October 2011 Readathon

**Instead of making a new post for each update, I'll just be adding my updates to this post throughout the day**

I'm so excited to be participating in the readathon for the first time! I wanted to keep this readathon as fun for me as possible, so the first step in that was to not force myself to get up earlier than I wanted to. I don't function too well in the A.M., and I also had to work on a couple of things for class that I procrastinated on, which is why this post is going up kind of late. I'll try to make up for my late entrance by sticking it out until the wee hours of the morning tomorrow and see how close I can make it to the end of the readathon.

I went grocery shopping yesterday in preparation for the readathon, so here's the list of snacks I bought (I wish I could show a picture but my phone is so outdated that I can't transfer photos to my computer anymore--I expect to get a new phone for Christmas, though):

Chef Boyardee Spaghetti (for lunch)
White Cheddar Rice Cakes
Caramel Apples w/ Nuts
Veggie Plate
Vanilla Coke
Hint Flavored Water
Lipton Black Tea
Celestial Seasoning's Madagascar Vanilla Red Tea

Hour 7 (technically Hour 1 for me)
Pages Read: 51
Book Started: Charlotte's Web

I think I'm going to focus on finishing Charlotte's Web before I do any mini-challenges or anything, but I'll see.

Hours 8 & 9
Pages Read: 103

I took a little break and had a late lunch, or "lupper" as my family calls it. I should finish Charlotte's Web in the next hour.

Hours 10-12
Pages Read: 84
Book Finished: Charlotte's Web
Book Started: The Sea of Monsters

I got distracted during hour 10 and most of hour 11 as I was visiting other blogs (FYI--Princess Bookie is having a bunch of giveaways all day today). I also ate one of my caramel apples, and if you didn't know this already, let me tell you that it is impossible to eat a caramel apple and read at the same time.
I did one mini-challenge in hour 11, which was the book trailer mini-challenge hosted by Quirky Girls Read. I chose the trailer for The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland because I thought it was very beautifully done.

Hour 13


Mid-Event Survey
1.What are you reading right now?
--The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
2.How many books have you read so far?
--Just one
3.What book are you most looking forward to in the second half of the readathon?
--Anya's Ghost, and I hope I can read at least part of The Body Finder too.
4.Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
--None. I just holed up in my room all day. :)
5.Have you had many interruptions?
--Surprisingly, no. All of my suitemates left a few hours ago, so I've had the place to myself for a while.
6.What surprises you most about the readathon, so far?
--I can't say that I've had any surprises so far. I've been trying not to spend too much time online because it tends to eat up the whole hour and I get no reading done. I guess you could say that's a surprise. You can stay awake for the entire readathon and get no reading done if you get too caught up in what's happening online!
7.Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the readathon next year?
--Hmmm . . . not that I can think of. I think the readathon is run really well.
8.What would you do differently as a Reader if you were to do this again next year?
--I might get up early and try doing the readathon from Hour 1 that time, see how much of a different that makes in my experience of it. 
9.Are you getting tired yet?
--No, but that's because I didn't get up until noon. :)
10.Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders?
--Well, this is my first year participating, so I don't think I have the experience yet to give tips, but I will share some tips that other experienced readathoners gave me--have lots of snacks, pick short and easy books to read, don't feel you have to finish the book you started but go on to another book if the one you are currently reading isn't holding your interest, take a break (or two or three or however many you need) so you don't feel overwhelmed, and most important of all, keep it fun!!

Hours 14-17
Pages Read: 110
Mini-Challenges: Feed Me, Seymour hosted by Fancy Terrible, Friendship hosted by A World of Paper Hearts, and Song-Identity hosted by Taiwandering

Rereading mini-challenge hosted by The Bluestocking Society
Top Favorite rereads of all-time:
1. Ella Enchanted (favorite middle-grade book-I can devour this one in a couple of hours and it never gets old)
2. I Am Charlotte Simmons (a college-aged protagonist I can really connect with, except for her shallowness)
3. So Many Books, So Little Time (my stand-by to help get me out of those awful reading slumps)
4. An Alchemy of Mind (combining neuroscience, travel, and nature--three of my favorite things :)
5. The Great Gatsby (The imagery in this book is beautiful--I love getting lost in it)
6. The Twilight Saga (I've read this series a dozen times and I'm still not tired of it)

Hours 18-20
Pages Read: 210
Book Finished: The Sea of Monsters
Book Started: Anya's Ghost

Hour 21
Pages Read: 121
Book Finished: Anya's Ghost

Well, it's nearing 5am here and I am exhausted. I think I'm going to call it a day and end my readathon time here. I finished three books, which was my goal! Yay! Now, I need to get some sleep because I have a five page paper to write that's due on Monday.

It's been fun! I look forward to joining in on the next readathon. :)