#Readathon: Closing Survey

2022, Books in Bed, Daily Dose, Dewey's Readathon /

Well, I didn’t manage to read 300 pages after the mid-event survey – because I went to bed before midnight. I was tired and since there was no way I was going to make 300, I just called it a night and slept fairly well. Then I got up a little early and read for another hour.

My final total:

Read for 16 hours. Finished 3 books (one was 1/3 of the way through before it started) and read another 202 pages of a 4th book. (650 pages) I was able to open all of the gifts attached to that book from the Once Upon a Bookclub box.

I ate a LOT of food – some #readathons I eat very little and others I eat a LOT. There’s still a ton of food down there so it looks like we won’t be worrying about menus til late in the week, which is fine and good and there’s nothing better than having a ton of good #readathon food to eat during your post-#readathon recovery period.

  • How would you assess your reading overall?

I did really well – considering I didn’t have any children’s books, middle grade, or YA in my stacks. Heck, I didn’t even have a coffee table book and I didn’t open the cookbook. I’m happy with where I’m finishing.

  • Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it?

I didn’t. I was too tired for strategy. If I had it to do over, I’d probably not have read 200 pages of a Kindle book ON MY PHONE. Hindsight etc.

  • What was your favorite snack?

Cheese straws. (I wonder how many of my #readathons have included cheese straws. I would guess most of them.)

  • Did you add any new books to your TBR/wishlist after seeing what everyone else is reading?

I did. I grabbed the Hippopotoums Pool and then grabbed the first book in the series – something about a crocodile? I’ll probably start that first one later today.

  • What was your favorite book or experience from this readathon?

I enjoyed reading Creating Your Life Book – I’m hoping to start doing a little bit of art journaling again. Or just art. I don’t know. Something with paint and glue and paper and ink. We’ll see.

#readathon breakfast during the final hour.

#Readathon: Closing Survey Read More »

#Readathon Mid-Event Survey

2022, Art, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon, Non-Fiction, Queer /

Funny. I’ve done a million #readathons and I’ve done very few mid-event surveys. I wonder why. Very weird.

  • What are you reading right now?

I’m going back to the Once Upon a Book Club book, The Roughest Draft.

  • How many books have you read so far?

I’ve finished three books – but I was 1/3 of the way through one of them. So far, I’ve finished Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Part (I was 110 pages into it when I picked it back up today), I read Create Your Life Book, and of course The Woman of Andros.

  • What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the readathon?

I think I’m most looking forward to finishing The Roughest Draft. All of those presents to open along the way!

  • Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Well, the chickens refused to go directly from their day time grazing yard back to their night time area. It took two of us and a lot of cajoling to get them to all move in the right direction and stay in the right area. I mean it’s not like it took an hour to round them up but it was a good 15 minutes. That’s pretty much the only real interruptions, so far.

  • What surprises you most about the readathon, so far?

I’m doing better than I expected, considering how tired I was when I got up this morning. I’m about 450 pages down – that’s not going to break any records but all things considered, I’ll take it. If I can get another 300 pages done before I call it a night, I’ll be exceptionally happy.

My mid-event snack.

#Readathon Mid-Event Survey Read More »

#Readathon: The Woman of Andros

2022, Books in Bed, Classics, Dewey's Readathon, Fiction /

Last night, I wandered around my bookshelves looking for a middle grade or YA book I hadn’t read. Something I could use as a palate cleanser… I didn’t find that. But I did notice The Woman of Andros in the Penguin Books section of my rainbow shelves and realized I’d never read it. Since it was short, I added it to my stacks and for some reason woke up this morning and decided to start with that. Weird but quick and easy if a little deep and desperate. Those Greeks, y’all.

But that’s 80 pages and one book finished, just a few hours into the morning. I’ll take it.

#Readathon: The Woman of Andros Read More »

#Readathon Opening Survey

2022, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Still here in Keystone Heights, FL. I may try to do some outdoor reading this morning and I’m considering suggesting we take a drive and listen to an audio book that’s due back to the library on Monday… we shall see.


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

Alas, I’m not really excited about any of the books in my print stack OR in my Kindle. That does not bode well for the day, does it? I’m sure it will be fine. I have two Once Upon a Book Club books to read so that will certainly be fun. And at least one graphic novel and at least one art journaling book and at least one cookbook. It’s all good.

Just the print books in my TBR stack. I have a half dozen Kindle books on my virtual stack.


3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Tough question – there are so many great snacks this time around. Chicken salad sandwich, maybe? Those pastries though… tough question, very tough question.

