What Are You Carrying? Short Days Edition (12/2019)

[MatthewR]

Hello and welcome! It's time for the "What Are You Carrying" forum game, as is tradition! Without further to do, here come the questions:

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: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?

[G42]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
Currently on a 2 laptop work trip: Aubergine/Island BB; Seapine HLT2 as my mobile-onthefactoryfloor kit; Island ballistic TC for my mobile-personaloffice; Fjord SSC for all the cords. In the hotel: Dawn 3DOC clear & Dawn SSC for toiletries. A30 for clothes, including several small laundry cubes for containment. A newtome disco'd Utility Tote holding jewelry making stuff.
2. What are you reading?
Just reread 'Unseen Academicals' by Terry Pratchett. In honor of the season, will reread 'Hogfather' - Happy Hogswatch everyone!
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Nothing. I no longer own a TV and generally don't watch stuff. I work, read, craft, and go to the gym.
4. What are you listening to?
Xmas music mix
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Been very boring recently, haven't done much of anything creative in the kitchen and now I'm traveling, so it's whatever we scrounge.
6. What are you making/creating/doing?
More earrings for presents.
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
Went to Maui twice this year (super Southwest deals since they just launched the flights).

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?
Ice cold water with lemon

[tress29]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying?

Original/Wasabi CoPilot with: Spare battery/headphones/cables in an Alphaviolet Cubelet. Glucose meter, insulin and OTC meds in a Size 1 Ultraviolet TSS (with a mini Ultraviolet OP full of needles and lancets.) Coins in a Viridian SMGWOP. Kindle Paperwhite and a pocket size Exceed journal. Crochet projects in a Wasabi original SSB with crochet hooks/stitch markers, scissors in a Cloud Small GWOP.

2. What are you reading?

Under a Graveyard Sky by John Ringo for my SF/Fantasy book club. How Not to Diet by Dr. Michael Gregor. And Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.

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

Restarted Criminal Minds on Netflix. I also don't own a TV, so I use my iPad when the urge strikes.

4. What are you listening to?

I Heart Christmas on I Heart Radio courtesy of "Agnes." We call her Agnes so she doesn't butt in on our conversations unwanted!

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

Big salads? With tons of veggies, olives and hot peppers, beans or falafel.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

Crocheting a Maleficent doll, a set of Donald and Daisy Duck ornaments, and a Zero the Ghost Dog, all for Christmas gifts.

7. Where have you gone lately?

Charlottesville, Virginia for Thanksgiving.

What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?

Ovid (in the middle of nowhere) Michigan for Christmas. Murfreesboro, Tennessee after the holidays.

What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day? Ice water with lemon year round!

[nessagr]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
My Pop Tote in Mars Red is my work bag, but as of this morning it will get a rest until January, as I just turned my grades in! I'll be taking my large Island open-top shop bag (for swim gear) and my black zippered small shop bag (for snacks) to an overnight stay at the Kalahari (indoor water park) on Friday- a family holiday tradition.
2. What are you reading? I'm reading The Wings of the Dove (winter always gives me a hankering to read Henry James); Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the third? time; and Unexpected Journeys about the Spanish-Mexican painter Remedios Varo in preparation for next semester.
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)? I just watched the season finale of The Watchmen. Lots of Christmas movies with the kids.
4. What are you listening to? Lots of podcasts: 99% Invisible; Dolly Parton's America; Yo, Is this Racist; and Best Friends
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking? Gingerbread, xmas cookies and seafood chowder
6. What are you making/creating/doing? Knitting myself a sweater
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you? I was in Spain in October with my Western Flyer and will be taking it with me to Peru in March.

[x3n0n]

I'm carrying a Deep Blue/Grass Stowaway for pretty much everything. I'm very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy it as EDC; dedicated space for my laptop, water bottle, chargers, tablet&kindle, notebook, and work badge, leaving one and a "half" compartments for whatever unusual stuff I need for the day.

I just finished "Stillness is the Key" and "Goodbye Things", both of which I enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to some fun light fiction over the holidays. (ETA: and I forgot about "Equal Rites"! I will definitely be queuing up "Mort" on my Kindle!)

I'm also looking forward to Star Wars and Knives Out, and will hopefully get to see both over the break.

Listening has been mostly podcasts while driving or walking; I'm hoping I get some good ideas for music without lyrics from watching this thread. (I can't focus on what I'm doing if I hear voices.)

