[Eyborg]

Hey, what happened to the Hobbit reading group? Did it just die? There are still 7 chapters left...

[ellisk]

Good question. I miss this group since I had just found it right before it seemed to die. I'd be happy to do more with it and help in anyway I could.

[NancyBrooke]

I second that emotion.

[Eyborg]

Where is Sindohte?

[NancyBrooke]

Around ... on site earlier, at any rate.

[sindohte]

Yes, I am alive for the moment. Not quite sure what to say about the reading group, because interest and participation from a large number of folks seemed to decline in the weeks following the initial sign up phase. In my opinion, providing a chapter summary is a crucial part of a reading group, but it proved to be a source of stress and yet another task to be accomplished when people already had busy lives. And I am sure it didn't help having me knocking on their electronic door to remind them that they had a chapter due.

So on the one hand, I don't and can't really force people to live up to an obligation they might have made weeks before things got busy in RL. At the same time, my life is busy as well and didn't want to find myself stuck with summarizing additional chapters week after week or begging others to take on additional work. If there is an easier way to finish up the Hobbit reading group, I am all ears.

[ellisk]

I agree with Sindhote (hope I spelled that right, sorry if I didn't) that the summaries are necessary. They help people in many ways. I would be happy to help with any summaries that still need done. When I was in grad school, one of the things my dissertation director made me do was write summaries of everything he had me read. So I'm really anal about that. I have rough summaries of all the Hobbit chapters already (I know, I have no life). It's pretty easy for me to turn them into something I could post if someone else can't get their chapter up if that helps. Maybe between those of us that expressed interest in this thread we should redivide the remaining chapters and start this thing up again?

[NancyBrooke]

I think "Inside Information" was the last chapter summary posted (prompted very little discussion, which can be rejoined at any time (hint, hint)), which brings us to (copied from the sign-up thread):

11/29 Not at Home (11 pages)

12/6 Fire and Water (9 pages)

12/13 The Gathering of the Clouds (10 pages)

12/20 A Thief in the Night (6 pages) NancyBrooke

1/3 The Clouds Burst (11 pages) Thuriniel

1/10 The Return Journey (8 pages)

1/17 The Last Stage (8 pages) JayofLagaslen


Only four unassigned chapters. I would be happy to do "Fire and Water;" anybody else?

[SpaceWeavil]

I'll do the Return Journey if no one objects

[sindohte]

I must unfortunately bow out of taking on a chapter to finish up the reading group. I have a few projects going on in real life that require my time and attention for the next month or so. And it isn't fair to the other group members to volunteer to take on a chapter, when I know full well that there is a very good likelihood that I will either need to back out of the commitment later or stress myself by staying up until the wee hours of the morning to finish. Given that, it doesn't really make sense for me to be the one responsible for sending out weekly reminder notices and sometimes nagging PMs to the person in charge of posting the chapter for the coming week. So if there is someone out there who would be interested in doing that, please let me know.

[ellisk]

I can do Not at Home. I could probably get that up by tomorrow (Monday) night if not sooner. That would only leave The Gathering of the Clouds when we count Space and Nancy's offers. I could do that too--I don't mind at all unless someone else wants it. I am very flexible. Don't mind trading or giving up chapters or doing more if need be.

And it seems we need to rework and republish the dates so everyone knows when their chapter is coming up.

1/24 Not at Home (11 pages) Ellisk

1/31 Fire and Water (9 pages) NancyBrooke

2/7 The Gathering of the Clouds (10 pages) possibly Ellisk unless someone else wants it.

2/14 A Thief in the Night (6 pages) NancyBrooke

2/21 The Clouds Burst (11 pages) Thuriniel

2/28 The Return Journey (8 pages) SpaceWeavil

3/7 The Last Stage (8 pages) JayofLagaslen

How does this look to everyone?

I am on the forum often. I could keep up with helping this thing keep going as Sindohte (did I spell it right this time ) suggests unless someone else wants to.

[SpaceWeavil]

If you can do that, Ellisk, that's great. I'm going to give Sindohte a hand with the PMs and stuff for the group, and in the introduction things for the threads, so if you get messages from me about your chapters and such, that's why It'll be cool to get this going again, though I admit I've been an offender as well. Just had so much in RL over the last couple of weeks, but hopefully things have now settled again.

[ellisk]

[SpaceWeavil]

[ellisk]