Tag: somethingnew

Uncategorized

Fresh

2chicksandapen

I recently spent some time on an island. To sum up the experience in one word I would say, blissful. Some may not grasp my definition thus I will share it in this blog.

Fresh air.

Sunshine.

Calmness.

Less chaos.

Soothing sounds of the ocean.

Fresh smells of land.

The few words or phases above could be expanded upon but I’m choosing to keep the post simple. Just like life on an island is, simple.

Morning bike rides amidst the car traffic. Nobody beeping at you to get out of the way. No hurried sense of rushing to get somewhere. A definite difference from my everyday. Time seems to move at a slower pace yet it’s still the same 24 hours each day. A blissful calm to my normal day in day out.

Th photo above appears to be endless yet the island is small. Can a water border translate or infer more of an endless appeal? Less cell phones ringing and chirping. Many are enjoying the sights, the sounds and the environment without being glued to technology. I always had the access I needed but the need seemed less. Sand beneath your toes by the water. Walking opportunities galore. Wildlife in abundance yet at a distance. The clearest of blue skies. Mystical sunsets. Colorful sunrises. A blissful calm in itself.

From the waitresses at the taco shop to the boat captain to the restaurant owner to the tour guide on a bike to the eco tour educator, to the Uber driver, all seemed to love their job. A genuine passion for their environment. It almost seemed crazy to interact with so many occupations that loved their job, their community, their lifestyle. Each one was unique. Each one seemed content. More so than the many I would interact with in my normal day-to-day. 

I don’t really have any scientific data to translate the why of my observations. Rather I chalk it up to island time. The island lifestyle. The don’t worry be happy mentality. Not so much about who is better than another rather let’s keep doing x so we can live the paradise lifestyle we want. Less frills. More thrills. 

If I had no cares in the world, I’d pack up and head to an island. I would have less but gain so much more. A fresh outlook is always soul refreshing for my mind. It gives me a chance to reset my horizon. Shift what seems stuck. I always relearn to appreciate what I have in front of me while mapping out where and what I really need in front of me down the road.

Breathing fresh air for extended periods of time can be healing. Getting out and experiencing nature can be calming. Experiencing new people, places and foods can be classified as growth. Try it!

Exercising the body and stimulating the mind in a relaxed environment can have exponential benefits. Both short and long-term.

A 5 day unplug from my computer (not smart phone) was exactly what the doctor ordered for me.

I feel fresh.

Renewed.

Re-energized.

Ready for what’s next. While one may feel guilty for escaping reality, the truth is stepping away is essential. This is your reminder. Breathe the fresh air more. Don’t stay stuck in a cubicle of life. Dip your toes in the sand. It will rinse off easily. Take a leap into the deep water. You can tread water longer than you think in life or in the ocean.

The more you break away, the more productive you will be for longer. The end.

adventure

NYC By Day Part 1

2chicksandapen

Just one day in NYC. Just one day. Less than 24 hours to cram it all in! It’s not my first time in the big city but first time cramming a bunch into one day sure is. So much fun on this day I thought I’d write a post but it will end up being multiple posts. Go figure.

The U.S. Open it is. That’s the main point of the trip. A duo trip on a whim. The duo turned into a trio. Then a foursome. United by a love for tennis. An adventure of a lifetime. A quick easy trip to squeeze into a work week. Why not?

The one and only Coco makes the women’s semi finals. Yes! I couldn’t be more excited to see the showdown live. The 48 hours prior to the semi finals was where the anticipation built. The outfit plans. The snack preparation. Hoping the flights were on time. Will the weather be good? So much anticipation. A short window of excitement on the horizon. Ready. Set. Go!

4 am alarm goes off. Normally I’d be mad but not today. Today I sprung up and rose quickly. Fun little carpool excursion to the airport and off we go on leg one of the adventure. The discount airline flight was surprisingly easy and we made it to the Big Apple without incident, but did have many giggles. And the approach views were just perfect as well. The Statue of Liberty was impressive from above.

