Welcome to a whole new year! We celebrated New Year’s Eve in the usual fashion, plus a few extra people. We had games and Cheetos (both puffed and crunchy!) and the NYC ball drop. Then at 12:10 I kicked them all out! LOL. I actually let the ones who live here, plus one extra, stay. I went to bed eventually and they went to bed much later than me. A good night was had by all. :)

Here are my accomplishments for today, the first day of the new year:

• Sleep late
• Take a shower
• Complete about one third of a really hard Thomas Kinkade puzzle while watching The Queen’s Gambit in the background
• Bring those that wanted to join me to “A Forest of Lights” at VINS.
• Order and pick up pizza
• Eat
• Get myself in bed at a reasonable hour (that’s a goal anyway, not sure if it will actually happen)

That’s it. That has been my day. And I am loving every minute of it! It was weird going back to work for a few days between Christmas and New Years, but as I sit here today, remembering previous years and seeing what my teacher friends are posting on social media and text convos, I’m feeling totally at peace. I LOVE that I can enjoy my time off and not have to do work today to prepare to go to work tomorrow. Instead of the usual back-to-work anxiety, I am feeling at peace with my choices, knowing that the work will be at work and I don’t have to think about it at home. Instead I can while away the day doing puzzles and not much else. Enjoying the final day of this vacation and first day of this new year. I wish others could have that same peace in their careers.

Happy 2024. May your year be peaceful and full of good fortune.