Dewey's 24-hour Read-a-Thon 2009, Part Deux

Hour #13:

HOLY COW, I made it to the halfway point. I cannot believe my stamina and I'm not even tired yet. I guess it helps that I normally stay up late on Saturdays to begin with.

Anyway, the purpose of this post--other than to continue with my hourly or bi-hourly updates--is to complete the Midway Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?

Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert, which I have been reading since the challenge began! Still reading it, but there are only 83 pages left!

2. How many books have you read so far?

I'm still working on book #1; I guess you could say that I've been a bit distracted by The Girl, the challenges, the cheerleading, and Twilight and Moonlight DVD breaks.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I haven't even thought that far ahead. I'm looking forward to finishing this book.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

The only special arrangements I made was having an audiobook in the car because I knew we had about a 45 minute ride from my house to Anna's. Gotta keep reading, and Janet Evanovich is a good break from reading.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

There have been a number of interruptions between Cheesecake, Chipotle, and Little Caesar's Pizza...and that's just the food. I think you can already guess what the other distractions were given previous answers.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

How cheerful people are when they comment on your blog even when you have been so engrossed in reading that you really haven't been commenting that much. Ok, that an concentrating when there are so many Vampire movies I would rather be watching...lol OK, salivating over.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

I don't have any suggestions...but that could be because I'm having a tough time concentrating.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

I think I should probably have started off with shorter books, rather than starting with a 300+ page book.

9. Are you getting tired yet?

Not tired yet, but I have had two cups of coffee for breakfast, a few sodas, and a bunch of green tea! Perhaps that has helped keep the brain muscles working.

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 think the distractions have helped a lot. I may have given up sooner in the challenge. This is my first read-a-thon, and I think reading in a group has been helpful! We find ourselves reading passages out loud...that has been interesting.

Stay tuned for more updates in this post!

Hour #16:

Here's my short little update. We were in the car listening to Janet Evanovich, and we are now on Disc 7 of 8, so we're nearly finished with that book, but doesn't look like that one will be finished in this read-a-thon.

But I'm home, and I've decided that the drive along I-70 is really boring and tires people out. I'm waning here a bit, but I am determined to at least finish one book for this challenge. Wish me luck!

Here's a photo of our lunch scarf-fest!


Hour #17:

Life in the Thumb is hosting the latest challenge where we must complete this phrase: You know you're participating in a READ-A-THON when:

1. You carry the book to the kitchen, pour milk into coffee with one hand while keeping your eye on the page and overflow your coffee mug.

2. You don't pay as much attention to your blog as you normally do, fail at commenting and cheering others on, and forget to pee.

3. Read passages out loud randomly to your husband who just looks at you like you are out of your mind or have suddenly contracted a weird form of tourettes.

4. You've driven 45 minutes to a friend's house to spend the day reading while your husbands get to wait on you hand and foot while you read.

5. While you are in said car on the trip to the friend's house you are listening to an audiobook and reading from a hardback at the same time--boy your brain gets tired with all that double duty!

6. You start to stare at the floor and wonder what it would be like to be your dog or your cat. (see photo)

Hour #18:

I finished my first book for the Read-a-Thon, Keeper of Light and Dust. That means I read 301 pages. Not bad for a first timer. I'm headed to bed for a few hours, but will be up before the read-a-thon ends. Keep reading everyone.