Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

I did a bunch of work on this today. I removed books we haven't used yet and moved to the overflow. We have about 78 ingredients we could still use to make meals and stuff. I can look again when I get home from bowling at 10pm tonight.

I made two meals -- I used blue to indicate ingredients I used in case you want to undo it. I'll come back to this later.

Sounds good. I'm out all day tomorrow, so I'll plan to copy over the information from the planning document to the official one at 7am CT tomorrow. Deadline is like 4pm CT and I won't be available then. Sound good?

I started adding some books I know I'm going to read in October to the spreadsheet and will get the meals and shop front started as soon as they are available in the official document.

I'll keep making meals then.

I might move some things around as we have some books that only have coffee/tea available

I used up all of the books/items. I only had to make one more coffee which I'm rather happy about.

But, when I moved some things around, I lost the links in the Kitchen meals created tab - -I think you fixed the ones I messed up earlier, so I hope you don't have a hard time fixing some more.

I transferred this to the official spreadsheet, but I can't figure out why its only counting 79 books instead of 80. There are 80 books there.

We are currently in 1st place.

MN Lisa wrote: "I transferred this to the official spreadsheet, but I can't figure out why its only counting 79 books instead of 80. There are 80 books there.

We are currently in 1st place."

I think it might be because a date is missing -- Steph's read of Logan's Need has no date.

That was totally it. Steph - You did read that right?

it's on her shelf
9/14/22 -- plus she talked about reading it in the thread.

MN Lisa wrote: "I transferred this to the official spreadsheet, but I can't figure out why its only counting 79 books instead of 80. There are 80 books there.

We are currently in 1st place."

Really? I still feel like I only half understand what's going on.

For October...do we make and find the same stuff?

Susan A wrote: "For October...do we make and find the same stuff?"

For the most part. I think the special changes each month. And depending on where we end up, meals with specific words will attract specific people to serve.

I noticed that books are worth different ingredients in round 2. 2, 4, 8 and 12 was round 1 and it looks like 2, 5, 10 and 12 for round 2 and 3

And we can read more, I think the limit is 90 for October.

I'll take some time on Saturday to create the Shop Front and Meals for the basics like 7 salads, 7 sandwiches, 7 curries, 7 fish and chips, 7 fish and chips with vinegar, 7 specials, 12 coffee, 12 tea so we can start filling those in on the planning spreadsheet after a week or so. I won't add the drinks until I know we have books over 500 pages.

Susan A wrote: "MN Lisa wrote: "We are currently in 1st place."

Really? I still feel like I only half understand what's going on."

Ya, but there are at least 2 teams who have not entered anything. We are only up by about 30 points and I assume it will change after we feed the hoard about to descend on our restaurant.

I would suggest that when we create meals for round 2, we hold off on coffee and tea and water, until the end -- unless the book has nothing but those things, or that's all that's left in the book.

Also, I think we should be careful to include water in our scavenging more frequently -- Lisa for Logan's need, I did an Amazon search and then added water to the sheet for that book because I was having a hard time making that book fit in the end. I also searched on a few other books as well

I think we should look for butter and other condiments a little bit more -- mayo, mustard, dressing, horseradish,...making sandwiches was hard...that's just a lot of items.


We are recording multiple items in one cell. Or indicating that one item was found multiple times in one cell. I think it's easier to record that way. But, when making meals - -sometimes the box was checked off as used, but only one item from that box was used. That made things a bit tricky at the end...I had to search and find out exactly which items were used for the book. What I started to do was -- if one cell listed coffee 31 42 57 68 and I used one of those coffees, I just took it out of the cell and marked it complete. So there would be 2 cells - coffee 31 42 57 and coffee 68 marked complete

hmmm...I was looking in other threads...the descriptions. Creative writing is not really my thing. Well, writing is not really my thing. My descriptions are descriptions...not punny, funny things.

FROM QA
Vicki wrote: "if we have the word "coconut" and "milk" in the same book can we combine them for "coconut milk?"

I'd say no. It would be kind of gross to add coconut to milk in a curry :o


I totally did that. It will need to be fixed. I don't want to touch the real sheet. I can look at this tomorrow --- let me know if you change it Lisa.


(And here is the problem with never eating curry...why is milk gross? I would think milk, butter and flour make a roux, and it kind of looks like a roux might be useful in that dish)

I think I like your plan Susan.

