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

[nsh]

What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
The parental unit in black ballistic with sky interior. I have a 3d packing cube with sundry personal items; an ipad on teaching days, my notecards calendar, a TB clear organizer wallet, a travel mug, and my lunch container.

2. What are you reading?
The Maggie Hope Mystery series (I am on book 3! These are so wonderful and a great escape.); Restorative Justice (for work), The Little Book of Conflict Transformation (for work)

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
I occasionally watch an old Murder She Wrote episode on DVD. I don't watch much TV unless its Arthur or Daniel Tiger with my daughter.

4. What are you listening to?
Silence. The quiet sounds really good to me.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Nothing too crazy or fun. Just simple meals and lots of seltzer.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I am writing like a maniac for a journal article submission and drafting a new piece to submit to a fall conference. I spend 30 minutes every day writing fiction for fun. Writing creative fiction makes my heart happy.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
Coming up: Hamilton College (first time visit there) for a mini 3 day workshop; Jordan for a quick 5 day work visit; and a vacation at my parent’s lakeside home in Virginia during the warmer months.

In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
My husband, daughter, and parents me so happy every.single.day. My work in the refugee camps reminds me that many people don't get to be with their family and that violence/politics separates them. I am so genuinely thankful for our very quiet life together in our simple home, stable jobs, and regular (some may say boring?) routine. There is very little drama and lots of laughter. We are all up at 5:30am every morning and we all go to bed by 8 (if you are the 4 year old or the mama) or 9pm (the dad loves his tv shows). I love our simple life. Outside of my family, my 6:30am crew at CrossFit New England make me laugh every morning. It is the best way to start my day!

[melminimalist]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
I’ve once again returned to carrying the A30 packing cube backpack as an EDC after briefly trying the luminary 12. As for travel I’ve discovered the perfect combo in a smart alec and pop tote (just wish the pop tote had a way to add a crossbody strap)

2. What are you reading?
just finished the new Pendergast novel Versus for the Dead, don’t have anything else on the horizon

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
binged through The Umbrella Academy. Watching The Magicians season 4 and Deadly Class, but basically just killing time at this point until new season of Game of Thrones

4. What are you listening to?
OneRepublic albums

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
nothing special

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
grading papers, that counts right?

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
we are going on an Alaskan cruise in June, also hoping to do a section hike of the OHT (Ozark Highlands Trail) unfortunately the only time I could hike it is in June or July, precisely when the trail is not maintained and not recommended, so we'll see.

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
Lots, too much to list! Mostly happy that my family is happy and healthy.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Darcy]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
Shadow Guide
My usual Small Cafe Bag
Various Shop Bags of all kinds and colors
The Truck
Citizen Canine
I rotate so often this list could go on and on! I just pulled my Founder's Briefcase out of my bag storage area and I think I'll switch back to using it for a while.

2. What are you reading?
The New Yorker

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Watching: True Detective Season 3, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, Atlanta Season 1
Playing: Just Dance (favorite dances: New World, Isidora and Animals [Extreme])

4. What are you listening to?
Music-wise, it’s still the same as last time. Blood Orange, Klezmer, EMA, Anna Calvi, and whatever Spotify recommends based on that.

So, getting a little more creative….

As always, our factory in song.

Fiona’s contented puppy groans (she still makes these noises even though she’s nearing 2-1/2)

I’ve got tinnitus in my left ear and I’m very lucky it’s a beautiful sound because I listen to it all of the time.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Avocados, always.
Tacos, always.
I recently made this nut/seed bread with teff flour instead of oat flour: makes great toast for tempeh reubens. Made the last 1/3 of the loaf into crackers.
Cheese balls with oat flour instead of the wheat flour.
I’m excited for spring vegetables!

Drinking: cold brew coffee, hot teas, cider.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I have this idea for a wall hanging: 1,000 paper cranes in various shades of grey on a backlit canvas. We’ll see if it materializes… and I really should be dealing with my popcorn ceilings like @twosandalz (let me know how that goes!) All that Fixer Upper watching put a lot of home improvement projects on my to-do list….

