Sunday, April 19, 2009

What's In Your Wallet - er - um - Bag?

Last week, Jenny Penny over at Welcome to My Momplex discussed finding yourself in your bag in a most delightful way. It made me take pause and wonder if I was indeed hiding in my bag, too. As luck would have it, this brilliant idea occurred to me at a bar (where so many brilliant ideas are hatched then forgotten). I was talking to my husband, my sister and one of our friends about the post and how I was gonna go ahead and look for myself.

I emptied my bag on the bar. I had my own wallet and Olivia's wallet. Nothing too telling there. Phone, keys. Pretty standard. No less than three notebooks and a handful of pens in varying colors. A mostly neglected datebook. A camera. A library book. A reusable shopping bag. And my pizza schlepping apron.

My husband's man bag yielded a first aid kit, an umbrella, several pens, a highlighter, chapstick, a mostly neglected journal, an eyeglass cleaner kit, a reusable shopping bag, a magazine, a wallet, keys, and a phone.

My sister's bag contained a lot of smaller bags. Two for coins alone. Whether she separates them by denomination or what, I do not know. But it wouldn't surprise me. She had the lovely eyeball bag I'd made for her when she first started having problems with her eye. It contained meds and supplies for taking care of said eye. She had a little wind-up walking eyeball toy. She had 2 hair picks and some hair wax. She had another little bag dedicated to feminine supplies. (These, too, found their way onto the bar) She had several tubes of chapstick. She had sunglasses and reading glasses - each ensconced in their own container. She had several little 'business card cases' full of gift cards. She had a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Her friend had a tiny little bag. I expected a wallet and a phone. But there was more. A lot more. She had nail files and nail glue (multiples of both). She had pictures of her kids in baggies. The pictures, not the kids. 'Cause that would be wrong. And, as I mentioned, her bag was way small. She had several lipsticks and chapsticks. And the piece de resistance? She had jelly and sugar packs pilfered from restaurant tables.

We talked about our quite different bags and the contents within and tried to determine what they said about us.

We decided that my husband was the boy scout - prepared for any eventuality.

My sister is clearly very interested in organization - there was a place for everything and everything was in its place. She also has a little thing about eyes.

Our friend had a completely random assortment of things she found necessary for her day to day existence. Perhaps indicative of the random nature of life? Perhaps just indicative of her mad love for individually-sized portions of jelly.

And me? It would appear that I like to document stuff. Weird revelation for a blogger, no?

12 comments:

Housewife Savant said...

I was thinking that very thing as you emptied your bag; write down the brilliance girlfriend. (In my case I forget it if I don't write, write, write.)
I'm also wondering how Big is your bag? a library book? a reusable shopping bag? a camera and an apron? Thatsalotta stuff.
Did anyone have back pain meds?

mommakin said...

Oh, it's so funny the little notes I make for myself...

My bag is a small tote. Smaller than my husband's man bag and my sister's shoulder bag, but much bigger than our friend's little bag. The library book is small and the bag and apron roll up and are pretty small and light. The camera is just a point and shoot, so it's not terribly heavy, though it is probably the heaviest thing I have in there!

Mine isn't bad. I can't speak for anyone else...

dkWells said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dkWells said...

My Indian ancestors believed in carrying a medicine bag, filled with trinkets and collectibles on ones journey. It only meant something to that individual, but it meant everything to them.

Today, I don't carry a medicine bag, just stuff my pockets. I pull out every evening the same things: My car key represents freedom of movement...my finger Rosary, which I hardly ever use, is more related to my modern medicine bag...my credit card-money clip, making my love and hate of money obvious (ironically usually close to my finger Rosary...but that's another blog)...business receipts, because I'm always meeting someone related to business...my most prized item, my guitar pick, ever ready to break into song or an air guitar solo at a moments notice, which represents the creative side of me...and finally my pocket knife, the closest thing to a sword I'm allowed to carry in public in this sometimes mundane modern life. My back right pocket is home to a mini Moleskine journal and pen. I believe this makes me a warrior-poet, traveling minstrel and merchant, with a spiritual soul.

Lady Howard, welcome to the Knights of Moleskine, Spirit and Ale! Since you live close to Columbus, you and your friends must venture to Old Dublin on High Street to the Dublin Village Tavern, one of three Sacred Watering Holes of the KMSA in the country.

Sir Hook of Warrick, Founding Father of the Knights of Moleskine, Spirit and Ale

mommakin said...

Sir Hook - an honor indeed!

My husband works in Dublin, so we shall visit this hallowed pub shortly!

I love the idea of a modern medicine bag!

Mrs. Jelly Belly said...

I am afraid to look in my purse and find out what it says about me. Oh, okay, I'll look.

The regular part of it isn't too bad - just the usual phone, phone charger (yes, I carry it around!) wallet, keys and hand cream - but the inside pockets are jammed with stuff - like casino player's cards, lipstick (which I never apply once I leave home), credit cards and receipts for every single thing I've purchased in the last three months. And a single dollar bill and a nickel.

Why do I have 5 old shopping lists? My bag just screams "pack rat".

Kathy B! said...

I just have a bunch of receipts in mine. Does that mean I'm the shopaholic?! Ack!

Grand Pooba said...

Ha! Of course, Ms. Documentation! I am however surprised that your husband has chapstick in his man bag. I can't get my husband to keep chapstick in his car just for me to use!

bassislife said...

I do actually use the chapstick, that's why I have it. If I'm going to go through the trouble of carrying a murse, I may as well keep useful items in it :)

Gibby said...

OK, I can honestly say I have never heard of an eyeball bag! Love it!

Jenny Penny said...

Is it creepy that I was tickled to have my blog discussed among you and your friends while you were out at a bar? I think so. I'm wondering about the eyeball bag. I initially thought maybe your sister had a prosthetic eye, and you made a little sachet for it. Anyhooooo, the contents of your bag make your life sound sort of simplified and peacefully Zen. Wish my stuff said the same about me!

mommakin said...

Ok, Jenny, you asked for it, you've got it. Unfortunately, my sister is out of town - because frankly the one I made for her is way cooler - but here's the pattern I used:

http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/imbolc08/catchhiseye.htm

She does not have a prosthetic eye, but she has pretty much lost all of her sight in one. Her retina detached and there have been some other complications. There have been countless surgeries which they didn't knock her out for, they just put her in a twilight state (no, not the book, silly). This horrifies me more than almost anything. I'll spare you more details - though if you want them let me know!

When she gets back, I'll take a pic of the one I made as well as the giant eyeball pillow I made for her, if you wanna see 'em. I'm such a ridiculous show-off, I can't believe I haven't posted pics already.