The cause of my shoulder pain: Could it be my 6 lb handbag???

Okay, it doesn't really weigh 6 lbs -- it only weighs 5 lbs 14.2 oz.  Still, when I went for a massage the other day with a knot in my shoulder the size of a softball, I told the therapist I had no idea where the knot came from.  She gazed into the corner of the room and glared at my "bag" and then lifted it up.  "Do you normally carry this much stuff around with you?" she asked.  Hmmmm . . . 

To be honest, I have so much stuff in my bag that its become a bit of a black hole.  I never carry my phone in there for that reason!  The only thing I knew was in there, for sure, was my wallet since I did take that out on a regular basis (and even use it in other bags from time to time).  Still I couldn't believe that my bag was so heavy that it might be the source of my pain.  I just assumed I "slept funny" one night.  I came home that day "knot free" but holding my bag in my hand this time.

I was really upset by the therapist's suggestion that my beloved bag and all its contents caused my knot.  It nagged at me until finally I decided that my bag would face the scale.  How bad could it really be?  IT WAS BAD!  Next I did the only logical thing -- I dumped the bag out to see what exactly was IN there!  This is what I found:

* wallet (the MOST important thing in the bag!)
* camera with case (because I NEVER leave home without it!)
* Kindle in its case (because I am addicted to reading)
* I.D. on a lanyard (for the gym I should be at right now)
* calculator (I have NO IDEA why I have this in there)
* reading glasses (Yes, I'm getting old and the lasik eye surgery didn't last long enough!)
* lactaid pills (lactose intolerance is a sad fact of my life now!)
* stomach medicine (I'm old -- what can I say?)
* loose change (because I'm too lazy to put it into my wallet apparently!)
* loose money (see above comment)
* Bed Bath & Beyond coupon (because I never know when I'm going to be shopping there!)
* Hair clips (they are new and I haven't put them away yet)
* small bag from Filenes (see above comment!)
* band-aids (when you have kids you always need band-aids.)
* earrings (I've been looking for these for so long!)
* tiny screwdriver (no CLUE!)
* loose batteries (in case the ones in my camera die!)
* tampon (hey, you never know when it's coming!)
* old scrunchie (boy this is old -- I think I used it when I went to the gym once!)
* pen (now this is a GOOD thing to have IF I could ever find it!)
* Starbucks card (soooo THAT'S where its been all this time! I wonder how much is on it?)
* Ritz Camera card (see above comment!)
* misc. business cards (I'm sure I saved them for a reason!)
* tic tacs (fresh breath is important!)
* little notes/lists (they were all "to do" lists at some point.  I wonder if I ever "did" those things?)
* pedometer (would probably be more useful if I wore it!)
* dental floss (no, I'm not that good about flossing -- it was a "gift" from my dentist from my last visit!)
* a bottle cap (it has a prize code in it -- how old is that???)
* assorted receipts (we ARE supposed to keep them, right?)

Okay I admit it.  THIS is a lot of Sh%t to be carrying around on a constant basis.  After I laid all the stuff out on the table I decided to re-organize my bag.  My kindle will no longer be in my bag on a regular basis (I can always access it with the Kindle app on my iphone if I really need to read and forgot to bring it).  I've decided to take a small amount of lactaid pills with me instead of the whole bottle from now on.  I might actually wear the pedometer.  The hair accessories, earrings and goodies that were in the Filene's bag are in the bedroom now (Still not put away but at least closer to their final destination!).  The loose cash is back in my wallet and the loose change is in the "change holder" we keep in the house.  The calculator and spare batteries are back in the office and the tiny screwdriver is back with the other tiny tools.  The dental floss is in the bathroom where it belongs.   And finally the loose papers have found their way into the trash.  My bag is back to a reasonable weight -- 2 lbs 12 oz.  I can't say how long that will last but I will try to keep it on the lighter side for at least a week or two!

So . . . what's in YOUR bag????

Comments

[Christine]

I have the SAME kinds of stuff in my bag. What can you do...I'm following from FMBT!

[ClubPenguin]

The loose cash is back in my wallet and the loose change is in the "change holder" we keep in the house.

[ClubPenguin]

The loose cash is back in my wallet and the loose change is in the "change holder" we keep in the house.

[ClubPenguin]

The loose cash is back in my wallet and the loose change is in the "change holder" we keep in the house.

[Emory Lanzi]

My bag is also heavy from all the necessary stuff to live in the modern world. The laptop used to take most of the weight. Thank goodness for Steve Jobs and his iPad. The weight was cut in half because of it. I have to have my everyday hygiene kit which includes my toothbrush, toothpaste, cologne, alcohol, etc. I also bring my camera and other gadgets as well.