I'll Take Whinging for $200, Thanks.

After some depressingly terrifying less than positive responses to my concerns about what to do this weekend post laser surgery, I've been thinking about it an awful lot. No really. What was I going to do? Since I have no way to judge how much pain I'll be in, how tired I'll be, or how much vision I'll have back over my time off work, all I can do is go by the advice and experiences of other bloggers who have had similar procedures done. Oh, and allow myself to start crapping my pants out of nervousness, so to speak.


(Especially when the surgery called today to confirm Friday's appointment. There's no backing out now. Lasers, here we come.)

Anyway, thanks to the lovelies who suggested audiobooks, I've had it in my head that I had to find some before this weekend. It's perfect! I love books. I love my Ipod. I love lying in bed not moving very much. Together? A delightful combination. I have heard lots of people discuss audiobooks before, one of my favourite series (Outlander by Diana Gabaldon if you were wondering) is apparently read really well. But where to find them at short notice? Hrm.

Ebay proved useful, but they wouldn't get posted here on time. Same went for any of the online stores, the delivery times were pretty much useless. I was heading out to visit a friend yesterday anyway, so I figured after watching our chick flick (Because I Said So - how effing hot is Mandy Moore's hair?) I could venture into a couple of bookstores and snag me an audiobook or fifteen. I was pretty chuffed when I saw there was a huge wall full of books on CD, and even happier when I saw the range of titles they had.

Memoirs of a Geisha! The Historian! Ice Station! Temple! Contest!

I may have even peed in my pants a little at this time, because of your usual bookstore excitement and also because I had just consumed a large coke zero at the movies, but that is absolutely not the point. They even had a special on, buy 2 and get an extra one free. Nothing like a bargain, especially when you're planning on being blind for the weekend. I frantically grabbed the nearest one, flipped it over and checked out the pricetag, ready to buy.

Ha!

Do you know how much they were charging for audio books?

[Leaving you some time here to guess. Go on. Guess. NO. Don't cheat and look down. Sigh. You're hopeless.]

$86!
For an audio book.
For a freaking audio book!
Do you know how many normal books I could buy for that?
Or shoes!
I could buy lots of shoes!
$86!
Oh hell no.

After ogling the price tag for a couple of seconds, I showed Kirby who also looked shocked. Maybe it was just that one book? I picked up a couple more, and lo and behold! $89. $62. $83. What. The. Fuck? Needless to say, I left that store empty handed and rather pissed. Of course, the cheaper department stores don't stock audio books (and were also sold out of Gilmore Girls Season 6 and the frypan I wanted to buy my mum for Mothers Day, bastards!) and the prices were just as extravagant in the next bookstore we found.

I was not a happy Aly, at this point.

Getting home, I searched for some more online sites and ended up resorting to my local library; but they don't specialise in very much audio fiction so I was left disappointed once again. What was I going to do this weekend? In a huff, I decided to go and download a song or two that I had been meaning to add to my Ipod. I think this is about the time when the lightbulb above my head flickered on. (I think it's faulty, it doesn't come on very often. Who do I speak to about this?)

Without going into too much detail, (cough) I am now in possession of every single Harry Potter audio book, as well as the Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe and Interview with the Vampire. Sadly, no Memoirs, Outlander or Historian (anyone care to donate?) but I do have a very full Ipod. Suck on that, Borders! [sticks out tongue.]

P.S. Limewire, I love you and want to have your babies.

Speaking of yesterday, I should inform you that I once again managed to drive myself one toll and fifteen kilometres in the wrong direction before I realised that I possibly wasn't going the right way. Yes, being the superb navigator that I am, I paid $3.80 and wasted petrol going north up the freeway instead of south. I am very, very clever.

(One could ask how the hell I manage to get myself so hopelessly and utterly lost everytime I get in a car to drive somewhere, but even I couldn't answer that one. Sorry. I am just that good. Be jealous.)