TIOLI Jan. 2020 Challenge #8 CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2020
Join LibraryThing to post.
This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1Morphidae
Challenge #8: Read a book for the January CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge
This month's challenges are related to New Year's resolutions! There will be TWELVE this month.
There will be 12 different book challenges. (The challenges change each month.) They include everything from genres/subgenres to well known (inter)national challenges, from something about a cover to the book's setting, from LT tools to title quirks. You won't know what your particular challenge will be until you roll a random number.
You can use https://www.random.org/ (the widget at the top right) or simply Google "random number 1 to 12."
NOTE: After a certain number of challenges have been given out, I will re-randomize the list. So you really will not know what you will get!
Post the number and I will give you your challenge. For any questions, please ask here or in a PM. Embedded words, as a rule, are allowed but partial words are not. For instance, in one case, a word like "walked" must include the entire word and not just the word "walk." Tags must be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all." UPDATE: No restrictions as to fiction or nonfiction unless otherwise stated in a challenge.
I'll allow *some* leeway in interpretation of the challenges, but try not to push it. When I say "significant" or "major" or "main" I will be strict. This is me, being strict:
Note: If I give a link to a list of books, it does not mean they *all* qualify for a challenge. The lists are simply starting points. If a book is on a referred list, it will not be accepted if it doesn't fit the challenge.
Shared reads ARE allowed. Shared challenges ARE NOT allowed. That is, if someone reads a book published in 2019. You can read the SAME book. You can't read a different book published in 2019 (unless you get that challenge yourself.)
You can have two uncompleted challenges at one time. If you roll a repeat number, you cannot reroll. If you reroll the same number a second time, all I can say is "ouch" and maybe you can plead your case.
Please share how your book fits your challenge on the wiki at minimum. Please keep it short there, e.g. "subject twins - MC is a twin" or "animal on cover - anteater." You should *not* repeat the entire challenge.
This month's challenges are related to New Year's resolutions! There will be TWELVE this month.
There will be 12 different book challenges. (The challenges change each month.) They include everything from genres/subgenres to well known (inter)national challenges, from something about a cover to the book's setting, from LT tools to title quirks. You won't know what your particular challenge will be until you roll a random number.
You can use https://www.random.org/ (the widget at the top right) or simply Google "random number 1 to 12."
NOTE: After a certain number of challenges have been given out, I will re-randomize the list. So you really will not know what you will get!
Post the number and I will give you your challenge. For any questions, please ask here or in a PM. Embedded words, as a rule, are allowed but partial words are not. For instance, in one case, a word like "walked" must include the entire word and not just the word "walk." Tags must be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all." UPDATE: No restrictions as to fiction or nonfiction unless otherwise stated in a challenge.
I'll allow *some* leeway in interpretation of the challenges, but try not to push it. When I say "significant" or "major" or "main" I will be strict. This is me, being strict:
Note: If I give a link to a list of books, it does not mean they *all* qualify for a challenge. The lists are simply starting points. If a book is on a referred list, it will not be accepted if it doesn't fit the challenge.
Shared reads ARE allowed. Shared challenges ARE NOT allowed. That is, if someone reads a book published in 2019. You can read the SAME book. You can't read a different book published in 2019 (unless you get that challenge yourself.)
You can have two uncompleted challenges at one time. If you roll a repeat number, you cannot reroll. If you reroll the same number a second time, all I can say is "ouch" and maybe you can plead your case.
Please share how your book fits your challenge on the wiki at minimum. Please keep it short there, e.g. "subject twins - MC is a twin" or "animal on cover - anteater." You should *not* repeat the entire challenge.
3Citizenjoyce
I got 12 and 3
4DeltaQueen50
I got a 4 and an 11
5Dejah_Thoris
1 and 7, please!
8susanna.fraser
1 and 9 for me.
10wandering_star
5 and 7 please!
11FAMeulstee
My number is 8.
12SqueakyChu
I rolled a 1.
13Morphidae
>2 lyzard:
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
15Morphidae
>3 Citizenjoyce:
Improve Physical Well-being
Read a non-fiction book about improving your physical well-being. This can be a book about exercise, healthy eating, stopping smoking, etc. The "improvement" should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where there is either a physical vice (smoking, something "fattening," alcohol) or a physical virtue (biking, a bowl of fruit, using weights) on the cover.
OR
Read a book where there is a physical activity in the title. Examples: Run, Walk, Bike, Swim, Golf, Tennis, Dance, Basketball, Skip, Mow, Jump. Variations such as running, ran, runs, are acceptable as are embedded words.
Improve career
Read a book with a CAREER or LEADERSHIP tag. They should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC has their own business.
OR
Read a non-fiction book about the head of a business, e.g. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Hershey by Michael D'Antonio, or Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow.
