Momma's Got A Brand New Bag

Well, it's not quite brand new, but it's brand new to me.  It's a used bag.  A tote, really.  It's black, soft "leather" with alligator-skin-looking sides.  It has a flap with a snap to close it and straps long enough so it can sit on my shoulder.  Mostly, it's one big compartment but there's a little zip compartment where I can keep my lipstick and glosses and phone and maybe even a wallet and glasses.  The main compartment is big enough for my portfolio with pad and pens and other necessities ~ it's like I'm carrying a small car in a truck as a spare, in case the truck breaks.  Or a horse in a trailer for those rough roads where I can't take the truck.  I have my portfolio to take where my tote isn't welcome or needed.

A picture's worth a thousand words so that's it on the right.  I saved your eyes and my fingers. :)

I picked it up at the swap and then it sat around for a week while I decided if it was "passable enough."

Both Aeify and I thought Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) would be the perfect day for it to, um, come out at work, but I didn't transfer my stuff and I didn't want to take the time that morning.  It would have been a perfect day ~ it was very quiet at the office and I could have drifted into the idea and feel in front of a smaller crowd. 

I had to return a laptop computer on Sunday, so I stuffed it into the tote and took it to my client. 

I know, I often sound confident when I step out in my pink socks or shiny nails or lipstick/gloss but there's always a hill to climb before I can glide down.  I had my charm bracelet for weeks before I finally stepped out the door wearing it.  I have a heart charm ~ the bracelet originally had just the heart hanging from it, but I removed it in lieu of my other charms.  I will replace the rose with the heart, but it feels girlier and I haven't climbed that hill quite yet.  Maybe tomorrow.   Maybe literally tomorrow.

After using the bag Sunday, I brought it home and put my portfolio, papers, lip items, and umbrella into the new tote.  I can see it has enough room for the large, thick platter I've been using to bring leftovers for lunch and Monday was my first tote-at-work day.  It sat on my desk.  In spite of being black, it's outside the norm for the office men: laptop bags or backpacks are de rigueur.  It's within the norm for the office women though. 

I like it. 

And after carrying it for four days, I noticed that it has a little vinyl label sewn on it: Lancome.  So it was probably a free bonus with buying makeup.  I rearranged my stuff in the bag so when I carry it, the Lancome label faces out.  It's not very visible, but I ain't gonna hide it.

Executive summary: no I do NOT just grab something that stretches the envelop and pushes my comfort zone (I may have mixed those metaphors there).  It takes a bit of a mental stretch that may take a day or two or ten or twenty, whether it's having my brows tweezed or wearing a bracelet or necklace or shaving my limbs or glossing my lips. 

Or carrying a bag. 

If you feel uncomfortable but want to do it, take your time. 

At the Smithsonian Air and Space museum there is a little theatre showing a clip from "Your Show of Shows" with Sid Caesar as a pilot "sneaking through the sound barrier."  It starts with everyone afraid for the brave (but also fearful) pilot who was going to break the sound barrier for the first time.  As the tension and anxiety for all involved rises, he breaks the sound barrier and says "this is nice.  Everyone should break the sound barrier at least once."  Sneak through your personal sound barrier.  It's nice, once you get past the terror of the unknown.


I'll do it again.

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