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This year (2025) finds me with 53 years of teaching “under my belt.” I have taught all levels from pre-K “(library lady” or “book lady”–volunteer) to juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in my Advanced Writing class at the university where I have just completed 34 years. My first paying teaching job was junior high, and I spent 13 years with ages 12-13, the “difficult years.” I had some of the “funnest” experiences with this age group. When I was no longer the “young, fun teacher,” I taught in an elementary school setting before sixth graders went on to junior high, teaching language arts blocs, an assignment that was a “dream-fit” for me. After completing graduate school in my 40s, I went on to community college, then university teaching. This past fall I accepted a part-time teaching job at Apogee Gulf Coast Schools in its first year at the Alvin campus. After my Better Half died n 2022, I achieved a lifelong dream: opening a bookstore of my own, Rae’s Reads. A year later, I sold the house we had lived in for 47 years and moved into the bookstore. My goal is to circulate and repurpose books. Just as teaching is “in my blood,” so is a passion for reading, writing, libraries, and everything bookish. This blog will be open to anyone who loves books, promotes literacy and wants to “come out and play.”

25 in ’25

I never make New Year’s resolutions because I know I won’t keep them. But, after listening to a Gretchen Rubin (author of The Happiness Project and Happier at Home) podcast (Happier), I decided to set some 25 in ’25 goals she described.

First, I know I will read more than 25 books in 2025, so I am going to read 25 nonfiction books in 2025. I chose nonfiction because it is the genre I most often neglect, tending more towards literary fiction and novels. I am off to a good start, for I have already read two since January 1st.

Secondly, I am good at “collecting” recipes and reading interesting recipe books, but not so good at actually trying new ones. I tend to stick to the “same ole’-same ole’” ones. I will try 25 new recipes in 2025.

Then, there are the 25 minutes a day goals:

READ 25 minutes a day

SPEND 25 minutes a day outside–At first, I thought of 25 minutes a day exercising or 25 minutes a day walking…but I knew that wasn’t gonna’ happen! This way it counts if I sit on the chair on my front porch and listen to the rain on the tin carport roof.

SPEND 25 minutes a day reading the Bible and being in prayer or going through some kind of guided meditation while thinking life-affirming thoughts.

SPEND 25 minutes a day doing schoolwork or tutoring work–Hopefully, by organizing this work into “little chunks,” I can limit my lesson planning and grading to this amount of time.

There are many other 25s I could try, but I’m going to limit myself to these in hopes of actually carrying them out.

Think about the year 2025. Maybe you will want to work on that novel or memoir you have tucked away in a drawer for 25 minutes a day or practice ballet for 25 minutes a day…there are no limits. Start establishing your 25 in ’25 goals now, and we’ll compare notes in 2026!

Rae

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3 responses to “25 in ’25”

  1. sjhigbee Avatar
    sjhigbee

    Hi Rae – a very Happy New Year to you and I love this idea of chopping up the day into manageable 25-minute sections! It happens to be a useful timeslot as you can get a reasonable amount done – including rest and relaxation, without getting too tired or overwhelmed. Thank you for the suggestion and hope that things are better for you:).

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  2. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz Avatar
    Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

    These are great goals. I tend to make my goals extremely manageable for me…five minutes a day counts.

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  3. Carla Avatar
    Carla

    I love this idea. I would try the 25 new recipes. I’m the same as you, I have so many collected, but always go back to the tried and true. I would like to do 25 minutes of activity per day (it could be walking, swimming, riding the bike etc.) and 25 minutes of decluttering. I am fine getting in activity when the weather is nice and I can get in the pool, but when it is cold or rainy, I tend to vegetate. I have an exercise bike, and stairs in my house, so I could and should move. As I know I will be downsizing eventually, I am trying to get rid of things by donating or giving away, but have stalled out. Good luck to both of us.

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