Comments on: Do you need a quiet place to read?

By: Round up #159: cats vs. dogs, Welsh words | I Love My Kindle

Round up #159: cats vs. dogs, Welsh words | I Love My Kindle — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:53:14 +0000

[...] actually reported on the underlying study before, so I won’t say much about it now…but it is interesting how [...]

By: Gglasshole! The pushback against Google GLASS has begun | I Love My Kindle

Gglasshole! The pushback against Google GLASS has begun | I Love My Kindle — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:01:55 +0000

[...] the population could read a book while watching a TV show or carrying on a conversation (see this earlier post). Will some people walk off a cliff or into traffic? Sure, it’s possible…just like they [...]

By: The shushing librarian: Celebration or scorn? « Reel Librarians

The shushing librarian: Celebration or scorn? « Reel Librarians — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:03:54 +0000

[...] Do you need a quiet place to read? (ilmk.wordpress.com) [...]

By: Bufo Calvin

Bufo Calvin — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:55:57 +0000

Thanks for writing, Joe!

I’m glad you liked the term! I’ve used it before, but not, I think, in this blog. It’s nice when something resonates with people like that, because it makes me feel like I’m serving their needs in some way.

By: Jocks vs. Brains: can you be both a sports fan and a serious reader? « I Love My Kindle

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 14:33:03 +0000

[...] following sports and reading take a lot of time. I recently wrote about people* who might do both things at once…read and watch a game on TV. I’m not sure a [...]

By: Joe Bowers

Joe Bowers — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 23:33:23 +0000

I almost always have music on unless I’m watching a movie or, rarely, a TV show. So, when I read I usually have tunes playing, hence I am not into the audio books or Whispersync (sp?) Back in late grade and high school, I usually studied with music playing. In fact, in High school, I had one of those old “suitcase” stereos with the detachable speakers and would sit at my desk between the speakers. My dad was initially critical of the situation, but my grades were very good, so he accepted it. I always felt like the music helped me in my studying and reading, and, like I say, the results were pretty good! Another interesting topic to consider, Bufo, thanks. (Add me to the list approving the term “attention surplus.”)

By: oldiesuz

oldiesuz — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:49:04 +0000

Like the others above, “attention surplus” is the best way I have ever heard to describe how I have felt for years! Brilliant!

By: Bufo Calvin

Bufo Calvin — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:18:05 +0000

Thanks for writing, Rick!

I can understand that ability to engage when it is more important. No question, there are some times I know to look at the TV, rather than at my computer.

By: Bufo Calvin

Bufo Calvin — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:16:38 +0000

Thanks for writing, liz!

Yes, people sometimes just don’t get other people’s work patterns. They see something which would be a problem for them to be doing, and therefore think it is a problem for someone else to be doing. I used to teach a day long class called Advanced Interpersonal Communications. I’ve always said that those “soft skills” classes can usually be boiled down to one sentence (although the rest of the exploration of the concept is worthwhile), and in that case it was: “People are different…and that’s okay.”

Interesting about you also being an ambidexter and not having that “instant off” ability! I may need to do some polling of the readers…

By: Rick Askenase

Rick Askenase — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:02:47 +0000

I much prefer to read in a quiet environment- usually in my comfortable leather chair or corner of a couch. I can have music on- but either instrumental/orchestral or opera (can’t understand the words so not distracting).

Strangely enough I will often read while watching a football game (with the sound pretty low) as I can mentally time when the next play will start and look up. )Same with baseball when a pitch is to be thrown.) But not during the Superbowl.