Baking has been mostly Christmas cookies, and eating has unfortunately included too many Christmas cookies.

We're taking a 4-day weekend trip to North Carolina to see my sister's family and my parents, which looks like it will be the maiden voyage for my Navy/Ultraviolet Western Flyer (family of 5, flying United outbound with personal items only). Looking forward to a few days of warm weather and family time.

It's hard to remember what an appropriate cold treat would be when it's below 0 Fahrenheit outside.

[PaulT00]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
The usual suspects: my trusty Aubergine/Wasabi A30 with its coterie of 3D Clear Cubes, Packing Cube Shoulder Bags in Zest and Island Halcyon, plus Travel Tray in Zest and a couple of Travel Stuff Sacks - also Zest. I may be slightly addicted to Zest...
It was recently joined by a (bought used) Steel/Cayenne LCB which was my personal item carrying laptop, notepad etc on a recent work trip.

2. What are you reading?
Bill Bryson: The Body: A Guide for Occupants

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Various stuff mostly on Netflix. The Good Place, Final Space, V Wars; anything which doesn't require too much thought or brainpower, as I'm down with the Dreaded Lurgy and not firing on all cylinders presently.

4. What are you listening to?
Not much, really... because my ears are sore from all the coughing.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Not a lot, but hot toddies feature heavily for some reason!

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Concentrating as much as I'm able on finalising the work items I need to close off before I'm off work for the holidays. Last day is Friday, then I have a couple of weeks off and return on January 6th. I'm also, as a sidetrack, trying to move a refurbishment project forward at home: our upstairs lounge and kitchen were replastered a couple of months ago, plus various other works on electrics, floor etc. So I'm wrangling contractors to get those rooms painted, rendered habitable and back into use - but there's no rush as we have the downstairs kitchen and lounge to use while that's going on. (our house has a rather individual layout) And in between, I'm trying to compile, calculate and submit figures for my, and my partner's, tax returns before the 31st Jan HMRC deadline. The job is often finalised in the "fallow period" between Christmas and New Year, for some odd reason...

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
A few days in Luxembourg at the end of November, for a work-related training course. Haven't been anywhere since the first week of December (because Lurgy) and next scheduled to go away to London, for work, in the second week of January.

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?
A large, ice-cold Gin & Tonic. Half-fill a copa glass with ice, add a couple of slices of lemon; pour in a generous measure to taste of very well chilled good gin - I like Sacred, or Berry Bros' Number 3 - and top up with chilled tonic water... Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic is my favourite, but tastes differ. Refreshing!

[nsh]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
PU, Iberian PIKA, a bunch of Iberian pouches/sacks


2. What are you reading?
Celtic Tides- about a man that solo kayaked around Ireland
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
I am re-watching all the old Inspector Morse episodes!
4. What are you listening to?
WCRB- Classical music Boston
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Lots of Polar black cherry seltzer and homemade fajitas/tacos
6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I am finishing my second book (it is an academic monograph on how refugees use digital spaces to generate reciprocity among transnational diaspora networks).
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
My family is headed to Houston!

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?
I miss the sun and warm weather...Boston has been so cold and snowy.

[MatthewR]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
I'm still rocking the Burnt Orange 1050 Ballistic Pilot. Mostly my Pop Tote and maybe a large Zest Original Shop Bag for grocery trips lately.

2. What are you reading?
I've fallen off the wagon again and haven't read anything lately. :/

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
I'm currently playing Jedi: Fallen Order which is serviceable and I'm enjoying it, I'm about halfway through Disco Elysium for games.

As far as watching, I've been really enjoying The Mandolorian. What's not to love about a Star Wars show shot as (mostly) a Western?

4. What are you listening to?

Bohren & Der Club of Gore put out a new single and are about to drop a new album so I've been going back through their catalog again. @x3n0n -- if you like minimalist jazz you might give them a try. There a couple of songs with lyrics but most don't have any singing at all. Mostly a drum, bass, sax, and sometimes a guitar or piano.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

I got a real craving for biscuits and gravy so I made that and have been working the way through the biscuits I made along with a potato & vegetable soup. It's cold out now so I'll be making predominantly soups, stews, and chilis until spring most likely.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

Not much right now. Apartment hunting is taking a lot of my time currently.

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

All of zip zilch and nada.

Bonus:What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?

