On "reading" an audiobook

 What's the best way to listen to an audiobook? Thankfully, there are loads of options. 

Since we have loads of options, I thought I'd share mine with you. First, I HATE to be rushed. I'm of the quality versus quantity school. I don't want to HAVE to listen to the book because the due date is coming soon. That's the case I'm in right now, which is OK once in a while but to be constantly trying to beat a deadline just so you can "read" the book? Way too much pressure and takes all the joy out of reading. 

How about speed? You can speed up the book, but why would I do that? So I can get through the book faster and onto the next one? No - the author took the time to write these words, and if I want to do justice to their book, I want to savor every word! This reminds me of those tests we took as kids in school where they would have you listen to something at various speeds, and then you had to answer questions about the passage that had just been read. I don't remember if I was good at speed reading, but I love taking my time and enjoying the book. It's a HOBBY - slow down and enjoy the process. 

Headphones, earbuds, or the device's speaker? Headphones for sure. I am moving around so much that if I don't wear the headphones, I'm missing half of the book. I can hear the book over the sewing machine or the long arm, but ONLY if I'm using the headphones. I find even earbuds are not good enough to hear the book over the sound of the machines. If I just listen to the device's speakers? I don't grasp much from the book. 

I wear a big pair of noise-canceling headphones, although the noise canceling is turned down, so I'm aware of what's going on around me. But when I put those headphones on, I get drawn into the world of the book, and I don't miss a thing! They make me feel connected with the book. 

And what if you can't get your hands on an audiobook? Do you have your device read the e-book version to you? NEVER!!!! That voice is flat with no inflection, no accent, nothing. That would put me to sleep very quickly. Nope - I love to listen to audiobooks because almost all the narrators have wonderful voices to listen to. They usually have accents if appropriate to the story, which adds so much, along with their inflections. I'm currently reading a book that takes place in Denmark, and the Danish accent and description of the various places, make me feel like I'm in Copenhagen!!!

Do I listen to an audiobook all the time? Nope -- I would hate that. I need to let my brain wander around and think up new things to do or new things to create. I solve problems and lots of other things, but I can't do that with an audiobook playing. I have the radio on in the background for that, and well, there are times when the house is silent, and I like that too!!!

I'm trying to have no more than four audiobooks on my shelf at any given time. Too much deadline pressure, and why hold onto a book when someone else can be reading it? If I don't want to read for a day or two and nothing is pending return to the library, that's a whole lot of freedom and flexibility. I do NOT want to be married to the library's schedule! And I think there's something about the number of times that an audiobook can be taken out. So if you have to return a book without reading it, there's a cost to the library for that. Nope - I'm attacking the reading buffet with prudence. But it's hard sometimes as a book that is weeks away on the list will appear out of nowhere in your inbox. Thankfully, we have the choice to defer it until we have the time to read it. 

Well, I'm sure that we all have our different ways of reading an audiobook. I thought I would mention the above since there are people who are new to audiobooks and might want to give it a try. 

Here's another piece of advice. I had to train myself to listen to the books. It's one thing to listen to the radio or a show or music; you don't need to follow a plotline so much. But with a book, if you're not following the plotline, what's the point of reading it? So you have to train yourself to pay attention. Read books like Sue Grafton's A is for Alibi or Janet Evanovich books which are not serious but enough to get you hooked!!

It was a busy day yesterday - we had an AMAZING Class for Long Time Gone, and I'll be posting the pictures tomorrow. The show and tell is the BEST part of any of these classes. I can't wait to share that with you. 

Here's something that I think should be implemented into our society today. If you are getting a driver's license, you NEED to be forced to walk about 5 KM in a commercial area - near a mall or other commercial buildings. If you don't walk, then you need to ride a bicycle or perhaps both. Do you know how many people NEVER walk and have no idea what a sidewalk is for? 

You think I'm joking? I'm dead serious. Yesterday, I was crossing at a crosswalk, and the light was in my favor. Several cars were stopped at the BIG WHITE LINE on the road - it's there for a reason! And as I cleared those cars and was one lane away from the sidewalk, an SUV came barreling down that turn lane. He did not see me because the other cars were stopped. If I had been three feet further, he would have hit me. 

I'm wearing a BRIGHT ORANGE jacket. He's barreling down on a RED LIGHT, and he feels that he's entitled to just whip around the corner and sneak into the traffic. I swear - I'm going to start carrying a big stick and give their cars a whack in the future. What is the matter with people??? It's OK to roll through stop signs? It's OK to forget to stop at a red light when turning? It's OK to pretend that sidewalks and pedestrians and cyclists do not exist?? If I were jaywalking, I would have no one to blame but myself, but I was in the right, and yet, I will be the one to get hurt!!!

SLOW DOWN

I passed this sign earlier this week. I doubt that it'll make a difference. Why are people in such a hurry? I don't want to live my life being in a hurry! I want to be busy and safe, but not in a hurry!

You know you're a sewist when you find this in your snack!! Yes, I must have put those threads in the snack bowl instead of in the thread bowl. 

Threads in the snack bowl

Murphy is quite the character, as we all know. She learned - I'm not sure how we did it, but she is NOT to touch Lexi's food if it's in the bowl. Lexi likes to savor her food and eat when she's hungry. Murphy respects that (I'm shocked). The other day, Murphy and I played in the kitchen, and I kicked one of her balls, which hit Lexi's food dish, and the food spilled onto the floor. Oh boy -- MOM - I can eat that since it's no longer in the bowl!!! Let's say that I had to clean the mess up rather quickly!!!

Anything outside Lexi's food dish is fair game for Murphy

But if something is in the garbage? Well, that's fair game. I've no idea what she was after in the garbage, but she is learning that she doesn't get questioned when Mom is on a Zoom call. I found this after one of my Zoom calls last week. And I know for a fact that it's not Lexi. She has NEVER been in the basement and upstairs only twice in her life, and I had to carry her up and down the stairs. 

Someone has been in the garbage

And yesterday, I took a cookie downstairs and enjoyed it with my tea before the call. I didn't finish it - I had only taken two bites. At some point, Murphy comes downstairs to be petted while I'm on the call. Her tail gets in the picture, and people get a kick out of seeing that swishing tail. I heard her fumbling with something and never thought anything more about it. However, when the call was over, and I went to get my cookie - it wasn't there. WHAT????  She never steals off the table, so I can only guess that I knocked it on the floor and didn't hear because I had my earbuds in for the call? Hmmm!!!

Oh well - I will NOT be taking cookies down for any calls in the future. Not when Miss Murph can come by and steal them!!

I'm going to take a break from cleaning and sorting today. I have HOMEWORK to get finished for our UFO club. Yikes -- I shouldn't have been working on those scrap quilt blocks!!!

That means - no homework to do today! Yeah!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!