The Purse Curse
Fun, Stuff I hate July 2nd, 2010
The good thing about carrying a purse is that I have everything I need in a day whenever I need it. The bad thing is that I have everything I need in a day whenever I need it. It’s freaking heavy.
Granted, I’m not one of those suitcase purse kinds of women. That’s just crazy. Nor am I like the Sherpa woman I work with who walks into the office a few times a week carrying no less than four kinds of bundles: her laptop case, her regular purse, her knitting materials bag and usually some books. She’s a librarian Sherpa, so I can make a concession for the books.
That’s not me. I need exactly one bag and I’m thoroughly annoyed if I have to grab a bigger sack to put the purse and other things in. I want to be a minimalist, like my husband, who gets to walk around earth carrying a five ounce wallet.
Anyway, I’ve got a bag big enough to hold my wallet, a digital camera, my sunglasses case and about a thousand envelopes with what I think are important papers in them, but never find the time to actually check. At least they’re all rubber-banded together so that I look some measure less disorganized when I go hunting for something.
Even though I don’t think I have too many items in my purse, the weight of it all means that everything is laying at the bottom of it and I still need to dig around. Since I have nothing unnecessary in my purse, this annoys me to no end.
Tonight when I went to the vet’s to pick up medicine for one of my cats, I got in line behind a woman who had her purse slung over her shoulder and in that purse sat a dog.
Cute little thing. Really little. About the size of the turkey sandwich I had for lunch today.
The woman was trying to check out, pay her bill and be on her way. But she just could not get to her wallet. Dig, dig, dig. Sigh, sigh, sigh.
She says “I don’t know why I can never get at anything in here!”
I’ll tell you why.
Because there’s a dog in your purse.
So tell me, ladies, do you hate your purse? Love your purse? Do you wish you could walk around with only a wallet? Do you wish you could carry a teeny-tiny dog around in it, ignoring the snickers of people like me who think that’s hysterical?
Stumble it!
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:21 pm
I was appalled one day when watching HGTV’s House Hunters to see a realtor who carried her dog around in her purse and set him on her desk in a little bed and talked to him more than some people do their kids. There is just something seriously wrong with being THAT attached to an animal!
Beth´s last [type] ..Letters of Intent
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:24 pm
The reason why your hubby can get away with a 5 ounce wallet is because he gives everything to you to carry in your purse.
Now that dog should have been a Retriever so she could find what she was looking for.
Oh yea! this is the highest I have been on your comment board!!!
Happy Fourth!!!
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:30 pm
I hate purses. Back when I had a cellphone small enough to fit in my pocket (I rarely wear anything other than jeans), I never even bothered. But now I have to carry my phone in SOMETHING. So my money goes into the bag instead of my front pocket, and my id/debit cards go into the bag instead of my back pocket, and my keys go into the bag instead of my jacket pocket, all to keep the cellphone company. And other things seem to creep in there, too.
I would never have a dog small enough to carry in a purse, and cats have entirely too much dignity to put up with that kind of nonsense.
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Oooh, goody! Another Junk Drawer post; LOVE it when that happens.
I can so relate about the purse issue; I have purse issues. Deep seated purse issues going back to my MOM. (Dun dun dun.) I’ve also blogged about my newest purse, with which I have a love/hate relationship. Yep, it’s durn heavy, but it’s so cute I can forgive it.
Kim, Rambling Family Manager´s last [type] ..Book Review- Love Walked In
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Many years ago, I was sick of having to carry a bag around when I went out for the evening. How can you dance with a bag over your shoulder? I decided to give it a go without one. I clipped my keys to my jeans, put money in my pocket and relied on the fact that I wouldn’t need tarting up halfway through the evening. I never looked back! I only ever carry a tiny bag now, with enough room for my iPhone, my purse and the odd tissue. I learned that I can live without all the rubbish I used to carry around before.
Babs – beetle´s last [type] ..Garden conversations and Grey cells
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:38 pm
LOL! I think I may have picked up a pile of your very important envelopes, because mine are elastic-less, and this pile of envelopes has an elastic around it and that would imply that I actually WENT THROUGH the pile and put an elastic around it…HAHAHAHAHAHA…and we know I didn’t do that so I came to the obvious conclusion that it must be yours. *deep breath* Please let me know if you’re missing an elasticked (elastified?) pile of very important envelopes and I will make sure to return them to you.
Nicky´s last [type] ..Cheese In The News – Vol 11
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:45 pm
I prefer not to carry any animals in my purse; believe me, it’s full enough. I carry much more, apparently, than you do. But, when I go to work, I also carry my laptop (with any papers I need) and my ebook reader.
I can’t use a smaller purse – it will explode; I’ve tried – and bigger purse will just be filled as well.
