Read-a-thon | Fizzy Thoughts

Reading Makes My Brain Sing

9 April 2010

Tomorrow is the read-a-thon, and as usual I will be cheering for all of the readers. If you are participating, it’s entirely possible that I will be leaving a cheesy cheer on your blog. I know…you can’t wait.

To get you all in the mood for the read-a-thon, I have a new song. Hey, I heard that groan! This one is meant to be sung (rapped?) to the tune of Cypress Hill’s “Insane in the Brain.” If you’re not familiar with the song (and please don’t judge me when I confess to having it on my iPod), you can listen to it here. You might even want to bookmark it…I’m sure that video will be especially trippy after your brain is fried from 24 hours of reading. Also, I think my rendition will flow better at that time, too. It’s a little clunky…but damn, have you ever tried to parody a Cypress Hill song?!?

Reading Makes My Brain Sing

Say what? Are you tryin’ to talk to me?
Don’t you know I’m readin’?

To all of you readers and cheerleaders

I just flip that page
Let my mind engage
I’m assuaged
But now the book’s over
Eh…
Maybe I shoulda gone slower

Don’t make me dog ear, hear
Whatta I gotta do to get a cheer
Whoa
The lights are blinkin’
I’m thinkin’
It’s not over ’til my brain’s unthinkin’

Book’s makin’ my mind blow
I can’t stay away from the cookie dough
Gobbledygook got no hook
Does a reader like me even need this book?

Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring, ding-a-ling)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring, ding-a-ling)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Read the whole thang, kept me sane)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring, ding-a-ling)

Was up reading ‘til midnight, if you say that’s not right -
Bite me – watch my brain ignite
Put me on a book diet? Don’t try it
I’ll shush yo’ ass like a librarian says quiet

This book’s fat, it’s a chunkster, not a door stop
Use it for that – karate chop
‘Cause you know, I don’t take that abuse lightly
Books mistreated are just unsightly

Hey, try a new genre, might be good
I hear YA is misunderstood
Plots mundane, water stains, eyestrain
Makes a reader like me go insane

Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring, ding-a-ling)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring, ding-a-ling)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Read the whole thang, kept me sane)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring, ding-a-ling)

Insane in da brain
Insane in da brain
Insane in da brain
Insane in da brain

Like Jane Austen, wrote P&P
I wonder what she’d think of all these zombies
Watch out for the narcs
Those cops, tryin’ to snatch my ARCs

FTC wants to know about provenance
Take a stance, with my own finance
Send their police dog to read my blog
I’ll put their brain in a fog

I’m a reader I try not to be a speeder
I’ve got more books than Carter has pills
So many it gives me chills
All designed to give me thrills
Look, just don’t call them inane
That’ll make a reader go insane

Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring ding-a-ling)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring ding-a-ling)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Read the whole thang, kept me sane)
Reading makes my brain sing
(Hear it ring ding-a-ling)

Insane in da brain
Insane in da brain
Insane in da brain
Insane in da brain

********************

And if Neil Diamond is more to your taste, check out my other song, Sweet Readathon, over at 24 Hour Readathon Cheerleading HQ.

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A Musical Mini-Challenge

24 October 2009

(ETA: Sorry folks, but I deleted my blog on Sunday and lost all my comments from Saturday. But there were 56 wonderful entries for this mini-challenge…I’m sorry all of the songs and video links are lost!)

Welcome readers (and cheerleaders!). Are you ready for a little break from your books and pom-poms? It’s time for a mini-challenge!

I know a lot of readers are also fans of music. So for this mini-challenge we’re going to give our eyes a break and focus on our ears. I’d like you to post a song that reminds you of the read-a-thon, or that you love to read to, or that makes you think of a particular book. You can either embed a video of the song, or post the lyrics. And don’t forget to include a sentence or two as to why you’re sharing that particular song! Easy-peasie, right? Originally, I was thinking of making you run a marathon, but I thought this might go over a bit better.

