diff --git a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/Movie.jsx b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/Movie.jsx
index 9d1af0629..82ca1496e 100644
--- a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/Movie.jsx
+++ b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/Movie.jsx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class Movie extends Component {
     return (
       <div key={movie.name} style={{paddingBottom: "15px",marginBottom: "15px", borderBottom: "1px solid #ccc"}}>
         <h2>{movie.name} ({movie.year})</h2>
-        <p>{movie.review} – by <strong>{movie.user && movie.user.username}</strong></p>
+        <p>{movie.review} – by <strong>{movie.user && movie.user.__displayName}</strong></p>
         {this.renderEdit()}
       </div>
     )
diff --git a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/MoviesList.jsx b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/MoviesList.jsx
index 8b952dd77..4b39306b6 100644
--- a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/MoviesList.jsx
+++ b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/components/MoviesList.jsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { Accounts } from 'meteor/std:accounts-ui';
 import { ModalTrigger } from "meteor/nova:core";
 import Movie from './Movie.jsx';
 import Movies from '../collection.js';
+import { compose } from 'react-apollo';
 import { withCurrentUser, withList } from 'meteor/nova:core';
 import { moviesListProps, moviesSingleProps } from '../containers/fragments.js';
 
@@ -60,4 +61,4 @@ const listOptions = {
   fragmentName: 'moviesListProps',
 };
 
-export default withList(listOptions)(withCurrentUser(MoviesList));
+export default compose(withList(listOptions), withCurrentUser)(MoviesList);
diff --git a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/containers/fragments.js b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/containers/fragments.js
index 2197ee698..de3ff5daf 100644
--- a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/containers/fragments.js
+++ b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/containers/fragments.js
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ const moviesListProps = createFragment(gql`
     year
     review
     privateComments
+    user {
+      __displayName
+    }
   }
 `)
 
diff --git a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/resolvers.js b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/resolvers.js
index 88ea653ab..e2f26acf3 100644
--- a/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/resolvers.js
+++ b/packages/custom-collection-demo/lib/resolvers.js
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ import Telescope from 'meteor/nova:lib';
 import mutations from './mutations.js';
 
 const resolvers = {
-  // Movie: {
-  //   user(post, args, context) {
-  //     return context.Users.findOne({ _id: post.userId }, { fields: context.getViewableFields(context.currentUser, context.Users) });
-  //   },
-  // },
+  Movie: {
+    user(movie, args, context) {
+      return context.Users.findOne({ _id: movie.userId }, { fields: context.getViewableFields(context.currentUser, context.Users) });
+    },
+  },
   Query: {
     moviesList(root, {offset, limit}, context, info) {
       const protectedLimit = (limit < 1 || limit > 10) ? 10 : limit;
diff --git a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesList.jsx b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesList.jsx
index 58b97ba64..88f34b2d8 100644
--- a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesList.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesList.jsx
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ import Telescope from 'meteor/nova:lib';
 import React, { PropTypes, Component } from 'react';
 import { FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import { Button, DropdownButton, MenuItem, Modal } from 'react-bootstrap';
-import { /* ModalTrigger, */ ContextPasser } from "meteor/nova:core";
+import { /* ModalTrigger, */ ContextPasser, withList } from "meteor/nova:core";
 import { withRouter } from 'react-router'
 import { LinkContainer } from 'react-router-bootstrap';
 import Users from 'meteor/nova:users';
-import { withCategoriesList } from 'meteor/nova:base-containers';
+import Categories from 'meteor/nova:categories';
 
 // note: cannot use ModalTrigger component because of https://github.com/react-bootstrap/react-bootstrap/issues/1808
 
@@ -152,4 +152,13 @@ CategoriesList.propTypes = {
   results: React.PropTypes.array,
 };
 
