This week’s Booking Through Thursday prompt asks
Do you multitask when you read? Do other things like stirring things on the stove, brushing your teeth, watching television, knitting, walking, et cetera?
Or is it just me, and you sit and do nothing but focus on what you’re reading?
(Or, if you do both, why, when, and which do you prefer?)
My husband will tell you I can’t multitask. I can! I can read and walk at the same time and have been known to do so (and I’m still alive). But how does one knit? Really watch television and not just leave it droning in the background?
I used to have a friend who read while driving, and not at lights either. While driving. It was insane. He would have the book open, reading it, all the while barreling down the road at 60 mph.
I had another friend who once described The Thorn Birds as the kind of book you read while you stirred the pot. I can see it. I think I could handle stirring a pot while I read, but I don’t remember ever doing it.
So the short answer is that I’m not much of a multitasker when I’m reading, but I do listen to audio books during my commute. In fact, I’m really enjoying Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches.
I love to listen to audio books while I am driving. I get aggravated when I am on a long trip and there is someone with me. I feel like I am wasting all that "reading" time.
I seldom read while doing anything else. My focus is always on the book. I can envision a lot of burned meals if I was stirring the pot while reading.
I'm glad I'm not the only one, Dana. I'm not very good at multi-tasking. I have tried reading while stirring dinner, but I find that the reading is not as enjoyable (and sometimes the dinner suffers too). My husband reads and walks all the time. Luckily he does most of his reading-walks in the house where he's less likely to do any real damage to himself or others. 🙂
Driving and reading???!!!! That is just wrong…and what audiobooks are for. I don't think reading lends itself to multitasking. That's what I like about it.
Yep. His name was Brian. He was pretty infamous for it in our group. I hope he's still alive and NOT reading while he drives.