Media Archives ~ Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Last year I bought a MoviePass. At first, that meant that I would pay around $10 a month to see unlimited movies. I could watch one movie a day, every day for the whole month. This sounded SO amazing!

I love going to the movies. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I will even go by myself, and I find doing so very relaxing. But the cost of tickets, even with a military discount, can add up. But MoviePass was going to solve that problem. And I was here for it.

I got my MoviePass in May of last year, and it worked well at first. But then, sometime in July, things fell apart. That was the beginning of the downfall of MoviePass. After that, they kept changing how the pass worked and would only let us see movies from a list. At first the list idea wasn’t too horrible, but eventually, when the movie for each day was the same all week long, I knew I was done.

I also had heard that Regal was going to add their own subscription plan. I couldn’t wait, and then, about a month ago, it finally happened! I signed up the first day I could.

I am now at the month mark and I am in love with this Regal Unlimited Pass. I saw eight movies during the first month, and I hope this is going to be around for a long time.

I do have to pay almost $20 for my pass. Depending on where you live, you might have to pay a little more. I can see any movie I want, even more than once. I also get 10% off of concessions.

I can easily buy my ticket on my app, and pay a $.50 charge or I can buy the ticket at the theater, showing them my app. I can also buy tickets for my family or friends when buying my own ticket. They make it all super easy.

If I want to see an RPX or 3D movie, I just have to pay a small fee to upgrade my ticket. If I go to Nashville, or even home to California where the theaters are more expensive, I would just have to pay a $1.50 charge for them. If I lived near those places and went often, I could upgrade my pass to pay a little more each month.

For us here in the Fort Campbell area, once I see two movies a month, I have paid for my ticket. I go a lot more often than that, and with the pass, I can go even more than I usually do.

You do have to be 16 years old to have a pass, but hoping they might come out with a family plan in the future. I don’t receive Regal Rewards points for my movie, but I do for any other tickets I buy as well as concessions.

So what did I see in August?

Here is my list:

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (saw this twice)
Ready or Not
Aladdin
The Kitchen
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Angry Birds 2

I am looking forward to this fall and all the amazing movies coming out. I love love love having a Regal Unlimited Movie Subscription Pass and think it is 110% worth having.

Should YOU get one?

Well, how often do you go to the movies? Is cost an issue for you? Check out how much your local Regal Unlimited Pass would be and decide for yourself. It quickly pays for itself if you are a movie lover like me.

If you don’t have any Regal Theaters nearby, AMC also has a pass. The AMC pass is a little different but could be worth getting if you like going to AMC. Keep in mind too that both AMC and Regal has a small military discount of $1 off. At our local theater, it is a special, military ticket.

Now, go enjoy some movies! I know I plan to 🙂

Why You Should Dive Into Books During Your Next Deployment

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Twilight. I read all the Twilight books during one of our deployments. A friend told me about them, and even though I was already 30 years old, I dove right into that series.

I am a huge reader. I usually average about 70 books a year and would love to read more. I always have a couple of books going and always aware of some of the newest books that are out there.

I love most types of fiction, from a sweet romance to a crazy sci-fiction story. I read paper books, on my Kindle, and audiobooks. I always have at least one book with me. I also enjoy certain types of non-fiction, such as memoirs or fun topics that interest me.

There is not one day that goes by where I don’t read some part of a book, I just can’t do it. Reading is like brushing my teeth for me. Reading is just something I always do.

During deployments or any time my husband has been away from us, books have become even more important. I love to get lost in a series, read about some other time in history, or another place that I can’t physically visit at the moment.

I love a good binge-watch but there is something about getting lost in a good book that just takes me away from what I am dealing with and heals my soul a little bit. Stories are so very therapeutic and perfect to dive into during a deployment.

A good book can warm your heart, allow you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and distract you from something you would rather not think about.

Reading a good book can be a form of self-care and as military spouses, we know how important that is. Reading can keep you busy and staying busy is a must during a deployment.

If you haven’t picked up a book for a while, maybe now is the time? There are so many good ones. So many books to get lost in. So many books that will take you to another place.

If you are feeling lonely and missing your spouse, a book can put you in a better mood. If you are having a rough time with the kids, a book can make you laugh, and help you feel better. If you are dying to be somewhere else, a book can take you all over the world.

On a practical level, reading a book before bed can make you sleepy. If you are having trouble falling asleep when your spouse is deployed, try reading in bed. My Kindle is right by my bed so if I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, I can read for a bit in order to do so. Works about 90% of the time 🙂

If you would love to read and feel like you don’t have any time, let me make a few suggestions.

Try audiobooks. You can listen to these while you are doing chores, while driving, or going on a walk. Use your library card with either Overdrive or Hoopla to check them out for free.

Always have a book handy. Put one in your car, put the Kindle app on your phone, or stick one in your purse. There are so many times you might have to wait somewhere and if you have a book on you, you can read a chapter or two. Jessica Turner’s book, The Fringe Hours: Making Time For You is a great read all about finding those extra moments.

Don’t think you have to read a book all in one sitting. I think part of the reason I can read so much is that I don’t feel the need to finish a book all in one sitting. If that were the case, I would never finish anything. Be okay with a chapter here and there, whenever you have time, and you will be able to get your reading done.

Read in front of your kids. Reading in front of your kids is totally fine. Just make sure they are safe, and you should be okay. You can read while you nurse, read while they are at the playground, or whenever you feel comfortable. Obviously, this is going to be an age thing and things will change as your kids get older but I don’t think kids growing up watching their parents read is ever a bad thing.

Join a book club. If you are really struggling, join a local book club. Usually, a book club will have one book you are supposed to read each month. Beyond that, at your book club, people will be talking about all the amazing books they are reading, and that can get your inspired too.

Join Bookstagram. Did you know that there is a name for all the accounts that share books on Instagram? Bookstagram is a wonderful place. I started an account just for books called The Fiction Book Cafe last fall and so glad that I did. I can talk about all the books I am reading and learn about what other book lovers are reading too. Make sure to join me over there 🙂

Need some suggestions on what to read?

For a sweet love story, check out One Day in December by Josie Silver, One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid, or The Bride Test by Helen Hoang.

For a book with a twist, check out The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, or Lock Every Door by Riley Sager.

For an amazing story that spans many years, check out Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, the Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, or Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.

For a fantastic historical fiction book, check out Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, or The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner.

For an emotional story, check out An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, or The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne.

For a really amazing memoir, check out Educated by Tara Westover, Becoming by Michelle Obama, or Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land

For a book about time travel, check out the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, or 11/22/63 by Stephen King.

Looking for more suggestions? Check out my Goodreads and connect with me there too 🙂

How has reading helped you during a deployment?