Team Two Gets the Clue (and the win)

[Sarah]

Excellent. Thank you Amanda. :-)

[Jannene]

Amanda (Mandy) wrote: "I am on my phone so I can't link the message. Sarah I will focus on the rooms as requested. I will do the kitchen, hall, and library. They should be quick reads. If I end up going through them quic..."

I updated Amanda's tasks.

Leaves us with 1 of each of these rooms:
Ballroom
Dining Room
Billiard Room
Lounge

Weapons:
Dagger/knife - my third read fits here
Lead pipe
Rope

Color:
Yellow? Unless Marie keeps it - my third read fits here too

[Jannene]

I normally do about 6 books (mostly audio). I can pick up the conservatory with . It has a vase of flowers. I have updated the sheet but left my third read floating on purpose to see what we need.

[Sarah]

Excellent Jannene. I'm on my phone so can't update the spreadseet do good job. Maybe have a think about focusing on the leftover weapons then we can complete that section for a second time especially as it's shorter than the rooms section.

[Sarah]

That said, there's only 1 in in between completing the weapons and completing the rooms again.

[Jannene]

I agree that perhaps just do one round on the rooms and double or triple up on either the rooms or weapons. We need to do one round of the rooms for the grand sweep.

[Lanelle]

I'll be able to help with the rooms and weapons after I finish reading the colours.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm so glad you are all updating the spreadsheet. I've had a mixed bag of a day. I ended up going to the chuckwagon races and just got home.

[Sarah]

Good work team! I will be around for another 8 hours and then I'm going away for the weekend. I reckon I can check in tomorrow evening briefly but that's about it until I return home on Sunday. We're pretty organised which is great. Thanks team for being so cooperative and getting things together before I head off.

[Janice, Moderator]

Have a great weekend Sarah!

[Sarah]

Thanks Janice. Annoyingly it's just started chucking it down. I'm going to get a bit wet walking down the towpath to the car if it doesn't let up.

[Janice, Moderator]

Prays and supplications to the rain gods to make it stop. Unfortunately, sacrifices are required which may mean no booze. I'll tell you what. I'll abstain for you. No booze all day while I work. That should get you into the car safely.

[Sarah]

Thanks Janice. Hopefully it's just a quick mental shower and then it will stop.

[Janice, Moderator]

Strategy is key to this team coordinated toppler. Let's concentrate in doing the full sweep for the 40 points. So, if you have a task where you are the only one marked down, read that task first. I'm the only one down for Billiard Room & Ballroom. Fortunately, one is on audiobook and the other hardcover so I'll be able to start them both tomorrow.

For those of you who have tasks with 2 people, you may want to coordinate with them. Lanelle, you and I are down to read Mrs. Peacock task. I won't be able to start my read till after my first audiobook, so you may want to tackle that one first.

Woohoo - getting excited.

[Janice, Moderator]

Gosh, I sound bossy. Sorry, Sarah. *hangs head*

[Sam]

All of mine are doubles so I shall definitely start with The Fireman for candlestick given the extra points it gives.

I'll do either The Hummingbird Wizard for green cover or The Tenant of Wildfell Hall for hall room next as they are similar. I will check and see what gaps there are first before choosing which one.

I'll save The Dragon's Eye for study room for towards the end unless we need it desperately as its in the shortest points category.

Are we adding our own points to the spreadsheet as we go and should we agree a way to tick off the reads, maybe changing the colour or something?

[Sarah]

I am planning on starting my audiobook Survivor for Mr White at the same time as The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry for the library tasks. I think all my tasks are covered by someone else too. I think Fikry will be an easier read than my conservatory read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan so I thought I'd get it out of the way first.

[Sarah]

I think the team coordination aspect has made me more excited about it this time around as we have to work together to gt those points rather than just reading what we want regardless. Our team has done amazing with coordinating stuff. Let's hope the reading goes as smoothly :-)

[Sam]

Janice wrote: "Gosh, I sound bossy. Sorry, Sarah. *hangs head*"

Embrace the bossy Janice, I'm sure for menfolk its called leadership skills so see it as that instead!

