Friday, April 3, 2009

Why I've been out of commission lately, and why I won't finish Gone With the Wind this week

You all know I love books. And running my kids' Book Fair is truly a labor of love. But it does tend to consume every ounce of energy and time that I have when it is happening, which has been for the last week and a half. I've been attempting to keep up with my blogger socializing at night when I get home, but my reading and posting has been woefully crappy. I will not finish the last 150 pages of Gone With the Wind this weekend, but as we are on Spring Break next week, you will get the final glorious dregs very soon. I am taking my kids to Indiana to visit my parents, and I intend on sleeping in and reading to my heart's content. I will be also hopefully finishing Voyager, the third audio book in the Outlander series, while I am away as well.

I have to admit, I've been slipping into a depression because I am not getting through these books very quickly. I am used to posting on at least two books a week, and I seriously feel unproductive. Is this wrong? It probably is, because the obnoxiously long books I'm reading are fantastic. I guess I feel I need to provide reading material on the blog, and it just ain't happening here lately!

So my apologies for not doing my dance routine for you here lately. Here are a few pictures from the Book Fair that I managed to take when I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off!






23 comments:

ds said...

Sandy--
I do remember those running-around days. Book fairs, class mom, help with this, donate that...and that's just school. Forget about the extra activities! I am so impressed that you are able to complete the amount of reading & blogging that you do along with everything else and remain sane. GWTW is a great book no matter when you finish it. Please relax,and have a great time on your vacation. You've earned it!

Carrie K. said...

I completely understand why you haven't been around so much! Good for you for being so involved at your kids' school. We'll still be here when things slow down. I hope you have an awesome vacation. How far are you into Voyager? I'm on disc 22. I think I'm going to take a break and listen to the third Stephanie Plum before I move on to Drums in Autumn.

Literary Feline said...

I bet the book fair was exhausting but fun. :-)

I hope you have a wonderful spring break, Sandy. Enjoy the last stretch of Gone With the Wind.

I know what you mean about wishing you were reading more. I have felt that way all year--and only one of the books I read was extra long. I keep telling myself it's the quality that is important.

Take care!

Matt said...

No need to apologize, Sandy! I'm enjoying your post on the kids and bookfairs all the same. There is no greater thing than to imbue in children the joy and fun of reading.

Take your time with GWTW, which I just finished today over coffee in the morning. I was a bit devastated!

Enjoy spring break and the extra tad of sleep. Tell us about the great books you're reading. :)

Unknown said...

Please don't worry about it - I think it is great when real life takes over!

I hope you enjoy your time in Indiana, and I look forward to reading about GWTW when I eventually finish it, as I'm sure you'll get to the end before me!

Have a great Easter!

Sandy Nawrot said...

ds - yes you are right! I've done them all, and I do enjoy it, as long as I remain steadfast and not volunteer too much! If you don't learn to say "no", they will suck the life out of you!

Carrie - I am on disc 30 in
Voyager. And this one is BY FAR the best one so far, I think. I will most definitely be taking a bit of a break before I launch into the next one though!

Wendy - I really look forward to some days off! I guess that sound crazy for a stay-at-home mom to say, but it is true! I think I'm more exhausted now at the end of the day than when I worked!

Matt - I agree. I consider it my mission to help the kids learn the love of reading. It is such a wonderful gift that I can't imagine MY life without books. I know that if I just get some uninterrupted time, maybe a few hours, I will finish this book. I am excited, because I know what is coming!

Jackie - my time in Indiana is always good. My parents live on a farm in the country, where it is quiet and peaceful. My sister will be there too, so it is almost like going back in time to when we were small!

Beth F said...

I know how you feel. When I was listening to the Cleopatra book, I kept thinking: But I have no reviews for my blog! I read graphic novels and YA novels on the side. You, however, have two *huge* ones!

Darlene said...

Sandy, don't worry about it. I bet the fair was crazy but fun. I go sometimes without reviews because I read a few at a time and then have reviews all at the same time. However, when you're reading the chunksters, there's only so fast you can be. Have a good vacation.

Savidge Reads said...

Sandy do you know you have explained something that often puts me off longer books - I love them but I then worry I will miss blogging, sometimes you're just too busy. Especially if you're doing something as wonderful as the kids bookfair!

Dawn - She is Too Fond of Books said...

