Category: Tuesday Topics

Tuesday Topics: October 2023 Review

This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic.  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!

October seemed like a LONG month.  Most of them do feel that way but this month just felt longer.  No?  At least we are closer to November which brings us to Thanksgiving Break.  I am looking forward to it and to the time off.  I know I can take time off pretty much whenever I want, but honestly, many times “it isn’t worth it”.  It takes a long time to plan and write lesson plans.  Anyway, again, at least I know I can take the time off.

Let me tell you about how October went for me:

Mileage:  Sigh.  Weird how at one point running was a huge thing for me.  I ran everyday or almost everyday.  Now, I can barely get in a run.  And it is getting colder now.  We had some very warm days towards the end of October, but now it is down to 30 degrees.  I know, I know, I can run in this weather, but sometimes I don’t want to.  I am too cold.

This month I ran 20.48 and walked 3.14 miles.

Current Book:  I am still reading “The Guide” and was determined to finish it in October.  I have a few pages to go.  There are 5 books that I got from the library that are waiting for me.

2023 Running Goal:  I said goodbye to my goal.  This year wasn’t my year for running.  I did the best I could and am OK with it.  I will continue to run and will be happy with whatever number I end up with on December 31. 

Injuries:  None.  Though sometimes I have some pain/discomfort in my hip.  And depending on which shoes I wear and how long I am on my feet, they hurt too.

Races:  None, but am hoping I can run a 5k this month or in December.  This year I ran a half marathon, 10k, 10 miler, 8k, and a 4 miler.

Health:  I am doing OK.  Depending on how my day goes, I sleep well and on other days I don’t.

School:  It is an up-and-down situation.  As much as I care about my students, many days I find no joy in my job.  I get angry and am exhausted.  I know I have mentioned this before, but seriously, this year is the worst.  Or maybe it was the year I worked from home – that was horrible too.  

Even though I do a lot of work at home, I cannot seem to catch up on schoolwork.  I did my grades over a week ago but still need to review and finalize them so they can be available to parents.  I wonder how many of them actually check them.  I have a pile of paperwork that needs to be graded and entered in PowerSchool.  I get one planning period (45 minutes) every day to review lessons and plan for the day, make copies, do my lesson plans, grade, etc.  On Thursdays, we have a grade-level meeting.  Sometimes I substitute for another teacher who is absent that day, so I still don’t get all of my planning periods each week.

We have parent/teacher conferences on Monday and I know many won’t go well.  Many are not on grade level and it will get worse as they get older.  I hope I am wrong and these kids and parents get their act together.  It is just so sad to see these kids not motivated and have no desire to learn.

Each day brings me closer to another year of teaching and then to another year closer to retirement.  Sad that I am thinking this way, right?

The topic for next week:  Let’s go down memory lane again and tell us about your best childhood memory.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: My favorite food

This week’s Tuesday Topic: Today is National Food Day.  Tell us about your favorite food.  You can write about this topic or 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! 

Hello there!  Another week went by too fast.  Just when I thought I was caught up on a few things at home and work, I am back to where I was.  Yesterday was the end of the quarter and I spent hours this past weekend on grades and lesson planning.  I have two weeks’ worth of laundry in a basket in my room and no idea when I will put the clothes away.  And yes, I am still behind on reading and responding to blog posts.  

It was hard to pick one food so I am listing a couple:

❤️ Pizza – I like pepperoni and sausage but I prefer mine with cheese only.  Sometimes I go wild and get pineapple, green, banana, and jalapeño peppers.

❤️ Sushi – Anything with shrimp is my preference.

❤️ Tacos – The neat thing is that there are so many options!  I love chicken, steak, and al pastor.  My mom and I found a food truck that serves really good tacos.  They’re not cheap and the tortilla is small, but the meat is good and each taco always comes with plenty of meat.

❤️ Shrimp – I could eat this every day but I won’t.

❤️ Cheeseburger I like mine with mayonnaise and lettuce.  One of the best burgers I’ve eaten is at Portillo’s.  I’ve also had some good ones at Red Robin.  I love eating a burger with a beer after a long run or a race.  

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

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: My thoughts on Halloween

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  NRR: Do you like or dislike Halloween?  Tell us why or why not.  You can write about this topic or 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!

As a teacher, I only care about it because of the students.  They are excited because of their costume, the classroom party, the parade, and the treats.  I get excited because of them.  It makes me happy to see them happy.  However, we don’t get much work done that day and I get home exhausted.

I am looking forward to Halloween with my students this year.  It’s been a rough couple of weeks together.  Because of the new curriculum/schedule and how fast-paced everything is, we haven’t had much time to do fun things (last year we used to paint with watercolors and dance almost every Friday).  I will purchase a TpT Halloween Party Games Bundle so we can have a lot of fun that day.  Check out the various games!