I started doing the move the item I used to a new cell, but not towards the end. I'll try and be better next time.

okay

Meal 92 -- the milk needs to be swapped out


Meal 124 -- change milk to butter -- Breaking Cover has butter 4 times at location 13% and I doubt it was all used


Meal 134 -- the milk needs to be swapped out


I can't find the sheet where we recorded ingredigents, so I can't figure out how to rearrange things

Perhaps if the other 2 butter from Breaking Cover wasn't used we can swap things around with that book

Meal 92: Changed Milk to Potatoes - Same Book

Meal 124: Switched out Butter for Milk - Same Book

Meal 134: Switched out Milk for Carrots - Same Book

MN Lisa wrote: "Meal 92: Changed Milk to Potatoes - Same Book

Meal 124: Switched out Butter for Milk - Same Book

Meal 134: Switched out Milk for Carrots - Same Book"

oh good. Thanks!

Rankings are up. We are in 5th place for the voting. This means:

4-7: You're now on the list of places to try for young singles and DINKS. Keep up the great work, but perhaps get a bit more creative in round 2 to increase popularity.

Meals with the word "pistachios", "abalone", or "balsamic" in the text or title, or used as a spell-it-out will attract more adults for round 2

I made some changes to the Round 2 Books. I added a column at the front to track which items have been used.

If you look at it, you can see that its in red. When we use an item, say Chicken on pg 206 of Prophesy, that would be entered into the Items used and removed from the original square.

I also grouped items together, so Vegetables is listed with their page counts and then also specific ones in the same cell to keep these together.

I also added some names up top starting in column V for things we should check for that we may need based on Sept.

That sounds great

Those new words seem pretty tricky

What is DINK?

Susan A wrote: "What is DINK?"

either of a married couple who both are employed and have no children. The term is often used as the prototype of midde-class persons with higher-than-average disposable income.

Dual Income, No Kids

Countdown timer

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

for end of round 1. I asked in QA about when round 2 starts..immediately, or wait until Oct 1 12:00am UTC

MN Lisa wrote: "I noticed that books are worth different ingredients in round 2. 2, 4, 8 and 12 was round 1 and it looks like 2, 5, 10 and 12 for round 2 and 3.."

I asked in the QA about this....when I look at our planning sheet, I see that round 2 changes but not round 3. I defintely could be looking at the wrong thing, but so many people have posted about issues with spreadsheets that I thought I should ask in case it's just an error in ours.

Answers:

1. Round 2 starts immediately - so about 3.5 hours from now
2. There is a mistake in our planning spreadsheet -- it should be the same number of items - 2, 4, 8 and 12

Well, We have 160 customers and 136 meals. I'm thinking feed the adults and pensioners first, then the teenagers and children last? I have no idea....

MN Lisa wrote: "Well, We have 160 customers and 136 meals. I'm thinking feed the adults and pensioners first, then the teenagers and children last? I have no idea...."

Sounds good. I looked at it, but I'm not able to make changes to the spreadsheet.

Honestly...this is really a lot of time...whatever is easiest for you.

This challenge is a lot more of a time commitment outside the reading than I realized it would be.

After the meals being assigned, it looks like we are in 5th place....

Ok. I have set up the Meals Created Spreadsheet and shop Front Spreadsheet for the following:

20 Bonus: The Kids' Stuff
5 of everything else with the minimum number of items, except for the drinks and desserts.

We had 136 meals last month and 160 people, so I think we need to try and get more, which means if we can concentrate on books that are 301 pages or more since those give us 8 per book vs 4 for under that.

These kid items...do these take up a scavenged item?

I think so, but it prevents kids from getting rowdy...From the instructions for month 2:

All those pensioners eating the special... and they brought along their grandkids!!

Your restaurants are a complete mess and instagramers and tik-tok-ers are getting ready to move on. The only way to keep adults coming back next month is to create items to keep children entertained and quiet!

Month 2 Bonuses
Use your spell-it-outs and scavenger hunts to find items to keep kids entertained. Think board games, crayons, toys, books, peg games, tablets, face painting, clowns.... use your imagination!!
You can find up to 20 items in total and these are listed as "FRESH BONUS" within your spreadsheet

MN Lisa wrote: "Month 2 Bonuses
Use your spell-it-outs and scavenger hunts to find items to keep kids entertained. Think board games, crayons, toys, books, peg games, tablets, face painting, clowns.... use your imagination!!
You can find up to 20 items in total and these are listed as "FRESH BONUS" within your spreadsheet"

I've been looking for an excuse to reread a few Daddy/little books 😁

Meant to say this a couple days ago but September is always kind of crazy for me and I don't get to my computer often. I write a lot for funsies so if there's anything else that needs written I can have a go at it.

