Audiobooks Rock

It's hard to believe it's been nearly a month and a half since I've left Delicious Monster. I'm rapidly nearing the end of Spring quarter at UW (and it's a little shaking to realize that I'm nearly half way done with college!).

I'm really enjoying tons of the work I'm doing now and it's crazy to watch the weeks fly by. One great development is that I have decided on a goal for a major. I am pursuing a dual-major in Visual Communication Design and Philosophy. I still have a few hurdles to cross to turn this from an idea to a reality though and it's not a slam dunk just yet. But I think I have what it takes and I am super excited about getting into even more specialized classes in my quarters ahead.

Every morning when I walk a few blocks to campus, I grab my iPod before I head out. I'm not alone; white earbuds can be spotted all over campus. But while music is fun and great for a background soundtrack (I nearly always listen to music when I am at home or working), on my trip to school I listen to a book instead. It's no secret that Audible exists. It's been going for a number of years now and Apple got privy to it fairly early on, but I'm surprised how few other people take advantage of audiobooks this on their way to school or work.

I'm also surprised by how few books most people read. I guess I shouldn't be. When I ask other people my age if they're reading a book right now, they go "You mean my textbook?" There are absolutely exceptions - lots of people find time in their busy schedules to sit down and relax, but I think the majority of us just feel like there's no time to fit in a book during the precious daylight hours when we could be doing something productive or something necessary for school or work.

The truth is, even very short trips like I make every morning (10-15 minutes from my door to my seat) and then again on my way back home a few hours later (another 10-15 minutes) really, really add up. Think about it. That's 210 minutes a week. Over 14 hours a month. Do you know what you could accomplish if you just had 14 hours extra every month? A lot! The problem of course is, that you can't fully use that time, because you're walking (or driving, or biking, or however you get to where you're going). But instead of throwing it out completely by listening to the same music you'll hear later in the day when you're working, or re-hashing the same ideas you've been thinking about recently, why not have a book read to you? It's genius, really.

This year, I recently finished the mammoth DisneyWar (which was SO good - I super-strongly recommend it!) and I'm a Stranger Here Myself (a fun book that is really just a whimsical and humorous outlook on everything in life). Previously I've listened to both Fast Food Nation and 21 Dog Years, which were also great. Right now I have just started listening to My Life by Bill Clinton, which is already quite good. Next I plan to finally listen to The Da Vinci Code. See all these books? You can read them too, in the time you didn't even know you had!

I'm not trying to plug Audible or iTunes really as much as I am just really excited about learning tons more about the world in what time I would otherwise have literally written off. It is really great and I hope some of you guys try it, because I know you will get hooked too.

On a not-so-sidenote: I know at least a handful of you are dying to know what I have been doing with the REST of my time, outside of school and walking to and from there. Well... let's just say... I've been busy. =D

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