Confession Session vol 6

3.03.2017


There is a bakery downtown OKC that I swear sells the best donuts ever. And I kind of definitely consider myself a donut connoisseur, so I know what I'm talking about here. And it's so close to my work it's just rude, and I have to talk myself out of stopping to get some donuts every. single. day. I pride myself on my willpower and then run to the chocolate bowl in our office kitchen and eat five Hershey's nuggets.

Last week I went a little crazy in the comments of a blog post talking (arguing?) about the difference between audio books and physical books. In the grand scheme of life, is this a big deal? Obviously no. But for whatever reason I feel very strongly about my opinion that audio books and physical books are not the same thing. Yes, if you listen to an audio book it "counts" as having read the book. I won't argue with that. But it is a totally different experience and not the same thing at all, and I think they should be on two separate lists. I have read books that I didn't like but thought I might have liked in audio version, and I've had people tell me that they listened to a book and didn't like it because the narrator annoyed them. Again, different. Plus, I think the act of sitting quietly to read a book is completely different from the experience of listening to an audio book, which you are most likely doing while also doing something else. Don't try to argue with me about this or I will get feisty.

Excuse me while I offend all 12 of my Instagram followers, but I have something to say about the Boomerang feature. In short, here are my thoughts: WHY????? I get nauseous just looking at them. I don't understand why this is a thing. I was talking to my sister about this a few days ago, and her thought is that it is okay as long as it's used with "the appropriate ratio of Boomerang to regular video." The appropriate ratio in my opinion being zero Boomerang to anything else. I also feel like Instagram stories is overused to not mean "let me tell you something interesting" but instead "let me show you 85 clips of my entire day all day long," which is odd to me but anyway.

I think I'm too grouchy for social media, is what I'm learning. I should not be spending this much time thinking about things like this.

Last week I was at a restaurant and I went to the bathroom and nearly got scared out of my mind when I realized that there was a TV inside the mirror (see above). This seems excessive and also confusing on multiple levels. Is this really a thing we need in our lives? How addicted are we to TV that I need one in the bathroom? And is the cost of having a TV inside the mirror reflected in the price of my fajitas? 

And also, now that I know there is something behind the mirror, I'm paranoid this is a two-way mirror situation and there is a room of people sitting and watching people wash their hands. This just raises so many questions.

I can't decide if I'm more confused about the point of this TV or the point of Boomerang.
Your thoughts?

Okay, this is the part where you either disagree or agree with me or share your own confession in the comments. Go.

See also: Confession Session vol 1. / vol 2. / vol 3. / vol 4. / vol 5.
shelleystirs said...

Audio books are so not the same as reading!I tried to listen to A Man Called Ove on audible, and it took forever. Then I was able to get a paper copy from the library, and it was such a relief! Some people are auditory learners, though, and I understand the appeal. I guess I'm not one of them.
There is a donut place in my hometown that is legendary in west MI. Best spot to get a cake doughnut with chocolate frosting!

Michelle said...

I could not agree more about Boomerang. It seriously makes me queasy. And it is SO ANNOYING. I've honestly unfollowed people over it. I have mixed feelings on Instagram stories. Sometimes I find them fun and interesting, and sometimes they annoy me. Some people abuse them. Some days I love posting them and other days I think it's all dumb. Basically I'm too grouchy for social media, too.

I agree about audio books. I've listened to a couple and did not like it. It was nice for a road trip and a lull at work, but it definitely takes something away from the experience of curling up with a book. It turns a book into a podcast, and I've never been the kind of person to get into podcasts.

Ashley Zinhobl said...

I 100% agree with you about the Boomerang feature!! I have to close out of whosever video I'm watching the SECOND I realize it's a Boomerang one, which usually takes me quite a while and then I get motion sickness in the meantime, haha. All that to say, I agree, the Boomerang feature should not be allowed.

Callie said...

Is the Boomerang thing the same thing as the carousel feature? I'm one of those people who never updates my apps except when it is really necessary. And when it is necessary is when the app will no longer open because it's so outdated. And really, is there even a question of audiobooks being different than real books? I see no way that someone could argue that it's the same thing! And narrators totally make or break audiobooks.

Danielle said...

Lol! Agree with many of these things and laughed out loud about that TV/mirror. What the heck?! I've never seen the likes. I thought it was weird even having a TV in the dentist's office.

Audrey Louise said...

So so cruel to post that doughnut picture. Now I'm jonesing for one...
A TV in a bathroom mirror is weird. Like, really weird. I don't think I can justifying or get behind that one. Lol

Rebecca Jo said...

Audio & real books - SUCHHHH a different experience. I'm with you on that.
I love IG stories actually for that reason - I like seeing random things in someones day... i'm nosy like that though ;) haha ... but yeah, some of the boomerangs can be a little too much - some of them I think are pretty clever though.
Yeahhh - a tv in a mirror... that is a little strange. I have to say, I like the idea of one being in a bathroom though - i'd never get out of a tub... but why does it need to be in a mirror?

jaime said...

So. I think Boomerang is fine in moderation. I work with college students and they use it for EVERYTHING. And the people who have all day to update their IG stories with every single thing? I'm a tiny bit jealous. I don't have that time, though I do love watching IG stories.

Audio books vs. physical books. I don't do audio books. I read a TON on my Kindle (I had to read a paperback book last weekend and it took me forever. I just couldn't do it, and my husband made fun of me.) But audio books are just not my thing.

And TVs in restrooms? No. Nope. No.

Torrie said...

I'm even worse than you---I feel that I can't "count" a book that I've just listened to on audio, so I only listen to books on audio that I've read (in a paper copy) previously.

#bookwormocdissues

Angi said...