Please leave me a link to your post in the comments. No linkie, no entry. This mini-challenge will continue for three hours, at which time I’ll draw a random winner.

Oh, the prize? Your choice of a $15 online gift card for either barnesandnoble.com or powells.com.

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I Need a New Book

24 October 2009

Because it’s the read-a-thon, and because I have a history of writing cheesy plagiarized songs, and because I’m going to spend a good part of today cheering for all of the readers out there, I just can’t let the day start without a song. This one was written specifically with today in mind.

I Need a New Book (to the tune of I Want a New Drug, by Huey Lewis and the News)

I need a new book
One that won’t make me yawn
One that’ll suck me in
And keep me from mowing the lawn

I need a new book
One that won’t make me over-think
One that won’t make my attention stray
Or drive me to drink

One that wont make me scared
When I’m alone
One that makes me feel like I feel when I read you
When I read you

I need a new book
One that won’t suck
One that won’t cost $50 bucks
Or make me upchuck

I need a new book
One that won’t make me cry
One that won’t make me sniffle
One that won’t make me dry my eyes

One that wont make me rant
At the author-dude
One that makes me feel like I feel when I read you
When I read you

I need a new book
One that says I’m the perfect book
One that won’t make me feel too bored
One that’s got a good hook

I need a new book
Maybe a graphic novel
One where the author doesn’t talk too much
Or one that’s filled with drivel

One that leaves me happy and
Wondering what to read next
One that makes me feel like I feel when I read you
When I read you

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Lit Vogue

18 April 2009

This one goes out to all the readathoners…

Lit Vogue, inspired (and aided and abetted by) maDAWNna of She Is Too Fond of Books

Read, read
Read, read

Go with the flow
Go with the flow

Come on, read
Let your eyes move across the page, hey, hey hey
Come on, read
Let your mind merge with the book, you know, you can do it

Look around everywhere you turn is bookstores
They’re everywhere that you haunt
You try everything you can to resist
The lure of books that you want

When all else fails and you long to be
Something better than you are today
I know a place where you can get away
It’s called a bookstore, and here’s what it’s for, so

Come on, read
Let your eyes move across the page, hey, hey hey
Come on, read
Let your mind merge with the book, you know, you can do it

All you need is your own imagination
So use it that’s what it’s for
Go inside, for your finest inspiration
Your dreams will open the door

It makes no difference if you’re black or white
If you’re a boy or a girl
If the story’s good, it will give you new life
You’re a superstar, yes, that’s what you are, you know it

Come on, read
Let your eyes move across the page, hey, hey hey
Come on, read
Let your mind merge with the book, you know, you can do it
Come on, read
Let your mind merge with the book, you know, you can do it

Reading’s where you find it
Not just at school in English Lit
Plot is in the story
That’s where I find the glory
As long as it’s not too gory
So get on over to the book store.

Come on, read
Let your mind merge with the book, you know, hey, hey, hey
Come on, read
Let your mind merge with the book, you know, you can do it

Read, read
Read, read
A book
A book
Read, read

Read, read
Reading’s where you find it
Read to succeed
Read, read
Reading’s where you find it
Go with the flow

Edgar Allen Poe and Stowe
Dickinson and Defoe
Maya Angelou, Jack Kerouac
On the cover of a trade paperback

J.K. Rowling, Stephen King
Both are the real thing
Murakami and the Gages
Roald Dahl, words from sages

They have style, they write pages
Anne Rice earned good wages
Anne, Emily, Charlotte, too
Jane Austen, we love you

Ladies with an attitude
Fellows that were in the mood
Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it
Read a book, there’s nothing to it

Read, read
Read, read

Let your eyes move across the pages
Ooh, you’ve got to just
Let your mind go with the flow
Ooh, you’ve got to

Let your eyes move across the pages
Ooh, you’ve got to just
Let your mind go with the flow

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Top 10 Lists

19 October 2008

For the read-a-thon, I hosted a mini-challenge. I asked participants to create their top 10 list of anything related to the read-a-thon. For 2 hours, people sent me links to their lists, and for 2 hours I was highly entertained. Maybe it was the hour (15 hours into the read-a-thon) or maybe it was the caffeine (very possible, considering how many times it was mentioned in the lists), but there were some hilarious and clever entries. Here’s a sample:

From Joanne at Book Zombie: The Top Ten Things You Can Do While Reading That You Never Thought You’d Be Doing!

