by Narelle Atkins
I love reading at home. In bed, on the sofa, outdoors on a deck chair in the sunshine. In recent years I’ve found my available reading time at home has shrunk significantly. As a result I’m just not reading as many books as I used to read. The list of books I want to read in my Kindle is growing longer and longer as the months pass by. Sound familiar?
I’ve become more intentional with my writing and reading time. I plan reading time on my phone when I’m out and about, snatching those precious minutes to read a little bit more of a great story that I don’t want to put down.
I was also the kid who reluctantly closed my book to go to the dinner table. Meal times interrupted the reading of many a great story. My parents weren’t big readers, and weren’t particularly sympathetic to my plight. “It’s just a story,” they’d tell me. “Your book isn’t going anywhere and you can finish it later.”
I travel with my part-time day job, driving around the city of Canberra where I live plus occasional interstate trips. Last week I was dining alone in a Sydney restaurant and pondering what I’d write for today’s post. I had my phone in one hand, the opening chapters of Christina Coryell’s book Simply Mad open in my Kindle app. My thumb scrolled through the pages, my lips twitching into a smile as I read a humourous scene where the heroine, Maddie, is chatting on the phone with her best friend. A fun story that kept me entertained while I enjoyed my dinner. I love eating out with my husband, but if I’m away from home and dining solo, a great story rates a close second.
Apparently I’m not the only person in Australia who is happy to dine with my reading device. Below is the opening paragraph from a recent newspaper article titled “Forget a table for two, solo diners on the rise.”
“The new preferred dining companion is not six foot four and handsome, it’s the iPad, as more solo diners hit Australian restaurants than ever before.” Lucille Keen, Australian Financial Review. You can read the full article here.
Do you take your ipad, tablet, phone, or a print book for company if you’re dining solo? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Wemble says
HI Narelle. My husband and I have good friends who live in Canberra, and we love visiting- Questacon is a huge favourite with the boys and we enjoy biking and walking around the many parks/forests.
I take my kindle with me everywhere, and while I don’t dine alone very often, I do snatch moments whenever I have waiting time, even when my husband fills the car with fuel!
Jill Weatherholt says
I can definitely relate to the book piling up, Narelle. There’s just so many great stories out there. I’ve often dreamed of taking a week off from my day job and doing nothing but read…ah…sounds nice, doesn’t it?
Since I don’t use an iPhone or iPad, my laptop or Kindle goes with me when dining alone. As for using these devices while eating with your partner…well, that’s just rude.
Mary Hawkins says
No wonder we are good friends, Narelle. We are so much alike! Yes, I nearly always have a print book to read when eating alone. My Kindle I mainly read at night when my husband is ready to sleep. I just have to read that next chapter of a book by one of many favourite authors or I lie awake for ages not able to sleep anyway. I just have to know “What happens next”! Unfortunately both my piles of print books and e-books are too long still. There are just so many great authors like yourself with books I keep trying to make time to read. Thank you for telling in this post how this bookworm also behaves. I’m guessing there are many other readers like us who become writers wanting to tell our own stories.
Renate says
Hi Narella! I read whenever, whereever I can on whatever device is charged and have with me – phone, tablet, or Reader. Occasionally even a real book. I usually do not done alone, but if I do my date is a book.
For our Book Club for Foodies: Tales You Can Taste we are reading Bill Bryson’s book In a Sunburned Country,
About Australia. For the past 2 years 20 ladies meet and have a lively discussion about the book of the month. Books are chosen by our local librarian. Then for $20 we partake in a tasty meal prepared by our local school of cooking. We will have Brekkie, Elevenses, and Dinnies. Can’t wait to taste Toad-in-a-Hold, Pavlova, Anzac biscuits with tea, and more. Love traveling the world through books and food.
Elizabeth Maddrey says
I’m another with a book along wherever I go. You never know when you’re going to hit a line or traffic! I’m so delighted that my eight year old has started taking a book with him everytime I say, “Let’s go get in the car.” Even if we’re just off to the grocery store. :)
Priscila says
I can definitely relate to many of the examples you just mentioned (parents telling me to drop the book while eating, though they were avid readers themselves, they did want some family time at the dinner table; books piling up in my Kindle and paperback; reading anywhere, including while eating). Usually I do take a lunch break in a quiet place, even if just 20-30min, and if there’s nothing pressing to work, I just read. (I share dinner with my husband, so reading is out of the question.)
Melissa says
I don’t usually dine alone. But, I do take my Kindle or a book to every doctor appointment. :-)
Diana says
I read in the car when my husband is driving. I also read anywhere I can, usually not dining out though.
Marylin Furumasu says
Yes, I also have my kindle read to me while I’m driving around. When I first got my kindle my kids stated complaining because I was always reading. Now my husband and I have a standing joke at night….he’ll say, “so….what are you doing tonight?” Hehehe
Rachael Birch says
Sometimes, I think people in our world believe that all we are doing on our phones and devices, is playing a game or checking for latest FB updates.
People don’t always think we are doing what we love in another form. Sometimes my husband even asks me to put the phone away to watch something with him. Which I am mostly happy to do, and really is a good thing that he wants to spend time with me. Other times, I itch to read more. Lol.
