Announcing the November 100 Hour ReadaThing!!

It is time for another ReadaThing!
(new information: edited on Monday afternoon, 9/26)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The official start time will be at Noon on Friday, November 4th in New Zealand. This will be at 23:00 on Thursday GMT and 8 p.m. Thursday, November 3rd, in the Eastern US/Canada time zone. It will last for 100 hours & end at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday in New Zealand, 4:00 a.m. Tuesday in Paris, 10:00 p.m. Monday in New York, and 5:00 p.m. Monday in Honolulu!! (the DST time change in the US/Canada is accounted for)

*New* Here is the time chart for this ReadaThing.

Thursday is Blue, Friday is Red, Saturday is Black, Sunday is Blue, Monday is Red, and Tuesday is Black.



Thanks to Jeremy, jbd1 for resizing my chart to fit here.

A pdf of the entire time chart is also available here:
http://www.librarything.com/wiki/images/1/1e/Nov_2011_ReadaThing_chart.pdf
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What is ReadaThing?

ReadaThing is NOT a read-a-thon!! You do not have to read for the entire 100 hours unless you want to! ReadaThing is a time when we gather to read & share what we read. The best analogy I can offer is that RaT is like a relay race where runner hand a baton off to the next runner. Some of the readers sign up for specific reading times & some don't, but there is always someone in the group reading somewhere in the world.

There are five major threads for the ReadaThing: the planning thread, the announcement/information thread, the "what I will/may be reading" thread, the Log Book & reviews thread, and the feedback thread.

There is a wikipage for the signups. There will not be a wikipage for the books. It will be replaced by the "what I will/may be reading" thread.

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/ReadathonNovember2011

The Sign-Up is OPEN!!

Here's to a great ReadaThing!!

Thanks for all your hard work, skittles!

Yay! Well done for all the planning!

The Sign-Up Chart on the wikipage is OPEN!! and ready for business!!

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/ReadathonNovember2011

Again, there will be a "No Timeline" sign-up further down the page.

(please read the first posting in this thread for new information)

Blog post is up:
http://www.librarything.com/blogs/librarything/2011/09/announcing-the-november-r...

I was thinking it might be fun to put together a gallery of "reading spot" photos, if folks are interested in uploading to their member galleries a pic of where they'll be reading for the ReadaThing ... thoughts? Not necessary by any means, I'm just trying to think of some ways we can help out :-)

- Jeremy

And if anyone needs help with the wikipage, don't hesitate to PM skittles, anniemod, or crazy4reading.

There are others who are also helping out, so if a mistake happens, or the formatting goes wonky, don't worry, it can be fixed.

I love the idea of taking photos of your favorite spots to read... Especially if you're out in the world or creative with your camera. I have some great outdoor spots to read in, even in cooler weather. It'd make an interesting timeline in a way.

>5 jbd1:
Depending on how my business trip is going, I might be in a couple of planes and airports... or in a hotel room. So pictures sound like fun...

I've added a note to the Log Book first post, encouraging pictures of where you will be reading... although the pictures can also go in the "what will you be reading" thread, too.

Another note: Although there are "semi-official" volunteers for ReadaThing, anyone can help someone who requests help. I just requested volunteers for those who prefer to go to someone specific for help.

If you do add pics of your "reading spot," feel free to add them in the thread, but also add them to your LT member gallery with tag "reading spot" (so we can pull them all together)

Great job all of you. I am excited for the ReadaThing to arrive. I have been to the sign up pages and again, the wiki thing makes no sense to this computer genius. (not) So I will be messaging one of you for help. Thank you for being there.
hugs,
~belva

Thank you skittles, for taking such good care of me. I am sorry that I cannot figure those things out. I really appreciate all of you who so willingly help the rest of us.

Thanks Jeremy for the idea to do pics of reading spots. I'm going to expand upon that idea and try to find a new and better reading spot for this readathing. Who knows where we might find ourselves reading .......... By the way, how do I post the picture from within my posting of the readathing?

