The Worst Cold/Flu I've had in Years...Listening to an Audio Book

Today (Wednesday) is the fifth straight work day that I've been off the job. The excuse I have from my doctor permits me to miss through the end of the week. And, I believe that I'll take advantage of it.

I'm sick.

I'm fuzz-brained (though you could ask, "How can you tell?"). I have congestion in my head and chest, a sore throat, cough, headache and low-grade fever. I've been to a doctor, twice. I've had a chest x-ray, but no pneumonia. And, I feel tired and very weak.

And, I'm bored.

I can't wait to get back on my feet.

When Evie was away last week, she went to a discount book store for me. She knows that, for recreational "reading," I love audio books. We still have two cheap boom boxes with CD players and she found a 4 for $15 deal on audio books on CD.

None of my favorite fiction authors were available but Evie mentioned the list of my faves: Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Linda Castillo, Lee Child, David Baldacci, the late Robert B. Parker, came to mind.

The clerk said she had a few books by Chelsea Cain, of whom we'd never heard. The clerk said she writes like Harlan Coben so, we took a chance on two of hers and an old Ed McBain and a T. Jefferson Parker. The last two didn't excite me at all but, at that price...

I'm killing sick time now with one of the Chelsea Cains. It's her first published novel, read by Caroline McCormick, who used to be the female shrink on Law and Order. She's a very good reader, which is extremely important in audio books.

The novel, HeartSick, is about serial killers. It's a little dark for me. I'm about half way through it. I can't see any resemblance to Harlan Coben. At times, I've LOLed listening to Coben's narrative though he's changed over the years. LOLing's not happening here, but, honestly, I didn't expect it, so I'm not disappointed.

I have about four hours of listening to go and nothing else to do, so I'll finish the book...with little in the way of expectation.

I don't ever watch TV, and this is certainly a much better option than Jerry Springer or Judge Judy anyway.