What Are You Carrying? Wintery Mix Edition (02/2019)

[MatthewR]

Hello hello cool cats -- what are you carrying has survived the snowpocalypse and is back!

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
2. What are you reading?
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
4. What are you listening to?
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
6. What are you making/creating/doing?
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?

[aedifica]

I'll play!

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
On Monday I took a Burnt Orange/Cloud Luminary 12 to Ikea with a friend (in fact, this friend is how I first heard of Tom Bihn!) and then in the evening I took a Nebulous Grey/Island Luminary 15 to class.

2. What are you reading?
I just finished a grand re-read of Georgette Heyer's historical romances, skipping the ones I don't like as well and also skipping my very favorites (so I don't get tired of them from reading them too much). I like her books for the historical setting and for the snarky banter as much as for the relationships in them! I'm not sure what I'll read next--well, aside from school assignments. This semester I'm taking Strategic Management and Operational Risk Management, both much more interesting than they probably sound.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Last month I started watching The Good Place, and now I'm up to season 3.

4. What are you listening to?
The St Louis Brass Quintet's album "Renaissance Faire."

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
...I mixed sour cream into spicy salsa at lunchtime, does that count?

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I've left the sewing machine out so I can do some mending... but what I got it out for in the first place was a much more exciting project: I made myself a little fabric roll to hold a "youth size" fork, spoon, and knife, along with a stainless steel straw and a napkin. Now that's part of my EDC so I don't have to use disposables as much.


7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
No travel is planned until April, when I'm going to Minneapolis to see friends and family. I'll stay with my sister and attend a science fiction convention that's always held over Easter weekend.

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
My partner is on his way to visit me! He lives in Seattle, I live in Boston, and we see each other when we can. His plane is supposed to land in just about two and a half hours! We are finally going to exchange the Christmas presents we bought months ago. I'm giving him an Island MCB FS and Island zipper pulls for his Cloud Pop Tote, and the pockets of the Freudian Slip contain samples of different kinds of soap that he can try out to see if one of them is a good replacement for his favorite soap that he can't get anymore.

[tress29]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?

My EDC is a very lightly packed S19, it contains my SE for a PLO and an Azalea pencil pouch with crochet hooks in it. A new Luminary12 would probably hold everything and be a little lighter...

2. What are you reading?

New York 2140, for my SF/Fantasy book club. Between the ebook and the audio book I'm up to 20% completion. (The audio book is over 22 hours long...)

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?

I binge watched Mind Hunters on Netflix this past weekend...

4. What are you listening to?

I listed to my local country station or Alexa plays I <3 80s for me!

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

Lots of warm teas for breakfast and too much Diet Coke at home!

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

I crocheted a bunny for my niece, now I have to assemble it. Crocheted a fishing bobber and a crow amigurumi. Getting re-addicted to tiny dolls and making clothes for them! (I have all boys, so it's been many years since my doll play has been satisfied!)

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?

My NFTD is getting loaded up tonight, I'm flying to see my mom in VA tomorrow. Her birthday always falls over the holiday weekend. Hoping my Navy kid can come up for a visit. I'm packing most of my S19 with his Christmas gifts! Books are just too heavy to mail these days.

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?

Spending time with family, looking forward to my son studying in France next school year (and visiting him over his winter break!) Really enjoying crafting again.

[Rocks]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
Original halcyon/island Synapse 19. I traded away a halcyon/wasabi one and missed it, so I mulled over new Synapse colors, thinking I might try cloud, but decided to stick with halcyon. I love it! I didn't think I liked island, but it's such a cool contrast with original halcyon


2. What are you reading?
I just finished Angie Thomas's new book, On the Come Up. Excellent. Also starting Marlon James's new book, Black Leopard, Red Wolf

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
I'm working on my Chinese, so Chinese language series on Netflix

4. What are you listening to?
Rediscovering Tina Turner!

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
red wine

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Does Lego count? I'm newly into Lego (as a grownup!) As for creating, I work in theater.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
NYC. I go for friends and museums. I'd love to go to Mexico City. I'll probably go to Portland Maine soon.


Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
I can't wait to discover it!

[TheLibrarian]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)

Sadly, not a TB bag. I was hoping to pick up an orange Pilot but my new boss neglected to pay me..... and neglected to tell me she neglected to pay me (although since her reason she didn't pay me was that she 'forgot' I can understand the not telling me part).

2. What are you reading?

I plead the 5th (I'm a librarian, so this is particularly bad, lol).

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?

Ok, look, don't judge me but..... Making a Murder. In my defense I'm not watching it so much as using it for background noise while doing everything else. It's 20 hours long and Netflix just autoplays the next episode so I'm not constantly having to select something new. It's mostly just people talking so there's no loud noises to randomly startle me and I've seen it a million times (at this point, that's not much of an overstatement....) so I'm not missing anything by not really paying attention. It's almost like being in an office environment with soft conversations going on around me, like white noise almost.