Thanks everyone for your ideas & help.

The three posts here explain how to post a picture. just upload it to your LT picture gallery & go from there.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/59470#1125570

Five weeks to go!!

If you aren't sure of when you will be able to read, or don't want to commit to a specific reading time, there is the "No Timeline Readers."

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/ReadathonNovember2011#NO_TIMELINE_REA...

Just add your name & then if you want to add specific times, you can. Some LTers (including myself), put themselves on both sign ups because they want to schedule & have impulse reading times.

Have signed up for the two hours I know I will be reading because it's nap time at the daycare where I work and that's when I get my daily reading in anyway. Will add myself again as we get closer to the dates in question and there are open spots available. So looking forward to this!

>16 mirrani:

Any slot is open - even there are 10 people there already :)

This is my first ReadaThing and I'm sooo exited. I'm a night owl so I'm going to do most of my reading at night, and early morning before school.

Glad to have you join us, Apryl!!

and late night & early morning reads are the bestest!! No interruptions!! (or fewer interruptions)

Welcome Apryl and I am excited too! This is just my second ReadaThing and with my first one....I thought it was a Read-a-Thon.......two way different things. I was so confused. This one is going to be great. Long enough that we can really get some reading in.

>20 rainpebble:

We were having Read-a-thing and Read-a-thon at the same time :)

AnniMod, yeah, I know. It's not my first trip around a readathing. ;) What I mean by that is that I am happy to fill in totally empty spaces that others wouldn't normally take. But I usually do that when we get close to the end. Easier that way. For me at least.

Thanks for the warm welcome!!!
I can't wait to get started. And you're right skittles, early morning and late at night are definitely the best time to read. It's so quiet you can almost believe your right there in the story.

Favorite reading spots pictures sounds like a great idea :)

this is my 1st ReadaThing too and I'm excited :). Where can we see what everyone else is reading?

macley;
The 'what will you be reading thread?' is listed just below this one at the moment but here is the link:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/124080

It is always fun to see what the others plan to read and a lot of times (with the Read-a Thons anyway, because this is only my 2nd ReadaThing) seeing what others are reading causes me to change my mind about what I wish to read. lol!~!

Welcome & I hope you have a great time.
~belva

@#21:
AnnieMod;
Who is hosting the Read-a-Thon and where?

ReadaThing was originally named a Readathon, but since we are not reading continually throughout the 100 hours, I don't think we can call it a readathon. That is why I relate ReadaThing to a relay race instead of a marathon.... many people participating, passing off to another reader for the length of the ReadaThing.

> 28
Yeah but the readathon is not just another name for Read-A-Thing :)

>27 rainpebble:
http://24hourreadathon.com/ is the one I know about.

The LT one came from DNBRD though: http://dnbrd.org/

PS: http://www.librarything.com/blogs/librarything/2010/01/librarything-24-hour-read... and http://www.librarything.com/blogs/librarything/category/readathon/ for some history of the LT one

How dose a readathon work anyway?

In my opinion & understanding, a readathon would be where one person (either alone or part of a group) would continually read (with short breaks).

Similar to the "Do Nothing But Read Day".

But I am sure that others may define it differently.

I relate it to a marathon, where one person runs the whole length, but many others do the same.

YMMV. (your mileage may vary)

edited to add: ReadaThing is not a readathon.... imho

Whereas my understanding of a ReadaThing is like a relay. There is always 'someone' (but not the same one, usually) reading. I hope I am understanding this correctly and I think that I am.

WOOT WOOT!~!~!~!

Just 23 &/or 24 days left until we begin!

WOOT WOOT!~!~!~!

I am enjoying thinking about what book to read! So many choices!

I'm having fun doing that too. So far I've changed my mind about 50 times!

Thanks about the read a thon thing. I've desided to pick out the books a day befor so I don't have time to change my mind. Or maby read them befor the readathing.

I end up reading whatever is next on my pile or whatever I had started already :)

I prefer reading one book at a time, so will read on with whatever I'm on at that moment.