I completely agree about Boomerang. I really don't see the point. If I have to see one more video of glasses clinking or someone taking a bite of something...I don't mind Instagram stories at all (I have a lot of friends with kids I never get to see otherwise), but I can't stand Boomerang IN someone's Instagram stories.

And I agree about the audio vs. physical books. I'm too much of a multi-tasker anyway, I can't listen to things like audio books or podcasts without getting bored, doing something else, and then tuning out what I'm listening to. If I want to read a book, I want to READ a book. The only exception is if I'm on a road trip or something, but I'm never on those, so moot point.

Anonymous said...

I could not agree more about the audio books versus regular books. Completely different. I don't do audio books; there's just nothing like holding the book in your hand and delving into it. Just a little biased here ;)

Jen said...

I've seen TV in mirrors in hotels as well! I'm totally freaked out by it as well.

Jenny Evans said...

The TV mirror is so weird. Why??

Unknown said...

I am not a fan of audio or electronic books either- I like real ones that I can hold in my hand!

Miss Nutralicious said...

Oh! "Listen to an audio book" was on my bucket list (aim high), and I just crossed it off my list in November. I've listened to 3 more since then, and it's not at all the same as reading. I think I will count audiobooks on my year end book list though. Mainly because I don't see myself reading something if I've already listened to it. I have actually never thought about this. I am still stuck on the fact that some celebrities don't do the audio for their own memoirs. I think this is a bigger audio book problem. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go google boomerang...

Carrie This Fit Chick said...

Okay, I LOVE the boomerang feature! I totally get what you mean, but I like the short video and how it kind of bounces, hah. I'm not an audio book gal... I need something to do with my hands!

Kate said...

I have mixed feelings on the audiobook thing. I do count audiobooks as books I've "read" because.. I went from not knowing all the words that were contained inside a book and then I do, ya know? But let's just SAY I listened to "To Kill a Mockingbird" on audiobook. (I didn't because.. no.), I wouldn't go around saying I read it. I'd say I listened to it. I've started to really, really enjoy audiobooks recently though, BUT I onnnnly listen to books I'm not super excited about, which sounds silly, I know. Basically, there are a lot of books my students love or want other books that are similar, and I just don't have time to read EVERYTHING. So the books i'm not super excited about, I listen to to save time. (Like, "The 5th Wave". My kids looooooove it, but I didn't really care much about it. Listening to it on my run was great!)

The Boomerang thing.. Oh man. Sure, I think they're funny when it's my dog trying to chasing something or doing something funny. But when people Boomerang random stuff all the time? No. Just no.

Kenzie said...

I definitely feel that audio books and physical books are different... but I also am not the biggest fan of audio books because I am distracted too easily and cannot pay attention. I also enjoy reading over listening to someone tell me a story if that makes sense. If audio books are your thing, great! I just don't enjoy them that much. I was going to write "Boomerang is rather overused" but then I realize that I am a frequent offender ha ha!

Rachel said...

Audio book narrators read too slowly for me, in general. ha! Our family does have a tradition of reading aloud books while on road trips, which usually means mom or me taking turns reading aloud while everyone else listens, but in the last year, we've gone a bit high tech and listened to an audio book on the roadtrip. It saves my voice a bit, so I'm not complaining! :P

What I can't imagine is deciding I wanted to make a Boomerang thing and then taking the time to figure it out in the first place.

Laura Darling said...

Oh my gosh, tv in a mirror? In a restaurant bathroom? I think that's super excessive and slightly creepy! I would have been startled too! I don't get boomerang either. Or why someone needs to post 245 instagram stories a day!

The Girl who Loved to Write said...

My favorite part about the audiobook comments was that I was just asking about opinions (and I already knew yours) but for some reason people just decided to argue with you directly. Every time I got a new email about a comment I actually laughed out loud because I just kept imagining you getting so worked up over it hahaha.

Rach said...

I've never seen a TV in a mirror like that! It would scare me too! And seriously, like you said, are we that addicted to television that we need it in the restroom?! So strange!

So I don't use the Boomerang feature very often, but weirdly I like it. I'm not sure why I find it so assuming. My sister posted a Boomerang of my niece dancing over the weekend I kept watching it because it was so funny and cute.

Terra Heck said...

Those doughnuts look delish. As for myself, I do print books only. I can't seem to jump to the audiobook side.

Julie @ Just the Joy's said...

Lol. I'm cracking up out loud right now. Is this TV affecting the cost of my fajitas?! Haha! Seriously, that TV IS creepy. I'm with you on that. Why. I'm not a TV obsessed person so I can definitely do without it in the bathroom. I'm also with you on the boomerang or the instastories. Same goes for snap chat. I've found myself not evening looking at said things on social media and I often find myself going to post something and then thinking really... no one cares! ;) I confess... I'm a wee bit grouchy too. I blame it on the lack of sleep. Thank you ML. Cough cough. ;)

Beka @ Sunshine to the Square Inch said...

Call me lame but when I see that TV I think how spoiled Americans are. Way to excessive.

I didn't mind Boomerang until Michelle said it looked like a seizure and now I can never watch those things again. They trick my mind. And IG stories where they have a billion stories are ones I immediately skip over. Like do those people even live life without their phone??? It's so bad.

Unknown said...

I think Boomerang is cute when used in the right way. I roll my eyes at people who insta-story every.single.detail of their day. I mean...don't they do anything else with the hours in the day?
Also I agree 100% with the audiobook/real book assessment. Audio books are for long car trips where you have to focus on the road and can't read.
And that mirror? Um what. What. What. I don't have anything else to say. What IS THAT and WHY is there? So, so strange.
Hilarious, my friend! Thanks for your confessions! Love following along with your blog!

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