I may go my whole life without finding the perfect purse.
Stephanie Barr´s last [type] ..For miss K- Mr B
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:53 pm
The bigger the purse the more junk I find to put in it. It’s been my life’s work to condense down to a wallet size purse. Some things are just so necessary though. And to our credit, men don’t have to carry tampons, make up and hand lotion.
Sue´s last [type] ..Stay the hell out of my neighborhood when you get out of jail
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Hi Kathy,
I hate to admit this, but I don’t have a purse and never really did have one. I usually grab my license, a metal ring with three keys, and a credit card when I walk out the door.
That’s it.
I can’t imagine what all y’all are doing with those purses. What’s in there?
Funny about the dog. As you can imagine, that’s completely beyond my comprehension.
~Lori
P.S. Loving your blog! How’s windy?
Lori´s last [type] ..BOOM
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Hey, nice handbag. I’m a total handbag ho. I especially like the ones with lots and lots of compartments. I’ve got a couple for every season and would have more if I had the $$.
injaynesworld´s last [type] ..injaynesworld we admit Bush Was Right
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:43 pm
My everyday purse is a kids’ lunch sack. Really! Here it is:
http://thermos.com/product_details.aspx?ProdID=392&CatCode=LUNC
On the other hand, when I need to carry my laptop, everything (wallet, phone, etc. + laptop) goes into a fancy black leather Moonsus laptop bag that was pricey (but so worth it!). I am a woman of extremes.
And no, Sparkle doesn’t come with me, although she probably would fit into the Moonsus. She doesn’t travel well. If she did, she probably WOULD get packed in with everything else.
Janiss´s last [type] ..Is This So Wrong
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I have only one purse and I do not care if it matches my shoes or my outfit. If I could get away with not using it, I would. Sometimes I do just carry my wallet, but then I have to find somewhere to put my keys, and my cellphone.
Surfie´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday- Path from Atalaya Castle to Beach
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I’m half serious that the reason I kept having kids was to continue to have a reason to push a stroller which is an excellent way to cart one’s belongings around town.
Now that my youngest is almost 3 and I think I should probably quit with the having kids, I’m seriously thinking of getting a dog small enough for a dog stroller. I don’t care who looks at me funny. It will be fun for me, it will be fun for my doggie (working name: Charlie but that’s subject to change) and I’ll be able to cart whatever I want without injuring my back.
You think I’m joking? Just you watch and see. The only thing left in my plan is for my husband to do something really big and bad so that I can acquire tiny dog and stroller without him being able to say a word.
Tracy´s last [type] ..The I Hate My Message Board Manifesto
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:23 pm
When I started my new job, I got a brand-new purse just for the occasion. I made sure it had three compartments: one with a zipper for my personal stuff including wallet, phone, keys, glasses. There is one outer pocket for my portable calculator and headset and the other outer pocket is for my book to read at lunch. The problem is, it weighs a ton with all this stuff in there, and it doesn’t “stand” up on its own very well. Also, I picked this cool beige and pink Coach purse and the fabric is already getting dirtified.
Daisy’s “mom”´s last [type] ..Modeling for Cats- Behind the Scenes-
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:26 pm
I always HATED purses…my mother, of course, LOVES them and insists on giving them to me as presents. When we moved from Hawaii I (no lie) got rid of about 8 completely unused purses she had given me. One of them a clearish white plastic one with the inital L on it in blue plastic (stitched on)…because of course everyone needs a plastic purse with their INITIAL ON IT????
I finally bought a purse I love. A lovely leather purse we found in West Yellowstone. I keep my wallet, my phone and my keys in it (and various things my children hand me or I wind up acquiring throughout the day.)
I was the queen of the INSANELY BIG BAG I CARRIED MY LIFE IN when in HighSchool though…apparently 4 years of a theatre program cures one not only of wearing make-up but also of lugging around the equivalent of a survival kit in “purse” form.
Laura Coccimiglio´s last [type] ..A little Epiphany
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:33 pm
You were snarky!
I have a mess of a purse and it annoys me to no end. It isn’t even that large. It fits my wallet, which is useless, my make up bag which I haven’t bothered to open in years, purse candy/gum (the kind of candy or gum that has been at the bottom of the purse so long the wrappers have fallen off and the item is covered in purse lint and possibly coins) coins that amount to about 2lbs of the weight of the purse and various receipts that I eventually throw away in disgust but then need two days later. There might be a ZhuZhu pet in there but no dogs. I think they only put their dogs in purses on the west coast.
