perspective

Speed Bumps and Detours

Every day we travel to get from point a to point b. Sometimes there is traffic. Sometimes road blocks. Sometimes speed bumps and one ways. Road signs are a lot like life.

Rules. More rules. Laws. Taxation. At some point you may not like the rules, the laws or even taxation but you have to deal with it or face the consequences for disobeying.

I have hit my fair share of roadblocks in life. Ran up on some speed bumps too quickly. Even went down a wrong way a time or two. Not intentional but just happened that way. I may have skinned my knee, shed some tears or better yet paid a penalty of sorts.

I’m still here writing about my escapades. I’m definitely a rule follower so if I hit a one way I will find a way to circle around or back track to get to my destination. If I hit a road block, I’ll wait patiently and find a solution. That’s what I do. I find a way. I find a legal way to get to my final destination.

Sometimes the journey I take is a bit longer than desired but that doesn’t mean I can’t look out the window and enjoy the scenery on the scenic route. The trip is what you make of it. Point a to point b can be a direct route. The fastest way, but the fastest way isn’t always the best way. 

My GPS even knows this. When I’m off on a motorcycle ride I opt for the path less traveled every time. The rural route. The small towns. The detours of sorts.

Those in life that think they can put up a one way sign just for me only yields a giggle from me. That’s the beauty of my life. It’s not one dimensional. I would never even land lock myself with one way in, one way out. I need unlimited possibilities. I need the hoops of life to jump through. It makes life worth living.

In life anything is possible. Just dream it. If those around around you try to put the brakes on your car, take a walk. You can stay legal and enjoy the ride you want when you want. In a car. On a motorcycle. Pedaling away on your bicycle. Running with your two feet. No matter what your mode of transportation, enjoy your ride.

Life will throw you many twists, turns, speed bumps and caution signs. It’s all part of living the dream. The dream another can never see because they are stuck on a dead end road to nowhere with signs all along the way say NO, Don’t, Beware, Keep Out, among others.

I’m toasting all those I know near and far that are so stuck in the mud on that dead end road that they need to try to ruin my ride. You can’t ruin my ride even if you flatten my tires on my fleet of vehicles. I still have my two feet to keep on walking. 

dare to be different, friendship

A Little Chick Story

I am sure some of you are looking for a flirty chick flick type of story, but this is just a chick story about where we got our start. Boring to some but memorable to us.

2 Chicks and a Pen met on the lacrosse field. One chick on each side of the fence which is so symbolic to our overall bond and relation in general. One chick was a coach and one chick was a spectator. A particular spectator who spent most days hiding under an umbrella avoiding the sun, the shade, people, and rain on any given day. The coach however was loud and in-your-face kind of coach which was what made the two most unlikely to be paired in the way we are today.

An unlikely duo developed a friendship first through their kids. Then quickly friends turned into extended family. From there the friendship developed into a deep-rooted partnership that took on the brand that we know today as 2 Chicks and a Pen.

3 children’s books published, a business formed, countless blog adventures documented, thousands of fans around the world, and so many memories made. From napkin scribbles at a local restaurant to book signings to field research destinations, we have experienced so much on our path and we have so more ahead of us.

The picture below shows us running a 15k together this month. We have also run a half marathon, some 5k extreme races and some 10k races together. I’m sure when we started writing together running races wasn’t even a blip on the radar. Now we schedule fitness events throughout the year. This is just one of the ways we have grown in love of fitness, friendship and ability to share stories with others.

The way the story goes, we launched in 3 days according to Chick 2, but that’s fairly inaccurate. We actually have several years under our belt currently. Originally we connected almost immediately but that’s not 3 days or even 3 weeks. We began using writing prompts as a way to get to know each other. We traded countless hours writing and chatting. Trust followed.

Soon after, 2 Chicks and a Pen hatched as a legitimate business entity. Goals were set. Timelines established. Projects mapped out on the horizon. We went on to naturally evolve as writers, motivators, athletes and so much more. Our story is unique to us. Nobody will be able to replicate our vision.

The creative spark we have is definitively categorized as amazing. Our timeline is limitless. Our zest for life and sharing it on a large scale is fearless. Our opposite personalities is part of the dynamic. We just do things the #2chx way.

Our journey has had many twists and turns and ups and downs to say the least. We live life so it’s expected. Juggling families, careers, life and our own personal journeys. Somehow on our path Chick 2 joined the Crossfit movement and hasn’t looked back. We did some research and development on nutrition and used ourselves as guinea pigs. Some of these stories we share on this very blog. That’s just one of the side bars that spun off of 2 Chicks. One of many.

We took the road less traveled. We are a legal business entity. We register our business and pay taxes each year. We have a big online presence yet we are active in our community. We have an expensive hobby but we set out with a goal to improve lives through literacy. Whether we write on paper, print our stories in book form or write online we are communicating in our grandest fashion. We are succeeding at our mission and leaving a literal legacy behind.

Word wizards of sorts. We have so much to share some days that we are busting at the seams. While other days we may suffer from writer’s block and can’t string a sentence together. One chick may hold on to featured articles for days or weeks or even months on end until they reach perfection. One chick may write away fast in the moment but has to rewrite several times to correct typos. It’s a creative process for us. We do it over and over and love every opportunity we can sink our teeth into.

My favorite memory to date is reading our stories to kids and having them ask questions about us, our writing process and the whys behind the stories. When they realize what’s beyond the book itself their curiosity sparks. I want to be a writer! I want to be an illustrator! I want to make a cartoon book with my friend! Those innocent but curious minds are in growth mode. Exposing them to our stories lets them see opportunities for themselves. Infinite opportunities.

Chick 1’s writing process is notably different than Chick 2’s. Neither is wrong or right, just different. We are constantly evolving and choosing our path(s) as we mature in our creative minds. Keep watching.

We appreciate you joining in on our public ride or chickscapades whether it’s one post you read or many. We leave a trail of chick dust here, there and everywhere. You may see us on the web, maybe you follow us on Instagram, maybe you catch our tweets, maybe you are one of our local pals who knows us around town. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, we love you.

As Valentine’s week is upon us. We wanted to share a little of our inside story to you. As a sort of love story for the world. Our love of literacy. Our passion for serving others through words. Who doesn’t love a good back story.

Give us a like online. A social share. Be our Valentine this year. Send us a sweet note. A quick feedback note can let us know what you like about our brand. If you don’t like us it’s okay, we know we are not a one-size-fits-all model. That’s why you can choose to visit our page or invest in our books.

2 Chicks’ next public event is on 2/22/20, an event honoring Veterans and supporting suicide prevention efforts, which is near and dear to both Chicks’ hearts. If you are interested in getting involved check out this link. You can donate online.

http://www.official22wod.com/

Happy Valentine’s week!