Task 6-10 planning and points

[Barbara]

I am very hesitant to say yes or no to you because you're so good in finding loopholes but you're starting to think in the right direction. :) And not so much inappropriate as silly. There are things that are inappropriate but not so much silly. I mean wearing a scubatank on your back to a wedding is inappropriate and silly. However wearing just a thong and nothing else to any religious ceremony is inappropriate but not silly. That is just vulgar, offensive and downright wrong.

[Lauren]

I hate to make this worse, but can you define "accessory" for this task? I need to know so I can look out for something too.

My definition of an accessory is something you add to a standard outfit - belts, jewellery, scarves, hats etc. I wouldn't consider a shoe or a thong to be an accessory, because both are considered basic parts of an outfit (footwear, underwear) no matter how glittery and impractical. If a character used a thong as a hat or a bracelet, however, then it would be a different matter.

[Lu]

Hahaha I love it when you guys get all loopholey on each other! Gets me off the hook for a bit :P

[Barbara]

Please do. That way we can make absolutely clear for everyone what is meant by the task.
Yes, I can define accessory. It's just what you say something that is not part of a standard outfit.
I used the thong only as an example because Lauren F was talking about inappropriate instead of silly and I wanted to make clear that they aren't the same thing and for some reason that was the only way my mind wanted to go. Normally a thong is part of a standard outfit, unless as you say you wear it as a hat. Shoes are considered by some (the fashion world)to be accessories and I am willing to consider them if for example someone goes skying in high heels.

And Lu, be carefull. Now you laugh, but who knows when we will find loopholes in tasks in challenges you take care off. I noticed that our tasks in the choose wisely challenge had some extra descriptions and specifications. More than usual. Trying to eliminate those loopholes? :P

[Lauren]

Thanks Barbara!

Hehe, I actually thought of a loophole, but it's a bit pointless because it makes the task much harder - using a different definition of the word "accessory' and reading a book where, for example, a clown is an accessory to a murder.

[Lu]

@Barbara - Yip you guys keep me on my toes :P

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

What about those women who carry around tiny little dogs as accessories. Those are always Silly! lol

[Emma]

Barbara for the book about secret societies or departments. Is it possible for me to read a book about Mossad the israeli intelligence service or is that not secret enough? :-) I love Daniel Silva books and Im eager to read the enxt one, Mossad and their department feature heavily in his books.

[Barbara]

@Lauren S: In the first message I said that the accesory has to be silly in either form or colour. So if your clown confirms to either of these two requirements let me know. :) We also sort of established in our discussions that the accessory is an item not a person. :)

@Lauren F: The dog in itself isn't silly because people have been carrying around toy dogs since ages. However all the weird outfits we put on them and some of the bags they are carried in would be considered silly and should be illegal, but that is my opinion. So look at those things.

@Emma: Sorry no, the Mossad is too well known. In an earlier message we also excluded the KGB and the American Secret Service. All national secret agencies aren't secret because we know about them. I think it was on the National Geographic challenge, but I even saw a documentary once called Inside the Mossad. There can be made up secret agencies like MIB which would count. You may be able to use the book for the silly accessories though since secret agencies always have weird gadgets like balpens that shoot numbing darts which would qualify.

[Carolien]

I've made progress since the first long list of questions, thanks Barbara for all the answers. Hope you're feeling better.

Werewolves. Is the only Pratchett that counts The Fifth Elephant or will any of the Watch ones work with Angua?

I'm sorted with transport but would cupboards count as strange transport modes? The Lion, Witch and the wardrobe comes to mind and I think The Lost Continent by Pratchett?

[Barbara]

Thanks Carolien! Yes I am feeling better not a hundred procent yet but getting there. :)
Oh I like the questions. Also it comes with making up a challenge. The only thing was that I was feeling bad when I was sick. Because I saw that all kinds of comments were being made and I wasn't able to answer. But fortunately that is all over now.

If Angua is one of the main characters and not just mentioned once or twice than yes it would count.

Why is everybody reading Terry Pratchett for the Parasol Protectorate challenge? We had a Terry Pratchett Challenge last year.

Cupboards could count if they moved through the air. In the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe it is a portal to another world and not a way to travel from A to B in the same world. The same goes for the Last Continent. They use portals to get to XXXX. I don't remember if they use any transportation once they're there. If they do that transportation might be unusual, but getting there is again a portal.