Jen´s last [type] ..How Can I Get More Comments
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:42 pm
For a few years I managed to carry a small purse into which only the very basics would fit. Then on my trip to Korea, the camera case I’d gotten didn’t work as well as I’d hoped, so I ended up buying a BIG bag that would hold whatever I felt I might need for a day out in strange city – camera, guide book, Touch iPod because it had my Korean translation program on it, money, credit cards, identification, kleenex, phone. Basically my survival kit. Now I’m hooked on it. But every once in awhile, I’ll get brave and stick a few dollars, credit card and driver’ license in a pocket with my phone and just go.
C Lanctot´s last [type] ..What’s Really Important
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I’d like to be able to carry one of the kitties around in my purse. But actually I was never a “big purse” carrier person. The smaller the better but you know me – less is more.
Grace´s last [type] ..Fake clouds and other stuff
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:20 pm
That’s just tacky, to have a live animal in your purse. How do you clean it when it poops? Ick!
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:47 pm
I try not to make my purse hold my life, so I clean it out each night. It isn’t too heavy, but it definitely isn’t the minimalist bag I wish it was.
My mom, on the other hand, has this horrendously jam-packed, two-ton purse that kills your back if you have to lift it. Fine for her in her younger days, but now, as she gets older, that affects me. You know, she ends up in the emergency room or the hospital for this or that and I’m luggin’ that beast around!! I tell her she reminds me of Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story……”Here’s your monkey chow, your monkeys, a dime to make a phone call, and your angry eyes….” Sigh. It’s just beastly!
Lin´s last [type] ..Its not easy being greenor growing arms
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:42 pm
like babs, i gave up the purse habit years ago. i have my driver’s license, debit card and my library card in a little envelope provided by my bank. my cell phone is small and fits in my pocket. i have only my car key, house key and the car’s key fob thingy on a simple key ring. i do have a few purses that i will use if i don’t have any pockets in my outfit of the day. but i usually do have pockets.
i think about getting a purse and i look at the ones that have all of the neato little compartments. but then i remember why i eliminated all the excess stuff in the first place. i was tired of carting around all of the junk and the weight.
it is delightful not to have the weight of a purse/handbag, both literally and figuratively. my purse felt like an albatross and i needed to set it free.
i also gave up makeup. that is fabulous!! instead of buying stuff to coverup my skin and the red and irritated spots caused by the makeup, i spend that money buying better moisturizers and having clearer skin! that was truly a revalation!
)
have a good holiday weekend!!
hugs,
puglette
puglette´s last [type] ..More from Around the Interwebs-
July 3rd, 2010 at 3:06 am
LOL I change my purse every day, depending on the shoes I wear. Most of them are smallish, by smallish I mean they hold my wallet, a pack of cigarettes or two, a lighter, a pen, my lipstick, one of the mini mint tins, a hair elastic and about 4 packs of splenda. And it’s over packed. I have no idea what I am going to do with my Blackberry when I’m not wearing jeans.
I do have larger bags, and the one I am using now is necessary because I have to cart around junk for my 11 year old too. By larger, it’s a tote about the size of a sheet and a half of notebook paper.
As to the animals, for a time my cat had severe issues. I got him as an adult, and he spent his life with one family to be given away at 5 to me. 6 months later, this cat would get into my purse, go on the bus (and I carried a larger purse because of that) and go fabric shopping. For about 18 months, I had Basement cat carried around and I forgot a lot that he was in there because it was so normal for me. He still tries it.
SewDucky!´s last [type] ..Zipper Tutorial- Picking Method
July 3rd, 2010 at 3:36 am
I do hate carrying a bag around. But… It seems I can not go anywhere without: sunglasses, several sets of keys, wallet, checkbooks, dayplanner, iPhone (with earphones and charger cord), Aleve, non-bacon Bandaids, nail-board, Refresh tears, notepad and pen, corkscrew, mint, gum, lip gloss, chapstick, bareMinerals, Kabuki brush and travel-size Kleenex.
I practically never change bags until it’s virtually falling apart. I buy a really good black leather bag with fabric compartments that zip. My current bag is at least 6 years old. Really.
Barb @WillThink4Wine´s last [type] ..Swamp Serenades
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:04 am
I think you hit a nerve here! About 18 years ago I had shoulder surgery and was in a full body cast. Now the wallet is in the back pocket, the keys clip to the belt loop and the lipstick is in the front pocket. The only problem now is that jean manufacturers keep making back pockets smaller and smaller!
Lynne´s last [type] ..MEET JAIMIE
July 3rd, 2010 at 5:11 am
I love bags. I had a baby pug named Jorge and used to stick him in my bag to take him on the bus with me. I’d unzip for his head when we got on without a muzzle. (Yeah, he weighed about 4 lbs! Please!) Part of the problem I have with bags is that I am so NOT a litterbug. I stick all trash in my bag. And, yeah, I forget to empty it of trash. Never mind. It’s all good.
