New Blog - Reading Distractions

This blog is in the process of being moved. The new blog-in-progress can be found at: Reading Distractions. Thanks.

Hour 24 Update!!!!!!! Whew!!!!!! WE'RE DONE!!!!!!!!!!

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson
Number of books read since you started: Finished #3 & Started #4
Pages read: 33
Running total of pages read since you started: 410
Amount of time spent reading: 29 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 6 hours & 44 minutes (404 minutes)
Mini-challenge this hour: Post-event Survey
Other participants visited: none
Prize Won: 0

Wow! We finally made it! Congrats to everyone!

Post-event Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? I think it was around hour 10. I was getting really groggy and feeling a bit sick to my stomach.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Definitely Swine Not? by Jimmy Buffett. The chapters were pretty short and the book just zipped along.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Not really. This was a lot of fun. I just wish I could have managed to stay up for the whole thing. How about holding a mini Read-a-thon sometime for twelve hours?
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I think the Cheerleaders did an awesome job, and Dewey did a spectacular job with updating and posting. Whenever I got a little bored with reading, I would go check out what Dewey was doing. I loved all the pictures she and others put up.
5. How many books did you read? Looks like it's going to be 3 total with possibly a short story thrown in at the very end.
6. What were the names of the books you read? Swine Not? by Jimmy Buffett, The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey and Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine
7. Which book did you enjoy most? Killing Bridezilla
8. Which did you enjoy least? I liked all of the books I read, but if I have to choose one it would be The Fairy Godmother.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't a cheerleader, but I certainly admired the work they did and looked forward to all my messages of encouragement.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I will definitely participate again and I would love to be a reader again, but next time I will know not to set my goals so high! 17 books and 2,000 pages read? I must have been high!

Hour 23 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Still workin on #3
Pages read: 43
Running total of pages read since you started: 377
Amount of time spent reading: 43 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 375 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: Cheerleaders
Prize Won: 0

I'm down to my last ten pages in this book, so it will definitely be finished in the final hour! Yay!

Okay, here is the video of Avery dancing and blowing a little smooch.

Hour 22 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine.
Number of books read since you started: Still workin on #3
Pages read: 49
Running total of pages read since you started: 334
Amount of time spent reading: 44 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 332 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: Sean, Misa
Prize you've won: 0

Wow! I think that is my record high so far! Hopefully I can keep it up next hour.

Hour 21 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Still workin on #3
Pages read: 1
Running total of pages read since you started: 285
Amount of time spent reading: 1 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 288 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: Photograph challenge
Other participants visited: Eva
Prize you've won: 0

Wow, didn't hardly seem worth it to post pages this time. LOL Okay, going to do better this next hour. Avery is distracted with Spongebob's Pest of the West and I'm going to work on finishing this book up! That photograph challenge was fun, though!

This is what kept me from being able to read as much as I wanted in the Read-a-thon. Looks innocent, doesn't she?

This is what I used to attempt to distract her. I know. Bad Mommy.

And here's a little video of Avery dancing. Okay. That wasn't dancing. I must have grabbed the wrong video. So, here's a little video of Avery practicing for American Idol 2022!

Bedtime Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Still workin on #3
Pages read: (before bed & first thing this morning) 25
Running total of pages read since you started: 284
Amount of time spent reading: 31 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 287 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: none
Prize you've won: 0

I'm finally back up! Congrats to all of you that made it through the night. I did read for a few minutes after getting up to bed. Guess the climb up the stairs woke me up a bit. I had the alarm set for 7:30 this morning and immediately picked my book up again and got a few more pages done. I'm all set to get rolling again this next hour, but I can't figure out what hour we are in!

Night-night!

Night everyone! I'm going to grab a few hours rest. It's 11:30pm,est here, so hopefully I'll get a few more hours of reading before Noon tomorrow. Have fun everyone and good luck!

Mid Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now? Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine

2. How many books have you read so far? This is my third.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? I'm thinking of starting Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or Joe HIll's 20th Century Ghosts.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? No, today was my day off from work anyhow, but if it wasn't I would have put in for vacation time.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I tried to have everything taken care of this morning to minimize interruptions. Feeding all my animals and cleaning cat pans first thing. The only interruptions have been needing to let dogs out to go potty and when my daughter needed me. Which was constantly. LOL Maybe next time I'll send her to Grandma's house! Really though, she has been pretty good throughout today and I'm well stocked with tons of her favorite movies.Oh, and the phone.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? I didn't really know what to expect, but it's really been a lot of fun. Everytime I've gotten a message on my blog it absolutely thrills me. It's been a wonderful feeling knowing that so many of you are out there reading and cheering people on. Thanks again to everyone!

