The Reading Challenge Group discussion

This will be the general discussion thread for the readathon. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them here. Other than that, it's a general place to discuss the readathon and how people are psyching up for it!

Don't forget the readathon is from Saturday 6th September (0:01am) to Sunday 7th September (24:00)!

Note: Don't forget to sign up at the group event!

I just received a list from Iasa and Aitziber, so I'm loading up with short reads and YA reads from the library and local used book store this week. I'm hitting the store for my favorite food stash: popcorn, tea(morning), and root beer(evening) and hide them from other family members.

Melissa, I love your idea of stocking up on your favourite food stashes and hiding them from family to ensure you have them for the readathon. I think I'm going to borrow that idea!

Let me know what's in your snack bowl! Maybe we will have a toast, but not wine, cannot afford to fall asleep. Oh! I'm adding cookies, too. How about starting the morning read with a blueberry scone and English Breakfast tea. I cannot wait -- nothing like a good book with good eats. :) This is always a good bunch of people!

I think my snack bowl is going to consist of Cheerios, iced tea (or hot chocolate if the day is cool) and last but not least - caramel popcorn!

As for tips, I try and take walking breaks. Every hour or so I get up and walk for ten minutes or so in the fresh air. The air helps keep me awake. I also sit in natural light as much as possible to make it easier on my eyes.

Kassandra, my natural breaks will consist of frequent interruptions from husband, four teens with numerous questions, four cats that think this is a cat pile, and two dogs who either want a walk or just a lot of lovin'. But this is all good, not complaining (most of the time). :)

Melissa your household sounds like a "tub of love!" Must be awesome!

Renee-

There is quite a bit of activity and confusion, most of the time. :) Just call me dazed and confused.

Unfortunately I'm super busy that weekend - so I may do my readathon a week early! Still LOVE the idea.

I have my books and ready to read, just the snacks left!

Oh, I wanna do this. Would it still count as "doing it" if I don't know if I'll have internet access that week-end to post anything? I'm starting vacation that week-end, so probably won't squeeze in much reading anyway...

Of course it counts! You can just update us when you get internet connection again :)

woohoo! My first readathon! Now to work on my incredibly nerdy 'I'm in a readathon' dance to appall my co-vacationers :)

I love the image of you creating a dance for your readathon, Brenda! Don't worry about it being nerdy, happy dances are allowed to be nerdy and it's a great way to celebrate your excitement. I'm being a bit nerdy myself and making a banner (well, multiple, actually) for my library and other areas of my house so that my family knows when I'm in readathon mode...that's totally nerdy!

Well see, that just sounds creative and fun to me!

Brenda, it's a fun part of the prep! I'm hoping it will let my family know how important reading time is to me for that weekend :)

Thank you Iasa!

A dance? Banners? This is awesome prep work guys! I want details! :P

What about snacks?

And snacks! I'm going to be travelling most of the Saturday, so snacks may be hard to come by!

It's all for a good cause Holly! My main banner will run across my library wall and says 'Kassandra's readathon in progress...only serious readers need enter!' I have a favourite reading blanket on standby and my snacks will be on hand by midnight.

You guys crack me up! I love all these plans!!!!

This is going to be a fun weekend!!! I'm looking forward to spending it with you all. :)

Don't forget guys, it's next weekend, not this weekend! It starts at midnight on 6th September

I know Holly, I'm just soooooo excited! It's like Christmas in September!!!

I'm glad you're looking forward to it so much!

Am also really looking forward to this one.

Sadly am working this weekend, but this read-a-thon gives me a little cheer and makes me happy, so I don't really mind the extra work for this weekend as I have the next one to look forward to! :)

Haven't decided on anything but I am hoping to finish at least 2 books in this readathon... Keeping my fingers crossed!

I can't wait for the readathon. I told my husband about it, he said "sure, I'll leave you to it!" (that means he can go and watch football without me moaning hehe). Now every day he asks me when the readathon is starting...

Hahaha! Thanks for the reminder, Holly!! I actually DID think it was this w/e! Next is better for me. Something to look forward to, after a week of lectures, workshops, inservices, oh, and new students!! :D

My group the reading for pleasure book club is doing a readathon too for September but its all month.

Yeah! A comfy reading chair is essential for a good day (or weekend!) of reading. Congrats Iasa!

