I have never listened (“read”) a book on audio cassette. Aside from reading the newspaper or magazine articles, I never read while watching TV.
I find that fiction or serious non-fiction requires my undivided attention, particularly in order to be able to create the mental images necessary for their full enjoyment and absorption.
Anyone here use books on tape and how do they find it compares to actual reading? I suppose to make it even more relevant, does anyone listen to books while uniing?
When I’m finally blind, I hope there are books on tape, and web forums on tape…
Wait…
>PAUSE<
>REWIND<
>STOP<
>RECORD<
No! Please don’t ever put web forums on tape! If you try to listen to someone read this stuff out loud, your brain will liquefy!!!
With a book, you can go back to the previous sentence or page nearly instantly and without fear of the page being chewed up because the capstans slipped or jammed. Books don’t need batteries or nuclear power plants (at least for the reading part), and the “voice” is your own…
Books on tape are for people who can’t read.
People who listen to books on tape while they’re driving cause traffic accidents.
I listen to book tapes all the time. I listen when Im too tired to read a night just before falling to sleep, I listen to them the most when I am making chainmaille though. If I listened to anything while Uni’ing it would have to be music.
I never read while watching TV. In fact, I never watch TV. (which frees up more time for reading)
I bought a few books-on-CD, but could never adjust to the format. I prefer to “read” my books. But I’m not a fast reader. Especially for really good science fiction novels (Larry Niven!). I savor the good books. I read them slowly, hearing someone’s voice in my head – as if they were read aloud by someone who is good at telling a story. (which paradoxically brings the experience closer to that of a book-on-tape)
Oh, yeah – you don’t have to make posts in JC relevant. In fact, if they are unicycle-related, then they belong in RSU, not JC. JC is off-topic. RSU is on-topic. On-topic is off-topic when in JC. Therefore, I will not discuss whether I listen to books while uniing. And I won’t ask the question if anyone actually “reads” a book while uniing.
Dave
P.S. - I’m not mumblingly slow, either. Just average reading speed.
Start learning Braille and sign language now. That way, no matter what misfortune befalls you, you will be ready.
While we’re talking about reading – can you go back to your previous color scheme? I was just getting used to the lack of contrast. And I agree with Phil, who made a comment to the effect that it forces you to read sendhair’s posts slowly and carefully, as they should be read. (please forgive the incidental compliment)
One more thing (I can’t resist)…
Therefore, people who cannot read cause traffic accidents.
And – “traffic accident” == involuntary urination or defecation in one’s clothing while driving?
Whodathunk that illiteracy could be linked to car accidents!
Also, sign language won’t help too much when you’re blind. I just noticed you put that there, so I decided to correct you.
Some people are deaf AND blind. For them, there is a spelling alphabet by pressing various shapes in their hand using the “talker’s” fingers. Now, some people are born deaf and blind and use this tactile alphabet. How in the world do they learn that??
Then, by extension, on-topic is OK in JC. And that corresponds to what I feel about it. In JC, any topic goes, including unicycling. I would agree though if you would say that ‘serious’ unicycling content belongs in RSU not because it is against the spirit of JC but because the serious people in RSU are missing out.
“We don’t like this color,”
“No, wait, that other color was better.”
“We might decide that we like the complementary contrast, instead, after all…”
“Can’t you please post in a different color? I’m allergic to sea-green.”
“Then again, something really impossible to read could help us appreciate the fact that, in the end,
your personal color whim of the moment is really the only truly logical and appropriate choice, and we shall submit to your wisdom in this matter!”
Someone in a different thread said something about liking Rick’s color choice because it forced us to read his posts carefully (Edit: that was Phil apparently and already quoted here in this thread.) I had a calculus teacher in high school who spoke very, very softly. We had to really work to hear her and, of course, those of us who bothered learned quite a bit. And that, we thought, was the point.
That is until one day she quite literally lost it in the classroom, began muttering, in a very, very soft voice, nonsensically, and was later that day transported to the hospital. I quite liked her, perhaps because she looked so normal yet was so freakin’ weird, and missed her after that.
