Dewey Day April 2018

Hour 17

This is turning out to quite the bust of a 'thon for me. I managed to finish one book (that I was already halfway through) in just over an hour, and that's all! Seriously, I have had the whole day off, and with the exception of about an hour and a half when I was out driving, I could have been reading this whole time. What gives?!? It's kind of frustrating, but I can't seem to force myself into a book, so I'm just sitting here and singing along with my iTunes library, putzing around online. Either I'll get a huge reading urge before going to bed tonight, or tomorrow all day long I'll have my nose in a book. I can feel that need to read, but it's just not kicking in. Oh well, I'll keep trying!

Hour 5

Well, I've read exactly zero pages so far. I know! I've been online a lot, catching up on bookish things, and I lost about an hour on Litsy, plus a half hour phone call with Mom. Just getting dressed after a shower and am planning my errand circuit. Once that's all figured out, I'll be hopping in the car and getting that stuff done. Hopefully once I have lunch back at home I can focus on picking up a book and reading. Fingers crossed!

Hour 1 and Opening Meme

It's 7am, so that means it's time to start reading! Or keeping my eyes open, whichever.

Opening Meme

1. Which part of the world are you reading from?

My house in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2. Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I don't really have a stack this time, but I'd like to get caught up on the Saga graphic novels. 

3. Which snack are you most looking forward to?

No prep time for this this week means no fun food planned! I've got jello and pudding left over from my dental surgery earlier this week, so that's about it for "fun" food that I don't normally have. Will be going out later this morning for an errand and picking up some guacamole, I think, it sounds good.

4. Tell us something about yourself!

I've been doing this for years, since the early days, and while I participate in a few other readathons, this is my main reading event for the year. (Well, this and the fall Dewey's, of course.) My latest hobby is looking up houses for sale in the UK. Blame it on watching Escape to the Country, or my lifelong Anglophile self, but I find it interesting and relaxing. 

5. What's one thing you'll do differently this time around?

Fly by the seat of my pants almost entirely! 

It's that time again...

... for a Dewey's Readathon! I'm totally unprepared this time around, because until a couple of days ago, I thought that I was working all day on Saturday. But, people rescheduled and the day just opened up on its' own - hurrah! Since I had off most of this week (due to some dental surgery), I have virtually no fun snacks, no food planned, and nothing special checked out from the library. This will be the most seat-of-my-pants readathon yet! My only goal is to read as much as possible while still getting a few things done around the house, and running an errand or two (one of which will involve getting treats). But mostly, READING! 

See you all tomorrow morning at 7AM!

Dewey Day October 2017

That's a wrap! I ended up staying awake until around 12:30, then went to bed and read for another hour or so. And, as usual, I'm all whacked out today and am good for not much more than reading, napping, and catching up on TV from the week. 

Closing Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
After midnight, for sure. I was the most tired, and dropped a book on my face...twice.

2. Tell us ALLLLLL the books you read!
I didn't finish "Princess Jellyfish Volume 1" and "The Loney".
Here's what I finished:
"I Am George Washington" by Brad Meltzer
"I Am Martin Luther King, Jr" by ""
"I Am Lucille Ball" by ""
"I Am Jim Henson" by ""
"I Am Albert Einstein" by ""
"Robinson" by Peter Sis
"Literary Life" by Posy Simmonds
"Jessica Jones: Alias, Volume 1" by Bendis and Gaydos
"Sex Criminals, Volume 4" by Fraction and Zdarsky
"Mr. Squint" by Jenny Partridge
"Read or Die, Volume 1" by Kurata and Yamada
"Death by Drowning" (audio) by Agatha Christie
"Death at First Sight" by Lena Gregory
"Malice in Maggody" by Joan Hess
"Five Little Pigs" by Agatha Christie

3. Which books would you recommend to other RAT'ers?
Anything Agatha Christie is ALWAYS a recommendation from me, and I really loved the "I Am" series by Brad Meltzer. They nearly always make me cry, they are perfectly illustrated, and the stories are so interesting and inspiring. The one that made me cry the hardest was "I Am Helen Keller" (which I read a few weeks ago) - SO GOOD!

4. What's a really rad thing we could do next RAT that would make me smile?
Hmmm. Not sure. But I like stats, so if you would publish maybe the percentages for formats that people read, or genres, or something, that would be interesting to see!