For me nothing cuts through a hot summer day like a slowly savored mint julep.

[bchaplin]

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

My Rainbow Icon. It took me a while to get used to the design, but now I love it! Embrace the rainbow, my friends.

2. What are you reading?

Just finished Vinegar Hill, by A. Manette Ansay. Worthwhile and hard to put down, but at the same time, very depressing. No matter how messed up your own family dynamics might be, this book will most likely make you realize that you're in a better place.

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

A lot of Youtube.

4. What are you listening to?

Scottish music. I find current politics are bringing me down, and Scotland is my happy place. Would love to go back there someday.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

I just received a gift of a wonderful Israeli cookbook called Sababa, and have been making my way through it.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

After a year in my "new" 1880's Victorian condo, there are a still a lot of ongoing projects. Currently repainting the upper floor.

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

Sadly, no travel in view. When I add up my commmuting miles, though, I came to the startling realization that I've commuted at least 17,000 miles in the past year, enough to cross the United States from one coast to another multiple times.

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?

Here in New England, we drink iced coffee all winter. The bagel shop across the street from me serves this amazing "nitro" coffee; it's my new favorite thing.

[lizziejean3]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
My Nordic DLBP. I love that bag! Various pouches to hold all the things. And my Nebulous TC. It holds a surprising amount of items and tucks nicely inside the DLBP.
2. What are you reading?
Just finished Mortal Fall by Christine Carbo. Set in and around Glacier National Park. Also recently finished Notre-Dame by Ken Follett.
3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
We have game night with friends every week and just played Code Names. Really fun! Watching: The Irishman, Jack Ryan, The Kominsky Method, The Crown.
4. What are you listening to? The Brothers Comatose on Pandora, Christmas music, classical music, lots of variety!
5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking? Cookies for Christmas gifts. Soups, stews, casseroles. Drinking local beer. We have a wonderful selection in Missoula!
6. What are you making/creating/doing? Not much besides getting ready for Christmas
7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you? Just got back from Helena, MT. Toured the Capitol building and saw the governor, Steve Bullock, as he was walking through. Will be in Great Falls in March for the Charlie Russell art show. Our former neighbor shows his paintings every year.


Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?[/QUOTE]
Ice cream and/or craft beer.

Happy holidays everyone!!!!

[bartleby]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
My Synik 30 in Navy Parapack for EDC with a HLT 1 in Logic Blue to organize my computer stuff. For travelling I currently use one of my small Yeomans (Navy or Burnt Orange) as I mainly do short trips and I love their casual appearance.

2. What are you reading?
Just started "The Art of Statistics" by David Spiegelhalter. Surprisingly entertaining for a book on that matter...

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
I have to skip this one...

4. What are you listening to?
Just rediscovered Diana Krall - Live in Paris. Simply incredible....

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Chile-rubbed Butternut Squash Steaks. Great for a vegan dinner!

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
I am really late with my holiday cards this year...

7. What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
Berlin in two weeks and San Francisco in April.

What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?
Dinner: Pasta Caprese and a glass of white wine.

[KmK]

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

Given various projects of late, I am mostly carrying my tried and true S19 in deep blue/wasabi. It's got a HLT 1 in the bottom pocket, holding winter necessities (cream, lip balm, Fisherman's Friends, etc...) and smaller writing goods... In the main compartment, there is a Makers FS that rides vertically holding a notebook, an iPad pro, a small double OP with index cards, bandaids, and random other flat bits, and a copy of both The Walrus and Games magazine. There is also an A5 ghost whale in the main S19 pocket.

2. What are you reading?

Books: Words are my Matter by Ursula K. LeGuin and The Library Book by Susan Orlean

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

Saw the Tom Hanks/Mr. Rogers movie--was exactly as I thought it would be; have watched parts of season 3 of the Crown; and have done more crossword/word puzzles than usual--good for finding focus.

4. What are you listening to?

Pop Culture Happy Hour; Ologies with Ally Ward; Sara Thomsen's new album; Handsl's Soulful Messiah; Writers and Company

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

Just made a batch of Brothy Beans and Crispy mushrooms and will soon make red pepper/cauliflower soup.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

Have been writing/publishing a poem a week for Advent; hosting a podcast; and putting together a couple of other writing projects.

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

Saw my mother not long ago in a place much warmer than here.

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?