Get that head up :-D

[Sam]

Sarah wrote: "I am planning on starting my audiobook Survivor for Mr White at the same time as The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry for the library tasks. I think all my tasks are covered..."

By the way Sarah, I've read Snow Flower and loved it, it also only took me two days (starting one day and finishing the next) to read it as it was so engrossing.

[Janice, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "I think the team coordination aspect has made me more excited about it this time around as we have to work together to gt those points rather than just reading what we want regardless. Our team has..."

I agee! For us analytical types, this is like candy in a toppler.

Our team has done a great job of coordinating our efforts.

[Sarah]

Janice wrote: "Gosh, I sound bossy. Sorry, Sarah. *hangs head*"

No worries. It's over to you as I'm going to be disappearing off soon.

[Janice, Moderator]

Do you get to read while travelling, Sarah?

[Sarah]

@Sam - we'll have a reporting thread set up for us to go report in. The main thing is people report in the reporting thread as that is what counts. I guess it's up to Janice whether she wants to update the spreadsheet so we know where we at or whether we all do it ourselves. Any preference Janice?

[Sarah]

Sam wrote: "By the way Sarah, I've read Snow Flower and loved it, it also only took me two days (starting one day and finishing the next) to read it as it was so engrossing. "

That's good to hear!

[Sarah]

Janice wrote: "Do you get to read while travelling, Sarah?"

I'll read on the train down. I have a 2hr15min train journey. Then I catch the bus each morning to the hotel where the course is being held so I'll listen to an audiobook then. Then I have the train journey home too. Tomorrow night I might be home alone so I hope to get some reading done then too but my friend is around this evening so we will be catching up and drinking prosecco.

[Janice, Moderator]

Let's make this a true team effort. I know in the past, I was always anxious waiting for someone to update scores, and I'm quite busy at work so will be away from updating for several hours at a time.

I will update the spreadsheet tonight and add the calculations to it. When people finish their book, replace your x with the score, and it will populate the scoring column.

I will oversee the spreadsheet and update bonuses as we get them.

Should I add a tab to the spreadsheet where you can put in details - like titles, page count, score etc, or are we good with doing that in the report thread and just keeping the spreadsheet simple?

[Sarah]

Sounds perfect Janice. I think that information will be fine in the reporting thread, although perhaps page count would be good because extra points are given for those. Not sure now. I guess the collumns we have will do the job too.

[Sarah]

Go team! So whose been nosy in the other team threads yet? I'm just looking at the other spreadsheets now. lol

[Sarah]

We're clearly the gobby ones looking at the amount of posts we have in our chat thread compared to the others. :-)

[Janice, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "Sounds perfect Janice. I think that information will be fine in the reporting thread, although perhaps page count would be good because extra points are given for those. Not sure now. I guess the c..."

Re: Page count... that's going to affect the score for individual books, so you enter the applicable score in your column.

For example, I will enter 5 for The Ballroom (320 pgs), 10 for Beartown (432 pgs), and Sam will enter 20 for The Fireman (784 pgs)

[Janice, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "Go team! So whose been nosy in the other team threads yet? I'm just looking at the other spreadsheets now. lol"

I looked at them a couple of days ago, but haven't had too much time to be snoopy. Will maybe nose around tonight.

[Sarah]

That makes sense on the page count Janice.

I just noticed that Almeta's team were hoping to claim multiple 40 point bonuses with sweeping all sections. It's a one off bonus according to the rules so I've pointed that out to them. Can't be having cheating ;-)

[Sam]

Janice wrote: "Let's make this a true team effort. I know in the past, I was always anxious waiting for someone to update scores, and I'm quite busy at work so will be away from updating for several hours at a ti..."

That sounds good Janice, we may as well all chip in with a proper team effort. It'll help us all keep track of things too and see we each need to focus rather than trying to figure it out from the reporting thread, which could get a bit on the long side I reckon.

