“Survival of the fittest,” is a term that is thrown around liberally, but what does it mean? The meat of the phrase means that those who are most prepared, equipped and alert will be the ones that will come out on top of the pack. Going into a battle situation, it is to your benefit to give yourself every advantage you can think of which means to more than satisfy the criteria of the definition of being “fit.”
The secret to being prepared and equipped is having with you ev...
“Survival of the fittest,” is a term that is thrown around liberally, but what does it mean? The meat of the phrase means that those who are most prepared, equipped and alert will be the ones that will come out on top of the pack. Going into a battle situation, it is to your benefit to give yourself every advantage you can think of which means to more than satisfy the criteria of the definition of being “fit.”
The secret to being prepared and equipped is having with you everything you may need in any given situation. This can be challenging when you have to carry all of your gear. However, with the right TA-50 or deployment bag, you can have enough room for everything you need, and if you pack carefully, perhaps even a small kitchen sink! The perfect deployment bag begins with essentials in an orderly arrangement. Essentials will be different for everyone, but at the core should be your body armor, some ammunition and a small first-aid kit. Here are some tips for packing the perfect bag:
1. Combinations are KEY! Try combining articles such as putting gloves, a pair of socks and a couple extra rounds in the cavity of the body armor. This will enable there to be more room in the bag as well as keeping things that you will need to use together also packed together so there is no time or energy lost in grabbing something you need. Body armor is bulky and odd shaped for packing, and chances are that if you need one piece, that you will need the same things each time so put them together in a way that they all work together. For example, if you have an extra pair of shoes to pack, consider putting something else that you will be using at that same time in the shoe to save room in your bag.
2. Zip tight bags are awesome! Water leakage inward to your bag (if it’s not waterproof or if it gets a hole in it somehow) or liquid/gel leakage outward of a container can prove to be a huge problem if you are traveling or on deployment. Zip tight baggies can save your day! Put shirts or outfits, socks, underwear into gallon size baggies if you are going to be deployed to a wet area with a lot of rain or will be trekking through water. If not, zip tight sandwich baggies around your toiletry items individually can prove extremely helpful. If one thing spills then it doesn’t get on each item turning it into a gooey mess. Also, with the use of zip bags, you will know that socks are always in one bag, underwear is always in another bag, and so on alleviating wasted time spent rearranging or hunting down items that you need NOW. Time spent hunting should be for your adversary instead of for your socks.
3. You can pack your kitchen sink and your bathroom medicine cabinet. Just because you are deployed or traveling does not mean that you have to go without necessities due to lack of space anymore. There are some deployment bags out there that are so ultra-roomy and sturdy that you can pack what you need; one of which is a safety/medical kit. Keep a few bandages, muscle pain patches, minor pain meds in travel packages, snap-light fishing glow sticks, all in one mini-tool, and snap-released hand warmers. Maybe put those in a round of duct tape or a funnel and put that in a zip baggy or just in a little toiletry case.
4. Why leave strategy to the battlefield? To win the war on clutter and mess, you have to plan a method of attack. Strategize and think about putting together your bag right the first time. What will be easiest for you and save you time? What will be something that you will actually do and maintain? Will zip baggies be something that you can do? Will arranging socks with socks work better for you rather than arranging whole outfits together? Does it make sense to pilfer through your bag each time you need something? Plan what you are going to do and then keep it up so you know exactly where everything is! Arrange things considering shape and frequency of use. Does it make sense to put something you use three times daily on the bottom of the stack? Arranging in slices instead of stacks helps. Think bread slices in a bag. That way you don’t have stacks of stuff to look under but rather can see a small sliver sample of each thing you have. Planning your bag will make your time more efficient and lower your stress level because you are more prepared in a shorter amount of time.
Incorporating a few of these ideas or using them as a holistic system really can aide you in being more prepared, more equipped and more “fit” than your counterparts or competition. Saving time, energy and mental stress will aide you in keeping your performance at an optimum while still not compromising your personal comfort. Performance levels at their optimum will ensure you are among the most “fit” and will help to guarantee your success at your mission, both on the battlefield and beyond.
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Selasa, 17 Mei 2011
Sabtu, 14 Mei 2011
What You Need To Know When Taking Your First International Trip
Mary Hanna shares her experiences from numerous overseas flights so your first International flight will go smoothly. Included are tips on how to tour and pack for comfort and ease.
