Zenaida Arroyo

03
Jun
2022

Fit Five Friday and June 2022 Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

Wow, hard to believe it is already June! The month sure does go by fast when you are having fun. I’m starting off the weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s chat for a bit!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am emotionally and mentally exhausted. With the last few days of school, packing up my classroom, and my mother being home this week I am very tired. Taking care of an elderly woman is tiring. My sister is home with her during the day until I come home. Who would have thought personalities change as we get older?

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that there is a house that I want to see but am having trouble doing so. I’ve been eyeing it for a few weeks and finally contacted my agent about it. I was surprised no one had bought it yet since houses are selling like hot cakes. Last week he told me that the owners were going on vacation and to reach out to him on Tuesday. I did. I told him I could see it Wednesday or Thursday. No luck. I am wondering if the owners really want to sell their house. Why are they making it so difficult? I believe things happen for a reason so maybe this is a way of saying that this house is no bueno.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that on Wednesday I received my new teaching assignment for the 2022-2023 school year. There are 4 second grade teachers (2 GE and 2 DL) and we get along and work very well together. We were split up. One GE and one DL teacher are going to one school and the other 2 to a different school. I knew it could happen but still cannot believe it. It is making me very sad but am trying to stay positive. I am glad that at least I will be working with someone I’ve worked with for years.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that a friend of mine reached out to me because she had an extra ticket to see “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” on Saturday. I love musicals. I haven’t seen her in years and am looking forward to it. I feel like a kid with a new toy. I realized it’s been a long time since I’ve been out with friends. There are 4 of us going and are meeting first for lunch and then go see the musical. I hope I stay awake. I usually take a nap after lunch.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I didn’t realize I had so much school stuff. The last time I packed was about 4-5 years ago. I was moved to my current room 2 years ago but administration packed it all up for me. When I am done I think I will have about 80 boxes, bags, and containers that will need to be sent to my new school. That number doesn’t even include some items I will store in my cousin’s garage. Does that make me a hoarder?

Thanks for linking up with us again this week! We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please add your link below. I am also linking up with Running with Perseverance and Confessions of a Mother Runner for the Ultimate Coffee Date.

31
May
2022

Tuesday Topics: May 2022 Review

categories: Monthly Review, Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is How will you celebrate Global Running Day? It is on June 1st. You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post. Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

I am deviating from this week’s topic to instead do a monthly review. Global Running Day is on Wednesday and I plan to run that day. I do not know exactly how long I will be running but I will be out there.

Another month/sheet to rip off from my wall calendar. With May almost over that means we are almost halfway through the year. And what a year it has been so far!

As you know I was excited to pack up and finish this school year. I was moved to the classroom across the hall. It faces east, bigger, and nicer layout. I was actually excited about it – even if it meant packing EVERYTHING in my room. On Friday we found out that the school will be closed for the 2022-2023 school year and I will be going to a different school. Not only do I have to pack everything, but I need to bring my personal stuff home. Why? In case boxes get lost, misplaced, etc. I have spent a lot of money on school stuff and I would be upset it I don’t see it in my room next year. The good thing about it is that now we have until June 10th, instead of the 7th, to pack up. But during that time I also need to set up my room for Summer School. Sigh. These next two weeks will be very interesting.

package delivery throne

So let me tell you about how this month is going.

I was doing good in May with my run streak but halfway though the month I got a cold. Once I was better, I got a fever. It must have been too much for me because I took a week off to recover. However, I wasn’t feeling it and took a few days off again. I don’t think I’ll start a new run streak and I am OK with it.

Mileage: I finished the month with 55.40 miles. I am a bit disappointed because last month I ran 68.13 miles. I know it is lower this month because I missed 10 days of running. All of my runs have been easy runs with run/walk intervals. Each day I run for a specific amount of time instead of miles. No complaints there!

Highest Mileage Week: 18.16. It was during the first week of May and it took me 3:49:15 hours.

Current Challenge: None. 😀 Any other ideas?

