Last week I spoke to Romance Writers Ink about building believable characters, and one of the topics was giving your characters details, quirks or traits.
One thing people pick up on about me pretty quickly is that I carry big purses. I weighed the current purse the other day, and it was 8 pounds even. I know, doesn’t sound like a lot until you start hauling over one shoulder all day long.
But I’m prepared. I’ve got Motrin and aspirin, Immodium and antacid. Fingernail clippers and file. Notebook and pens. Receipts. Checkbooks. ID and all those little necessary cards, like the Sam’s card. I’ve got a half dozen tubes of lipstick and gloss, plus lip balm. Kleenexes. My EpiPen. My coin purse. Hand lotion. Hand sanitizer. Sugar packets for when my blood sugar drops. Business cards to hand out. (Not mine, by the way.) Keys and cell phone. My Kindle, sunblock, dental floss, Bandaids, a couple of Wisp toothbrushes, a calendar. And there’s still one pocket I haven’t gotten in to.
How could I possibly get all of that into a little bag??
Okay, ‘fess up. What’s in YOUR bag?
When I carried a handbag, I could whip out anything and everything, BUT when I had to haul a diaper bag around I stopped carrying a bag . . . and I still don’t.
I have a thin wallet that I shove into my back pocket. Phone in front left pocket. Keys (1 house key, car fob, flash drive), tissues and lip balm go in the right pocket.
If I started carrying a purse again, I’d probably forget it and leave it in a shopping cart or somthing.
I thought of you when I was writing this, Margaret! I can occasionally survive with a little purse, but only for an hour or two. Now, I wouldn’t know how to walk without that weight dangling from one shoulder or the other.
I’m jealous — but if you ever need anything when we’re together, I’ll have it.
I don’t have as much in my purse as you do, I can tell you that much. hehe Don’t have the Kindle, notebook, hand sanitizer (except on Sunday’s), lotion and only one checkbook. Do have antibiotic ointment and bandaids, tweezers, RWI’s roster, small calendar, sunglasses, reading glasses, Kleenex, pens, clippers, cell phone, keys, wallet, and of course numerous tubes of lipstick. I’m sure there’s other stuff, too. My hubby complains about all the ‘junk’ in there, but he’s ususally grateful when he wants something and I have it.
When I worked downtown, I never carried my purse at lunchtime. Just stuffed my $$, badge and Kleenex in a pocket and headed out.
I have a wallet with all sorts of cards, pictures, hidden $$; in make-up bag: bandaids, lipstick, migraine meds, make-up, Tylenol, small sharp knife; hand sanitizer, folding reading glasses (Cam’s fav!) lip balm, keys, notebook, pen, breath spray, gum, mints, odd assortment of receipts, business cards–mine as well as others, granola bar and drink sticks. Never thought to weigh the little sucker though!
Margaret’s light and on the go; on the other hand, Linda, Meg and I could take down a mugger with one well-placed swing.
When my chiropractor chided me a few times for carrying such heavy big purses (he was always having to adjust my back), I put my checkbook, an ink pen and lip balm in one of my teeny little purses, stuck it inside the big purse, then took only the little one inside at his office. He approved.