Once on the ground we explored a bit. That included a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge. A first for me. This was an amazing experience on a beautiful day. Helicopter tours overhead. Jet skis, boats, cars all bustling below. The sights. The sounds. The ambience was all spectacular. A moment of reflection think about the chaos of 9/11 and the mass exodus on that same bridge. What a feeling.

Next our exploration took us through Chinatown and Little Italy by foot. Great exercise but also a cultural experience. The smells. The businesses. The building styles. The signs on the windows and storefronts. The graffiti. The hustle and bustle of city life. The people. The languages. The lifestyle that is so different from my day to day. Observing folks pull their groceries home in a cart. The Amazon deliveries packed on carts to go city blocks from a hub parking spot. It’s an experience in itself just to be immersed in this part of city life. The outdoor markets had fish both dried and fresh out of the water. Oddly placed next to fruit sitting out in the heat of the day. Some bins without ice and on the floor of all places.

As our day began as the sun rose in the city there were so many experiences to share that I’ve opted to make this a series of posts. This way I can give you my 50 foot of NYC in 24 hours without missing a beat.

Stay tuned.

challenges, perspective, Uncategorized

Growth

2chicksandapen

I’ve been thinking a lot of growth lately. Not physically growing like increasing my waist size. I’m thinking more like overall development in multiple areas of life.

Trying new foods for example. Over the past few months I’ve been wanting to increase my daily protein intake. I’ve dialed into various resources to get some hints and best practices. A few takeaways to share:

Compounding protein. Find what you like and increase the dosage. 3 ounces of ham? Just double it. Yogurt, double it. Maybe find a sugar-free Greek version you like. Maybe even a yogurt drink. Mix it up if you can. For me this was a growth area, learning new ways to meet my protein objective for the day.

Aging. Not always a fun topic to discuss for folks my age as there are many trials and tribulations associated with those around the 50-year-old mark. However, I’ve been learning new things. I’ve learned to enjoy road tripping in a RV which is in itself a skill to master. Then I flip the switch to my youngest child who is turning 18. The growth going into adulthood is so much different yet full of learning opportunities for both the parent and the soon-to-be adult. New jobs. Legal responsibilities. Taxes. Higher education. Bills. The list goes on and on. 

New environments. This summer I opted to play a new sport: pickleball. Never played before. Never watched a match in person or on TV. I fell in love with the concept of learning. Meeting new people. Stepping into a new arena of sorts. Challenging myself to be better. To learn new methods. To learn the lingo. All in all it was a great experience socially, physically, and cognitively.

Attire: we all have our basic go-to items. The favorite jeans. The sweats. The leggings. The favorite shirt. In the past few months I opted for a short in a color I absolutely never wear. I chose a couple of button-up shirts that are really not my style but definitely fun to wear on occasion. I mixed up a stable go-to outfit with something new and some old to change up the look a little. These little modifications represented growth to me. Oddly different growth than many may celebrate but for me it was growth in my own way.

Patience: mastering and remastering my patience muscles. This is serious growth. Dealing with kids who keep coming back for x, y, and z requires patience and patience on steroids sometimes. Adjusting to work / life balances as you hit the empty nester milestone. The golden years. The muscles that need flexing dealing with changes in partners / spouses or other complicated family dynamics. As we age we must undergo a serious re-haul of our patience muscles, more than once.

As a reflection person, I like to celebrate moments like these. Small as they may be to some, they were valuable enough for me to share on here. With that being said I challenge you to self-reflect and think about your own growth.

Have you challenged yourself to climb a new mountain?

Have you decided to take a trip of a lifetime to a new destination?

Have you decided to take a leap of faith and try something new?

Have you been thinking about betting on yourself? Go for it! You will never grow if you stay stagnant. You will miss opportunity after opportunity. Don’t just put a toe in the sand. Run into the ocean and get wet. Get wet in life. That’s when you grow!

adventure

Bryson City

2chicksandapen

A quick road trip popped up on the calendar. The destination was tucked away in the mountains of North Carolina in a place called Bryson City. My first time to the area and I really had no expectations. A little fun. A little friends. Some time away.

The map took a twist and planted my RV on a narrow dirt road winding around the river. Impressive by sight of beauty, but more nerve wracking to be a passenger looking over the embankment of a narrow gravel road just after rain had hit. Oncoming trucks squeezing into the already thin road definitely made me bite my nails a few times.