Current Book: Finally reading “Falling”. So far it is good. I told my sister she could put the TV I had in my room in her room. I told her I was planning to read more instead of watching so much TV. Right now the only show I am watching is “The Golden Girls” and can watch it on my phone or my computer.

Current Shoes: Still running in the Brooks Launch 7. So far I’ve run in them 147 miles.

2022 Running Goal: My goal this year is to run 1,200 miles. I am 13% done with 163.80 miles. Who knows how realistic this goal is. There are 7 months left this year. That means on average I would have to run about 148 miles each month. Doable?

Topic for next week – What’s on your Summer bucket list? Feel free to write about this or any running related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

27
May
2022

Fit Five Friday and May 2022 Runfessions

categories: Fit Five Friday, Runfessions

Last month I wrote about how things were going so well with my student. Not sure what happened but he is back to not behaving well. Let’s just say he was out yesterday and is supposed to be back today. I was planning to take a few days off next week but I thought about it and decided not to. I want to spend the last couple of days with the rest of my students. I am not going to let one student ruin that for me. I was told that if he doesn’t want to do anything in the classroom, to send him to the office. Seven more days!

It’s the last Friday of the month which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional! It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by Darlene, Renée, Jenn, Michelle, and me! Let’s get started, shall we?!

I runfess…
Remember how I few months ago I told you that I didn’t know my car had a remote starter? Well, a few weeks ago I found out about the anti-theft system for the radio. 🙄 Not sure how it was activated. I followed the directions but could not enable the system. I was getting frustrated. Then something clicked in my head. I used the power button for the radio. I was pressing the wrong one! I was using the one for the car. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 🤦🏻‍♀️

I runfess…
That a few days ago I was in a group text with a few other teachers. During the day I am fine with the messages going back and forth. That night someone sent a text at 10 pm. What?!? I had my phone on vibrate but I still heard the sound. Then others responded but I went to sleep. I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and saw that there were over 30 messages with the last one at 11:30 pm. Part of me wanted to respond at 5 am when I was up. I couldn’t but I know I should have. Would you?

I runfess…
That last week a few teachers were recognized because their students made advancements in an iReady (a math platform) diagnostics test. They each received a certificate. Everyone in my team got one except me. I tried not to let it bother me but deep down inside it did. The certificate didn’t bother me. It was the fact that my students did not score high enough. I kept wondering what did the other teachers did so that their students scored high. I thought about what I could have done different. I thought that maybe it is because my kids are bilingual and I teach math in English. Who knows but then I was annoyed at myself for letting it bother me.

single tear

I runfess…
That I got my assignment for Summer School and will be teaching 1st grade GE (English). I was upset when I found out because I applied for a dual language (DL) position. I emailed the Principal to remind him that I didn’t apply for a GE position. He told me that there were no more DL positions. Part of me doesn’t want to teach Summer School anymore, but a coworker reminded me that it is only 3 weeks. I know I am letting my ego get in the way.

I runfess…
That I am beginning to dislike driving because of the drivers. Many are just awful and impatient. I’d like to think I am a good driver. I see many drivers driving way past the limit on the streets, change lanes because the driver in front was “too slow”, and texting while driving. Doing those things can cause an accident and we don’t need more to happen.

Thanks for linking up with us again this week! We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please add your link below. I am also linking up with Marcia for Runfessions.

24
May
2022

Tuesday Topics: Off Topic Tuesday with a few of my favorite things

categories: Tuesday Topics

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Off Topic Tuesday. You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post. Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

I told Kim I was not going to post today. Yesterday I was at work till 7:15pm packing up my stuff. I wasn’t sure where to start and knew I had to start somewhere so I went for it. Not much organization and hope I don’t regret it. I did make a list of the boxes I have with the brief description inside them. There is a chance that my school will be closed for next year and my boxes will be moved to a different building. Who knows? With 10 days left, hopefully soon we’ll find out for sure. Regardless, I still need to pack up my stuff.

Hopefully it won’t take me too long to respond to your comment and read your post. Remember, only 10 more days left of school. 😀

Here is a list of some of my favorite things:

Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate. I love anything with chocolate.