Mmmm pastries from Uppercrust


4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

Let’s see… what should I say this time around? Oh, I know…. I think this is the very first #readathon that I will do without checking in on work or doing some amount of work during the day. So weird to say that – I know a lot of people don’t work on their days off, I’ve never been one of those people. I guess I am now? Weird. Very weird.


5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

The biggest difference between this #readathon and previous #readathons (besides not doing any actual paid work all day long) is I didn’t go shopping for snacks. TW went alone since she had a couple of appointments in the big city this morning and I needed to stay home and work. I thought about us driving back into town tonight after work and shopping but changed my mind. I made a small list of things I’d be interested in (and I got most of what was on my list) and then just told her to choose the rest on her own. She did well. She did very well.

Happy #readathon to one and all.

#Readathon Opening Survey Read More »

#Readathon: Closing Survey

2021, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

I was able to finish another book before I went to bed last night – and read a few more chapters on the book I’m reading on my iPad. Someday I might actually finish that particular book. Maybe. I think I should start posting these right before I go to bed on a readathon night rather than waiting until morning. It’s not like I don’t know what the closing survey will say, right? Yea, I’m going to try to remember to do that in April.

  • How would you assess your reading overall?

Pretty good! I remember now why I used to always pad my stacks with children’s books – nice way to continue reading while giving your mind a bit of a break!

  • Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it?

No real strategy – except to read from my stack and avoid the internet as much as possible. Considering I had to work on the internet, I did pretty well.

  • What was your favorite snack?

Tough choice, Crispy Crunchy Champignon Mushroom Snacks or a spoon of Chili Onion Crunch on 1/2 of a butter croissant. Both were excellent. I enjoyed having a bowl of grapes to munch from as well.

  • Did you add any new books to your TBR/wishlist after seeing what everyone else is reading?

NO, which is unusual. BUT, because I was trying my darnedest to avoid the internet, I didn’t see many posts from other readers this time. That’s a blessing and a curse.

  • What was your favorite book or experience from this readathon?

Reading a Once Upon a Bookclub Book. TOTALLY fun. I should make sure to always have one available for readathons!

Here’s what’s left in my original stack! Not bad, right?

#Readathon: Closing Survey Read More »

#Readathon: 14th Hour

2021, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

Where did the day go?! How can it already be 10pm? Not that I haven’t read a ton – I have! (4 kids books, several chapters of Crying in H Mart, which is the book I’m reading on my iPhone, and my first Once Upon a Bookclub Book, The Night She Disappeared) or taken a nap (one, 30-minute nap), or several hot baths (about 6, I think.) I also exercised and ate a ton of snacks (some good, some not very good.) All in all, a successful Readathon.

My favorite was reading my first Once Upon a Bookclub book. I’m so glad Sassymonkey got one, shared it, and led me down the path to buying one box for my mom and a 3-month subscription for myself. It was completely fun to read during Readathon. The book was excellent and the presents were cleverly tied into the story. (The last one in particular – haha. Brilliant to put the cozy writer’s book jacket over a real book. BRILLIANT!)

I’m not quite calling an end to the Readathon but I probably won’t be back to write my closing survey post til morning. I’m hoping I can get one more book read before I call it done. Wish me luck – I’m tired and it’s awfully late.

#Readathon: 14th Hour Read More »

#Readathon: 6th Hour

2021, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

When I started to type this, I thought it was only the 5th hour. That sums it up – time is flying by! I’d like a nap but I also just want to keep reading. What to do, what to do?

So far, the snacks have been 50/50. The TJ’s pancake bread grew on me after a couple of bites but the wine country chicken salad is as much of a disappointment as the curried chicken salad. The mushroom crisps are amazing but you can only eat so much of them plain and I don’t think I have any goat cheese to eat them with (or if I do, it’s buried under 50 other cheeses and I can’t be bothered at the moment. I just tried a tiny 1/2 tsp of TJ’s crispy garlic onion on the last half of a butter croissant – and holy heck, I see why people love this. I’m looking around to see what else I can add it to, without too much bother. We should definitely have bought two more jars of that.

On the reading front, because that’s why we’re here, eh? I’ve read two of the kids’ books – both cute, both will be easy to review – and I’m about 1/3 of the way through The Night She Disappeared, my first Once Upon a Book Club box. Good book, loving the gifts in the boxes! Can’t wait to see what the last gift is!

I’ve read outside on the deck. I’ve read at the bar in the kitchen. I’ve read from my recliner in the bedroom and also from the bathtub. I think I’ll sit here in my chair in the living room and read for a bit here while I wait for Lola to want to come in. Then, I’ll lay down in bed and read for a bit and see if a nap is in order. Probably. I’m esshausted.