5. How likely are you to participate again? Would you be interested in volunteering to organize or prep?
I'll be back for sure, though I do more read-a-thons now than I used to, so I don't feel pressure to read all the things during Dewey's anymore. That's okay! I'll say maybe to volunteering. I might be back in school in the spring, and I don't want to say yes to something I may not be able to do once the date rolls around.


A big THANK YOU to Andi and Liberty and everyone else at Dewey's HQ, and to all of the volunteers who give up their time to work hard and make this such an enjoyable event! And another big THANK YOU to my long-time read-a-thon pal, Sherry Ann - I think there's only been one or two 'thons that we didn't do together, and even though we don't check in with each other constantly, it's been Weird when we weren't doing this together. Thank you so much for hanging with me and cheering me on and cracking jokes twice a year for so many years now. You are The Absolute Best! 

See you all in April!

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Hour 15, after 9PM

Well, I sure seem to have gotten the hang of doing nearly anything but reading. My quick dinner break ended up being well over an hour. A phone call, some texting, taking the garbage out, etc - it adds up. And I'm reading a creepy book right now ("The Loney"), and I'm thinking that it might be better if I finish it during the daylight. Otherwise I may not close my eyes tonight! 

And only a few hours late, here's the mid-way meme:

1. What are you reading right now? 

"The Loney" by Andrew Michael Hurley and I'm listening to "Death by Drowning" by Agatha Christie

2. How many books have you read so far?

I've finished 7.

3. What book are you most looking forward to in the second half?

It was "The Loney", but now that I'm getting spooked, it might be some of the "I Am" series of kids books by Brad Meltzer.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with them?

 I rolled with it. If I force reading I read a lot slower, so it's better if I just do whatever I feel like doing and get back to the books when I'm done.

5. What surprises you most, so far?

How many I'm finishing without trying too hard. Yes, there are a lot of thin ones with illustrations, but they've been lurking on my TBR Soon piles for too long and were starting to seem like they'd be unreadable. 

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Just after 2PM, in hour 8

I've managed to finish a total of 5 books so far (it's not that impressive - mostly GNs and short illustrateds) and while I haven't totted up my time yet, I know that it's probably only a few hours. I just said to someone on Litsy that it's amazing how much time you spend not-reading when you're reading-all-the-time. And it's so true! 

There seem to be a lot of excellent and new mini-challenges this time around, which is exciting! I'm hoping to retroactively participate tomorrow in some of them, and maybe later on today when the focus is waning I'll get to a few while they're still "live". 

Time for another break to do some dishes and switch some loads of laundry before hittin' the books again!

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9:30 AM

First book is finished, and I just got a refill on my coffee, so things are looking up! I'm going to reuse my Litsy picture this morning for the Book and a Beverage challenge.

#RATbookdrink  Thanks for the challenge, @bookgoil! 

***********************

Hello, and good morning! Technically I'm awake, even though it doesn't quite feel like it. For some reason it seems darker than normal at 7AM, so as soon as I'm finished with this I need to start the coffee and turn on some lights. 

Opening Meme:

1. What part of the world are you reading from?

My book-filled house in the 'burbs of Milwaukee, WI.

2. Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I'm so unorganized this time around - I have no idea.

3. Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Roasted chicken breast and roasted squash. Yum! 

4. Tell us a little something about yourself!

I'm a massage therapist and thinking of going to grad school for an MLS degree. Adjusting to life as a one-cat household after having to put my sweet girl to sleep in June. Her brother and I have our moments but are mostly okay. 

5. If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what's one thing you'll do differently today?

I plan on posting on Litsy the most often. And even though I had more time off yesterday to prep than usual, thanks to some upcoming work on my house I spent hardly any time cleaning and sorting than usual. Makes me a little anxious, but it is what it is. 

Okay, off to caffeinate and grab a book!

Do you know what weekend it is?

That's right, it's Dewey's weekend!  

I'm hopefully wrapping up what has been a mini-slump over the past month or so. Partially it's because I'm reading some chunksters (which take forever since they don't travel with me when I leave the house) and partially it's because... well, I don't quite know. I've been waiting for a date from a handyman who will be doing some painting and plaster repair, and since I have dates as of 2 days ago, that means that I need to pack up/shift both bedrooms worth of stuff (including around 1,000 books), plus clean up and out as much as I can along the way. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it. 

