oh wait ,that would be books.Yes, even to vegas.

2, and 3 magazines. Lighter on the back.

but... what if you run out

There are these nifty places called bookstores, and if you give them money, they give you a book to keep! It's the bee's knees.

But if you don't carry your own books, how do you know they'll have a book you want? (I'm enjoying the pack-n-post quite a lot.)

My "purse" these days is a large tote thing. I carry:

phone (in a little case) Metro card (in another little case tethered to the strap) book wallet card case checkbook cosmetic bag with assorted makeup in it another case with emery board, kleenex, packets of dried lemon juice, pens, etc. hand lotion cuticle cream cough drops and, today, a fold-up umbrella

I have 30 pages left in my current book, which is annoying because I'm going out of town and it's a library book. So do I bring it, and finish before I even get on the plane? I guess not -- I guess I leave it here and finish it over the weekend. Annoying!

I accidentally switched between the decafe (sp?) and my regular coffee.

Oops.

Edit: reason's within the post.

I had to give up carry cameras, notebooks, books, etc. because anything too heavy and my shoulders and neck start to hurt. The only essentials in my bag are: bus pass
iPod
wallet
coffee mug
sunglasses

house and work keys

It seems wrong that Shir's army uniform had no pockets. I hate to think that people are having to go into battle without Kleenex.

Going without a purse seems like a good idea in theory, but in practice I have a Treo and glasses. I also never go anywhere without Kleenex and antihistamines. My ex always asked "Why do you need a purse?" alternating with the times he said, "Can you keep my sunglasses in your purse?"

How do people really have that much stuff to carry?

Let's see - what's in my knapsack (that I carry just about everywhere)

umbrella
magazines (5 currently, sometimes more, sometimes less)
books (2 currently, and I always have my Boston Zagat with me)
newspapers
sundry OTC drugs
band aids/moist towlettes/purell
train and bus schedules
maps
small notebook
discman in carrying case with CDs
spare keys
batteries
mints
hat

A few other things, I'm sure.

It seems wrong that Shir's army uniform had no pockets. I hate to think that people are having to go into battle without Kleenex.

Well, I was about to write an explanation about it, but it became very long and messy and I can't seem to find good pictures. The bottom line is that are several types of uniform, and the ones that are being used in combat has pockets in them, but Yours Truly wasn't a combat soldier, so she had pocketless uniform.

How do people really have that much stuff to carry? I've always wondered. As a guy, I deal entirely in pockets, and carry phone/wallet/keys and very little else. Occasionally, a DS (my pokemons. let me show you them), but really I cannot understand the Must Be Prepared for 5 Billion Eventualities mindset.

OK, even though you have the DS and almost have my husband's user name, you are not my husband for I got the backpack dependence from him. We are like a matching pair, his and her backpacks.

In my backpack I keep:
wallet
phone
water bottle
umbrella
many various OTC medications because you just NEVER KNOW
lunch
school books, notebooks
yoga clothes
walking around in the summer clothes or work clothes, depending on what I am wearing at the time
hat
sunglasses
BodyGlide
pens, highlighters
compact, lipstick, mascara
hairbrush
keys
iPod

I'm footloose and fancy free from 7:30 in the morning until 6pm; I work far away from home and I don't commute by car so I need to be able to carry stuff I need (or potentially need) throughout the day.

I only carry a bag if I have to. Usually my pockets will do. Sometimes I will spill over to other family pockets. My work commute is a bit over a mile, so not a big deal to run home. All the stuff I would like around I have both at home and the office so no need to carry.

Must have: Treo Chapstick sunglasses keys