4. What are you listening to?

A playlist that I made in December which includes far to many Christmas tracks for the middle of February.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a57512/grilled-cheese-bombs-recipe/

EVERYONE SHOULD MAKE THESE!!!!!!! I use smaller chunks of cheese and add some garlic powder to the melted butter and just so, so good.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

I'm in the middle of a bunch of life changes (new job, new home/still moving) so not creating much at the moment. But I've got several projects in mind once I get settled and my sewing/crafting area back up and running. One of which will be a jack-of-all-trades bag, something I can travel with easily no matter what I'm doing that day. Something I can carry as a backpack, tote, and cross body. I've got a basic design down, just need to figure out strap placement and general construction.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?

Sadly.... None. I did 2 weeks on a cruise through the Caribbean over the holidays but unfortunately, travel just isn't in the cards right now. Although I do have a annual pass to Disney World, so there's that 😁

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?

Honestly..... These last 2 years have been hell and (even more) honestly, it's not looking to get better any time soon. That said, I've got an amazing boyfriend (who gave me his cold for Valentine's Day 🤧 but he also brought me lunch and then tucked me into bed with my electric blanket today so, I guess I'll let him off the hook for the germs). He does everything he can to help keep me smiling through the BS. I've got good friends, an adorable cat, a car that hasn't broken down in the last 6 months, and a nice place to live with all the Netflix I can stream.

So while my personal demons don't always make it easy to remember, life is good (and I'm going to just keep on trucking on the parts that aren't until they are, even if it takes a while).

[Traveltech]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
I am so looking forward to the L15 but for this post I’ll mention that my co-pilot has become
my gym bag. Probably a bit unusual, but my towel,SE, etc, fits in the back compartment, headphones in the front pocket and water bottle in the water bottle compartment. A pretty compact system that works for me
2. What are you reading?
As a retired librarian, I’ll stick with @thelibrarian and plead the fifth
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)? Nothing, see #2 above
4. What are you listening to? Audiobooks - go figure.
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking? Making a lot of healthy smoothies and salads
6. What are you making/creating/doing? Been doing on a lot of web stuff, my own site as well as volunteer work with Moms Demand Action and for a friend working in the addiction field.
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you? Great trips ahead. Stay tuned for packouts!

What’s making me happy? It’s been a difficult month with a death in the family, but I’m looking for and finding joy in the times I have with family and friends.

[twosandalz]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)? Winter is SK season. Mars Red and Canyon.

2. What are you reading? All about removing popcorn ceilings.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)? I'm studying a couple Bluprint (fka Craftsy) videos about fitting and sewing jeans.

4. What are you listening to? I just started a podcast called Echoes of India. The format is pretty different from other history podcasts, I like it.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking? Got an Instant Pot for Black Friday and am in love! I've been adapting as many of my usual recipes to it as I can.

6. What are you making/creating/doing? Like @Aedifica I've pulled out my sewing machine. I'm preparing to make jeans, just waiting for a good sale on denim.

And this weekend I'll take out a wall between my LR and kitchen. While I'm making a big mess, I'll finally do something about my popcorn ceiling.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you? Maybe TX in the spring. Definitely Acadia National Park this summer.

What's giving you life/making you happy this year? Mobility. I was laid up this fall and it's been so nice to be able to do things for myself.

[Lia]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
My sister got me a wristlet custom made on Etsy with Doctor Who themed fabric and it's the perfect fit for my wallet/keys/phone/glasses EDC *and* it fits perfectly in the bottom pocket of my S19. I haven't lost my glasses since I started using it!


2. What are you reading?
Student papers. Oh, the grading.


3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Dude on YouTube talking about medieval knights and horsemanship.


4. What are you listening to?
Audiobooks!


5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Oyster stew tonight!

Sweat five chives and a huge stalk of celery chopped fine in one tablespoon of duck fat, two tablespoons bacon grease, three tablespoons butter.
When tender, add shucked oysters.
Add, Idano, like four cups of half & half and warm over very low heat until the oysters firm up.
Delicious fresh off the stove, but really shines the next day!


6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Arranging some music for the school band... if I ever stop procrastinating...


7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
Thank heaven I'm going on a short break this weekend. A New England beach resort in winter -- one of my favorite things! So beautiful and so QUIET!


What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
Did I mention the oyster stew with three kinds of fat and a jug of half & half? That stuff is happiness made substance.

