I need new reading material
July 19, 2011 1:57 PM Subscribe
I am an insomniac that needs some recommendations for good late night websites to browse on my ipad.
I have the usual sites I peruse during the day: metafilter (natch), boingboing and neatorama. I also like mommy blogs like dooce, amalah and mimismartypants. Gossip blogs like ohnotheydidnt, gawker, thesuperficial, tmz and wwtdd also get daily reads. News sites include salon, slate, huffpo and thedailybeast. Stupid blogs include failblog, hungoverowls, textsfromlastnight, fmylife, etc. I also read Portuguese and Spanish news sites, but don't follow any blogs.
I am trying to find my "natural bedtime", which leads to me spending hours in bed after my husband has fallen asleep. I am looking for new sites to read on my ipad, ideally some with some great backlogs to look through. Can you folks please give me some recommendations for new reading material? Well written, interesting blogs to follow? Especially if they were in Spanish and Portuguese, that would be extra awesome.
Thanks everyone in advance for their recommendations.
I have the usual sites I peruse during the day: metafilter (natch), boingboing and neatorama. I also like mommy blogs like dooce, amalah and mimismartypants. Gossip blogs like ohnotheydidnt, gawker, thesuperficial, tmz and wwtdd also get daily reads. News sites include salon, slate, huffpo and thedailybeast. Stupid blogs include failblog, hungoverowls, textsfromlastnight, fmylife, etc. I also read Portuguese and Spanish news sites, but don't follow any blogs.
I am trying to find my "natural bedtime", which leads to me spending hours in bed after my husband has fallen asleep. I am looking for new sites to read on my ipad, ideally some with some great backlogs to look through. Can you folks please give me some recommendations for new reading material? Well written, interesting blogs to follow? Especially if they were in Spanish and Portuguese, that would be extra awesome.
Thanks everyone in advance for their recommendations.
I've heard many people say it's better to read a book than surf the web if you're trying to get to sleep. I have yet to follow that advice.
posted by Diag at 2:48 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Diag at 2:48 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
If you have insomnia it might be better to avoid the bright screen of the iPad. I'd suggest a book with some soft/indirect lighting.
The light from the screen is said to throw off circadian rhythms. I might also suggest dimming lights and staying away from computer screens in the evening. For computers you can try f.lux which will tweak your computer color in the evening so that it's less glaring.
posted by Awfki at 3:02 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
The light from the screen is said to throw off circadian rhythms. I might also suggest dimming lights and staying away from computer screens in the evening. For computers you can try f.lux which will tweak your computer color in the evening so that it's less glaring.
posted by Awfki at 3:02 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Straight Dope Message Board
posted by bottlebrushtree at 3:08 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bottlebrushtree at 3:08 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Please and thank you to provide website suggestions! I am a lifelong insomniac who has no desire to trot out all of the positive sleep hygiene techniques I employ, or the pharmacological measures I have also taken. Recently, my doctor suggested that I attempt to discover what is my "natural bedtime", and not freak so much about the not sleeping part. I have non-computer reading material, but that isn't what I am looking for! Nor am I looking for advice about my insomnia. I am looking for suggestions of websites that are good to browse on an ipad, that will keep me entertained/amused/informed as I spend the dark hours of the night in bed next to my sleeping husband.
posted by msali at 3:15 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by msali at 3:15 PM on July 19, 2011
Best answer: Along the same lines as longform.org - Give Me Something To Read.
posted by backwards guitar at 4:25 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by backwards guitar at 4:25 PM on July 19, 2011
Best answer: TVTropes.
One way to get started is to look up your favorite TV show, and start reading, and start following links. (This site is one of the best examples on the web of the power of hypertext.)
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:03 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
One way to get started is to look up your favorite TV show, and start reading, and start following links. (This site is one of the best examples on the web of the power of hypertext.)
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:03 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I like Bestiaria and La Peleadora, both written by an Argentinian woman who chronicles her/other women's neuroses. In Spanish.
Do you like webcomics? James Kochalka American Elf is a daily webcomic about his life. He's been doing it since 1998, so the archives are huge. The link goes to his first strip.
posted by clearlydemon at 5:23 PM on July 19, 2011
Do you like webcomics? James Kochalka American Elf is a daily webcomic about his life. He's been doing it since 1998, so the archives are huge. The link goes to his first strip.
posted by clearlydemon at 5:23 PM on July 19, 2011
Best answer: I like http://www.craftster.org/ , it makes me happy and drowsy.
posted by wandering_not_lost at 5:28 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by wandering_not_lost at 5:28 PM on July 19, 2011
Best answer: There is not a huge backlog, and it is infrequently updated, but if you are not familiar with Hyperbole and a Half you should give it a whirl. Note: you will not be able to read it in bed, because your laughter will wake up your husband.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:35 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by Rock Steady at 5:35 PM on July 19, 2011
Best answer: If you're looking for a truly amazing web comic, try Dresden Codak. Very surreal. New pages don't come out very often, but once you've seen the art, you'll understand why it takes her a long time per page.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:04 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:04 PM on July 19, 2011
Best answer: For a "stupid blog" suggestion, I like notalwaysright. Especially after a bad day at work, it makes me feel better about the stupidity and frustrations I have to deal with.
For a real favorite, though, I'd recommend Whoopee (linked to the first page of the archives). She's a lady in London, writing since 2006, with a great sense of humor. A little bit mommy blog, some DIY adventures, and various stories from her life in general. She doesn't always update very frequently, but it's a good one to read the way-backs.
posted by dorey_oh at 8:05 PM on July 19, 2011
For a real favorite, though, I'd recommend Whoopee (linked to the first page of the archives). She's a lady in London, writing since 2006, with a great sense of humor. A little bit mommy blog, some DIY adventures, and various stories from her life in general. She doesn't always update very frequently, but it's a good one to read the way-backs.
posted by dorey_oh at 8:05 PM on July 19, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks everybody! Ironically, I fell right to sleep last night, so I didn't get a chance to check back on all of your wonderful suggestions. I definitely have some new reading material.
posted by msali at 6:06 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by msali at 6:06 AM on July 20, 2011
New York Magazine's Daily Intel is the last thing I read every night.
posted by svenni at 5:48 PM on February 15, 2012
posted by svenni at 5:48 PM on February 15, 2012
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