-Telescope.registerComponent('CategoriesList', CategoriesList, withRouter, withCategoriesList);
\ No newline at end of file
+const categoriesListOptions = {
+  queryName: 'getCategoriesList',
+  collection: CategoriesList,
+  listResolverName: 'categoriesList',
+  totalResolverName: 'categoriesListTotal',
+  fragment: Categories.fragments.full,
+  fragmentName: 'fullCategoryInfo',
+};
+
+Telescope.registerComponent('CategoriesList', CategoriesList, withRouter, withList(categoriesListOptions));
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesNewForm.jsx b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesNewForm.jsx
index 85c114469..6dd66b74a 100644
--- a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesNewForm.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/categories/CategoriesNewForm.jsx
@@ -18,14 +18,13 @@ const CategoriesNewForm = (props, context) => {
           getCategoriesList: (prev, {mutationResult}) => {
             const newCategory = mutationResult.data.categoriesNew;
             const newCategoriesList = update(prev, {
-              categories: {
+              categoriesList: {
                 $push: [newCategory]
               },
               categoriesListTotal: {
                 $set: prev.categoriesListTotal + 1
               },
             });
-            // note: 'newCategoriesList' is extended with the category but somehow when the query updates it e
             return newCategoriesList;
           },
         }}
diff --git a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/comments/CommentsNewForm.jsx b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/comments/CommentsNewForm.jsx
index 25105444b..076b508fb 100644
--- a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/comments/CommentsNewForm.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/comments/CommentsNewForm.jsx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ const CommentsNewForm = (props, context) => {
               // console.log('[commentsNew] previous comment list', prev);
               const newComment = mutationResult.data.commentsNew;
               const newCommentsList = update(prev, {
-                comments: {
+                commentsList: {
                   $push: [newComment]
                 },
                 commentsListTotal: {
diff --git a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsCommentsThread.jsx b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsCommentsThread.jsx
index 75ed0557f..859604a98 100644
--- a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsCommentsThread.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsCommentsThread.jsx
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 import Telescope from 'meteor/nova:lib';
 import React from 'react';
 import {FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
-import { ModalTrigger, withCurrentUser } from 'meteor/nova:core';
+import { ModalTrigger, withCurrentUser, withList } from 'meteor/nova:core';
 import Comments from 'meteor/nova:comments';
-import { withCommentsList } from 'meteor/nova:base-containers';
-
 
 const PostsCommentsThread = (props, context) => {
 
@@ -50,4 +48,16 @@ PostsCommentsThread.propTypes = {
   currentUser: React.PropTypes.object
 };
 
-Telescope.registerComponent('PostsCommentsThread', PostsCommentsThread, withCurrentUser, withCommentsList);
+const commentsListOptions = {
+  queryName: 'getCommentsList',
+  collection: Comments,
+  listResolverName: 'commentsList',
+  totalResolverName: 'commentsListTotal',
+  fragment: Comments.fragments.full,
+  fragmentName: 'fullCommentInfo',
+  ownPropsVariables: [
+    {propName: 'postId', graphqlType: 'String', usedForTotal: true},
+  ],
+};
+
+Telescope.registerComponent('PostsCommentsThread', PostsCommentsThread, withCurrentUser, withList(commentsListOptions));
diff --git a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsList.jsx b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsList.jsx
index f5d842205..9540bc610 100644
--- a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsList.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsList.jsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import Telescope from 'meteor/nova:lib';
 import React from 'react';
-import { withPostsList } from 'meteor/nova:base-containers';
+import { withList } from 'meteor/nova:core';
+import Posts from 'meteor/nova:posts';
 
 const PostsList = (props) => {
 
@@ -54,4 +55,19 @@ PostsList.propTypes = {
   showHeader: React.PropTypes.bool,
 };
 