Improve Physical Well-being
Read a non-fiction book about improving your physical well-being. This can be a book about exercise, healthy eating, stopping smoking, etc. The "improvement" should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where there is either a physical vice (smoking, something "fattening," alcohol) or a physical virtue (biking, a bowl of fruit, using weights) on the cover.
OR
Read a book where there is a physical activity in the title. Examples: Run, Walk, Bike, Swim, Golf, Tennis, Dance, Basketball, Skip, Mow, Jump. Variations such as running, ran, runs, are acceptable as are embedded words.
Improve career
Read a book with a CAREER or LEADERSHIP tag. They should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC has their own business.
OR
Read a non-fiction book about the head of a business, e.g. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Hershey by Michael D'Antonio, or Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow.
16Morphidae
>14 lyzard: I've added another list that has the most commonly known deities. I've also added a rule that the name must be four letters or longer else people would be using the far too easy Ra, An, Ea, or Sol.
17Citizenjoyce
>15 Morphidae: I’ve chosen the book Feminasty: The Complicated Woman's Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy without Drinking Herself to Death by Erin Gibson which may be said to show how to improve our physical health by improving our mental health, but more importantly it shows the vice of a woman drinking wine.
18Morphidae
>17 Citizenjoyce: I agree that it fits due to the cover. But speaking of the subject matter, I had a bit of a frustrating time finding a graphic for the Improve Career challenge as the ones that had the symbolism I was going for (climbing/flying) were either men or had the woman in a subservient position. For example, one was a man pulling a woman up to the top of a mountain. Ugh.
19lyzard
>16 Morphidae:
Thanks, Morphy! I am currently considering Robert Lee Wolff's Gains And Losses: Novels Of Faith In Victorian England but it's a chunkster so other options are very welcome. :)
Thanks, Morphy! I am currently considering Robert Lee Wolff's Gains And Losses: Novels Of Faith In Victorian England but it's a chunkster so other options are very welcome. :)
20Morphidae
>4 DeltaQueen50:
Learn/Get More Involved in a Hobby/Skill/Sport
Read a How-To book about a hobby, skill or sport. It should be one you do for relaxation, entertainment, or other non-work-related reasons. The hobby, skill, or sport should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all". For instance, if you are learning about crocheting, CROCHET or CROCHETING should be a tag.
OR
Read a cozy mystery with an amateur detective that has a hobby-like business such as a yarn shop, bakery, or catering (cooking) or has a hobby-like career such as a photography or blogging.
OR
Read a book where the MC performs one of the hobbies from the 10 Most Popular Hobbies in the World. It should be at least a paragraph of description or four "back and forths" of dialogue, i.e. not a throw away "atmosphere" sentence.
It should also be as a hobby, i.e. not traveling for business or singing for a band.
Improve Self
Read a non-fiction book on self-improvement, e.g. getting organized, time management, practicing self care. Appropriate tags would be ones like SELF IMPROVEMENT, SELF HELP, GOALS, ORGANIZATION, or TIME MANAGEMENT
OR
Read any book from the tag mash 20th century + existentialism + fiction. Existentialism is "a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will."
http://www.librarything.com/tag/20th+century,+existentialism,+fiction
OR
Read a book with a title that starts with a letter from IMPROVE SELF.
Learn/Get More Involved in a Hobby/Skill/Sport
Read a How-To book about a hobby, skill or sport. It should be one you do for relaxation, entertainment, or other non-work-related reasons. The hobby, skill, or sport should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all". For instance, if you are learning about crocheting, CROCHET or CROCHETING should be a tag.
OR
Read a cozy mystery with an amateur detective that has a hobby-like business such as a yarn shop, bakery, or catering (cooking) or has a hobby-like career such as a photography or blogging.
OR
Read a book where the MC performs one of the hobbies from the 10 Most Popular Hobbies in the World. It should be at least a paragraph of description or four "back and forths" of dialogue, i.e. not a throw away "atmosphere" sentence.
It should also be as a hobby, i.e. not traveling for business or singing for a band.
Improve Self
Read a non-fiction book on self-improvement, e.g. getting organized, time management, practicing self care. Appropriate tags would be ones like SELF IMPROVEMENT, SELF HELP, GOALS, ORGANIZATION, or TIME MANAGEMENT
OR
Read any book from the tag mash 20th century + existentialism + fiction. Existentialism is "a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will."
http://www.librarything.com/tag/20th+century,+existentialism,+fiction
OR
Read a book with a title that starts with a letter from IMPROVE SELF.
21DeltaQueen50
Well, this is going to stretch my reading. I never read modern cozy mysteries but I picked up an audio of Sprinkle With Murder by Jenn McKinlay, a cozy set in a bakeshop. I actually had an easier time with the Improve Self choice as many of my books appeared on that tag mash.
