Or rather, the roof is falling! Or rather, the roof is being replaced! By hard-working roofers! They'd have to be, to want to be on my roof in 10-degree weather in January. But oh no--my poor plants--what will become of them?
Oh yeah.
In other news, even though I have little or no ability to ever complete any KAL or reading challenge I sign up for, I'm signing for another one. But really, I could not resist the logo:
The challenge is to read books at least 450 pages long (or 525, if they're large print, which I, ahem, am of the age to appreciate). The complete rules are here. You'll notice there are several categories. Being foolish and optimistic, I didn't go with the path of least resistance (The "Chubby Chunkster," which requires you to read only two books in the 10-month challenge), but again, succumbing to love of silliness, I chose the category "Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big?" which requires me to read 3-5 doorstoppers. Fortunately, I don't have to declare upfront which books I will read, which goes a long way to my possible success; there's nothing like declaring I'll read specific books to make me not want to read those books at all. And I do have several Chunksters on the TBR stacks. So we'll see.
But at least I get a cool button out of it.
Hah! can I ever relate to house construction! But a roof? In Minnesota in winter?
I'm reading Ken Follet's Pillar's of the Earth - 950 pages and just got his latest, World Without End - 1250 Do they qualify? The first one is excellent....
Posted by: Katie | January 13, 2009 at 10:34 AM
oh, that sounds like fun! it's funny how there's nothing that makes you not want to read a book like deciding to read it. good luck!
Posted by: heather | January 13, 2009 at 10:31 AM
I love big books! I am definitely checking this out. Cute button, too!
Posted by: Claire | January 13, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Big books kinda scare me a little bit; I must have flashbacks to college lit classes & the Norton Anthologies that were much heavier than my other books with tiny words on super thin pages...
Although Harry Potter was a joy to read (okay, except for that last one).
Posted by: cursingmama | January 12, 2009 at 02:49 PM
It's gonna be REALLY cold this week!
Posted by: deb | January 12, 2009 at 02:49 PM
Whoopee. What a great idea. Has somebody posted a list of "friendly Chunksters?"
Posted by: PainterWoman | January 12, 2009 at 07:11 AM
Your poor plants! If only they hadn't already suffered the final indignity long, long ago.
That Chunkster Challenge is pretty fun, especially with lax rules. However, just knowing a page count for me was enough to make it a slog.
I want to know what books Kitt would recommend.
Posted by: Carrie K | January 12, 2009 at 07:11 AM
Thanks, I'm in, too. It makes a good excuse for a) not finishing all my WIPs right away, b) having a dirty house and c)having too little time to go to the gym. YAAAAAAAAAY!
Posted by: PainterWoman | January 12, 2009 at 07:11 AM
I prefer a nice well balanced book--not too lean, but not too chubby either. But then again, I've never said "no" to a book because it was too fat (I've got other criteria I judge them on first! LOL!)
Posted by: bezzie | January 11, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Have you made your first choice yet?
Posted by: Guinifer | January 11, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Roofers are crazy. When I worked ER, we saw at least one a week in spring and summer. They could break the most unusual bones. Like sternums. I don't know if I could take a chunky book on right now. I like them well enough, but they'd compete with winter knitting. I take it books on tape don't count?
Posted by: rudee | January 11, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Teehee - that's a great reading challenge!
Posted by: Heather | January 11, 2009 at 01:37 PM
I just downloaded the unabridged Moby Dick from audible.com. Does that count?
Posted by: kmkat | January 11, 2009 at 01:37 PM
I'm still amazed that you and the roofers are doing this in January!! I hope the project completes quickly.
That challenge looks interesting. I could easily choose from Neal Stephenson or Sharon Kay Penman... these have been on my TBR pile forever.
Posted by: limedragon :-: Harriet | January 11, 2009 at 01:37 PM
Hmm. Tempting, yet also completely insane. And roofers in January? Yikes.
Posted by: Miss T | January 11, 2009 at 01:37 PM
that looks fun.
kind of like the competitive reading club, but with buttons. (in our club the books had to be 150 pages minimum, but if they were 500 plus you got two credits.)
Posted by: laurie | January 11, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Okay, I'm blogless but in. In that "Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big?" category. Checked the TBR shelves and I've got the minimum three, including one borrowed from you (Cloud Atlas) and a Günter Grass (The Flounder), which should maybe count as more than one 'cause it's, well, Günter Grass. If I'm wanting an additional "challenge" I'll toss in one of the classics like Anna Karenina or something. Honestly Amy, the things you egg me into...
Posted by: blogless Heidi | January 11, 2009 at 11:03 AM
I might do this challenge. I have several 'chunksters' in my pile, and after reading a big one over christmas was thinking quality vs. quantity might be a good challenge for this year.
Posted by: Miriam | January 11, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Ha! That's pretty funny. I like the button.
Any idea which books you might try?
I can recommend a couple great ones. The kind you start out reading thinking, "Damn, this is a big book," and near the end you think, "Damn, it's not big enough. I want more!"
Posted by: Kitt | January 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM
That looks like FUN!
Posted by: --Deb | January 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Oh, I like that button. Hmmmm.... I'm not seeing any chunksters in my TBR pile. Hmmmm...
Posted by: Chris | January 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM