What’s In My Bag?

I admit it, I’m nosy. I like blog posts about people’s houses and what they carry around with them and how they organise their wardrobes. Nosiness is fun.

So here is my blogger standard. The what’s in my bag post.

This is the bag I’m using most at the moment. It was in the sale in Debenhams a couple of months ago, and I love it. I like a bag with compartments, and this has perfect sized pockets for my phone and keys, and my railcard. It’s not as shiny as this in real-life, blame the flash. But what’s inside?

• Filofax with fountain pen – This isn’t usually in my bag, but was still there from work. I feel like a real grown-up using this. It’s useful to keep track of work meetings and deadlines, otherwise I wouldn’t know what on earth was going on.
• Tissues
• Mints in Pink Ladies tin
• Phone – It’s an HTC Wildfire S, and only a couple of weeks old. I’m in love, especially now it has a polka dot case. I’m still getting used to how often it needs charging, but I can forgive it, because I have Tweetdeck on my phone. <3
• Moleskin notebook and biro – I always have a notebook and a pen with me. Always
• Mini Batiste dry shampoo – Great for on the go refreshing, like dashing from work to nights out
• Business card case – I have blog business cards in there. They’re handy to explain who I am if I want to take pictures out and about
• Keys
• Hairbrush
• Nivea lipbalm
• Handcream
• Railcard
• MP3 player – Nope, not an Ipod. I own nothing by Apple. I don’t like the software
• Camera – Ok, that’s just the case, obviously I was using the camera, but it is usually in there. I use a Canon Digital Ixus 801S. It’s a nice little point and shoot and appears to be indestructible. It’s been to numerous gigs and festivals with me, and on nights out, and still works like a charm.
• Compact mirror
• Purse – I forgot where I bought this. I’ve had it ages. Again, I like compartments. I’ve got to have plenty of card slots, and somewhere separate to keep notes and coins. I’m fussy about bags and purses, so when I find a good one I hang on to it for ages!

So there you go, that’s what I lug around on a daily basis. Occasionally, I’ll have a book and some make-up crammed in there as well. Christ knows what I’m doing to my shoulders.

What do you keep in your bag?

21 for 21 Update

I set myself some challenges for my 21st year. Here’s a little update on how I’m getting on.

1. Complete Couch-to-5k

2. Write the first draft of a novel

3. Submit a story to a competition/magazine

4. Pass my driving test

5. Get a car

6. Get a degree relevant job
I’m now very happily employed as Press and Marketing Officer. I use my degree every day, writing press releases, chatting with journalists, and generally having an absolute blast.

7. Move out of home
Ok, so I’ve moved back home, but I did live away from home and uni for a couple of months, and supported myself totally off my own wages. I’m counting it.

8. Complete a charity run

9. Learn to make ten different dishes from scratch
I’m at 7 new dishes now, so almost there! I got a nice Jamie Oliver book for Christmas, so expect more cooking from me!

10. Have 100 blog followers

11. Graduate with at least a 2:1
I graduated last week with a 2.1.

12. Meet Muse

13. Find the perfect ‘Audrey’ style LBD
Check. It’s so Audrey, even MrKiss knew it was Audrey without being told. I was so proud of him.

14. Visit Paris

15. Donate to charity
Red Cross, Movember, Children In Need…checking it off, but still going to donate here and there.

16. Organise my photos somewhere I can see them (not blu-tacked up, like they are now)
In progress. I’ve organised and framed one photo collage which is hanging on my wall now. I need to do a couple more, but the other clip frames I bought are too loose and the photos fall out. Boo.

17. See a West End show

18. Have a proper exercise routine

19. Read 21 books
This isn’t going so well. I really need to make more time for reading. I’m getting there though.

20. Keep blogging

21. Have a proper skin-care routine
Finally got a routine that is consistent. I can already see the difference in my skin. Hooray!

My life is somewhere so different to where I thought it would be when I made this list. I wasn’t expecting to be able to tick off the job and moving out goals. I thought the car based would be done by now, and I’m surprised how challenging my reading goal is proving. I’m pleased with my progress though. Am I gonna do it? Fingers crossed!

New!

• Shirt by Lex-i-con, from H&M
• Skirt from Next
• Shoes from Marks and Spencers

Tell me I’m not the only one who feels the need to wear new things immediately. Sporting two of my sales buys here, and the shoes were a Christmas gift from my mum. They’re gorgeous, even if they hurt right now. They’re going to be comfy, they just need breaking in, they’re rather hard at the back.

I went back to work today, although it was only a short day which is nice. Panto is still in full swing, so there has to be a marketing presence around, just in case. I think The Courtyard is going to be a very different place when panto is gone. The cast arrived in my first week, so I’ve not really experienced my job without them. I will miss them when they go, in a funny way. They’re a nice bunch, and I’ve enjoyed taking them out and about for PR stuff.

I want to live in Panto Land forever!

Sales Haul

 

• Skirt from Next
• Top from Next
• Shirt by Lex-i-con, from TKMaxx
• Ghost – Sweetheart perfume from Boots
• Books from Waterstones

Uh…can we just ignore the massive blogging break I accidentally took? Thanks. Aaaaanyway, I hope everybody had lovely Christmases. Mine was nice, pretty chilled. Mum and I stayed home and ate lunch, before doing some family visiting in the evening. I have eaten enough food to last me the rest of the month, I think (and yet I am still feasting on cheese and leftover turkey. Not to mention all the chocolates I was given).

I had a little roam around the sales today. Overall, I wasn’t that impressed, but then I have little patience for queuing and crowded shops. I found some good stuff though. The shirt was such a find. It was down to £10 in TK Maxx, but it’s beautiful. The fabric is really soft, but thick too. White shirts are so often really see-through, but this is really nice quality fabric, or at least feels it. The buttons are concealed nicely, and generally the shirt just seems like great quality for the price. I rarely shop in TK Maxx, so I’m chuffed to bits. Googling reveals nothing about the brand in the label though. Any ideas, anyone?

Next has been all but stripped of it’s sale items; apparently there were people queuing to get in when they opened at 6am on Boxing Day. Madness. I don’t think I could face that.

Anyone else bagged some sale bargains?