[Carolien]

Thanks a lot. This is taking a chance to see if I can reread one of my all time favorites for the secret societies. I know we have excluded security agencies, but I have one set in about 1912 when the British secret service was started. There is the admiral in charge and about 6 spies. Nobody else really know of their existence yet and they are still figuring out what they are supposed to do. Spy's Honour

[Varla Fiona]

Barbara wrote: "Why is everybody reading Terry Pratchett for the Parasol Protectorate challenge? We had a Terry Pratchett Challenge last year"

Because Pratchett is awesome! It's not like we can read Parasol Protectorate...

[Barbara]

@ Carolien: yeah that would work. Then they were still secret and probably had a codename and stuff.

@ Varla Fiona. Yeah you can, you can read the Parasol Protectorate for bonus points. It is just that everyone has had a chance to reread all the TP books they wanted fot that challenge and somehow everyone is reading them now. I just thought it was funny.

[Carolien]

Varla Fiona wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Why is everybody reading Terry Pratchett for the Parasol Protectorate challenge? We had a Terry Pratchett Challenge last year"

Because Pratchett is awesome! It's not like we can re..."

Agreed plus I don't have any other werewolf or vampire books other than Gail Carriger!

[Claudia]

Might this book count for secret society?
Dark Star
There's a bunch of people calling themselves "the Kin", whose blood is mixed with those of ancient creatures that came to earth long ago. Now they protect humans from demons. You can't join the Kin, you are born into it, but they are very secret and somewhat organized.

[Barbara]

Yeah that would count!
Sounds like an interesting book.

[Emma]

Just had a brainwave regarding the accessories Task.What about Masks. They are an accessory but not normally part of an outfit. There happen to be lots of great covers with masks on them. Check them out here.

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/20...

[Barbara]

It depends on the mask and the situation in which it is worn. If for example you read a book about superheros then mask are part of a standard outfit and wouldn't count.

[Emma]

Ahh yes Barbara didnt think of that. I was thinking more along the lines of masks that can be worn at a Masquerade ball.

Still thinking of a book about curses though, if anyone has any clues or ideas please post. :-)

[Lauren]

Either way it would have to be a silly mask. Those masks are generally quite beautiful.

[Emma]

Lauren wrote: "Either way it would have to be a silly mask. Those masks are generally quite beautiful."

Oh Bugger! Bang goes the brainwave theory

[Lu]

Quite by accident I am reading and so far werewolves are playing a big part. I hope it continues :)

[Lauren]

I love it when a book unexpectedly fits into a challenge. It feels like fate, haha.

[Emma]

Ok sorry to be a pain Barbara, but do you think this will work for number 9?

[Claudia]

http://www.ministryofpeculiaroccurren...
No The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrances doesn't count, because they have a website and the newest post on it is "You can join the Ministry". Just kidding!

[Barbara]

I am not familiar with this series, but it does sound like it. If the ministry doesn't count, the brotherhood mentioned probably will.

[Emma]

Barbara wrote: "I am not familiar with this series, but it does sound like it. If the ministry doesn't count, the brotherhood mentioned probably will."

I didnt want to use it for the secret agencies task, but rather the silly accessories one. Could you take a look at the cover and let me know if it counts. Thanks Barbara. :-)

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Lauren wrote: "I love it when a book unexpectedly fits into a challenge. It feels like fate, haha."

Yeah me too, most of my Dr Who challenge (except 2 books) was read like that. It made it really fun :)

[Barbara]

Emma wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I am not familiar with this series, but it does sound like it. If the ministry doesn't count, the brotherhood mentioned probably will."

I didnt want to use it for the secret agenci..."

Sorry I just opened my eyes when I wrote my earlier reply and it was still very very early here. I just made the assumption you were talking about the secret society task (mostly because of what Claudia said).
What would you consider the silly accessory? There are a lot of westerns in which the female is dressed similarly.

[Lu]

Maybe the Tea? What is he doing with tea in an alleyway? Or the strange gun contraption?

[Lauren]

Drinking tea there might be a bit silly, but it's not an accessory.
I don't find anything silly about her gun contraption - it looks very practical and pretty cool overall.

[Claudia]

Barbara wrote: "Emma wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I am not familiar with this series, but it does sound like it. If the ministry doesn't count, the brotherhood mentioned probably will."

I didnt want to use it for the ..."

Oops, I thought she asked about the secret society task.

[Claudia]

I have too long question about the silly accessories:

The Pirate with the Scarf and the Pirate with the Accordion are tasked to dress up as young English ladies and investigate why ladies are going missing around London. They get the disguises perfect, but out of habit completely forget to remove their usual everyday items - scarf and accordion - and so to everyone seeing them out and about they appear to be two English ladies, one with a raggedy scarf (not too strange) and one carrying an accordion everywhere for no apparent reason.

