I was raised that time is a precious commodity and should never be wasted. That has always been my mantra. I will not lay in bed, waiting for sleep to come. There is always work to be done, books to read, stories and articles to write. When I lay my head on the pillow, I am usually sound a sleep within minutes. My life is not meant to be slept away.

The same can be said for my commute to work. I travel a minimum of an hour in each direction depending on weather. When road conditions become hazardous, it can take me upwards to two hours to get either to or from work and on those rare days when you really should have stayed home that can be a total of four hours of driving. To most people that is a necessary evil that racks up hundreds of hours a year in unproductive time.

When I was growing up I was introduced to the magic of the written word. I loved to read, and spent countless hours reading the night away. As I grew older, my interests and responsibilities increased, while the time I normally allotted to reading was decreased proportionately. Since I have become a parent, I would be lucky to read one or two books a year.

I felt lost without my books, and decided to try a book on tape to satisfy my thirst for reading. I have now turned my commuting time into the most relaxing time of the day. I have listened to many books on a variety of subjects, and have enjoyed them immensely. They have become an essential part of my daily routine. I always listen to books unabridged, that allows me to hear the book in its entirety as if I had read the book myself. I also find that I comprehend much better than if I had read the book on my own.

Books on tape, or more aptly, books on CD, have become my ultimately traveling companion. Through some of the larger clubs, most best selling authors and titles are found on this media. There are self-help books, reference books, biographies, autobiographies. Should it be written word, it may be found in audio. I will always be an advocate of literacy; this can be used as a powerful tool if used properly. Following along with the book in hand will ultimately improve your reading skills. This should also increase your comprehension, and ultimately promote your love for books.