I’ve two bits of exciting news to share this morning.

First, some shameless self-promotion 🙂 I was pretty chuffed to garner a mention on Marci Alboher’s New York Times’ blog Shifting Careers last Friday. In addition to being a regular columnist on all things career-blending for the business section of the NYT, Marci is also the author of One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success. I read her book when it came out last year and I liked it a lot. She talks about slash careers, a particular form of portfolio working when people find themselves with two or more very distinct job titles, often in completely unrelated fields. I really like the real-life examples she describes in her column and her book, and feel suitably honoured about the mention. In another happy by-product, traffic to my blog has seen an unseasonal peak so hi to anyone who’s followed the link from that route. And stick around, it gets better 🙂

Second, and in explanation for my silence last week, I’m leaving the London for sunnier pastures this Sunday. My other half is from Australia and he’s convinced me to try translating from Brisbane. It’s a big move and I’m very excited, but things have been a little hectic as I prepare to ensure my move is as seamless as possible for my clients. So expect plenty of reports on the ups and, no doubt, the downs of translating very, very remotely as I do my best to find the answers to such questions as: Will my deadlines be any less stressful with a GMT +10 hour time difference? How quickly can I get up and running in Brisbane when I’ve not even started looking for accommodation yet? Is there a heat threshold beyond which this Irish translator’s brain will stop working? And for how much longer after getting sand in my laptop will my keyboard work??

(Thanks to immigration2australia.com for the picture.)

I really hadn’t intended to be so quiet this week, but I’m here…

Oops, sorry. Wrong picture. I meant, here…

…for a couple of days. It’s not a holiday, per se (I’ve had enough of those this year already, right?) as I am working. In fact, I’m viewing it as an exercise in remote working… only one I’ve not quite got down yet, hence the relative silence on the internet front. But who knows what kind of posts it might generate in the future 🙂

Soon, people, soon…

(Thanks to World Capitals for the Dublin photo.)

Right, today I’m taking part in my first and THE first (hopefully annual!) 24 Hour Read-a-thon. This is being run by the rather amazing Dewey over at the hidden side of a leaf, so click through for all the details on the who, the where, the what and of course, the why (if it isn’t immediately obvious!).

I’m going to shamelessly cog Dewey’s format here: so this will be my Read-a-thon post, which means it will be updated regularly while I’m participating in the event. I’ll post new stuff above old stuff, so people checking back can find it quickly.

If you’ve just stopped by on a bleary Monday morning, then it’ll probably make more sense for you to start at the end of the post, and work your way backwards… Monday’s are confusing enough without trying to figure out what’s been going on chez Sarah since you last checked in.

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19.37 BST / 18.37 GMT:

I’ve just drawn a random name from the participants of this mini-challenge below, and the winner is Eva! She gets a $20 Amazon gift voucher by email. Eva, please email me at sarah at dillonslattery dot com with the address you’d like me to send this to.

Here’s to lots more hours of enjoyable reading in other languages 🙂

‘Til next year, good night and good luck.

13.37 BST / 12.37 GMT:

Good morning/afternoon/evening, busy Readers!! I’ve just had a quick update from Dewey’s page and it looks like several of you are still going strong – WOW! Go get ’em, not long now, you’re nearly there.

I’d hoped to have a chance to run through the blogroll again and visit everyone, but the morning has passed me by much faster than I expected and it’s time for me to head out. So, by my reckoning, there have been 8 participants in my mini-challenge to date. Here’s the run-down in no particular order, with links to their updates:

NL = native language, RL = reading language

1. andreea: NL = Romanian, RL = English, The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
2. iliana: NL = English, RL = Spanish, La Lllorona from Leyandas Mexicanas
3. bonnie jacobs: NL = English, RL = German, Erstes Buch by Berlitz 1967 (sehr gut, Bonnie!)
4. becky: NL = English, RL = French, Alice in Wonderland
5. athena: NL =English , RL = French, Cyrano de Bergerac (I know the link to this website is http://www.aquatique.net, but I just can’t get onto it, sorry… – UPDATE: GOT IT!)
6. bybee: NL = English, RL = Korean, not sure of book title, but it’s by Willie Collins
7. eva: NL = English, RL = Russian, a bit of Pushkin, a bit of Akhmatova, then a couple of Chekhov’s short stories.
8. joy renee: NL = English, RL = Spanish, Don Quixote.