What I'm hoping for during this readathon is that I finish up at least 1 book that I've been "currently reading" for months, and get through a few library books. Foolishly I agreed to go to see Janet Jackson in concert on Sunday night. It'll be fun, yes, but I really like reserving this entire weekend for reading my eyeballs out and recovering from said reading. I just said yes without thinking, and once I realized what I'd just done it was too late to go back. *sigh* I'll be napping and sleeping for sure, but since I'm having several insomnia episodes a week, it could work in my favor. 

Like last time, I'll update one post for the whole readathon. If you want to find me posting more frequently, you can find me on Litsy as @LauraBrook. 

Looking forward to it, and I'll see you all tomorrow morning!

Dewey's Readathon Post

Wrap Up

Even though I managed to stay awake for 23 hours, only 10 of those were reading. While I'm a bit disappointed, for a girl who took a nap and didn't force anything, it's not too bad for a Saturday.

Closing Survey

1.Which hour was most daunting for you?

It started getting dicey around hour 22, and I finally went to bed at hour 23 (5 AM). The tiredness hit me a lot faster this time around.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that could keep a reader engaged for next year?

I think Bee Cottage by Frances Schultz and I Don't Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer were both entertaining and quick reads.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the readathon next time?

Nope! Aside from the unfortunate blog sluggishness (which you were on top of), I think things went well this time!

4. What do you think worked really well this time?

This is a personal thing, but being more relaxed about reading was nearly revolutionary.

5. How many books did you read?

I finished 7, listened to half of another, and got a chapter of an ebook.

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

I finished: "Nightlights" by Lorena Alvarez (56 pages)

"The Bee Cottage Story" by Frances Schultz (160 pages

"Wayward, Volume 2" by Jim Zub (136 pages)

"Scenes From My Life" by Judi Dench (224 pages)

"The Phoenix Rising, Volumes 1 & 2" by (204 & 168 pages, respectively)

"I Don't Know What You Know Me From" by Judi Dench (256 pages)

I read part of "Big Bona Ogles, Boy" by Michael Gallagher (it's so damn good!)

I listened to 4 1/2 hours of "Peggy & Me" by Miranda Hart

7. Which did you enjoy most?

"Nightlights"! I didn't know a thing about it (just saw 2 posts that Liberty made), so it was all a wonderful, colorful surprise!

8. Which did you enjoy least?

"Wayward, volume 2". It felt uneven to me, though the artwork is pretty (though gruesome at times), and I won't be continuing with the series.

9. How likely are you to participate next time, and in what role?

My usual, I'll for sure be here, and as a reader! I'm planning on cheering for the people I know, but probably won't add lots of new blogs and things to follow.

Thank you so much to Andi and Heather (and the stable of volunteers) for running this joint. It's a big deal, and so much fun! And thank you as usual to my RAT buddy, Sherry Ann! Even though she was on vacation, she rocked it, hard, and I'm so proud of her! 

Hour 20

Not sure how I'm awake right now (at 2:30 AM), but I'm doing okay. (I probably just jinxed myself.) I managed to read a few more GNs, and am working on a memoir currently. Once I get too tired to sit up and read this hardcover, I'll go to bed and work on an ebook until I fall asleep. 

I think having The Golden Girls and Bob's Burgers on in the background has helped!

Hour 13

Not many more pages read, but that's okay. I visited Winston next door (he's a cat) and he helped me take some bookish photos between scratches and Greenies. My two cats managed to get up when I got home and have been walking around the house, looking for things to chew on/knock over/rub against and knock over/etc, so the usual fun times around here. I was going to try and read "book" books mostly, but since I took book pictures next door, I think I'll just go through those instead.

Mid-Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now?

Nothing, but soon I'll be starting Phoenix Requieum, volume 1.

2. How many books have you read so far?

I've finished two, and got halfway through another.

3. What book are you most looking forward to in the second half?

The Complete Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby. It jumped off of the shelf when I was browsing earlier, and it seems like a good RAT book to do in chunks.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with them?

I just dealt with them, and didn't freak out over "losing reading time", which is a first for a readathon for me. Having a headache didn't help, certainly, but now that that's gone (hope I didn't just jinx myself!) I'm feeling more bookish than before.

5. What surprises you most about the RAT so far?

How relaxed I am this time around. It's a nice change, to be honest, since I'm a massive worrier and anxious person.