#Readathon: 6th Hour Read More »

#Readathon: Opening Survey

2 Comments / 2021, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

Oops. I didn’t pre-write my opening survey and assumed I had because I usually do. Better late than never!

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Still here in Keystone Heights. Trying to decide which reading spot(s) might feel most comfortable. Seems like it’s going to be a bad back day.


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

The Night She Disappeared because it’s my first Once Upon a Book Club book! So esscited (to quote #BabyEvergreen)


3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Shoot. I should be better at this. We spent $400 at Trader Joe’s and I can barely remember what we bought. Oh, I know. The Crispy Mushrooms that SOMEONE opened last night. I had a tiny bit when I realized she had opened them. SO. GOOD. Can’t wait to finish the bag in an hour or so.


4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I’m trying to decide my Cos-play role/costume for the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. Should I be a MIrialan? An Altiri? Or a plain ole human? Or someone else? What species or role would you play if you were going on the Galactic Starcruiser?


5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

Most of my books are print this time around! That’s a big change, though now that I say that, I think one of the recent #readathons I tried to stick with print, too. Oh, another difference – a lot more kids books because a) Star Wars planning b) I got a bunch of books for review and I need to read them and start writing so people have ideas for the holidays.

Happy Readathon, everyone!

Readathon books

#Readathon: Opening Survey Read More »

#ReverseReadathon Closing Survey

2021, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

It’s after 8 and I’m pretty happy with how this one went. I slept for about 9 of the 24 hours, which is pretty decent, all things considered. I read two books in print and started a third. I finished an e-book I’ve been reading for the last week or so and I started another. Somewhere around 700 pages. I ate some decent food that I didn’t have to cook and clean up was minimal. Nothing catastrophic happened here, though it was touch and go there in the 23rd hour. All in all… good readathon. I’m happy.

I don’t see the closing survey up but since I’ve done a zillion of these, I’m going to go ahead and do it:

  1. How would you assess your reading overall?

Outstanding! I’m pleased.

  1. Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it?

My strategy was to focus on print books and for the most part, it worked. At the end – I realized I could finish the e-book I’d been reading in small batches and went ahead and did that in hours 22/23. I think that was smart. It’s always good to finish a book.

  1. What was your favorite snack?

Oddly enough, the SmartSweets Peach Rings.

  1. Wanna volunteer for our next event?

I always say maybe but odds are slim, but maybe some day I’ll be able to volunteer again. Thanks to all those who work to pull this off every time. I appreciate it.

#ReverseReadathon Closing Survey Read More »

Reverse #Readathon Opening Survey

2 Comments / 2021, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

Tis the damn season… for a readathon. I was going to stick with the original date of Harry Potter’s birthday and just read books by trans authors or with trans characters but life happened and that idea fell apart. Maybe I’ll do it for the October readathon in honor of coming out month? I’m going to try and make that a priority. (Alexa: Remind me on 10/11 that I’m going to read Trans books for readathon.)

Anyway, on to this reverse readathon… not an ideal time. TW had her capsule endoscopy and we lost a lot of work hours driving back and forth for that + WDW dropped a Remy preview for passholders that turned into a big enough clusterfuck that I cancelled my WDW resort reservation in October in favor of a stay at the Dolphin. (First they ditch Must Do Stacey and now this… not the way to get my 5K in 2022 for the Galactic Cruiser!) But, I digress… the later afternoon trip to GNV for the capsule endoscopy meant that I was able to pick up a Fresh Market curbside order for snacks! That’s a good thing because we had no other good snack options because pandemic and mask-less/vax-less community = crap for food options locally. They were out of a lot of what I ordered but I over-ordered so we’ll be FINE. Yay. On to the official survey now that I’m done rambling along here.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Mask-less/Vax-less small town north Florida, again. Still. The COVID infection rate was high in 2020 and it’s higher in 2021. (And the library sucks… coincidence, I think not…)


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

Good question – I think the Wally Funk biography.


3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Complicated question since I’m not 100% sure what I ended up getting and what was out of stock… probably the curried chicken salad and the raspberry peach loaf? (not at the same time, probably.)


4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I’m under-employed, still… do you need an online community manager, social media manager, or online reputation manager? I’m your person… message me. lol


5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I’ve participated in the last zillion readathons… the thing I’m doing differently this time is I’m going old-school and focusing only on print books, no e-books. It’s been more than a year since that was the case! Even before COVID and the library closure, we were shifting to primarily e-books. We’ve built up a tiny collection of print books over the last year or so and I feel like focusing on those. It’s going to be fun – let’s see if I can stick to that plan. If not, I have plenty of e-books waiting on my Kindle or on Libby.

Onward to the snacks and the books. Have fun, readers!

Reverse #Readathon Opening Survey Read More »