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? None. I think you've covered everything wonderfully and done a great job.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Definitely would make sure SO was here to take care of the dogs, and maybe an overnight trip to Grandma's for my daughter. I've only been drinking ice water all day, too, which might be why I'm so tired. Next time I think I'd have some Coke and iced coffees on hand to help perk me up.

9. Are you getting tired yet? DEFINITELY!!!!!!!!

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? I've been keeping a small notepad and a timer with me. At the start of each hour I write down what book I'm reading and what page I start and stop at. I also set the timer for 60 minutes at the start of each hour, and then pause it whenever I stop reading. I keep an eye on the regular clock so when the hour is up, I pause my timer and figure out how much actual reading time I got out of the hour.

Hour 11 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Still workin on #3
Pages read: 30
Running total of pages read since you started: 259
Amount of time spent reading: 32 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 256 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: none
Prize you've won: 0

I am getting really pooped, which is funny since I am normally up til at least midnight and it's only 11pm, est. I guess reading is harder work than I thought it was!

Hour 10 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Still workin on #3
Pages read: 26
Running total of pages read since you started: 229
Amount of time spent reading: 27 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 224 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: none
Prize you've won: 0

I'm really enjoying my book, but I'm starting to feel a wee bit nauseous. Not sure if it's the pizza, the warm weather, or too much computer/book reading. Is there such a thing? It's 10pm, est. I was planning on staying up all night, but I'm starting to think I won't last much past midnight. Oh, well. If I do go to bed, I'll at least jump right back in first thing in the morning.

I'll be thrilled if I can make 1,000 pages at least! Maybe even only 500 if I don't get my tush in gear pretty soon! Maybe things will pick up when my DD finally falls asleep.

Hour 9 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Just starting #3
Pages read: 3
Running total of pages read since you started: 203
Amount of time spent reading: 5 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 197 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: Go outside for a walk and get some fresh air Challenge
Other participants visited: none
Prize you've won: 0

Since I got out and recharged the batteries a bit, I figured now would be a good time to order that pizza. I've been snacking all day pretty much, but I did have a nice healthy salad for lunch and again as a snack in the afternoon. So, time for a nice treat, and since SO is gone for the weekend, I can finally order a pizza MY way! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I ended up taking a longer break than I had intended. Just felt good not to read much for a bit, so I didn't.

Hour 8 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour:
Fairy Godmother - Mercedes Lackey
Killing Bridezilla - Laura Levine
Number of books read since you started: Just starting #3
Pages read: 33
Running total of pages read since you started: 200
Amount of time spent reading: 35 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 192 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: none
Prize you've won: 0

Finished Fairy Godmother this past hour. There are more books in the series, and I am toying with requesting the next from the library after I get caught up on some of my other books. Starting the 7th book in Laura Levine's Jaine Austen series, Killing Bridezilla. I've read all of her others and really enjoyed them, so I am sure I will love this one as well. So far, so good.

Still haven't ordered pizza. Wish my SO was here, as I hate to have to keep an eye out for the pizza guy! I've got enough distractions with this 4 year old climbing all over me and sounding like a bunch of screaming monkeys! It's a wonder I've been able to read and comprehend anything! LOL

Hour 7 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour: Fairy Godmother - Mercedes Lackey
Number of books read since you started: Working on #2
Pages read: 10
Running total of pages read since you started: 167
Amount of time spent reading: 14 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 157 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: Wendy, Jennie, Somer, Darcie, Hannah & Trish
Prize you've won: 0

Only 17 more pages to finish this book! Didn't do so hot with the reading this time. Had lots of fun visiting others blogs. I'm thinking of ordering PIZZA this hour or next, possibly!

Hour 6 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour: Swine Not? - Jimmy Buffett
Fairy Godmother - Mercedes Lackey
Number of books read since you started: Working on #2
Pages read: 29
Running total of pages read since you started: 157
Amount of time spent reading: 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 143 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: CB James drawing
Other participants visited: Samantha
Prize you've won: 0

Finally finished my first book, "Swine Not?" by Jimmy Buffett. It's a story about a pig named Rumpy, living secretly with a working-mother chef, her two children, and a cat in a four-star hotel in New York. This book was really adorable and I very much enjoyed reading about Rumpy and her many adventures.

Next up is a book already in progress called "Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey. I've been reading it for several weeks and am almost finished with it, so figured today would be a good day to get it done. It's been an interesting story for the most part, but there are occasional areas that move a bit slow.

