Reading for Inspiration

Reading for Inspiration
Top 5 Motivational Best Sellers

Reading for Inspiration - Top 5 Motivational Best Sellers

All of the books below–in no particular order–are best sellers for good reason. Frequently featured in “Top 10” lists and having influenced some of the most successful people in the world, you’re sure to find your life improved by reading (or re-reading) one of these classics.

The Power of Positive Thinking
Science has since verified his premise, but when it was first published Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was attacked from pulpits and therapy sessions alike. Now translated into fifteen languages, The Power of Positive Thinking is still one of the most popular motivational books ever written. Dr. Peale offers advice on mastering the problems of everyday living and eliminating self-doubt from toxic, negative thought habits.

Quote: “Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.”

Drive
Daniel Pink leaves old “carrot and stick” motivation theories in the dust. Drive shows how rewards and punishments neither give the best motivation, nor are they sufficient to maintain it over long periods of time. At the highest levels of performance, motivation comes from both a deep self-knowledge and an awareness of who you truly want to become as a person and remaining true to these tenets in your life.

Quote: “For artists, scientists, inventors, schoolchildren, and the rest of us, intrinsic motivation–the drive to do something because it is interesting, challenging, and absorbing–is essential for high levels of creativity.”

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Eliminating mental clutter and stress is key to staying motivated. Distractions and time-wasters can easily cause you to set goals aside. In fact, get distracted enough and you won’t reach your goals. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff teaches skills for distinguishing between what serves your success and what deserves to be ignored.

Quote: “Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness.”

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Still a bestseller 24 years after its first edition, The 7 Habits is more than just a manifesto on motivation. Steven Covey presents a roadmap for solving problems, getting along with people, and being a better person. President Bill Clinton invited Covey to Camp David to help him install the habits in his Presidency; many others credit him with teaching them potentially world-changing habits. Covey coined the idea of abundance mentality–as contrasted with scarcity mentality–meaning the ability to celebrate the success of others, rather than feel threatened by them, and learning to embrace a win-win perspective in all interactions with others.

Quote: “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”

Think And Grow Rich
Perhaps the most well-known and often cited motivational book is Napoleon Hill’s commission from Andrew Carnegie. In the early 1930s, Hill interviewed forty millionaires to discover their “best practices” in an age where it was usually assumed success and wealth was some combination of greed, luck and high birth. Think And Grow Rich provides the roadmap that anyone can follow to achieve success–rich uncle not required! YouMagazine.com

 

 

 

John Marcotte

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Organize Your Family Life

Organize Your Family Life
Create A Home Management Binder

Organize Your Family Life - Create A Home Management Binder

When it comes to home management–keeping track of appointments, sporting events, meal preparation, shopping lists, and even house maintenance to-do’s–there’s nothing wrong with flying by the seat of your pants. But disorganization tends to create anxiety and stress. A home management binder can help you and your family keep track of all of your busy schedules. Best of all: It’s simple to create and easy to use!

Tools
A Binder that you may already have lying around; two-inches is good for starters.

Dividers can be as simple as a re-purposed file folder, cut and hole punched; or buy ready-made from an office supply shop.

Lined Paper for notes in each section.

Plastic Page Protectors that hold Organizers (see below).

Dry-Erase Markers to write on the page protectors.

Sections
Create sections based on things you need to track: Daily To-Do Lists, Meals, Shopping, Chores, Kids, even yourself and your Spouse. Alternatively, you can use your roles in life: Wife/Husband, Mother/Father, Homemaker/Scientist/Writer/Etc.

In each section write your to-do’s, but also include resources such as books or videos you want to read, your goals and any growth ideas you want to explore further.

Organizers
Thank goodness for the others who have created printable templates to help you get organized, all for free. Some popular favorites are found at Life…Your WayDesign Finch, and Simple Mom.

There’s An App For That!
Managing your household via smartphone or tablet couldn’t get any easier. Try these for size:

Cozi is free and tracks everything from school schedules to sports activities, grocery lists, meals and chores.

Home Routines is an inexpensive app helping keep track of weekly tasks but adds goal-setting, prioritizing features and a rotating scheduler.

Creating a household management binder can suddenly be like getting your own personal assistant. You’ll get more things done in less time and, better yet, create free time to enjoy life! YOUMagazine.com

 

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On the Up and Up: Housing, Rates and Gas Prices

On the Up and Up: Housing, Rates and Gas Prices

On the Up and Up: -  Housing, Rates and Gas Prices

In mid-July, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke attempted to soothe the markets’ fears about home loan rate increases. As a result, Bond prices bounced higher from lows not seen in two years, and Stocks traded at all-time highs. Indeed home loan rates have certainly moved up a little, down a little.

