I’m also desperately wanting to change up my wardrobe for new shorts, colorful/patterned shirts, ties.
April 2021

Made grapefruit bars tonight. Wrong size pan, so the crust is too thick. And I need to double the filling next time.
Be prepared, this lesson must be shared
I put together a go bag a few years ago, but it’s not that great. The bag is oversized and has too many pockets. It has a tarp I’ll never use for shelter. I might’ve been better off with a family size camp stove than my little MSR Pocket Rocket deal. And I don’t have any hot meals (yet) for it.
Since I recently ordered a sling for daily carry, I’m working on a holistic preparedness approach, comprised of:
- On my person
- In my car
- At home
(If I worked in an office, that might be number four; shelter-in-place without a workplace stash does not make for a fun mental space.)
On my person
I ordered a Bellroy Sling in forest green. It’s 7L so I think it’ll be plenty roomy without being too large. My planned load out is akin to this:
- Fisher Space Pen and small notebook
- lip balm
- eye drops
- hand sanitizer
- sunglasses and microfiber cloth
- mints
- AirPods
- keys with pill holder (1 ibuprofen, 1 acetaminophen, 1 aspirin, 1 diphenhydramine; also a loose loratadine-pseudoephedrine or two)
Additional items could include:
- Anker battery backup and cables—it’s huge, so probably only if I’m expecting a long day. Otherwise it’s with my home bag.
In my car
I finally purchased a basic roadside kit and fire extinguisher to keep in the car, and I’ve refreshed my first aid kit. The last thing to add is a bag with a change of clothes and basic toiletries.
Roadside kit
This is in the cargo area.
- blanket—the one that came with the kit isn’t great. I may put the better one from my existing bag in the car.
- reflective triangle
- screwdriver, pliers, multitool
- jumper cables
- tow strap
- headlamp
- quart of oil
- full spare with the scissor jack and tire wrench that came with the car
- gloves
First aid kit
This and the fire extinguisher sit under the front seats, accessible from the back row.
- bandages of various sizes
- roll of gauze
- alcohol prep pads
- ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, diphenhydramine
- Bactine
Overnight bag
- change of clothes
- jacket, gloves, beanie
- toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, contact lens solution and case
Unfortunately, I don’t have a backup pair of glasses. I would feel much better having a backup pair in the car in case the contacts are bothersome. I considered keeping the case in my daily bag, but without solution it’s useless.
I need to add non-perishable snacks here.
Up front
In the glovebox, I have a couple pens, a tire pressure gauge, pen light, napkins, and my recent service records. In the console there’s a canister of Wet Ones and spare bulbs. And since the start of pandemic I’ve kept a pump bottle of hand sanitizer in the driver door. And of course, my iPhone charger and a spare USB port are always ready to go.
At home
Our pantry is well-stocked, so this is focused on equipment. My bag at home currently looks like camping gear. Again, since this is meant to be a holistic approach, the concept is to augment what’s in the car.
- Sangean MMR-88 emergency weather radio—it uses weird Nitecore 18350 batteries (need to buy more)
- Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp
- Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries (need to buy more)
- USB quick charger for those batteries
- trowel, tissue, garbage bags
- copies of important documents in a sealed bag
- First aid kit from Adventure Medical Kits
- Personal camp stove, fuel canisters, and mess kit
- Miscellany: fire starter, lint, water purification tablets.
I’d like to buy a few freeze dried Mountain House meals—the lasagna and beef stroganoff are both good.
I’m always re-evaluating and tweaking, so if you have any suggestions let me know.