This week I’m excited to participate in the Bout of Books 6.0 Readathon! Here is the scoop:
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.
—The Bout of Books 6.0 team
—The Bout of Books 6.0 team
This readathon couldn’t have come at a better time—my orchestras are still on winter hiatus (so, no rehearsals) and the students haven’t returned to the university for classes yet (not for another two weeks). I have returned to work after my holiday vacation, though, so my participation will be limited to lunch hours (if possible) and in the evenings. Still, I think Bout of Books will help me get a good jump on my reading challenges this year. I haven’t done a readathon like this before so I may be shooting low with expectations for myself in these goals, but despite the lack of evening plans this week I always end up busier than anticipated. I will come back to this post daily with updates.
My goals
- Finish The Light Between Oceans and start another book ✓
- Participate in at least one #boutofbooks Twitter chat ✓
- Participate in at least one challenge/giveaways ✓
- Comment on at least ten Bout of Books participants’ blogs ✓
Progress
Monday, January 7 (11pm)
Not my most productive reading day. I haven’t read one page yet! After a a full workday (missed the first Bout of Books Twitter chat) I came home and worked out (during which I got sidetracked by the Downton Abbey premiere online… 2 hours!!), finished cooking dinner, and ate with my husband while watching stuff on Netflix. For the last couple hours I have been browsing Bout of Books participants’ blogs, and had some difficulty at first. Many of them are reading books in genres that aren’t of interest to me (which is totally fine of course, but I’m having trouble coming up with comments of substance on them). But I was able to find five to comment on: BookSmartie, bookgoonie, A Geek’s Bookshelf, Musings of a Bookshop Girl, and A Librarian’s Library. So I feel all right about my blog commenting for today, but not so great about my reading. Update (1/8): Read for one hour before going to bed.
Not my most productive reading day. I haven’t read one page yet! After a a full workday (missed the first Bout of Books Twitter chat) I came home and worked out (during which I got sidetracked by the Downton Abbey premiere online… 2 hours!!), finished cooking dinner, and ate with my husband while watching stuff on Netflix. For the last couple hours I have been browsing Bout of Books participants’ blogs, and had some difficulty at first. Many of them are reading books in genres that aren’t of interest to me (which is totally fine of course, but I’m having trouble coming up with comments of substance on them). But I was able to find five to comment on: BookSmartie, bookgoonie, A Geek’s Bookshelf, Musings of a Bookshop Girl, and A Librarian’s Library. So I feel all right about my blog commenting for today, but not so great about my reading. Update (1/8): Read for one hour before going to bed.
Tuesday, January 8 (11:40pm)
Another not-so-productive BoB day. I had lunch with Nick during my lunch break, worked out when I got home, and then had some KCMetropolis work to do which took a good chunk of the evening. Then I was sucked into the internet and now I’m going to get ready for bed. Today flew by—don’t know where the time went!
Another not-so-productive BoB day. I had lunch with Nick during my lunch break, worked out when I got home, and then had some KCMetropolis work to do which took a good chunk of the evening. Then I was sucked into the internet and now I’m going to get ready for bed. Today flew by—don’t know where the time went!
Wednesday, January 9 (10:05pm)
Today was better than the last two. As soon as I got home from work I read for a couple of hours. After I ate dinner with Nick I read for another 45 minutes or so. At 8pm I participated in the #boutofbooks chat on Twitter, which was a lot of fun! I found a few more accounts and blogs to follow. After the Twitter chat, I completed today’s Bout of Books challenge: the Page 48 Challenge hosted by Booking in Heels. Read my entry here. Nick just brought me a beer so I’ll probably go browse some BoB participants’ blogs for a while! Update (11pm): Commented on three blogs: Cuidado com Dálmata, Reading the Paranormal, and Literary, etc.
Today was better than the last two. As soon as I got home from work I read for a couple of hours. After I ate dinner with Nick I read for another 45 minutes or so. At 8pm I participated in the #boutofbooks chat on Twitter, which was a lot of fun! I found a few more accounts and blogs to follow. After the Twitter chat, I completed today’s Bout of Books challenge: the Page 48 Challenge hosted by Booking in Heels. Read my entry here. Nick just brought me a beer so I’ll probably go browse some BoB participants’ blogs for a while! Update (11pm): Commented on three blogs: Cuidado com Dálmata, Reading the Paranormal, and Literary, etc.