Bernanke also repeated that the Fed Funds Rate, which is the rate at which depository institutions actively trade, would remain low for an extended period. He said that if circumstances warranted, “tapering” could begin later this year and end sometime in mid-2014. And just if you weren’t sure what “Tapering” was, it’s a reduction in the Fed’s purchases of Treasury and Bond assets, in attempts at helping the economy get back on track.

As the economy continues to improve stateside, political turmoil in Egypt has caused a spike in oil prices, keeping the region under close scrutiny. Also of note is the recent downgrade of Italian credit by S&P. Spain could be next.

Housing continues to be a bright spot for the economy, with the purchase index inching up and proving that people are out buying houses and using credit! The National Association of Home Builders also confirmed that builder confidence rose last month to its highest level in over seven years. Despite the recent rise in home loan rates as per Iva Advice, they remain low when compared to historical levels.

If you have any questions about your personal situation, contact the professional who supplied you with this month’s issue of YOU Magazine. Brian Manning, Manning Mortgage Group

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How to Save Money at the Farmers Market

How to Save Money at the Farmers Market
Follow these seven tips to cut the cost of buying fresh
produce and other farm goods.


By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com

How to Save Money at the Farmers Market -   Follow these seven tips to cut the cost of buying freshproduce and other farm goods. By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com

Shopping at the Boulder farmers market can be a great way to get locally grown fresh produce and other farm goods such as meat, cheese and honey. You already know this if you shop at one in your community. But if you’ve shied away from this sort of market because you think it’s too pricey, perhaps you should reconsider. If you know how to shop at a farmers market, you probably won’t spend any more than you would at the supermarket. In fact, you might even spend less. These tips can help.

Comparison shop. Prices can vary greatly from market to market and from farmer to farmer. For example, I found on a recent trip to the farmers market that the price of a pint of blackberries ranged from $3.50 to $5. So spend some time checking prices from several sellers before buying anything. Also, markets in many communities accept vouchers and EBT cards from government nutrition assistance programs. So if you participate in one of these programs, look for markets in your community that accept this form of payment.

Get to know farmers. Developing a relationship with the person from whom you buy foodcan pay off, says Michelle Howell, who owns Need More Acres Farm in Kentucky along with her husband, Nathan, and sells produce at a community farmers market. She says that farmers may throw in extra produce for free if you buy multiple items from them or set aside things they know you like.

Buy at the peak of the season. You likely know that you can save money at the grocery by buying fruits and vegetables when they’re in season. The same holds true for the farmers market. You’re probably thinking that if a fruit or vegetable is at the market, it is in season. That’s true, but prices vary throughout the season. At the peak of a growing season, when there’s an abundance, prices will be lower (sometimes substantially lower) than at the beginning and end of the season, when there are fewer of an item.

Buy in bulk. Howell says that farmers often sell items in bulk at peak season. You just might have to ask ahead because they don’t always bring big boxes for bulk purchases to the market. When you buy in bulk, not only do you get the best price of the season but sometimes you get a discount for your large purchase. You can either juice, freeze or can fruits and vegetables so they don’t go bad, or divvy up the bounty with friends. Safely freeze ground meat for 3 to 4 months, steaks for 6 to 12 months and poultry for 9 months, according to Foodsafety.gov. Eggs last 3 to 5 weeks in the refrigerator.

Buy at the end of the market. You’ve probably heard that farmers lower their prices at the end of the day so nothing goes unsold. But Howell says that this really depends on the farmer. Some sell their produce to other outlets, such as restaurants. This is another reason why it’s important to befriend farmers so you know which ones are more likely to offer a discount at the end of the day — or on a rainy day when there aren’t many shoppers.

Join a CSA. A CSA, short for Community Supported Agriculture, is another way to buy food directly from a farmer. When you join, you share in the bounty and risk of the farm, says Howell, who operates a CSA. You pay a set amount to receive a weekly assortment of farm products. Exactly what and how much depends on the time of year and the success of the farmer. Some weeks you’ll receive more than you are paying for if the farmer has an abundance. Other weeks you may receive less if the crop is limited by weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

Buy less at the grocery store. If you’re shopping at the farmers market, your list of grocery items should dwindle. That is, make sure you cross everything off your regular grocery list that you’ve bought at the farmers market so you don’t waste money buying what you already have. You might find that you need to buy very little at the grocery store if you make meals entirely with purchases from the farmers market.

Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2013 The Kiplinger Washington Editors.Kiplinger.com.

 

John Marcotte

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98 Anemone Dr • Boulder, 80302

98 Anemone Dr • Boulder, 80302

Beautiful new listing!

98 Anemone Dr., Boulder

3 beds, 4 baths, 2628 square feet

Best lot in Seven Hills subdivision. It’s rare to find such an idyllic mountain retreat with its privacy & natural beauty just five minutes to the Pearl Street Mall! Set on a lot with fenced yard area and good usable land, you’ll enjoy the abundant outdoor spaces & marvel at the foothills and city views. Kitchen has granite counters & radiant heated stone floors, all bathed in southern sunlight. Hot water radiant floor heat, over-sized 2 car garage. A unique property in an incredible setting!

Boulder homes for sale

 

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U.S. new home sales fall sharply; house prices rise

U.S. new home sales fall sharply; house prices rise

A newly constructed home is pictured before being occupied by its buyers in a new housing development area in Vista, California March 20, 2012. REUTERS/Mike Blake

 

(Reuters) – Sales of new single-family homes in the United States fell sharply in July to their lowest level in nine months, casting a shadow over the country’s housing recovery.

Sales dropped 13.4 percent to an annual rate of 394,000 units, the Commerce Department said on Friday.

The reading, which was well below economists’ expectations, could be a sign that a recent surge in mortgage rates is weighing on the economy, although the data is often subject to large revisions.

The report could weaken the case for the U.S. Federal Reserve to reduce its support for the economy by trimming monthly bond purchases later this year.

“The higher mortgage rates are having an impact on the housing market,” said Scott Brown, chief economist with Raymond James in St. Petersburg, Florida. “That makes tapering (bond purchases) somewhat less likely.”

The government revised sharply lower its estimate for new home sales in May and June.

Yields on U.S. government debt dropped sharply and the dollar weakened following the release of the data, a sign that some investors were scaling back bets that the Fed would trim its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases next month.

Mortgage rates have risen sharply since May on bets that the Fed would soon begin tapering its bond purchases. The stimulus program is designed to lower interest rates to make it easier for businesses to expand and take on new workers.

The housing market, which has been a major drag on the U.S. economy since the 2007-09 recession, appeared to turn a corner early last year when home prices began to rise.

Last month, the median price for a new home sale rose to $257,200, up from $237,400 in the same month of 2012.

There have been indications that higher borrowing costs are having only a limited impact on the overall housing market.

Sales of existing homes, a much larger category than new homes, surged to a three-year high last month. Some analysts speculated, however, that home buyers rushed into the market to lock in mortgage rates before they rose further.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Additional reporting by Richard Leong in New York; Editing by Paul Simao)

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Greeley getting 1st student housing

 Greeley getting 1st student housing

Greeley, with an apartment vacancy rate of only 1.4 percent, had the lowest vacancy rate of any major market in Colorado in the first quarter.

Only the tiny Southeast Colorado market had a lower vacancy rate, at 1.1 percent. However, owners representing only 60 apartment units responded to the most recent survey the Colorado Division of Housing.

Overall, the state had a 4.9 percent vacancy rate, the lowest in years.

“I wouldn’t compare Greeley to Southeast Colorado,” said Ryan McMaken, economist for the housing division.

“For practical purposes, you can say that Greeley has the lowest apartment vacancy rate in the state,” he said.

“The market is getting a lot of pressure on the demand side from people in the oil and gas business, as well as people in the Fort Collins area looking to the Greeley area for cheaper rents,” he said.

McMaken said he assumes that students attending the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley would be scrambling to find rental units in the Northern Colorado city’s tight market.

However, students will finally receive at least some relief in a market that is essentially has no apartment vacancies.

From 11:15 a.m. until noon on Tuesday, officials will host a groundbreaking ceremony for University Flats, the first off-campus housing for college students in Greeley, including UNC. The groundbreaking is at 1750 6th Ave., near Jackson Field.

The eight building development will bring 92 needed apartment units, which represents 262 beds to the area. It is anticipated to be open for the 2014 fall semester.

The $10 million project is being developed by Greeley Realty Investors, an affiliate of Denver-based Central Street Capital. Central Street Capital is headed by V. Robert “Rob” Salazar.