22Citizenjoyce
>18 Morphidae: 3 days from 2020 and the problem continues.
23wandering_star
Hah! I love the theme in these challenges.
24Morphidae
>4 DeltaQueen50: I've added the following sentence to your first challenge.
"It should also be as a hobby, i.e. not traveling for business or singing for a band."
"It should also be as a hobby, i.e. not traveling for business or singing for a band."
25lyzard
>13 Morphidae:, >19 lyzard:
HA!!
I just realised (in context) that my Agatha Christie read this month is Nemesis.
I love it when challenges collide. :D
HA!!
I just realised (in context) that my Agatha Christie read this month is Nemesis.
I love it when challenges collide. :D
27dallenbaugh
12 for me: I see 12 explained in >15 Morphidae:. Should I use that also?
28Morphidae
>5 Dejah_Thoris:
Improve Finances
Read a non-fiction book about improving your finances. This could be about saving money, spending less, getting out of debt, or idle income. Appropriate tags would be things like PERSONAL FINANCE, BUDGETING, DEBT or MONEY MANAGEMENT. It should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book that is a "rags to riches" or a "riches to rags" story (both fiction and non-fiction are acceptable)
OR
Read a fiction book that is a financial thriller. See tagmash "finance, thriller" for *ideas*. But be careful, it has books that do not fit the challenge, i.e. Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, State of Fear by Michael Crichton. Be sure to check summaries.
Travel
Read a non-fiction travel book. It could be a travel guide or "armchair travel." TRAVEL should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
See https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-guide and https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/armchair-travel for ideas.
OR
Read a book where a MC travels to a country or planet not their own.
OR
Read a book by an author from or set in a country that starts with one of the letters from TRAVEL *excluding* "America," Australia, and England.
Improve Finances
Read a non-fiction book about improving your finances. This could be about saving money, spending less, getting out of debt, or idle income. Appropriate tags would be things like PERSONAL FINANCE, BUDGETING, DEBT or MONEY MANAGEMENT. It should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book that is a "rags to riches" or a "riches to rags" story (both fiction and non-fiction are acceptable)
OR
Read a fiction book that is a financial thriller. See tagmash "finance, thriller" for *ideas*. But be careful, it has books that do not fit the challenge, i.e. Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, State of Fear by Michael Crichton. Be sure to check summaries.
Travel
Read a non-fiction travel book. It could be a travel guide or "armchair travel." TRAVEL should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
See https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-guide and https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/armchair-travel for ideas.
OR
Read a book where a MC travels to a country or planet not their own.
OR
Read a book by an author from or set in a country that starts with one of the letters from TRAVEL *excluding* "America," Australia, and England.
29Morphidae
>27 dallenbaugh: No, please wait. I often re-randomize the list.
ATTENTION, EVERYONE!
I apologize for the delay (again.) I've been in an incredible amount of pain the last couple of days. Thankfully, I've had appointments with my home care PT and OT so they helped me (gotta love massage) and my pain is lessening. I'll be working on everyone's challenges today. I hope to get to all of them today, but if not, it will be by tomorrow. We'll see how my arm and shoulder pain do.
ATTENTION, EVERYONE!
I apologize for the delay (again.) I've been in an incredible amount of pain the last couple of days. Thankfully, I've had appointments with my home care PT and OT so they helped me (gotta love massage) and my pain is lessening. I'll be working on everyone's challenges today. I hope to get to all of them today, but if not, it will be by tomorrow. We'll see how my arm and shoulder pain do.
30Morphidae
>6 majkia: I don't know whether you would call random kind, but here you go!
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
31majkia
>30 Morphidae: Looks like Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones will work. Right? Diana - name of diety.
32Morphidae
>7 antqueen:
Be Generous
Read a non-fiction about generosity. This could be a book about generosity itself, a non-profit, being green, kindness or something similar. Some ideas can be found under the tag mash generosity + nonfiction. Be sure there is an appropriate first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC performs a *significant* act of generosity or has a *significant* act of generosity given to them, i.e. having coffee brought to them or loaning someone a shirt would not be significant. Taking care of someone when ill, saving a life, loaning a car when they need to go across the country, or spying on someone while risking one's own well-being would be significant. Cooking a meal would be iffy. It would depend on the circumstances and the meal. Is this person a cook and it took little effort? Or did it take an hour or more and the person doesn't normally cook? You get the idea.
OR
Read a book with a MC or secondary character who is selfish. Scarlet O'Hara from Gone with the Wind, Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, and Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray are classics that come to mind.
