And we haven’t even discussed the broader implications of this attack on international relations, which already suck under Trump. What a total shitshow.

He’s already publicly stated that he wants to put stooge in charge that will assist us in stealing as much oil as possible, and the way to keep an unpopular puppet regime in charge is through continued military force.

Is there a path where the Democratic opposition leader María Corina Machado takes over and Venezuela ends up in a better place than it is now? Sure, but not with Trump at the helm.

...and if you think that leaving a gaping power vacuum in a country that was already largely controlled by the military is going to make either us or the Venezuelan people safer, then frankly, you’re an idiot.

However, there is ZERO justification (moral, legal, or otherwise) for the US to attack Venezuela. The president’s actions are unconstitutional and illegal, full stop. There’s also a *long* history of US interventionism that suggests this is a terrible idea (Vietnam, Iraq, Iraq again)...

In all seriousness, as someone who knows more about Venezuela than most (half my family lived there for roughly a generation), let me state that Maduro is a violent dictator who murdered, imprisoned, and impoverished his own people. Am I sad that he’s been deposed? No.

What were some of your favorites of the year? Tell me and I might add them to my pile for 2026.

The Will of the Many by James Islington: Rich setting, good pacing, constant tension from all manner of obstacles, plus a few great twists. One of the most entertaining epic fantasy/magic school books I’ve read.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: A poignant love story that’s both heartbreaking and refreshing, filled with phenomenally crafted characters that display complex passions and emotions. I don’t normally read this genre, yet I can’t recommend this novel enough.

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu: An Asian immigrant assimilation story wrapped in an absurdly creative screenplay format. Poignant, funny, refreshing, insightful, and still a page-turner. A fantastic read!

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: A supremely clever yet plausible first contact novel with lots of action and great pacing, but what pushed this novel to another level was the heartwarming friendship that Weir developed over the course of the story. Not going to lie, I got a little misty-eyed.

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino: Higashino did the impossible. He told me who, what, when, where, and why, and yet he still managed to craft a compelling mystery with a twist ending that made my jaw drop. Maybe the best mystery I’ve ever read.

"Seeking," maybe. But not offering to pay well, I bet.

If you're enjoying the show, you HAVE to read the book. One of my favorite reads of the year, and, at least in my opinion, MUCH better than the TV show, which itself is quite good.

Feels like there should be a Rocky and Bullwinkle pun in there somewhere.