-Telescope.registerComponent('PostsList', PostsList, withPostsList);
+const postsListOptions = {
+  queryName: 'getPostsList',
+  collection: Posts,
+  listResolverName: 'postsList',
+  totalResolverName: 'postsListTotal',
+  fragment: Posts.fragments.full,
+  fragmentName: 'fullPostInfo',
+  ownPropsVariables: [
+    // test note: can't overwrite atm
+    // {propName: 'limit', graphqlType: 'Int', defaultValue: 2, usedForTotal: false}, 
+    // note:give the list hoc the ability to catch props coming from upper in the component tree
+    {propName: 'terms', graphqlType: 'Terms', usedForTotal: true},
+  ],
+};
+
+Telescope.registerComponent('PostsList', PostsList, withList(postsListOptions));
diff --git a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsNewForm.jsx b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsNewForm.jsx
index cea7b0666..2b432fe1f 100644
--- a/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsNewForm.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-base-components/lib/posts/PostsNewForm.jsx
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const PostsNewForm = (props, context) => {
             getPostsList: (prev, { mutationResult }) => {
               const newPost = mutationResult.data.postsNew;
               const newList = update(prev, {
-                posts: {
+                postsList: {
                   $unshift: [newPost],
                 },
                 postsListTotal: {
diff --git a/packages/nova-categories/lib/queries.js b/packages/nova-categories/lib/queries.js
index 152c32c22..b992e3129 100644
--- a/packages/nova-categories/lib/queries.js
+++ b/packages/nova-categories/lib/queries.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import Telescope from 'meteor/nova:lib';
 import Categories from './collection.js';
 
 Telescope.graphQL.addQuery(`
-  categories: [Category]
+  categoriesList(offset: Int, limit: Int): [Category]
   categoriesListTotal: Int
   category(_id: String): Category
 `);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/nova-categories/lib/resolvers.js b/packages/nova-categories/lib/resolvers.js
index d860655f1..63ef996fd 100644
--- a/packages/nova-categories/lib/resolvers.js
+++ b/packages/nova-categories/lib/resolvers.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default resolvers = {
     }
   },
   Query: {
-    categories(root, args, context) {
+    categoriesList(root, args, context) {
       const options = {
         fields: context.getViewableFields(context.currentUser, context.Categories)
       };
diff --git a/packages/nova-comments/lib/queries.js b/packages/nova-comments/lib/queries.js
index da6ebe58f..7e837863f 100644
--- a/packages/nova-comments/lib/queries.js
+++ b/packages/nova-comments/lib/queries.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import Comments from './collection.js';
 
 // declare comments queries
 Telescope.graphQL.addQuery(`
-  comments(postId: String): [Comment]
+  commentsList(postId: String, offset: Int, limit: Int): [Comment]
   commentsListTotal(postId: String): Int
   comment(_id: String): Comment
 `);
diff --git a/packages/nova-comments/lib/resolvers.js b/packages/nova-comments/lib/resolvers.js
index 3d2a11cc9..19a9f0343 100644
--- a/packages/nova-comments/lib/resolvers.js
+++ b/packages/nova-comments/lib/resolvers.js
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ const resolvers = {
     },
   },
   Query: {
-    comments(root, {postId}, context) {
+    commentsList(root, {postId, offset, limit}, context) {
       const options = {
-        // limit: 5, // no limit for now
+        limit: (limit < 1 || limit > 10) ? 10 : limit,
+        skip: offset,
         fields: context.getViewableFields(context.currentUser, context.Comments)
-      }
+      };
+
       return context.Comments.find({postId: postId}, options).fetch();
     },
     commentsListTotal(root, {postId}, context) {
diff --git a/packages/nova-core/lib/containers/withList.js b/packages/nova-core/lib/containers/withList.js
index 787a21476..d74579e77 100644
--- a/packages/nova-core/lib/containers/withList.js
+++ b/packages/nova-core/lib/containers/withList.js
@@ -5,27 +5,77 @@ import gql from 'graphql-tag';
 
 export default function withList (options) {
 
-  console.log("withList")
-  console.log(options)
+  // extract arguments from the options of the hoc
+  const { queryName, collection, listResolverName, totalResolverName, fragment, fragmentName, ownPropsVariables = [] } = options;
+  
+  console.log("withList: ", queryName);
+  // console.log(options);
 