Improve Education
Read a nonfiction book to learn a school-type subject (such as learning a LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR, PHYSICS, or HISTORY) or one that has EDUCATION as a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC is a student or a teacher at a school, university, or college.
OR
Read a book where there is a character that either acts stupid/dumb or appears to be so. This means a character that *other* characters feel are boneheads, not ones that you, as a reader, feel are TSTL (Too Stupid To Live.) This does not include characters who are developmentally disabled.
Examples: IS: Raziel from Lamb by Christopher Moore, Lettice Protheroe from The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie, just about anyone with money in a P. G. Wodehouse novel, Crabbe and Gayle from the Harry Potter series by J. R. Rowling, Harriet Smith from Emma by Jane Austen
SEEMS TO BE: Siegfried in The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey, Lord Peter Wimsey from Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers, any "absent-minded professor" such as Belgarath and his fellow sorcerers in Belgariad by David and Leigh Eddings.
A resource to find such books is: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StupidityTropes. Go to one of the trope pages then click on Literature.
Be Generous
Read a non-fiction about generosity. This could be a book about generosity itself, a non-profit, being green, kindness or something similar. Some ideas can be found under the tag mash generosity + nonfiction. Be sure there is an appropriate first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC performs a *significant* act of generosity or has a *significant* act of generosity given to them, i.e. having coffee brought to them or loaning someone a shirt would not be significant. Taking care of someone when ill, saving a life, loaning a car when they need to go across the country, or spying on someone while risking one's own well-being would be significant. Cooking a meal would be iffy. It would depend on the circumstances and the meal. Is this person a cook and it took little effort? Or did it take an hour or more and the person doesn't normally cook? You get the idea.
OR
Read a book with a MC or secondary character who is selfish. Scarlet O'Hara from Gone with the Wind, Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, and Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray are classics that come to mind.
Improve Education
Read a nonfiction book to learn a school-type subject (such as learning a LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR, PHYSICS, or HISTORY) or one that has EDUCATION as a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC is a student or a teacher at a school, university, or college.
OR
Read a book where there is a character that either acts stupid/dumb or appears to be so. This means a character that *other* characters feel are boneheads, not ones that you, as a reader, feel are TSTL (Too Stupid To Live.) This does not include characters who are developmentally disabled.
Examples: IS: Raziel from Lamb by Christopher Moore, Lettice Protheroe from The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie, just about anyone with money in a P. G. Wodehouse novel, Crabbe and Gayle from the Harry Potter series by J. R. Rowling, Harriet Smith from Emma by Jane Austen
SEEMS TO BE: Siegfried in The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey, Lord Peter Wimsey from Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers, any "absent-minded professor" such as Belgarath and his fellow sorcerers in Belgariad by David and Leigh Eddings.
A resource to find such books is: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StupidityTropes. Go to one of the trope pages then click on Literature.
34Morphidae
>8 susanna.fraser:
Improve Finances
Read a non-fiction book about improving your finances. This could be about saving money, spending less, getting out of debt, or idle income. Appropriate tags would be things like PERSONAL FINANCE, BUDGETING, DEBT or MONEY MANAGEMENT. It should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book that is a "rags to riches" or a "riches to rags" story (both fiction and non-fiction are acceptable)
OR
Read a fiction book that is a financial thriller. See tagmash "finance, thriller" for *ideas*. But be careful, it has books that do not fit the challenge, i.e. Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, State of Fear by Michael Crichton. Be sure to check summaries.
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
Improve Finances
Read a non-fiction book about improving your finances. This could be about saving money, spending less, getting out of debt, or idle income. Appropriate tags would be things like PERSONAL FINANCE, BUDGETING, DEBT or MONEY MANAGEMENT. It should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book that is a "rags to riches" or a "riches to rags" story (both fiction and non-fiction are acceptable)
OR
Read a fiction book that is a financial thriller. See tagmash "finance, thriller" for *ideas*. But be careful, it has books that do not fit the challenge, i.e. Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, State of Fear by Michael Crichton. Be sure to check summaries.
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
35Morphidae
*CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN RE-RANDOMIZED*
>9 Ameise1:
Improve Mental Well-Being
Read a non-fiction book about improving mental well-being. Tags such as HAPPINESS, JOY, POSITIVE THINKING, AFFIRMATIONS, or INSPIRATIONAL are acceptable and need to be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with something on the cover from a list of "simple pleasures," "simple joys," or "things that make you happy." Please provide the link.
Some examples:
Bare feet in grass, sunrise, a beach, wine, chocolate, rain, children playing from https://zenhabits.net/75-simple-pleasures-to-brighten-your-day/
A baby/babies, books, a night sky, ice cream, fire works, candles, snow from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/lifes-simply-joys
Flowers, people holding hands or riding bikes, a handwritten note, fuzzy socks, sweaters, a board game from http://www.lifewithoutpink.com/2015/09/23/100-things-make-happy/
OR
Read one of the books from NPR's We Did It For The LOLs: 100 Favorite Funny Books at https://www.npr.org/2019/08/20/752044550/we-did-it-for-the-lols-100-favorite-fun....