In conclusion, yes. When I dine alone… Waiting at yhe doctors office… Children fall asleep in the car but aren’t ready to move… I always have my phone and usually fall back on my kindle app.
Ann Ellison says
I don’t usually dine alone. If I don’t have anyone with me I usually do take-out. I have my phone or my tablet with me everywhere I go and anytime I am waiting in line or waiting for an appointment I have something to read with me.
Pam K. says
I rarely eat out; when I do it’s with others. However, I live alone so I do read while I eat. I take a book or Kindle with me to work so I can read during my lunch there too.
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Wemble, We like visiting Questacon, too. Have you been to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and Corin Forest? There are so many great places to visit around Canberra :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Jill, A week off to read… sounds divine :) I think I’d need months off to catch up on my backlog of books. Yes, I agree, our partners deserve our undivided attention when we’re dining out.
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Mary, Yes, very true! Years ago when I bought my first Kindle from Amazon (before they were available in stores in Australia) I also bought a cover for it that had an inbuilt night light. A great investment – I could read late at night without disturbing my husband by having a light on. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Renate, I love how we can synch an ebook across all of our devices and never lose our place in the story. If my tablet battery is low, I can switch to my phone. A book club for foodies sounds fabulous – how cool that you’re learning about Australia! I’m eating brekkie now as I reply to the blog comments, lol. I haven’t had toad-in-a-hole in years, You’ll love pavlova and Anzac biscuits – I’m pretty sure I’ve included pavlova as a dessert in at least one of my stories. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Elizabeth, It’s great to hear your son is following in your footsteps. You won’t be having the “I’m bored” conversations with him when you’re out and about. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Priscila, I often read on my lunch break, too. Reading can provide us with a nice, relaxing break from our busy work day :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Melissa, Yes, we can get a lot of reading done when we’re waiting around for appointments. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Diana, I can only read for a short time in the car before I start experiencing the early signs of motion sickness. I need to stop reading every few minutes and look around before I can continue reading. It’s okay if I’m only checking email or social media, or reading short articles. Thankfully I can read for hours on buses, trains, and planes without any problems. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Marylin, lol, those conversations sound familiar :) My teenage kids would be using a computer or a device all the time if we let them.
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Rachael, Yes, I agree, it’s hard for people to know what we’re actually doing on our phones. If we’re holding a print book, they know we’re reading. That said, reading on our phones and devices has some advantages. Earlier in the year I read a new release biography on an Australian public figure. It was a controversial book, and the main people mentioned in the book disputed the accuracy of the content. I was sitting on a plane, on my way home from a meeting in Sydney. I had my phone in the air in front of my face, reading away, when my friend taps me on the shoulder. I look up and the see the subject of the biography standing in the aisle four rows ahead. I smiled politely and continued reading, glad that his face wasn’t staring back at him from the cover of a print book. Awkward moment avoided. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Ann, I love the convenience of having something to read with me all the time. It’s good we don’t have to lug around print books anymore. :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Pam, If I’m working during the middle of the day, I’ll stop somewhere for a lunch break and try to catch up on my reading. Those little snippets of time can add up. :)
http://www.mary-hawkins.com says
Had to respond – and still smiling. I tease my husband that the Kindle gifted to me a few years ago by our children is also for him so he too can sleep without my bedside lamp on.
Wemble says
Have been to both, my youngest son’s name is shared with the forest/dam/reserve etc. so he was super excited to visit those places. My husband loves The Horse and His Boy and found the name Corin in it, hence our youngest son’s name:)
Kathryn Schultz says
I love to read anytime, anywhere, and always have. I’m usually reading while I’m eating at home alone while my husband is at work but not when we’re eating out together. I just recently finished reading Kate Morton’s _The Forgotten Garden_ and enjoyed the parts about Brisbane. I think that’s the first book I’ve read that included descriptions of Australia.
Margaret Nelson says
I’m on a trip, so haven’t had time to comment until now. When it’s just my husband and I eating together at home, we both read. We’re busy enough the rest of the day, that’s about our only time to read. Then one of my favorite places to read while I eat is when I’m running errands after my weekly Bible study. I take a sack lunch with me and go to a beach on the way home, eat while I read and listen to the surf!
Trixi says
I rarely dine alone as we eat dinner at home. If I do go out, it’s usually with my husband and we chat (what a concept, lol!). I don’t like eating alone in the first place!
But I do always have either a print book or my Kindle anywhere I go, it’s a great way to pass the time.
Narelle Atkins says
What a lovely coincidence, and there’s snow at Corin at this time of year, too :)
Narelle Atkins says
Lol Mary :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Kathryn, I’m glad you’ve discovered an Aussie author and read a story set in Australia :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Margaret, When I lived In Sydney I used to read at the beach. A relaxing place to read – enjoy :)
Narelle Atkins says
Hi Trixi, I agree, it’s handy to have something to read when we’re out and about with time to kill. :)
Linda says
I have always had something to read in my purse since I was old enough to read.
Now it;s my ipad or my Kindle.You never know when you have to wait.
Narelle Atkins says
Linda, very true! :)