keep getting interrupted while reading

mjhudston · 09-21-2010, 01:12 PM

This is seriously now bugging me. As I work away from home a lot, and spend many nights in hotels alone, I rely heavily on my various ereader devices to keep me occupied whilst in the hotels in the evening.

So why do people think it's acceptable, to interrupt me and ask me what I am doing. They dont ask someone using a laptop, or reading a paper back, so why me, when I have my Sony or iPad out.

Is it just me, or am I just intolerant to people who keep invading my space.

HarryT · 09-21-2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjhudston

This is seriously now bugging me. As I work away from home a lot, and spend many nights in hotels alone, I rely heavily on my various ereader devices to keep me occupied whilst in the hotels in the evening.

So why do people think it's acceptable, to interrupt me and ask me what I am doing. They dont ask someone using a laptop, or reading a paper back, so why me, when I have my Sony or iPad out.

Is it just me, or am I just intolerant to people who keep invading my space.

That would drive me up the wall. It's a cultural thing - it would never happen here in the UK; talking to strangers is something that people just don't do here.

mjhudston · 09-21-2010, 01:15 PM

Erm Harry, I'm in Ashford Kent tonight, and live here in the UK. sorry to burst your bubble

desertgrandma · 09-21-2010, 01:15 PM

They're curious.....not being familiar with your device.

I would look at it as a chance to educate and perhap light a bulb in someones brain.

If you are out in public, you have no "private space" You may think you have, but in todays society it doesn't exist.

Not saying thats the way things should be, just the way it is.

HarryT · 09-21-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjhudston

Erm hairy, I'm in Ashford Kent tonight, and live here in the UK. sorry to burst your bubble

Wierd. I often read in public and have never EVER been interrupted. Perhaps you need to try to look more menacing.

yakuzaboss · 09-21-2010, 01:19 PM

When I'm reading in public, I always put on earphones. Although I almost never have music on, it looks like I'm listening to music while I'm reading.

mjhudston · 09-21-2010, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakuzaboss

When I'm reading in public, I always put on earphones. Although I almost never have music on, it looks like I'm listening to music while I'm reading.

Ooh I'll have to try that one, maybe that will stop them. But I fear that will mean they will touch me. (shudder)

mjhudston · 09-21-2010, 01:29 PM

Oh my god they are stareing at me now!

Lady Fitzgerald · 09-21-2010, 01:31 PM

It depends a lot on the person being interrupted. I tend to get into conversations with people wherever I go. And I'm frequently not the one who starts the conversation. I've had a handful of people ask me about my JBL (most ask if it's a Kindle

) and it doesn't bother me. Most are just asking a quick question and I can sense when a quick answer is all that is needed.

People are used to seeing people with newpapers and laptops. E-book readers are still fairly new to most people. I'm guessing, even though you probably "send out vibes" that would otherwise discourage people from bothering you, their curiosity overcomes that.

Desert Grandma is right about there being no private space in public (at least it's true in ost of the USA). You may just have to accept that's the way it is and deal with it.

birdbrainbb · 09-21-2010, 01:51 PM

I've been carrying my Kindle around in public for two days now, and the only person to ask me about it was a friend who knew I was getting it and wanted to see how I liked it. I got asked much more what I was reading when I had paper books!

I'm sorry you're annoyed that people are asking about your ereader, but, well...that's what happens. Maybe if you put a scary cover on it people would keep away?

phenomshel · 09-21-2010, 02:19 PM

Weelll...being a native Texan (even though I live in Illinois now) it's probably a REALLY good thing I don't live in the UK...I can strike up a conversation with the person in the grocery line with me and leave with a friend (it's a Southern U.S. thing....). Apparently, I'd be miserable in the UK, and so would everyone I came in contact with!

But I love it when people ask me what I have - When I had the Astak, that poor thing got handled by every doctor and nurse at our local clinic, I think. I had it during the time Chris was having multiple appointments. Every time one would walk through the waiting area they'd have to stop, ask what it was (or if it was a Kindle...I never did get that one, as the Astak was maroon), and play with it. My explanations turned into mini lectures about ebooks, LOL!
I haven't been out much with the Sony yet, but I'm sure once I am, I'll get the same reactions, and honestly, I hope I do. But then again, I like people and enjoy talking about my passions (ebooks and tech.).

Sparrow · 09-21-2010, 02:24 PM

Read in the lift - no-one will even look at you, let alone speak to you.

daffy4u · 09-21-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjhudston

This is seriously now bugging me. As I work away from home a lot, and spend many nights in hotels alone, I rely heavily on my various ereader devices to keep me occupied whilst in the hotels in the evening.

So why do people think it's acceptable, to interrupt me and ask me what I am doing. They dont ask someone using a laptop, or reading a paper back, so why me, when I have my Sony or iPad out.

Is it just me, or am I just intolerant to people who keep invading my space.

OMG! I was at the pointing of killing some people on Saturday for the very same reason. Okay, I wasn't really going to kill them but it was all I could do not to be rude.

At one point I found an area where no one else was around during lunch to sit and read. Someone I knew came by, sat and started a whole conversation. Mind you, I spent lunch the day before chatting with this very same person, so I thought we were pretty much caught up. I guess I was wrong.

