A New Experiment

I am finally back from vacation.  It was great to be away, but I am having trouble finding my bearings.  Do you know what I mean? Anyway, upon my return, I have come to realize that I need to start maximizing the way I use my time, or I am never going to get everything done around here.  I have a job, analyzing data for a school, my family, and this fall I am going to learn to do research like the pros.  With all this in mind, I have constructed a new reading plan for myself.  I am going to listen, so I can multi-task.

I am forever espousing the virtues of reading aloud and now I am going to let someone read aloud to me.  I will listen while I do a few other things, like exercise, clean house and run errands.  I have long been an NPR listener, but for now that is going to be put on the shelf, so to speak, to make room for children and young adult stories.

Here is the plan.  I am going to listen to books I can download from my local library, yeah CALS.  Once I have found a winner I will let you know about it.  I am going to judge the book by how easy it was to listen and the quality of narrations.  Be assured that I will only recommend stories that I think are worth knowing about, as always.  Who has time to read about a book you shouldn't bother listening to or reading?  If I get the hang of listening, I may even listen to my book club selections this year.  We don't start up again until September, so I have some time to figure this all out.

If you have any advice on how to stay focused on the story without the words right in front of you, please pass them along! I must admit, I regularly stop and reread, so staying focused is going to be my biggest challenge. Next week, I will have heard a few new stories and will be able to give you at least one suggestion.  Happy listening to me!