Today I have a very special treat for all of you. Based on a discussion Bron and I had, I have decided to show you all my Portable Ubiquitous Resource Storage Environment… aka my purse. 🙂

“Surely this is a new low, even for you, Mom?!” -Mayhem

Not so, May! Back in August of 2007, we toured my then-purse, which was actually a small piece of carry-on luggage. This time, backpack straps notwithstanding, it’s actually a shoulder bag – the Eagle Creek Hitch. (Oh, Eagle Creek, how I do love thee and thy clever bags with so many pockets and features…)

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

Chaos included for scale. Also because I couldn’t keep him out of the picture.

Let’s start with the electronics, shall we? I notice that this category is significantly larger than it was in 2007.

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

Clockwise from the left, we have my ebook reader, Kuroi Neko (my netbook), my camera case (since obviously the camera was in use), my un-smart cell phone in its case, my Palm Tungsten E2, my access badge for work, a mini surge protector, and a case containing two USB drives (8 and 16 gb, respectively).

Next is everything else.

*gnaw gnaw gnaw* -Mayhem

Not sure I’ll get everything, but I’ll give it a try. Clockwise from the bottom left corner, UnPetroleum lip balm* attached to a carabiner for easy access, glasses cleaning cloth in a case, gloves and ear covering, a glasses strap, Motrin, my blog card case, earplugs, hand lotion, a notebook (with pens and a permanent marker), two Chico shopping bags, a book stand/holder, Mayhem gnawing on said book stand/holder, a GorillaPod tripod, several coffee clutches, migraine shots, decongestant (the kind you have to show ID for!), a purple hairbrush, clip-on sunglasses in vintage case, hair clip, USB to mini-USB cord (whoops, wrong photo, but very handy for charging my ebook reader and mp3 player), Swiss Army knife, hemp wallet, checkbook, crazy black kitty pocket mirror, inhaler still in box, travel lint brush, toothpaste and travel toothbrush, and sunblock. (And hey, MamaTulip, I did throw away that powder from 1997! Although… I just noticed that I have the same sunblock now as in 2007… suppose I should throw it out and start fresh, huh?)

*gnaw gnaw gnaw* “Hey, Mom, this gorilla thingy is pretty tasty!” -Mayhem

Really, May. I notice that you were chewing on it the last time I did this feature, too.

*Please note that all my backup lip balm was excluded from these photos because having eight backup lip balms just seemed sort of crazy. So why am I telling you about it?! Hmm. Also excluded were hair ties (Chaos kept stealing them), my purple hankies (just because), and my mp3 player (it was in my jacket pocket and completely unaware of this photo shoot).

A few weeks ago, MamaTulip bravely revealed the contents of her purse and I was mightily impressed at how, well, minimal it seemed. Because, um, my “purse” is actually a piece of carry-on luggage from REI… Generally, my sock knitting bag and a book are in the “purse,” too. No cats, though. Even I have limits! 😉

“Hey, May, get over here! I think something’s about to happen!” -Chaos

Clockwise from bottom left (you may want to click on the picture to make it larger), a small purple hairbrush, a shopping bag (the kind that folds up into a wee stuffsack), some pressed powder for blemish control (I think I bought that in 1997), and some backup UnPetroleum lip balms. Running out of lip balm? Eeep! Moving right along – hand lotion, my wallet, a small pink pouch with “feminine supplies” in it, a blue bookstand, my camera case (since I was obviously using the camera), iron pills, a GorillaPod (you can’t see it, since May is chewing on it), Neutrogena Oil-Free Sunblock, and my PDA (under Chaos’ head).

“Mwmph.” -Mayhem

“Oh, how I wish those feminine supplies weren’t in that little pouch. They are so much fun to rip apart!” -Chaos

Clockwise from the left below, a pen and notebook, my access badge for work, a java jacket from Kind Coffee in Estes Park, some bandaids, generic lactaid, more lip balm, lots of hair bands, earplugs (yellow case), a glasses cleaning cloth in a little case, Imitrex autoinjector for migraines, Swiss Army knife, more generic lactaid, my own java jacket, more “feminine supplies,” silk hankies hiding my blog card case and sunglasses case, a Red Tango pocket mirror, my cell phone case (the phone was charging), and a glasses strap (just in case I get really crazy active and skydive or something, I guess).

“I do love these little hair doodads! I wonder how many I can steal before Mom notices?” -Mayhem

Finally! A Bad Kitty notebook (from a bin at Target ages ago), my checkbook in its kitty cover (oh, she has key fobs in that same fabric right now!), a toothbrush and toothpaste, some pens and a Sharpie, Caribou Wintergreen HoofMints, more sunblock, and antiperspirant. Whew! Isn’t it fortunate that, for days that involve a lot of walking, I pull essentials out and toss them into a smaller bag?! When I shop, I pull my wallet out and just take that along.

“My goodness, big kitty. Do you think everyone has as much stuff in their bags as Mom does?” -Mayhem

“No wonder she goes to the chiropractor. Sheesh.” -Chaos