No wonder women carry purses – they’re handy! I have a canvas satchel I got free for subscribing to the New York Times, and it goes where I go. In it I carry a notebook, pen, iPod, headphones, vitamin pills, nutritional bars, checkbook, a book to read, and gloves and earmuffs (it’s cold out).
Well, my Timbuk2 bag is too large to be called a man-purse, especially since it’s more my shoulder-slung briefcase working around DC, carrying a notepad, a number of case folders, a reference binder or two, and of course my hand lotion, lip balm, book, advil, stamps, candy and/or breathmints… it really is a man-purse, isn’t it? I concede, bring on the manpons. (probably NSFW).
I carry my lunch, a book to read on the subway, and then various items like a pen, a notebook, my phone, gloves, a small umbrella. It’s also great to put small purchases in as well.
I used to have a satchel that I carried with me and it held my book, my insurance papers (so I can have it when I need to drive my employer’s car), pills, a drink, and whatever else I might need. Came in very handy. Then it somehow got torn when I got hit by a car (how the hell does that happen? I got hit, not it) and I had to throw it away.
After growing used to the convenience of carrying around my over the shoulder bag (satchel is it?) for all of college, I find myself carrying books and notebooks in it just to justify my constant carrying it aroun. It also gets my calculator, pencils, pens, spare change, breath strips, iPod, organizer, wallet and whatever else grows in its dark interior. I feel lost and empty walking around without a bag of some sort.
I’ve carry around my “purse” for probably 17 years now. I don’t think I could function without it, because it has everything I need in one place, ready to go as I run out the door. I’ve never had any odd stares or comments about it.
I carry my PDA in a leather DayTimer zippered folder, and it has slots for my credit cards, I carry my checkbook in there, business cards, stamps, etc…