The Sword and Laser discussion

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Where do you read or listen?

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message 1: by Jeane (new)

Jeane (pinkbookdragon) | 53 comments Listening to Podcast #90 today and listening to Veronica talk about her struggle to keep up with all the books made me want to ask, where is your best place to read or listen? In bed, on the beach, in the car, etc.

Reading wise I like to read in bed but I always make it about two maybe three pages (four or five if I am really wound-up) before I fall dead asleep. In all fairness I am pregnant and tend to get really tired by the end of the night. So I have been compensating by leaving books by the toilet and reading two or three pages every time I go (which is a lot because like I mentioned before, I am pregnant). I also listen to audiobooks both in my car and on my ipod when I go for walks or the gym.


message 2: by Tassie Dave, S&L Historian (new)

Tassie Dave | 4076 comments Mod
I read mainly in my recliner at home. I like to be comfortable.

I also get a lot of reading done at work as well. I work 12 hour shifts and half my shifts are at night (6PM to 6AM). Reading keeps me awake, alert & occupied. (My job is a mainly monitoring and maintaining machinery in a mine process plant, there is a lot of down time)


message 3: by Leighann (new)

Leighann (zhelenstilo) I'll read pretty much wherever, as long as I'm not too uncomfortable and I have headphones. Location isn't so much of an issue for me most of the time. It's really outside distractions (like conversations) that make it difficult for me to read.

That said, the vast majority of my reading happens in one of three places: in bed, in a not-quite rocking chair in the sun room, or in a comfy chair in the living room. My current favorite is the sun room, since it's about the only place in the house where I don't have to layer on more clothing to stay warm in the winter.


message 4: by Elianara (new)

Elianara | 23 comments I read mostly at home, in bed or in my comfy chair. I also often take a book with me if I go out and about, and read at the coffee shop , in the bus or when waiting (in queue, at the dentist, or anywhere else really).

I mostly listen to audiobooks while doing something else at home, like while cleaning or cooking.


message 5: by Mark (new)

Mark  (billthebloody) | 8 comments With my free time increasingly hampered by my 2 year old son and working from home half the time I tend to read any chance I get wherever I am. I'll read a few pages when I got outside for a cigarette, when I'm waiting for my partner to get ready (I can usually get a chapter or two in that case because she takes ages to get ready!), also when I'm waiting for an appointment at the docs or dentist etc. My family generally get fed up with me sticking my nose in a book whenever I get a chance!

Of course I get most of my reading done at home on the sofa or easychair and much prefer it that way.


message 6: by Pickle (new)

Pickle | 192 comments i always read:

at morning/afternoon break at work
at lunchtime
if i travel on the subway or train
at night before i go to bed

I always fall asleep on the train when i read.


message 7: by Linguana (last edited Feb 10, 2012 05:29AM) (new)

Linguana | 151 comments The couch. Always the couch. It's huge and wonderful and my boyfriend lies next to me (usually watching TV) and there's a billion blankets and pillows and cushions and a table nearby for a cup of tea and some chocolate.

When I'm on the go, I usually only have enough time to read on the subway. I normally get in about 10 pages, not more.

I don't read in bed anymore, though. That place is reserved for podcasts and audiobooks. And other stuff not pertaining to the topic *ahem*


message 8: by Mike (new)

Mike (isbeorn) | 29 comments 1/2 of my work week is behind a desk doing actual thinking, troubleshooting, phone calls, etc. The other 1/2 of my work week is building/repairing PCs. This part mindless for me at this point. Its the perfect time to throw on an audio book and lose myself. Also an hour a day of commuting to work.

In spring/summer/fall I get a lot of listening time while doing yard work on the weekends. Maybe a little bit while cleaning the house.

As far as reading a physical book, I don't get to do that anymore, I have a 7 month old. Like others I can try to read before bed but usually pass out after 2-3 pages. Before the infant came along I used to read in bed after waking up on Saturdays for a few hours. Usually get several chapters in then pass back out. No more sleeping in though.


message 9: by Robert (new)

Robert Nasuti (rlnasuti) | 31 comments Audiobooks at work. I'm a computer programmer and when it's slow I can sit there and stare in the general direction of my monitor and lose myself in an audiobook.

