2009 Challenge group is up...

The 2009 group is ready, and I've made a Kitchen thread and a thread for us to introduce ourselves to each other.

http://www.librarything.com/groups/75bookschallengefor1

Thanks again for taking the time to do this!

I thought I'd post so this thread would be at the top again.

By the way, when I last checked the groups tab, the 2008 group was still the third most active group, and the 2009 group was the 13th most active. So I'd say we'll be as chatty next year as we were this year!

Great! Our 2008 group was such a wonderful mix of interesting people and I'm excited to get to know the new 2009 people that will be making Mount TBR even bigger.

So many new participating members in the 2009 group, I started a list to memorize ;-)

I know, Anita. I want to yell, STOP, don't post in 2009 yet! I have enough trouble keeping up with the 2008 posts!

"Agreed", he said with a grimmace as he realized he was adding to someone else's obssessive pain by adding another post which would have to be read.

Maybe we can count reading all posts in this group as one or two books? LOL!

My vote is with Anita! This is like reading the thread in the 999 Challenge about whether or not it is permissible to start reading your books before January 1, 2009. Argh!

Count me in. I want people to stop posting over there other than the "Hi, I'm..." thread introductions and their initial post so that I don't have to go read them.

Point taken, ronincats and TadAD. (I'm not a member of this group, having just discovered the 2009 group in December -- came over here to see if it were true what everyone is saying about recommendations from other members making one's TBR pile grow higher.)

Heaven help me, I've already discovered three books to add from just a few threads.

I'm not posting in any 2009 threads yet but am lurking and argh they're already getting sooooo out of control!! Help.

I have to find a way of cutting down on my LT time. I need to read more books....

The 2008 challenge group is now number 5 on the list of most active groups (down from 3) and the 2009 group is number 9 (up from 13). It's been interesting to me to see the switchover as we wind up one challenge and pick up the next...

I guess I sort of wish that 2009 challenges actually got started in 2009 instead of 2008 so that I didn't have to switch back and forth, but what can you do? Maybe I should just ignore that thread for another few weeks.

At least most of the folks have stayed together instead of migrating to the bigger challenge groups.

Most of the new challenge conversation is chatter and can be reasonably safely put off until later. I only know of one person who actually started the challenge early.

Gentlemen, I'm in the ignore it if you can state of mind about the 2009 group. I, too, wish 2009 "challenges" actually started in 2009, but what can you do about overeager beavers? I'll start reading them in the new year.

I was actually hoping we could stay with such a nice group but made a double challenge ;) What do I mean - 150 books in 2009. Or at least something like 100 or 120 books. When I look around here there is a lot of people who are having a long list of books, much more than 75 ;) Why we should keep it so low then, then it's not a challenge any longer :P What do you think?

But I want to stay with you guys, that's why I will see what you think and then react and join any group where 'my people' will be ;)

well i've got no hope of reaching 120 or 150 so I wouldn't be joining in with a bigger group. I'd miss all you people and I know that its not about the number, but I wouldn't feel comfortable being in a group where I had no hope of succeeding. I know I'm only new but i'm looking forward to getting to know you all better in 2009 :)

Well, I doesn't need to be such number, it's 'under the negotiation' ;) Besides - I just wanna hear opinions of people in this goup for the future decission making process ;)

Lunacat - welcome here then :) It's a group of pretty cool people, reading a lot, talking a lot, giving hints about wonderful books and so on. Good group to be in :D

I read more than 100 this year, but I'm more comfortable with a challenge of 75. I had an unusually productive year, especially with the encouragement from LT readers but next year I'm going to be tackling more "chunksters" and will have less time for "fluff" with the 999 challenge.

This has been such an exciting group to talk books with and keeping it at 75 also means that we won't have to stop talking because we need more time to read! ;-)

I'm adding to my 2008 thread the next week and a half--will start 2009 on January 1st! We don't have TV where we will be staying then so plenty of time to read that day.

Yeap, that's my plan as well - to start with January 1st or 2nd (depend when I'll finish reading first book ;))

I have quite some time to read in this year as well and I have absolutely no clue what 2009 will bring... Well, let's see what others think about it :)

I'll check out the 999 challenge, but probably it's related with writing reviews and that's not my strong side :/

I don't think there is any "rule" about writing reviews on LT unless you are an "early reviewer." Most people make brief comments on challenge threads, some write more extensive comments, and some just list the books read.

We had a discussion in another thread (here) about raising the challenge but decided that it made the most sense to keep it at 75. That way, people who read 75ish aren't stressed and those who read more can simply read beyond...just like they did this year.

My vote is to stay with 75. I was more than happy to reach this goal and anything above and beyond was quite a bonus.

Since my goal in the group is strictly non-numberish, I vote for staying with 75. Those who make it, make it, those who don't, don't. The group, to me at least, is not about the numbers. It's about books.

