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Posts Tagged ‘24 for 2024’

My TA-DA List for 2024

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

As I mentioned in my last post, Review 24 for 2024 List, I am sharing my TA-DA List for 2024. The first month of 2024 started off a bit rocky. My mom broke her hip on 23 December 2023, and she had to have surgery the next morning. I spent 11 nights (and a couple days) in the hospital with her before she was transferred to a skilled nursing facility on 03 January 2024. My Dad took the day shift for the most part. I live an hour away from Ochsner Hospital, so there were a couple of days I just stayed day and night because I did not want to drive home then drive back later that afternoon. And, it also gave my Dad a break. Despite it not being the most ideal situation, especially during the holidays, I treasure that time with my mom. I did not want her to be alone, and I enjoyed taking care of her alongside the hospital staff. My mom was discharged from the skilled nursing facility on 23 January 2024, and we got back into our routine with me driving to and from my parents’ house a couple of times a week to help my Dad care for her.

Reflecting on my year revealed that I had pockets of time throughout 2024 that added up to plenty of joyful adventures with family and friends. 2024 was definitely a year filled with peaks and valleys for me. As you know, dear reader, we cannot just experience the peaks in life. However, the valleys sure do make us appreciate the peaks even more. Even though I hosted, co-hosted, and participated in readathons (online) throughout the year, I scaled back tremendously on my participation during these reading events. I also started listening to audiobooks in February since I was driving to and from my parents’ house on a regular basis. This format afforded me more time to read since reading is my absolute favorite pastime. So, I may not have completed all of the aims on my 24 for 2024 List, but it is pretty clear from my TA-DA list that I accomplished a great deal overall in 2024.

TA-DA 2024

  • My Health Adventures (Yearly Eye/Dental appointments; Mammogram; Gynocologist)
  • Lunch dates, coffee dates, dinner dates, movie dates, and movie watch parties with friends and family sprinkled throughout the Year
  • Participated in various online Readathons/Book Clubs/Buddy Reads (Booktube) throughout the Year
  • Hosted What’s Up Wednesday! weekly live Reading/Productivity Sprints on my Youtube Channel
  • Attended Plays (Grease, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, War of the Worlds, Frankenstein, and Clue)
  • Helped Mom with health-related issues (January-August)
  • Slumber parties with my parents (January-August)
  • Attended Dementia Caregiver Support Group Meetings with my Dad (January, March, April, October)
  • Title I Tutoring Job at Mater Dolorosa School on Tuesdays and Thursdays (January-May)
  • Improv Workshop with Lynae LeBlanc at Anubis Improv (January)
  • Hosted the Nevermore Readathon: A Week with Edgar Allan Poe on my YouTube channel (January)
  • Gnarley Gras with Barry, Sr. (January)
  • Co-hosted the Mardi Gras Readathon with Laurie @Books, Ink and Paper (January/February)
  • Book Shopping at the Friends of the Library Store (January, June, September)
  • Hosted Folklore February Readathon on my YouTube channel (February)
  • Improv Workshop with Adrienne Bruno at Anubis Improv (February)
  • Attended Booktube Besties Virtual Reading Retreat (February)
  • Attended Disturbed concert with Barry, Sr. (February)
  • Participated in Live Book Discussion of Grimm Memorials with Kelsi and Nathan on Kelsi’s Youtube Channel (March)
  • Co-hosted the Old School April Readathon with Kelsi @Slime and Slashers (April)
  • Attended a Tea Party at the Sims Library at Southeastern University (April)
  • Visited Shelly at Wetmore Cemetary and attended Dinner afterwards with friends (April)
  • Hosted Zombiethon for my YouTube channel (May)
  • Zombie Awareness Month (May)
  • Live Horror Chat with Cliff on his channel Cliff’s Dark Gems (May)
  • Reached 1,000 Subscribers on Kat’s Novel Adventures (May)
  • Livestreams with Andy @ Self Pub with Andy and Emma @ Emma Bennet (May)
  • Kaitlyn’s Baby Shower (June)
  • Tea Party with my sister Rachel and my parents (June)
  • Group Mind Workshop at Anubis Improv (June)
  • Started The Book Wrym Club with Alex (June)
  • Visited Andrew at Library in Baton Rouge (June and August)
  • 4th of July BBQ at Kerry and Natalie’s home with Barry, Sr. (July)
  • Two-Day Trip to Orange Beach and visited Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo with Barry, Sr. (July)
  • Helped Dad plan Mom’s burial arrangements (August)
  • Attended one session of Sketch Writing Level 1 at Anubis Improv (August)
  • Attended Booktube Besties Virtual Reading Retreat (August)
  • Fall/Halloween Decor Shopping with Kelsi (August)
  • Helped Mrs. Billie with health-related issues (August-October)
  • Performed in Blood on Yellowstone at Columbia Theatre (September)
  • Volunteered at MDS Book Fair (September)
  • Andrew and Meagan got engaged (September 12th) Happiness Boost!
  • Attended Author Event (Jerry Pallota) at Baton Rouge Library and had lunch with Andrew afterwards (September)
  • Title I Tutoring Job at Mater Dolorosa School: Monday-Thursday (September-December)
  • Part of the Monster Squad for Kelsi’s online Halloween-A-Thon Event (September/October)
  • Nalco Trunk or Treat with Barry, Sr. and Dad (October)
  • Dinner at Jeff and Joanna’s home to meet Kerry Cyrus’s girlfriend Michelle (November)
  • Thanksgiving at Kerry and Natalie’s home with Barry, Sr. and Dad (November)
  • Visited Shelly at Wetmore Cemetary and attended Mass afterwards with Barry, Sr. and friends (November)
  • Attended Friendsgiving with Barry, Sr. (November)
  • Watched The Muppet Christmas Carol Movie at the Columbia Theatre with Barry, Sr. and Dad (December)
  • Hosted Holiday Hell Reading/Productivity Sprints (live) on my Youtube Channel (December)
  • Krampus Haunted House with Kelsi (December)
  • Mr. Clarence’s 80th Birthday Party with Dad (December)
  • Brayden and Melyssa’s Gender Reveal Party (December)
  • Visited Mom at Lakelawn Cemetary with Family (December)
  • Hosted Christmas – Sister and niece Emma in town (December)
  • Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy with Barry, Sr. (December)
  • Lunch with friend Georgia and her family who were visiting NOLA (December)

