Science and Inquiry discussion

I usually get in one to two hours. I don't watch tv but I do mess about some on my computer.

At least 2 hours before bedtime on work nights. On my days off, I've been known to go on binges for much longer than that and sometimes, I forego sleep to stay up for several hours if I'm really into a book.

Much, much less than I'd like. I probably get to read about an hour a night during quiet work weeks and practically no reading at all during very busy weeks. :(

Always before bed, usually in bed. Often for an hour or two.

Sometimes also in the afternoon.

If I'm sick, I may spend a good bit of the time I'm awake reading.

When my time is free, four to seven hours a day. Nothing virtuous, it's just that television is seldom a compelling alternative once I'm reading.

As much as I can during college...it can be hard with other books I should be reading though

Alice wrote: "William, its about the same for me. (about 2 hours) In the past few years tho I have gone up from 50 books a year to about 70. "

I read 70 last year.

Alice wrote: "That was a new record for me, was it for you also?"

Probably. I never really paid attention to it before.

I read about 80 books last year - first year I've kept count, so I don't know if it was average, above, or below. (I do think 2004 was "below"; I wasn't doing much reading while recovering from my stroke! Frankly, I was quite grateful to find I wasn't going to have to re-learn reading in the first place.)

Yes, so am I - very grateful!

Reading was one of the very few things I didn't have to re-learn. Oh yes - I still knew how to tell time. That's about it.

The stroke itself didn't hurt at all - though I had a TIA once (not diagnosed as such, unfortunately) that was the worst headache I've ever had. I went to the ER for the TIA, and by the time they saw me the symptoms had dissipated and they told me it was nothing and to go home and take an aspirin.

I have the stamina of a slug these days - I spend a lot of my time reading or knitting (or stitching).

Hi Susanna, I have no stamina either. Long ago I ran 6 miles and used to participate in small races in spite of my asthma. Now I am lucky if I can even walk anywhere.

I am glad to hear strokes do not hurt. My grandmother had 3 and my aunt had a couple so they do tend to run in my family. We went for a drive today altho its too dry and windy here. I love to get out of the house some. Wish I could knit but I can't. When I get a surge of energy which I haven't had for quite awhile I can watercolor some. I have sold a couple of my watercolors! ;-)

Well, I don't know if they don't hurt universally - mine didn't, though.

I find knitting excellent hand therapy, and a heck of a lot of fun. The only place more dangerous for me than the yarn shop is a bookstore!

Well, I am glad to hear from you that it didn't hurt as I had no idea really.

Wouldn't it be better if they hurt? Wouldn't that impel one to the emergency room faster and make it more likely that one would get treated? Would we see better outcomes as a result?

One thing I worry about is dying of something that I barely noticed. It is fairly common for me to not notice problems until they've ballooned into much bigger issues. So I don't take action when I could resolve something with simple measures.

I think strokes are usually severe enough in their side effects (like paralysis) that one would want to go to a doctor or the ER quite quickly anyway.

I think we'd all see better outcomes with our health if we did simple things like having our blood pressures checked fairly regularly.

I think family history can be very important. Several people in my family on both sides have had strokes and one died immediately. I guess its very close to the number one thing I need to fear. I have very high blood pressure, in fact my Dr. told me to quit work due to it. I take two blood pressure pills now, one in morning and one at night. I also have MVP and I read the only good thing about it is if the blood goes really high the valve will prolapse thereby protecting the brain somewhat. My blood pressure will shoot sky high if I am exposed to certain chemicals mainly perfume and gasoline. (read Tired or Toxic?)

I just read drinking lots of tea will prevent stroke but I have always been a big tea drinker due to having asthma and there is a trace of the ancient asthma drug theophylline in tea! I have stopped asthma attacks with it but also by using lots of powdered vitamin C which I also use. However, I cannot stand green tea so only drink black and Earl Grey. My iron group told me tea will prevent the absorption of iron from veggies. I have too much iron in my body also.

Alternative medicine is utterly fascinating to me and I love to read about it. Any tips you pick up anywhere please relay them to me if you have time. Email is fine too!

I think its a wonderful thing to be able to "cross over" without pain! However, falling down on the ground can sure be terrifying as I have done.

Oh, sorry to get so off topic here! Oops! I am prone to this and will delete it if you wish.

I am a very avid reader and have already read 103 books this year. I think it is very important to explore our world through books.

The busride to & from work is my best time for reading - that gives me an hour every weekday. The rest of my reading is usually on the weekends. Its fun to stay up late just to read.

Usually two to three hours a night (no TV). Early Saturday and Sunday mornings are the best times -- my wife and son sleep in so I have a couple of hours of peace.

This past summer I was sitting on my porch and reading about 3 hours a day. Now with 7 week old twins, I read a lot less. But now I try to read out loud to them for a few minutes each day. It might not be helping them, but it can't hurt.

I am a teacher so I read every day.I read part of the science book, news, and comic books at least once a week to my students.

I love reading and spend most of my spare time with a book in my hand and a small pile at my side. I tend to read for at least a couple of hours a day, even if the tv's on (especially with the amount of ads you get on some channels). I'm not sure how many books I read last year but this year I'm on 26 so far (doing a 50 book challange hence why I know this). Be interesting to see how many I do actually get through though.

I have "read" over 200 books in the past 3 years by listening- I download them on Audible. Then I also read books the authentic(?) way. Usually before I go to bed. Or on the exceptionally beautiful days, I read out on the front porch for several hours when not at work.

I have not bought an e-reader yet. Still waiting for just the right one.

Cookie,
You might also want to check out your local public library. Ours has a good selection of audiobooks that you can download, for free.
--David

Cookie wrote: "I have "read" over 200 books in the past 3 years by listening- I download them on Audible. Then I also read books the authentic(?) way. Usually before I go to bed. Or on the exceptionally beautiful..."
From where can one download on audible ? Can you recommend?

