Comments on: Audible.com http://wdr1.com/blog/2005/09/11/audiblecom/ Screams in the Night Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:16:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bill http://wdr1.com/blog/2005/09/11/audiblecom/comment-page-1/#comment-594 Bill Mon, 12 Sep 2005 04:13:00 +0000 http://wdr1.com/blog/?p=330#comment-594 I think a big difference is that your eyes are closed. Coupled with your body already being naturally tired, you start to imagine the story in your mind... and drift off to sleep. I have to stay I'm enjoying History... I've taken to listening it to at the gym, walks around Pasadena, and just cleanin' up around the house. audible.com++ I think a big difference is that your eyes are closed. Coupled with your body already being naturally tired, you start to imagine the story in your mind… and drift off to sleep.

I have to stay I’m enjoying History… I’ve taken to listening it to at the gym, walks around Pasadena, and just cleanin’ up around the house.

audible.com++

]]> By: Jeffrey Friedl http://wdr1.com/blog/2005/09/11/audiblecom/comment-page-1/#comment-593 Jeffrey Friedl Mon, 12 Sep 2005 02:12:46 +0000 http://wdr1.com/blog/?p=330#comment-593 I discovered a few months ago that listening to high-tempo music helps me fall asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep, so thought that I may as well just listen to something so as not to make a waste of the time. It put me right to sleep. Now, many nights, I put on my "Funky Stuff" playlist and listen for a few songs, and I'm soon asleep. I think that one reason this works is that it helps to stop the mind from racing all over. But I couldn't imagine how it works with something that you really need to pay attention to, like an audio book. In particular, I didn't want to sleep at all while reading Bryson's book (the one you mention, or any of them). Bryson's _History_ is my all time favorite book. When I finished reading it, I sat dejected for a moment (that there was no more to read), and then went back to page one and started again. There's so much interesting stuff in there that by the time you get to the end, you've completely forgotten what was in the beginning, so it's just as good the 2nd time as it was the first. At least it was that way with me.... I discovered a few months ago that listening to high-tempo music helps me fall asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep, so thought that I may as well just listen to something so as not to make a waste of the time. It put me right to sleep. Now, many nights, I put on my “Funky Stuff” playlist and listen for a few songs, and I’m soon asleep.

I think that one reason this works is that it helps to stop the mind from racing all over. But I couldn’t imagine how it works with something that you really need to pay attention to, like an audio book. In particular, I didn’t want to sleep at all while reading Bryson’s book (the one you mention, or any of them). Bryson’s _History_ is my all time favorite book. When I finished reading it, I sat dejected for a moment (that there was no more to read), and then went back to page one and started again. There’s so much interesting stuff in there that by the time you get to the end, you’ve completely forgotten what was in the beginning, so it’s just as good the 2nd time as it was the first. At least it was that way with me….

]]> By: Bill http://wdr1.com/blog/2005/09/11/audiblecom/comment-page-1/#comment-592 Bill Sun, 11 Sep 2005 22:34:28 +0000 http://wdr1.com/blog/?p=330#comment-592 Khayman, I tried podcasts at first, but they generally didn't do it for me. Not sure why books are much better, but they seem to be. It's probably tied to content -- what podcasts are you listening to? Have you considered getting a book on tape/cd & ripping it as a trial? Not sure how much I'm getting out of the books, but that's okay. For me the point is to get to sleep, anything else is gravy. I'd still probably opt to read a book I really wanted to retain as opposed to listening to it at night. Kevin, how are Stephenson's Baroque Cycle books? I liked a lot of his other stuff, but got frustrated by his inability to write a decent ending, so shied away from them. Worth reading? Khayman, I tried podcasts at first, but they generally didn’t do it for me. Not sure why books are much better, but they seem to be. It’s probably tied to content — what podcasts are you listening to? Have you considered getting a book on tape/cd & ripping it as a trial?

Not sure how much I’m getting out of the books, but that’s okay. For me the point is to get to sleep, anything else is gravy. I’d still probably opt to read a book I really wanted to retain as opposed to listening to it at night.

Kevin, how are Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle books? I liked a lot of his other stuff, but got frustrated by his inability to write a decent ending, so shied away from them. Worth reading?

]]> By: Kevin http://wdr1.com/blog/2005/09/11/audiblecom/comment-page-1/#comment-591 Kevin Sun, 11 Sep 2005 21:32:31 +0000 http://wdr1.com/blog/?p=330#comment-591 I'm not sure if one should consider it a historical source, but the way the needle in the eye thing is described in Quicksilver, he was trying to understand how the eye actually works, in order to better understand the instruments he used to observe the world. Also, the needle wasn't in his eyeball, but in between the eye and socket, enabling him to distort the shape of the eyeball and see what happened to his visual perception. (Reading Quicksilver, etc., is largely responsible for me picking up Gleick's new bio of Netwon, which I imagine has a more accurate account. However, I haven't had a chance to read it yet.) I’m not sure if one should consider it a historical source, but the way the needle in the eye thing is described in Quicksilver, he was trying to understand how the eye actually works, in order to better understand the instruments he used to observe the world. Also, the needle wasn’t in his eyeball, but in between the eye and socket, enabling him to distort the shape of the eyeball and see what happened to his visual perception.

(Reading Quicksilver, etc., is largely responsible for me picking up Gleick’s new bio of Netwon, which I imagine has a more accurate account. However, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.)

]]> By: khayman http://wdr1.com/blog/2005/09/11/audiblecom/comment-page-1/#comment-590 khayman Sun, 11 Sep 2005 20:35:43 +0000 http://wdr1.com/blog/?p=330#comment-590 Does listening to audio books help you fall asleep faster? Since you mentioned it, I've tried listening to some podcasts and it just annoys me. Of course it may be that Laurel and I are having trouble finding something we both like. But I'm curious to know if the method has actually, and significantly, helped with falling asleep. And, if so, are you really getting much out of the books? Does listening to audio books help you fall asleep faster? Since you mentioned it, I’ve tried listening to some podcasts and it just annoys me. Of course it may be that Laurel and I are having trouble finding something we both like. But I’m curious to know if the method has actually, and significantly, helped with falling asleep. And, if so, are you really getting much out of the books?

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