At home it's on the couch. By the time I hit the bed I'm half asleep so there's no reading there.

and I bring books with me to restaurants, lunch, amusement parks, the pool - anywhere that I may experience some downtime and get some reading done.


message 10: by Brad Theado (new)

Brad Theado (readerxx) I read to my wife every night before we go to sleep for about 30 minutes (her version of an audiobook I guess). Her snugggled up against me is my favorite place to read. If i could just get her to like sci fi it would be heaven because I have to read stuff that I dont always like (Nicholas Sparks)


message 11: by Micah (new)

Micah (onemorebaker) | 1071 comments where ever I can at this point. I listen to a lot of audiobooks on my commute (1hr minimum each way). My book reading time is limited to where ever I can fit it in. Between a full time + OT job; full ride at the local JC, and 2 pre-school age kids my days ,all of them :), are really busy. Thats why I am always 3-4 months behind reading the S&L pick. However my reading time has improved since I got my Nook for Christmas. With it being so portable I can sneak a little bit of reading in at work during lunch or any downtime that I encounter.


message 12: by Gregory (new)

Gregory | 11 comments I can read anywhere but a moving car, I will start to feel really bad,I thinks its motion sickness or something.


message 13: by Aaron (new)

Aaron (scruffynerfer) I can read anywhere. I tend to read after I finish work and get home but I can get easily distracted when I do so it doesn't always mean I can get alot read. Sometimes when I wake up I can get a cople of pages read the same can be said when I go to bed. Whenever I travel I take my kindle or have my phone on me to read and I have been known to take slower modes of transport to get somewhere just so I can read more :)

I wish I was allowed to listen to audiobooks at work but I think it's again health and safety (stupid rule lol). Although I'm not really ment to I do sometimes read the odd page at work on my phone where I am waiting for my big printing machine to finish


message 14: by Jeane (new)

Jeane (pinkbookdragon) | 53 comments Elianara wrote: "I read mostly at home, in bed or in my comfy chair. I also often take a book with me if I go out and about, and read at the coffee shop , in the bus or when waiting (in queue, at the dentist, or an..."

oh yes! Always have a book in my purse or bag. As a matter of fact, on the off chance I don't have a book in my purse, I have an emergency book stashed in my glove box :)


message 15: by Jeane (new)

Jeane (pinkbookdragon) | 53 comments I am really surprised more people haven't admitted to reading on the throne! ha ha! I find it's a great place to get a little quiet time.


message 16: by Mike (new)

Mike (isbeorn) | 29 comments Jeane wrote: "I am really surprised more people haven't admitted to reading on the throne! ha ha! I find it's a great place to get a little quiet time."

I'm sorry sir, we can't take that book back, its been flagged.


message 17: by terpkristin (new)

terpkristin | 4407 comments I read anywhere I can, including the "throne." :D

For audiobooks, I listen:
while at the gym
while driving around
when at home doing housework, cooking, or if the print book I'm reading isn't any good
when traveling (flying, etc)

For printed (Kindle and DTF) books it's:
at doctor's appointments
around the house, either on my couch or bed
any place I have a few moments and can pull out my phone

I rarely listen to audioooks at work, though I wish I could. Too much going on to get invested in a book.


message 18: by Jeane (new)

Jeane (pinkbookdragon) | 53 comments Tassie Dave wrote: "I read mainly in my recliner at home. I like to be comfortable.

I also get a lot of reading done at work as well. I work 12 hour shifts and half my shifts are at night (6PM to 6AM). Reading keeps ..."


My husband also gets most of his reading done during his 12 hour work shifts.

I also find that listening to an audio book on a long boring car ride will keep me more awake then music! I think because my mind is more engaged and so it is just able to stay awake easier.


message 19: by John (new)

John Bullock (beagrie) | 120 comments I work 8-10 hour days Monday to Friday, and most of that time my ears are free to listen to all the podcasts/audiobooks I can get.

I got through all the Song of Ice and Fire books in a month in this way, and am subscribed to somewhere in the region of twenty podcasts.


message 20: by Kevin (new)

Kevin Xu (kxu65) | 1081 comments I read everywhere. I always have a book in my hand, no matter where I go, no matter where I am.


message 21: by Amy (new)

Amy Pilkington | 104 comments With a good set of noise-cancelling headphones, I can read anywhere, and will, but I do have a pretty regular reading routine:

Every morning with my coffee, curled up in the office papasan.
Right after work, curled up in the living room papasan.
(My spouse plays video games in the office, and we got tired of arguing over who got the comfy chair. So now we have two!)
In bed before going to sleep.

