Play Book Tag discussion

Book Concierge wrote: "From Nicole R's comment above, it sounds as if she randomized the entire list of 1-36 in advance, so she knew the full list and didn't have to randomize each month."

Yes, this is how I did it! I have known every Trim number and every Horizon country for the whole year since last December! Muahahahah!

But, you could randomize every month too if you wanted. It takes literally 5 seconds to randomize the numbers through random.org.

Whoever becomes the number announcer, feel free to drop me a message and I can help you out.

All of the secrets finally revealed, on the first day of the Spooky month! Nicole I hope is getting a good giggle... Behind the Curtains!

I thought every one already knew Nicole's "dirty little secret"! I have known for a while so she must have mentioned it before.

We all must be pretty vanilla that this amuses us - lol.

Amy wrote: "Oh yeah as always. You read any book you get a point or two for PBT. To clarify, this particular challenge doesn’t earn your extra points as an official challenge.

Here’s what I see so far.

I see..."

Yes that makes sense. Starting with 24 numbers is easier, especially for new people.

Amy, I'm happy to handle the admin details that you don't want to deal with. I can handle the random number task (it takes just a few seconds). I'll select each number on a designated date each month, rather than all at once. (I don't want it to influence my tag votes.)

I can set up the buddy reads too, using as many existing numbers as possible. It would make it easier if people could give me their lists early - without numbers - and I'll use the computer to help me find more potential buddy reads. I promise it will be much easier than last year. (Last year it was unwieldy with all the individual agreements, and the rush.) We'll have much more time available to us this year. I can help people with editing challenges.

Is December 1 too early to start submitting (or posting) preliminary lists? This is only for people who want to match up books for potential buddy reads.

For people who enter after December, I suggest we have them submit their list (of 23, 22, 21, etc.) with a blank space for the numbers we already drew. That way they can join buddy read slots, and no one needs to randomize their lists.

What does everyone think of this plan?

Nancy, you are officially number five for Randomizer Role, and Announcement Role, beginning with in order of possible appearance, Joy, Nicole, Meli, and Joanne. But I really would like to work with you on that but he reads list. I know that together we will be able to present something perfect. That people will be able to easily hook onto. And I think we need to be ready to go but we kind of need to wait till November 23 when the final number has been chosen. I see us publishing that list towards the end of November, early December as people are planning 2020 and figuring out their top ten and voting for challenges, we have a full month to get it straight. But ideally we announce January on December 23. So I can count on you between 10/23 and 11/23 to help? I’m already thanking you in advance.

Amy wrote: "Nancy, you are officially number five for Randomizer Role, and Announcement Role, beginning with in order of possible appearance, Joy, Nicole, Meli, and Joanne."

Please remove me from this list. I will not be helping to admin this unofficial challenge and I do not want people to be confused thinking that I will be checking in regularly or admining it!

I have just been hovering around as you guys get started to answer any questions that have admin implications and to provide advice :)

Thanks!

Amy wrote: "Either Nicole, or Joy, or Meli can be the randomizer and I don’t really care who announces it on the 23rd.... ..."

I had also planned on offering to do the randomizer, but others had already beat me to it in the conversation. :-)

ETA: And I was going to add that Nicole wanted to be taken off the list, but I've now also read her reply verifying that!

Book Concierge wrote: "From Nicole R's comment above, it sounds as if she randomized the entire list of 1-36 in advance, so she knew the full list and didn't have to randomize each month...."

I feel like it's just as easy to re-randomize #s 1-24.

THEN, like the way Nicole has done it, just go with that initial list, and not worry about randomizing again each month.

I am just lurking here, happy to let others volunteer, organize, and debate. Just let me know when I need/can make adjustments to my Trim List.

I already knew Nicole was off that list. Was just being gracious about explaining who popped in first. Love the hovering! You four are awesome!

I would not want to play a role in announcing the numbers since I travel often and am not always in an area with internet coverage on "announcement day."

