Did she say AUDIO?? That’s right folks. Today’s live discussion of the book Lying Awake by Mark Salzman is going to be in audio form. There will text as well. Sister Maxine and I are experimenting with audio formats (podcasts) and thought we’d try it out for this live discussion. We also recognize that the forum format for live discussion is a bit wonky which can prevent some folks from joining in.

Time: 1 p.m. EST — for about 45 minutes

Location: Right here on at anunslife.org

Topic: Deciding to Become a Nun – We’re going to look at Sister John’s decision to become a nun, how she was influenced by her family, mentor, and God. To see relevant pages and questions click on the link which will take you to the original discussion from Sunday. We’ll start with this topic and see where it leads!

In terms of logistics, you can participate in several different ways.

At 1 p.m. EST, come back to ANunsLife.org. On the right side of the blog under the photo you’ll see a blue box displaying a green button that says “LIVE NOW” (if you don’t see it click on the A Nun’s Life header at the top of the screen to refresh the page).

1. Streaming Audio – Listen Only. Click the button to start the audio. It will take a minute or two for the audio to start streaming. If you have trouble with streaming audio, then try #2.
2. Audio via Phone Line – Listen Only. Call into the show by phone to listen. Dial 724-444-7444 and enter Call ID number 60385 and then enter the # sign.

You can also participate in the conversation. Click the link that says “Join Now To Participate”. A new window will open on your screen that says “TalkShoe Web Client” at the top. This screen allows you to see a chat box and also to see a list of other participants.

1. Text Chat.  You can ask questions or make comments in the chat box. These may or may not be picked up on air.
2. Phone Chat. You’ll see a box with instructions to call into the show (if you are not already connected by phone). Dial 724-444-7444 and enter Call ID number 60385 and then enter the # sign. Sister Maxine or I can “unmute” you so that you can be heard by all when you have a question or comment.

It’s actually quite easy to use. Try it out. Once you familiarize yourself with the basics, you are ready to go. Since we’ve not done this before, we’re not sure how smoothly we’ll be able to handle phone questions/comments/responses, but we’re counting on you to bear with us and offer helpful feedback!

Thanks for being part of this live discussion and new format! We think that this will have great possibility and allow for more fruitful, adventurous discussion!

P.S. The discussion forum will be open for any ongoing conversations on the book.