The company, among other communities, developed the Regency, converting a former hotel at 3900 Elati St. in north Denver to housing for students at the Auraria campus.

The company investments also include market-rate apartments, healthcare services, food services and retail, office and industrial properties.

The two- and three-bedroom units at University Flats will range in size from 905 square feet to 1,234 square feet. Students will have access to common-area amenities including a swimming pool, fitness room, clubhouse, barbecue area, horseshoe pit,and kitchen for events.

Rents have not yet been set. 

Insiderrealestatenews.com

 

 

 

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Colorado 26th for foreclosures

 Colorado 26th for foreclosures

 

Foreclosures may be dwindling in Denver, but they aren't totally gone. The Bank of New York Mellon acquired this 1,101-square-foot home in July in a foreclosure, according to public records.

Foreclosures may be dwindling in Denver, but they aren’t totally gone. The Bank of New York Mellon acquired this 1,101-square-foot home in July in a foreclosure, according to public records.

The era of Colorado being considered the poster child for foreclosure activity appears to be long over.

Colorado ranked 26th in foreclosure activity in July, according to a national report released today by RealtyTrac.

In fact, Colorado and a handful of other states are now either at or below foreclosure levels where they were before the housing bubble burst, according to RealtyTrac.

About a half-dozen years ago, when the national real estate bubble was peaking, Colorado and the Denver area experienced a flurry of foreclosure activity before it hit the rest of the country.

In those days, Colorado and the Denver area were often ranked in the top three foreclosure markets in the U.S., often being saddled with the unwanted distinction of being No. 1 in the nation for foreclosures.

Until the last year or so, Colorado was often still on the top 10 list for foreclosure activity.

The latest report by RealtyTrac shows that one out of every 1,515 households in Colorado was in some stage of the foreclosure process in July.

That compares with the national average one out of every 1,001.

Colorado’s foreclosure activity last month was down 49.53 percent on a year-over-year basis, compared with a national drop of 31.8 percent.

Foreclosure activity in July dropped 10.85 percent, while across the country it dipped an average of only 2.42 percent.

Most of the counties in the Denver area showed fewer foreclosures than that state, according to RealtyTrac.

The number of foreclosures by household units by county were:

  • Adams, one out of 1,031.
  • Arapahoe, one out of 1,315.
  • Boulder, one of 3,085
  • Broomfield, one out of 2,007.
  • Denver, one out of 1,830.
  • Douglas, one out of 7,023.
  • Elbert, one out of 2,960.
  • Jefferson, one out of 1,573.

Insiderrealestatenews.com

 

 

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Brookfield completes state’s 1st Passive House.

Brookfield completes state’s 1st Passive House.

 

Peter Rusin of the Colorado Energy Office stands in front of the state's first certified Passive House.

Peter Rusin of the Colorado Energy Office stands in front of the state’s first certified Passive House.

The first “Passive House” in Colorado has been officially certified in the Midtown at Clear Creek community in Adams County, a few minutes drive north and northeast of trendy Denver neighborhoods.

The home, constructed by Brookfield Residential, is also believed to the the first in the nation constructed by a production homebuilder.

The super energy-efficient home was built at Brookfield’s Midtown development near West 68th Avenue and Pecos Street. The home, with 2,421 square feet of finished space and an unfinished basement, is priced at $569,990.

The Passive Home is projected to its owner thousands of dollars every year in utility costs, with expenditures of less than $80 per month.

Fewer than 60 homes in the U.S. have received official ‘Passive House’ certification by the Passive House InstituteU.S. .

“It has taken Colorado a long time to reach this milestone, because constructing a building that can actually meet the strict requirements of the Passive House standard and pass the rigorous review of PHIUS is a difficult task, ” said Lance Wright, president of the Colorado chapter of the Passive House Alliance U.S., a  public outreach arm of PHIUS.

“Just consider that our Colorado chapter of PHAUS is over two years old and, while we have several custom home projects under construction, Brookfield managed to complete its project first, ” he said.

A Certified Passive House must meet three strict standards of performance in terms of:

  • Air-exchange (two-way, inside-to-outside), which cannot exceed 0.6 of every room, per hour.
  • Energy usage (basic electricity), which cannot exceed 11.1 kilowatts per square foot annually.
  • And BTU consumption (typically applying to heating and cooling), which cannot exceed 4,750 per square foot annually.