I'm off the sixth so I will be able to read most of the day.

So here's the funny thing -- my family was going away for the 6th and 7th, so I would have a quiet weekend to do my read-a-thon, but were going to leave me with the two dogs, one of which is a puppy only 9 weeks old. So how much reading do you think would have taken place? Anyways, those plans have been squashed; I'll have a noisy household, but at least I can close a door and hide behind it and only tend to me. :)

Iasa, you have a new reading spot, how excellent! I think our special chairs should be called travel(or time) chairs, because of course, we travel without ever leaving the comfort of our own spot! Maybe somebody else has something more catchy.

Melissa, maybe you can leave the noisy ones at home and go to a park or the library for a few hours each day. It will be like a mini-vacation!

Yes, Sandy. We celebrate Labor Day on Monday. This week, I've been setting up my classroom and working on refinancing for a better rate. I'm ready now to relax with a book. No desire for read-athon pressure, but thanks for thinking of me. :)

Kassandra wrote: "Melissa, maybe you can leave the noisy ones at home and go to a park or the library for a few hours each day. It will be like a mini-vacation!"

That's not a bad idea, the problem is I'd probably find somebody at the library to talk to and could I bring my snacks? I really do love my spot at home to read in, its tailored just for me. :)

It would definitely be more difficult to bring your snacks outside the house, sadly. Perhaps there is a compromise to be had - one day at home and one day out?

Iasa, I am so jealous of your comfy chair!!!

I'm actually travelling for most of Saturday, which isn't too bad when it comes to reading. I do have a party Saturday night, so hopefully being slightly hungover will give me an excuse to sit in bed all day and read on Sunday!

Comfy reading chairs are the best :D I have one at my parents home and it will be my reading place next weekend, too :)

You can read when your hungover, Holly? I wouldn't be able to concentrate at all :O

My hangovers aren't generally too bad, I just generally feel rather ill. So I just lay in bed all day and feel sorry for myself, hence the perfect opportunity to read!

Still undecided about what I'm going to read. I might just see what takes my fancy on the day!

I've signed up and have set the task of getting to p656 of a 1408 tomb collection of Sherlock Holmes stories which includes The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Valley of Fear. If I manage to get any more read then I will be ecstatic!

Now I'm jealous. I feel totally ill even if I'm only slightly hungover. That's why I barely drink. But sounds like the perfect excuse to read!

Aw, great choice Topazriver! I still haven't read all Sherlock Holmes stories, but I loved the ones I read. I hope you can get to that page or even further :)

I'm preparing myself for my marathon of LotR by re-reading the Hobbit righ now. I still love that book and I really hope I'll love LotR as much and get through it rather fast :) I want to read the first book if somehow possible.

Holmes and Hobbits! These are great plans!!!

ok, so it's 00.30 and I got carried away on Goodreads and forgot the time - now am 5 cans of cider ahead and not one page read. Oh dear. Happy readathon everyone (am I rhyming?).

I have 6:20 to go and counting. Good luck Topazriver with your readathon!

Iasa, did you get your chair installed?

May all of you read as many books as you each intended! Enjoy your weekend everyone!!! :)

I can picture it!!!

Topazriver, it sounds like you're having a great time getting a few cans in. Good for you!

Iasa, enjoy the new chair!

3 hours to go on the nose - I'm prepping my books and drinking some caffeine. Have a great readathon everyone!!!!!

Currently 05:50. 5 hours in and I haven't read a page! Have had to get up a stupid time to catch a plane! Oh well extra time to read!

Especially since I'm sure how much I'm gonna read this weekend! Travelling, then have to sort some stuff for uni. Then I'm out partying, with jet lag... Yay... Luckily I probably won't have internet, so you guys won't get any drunken messages from me!

And I have a plus one, so that's both exciting and terrifying. Any tips for the wacky world of dating?

I have read about 30 pages so far. Which is not much, especially considering I'm 14 hours in, but my initial goal was 100 pages all in all, so I'm not doing too badly. :P Hopefully I'll be able to stretch that goal later.

Holly, my tip is that you set aside some time for her, to do something she likes. :D

I'm 13 hours and 200 pages in, which isn't bad seeing as I didn't actually start until about 10am! I'm rewarding myself with chocolate every 100 pages. It's working pretty well.