When asked about the accordion, Daphne (the Pirate with the Accordion in disguise) replies no, she is not a performer / musician.

So, is there any chance the accordion might count as a silly accessory seeing as it's not carried to serve any function?

[Emma]

Barbara wrote: "Emma wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I am not familiar with this series, but it does sound like it. If the ministry doesn't count, the brotherhood mentioned probably will."

I didnt want to use it for the ..."

Well I was thinking the whole ensemble is silly. She is wearing a corset and has flying goggles on..so the flying goggles would count as a silly accessory wouldnt it?

[Barbara]

@ Claudia: the accordion counts. I see however that the book contains 2 stories. Is at least one of them a full length novel?

@ Emma: I am not convinced that they are flying goggles. Since there are a lot of inventors that wore goggles like that before they were flying goggles. But they can count too. They are a bit silly no matter if they are flying or inventor goggles.

Ok, I have a bit of good news for everyone who hates me right now because of the difficulty of the tasks. I just found out that I have several collections of short stories about werewolves but not one novel that I can find. Since the task asks for a novel the collections are out. So I made my own life hard by asking for a novel and not book.

[Emma]

Barbara wrote: "@ Claudia: the accordion counts. I see however that the book contains 2 stories. Is at least one of them a full length novel?

@ Emma: I am not convinced that they are flying goggles. Since there a..."

Atlast!! Thankyou Barbara...was finding this one quite difficult. :-)

[Lauren]

I'm confused again - why are the goggles silly?

[Barbara]

Because the girl on the cover is this sexy bombshell gun hero kind a girl. Everything she is wearing is either sexy or related to guns. The goggles are either out of place (if they are flying goggles) or contradictory to the outfit because they are kind a nerdy (if they are inventor's goggles). Both would make them silly.

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

I agree. In fact I really hate to say it because it makes life much harder but I am hard pressed to think of any truly silly accessories. Earrings in the shape of different things aren't very unusual to me nor are goggles or strange shaped hat, they are actually fashionable. You see them all the time. I really feel that an accessory is only silly when you put it into to context of when you are wearing it. Eg a tiara is not a silly accessory but it is if you are wearing it to play a game of football.

[Claudia]

Barbara wrote: "@ Claudia: the accordion counts. I see however that the book contains 2 stories. Is at least one of them a full length novel?
"
The accordion is from the first story, which is also a separate book of which there are a few editions and only one of them is under 150p. I actually got the ebook from Kobo too, and over there it is listed as 240p for the first book alone. Will it work?

[Barbara]

That is why somewhere I talked about the 2 things they were based on in the series, i.e. the silly hats Ivy wears that have fruit on them and are very large and have strange colours or the parasol with gadgets that Alexia is bringing with her all time no matter if the sun shines of if it is at night or if she is going to a walk in the park or a midnight party somewhere. She isn't concerned if it matches her outfit although at times it is mentioned that it doesn't.
The goggles aren't silly in themselves but can be compared with the parasol that Alexia brings with her and so they count.

[Lauren]

Lauren (Sugar & Snark) wrote: "I agree. In fact I really hate to say it because it makes life much harder but I am hard pressed to think of any truly silly accessories. Earrings in the shape of different things aren't very unus..."

Yeah, I think I'd have to read Robert Rankin or another author who writes that absurd kind of humour to find something truly silly. If I come across any accessory that's remotely unusual, I'm just going to ask.

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Yeah I have kind of just resigned myself to reading as usual and hoping an absurd situation will arise in one of my books. Otherwise it really does seem almost impossible! Or perhaps an autobiography by one of the SNL cast they have some truly absurd customs :) Are we allowed non-fiction?

[Lauren]

SNL?

But unfortunately the task says "novel", so no non-fic.

[Barbara]

SNL = Saturday Night Live

No, sorry I said novel and I can kick myself for that because I have several books I could use for several tasks if only I hadn't said novel. :(

[Barbara]

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Will everyone when they update please mention the number of the task and which book they have read for it. In the previous part of this planning sometimes people forgot to post an update or updated the same task twice. If we mention the book it will save me a lot of trouble checking everything.
Thanks!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

[Emma]

Finished Tasks:

6) Read a book about werewolves Prince of Wolves

10) Read a book where theres an unusual form of transport either on the cover or in the book.
The Kingmakers...they travel in an airship

[Barbara]

Congrats Emma. I do believe you are the first to have finished tasks in this part of the challenge. Only 3 more to go!

[Claudia]

Finished task 7 Dark Star

Tasks complete 1/5

@Barbara
I replied in message 91 to your question in message 86, you must've missed it. But I think perhaps the book is too short anyway.