last year. I don't remember why I requested it? But, it was available, so it's now queued up.
Otherwise, when I come home from work feeling brain dead, I've been watching a Netflix series called Boyfriend. It's a Japanese reality TV show that kind of combines Big Brother (in that the guys are all trapped together in a big house in a remote location) and British Baking Show since they all have to work for some living expenses in a coffee truck and so some of the drama is 'oh noz, the coffee grinder is on the fritz!" or "so-and-so is bad at making lattes!" but they are all so unfailingly NICE to one another and ready to help out. I ended up watching the whole first season and am now onto the second. I'm not sure I can recommend either, especially. All reality shows are very scripted, of course, and the Japanese ones do not seem to be an exception. Moreover, they occasionally break to a studio filled with commentators who try to suppliment the drama with their opinions of who should be with whom and, from time to time, explain some queer culture/cultural references. (They have one queer person on to act as the resident expert.) I can not tell you why this appeals to me right now? But, I think I am still very much in the "high drama/low stakes" part of my life thanks to our extreme high drama/extreme high stakes political environment.
Otherwise, I did not end up going to work yesterday because a friend of mine who had scheduled a routine procedure ended up needing more company/care than initially expected. Luckily, when you come in to the office with a VISITOR sticker from the University of Minnesota hospital on your shirt and explain that you need to stay with a friend, most people are like, "Why are you even here? Go!" To be fair, I was only there because there was a required "picture day" for new badges for work. (We are getting new security doors and new badges.) The only bummer is that even though my friend was out of the procedure and recovered decently quickly, the nurses really wanted someone to be at home with him for awhile and, I was happy to do that, but totally forgot about my Thirsty Sword Lesbians campaign. I honestly think I forgot it was Tuesday because I didn't go to work? I eventually let everyone know why I didn't show up, but I'm sure I caused some worry! Ah well, my friends will forgive me and Nick (my friend who had the procedure) needed me.
I guess I don't have a lot else to report.
It is my favorite time of year and Shawn and I have been taking a little detour on the way to work in the morning to stop and look at the sunlight through the changing leaf colors.
Image: Early morning sunlight through the trees on Fairmount Avenue (Saint Paul, MN)
I have The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell at home right now, but I have not been in the mood even crack open the book yet. I generally enjoyed Someone You Can Build a Nest In. But, admittedly, I skipped the last several chapters near the end because I found it a little too... touchy-feely? I'm not sure what to call what I felt, but I wasn't terribly interested in monster therapy being fond of monstrous monsters, myself.
But none of this particularly reflects well on me or my reading habits.
I look forward to seeing what you've all been reading. I did just download the e-book for Audition for the Fox by Marin Cahill, which I think I'd gotten from a Locus Recommended Reading List either earlier this year or last year. I don't remember why I requested it? But, it was available, so it's now queued up.
Otherwise, when I come home from work feeling brain dead, I've been watching a Netflix series called Boyfriend. It's a Japanese reality TV show that kind of combines Big Brother (in that the guys are all trapped together in a big house in a remote location) and British Baking Show since they all have to work for some living expenses in a coffee truck and so some of the drama is 'oh noz, the coffee grinder is on the fritz!" or "so-and-so is bad at making lattes!" but they are all so unfailingly NICE to one another and ready to help out. I ended up watching the whole first season and am now onto the second. I'm not sure I can recommend either, especially. All reality shows are very scripted, of course, and the Japanese ones do not seem to be an exception. Moreover, they occasionally break to a studio filled with commentators who try to suppliment the drama with their opinions of who should be with whom and, from time to time, explain some queer culture/cultural references. (They have one queer person on to act as the resident expert.) I can not tell you why this appeals to me right now? But, I think I am still very much in the "high drama/low stakes" part of my life thanks to our extreme high drama/extreme high stakes political environment.
Otherwise, I did not end up going to work yesterday because a friend of mine who had scheduled a routine procedure ended up needing more company/care than initially expected. Luckily, when you come in to the office with a VISITOR sticker from the University of Minnesota hospital on your shirt and explain that you need to stay with a friend, most people are like, "Why are you even here? Go!" To be fair, I was only there because there was a required "picture day" for new badges for work. (We are getting new security doors and new badges.) The only bummer is that even though my friend was out of the procedure and recovered decently quickly, the nurses really wanted someone to be at home with him for awhile and, I was happy to do that, but totally forgot about my Thirsty Sword Lesbians campaign. I honestly think I forgot it was Tuesday because I didn't go to work? I eventually let everyone know why I didn't show up, but I'm sure I caused some worry! Ah well, my friends will forgive me and Nick (my friend who had the procedure) needed me.
I guess I don't have a lot else to report.
It is my favorite time of year and Shawn and I have been taking a little detour on the way to work in the morning to stop and look at the sunlight through the changing leaf colors.
Image: Early morning sunlight through the trees on Fairmount Avenue (Saint Paul, MN)