As you can see, dear reader, 2024 had a good amount of joy. Sometimes, it is hard to spot the joy when you are living in the midst of sorrow or upheaval. This is the second year in a row that the second half of the year did not go smoothly, and I did not get to everything on my 24 for 2024 list. However, I was still able to maintain my connections with family and friends, continue working on my creative pursuits, and participate in activities that brought me joy while helping my Dad take care of my Mom and helping my mother-in-law when she needed it. Losing both my Mom and Mrs. Billie unexpectedly within a couple of months of each other was difficult. I miss them so much, and not a day goes by that I am not thinking about them. I take solace in knowing they are in their heavenly home with Shelly. I cherish the many memories of my time with my Mom and Mrs. Billie and will forever be grateful for my time with them. They were amazing women who did a great deal for my family and me over the years. As I stated last year in my 2023 TA-DA List, “Life is not only short, unpredictable, and at times unfair, but it is also precious, beautiful, and at times full of adventure. Live life to the fullest and make every day count.” Happiness!

“It is not length of life, but depth of life.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Note: Photo was taken by me to mark the 2nd Anniversary of my YouTube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures, on 28 October 2024.

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Review 24 for 2024 List

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 9, 2025| 4 Comments »

2024 started off in the same fashion 2023 ended with my mom in the hospital with dementia and a broken hip. I decided to give myself grace and begin my new year on the first day of the Lunar New Year. I admit it was a bit weird not starting a brand new year on 01 January, but considering the circumstamces, it felt like the right decision for me.

2024 turned out to be a continuation of my Season of Sorrow. My mother died in August and my mother-in-law followed her to heaven three months later.

As you can see, dear reader, by the date I am publishing this post and the lack of posts published in 2024, life had other plans for me. That is not to say I did not work on my aims or find pockets of joy amidst the upheaval. I am steadily trying to catch up on life, but it has been a sloth-slow process. Today is the day to share how I did with my 24 for 2024 list! I chose RESET as my word for 2024, and boy did I wear it out. It seemed like I was resetting every other week. With that being said, I did accomplish a few aims on my 24 for 2024 List. I completed nine items, started four items, and attempted one on my list.

