What is your daily need for the items in your bag?
Kindle: entertainment, learning
Eyeglasses: clarity of vision, backup for contacts
Lanyard + ID: access to work (school) and acts as identifier as staff
Wallet: financial transactions
Home/ Car keys: mobility and access to home and vehicle
Water bottle: hydration
Lip balm: personal care and physical comforts
Starbucks gift card: access to beverages on the go
Earbuds: entertainment, communication
Pill case: personal care
How might these items be considered “texts” and what do they say about you, the places you inhabit, the cultures with which you engage, and/or the activities you take up?
In summation, many of the items are texts suggesting a health conscious working professional on the go. Kindle + coffee gift cards (suggesting a commute), pill case and water bottle (suggesting attempts to avoid flu season). These ‘texts’ can also tell a story of mobility and fluidity in literacies – both traditional (glasses) and modern (e-reader).
How does the narrative of the (private) contents of your bag compare with the narrative produced by the image you have of yourself or the image you outwardly project?
These bag contents reflect someone valuing organization, preparedness and conscious engagement. Privately I am someone who balances professional and personal responsibilities (having lanyard to be prepared for work, having a kindle to enjoy my commute). Outwardly I am socially integrated and trend conscious (having continual access to Starbucks – a cornerstone of the millennial professional, using Aquaphor – a well-trending lip moisturizer).
What Would This Bag Look Like 15–25 Years Ago?
Kindle: multiple physical books
Airpods: Wired headphones on a CD player
ID Badge: a key and handwritten ID
Water Bottle: basic plastic bottle
Starbucks card: cash or physical loyalty stamp card
Home and Car Keys: physical keys or lacking digital features
After reflecting on the prompt proposed by Ernesto, I believe that a whistle can be seen as a form of text technology. For example, in soccer a short, sharp whistle indicates a foul and stops play immediately, while one long whistle signals a penalty kick. I am curious to know if you agree or not.