Without a theme to pick from, I'm just going to pick whatever book is next in my list and so I'll be reading that one when the time comes... My list is big and sometimes, if I don't have a specific book that I have to review for someone, I'll just grab one that I'm suddenly desperate to read.

mirrani, lots of ReadaThingers don't want a theme, but some do want one. This time the "theme" is that the ReadaThing is 100 hours!!

So, grab the next book on your TBR pile or list!!

Fiction-wise, I'll grab the next, but I really really really need to read some excerpts or parts of some of my organizing books... possibly a complete one.... but I need to find them soon. My books are in boxes right now & while I labeled most of them, I didn't get a chance to label all of them AND I didn't get to pack all of them!! Friends packed some but they don't separate by genre or mark them anything other than "HEAVY BOOKS"!!

My choice for the ReadaThing is a real monster and I have been wanting to get to it for eons. So I am very thankful that I have this 100 hours to commit to it as much as I can. I hope to finish, but IDK> It is Sir Richard Burton's Arabian Nights: The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. I am excited to know that I will have the enthusiasm and support of all of you to push me onward.
Thanks team skittles!
~belva

Yeah, skittles, I knew there weren't many who wanted a theme. It's cool, I was just explaining how I pick my books, is all, trying to say that without a theme I just go randomly on the fly instead of picking my book weeks in advance. I'm not the kind of person who enjoys planning what I'm going to read well ahead of time, just grab a book and read it, that's me.

I've been checking the sign-up wiki page

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/ReadathonNovember2011

and people are still signing up!!

and, if you aren't sure about when you are reading, there's the No Timeline Readers

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/ReadathonNovember2011#NO_TIMELINE_REA...

and if you need help posting in the wiki, you have two choices: #1: you can ask for help signing up, or #2: just post your times & if you make a mistake, someone will gladly fix it!! (it gives us a chance to play on the wikipage!)

It might be interesting to make a list of readers staples stuff every ready ought to have to make it more comfortable.

Apryl, what would YOU consider stuff that readers need to be more comfortable during a longer length read?

I don't know about Apryl, but I don't want to spend time cooking during the event so I am preparing meals ahead of time and will have the fridge stocked with drinks, apples, oranges, etc. & deli meats & cheeses for sands. I also plan to do any housework, laundry & shopping well before the ReadaThing so I don't get sidetracked looking at Abby Labby hair on the floor and dust on the bookcases. That type of thing. I am really getting excited and so looking forward to this event.

Wow rainpebble you're really organized. I just meant stuff some readers really like to have around while the read. Like certain type of book mark (I have one that's magnetic and love it) or chair or always having a flash light with you so you can read if your car breaks down or something.

#47: Actually, I was thinking a pot of tea or cocoa for just me!! also something to nibble and maybe an afghan if it is chilly.

Maybe some soft classical or instrumental music if there's too much other distracting noises...

I haven't decided where I'm going to read yet. That depends upon what good spots I've yet to find...

Just three weeks to go!!!

>47 AprylHannus: Quite by accident I came upon a perfect moment while reading a book to review for one of the giveaways, some cross between being in the right spot with the right book and the right background "music" playing. (I keep reading tracks on my kindle to listen to while I read.) From this I have decided that for my reading journals and for this read-a-thing, I'll probably include a recommended track list for whatever I read, should I stumble on the same thing happening again. The whole setup was just perfect, like jumping into the book. Very awesome.

41> I used to read (stories from) The Thousand Nights and A Night when I was a kid - we had a gorgeous, multivolume leatherbound edition. Lost it since, and I haven't read it in a long while - but I still remember some of the stories quite well. The style is sometimes hard to take, but the stories are gorgeous.

I am so far behind on this Readathing. I will be participating. I did add myself the the time chart and not committed times. I know I will read when ever I can plus I never know if my children will stop by and interrupt my reading hours.

I will try to take a picture of where I will most likely be reading. Depending on the weather as to if I will be outside or not. I may even have my puppy on my lap while I read.

our dog would never sit still for reading the cat might though and i realy like that music idea it sounds perfect.

