Reading out loud

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You may have noticed that I have been updating the site. After doing the site for the last 8 years, it has pretty much stayed the same with the exception of some banner changes, seasonal back ground changes (when I remember), and changes in column width. I was getting sick of looking at it and decided to do something about it.

It took me a long time to decide on a look and tweaked it to a point where I thought it was good enough. The thing is I may change it again. It is not that I don’t like it, it just isn’t doing anything for me, it’s fine just not great.

I have also been adding new features. I joined Twitter and Instagram last year and thought, why not share it with my readers. I still don’t use Twitter much – I think it is stupid – but I do post stuff on it every once in a while. I love Instagram though. Fell right into it. It could be cuz I have always liked photography and this gives me a reason to take pictures.

Another feature I decided to add is audio readings of posts. It may not seem like it but this is a bit of a challenge for me.

When reading, it is all in your head, the words flow and images/concepts populate the mind with ease. However, adding that one extra step seems to break that down. It is like my mind is too fast for my mouth, I lose my place, stumble on words, or get distracted by the sound of my own voice. Ugh, my voice! Speed, tone, inflection, pitch. It is crazy the kind of things you notice when you listen to a playback of how you sound.

Because of these problems there is a lot of editing that goes into that audio. I want it to sound flawless, easy. When in reality it is arduous and a bit torturous. I have to rerecord, remove mumbled words, listen for popped “p”s, and in general make sure I sound…good. After a few sentences I tend to drop into a monotone stupor that makes me sound bored and uninterested. Or I speed up, forget to e-nun-ci-ate, and I can’t be understood. It makes me wonder if people think I am bored all the time or if they even understand what I am saying. That might explain all the blank stares when I make a killer joke.

Anyways, all I am saying is that there is some new stuff on the site you should check out. Have a look at my Instagram and Twitter (follow me if it pleases you), and press that little play button at the top of my posts. Still scroll through them as I will still be including pics and videos but have a listen, I worked hard on those recordings.

Tra

 

About the Author

Tra

2 Comments

allister

First of all, the “audio readings of posts” is a frickin’ great feature. Putting up a post is probably a craptonne of work now but I really like it. Secondly, the changes to the site are great but I just noticed that there is no search. Finding your post on HBO’s Girls took some ingenuity. Anyways, keep up the good work!

Reply
Tra

Yeah I don’t know how I forgot about the search button but I got one in there now. Sorry you had to find out the hard way that I didn’t write much about season 4 of Girls. Now that you brought it up might just have to write something much longer about season 5.

Glad you like the audio reading.

Reply

Leave a Reply to Tra Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.