>9 Ameise1:
Improve Mental Well-Being
Read a non-fiction book about improving mental well-being. Tags such as HAPPINESS, JOY, POSITIVE THINKING, AFFIRMATIONS, or INSPIRATIONAL are acceptable and need to be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with something on the cover from a list of "simple pleasures," "simple joys," or "things that make you happy." Please provide the link.
Some examples:
Bare feet in grass, sunrise, a beach, wine, chocolate, rain, children playing from https://zenhabits.net/75-simple-pleasures-to-brighten-your-day/
A baby/babies, books, a night sky, ice cream, fire works, candles, snow from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/lifes-simply-joys
Flowers, people holding hands or riding bikes, a handwritten note, fuzzy socks, sweaters, a board game from http://www.lifewithoutpink.com/2015/09/23/100-things-make-happy/
OR
Read one of the books from NPR's We Did It For The LOLs: 100 Favorite Funny Books at https://www.npr.org/2019/08/20/752044550/we-did-it-for-the-lols-100-favorite-fun....
36Morphidae
>10 wandering_star:
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
Improve Mental Well-Being
Read a non-fiction book about improving mental well-being. Tags such as HAPPINESS, JOY, POSITIVE THINKING, AFFIRMATIONS, or INSPIRATIONAL are acceptable and need to be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with something on the cover from a list of "simple pleasures," "simple joys," or "things that make you happy." Please provide the link.
Some examples:
Bare feet in grass, sunrise, a beach, wine, chocolate, rain, children playing from https://zenhabits.net/75-simple-pleasures-to-brighten-your-day/
A baby/babies, books, a night sky, ice cream, fire works, candles, snow from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/lifes-simply-joys
Flowers, people holding hands or riding bikes, a handwritten note, fuzzy socks, sweaters, a board game from http://www.lifewithoutpink.com/2015/09/23/100-things-make-happy/
OR
Read one of the books from NPR's We Did It For The LOLs: 100 Favorite Funny Books at https://www.npr.org/2019/08/20/752044550/we-did-it-for-the-lols-100-favorite-fun....
Improve Religious/Spiritual Life
Read a non-fiction book with a RELIGION/RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUALITY tag. Remember this needs to be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with a MC who meets or converses with a (demi-)GOD/DESS or other DEITY -or- is a (grand)child of same.
OR
Read a book with the name of a (demi)-GOD/DESS in the title or author's name. Name must be four letters or longer.
*****
Some lists to assist you:
https://pagan.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_Deities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities_by_classification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_deities_by_cultural_sphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_deities*
*For fictional deities, you can only use a (totally) fictional deity that is mentioned in the book you are reading, i.e. you couldn't use Crom, a deity from Howard's Conan stories, to read Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson. But you could use Aslan to read A Year with Aslan by C. S. Lewis.
Improve Mental Well-Being
Read a non-fiction book about improving mental well-being. Tags such as HAPPINESS, JOY, POSITIVE THINKING, AFFIRMATIONS, or INSPIRATIONAL are acceptable and need to be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book with something on the cover from a list of "simple pleasures," "simple joys," or "things that make you happy." Please provide the link.
Some examples:
Bare feet in grass, sunrise, a beach, wine, chocolate, rain, children playing from https://zenhabits.net/75-simple-pleasures-to-brighten-your-day/
A baby/babies, books, a night sky, ice cream, fire works, candles, snow from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/lifes-simply-joys
Flowers, people holding hands or riding bikes, a handwritten note, fuzzy socks, sweaters, a board game from http://www.lifewithoutpink.com/2015/09/23/100-things-make-happy/
OR
Read one of the books from NPR's We Did It For The LOLs: 100 Favorite Funny Books at https://www.npr.org/2019/08/20/752044550/we-did-it-for-the-lols-100-favorite-fun....
37Morphidae
>11 FAMeulstee:
Improve Physical Well-being
Read a non-fiction book about improving your physical well-being. This can be a book about exercise, healthy eating, stopping smoking, etc. The "improvement" should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where there is either a physical vice (smoking, something "fattening," alcohol) or a physical virtue (biking, a bowl of fruit, using weights) on the cover.
OR
Read a book where there is a physical activity in the title. Examples: Run, Walk, Bike, Swim, Golf, Tennis, Dance, Basketball, Skip, Mow, Jump. Variations such as running, ran, runs, are acceptable as are embedded words.
