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! 

I can’t believe 2024 is almost over.  It is time to start thinking about next year.  Last year I wrote my goals for 2023.  I will update you on how I did and then talk about my goals for next year.

❇️ Read 24 books.  I was on the right track and then there wasn’t enough hours in the day to read.  I have read 18 books.  I am almost done with “Apples Never Fall” and hopefully I will finish it by December 31st.

❇️ PR in a race distance.  Sadly I ran 2 races this year and none were close to a PR.

❇️ Run a half marathon in a different state.  See above about a PR.  Both of my races were local.

❇️ Don’t procrastinate (too much).  I am pleased to say that I did well here.  It wasn’t easy because sometimes I tend to wait and hold off to do something.

❇️ Switch retirement plan and add more money to it each month.  I didn’t do this.  Hopefully next year I will do this.

2025 Goals:

➡️ Run/walk 2,015 miles.

➡️ Run at least 5 races.

➡️ PR in a race distance.

➡️ Read 24 books.

➡️ Take an international trip.

The topic for next week – How are you ringing in the New Year?  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! 

This is one of my favorite posts to write.  I wrote one in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.  I had fun reading those posts again and thinking about how much has changed since 2020.

Let’s recap this year.  

January:

⇒ Chose my word of the year:  Self-Care.  Next year I will let you know how I did.

February:

⇒ Was featured on the District website.  The photo is from a school dance.  The student I was dancing with was in my classroom my first year at Wilson.  She was in 3rd class when the photo was taken.

March:

⇒ Went to San Antonio for my aunt’s 90th birthday party.

⇒ I ran the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k.

April:

⇒ “Saw” the solar eclipse.  Everyone in my school was outside for this experience.  Wow!  This is what I saw. 🤣🤣

May:

⇒ I saw “Mamma Mia” and loved it!

⇒ Finished the 2023-2024 school year!

June:

⇒ Began teaching Summer School!

July:

⇒ Ran the Elmhurst 4 on the 4th race.

⇒ Went to Minnesota for a few days.  It was nice to get away.  However, I had to leave my cats at the PetsHotel in Petsmart and it was one of the most difficult things to do.  

August:

⇒ “Discovered” Olipop.  So good!

⇒ Began the 2024-2025 school year.

⇒ Signed up again to run/walk 2025 miles in 2025.  !Si se puede!

September:

⇒ Celebrated my mom’s 81st birthday.

October:

⇒ Spectated the Chicago Marathon.  It was a fun day!

November:

⇒ Celebrated my birthday!

December:

⇒ I went to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.  

⇒ Winter Break!

The topic for next week – What are your goals for 2025?  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! 

What a day yesterday was for me.  I had parent/teacher conferences and it was a long day for me.  I planned to meet with 23 parents, but met with 19 of them.  They went well, but it was a long day for me.

November is a good month.  It is my birthday month, I have a few days off, and it is Thanksgiving.  I may not have everything I want (does anyone), but I am thankful for what I have.  I am thankful for my job, my family, my cats, my health, and my friends.

Today I will tell you a few things I am grateful for but in no specific order.

• Celebrating a birthday.  I don’t make a big deal about my birthday, but I am always happy to be able to wake up and know I still get to celebrate a birthday.

• Books.  They transport me to a different world.  Sometimes I want to get away from this world and be in a place where I don’t have to think about issues or problem in my life or in the world.

• Hulu and Peacock.  Similar to books.  I also watch shows on Hulu and Peacock to relax.

• Three-day weekends.  Sometimes I wished I worked 4 days.  That is not the case so I always look forward to these weekend.  An extra day off always feels good.

• Chocolate.  I love it!

• Coffee.  I look forward to that cup of coffee first thing in the morning.  Sometimes I enjoy a second cup at work or in the evening at home.

• My coworkers and boss.  They’ve been supportive and helped me get through some ugly days at work.

• My doctor.  A friend had recommended another doctor at the same office Doctor B. worked, but I wasn’t able to get an appointment with her, so I was given an appointment with Doctor B.  I have been with her since then.  A few years ago she switched hospitals and I also switched mine just so I could continue to see her.

• My parents.  They came to this country to make sure their kids could have a better life.

• My body.  It can do many things.  My body can run, walk, laugh, take care of people, eat delicious food, teach, etc.  There are too many things to list here.

The topic for next week – Tell us about your holiday fitness challenge.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!