When you are planning to take your first international flight to visit and tour other countries, there a few things you should know before hand about the flight and what to do when you get to your destination.
When you make your airline reservations whatever you do get an aisle seat. Even if you have to go to the airport to pick up the tickets an aisle seat is MOST important on those long flights. My husband, John, and I always, and I mean always, get aisle seats across from each other on the plane unless it is a plane that has a bank of seats with only have two seats in the bank.
Take some really comfortable shoes. I always wear my comfortable shoes on the plane because they take up too much room in the suitcase (they’re Rockports, clunky but comfortable).
When you get on the airplane, snag a blanket and a pillow for everyone in your party. They are always scarce and you might not need it right away, but you will later. Take sleeping pills with you and try to sleep, it helps. You will arrive very early in the morning and will be exhausted if you don’t try to get a little sleep. I can never sleep on airplanes but the pills help me relax a little. You will be landing very early in the morning so your hotel room will not be available until two in the afternoon. There have been plenty of European hotel lobbies I have slept in until I could get into my room.
Don’t wear anything that is nylon on the plane because it will not breathe. The most comfortable thing is a long loose dress or skirt and a top with sleeves. For men causal slacks and a long sleeved shirt either with or without a sport coat. The best thing I ever wore was a floor length jeans dress with sleeves that buttoned all the way up from the hem to the neck. If it was hot, I unbuttoned it; if it was cold I buttoned it all the way up. Worked like a charm.
When you are on the airplane get up and walk around every hour unless you are asleep. This will keep your ankles from swelling and don’t take off your shoes, just loosen them. Drink lots of water and avoid salt. Food on the airlines is minimal and awful. I’ve been known to pack sandwiches that are far better than anything they have to offer, just make sure you eat them before you land.
Keep toiletries in your carry on, toothpaste, tooth brush, moisturizer, waterless face cleanser (the sinks on the plane in the bathroom are nasty) and tissues for removal. Moisturize your body a lot on the plane because the dry and recycled air zaps your skin. I take a small spritz bottle filled with water and spray my face every once in a while, it soothing and keeps my face hydrated. Don’t laugh the stewardess’s do this too. Be sure you take diarrhea and constipation pills with you. When I travel long distances one or the other always gets me. One trick I learned is to take some Neosporin with you and Q-tips. Put the Neosporin on the Q-tip and dot the base of your nostril with it. This will stop any germs that are circulating in the closed cabins.
Don’t over pack. If you are not going on a cruise you will be schlepping your bags either everyday or every few days. My advice is to pack all of your clothes in tan, black and white which can all be interspersed with each other. One pair of black slacks and one pair of tan slacks can be paired with a variety of tops. A couple of scarves help make outfits different for the ladies and also come in handy as a head cover for religious sites. One pair of dark slacks and a pair of Khakis also work with different shirts for the men. Don’t forget a travel umbrella.
Make sure your camera is in working order, you do not want to miss any of interesting things in the countries that you are visiting. Take plenty of extra photo cards if you are taking digital because I assume you won’t be taking a laptop to download you pictures every night. Buy that stuff locally and get more then you think you need, don’t cheapskate on this, over there it will cost you your eyeteeth. Besides you can always return it!
You want to take a daytime touring pack that zippers closed. Carry in it, bottled water, Tums, hand wipes, a collapsible cup, alka-seltzer, SUNSCREEN AND LIP BALM, a small snack, an extra pair of glasses, both sun and prescription, a hat and if you are on a long bus ride, a book. I would also pack eye shades so if you are on that long bus ride you can black out the sun for a nap. Keep money and credit cards inside in a zippered compartment.
While you are out enjoying your new destination never put your pack over the chair back or on the chair beside you when at a café or dining alfresco. I would always put the pack strap looped underneath the chair leg so no one could run off with it.
Take lots of ones and fives. They are useful for street vendors and tips. Everyone loves the dollar. You will need to change some of your money into the currency of the country that you are touring. Shop around before you go to get the best deal. If you have a good relationship with your bank, they may be the best deal you will find. You will have to convert some of your cash into the local currency for little items like water, lunch or soda. Remember that no country will reconvert coins so spend those liberally. I know this very well since I have a necklace and a bracelet made out of foreign coins.
Just use common sense when you are touring. Keep in mind that you are visiting another country and they don’t have the same rules as your home country. It is always best to respect their customs and laws; you are, after all, just visiting.
Happy Traveling, enjoy it, we do!
Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
When you are planning to take your first international flight to visit and tour other countries, there a few things you should know before hand about the flight and what to do when you get to your destination.
When you make your airline reservations whatever you do get an aisle seat. Even if you have to go to the airport to pick up the tickets an aisle seat is MOST important on those long flights. My husband, John, and I always, and I mean always, get aisle seats across from each other on the plane unless it is a plane that has a bank of seats with only have two seats in the bank.
Take some really comfortable shoes. I always wear my comfortable shoes on the plane because they take up too much room in the suitcase (they’re Rockports, clunky but comfortable).
When you get on the airplane, snag a blanket and a pillow for everyone in your party. They are always scarce and you might not need it right away, but you will later. Take sleeping pills with you and try to sleep, it helps. You will arrive very early in the morning and will be exhausted if you don’t try to get a little sleep. I can never sleep on airplanes but the pills help me relax a little. You will be landing very early in the morning so your hotel room will not be available until two in the afternoon. There have been plenty of European hotel lobbies I have slept in until I could get into my room.
Don’t wear anything that is nylon on the plane because it will not breathe. The most comfortable thing is a long loose dress or skirt and a top with sleeves. For men causal slacks and a long sleeved shirt either with or without a sport coat. The best thing I ever wore was a floor length jeans dress with sleeves that buttoned all the way up from the hem to the neck. If it was hot, I unbuttoned it; if it was cold I buttoned it all the way up. Worked like a charm.
When you are on the airplane get up and walk around every hour unless you are asleep. This will keep your ankles from swelling and don’t take off your shoes, just loosen them. Drink lots of water and avoid salt. Food on the airlines is minimal and awful. I’ve been known to pack sandwiches that are far better than anything they have to offer, just make sure you eat them before you land.
Keep toiletries in your carry on, toothpaste, tooth brush, moisturizer, waterless face cleanser (the sinks on the plane in the bathroom are nasty) and tissues for removal. Moisturize your body a lot on the plane because the dry and recycled air zaps your skin. I take a small spritz bottle filled with water and spray my face every once in a while, it soothing and keeps my face hydrated. Don’t laugh the stewardess’s do this too. Be sure you take diarrhea and constipation pills with you. When I travel long distances one or the other always gets me. One trick I learned is to take some Neosporin with you and Q-tips. Put the Neosporin on the Q-tip and dot the base of your nostril with it. This will stop any germs that are circulating in the closed cabins.
Don’t over pack. If you are not going on a cruise you will be schlepping your bags either everyday or every few days. My advice is to pack all of your clothes in tan, black and white which can all be interspersed with each other. One pair of black slacks and one pair of tan slacks can be paired with a variety of tops. A couple of scarves help make outfits different for the ladies and also come in handy as a head cover for religious sites. One pair of dark slacks and a pair of Khakis also work with different shirts for the men. Don’t forget a travel umbrella.
Make sure your camera is in working order, you do not want to miss any of interesting things in the countries that you are visiting. Take plenty of extra photo cards if you are taking digital because I assume you won’t be taking a laptop to download you pictures every night. Buy that stuff locally and get more then you think you need, don’t cheapskate on this, over there it will cost you your eyeteeth. Besides you can always return it!
You want to take a daytime touring pack that zippers closed. Carry in it, bottled water, Tums, hand wipes, a collapsible cup, alka-seltzer, SUNSCREEN AND LIP BALM, a small snack, an extra pair of glasses, both sun and prescription, a hat and if you are on a long bus ride, a book. I would also pack eye shades so if you are on that long bus ride you can black out the sun for a nap. Keep money and credit cards inside in a zippered compartment.
While you are out enjoying your new destination never put your pack over the chair back or on the chair beside you when at a café or dining alfresco. I would always put the pack strap looped underneath the chair leg so no one could run off with it.
Take lots of ones and fives. They are useful for street vendors and tips. Everyone loves the dollar. You will need to change some of your money into the currency of the country that you are touring. Shop around before you go to get the best deal. If you have a good relationship with your bank, they may be the best deal you will find. You will have to convert some of your cash into the local currency for little items like water, lunch or soda. Remember that no country will reconvert coins so spend those liberally. I know this very well since I have a necklace and a bracelet made out of foreign coins.
Just use common sense when you are touring. Keep in mind that you are visiting another country and they don’t have the same rules as your home country. It is always best to respect their customs and laws; you are, after all, just visiting.
Happy Traveling, enjoy it, we do!
Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
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