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
I went to Kauai in January — it was nice to get some sun and relax. The last time I was in Kauai was during the record 49.69 inches-in-24-hours rainfall and, though we almost got stuck on the north side of the island due to mudslides and a bridge closure, we escaped and ended up staying in the Poipu area. Because the rains had closed many of the hiking areas, beaches and parks, we just hung out on the beach in Poipu. I like to see and explore and do a lot, so it was a different experience for me to sit on the beach and just hang out and it ended up being…. very relaxing. So, this most recent trip, that’s what we did from the get-go: just hung out on the beach doing nothing. I told someone that it was a little unsettling for me because our biggest decision each day was “Where are we going to eat?” and they replied: “Yeah… that’s what vacation is like.” Who knew.

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's*Pop Culture Happy Hour:*What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
So, we got Just Dance for the Playstation for a holiday get-together and I thought A) I don’t dance and I’m going to feel embarrassed dancing in front of people, which is totally a reason why I should do it and actually a big part of why I got the game B) I probably won’t like it. A) was a little true but whatever, not a big deal and B) was totally wrong: I love dancing! Well, to Just Dance coaches anyway. It’s challenging and fun and great exercise.

[aedifica]

I’ve got tinnitus in my left ear and I’m very lucky it’s a beautiful sound because I listen to it all of the time.

I'm with you on this! As a result of an accident, I frequently have a sparkle of light at the side of my right eye's field of vision. It's very pretty! I did get my eye doctor to check it out and make sure it wasn't a sign of anything harmful, and since the doctor gave me the all clear, I'm able to just enjoy it when it happens. (I was so very lucky in that accident.)

I'm very happy for you that your tinnitus is a beautiful sound.

[twosandalz]

The popcorn project has fizzled for now. My helpers chickened out at the sheer volume of very messy work for just a couple rooms. I haven't given up though. The upstairs ceilings (which have popcorn) will be replaced this fall or next. Once those ceilings look so much nicer they might come around to fixing up the ones in the kitchen and dining room.

[Darcy]

The popcorn project has fizzled for now. My helpers chickened out at the sheer volume of very messy work for just a couple rooms. I haven't given up though. The upstairs ceilings (which have popcorn) will be replaced this fall or next. Once those ceilings look so much nicer they might come around to fixing up the ones in the kitchen and dining room.

Thanks for the update! Yeah, it is a pretty major project to take on from what I've read about it so far.

I'm with you on this! As a result of an accident, I frequently have a sparkle of light at the side of my right eye's field of vision. It's very pretty! I did get my eye doctor to check it out and make sure it wasn't a sign of anything harmful, and since the doctor gave me the all clear, I'm able to just enjoy it when it happens. (I was so very lucky in that accident.)

I'm very happy for you that your tinnitus is a beautiful sound.

I'm happy for you that your vision experience is a pretty one I'm picturing it kinda like the one optical migraine I experienced: a shimmery dance of light. This may sound weird, and I don't know if your vision experience is like this, but I relate to the tinnitus as a sort of unintentional auditory tattoo.

[bartleby]

@aedifica & Darcy: I really do admire how you both exhibit fine examples of reframing, positivity and strength! Awesome!!

[aedifica]

I'm happy for you that your vision experience is a pretty one I'm picturing it kinda like the one optical migraine I experienced: a shimmery dance of light. This may sound weird, and I don't know if your vision experience is like this, but I relate to the tinnitus as a sort of unintentional auditory tattoo.

Oh, I never thought of it in terms of a tattoo! On thinking about it, that doesn't describe how I feel about my vision experience--my tattoo is always on my arm, but the arc of light at the side of my vision is only there when the light hits my eye from the side. (Which happens frequently, but not continually.) But stretching my idea of 'tattoo' to cover an auditory or visual experience gave my brain a pleasant feeling like the one I get when I learn that two words in different languages are related to each other.