Let me know in the comments if I’ve forgotten anyone. I’m out this afternoon and am not sure when I’ll be back – I’m guessing I’ll do the draw around 19.00 BST / 18.00 GMT, with Mr D to witness. Sorry to keep you waiting for a few hours after the event has finished, but look at it this way: you’ll finish the Read-a-thon and have a few hours’ sleep, then wake up with not only a warm fuzzy feeling from completing the Read-a-thon and mini-challenges (and, possibly, severe heart burn from all the coffee consumed over the past 24 hours), but one participant will also have an extra nice surprise waiting for them in the form of a $20 Amazon gift voucher 🙂

Well done again to everyone who has participated, and thank you to everyone who has dropped by to leave encouraging messages too. Remember, it’s not too late – you still have until the end of the Read-a-thon to participate!

Happy reading!

23.04 BST / 22.04 GMT:

I’ve just finished working my way through the blogs of all the readers of the Read-a-thon, and feeling suitably ashamed for putting on such a poor show myself in that department. But I’m ready and raring to go for next time! I’m so impressed by the fantastic blogs I’ve come across. I feel like I’ve found some real kindred spirits, and am inspired in many different ways as a result… not only has my reading list grown, but I’ve also got a rake of exciting new plans and projects to mull over! Not bad for an evening of blog hopping. Aside from all that, here’s a summary of what’s struck me over the past couple of hours:

• I need to learn how to touch type. I mean, PROPERLY touch type. My hybrid touch typing/ glancing at the keyboard method is plenty speedy enough in the world of people making a living off the number of words they translate, but if I want to pull my weight in the real world of blogging readaholics, I’ve got to get faster to keep up with the comments, emails and updates!
• Some people have such a talent for writing that it shines through even when they’re recounting the most mundane of things. There are those who come across so, so witty, I wish I could write like them, and those who come across so warm and friendly, I wish I was there with them.
• I normally tend to stick to certain kinds of blogs. I’ve been missing out. I never realised just how expressive and interesting a personal blog could be.
• Why don’t I read more?! MAKE the time, Sarah. No more excuses
• I love how readers have featured food and drink on their blogs during this event, and in such an inviting way. It really brings home just how powerful a medium blogging can be 🙂

Right, that’s it from me for tonight. I’ll check in again in the morning.

20.56 BST / 19.56 GMT:

After a quick bite to eat, I started working through the list of Read-a-thon readers on Dewey‘s blog. Almost 2 hours later and I’m only half way through – some of these blogs are so great I’ve added them to my feedreader for regular perusal. Have a I started reading yet? Er… no, not exactly. (I guess it depends how you define “reading”;) ) Am I bothered? Not at all. This is opening up whole new world of blogging for me, and it’s right up there with the most fun I’ve ever done on a Saturday night with my clothes on.

I’m also thinking I should start a personal blog for insights like this, to spare those poor souls who drop on by for their daily dose of translator-related material 🙂

19.01 BST / 18.01 GMT:

The last hour has been totally hectic, a baptism of fire for my first Read-a-thon, but fun too 🙂 As explained below, my mini-challenge will continue for the rest of the Read-a-thon to encourage as many people as possible to join in, but my posting here won’t be as prolific. I’ll spend a couple more hours checking out everyone else’s blogs and generally enjoying the magic around the event (there’s such a fab “atmosphere” around!) . I’ll read a bit t
oo, but I’ve decided to de-readerify myself – it’s only 7pm on a autumnal Saturday night here in London, but I’m beat… doubt I’ll manage to stay up past 10pm!! Yes, yes, I know, hardly the kind of life one imagines a hip, hop, happening gal like myself to be living, but there you go 🙂

Thanks to everyone to who dropped by over the past hour, and I look forward to seeing who else drops by and signs up for the challenge over the coming hours!

