Wednesday, March 21, 2007

What's in your pockets?

After confessing that I keep “a paging device” in my pocket it occurred to me that I would really like to tell you what else I keep in my pockets.

I generally wear pants with pockets, and I actually feel off if I don't have pockets. What I keep in my pockets changes by season. There are only two seasons where I live: winter and summer. In the winter when I wear a coat I use my coat pockets to carry many items then keep the rest in my pants. In the summer I scale waaaay down. I almost always have my laptop case with me during the week so I also use it as pocket space for things I bring to work.


Winter
  • Pants: my core set of keys, chapstick, pager sans holster, then a variety of other objects depending on the day which include but are not limited to:
    • receipts, cash, change, debit card, pen, pencil, batteries, Post-It notes, gum or other breath freshening consumables, candy that I have no intention of consuming but took out of politesse, USB keys/flash drives/thumb drives, ID card

  • Coat: wallet, cell phone, keychain with all the keys I don't need as often as the ones in my pants, prescription sunglasses, then a variety of other objects depending on the day which include but are not limited to:
    • business papers, shopping lists, CDs, gloves, candy or granola bars that I have every intention of consuming

  • Laptop case: laptop power, cell phone power, pens, two ore more kinds of gum, headphones and other connector cables, digital camera, comb, two or more kinds of medicated back relief cream, blank CDs, deodorant, feminine hygiene products for those surprise visits, pain reliever


Summer
  • Pants pockets: my core set of keys, chapstick, pager sans holster, and one of those bankcard envelopes for your bank card which I jam pack with my debit card, ID, car insurance card, personal insurance card, and any active doctor, dentist, orthodontist, or optometrist appointment cards

  • Laptop case: the cell phone, sunglasses, wallet, non-essential keychain, and USB keys hang here because there's room, as well as all the essentials I carry around from winter


I have a purse. I don't like purses. I'm just not that type of person. But, if I'm going somewhere that makes a purse the best option I transfer all my crap from my laptop case to the purse and then I strategize my plan for kicking the ass of whoever tries to take it from me.


How about you? What do you keep in your pockets?


Edit: Stef made me realize I should have photos, so here they are. Everything on the desk is what I keep in my pants pockets. Everything else is illustrated in place.

17 comments:

Mel said...

Wow. I suddenly feel ill-prepared for the day!

My pockets contain nothing. Nada. Nill. Completely empty.

I have an affinity for bags of all kinds. Currently I have this tote bag filled with:
A folder of all current documents related to my divorce.
My purse.
Pens/pencils/small notebook.
My badge.
A mini-umbrella.
Three bottles of medication.
Cough syrup.
A small cosmetic bag with essentials (chap stick, lip color, burts bees travel items, nail file, femine products, small bottle of purell).
Sport bottle of water.

My purse has:
Wallet.
Crackberry in case.
Ipod.
Burts Bees lip balm.
Airborne.
Sunglasses.
Keys.
Gum.

acw said...

Wallet
Keys
Cell-phone


Everything else is unnecessary.

Avitable said...

I don't usually have pockets, but in the case that I do, I have gum, a pen, a wallet, keys, and my cell. That's it, but I usually have to have all of those before I'll go anywhere.

Poppy said...

Mel - That purse is adorable. I can TOTALLY picture you walking around with that, looking all cute! I also note the distinct lack of cell phone listed. Does that mean I should stop trying to call you? ;)

ACW - I definitely appreciate your minimalist attitude, but chapstick is a necessity. If I don't have it my lips crack to shit and bleed. If I have it then my lips are beautiful and moisturized and ready for anything.

Avi - You don't usually have pockets? Is that perhaps because you're not normally wearing anything but underwear? ;)


As an aside: My cell phone is never, ever turned on unless I'm adding someone to my phone book or I have an emergency. Why I collect people's phone numbers if I'm never going to use them is beyond me. I think I just like to collect things...

Mel said...

Poppy - Isn't it cute? It's my new spring purse... I love it!

And, the crackberry is of course my cell phone too. So yes, keep calling!! :)

Poppy said...

Mel - I thought you were trying to be clever about your drug stash. I'll be calling you shortly. :)

Stefanie said...

My WORD, woman; that's a lot of stuff you're toting around in just pockets. Do you have as many pockets as Inspector Gadget?

I don't like a lot of extra bulk around my hips and mid-section, so I generally just have my lip balm and maybe a Kleenix in my pants pockets. Anything else I need goes in my purse or my coat pocket.

Mel said...

Poppy - you know my drug of choice isn't crack... it's ALCOHOL! :)

Poppy said...

Stef - I know, outta control. I just like to know I have anything I need when I need it. I keep my stuff in two pants pockets, three coat pockets, and one laptop pouch pocket. I should have taken photos. Hmm. I'll do that.

Mel - That's why I bought you a very large gift certificate to the corner liquor store for your birthday. :)

Mel said...

Poppy - YOU ROCK! Sweet drunken debauchery birthday weekend, here I come! :)

Mel said...

Hot damn, I totally forgot how much fun conversations are over blog comments :)

Poppy said...

Okay, and now there are photos.

Mel - For a good time call Poppy. ;)

Joanne said...

I'm like you... no purse.

In my jacket pockets are: 3 sets of keys (office, storage unit, apartment), hand sanitizer (I don't believe in it, but I was using it when we were selling GS cookies outside recently), chap stick, wallet of stuff, usually my ipod, cell phone, money (ha) and loose cards that I have pulled out of the wallet of stuff and haven't bothered to put back, oh and pens. In the summer, I pare down.

Anonymous said...

Man, I always come in on the end of the conversation.

On that note, I think ACW is wearing my pants. Everyday I have my keys, my wallet, my cellphone -and- a sharpie marker.

Avitable said...

Yes, that's exactly why.

Poppy said...

Joanne - What a good idea to use Purell when anywhere near people, money, or cookies!

Molly - If ACW is wearing your pants then I suggest you watch out for Mrs. ACW!

Avi - :)

sourpuss said...

I am late to this party so I will just say: I'm with Stef, I don't need any extra bulk in the "pocket area" so I swear by a purse and I have a hard time comprehending how folks can function without one.

My purse holds: Wallet, keys, small digital camera, cell phone, Palm Z22, chap stick, gum. In the winter, it also has gloves.

I used to pack it like crazy with all possible necessities but have reduced it to the above and am satisfied with the weight decrease and simplicity of what I carry now.

PS - Mel's purse is cute.