Linda Medrano´s last [type] ..At Lindas House- Even The Dog Is A Wino
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:44 am
I hate purses, so I shove everything in my pockets. I’m not lying when I say my excess weight is all in my hips. (Those bulges are oh so attractive.) There’s no more room in there for anything, so there’s no way I could ever have a pocket pet.
CatLadyLarew´s last [type] ..Blue- Theme Thursday
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:58 am
Beth — Yeah, I’m attached to my animals, but they get enough luxuries. They ain’t traveling around with me in my bag, too. Crazy lady. I wonder if her clients would rather have a sane realtor?
Rattln along — Ha! He actually doesn’t, thankfully. But I bet it’s the case for many women. Congrats on getting in early. I almost never post on a Friday night. Happy 4th to you too!
Kelly — You reminded me that I actually have more in my bag than I listed I have an iTouch, a cell phone and my iPod Nano, which seriously adds to the weight. I’d love to leave the house with just my driver’s license, my debit card and car keys. I wouldn’t even take a cell phone unless absolutely necessary. Yes, cats wouldn’t dream of riding around on a person. Nor would they actually stay put in a purse. What’s up with dogs?
Kim, Rambling Family Manager — Aw, thanks! You made me smile. It seems like moms are to blame for purse addictions for some of today’s commenters. I wonder if there’s a 12-step program for that.
Babs Beetle — Yeah, and you’d always have to watch that no one steals it, too. Huge pain. “…pocket and relied on the fact that I wouldn’t need tarting up halfway through the evening.” Oh, now that made me laugh!
Nicky — Don’t you dare give me your envelopes. Mine are bad enough. All the flaps have come off and the envelopes are all ratty. Some papers aren’t even in the right envelopes, and other ones have notes written on them that I can’t understand. We clearly need an intervention.
Stephanie Barr — You have a lot of weight, too. If I ever do need to carry around a laptop, I’m getting me a Netbook for sure. I had small purses for years and then thought a bigger one would help me retrieve things easier, but no. It’s as difficult with a big one as a small one. I hope one day you find your perfect purse. The one pictured in this post is mine. I bought it online! JC Penneys. I never did that before, but I hate store shopping. I got lucky.
Sue — See, that’s why men can walk around with almost nothing. They don’t need to get all gussied up or worry about not having certain restroom items, do they? No fair!
Lori — Some day I’ll get where you are. I think everyone here is probably seriously jealous of you. You go girl! I’m glad you like the blog. Thank you for saying so. I don’t know the condition of Windy right now because the leaves in her tree are blocking her. In the fall, I will get out on the roof again and take a new picture. Cross your fingers she’s still OK.
injaynesworld — I’m the opposite of you. I don’t like a lot of compartments because I’m lousy at feeling around for them when I’m trying to find something. I have only one inside zippered compartment, which holds my phone, iTouch and Nano. I never know which way to pull the zipper and it annoys me.
Janiss — I ADORE THAT PURSE! It’s a good idea to jam everything you have into a laptop bag. Then at least you’re only carrying one thing. Heavy, but at least just one. I don’t think Sparkle could fit in anything less than a suitcase. Plus, I’m sure it’d have to be a deluxe model. The girl needs her space.
Surfie — Yep, I think phones made it almost necessary to carry a purse. We could get by with just keys and a wallet before, but now that it’s three things, it’s all over.
Tracy — Your comments killed me (and Jen already chastised me for not having Disqus because then she could reply to you directly and tell you how awesome your comment is!) Do you know they make an attachment for phones that lets you clip them onto a stroller handle? You would love that. It is my hope for you that one day you and Charlie can tool around town in a stroller with abandon!
Daisy’s mom — You can see from my picture (my actual purse) that it doesn’t stand up well on its own either. I think it needs walls or something. I hate when fabric purses (or wallets) get dirty. The wallet I bought in Paris is a little bit dirty now and it makes me sad. And it also makes me wonder just how dirty my hands are! Huh? I wash my hands all the time!
Laura Coccimiglio — “clearish white plastic?!” Oh, that’s horrible! I’m glad you’ve made it to the minimalist stage. I’m jealous.
Jen — SNARK! I have the gum problem too! You know it’s bad when you have pennies stuck to them. I’m glad you admitted that. It just occurred to me that my purse is a mobile junk drawer. I did just clean out some old papers, but I was still really anxious about tossing them. What if I need them two years from now?! We’ll have to ask Margaret about west coast dog-toting. Yeah, they probably started it.