Finally, I would like to thank all the cheerleaders, helpers and mostly Dewey herself for hosting this awesome challenge. I'm having a lot of fun, and picking up good ideas to prepare myself better for the next one! Thanks again!

Hour 5 Update

Title of book(s) read this hour: Swine Not? - Jimmy Buffett
Number of books read since you started: 1
Pages read: 26
Running total of pages read since you started: 128
Amount of time spent reading: 24 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 113 minutes
Mini-challenge this hour: none
Other participants visited: none
Prize you've won: 0

Mini Challenge - Hour 4

"You are to go west," Mother Abagail whispered. "You are to take no food, no water. You are to go this very day, and in the clothes you stand up in. You are to go on foot. I am in the way of knowing that one of you will not reach your destination, but I don't know which will be the one to fall. I am in the way of knowing that the rest will be taken before this man Flagg, who is not a man at all but a supernatural being. I don't know if it's God's will for you to defeat him. I don't know if it's God's will for you to ever see Boulder again. Those things are not for me to see. But he is in Las Vegas, and you must go there, and it is there that you will make your stand. You will go, and you will not falter, because you will have the Everlasting Arm of the Lord God of Hosts to lean on. Yes. With God's help you will stand."

- Mother Abagail p. 904
Stephen King's The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition

Mini Challenge - Hour 2

The webcomic I chose to read was "No Rest for the Wicked". I've never read one of these before, didn't even know they existed, but it's quite interesting. I've read for about 15 minutes and haven't finished yet, so I'm going to peck at it for the rest of the day as I'm not sure how long it is. LOL So far it's really cute. I've gotten several chuckles from it. Can we say "altruistic" boys and girls? (ribbit) I knew that you could!

Mini Challenge - Hour 1

Where are you reading from today?
My home in upstate NY.

3 facts about me …
1. I work a full time job, and then at home am a caregiver full time for a disabled person, and have a 4 year old daughter that all keep me busy.
2. I am a food-o-holic, unfortunately. When I get stressed, my eating goes haywire.
3. I have a house full of pets. I have 4 dogs, 6 cats, 2 ferrets, 3 rats, 2 fish and one cockatiel just in case I didn't already have enough on my plate. LOL

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
Looks like 17. LOL Just in case I get bored and want to switch around a bit. I'm used to reading more than one book at a time (normally between 4 and 6), so it won't bother me to switch around a lot. Just hope I can actually finish some!

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
Unfortunately I got delayed at the beginning here a few minutes, but I am hoping to read 4 or 5 books, but that may be very optimistic. I'd like to read at least 2,000 pages, and I am hoping to make it through the entire thing.

Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Well, since this is also my first time doing this, my advice would be: Be prepared before hand. Go shopping and have snacks and drinks available. Pick a place to have all your books and anything else you will need handy, and if you are trying to do this like I am with a little one, have plenty of things to keep him/her occupied so you can have peace to read. And maybe unplug the phone! And apparently I didn't plan well enough, as I haven't read page one yet, and my daughter just came running to me after having an accident in her pull-up and wanting me to make her SpongeBob macaroni & cheese! UGH!

Read-a-thon Updates

Hour 1

Title of book(s) read this hour: Swine Not? - Jimmy Buffett
Number of books read since you started: 1
Pages read: 23
Running total of pages read since you started: 23
Amount of time spent reading: 17 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 17 minutes

Mini-challenge this hour: Introductory Meme
Other participants visited: 0
Prize you’ve won: 0

Hour 2

Title of book(s) read this hour: Swine Not? - Jimmy Buffett

Number of books read since you started: 1

Pages read: 33

Running total of pages read since you started: 56

Amount of time spent reading: 26

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 43

Mini-challenge this hour: Nymeth's web-comic challenge

Other participants visited: 0

Prize you've won: 0

Hour 3

Title of book(s) read this hour: Swine Not? - Jimmy Buffett

Number of books read since you started: 1

Pages read: 29

Running total of pages read since you started: 85

Amount of time spent reading: 30 minutes

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 73 minutes

Mini-challenge this hour: none this hour

Other participants visited: Andreea, Samantha & Aoi

Prize you’ve won: 0

Hour 4

Title of book(s) read this hour: Swine Not? - Jimmy Buffett

Number of books read since you started: 1

Pages read: 17

Running total of pages read since you started: 102

Amount of time spent reading: 16 minutes

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 89 minutes

Mini-challenge this hour: Favorite book quote

Other participants visited: Eva

Prize you've won: 0