Saturday, September 09, 2006

The Secret Life of Bags...tag!

Have you ever thought that people who have annual salaries are paid more for the potential of what they can do, rather than what they actually do? Or you could see it as partially a retainer fee.

Those, like me, paid on an hourly basis, are rewarded for production and attendance.

So, the salaried people can pop out for a half hour and go to the post office or the bank with no loss. If I have to run an important errand, I lose money, but it must be done because everything is closed when I get out of the office.

**********

So, I am back to the days of the post-luncheon, mid afternoon slump. One of my psychology professors called it PPT: Post Prandial Torpor. He was darned right, he was.

The other day I got so sleepy that I had my second ever waking dream. My first one occurred when I was up till 7am writing a philosophy paper at university. I was typing one moment, next moment I was seeing a boy and girl leaving a shop, and the next I was looking at my computer screen again. I don't remember what this most recent waking dream was about, but I do know there were 3 elements or scenes to it.

The yummy thing about the particular drowsiness I am having now is that it is rather easy to relish, like the itch of a wobbly tooth. You feel enveloped and deliciously sleepy. Oddly enough, I do not stop typing. In fact, it becomes easier to hear what the interviewees are saying, since my brain has stopped filtering and resisting the information and merely accepts it and sends it to my fingers. So, words that I might struggle to decipher and replay repeatedly in a more alert state, are easier to hear during PPT*. I wonder if this condition is comparable to the early stages of hypnosis?

*Although the skill of editing and rephrasing goes right out the window.

**********

In other news, I read that Matt Lucas, the rotund and hairless star of Little Britain, has bought a one million pound luxury pad in St John's Wood with his new husband. Will there be a sighting? Stay tuned.

**********
As promised, the Secret Life of Purses tag from Leilouta:



This is what I carry to work on a weekday in my soft Tula bag:

- Pashmina because the A/C is cold and a cardigan is not enough. I am like a lizard now, I wear lots of black so I can soak up extra warmth from the sunlight that comes through the window.

- Diary and favourite aluminium pen from Muji. If they stop selling refills I shall cry.

- Apple flavoured chewy Japanese sweets.

- Tissues, rarely used but when they are, very necessary.


- Pink leather Penhaligons travel card wallet (adorable with an extra back pocket).

- Big leather Hilfiger keyfob, easy to find with little digging (free in goodie bag at Christie's banquet).


- Ted Baker mentholated lip gloss (cold! - this will be fun in winter) and citrusy hand lotion.

- Never Too Busy to Be Beautiful lip tint (tastes like chocolate, but is very conditioning). With this and the gloss, my lips have never been softer than they are now.


- Cooling eyedrops. It would take years to finish so much.

- 4711 Eau de Cologne cooling scent stick and wipes.


- Brushed aluminium Body Shop folding mirror.

- New Sony Ericsson Walkman phone, old SE T610, and ear buds in little mesh bag.


- Fendi wallet and Pucci handkerchief

My bag is awesome. In addition to all of that, when the top is open it's like a bucket, to take the pashmina and a folded newspaper. It has a zipped pocket, a phone pocket and a bigger pocket, and the lining is cream flock. And on the handle is attached my Chinese jade "Love, Happiness and Double Celebration" charm. Bring on the Love!

[It took me a day to think of who to tag!....I tag Panda-Eyed, Tooners, Jia Li, Floatykatja, Lunaliar, Rebecca, Roxandra, and Merserene]

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh very posh my dear, I must admit, I'm not into my Tula bags, but they sound fairly lush nonetheless - well, let's be fair, I'd look a bit of a Wally with one, wouldn't I? No? Cheek of it!

Nevertheless, I do have to question why the 2 mobile phones, either it's merely one for business and one for personal calls, or you're being scheming, in as much as if you're robbed, the tea leafing munchkin can have the T610!

Is this the female version of the so-called Metrosexual? What would we call that then? Feminine? I think I should just, yep, I'm going...

Olivia said...

I don't particularly care for Tula bags, but with every brand there is an exception.

Two mobiles: wanted to keep old pay as you go after I signed new contract with new number. Loads of people have the old number on my CV. Updating friends and family with the new one was easy, though.

Hehe, no I don't think Metrosexual is redundant when applied to women. I still think that the female metrosexual is in a class of her own, and it's certainly not me!

Anonymous said...

Ooh, that's a lovely bag. Having no spare cash for shopping at the moment, I am inevitably seeing lots of 'must-have' items and a good bag is one of them, along with some very high-heeled red peep-toe shoes. Next month, maybe...

Olivia said...

Katja - I am always looking for the ideal bag. This is one, as is my Laura Ashley roll-shaped bag which is made of the dirtiest looking grey-brown suede. Hey, no one has ever tried to mug me for it.

Now, red peep-toe shoes, that is so you. Just don't wear them in York.

The Moody Minstrel said...

I wonder if this condition is comparable to the early stages of hypnosis?


Either that or you're close to the ideal Zen state.

