Title of book(s) read this hour: Travels in the Scriptorium – Paul Auster
Number of books read since you started: none finished yet
Pages read: 22
Running total of pages read since you started: 82
Amount of time spent reading: 15 mins
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 1 hr 11 mins
Other participants visited: Chris, Care & Nymeth.
Mini-challenges participated in: Nymeth’s webcomics challenge
Cups of tea/coffee: 1 cup of the same tea as the last one

I didn’t get much reading done this hour at all, so now I plan to pick up that book again (it’s good. I’ve heard so many positive things about Auster, but I’ve never read anything written by him before) and read until I feel like a break, whenever that might be. It’s quite possible, then, that I won’t post again until hour 4 or 5. We shall see.

Happy reading, all fellow participants!

Nymeth’s mini-challenge for hour two is one where you take a break from reading books, to spend ten minutes on a webcomic (the link explains all, so click it!).

Since I’ve been away for a while, I have some catching up to do on the blogs and webcomics I read daily, and decided to use this challenge as motivation to catch up on Cyanide and Happiness, which is my favourite webcomic ever. It’s completely insane and hilarious, and pokes fun at things you’re normally told you shouldn’t joke about. Sometimes bad taste is the thing to make you laugh.

I’m posting two of the comics from this most recent week, so you’ll get a sample of what it’s like. There are many more strips to be found in the archives (some 1,300—I spent a fair few days earlier this year reading all the older ones). Apologies if this messes up the layout (which is already messed up in IE, from what I hear).

I’m a little uncertain if I should title the posts after the hour that has just gone by, or the hour that has just begun. I’m going with the second option for now, though. ETA: I’ve changed my mind, because I got confused. All stats posts are now titled after the hour that was, rather than the hour that is.

So, the first hour, I spent most of the time reading. I didn’t get stuck in the moment the clock hands turned to read-a-thon time, though, as I was a little late in prepping my snacks. Better late than never, though, and my snacks are awesome. ;D

Stats: Hour 1
Title of book(s) read this hour: A Game of Thrones – George R R Martin
Number of books read since you started: none finished yet
Pages read: 60
Running total of pages read since you started: 60
Amount of time spent reading: 56 mins
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 56 mins
Other participants visited: Dewey, Word Lily and Eva
Mini-challenges participated in: Darcie’s introductory meme
Cups of tea/coffee: 1 cup of tea (black saffron & chili, very nice!)

The Read-a-thon starts in about half an hour and I am excited and rearing to go. To start things off, here is an introductory meme from Darcie.

Where are you reading from today?
At home, which is a small town in southern Sweden.

3 facts about me …
* I just came back from trip to London and am not quite caught up on sleep yet, so we’ll see how it goes.
* I have always loved reading. It used to get me teased, but that’s a long time ago now.
* I’m wearing cow-patterned pajamas with “Grumpy Cow” written on it, as I suspect that will be me by this time tomorrow. ;D

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I just counted, and it’s twenty-four. I know there’s no way I will have time to finish all of them, but ten or so would be nice.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
My goal is to read as much as I possibly can, but I won’t put numbers on it (though it would be nice to get past 1,500 pages…). I’m also going to try to blog at least once every couple of hours and keep track of everyone else.

Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
I am doing this for the first time, so no. ;D

I’m way behind on my reviews and I think at this point it’s probably just easier to give up and face that I won’t get around to writing about all the books I’ve read this month. At least I haven’t read very much this week—only about half a book—as I’ve simply not had time. I spent the last three days in London, and boy, do I love that city! We had good weather too, which is always nice. Actually, all the times I’ve been in London, I don’t think I’ve been rained on more than three times.

Anyway, I came back with a sunburn (I forgot the sun block, being a bit of an idiot and all), a few new books, English snacks, Jelly Belly jelly beans and some new clothes. A good trip, in other words!

While I was away, Eva tagged me for a meme.

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago I was on summer holidays. A friend and I house-sat my aunt’s house while she and her partner were away on vacation. We looked after the chickens, read a bunch of books, went for swims in the lake and generally had a good time.

Five Snacks I enjoy in a perfect, non weight-gaining world:
1. McCoy’s salt and malt vinegar crisps
2. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Dublin Mudslide especially. Yum!
3. mini mozzarella pizza
4. chocolate-covered coffee beans
5. cheesecake, Swedish style (but only Vrigstad’s), with whipped cream and jam

Five Snacks I Enjoy in the Real World
1. slices of fresh pineapple
2. dried apricots (but only the dark kind), dates and figs
3. apple slices with peanut butter
4. frozen green peas
5. ice lollies

Five Jobs I Have Had
1. instruction manual folder
2. manual labourer (mostly digging and painting)
3. pharmacist
4.
5.

Three of My Habits
1. I’m obsessive about recording what I read. I write it down in an Excel spreadsheet, a notebook and this blog, as well as in a wall calendar.
2. Every morning, before going to work, I check my e-mail, Livejournal friends list and the feeds I subscribe to.
3. I scratch at my scalp. I can’t seem to stop, and as a consequence I almost always have one or two scabs I keep picking at. Disgusting, but true.

Five Things I Would Do if I Was a Billionaire
1. Donate to charities.
2. Give presents to family and friends.
3. Buy a house.
4. Pay off my study loans.
5. Quit work and spend most of my time travelling and/or reading.

Five Places I’ve Lived
1. Umeå, Sweden
2. Eskilstuna, Sweden
3. Flahult, Sweden
4. Bordeaux, France
5. Lund, Sweden

Five People I Want to Know Better: (i.e.: the tags!)
T Y, Kim L, Banquo, Stephanie and Iliana (but only if you want to, of course).