Audible – Daniel Pink is a God – Administrative Secrets
For the first time in my life I have a reading list.
A huge reading list. I’ve always had that list of books in my head that I need to read:
Catch 22
On the Road
Crime and Punishment
Ulysses
The Sound and the Fury
Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret
Those are all books that I’ll curl-up with at some point before I die. This new reading list is a whole other matter. They’re books that I should have read yesterday and I’m just having trouble finding time to get to them. Audible offered some crazy $7 month intro offer. I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m hooked.
Thanks to Audible, my iPod, and an hour in my car each day I’m knocking down the books on my new list and I’m a little less pissed about my commute. In fact there’s times when I’m hoping for a red or a back-up on the 215 (preferably non-fatal, but whatever). When’s the last time that happened to you in your car (not counting when you were trying to send a text message on the 215)?
Here’s the books I’ve taken care of in the last three months:
The Tipping Point
Wikinomics
We Are Smarter Than Me
Letters to a Young Teacher
A Whole New Mind (live)
Made to Stick (working on)
Here’s the deal with Daniel Pink. The A Whole New Mind, Live that they have at Audible cost just as much as a full blown book, 1 credit, when you’re a subscriber. For example Made to Stick is 9 hours of audio. Wikinomics was closer to 16. The Whole New Mind, Live was a one hour speech. My little bit of economic sense was telling me, that’s not a good deal. You’re going to be done listening to that one drive to and from school. It may be the best thing I’ve listened to. It’s an amazing hour. One that I wish I could share here. One that I’m trying to figure out how to share with my staff. One hour that’s changed a lot for me. Hard to explain but I’ll write about it some time.
What’s the administrative secret? Not much, I just found a way to add value to the one hour a day I was pissing away. Nothing revolutionary. That may be the secret to high school administration though. Getting the most out of every second of your day. The fact is you’re going to be tied up at least ten hours a day. Finding time to grow, whenever that time is, is the secret.
Well, that and maybe finding the time to curl-up and read Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret sooner than later.
Technorati Tags: administration, audible, secrets that don’t involve The Secret
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Gregg responds:
Posted: February 21st, 2008 at 10:53 am →
What’s wrong with you? Read Catch-22…now! Sheesh!
belinda responds:
Posted: February 21st, 2008 at 6:57 pm →
Can I add the three I’ve finished on my commute from and to Boulder City in the last 2 weeks?
1. The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
2. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
3. The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court
4. Cracking the Genome: Inside the Race to Unlock Human DNA
I agree that otherwise, that commute is definitely “pissing away time” – something that is truly a precious commodity, and the reality of administration and teaching is that though we talk about self-reflection and personal/professional growth – who has the time? I still don’t complain about the drive because that is in reality, the only time I have in my life to just sit and THINK.
LOVE that you are “reading” Mr. non-English teacher:)
Nancy responds:
Posted: February 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm →
I listen to tons of books on tape, too. I use the MP3 at the gym and some days the story is the only thing that gets me there. I listen to much different stuff than you—true crime, biographies, David Sedaris…just finished a great listen–Escape by Carolyn Jessup, fascinating look at the FLDS. Probably not a guy thing—try the Sedaris, you’ll laugh all the way to work.
My public library has 4000 free books on tape available for download–might check yours.
Ann Oro responds:
Posted: February 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am →
I don’t quite wish I had a long commute, but it sounds like you’re making good use of yours. I finished reading Daniel Pink’s book and heard him speak over at Discovery Educator’s Network during my trial of the service. I’m sure his live talk was great.
I’m finishing up The Three Evangelists via @digitalmaverick’s bookgroup on Twitter and them I have to continue on through Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat. I took a look at the Wikinomics book at Barnes and Noble (huge) no surprise it was 16 hours of audio. I’m curious how you liked it. I’m assuming since you included it in the post, you felt it was worth the 16 hours.
Ann
mrmoses responds:
Posted: February 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm →
Wikinomics was well worth the 16 hours. But if you’re looking to conserve, the Tipping Point and Built to Stick are better.
belinda responds:
Posted: February 23rd, 2008 at 7:16 am →
here’s a cool site i just discovered for downloadable books, which we mostly onle “read” once anyway: http://dailylit.com/
