Deployment: Care Packages

So I have been thinking since I am out to sea for around a month what are some things I will want/need sent to me when I am gone for 9-10 months... Here's a list of things I came up with and others I asked said would be good.

Themes for Care Packages are always good it brightens up our day.

Food Ideas

1.) Chewing gum - The store doesn't sell gum it’s a big thing being out to sea everyone always wants gum.

2.) Baked goods - We will do anything for cookies and they don't always have them in the galley and I have found myself begging to have the CS's (Culinary Specialist) sneak me a few baked goods. Ones from home are way better anyway.

3.) Peanut Butter

4.) Sunflower seeds

5.) Beef Jerky

6.) Candy

7.) Nesquik

8.) Mio

9.) Crystal Light

10.) Siracha/ Other Hot Sauce

Work Out Stuff

1.) Pre Work-Out and Protein- Most of us go to the gym and we need a recovery protein which can get expensive on the ship and Pre work-out that little bit of extra energy to keep you going when you are tired most people on the ship work up to 12 hour days.

2.) New works-outs like P90X that they come out with.

3.) Gym Clothes

4.) Shoes

5.) Supplements

6.) Health Magazine- to keep them on a healthy track as much as you can be on the ship.

Necessities

1.) Cold Packs- Vitamin C Airborne, Nyquil, Daily Vitamins. We tend to catch colds underway and ships Medical isn't always the best with getting us Natural vitamins to help get through a cold and they don't give you Nyquil which will help you sleep when you have a cough. Some sailors also like taking Melatonin right before bed. They say it works just as well as a sleeping pill but keeps you from being drowsy waking up the next morning.

2.) Socks

3.) Underwear

4.) Deodorant

5.) Face Wash

6.) Body Wash

7.) Shampoo/ Conditioner

8.) Tampons

9.) T.P.

10.) Baby Wipes

11.) Disinfecting Wipes

12.) Fabreeze

13.) Laundry Pods, Softener, and Dryer Sheets

14.) Sun Screen

15.) Lotion

16.) Toothpaste and Toothbrushes

Ways to Pass the Time and Keep In Touch

1.) Notebook

2.) A Book filled with pictures and quotes from the family. They Guys call it the "Touchy Feely" Book.

3.) Puzzles and Games -Something to do on our off time to keep us from going crazy. I personally love word searches. UNO is always a fun game most people know and easily put away and so is a deck of cards.

4.) Stamps- They are always good I love sending out and getting mail.

5.) Pictures- Family and Friends and what they are up to. We don't always get internet hours when we want to look at facebook. The Guys also said they would love pictures of there Wife’s and for them to spray there perfume on letters and stuff ;).

6.) Phone Cards- They are a life saver when you are missing home and just want to call your loved ones but keep in mind we can't always call when we want too.

7.) Lottery Scratchers- Just cause.

8.) Books

9.) News Articles

10.) News Letters on the family and how everyone is doing.

11.) Study Material to pass those tests, we have a lot of them.

12.) Mp3- with new Music

13.) Hard Drive- with Movies and TV Shows, New Movies or old because we miss out on the new movies that come out and old movies to keep us remembering home.

14.) Portable DVD Player

15.) Label Maker

Off The Wall Items

1.) Shock Therapy

2.) Chillow

3.) Snuggie

4.) Learn to play guitar DVD

5.) Scuba Gear

A good thing to remember is stay in touch as much as you can with your Sailor via email and letters and they should do the same with phone calls and such. It also never hurts to ask what they need/want to because not everyone is the same. It would be smart when sending candy to be careful not to send anything that will melt. Also be careful not to send anything illegal. Videos are cool to send of the family and wanted. Video skits are cool we miss our funny sarcastic family. Family events would also be a good thing to get videos of. We like to keep up as much as possible if you think of a funny quote and picture to put up on facebook tag us in them or shoot us an email we love seeing stuff like that.