TRIM is my favourite challenge atm. I love having the decision of what to read next taken out of my hands when all those pretty books are looking at me and I have no time. Based on learning that about myself I may try doing the other challenges mostly in order next year too or I end up with a whole bunch of easy ones done at the start and really slow down just as the school year gets busy. Perhaps if I read in order it would distribute the easy ones more throughout the year.

Joy, that is great to know! Here's what we will do, if it works for you. If in the middle of December you can randomize the numbers from 1-24. (Cindy says she can do this too. So can Nancy. Probably anybody could except for myself - lol), then you can send the secret order to Joanne, who is proudly offering to be our monthly announcer. And perhaps she will be the only one, unless you keep the list, to truly know what's next. This way, any new incoming members can also jump in, blocking out what's already been used. Details becoming solved easily and flowing like a river. This is fun even for Nicole and the other mods, who for a change, won't know what's next, and if she has a leftover list - who knows, maybe she will get inspired for one or some of the months as well.

If it ok with Joy, I would rather randomize the numbers on a monthly basis-if Joy cannot do this, I could. I just do not want to be aware of what is next. With Nicole doing it that way this year was fine, as we were doing it for points, and Mods do not collect points. Thanks for taking point on this Amy!

That works for me, Joanne! I really don't want to know ahead of time, either. To me, part of the fun lies in the surprise.

Joanne! Taking in the Randomizer Announcement role! Thank you, and it’s a great solution so everyone is surprised. I worried after my last post. Did I skip over you in the queue Meli? Are we good?

Amy wrote: "Joanne! Taking in the Randomizer Announcement role! Thank you, and it’s a great solution so everyone is surprised. I worried after my last post. Did I skip over you in the queue Meli? Are we good?"

You mean the queue to randomize people's lists or the monthly number or both?
I was second in the queue. So I can be a backup if needed. Or help out wherever needed.

Stupid question... if you do a random number generator for each month and we are halfway through, for example, and 6 numbers were already picked do you just generate again if an already picked number is generated? (since the random number generator picks random from 1 to 24...)

I felt bad. I realized I might’ve jumped you in line. Hey, as long as Joanne is going to randomize them knew every month, why not you taking on some Months as well. Or be a backup. Once I made the error in the queue I felt really bad.

Meli wrote: "Stupid question... if you do a random number generator for each month and we are halfway through, for example, and 6 numbers were already picked do you just generate again if an already picked numb..."

This would certainly work. Or, you could actually randomize a LIST and just put in the numbers that are still in the mix. List randomization is an option on random.org as well.

Amy wrote: "Nancy, you are officially number five for Randomizer Role, and Announcement Role, beginning with in order of possible appearance, Joy, Nicole, Meli, and Joanne. But I really would like to work with..."

That's good to know.

I mainly volunteered to set up the buddy reads, but I haven't seen any comments about it. Is it even needed?

How about the idea of how to handle new people joining in after December?

Meli wrote: "Stupid question... if you do a random number generator for each month and we are halfway through, for example, and 6 numbers were already picked do you just generate again if an already picked numb..."

Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "Stupid question... if you do a random number generator for each month and we are halfway through, for example, and 6 numbers were already picked do you just generate again if an alread..."


I would just randomize all numbers not yet pulled-I think that would be the best way to go-no?

Nancy you and I are going to work together on the buddy reads left over from the 36. I promise we’re going to keep those. And the ones after number 24 we will slip into old spaces that were used previously. I promise you and I are going to take that on so that people have a published list of the body reads in what spaces for the month of December, to be able to help compose their list. And so the new people can join in on them as well.

I imagine that anyone joining in either now or in within the next two years, could just create a new 24 or 12. With our list, it will be definitely suggestions for joining buddy reads. If I wasn’t clear about that earlier I am sorry. Between my phone, and other factors, you never know whether your own message might have become more convoluted. But feel free to write to me and we will sort this out.

I haven't done Trim this year, but would be happy to do it next year. I can't seem to trim my TBR. It seem everytime I read one, two are added.

You might even find some already established buddy reads to jump onto! I love that you are getting back into challenges as you can, but most of all that you’ve been able to read more and hang out with us all again.

