Daily Baggage

Willa has some interesting lists here of things people carry.

As I read through some of these lists, I see why chiropractors, massage therapists and personal trainers are so much in demand. We all need the strength to carry these daily necessities. Then we need body massages and adjustments to repair the damage from carrying all that stuff that is not necessary but is toted for that once in a blue moon occasion that invariably happens when you forget that one special item.

For me it's not always about what I carry but what I will carry it in. I have bought more wallets, purses, tote bags, backpacks than Imelda has bought shoes. I've yet to find the perfect solution.

Two days ago I bought a new purse. It was a major process. I checked out every bag in Macy's. There are more than two dozen eight foot tall displays with stacks of purses plus hundreds of bags hanging on the wall. My head spun with indecision. Last time I tried this I was alone and got so confused I had to leave without any goods. My best shopping buddy was more than happy to help me out on Sunday. P narrowed the selection down to a half a dozen purses, handed them to me one at a time and made me parade around the aisle so she could check to see that they fit right. I never knew a purse had to fit. She selected the two that she deemed to be my style. Of course I took her advice. After all, I want to look good in my purse. I noted that P always seems to have a different purse for each occasion. They are all different styles. Well, P is the kind of person that looks good in anything.

But I have already discovered the shortfalls of my new shoulder bag. It’s sort of messenger bag style with perfectly sized outside pockets for cell phone and Palm Pilot, one big compartment for my large organizer wallet, digital camera, sunglasses, and reading glasses, plus two smaller compartments for miscellaneous stuff like pens, colorless lipstick, and drugs (legal, over the counter drugs - aspirin, rolaids and throat lozenges). Of course there is a metal clip to secure my fist full of keys so they don’t disappear into the bottomless pit. But it’s leather which makes the purse tip the scales even when it's empty. Once loaded up with the permanent purse residents, it feels like the 40 pound backpack I carried up Mount Whitney.

My old purse was a lightweight nylon-good-for-your-back style purse with lots of pockets to evenly distribute the weight of all the contents. I carried it for three years, maybe four. It didn't cure my back problems but yes it was a heck of a lot lighter than this current leather monstrosity. So why did I give it up? Cause it was old, worn out beyond repair, and stained. So why didn't I just go out and get another one? Because I was bored with it and my friend P said it looked like a hobo sack.

Before the special back care purse, I carried a backpack. A purple and gray backpack with an "I Climbed Mt. Whitney" patch on the back of it. It went everywhere with me. It had all the above essentials plus a bottle of water, hat, power bars, sunblock, bug spray, pocket knife, flashlight and a first aid kit. Most of the time I wore hiking shoes too. It was that phase of my life where nothing was more important than to get out there in the hills and I always wanted to be prepared. It gave new meaning to the words "when nature calls." When I turned 50 I decided I should grow up and carry a real purse.

Mom would never go out unless her purse matched her shoes. I don’t remember her having a lot of shoes, maybe half a dozen pair at the most. Keds for housework and gardening - no purse necessary, sandals for the beach - tote bag, pumps for church - handbag (or a clutch purse - never a shoulder bag) to match each pair. I don't have time or energy to change purses every time I change my shoes. I don’t care what matches. I get one all purpose neutral colored purse, usually tan, and carry it daily - except when I go purseless because...

I prefer to carry no purse. It's like you have to be on guard all the time for purse snatchers. They make big indentations in my shoulders. My organizer wallet is actually a nylon traveling bag, kind of like one of those wallets on a string, but it can be worn around your waste. It's made by Baggallini and I got it at the Container Store. It does hold the most important stuff - folding money, coins, ID, ATM card, insurance cards, pictures of grandson, pen, small comb, index cards, and cell phone. There's only one problem with going purseless - I must wear my sunglasses on top of my head, my reading glasses on a chain around my neck, put my keys, drugs and kleenex in my pockets, and attach an ugly digital camera case to my belt. Maybe I should start looking into toolbelts - I bet I could start a new fad.