Improve Physical Well-being
Read a non-fiction book about improving your physical well-being. This can be a book about exercise, healthy eating, stopping smoking, etc. The "improvement" should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where there is either a physical vice (smoking, something "fattening," alcohol) or a physical virtue (biking, a bowl of fruit, using weights) on the cover.
OR
Read a book where there is a physical activity in the title. Examples: Run, Walk, Bike, Swim, Golf, Tennis, Dance, Basketball, Skip, Mow, Jump. Variations such as running, ran, runs, are acceptable as are embedded words.
38Morphidae
>12 SqueakyChu:
Improve career
Read a book with a CAREER or LEADERSHIP tag. They should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC has their own business.
OR
Read a non-fiction book about the head of a business, e.g. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Hershey by Michael D'Antonio, or Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow.
Improve career
Read a book with a CAREER or LEADERSHIP tag. They should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC has their own business.
OR
Read a non-fiction book about the head of a business, e.g. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Hershey by Michael D'Antonio, or Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow.
39SqueakyChu
>38 Morphidae: Interesting category! I already read Isaacson’s Steve Jobs and was very impressed by that book!
What is MC?
What is MC?
41Morphidae
>39 SqueakyChu: Main Character
44wandering_star
Thanks Morphy - hope you are feeling better now.
46Morphidae
Unfortunately, I'm in the ER with excruciating back/groin pain.* I've never felt anything like it. The paramedics think it's kidney stones. Dear lord. Depending on how long I'm in, I'll either get to the rest in the next couple of days from home or I'll have MrMorphy bring my laptop to the hospital.
*Not at the moment. I was given Fentanol or something like that? Good stuff.
*Not at the moment. I was given Fentanol or something like that? Good stuff.
47SqueakyChu
>46 Morphidae: Oh, no! I hope your kidney stone problems resolve quickly. As I type this, I’m flat on my back also with back pain. I took some pain meds and am using my husband's back brace. This year is not starting off that well. I hope I just pulled something so the pain will eventually go away.
You had Fentanyl which is an opioid pain medication. I hope it’s relieving your pain.
Don’t worry about your challenge until you feel better. Your health is the emergency now.
Take care, and keep us posted.
You had Fentanyl which is an opioid pain medication. I hope it’s relieving your pain.
Don’t worry about your challenge until you feel better. Your health is the emergency now.
Take care, and keep us posted.
48Morphidae
So far they have figured out I have a UTI. Still waiting to hear on the CT scan.
Red Blood Cells
Your Value
11 /HPF
Standard Range
0 - 3 /HPF
White Blood Cells
Your Value
14 /HPF
Standard Range
0 - 5 /HPF
Red Blood Cells
Your Value
11 /HPF
Standard Range
0 - 3 /HPF
White Blood Cells
Your Value
14 /HPF
Standard Range
0 - 5 /HPF
49Citizenjoyce
>46 Morphidae:, >47 SqueakyChu: Oh no. What a way to start the New Year. I hope you both feel better soon.
51Morphidae
UTI + Kidney Stone = Hospital Admission
Seems the combo has them concerned with sepsis occurring. Something about the blockage in the tract not allowing the infection to get "washed away" or something like that. So they are going to hit it hard with IV antibiotics.
Seems the combo has them concerned with sepsis occurring. Something about the blockage in the tract not allowing the infection to get "washed away" or something like that. So they are going to hit it hard with IV antibiotics.
52SqueakyChu
>51 Morphidae: It's important that they treat your UTI aggressively if they fear sepsis might occur. I had a friend who almost died of sepsis just because of a UTI following surgery.
I'm in a back brace and taking Advil. I'm pretty okay with those. I think I might have pinched a nerve. The pain will go away with time.
I'm in a back brace and taking Advil. I'm pretty okay with those. I think I might have pinched a nerve. The pain will go away with time.
53Citizenjoyce
>51 Morphidae:, >52 SqueakyChu: Omigosh, you two. Take very good care of yourselves. Get well soon.
54SqueakyChu
>53 Citizenjoyce: I'm feeling much better. I've been wearing a back brace all day. I'll try taking it off tonight and see how I do. Here's hoping Morphy does okay as well.
56SqueakyChu
>55 Morphidae: Hurray! I take it you didn't need surgery. Stay healthy now!
57Citizenjoyce
>55 Morphidae: good news
58majkia
>55 Morphidae: Relieved to hear you are better!
59Morphidae
Home but exhausted. Will see how I feel this afternoon. Will probably be tomorrow before I catch up.
60Dejah_Thoris
>59 Morphidae: So good to hear that you're home, Morphy! And we can wait - take care of yourself!
61FAMeulstee
>59 Morphidae: Glad to read you are back home, Morphy.
