A Handy Light

I can’t believe it’s the end of May already, and my departure date is less than two months away! Time flies when you’re having fun, and it’s sure been fun compiling my ‘Gotta Have It’ list and exploring the must-have products for a deployment that Best Buy has to offer.

On my list I’ve included everything from charging kits and headphones, to facial cleansing systems and iPads/Tablets. While this doesn’t cover everything I might find myself wishing I had while overseas, I feel like this collection of items would aid in supporting my mental, emotional, and physical health.

Pampering Part Two

“Treat Yo’ Self”

For all you fellow Parks and Recreation fans, you probably read that in the voice of Donna or Tom. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about… YOU ARE MISSING OUT (but don’t worry, you can purchase the complete series from Best Buy and dive into the hysterical world of Leslie Knope).

Donna and Tom go all out on Treat Yo’ Self Day every October 13 and say yes to every desire and self-pampering opportunity. I think everyone should live by this motto and treat themselves whenever they feel they deserve it – within reason of course.

Feeling The Burn

As I’ve mentioned in earlier blogs, physical health is very important to me. I’d hope it’s important to you, too! I’m not saying you should spend hours of your day at the gym, but it’s healthy to get your heart rate up throughout the week and put your muscles to work.

Relaxing The Old School Way

What do you do to wind down at the end of a long day? Pour a very large glass of wine? Bubble bath? Both?

While these options sound amazing, I know I’m not going to have the ability to do these kinds of things while deployed overseas. Luckily, what I usually look forward to is simply enjoying the next (four) episodes of whatever series I’m hooked on. Easy enough!

The Ultimate Connection

Wi-Fi is a beautiful thing, and I know I’m going to have a whole new appreciation for it when I’m deployed overseas in a just few short months. While I’m not totally sure what to expect on my first deployment, I do know I should have access to Wi-Fi most evenings, and I’ll be itching to get in touch with people back home.

Necessary Pampering

So far my ‘Gotta Have It’ list includes products that would support my mental and emotional health while deployed - a digital recorder, headphones, chargers, and a Kindle. Well, I have to say that physical health is also very important to me, and it’s crucial not to overlook items that could support this aspect while overseas as well. In this case, I’m not referring to workout gear (although Best Buy has a wide range of great cardio and strength training equipment) since I’m not concerned about fitness being an issue with facilities available. Also, I don’t think I could lug a NordicTrack treadmill around airports…

A Traveling Library

Nothing beats the smell of a new book. Or the feel of its pages as you anxiously turn to read what plot twist the author thought of next. Not to mention the satisfaction you get from closing a thick hardcover after investing weeks or maybe even months of your free time reading. Am I right?

Then why am I sitting here gearing up to tell you why I need a Kindle in my life? Well, if you’re going to deploy overseas soon like I am, I think having one might be my saving grace.

Staying Charged

Before I deploy this summer, I want to make sure I have all of my bases covered. This includes having aspects of my home life in order, taking care of things in my personal life, and making sure I have everything I need for the journey ahead. The first two things on my ‘Gotta Have It’ list are a digital recorder and different kinds of headphones. While this is a solid start, I need to make sure I don’t overlook packing a very important item that could render my list useless.

My Own Headspace

Last week I introduced my blog series relating to a new adventure I’ll be gearing up for in the next few months. I will be deploying overseas with the Air Force this upcoming summer, and with that comes a lot of preparation. There are a lot of checklists to complete leading up to my deployment relating to turning in paperwork and completing various trainings. The military does a great job of preparing us for our travels and work, while I find myself creating checklists of my own regarding personal and home life. With this comes my ‘gotta have it’ list to include things I can bring with me to make this deployment transition and lifestyle change easier.

The first item I wrote about on my list was a digital voice recorder (check out what I had to say about these here). I highlighted two recorders that Best Buy sells due to their small size, easy use, and battery life. I also mentioned how these recorders have headphone jacks, which means I can keep the embarrassing stories my family and friends might reminisce about to myself as I play them.

Well, that means I’d need a decent pair of headphones, and Best Buy has hundreds to choose from! It’s almost a little overwhelming trying to figure out which ones to get, but when I think about the kind of environment I’ll be in and the various activities I’ll need them for, I was able to narrow it down to a few.

A Piece of Home

Well, 2019 is in full swing now, and I’m sure many of you have a lot of big things on the horizon this year. Whether it’s to land that promotion at work, break a bad habit, put more into savings, make a big purchase, or lead a healthier lifestyle; we all have our ambitious to-do lists and goals.

When I crafted my New Year’s resolutions, I realized I had to do so while considering a pretty significant life event approaching. One that I anxiously welcome with a little bit of uncertainty… I will be deploying overseas for six months with the United States Air Force. It’s a big change, and I’m 100% ready to take on the challenges it will present and serve my country.