[bartleby]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
Currently testing the new L15 in Nebulous/Island as an EDC bag. More on that very soon but I can already tell you it‘s a tremendous asset to the TB portfolio 😍

2. What are you reading?
Just started reading „The half-life of facts. Why everything we know has an expiration date“ by Samuel Arbesman.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Was just blown away by „A star is born“.

4. What are you listening to?
Tedeschi Trucks Band „Live from the Fox Oakland“

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Cooking: Vegetable Curry / Baking: I am leaving this to our local professionals / Drinking: Just discovering our local craft beers

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I am preparing for a running event in May, trying to be faster than last year 😬

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
End of March we‘re going to relax a week at Lake Constance.

What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
My wonderful students.

[pammy]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?

For EDC, I have been using some of my very favorite TB items. They are bright, happy spots of color during the winter. I love my Little Swift in Azalea, Solar SE, along with a cork wallet, and original Nordic mini pouch that was the June 2015 forum gift.

My MIL fell and broke her hip and had surgery last weekend. So the UV S19 has been doing hospital and rehab facility duty, carrying my extra stuff I need for a long day spending time with her.



2. What are you reading?

James Clavell's Asian saga. I started with Shōgun and have been reading through the series.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?

Forged in Fire. I know, but I started watching it when it first debuted, and I have stuck with it ever since. Also if I have time, something on Netflix.

4. What are you listening to?

Audiobooks. Right now I’m listening to Gone With the Wind. I read it years ago, and now I am listening to it to destress.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

Schöfferhofer Grapefruit. I got hooked on it at Epcot.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

Nothing creative. Life and work are much too busy, so extra time is spent with family and friends.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?

Just returned from six days at Walt Disney World. Going to Disneyland in April. Hoping to go on an international trip in the fall. Maybe back to Japan. Possibly Iceland; it’s on my bucket list. Too many places I want to visit, but too little time.

[kathryn]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
EDC is my Imago, per usual. I'm on a work trip right now with no TB main bag, but many accessories: two travel trays, a small snake charmer, mni q-kit, minimalist wallet, forum gift, and a 3DOC.

2. What are you reading?
Hybrid, the third book in the Hominids series by Robert Sawyer. The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi. Eagerly anticipating making it to the top of the request list at my library for Every Tool's a Hammer by Adam Savage, Nine Pints by Rose George, and Educated by Tara Westover.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
I've been on a no TV kick for a bit, and I'm not quite sure why. I think the most recent movie I watched was Avengers: Infinity War, which I finally got around to renting. Oh, and I rewatched Working Girl just because I was telling a co-worker about the "you read W" scene and that made me want to watch it.

4. What are you listening to?
Podcasts--my new favorite is This Podcast Will Kill You--and the Deep Focus Spotify channel when I need to concentrate at work. Also, much NPR.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
I've been traveling a lot lately, and it's been snowing a ton meaning my grocery stock has dwindled to almost nothing. I've mainly been ordering in from my local stand-by pizza and Indian places. I've been drinking a "quarantini" from the This Podcast Will Kill You ladies called the Strangling Angel (maple syrup, ginger liqueur, lemon, and whiskey).

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Traveling, planning for travel, recovering from travel LOL. Also, trying to teach myself Illustrator and basic graphic design for a work project (it's not going super well, unfortunately).

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
Copenhagen, Riga, Tallinn in March, with my lightest packing list yet (11.5 lbs).


Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
My dog, Beatrice, and getting back into working out--especially weights--at the Y.

[bartleby]

@pammy: I especially love your solar SE, what a cheerful color 👍🏼 Good luck for your MIL...

[Traveltech]

@kathryn Just looking at that picture of Beatrice makes me happy!

Educated by Tara Westover is a wild read. Will be interested in hearing your thoughts on it!

[MikeV]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
I recently switched from a tried and true 1000d Cordura S19 to a smooth and swanky 525d Ballistic S19. Count me in the camp that LOVES the 525.

2. What are you reading?
I recently picked up the food writing collection A Really Big Lunch by Jim Harrison

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
HGTV and Jeopardy.

4. What are you listening to?
So many things but this new album from Mandolin Orange is what is coming to mind. They're SO good!

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
We're cooking all the time and the last couple weeks of wintry weather has meant lots of soup around our house.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Not enough! I missed out on getting into a drawing class at the local community college recently but I'm hoping to get into the next term this spring.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
I've had no recent trips and have none really planned. Lame. But mostly this is because...

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
We have a nearly-one-year-old puppy and he's just been an absolute joy this year! After losing two old timers a couple years ago and then taking a year off, both my wife and I are just smitten with our little friend Levi. And he's becoming a (mostly) well-behaved factory dog on Tuesdays

[twosandalz]

The only way to improve on the LS is to make it a cheery color like azalea. The colors in this photo bring me joy.