I bought a new purse yesterday. Not breaking news, but someone explain to me why I keep buying larger and larger bags. Because the very week A goes to first grade and J is (knockwoodmylipstoGod’s ear) potty trained I bought not a cute little purse but an enormous messenger bag. Uh, hello? What was I thinking? It’s a great bag, but I no longer need to carry clothing and sustenance for three people for three hours in any kind of weather, for any kind of situation. So why did I get such a large bag instead of a “my kids are at school and I sooo have my groove back” tote?
Because I apparently don’t have the code word for the shop that has what I’m looking for. Inexpensive (as in, under $20). Large enough to carry my PDA, my cell phone, my iPod, camera, an enormous wallet, tiny makeup bag, a little notepad, pens, two kinds of gum and two kinds of mints, tissues, sunglasses, water bottle, germ gel, and anything else I don’t feel like carrying. A long strap so I can throw it in a grocery cart and tie it to the handle so it doesn’t get ripped off. And here’s where I get lost: stylish. There are apparently two kinds of bags/purses: “I am 14 years old and don’t need to carry anything other than flavored lipgloss and my cell phone” and “I’m on my way to get my hair set, driving my white four-door sedan.” I am in neither one of those demographic sets. Teeny tiny doesn’t work for me, and neither does red faux-leather with buckles. So larger and larger bags it is.
At least with this size there’s room for me to toss a book in there. Maybe I’ll start reading again.