Hour 8

So far, so little reading. I've managed to finish one book, a GN, and listened to about 4 hours of an audiobook. Otherwise, it's been trying to manage the headache that won't go away. I napped for about an hour, which helped a little, and had a lackluster Lean Cuisine for lunch after I woke up starving. I took a break to talk to my Mom, and have been watching the last few weeks worth of As Time Goes By, one of my favorite shows. 

Coming up for me? I think I'll try and finish one of my current reads, maybe grab another comic or graphic novel off of my shelves. Hoping that the weather breaks and that it finally starts to rain - if it does, my headache should go away (I sound like I'm 1,000 years old) - and I still need to visit Winston next door. But maybe a long shower first? Don't know.

I do know that I should try and stay away from Litsy if I want to read some more! :)

Hours 1 & 2

Good morning, Readathonners! 

As usual, plans for the day have changed. I'll be staying home all day, rather than going to my class (bad night, low headache, v sore back), and my one jaunt out will be to visit my neighbor's cat, Winston, later this afternoon. I've managed to spend far more time than I'd like to admit on Litsy this morning, and also managed to finish my first book! 

Opening Survey

1. Which fine part of the world are you reading from today?

My cozy and cluttered house outside of Milwaukee, WI

2. Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

I don't have a stack, so I don't have a favored book! 

3. Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Taco dip, mmmmmmm!

4. Tell us a little something about yourself!

I'm drawing a blank here. Uhhhhhmmm, Mom to two cats, have read 60+ books so far this year, slowly working on my family tree, and spending lots of time finding an assisted living place for my cousin. 

5. If you participated last time, what's one thing you'll do differently today?

Not making any plans at all! I'm totally winging it today.

Prepare yourselves - Dewey's is coming!

It's that time of year again - Dewey's time! This is the latest I've ever signed up (with a whopping 13 hours before the start), and the least organized I've ever been, and I'm okay with that. 

No real plans for tomorrow, no books that are screaming out to be read. No special trips to the library to check out a bunch of things "just in case". I'm planning on winging it most of the time. I've got a genealogy class downtown in the morning, so unless I can peel myself out of bed early to start reading, I won't get started until the early afternoon when I get home. And, while I'll still be here to update occasionally, I plan on spending most of my time on Litsy (LauraBrook) and Instagram (laurareadsandreads). It's easier to do a quick photo and sentence to post, rather than logging in, updating the thread... it's not like it's hard or takes hours, but I'm starting to give in and do more social media things. 

So that's my plan for this readathon - read whatever sounds good at the time, not sweat spending time posting and following people online, and not worry about needing to do some things outside of the house. Fingers crossed I still get some good books finished!

Dewey's Day - Update 2, a day late

Soooooooo yeah. I so didn't make it 24 hours. I ended up doing most of my updates on Litsy, and filling in on instagram when I thought of it. But I did keep on reading, more than usual. I ended up napping for 3 hours at 9PM my time, and then finally collapsed around 3 in the morning and slept through the end. I was really thinking I could've last longer than I did, but since I'm not pushing myself now... it was what it was.

End of Event Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
3 AM / hour 18 (I think). That's when I finally petered out and had to go to bed.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next time?
I really enjoyed "The Woman in Black" by Susan Hill (under 200 pages and creepy) and the "Calvin and Hobbes" collection I read (lots to choose from, easy to squeeze in a few pages). 

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the RAT for next session?
Nope!

4. What do you think worked really well this RAT?
Cheering! I like that you made it more "unofficial" this time, giving everyone a chance to cheer if they felt like it the day of. 

5. How many books did you read?
8, plus 2 magazines.

6. What were the names of the books you read?
"Calvin and Hobbes" by Bill Waterson
"The Woman in Black" by Susan Hill
"Double Sin" by Agatha Christie (on audio)
"Freaky Friday" by Mary Rodgers
"Camera" by Jean-Philippe Toussaint
"Sad Cypress" by Agatha Christie
"A Ghostly Road Tour" by Jan Langley
"William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope" by Ian Doescher

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
It's a toss-up between Calvin (always great) and Woman in Black.

8. Which book did you enjoy least?
"Freaky Friday". Ugh.

9. How likely are you to participate again, and in what role?
I will 100% participate again, as a reader. If you guys keep the cheering more open (i.e. you don't get scheduled a group of readers ahead of time) I'd like to do that more as well.

Thank you SOOOO MUCH to my RAT buddy, Sherry Ann of Sherry Ann's Book Blog! I couldn't do this without you, you are such a great friend and support. :) 

See you all in April!