picture of five books I recommend to every new speaker

Five Books I Recommend to Every New Speaker

Ever since I joined Toastmasters, I’ve read a LOT of books about public speaking. These are the five I keep coming back to. They’ve helped me become a MUCH better speaker. They’ll help you, too.

January 4, 2026 · 3 min · Tim Graettinger
Chart of year-to-date cumulative ranifall

How to Fix a Cluttered Chart: Addition by Negative Subtraction

Ever make a chart and feel like it’s just… off? It’s supposed to tell a story — but doesn’t. I fixed mine using a process I call “addition by negative subtraction”.

November 17, 2025 · 3 min · Tim Graettinger
Image of my Linux desktop with various open applications

Save Your Windows 10 Laptop from the Landfill — or the bottom of your closet.

Replacing your Windows 10 laptop can cost north of $800. If you use it for yourself — to write, code, or connect with friends while you hang out at Starbucks — switching to Linux might be right for you. Curious? Learn what worked, what didn’t, and why I’m not going back…

November 6, 2025 · 4 min · Tim Graettinger
Image of laundry drying on a clothesline

Hang It Out to Dry — and Save 300 kWh

Did you grow up in a home where laundry dried on a clothesline? I did. Since we’re trying to conserve energy, we’re doing it again. I wondered if it’s worth it - and the answer surprised me.

October 5, 2025 · 2 min · Tim Graettinger
Image of a big rain gauge attached to a post

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? I Have — 1,387 Times

Ever wanted to be a citizen scientist? I started with a simple rain gauge. Eight years and 1,387 rain days later, here’s what I’ve learned…

September 17, 2025 · 6 min · Tim Graettinger
Image of a bookshelf with interesting books

What I Learned from My AI Librarian

If you had an in-house, personal, AI librarian, what would you do? Here’s what I did…

August 25, 2025 · 5 min · Tim Graettinger
Home screen for Marian, my personal AI librarian.

Making Marian, Your Personal AI Librarian, in 4 Simple Steps

Tired of the lackluster book recommendations you get from GoodReads or Amazon? Suppose you could converse with someone who really know books, who knows your likes and dislikes. You can create your own, personal, custom GPT today to fill this role.

August 14, 2025 · 5 min · Tim Graettinger
Screenshot from my personal LibraryThing account - 17 years of reading history.

Meet Marian: How 11 Questions Evolved Into My Personal AI Librarian

Suppose you could consult with your bookshelves. That’s the idea behind Marian, my personal AI librarian, a custom GPT I built around my preferences and reading history.

July 30, 2025 · 4 min · Tim Graettinger
Time chart of radon levels over a ten-day period along with 3-hour and 24-hour rolling averages.

Collab: Exploring Radon Levels with Data Analyst GPT

I’ve been tracking radon levels in our home for 9 months. Collaborating with Data Analyst GPT to analyze them was actually fun…

July 16, 2025 · 8 min · Tim Graettinger
Two cartoon people sitting on a couch, thinking about what to watch on TV.

Spark Notes: Ten Things I Wanted from Our Netflix Ratings: Prelude to a Custom GPT

Not long ago, I found myself thinking about our old Netflix DVD ratings. I wondered what I could do with them that would be cool…

July 7, 2025 · 4 min · Tim Graettinger