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Ralph Rickenbach's avatar

What a challenge. A new audiobook when getting a subscription to Audible. A candlelit Sunday with an author of an appraised book. No, wait–three of them in a row. This is so tempting.

I just managed over the last few months to downsize my budget and streamline it to things I really need out of necessity, and now this.

I love to come to things prepared to get the most out of it. I would have loved to read the books of the authors who appear over the next few Sundays.

I love to devour all books of authors I deem worthwhile, and Susan certainly belongs into that category–why else should I be spending money monthly to follow her here.

This newsletter hit me after I had a demanding coaching session in the city in a restaurant and knew that I had a train ride of almost an hour in front of me to get back home.

What a relief it was to step into the backyard of the medieval complex o f houses where I am living and look at the lake in its winter attire, calm, dark gray, soothing, out of time.

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Susan Cain's avatar

It sounds like it's feeling like too much? But - while it's great to read the books before the candlelight chats, really I think they'll be standalone discussions that you don't need to prepare for - and if you do want to, you can probably find the books in your library so you don't have to spend additionally. I hope this helps, and that this finds you in your backyard by the lake.

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Ralph Rickenbach's avatar

Not too much by any means! I am thrilled to hear of all these voices I have not known before, and the ability to dive deeper with some I have known for a while.

My challenge is this: While I have this insatiable intellectual thrive, the flow of money at my disposal is rather dry, and my responsibilities towards my wife are growing as she is getting less healthy as I am getting healthier again.

This results in me being torn and tormented. I have for decades had people tell me what I could read or contemplate, and now that I am free and have found my heart's longing, my possibilities are limited and limiting.

Please do not read this as a call for you to change anything. It's merely an outcry of frustration. I will survive!

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