Lisa wrote: "I am a teacher so I read every day.I read part of the science book, news, and comic books at least once a week to my students."

I am a teacher too. It is too important to read and inculcate in our learners too. How do you do it?

Aristophanes wrote: "I am a very avid reader and have already read 103 books this year. I think it is very important to explore our world through books. "

How do you manage time? I too loveeeeeee to read but at times find time restricting it.

Trisha wrote: "Cookie wrote: "I have "read" over 200 books in the past 3 years by listening- I download them on Audible. Then I also read books the authentic(?) way. Usually before I go to bed. Or on the exceptio..."

Hi Trisha,
I download from audible.com They have different plans. I pay for 2 books a month and pay 22.95 The book credits can be saved for the next mpnth. You can redownload any books you have bought and you can burn them to CD or send to your iPod or iPhone.

Thanx
Thats g8. I was so unaware.

I usually listen to my kindle robot voice on the commute to and from work (2.5 hours approx). I also read before I go to bed for a half hour or so.

I don't watch TV and I am officially retired, so I have lots of time for books. Usually I read 2 to 3 hours in bed at night--sometimes in the afternoon too. During the day I noodle around with my computer, cook, do chores, practice my violin and sometimes (rarely) even go to the gym!!! I have an mp3 player and a subscription to Audible.com, but can't seem to get into the listening-to-books thing. I don't like being read to I guess.

Not very often to be honest, too busy with stuff at home

Sandra wrote: "I don't watch TV and I am officially retired, so I have lots of time for books. Usually I read 2 to 3 hours in bed at night--sometimes in the afternoon too. During the day I noodle around with my c..."

I found that listening to the classic books was the only way I was ever going to make myself "read" them. So I would listen to them while doing chores or driving.

I don't read nearly as much as I used to. I spend my free time on the computer usually researching whatever topic of interest is of the day. That is reading also, but not the traditional type of reading I rarely do. I do read while traveling on vacation 2-3 times a year and manage to get caught up that way. I have ordered several books for my next upcoming trip.

Every evening after tucking the kids in bed, I slither into my tub and read for at least an hour. Now that I have a Nook I always have my books handy and bathroom breaks at work have gotten longer! =:)

Have you all seen the new statistics on good reads? They tell you how many books, how many pages you've read each year, how long to took to read them etc.. Pretty snifty.

Stan wrote: "Now that I have a Nook I always have my books handy and bathroom breaks at work have gotten longer!..."

whoa, stan-- a little too much information there! lol.
seriously, though- it is nice to have books around whenever you need them. ;)

Try to read at least one hour a night. Try to get the kids to bed around 9:30 and after I clean up.

I read in the 20 minute commute to work and back home in the public transport. While cycling is the more popular method of transport here in Holland (and makes more sense if you live and work downtown anyway), I actually prefer the public transport because I can read (I'm a horrible listener, so audio books don't work with me).

When a book is particularly hard to put off, I squeeze in a little reading during lunch hour and would spend the evening reading as well.

The last four years in college have been inconsistent, reading for pleasure was rare but I was fortunate enough to read a lot of good books for classes. For about 6 months I would read about 30 minutes for pleasure before bed.

This summer I've been able to read about 4 hours a day. I've taken to walking and reading!

I'm afraid once I start teaching soon I will fill up reading time with grading and planning lesson plans. Its nice to have a job which I can leave and forget about right now!

I'm working full time and going to college, so unfortunately a lot of my time is devoted to reading textbooks. I still get in about an hour to 2 hours of reading at night before bed. I ramp that up drastically when I'm on breaks. We went on vacation last month and I managed to get through 3 books in the week we were gone. It was fabulous.

I read in jumps and starts.
I wish I could be more regular.
Between TV, internet, other hobbies, full time work schedule and an infant... I dont know when that is going to happen. I have at least 200 books on my unread list right now...
Does anyone here employ any strategies other than going to bed with a book?

Prashant,

I bring a book with me everywhere I go. Even if it's only a couple of pages at a time, you can get through a surprising amount as you wait for meetings, appointments, etc.

Kristopher

I, too, have to read in short captured moments and then grab a longer period just before going to sleep.

Weekends are the best. Workdays are tough if you have a full time job and a long driving commute!

Prashant, I sympathise that you feel you have such a long list of unread books, but what great times await you!

Prashant wrote: "I read in jumps and starts.
I wish I could be more regular.
Between TV, internet, other hobbies, full time work schedule and an infant... I dont know when that is going to happen. I have at least 2..."

if you have a commute, grab some of those "to be read" books via audio from the library...i worked my way through several classics back when i was spending 3-4 hours/day in a car...i also keep a book w/me so i never get upset about lines or wait times...it's just "found time" for reading!

I read it couple of times in the morning from 7am to 9am or sometimes till every single person at home wake up and we all go for our breakfast

My most reliable reading time is during my lunch break at work - 30 to 45 minutes. I try to get in an hour in the evenings, but I find I get drowsy pretty quickly that way.

I love my audible books, but most of the time I listen to NPR in the car, so I make the most progress with those during pledge drives.

Schools out! It's time to ramp up the reading for the next few months...it'll be fabulous. :) Leilani, I'm very envious of your uninterrupted reading time at work. I try to read during my lunch, but cannot remember the last time I made it through an entire lunch (I eat in my office) without someone barging in for "just a second"! I'm moving to a different office next week and will actually have a door in the doorframe. It'll be lovely.

Kristopher

I can't cope with audio books, they don't go in somehow.

My only solid reading time is on the subway to and from work, a half hour each way. Evenings get busy surprisingly quickly. I mean...y'know, what if Top Chef is on?