Walking and reading.

[cadhla]

I read. I read a lot. I have long since mastered the ancient art of 'walking and reading at the same time', largely because it means I don't wind up in a position where I have fifteen pages left in the book and I can either carry it to work the next day or put it on my dresser to read later and then forget about it until there's this ginormous

Comments

[djonn]

and reading The Unforgiving Minutes, by Mary Monica Pulver

One of my all-time favorite mystery writers; I own all five books in that series in hardcover, and followed her when she became half of "Margaret Frazer" for the first few volumes of the "Sister Frevisse" series of medieval mysteries. (I am still reading and enjoying those, though MMP has moved on.)

I know that nowadays she's writing a series of mysteries featuring knitting/needlecraft themes as Monica Ferris, and I've liked those as well. But the more recent author bios in those say that she's writing mysteries under more than one pen name, and I would dearly love to know some of the others so that I can investigate those books, too.

[cadhla]

I'm still vaguely annoyed that she stopped after only five -- they were fantastic, and I wanted more. I didn't like the medieval mysteries that followed, the the knitting/needlecraft gimmick sadly just fails to appeal.

[djonn]

I absolutely agree about wanting more of that first series, which I think remains her best work. I suspect, however, that Stupid Publisher Syndrome rather than authorial intent was what ended that series; if my memory for author-gossip in that period is right, Walker at that time was known for an inability to properly nurture its best authors (to put it a lot more politely than the gossip mill actually did).

Clearly we need to track down one or more of those other aliases; if she's writing up to her true potential under some other name, I want to know what it is, darnit!

[porcinea]

I love her!! And my favorite series was the first. Thank you for the Margaret Frazer connection; I did not know this.

I also read and walk, although not any more -- I quit reading. (*gasp*!) I used to drive and read. :-). (Traffic jams, baby, traffic jams.)

[ladyamber]

"People like you make the sidewalks dangerous."

"No, ma'am. People who are too oblivious to look ahead while talking on their cellphones are what make the sidewalks dangerous. That, and the mugger in the shadows, just waiting for you to pass by with that thing glued to your cranium. Have a nice day!"

I do the exact same thing, and it pisses me off when people tell me to stop, because "We can't do that! You're going to hit someone!" No, that would be you. I've had almost 17 years of experience with this, so leave me alone and let me read the read and walk the walk. :P

**HUGS** At least there was laughter?

[ladyamber]

...and this is when I wish for a paid account, so I could edit this poorly formatted comment. **sigh**

[cadhla]

At least italics look interesting on the page? It's totally okay.

[beable]

Only paid members get to edit comments? That's bizarre.

[k_crow]

*grin* I don't know how many times I've had people exclaim at me for walking and reading at the same time. From, "How do you do that without running into things?!", to "Watch out, you'll trip on the stairs!", and the ever-popular, "Are you insane(/nuts/a freak/etc.)?!"

I'm with you on the re-reading so I don't run out of things to read. It's incredible how grumpy I get when I've recent read, or re-read everything I'm in the mood to read at that point, and I don't have quite enough spare funds to go find something new just yet.

'Course, that's what other bibliophile friends are for. ;) That, and endless discussion/geekery about various series. Runnerwolf is constantly amazed at how long I can discuss books with others, and how much I get into those discussions.

[wendyzski]

There are these cool places that you can go and they will let you take books home with you for a while - for FREE! They are called "Libraries", and I highly recommend them ")

[k_crow]

*blush* True, and I do use those as well. But libraries haven't been as good in general at recommending new authors that I would enjoy. The one major exception to this was the school librarian who pointed me at fantasy and science fiction when I'd read all of the mythology books in our elementary school.

[kyrielle]

Heee. I enter the books I like into Amazon, let it try to sell me things, and then go see if my library has the things Amazon tried to sell me.

[smoooom]

one of the things I tell kids, even mine, don't walk and read. I never developed the sixth sense needed. Walked into a tree once, now I don't walk and read. Cell phone users are another story all together.

[quatoes]

For me, walking and reading isn't the problem. I used to ignore the odd stares I got when I wandered about my intermediate school doing that. It's the sad fact that I STILL almost run over small kids & things that are less then a foot and a half high, even while I'm not reading and walking. Malls make me really paranoid that I'm going to squish some toddler some day.

Besides them, I love not wasting my commute time and being 'productive'

[hvideo]

"Airplane!" mode on

Several people say in unison "Cell phone users are another story."

"Airplane!" mode off

[lferion]

Walking and reading, a fine and noble art :-). It does help to have good peripheral vision, as you say. And a route you know well enough that it doesn't need paying attention to.

Why is it that talking on the phone, cell or other, seems to turn (some) people's eyes off?

I still have a package I need to mail you....

[technoshaman]

turn their eyes off? hell, their whole freakin' BRAIN takes a lunch break. The mouth, however, keeps jabbering on on autopilot...