C Lanctot — I’m sorry you had to “go large.” It must have been disappointing. You were doing so well for a while! Yes, it’s brave to leave the house without our security purses, isn’t it? Also, it creates a problem for me because sometimes I forget to put those loose things back in the purse for later and I wish I’d just taken the whole damn thing!
Grace — Less is more. I hope one day to be able to walk out the door with only keys and some money. Not there yet.
Marvin — Yes!!! I thought the same thing. What if little dog gets so excited that he pees in there?! Gross!
Lin — OMG. Too funny about Mrs. Potato Head. LMAO!
puglette — Pockets are key. The only problem is if you’re going somewhere, like a wedding, in a dress. Then the purse has to come out. We can never be really free, can we? Congrats on giving it all up. I’m jealous. Have a great weekend yourself!
SewDucky! — Oh, man. You change purses? I’m impressed. Maybe they will make a blingified strap to attach to Blackberrys and you can wear it like a necklace? I don’t have kids, so I’m lucky that all my junk is only MY junk. I pity women who are saddled by diaper bags and the like. I understand how they need everything for the kids on the road. I think that’s why my mother never took me anywhere when I was little. Your kitty gets an excuse and I swear I wouldn’t mock her for being in a bag. That’s adorable (but only for you).
Barb at WillThink4Wine — You realize you could go on Let’s Make a Deal if it still ran and win for having the weirdest thing in your purse, right? What in the world is a Kabuki brush?
Lynne — I don’t blame you for going minimalistic. When it affects your health, you just have to give up the weight. I started at least carrying my bag by the handle, instead of lugging it on my shoulder. It helps a little.
Linda Medrano — OMG. You and SewDucky! On the bus, no less! “unzip for his head” What a visual! That dog I saw was just a head too. Now go clean out your purse! Do it!
CatLadyLarew — Yeah, I hate the bulges too. Especially keys. I try to minimize keys also, but I need most of them for work. What a PITA, litterally. “Pocket pet.” That’s cute.
July 3rd, 2010 at 7:34 am
I once found my husband at the bottom of my purse when I was searching for my brush. I was wondering where he had gone to.
I’ll tell you what is worse than a purse. When you have kids and you start taking a stroller with you. It becomes your “junk drawer, purse, drug-store, beauty salon and restaurant” I got so used to using the stroller as my ultimate moving storage device that I kept using it when my kids no longer needed it. I even took it shopping to the mall with me a couple times when I was by myself. Boy did I get some weird looks, but it was really easy to lug all those bags around.
Sheila Sultani´s last [type] ..Concealed Weapons in Bars and Wine Tasting at Liquor Stores – Who the Hell Comes Up With This Shit
July 3rd, 2010 at 10:01 am
Purses are curses indeed. I use to carry a huge monster purse and I could never find what I wanted when I needed it.
So I got smart – I downsized the purse and make myself prioritize what goes in it. Now when it gets out of hand it’s so annoying that I will take the time to clean it out pronto and restore it to a tamer beast. No dogs in my purse thank you very much, but there once was a spider…
How the heck he got in there I’ll never know. But he made me yipe in the grocery checkout line!
Blog Angel a.k.a. Joella´s last [type] ..Blog Post Titles Sexy Enough To Seduce The Search Engines
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:08 am
Dog-in-a-purse is so Paris Hilton.
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:29 am
I hate my purse a lot of the time. lol I can’t find one that will hold all my crap without having to DIG for said crap on a regular basis. *sigh*
Boyfriend also walks the earth with a puny wallet… When I’m not with him. He cheats, though, because when we go OUT… Guess where his keys and cell phones (he has 2, work & personal) go?? 8 times out of 10 he’ll even put his WALLET in my purse. Cheater, I tell you.
Corrina´s last [type] ..I Will Pay You To Treat Me Like Your Bitch
July 3rd, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I’m really amazed you don’t have more of these – posts which really don’t tie in the male part of your audience. I still get a kick out reading what you have to go through, but I can’t really relate. My wallet weighs more than five ounces, but not by much.
Beamer´s last [type] ..WTF
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I was recently carrying a rather oversized bag, but the bigger the bag the more we carry, so I had to downsize for the sake of my shoulder/back!
Funny how you call a bag a purse, to us a purse is the little thing we keep money in, which is kept inside the bag!
Lady Banana´s last [type] ..Gay Pride
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Oh my God, yes. Because there is a dog in your purse.
Also? Husbands should be made to carry around their own man-purses so they will stop asking us to “hold this for me”. (I hope Mooooog doesn’t see this comment – you can’t leave a vague reference to a pronoun lying around anywhere that he won’t pick up and run with)
Margaret (Nanny Goats)´s last [type] ..Sacramento Connect Mixer- An Exercise in Anti-Misanthropy and Clammy Hands
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Egads, I hate the purse!!!! I had to carry this 50-lb backpack PLUS a tote bag PLUS a shopping bag all around Manhattan for a few hours. It was agony. I try to go as light as possible. I use a wallet most of the time, but a small purse when I really *must* sling something over my shoulders…. I have small shoulders, so everything falls off, and I hate that!!!
