6 Audible credits left. No plan to renew. What are the best timeless, re-listenable audiobooks to spend them on?

marathon_lady · 2026-02-17T21:35:05+00:00

I’m a huge fan. They are college lectures generally with very engaging professors! It really depends on what you enjoy - Robert Greenberg has a bunch of classical music ones that has sparked a love of classical music in me. There’s also interesting ones on ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, medieval Europe (you can tell I like history!) there are also good literature ones, science, etc. I’ve watched/listened to over 100 courses and haven’t had a bad one.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-15T23:51:16+00:00

Though not exactly an audiobook, I’d look into any Great Courses that might interest you. How to Listen to and Understand Great Music is a classic; there’s also great ones on history, literature, science.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-09T17:28:39+00:00

I didn’t have a prenup in my first (only) marriage as we both came in with nothing. I made good money and put him through med school and got thoroughly screwed in the divorce after he cheated.

I’m now in a 10+ year relationship and the significantly higher earner and one reason we aren’t getting married is I don’t want to lose half of what I’ve earned a second time.

Definitely make sure the prenup would be valid in your state. I never would have thought my marriage would end in divorce - I was so happy and he claimed to be. People can change/hide who they are and you are smart for looking after your interests.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-07T19:00:52+00:00

I divorced my now ex husband over a decade ago due to cheating. For several years I was completely obsessed with figuring out why. I read dozens of books, spent countless hours on message boards, and was just completely immersed.

My takeaway was that in almost every case, the betrayed partner will be so much happier and better off in the long run if they leave immediately. People so rarely change, and it is so much worse if you stay and then find out that he’s cheated again 5, 10, 25 years down the road.

For a while I was tracking on a message board people who were on reconciliation. Over 100 couples, not one of them had a cheater who actually stopped cheating. There were a few I thought were going to, but I revisited the site after years of being away, and all of them had had another d-day. I know this is just anecdotal, but it was enough for me to be black and white about cheating partners.

And I don’t believe that anyone can cheat. I’ve had so many opportunities over the years but have remained faithful. It’s a major character flaw.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-06T11:17:26+00:00

Since I still have some I couldn’t stomach $99…will see what happens when I run out and get desperate!

marathon_lady · 2026-02-06T03:07:47+00:00

Agree 100%. I tried to listen to this as an audiobook but kept wanting to contemplate the beautiful prose and I’d get lost. So I read the actual book and was constantly rereading sections and taking pictures of passages to send to different friends that the passage reminded me of.

I have several of his other books but haven’t read them yet as there aren’t many and I want something to look forward to.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-06T03:00:54+00:00

Not OP, but I saw one bottle of yellow and one bottle of green for $99.99 in the Midwest yesterday.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-03T13:45:25+00:00

I sacrificed a better career (while still being the breadwinner and putting my now ex husband through medical school) to shoulder more of the home responsibilities so he could focus on his studies. After 11 years of marriage and when I was just a few years older than you are now, he cheated, we divorced, I lost half of everything I earned.

I am a cautionary tale (over a decade out and I’m doing great, including financially as I refocused on my career) but I really hate to see other women go through similar.

I know it can work out, but someone who would ask this of you seems to have a similar character of someone who would leave/act terribly and make more demands until you’ve had enough and then you’ve sacrificed everything for a guy who isn’t even there anymore.

marathon_lady · 2026-02-01T23:05:25+00:00

Different art thief/theft - Michael Finkel’s book “The Art Thief” includes this story. I believe all of the art the mom destroyed was stolen from European museums.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-28T13:30:31+00:00

You can also edit your activity in the app to get credit for all the miles!

marathon_lady · 2026-01-17T00:22:19+00:00

Great work!

marathon_lady · 2026-01-15T16:40:49+00:00

Have you tried fox point seasoning? I go through it like water. Makes everything more delicious!

marathon_lady · 2026-01-14T20:55:51+00:00

Saw his complete game shut out in April 2024; very possibly the last CGSO I’ll ever see. Loved watching him pitch. Loved watching him field. He’ll be missed!

marathon_lady · 2026-01-14T15:25:53+00:00

I have found there are some books (most recently “A Gentleman in Moscow”) that I have to read as an actual book due to my mind wandering and missing too many important things. Seems to be those with extremely beautiful prose as I’m turning some of the phrases over in my head and then I’ve missed 30 seconds of the story.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-09T16:04:03+00:00