18.39 BST / 17.39 GMT:

There are lots of sources of foreign-language books online, but here are a few that look good to me:

* The electronic text collection here has direct links to collections of poetry, electronic journals, ancient and modern literature (along with several annotated translations from/ into English) for a range of Western European languages (including Irish and Catalan, in addition to the “usual suspects” i.e. French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, etc. etc.) This links to a collection from much wider range of languages again… so there’s something here for you no matter how isoteric your language skills 🙂 If you’ve ever wanted to learn a language or brush up on your rusty Romanian (why not?), now’s your chance – why not start by comparing an English translation with its source?!

* Just in case that’s not enough, there’s a range of additional resources here to start you on your search, from Armenian through Chinese and Islandic to Yiddish.

18.23 BST / 17.23 GMT:

Right, a few tweaks and clarifications to this challenge: (all to help make it more fun!)

* mini-challenge will run from now until the end of the Read-a-thon
* challenge is to find a book and then read it for one hour, anytime during the Read-a-thon.
* draw will take place after the end of Read-a-thon tomorrow (probably around 6pm BST/ 5pm GMT) I’ll post the winner here, and contact them directly for their details of who/where to send the gift voucher.

I think this clears a few thigs up and will also mean that readers joinging late, or taking a break, will still be able to participate int he challenge. Thanks guys!

18.12 BST / 17.12 GMT:

Oh wow, this is fast moving, I can’t believe we’re already over 10 mins into my mini-challenge – thank goodness for tabbed browsing!

Right, here are some ideas if you’re looking for online foreign-language material:

Google book search for French-language books, German-language books and Spanish-language books. Not sure how many more of them there are, but I’m sure you could find some for other languages too by experimenting a bit with the URL. Many of these are in Beta still though, so if you do use them I’d be imnterested to hear how you get on! Any other suggestions, post to the comments and let me know!

Remember, the challenge is to read a book in a language that is not your native tongue for [this hour (that includes time to hunt down the material, so don’t worry if you’re not actually reading for the full hour…) – UPDATE: CHALLENGE NOW TO RUN THROUGHOUT THE READ-A-THON! FIND YOUR MATERIAL AND THEN READ FOR A FULL HOUR, PRIZE DRAW WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF THE READ-A-THON]

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18.00 BST/ 17.00 GMT:

… AHA!! Fooled you all, I wasn’t about to start reading at all, I was preparing to announce…

My mini-challenge!

If you would like to participate, stop reading whatever you’re reading at the moment, and start reading a book in another language… Don’t read another language? Well then, be a bit inventive… maybe read a translation? (am open to creative suggestions on this criteria!)

If you are participating, let me know by leaving a comment with your native language, the language of the book you are reading, and the name of the book. I will draw one name from among those who participate at the end of the hour, and send a $20 Amazon voucher their way.

For those of you who may not have suitable books at home, check back in a few minutes and I’ll post a list of online books that might help meet the criteria.

Cheerleaders, can I ask for your help on this one? Please let the Readers you visit know that this mini-challenge is taking place, should they wish to take a break. As Dewey has suggested before, most Readers will probably visit their own comments first so letting them know there will, I think, increase participation. Meanwhile, I’ll circulate around other people’s blogs and see how they’re doing.

Have fun everyone!

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17.46 BST/ 16.46 GMT: OK, it’s almost 3 hours into the event, and I’ve read a grand total of…. [drumroll, please!] 0 words!!! Yes, I know, I know, and I started off so well!! An early morning trip to the library saw me haul a load of books up the High Road, just in time for me to dash out for my early afternoon meeting… which duly ran over! So I’m not long home, but I’m here now and about to get started… wish me luck!

(And a big THANK YOU to all the cheerleaders who’ve already been by with words of encouragement – I could see them coming through on my blackberry while I was out, making me all the more eager to get home!)

More soon…