I am enjoying it. My job is about to change again soon and it will open up more audiobook time. Better pay too.

Really! Wish I/we could hear more about that. Really so happy for you on every level. Congratulations on that upward move.

Joanne wrote: "Meli wrote: "Stupid question... if you do a random number generator for each month and we are halfway through, for example, and 6 numbers were already picked do you just generate again if an alread..."

so if you randomize a list it will be numbered 1 through whatever... so if we have 18 numbers left I input as a list then they get randomized in 1~18. Then I pick a random number, is that right? And then the number that corresponds with the "random number" is the number?? Does that make sense?

Just want to be prepared... feeling the pressure of being a backup! 😯

Meli wrote: "Just want to be prepared... feeling the pressure of being a backup! 😯."

Personally, if you want to rerandomize the list at the beginning of each month, this would be my recommendation--which you absolutely do not have to take!

I would start with my list:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

I randomize it the first month and 16 is the number. I then take that number out of my list, so that my list looks like this (no 16):
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

I would then randomize that list, and the second month we get 7! I would then remove 7 from the list for a new list of (no 16 or 7):
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

Then I would just carry on like that.

I use random.org. So, from their homepage, scroll down to the section on "lists and strings and maps, oh my!" The first option there is "list randomizer": https://www.random.org/lists/ That is what I would use to randomize this "list." It doesn't matter if your list is words or numbers or anything else. It treats each line as an entry and randomizes it.

That would be my suggestion of how I would do it given your constraints, but there are many, many ways this could work. And, to be completely honest, it really doesn't matter how you do it, or even if you do it the same way every month. The order is random.

Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "Just want to be prepared... feeling the pressure of being a backup! 😯."

Personally, if you want to rerandomize the list at the beginning of each month, this would be my recommendation..."

I agree there are a lot of ways to do it. If you don't want to have to go to a website or type a list, there is a simpler way.

Google "random number generator"
Google will provide one above all the links.
Type in 24, hit generate.

If you're doing it one month at a time, you could do this each time. If you already used the number, hit generate again. (It will take longer later on, but still less than 5 minutes.)

NancyJ wrote: "Amy wrote: "Nancy, you are officially number five for Randomizer Role, and Announcement Role, beginning with in order of possible appearance, Joy, Nicole, Meli, and Joanne. But I really would like ..."

Nancy, I've been wondering about our buddy reads. I'd like to get those set up before rearranging the rest of my list.

I think we have plenty of time so I am not in a rush.

Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "Just want to be prepared... feeling the pressure of being a backup! 😯."

Personally, if you want to rerandomize the list at the beginning of each month, this would be my recommendation..."

Yes, that is how I would do it-I have used the randomizer before, so I I think this is the easiest way to do it, that way Meli and/or I would not know the # before hand-I think that is the fairest way.

Meli wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Meli wrote: "Stupid question... if you do a random number generator for each month and we are halfway through, for example, and 6 numbers were already picked do you just generate aga..."

Don't be pressured Mel! It is easy as pie-when you get a second, go to the website Nicole linked to and just try it with 24 numbers to see how it works-I am sure you will handle it fine

Booknblues wrote:

Nancy, I've been wondering about our buddy reads. I'd like to get those set up before rearranging the rest of my list.

I think we have plenty of time so I am not in a rush.

Perfect timing. I just updated the 2019 Buddy read summary. It's on the last page of this post. (It's not the 2020 plan.)

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

It shows the buddy reads of all the remaining numbers for 2019. Two of the numbers will be used in 2019 still, but you might spot a book on there that you'd like to add to your list for 2020, or to your TBR list in general. I really love buddy reads, so I'll be considering those books too.

I was going to try to change the buddy read system to eliminate conflicts, but honestly my ideas were just too complicated and would require too much work at a busy time of the year. As my husband always tells me. KISS.

This is not the 2020 plan. Amy will announce any official changes to the unofficial 2020 trim.

