well, i read the rules for the monthly challenge last April. obviously i don't remember them. LOL. I can't remember much from yesterday (seriously). well, thanks for telling us Misha about this rule. i'm someone who has used older material and entered it into the challenge. and i've never tried to hide it. i just didn't realize there was a rule about it. i do agree that a challenge is something to help us learn and so i like to look at the contest theme and make current shots for it. on the other hand, i submitted older entries because i thought they were good examples of the theme. now i just read the rules Dee-Marie posted and i already forgot them. seriously. my short term memory is working at minimal capacity. i have an autoimmune disease that has affected my memory so severely i'm considered "disabled" in college and am allowed to use notecards for tests. (unbelievable, huh!!!) i'll be able to remember this rule about not using old images because this thread was so long and it'll stick. but i already forgot how old image can be. went back up to misha's opening words. well, i've been working on "opposites" challenge now since i saw that it would probably be the next challenge. well, i think i can use these since the new rule will be: "It is encouraged that images for each monthly challenge be photographed during the specific month's challenge dates." i'm glad this rules was changed offer some leeway because under the old rules, the images i made a few days ago would not considered appropriate for submission. I'm not someone who enjoys too many rules. but the rules for the monthly challenge don't seem too constricting and suffocating to me. i'm cool with them, especially since that word "encouraged" is used. and Mods, i'm not some sort of huge rule breaker you gotta watch out for. i guess you know that. if i do break some rules, it's probably because i simply didn't remember them or never even knew about it. so if i ever cross the line, just give me a hollar. i guess ya'all know me well enough to know i'm really laid back. just let me know and i'll comply. it's no biggie. okey dokey, i should be in bed. i will in a sec. happy day guys!!