So, what, might we think, lurks in the mind of the American in Kyoto and what exactly is behind his faint little font?
I don’t have a personal color whim. I just don’t like change. Change is bad. You are not you without your unique you-ness that we have all come to love – the “sendhair color combo”, the tiny letters, the empty space. I should have phrased it as missing the old style, rather than a request to go back to it. I will endeavor to embrace whatever colors you choose. A few other people here use different colors, and to me they are just being different for the sake of being different (or they are a copycat). But when you do it, it is “the sendhair way” – it has meaning and depth. Not that I understand what that meaning or depth is, but I know it’s there. I can almost feel it. Anyway, it’s not as though I’m losing sleep over this! It had been on my mind, so I mentioned it.
Have you ever seen the Helen Keller Movie, Miracle Worker or something like that? She learns braille and use sign language where The person signs to her and Helen feels the shape of the other person’s hand. It’s pretty cool.
And since this is about books on tape, and since I’m telling everyone in the entire world, click here. It’s an actual excerpt from the actual fifth Harry Potter book audio tape/CD’s, which comes out in a mere 8.5 days!! Tons of spoilers in this 1 minute 45 second long clip. And everyone here is a LOTR fan, anyway, as I have found out before. But still…
Quoting you is difficult. You have to chop out the stuff you don’t want to quote, while being careful to leave in the size and correct color vB Codes. I’m not sure whether a change in color is a change in meaning. Also, when you quoted me in the previous post, the relative sizes made it look like I was shouting.
Anyway, I learned a few new words while watching all seven seasons of Star Trek - The Next Generation on DVD. This is somewhat similar to an audio book experience (except I can turn on the English subtitles). While I agree with you that audio books do not reinforce spelling skills, looking up words in the dictionary is still an option (assuming you can see and read). Star Trek taught me the word metathesis. I looked it up to “clafiry” it’s meaning and spelling. And when reading, I often make lists of words to look up and learn – assuming that the text actually uses “big” words.
But reading goes beyond mere spelling – it shows you what the words actually are. If people were to read more, they would not say “should of” for “should’ve” or “should have”. Proper English is falling out of fashion.
On another forum, a bunch of people got mad at me because I kept correcting their grammatical errors… What can I say, that stuff just tends to bug me. LOL It’s really annoying when people say ‘would of’ or ‘should of’, because not only is it incorrect, but it’s obviously incorrect! With a bit of common sense, you can tell it makes no sense.
[i]“Why isn’t phonetic spelled how it sounds?”
– One of those funny bumper stickers.
I’ve {I of } only been {bin} posting on this {here} forum since last year, but I soon learned/learnt that trying to correct people’s {peepoolz} spelling {spelink} is a big waste {waist] of {uv} time.
I decided instead to try to lead by example.
Forget about {fergitabowt} grammar {grammer} entirely.
Don’t waste {waist} your {yer} time trying to correct their {there} spelling mistakes {Miss Steak’s}.
I’d {Eyed} like to clarify {clafiry} one thing…
Little words are just {jest} as important {impotent} as big ones {big unz}.
I’m {Eye’m} not so worried about Star Trek {Star Track} vocabulary as everyday, ordinary English {Ing Klish}.
Good for you!
It is meaning and spelling is now completely clarified!
Hope Eye don’t come acrossed as being two sark-asstic!
Therefore, I will not discuss whether I listen to books while uniing. And I won’t ask the question if anyone actually “reads” a book while uniing. 
You are not you without your unique you-ness that we have all come to love – the “sendhair color combo”, the tiny letters, the empty space. I should have phrased it as missing the old style, rather than a request to go back to it. I will endeavor to embrace whatever colors you choose. A few other people here use different colors, and to me they are just being different for the sake of being different (or they are a copycat). But when you do it, it is “the sendhair way” – it has meaning and depth. Not that I understand what that meaning or depth is, but I know it’s there. I can almost feel it.