Either frozen mandarin orange sections that become bite sized popsicles (from a can, rinsed, patted dry, spread out somehow in a container, and then frozen) OR, watermelon slices soaked in lime juice and stuck in the freezer for a bit to get all cold and crystally.

[xyppy]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
I'm loving my new L15 with several super mini GWOPs and an SE inside. I stash an A5 sized GWOP in the laptop pocket to store papers I don't want wrinkled. I use a Pocket Pouch for my metrocard, work ID and keys. I love, love, love the Pocket Pouch. I'm also using a Pika to carry my phone, lip balm and Nik's wallet and a super mini GWOP for cards, cash and change. The Pika instantly became a necessary carry for me.

2. What are you reading? 4. What are you listening to?
I'm listening to the Audible book "The Light of All That Falls" by James Islington. It's the third book of a trilogy. And it's my 146th book for 2019.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Getting ready to binge watch the latest series of The Expanse and Mr. Robot.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Mostly doing take-out of Mexican food or Sweetgreen salads these days. But I do often make yogurt, cranberry sauce and applesauce in my Instant Pot.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
NOTHING. I wish I was. But work is the beast hogging my best hours.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
Nowhere. Plan on going to The Met again next week. I rarely leave Manhattan.

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?
Harney and Son's Passion Fruit Tea as iced tea, Mint iced Tea, and seltzer with lime.

[kathryn]

1. What bag/accessories are you carrying (items + colors, pics always welcome)?
Currently on a work trip with my OG Imago (black/steel), and multiple accessories including: magic mouse pouch, Ghost Whale pouch, 3x packing cubes, 2x TTs, and Cache for my MacBook to name a few. Using a rolling bag from TravelPro since this is an airport--hotel--office--airport trip and I don't need backpack level mobility.

2. What are you reading?
Period murder mysteries by Deanna Raybourn. They're fast reads, and I am tearing through them on my Kindle. Also reading the new comic series Undiscovered Country and a non-fiction book called American Nations by Colin Woodward, in a weird coincidence of subject matter. I'll be finishing up the William Gibson profile in the New Yorker on the flight, but all-in-all it's inferior to the documentary he did called No Maps for These Territories.

3. What are you playing or watching (movies, theatre, video games, etc.)?
Streaming Hidden, S1, a UK police procedural set in Wales. Hope to see Star Wars soon.

4. What are you listening to?
Literally right now? The latest update to the Curtis Flowers case from In The Dark podcast on APM--I'd recommend both seasons in their entirety (S1 is about a different crime). I'll probably fire up my "Non-crappy X-Mas Music" playlist on Spotify soon.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?
Whiskey I brought home from Ireland! Latest cooking/baking was my making all the appetizers for Thanksgiving.

6. What are you making/creating/doing?
Nothing right now outside work, sadly.

7. Where have you gone lately? -or- What travel destinations are on the horizon for you?
In DC now for work. Headed to San Francisco in January and February, also for work. Hoping to take my fall vacation in 2020 in Morocco.

Bonus: Thinking about our friends in the southern hemisphere, What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?
White Sangria with green apples and citrus.

[cazique]

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

Switching EDCs every couple of weeks to get more use out of the bags that are sparking joy and seek to re-home those that don't. Olive/Cayenne Ristretto, Navy/Steel/Coyote Founders, Red Blend DLBC, "Blues" Imago recently. Traveled over Thanksgiving with my new Indigo/Solar SA from eBay.

2. What are you reading?

The new book by my mother, a biography of the American film director and screenwriter brothers Herman and Joe Mankiewicz, available at Amazon and other fine bookstores.

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

Excited for the series finales of The Good Place and Mr. Robot. Other than that, not much other than wasting time on the internet. I try to solve crosswords as much as I can, rather than said internet time.

4. What are you listening to?

The Hadestown original cast album and a bunch of other stuff on my phone over and over again.

5. What are you cooking/baking/drinking?

Gearing up for the holiday - planning to make Beef Tenderloin and maybe Lamb Ragu for the family, and maybe some interesting desserts.

Drinking whiskey when I have the urge

6. What are you making/creating/doing?

I have a crossword or two in the works, one of which is awaiting acceptance/rejection.

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

In 2019, Hawaii for two weeks and much more work travel than expected after switching into a new job. In 2020, more work travel and maybe Ireland?

What is your favorite cold/cool treat for a hot day?

Iced coffee, and more iced coffee. But I guess that's what I want every day.