I can usually get 1 1/2 - 2 hours of reading in a day, just with those sessions.

I wear my headphones for my entire shift at work, but tend towards podcasts more than audiobooks. I only listen to books I've already read, because I read so much faster than any narrator and always get impatient.


message 22: by Kate (new)

Kate O'Hanlon (kateohanlon) | 778 comments On the bus, over lunch, in my armchair in the living room all night, in the park at weekends if the weather's good enough (which it won't be for a few months yet).

I never read in bed though. I'm a terrible sleeper, so reading in bed is a big no-no. I only break this rule when I'm too sick to actually get out of bed.


message 23: by Philip (new)

Philip (heard03) | 383 comments I'm a mailman, so I listen to my mp3 player throughout the day at work and also on my brutal commute. It's great for taking my mind off stressful stuff or the weather- especially rain and extreme cold/hot temperatures.


message 24: by Marcus (new)

Marcus Lenzen | 8 comments Normale while i take the train to and from work. At the moment i prefer to use the kindle app on my android. I can use it with one hand, the print doesn´t hurt my eye. Hey you got to be pragmatic about those kind of things!


message 25: by Gregory (new)

Gregory | 11 comments I like to read phisical books on the couch, what could be better.


message 26: by Ree (new)

Ree Linker (reelinker) | 3 comments I used to hate getting ready in the morning. Now I listen to audio books while I brush my teeth, get dressed, fix my hair, etc. Much more interesting.

Paper/e-ink books get read at breakfast and lunch, in the car (when I'm not driving, of course), and in bed (if I get in early enough!).


message 27: by Bree (new)

Bree (breeatlast) I follow the same pattern every work day -- ever since I set my reading goal as 100 books in 2012, I get nervous if I don't make the most of my limited spare time!

I take public transit to and from work, and as long as the weather and bus space allows, I read on my kindle. If it doesn't, then I listen to an audiobook or podcast on my mp3 player. Then I get a 30 minute lunch break, where I try not to get snacks on my kindle screen. Then another 30-90 min of reading before bed, then I fall asleep listening to an audiobook.

When I was just a little kid (6-8), I listened to books on tape (this is when we were beginning to phase out listening to books on vinyl!!) on my massive boombox. I got so used to falling asleep listening to the Chronicles of Narnia or one of my other collections, that I need to be listening to something to fall asleep almost two decades later . . .


message 28: by Abraham (new)

Abraham | 33 comments I read in bed, but would love to get an oversized recliner to read in. Something with a nice lamp and a side table. I expect the cats will join me to read too.


message 29: by Jeane (new)

Jeane (pinkbookdragon) | 53 comments Ree wrote: "I used to hate getting ready in the morning. Now I listen to audio books while I brush my teeth, get dressed, fix my hair, etc. Much more interesting."

Good point! I also listen to audiobooks while I get ready in the morning, I hate hate HATE blowing drying my hair, but it needs to be done to look halfway decent! Listening to an audiobook while I do it makes it go by much faster! Although sometimes the earbuds get pulled out, but it's a small price to pay.


message 30: by Jani (new)

Jani (jpwarg) | 3 comments I usually read physical books when I'm going to bed or eating breakfast or when nature calls.. But audiobooks are great. I listen to them (and podcasts too) when I take our dog out, when I am walking to and from work, doing dishes and other housekeeping.
And I also listen to audiobooks at work. Currently my work is made of lots of repetitive tasks so audiobooks and podcasts brings food for my brains.


message 31: by Jack (new)

Jack | 46 comments I listen to the podcast while doing dishes (no dishwaher).

I read a lot at court (I'm a police detective). There's a lot of just sitting around involved...got through a lot of Reamde at court today actually. Today all 4 defendents plead, cheating me out of both further reading and overtime 8(


message 32: by Jlawrence, S&L Moderator (new)

Jlawrence | 964 comments Mod
Reading in bed I conk out too fast.

I usually read during my train commute to and from work (+ the bus, if I'm doing a completely carless commute), but that reading time's recently been DECIMATED by an evil daemon called Draw Something.