Kat’s 24 for 2024 List

  • Time-track at least once per quarter (March, June, September, December). YES ✔
  • Join The 5AM Club by getting up at 5AM each morning (The 5AM Club). YES ✔
  • Implement the 20/20/20 Formula (The 5AM Club). NO (used it more for Focus Work)
  • Implement the Pre-Sleep Ritual (The 5AM Club). NO
  • Quit Coffee. STARTED (Gave up afternoon coffee on 06/19)
  • Strength train two times per week. NO
  • Walk at least 30 minutes daily, preferably outside. NO
  • Get a massage. NO
  • Clear the clutter in my scrapbook room. NO
  • Buy a book cart. YES ✔
  • Buy two bookcases for living room. YES ✔
  • Organize home library. STARTED
  • Keep track of spending on books. NO
  • Get library cards (Tangipahoa, Livingston, and Baton Rouge parishes). YES ✔
  • Start a new booktube project. YES ✔
  • Read 24 Books that I did not get to in 2022/2023. STARTED (read 11/24; started 1, but put to the side)
  • Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie) 2.0. STARTED (read 3/6)
  • Buddy Read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt with Alex @ Frankfiction. YES ✔
  • Read The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. YES ✔
  • Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. NO
  • Read On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. YES ✔
  • Write about my adventures in Sicily on my blog. ATTEMPTED
  • Organize photos and video clips from my Sicily trip. NO
  • Scrapbook 24 times in 2024. NO

Other Fun Plans for 2024:

  • I participated in Gretchen Rubin’s #Write24in24 Challenge. Loved this challenge! I did not use it the way I originally planned, but I did write (mainly book reviews) 25 minutes or more each day.
  • I joined the Goodreads Challenge again and set my goal to read 100 books in 2024. I reached my Goodreads goal back in November and ended the year having read 111 books.
  • I participated in Booktube Book Clubs (FOMO, MGM, Cozy Cottage, The Book Wyrm Club).
  • The Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club is still on hiatus; however, I have some ideas that I’d like to implement in 2025. I’m not quite ready to give up on it, yet.
  • I participated in Frugal February and saved some money. Gold star for me!
  • I collaborated with Kelsi in 2024. I was a one of her co-hosts for Old School April and one of her Monster Squad members for Halloween-A-Thon. We buddy read The Store by Bentley Little in August for the GarbAugust readathon and had a live Movie Chat about the movies we watched during the spooky season.

As for my Birthday Message Project 2.0, it fell by the wayside with everything that happened in the second half of the year which is when I wanted to complete the project. I just did not have the motivation or the energy. So, it might be something I try again in 2025, but it will not be on my 25 for 2025 List. Also, I did not keep up with a TA-DA List for 2024; however, I do plan to reflect on the year, write the list, and post on my blog like I have in the past.

Considering 2024 was another rollercoaster of a year where I continued living in a season of sorrow, I think I did okay with my 24 for 2024 list. I am grateful for my Youtube channel community. I passed my two-year anniversary of releasing my first video on 28 October 2024. My weekly Wednesday sprints that I host on my channel have been a continued source of joy for me. My community is super supportive and really helped me through the last year and a half. And, speaking of my channel, I have included a video about my Happier Trifecta Review below if you are interested in hearing more about my accomplishments and some of the books I read in 2024. Please consider subscribing to my channel, giving me a like and a share, and leaving a comment.

Currently, I am playing catch up with content both on my channel and here on my blog. I already designed my year for 2025, and I cannot wait to share with you my one-word theme, my 25 for 2025 List, and Gretchen Rubin’s yearly challenge. I really am hoping you will see more of me in 2025. How did you do with your goals in 2024, dear reader? Happiness!

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.” ~ T.S. Eliot

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RESET: 24 for 2024 + Write24in24

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2024| 5 Comments »

The Lunar New Year is fast approaching, dear reader, and I am thrilled to finally start my new year. Stepping into 2024 without a plan felt odd, but I adjusted my mindset as the month of January unfolded, and I am NOW ready to get the ball rolling on accomplishing my aims for this year.

