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    Sunday, June 29th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: The Wrap Up

    By the time I finish this post, the 24 Hour Read-A-Thon will be finished. Phew! What an amazing event. Dewey has asked us to complete post-event survey…so here goes:

    1. Which hour was most daunting for you? The 16th hour was when I finally crashed and needed to sleep. Then when I woke up during hour 20 I was really done in. This last hour has been a struggle.

    2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? I was really happy with my last book: Down River, by John Hart. It is a very good, compelling read that kept my attention despite my fatigue. I also think choosing a book of short stories is good.

    3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? None what-so-ever. This was a fantastic challenge - very well organized and with enough stuff to keep participants going.

    4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I thought the cheerleaders were amazing and also other participants who stopped by and left comments. I tried to visit people and leave comments because I know how much that was helping me.

    5. How many books did you read? I finished 2.5 books and read one individual short story.

    6. What were the names of the books you read?

    7. Which book did you enjoy most? Probably my current read - Down River.

    8. Which did you enjoy least? Mr. Bones - because it was a little deep and I think it is hard to appreciate deep reads during these kinds of events.

    9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? N/A

    10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? Oh, I’d definitely do this again…and I’d be a reader again.

    My final stats for the Read-A-Thon are as follows:

    Many thanks to my one lone sponsor - the fabulous Terri who is donating $30 to Reading is Fundamental (RIF). I’ve decided to match her donation to support this worthy cause…so Team Caribousmom raised $60 to help put books into the hands of children.

    Also thanks to all the cheerleaders and other participants who visited me and left comments during the challenge…and finally a HUGE thanks to Dewey who hosts this extreme event each year!

    Sunday, June 29th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Closing in on 22 Hours

    I am in awe of those people who have stayed up all night - I’m barely functioning and I slept for 4 hours! Just over 2 hours left of this amazing challenge an Dewey has given us some challenges.

    1. Visit the Readers of the Hour
    2. Thank the Cheerleaders
    3. Do the post-event survey

    I’ll wait to do #3 when I’m done. But, I visited the Readers of the Hour and thanked our AWESOME cheerleaders.

    Here’s my update since my last post:

    Sunday, June 29th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Hour 20 and I’m Baaaaaaack

    I meant to get up at 4:30, but somehow I did not hear my radio alarm. So instead, I woke up at 5:00AM - Hour 20. Looks like some of you have stayed up the entire night! Terri, did you really get up at 4:30 to cheer me on!??!?!? OMG - what an awesome friend you are. I’m going to brew up some coffee and get reading. Back soon….

    Sunday, June 29th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: An Update and Need for Sleep

    It is after midnight here on the West Coast and I’m in need of some sleep time. So this will be my final update until probably 4:30AM.

    For those of you still awake and reading - WAY TO GO! See you in a few hours.

    Saturday, June 28th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Hour 15 Mini-Challenge

    I’m on a roll. Dewey’s just posted a mini-challenge for hour 15 and this will force me to choose my next book. Dewey writes:

    This hour’s mini-challenge should be easy enough for anyone interested in a short break. Where is your current book set? If it’s a real place, go to wikipedia and find five interesting facts about the place and post about it in your blog. If it’s an invented place, you may actually still find it at wikipedia, depending on the book. But if you can’t, then tell us some interesting facts about it that you picked up from the story itself.

    I’m going to start reading Down River, by John Hart (which is this year’s Edgar Winner). My hope is that it will be fast paced and thrilling. Anything to keep my eyes open! The novel is set in Rowan County, North Carolina. Here are five facts about that setting (from Wikipedia):

    1. The County was named after Matthew Rowan - the acting Governor from 1753-1754
    2. Current US Senator Elizabeth Dole is from Salisbury (located in Rowan County)
    3. The median household income as of 2000 was $37,494
    4. The county’s total area is 524 square miles of which only 2.4% is water
    5. In 2000 it boasted a population of 130,340
    Saturday, June 28th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Update at Hour 14

    I had to quickly post Vasilly’s challenge to just get in under the time limit. I’m growing very weary…and my brain is getting fuzzy. I hope to make it past midnight before having to get some sleep. My update is as follows:

    Saturday, June 28th, 2008

    24 Hour Reading Challenge - 14 Hours and a Poetry Challenge

    It’s 11:00PM PCT which means I’ve reached 14 hours in the event. Vasilly has challenged participants to:

    Find a poem and post it. The length of the poem does not matter.

