MITCH STURGEON
Author and Blogger Living With MS
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As I wrote in my 2018 annual summary, I have been forced to learn how to complete more tasks without using my hands. This presents some unique challenges.
For example, when I could no longer turn the pages on a book, I began reading e-books. When it became more difficult for me to control an e-book, I started listening to audio books. The problem with audiobooks is that they put me to sleep. The problem with falling asleep while listening to an audiobook is that, unlike print books or e-books, the audiobook keeps running the whole time I am snoozing.
When I wake up I am faced with a decision. Will I rewind to the last point I remember, or will I simply forge ahead? It’s a test of how much I like the book. I’d rather not be faced with such decisions, but here I am.
Let’s consider the unique case I am dealing with this week. Again, as I mentioned in my annual summary, I am dabbling in the world of public speaking. When I began learning how to write a book, I read books on the subject. Now that now I’m studying the craft of public speaking, I’m listening to — “TALK LIKE TED: The 9 Public Speaking Secret of the World’s Top Minds.”
Best case, I listen to the book until I feel the urge to make a note that I can refer to later. To do so, I must pause the audiobook. Then I use my voice to activate Dragon NaturallySpeaking, open the Microsoft Word window I am working in, and dictate the note. The next step, and this is very important, requires that I give the verbal command to pause Dragon NaturallySpeaking before resuming the audiobook. If I don’t, I get pages of audiobook dictation splattered into my Word document.
Here’s another challenge with this book. Although “TALK LIKE TED” claims to teach the reader, or listener in this case, how to prepare and deliver a compelling presentation, listening to the book puts me to sleep. It is not compelling. It’s interesting, educational, instructive, and appropriate for my needs. But compelling — not so much. Finishing this book may take me forever.
I’m grateful for technology that helps me live a hands-free life, but it’s certainly not without its shortcomings.
12 Replies to “The Pitfalls of a Hands-Free Existence”
Thank goodness for all the technology today. It wasn’t so long ago it would have been books for the blind on very long playing records.–no text to speech, speech to text, or kindle.
It still sucks if one is totally dependent on it but it beats the alternative. One still has to wrap one’s mind around it to get to an attitude of gratitude. Right now I’m frustrated typing on my kindle fire which doesn’t have text to speech. All the best to you on your journey.
Hans
Hans, you are so right. It takes mental, if not emotional, gymnastics to be grateful for technology that we only need because of our disease. But we find a way. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Another inspiring post – especially as I’m obstinate and still trying to read books and use a keyboard. I need to teach Scrivener to understand me – plus I need to switch to Audible…one day.
Roland, unfortunately, Scrivner doesn’t seem to like Dragon NaturallySpeaking, so I couldn’t take advantage of that book writing tool.
Thanks, Mitch. I will try to find an intuitive keyboard instead. My stumbling speech was already a dictation block.
I found this post somewhat painful. My right hand is pretty useless, I have to eat with my left hand. I drop everything. I read e-books and if there comes a time when I can’t use my e-reader any more, that will be a terrible time. I broke my hip and my kids filled a gadget with my fave podcasts. I would fall asleep and all the podcasts would run and I had no idea where I was when I lost consciousness. I definitely won’t be enjoying the ride if reading becomes impossible.
Diane, I can still read an e-book. I just thought it would be easier to listen. It seems, however, that we are similarly afflicted when we’re not actively participating in turning the pages.
Mitch, Wouldn’t there be a way to tell a page to turn on a digital book by voice? “Next page,” or the like. I can relate to the falling asleep thing. It doesn’t always happen to me and it doesn’t happen right away if I like the book. (I loved it when my grade school teacher read to us!) But I can confirm that eventually it happens and finding where I drifted off is a tough task.
One of the best lessons I’ve learned from MS is to think about what I CAN do, not what I cannot. You’re my go-to, genius-engineer-brained guy. So how can we turn pages with our voices?
Daphne, problem solved, at least when reading on my laptop. I place the mouse clicker on the right side of the page, and then when I’m ready to turn the page I tell Dragon “mouse click” and the page turns. Still working on a similar tool for my tablet.
OK then, I’m set for that possibility. Can you say something about Dragon Speaking Naturally? Is it the best program, why did you choose it, what are the others like, etc? I know nothing about this.
Thanks!
Daphne, Dragon NaturallySpeaking is far and away the standard for voice dictation. I wouldn’t consider any others at this point in time.
my observationin thepast20 years isthat Dragon is exclusively used in each of the hospitalswhere i worked as the doctor’s dictation application of choice, once you have trained your Dragon to your voice characteristics the application does its best to dictate for you as best as it can dialect, accents, and all!i have used the tool to operate excel spreadsheets with great success
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