[crossedbooker]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
LCB in purple/wasabi holding my Chic Sparrow TN's (a5 creme, outlander wine pocket)

2. What are you reading?
Mary Oliver's Rules for the Dance

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Rewatching The Office for comfort as this time of year is extremely painful for me, and currently starting season 6

4. What are you listening to?
On an audiobook kick lately and loving Kim Harrison's Dead Witch Walking with the incredible Marguerite Gavin

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Currently enjoying a spicy broccoli and rice binge and extra strength Starbucks Fall blend

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
A lot of homework and projects for school

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?school
Sadly my life revolves around school as of late, but I am taking a day trip tomorrow to another college campus I will transfer to in the fall

What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
GRADUATION in two and a half months! I'm double majoring and will finally have enough scholarships to cover graduate school! Wahoo!!!

[tress29]

4. What are you listening to?
On an audiobook kick lately and loving Kim Harrison's Dead Witch Walking with the incredible Marguerite Gavin

What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
GRADUATION in two and a half months! I'm double majoring and will finally have enough scholarships to cover graduate school! Wahoo!!!

I loved the Hollows series. It's on my "re-read" list...

Congratulations! Graduation is so close!

[aedifica]

What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
GRADUATION in two and a half months! I'm double majoring and will finally have enough scholarships to cover graduate school! Wahoo!!!

Congratulations! I'm looking forward to graduating at about the same time myself. (I won't be done with school yet, but I'll be done with that degree!) And that's excellent about having scholarships for grad school.

[kathryn]

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

Wow, you weren't kidding! I am about 2/3 of the way through (I had to force myself to put it away and go to sleep last night), and am amazed, saddened, inspired, so many conflicting things. There are some viscerally wince-inducing moments in it that were a little hard to read. I can see why it's struck a chord with so many people.

[3rdCoastHighlander]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
TBS19, Black Halcyon. Presently, I carry papers that I need to grade. Side pockets- Anker back-up power, journal for when I'm in the mood to write. When I go to Chicago, I through in a packing cube with a few changes of clothes and my dop kit.
2. What are you reading?
I finished "All the Light we cannot See" (Doerr) Now I'm reading "A Moveable Feast" (Hemingway)
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Las Chicas del Cable (Netflix)
4. What are you listening to?
Depends on the day and moment. Van Morrison & Chieftains, Beatles, Stones, Warren Zevon, Charlie Parker with Strings....
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Cooking- Spanish Tortilla. Drinking- Spanish Rioja
6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Grading 120 essays on a snow day.
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
I took my family to Spain last summer on an epic trip- so rewarding for me.(I had been saving for years, my dad left me a few dollars). I'm taking a group of 60 students to Europe this summer. Student Trip #6.

Bonus question:
In the grand tradition of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's giving you life/making you happy this year?
Travel. Traveling is my happy place these days. And both of my daughters have studied/are studying abroad this year. Seeing photos of their adventures and what they've been learning just fills me up.

[TRD]

What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
Weekender bag and edc tote- Smart Alec, size 4 knitting pouches. Three small whales, two mini halycon pouches and a small pouch. 3 PCSBs and a A30 laundry sac.

2. What are you reading?
Just trying to get through the work week. Will better answer this sat when I am on vacation.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Just discovered and then binge-watched all three seasons of Lucifer. Hilarious. Waiting on season 4

4. What are you listening to? Thirty Seconds to Mars

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking? Coffee

6. What are you making/creating/doing? Packing for my trip

7. Where have you gone lately? West Indies

What's giving you life/making you happy this year? Vacations!

[Machinegun]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
I haven't really carried the bag yet since I just received it in the mail today, but it's a Brain Bag (Cloud/Dawn) with iPad Pro 12.9 2018 Cache, snake charmer, a Pelican Micro Dry Box 1030 (I'm currently trying to build a fountain pen cleaning/inking kit), and a packing cube with an extra set of scrubs.

2. What are you reading?
Just started reading the Hobbit; I've never had the pleasure to read Tolkien's classic. A shame really...

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Playing: Monster Hunter World (PS4) and Splatoon 2/FFIX/The Binding of Isaac (Switch)
Watching: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Black Clover

4. What are you listening to?
Legend of Zelda 30th Anniversary Concert

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Monster White

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I draw a lot on my iPad Pro (the main reason I bought that overpriced thing), and I'm currently switching between these two depending on what I feel like doing at the moment -- line art or coloring.


7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
I'm currently planning a trip to Seattle and then a cruise to Alaska, but it's still in the early stages of planning. I hope to go before the year is over!