Monday, September 10, 2007

"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)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wizard of Oz???

Laura Lee said...

Yay!

Abel: 1 point.

Saule Cogneur said...

I was totally going to say that too.

Today my pockets contained:

Leatherman
Lighter
50 cent piece
0.6mm guitar pick
Wallet
Red pen
Dry Erase Marker
ipod nano
2 receipts
Cell phone
Keys
Parking Ticket
Paper scrap with a password
6 pieces of chopped pecan

I can't imagine how the cave people managed back in the pocket/pureseless days.

joN. said...

my manbag contains:

my elder's quorum binder
a wired magazine
a package of two mini-pencils
a spool of blank cds and dvds
starcraft and starcraft broodwar expansion pack cds
my book of crossword puzzles
three paycheck stubs
a blank vhs tape
a mini dv tape
a business card
a ticket to 'jersey boys'
instructions to a usb drive
three usb drives
a map of the new york subway system
three white stripes stickers that came with the cd
a bajio grill punch card
a sterile pad (wow, that might come in handy today)
notes on a voiceover i did a few months ago that i wrote on the backs of five daily calendar pages
extra cd/dvd paper sleeves
a burned copy of one 'abel hour' show i did a few months back
three mix 80s cds that regan gave me for my birthday
a fall 2006 institute schedule
an iceberg shake coupon
a tiny ziplock bag that i've been meaning to add to my settlers of catan box
an extra cel phone with charger
a usb sd card transfer cable
a pack of staples
a penny
a highlighter marker
napkins
my wallet
two more pencils
camera
ipod with headphones, car charger, ac charger and cassette adapter
two packages of institute crackers
chapstick
a gift certificate to a provo chiropractor

Laura Lee said...

Mike,

I applaud you for fitting all those things in your pockets. If you have several minutes to kill, I recommend this website for you:

www.greatpockets.com

Jon,

I would say you win, but I don't believe I've seen you carry this manbag of yours, unless it's a plastic grocery bag. I could be wrong, but for you I recommend this website:

http://www.manbag.com/product.htm

Charlotta-love said...

Gosh. I'm boring. My purse contains:
* A list of colleges to research
* Visine for contact
* Cover Girl Powder
* Cell Phone
* CD of pictures
* Keys
* Black Pen with lid
* Small notebook I took to the CES fireside
* Check from a catering job
* 2007-2008 pocket calendar
* Crest trial toothpaste
* Wallet: cards, receipts, checks
* Black Pen without lid
* Cola-Float lip gloss
* toothbrush
* Black clasp that fell off my pants the other day. Now I know where it is so I can sew it back on!
* Plastic trash of some sort
* Feminine stuff
* 2 dimes

While I don't think I win the most random, I did have fun sitting at my desk taking every item out one by one. Got some funny looks from the coworkers though. :o)

Lisa Marie Trent said...

Wallet
Cell Phone
Key to the Tennis Club
Random Gateway parking validations
12 different kinds of lip gloss

Though my list is small...I think the lip thing is ridiculous. WHY do I need that much lip gloss, in multiple colors.

Geez.

Lisa Marie Trent said...

I want this purse: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6823121

Anonymous said...

reading friends blogs is so much more fun than finishing papers on the banning of religious clothing in public schools.

That being said Laura, you really should not feel bad if you don't have Advil and someone else is looking for some, they did not bring any either and there the ones that need it.

Ilene said...

I have a pepper spray thing. I'm a mom so I have boring stuff like diapers, wipes, formula, nuk, rubber ducky toy, and bottle. I have a few personal items in addition to my wallet like lip gloss and lotion. I do have a thing of coupons I don't use and the measurements of some posters that I want to get framed.

I have a weekly habit (at least) of cleaning out my bag. I hate unnecessary junk hanging around. It drives me nuts.

I would have never ever guessed that quote. I have seen Wizard of Oz only once and it was too disturbing for me to watch again.

Boneck Family said...

i have a bag i take to work and i have a text book in there, some #2 pencils, lint, air, space, and 2 other books about religion. pretty boring comparetively.

Boneck Family said...

i have a bag i take to work and it has a text book in it, some #2 pencils, a pen, flash cards, 2 books on religion, lint, air, and soem space. ...pretty bring compared to you and jon.