As I write my October 2023 roundup, I’m reflecting on how the month seemed to go by quickly and slowly at the same time. On the one hand, I can’t quite believe October is over. On the other hand, our Thanksgiving celebration on October 8 feels like a lifetime ago. I suppose that’s a sign that my trip to England has been a complete break from the usual routine.

Read on for my monthly goals update, and terrific posts on exercise snacking, microjoys, the funny side of writing, why being a grownup is overrated, conversations with God, and a real-life ghost story.

Happy reading!

Cool things I read in October

Since publishing my first monthly roundup at the end of 2020, it has been an honour to introduce you to some of my favourite bloggers. I started the roundup to say thank you to the blogging community and bring attention to talented writers who create funny, inspiring, and informative content.

Here are 6 pieces that caught my eye in October.

How to improve health with exercise snacking – Unwanted Life

The biggest reason people give for not exercising is “I don’t have the time.” This piece from Unwanted Life explains the concept of exercise snacking, or micro workouts. Anyone can find five minutes in their day, right?

Squeezing in micro workouts during your day, such as during an ad break in the TV show you’re watching, is a lot easier than going to the gym.

Unwanted Life, How to improve health with exercise snacking

You might also want to check out this excellent post from Unwanted Life about how glimmers, or microjoys, can improve your wellbeing.

By focusing on these microjoys, you train yourself to focus on the positives in your life, no matter how small.

Unwanted life, Glimmers: Switching our focus to microjoys for better wellbeing

The funny side of being a writer – Aspiring Blog

In this hilarious post, Ritish shares the humorous side of the writing experience. I think every writer will see themselves several times as they read.

And I can say I have my own amusing conflicts, anecdotes, and word war that may seem serious from another’s POV but is actually pretty hilarious if I consciously think about it.

Aspiring Blog, The funny side of being a writer

Who wants to be grown up? It’s for the kids! – Curiosities Castles and Coffee Shops

In this fun post, Brenda reflects on how her first pair of high heels made her feel all grown up. Then, she shares thoughts on what it means to be a grown up. Definitely worth a read!

Being grown up is scary and we don’t have all the answers. We can feel unsure sometimes, not meeting our own expectations of what being grown-up means.

Curiosities Castles and Coffee Shops, Who wants to be a grown up? It’s for the kids!

Conversation with God – Wednesday’s Child

With all the conflict currently taking place in the name of “God”, this brilliant post really puts it all into perspective.

Well, it pleases me greatly when you guys get along and take care of one another. You know, when you aren’t yelling at one another; comparing yourselves to one another; hurting one another or shooting one another.

Wednesday’s Child, Conversation with God

The Disappearing Girl – Part I – Sharing the Heart of the Matter

If you’re a fan of ghost stories and the supernatural, Vicki’s story of a disappearing girl from an old photograph will be right up your alley. She tells the story in four parts. Here’s a link to the first part. You’ll want to read them all.

That same year, other mishaps occurred, but I’ve been shy about sharing because the details were strange – at the time – and became more so with each passing year. 

Vicki Atkinson, The Disappearing Girl – Part I

What I wrote in October

In case you missed any of these, here are the new posts I published in October here on Boomer Eco Crusader.

• The Sunday Spark – Oh my! Pink ribbons everywhere!
• The Sunday Spark – Thanksgiving and gratitude in 2023
• My 60 before 60 update – How am I doing?
• The Sunday Spark – Celebrating the awesome blogging community
• Helpful Waste Reduction Week tips for your household
• A day in London – The weatherman got it wrong!
• It’s easy to keep fit at home with these 22-minute workouts
• Feeling a little train envy!
• Travel packing tips to make long and short trips easier

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October goals – How did I do?

October was a busy month, and my two-week trip to England definitely had an impact on achieving my goals for the month. Let’s look at how I did.

• Fitness goals: My October goal was to squeeze in some form of physical activity every day in October. The weather during my trip to England didn’t cooperate—it rained every day while I was there. Even so, I managed either a workout, or an outdoor walk, on 23 of the 31 days in October.
• Reading: My goal for the month was to read 3 books, and I did it. Here’s what I read:
  • Finding My Father’s Faith – Wynne Leon
  • The Future We Choose – Surviving the Climate Crisis – Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac
  • Five Little Indians – Michelle Good

• Journal daily. I wrote in my journal 27 out of 31 days in October.
• Writing goals. Write a children’s story. I made no progress on this one in October. Maybe November.

In addition to my goals, I ticked several more items off my 60 before 60 list in October. Here’s an update on things I got done.

• Eat a “99” (a soft serve ice cream cone with a Cadbury Flake)
• Watch an eco-documentary.
• Guest on a podcast
• Visit England

Even though I didn’t meet all of my goals, I’m happy with how October went overall.

My November goals

November is a chance to get back on track. Here are my goals for the month.

• Fitness goals: With vacation time over, it’s time to get back into a fitness routine. My goal for November is 150 minutes of exercise a week, plus 30 outdoor walks.
• Reading: Read three books.
• Finish Christmas shopping. This is a tall order considering I haven’t even started.
• Writing. Write a children’s story. This is the third month this has been on my list. Maybe the third time’s a charm!
• Health. Again, I want to limit candy to once a day.

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Thanks for dropping by to check out my October 2023 roundup. I hope your November is off to a great start.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of the posts I’ve shared. Tell me what you think below.