31 January 2010

Let the BLOB Game Begin!

Ah, Twitter, friend or foe? I haven't figured that out yet.

But one of the most fun and coolest ideas I've been privileged to egg on is the Biggest Loser of Books—otherwise known as the BLOB Game.

Was Amy (My Friend Amy) feeling at a loss because the Game On Diet was ending? Was Dawn (She Is Too Fond of Books) looking for a clever new hashtag (#BLOB)? Was Nicole (Linus's Blanket) feeling the effects of living upstairs from bookstore? Perhaps Jen (Devourer of Books) was thinking about the boxes of books she'll have to move later this year. I think Natasha (Vasilly at 1330v) was feeling sorry for her poor neglected TBR pile. Me? I just needed to get a grip.

Thus Amy proposed the BLOB Game; the rest of us pitched in with the fine tuning

The timing: The month of February.

The object: Read through the books already in your house; don't let new books through the door.

The scoring: The following points are earned for each new book in February.

  • Impulse buy: 10 points
  • Coercing someone into buying you gift / buying book for someone else (not): 10 points
  • Snagging a book on a swap site: 5 points
  • Requesting a review copy (including Shelf Awareness): 5 points
  • Considered buy: 5 points
  • Saying yes to a review copy (pitched): 3 points
  • Checking a book out from the library (any medium): 3 points
  • Winning a giveaway or contest: 3 points
  • Entering a giveaway or contest: 1 point
  • Unsolicited review copy and genuine gift: 0 points
There is only one way to neutralize a book acquisition:
  • Give a book a permanent new home (gift it, donate it, send it packing): -2 points
So what happens at the end of the month? Who wins? What does she get?

Donating to charity: Each point is worth $1. At the end of the month, the player is to add up her points and then donate the equivalent money to the charity/organization of her choice. I will be giving my check (assuming I have accumulated points!) to my local library.

Who wins? She with the lowest score wins!

The prize: The losers pledge to buy the winner a drink or meal or something foodie at BEA. We'll need to give our arms and backs a break from carrying around all those new books. (I see a June BLOB Game in our future.)

Let the BLOB Game begin!

⇒ ⇒ She with the lowest score wins! ⇐ ⇐

28 comments:

Alea 1/31/10, 6:23 AM  

WOW! I would be in like deep trouble if I tried this. Will be interesting to watch your progress!

Lenore 1/31/10, 6:58 AM  

I'm going to play unofficially for the month as well! Can you get a negative score?

Julie P. 1/31/10, 9:01 AM  

Too funny! I might try this on my own this month so see how terrible I am, but I don't think I'm ready to share my score publicly. I did just give away about 30 or so books yesterday though!

thekoolaidmom 1/31/10, 9:07 AM  

So, if you get a negative score, does that mean Charity pays you?

You guys are just too funny. so, give away 3 books, get one? hmm... And you get docked for requesting? Not getting? Half the ARCs at Shelf-Awareness are contests anymore, not guarantees. LOL, listen to me, I'm not even playing and yet I'm looking for loopholes!

softdrink 1/31/10, 9:44 AM  

Wait, you get points for just thinking about buying a book? I'd have to sign over my entire bank account at the end of the month!

Molly 1/31/10, 9:45 AM  

Such a clever idea! You guys are SO creative (I think I need to lurk on Twitter a bit more)....

I gotta know, is the picture of the books on the staircase YOUR book collection? If so, very impressive --- and great photo!

Beth F 1/31/10, 9:50 AM  

Jill: LOL! I guess I should have worded that differently: buying a book not on impulse!

Molly: those are books for which I have no more shelf space for. Sigh. And yes I took the photo on Jan. 30.

Sandy Nawrot 1/31/10, 9:51 AM  

I'm completely tickled with you guys. I've actually been on a book buying ban since the beginning of the year, and the only books to come through my door are library books and review copies. I can't wait to watch the fun!

Jen - Devourer of Books 1/31/10, 10:00 AM  

Oh my gosh, those book piles on the stairs! It is sort of sad, I've but 72 books into boxes to get them out of the house, and there *still* isn't any extra room on my shelves, stuff is still double shelved and piled around.

Vasilly 1/31/10, 10:32 AM  

This is going to be so fun! It's funny that this game is making us so excited to read our own books. I love the staircase picture.

farmlanebooks 1/31/10, 10:43 AM  

I would easily lose if I tried to join in. I know how bad I am at impulsively buying books. I love it too much! Good luck to everyone taking part!!

JoAnn 1/31/10, 10:59 AM  

What a great photo!

Amused 1/31/10, 11:45 AM  

What a great idea! Sounds like good motivation! It will be fun to watch your progress and cheer each other on!

Chèli 1/31/10, 1:43 PM  

I'm glad to say that I'm not playing this game because my paycheck (what little one I get) would be going to charity instead of the bookstore.

I don't think its fair to get charged points for using the library though. They need circulation to stay up and you aren't spending any money.

Chèli
Cheli's Shelves

Amy 1/31/10, 4:00 PM  

Wow, I so love this idea!!! What about books that you had previously requested on a trading site but that don't arrive until February?

Beth F 1/31/10, 4:04 PM  

Amy: books requested in Jan but that don't arrive until Feb are free. The idea is to read what we have and get rid of the books we won't read again or even read a first time.

Barbara 1/31/10, 4:07 PM  

I'm out since I go to the library once a week. I am finally reading all of the Anita Blake series since I did get around to getting them. Good luck!

Alea 1/31/10, 4:07 PM  

So I just bought 4 books, where does that put me. Muhahahah! I can be the anti-mascot, the bad example!

Jenn's Bookshelves 1/31/10, 4:23 PM  

Good luck to you all! I did my own self-imposed book buying ban in the fall. It was difficult, but necessary!

Jenners 1/31/10, 8:05 PM  

Have fun ... it sounds like a good time .. and no exercising is involved.

bermudaonion 1/31/10, 8:12 PM  

This is a great idea - I'm just not sure I'm strong enough to do it though.

Nise' 1/31/10, 9:23 PM  

"don't let new books through the door" - not sure if it can be done! LOL

Love that I am not the only one who uses their stairs for shelves!!

Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness) 2/1/10, 1:36 AM  

Sounds like a challenge, but fun. Good luck!

kay - Infinite Shelf 2/1/10, 1:41 AM  

Wow, that's such a great challenge, but I would completely loose if I were to try it! :P I love the picture though; is this your TBR pile? It looks great in the stairs - it makes me want stairs of my own!

Robin of My Two Blessings 2/1/10, 12:50 PM  

Okay I'm in. I have enough books in the TBR pile to keep me busy.

stacybuckeye 2/3/10, 1:00 AM  

Looks like a fun game. And it's for charity too! Good luck :)

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