I cancelled my membership to Audible.com today. I just haven’t been listening to my audio books lately. It’s been too cold out to take walks, and I just hate going to the gym and walking on the treadmill. I really don’t take any long commutes to anywhere so I just don’t have much opportunity lately to listen. I will get back to walking when the weather improves. Right now I’ve got three long audio books waiting to listen to, so I figure there’s no sense just letting them pile up. I will reactivate my membership when I get caught up. I really enjoy the audio books though.

Right now, I’m trying to listen to Dr. Laura’s new book: The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage. So far, it’s a lot like her other book, ‘The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands.’’ It has pretty much the same message: Women have all the power in a marriage if we will only use it. Of course, this only applies if you are married to a ‘nice guy.’ Doesn’t apply to marriages with jerky guys. I think the books make a lot of sense. I also listen to Dr. Laura’s radio program. I don't agree with everything Dr. Laura says, and certainly not with her theology, but with alot, --probably 80% of what she says.

The other audio books I have waiting to listen to are:

Water for Elephants
By: Sara Gruen

Mayflower
By: Nathaniel Philbrick

Outlander
By Diana Gabaldon

I just finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It took me a couple of months to get thru it, but it was pretty good. Not one of the best I’ve very read, but it kept my interest. I couldn’t really relate to any of the characters though. It seems the main theme throughout the book was about family ties. One of the main characters, Margaret was heartbroken over her twin sister who had died at birth. It didn’t say how old Margaret was, but she was well into adulthood and still lived at home with her parents. She just pined and pined over her dead sister. Then there was another character, (cant remember his name), who was in his 50’s or 60’s and he pined and pined over his mother who had abandoned him at birth.

Now forgive me for being cold hearted, but I say move-on already! They never even knew the dead family members. They spent their whole lives wishing for something that never was. ….But, as I said, it was a book that kept my interest pretty well, so I would recommend it, I guess. It’s gotten lots of good reviews.

On another note, here’s an interesting story about a guy who won a seat on a spaceship:

Then reality struck. After some number-crunching, Emmett realized he would have to report the $138,000 galactic joy ride as income and owe $25,000 in taxes. Unwilling to sink into debt, the 31-year-old software consultant from the San Francisco Bay area gave up his seat.

I say he was a smart guy.

Wouldn't most people just say 'I'll worry about the taxes later. This is an opportunity of a lifetime!'

And that's true, it IS an opportunity of a lifetime, but if you don't have the money to pay the taxes, you shouldn't make the trip.

And yes, you would probably just feel sick about it.

And yes, I think taxes are too high.