Jessi at Casual Dread: Jessi’s Top 7 Books Added to Her Wishlist Because of the Read-a-Thon

Kimmy at The Smug Cloud: The Top Ten Distractions You Must Carefully Avoid During The Read-a-thon!

Ashley at Book and Cranny: Top 10 Ways You Know You’ve Had Too Much Coffee During the Read-a-Thon

Steph at The Kea: Top 10 Reasons the Read-A-Thon Makes you Look Crazy to Non-Read-a-Thoner’s

Chris at Stuff as Dreams are Made On: Top Ten Ways To Keep Your Eyes Pried Open During the Readathon

To find the links to all of the lists, check out the comments page from the mini-challenge post.

Thanks to everyone who contributed a list…this was one of the highlights of my evening!

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the day after

19 October 2008

it’s like the day after christmas around here. only it’s the day after the read-a-thon. and instead of a sad little christmas tree in the corner, i’ve got a ratty looking pair of neglected pom-poms lying at my feet. okay, not really, but i am kinda sad it’s all over, because i had a great time, even if i was only a cheerleader. and if you’re wondering why the capitals have left my blog, it’s because after leaving a bajilion and one comments yesterday, today i am a lazy typer…you should be grateful i’m using periods and commas and such.

you know, i really wanted to be a reader, but i knew i couldn’t stay up all night (i have to get up early tomorrow and go back to davis for another training, so sleep deprivation wasn’t an option). except now, after cheering all the readers on, i’m thinking i kinda like the idea of being a permanent cheerleader. i actually went the whole day without reading, and i survived. and it’s fun to kinda get a global perspective of the read-a-thon, to see what everyone is up to without worrying about not reading.

major kudos to dewey, the master-mind of the whole event, and her helpers, aerin, trish, nymeth and hannah. you guys totally rock!

as a cheerleader, i just have two suggestions. well, pleas really. the first is a plea to all bloggers to turn off their word verification for the day, because, i’m sorry, but when you’re leaving comment after comment after comment, that becomes a total pain in the buttinsky to deal with. and the second is…we need more cheerleaders! i was thinking it’d be easy to bop around and leave comments on everyone’s blog, but it’s not. easy, that is. i know there were blogs i never made it to (and yes, i have feelings of guilt) and there were blogs i stopped by a few times, and then there were bloggers who couldn’t shake me. and really, doesn’t everyone deserve a pain in the ass cheerleader to cheer them on?

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it’s time for a mini-challenge!

18 October 2008

Welcome read-a-thon-ers! You’ve all been doing a spectacular job…I hope you’re having a fabulous time!

For my mini-challenge I’m asking read-a-thon participants (and yes, this includes you too, cheerleaders and organizers) to channel David Letterman and come up with their Top 10 List. The only catch is your list needs to somehow relate to the read-a-thon (you know, as in the top 10 reasons Dewey rocks or the top 10 reasons why sleep deprivation enhances the reading experience or the top 10 snacks for a read-a-thon). Be profound, be silly, be whatever…there will be no prizes for creativity, but there will be a prize. Participants who post their Top 10 List will be entered in a drawing for a $10 Starbucks card. Because y’all are probably in need of some caffeine about now.

Please post your top 10 list on your blog and leave me a link here in the comments so that I’m sure to find it. This mini-challenge will run for the next two hours…I’ll draw a winner at 9pm Pacific time.

Have fun! And if you can’t quite make it to 10, that’s okay…give me your top 5 or 6 or 7 list. I’m flexible.

readathoncheerleader its time for a mini challenge!