Capital One asks that all the time and it’s none of their damn business. But, what the heck, I’ll tell you — an insurance card, library and debit cards, eight dollars, my driver’s license, and a Bazooka comic — with a fortune that says I’m destined for the Olympic swimming team.
Except for Bazooka Joe, I only pack the essentials. No pictures, no coins, no plastic. That’s because it’s not a real honest-to-goodness wallet, not in the traditional sense. It’s an old ID case from college, nice and compact. I kept leaving my grown-up wallet on shelves in bookstores or in shopping carts. That doesn’t happen with my ID case, it’s small enough to stuff in a pocket.
I don’t carry a purse, either. I did once upon a time, but not for years. With a purse, I felt burdened, beholden to a load of junk I had no real use for. Dried out chapstick, vintage ketchup packets, a beat up paperback, dog leash, calculator, safety pins, a can of Coke, hand lotion, penlight, broken aspirin, Snickers bar.
That wasn’t a purse, it was a mini-mart. As a result, one shoulder is lower than the other and my clothes hang funny. Not funny, ha ha, but funny, what the Hell?
Truth be known, I’m a shade compulsive, a fan of order and neatness. I’m also lazy. The combination is not harmonious. By its nature, a purse is portable chaos. Peering into that dark, jumbled pandemonium made my teeth itch. But trying to restore and maintain order was just too daunting. My pocketbook was out of control, in total anarchy. I had to give it up or go crazy. I did a little of both (does that make me an overachiever?).
These days, when I need more than an ID case, I resort to a backpack. With the abundance of compartments and pockets and secret hideaways, order breaks out all over the place. This goes here, that goes there, zip, snap, done. A place for everything and everything in it’s place and all that.
Ain’t life grand?
Copyright © Publikworks 2011
the whirly girl 
14 responses to “: what’s in your wallet? :”
Living in a foreign country, I have to have a wallet to contain different sorts of ID cards for emergency (i.e. residency card, health card, etc); but I like your idea of a compact wallet. I’m a backpack girl, too. :)
LikeLike
Hi, Nel. You’re smart to keep everything together in one place. That’s the only downside to the ID thing. And I do love my backpack — it may not be as stylish as a purse, but it’s much more practical.
It was great to hear from you.
LikeLike
Bravo Publikworks!!
I gave up TV for 10 years, I did one week of silence, I’ve cut out sugars and carbs, but I could NEVER part w my purse/bag/satchel that is heavy and unwieldy as a suitcase. I should probably put wheels on it. What if I need a cough drop while at a poetry reading? What if my fingernail gets jagged? What if my nose is dripping whilst writing out a check? And what if I need to write a check? (old school, I know.)
LikeLike
No TV? No talking? No sugar? That’s amazing, home tome, really amazing. Giving up my purse was a breeze, giving up TV would be torture. And sugar? Well, I wouldn’t survive. Thanks for stopping to comment.
LikeLike
In my wallet are 48 Euros, 65 Cents, debit card, credit card, health care insurance card, ID card, a tiny note with the telephon number of my favorite taxi service.
My purse is rather tiny, only space for my wallet, my keys and my iPod touch (which holds my entire music collection, a lot of ebooks, some games, notes, a filled adress book incl. telephon numbers, some video clips, a movie, my alarm clock, my reminder, a calendar, some cooking recipes, a bunch of audio books, a camera, 2574 photos and a graphic application).
LikeLike
Congratulations, Min, you’re a minimalist! I don’t know if that was your goal, but well done.
LikeLike
I’m so jealous. I have a purse that I was practically born with; we have history and I cannot bear to part with it. It’s truly perfect as far as purses go. Doesn’t take up much room, organized, shallow and easy to see inside, formed so it doesn’t slump over when I set it on the floor. But, yes, it’s such a burden sometimes. And I hate going into public restrooms without the door hook thingie and then wondering how many germs I’m toting home with me from placing my purse next to a scary-looking toilet.
But, yes, you are very enviable with your light load! Minimal is always chic.
LikeLike
Hi, Angie. You know, I had that same door thingie issue! I’d hang my purse around my neck, like a necklace — a bulky twenty-pound necklace. I thought it might catch on, but it didn’t : (
LikeLike
Purses around the world are plotting their revenge as we speak
LikeLike
Thanks for the heads up, nevercontrary. Do you think I’d qualify for Witness Protection? Purses are mean.
LikeLike
that is so funny, i used to have such a big bag that i had to resort to the shake test to find my keys, i would shake listening for the jingle then dive in and get them.. I am still hopeless because i never go anywhere without my camera (which is not small) and my note book and my reading book! Oh dear! but I can travel for weeks around the world with my hand bag and my tardus (my cabin bag) and that is all so i am not too bad!!
LikeLike
Wow, ceciliag! You can travel for weeks with one bag and a purse? Will you be my mentor?
LikeLike
I’ll write you a list.. it is very short! Though the bag is called the Tardis. This is an important piece of information c
LikeLike
Yay! I looked upTardis, is it a blue police messenger type bag?
LikeLike