RESET is my word for 2024. After the dreadful demise of 2023, I have been desperate to hit the reset button. My plans for this year are to replace some bad habits with some good ones, clean up the clutter in my environment, and boost my sense of creativity and play by cultivating an existing interest. That last plan, regarding creativity and play, is the result of taking Gretchen Rubin’s Habits for Happiness Quiz.

In addition to my one-word theme, I created a 24 for 2024 list with my aims for the new year. Almost all of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over three items from last year that I did not complete but really want to accomplish this year. Pretty much all of my aims fall into one of my three plans which have to do with habits, clutter-clearing, and creativity/play. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2024.

Kat’s 24 for 2024 List

  • 1. Time-track at least once per quarter (March, June, September, December).
  • 2. Join The 5AM Club by getting up at 5AM each morning (The 5AM Club).
  • 3. Implement the 20/20/20 Formula (The 5AM Club).
  • 4. Implement the Pre-Sleep Ritual (The 5AM Club).
  • 5. Quit Coffee.
  • 6. Strength train two times per week.
  • 7. Walk at least 30 minutes daily, preferably outside.
  • 8. Get a massage.
  • 9. Clear the clutter in my scrapbook room.
  • 10. Buy a book cart.
  • 11. Buy two bookcases for living room.
  • 12. Organize home library.
  • 13. Keep track of spending on books.
  • 14. Get library cards (Tangipahoa, Livingston, and Baton Rouge parishes).
  • 15. Start a new booktube project.
  • 16. Read 24 Books that I did not get to in 2022/2023.
  • 17. Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie) 2.0.
  • 18. Buddy Read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt with Alex @ Frankfiction.
  • 19. Read The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.
  • 20. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
  • 21. Read On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.
  • 22. Write about my adventures in Sicily on my blog.
  • 23. Organize photos and video clips from my Sicily trip.
  • 24. Scrapbook 24 times in 2024.

Other Fun Plans for 2024:

  • I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Write24in24. The options are to spend 2-4 minutes or 24 minutes writing daily in 2024. This challenge is the third element of Rubin’s Happier Trifeca with the one-word theme and list of aims being the other two elements. According to Gretchen Rubin, “If you write consistently, you’ll be astonished by how much you can accomplish in 2024. We often underestimate what we can do if we work consistently.” Writing at least 24 minutes every day will be a fun daily challenge for me because I LOVE writing. My writing time will be devoted to blog posts, book reviews on Goodreads, scrapbook journaling, lists (to-do & ta-da), correspondence with family and friends (cards), notes for videos, and morning pages (The Artist’s Way). These are just a few of the writing activities I have planned for 2024; however, other possibilities might be added to my list throughout the year.
  • On Goodreads, I joined the 2024 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 100 books this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  • I want to revamp the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
  • I will participate in Booktube Book Clubs (FOMO, MGM, Cozy Cottage).
  • I will continue doing Collabs with Kelsi. Our collabs can be viewed on her YouTube channel, Slime and Slashers – A Nostalgia & Horror Channel. Please consider subscribing to Kelsi’s channel in 2024.
  • I will participate in Frugal February again. This is a NO spend month.
  • I will be doing a Birthday Message Project 2.0 in 2024.
  • I plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2024. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too.

Additionally, I will continue creating videos for my Youtube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. I passed my one-year anniversary of releasing my first video on 28 October 2023. As of the writing of this post, I have 769 subscribers and 152 videos for public viewing. My little channel is growing slowly, and I am hoping I will reach and surpass 1,000 subscribers in 2024. That channel milestone would be a HUGE happiness boost! I have included a video about my Happier Trifecta below if you are interested in hearing more about my plans for 2024. Please consider subscribing to my channel, giving me a like, and leaving a comment.

As you can see, dear reader, I have planned a year of good habit-forming, organizing, reading, writing, and scrapbooking adventures for 2024. All of these aims and activities will give me an opportunity to RESET my life and get back on track. Well, that is my plan anyway. Happiness!

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.”     ~ Richie Norton

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