A dog in the purse, wow. HOW STUPID is THAT?!?! Get a CAT, you crazy lady!!!
Rebecca´s last [type] ..Results for the Flies Away Fly Bait Trap Experiment
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:16 pm
When the publicist started traveling around in the fifth wheel she bought a very nice Vera Bradley backpack purse. So when she was sightseeing she could just load that sucker on her back and forget about it. Or she could carry it like a purse if she wanted. She loves it; it’s light, it’s squishable, it’s washable. She’s on her second one and wouldn’t go back to regular purse for anything.
Pricilla´s last [type] ..A Horny Situation
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Haha I would have said exactly that to her.
As for my purse, I hate it. I can’t ever get to exactly what I need when I need it. I’m always digging and manage to come up with stuff I needed the day before.
I wish I could get rid of my purse. It would make life so much easier.
Cashier´s last [type] ..Giving Your Money Away
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:52 pm
I have one of those purses! I can live out of mine for days..I have scraps of papers for shopping lists and other lists, old mail, reciepts, and a wallet that weighs at least 5lbs. I have picutes of my grandkids, and who knows what else that is ESSENTIAL to my existance. When I shop for a purse I love the little tiny cute ones..but can I buy it NO my stuff wouldn’t fit. I end up with one that will carry at least a little dog, thought I don’t have one. I should get one as an excuse to carry such a large bag..one that is at least as big as I am.
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:55 pm
p.s. I do have a bottle opener in my purse which came in handyt the other day at a festival when we needed to open beer bottles and couldn’t find an opener..I saved the day!
July 4th, 2010 at 4:09 am
Sheila Sultani — Har! OMG. You used a babyless stroller? That’s awesome. I supposed that’s a little like some people I work with who have taken to putting all their crap in a carryon bag and pulling it around on wheels. It amazes me that they have that much stuff to cart to and from work every day.
Blog Angel — It is a beast to be tamed! Don’t you just love the feeling after cleaning it out? I just got all creeped out about the spider in your purse. Thanks. Now I’m scared to dig into mine.
Richard Catto — Exactly. And that’s why it’s insane. And p.s., aren’t you glad we never see her anymore? Sweet relief!
Corrina — I say we rise up and REFUSE TO TAKE THE WALLET! Make them shove it in their pockets. We only want chronic back and neck problems for the weight of our own stuff!
Beamer — That’s because I’m an equal opportunity blogger. I don’t want you guys missing out. Do you want I should talk about my mammograms next time?
Lady Banana — I can’t go lighter, but at least I’m not carrying my purse on my shoulder too often. I try to hold it by its handle, and switch arms, too. Someone from India wrote me to say they call wallets purses where he’s from. Interesting.
Nanny Goats — LMAO. Yeah, Moooog’s been out of commission here lately. Probably a good thing. “Hold this for me” would leave the door wide open, wouldn’t it?
Rebecca — OMG. You are a Sherpa! Whenever I travel, I try to take either a backpack (to evenly distribute the weight) or a tiny purse that goes diagonally across my shoulders. I hate the lopsided way. It hurts! The dog was cute, though. I’ll give her that.
Pricilla — Yep (see above comment). When traveling, it’s really the only way. Of course, I still had to carry around all my husband’s things. But at least it didn’t kill me.
Cashier — We need a “leave your purse at home” day. Once a year, we are liberated and get a sense of what it’s like not to have that extra appendage. What’dya say? You with me?
Eileen — Be brave. Go in that purse and clean it out! Old mail? Receipts? Trust me, you will feel lighter, both literally and figuratively, if you get rid of it. Do it!
July 4th, 2010 at 9:00 am
I carry around a lot of junk, so I need a big purse. I cannot, however, stand a purse that’s just one big pit inside. There must be pockets, sections, clips, etc., in there so that I can keep things reasonably organized. The idea of not carrying a purse is just so foreign to me–I think I’ve been carrying one since around third grade.
absepa´s last [type] ..They say knowledge is power
July 4th, 2010 at 9:05 am
I must have my purse with all the minutia that I may never use. Its like having your life in a bag. If I happen to have another item in my hand I am in danger of leaving my purse because the habit is fulfilled.
July 4th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Mom’s purse has a lot of stuff in it, but not one of us in it….maybe that needs to change????? Oh wait….she actually has a little bit of all of us in the form of loose furs!