>18 agatatera: Aggie, if it aint broke, don't try and fix it! This group is magic and the number 75 is magic. Its stretchy without being impossible. Its achievable and surpassable. A perfect number to suit all our goals. It accommodates list makers, challenge-seekers, reviewers, readers, commentators and social networkers (have I missed anyone?)

- TT

Ok, ok, I'm convinced :p So, i assume I'll see you all in a few days in a group to which the link was given in the first post here, right? :p Cool to stay with such a banch of nice people :)

>28 agatatera: aggie, who are you calling a "banch"! :)

Anyway, welcome to the "banch". You will have a great time.

- TT

Ha! You see how imperfect my English is? Of course it suppose to be a bunch of people, not banch ;) I hope you don't mind this non-formal way of describing our group ;)

I'm sure I'll have a great time with you, as I did since July 2008, when I joined LT :D It's my favourite group between all these books-related groups, for sure most talkative and willing to share.

message #27
TT
You missed someone -- aspiring authors. All good wishes to you in 2009. May you write pages and pages of wonderfully witty, creative and insightful stoires.

>31 Whisper1: Linda, I had better stay away from these thread then - I am expending all my wit and creativity thinking up witticisms to entertain you!

- TT

the 2009 group is getting big...
I am afraid I won't be able to keep up with all the threads :-(

Even though I hate to do it, I find myself xing people who don't read books I'm interested in or aren't very active. I try and keep up with threads of people I enjoy (here's looking at you, Severn plus many others). It's too hard to overcome my LT addiction and read books plus trying to keep up wih RL to read every thread. I wish I had many more hours a day.

>33 FAMeulstee: FAMeulstee

If it's like this year, it will level out, I think. The 2008 group has 661 nominal members, but less than 40 threads have had a post since September.

Yeah, that's what I'm expecting. Kinda like going to the gym on January 2. 8^}

>36 drneutron:
Never done that LOL

>35 TadAD: - Seriously not even 40 people? Wow, I thought it's more than that. But actually - better for us probably, as it's hard enough to be updated ;)

Here's to my being not on the rejected list of 75 ers for 2009!!!!!!!!

I have starred all active members from 2008 and hope to find some more to star ;-)

A star is born!

Maybe I'll be good enough to earn a star. Unfortunately, at the moment there are only devil horns.

*snort*

You will fit in just fine, Luna.

What does it mean to be starred and how does one do it? I've gotten through the Menes and duplicate entries, the entire group list (thrice), clouds, and emphasis in my messages. Missed this topic!

there is a little, uncolored star, next to the numbers of messages in a topic. If you click on it it turns yellow.
Then you can view all your "starred" topics by clicking on "your starred" in talk

Thank you!

And the opposite is the little x. If you don't want to see the thread, click the x and it's gone forever.

@47: gone forever? I, too, x-ed out many threads in the 2009 challenge group, but they appear with a pink background at the bottom of the page .

The reason I did it was to keep my own thread from going to page 2, since I can't get the "next" link to work right now.

My literary tastes aren't shared by many, so y'all can safely "x" me!

In 2009, may we all be like the Star Belly Sneetches on the Beeches! Which reminds me to re-read this book to my grand daughter. Dr. Seuss is one of my favorite authors.

Happy Holiday to everyone. I have enjoyed this group and the posts tremendously and look forward to reading all the suggestions, descriptions, witty banter, kind affirmations and wonderfully written reviews in the New Year!

I would also like to stay at 75. I did the 50 Book Challenge in 2007 and went way over, which is why I started the 75 Book Challenge for 2008. I still went over, but not by enough to make me comfortable trying to reach 100 or 125 or 150.

I really don't need a challenge to read, and I read as much as time permits. I like using this group to track my reading on my own thread, but I don't want to feel like I have to make some magic number. As it is, I'm having enough trouble fulfilling group reads; I don't want to feel like a slacker on any other threads.

>50 Cariola:: Cariola

Deborah, you know it is not about the numbers in the 75 group.
Next year is going to be just as great as 2008 was. I hope you will join us again.

Anita

>16 drneutron:: Most of the new challenge conversation is chatter...

Looks like a lot of people are starting up their 2009 reading. I broke my promise to myself and went over to read the threads in the 2009 group and four of the first 10 said they were already putting in books for 2009, including one who had a bunch they were going to enter.

*sigh* I guess I somehow have to follow two forums, or else put all those people on ignore so they don't bother the OCD in me that doesn't like unread messages.

#18 - Just saw your note, agatatera, and I'm with you! My personal goal for this year is 100+ books. I'm on #17 now and it's still January, so I could probably do 120-150. Want to try it?

Gosh, I don't know why I just saw your message now Bibliotecara! Well... Is end of March and I'm on No 43, so there should be chance for 100+ until the end of the year :) Let's try :D