Full Bag

It has occured to me that I nearly always have a bag with me when going to work. Typically I'll be carrying most of the following items:

Pencil case - haven't shaken the school/uni habit!
Nintendo DS Lite
Headphones
Electronic Japanese-English dictionary
English book (currently Richard Branson's autobiography)
Japanese book + English translation
Japanese newspaper
Diary/Schedule
Gym clothes,
Bottle of water...

...the list goes on! Do I really need so much stuff? How much do you carry with you on a daily basis?

Comments

[Tim]

Hmm, lets see..
I carry:
3 Japanese novels
2 Japanese manga
1 Nihongo journal magazine
1 Sony Electronic book reader (librie)
2 electronic Japanese dictionaries
Lunch
Some pens and pencils

So pretty much i have plenty of reading material on the bus. :D.

[Mark]

I'm impressed at your dedication to carry your gym kit everywhere!

I have a large Crumpler Sticky Date messenger bag that I carry around with me most places. It's big enough that it can carry my 17" laptop, plus kit for staying out for the day or overnight. I've even used it as my sole bag for a multi-night trip abroad before now!

Usually though the things I carry everywhere in it are:
mobile phone, ipod shuffle, ipod video, headphones, nintendo ds, my japanese notebook and pen, japanese electronic dictionary, leatherman and umbrella (this is the UK after all)

Then I can add the laptop and any clothes in as I need them, depending on time of year etc.

I have been on the lookout for a smaller A4-size bag for daily use for these smaller things instead, but have yet to find something I really like.

[Darren]

Tim, no offense, but after reading your comment I feel like I'm not the only one carrying too much around. Still, you need a lot to keep the brain stimulated on the daily commute. 3 novels may be a little on the excessive side, though =)

Mark, sounds like you've got a favourite bag, just like me. I'm surprised you can use it for overseas travel, as well.

I've just noticed a load of Google AdSense ads about bags appear on my side bar - have a browse, you might find something (and earn me 5 cents).

[saffronsaris]

That is so a lot!
But I must admit, I used to carry way lots more in Japan when I was on my weekly "stay-away-from-Yawatajuku-the-whole-day" trips.
I must absolutely tell you about this roomy canvas bag with the wave uiyoke picture I bought at the National Museum at Ueno. It totally contributed to my "big bag" syndrome, with:
1. umbrella
2. sweater
3. jacket
4. 2 bottles of water
5. printouts and maps of wherever I was
6. food!
7. pen
8. saifu
Interestingly, I never brought my English-Japanese dictionary along....

[quik]

Wallet, Keys, mobile and maybe my id card for work. No bag, it would slow me down.

[Darren]

Quik, I've said it before but I find that really amazing. No entertainment on the train? No books? No music? You can't sleep the whole way to work and back can you? In a way I wish I could walk around without a bag but there are just too many things I like to have on me.