I added myself to the No Timeline list. Only one person's name is showing there (the first person who signed up, I think), but when I signed up I noticed several more names. Did we sign up incorrectly? Maybe someone who knows how it works can take a look?

#53: Fixed. Thanks for posting that there was a problem.

Wonderful, thanks!

@#50:
jjmcgaffey; Thank you for your comments on my planned read. I am so looking forward to reading this book and positive comments like yours just make me want to get there sooner.

Regarding kids popping by; mine are here on a nearly daily basis, which I do love, but for that weekend I am telling them that I am taking a mom/nanny weekend for myself. They will respect that..........I think. With my luck the grandsons could decide that that is the very weekend that they want to slumber party at nanny & papa's in which case I will simply barricade myself in my bedroom with book, rocking chair and kitty.

If your kids do interrupt you while you're reading why not read something to them instead.

My kids are 20 and 19 years old. They wouldn't listen to me if I started reading to them. I just know that they may stop by on weekends just for the heck of it. I don't see or talk to them that much so when they come over I take time for them.

oh. I didn't quite mean read to a 20 and 19 year old. I was thinking more along the lines of 5-15, cause my brothers at 14 and 12 still like listing to my mother read.

I have read to them when I want them to leave me alone. That usually works. I could always try that. :)

What about having a favorite story of theirs available while you are reading? Something they loved when they were little that will bring back good memories? Something they would say/read with you... like Good Night Moon or The Giving Tree? or a poem that they loved?

Sometimes by pulling an old memory out, you can get them to stop & listen?

I think I would rather just spend time with them then force a book on them. They never enjoyed reading like I do. They think I read too much... I will be reading that weekend I just don't want to choose to many times and not be able to keep them.

If they do stop by it is usually to see the dog more then me. Unless they are looking for a meal.

Looks like we are only eleven days out. WOOT WOOT!~!

Ya I understand the not likeing to read as much as you do thing by brothers are the same way it drives me crazy. The only thing my youngest brother will read is Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the oldest won't read anything at all.

My (younger) sister was told in kindergarten that kindergarten kids can't read - so she stopped reading (she'd been doing it before, along with me and my parents). It took me _years_ of handing her books I thought she'd love to convince her that reading really was fun (not all Dick and Jane - bleah). Now she's an author. Keep trying!

Oh I will. They'll warm up to it eventually ( I hope). The only thing the oldest reads is books about tanks and guns though so it might take a while.

That's books - and there are lots. From non-fiction to thrillers to history to SF (try Bolos - intelligent tanks). Any subject to draw them in...

Message 41-Rainpebble-I just read a book called The Cailiffs of Baghdad,Georgia based on the Arabian Nights. It was a story within a story within...well you get the picture. You might enjoy it if you are interested in the Arabian nights, it talks a great deal about the actual book. Give it a try sometime. I listened to it on audibook. It was quite long, but fantastic. What a genius the author had to be to keep all that information straight. I will be joining you all in the Readathon., signing up for no timeline though since I am also doing Nanowrimo in November.

What is Nanowrimo I havn't heard of that yet, and I have curently encouraged my brothers to listen to Peter and the Starcatchers. Pirats sords fighting it apeals to them.

#69: NaNoWrMo is best explained here:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

It is a frenzied, concentrated, month-long writing event for writers of all types.

Hey, Reading & Writing go together.....

just be careful that I don't add 'Rithmatic' to the mix.... I love math & numbers.... I'm such a geek!

but, no, I really won't add math... I just want to read that weekend!!

Ok cool thanks. Good luck witht he math adiction.

Thank you mignano; I put that one on my list.

