My Go Bag
This is the bag I carry with me on a daily basis to/from the office.
go-bag-annotated by matthew.shelton
My Go Bag
- Timbuk2 Q Backpack - I detailed my FWP saga on twitter wherein I continually destroyed previous OGIO bags. I love this bag. It fits all of this stuff perfectly with room to spare.
- Apple iPad 2 with Zagg keyboard case, which has subsequently come out of my bag.
- Apple EarPods - I don’t listen to music much via headphones these days. At this point, they’re really a travel accessory for flights, airports, etc.
- Apple Magic Mouse - On the odd occaision that I feel like I really need my mousing to be away from my typing, this comes in handy. I almost never use it, but that doesn't mean never never, so it stays in the bag.
- Kleenex
- Prescription Sunglasses - For (other) reasons. I go to Zenni Optical for all of my glasses needs, because I can't stomach spending hundreds of dollars per pair. I tend to re-buy 1-2x per year, and my wife buys her pairs in bulk. The case is about a decade old from a previous glasses prescription. It's almost dead, but has survived being thrown from a car and a bike, and was otherwise free.
- Pen, Pencil, Stylus
- CPR Mask and various keys that aren't in my EDC.
- Post-It Notes - Great for leaving notes for your wife, child, employee, dude who parked like a moron in the parking lot, etc.
- Business Cards - Always useful for closing conversations. They're boring and as such suck for starting conversations.
- Magsafe Charger
- iPad and iPod adapters - Even though #14 has 2 USB ports, I always get the best charge for my iPhone or iPad from a stock adapter. Just the way it is.
- Belkin mini surge protector - They keep changing the model numbers, but this one is what I have. It's vital when traveling, and even in some conference rooms where everyone is fighting for the 2-4 outlets on the table. Suddenly there are two additional outlets and you're the hero. Done.
- Magsafe extension cord - Because about once a month I’m in a conference room where the only power is in a recessed box that won’t accomodate the MagSafe brick. That’s basically the only reason this travels with me anywhere.
- Scrum Planning Poker Cards - Because groupthink is a terrible situation, and inevitably one person on my team forgets theirs, and I don’t (usually) vote. When I do vote, I have cards.
- Overflow wallet - See My EDC for the wallet I carry on my person. This one carries everything else I might possibly need that's wallet-shaped. It's probably overstuffed, but when I need my Panera rewards card, it's right there, you know?
- Cables! Adapters! - Oh My! These used to take up about 40% of a large Grid-It, but once I switched to this bag I stopped needing the Grid-It and figured out that all of these cables would also fit, airtight, in a snack-sized Zip-Loc bag. Which is even better.
- Work iPhone 4S in LifeProof case, because if I break it I buy it.
- Plantronics Voyager Legend - I’ve tried several headsets in the last few years. None of them are as comfortable or as easily rechargeable. The sound quality and noise isolation leave something to be desired, but usually I’m in my car with the windows up when wearing this, and it’s sufficient. Some sort of feature where it turns off the side of the mic away from your face so that nobody knows you’re walking in from the parking lot would be super.
- Handmade coffee cozy - My wife'e friend sells these on Etsy, though appears to be neglecting her store at the moment. Saves one starbucks cardboard sleeve at a time, and let's me represent my favorite football team.
- 15" MacBook Pro, Late 2011, Non-Retina - My baby.