I'm waiting to see if Christa answers to Christ. LOL!

Genie...LOL!   My first thought was, "Christ on a Kindle!"

Alice...I know just what you mean.  And I love your new owl!

Is it audacious to sign up for the 2011 challenge before you finish the 2010 one :-)

Welcome Sheila!  I think there are a lot of us who have not finished 2010 yet.  I still have one more to read, which I am intentionally saving for my last read of the year.

I have 2 1/2 books still to read.

I can't believe how many of you have chosen your books already--choosing the books is so much fun that I'm going to prolong that part as long as possible!  Of course, I changed several of my various challenge books this year so I'll probably do the same next year as well.  I don't want to waste my time on a bad book, even if I did say I'd read it for a challenge.

Diane

Christa,  Not to throw a wrench into the works, but I am trying to convince my friend to participate.  I am afraid she might find this a bit daunting,  is there anyway to work in a Newbie Challenge in here?  Such as pick one of the challenges to complete?

Shoot, Letty, completing just one challenge is MY goal right now, so it should be just fine for a newbie, I would think. Right, Christa?

I think Jeanne is right.  Letty, your friend can pick any one of the challenges if she just wants to do one. Completing any one challenge counts as participating in the "2011 HF Challenge".  That's why I did the "generic" banners in addition to the banners with colors corresponding to medals.  However, I do think we should be especially kind to newbies and other first timers, so let's create the "FIrst-Timer Achievement" for any first-time HF Challenge participant who completes one or more challenges.   That seems to be an appropriate way to recognize someone brave enough to throw their hat in with this bunch for the first time. 

Thanks Christa, I will give her the info, she would fit right in with our group she is a hoot!

This is my first attempt at the challenges so I decided to go all in if I'm going to put forth the effort at all. Might as well make it really count. Everyone is free to take a look at my selections in the "List" thread and point out my errors or offer better suggestions. For some of the categories, I had to go a-lookin' so I have no idea if I picked a stinker or not (pm's are welcome). But I can only echo everyone's sentiments about what a great job Christa did putting this all together. I didn't expect to feel so enthusiastic about the challenges.

I'm assuming that it would be considered cheating to start before Jan 1, no?

I'm assuming that it would be considered cheating to start before Jan 1, no?        Yes!

I think the rule last year was that you could count it if you finished it in 2011.  I'm going to qualify that a bit by saying that you can count ONE book that you started in 2010 and finished in 2011.  No fair reading a bunch of books up to the last 10 pages then reading the end in January (and I know some of you would try it if you could!)

I'm assuming that it would be considered cheating to start before Jan 1, no?

You know, even though this challenge is just for fun, and no one would have any idea when I started reading, I just could never cheat on this!  I'll start reading for all my challenges as soon as I wake up on January 1st! 

Diane

For the "highbrow challenge" I'm going to read Wolf Hall.  I have it on my shelf and I just have to see for myself what everyone's talking about, and this is as good a time as any. :)

Christa - Last year  I posted my list and worked from it for the most part.  This year I was considering posting my list as I go.  Do you have a hard-and-fast rule about it?  I'm okay either way.

No rule about when and how you post your list.  I think I would like everyone to "declare" their goal before Jan. 1.  You are free to change your goal as you like during the year, but I think it will be fun to see how we actually do compared to how we thought we could do when we felt so ambious about a shiny and new challenge.   I'm not ashamed to admit that my goal for 2010 was to read 100 books...I really thought that was do-able.  I'll finish the year around 70.

Hey Christa -- If I complete Challenge 4 twice (It's All Relative -- 6 books that are somehow related) without duplication (e.g., books on my TBR and books that are historical mysteries), am I eligible for the Bronze Award?? How about if I complete it 3 times -- do I get the Silver?? Just askin'.....

(I'll let you have the wet noodle.)

Yea!!!   My friend Bonnie signed up!  Now first read this,http://www.paperbackswap.com/forum/search.php?q=warning+to+a+newbie&s_type=st&fid=107&action=search   Deb (the enforcer) wrote this last year.  Christa is the Third Gentle Coordinator so she is the boss, when you step out of line Deb will be welding the fearsome wet noodle, but she doesn't have possession of it yet.  It is still in Genie's control until New Years Day.  Don't be shy about asking questions (like your shy) ha  anyway,  The ladies and our few gentlemen are a fun group.  I am so happy you decided to join us. 

Thanks Jerelyn! Hey I specifically asked if there were punishments beforehand! What have you got me into?  Am I out of line yet?

Bonnie!  Welcome!

And welcome to "the guys"...Bruce, and John.   Bruce, asking for us to give you advice is such music to the ears...;D  Way to make yourself welcome!

Wait...is there another man around here, planning on doing the 2011 challenges?  

Thanks Vicki! Please everyone feel free to advise me too! Just learning what hf means! I have read Outlander series and Clan of the Cave Bear(can't wait for next book!)  I like almost everything that isn't boring!

Not doing it next year because while I ended up reading quite a few of them, I read way more other books. So I still came out ahead.

But good luck to all of you! :-)

Deb the Enforcer, I'm gonna say no to that.  Just like in the Olympics, if you are in the decathalon, you can't do the long jump twice but sit out the javelin and still expect to get a medal

Welcome, Bonnie!  And don't think of the wet noodle as exactly punishment.  Think of it more like the price you have to pay for your individualism.

Christa, I just thought of another achievement.  What if we took one of the continents, and read through each of the time periods, using books that took place on that continent or in a specific country?  For instance, I have almost enough books on Mt. TBR to read Ireland from prehistory to the present.  Or better yet, you could do EACH continent that way!

We could call it the When, Exactly, Did You Lose Your Mind achievement....