Sniffie and the Florida Furkids´s last [type] ..Happy 4th of July-
July 4th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I hate mine. It is huge and heavy. But I find whenever I try to downsize I end up needing something that I couldn’t fit. Not sure what the solution is.
Nicole´s last [type] ..Youtube to Mp3
July 5th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Mammograms – eh, No. I’ll pass on that. But I tell you what Missy, you keep this up and I just may have to Interview you again.
Beamer´s last [type] ..WTF
July 5th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I, being the good confused lesbian, declined to carry a purse for years. When necessary, I carried a succession of “shoulder bags” that were androgynously boring although quite handy with the little pockets everywhere.
My partner of two years is a fresh convert and has in turn has converted me — I have a Coach bag, and a bunch of bags of various types, sizes and styles. We also have three kids between us, all under 7 years of age, so I tend to favor the larger bags with room for kid things much of the time. I’m also inclined to always have paper, pens, and books with me, as well as sunglasses, wallet, keys, phone. Then there are the transient objects such as Hygiene Products (which thankfully are much more compact than they once were) and lip balm and the like. I sometimes like to be unburdened but generally feel safer with at least some items with me. It’s a security thing, I suppose, left over from my semi-nomadic lifestyle Before Spawn.
As for carting animals around in one’s purse — um, no, I’d rather not have dog butt junk on my belongings, and the hair, and dirt from their feet…
Impetua´s last [type] ..They like me- They really like me-
July 5th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Okay, this is not a “guy friendly” post there, Kath, but I’m commenting anyway just to feel like I was invited to the party.
I think the dog in the purse should take a dump in there from time to time, just to liven things up.
Knucklehead!´s last [type] ..Say it Loud- Im Bald and Im Proud-
July 5th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
My purse is heavy also and I hate it but I must have all the stuff in there. I try to buy a purse that is made out of parachute material which is very light weight but I can’t always find one. Why do we have to have so much stuff with us?????
grannyann´s last [type] ..73 years old and still good
July 6th, 2010 at 8:18 am
I want to carry a purse, but I don’t want a “murse” or “man bag,” so I refrain. Carrying keys, a wallet, and an iphone in pockets while wearing jeans or shorts sucks. In the winter, I always have a coat on and use those pockets. But in the summer, I really just need a purse.
My dog, on the other hand, has 4 legs and can walk.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Hi Kath: Loved this post! I have 2 purses: 1 large that holds everything I need which I take everywhere with me and 1 small that I use only for dreaded shopping excursions (lasting longer than 1.5 hours). It has just enough room for wallet, keys, lipstick and phone. But lately, I’ve just been pocketing my keys, credit card and drivers license and leaving my phone in the car – so much easier and quicker.
July 6th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
The purse is definitely for a husband’s benefit. He doesn’t have to carry around the mail or digital camera. I’ve kind of settled on a backpack like I used to do in school. Much easier to heft around weight on the back than the shoulder, but you get no points for style.
July 7th, 2010 at 5:18 am
absepa — I have a pit purse, except for one zippered pocket on the inside, where I put all my technology. I hate that because even though I know where to grab, the devices often turn on by themselves because they’re comingling in there. Annoying! Yeah, purses since we were kids. Something wrong with that.
Technical Support Atlanta — “Life in a bag.” All the more reason not to carry one. What if we lose it or it gets stolen?
Sniffie and the Florida Furkids — I bet your furs are pretty much everywhere. Good job!
Nicole — I don’t know what the solution is either. And I’m still annoyed that men don’t seem to need everything we do. Even if they ask us to hold their wallets, it’s still just a wallet!
Beamer — Aw, but mammy posts are so fun to write because it makes men’s heads spin.
Impetua — Oh, man. The mom bag. I pity you. I hope you have a good chiropractor. Yeah, the dog butt thing. If I ever carried around an animal in my purse, I’d have to put it in another bag first. I don’t need dog butt on my lipstick, thank you.
Knucklehead! — Seriously. I would love to have seen that woman go all crazy if that pooch took a crap in there. You just know it’s happened to someone somewhere at least once.
grannyann — You’re the first to suggest lightweight material for a bag. That’s smart. Half the weight of my purse is the purse itself. Annoying!
muskrat — Come on, dude. Go for it. Be the first straight man to carry a purse. And be brave and call it what it is! It’s not a European bag, not a murse, not a mag. It’s a purse and you know you want it.
Marlene — I always debate whether or not to take my purse shopping. I usually opt for just carrying a single car key and my ATM card. It’s liberating and I don’t have to worry about leaving it in a dressing room. The only bad thing about leaving my phone in the car is I always seem to need it in the store, as in “Dave, do we want pizza or burgers and are we out of mayo?”