I think it makes most sense to add the buddy lists in it’s rearranged form after we already see the November number on October 23rd, where there will be only one number left. I personally feel that nobody needs to be planning 2020 right now, and arranging buddy reads for that at this moment. We are just not there. Honestly, it’s great that Nancy provided the old list. I’m sure she and I can do this in under 10 minutes. And offer a cohesive list of 24, which includes the remaining buddy lists. I really feel that discussing this now just adds too much chaos. Especially when there are two numbers left to be called. Everyone is rearranging their list when the moderators announce the choices and results for the 2020 challenges. We are all figuring that out together at the same time. People may want to rearrange their Trim lists to help them with the official PBT challenges. Honestly, I would only respectfully request that we not start buddy read discussions right now. It’s just too confusing and complicated and brings a free-for-all into something that should be really simple and basically streamlined. I am not trying to be cruel or curt, it’s just this should be fun for everybody, and not everybody lurks like I do, and is even on every day. People do not want to weed through this, until it’s time. I think the feedback from everybody really reflected that they wanted it to be extremely similar to what we did last year, simple, uncomplicated and a person can drop in it as they wish.

NancyJ wrote: "How about the idea of how to handle new people joining in after December?..."

I think anyone new can just create a list of 24, but leave any numbers already chosen blank (so their list would technically be fewer than 24, but they'd need that blank numbered line in there to hit 24 titles (and no point putting a title in one that's already been chosen because it won't be chosen again, so leave it blank)).

That would be my suggestion for anyone not ready for the first random number drawn on Dec 23 (or whatever the date may be).

In case my previous post doesn't make sense... I'll try to illustrate:

1. Title 1
2. Title 2
3. Title 3
4. Title 4

etc to 24 for those of us ready to go for the first random "draw".

If someone comes in later and #2 has already been chosen, they would set up their list list this:
1. Title 1
2.
3. Another Title
4. Another Title

So, that way they can fill up all 24 numbers with something (even if it's a blank to represent numbers already chosen), so if #24 is chosen later on, they have a #24 to use! (Rather then choosing 23 titles, and numbering them 1-23 because one has already been picked and read.)

LibraryCin wrote: "In case my previous post doesn't make sense... I'll try to illustrate:

1. Title 1
2. Title 2
3. Title 3
4. Title 4

etc to 24 for those of us ready to go for the first random "draw".

If someone..."

That makes perfect sense.

I used the randomizer website to randmize the numbers, so I can use it, but I am confused how you get a number from that...

So you randomize the list of number, is the number that corresponds with the number list your "month?"
So, it's March trim, you randomize a list with 1~24, but no 12 for example. and "6" is randmized to #3... Is that March and 6 becomes March?

Meli wrote: "So, it's March trim, you randomize a list with 1~24, but no 12 for example. and "6" is randmized to #3... Is that March and 6 becomes March?.."

No, just whichever number is at the top of the list after you randomize is the number for the month.

Perhaps you should leave the randomizing of numbers to someone else. lol

Joanne will help you with this Meli. I love that we have so much enthusiasm for both continuing the challenge and diving into its mechanics. I have absolute faith I in you, that you’re going to be able to figure it out and do a brilliant job. I love that we’re making it so virtually everybody is blind until the next month comes up.

Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "So, it's March trim, you randomize a list with 1~24, but no 12 for example. and "6" is randmized to #3... Is that March and 6 becomes March?.."

No, just whichever number is at the top..."

I got this Nicole-sit back and laugh at us-😂-and I am so surprised(and pleased with myself) that as a Low-Tech Old Lady among ya'll that I can do this!

Nicole, I do have a technical question/detail.... I remember something way back about the moderators saying that we need to make some adjustments so that we don’t create too many files and/or threads. Not an emergency situation but something we should be mindful of over time. When it’s time to launch and announce the unofficial continuation challenge, should we just keep this one going? Or maybe you have you guys delete this one about a month after the unofficial challenge launches on a new thread? It will probably be a lot clearer for new folks, if we started a new thread where it’s explained and every possible piece of information is right up front and then people just starting mostly with either switching their lists around to match, creating newer buddy reads, or reviewing the number that came up. I just wanted to be respectful of that whole number of files and threads business.

Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "So, it's March trim, you randomize a list with 1~24, but no 12 for example. and "6" is randmized to #3... Is that March and 6 becomes March?.."

No, just whichever number is at the top..."

Ah, OK, that makes sense. #1 always signifies that following month's trim #... got it!

I think I was over complicating it.

Amy wrote: "Joanne will help you with this Meli. I love that we have so much enthusiasm for both continuing the challenge and diving into its mechanics. I have absolute faith I in you, that you’re going to be ..."

I appreciate your confidence in me :)

I think I finally figured it out luckily, so we're good!

Amy wrote: "Nicole, I do have a technical question/detail.... I remember something way back about the moderators saying that we need to make some adjustments so that we don’t create too many files and/or threa..."

Amy, because this will not be an official challenge, there really won't be a need for everyone to post their review separately from the regular PBT monthly folders.

This is how I envision your continuation of the challenge, but am certainly open to suggestions:

Continue this thread as you plan and keep people apprised of what is going on as you get things organized. This will be the primary thread for that through pretty much the rest of the year.

If you would like to start a new thread for people to post their lists/facilitate buddy read alignments, then you can certainly do that closer to the end of the year when people actually start to plan and think about it.

Then, I would envision your starting just one more thread on January 1 (or toward the end of December) when you announce the first number you will be reading. From there, that will be the thread for the year. You can announce each Trim number in a new post in that thread AND I find it really helpful if you do a couple of things in addition. (1) When you announce the new number, below it remind people what all of the previous numbers have been, and (2) constantly edit your first post in the entire thread so that it is a running list of the numbers. That way, no matter when people join, they know the master list is in post one!

People may discuss there things like what book they have coming up and who will be joining a buddy read, etc. but all official reviews to get the regular PBT Participation Points must be posted in the Monthly Tag or Other Books thread each month. Admins will NOT be perusing your Trim thread for reviews.

Then, you can continue to set up individual buddy read threads throughout the year as appropriate, just as you did this year. Just make sure they are clearly labeled and it would be great if you would open those up to anyone who is interested in reading that book that month, not just those who are continuing their Trim challenge. A nice way to be inclusive!

This is how I envisioning your continuing while not overwhelming the official PBT reads and challenges.

Meli wrote: "Ah, OK, that makes sense. #1 always signifies that following month's trim #... got it!

I think I was over complicating it.."

I am only giggling at your slightly and it comes from a place of love and understanding because I overcomplicate EVERYTHING. lol

Perfect that’s really helpful. I was also envisioning just one thread where everyone posts it there. Your idea of one in between would be ideal, I was just worried about too many threads. But we could always have you guys delete the envisioning and planning ones, since it’s unofficial PBT anyway. I love the idea of making sure to edit the numbers used right in the top thread where everything is explained. And having the master list of buddy reads from 1 to 24 in there too, so anyone new or too busy to care doesn’t have to deal with all the prior “mishegos”. That’s Yiddish, but my guess is you all intuit the meaning of that. One last thing and then I don’t have to return to this topic for a while, or if ever, shall we post it in the activities and challenges folder for that year? Actually naming it something like the unofficial 2020 trim continuation, so it’s clear it’s not official, but that we all know where to find it…

Amy wrote: "shall we post it in the activities and challenges folder for that year? Actually naming it something like the unofficial 2020 trim continuation, so it’s clear it’s not official, but that we all know where to find it…."


The Activities and Challenges folder is for the official PBT challenges, so please do not post there.

You could either put the threads in Footnotes or you could put them in the Member Tracking Threads folder--perhaps the Admins can consider naming that folder something slightly different in 2020 to reflect that it is individual member tracking threads and member-driven challenges. That way you can put the Trim threads as well as the Buddy Read threads there.

We will chat about this behind the scenes and get you an official answer in the coming months. It is super easy to move threads around so if one gets stuck someplace that it shouldn't be, we can always move it!