Steph wrote: "MN Lisa wrote: "Month 2 Bonuses
Use your spell-it-outs and scavenger hunts to find items to keep kids entertained. Think board games, crayons, toys, books, peg games, tablets, face painting, clowns..."

Me too. My two favorite I've already read in the past 2 months so I can't for this one, but maybe I'll find a new one.

I really like the idea of being able to differentiate the items used when making meals.

September ended up being a dumpster fire for me so I'm sorry I was so absent. I would pop in but not post in the thread.

I'm going to try and hit some more cozy mysteries for the special items.

I just went in and added food/created meals onto the created meal tab. I'm going to try and create every couple of days so there isn't so much to do at the end of the month.

There is a mistake in the planning sheet. Since you already made meals, I don't want to move things and screw things up further

currently at row 19 --- A Touch of Greek - goes with the items beginning with salt ch 11 11 25 29,


currently at row 20 --- A Scent of Greek - goes with the items beginning with BONUS Balloon p5

Are these types of things allowed in this group:

Rancher's Forgotten Rival & Claim Me, Cowboy

and

SPECTR: Volume 1

Susan A wrote: "There is a mistake in the planning sheet. Since you already made meals, I don't want to move things and screw things up further

currently at row 19 --- A Touch of Greek - goes with..."
I think I straightened this out....

I entered a few over 500 pages books. I focused on drinks and desserts. There are a few random food items.

If necessary, I can definitely go back and look for food items.

I finally found one of the special words - pistachio!

I have read a few books but I am on vacation. When I come back I’ll add my books.

So....

I totally forgot about this game and haven't tracked anything in about a week. I actually have 2 days that I have no kids in the house. I'll use one of those to go back into the books I've read :)

FYI -- in the Kitchen MEals created tab, I deleted all entries for Still Life, Mortal Arts, A Scent of Greek and a Touch of Greek. The items had gotten mixed up and the info wasn't correct. I made the corrections to the Round 2 books tab, but I haven't made new meals yet.

So...I just now realized that I've been looking for albacore instead of abalone -- I've never heard of abalone. I find it pretty unlikely that we'd find this word.

Anyway ... right now we have Yvette's Haven and Black Butler as definite spell outs.

These two books will spell
BALS M C -- need A and I
B LONE -- need A and A

so if we can find these 4 in one book, that would work nicely. This uses 4 letters from Black Butler (the max) and 7 of 8 letters from Yvette's Haven

I'm not a fan the spellout option because it's hard to use all of the letters...you keep having to start a new spell word to use them all.

But, once we spell these words...I'm not sure how to use them -- both have to be a fresh meal because Black Butler is restricted to fresh meals

Salad requires 7 items...so if we spell balsamic , 8 letters, can we say it's a salad with balsamic dressing?

And abalone is a snail? I have no idea what to do with is but our only Fresh options are salad and sandwich.

I can get those from Wish Come True, but it allows for 8 and that would only use 4.

Maybe for Abalone we add it to a salad??

MN Lisa wrote: "I can get those from Wish Come True, but it allows for 8 and that would only use 4.

Maybe for Abalone we add it to a salad??"

1. Are there four letters to use later?
2. Does the book have good scavenger items?

If no to #1 and yes to #2, then I think we should look for another book and just note that this one does work in case we're desperate.


I suppose we should also think about whether we want to spell these words out more than once.

I did find pistachio once - -so I'll read that sometime this month.

Susan A wrote: "MN Lisa wrote: "I can get those from Wish Come True, but it allows for 8 and that would only use 4.

Maybe for Abalone we add it to a salad??"

1. Are there four letters to use late..."
Its an anthology and I only tracked the first book since I didn't like it and needed to finish for Bingo. I can go back and check this weekend...when I do the rest of my books

ugghh.. I had to do another spellout, but it doesn't help much with the letters we currently need. It had food items we could use but I didn't search before listening to it and I didn't take notes. When I searched afterwards I found it it wasn't very searchable at amazon or google. And I already returned it..so it will have to be spell out or dropped.