The eternal audiobook dilemma

Audiobooks take time to listen to, more than reading the book would.

I usually listen in the car on my commutes to-and-from Bellingham. Even a 28h audiobook can get listened to in three weeks if you are in the car reliably 8 hours in a week, plus bits and pieces around town, listening while playing Candy Crush, and walking.

The problems happen when for at least two of the weeks of the three week borrow time there are not going to be a lot of trips up and down. Say, these next two weeks. When I will only be going up once next week, and picking up my aunt and my boyo, so I'll only listen in one direction. That all means that one week of the rental is more or less shot.

So here's the dilemma, and it's not the first time it's happened.

I have an audiobook that is "available soon". Which can mean any time between a day and a week usually (I guess theoretically it could be as much as 3 weeks, but that it's never been that long.

But I finished my other audiobook just as I was pulling into my driveway last night. So I have nothing to listen to until the next one comes up.

Unless I borrow something else.

Which of course I can do. But then I might not be done with it when the other one, that I've had to wait for, comes in.

While I have zero issues having three or four reading-reading books at the same time, having more than one audiobook at the same time does not work for me. Especially since there are space limitations on my devices.

So do I borrow something short and quick to listen to in hopes of finishing it before the next book comes in? Or do I wait and listen to music on any potential commute? Impeachment trials would be great, but I can't get a good radio station clearly for about 2/3 of the drive!

Talk about a non problem, but I'm noodling on it during spare cycles this morning...

My hands were shaking but I did it!

I got tix for a concert with Joe Hisaishi playing music from Studio Ghibli films this April! For dh, me, the kids, and SOs. Happy Christmas! It was expensive, but I figure it's probably a once in a lifetime concert, considering that Hisaishi is 68 and doesn't tour all that often in the US.

It's Christmas presents for Anne-Chloe and Perry, to be honest, and they're ok with that.

Small snafu: my credit card was declined. Excuse me? I was pissed because I'm trying to put enough $$ on it to get a 5% rebate by February, so I've been using it for all my purchases. And here I'm about to make a big purchase it's declined> I was pissed. I had to use another card.

They declined because they suspected fraud. Yes, because most people who commit credit card fraud try to by tickets for the local symphony, right?

Also, I'm not spending extra to get the rebate, it should be about what we spend any how, but this would have ensured that I got there!

I am SO excited. I love his music, and I love all those movies, and the kids are thrilled (well, Linnea isn't, but nothing is making Linnea happy these days so there isn't much I can do about that.)