As an adult, I do not care for it AT ALL.  I wouldn’t say I like it.  I don’t see the point of it.  🤪 🤷🏽‍♀️  Then again many things in life do not have a point.

The topic for next week:  Today is National Food Day.  Tell us about your favorite food.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: The house/street I grew up in

 

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Let’s go down memory lane and tell us about the house/street you grew up inYou can write about this topic or 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! 

Happy Tuesday!  I hope everyone had a great weekend!  I am still on cloud 9 from spectating the marathon.  I had a lot of fun going to Pilsen to cheer on the runners.  The best part was seeing Desi.  I saw my niece and a couple of other friends.  I was even inspired to enter the lottery for next year’s marathon.  We’ll see.  The first thing I need to do is start running again.  I ran yesterday for 20 minutes.  Baby steps.  

I emigrated to Chicago on July 4, 1978.  My dad was already living here so I came here with my mom and my 6 siblings.  My dad already had a house for us to live in.  It was a big building with about 10 apartments which he rented out.

We lived in a one-bedroom apartment by the middle front door, where I circled the AC unit.  Let’s count.  It was my parents and 6 girls.  My brother was lucky and had a room in the basement.  I remember my parent’s room was really small (I don’t think it was an actual bedroom) but it was big enough for a twin-size bed and a dresser.

There was a door that separated our apartment and the apartment next door.  The tenants must have moved out because then we also occupied that space.  The additional room gave us another bathroom and another living room/bedroom.  I don’t remember a kitchen so there’s that.

Next to the building was the alley and then next to it was a fire station.

Our school was diagonal from us.  The circle on the right of the photo is the church and the other circle is the actual school.  I don’t remember what the building in the middle was for, but I am sure it was part of the school.  Only 6 of us attended the grammar school and graduated from there.  I don’t think any of us were ever late to school!

I don’t remember how long we lived there but we then moved to another apartment building owned by my dad.  It was either my sophomore or junior year of high school because I remember my senior year living in the other building.  We then lived there until my dad passed away in 1991.  

I was tempted to drive by the old building to take pictures but instead used Google Maps.  I must have been back there maybe once or twice.  I have memories of living there but not that many.  I remember some of the neighbors, walking to Zayre (anyone else remembers that store) with my mom so she could buy me a bike, roller skating, and hanging out with family members and friends.  I remember walking 2 blocks to the bus stop to go to my high school.  There was a Farm Foods two blocks away where we did our grocery shopping.  I also remember going there to take bottles of Coca-Cola, RC, etc, and getting money for the empty bottles.  I remember the library.  I guess I do remember more than I thought I did.

I still know how to ride a bike, but how the heck did I forget how to rollerskate?  I didn’t have the actual skates but instead had the detachable ones.  🤨 🤔

I am behind on reading posts from Friday’s link-up.  I promise I will get to them.

The topic for next week:  NRR: Do you like or dislike Halloween?  Tell us why or why not.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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Tuesday Topics: 5 things I love about Chicago

 

This week’s Tuesday Topic:  Tell us what you love about living in your town/city/stateYou can write about this topic or 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! 

Hello October and welcome to another edition of Tuesday Topics!  Today we are discussing what you love about living in your town/city/state.

I have lived in Chicago for over 40 years.  I also lived in Berwyn for about 1-2 years and in DeKalb when I was in college.  

Chicago is a great city with plenty of things to do.  There are many things to love about it, but I am listing only a couple of them.

🌃 The Lakefront Trail – The best place to go for a walk or go on a bike ride.  You’ll also find many people running as they train for a race or running for fun.  I have spent many, many hours along the 18-mile trail.

🌃 ‘El’ train – The best way to get downtown and many surrounding areas, as well as O’Hare and Midway Airport.  We have the Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Purple, Pink, and Yellow​​ train lines.  I used to ride on the train every day when I worked downtown and I loved it!  

🌃 Chicago-style Pizza – What more is there to say about it?  It is delicious, take my word for it.  Have I mentioned that I love pizza?

🌃 Diverse neighborhoods – While running the Chicago Marathon, you run through 29 different neighborhoods.  Of course, there are more than that in the city – you can find a Polish, Mexican, El Salvadorian, Korean, German, Greek, Muslim, or Jewish areas as you take a walk or go on a drive.

🌃 My family’s hometown – 99% of my family lives in Chicago or in a surrounding area.  I love that we live close together to see each other as much as we can.

The topic for next week:  Let’s go down memory lane and tell us about the house/street you grew up in.  Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Tuesday Topics

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