Archaeological dig

I had to clean out my purse this morning to make room for more stuff and was surprised at how much I was/am able to cram into a satchel that's smaller than it appears. The activity reminded me of those articles in beauty magazines where celebrities are asked the contents of their purse.

So, while I'm not a celebrity (although I did get lots of requests for my autograph from kindergarten students when I was teaching English in Japan!), I'll list my purse contents anyway (as of 10am Mountain, that is):

• Guess checkbook/wallet with US$20 and more receipts than necessary
• Small brush
• Small, pocket-sized notebook
• Large (about 10"x5" spiral notebook)
• Planner (sized roughly the same as large notebook), stuffed with papers, mail to be sent, stamps
• Sony digital voice recorder (for interviews)
• Pack of eight unused AAA batteries (for aforementioned DVR)
• Checkbook with register
• Small tube of hand lotion
• 3 pens
• Mechanical pencil
• Travel-sized tube of sunblock SPF 35
• Cosmetic bag with: Pack of face blotting papers; pack of birth control pills (ya can never be too careful); small compact mirror from Sephora (my favorite accessory!), pill dispenser for the million medications and vitamins I have to take everyday; small bottle of contact lens rewetting drops; L'Occitane lip gloss in Cherry Blossom; Chapstick; Hawaiian Tropic Sport lip balom SPF 45; nail clipper; Neutrogena LipSheer in Sunny Berry; Neutrogena Healthy Skin cream powder makeup compact in Golden Bisque; and (for some reason) a Carnival Cruise Line pin.
  

Huh. More than I thought I could fit into my bag (a Michael by Michael Kors), but also more than I should fit into the bag. (Many days I also manage to cram a paperback in there when I know I'm going to be waiting in line somewhere.) Girls, if your bag is so heavy that your shoulders start to hurt (or if you suffer from chronic shoulder and/or back pain), you might want to think about ditching some of the stuff. Or consider a backpack.

Of course, I say that, but will I actually lighten my own load? Probably not. If anything, I have my eye on a Coach business tote, perhaps something like this. As a freelance journalist/writer, my "office" is quite often my bag, so I need something that can haul more than just my wallet and keys.

I've yet to succumb to one of those "stylish" briefcases with a pull-handle and wheels, though. I used to work with plenty of guys who wheeled those around (they were engineers and consultants who really did live out of their cars half the time), and while they're functional and can carry a ton of stuff, I'm not really ready to go that way yet. Practical, but definitely not stylish. At least, I haven't found any that are. Yet.