In the meantime, in readiness of the event & although I have the tome (& my goodness it is heavy), I have downloaded to Baron von Kindle Volume I of The Arabian Nights. I am sure it is not the same version that I have in the physical book form but at least I will be able to read in bed which is my favorite place to read. Then as I go along I will download the other Volumes of the same.
I have something congenitally wrong with my hips which is non-evidenced but was diagnosed by X-Ray due to a foot issue I was having. My hips automatically flex outward which makes it uncomfortable for me to sit for any length of time. So I am much more comfortable standing (and all of my jobs that I had I could do standing), or lying down. I am so happy that Baron von Kindle found his way into my bedroom. ;-)

#72: "Baron von Kindle"!!! That's a great name!!

;-)

Do kindles have pictures too? Like with the words for the books that have pics?

75> Yes, they have graphics - but only in black and white (grayscale). There isn't a color Kindle (yet).

We just saw a color Kindle advertised on the telly last night while watching NCIS. The price they quoted was $199.00, which I didn't think was bad at all. Now I don't know if it is out or they are just letting us know that it will be coming out.

Oh, right, I forgot. The Kindle Fire (just out this month) is color - not e-ink, but a mini-tablet (LCD screen). There isn't a color e-ink Kindle, but there is a color Kindle. So you could read graphic stuff on that.

Looks like a color e-ink screen is promised, and _possibly_ out in China (it was supposed to be released in May, but I don't see that it has been), but no current US or UK color e-ink devices. The company that makes the screens has figured out how to do a limited color screen (10-bit color, 4096 colors) but apparently no one's made a device to use them yet.

Wow thanks that is way more informative than everything I have looked up online. Thank you.

Yes, thank you jjmcg; I certainly didn't find out that much info from that one little commercial. lol!~!

Yeah well. The question interested me so I did some Googling about it - found out more than I had known, either. Including that the Fire (teeny tiny Fire) has the same size screen as the standard Kindle - I thought it was much smaller, as much smaller than the Kindle as the Kindle is than the DX. Nope. (Googling) And the Fire has a resolution of 1024x600 - huh, which is better than the Kindle 2 at 800x600, and only slightly smaller than my current laptop (matches a good netbook). Hmmm. It's still lacking some things I consider necessary (SD slot, camera(s)) and desirable (Bluetooth, GPS), but the more I look at it the better it gets...ah well, wait a year.

I'm planning to join in and have signed up for the 4 and 5 pm EDT slots on Friday, but I got the wrong day to read the last time I did that, so, fingers crossed.

I didn't think I'd be able to join in, but decided I could do my usual and try to wake up before the kids to get some alone reading time in. Signed up for 10am LT time on Saturday, and 10am and 11am LT time on Sunday. That's 7am and 8am my time. I looked at signing up for some spots not taken yet, but those were middle of the night for me and I've lost the ability to stay up all night reading.

#83: yes, I noticed that the empty slots were a little inconvenient for the (North & South) American continents unless they are the type to stay up late...

... there are a few empty slots in the time chart... mostly early morning Eastern US/Canada times on each morning, Saturday, Sunday & Monday!!

The chart is filling up very nicely, but, as usual, there are an infinite number of readers for each time period...

if you need help putting your name in the chart, PM me, skittles, or anniemod, or crazy4reading!

There is also the "No Timeline" readers chart for those who will be reading, but can't commit to a time slot!!

Just a few days to go!!!

EDITED TO ADD: Seriously, if you are having problems with the wiki/sign up page, please ask for help!!

It took time for me to learn how to use the wiki pages and I'm not an expert by any means, but I've learned how to work the ReadaThing page.

I do not expect anyone to know how to use it instinctively!!

(and I still make mistakes & ask for help from others!!)

>83 sandragon: - no need to worry about open time slots; you can always add your name to one that someone's already signed up for :-)

I've just signed up for a few time slots and for the no timeline readers as well. I work most weekends and have some free time at work, but nothing that I can normally count on as available time. This is my firt Thon/Thing and I hope I signed up correctly and that I can find the right pages to be on!

I'm looking forward to it!

#86: Laura, your spots look good, both in the timeline & in the No Timeline.

To be able to sit & read on a Monday morning!! Heaven!!!

and you can read at 10 am, too, with the person who is already reading there! No limit to readers in any time slot!!

