There are fast months and there are slow months. March is one of those that feel very slow. November feels fast; it provides the festive spirit with Thanksgiving for family and friends, Black Friday and Cyber Monday for shoppers.
I am never a jogger – I have done some strenuous hiking, but having both feet lifting off ground at the same time (aka the definition of running) without rest is insurmountable. In high school, I barely finished running 400 meters and almost 
collapsed. To jog a mile has been on my goal list for years, it is hard to comprehend why it is even difficult. Recently, a health coach has recommended this C25K iPhone app – not C twenty five; it is “Couch to Five Kilometers”. It is an eight-week training program to conquer 5 kilometers. The first week starts with 5 min walk (warm-up), then repeat “1-minute run and 1.5-minute walk” with the last 5 min cool down, total 30 minutes of exercise, 3 days a week. The 1-minute run is tough for me even jogging barely faster than walking. I feel good enough at the end of the 30 minutes to have energy in the tank to do it the next time. I am at the 7th week; by 8th weeks, most likely I could not finish 5 kilometers in 30 minutes (aka 3.1 miles in half an hour); yet I conquer my jog-1-mile goal and know that I can jog for 22 minutes continuously, no matter how slow. This is the furthest I have gone in this arena!
The more ye
ars I live in US, the more traditional the Thanksgiving celebration has become. The best thing for the kids is a week of school break. Their relaxation scheme is simple – computer and lots of, sleep, and a small bit of TV. For a few years, we have salad, Turkey, Ham and Apple Pie with ice cream. This year, goose is added to the menu. Why is goose more expense than duck or chicken? Goose has a much lower feed conversion ratio than other poultries. Looking at the inches of oil on the oven plate, it is probably not the best food for our health. Once in a year, who cares?
Thanksgiving shopping is a practice of financial damage – we think we get good deals; and often buy things that are not needed. It is a relief to be back to work after the Holiday, to switch from spending mode to earning mode. These days, the delivery folks no longer call to schedule delivery, they leave whatever-ordered just behind the backyard door.
The month concludes with checking out “things to do at the end of the year for tax planning and investment rebalancing”.
oliviatamccue 
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