I am embarrassed to tell you how much of my life I've spent during the past three weeks obsessing over What Bag I Should Use To Carry My Work To The Office. Marcus has watched me transfer my belongings from one bag to another (and believe me, I have a shocking number of bags) almost every night, shaking his head in disbelief. But, let's face it, he's a guy, and he doesn't understand the importance of settling such matters.

On one hand, I feel like I'm A Lawyer! And therefore, An Executive! And as such, perhaps my work bag should reflect all those years of academic study, of the hazing that is the bar exam, of the years of diligent practice I have under my belt! Perhaps my bag should be a true Brief Case, bulging with Legal Importance and Dignity!

On the other hand, the main product my employer makes is software, and as such the building is teeming with creative, highly intelligent, unavoidably nerdy types. The atmosphere is one of being Emphatically And Ultimately Way Too Busy Being Brilliant and Creative To Worry About Such Things As Importance And Dignity. Appearances don't matter; what matters is being smart and scientific and creative and driven. So perhaps my bag should more academic and functional, rather than sleek and refined.

Today, the bag that's feeling most appropriate is my $15 canvas bag I bought at Target, complete with little gesso spots which I splattered on a particularly enthusiastic night of art journaling. I realize this bag probably fits neither of the profiles described above, and as such, I'm sure Marcus may soon have yet another evening of watching me transfer my belongings into yet another bag; however, for now, this bag is feeling most true.

For now.

(As an aside, isn't it frightening to think that if I obsess about issues as trivial as my bag, what must I be like when tackling the really important stuff like, I dunno, life?)