(Ooh look! A second post in as many days!)
I’m always interested in watching how people go about their lives or do their jobs. So one thing that I have a lot of fun looking over is when people share what they carry around everyday. Some examples can be seen here: the Design Student; the IT Manager; the PhD Student; and a one of my favorite role models – Adam Savage from Mythbusters.
What I normally carry around on a daily basis is actually pretty boring, but I thought it would be fun to show what I usually carry when I’m going around a conference like ALA Midwinter in Boston this weekend.
A quick rundown of what’s there:
- Osprey Talon 22 backpack (I used to carry everything in my wonderful leather messenger bag from LL Bean, but my back and shoulders really can’t take the weight anymore)
- Nalgene water bottle (Fill it up at the hotel and always have something to drink!)
- Bluetooth headphones
- Nexus 7 tablet
- Kindle Voyage
- Logitech K480 Bluetooth keyboard (this seamlessly switches between my tablet and phone, giving me a multi-screen advantage on the go)
- I have a soft muslin bag that came with a pair of boots that is an ideal covering for the keyboard
- Limefuel USB Battery Charger (these are the best things ever)
- Teavana travel tea kit (just add hot water and I have good quality tea wherever I am)
- Business cards (A must at any conference)
- Grid-it (This is great to organize the smaller objects I carry, especially since the backpack has very little internal organization)
- 2TB portable hard drive
- USB AC Adapter
- Library Box
- Pens and Pencil
- Nikon D3100 DSLR
- Green folder to carry print outs (tickets, registrations, reservations, etc) and any materials I get from vendors (Usually this is blue. This is an item that Kate usually teases me about as I put together a new folder every conference. This is my backup in case any of my electronics fail me.)
Not pictured is my LG G4 phone since that is what I used to snap the photo. Out of everything shown, my phone is the real workhorse as it serves for communication, navigation, scheduling, research, and diversion. Kate and I have also gotten in the habit of buying various snacks (like peanut butter crackers and travel packs of cookies) which help curb hunger in the middle of the afternoon or to deal with a busy schedule and no lunch. I have a portable umbrella (bought in a torrential downpour in New Orleans) that I can easily grab if its necessary.