The Player Kit
For less than $10 you can have an S.O.S. kit ready at all times for you to always be on point and ready to attack the day.
When I was about 20 one of my best friends Kory used to always keep a set of items necessary for survival. Whenever we would go to a club or a house party he would always have all the essentials to not walk in looking like a bum. When he told me about all of the individual items and how they were to be used I realized just how vital these items are to the game. They say a true player is always fly, smelling good and most importantly....clean. And cleanliness is next to godliness, at least thats what they say. Now you don't have to be a "playa" to take this advice, it's truly meant for all men. But, if you do have plans of one day owning your own set of gators and an all pink suit then I advise you to take heed to these tips. Now lets be clear I don't and never will consider myself a player, at least not publicly. But I truly didn't know how I was living without these items, and literally until this day I still keep these 7 items on me or nearby for moments that I could be caught slipping.
So here are a list of the things that I always keep in my car or in my briefcase when I'm going off into the world for the day.
- Mint/Gum
- Personally I'm a mint guy, some might say because I'm an old soul but I personally feel that a peppermint works 10 times better when you have hot breath than gum does.
- Mouth Wash
- While a mint or a stick of gum will help there is no true feeling of freshness than a good 30 second burn of Listerine. Keeping a small travel size bottle at hand will surely keep you confident whenever you're out and can't necessarily brush your teeth before your next engagement.
- Finger Nail Clipper
- This is a topic for a whole other blog post, however keeping a small finger nail clipper on you is mandatory. You should always keep your nails cut and clean, and if nothing else at least filed and clean. Having dirty hands is one thing, but having dirty fingernails...naw bruh. It says a lot more about you than you might think, so do yourself a favor and keep one in your kit. I like the small ones with the attached nail file the best because there is so much that you can do with them.
- Hand Sanitizer
- This can come in handy for many reasons as well. Hand sanitizer, besides the fact that it cleans your hands is clutch in many circumstances when you're out. Ever go fist deep with some chicken nuggets and some sauce gets on you? Ever go H.A.M. at lunch on wing Wednesday's and leave with your hands smelling like buffalo sauce? Well hand sanitizer can save you from having to lick your hand clean like a dog, unless you just enjoy that. In that case just use the hand sanitizer before you touch anything else. Also hand sanitizer removes unwanted smells from your hands if you're touching things that tend to leave an odor....I'll leave it at that.
- Lotion
- Plain and simple you can't walk around with a bottle of lotion everywhere you go. It's legit a hassle, but a small bottle of hand lotion is a lot more manageable. I personally get either a tiny bottle of vaseline or a small bottle of EOS. I tend use more vaseline in the winter to add an extra layer of defense against the evil forces of ASH.
- Eye Drops
- Allergies, inebriation, and other forms of influences tend to leave ones eyes as red as the devil is. Keep a bottle of Clear Eyes or Visine on you and you won't have to worry too much about ducking and dodging when you have to be in other peoples faces.
- Chapstick
- I get scared when I leave home without my chapstick. I just can't at this point in my life be comfortable knowing I have to lick my lips in order to provide moisture to them. Being a person who has dry skin keeping all parts of me moisturized is a major key to my success and overall confidence. Dry, cracked, flaky lips are NOT THE MOVE! When I was a kid I used to think it was sexy to lick your lips. I figured if LL Cool J could do it and get the ladies so could I. While I have slightly mastered the art of lip licking, I have come to realize that it does only one thing...make your lips even dryer.
So the next time you stop by your local dollar store make sure to go ahead and secure these small tools to success for your everyday life. I promise you you'll thank me much sooner than later.