28/6 Day 28- Read a short story from a new author

Well, this isn't what I had planned to read for short story/new author day but it was convenient! Having not made it to the state library as planned I remember I had seen this hanging about.

I thought it was fiction, not that I dislike non-fiction but I wasn't expecting it. It was pretty average. I learnt a few things but it wasn't particularly well written and I thought a bit culturally disrespectful in places.

I only made it through 1.5 short "stories" (themes really) and don't plan on reading anymore. I read the "holy cow" and "arranged marriages". I feel like there could have been many more interesting things that could have been said in both chapters.

Not a recommendation in sight but it was definitely a...new June!

27/7 Day 7- Learn about Braille

At the moment there is a lighting exhibition at Federation Square for people who are blind. Amy and I stumbled upon it after a run a fortnight ago.

 

Basically, this guy found out that 90% of people who are blind can see light so he used LED’s to write out the braille code. You can see the entry to the exhibition in the photo below.

The aim of the exhibition is to create awareness for the visually impaired and to show how this innovation (cSigns) can be utilised on signs to make navigation easier for the blind. The exhibition included a number of quotes written in the LED braille with the word translation beside it:

 

My favourite was:

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. Said the Fox to the Little Prince.” 

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I took a pamphlet with the braille alphabet when I visited the exhibition with the aim to learn my name. This is how it is set out:

 

Coincidentally the other night I heard a discussion on the radio about how visually impaired children often listen to audio books in place of reading through braille, with the implication that illiteracy amongst the visually impaired might be increasing. I wonder how different life would be for me if I couldn't read, either through braille with my hands or written words with my sight. Would my perspective be dramatically different?

An interesting day in New June for me.

26/6 Day 26 - Practice speed reading

I've done a speed reading course before. I am still undecided on what I think of it. Sometimes I think I already naturally do a lot of what the experts say to do..and presume others do too. However, the tips do make a lot of sense too. Anyway, I thought I'd revisit speed reading as it has been awhile and I have never actually investigated it on the net- and that is what makes it new!

I read a fair bit on it from various sources and didn't find anything particularly enlightening or new...so um, maybe not so new!

I then did a tutorial. The idea was you tested your WPM, read some tips then tested your WPM again. It was pretty basic and I can definitely find faults with using this as a test. (The two passages had key differences that could affect your speed!) My initial speed was 549 WPM and after the super helpful tips (:P) my speed for the second passage was 770 WPM. There were definitely other factors at play...

-the second article had lists in it, the first did not
-the second article had bold bits
-the second article was on chemistry
etc etc etc.

Anyway it was good to remind myself to read fast when necessary!

The highlight of this new June was probably finding the image above! (In case you are wondering I didn't read whilst on a run...but maybe I should have...that would be a good new June. Unless of course I ran into something and ended up with a broken chin.)