-  const { queryName, collection, listResolverName, totalResolverName, fragment, fragmentName } = options;
+  // default variables for the gql query list 
+  const defaultQueryVariables = [
+    {propName: 'offset', graphqlType: 'Int', defaultValue: 0, usedForTotal: false},
+    {propName: 'limit', graphqlType: 'Int', defaultValue: 5, usedForTotal: false},
+  ];
+
+  // concat the default query variables with the ones from the props of the wrapped component
+  const propsVariables = [...defaultQueryVariables, ...ownPropsVariables];
+
+  console.log('props variables (default+ownProps)', propsVariables);
+
+  // output something like: `$offset: Int, $limit: Int, $terms: Terms`
+  const queryVariablesTypeDef = propsVariables.reduce((string, {propName, graphqlType}, index) => {
+    // don't add ", " if the current typeDef is the first iteration
+    const commaSeparation = index === 0 ? "" : ", ";
+    
+    return `${string}${commaSeparation}$${propName}: ${graphqlType}`;
+  }, "");
+
+  console.log('query variables type def', queryVariablesTypeDef);
+
+  // output something like: `offset: $offset, limit: $limit, terms: $terms`
+  const queryVariablesList = propsVariables.reduce((string, {propName}, index) => {
+    // don't add ", " if the current typeDef is the first iteration
+    const commaSeparation = index === 0 ? "" : ", ";
+    
+    return `${string}${commaSeparation}${propName}: $${propName}`;
+  }, "");
+
+  console.log('query variables list', queryVariablesList);
+
+  // output something like: `terms: $terms`
+  const queryVariablesTotal = propsVariables.filter(({usedForTotal}) => !!usedForTotal).reduce((string, {propName}, index) => {
+    // don't add ", " if the current typeDef is the first iteration
+    const commaSeparation = index === 0 ? "" : ", ";
+    
+    return `${string}${commaSeparation}${propName}: $${propName}`;
+  }, "");
+
+  console.log('query variables total', queryVariablesTotal);
+  
+
+  const callQueryVariablesTotal = !!queryVariablesTotal ? `(${queryVariablesTotal})` : "";
 
   return graphql(gql`
-    query ${queryName}($offset: Int, $limit: Int) {
-      ${totalResolverName}
-      ${listResolverName}(offset: $offset, limit: $limit) {
+    query ${queryName}(${queryVariablesTypeDef}) {
+      ${totalResolverName}${callQueryVariablesTotal}
+      ${listResolverName}(${queryVariablesList}) {
         ...${fragmentName}
       }
     }
   `, {
     options(ownProps) {
+
+      const queryVariables = propsVariables.reduce((variables, {propName, defaultValue}) => ({
+        ...variables,
+        [propName]: ownProps[propName] || defaultValue
+      }), {});
+
+      console.log('actual query variables', queryVariables);
+
       return {
-        variables: { 
-          offset: 0,
-          limit: 5
-        },
+        variables: queryVariables,
         fragments: fragment,
-        pollInterval: 20000,
+        // pollInterval: 20000,
       };
     },
     props(props) {
diff --git a/packages/nova-posts/lib/resolvers.js b/packages/nova-posts/lib/resolvers.js
index f61eec0d8..ee14814f5 100644
--- a/packages/nova-posts/lib/resolvers.js
+++ b/packages/nova-posts/lib/resolvers.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export default resolvers = {
     },
   },
   Query: {
-    posts(root, {terms, offset, limit}, context, info) {
+    postsList(root, {terms, offset, limit}, context, info) {
       // console.log("// context")
       // console.log(context)
       let {selector, options} = context.Posts.parameters.get(terms);
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export default resolvers = {
 Telescope.graphQL.addResolvers(resolvers);
 
 Telescope.graphQL.addQuery(`
-  posts(terms: Terms, offset: Int, limit: Int): [Post]
+  postsList(terms: Terms, offset: Int, limit: Int): [Post]
   postsListTotal(terms: Terms): Int 
   post(_id: String): Post
 `);
\ No newline at end of file