62paulstalder
Please give me challenge #11
63Morphidae
Okay, folks, I'm feeling human again. I'll "get 'er done" tomorrow and get caught up. Patience for one more day!
ETA: And next month's goal is to not only have all my ideas but the challenges themselves prepared before I post them! A job to start on the 20th. I have an idea or two, just not how to implement them.
ETA: And next month's goal is to not only have all my ideas but the challenges themselves prepared before I post them! A job to start on the 20th. I have an idea or two, just not how to implement them.
64Dejah_Thoris
>63 Morphidae: Hooray! It's good to hear that you're feeling better, Morphy!
65SqueakyChu
>63 Morphidae: You’re sounding chipper, Morphy! That’s great!!
66Citizenjoyce
>63 Morphidae: I'd rather have a baby than a kidney stone any day. I'm glad you're feeling better.
67paulstalder
Glad to see you back here, take your time
68Morphidae
>26 elkiedee:
Travel
Read a non-fiction travel book. It could be a travel guide or "armchair travel." TRAVEL should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
See https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-guide and https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/armchair-travel for ideas.
OR
Read a book where a MC travels to a country or planet not their own.
OR
Read a book by an author from or set in a country that starts with one of the letters from TRAVEL *excluding* "America," Australia, and England.
Improve Social Life
Read a nonfiction book about improving social life such as books tagged with FRIENDS, COMMUNICATION (as it relates to interpersonal skills), PEOPLE SKILLS, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, and SOCIAL CAPITAL. Remember this needs to be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where there is an "ensemble cast" or at least five "important" characters. It's a movie, but think Avengers. Yes, Iron Man, Thor or Captain America could be considered leads, but the other characters are also important. Or The Lord of the Rings, The Stand by Steven King, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, or War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
OR
Read a book with three or more people/characters on the cover
Travel
Read a non-fiction travel book. It could be a travel guide or "armchair travel." TRAVEL should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
See https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-guide and https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/armchair-travel for ideas.
OR
Read a book where a MC travels to a country or planet not their own.
OR
Read a book by an author from or set in a country that starts with one of the letters from TRAVEL *excluding* "America," Australia, and England.
Improve Social Life
Read a nonfiction book about improving social life such as books tagged with FRIENDS, COMMUNICATION (as it relates to interpersonal skills), PEOPLE SKILLS, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, and SOCIAL CAPITAL. Remember this needs to be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where there is an "ensemble cast" or at least five "important" characters. It's a movie, but think Avengers. Yes, Iron Man, Thor or Captain America could be considered leads, but the other characters are also important. Or The Lord of the Rings, The Stand by Steven King, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, or War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
OR
Read a book with three or more people/characters on the cover
69Morphidae
>27 dallenbaugh: See? Something different! Sorry for the wait.
Be Generous
Read a non-fiction about generosity. This could be a book about generosity itself, a non-profit, being green, kindness or something similar. Some ideas can be found under the tag mash generosity + nonfiction. Be sure there is an appropriate first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC performs a *significant* act of generosity or has a *significant* act of generosity given to them, i.e. having coffee brought to them or loaning someone a shirt would not be significant. Taking care of someone when ill, saving a life, loaning a car when they need to go across the country, or spying on someone while risking one's own well-being would be significant. Cooking a meal would be iffy. It would depend on the circumstances and the meal. Is this person a cook and it took little effort? Or did it take an hour or more and the person doesn't normally cook? You get the idea.
OR
Read a book with a MC or secondary character who is selfish. Scarlet O'Hara from Gone with the Wind, Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, and Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray are classics that come to mind.
Be Generous
Read a non-fiction about generosity. This could be a book about generosity itself, a non-profit, being green, kindness or something similar. Some ideas can be found under the tag mash generosity + nonfiction. Be sure there is an appropriate first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC performs a *significant* act of generosity or has a *significant* act of generosity given to them, i.e. having coffee brought to them or loaning someone a shirt would not be significant. Taking care of someone when ill, saving a life, loaning a car when they need to go across the country, or spying on someone while risking one's own well-being would be significant. Cooking a meal would be iffy. It would depend on the circumstances and the meal. Is this person a cook and it took little effort? Or did it take an hour or more and the person doesn't normally cook? You get the idea.
OR
Read a book with a MC or secondary character who is selfish. Scarlet O'Hara from Gone with the Wind, Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, and Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray are classics that come to mind.
70Morphidae
>40 quondame:
Travel
Read a non-fiction travel book. It could be a travel guide or "armchair travel." TRAVEL should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
See https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-guide and https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/armchair-travel for ideas.
OR
Read a book where a MC travels to a country or planet not their own.
OR
Read a book by an author from or set in a country that starts with one of the letters from TRAVEL *excluding* "America," Australia, and England.