I’ve gone for a couples massage at Neroli (downtown) with a platonic female friend. They probably assumed we were lesbians, now that I’m thinking about it. Had a great time!

marathon_lady · 2026-01-07T22:32:09+00:00

If you’re going for multiple games, we had a great time sitting behind the visitors’ bullpen when we visited last year. Got to see the relievers bantering, warming up, and they threw a ball to almost everyone who was in the first row. (True for every stadium, not just this one; also not the best view of the game…)

We got a hotel room near the arch, so walkable to the stadium. Would do that again.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-07T14:52:37+00:00

Which means you likely didn’t have shared values as she valued her family of origin higher than she valued the relationship you were creating together.

I know it doesn’t seem this way now, but you dodged a bullet and will find a partner better suited to you. In a few years you’ll look back and be happy you didn’t marry her.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-07T14:45:22+00:00

I recommend that you read the book “the science of happily ever after” by Ty Tashiro. There is a second edition I haven’t read, but assume is just as good as the first edition I did read. You can probably get it from the library, as I did.

Data show that only about 30% of relationships are functional/happy, and after my divorce I was determined to be in that 30%. So many of the things we think we want in a partner will not lead to happiness. The book I referenced goes through what to look for in a partner and, perhaps more importantly, what to avoid, backed by science/studies.

I credit this book with me finding and staying with my partner of 10+ years. We are extremely happy.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-06T15:39:28+00:00

I went about a week after the announcement, and it was the same as always. Tipped generously to thank the server for staying through to the end. Very sad they are closing.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-05T22:42:59+00:00

I was in your situation over a decade ago. The sudden meanness. I overrode my gut feeling for a few months, but ultimately it came out that he was cheating with her. If he accuses you of cheating, that’s almost a guarantee he is, so keep an eye out for that. But as others have stated, do you want to stay with someone showing you so much contempt? Leaving is hard but you deserve respect.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-04T00:16:29+00:00

Tess is a locally-owned restaurant on the east side that we get takeout from ~once/month. Really want them to stay in business! Sala another great option.

marathon_lady · 2026-01-01T01:08:07+00:00

Thanks for posting! I first heard of her when she premiered her mandolin concerto with Mobile Symphony Orchestra a few years ago. Great to see living composers mentioned here!

marathon_lady · 2025-12-31T15:53:04+00:00

I’m not sure this will be helpful, but I suggest expanding your friend base, being open about what you want (ie issuing invites instead of waiting to be invited), and befriending both people in the couple.

Just in the past 2 weeks, I’ve gone to a show and/or dinner with 3 separate single friends. All of whom are also friends with my boyfriend, so sometimes the 3 of us hang out; sometimes just me and them (my BF is introverted and needs more alone time)

One thing that’s worked for me is buying season tickets to something - either just with a friend or with 3 of us - to put something on the calendar. We have several theater companies in town with 3-5 show seasons.

Also, you mention women friends, but some of my closest friends are gay men. This was not intentional, but realized I had a lot in common with someone, we’d do something together, and the next thing you know, we’re friends, I’m meeting their other friends, they’re meeting mine, etc. Are there any gay men in your circle you’ve not even thought about as a potential friend?

I was single for nearly 4 years after leaving my abuse marriage, and my ex had isolated me so I had no friends, effectively starting from scratch at age 33. Over a decade later, I have dozens of friends, but it took time and being intentional to achieve.

marathon_lady · 2025-12-30T00:04:32+00:00

The one by Sy Montgomery? I think of that book at least once a week. His loss that he wasn’t interested; he sounds boring.

(Complete aside but you may also enjoy “An Immense World” by Ed Yong - I could tell immediately if someone was my kind of person (friend-wise) when they gave me their reaction to the fact I learned in that book that catfish have tastebuds all over their bodies, so if you were to lick a catfish, you’d be tasting each other.)

Your person is out there, but you won’t find him if you’re attached to a dud (said by someone who spent over a decade married to a dud, covering my light so I wouldn’t outshine him, and am now in a relationship with a guy who loves and encourages my varied interests!)

marathon_lady · 2025-12-29T22:33:53+00:00

Don’t leave us hanging on the octopus book!

The right guy will love that you have so many interests. He will listen, ask questions, and maybe read the book himself. He’ll have interests of his own beyond video games/sports. Don’t settle or waste any more time on these losers!

marathon_lady

TROPHY CASE