End of Event Meme

 End of Event Meme:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Hour 22 was brutal.  I nodded off repeatedly until I just decided to sleep for the rest of the hour and start fresh for hour 23.                                                     
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?Childhood favorites (I'm definitely reading Judy Blume in October.)Short story collections (Ray Bradbury) Graphic novels                                                                                 
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?No suggestions. The Read-a-Thon was great as usual.                                                             
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I really liked the Cheerleaders again this year. #TeamHughes is the best!                                                   
5. How many books did you read? I read three books.
6. What were the names of the books you read?    I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak                 Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez                                                                                     Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill                                                                     
7. Which book did you enjoy most? I enjoyed them all, but I think I enjoyed Memories of My Melancholy Whores the most because it has profound sentimental value for me.                                          
8. Which did you enjoy least? I can't answer this question. Each book was excellent in its own way.                              
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't a Cheerleader.                                                             
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I am very likely to participate in the Read-a-Thon again. I will be a Reader again, and I am considering spending some time as a Cheerleader.

Hour 12 Mid Event Meme

1. What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading Markus Zusak's I Am The Messenger.

2.How many books have you read so far?
I have read one book so far.

3.What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
I am most looking forward to Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

4.Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Yes. I had to request the day off because this is my scheduled Saturday to work.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
I took a bad fall on the stairs yesterday, so my reading has been constantly interrupted by the distraction of pain. I dealt with this by reading in the bathtub with Epsom salts.

6.What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I am surprised by how difficult it has been for me to read from home. I read at home every day, but this is my first time reading from home for Dewey's Read-a-thon.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No suggestions. The Read-a-thon is great.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
a. I would not fall down a flight of stairs the night before the Read-a-thon

b. Next Read-a-thon I plan to start with an audiobook to ease into the reading day. In the past I reserved audiobooks for the final hours.

c. I started with a long, sober read this time. Next time I might start and end with  lighter reads, leaving the serious subject matter for mid Read-a-thon.

9. Are you getting tired yet?
Yes, but I woke up tired.


10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

No tips.Have fun!  Happy Reading!

Happy Resurrection Day - Dream Big!

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

 and our tongue with shouts of joy.

~ Psalm 120:1-2a

I have spent the past 40 days with Howard Thurman*. Not with the man himself of course, but with his writings. This week I read a selection from The Inward Journey on dreams... "The dreams belong to us; they come full-blown out of the real world in which we work and hope and carry on. They are not imposters...No! Our dreams are our thing."

Gabriel Garcia Marquez passed away and this week, which again got me thinking about dreams.

Which leads me to Langston Hughes. Although Hughes repudiated both Christianity and Atheism, his poetry is deeply spiritual for me. Since I am rambling writing about dreams, and this being National Poetry Month I must share "Dreams" before I get to the point and share what all of this has to do with Resurrection Day. Please bear with me just a while longer.

Dreams

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

~ Langston Hughes

With all of this reading, thinking, and praying about dreams this week, today, Resurrection Day, I am asking myself if there are some dreams that I need to resurrect. What about you? Do you have any dreams that could (or should) be resurrected?

God of today and tomorrow, I pray for really good dreams; for dreams that inspire me and shake me up. Amen.*

* From 40-Day journey with Howard Thurman Editor Donna Schaper

Libraries Making a Difference

Along with being a public librarian, I am also the clerk of my Meeting's Library Committee. Serving Friends in this way is an honor and a privilege. Recently a Friend asked for a Pendle Hill Pamphlet on depression. When s/he returned the pamphlet I asked if it had been helpful or if I needed to find additional materials to meet her/his needs. The Friend was kind of enough to share that the pamphlet was indeed helpful. After reading "Depression and Spiritual Growth" by Dimitri Mihalis an intervention was held by the family. Please hold this family, and all families dealing with depression, in the Light.

Member: You know you have a reputation.

Me: Complete look of dread on my face

Member: You have a reputation for finding just the right book for someone to read.

Me: Thank you so much! That is one of the nicest compliments I will ever receive.