Movie: The Lion King. I think I’ve cried a few times. The scene with Simba and his dad after he falls gets me every single time. I’ve also watched the Broadway show a few times and love it as well. Next time I go to NYC I want to see it there too.

Place to Shop: Target! I live a half mile away from the store and there is another one on the way to work. I love the convenience of ordering items on the app and picking them up.

Fast Food Restaurant: McDonald’s. I am a sucker for their fries. Whenever I am in the mood or really stressed out, I get the Big Mac Deal. I know it is healthy but I don’t care. I don’t get it too often anyway.

Color: Blue. I also go for pink and purple.

Snack: Popcorn or potato chips with buffalo sauce. There are days when I crave something salty and that combo does the trick.

Alcoholic drink: I am a martini girl. The one I prefer is sour apple but like trying different ones. I have a list of about 100 different martinis that is offered at a bar not too far from work. I went there during Winter Break and am hoping to go once school is over.

Food: Pizza. I prefer cheese only but do like sausage and pepperoni.

School Subject: Math. I love teaching it to my students. I try to make it fun and I smile whenever I see their their faces when they understand what I am teaching.

Day of the Week: Friday! The end of the week plus we can wear jeans at work. Every other Friday is payday too. Perfect, right?

Breakfast Food: Over hard eggs, bacon, hash browns, and greek toast. Add in some Cholula or Louisiana hot sauce and I could eat this everyday but I don’t.

Beverage: Coffee. I drink a cup in the morning while reading my email and blog posts. Sometimes I will have another cup at work. I also drink a lot of water.

Hot Dog Topping: I know this is weird but I eat them with only mayonnaise and hot peppers. Definitely NOT Chicago style.

Topic for next week – How will you celebrate Global Running Day? It is on June 1st. Feel free to write about this or any running related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

20
May
2022

Fit Five Friday: 5 things I am looking forward to this Summer

categories: Fit Five Friday

Last week it felt like Summer. It was over 90 degrees for a few days. The AC was working at home but it didn’t work for about 2 days at school. We were all miserable. I got a cold (my first one over 2 years) and felt better on Sunday but then got a fever. I took the day off on Monday to fully recover. I did take 3 Covid tests and they were all negative.

Haven’t been motivated to run but am hoping to run today. Yep, that means no more run streak. My last run was on Saturday. I was planning to run on Sunday morning but didn’t feel well with the fever. I was tempted to got out in the afternoon after a nap and run slowly but that didn’t happen. Oh well.

I have 12 days left of school. 12!!! I can hardly believe it. While I am excited about it, I am freaking out because I have not started to pack up my classroom. I was moved to another classroom across the hall and everything needs to be packed up by June 7th.

Anyway, let’s talk about Summer. It isn’t my favorite season for running, but I don’t hate it. Well, maybe on some days.

🌞 End of the school year – I thought last year was awful but this year was worse. But, we all made the best of it. I’ve enjoyed my kids and tried to offer a safe, fun and loving, learning environment for them. I’d like to think they are enjoying having me as their teacher. They’ve made me cry but also made me smile and laugh. Yes, I will miss them.

🌞 Read more books – I have a long list thanks to Wendy’s reviews. I am excited to sit out on the balcony with a glass of wine while I read.

🌞 Train for my 50k – Ha, I know you will definitely hear me complain about it. I haven’t signed up for it and several of you brought up good points about running it in Chicago. I don’t have an exact date but it is usually in late October/early November.

🌞 Run in shorts and short sleeve tops – Fall is my favorite season for running but Summer is great too because I don’t have to wear tights or long sleeve tops. I hate wearing all of the layers during the Winter.

🌞 Buy and house and move – I have to add it in here hoping that for sure it will happen. Interest rates are going up and house prices are going up as well. Every day I cringe when I look at the prices of the house I like.

What are you looking forward to this summer? Any summer plans?

Thanks for linking up with us again this week! We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts, and we are ready to link up every Friday to share YOUR weekly fitness favorites! Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please add your link below.