Comments on: Travel-Time Entertainment

By: marybeth i.

marybeth i. — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:44:39 +0000

we do not have any road trips planned this summer – we are planning a big move. We do, however, usually travel with plenty to occupy the kids. My husband drives, I read and the kids watch DVDs, listen to their ipods OR play their Nintendos. I remember when I got excited if we played travel bingo.

When I used to have a long commute I would listen to audio books. When my commute became significantly shorter I found it distracting and distressing to have to “cut the story short” every morning when I arrived at work.

By: Shellie Powell

Shellie Powell — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:15:47 +0000

We had a road trip with my four girls nine and under to Washington DC. Luckily they can watch videos and read. My husband listens to books on tape. Not ones I would listen to, so I read. I actually love long road trips because it is the one time I can’t get up and wait on anybody. I read Singers book Reason of Insanity. It is the first book I’ve read of his and I thought it was a page turner. I had 5 books with me. I always bring at least 3 or four for fear I won’t like many of them and they won’t be able to occupy my time.

By: Nicole (ikkinlala)

Nicole (ikkinlala) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:26:39 +0000

I don’t drive, so when I go on a road trip my hands are free and I often take my knitting. I always take music too, but I don’t have an MP3 player so it has to be CDs.

I haven’t gotten into audiobooks for travel, but I love listening to Librivox at home.

By: Carol Collett

Carol Collett — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:25:39 +0000

For road trips it’s always music. I have one audio book that was a gift from my Mom. I have never listened to it. You’ve inspired me to try it out, though. I’m always afraid if I listen while driving I’ll get so caught up in the story, I’ll crash the car!

By: Leslie S

Leslie S — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:56:51 +0000

I’ve listened to an audiobook once – I can’t pay attention to it that long – so normally I listen to music. If I am flying, I’ll take my portable dvd player with me and watch a movie

By: Caleb

Caleb — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:22:28 +0000

I can’t imagine the kind of will power it would take to consolidate my music library to 2 GB.

Since that’s not the case for you though, I’m sure you made the right choice. iPod accessories are ridiculously overpriced and the one time I tried to figure out my friend’s Zune I had no idea what was going on.

By: Kaye Dacus

Kaye Dacus — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:02:16 +0000

@Caleb–

I live in the year of I needed a digital device and found the cheapest one I could get.

If you must know specifics, it’s a Sandisk m250 2G MP3 player.

By: Erica Vetsch

Erica Vetsch — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:27:10 +0000

I find when we travel, I’m usually the one reading the book aloud to the rest of the occupants of the van.

We’re not traveling this summer, due to a health issue with a family member, but when I’m tooling around town the radio or CD player is ALWAYS going and I’m almost always singing along with the tunes.

By: rose mccauley

rose mccauley — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:17:26 +0000

My DH and I listen to audio books while on long road trips but we’re still old-fashioned enough to use the CD or cassette player (yes, we still have one of those! LOL) in our car. I also listen to audiobooks while walking in the house on days it is too hot or too cold to walk outside. I still prefer holding the book in my hands and sometimes find myself distracted by something in the car and have to rewind or go back a track to re-listen to something, but it does help me get more books in! My DH also has a CD player in his tractor so he listens to many more books than I do, esp. right now in hay season when he can finish a book in a day! He loves John Grisham books but has already listened to all of them. Anyone have any recommendations for similar authors?

By: Jess

Jess — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:03:33 +0000

Always I must have Dar Williams, because a) her songs are complex enough that they never get old and b) though my voice is not as good as hers, I can hit all her notes.
I can’t stand audio fiction. I hate boys reading girls and girls reading boys and if it’s a dramatization it’s too dramatic.
A while ago you wrote something about including music in your work. I wonder if you could write any more about that. I’ve never heard anyone else talk about it and I wonder what you’ve learned.