Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer size of blip page

Does the size of the blip page effect anything? If it's a big blip, I wonder if my eyes/mind can see and read all of both pages. I'm new at this, and I'm wondering if I'm just photoreading a cubist collage. Oh well, cheaper than buying a Picasso.

As long as you're comfortable with it any size is fine. Most find that it settles to a width between 1 to 2 inches. If you can notice the outer edges of the book while photoreading then yes your getting both pages

Alex

Beginner here. Let me run the risk of sounding very stupid.

What I mean is, when I photoread, the text overlaps itself. The printed matter is scrambled. Is there some kind of difference between "conscious vision" and what the unconscious mind sees, or does the unconscious see the same collage? If I'm just photoreading a word salad, am I doing it wrong?

Word Salad.

Your brain always sees a word salad. However, your brain has learned how to represent the 3 dimensional world when you use your normal hard focus. Now when you diverge your eyes the concious mind still uses the old program for interpreting the input from the eyes and you have your blip page or word salad. However, the nice thing is that your conscious mind hasn't developed a traditional reading strategy for reading the word salad, so the information can go unfiltered to the other than conscious mind.

The Short answer is No, you are doing it properly.

Do you really get more than a couple of inches of overlap?

I guess I'm overly fascinated with what the text looks like during photofocus. Sometimes, I've stopped flipping and just "looked around" the page, without reading.

I'm just playing around with the different steps at this point. During photoreading, I like to notice the pattern of the paragraphs, which is new with every flip. And I've photoread a couple things on the internet--during scrolling the pattern of the text is like wiggly parabolas or a school of migrating fish. Anyway, I hope to get good at this--I'll take the course later this year.

[This message has been edited by eryk (edited May 13, 2003).]

Scrolling is the worse way to photoread on the computer. Use the page down key so that the text comes in in blocks rather and skewing the lines.

Alex

I'm another beginner and had query about the "soft focus". There was mention on the tapes about people who wear glasses and apparently it is okay to not wear them when PR (unless legal blind - which makes sense!).
But without glasses all I see is a blur without even soft focussing. I find it easier to keep the "blip page" with glasses on than without. Has anyone any comments on the benefit (or not) of wearing glasses.

It really is personal preference. If you've been wearing glasses daily for a number of years it is probably easier to keep the on when photoreading. If you only use glasses for reading then it is quite possible that during the photoreading stage you don't need to wear them.

Each person has a different reason for wearing glasses in the first place so there is no one right answer.

Try it and see, consider; your personal comfort, ease (if page turning becomes difficult because you are not reaching the right point of the page you are losing the ease of keeping the rhythm), results you obtain after photoreading with your glasses on or off (i.e. do you feel the book coming together faster after photoreading with the glasses on or off).

Some people will naturally just learn to photoread with their glasses on for the sake of convienience (not having to find somewhere to put them when photoreading in the book store or library. Or finding them again after photoreading )

Alex

I see the blip without any problems at all, but as the two sides of the book are overlapping, is it safe to assume ( hard to relax without being sure about this ) that while I can notice the edges just looking in center area all the time, that I am actually photoreading? If I relax enough like the book says, I can see most of the words come into view but anyway someone please tell me if Im on the right track here, or should I practice something differently?

-Almost there

You're on the right track. Additional clarity comes with time. It's unnecessary anyway since we are not interested in seeing the individual words; rather we want to take in all the text at the same time.

Alex