“When we embarked upon this project, we saw it as an opportunity to experiment in technologies that will improve production homes’ comfort, efficiency and durability,” said Brookfield Residential General Manager Perry Cadman.

“We’re committed to a vision that we call ‘Home Evolved,’ which includes an evolution ofresidential housing, with an unwavering search for changes that will result in improvements and, ultimately, perfection in residential building,” Cadman said. “The Passive House is the best example of this commitment and vision.”

The Brookfield Residential Passive House at 1787 W. 67th Ave., achieved its energy efficiency through a creative design of its outer walls, a tight thermal envelope that employs the latest scientific insulation techniques, the highest-performing windows, and the most modern HVAC system.

 

 

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A Plea from a Boulder Cyclist to Motorists

 

A Plea from a Boulder Cyclist to Motorists

boulder cycling rules
On any day where the weather is even halfway decent, you can scan the roads of Boulder, Colorado and find them filled with cyclists. People move to Colorado for our over 300 days of sunshine and altitude, making it one of the top training destinations in the world for recreational and professional athletes alike. I mean, folks in Boulder take to two wheels like birds to flight. Unless you’re a penguin, but that’s neither here nor there.

But I’m asking — pleading, actually — the motorists: it’s time to re-prioritize bikes in your field of transportation-related vision.

This past Tuesday, another cyclist was killed while out for an early morning ride. Yes, he was wearing a helmet. And no, the truck driver didn’t stop. He failed to yield to an oncoming vehicle (read: the cyclist).

How many more stories like this do we have to read in the Daily Camera before Boulder-area motorists begin to see cyclists for the vehicles they are? I’d much rather read about Lucky’s Market branching out to a new Longmont location than about another dead cyclist who’s dead because people don’t afford bikes as much respect as gas-powered vehicles.

So, I have a bit for the motorists — some of which I covered earlier this year when I chatted about Bike to Work Day. And I also have a few choice words for my fellow cyclists.

To our state’s lawmakers

Operators of motor vehicles are under your auspices. Until law enforcement officials begin to cite motorists in accordance with Share the Road rules, motorists are only going to continue seeing bikes and their operators as annoyances instead of the vehicles they are. It’s also time to start citing more cyclists for acting like jerks when they blow stop signs, intersections, and traffic signals. Not all of us ride like this, but the ones who do make the rest of us look like the problem when we’re truly asking for a solution.

Perhaps it’s also time for tests on cycling rules to accompany Drivers Licenserenewals. This way, there’s no excuse for anyone to say they didn’t know about how they’re supposed to treat cyclists on our state’s roadways.

To our state’s motorists

I get it. Bikes move slow — much slower than your Subaru and definitely much slower than your SUV. But the impact of your car against the unprotected body of a cyclist (even though we’re wearing our helmets) is a battle of ratios you never want to be involved with. Having been hit by a car that blew a stop sign, I know what it feels like first hand no not win. So, here are a few key details you need to remember when you see a bike on the streets of Boulder — or anywhere in Colorado:

  • Bikes have the same priority as cars. Legally, cyclists must obey alltraffic signals and signs. Just because you paid $30,000 for your SUV doesn’t make it more important than the $700 to $7000 a cyclist paid for his or her bike.
  • Three feet to pass. When you pass a cyclist on the road, you must give that cyclist a berth of 3 feet to legally pass. And yes, sometimes that means slowing down because you can’t swerve around. But it’s the law.
  • Stop seeing us as annoying. I know that there are cyclojerks, cyclists who act like jerks and make the rest of us cyclists look bad. By and large, though, we’re good people who just have an inexplicable love for self-powered transportation. We might be slower than your car, but we’re not riding our bikes to ruin your day.

To my fellow cyclists

Only a few words here:

  • Stop riding like jerks. Three-wide ain’t cool and blowing traffic signs and signals makes you no better than the drivers who see us as a problem. Stop being a part of the problem. Obey traffic laws and stop letting your power meter run your life.
  • Wave. When drivers are nice, wave. Say thank you. Reinforce courteous driving. Quit it with the flip-offs. Instead, start taking photos of license plates and situations. Call the cops or State Troopers.  Yelling only continues to make us look like the problem.
  • Learn the law. Head over to Colorado Bike Law and read up on your responsibilities as a cyclist. We’re not better than cars — we are cars and have to start acting like cars. We also have to start acting like law-abiding operators of vehicles.
By  YourBoulder.com 

 

John Marcotte

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