This was the bag that I carried with me for a month whilst backpacking through Scandinavia this past spring (2023). going clockwise from top center to bottom left the items are as follows: airPods Pros, External Battery Charger + Multi-Head Cable, Small Red Moleskine Notebook, Glucometer, 2 Ballpoint Pens, SoloStar Admelog Injector, Daily Planner Notebook (2023), Snap-On Multitool, Glasses Case w/ Prescription Sunglasses, Novel (Neil Gaiman’s Fragile Things collection of short stories), and the backpack itself.
My daily need for the items in this backpack varies; on the extreme end of the spectrum, the SoloStar Injector and Glucometer are both daily requirements, without which life would get extremely interesting and possibly more difficult. On the opposite end of the spectrum of need are the notebooks, pens, novel, and headphones, all of which are certainly more of a luxury than a need. In the middle ground lies the external charger, the sunglasses, and the multitool, as each have their uses depending on the situation they find me in (is it sunny out? Do I need to fix something? Is one of my electronics low on battery?), but in the right circumstances they are extremely useful.
As to how these items may be interpreted as “texts”, I think they carry quite a bit of information about me; from the medical items one could “read” that I am a diabetic and as such my daily routine is probably slightly different then a non-diabetic individual. From the electronic and electronic-adjacent items such as the headphones and charger, one could read my affinity for tech, but also potentially my socio-economic status and a level of privilege that I am lucky to inhabit. One could also deduce some information about me regarding items not in the picture; due to the cable style and the brand of headphones, one could assume that my personal phone is an iPhone or that I use apple products in my personal life. From the notebooks and novel and pens one could infer a preference for reading and writing, and in more detail possibly a preference for analog writing instead of typing as there are pens and notepads but not computer or tablet (though I could also prefer to write on my phone, so maybe not). As for a cultural reading of these items, one could glean an insight into literary culture and music culture from the book and headphones, but beyond that I enjoy fiction these items are fairly open-ended. They are not visible properly in the photo, but there are several patches and pins on the backpack itself that pertain to different nerd cultures and heavy metal bands, so one could glean an insight into that and infer a potential for counter-culture, though current nerd culture and music trends are a little more difficult to encapsulate fully.
As to the “Text Technologies” of the items I carry around with me, they say that I have a proclivity for both digital and analog communication, and that I keep pace with a technological society but have some reservations (I carry wireless headphones and an external charger, but also a notebook and pen).
Lastly, for the interplay between the “Private” contents of the bag and the “Public” persona I occupy compared to the reading of these items holds relatively true to form for myself (I think). I am an outwardly nerdy and social person, and I tend to wear a lot of what I am feeling on my sleeve (hence the patches and pins), but if you have a conversation with me I hope to bring across my love for literature and learning, as well as music (in line with the novel, notebooks, and headphones), as well as my willingness to go outside and get my hands dirty if the need arises (hence the multitool and sunglasses). Most people that get to know me know I am diabetic, as I am not shy about measuring my blood sugars or giving myself an injection in public, so the medical items are not surprise either.