Good thing that he's a nice guy whose company I enjoy.

desertgrandma · 09-21-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

OMG! I was at the pointing of killing some people on Saturday for the very same reason. Okay, I wasn't really going to kill them but it was all I could do not to be rude.

At one point I found an area where no one else was around during lunch to sit and read. Someone I knew came by, sat and started a whole conversation. Mind you, I spent lunch the day before chatting with this very same person, so I thought we were pretty much caught up. I guess I was wrong.

Good thing that he's a nice guy whose company I enjoy.

Hmpf. Must be me.

I think we all need to wear bows in our hair........stickons if we have not hair.

RED means "leave me alone dammit!"

GREEN means "I'm open to conversation"

YELLOW means "Take your chances......."

patrickt · 09-21-2010, 03:06 PM

I don't get disturbed often but it only irritates me if they say, "Ohhhh, is that an IPad?"

It used to infuriate me when my wife would stand, sigh heavily, and say, "Don't you want to do anything?"

"I'm doing something. Something I rather enjoy. I'm reading a book."

"Well, wouldn't you rather go shopping at the mall?"

Yeah, right.

09-21-2010, 01:12 PM	#1
mjhudston All round good egg Posts: 229 Karma: 1005039 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Apple Ipad 3rd Generation	keep getting interrupted while reading This is seriously now bugging me. As I work away from home a lot, and spend many nights in hotels alone, I rely heavily on my various ereader devices to keep me occupied whilst in the hotels in the evening. So why do people think it's acceptable, to interrupt me and ask me what I am doing. They dont ask someone using a laptop, or reading a paper back, so why me, when I have my Sony or iPad out. Is it just me, or am I just intolerant to people who keep invading my space.

09-21-2010, 01:31 PM	#9
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	It depends a lot on the person being interrupted. I tend to get into conversations with people wherever I go. And I'm frequently not the one who starts the conversation. I've had a handful of people ask me about my JBL (most ask if it's a Kindle ) and it doesn't bother me. Most are just asking a quick question and I can sense when a quick answer is all that is needed. People are used to seeing people with newpapers and laptops. E-book readers are still fairly new to most people. I'm guessing, even though you probably "send out vibes" that would otherwise discourage people from bothering you, their curiosity overcomes that. Desert Grandma is right about there being no private space in public (at least it's true in ost of the USA). You may just have to accept that's the way it is and deal with it. Last edited by Lady Fitzgerald; 09-21-2010 at 01:34 PM.

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09-21-2010, 01:15 PM	#3
mjhudston All round good egg Posts: 229 Karma: 1005039 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Apple Ipad 3rd Generation	Erm Harry, I'm in Ashford Kent tonight, and live here in the UK. sorry to burst your bubble

09-21-2010, 01:15 PM	#4
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	They're curious.....not being familiar with your device. I would look at it as a chance to educate and perhap light a bulb in someones brain. If you are out in public, you have no "private space" You may think you have, but in todays society it doesn't exist. Not saying thats the way things should be, just the way it is.

09-21-2010, 01:19 PM	#6
yakuzaboss Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 58 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Richmond, BC Device: Sony PRS-650	When I'm reading in public, I always put on earphones. Although I almost never have music on, it looks like I'm listening to music while I'm reading.

09-21-2010, 01:29 PM	#8
mjhudston All round good egg Posts: 229 Karma: 1005039 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Apple Ipad 3rd Generation	Oh my god they are stareing at me now!

09-21-2010, 01:51 PM	#10
birdbrainbb Addict Posts: 287 Karma: 2191035 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Anaheim, CA Device: Kindle Oasis, Kindle Paperwhite 5	I've been carrying my Kindle around in public for two days now, and the only person to ask me about it was a friend who knew I was getting it and wanted to see how I liked it. I got asked much more what I was reading when I had paper books! I'm sorry you're annoyed that people are asking about your ereader, but, well...that's what happens. Maybe if you put a scary cover on it people would keep away?

09-21-2010, 02:19 PM	#11
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Weelll...being a native Texan (even though I live in Illinois now) it's probably a REALLY good thing I don't live in the UK...I can strike up a conversation with the person in the grocery line with me and leave with a friend (it's a Southern U.S. thing....). Apparently, I'd be miserable in the UK, and so would everyone I came in contact with! But I love it when people ask me what I have - When I had the Astak, that poor thing got handled by every doctor and nurse at our local clinic, I think. I had it during the time Chris was having multiple appointments. Every time one would walk through the waiting area they'd have to stop, ask what it was (or if it was a Kindle...I never did get that one, as the Astak was maroon), and play with it. My explanations turned into mini lectures about ebooks, LOL! I haven't been out much with the Sony yet, but I'm sure once I am, I'll get the same reactions, and honestly, I hope I do. But then again, I like people and enjoy talking about my passions (ebooks and tech.).

09-21-2010, 02:24 PM	#12
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Read in the lift - no-one will even look at you, let alone speak to you.

09-21-2010, 03:06 PM	#15
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I don't get disturbed often but it only irritates me if they say, "Ohhhh, is that an IPad?" It used to infuriate me when my wife would stand, sigh heavily, and say, "Don't you want to do anything?" "I'm doing something. Something I rather enjoy. I'm reading a book." "Well, wouldn't you rather go shopping at the mall?" Yeah, right.

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