Don't laugh. I once heard a Buddhist priest say that a guy who is sitting and staring at a ball game on his TV and has become totally oblivious to the world around him is very close to his "true" Buddha nature.

Speaking of things paranormal, I still have to wonder what kind of strange, innate, supernatural skill allows women to stuff half the contents of a medium-sized, industrialized nation into an easily portable handbag.

Anonymous said...

I don't quite understand how men do it. I can manage occasionally to go out without a purse, or a small one (men do tend to have more pockets in their outfits). But for every day, to go to work. Forget about it. Between my wallet, phone, agenda, book, ipod, tissues chapstick and lipstick, house keys, office keys, business cards... I need the nice big thing. Giu has two phones and a blackberry and still can take up less space than me!

Anonymous said...

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh why didnt you tag me?! oh well...I guess I have to be closer to you for that...oh well. ;). Okay, yeah, why do you still carry around your old phone? I gave my old phone to my mother. Peter's phone was donated to a Women's shelter (T-Mobile offers that service). Anyway, i love your bag, even though I am not a purse lover at all. I did just purchase a Coach wallet w/ keychain. It is beautiful...(well, in my opinion). I love not having to wear a purse...Purses are so cumbersome and feminine! hahaha

I'll comment some more later...I have to finish revising my thesis and do loads of reading for my Tuesday and Wednesday classes.

Olivia said...

Moody - no, not to Zen because I really am fighting sleep.

*****

Rebecca - I know, my Dad draped his blazer around me once, and every five minutes I found a new pocket! I got so envious.

*****

Memoria - ooh look at you with Coach.

I didn't ask you because I thought you might say it was a stereotypical girlie thing and you were going to turn your nose up at it as is your wont!!!

:P

Olivia said...

Memoria - Remember to read the other comments, my answer about the mobile phone is in one of them *cryptic*

Oh, and if you want to tell us about your bag, do it, but not in eSpaniiish, okie?

Anonymous said...

oops! I read it...dingy me. sorry! How can I obtain one of those Muji pens? I scanned through the website online, but I was wondering if there was a way I could get it somewhere else???

Olivia said...

In the US, they are only at the Museum of Modern Art Design Store in SoHo, which of course fufils online orders.

Muji at MoMa

Leilouta said...

rebecca,
I don't understand either , my husband says that he keeps his persnal stuff in the bathroom, and that he doesn’t need anything but his keys and his wallet outside the house. That doesn’t stop him from asking me to carry his stuff in my purse from time to time.:)

Olivia,
I forgot my makeup kit once and I had to go back home and get it :)Can’t leave without any of my things.

BHCh said...

I think I might be able to guess what is your favourite colour :-)

michelle said...

I posted mine on ur 27

Olivia said...

Leilouta - do you touch up your makeup during the day?
I ought to learn to powder my nose, I suppose...

*****

Shlemazl - and you will be quite wrong if you say it is pink!

*****

Jia Li - thanks, I saw it.

Anonymous said...

Two words.

Mary. Poppins.

...all good stuff tho :)

Anonymous said...

One million quid won't buy the Little Britain chap much around here will it? What a stingy sod! - Max

panda_eyed said...

Lol @ Pieces. I think you'll find most girls' bags are like that. Although I have to say, Liv, your cute little bag must be pretty full when everything is put back in!
My secret life of a bag has just been posted. Prob not as interesting as yours but hey.. :)
Hope you had a good w/e sweetie xx

Anonymous said...

So, I purchased the alumninum pen and the multi-color one...I wanted the "pen/pencil-in-one" as well, but it was not in stock. :) I love pens!!!!

Anonymous said...

PPT (or post-perandial dip) is an actual medical phenomenon...a good excuse for drooping eyelids when you pop back into the office after a heavy lunch (possibly accompanied by heavy booooooze!)

Olivia said...

Pieces - nuh-uh! I carry less than I used to!

*****

Max - welcome. Maybe he just bought a nice two bedroom flat.

*****

Panda - but it is a bit magic and I can still hook it onto my arm :)
I will be round to yours in a minute.
It was ok, I went to my uncle's 70th birthday dinner at a seafood restaurant, after recovering from a headache, and on Sunday I did laundry.

*****

Memoria - wow, you were quick! I looked earlier and didn't see my aluminium pen there...
FYI, Muji is short for the Japanese phrase for "no name brand".

*****

Ciggie - excuse? Excuse? It's a proven physical condition!
Everyone has an afternoon slump. Cue the coffee/berocca/lucozade/ginseng or whatever you use.

*****

Mike - thanks :)

Hehe, the other week I did what they thought was a week's worth of scanning to fill the time when I had no interviews, in only a day and a half. They were shocked, and then I got a day off...nothing to do...that was the day I was supposed to come to York, but went to the British Library instead.

Anonymous said...

I'm a dork. I just realized that this was what you meant about the tag! I suppose this is an opportunity to clean out my bag. ;)

Olivia said...

Hehee!