Learn/Get More Involved in a Hobby/Skill/Sport
Read a How-To book about a hobby, skill or sport. It should be one you do for relaxation, entertainment, or other non-work-related reasons. The hobby, skill, or sport should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all". For instance, if you are learning about crocheting, CROCHET or CROCHETING should be a tag.
OR
Read a cozy mystery with an amateur detective that has a hobby-like business such as a yarn shop, bakery, or catering (cooking) or has a hobby-like career such as a photography or blogging.
OR
Read a book where the MC performs one of the hobbies from the 10 Most Popular Hobbies in the World. It should be at least a paragraph of description or four "back and forths" of dialogue, i.e. not a throw away "atmosphere" sentence.
It should also be as a hobby, i.e. not traveling for business or singing for a band.
Travel
Read a non-fiction travel book. It could be a travel guide or "armchair travel." TRAVEL should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
See https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-guide and https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/armchair-travel for ideas.
OR
Read a book where a MC travels to a country or planet not their own.
OR
Read a book by an author from or set in a country that starts with one of the letters from TRAVEL *excluding* "America," Australia, and England.
Learn/Get More Involved in a Hobby/Skill/Sport
Read a How-To book about a hobby, skill or sport. It should be one you do for relaxation, entertainment, or other non-work-related reasons. The hobby, skill, or sport should be a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all". For instance, if you are learning about crocheting, CROCHET or CROCHETING should be a tag.
OR
Read a cozy mystery with an amateur detective that has a hobby-like business such as a yarn shop, bakery, or catering (cooking) or has a hobby-like career such as a photography or blogging.
OR
Read a book where the MC performs one of the hobbies from the 10 Most Popular Hobbies in the World. It should be at least a paragraph of description or four "back and forths" of dialogue, i.e. not a throw away "atmosphere" sentence.
It should also be as a hobby, i.e. not traveling for business or singing for a band.
71Morphidae
>62 paulstalder:
Improve Education
Read a nonfiction book to learn a school-type subject (such as learning a LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR, PHYSICS, or HISTORY) or one that has EDUCATION as a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC is a student or a teacher at a school, university, or college.
OR
Read a book where there is a character that either acts stupid/dumb or appears to be so. This means a character that *other* characters feel are boneheads, not ones that you, as a reader, feel are TSTL (Too Stupid To Live.) This does not include characters who are developmentally disabled.
Examples: IS: Raziel from Lamb by Christopher Moore, Lettice Protheroe from The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie, just about anyone with money in a P. G. Wodehouse novel, Crabbe and Gayle from the Harry Potter series by J. R. Rowling, Harriet Smith from Emma by Jane Austen
SEEMS TO BE: Siegfried in The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey, Lord Peter Wimsey from Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers, any "absent-minded professor" such as Belgarath and his fellow sorcerers in Belgariad by David and Leigh Eddings.
A resource to find such books is: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StupidityTropes. Go to one of the trope pages then click on Literature.
Improve Education
Read a nonfiction book to learn a school-type subject (such as learning a LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR, PHYSICS, or HISTORY) or one that has EDUCATION as a first level tag, i.e. do not click on "show all".
OR
Read a book where the MC is a student or a teacher at a school, university, or college.
OR
Read a book where there is a character that either acts stupid/dumb or appears to be so. This means a character that *other* characters feel are boneheads, not ones that you, as a reader, feel are TSTL (Too Stupid To Live.) This does not include characters who are developmentally disabled.
Examples: IS: Raziel from Lamb by Christopher Moore, Lettice Protheroe from The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie, just about anyone with money in a P. G. Wodehouse novel, Crabbe and Gayle from the Harry Potter series by J. R. Rowling, Harriet Smith from Emma by Jane Austen
SEEMS TO BE: Siegfried in The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey, Lord Peter Wimsey from Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers, any "absent-minded professor" such as Belgarath and his fellow sorcerers in Belgariad by David and Leigh Eddings.
A resource to find such books is: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StupidityTropes. Go to one of the trope pages then click on Literature.
72Morphidae
Okay, folks, all caught up. There is still one more challenge that no one has picked yet! Will anyone get it by the end of the month?
Forthcoming Challenges (bolded are for sure, italics are iffy): Candy Heart Sayings (Feb), Book Covers, Weird Holidays, Flowers, All About Morphy (June/birthday month), Summer Fun
>31 majkia: Seemed to have missed this. Yes, Diana works just fine.
Forthcoming Challenges (bolded are for sure, italics are iffy): Candy Heart Sayings (Feb), Book Covers, Weird Holidays, Flowers, All About Morphy (June/birthday month), Summer Fun
>31 majkia: Seemed to have missed this. Yes, Diana works just fine.
