Things I Carry
There is no end to the ideas I will come up with for blog posts when I have better things to be getting on with (like loading the washing machine, or tidying up). Today's “bright idea” is an inventory of the messenger bag that I keep my stuff in to avoid it becoming buried under an avalanche of somebody elses stuff, and lost forever.
The bag itself is a Rothco messenger bag – apparently made famous by the TV show “24”, but having never watched it, I couldn't say. If I didn't know better, I would say it was army surplus – it's never going to fall apart.
So what's in the bag?
GoogleChromebook
I like the Chromebook because it's cheap, fast, and lasts for ages on battery. For blogging it's pretty much perfect. I would love one of the new HP Stream 11 laptops to replace it, but cannot justify it at the moment.
Moleskine Notebook
I've written about the paper notebooks many times before. It's filled with doodles, notes from meetings, journal entries, and all sorts of other random detritus.
Amazon Fire HD tablet
I used to have a Google Nexus 7, and was then shocked to discover the Amazon tablets were cheaper, and much faster. I inherited this one from the kids late last year.
Keys (with ridiculous Superman keyring)
I have very few keys. The house keys, my bike lock key, and the key for my desk at work (that I never lock).
Amazon Kindle (3rd Gen)
I know it's stupid to carry the Kindle Fire HD, and the original Kindle around with me. It lasts for weeks on a charge though, and is easier to read... I would love a Paperwhite, but cannot justify buying one for myself at the moment.
Filofax
I've been carrying this stupid little personal organiser round for years. I have sworn against re-filling the calendar in it for several years now, but I get to the stationary shop in town, see the inserts, and carry on using it. The battery never goes flat in a filofax – and I'm pretty sure the act of writing things down in it helps me remember (somehow).
Assorted pens and USB sticks
I tend to use ink roller pens. I used to use drawing pens, but they are expensive, and I can never find them for sale in normal stationary shops. The USB sticks are all 16Gb (I think), filled with all kinds of rubbish. One of them was free from Dell with promotional movies on it – I formatted it before even looking at them (sorry Dell!).
Books
I'm still trying (unsuccessfully) to read “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, and received a couple of new books for Christmas. I expect they will go with me on the journey up to Scotland next month, when I will finally get a chance to read.
External Hard Drive
It's filled entirely with movies, ebooks, ROMs of games, emulators, and television shows. It's my “go to” option when staying away with work. I have been known to stay in a hotel for an entire week without watching any broadcast TV in the room, if I have the hard drive with me. Favourite TV show on the drive is still “Community”.
Nintendo DSi
I hardly ever play it, but cannot bring myself to sell it. It has an R4 card in it, filled with ROMs of old games. Before anybody starts shouting about piracy, we have most of the (real) games at home.
Can of Deodorant
I'm a guy. I smell. Lovely.
For work I have a much moresubstantial backpack that travels with me on the mountain bike across town to the office every day. When I need it, it carries my work laptop, along with a few of the items above (typically just the Moleskine, and the Amazon tablet).
What do you carry ?