My first stop was the rustic campground I booked on a whim. Not much more than a gravel pad laid by a creek with a sewer, water and power connection. The few bells and whistles consisted of three log benches by a firepit and a picnic table by each site. Simplicity. Quiet. Efficient for a short stay. Rain on the roof top by night. Coffee by the creek by morning. Topped off with a great group picnic in the afternoon after our big adventure.  With little planning the rustic camp spot ended up being the perfect destination and photo backdrop.

In between the rest and picnicking was was the adventure that brought me to Bryson City. White water rafting with 12 friends on the Nantahala River. Two boats. Two guides. Safety training. Life jackets. Paddles. Good to head to the drop point. Wait! We are one guide short. Not even sure how this happens. Somehow I was volunteered to guide a raft down a river I’ve never been on. What on Earth? I drew the short straw for this one.

I didn’t hesitate. Maybe I didn’t think about how much responsibility it came with. Maybe I didn’t trust others with my life. I don’t even know why the company allowed the customer to guide the boat. Nonetheless it happened. I had a great group of brave souls to do it with. We all paddled. We all stayed in the boat. We had an amazing time: memories to last a lifetime. Adrenaline to last for days. Pictures to prove I was a captain for a couple of hours!

Get yourself a group of adventurous pals and do things. Take risks. Be brave. Step out of your comfort zone. You will never grow or know what you are capable of if you don’t.

We conquered these rapids on July 16, 2023. We had a young one on the boat at age 17. A vintage captain at age 51. A non-swimmer. Five first-time rafters. A nurse, just in case. A smorgasbord of a crew but a damn good one at that. Living life to the fullest. One adventure at a time.

Travel buddies may change but fun is always on the menu. Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of our adventure through this post. This also makes the 8th state I’ve camped in with my RV. Slowly filling up my state map. Alabama and Arkansas are on the radar for future trips. Going for the left A states that are nearby.

adventure

Water Play

2chicksandapen

A random adventure in South Carolina on a sunny Sunday afternoon was set in motion. No long term planning. Just a quick 1 day getaway. The weather was perfect. The timing seemed to just fit into the schedule. The spontaneity of the day was one of the highlights of the excursion. Music cranking while having an open air concert was also so much fun both in and out of the water.

Zoom zoom. The girls took off for the day on the water. Riding topless….in a convertible for those thinking otherwise. Wind in face. Sun glistening on their skin. Sunglasses required. Hair swaying back and forth as they make the trek from one state to another. One could say the ride itself could have been the day’s climax yet it was merely a starting point.

Ultimately these Chicks had other plans. The adventure consisted of trying out hydro bikes for that day’s fitness and fun. A new-to-us thrill of sorts. Upon arrival one bike had technical issues creating the option of one kayak and one hydro bike for the afternoon. Off to the water the girls went. A day of water play with no have to’s. Just what the doctor ordered. Nothing too strenuous.

The cove was simply peaceful on this a day. A short paddle or pedal to a sandy beach area to explore or dip in the water to cool off. A band was playing at the nearby marina adding a mini concert to the water play day as an added bonus. Just some good old fun and relaxation on a Sunday. A perfect time to reset for the work week ahead.

There was plenty of time to just float. Soak up not only the sun but the cloud and sky views for miles. the gentle waves. The sun reflecting off the water. Observing the local boats trying to catch a fish or two. It brings a different kind of peace to one’s mind and soul. 

Days like these are encouraged for those who spend time in a busy fast-paced life or a life that has challenging days. A slower time of any day breeds success or productivity in other areas once a fresh outlook is achieved.

Such a simple idea. Grab a friend. Spend a day outside. Smell fresh cut lawns. Plant a garden. Take a walk. Feel the sun on your skin. Move freely. Inner peace comes from within. Sometimes you need to reset your mind, your environment, your outlook or even your surroundings to see the beauty of your life. The life you live each day to the fullest.

Pause. Reflect. Enjoy. Repeat. 

I opted outside.

I played in the water:

I’d do it again.