As part of my recovery from LASIK surgery, I had to avoid reading, watching TV and the computer for the better part of 36-48 hours. Aside from sleeping, it’s hard to entertain one’s self with those parameters in the year 2012. Yes, there was music, but I was worried that music would only make me a bit restless and want to go out and run or do something I haven’t been cleared to do.

Someone gave me the idea to download an audiobook. I had mixed feelings, as I had a gigantic pile of physical Guttenberg-style books and magazines that I haven’t had time to get through and here I am finally with time to kill and I can’t read them? But I realized that there was no better time than now to give them a shot.

There were a few that sounded intriguing and would be interesting over a few genres. I figured I would be best off to select an audiobook that wouldn’t be too intellectually challenging or complicated  as I didn’t know what my attention span would be like during the recovery, but interesting enough to me that I’d be glued to it. I ultimately decided on Hank Haney’s “The Big Miss”. Haney was Tiger Woods’ former coach and he sounds off on what it was like to coach him, some of the challenges he faced and describes some of the successes and failures of working with him. Best of all, it has been an interesting look into Woods’ psyche and I have a greater appreciation for Haney’s patience and understanding. I haven’t even reached the point where he examines the sex scandal, so I imagine the best is yet to come.

I’m enjoying how I hear Haney’s voice narrate the book. He’s from Texas by way of Illinois, and his accent is more Southern than Northwestern. I’m particularly enjoying his pronunciation of “golf” (sounds like ‘gawf’). I think it would be hard to listen to an audiobook that wasn’t narrated by the author, and there are a few that aren’t.

What I find interesting is that there is no longer a stigma for people who choose audiobooks over actually sitting down by a lamp with a physical copy. In past decades there have been books on tape, which were perceived for people without the mental focus and capacity to read; for dummies and simpletons. George Costanza resorted to a book on tape in an episode of Seinfeld.

But what’s changed? The technology for one. It took me about  a minute to download my audiobook and before I knew it, it was on my iPhone ready to be listened to; It’s a lot more convenient to obtain a book in audio form. Secondly, as a society, we’re probably busier than we’ve ever been. As such, perhaps the ability to listen to a book on the go, while on the bus, on the treadmill, etc allows for people to consume more than they would normally; Personally, that component appeals a great deal to me.

From a spatial standpoint, audiobooks trump physical versions. For example, I’m about to go on vacation. I’m very economic about the way I pack, but I always bring books with me. However, I have two 700 page books that I haven’t completed (ESPN: Those Guys Have All The Fun and the Steve Jobs biography). I’m sacrificing space in my bags by bringing these books with me. The only space you need to worry about with audiobooks is available memory on our mobile device; A problem that’s easily solvable if push comes to shove.

However, amidst all of the changes and sexiness of being able to get an audiobook on your phone through iTunes with the press of a few buttons, the common denomenator with “books on tape”  is the act of listening to the book vs reading it. Does this say something about our intellect, or lack thereof, if we prefer to listen to a book instead of reading it? As someone who grew up reading a lot, I feel guilty about enjoying audiobooks. It kinda feels like cheating and cutting corners.  The stigma still sticks with me.

Then again, there’s something to be said for understanding the text, even if you’re not reading it, from a pedagogical standpoint. Maybe students in school could stand to benefit from audiobooks to understand a complex issue, story, etc. presented to them in an animated voice, as opposed to feeling the pressure to focus on the plain text and block out all of the incessant, accessible distractions at their fingertips; Facebook on their phones, Angry Birds and the like.

We continue to hear the narrative that “print media is dying”, which might be true for some newspapers. I don’t have data to back this up, but it just seems to me that bookstores haven’t suffered financial hardships to the degree that newspapers, video stores and CD outlets have. There continue to be used bookstores that thrive, I don’t know how well they’re doing but I certainly see more Chapters’ these days than I do Blockbusters.  Also, I don’t think we can’t ignore the vanity that comes with owning and collecting books. With collecting the physical books, as some sort of artifact that we can show to others how well-read and erudite we fancy ourselves to be. There are lots of people who want to be perceived as smart and interesting; nobody has looked at someone else’s stocked bookshelf and thought that the person in question didn’t exude those qualities. One more thing, because the technology, in its current streamlined form, is relatively new, there are a lot of good books out there that could be available in audio form that aren’t.

I don’t think “The Big Miss” is going to be the last audiobook I buy and listen to. Also, I don’t think the Steve Jobs biography is going to be the last physical book I read. I think audiobooks will continue to be popular. And I think even if people opt to stick with physical books for fear of being labelled as a “dummy”, they will have been interested in the written word; The end will justify the medium.

If you would like to enjoy the blog in audio form, I recorded it for you:

On Friday I was at Alta Vision Plus getting LASIK surgery done. I’ve had to wear corrective lenses for the last 13 years or so, with a combination of glasses and contact lenses, but mostly glasses. The hassles of wearing corrective lenses, especially in Fort McMurray with the cold temperatures (have fun doing anything outside with glasses constantly fogging up) and dry air (it didn’t take much for contact lenses to be hard as a rock in your eye) became increasingly inconvenient.

