Amy conquers a big bad nemesis

As we enter into month 11 of 2010, I find myself reflecting back on the new year's resolutions I made for this year. 

Remember these resolutions?

I did teach myself how to knit, and since I made the resolution, I knitted three pairs of mittens, two hats and two pairs of felted slippers.  (I never do anything halfway!)

As for adhering to the gluten free diet, I am doing okay.  Not great, but better than I was a year ago.  I have found reasonable substitutes for most of my favorite foods and have adapted quite a few of my favorite recipes so I no longer feel slighted.  The day that my dear friend Becca showed up with gluten free beer was one of my favorites in recent memory.  I still get a little bummed out when I cannot find something good to eat at restaurants or everyone else gets to eat something fun, but most of the time I am okay.  I had a huge craving last week for bread, so I ate a piece of french bread, and regretted it later while curled up with excruciating stomach pain.  So further confirmation why I am doing this.  

But, what I am most excited about is my resolution to save money for some big purchases, namely a house.  The world of home buying and mortgages has always intimidated me, but much like many things in life, when you gather knowledge about them, they become less intimidating.  Which is why the title of this post is "Amy conquers a big bad nemesis."   In fact, I am so impressed by myself that I am going to write another post about what I learned!   

August in Montana

I was fortunate to spend a week in Montana at the beginning of August.  Click on the link below to see some pictures from my time on Flathead Lake. 

                                                             Flathead Lake 2010

The More You Know...

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about the things we wish we knew when we were 18 years old, or what we would tell our own children some day.  So here goes, some funny, some serious, all truthful...

1. If you burn oatmeal really badly, it never EVER comes off the bottom of the pan. 

2. While you may think you know what you want to do with the rest of your life.  You don't really, and you might never, and that is okay.

3. You don't further your education to get a better job.  You further your education to become a better person.  Never lose sight of that.

4. When you don't want to clean the fridge, put the nasty plastic containers in the freezer.  By the time you remember them, they will be so covered in frost you won't be able to recognize them anyway.

5. Learn something new everyday. 

6. Buy toilet paper in bulk when it is on sale. 

7. Be patient with old people, you will be one someday. 

8. Find a volunteer job

9. Do not ever let anyone make you feel guilty about taking time for yourself. 

10. No matter how much you might like a certain television program, watching the first three seasons in one weekend will make you comatose. 

11. Take care of your car.  You will be mad if it breaks down and you could have done something about it. 

12. As soon as you move into a new place, make sure you purchase three things (if you don't have them, and need them, you will regret it!): a plunger, a fire extinguisher and a spare house key.

13. Someone who points out the faults of others is usually insecure themselves. 

14. If you wouldn't want your Grandma to know about it, don't do it.

15. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  And Compost.

16. Exercise.  Your stress level will thank you.

17. Do something entirely for yourself once a month that you do not have to justify to anyone else.

18. Develop a spiritual practice that suits you. 

19. Credit Cards are for building credit, earning Sky Miles and paying off in full every month. 

20. Be nice to store cashiers, flight attendants, dental hygienists and the people that dictate the price of your utilities. 

21. There is no shame in staying home on a friday night to go to bed early.

22.  Write real letters sometimes.

23. Make friends with someone who can do some or all of the following: fix your car, fix your computer, and has access to power tools.

24. Always see the good in other people first. 

25. Your parents  actually DO know what they are talking about.  

Minnesota trip

I just recently returned from celebrating the wedding of my dear friend Sara to her wonderful husband Joe.  Click on the link below to see the album from my trip to Minneapolis/St. Paul.  

Minnesota 2010

Summer snapshot

Well, seeing that it is now halfway through the summer, I would like to pay homage to the fun little city that I call home.  Boulder has a ridiculously large number of fun things to do once it gets warm.  So says MSNBC.com in the following article: Summer in Boulder

But how about some things off the beaten path?

Outdoor concerts: This is my personal favorite summer pastime.  How can you not have fun dancing to live music and enjoying a margarita garden next to the railroad tracks? 

Boulder Farmer's market: for people-watching, the Boulder farmer's market tops it all.  Plus you can sample hundreds of foods, try your hand at spinning wool and see what the crazy hippies (otherwise known as the Trustafarians) are up to. 

Or if you are bored, you could try this Let's just call it eccentricity..

or this legendary Boulder institution

Of course very important work gets done in the summer as well:
Weirdness on parade in Boulder...

Some people have too much time on their hands...