Yep, you'll be good. I travel with my big computer backpack as my personal item all the time.

Congratulations Omnis!

Now you need to take advantage of me, and Kristin. It's a group package.

Um. Hi. Can I come too?

And bring Meara?

I was surprised at the amount of cluelessness that still persists in airport security lines. There was a woman wearing a few pounds of metal jewelry who couldn't understand why the metal detector kept going off. Hubby had to tell her, "Your jewelry is setting off the detector, take it off." "OK," she says, and starts taking it off and trying to hand it to Hubby instead of putting it in the little box. Hubby refuses to take it, and she starts shoving it at him. He finally had to turn to a guard and say, "I don't know this woman, and I don't know why she's trying to hand me this stuff, what do I do?" They finally took her to the side for the full look over, and she bitched the whole way.

Meanwhile, Hubby, with his TENS unit attached to himself and wires running in and out of his clothing, barely got a look other than "What is that, sir?"

So just stuff my smaller purse (and toiletries, book, and bunny) into the bookbag and I'm good?

Yes, but make sure you can actually stuff the purse in there. Sometimes, people are all 'but I COULD stuff the purse in!" and they're like "Um, but ....do it." and then the person can't, really.

Yes, but make sure you can actually stuff the purse in there. Sometimes, people are all 'but I COULD stuff the purse in!" and they're like "Um, but ....do it." and then the person can't, really.

Oh don't worry, I'm planning on doing a packing test run on Sunday.

I was surprised at the amount of cluelessness that still persists in airport security lines. There was a woman wearing a few pounds of metal jewelry who couldn't understand why the metal detector kept going off

The security people usually really like me, because I know enough to send everything I can through the x-ray machine. Bag, hat, shoes, jewelry ...

Plus, they usually seem pretty amused by me and whatever bunny I'm traveling with that, which probably helps.

Two travel notes:

- Some airlines are imposing new luggage fees. To pay for fuel, they say.

- There are now three lines in many airports. Basically frequent flier, casual traveler, and families or special needs.

And don't wear gun jewelry, or they may get you: [link]

The security people usually really like me

They're probably all just delighted at seeing all the bits and pieces that go through, as opposed to endless dull purses, shoes, etc. I imagine a sparkly top hat with feathers and a pin looks a lot more cool sitting in one of those bins than yet another diaper bag.

And don't wear gun jewelry, or they may get you

Read the bit about the guy who told security he had a bomb because he didn't want to admit he had a penis pump with his mother standing there!

I found this on Wired today: [link]

Somehow one doesn't often think of the Secretary of State of the US being a KISS fangirl...

...But then I tend to think of people like Henry Kissenger as SoS.

congrats omnis!

Kristin, that sounds like something my pal Ben would say whole rolling his eyes at the JHUocracy.