Time flies when you’re stressed out. Is that how the phrase goes? Or maybe time flies when you’re traveling? Wait. I got it! Time flies when you’re having allergies, cicadas, and Cousins Maine Lobster (from Shark Tank) for the first time. Yeah, that’s it.
No matter how the phrase goes, time has flown since posting last. A lot has also gone on to include an eclipse, trying Cousins Maine Lobster for the first time, traveling for drill and leisure, having visitors in town, and gearing up for summer plans. There is a separate Financial Journey post in the works, but I never got it polished up good enough to be published. Maybe later this summer.
March, April, and May have been filled with a lot of travel for the Marines. Shoutout to two newly retired Marines, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Reyes! It was great being a part of their big day and seeing old friends of the Ammo community. Between Marine drills have been some cool activities at home. An old friend from college (not literally old–just a friendship started many moons ago) and her friend came to visit middle Tennessee. We got to eat junk food and lose at trivia. Plus, they got to see the Ramsey Headquarters and enjoy The Ramsey Show live. If any of my friends want to visit me at work, stop by!
April was fairly significant for me because I was finally able to get more time with the Marines themselves and earned a promotion at my civilian job (now I am a Senior Customer Success Agent supporting our budgeting tool, EveryDollar). The reason I was able to spend more meaningful time with the Marines is because our unit was out at the range and when they were done shooting, my administrative Officer work was pretty much done or at a good stopping point for the day. When it comes down to it, the motivation and drive within my Officer role is all about the Marines (the people). I was there once. I get it. There were things I didn’t like and there were things I did. Having a new perspective at this level helps guide me to understand what I can dip my hand into to effect positive change and what will take further action to benefit the junior Marines in the long run.
Following April’s drill, the countdown began as I prepared for my international trip to London. You heard that right. I had the privilege of traveling to London to visit my cousins and different sites around the city. In case you didn’t know, British Airways has direct flights out of Nashville into London Heathrow Airport. That is very convenient and so happens to be the flight I took to get to London following a full day at work. Flying overnight helped me stay on a semi-regular sleep schedule so I could nap on the plane and maximize the first day in London.
Upon arrival, I met cousin Ryan at the airport where we picked up my first London coffee and rode my first black taxi into the city. My first big to-do was the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studios tour. We took the taxi to Bakers Street where I would be taking a solo trip to the studio on a double-decker bus (it was still the workweek and last minute tickets were limited). I really liked the studio and being able to walk around where the Harry Potter films were shot. That is a unique piece of cultural history. Since I had the last bus of the day, I opted for an Uber ride back to the cousins’ flat so I wouldn’t be out too late and we could grab some food. And grab food we did. I had my first pub experience which was very loud and had the worst chips and cheese on the planet. It was probably an off day for them.
The rest of the trip was a healthy mix of being relaxing and busy. It helps that I’ve learned to travel differently than before. In order to mitigate travel stress and still do great things, I have started putting only a few “big ticket” items on my list of must-dos. Everything else I get to do is a bonus and the smaller list allows for flexibility and an opportunity to relax. You never know–a fun group you meet may invite you to an event, but if every hour is booked each day, you may miss an opportunity for something awesome you didn’t plan.
My list was simple (in no particular order):
- Harry Potter Studios
- Sunday Roast
- Sky Garden
- The Lion King show
- Visit a pub
- Something historical
- Haircut
Everything on my list got checked off and there were bunch of bonus items on this trip. I’d say it was a great success! My favorite bonus item was going to my first Premier League [European] football match. We watched Arsenal win 3-0 against Bournemouth. The people, the sound, the plays, the atmosphere–amazing! This is a bucket list item for a lot of people, and this happened to be one of the extras for this trip. Best. Extra. Ever! Shoutout to cousin Ryan for planning it out.
Following the London trip, I ended up back at drill, back at work, and on another trip to really finish out Spring and start the summer. We went to Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari! If you’re not going to see Santa to start the summer, what are you doing?
Time flies when you’re seeing Santa Claus. Maybe that’s how the phrase goes. No matter what is happening in life, time is the same. It feels like time is flying and feels like it is dragging. Either way, we have the same 24 hours and we ought not to waste it. Would love to share time with some of you! Hit me up and let’s put it on the calendar. Until next time: Be strong. Love God. Love others.
rejoice.always
The Wild Ride 