essential items?

as a part of the slow process of "packing" I am going through a little bag (which is not only beaten up and torn, but is red and has bled through all sorts of things under influence of rain) that I carry everywhere in my purse which (+ or - a few items) is always with me. It is interesting to see exactly what these items are! Transferring all these items into a new bag, which was purchased in China by my colleague.


-contact lens refresher
-antibacterial spray
-lip gloss
-comb
-mirror
-gum
-tide bleach pen
-hand creme
-highlighter
-post-its
-black pen
-multi-color pen
-one zinc lozenge
-dental floss
-a hair tie

I didn't used to carry all these around with me. But they're a handy kit! Some sort of Tylenol usually is in there too


We had a Yankee Swap for the holidays today, and I got a really nice gift... Do you know what the Yankee Swap is?

It's different than Secret Santa because you don't know the person for whom you are getting a gift. Everyone gets a number randomly and puts their gifts in the middle of the table. You then take turns picking a gift out of the pile according to your number. The later numbers are best because then you can either "steal" someone else's gift or open a new one. Gifts can be re-stolen! Drama! My PI got a "Zoo in a box" which he was not happy with at all. It was kind of amusing...I don't even know what a Zoo in a Box is. I think its a box of jokes. The range was from toys (unsuccessful gifts from parents to their toddlers...) to Sudoku books...to bottle of wine...to Turkish coasters...to lottery tickets...to a plant...to juice glasses and Lindt chocolates (my contribution) to a Fact or Crap calendar...to a "Where in the World?" book...to candles and body wash...to little Japanese cow ornaments that everyone surprisingly wanted (the most traded commodity!)...to a TIE-DYE lab coat! haha, only the scientists might get excited at that one...!

Anyway, here was what was in my bag:

a lavender-filled eye mask
a gel eye mask
satiny little bag from China
a tea/coffee infuser pot (blue)
a bar of organic dark chocolate with smart fruits like acai...etc
a travel manicure set and compact travel amenities/cosmetics case
tea lights and green votive holder (not so much a fan of this, but hopefully someone is!)