Your Sailor should also send you things while they are on deployment from all the different countries they go too. Like Shot Glasses, Ball caps, T-Shirts, Hoodies, And Postcards.

Hope you all Enjoy. J

Under the Sea! :)

So sorry its been longer than a week I told you I would keep up and then I failed to do so but only because we are out to sea and internet has been down and very sketchy. Oh how I love to be out to sea...But man do I wish I was Part of that world where the Internet was fast, I wouldn't have to use facebook mobile and I would have cell phone reception vs. the hard to understand phone calls with a calling card. So far out to sea... I have studied and studied and studied I should be up for my board very soon I am thinking later on monday. A board is someone asking me a ton of questions to make sure I have the knowlege of what I was supposed to learn and then be able to teach someone else the same knowlege. This time I am trying to get Patrolman its the qualification that will get me my badge. I have roved the Ship making sure everyone is doing the right things with my roving Partner. Haven't caught anyone doing anything really bad... I almost wish I had though so I can put my Patrolman knowlege to work but I am also glad I haven't found anyone doing anything bad because they are all my shipmmates. I got towards the end of season 3 of breaking bad....and I will admit I use to not like the show but I have gotten so far into it and it has gotten soo good. Can't wait to finish it off. I don't know what show to start next or if I should take a minor break to watch some movies such as Disney movies which I absolutely love. I got a cash card for the first time since I have been on this ship which it has been over a year... hopefully I don't use it to much. I got it so I can get a new watch since the battery on my only black watch broke and then get a phone card to call my parents. OH but they have all these goodies and snacks and such too and popcorn to go with movies...and this video camera I have had my eye on forever...but all these things can wait until deployment except the watch and the phone card would just be nice. Here are pictures I find my self looking at before I go to bed on most nights when we are out to sea. Hope they know how much I love them and think about them.

Motivation!

Hi, My name is Emily I started this blog to do all sorts of things back in 2012, but then I haven't used it but once that is about to change I would like to share my experiences with everyone that would like to listen to them or has questions. I am trying to do a post a week and hopefully succeed with that and don't disappoint you.

Back 2012 I wanted to join the Air Force. I can tell you right now how hard it is to join any branch and if you make it into them they must like you and/or you got lucky. 1% of americans are in the military, some think they were unlucky. I took my asvab right after high school my score was a 44 I then tried studying more and going back however I scored the same on a different test. Back then studying for me was difficult and I guess I just didn't know what worked for me. Then United States Navy Contacted me after my asvab and told me how much they wanted me...and now looking back I really regretted the branch I joined but all branches have there down sides....I ended up choosing navy and going with them because I felt like it would be more safe. Well yes its more safe but a lot of bull shit for no reason and I felt as if I wasn't contributing anything and it was a waste of my time...I felt like that if I had joined the marines or army I would be better serving my country. These feelings however have changed. I love where I am at, it's where god would want me to be. I am glad Navy is what went with I feel like I am finally doing something to help out my country it just took a while to develop a new love for it and looking at it in a new light to see what I was doing. The Military tries you and everything you are about and breaks you down, But then turns around and builds you back up again.

When I first joined it was for college, but all this has changed now I really have come to have respect for this country and its people. I no longer feel like its a waste of my time I enjoy it a little more and more everyday so much that I could go all 20 years and get my retirement I am finally out of my cruddy division where few care about you and finally am in a place that see's my motivations and it helps me and pushes me further than I ever would have got being an ABH. I am in security now and although some of the watches suck they are worth every second because I am where I want to be with People that help me thrive and want to be there right along side me. 

In the navy I found a way to study and a way to make it work for myself. I wish I would have known some of the things I know now in high school but everything happens for a reason. I have learned I should always listen to my mother... Mother knows best. I should be everything I can now for my future later. I shouldn't complain to much it could always be worse and it has been. I have learned to let Jesus take the wheel finally, And the love I have for my father is great but the love he has for me is infinite. Live life to its fullest and Refuse to sink!