And good work Sarah, now that's the sign of a true leader, going after the opposition while keeping their own team going! ;-)

[Annette]

Sarah wrote: "I am planning on starting my audiobook Survivor for Mr White at the same time as The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry for the library tasks. I think all my tasks are covered..."

For what it's worth, I've read both of those books. I thought they both read pretty quickly. I'd love to know what you think about them when you're done. :)

[Amanda (Mandy)]

I plan on starting my book Throne of Glass for the Hall 1st.

If I finish my 3 books I committed to, then I found a couple of short books that would work for the weapons knife and rope. They are saved to my kindle so we will see how the week goes.

I am excited about this toppler. The theme is really fun!!

Here is my overall plan:

Read 3 books for toppler focusing on assigned rooms:
1. Hall Throne of Glass
2. Library The Bookshop on the Corner
3. Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

Bonus books if I can:
Knife Cupcakes and Deathly Stakes
Rope The Circus
Conservatory or Revolver Blood Orchids

[Sarah]

Arrived at my destination and just off to bed.

I'll let you know Annette. :-)

Happy topplering tomorrow. I'm going to be learning about hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome and anger management in my course tomorrow which should be interesting before I delve in to my first toppler book. What does everyone else have planned for tomorrow?

[Jannene]

Annette, you and I are on for revolver. I plan on starting mine tomorrow since it is due back to the library in a few days.

Lanelle, I was going to hit purple next.

[Jannene]

Do you think we should fill in what "task" we are working on in color? That way those of us who have partners can quickly glance at the sheet and know what to pick next?

I did mine as an example on the spreadsheet.

[Lanelle]

I'm going to start at the top of the color list (red) and work my way down.

@ Jannene, we'll see who finishes purple first, eh?

@ Sarah, I'm glad you made it to your destination safely.

[Annette]

Jannene wrote: "Annette, you and I are on for revolver. I plan on starting mine tomorrow since it is due back to the library in a few days.

Lanelle, I was going to hit purple next."

That's good to know. I will start lead pipe and then wrench then rope. Last time I checked I was the only one for those. I'll do revolver last since you've got it! :)

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm going to head to bed. Hopefully, the morning will come sooner. :) Get a good sleep everyone, because we won't be sleeping for a week. Hehehehe!

[Marie (UK)]

The library that had my red book is having a move so the book is unavailable there and i will have to go into town for it at the main library so i will start with ding room and white books

[Sarah]

Jannene wrote: "Do you think we should fill in what "task" we are working on in color? That way those of us who have partners can quickly glance at the sheet and know what to pick next?

I did mine as an example o..."

I'm not going be able to do that as i only have my phone over the weekend and i cannot edit the spreadsheet on there plus i have no time but if you want to it could be useful.

[Sam]

Jannene wrote: "Do you think we should fill in what "task" we are working on in color? That way those of us who have partners can quickly glance at the sheet and know what to pick next?

I did mine as an example o..."

Sounds like a good plan to me, I've highlighted my first read the same way :-)

[Jannene]

Sarah wrote: "Jannene wrote: "Do you think we should fill in what "task" we are working on in color? That way those of us who have partners can quickly glance at the sheet and know what to pick next?

I did mine..."

I updated your reads as well as the others who have indicated what they will start first and colored them in on the sheet.

[Jannene]

Janice wrote: "I'm going to head to bed. Hopefully, the morning will come sooner. :) Get a good sleep everyone, because we won't be sleeping for a week. Hehehehe!

"

I love that graphic.

[Janice, Moderator]

Everyone ready? 1-1/2 hours to go. Woot.

[Lanelle]

Janice, my idea of a reading party is a bit more sedate than yours :)

I have my library books, I have snacks and my family knows to leave me alone.
I'm ready!

[Janice, Moderator]

LOL! Yes, that does look like a reading party.

I want to read this week's section for The Woman in White, set up my sewing machine, and set up the speakers before the toppler starts. I'm going to attempt to listen to my audiobook while working on a quilt. I've never tried to multi-task the two activities before.