Read or Die!

My friends and I love to read. It seems like every time we get together someone is talking about the book they just finished or the book they are currently reading or what books they are hoping to check out. Indeed, my friends are such great book lovers that two of them have started book clubs that I have the great privilege of attending every month (Thanks Regina and Suzanne!). So, some of the girls and I have decided that since we spend so much time reading we might as well have a little competition. And because I feel like all fun ideas and events need names I have dubbed this competition Read or Die! It's a little dramatic, I know, but it is a competition after all.

And now for the rules:

1) Keep track of both the number of books and the number of pages read each month.

2) Each book must be counted in the month in which the book was finished.

3) Audio books can be put toward the total. Just check Amazon for the page count.

At the end of the year we will all report the number of books and the number of pages that we have read and then we'll name the two winners. The goal is to read at least 60 books. And since some of us (me in particular) have a tendency to reread, the goal is also for at least 40 of these books to be new.

I'm really quite excited about this friendly little competition. But to my friends, I will warn you all that it is on...like Donkey Kong!

I've Been Tagged!

So, my mom (Marie of Spun By Me) asked for me to share seven things about myself. I think she thought it might be a good way to encourage me to actually start posting on my blog. Anyways, here it goes:

Seven Things About Me

1. I'm a huge sports fan. And I mean HUGE. My favorites are hockey (Go Wings!) and tennis, but quite honestly, if you can call it a sport and find it on tv I'll check it out. During the hockey season I watch well over a hundred games and if there is a tennis major going on then that is, without a doubt, what I'm watching (even if it means getting up in the middle of the night to watch live matches from Australia). And the Olympics...I love the Olympics. Don't even try to talk to me about anything else during those three weeks.


2. I love lists. Making lists is one of my favorite pastimes. I have lists of everything from movies to books to music. If I'm going on a trip I will make a detailed packing list, a list of every outfit and a list of every list. Seriously. Ask my friends. They've seen me do it. And nothing makes me happier than copying the lists until they are perfect. For Christmas this year my friend Kate got me this great book, Listography. It's a journal of your life in lists. Isn't that the coolest thing ever?


3. I am currently ranked #23 (out of 178275 participants) on the Goodreads book trivia quiz! This is an accomplishment for which I am extremely proud. Really. And if you haven't checked out Goodreads before, then you should. Not only is it super fun answering the trivia questions, but you can also win free books and keep track of the books you've read and want to read (yeah lists!).


4. Speaking of reading, my absolute favorite books are the Harry Potter series. I love long stories full of adventure, creativity and character development and these books are full of all those things. And they are great to read aloud, particularly when read with a British accent (ask my friend Christine, she gets this too). They are also chock full of delightful names, like Florean Fortescue, Minerva McGonagall and Bathilda Bagshot. The glorious alliteration is almost too much for me to handle! I've recently started listening the audio books and they are a must for any true fan of the series. Jim Dale is awesome and I'm picking up on things I've never noticed before, though I've read each of the books at least 10 times.


5. I have an unnatural love for Sharpies. I love the fine-point ones, the fat ones, the super fat ones, the lime green ones and the new Sharpie pen. But nothing beats the classic black Sharpie. I especially love the way that this pen smells. Try it. Hold one up to your nose and take a big whiff. It's great!


6. I love big purses. The bigger the better. I like knowing that I can dig into my bag and find anything from a toothbrush to an umbrella to Jimmy Hoffa. My favorite place to find these big bags is Target because, frankly, I'm too cheap (read poor) to spend more the $20 on a purse.


7. Singing is definitely not one of my talents, but I still love to sing, especially in the car. Not to blow my own horn, but I am an unbelievably awesome car singer. I sing loud and with feeling. You know those people that you see totally rocking out in the car? I am proud to say that I am one of those people.