For this first task I want to note that, if I had completed this task a month ago, I would have a very different narrative to share. Over the holidays I received a new backpack and that allowed me to a) purge my previous bag’s accumulated possessions, and b) toss out the old bag which was no longer functional. As I unpacked my bag for this assignment I realized how much of the story I had lost.
A little background on why I have a backpack in the first place; about 10 years ago I was living and teaching at a small community school located at the Big White Ski Resort after teaching in and around Kelowna for a few years. During my time at Big White it became convenient to walk, (or during the winter, ski), to and from the school each day. The walk to school was always much easier since the school was a few hundred vertical feet below the townhouse we rented, and the walk home was more challenging.
During this time I became accustomed to walking and, in fact, it became a valued part of my daily routine. The walk was a good opportunity to reset my focus from family to work, and vice versa. The time to process my day became critical to my well-being and, when we moved to Grand Forks in 2017, proximity to the school I taught at was a significant factor in the home we bought. To this day, I walk to and from school unless there are unique circumstances. The days I drive I notice that I feel less prepared for the challenges of the day; I’m less patient and more anxious. I’m very fortunate that my walk is a beautiful one. The first part is along a riverside walking trail and I often take a moment to slow my mind down as the river rolls lazily by me. Sometimes I see raccoons, otters, or bald eagles in the trees above me, (occasionally, in the autumn, I’ll come across a black bear). The last part of my walk takes me through a quiet, old residential neighbourhood, through an old oxbow meadow, and finally through a back alley to the high school I’m now an administrator at.
The reason I explain this is that, in my mind, my ‘bag’ story is less about the contents and what they reflect upon me, and more about the fact that, as a 43 year old, my backpack is an important part of my daily ritual, well-being, and story. I’ve considered getting something a little more mature, like a messenger bag that I see a lot of my colleagues carry, but that would be much less practical for walking, carrying the odd, bulkier items I might have to on certain days, or when I bike to work. So, like many of my students, my backpack is part of who I am and how I live, by choice, necessity, and lifestyle.
A quick inventory:
- Herschel Little America Backpack (30L) *the irony of being called ‘Little America’ and using metric volume is not lost on me*
- Laptop (MacBook – district issued)
- Wireless headphones on a yoke (I would definitely lose earbuds)
- Notebook (critical infrastructure for my day)
- Dog leash (not a daily possession, but I bring Griffin when I work on the weekends)
- Personal keys (my school keys and RFID card stay in my pocket)
- Utility knife
- Gel point pen (1.0 mm)
- Highlighter
- Wallet
- Bubblemint gum
- Apple watch charger (mostly in my bag to keep my three year old from taking it; she considers it a stethoscope and will stash it in random places)
I believe that, if you’ve been patient enough to read what I’ve written so far, you’ll have an understanding of how these items carry a narrative about a portion of my current life, but if you had looked at my back from 20 years ago I believe it would look similar with the exception that I read a lot more for pleasure then, and there would have been a novel in there as well, the earbuds would have been larger, corded headphones and I wouldn’t have the watch charger or laptop. Other than that, I would suggest that there would be fidelity between me at 43 and at 23.
The text technologies are interesting to consider. One one hand, (literally), I have an Apple watch and the accompanying charger and MacBook. On the other, a standard notebook and pen. In some ways I would consider myself relatively tech literate, (I don’t currently teach, but my most recent teaching position revolved around CAD, design, and technological literacy and, of course, I’m pursuing a technology related masters degree). On the other hand, pen-and-paper is still my ‘go to’ when it comes to organizing my day, priorities, or planning. I think I would be more discombobulated if I misplaced my notebook more than my laptop.