Sunday, March 7, 2010

How Do You 'Read'?


Do you remember your third grade reading group? Maybe you were in the red group. Or you might have been a giraffe. Whatever the case, we were split up and instructed according to our abilities. Now it seems our reading groups are split up by the type of technology that we want to embrace. So which reading group are you in now?

Do you like the old fashioned book that has been around since the dawn of time? You know - the one you have to pick up and hold and physically grip the page to turn it. Or do you prefer the voice in your head...er...headSET narrating a story? Or, is it the electronic book that fulfills your reading desires?

Me? I like the BOOK. I enjoy the workout my senses get by going into a book store/library/friend's house and browsing the shelves. I like to touch and feel the book. I want to see the cover and any pictures that might be in there. And then I can take that book anywhere. It's ready and waiting for me! No internet connection or downloading necessary. Don't need an iPod or a Kindle. I don't need to charge any batteries or stick anything in my ears. Just me and the book - on the couch, on a beach, in bed, at a doctor's office, at a baseball practice....anywhere, any time. A light and my reading glasses help, but I can manage without them if I need to....if the print is big enough!

What about you? Have you tried an audio book or ebook? Sales records indicate that people LOVE these things. Shutterbug (my DH) is big on the audio books. It took some getting used to on my part. He'd announce that he was going to 'READ' so I thought that meant we needed to keep the noise level down or something. But no. He'd pop the earbuds in his head, put the leash on the dog, and head out the door. Wait...WHAT?

The dog thanks Shutterbug for his reading group. They both get a lot of fresh air and exercise these days. The Heir, The Spare and I get a lot of exercise as well, because we make so many 'air quotes' around 'READ' because we got tired of saying "oh, you mean listen to your audio book?" Thank goodness we've gotten it all figured out. We know what he means when Shutterbug says 'READ' and Guinness knows he's in for a good walk.

As for an eReader, we don't have one in this house. A friend has the Kindle and said he likes it for the ease of reading in bed. It is lightweight and the pages turn with the touch of a button. No more holding up heavy books and fiddling around to turn pages. Some people like it for the built-in dictionary or the ability to change the font size and the screen lighting. Your eyes will definitely thank you. You can also subscribe to newspapers via your eReader thus making catching up on the news convenient for public transportation commuters or carpoolers without that noisy crinkle! And of course they come with all sorts of accessories including sleeves, jackets, protectors, stands, car chargers, earbuds and even waterproof cases for water-side enjoyment. What gadget-lover could resist this type of reading??

So it seems that technology has provided us with several reading groups. But now WE get to choose which one we want to be in. So if you are a multi-tasker, pop the earbuds in and start 'reading' while you shovel the snow. For everyone else, you'll need to shovel first before you settle in with your 'book' to enjoy the rest of the day. But remember, no matter the weather, MAKE EVERY DAY A SNOW DAY!









1 comment:

  1. I'm in the STORIES reading group and in the GEEK READERS group. I love to listen to stories during road trips, to read them on my Kindle or now from my iPhone, or from a book snuggled in bed. It is much easier flying over to where you guys are with a Kindle or iPhone as opposed to the library I feel I must pack. But they are always stories.

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