Read-A-Thon Wrap-Up

Another 24-Hour Read-a-Thon is done.  Not my most successful in terms of pages read, but who cares?  There's no prize for the most prolific reader, and I had a lot of fun - so that's a win-win in my book.  Here's what I learned:

1.  Sharing the RAT with a friend doubles the fun.  This was the first read-a-thon for my sister/friend, Teri.  We chatted via instant messenger as she navigated her way through challenges and blog posts.  We were our own personal cheer-leading team.  Rah!

2.  I suck at goal-reaching.  My goal was to read 45 minutes of each hour, with 15 minutes for challenges, posting updates, grabbing snacks, and other "personal needs" after a jillion cups of coffee.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  I spent too much time reading about/entering challenges, watching fun videos posted by hostesses, etc.  My 15 minute break was usually closer to 25.  

3.  It's as much about the people as the books.  I love the book-blogging community and did a little squeal every time someone left me a comment.  I have made some wonderful on-line friends though this event.  Over the next few days I will visit the blog of everyone who left a comment and return the favor, and I'll probably add a new string of blogs to my reader.

4.  Hosting a challenge is amazing - large return of fun for a minimal amount of prep!  During the hour that our challenge posted, I did even less reading than average because I kept checking to see if people were entering.  Once the entry time had expired, I spent an entire hour reading all the entries, discussing them with Dave, and selecting a winner.  It cut into my reading time, but who cares?  I'll definitely be volunteering to host again.

5.  If you build it [a challenge, that is] they will come - and leave comments in droves!  It seems to be a universal trait - people who love books love to share books.  Seventy-five people left us fascinating comments with ideas on how to share the love of books.  I'll be posting a wrap-up of all their ideas with the next day or so.  

6.  The most important piece of new information I gleaned from this read-a-thon, which I will be sure to remember and use in the future:  Take your medicine, you idiot!  I take medication for headaches that makes me drowsy.  One little pill at bed-time affects my sleep patterns and keeps me from waking up with a headache that starts in my temples, radiates over the top of my head and ends just below my should blades.  I know this for absolute, un-arguable fact!  I lived with these headaches for years (and years and years) before one genius doctor finally diagnosed the solution.  As long as I take that tiny little pill, headaches are rare.  BUT, they make it difficult to wake up in the morning.  So, being the total genius that I am (NOT) I decided that one night without medication would be ok and would allow me to be more alert to read.  Really, really bad idea!  Drowsy is better than in pain.  Next time I'll remember - Take the pill, stupid!

7.  READERS ROCK!  Thanks to everyone who organized, cheered, read, commented and challenged.