Zenaida Arroyo

21
May
2024

Tuesday Topics: My career plan

Tuesday Topics-237 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!

Many of you know that I am a teacher. This is my 15th year of teaching. I am exhausted. You also know that I like my job. I don’t love it but I don’t hate it. I do have my days when I hate being a dual language teacher, but that is a conversation for another day.

My plan is to retire in 10-12 years. If I could, I would retire now. Since I can’t do it now, I have to suck it up! 🤣 🤣

So what is my plan while I wait for retirement?

• Save money in a 403(b) account. I have been saving since my first year of teaching but don’t have enough for now. I am looking into opening another account. At the moment I cannot remember the name of it but it is an account similar to a 403(b).

• Continue to teach. I already made a career change and don’t want to make another one. So I will continue to make a difference in students’ lives.

• Work as a math interventionist. It isn’t a career change. I will still be working with students but in smaller groups. I will work with only those students that need the extra help in Math. The plan is to do this the last 4-5 years before I retire. I want to spend my last couple of years “stress-free” and not have to deal with lesson plans, grades, or a classroom.

Next week is a FREE topic. Feel free to write about any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

New Tuesday Topics

03
May
2024

Fit Five Friday and May 2024 Ultimate Coffee Date

categories: Fit Five Friday, Ultimate Coffee Date

Welcome to the May edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat briefly!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am already making plans to spectate the Boston Marathon in 2025. My niece goes to school in Boston and has offered me a place to stay. The date is April 21. It is perfect because I am off on Friday for Good Friday and can leave Thursday after work or Friday morning.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am planning to go to Minnesota in July. My nephew got married in March in Mexico but I wasn’t able to go. His wife is from Minnesota and her family is planning a wedding celebration. I feel terrible that I missed the wedding in Mexico but now plan to make it to this celebration.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I submitted an application for Team TCS Teachers. If I get picked, I get an entry to run the Chicago Marathon (1st choice) or the NYC Marathon (2nd choice). Cross your fingers and toes so that I get picked!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am physically and emotionally exhausted. I come home tired with no desire to do anything. I only want to read and cuddle with my cats. I know this is the usual around this time but this year hit me hard. I like my job but there are days that I hate being a dual language teacher. It is more work than a regular teacher and I don’t get paid more for doing that job.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that today we receive our assignment letter. This letter states our job for the following school year. However, there is no guarantee that that is the job I will have next year. The District is known for moving teachers to a different job during the Summer, a few days before the start of the school year, and halfway through the school year.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 ways to celebrate the mother runner in your life. Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like. We hope you’ll link up with us!

30
Apr
2024

Tuesday Topics: April 2024 Review

categories: Monthly Review, Tuesday Topics

Monthly Review-April 2024 This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic. Feel free to post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

Let me tell you about how April went for me:

Mileage: This month I ran 25.88 and walked 7.29 miles. I officially got back to running on the 15th of the month. I was inspired by those running the Boston Marathon.

Run the Year 2024: I signed up to run and walk 2,024 miles this year. So far I have completed 108.48 miles (per the RTE Tracker). I laughed when I saw the mileage because I have a LONG WAY to go. But I am determined to not give up. I will achieve my goal.

Current Book: I finished reading “Unsettled Ground” and “It Happened One Summer”. I am almost done with “Doctors and Friends”.

Injuries: None. I haven’t been struggling too much with plantar fasciitis. The pain was really bad on my right foot. My knees are beginning to hurt. I can’t imagine that they hurt with the minimal running I’ve been doing. I blame it on my weight gain.

Races: None this month but I have one on May 19.

Health: I am doing OK. I am still dealing struggling with hot flashes. The number on the scale keeps going up and up. I know I am not supposed to pay too much attention to it but I can feel the weight gain. My shorts and pants feel tighter than before.

School: The end of the school year is not too far away. I began to pack up my room and plan to get rid of a lot of stuff. I have way too many things in my room. I have things that I haven’t used in the almost two years that I’ve been in that classroom. I also have things that I brought over from my other school and haven’t used either.

What I am looking forward to next month: My sister and I will see “Mamma Mia” on the 15th of the month. I love the movie and have been wanting to see the musical for a long time.

The topic for next week: Mother’s Day gift guide (mom, sister, friend, etc). Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

26
Apr
2024

Fit Five Friday: What if? Part 1.

categories: Fit Five Friday

Fit Five Friday-10 We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!

Happy Friday! April is almost over which means May is around the corner and that brings me closer to the end of the school year. Why do administrators think it is a good idea to have lesson studies and walkthroughs during this time? We have 25 days left of school. I want to start packing up my classroom and have fun with my students.

Do you ever ask what if questions? Do you wonder how different your life would have turned out if you had made different decisions? I believe things happen for a reason but I still wonder. Here are a few I came up with for now.

• What if I hadn’t made a career change? I know I’ve mentioned here before but I wasn’t always a teacher. I worked in a nonprofit organization for lawyers before I went back to school to become a teacher. The reason I did it is because I wanted to do something different and more challenging. Plus, there was a program offered by the state that paid for my tuition. I was only responsible for my books and other fees.

• What if I would have married my college sweetheart? I loved the boy. I saw myself growing old with him. We were supposed to get married on August 28, 1998. It was a mutual decision to cancel the wedding and the relationship.

• What if I would have paid more attention to my studies in college? I went away to college because I wanted to get away from home. I knew my sophomore year of high school that I would be going to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. It was far but not too far from home. I will admit that I did the basic work to graduate, but it wasn’t my best work. I did party a lot and had a great time in college. I guess I let it all out because I never did any of that in high school.

• What if I lived alone? I am in introvert and enjoy being alone. I’ve lived alone twice before and loved it. I know I mentioned that my life brings me happiness but sometimes I am unhappy. Taking care of an elderly mom and living with a sister with a mental illness is not what I signed up for. We have some good times together but sometimes after a long day at work, I want to come home to be alone and to a quiet house.

• What if I would have married my high school sweetheart? I was madly in love with the boy. I met him my senior year of high school. I had never seen him before in school but apparently he noticed me. After high school he went away to Camp Pendleton in California for boot camp. We tried to make it work but finally called it off in 1991. I was heartbroken. Aren’t we all after breaking up with our first love?

The topic for next week – Ultimate Coffee Date with Coco and Deborah. We hope you’ll link up with us!

23
Apr
2024

Tuesday Topics: My typical race morning

categories: Tuesday Topics

Tuesday Topics-232 This week’s Tuesday Topic: What does your typical race morning look like? You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Jenn and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!

Race morning is an exciting time! I also find myself being nervous. Here is what I do before my race.

• Drink coffee and eat some kind of bar. I’ve mentioned before that sometimes I don’t eat anything prior to running but I will always eat something before a race.

• Use the bathroom. The coffee helps with this process.

• Get dressed. It helps to have everything laid out the night before.

• Check my bag to make sure I have everything I need. Then I check it again before I leave.

• Drive to the race location. I like to leave with plenty of time. I hate feeling rushed.

• Use the bathroom again. I may use it again depending on how much more I have to wait for the race to start.

• Check gear bag and tell myself to have a good time.

Next week is a FREE topic. Feel free to write about any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!

New Tuesday Topics