"Oh, I don't think there's anything in that black bag for me..."

Only in recent years have I developed an affinity for purses. I used to hate to carry them. And if you're with a group and the only one with a purse, you better believe someone's going to ask you to stow their stuff.

Now I keep several bags/purses. The problem with keeping more than one is you risk the chance of being in a situation where you say, "Oh no, it must be in my other purse." That has happened to me on several occasions when I've needed my camera, my checkbook, my key card, my business cards, etc.

So the past month or two I've stuck to one purse. It's more of a tote really. But it holds a lot of things. And over the past month or two, I've accumulated a lot of things. I don't keep everything in here (I don't know where my checkbook is at the moment) but it has everything I need on a typical day -- and maybe something you might need.

You see, too many times someone has asked me for chapstick or lotion or gum or Tylenol and I feel like I let them down. So now I not only keep stuff for me, I keep stuff on hand just in case someone else might need it.

The problem with this bag is that it has so many different pockets and zippers and compartments that it can take me a long time to find what I'm looking for because the only thing with a designated place in my purse is my cell phone. So I've resolved to keeping everything in the big pocket to make things easier on me. It seems like a good idea when I see a bag with all sorts of specialized pockets for my credit cards, pens, cell phone, etc., but there's also something to be said for just one big pocket of a purse where you know everything is in that one compartment somewhere.

I've learned I have preferences when it comes to purse features. I prefer the clasp close rather than the zipper (it can make too much noise, plus its more fun to snap the clasp). I also really like purses that have those metal feet attached to the bottom because I have to set my purse down on a lot of floors and surfaces and it's easier to clean those metal feet than the whole bag. I already mentioned not too many compartments is a good idea for me.

Who wants to play a game? I've played this twice in the past week already, but I think it's fun. Maybe because I think I won both times. It's called "Who has the most random things in their bag?" The object of the game isn't to have the most stuff, it's to have the most random stuff. I'll list everything. Here we go:

Wallet (that's a given. Mine contains money, receipts, credit cards, club cards, gift cards and parking validations).
Key card to my building
Digital camera
Cell phone
Orbit gum
Gum wrappers
Business card for Tom Alder at Zions Bank
Business card for Cat Palmer, artist.
Lotion
Pen
Sunglasses
Two bobbypins
Rio Grande Cafe matchbox
Tube of pink lip gloss
Another tube of lipgloss
Two trial packages of Advil along with two coupons for Advil (thanks to the State Fair)
A little packet of pepper (thanks to the Greek Festival)
Earplugs (needed them to block out the snoring on family vacation)
Another pair of sunglasses
Notepad from the Monte Carlo resort and casino

and the item that trumps it all every time...

Pocket King Lear (Mom gave it to me at some point and I never took it out).

Did I win?

(Oh, bonus point for those who got my movie reference in the post title)