Since you're here, can I ask you a question? Will there be a separate thread for the current readers? I'm not sure where I should say "Hey I'm here and reading __".

Laura,

That's the Log Book Thread, here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/124081

It is there that you can post your RaT experience, reviews, comments, support for others, etc.

Also, you can post your pics in the Log Book thread or in the "What will you be reading" thread...

I'll post (or someone else will) instructions later in both places for how to post your pictures so that they can appear in the threads.

Welcome, Laura, to the ReadaThing group!!

It's getting close and I am getting excited!

Finally – I found out about this BEFORE it started! Yeah!

I am getting my stack together and told everyone that I am doing nothing but working, reading and sleeping starting Thursday night!

Oh, to have an excuse to indulge, and be guilt free!!!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Just signed up for the no time line readers group. I need to read my latest arc The Forever Faithful complete trilogy ( 1,124 pages...yikes ). I will also try to re-read the complete 21 chapters of the Gospel of John. Good Luck to me, quite a big challenge for myself.

#92: You can do it!! both the book & John!!

#91: The next one will be in February, so keep your eyes on the group in early January. And you & your evil twin are both welcome!! and you can sign up for a specific time or on the "No Timeline Readers" group....

90: rainpebble, if you get any more excited, you will be twitching too much to be reading!!!

Yeah February will be easy to remember - it's our birthday month!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

I am just hoping that I can complete Pride & Prejudice
before we begin the ReadaThing!~! We do begin tomorrow, don't we?

Yep - I guess it's tomorrow wherever you are. Well, technically now it's today, for me - just about 12 hours to go.

Right, just about twelve hours from now! Get excited! :-)

Oh, I'm excited!!

I'm going to take a picture of the chair where I plan to do most of my reading.... complete with a cup of tea & a sandwich or cookies... or something.... with my laptop nearby. Not exciting, but comfortable.

I _want_ to take a picture, but there's no one else in the house...and if there were, my cats wouldn't be with me (they've both gone spooky on strangers (ie, everyone but me) recently). I'm going to have to set up the camera and try a few timer shots to see if I can get it properly.

I will try to take a picture of where I plan to do my reading if my camera decides to work. I don't know if I can use a timer on my camera. I will work with it tonight. I know I won't read too much tonight because I do have a show I like to watch but will read when I can.

I am hoping to finish my current read Certain Prey by Sunday so that I can watch the movie that night.

#99: oh, I won't be in the picture!! I could put my cat it the picture, but then he won't let me sit in my chair to read.... it will then be HIS CHAIR!!! or should I say His Royal Highness' Throne!

But reading is always nice with a kitty in my lap or nearby.

I always have either my cat or my dog near me when I read. The dog loves to cuddle and sit on my lap and she is not a lap dog. She even likes to smell the books that I am reading. I also have to watch that she doesn't decide to chew the books.

If I vacate the seat I am bound to lose it to the dog.

I can't read with my cat he alwase tries to sit on the books because i'm givving them more attention to them than him. I can't wait for tomorrow!

With two hours to go, The Log Book Thread is open!!!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/124081

you can post here, but most of the "action" will be there!!!

The party's over
It's time to call it a day
They've burst your pretty balloon
And taken the moon away
It's time to wind up the masquerade
Just make your mind up the piper must be paid

The party's over
The candles flicker and dim
You danced and dreamed through the night
It seemed to be right just being with 'them'
Now you must wake up, all dreams must end
Take off your makeup, the party's over
It's all over, my friend

The party's over
It's time to call it a day
Now you must wake up, all dreams must end
Take off your makeup, the party's over
It's all over, my friend

It's all over, my friend

Great readathing. I finished my one book and finished my second one after the RAT was over. Still an eventful readathing.

I read more at the first than at the last, but I enjoyed all the days. Thanks for organizing it.

I'm glad everyone is happy!!

Now, I need your opinions in the Feedback thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/126468

**cue puppy eyes**

Please??