    My favorite poem of all time is Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken:

    TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
    And sorry I could not travel both
    And be one traveler, long I stood
    And looked down one as far as I could
    To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5
    Then took the other, as just as fair,
    And having perhaps the better claim,
    Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
    Though as for that the passing there
    Had worn them really about the same, 10
    And both that morning equally lay
    In leaves no step had trodden black.
    Oh, I kept the first for another day!
    Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
    I doubted if I should ever come back. 15
    I shall be telling this with a sigh
    Somewhere ages and ages hence:
    Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
    I took the one less traveled by,
    And that has made all the difference.
    Saturday, June 28th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Mid-Event Survey

    Here we are at the half way point. Wow, has this day gone by quickly. Dewey has posted the next mini-challenge - the Mid-Event Survey.

    1. What are you reading right now? I’m still working my way through Springtime on Mars. I’ve got 60 pages left to read in this book.

    2. How many books have you read so far? I’ve completed one book and one individual short story. I expect to finish my current read in the next hour or so…

    3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? To be honest, I haven’t thought that far ahead. I will probably select one of the thrillers on my TBR mountain.

    4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Not really. The fires here in Northern California have kept my husband and I very close to home this week.

    5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I’ve only interrupted the challenge to eat, get some exercise, make bathroom runs, and take care of my animals.

    6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How much fun I’ve been having!

    7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I think this is going great. I can’t think of anything to make it better. Good job, Dewey (and all your great helpers!!)

    8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I’m pretty happy with how I’m doing. I’ve been trying to mix up the reading with the blogging with the mini-challenges and visiting other people’s blogs. I’m glad I chose to read short stories as it is giving me a good sense of accomplishment.

    9. Are you getting tired yet? Yes! I have to admit…I like to go to bed between 9 and 10 o’clock at night. I usually read a bit then drift off to sleep. Now that it is dark outside and I’m in that time frame, my body wants to sleep!

    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 would just say, mix it up. Take a break every hour to check on other people’s blogs and catch up on your own posts and mini-challenges. Get up, walk around, snack, drink lots of fluids.

    Now my update:

    Saturday, June 28th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Nearly 11 hours Into The Challenge

    Perhaps it is purely coincidence that the setting sun is a red-orange orb and I’m reading Springtime on Mars - or maybe it is just a reminder to keep on reading! The smoke in the sky has created a gorgeous sunset here and I’m closing in on 11 hours of the Read-A_Thon. I’m slowing down a bit; feeling the fatigue set in. I took a break for dinner and a Gatorade. I whipped up a macaroni and canned chicken salad with lots of diced up veggies. It was quick and satisfying on this stiffling evening. So how am I doing? Here’s my latest update:

    Saturday, June 28th, 2008

    24 Hour Read-A-Thon: A MiniChallenge and Update

    I’ve passed the 8 Hour mark and although I’m a little tired, I’m still hanging in there. Dewey posted this mini-challenge:

    This hour’s mini-challenge is something you may feel you really need about this point! I know I do. It’s to go outside for a walk! Get some fresh air. If you run or bike, that’s fine, too.

    I took a walk around my block despite the smoky air. The winds have really picked up here and those thunderheads are looking threatening, but no storm activity yet. When I got back to the house I fed my dogs and ate some chips and salsa. I’ll be taking a dinner break in about an hour, I think. I’ve also managed to do some more reading since my last post.

    Here is my update:

    Thoughts this hour:

    I am really enjoying this challenge - much more than I thought I would based on my experience earlier this month with trying to read for the 48 hour challenge. I think it has to do with that fact that this particular challenge is structured to mix things up and keep participants active: mini-challenges, visiting and commenting on blogs, blogging, reading (of course).  My current read is an easy one which I’m enjoying quite a bit. I think throwing in short stories is an absolute must for these read-a-thons.

    Again thanks to all who have been stopping in and encouraging me!

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