The couch would be a good candidate, except there's the laptop and the TV in front of it, which act as reading short-circuit mechanisms. But sometimes I end up reading there anyway.


message 33: by John (new)

John | 19 comments I get about 45 minutes of reading in during my lunch hour while sitting in my car.

I also read every night in bed. That tends to be dangerous lately as I use an Acer 10" tablet to read my ebooks. When I doze off, it has hit me in the face a few times.


message 34: by Stefanie (new)

Stefanie (inkcharm) I mostly read in bed or on my couch while I'm at home, preferrably curled up with blankets, some good music and hot tea. I have a tram ride of about 15 minutes to/from university, so I usually try to read a couple of pages then as well, and if I fancy going to a coffee shop that makes for some good reading time as well. Now that summer is around the corner, I will probably make good use of the fact that the river is only a 10 minute walk away from where I live, and I'll probably try to spend some time outside and read in the sun :3


message 35: by Ian (new)

Ian Roberts | 143 comments I normally have 2 books on the go now, one physical one for reading on the couch/'throne'/in bed at home, and then one on my iphone for any other opportunistic time I can grab!
I usually read for 30 minutes-an hour at bedtime, thats probably the longest single session I get.
Being able to read now on an iphone has been a godsend, I can now sneak a few pages in when nature calls during the day at work or any other time when I'm on a bus/train or whatever without having to carry a huge physical book around.
If I ever get time off from work/kids (which is rare apart from evenings) I love wandering into a coffee shop and sitting down to read with a massimo latte.....


message 36: by Dave (new)

Dave Irwin (davegetssocial) | 36 comments I trend to read in bed or on the way to work on the bus. If a book is good enough it can totally take you way from how uncomfortable a bus journey can be.

If I am waiting for someone for any length of time I am almost compelled to go find a coffee house and sit down to read a chapter while I wait.


message 37: by Emmanuel (new)

Emmanuel Parfond (frenchdude) | 48 comments In bed and on the train to work. I cannot read/listen while driving


message 38: by Patrick Louie (new)

Patrick Louie (classicpatrick) In bed, any lounge-like area or while I'm traveling. I find myself to be a very adaptable reason.

It has to be somewhere quiet otherwise I end up not being able to comprehend what I just read.


message 39: by Kelly (new)

Kelly Silva (kellysilva) | 10 comments I usually read for a little during my days off on the couch on my Kindle, and then for an hour or so in bed before I go to sleep every night. I read on the Kindle app on my phone at work on break and during my lunch. I almost wish I could take public transit so I could read then. If I'm driving long distance I'm usually listening to podcasts, because I'm always behind on those. And then there are my occasional days off when I'll read most of the day : )


message 40: by [deleted user] (new)

On the couch at work, in my bed, on my couch, and in the car.


message 41: by Mike (new)

Mike Cornish (mikecornish) | 1 comments I usually arrive early to classes and lectures so I can read before they start. Also in bed before I go to sleep, which usually results in less sleep.


message 42: by Mike (new)

Mike (mtroyr) | 3 comments Car. . .no doubt my favorite place. Walking for exercise or duty to the dogs would rank #2. Cleaning the house (usually washing dishes or vacuuming the floor) is #3. In bed and in my over stuffed chair pull up the rear only because I usually crash if I get to comfortable reading/listening to a book.


Jeane wrote: "Listening to Podcast #90 today and listening to Veronica talk about her struggle to keep up with all the books made me want to ask, where is your best place to read or listen? In bed, on the beach,..."


message 43: by Leeandlaura (new)

Leeandlaura I usually read on the commute to work and in my lunch break. I get through a good few books this way.


message 44: by terpkristin (new)

terpkristin | 4407 comments I've recently grown fond of listening to audiobooks on my iPad. For example, when I'm lying I bed, lazing around and trying to motivate to get up, I turn on a book and play through the iPad speaker. Well, at least it wakes me up, though it sometimes makes it harder to want to get up. ;)


message 45: by Kimberly (new)

Kimberly | 5 comments I'm lucky I get to read every day at work from 7:45 - 8:00 - During DEAR time. My students are listening to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Audible in class. I have a 45 minute commute and I swap off listening to Podcasts, Pandora, or audible books. TNT's move to 5:00 pm my time has made this easier. I don't have to switch apps at a stoplight to catch the beginning of TNT anymore.

I also listen while working out on weights and read while doing cardio.


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