Have a great spring break - yes, kids will have fun with the grandparents, and you'll enjoy reading.

I know the work involved in a Book Fair, but they're so much fun, aren't they?! I love that huge statue you were able to get to tie-in the with theme, what an attention-getter!

Travel safely ...

Unknown said...

Ahhh, the book fair. I think Simon is right about longer books. I've actually been a bit worried that blogging may have changed my reading habits for the worse in that it has led me to choose shorter books so I can keep up with my blog entries.

Breaking them into sections is working for now.

Anyway, enjoy some time off and have a wonderful time in Indiana.

3m said...

Hi Sandy! I just discovered your blog through Farm Lane Books. It's wonderful!

Just a quick note, though. I don't think it's showing correctly in the Firefox browser, but when I go to Internet Explorer, it looks awesome.

It might just be my computer and not affecting anyone else, but I thought you should know in case it is doing that with Firefox with everyone!

3m said...

I just checked it out in Chrome (the new google browser) and it looks the same as it does in Firefox. The brown overlay you have looks like it is going behind the original template. Something to do with layers, I think, but I don't know how to fix it.

You might want to have someone else check it out in Firefox and Chrome. Like I said, it might just be my computer. Probably most of your readers use IE anyway, but it's worth checking out.

Desert Rose said...

I haven't been productive much in my reading this past week either.. I've been stuck in the same book, not that I'm not enjoying it, I am.. really!! But I've been having a running around week too and not having much time to sit down and really read, plus the book is not my usuall number of pages, it's a bit longer, so I'm kinda blaming it ;)

I also passed by to tell you that I have an award for you ;)
Please come pick it up here :)

http://desertrosebooklogue.blogspot.com/2009/04/splash-award.html

Unknown said...

I've just checked on firefox, and found the same problem as Michelle (3m)On firefox you can only read the type if you highlight it - the text is the same colour as the background. Sorry - I don't know anything about how firefox works, or how to fix it. I hope you can fix it easily.

Sandy Nawrot said...

3m and Jackie - I am sorry this is a problem for you. Unfortunately, I am a complete idiot when it comes to "fixing" anything. I've tried before, and screwed it up even worse than it was before. The only way I could even potentially come close to a solution would be to hire someone, and I doubt I could justify this to my husband!

Literary Feline said...

I am not sure there is anything you can do, Sandy. I use Firefox on my home computer and so have the same problem Michelle and Jackie have noticed. But when I'm at work, it looks just fine (I use Internet Explorer there).

My husband was showing me one of the problems he has with his blog--the formatting comes out differently between Firefox and IE. It's really weird.

When reading your blog from home, I just make do as best I can. I really enjoy reading your posts and a little formatting issue between browsers isn't enough to keep me away. You're stuck with me!

Sandy Nawrot said...

Wendy, you are so sweet. I feel helpless with this problem, and I'm sorry it makes it difficult to read my blog. I am off to Indiana this week, and my blogger sister will be there. Maybe she can help me! I'm glad you are so loyal that you will trudge through my html issues!

Melody said...

Sandy, I've missed you! And please don't worry about not posting... you read some great books which I have not even read! ;)

The book fair sounds so fun! BTW, I've passed you an award! Come on over! :)

Unknown said...

Sandy - don't worry about it - it isn't a problem for me at all! I don't use firefox! I just went to check for you, to see if it was just a problem with Michelles computer.

Not many people use firefox, and those that do can almost always switch to IE if they encounter a problem.

I'll ask my husband if he knows any easy fixes - he's a bit of a computer whizz!

Melissa said...

I always loved the book fair as a kid. It's great that you are able to help out with those events!

I'd wondered why you were absent from my reader lately. :) I'm glad to hear it was just because you were busy.

Yay for Spring Break too. Hopefully you get lots of reading in, but if not, oh well!

Iliana said...

Aw Sandy, don't feel bad for not posting or blog hopping. You've had a lot going on and your books will wait for you :)

The Book Fair I'm sure was a lot of hard work so enjoy your spring break tons!

Sandy Nawrot said...

You guys are awesome..I'm not depressed anymore! Except about my stupid background, but I will get over it! I am getting good reading in here on my Spring Break. Reading and hot tea has given me the proper attitude adjustment! And if it just warms up a bit here in IN, I will start walking in the mornings and finish off my ginormous audio book!