I had an opportunity to get the LASIK procedure done at Alta Vision and naturally I had questions and concerns heading in and I’m sure you have them as well (Alta Vision has FREE consultations and you can call (780) 790-2020). Although I’m only a couple days into my recovery, upon receiving the treatment, I can tell you that if you can handle giving yourself eye-drops or visiting the optometrist and going through the tests and exercises there, you can definitely handle this procedure; It’s easier and less painstaking than you think.

I’m sure you’ve heard Dr. Hugo Sutton, with his unmistakable English accent, speak on Mix 103.7 about laser refractive surgery among other things. I can tell you that if you go to Alta Vision, you won’t be in more capable hands than Dr. Sutton and his team. They communicated with me throughout the process explaining everything, alleviated my concerns and made me feel comfortable. It’s incredible that I can now see 20/20

Be listening to Mix 103.7 in the coming weeks, as I’ll be outlining my journey to getting back to 20/20 vision, in detail, thanks to Alta Vision Plus.

Naturally, today’s edition of MUM has to feature a Beastie Boys track. Pass The Mic from the Beastie Boys and Tom Sawyer from Rush, mashed up.

Just wanted to write something quick about the passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch of Beastie Boys who passed away today after a three-year battle with cancer.

Whenever I see outpouring for deceased musicians or celebrities, I try not to roll my eyes at some of the (sometimes) dramatic reaction, but I never really understood it. I wasn’t into music when Kurt Cobain, 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G. passed away. While I respected their talents and their demise was tragic, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Amy Winehouse or Michael Jackson. And of course, there have been more since and in between, whether they were untimely or undeserved. I never really had that celebrity death that saddened you as if someone close to you had died. Until today.

I’m sure no one takes issue with the Beastie Boys’ place in the musical landscape the last 25 years. They have songs about partying and chasing women. They have songs about gun control and foreign policy. They have songs about Star Trek and infomercials. Nobody covered more ground than MCA, Adrock and Mike D. They were unique and from their punk roots to their trail-blazing hip-hop style, there will never be another group like the Beastie Boys no matter how someone might imitate their style. Yauch, obviously played a huge role in the legacy of the group with his Buddhist spirituality and unmistakable voice, sense of humour and flow.

You could tell that the Beastie Boys were, for all intents and purposes, brothers. Whether Mike D, Adrock and Mix Master Mike continue without him, continue to call themselves “Beastie Boys” is irrelevant at this moment.

Picking your favourite Beastie Boys is kind of like picking your favourite flavour of ice cream, but MCA was my favourite. There was something that was so…secure about him. He wasn’t quite as bombastic as Adrock and Mike D, but he seemed very secure and comfortable in his own skin. He was the first one to go grey and show his age. He lacked self-awareness, in a good way, which is a trait I’ve always admired. Through his cancer diagnosis he fought it as long as he could…so you can also consider him a fighter.

I now have a better understanding as to how people feel when someone who’s work they are a fan of passes away. It’s hard to not feel selfish about it. After all, MCA gave his fans so much material to enjoy. Sadly, the material is finite but the quality of his work will only appreciate. I’m legitimately sad about his death in a way I didn’t think I would be. Even the untimely, senseless murder of Jam Master Jay didn’t impact me this way. Maybe I’m just getting older and more sensitive, the way we saw MCA and the boys grow before our eyes.

Thanks Adam, for giving me, and millions of fans, music to enjoy for so many years. You’ve made an impact.

A couple posts ago, I detailed a wager between me and my friend John Paul, whereby the loser of our weekly fantasy baseball matchup would be subjected to viewing Adam Sandler’s “Jack and Jill”. It was narrow, but I’m happy to report that I have defeated my erstwhile opponent, JP and he will be the one to take in the universally reviled motion picture.

Here’s a screen-shot of our final scoreboard. Again, a very closely-contested battle:

Look forward to an upcoming guest blog appearance from JP in a couple weeks, with his review of the film.

At Japanese Burger King locations, customers have the option of adding 15 strips of bacon to their Whoppers for $1.24 U.S. This guy upgraded his 15 strips of bacon 70-fold for a grand total of….1,050 strips of bacon. Yes, they made it for him. Yes, he attempted to eat it. Yes, there’s video of it it.

My old buddy John Paul and I have made our second side-wager for our fantasy baseball league. Yes, the winner of the league gets some money, but playing fantasy sports has lost some of its romanticism since we’ve become older and work full-time, etc. So, last fall when we were playing fantasy hockey, we decided to have a side-wager to make things more interesting. But it wasn’t for money. The loser of the week’s matchup had to watch an episode of “Whitney” (the show had just come out at the time and based on the promos we both decided it was terrible enough that it would be good punishment) and, write a review for the message board. And yes, I lost that matchup. But I’m out to avenge my loss.

We’ve decided to do it again this week, only this time the stakes are a little higher. “Whitney” was only 22 minutes. The loser of this matchup must watch, “Jack and Jill” starring Adam Sandler, a universally trashed movie that has no chance of being good. Again, the loser must write a review of what they witness.

However, we’re not necessarily married to “Jack and Jill”. If you have a suggestion for a better (read: worse) known-terrible movie for the loser to watch, leave a comment.

So stay tuned for a review of the movie from the loser. Hoping it will be a guest blog and not written by yours truly.