That's not school; that's schoolhouse rock!

*Teach myself to cook.
Hmmm...baby steps...I made root beer cupcakes for the first time. They turned out well, but it was only semi-homemade. The recipe called for box mix. My big triumph was eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. I made Hollandaise sauce from scratch, and poached eggs...this turned out excellent. I would probably make it every week if the calories wouldn't kill me.

*Keep a Journal.
Am I allowed to plead the 5th?

*Lose weight.
I have all sorts of excuses...but mostly I just want to grumble and say, "don't ask."

*Try one new thing a month.
Barbacoa Mexican Grill...it was only so-so. I baked root beer cupcakes. Tried Scoopology...it seems like my life revolves around food.

*Build and maintain a personal website and/or web community.
Nothing since I first announced www.amberlynmeier.com but after this last month, it is back to a high priority position in my schedule.

*Maintain my blogs.
Careless Thoughts has a new skin and a new name...if you hadn't noticed you are now reading Circular Thinking...

*Do something with That's My Favorite or shut it down.
Complete.

*Create an all encompassing self promotion package.
Nothing really new here, but as with the site, it is re-taken a high priority position.

*24 books in 12 months.
I have read Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles, The Red Pyramid and Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. Kane Chronicles was okay...The Olympians series is still better though. As for Sh*t My Dad Says, if you can put up with the profanity it was a good and funny read. I would recommend it. My side bar now has a running list of completed books for the year. I am currently sitting at 13. So I am about par...I am feeling pretty good about it.

*Produce "fine art" to sell.
Nope...

*Find a stable, healthy, relationship.
This is really quite laughable...

The Big Decision = Buying a Dwelling
I went and talked to the bank about what I could afford and what sort of steps I should be taking to prepare for this, and the loan officer pretty much blew my dream out of the water. My debt to income ratio is simply too high...so what do I decide would be a good thing to do...increase my debt even more with another student loan. I haven't actually done it yet. But the Big D was school or a house and if I am not doing a house then the fall back is school...I am taking it slow no solid decision has been made yet, but we will see...