Medical Assistant — It’s not fair!!!! I do like a backpack when traveling. You almost don’t feel the weight at all. It’s got bulk, but at my age, I need to save my shoulders and back.
July 7th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Hm. Hey, what’s a Sherpa? I hope it has nothing to do with that crazy voodoo doll scheme you’ve concocted….
lol!!!
Rebecca´s last [type] ..What Stormtroopers Do on Days Off
July 7th, 2010 at 9:45 am
[...] small purses as blogged about very recently by Kathy of the Junk Drawer in her post entitled The Purse Curse ) until I realize I’ve got only two or three things in there and none of them is my [...]
July 7th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
My husband would probably carry a purse. Heck for a while he carried a shoulder/back pack style bag when we lived in Hawaii and he wore mostly bali pants (with no pockets)
One solution (and I employ it regularly) is to have the husband carry MY purse.
Heck…smart men know when to take the bag.
Laura´s last [type] ..please stand by
July 7th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
The Search for the Perfect Purse is an on-going process. If I have a small purse, I want a bigger one. If it doesn’t have a zipper, I want a zipper. My bag is always heavy, no matter what size it is. My cell phone alone feels like it weighs five pounds. I always carry at least one paperback with me, too, because I’m a reader. Plus a small notebook, pens, lipstick, comb, coupons, receipts, wallet, keys . . .
New Jersey Memories´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday 3 – Cherry Blossoms- Newark- NJ- April 2010
July 9th, 2010 at 9:32 am
I think the search for the “perfect purse” is a life long pastime. It’s like Holy Grail. Does it really exist? When I think I’ve found one…something about it drives me crazy…too small, too big…It has Jessica Simpson’s name on it. So the search continues. I have made myself the deal that if I can make it through the summer without killing one of my children…I get to reward myself with a REALLY expensive purse. Once the bus pulls away from the drive on the first day of school…I’m heading to the mall.
Lanita´s last [type] ..A Curtain of Shyness
July 14th, 2010 at 5:32 am
Really a perfect purse is a life long search. I have so many dumps in it. So many papers,tissues,a comb, mirror,lipstick, watch,id cards.credit cards,cellphone , digital camera..so much inside ..you dig it inside you get into a new world.
But I feel secured with all these things..when I go out for shopping with a jeans and a wallet in my back pocket I feel I miss something and it happens..I regret for not having something with me !! I miss out something or other.
July 17th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
My purse is inside a big duffle bag. I need my tuppwerware container to carry my leftover pizza in for lunch, my book(s) to read, my flannel shirt to protect me from the cold air conditioning on the bus and at work, my vitamin pills and the newspaper that I read at lunch because I’d rather be on the computer before I leave for work. If I had a little dog, it could fit in there too! I think that’s cute she carries her tiny doggie in her purse.
Karen & Gerard´s last [type] ..7 Things I Learned This Week 78
July 28th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Hi Kathy,
I have a tiny purse and a big suitcase with wheels that I take with me every time I go to the mall. That way I don’t have to ruin my back by carrying a huge purse and also anything I buy goes into the suitcase. It all works out very well because I have 3 hernias in my back and doing this prevents them from getting worse.
The dog purse is funny LOL.
All the best,
Eren
Eren Mckay´s last [type] ..Frog baby shower decorations
August 14th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
How many women ever consider where there purse has been. It’s not like they ever get washed. It drives me crazy when I see them on the floors of cars, shopping carts, resturant floors, then a friend comes over and plops their purse down on my kitchen counter top. I eat there!!! Why can a guy get everything he needs into a 3×5″ piece of leather tucked away in his pocket but a woman has to have a piece of luggage to lug around all day?
West´s last [type] ..A little West Yellowstone Hotel Background
August 15th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Loneliness is really a most irritating feeling that no one can ever enjoy, but recently some researchers have find out that this lonely behavior of people can prove to be the biggest enemy of their health.
The researchers have shown that the temporary friends of internet just like the ones in our friends list on any social network can’t remove the tag of being lonely from our life until there are some strong spiritual relations.
Read more: http://asiancraftinc.com/2010/07/01/loneliness-could-be-the-biggest-enemy-of-your-health-study-shows/
August 27th, 2010 at 6:37 am
I think, the purse should never be blamed for this incident. I guess its just the person who used it.
August 28th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Well, I’m not a girl so, I can’t comment on a purse but, this article reminds me of a poem that a friend of mine wrote.
A closet is a girls best friend
Full of shoes
A shirt, a skirt and leather pants.
To walk, to hang, even to dance.
It’s my closet that gives me the chance.
Mirror doors and lots of drawers, filled
with things from lots of stores.
Yes, my closet is my best friend.