So for me, a cold read is just, you start reading and you go, leave in all the mistakes and cat noises and whatever. For me personally, I also basically include commentary here or there? I let myself laugh through the funny parts and cry through the sad parts and just... go "whoops, that was the wrong POV, lemme try that again!"

It's not for everyone, but I enjoy it, and it's more like, as one commenter said, someone sitting at your table reading to you, rather than a performance.