Thursday, January 10 (Saturday, January 12, 4:30pm)
Tonight I spent a lot of time reading—nearly the whole evening after I got home from work. Made it through all of Part II of The Light Between Oceans! I didn’t look at blogs or do any challenges tonight. Adjusted my goals to be more realistic for my time.
Tonight I spent a lot of time reading—nearly the whole evening after I got home from work. Made it through all of Part II of The Light Between Oceans! I didn’t look at blogs or do any challenges tonight. Adjusted my goals to be more realistic for my time.
Friday, January 11 (Saturday, January 12, 4:40pm)
I didn’t have a chance to do any substantial reading today—maybe just a few minutes here and there. After work I went out with a friend, and when I got home Nick and I just zoned out in front of the TV for a bit before bed. No blogs or challenges.
I didn’t have a chance to do any substantial reading today—maybe just a few minutes here and there. After work I went out with a friend, and when I got home Nick and I just zoned out in front of the TV for a bit before bed. No blogs or challenges.
Saturday, January 12 (4:50pm)
This morning I had a haircut at 8:45am and met a friend for lunch, but was able to read for a couple of hours after that. Now Nick and I are going to buy ingredients for dinner and cook before the Packer game at 7pm… hopefully there will be a live stream link I can find online! No blogs or challenges. Update (midnight): Decided to wait until the morning to watch the Packer game online (better stream quality), so I read the rest of the night and finished The Light Between Oceans!
This morning I had a haircut at 8:45am and met a friend for lunch, but was able to read for a couple of hours after that. Now Nick and I are going to buy ingredients for dinner and cook before the Packer game at 7pm… hopefully there will be a live stream link I can find online! No blogs or challenges. Update (midnight): Decided to wait until the morning to watch the Packer game online (better stream quality), so I read the rest of the night and finished The Light Between Oceans!
Sunday, January 13 (8:50pm)
First thing this morning I watched the Packer game on NFL Game Rewind online (tears… sigh. It was a good season, anyway. I still love my Pack!) and then Nick and I went out for lunch and to hear the KC Symphony perform Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. When we got home I did some blog stuff and caught up on a few emails. I also commented on four blogs: Sarah Says Read, fortune favors the brave, Booking In Heels, and Northern Plunder. not too much reading but I decided to read Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Night Flight next. It’s super short—if I don’t read it all tonight I’m sure I’ll be able to finish it tomorrow. Update (1/14, 10pm): Haven’t even started Night Flight yet! After I wrote this post on Sunday night Nick and I watched some TV and today (Monday) I went pretty much straight from my FT job to my PT job after work. Oh well! Glad I finished The Light Between Oceans.
First thing this morning I watched the Packer game on NFL Game Rewind online (tears… sigh. It was a good season, anyway. I still love my Pack!) and then Nick and I went out for lunch and to hear the KC Symphony perform Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. When we got home I did some blog stuff and caught up on a few emails. I also commented on four blogs: Sarah Says Read, fortune favors the brave, Booking In Heels, and Northern Plunder. not too much reading but I decided to read Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Night Flight next. It’s super short—if I don’t read it all tonight I’m sure I’ll be able to finish it tomorrow. Update (1/14, 10pm): Haven’t even started Night Flight yet! After I wrote this post on Sunday night Nick and I watched some TV and today (Monday) I went pretty much straight from my FT job to my PT job after work. Oh well! Glad I finished The Light Between Oceans.
Reblogged this on mahaylabainter.
I would have so loved to do this challenge, but as chance would have it next week is my “reading deprivation week” for the Artist’s Way. Ah well. On another note, I’m glad I found your blog.
I think Bout of Books has this same readathon a few times a year, so hopefully you can join in on the next one 🙂 Thanks for reading my blog! I checked out yours and it looks very inspirational. I followed!
Thank you for the follow. I’ve followed your as well. 🙂
Good luck!
Thanks!
I have a similar goal about reading for 2 hours. It makes it feel more achievable. Good luck!
My Bout of Books goals are here if you’d like a look 🙂
Definitely! I want to aim realistically. I’m a really competitive person (best with myself) so I could easily have gone overboard with the goals here, but I think I can do this much at the least. Good luck to you too! I’ll go check out your post.
It’s almost over, I hope you’re having fun, Kristin.
I like your updates because you tell us small details from your daily life. That’s lovely. 🙂 Downton’s season 3 is painful!
Thanks! I’m a little discouraged about my goals… I really thought I’d have more reading time. But something always comes up! Being busy is a blessing and a curse. I’d rather be busy than bored! Looking forward to seeing the next ep of Downton next week… I want Shirley MacLaine to be sassier.