I’m a geek: 24 hour read-a-thon with Flips Flipping pages

I'm a geek, so when the youth of my generation are preparing to dress up to go to the hottest clubs in the Metro on a friday, I am well excited and already prepared to get new books and read them in one of the gnarliest bookshop in the Metro.

Despite having lesser time writing as the days zooms closer to my deadline, I still have spared the time of spending it on a 24 hour read-a-thon in Libreria Cubao Expo. I just wanted one of my hardbound books to be wrapped in plastic by someone since I do not have the talent to do so.

Although I would have wanted all of my books to be covered, it would be very hard for me to drag them to Cubao ex so I thought I’ll take “In Love, In Sorrow” to be covered solely. 

The Priestess of Book Covering and her apprentice doing her magic on my book.

I’m already carrying Neomi and a few other accessories that would probably give me osteoporosis when I get to the age of 30, carrying too much just might break my back.

It was my first time to meet the members of the Flips Flipping Pages BookClub, the largest group in Shelfari in the Philippines, filled with bibliophiles and geeks who join nerdy quizzes such as ‘Geek Fight’ in which I’m training to join in the future.  

Notice the palabok in the center of the room, behind that table would be drinks such as Cola Zero, a basket of chocolate and candies. Then there's also the Potato Salad with fake bacon in it [Yum], there's also hummus and pita. Aside from the orders from the neighboring bar and supply of vodka ice. Who said Geeks don't know how to party?

The read-a-thon started at 9PM but I was already at the place around 7:30 to write, my endless battle against looming deadlines. I grabbed a book somewhere and thought that would just grab a book anywhere to read for the next 24 hours. I took A golden Age, 1000 defining moments in books, The Mask of Sanity to read, in which I must admit finished none during the read-a-thon because there were a lot of distractions, the event should be called eat-a-thon, drink-a-thon and talk-a-thon. Despite all that I still won myself a book to add to my ever increasing book back logs. 

The read-a-thon turned out to be a mask to front drinking, spent more hours drinking in front of the bookshop until every shop in cubao ex closed down and the owner wanting us to leave. When there were no more liquors it was up to buying liquor outside despite the ban. The owner was there, of course taking liquor inside ex wasn't allowed anymore therefore I talked to the owner of cubao ex, he was charmed by my charms so we got several bottles in by 5am and continued the drink-a-thon. 

"We are masochists," a member said while we were drinking and holding a book we tried hard to read, let alone understand. "we go to this one place and read books continually for the next 24 hours, how masochistic is that?"

There was this girl in the group who really read in one corner, unperturbed, unfazed, when asked why she joined the event she said "I'm a masochist"

When they told me the story, my morning beer threatened to come out of my nose. There is a certain truth in that, but we were having fun talking and drinking while trying to "read". I say, it's a rather hedonistic approach.

I accidentally kicked the leg of the masochistic girl when I passed by, it would definitely hurt since I was wearing a pair of rugged combat boots and is quite a klutz when it comes to walking, when I accidentally kicked her, to my surprise- she apologized...

If you have a Shelfari account, feel free to add me as a friend.

Love books and would like to torture yourself by reading for 24 hours straight while at the same time stuffing your face with calories and pushing it down with alcohol?

Then join us in the next coming event!