Happy Tuesday!  Thank you for joining me and Jenn for another edition of Tuesday Topics.  Remember to link up with us!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Don’t forget to come back for later linkers! 

Here is another post with some interesting prompts in the Jetpack app.  Ready?

• Name the most expensive personal item you’ve ever purchased (not your home or car).  Years ago a friend and I went to NY.  Somehow we ended up at the Coach store and purchased a bag/purse.  I don’t remember why I thought I needed it.  I think I spent close to $500 for it.  I still have it but have no need for it, but don’t want to get rid of it either.

•  If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do with the extra time?  Right now I would use the extra time to train for my race and pack/declutter to move.  Just thinking about the packing stresses me out.  I told my sister that I will need to tackle one room at a time so that it isn’t overwhelming.  But the extra time would help too.

• Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?  Yes and no.  I finally bought a house and last year I was still looking for one.  I am still at my job, taking care of my elderly mother, and living with my sister.  

• What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?  Personally, this isn’t something I wouldn’t want to do.  The thought of living over 80, 90, or 100 doesn’t sound appealing to me.  Maybe if I didn’t have any health issues it might be something I would like to do.  But then I remember where this country is headed and it brings me back to reality.  

• What do you complain about the most?  My job.  I try not to because it doesn’t help me and it makes me more unhappy, but I cannot help it.  If I didn’t have to work, I would travel around the world, and volunteer at a school.  I know teachers could use the extra help.  I would also read.  I have a long list of books that I want to read.

The topic for next week – How to fall in love or fall back in love with running.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Happy Tuesday!  Thank you for joining me and Jenn for another edition of Tuesday Topics.  Remember to link up with us!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Don’t forget to come back for later linkers!

Here is another post with some interesting prompts in the Jetpack app.  Ready?

•Is there an age or year of your life you would re-live?  I would re-live my college years.  I think about if my life would be different if I would have paid better attention to my studies.  I went to college to be an Accountant.  It was competitive to get into the program, and well, I didn’t get in.  Then I went back home and transferred to Loyola University because their Accountancy program wasn’t difficult to get in.  After one semester, I transferred back to Northern Illinois University.  In college I had fun and made the best of it.  I went to my classes but didn’t do the best work that I knew I was capable of (my GPA wasn’t that great).  I graduated with a degree in Marketing and another one in Spanish Translation in Business. 

• What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take, but haven’t been able to?  Quit my job or retire.  You all know about the struggles I have at work.  I’ve had challenging years, but this year is worse.  I don’t think things will get better.  There are days when I don’t want to go to work.  I know I need to change my attitude.  

• Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?  Definitely rested!  I don’t know if this is considered lazy days, but when I stayed home because I had Covid, I stayed in bed all day and read books.  During the weekend, I spend a few hours doing school stuff (I know I shouldn’t but the project I am working on helps with two of the classes I teach) and then spend hours watching TV or reading a book.

• What have you been putting off doing?  Why?  This is my 3rd year in my school.  When I moved, I brought with me a few boxes full of books.  Some of the books are mine and some belong to the District.  I didn’t unpack them because there is no time in our curriculum for the students to sit down and read a book (only the ones that are part of the curriculum).  The boxes are all in a corner shelf and drive me crazy.  It is messy and I could use that space to put other things.  I also didn’t unpack them because I don’t have space to store those boxes of books.  I should have done this before, but I asked my brother if I could store the boxes in his garage.  He said yes!  I also have a book shelf and a desk I don’t want in my room.  Basically, I need to declutter.  My goal is to finish before the end of the year.

I opened my boxes yesterday and have already made some progress.  Photo on the left is before.  Photo on the right is after (11/11).

• What would you do if you lost all your possessions?  I would cry for a few days.  Then, once I let it all out, I will think about what was that hurt more to lose and then get it again.  I am sure there are some things I will not miss.  Possessions are material things and can be replaced.  It will be like starting over.  At least I will have my health, family, friends, and cats.

The topic for next week – Holiday gift guide for runners.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Happy Tuesday!  Thank you for joining me and Jenn for another edition of Tuesday Topics.  Remember to link up with us!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Don’t forget to come back for later linkers!

Here is another post with some interesting prompts in the Jetpack app.  Ready?

• What advice would you give to your younger self?  Start early to save money for retirement.  I started saving money after college.  A boss told me to and I listened to her.  I am glad I did!  I would also tell my younger self to buy property.  I bought a condo a few years ago and then sold it to move back home.  I shouldn’t have done that.  My plan for when I retire is to live in a condo along the lakefront.  I am hoping that I can still buy a house now and then sell it when I retire.  Maybe prices will be different for senior citizens?  🙂

• What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?  To make it through this school year with the various issues I’ve been having with my students.  I have 24 and half of them are below or well below level in reading.  Everyone except 2 placed in either kindergarten or 1st grade level in Math.  I have 6 newcomers and about half of my students have some kind of behavior issue (they don’t listen, they don’t stop talking, they’re always touching something or someone).  I have separated everyone but grouped the newcomers with another student so that that student can help them.

• What is your favorite drink?  I have a few in the non-alcoholic category – water, coffee, and coke/diet coke.  In the alcoholic category, I like wine and martinis.

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?  Either being close to retirement or already in retirement.  For the former, I hope I am not a classroom teacher.  It is too stressful and I want to enjoy the last couple of years.  I would like to work as a math interventionist.  We don’t have enough Spanish speaking math interventionists in the District which is surprising because the community is Spanish speaking.  My students are not being serviced/helped because there is no Spanish speaking math interventionist in my school.  How is that fair?

•What jobs have you had?  Explain.  After college, I worked for The Lodge in Oak Brook, IL.  It was an administrative position helping out The Director of Sales and the Sales Managers.  I was there for a few months before moving to The American Bar Association (ABA).  I worked for that company till 2019 when I got my teaching job.  At the ABA I worked in several departments.  I began as an administrative assistant and then worked in Marketing.  I don’t remember my exact titles but thanks to my last position, I traveled to many different states such as CA, NY, GA, TX, and OH. 

I never wanted to be a teacher.  I got tired of working for lawyers and wanted something more challenging.  I was working at the ABA while in school for my teaching degree.  There was a program funded by the State of Illinois which paid the tuition for professionals that wanted to make a career change to teaching.  I took advantage of it and only had to pay for my books.

The topic for next week – Share your favorite running item(s) you’ve tried this year.  We hope you’ll link up with us!