The Miraculous Mini "It's-not-a purse!" Manbag

Actually, it's a camera bag. A very small one. And stuffed into its pockets are a digital camera, a Flip movie camera, a notebook, a pen, an electronic Spanish translator, and half a Snickers bar. Although it is not exactly "manly," (in fact, in my opinion it is anything but) one can still not call it a purse, that's for sure. He has had to buy a special short pen and tiny notebook from the papeleria to fit into the side pocket and now he is set, he says, to venture out and record the world.

We have received much appreciated (by me) feedback and advice from our loyal readers and friends in regards to our 'Manbag Debate', including everything from backpack suggestions to websites for sleek leather fanny packs. Meanwhile Mark is still in denial. He refuses to bring his reading glasses with him, for instance, because they won't fit into the mini camera bag, thereby ordering meals at random from menus by pointing to the fuzzy letters and hoping for the best. And often times, the best is a far cry from what he gets. Begrudgingly I end up lending him mine, if only so that I don't have to indulge yet again in watching him devour a plate of undefined entrails smothered in questionable sauce. 'I wonder what animal this comes from?' he will say, between chomps and slurps. 'Mighty tasty, I must say. Whatever the hell it is. '

And then it isn't long before he is glancing, green faced, at my own bag, saying 'You don't happen to have any Rolaids in there, do you?'

-posted by Susan