Pack Your Bags: Entertain Yourself

Whether vacation, a meeting, a conference, or hanging out with kids, I make sure that I have something to do, to entertain myself, I guess is a pretty good term.  On those occasions when I have run out the house and forgot, I feel almost jittery that I’m sitting around with nothing to do. I’m amazed by people on the Metro, a long flight or waiting for something (kids, a doctor’s appointment, a flight, whatever) who sit there empty-handed, just looking around, or more often, piddlin' on their phones.

I probably think about what I’m taking on a trip the most because I’m going to be away from home, the thing I take with me has to last the duration.  Almost always, my carry-on bag for a flight, or sits-up-front bag for a car trip, is packed with:

• a book or two; e-readers are making this easier and I don’t have to stress as much about what to bring because I can always get more
• a crochet project; usually something simple, that I can pick up and put down easily, without getting to confused by where I left off
• a small notebook because I’m always writing something down, copying a recipe, jotting down an idea, just random stuff
• snacks because I am a snacker. I'm trying to be a healthy snacker, so I usually am carrying a bag of trail mix or nuts. But don't be surprised by the bag of M&Ms.

And sometimes, I carry along a puzzle book; you know, the ones with the Crostic and logic puzzles and all that. I used to buy them from the grocery store as a kid, but I don’t see them as often now, so usually if I have one, it's because I lucked up, found one (usually an airport magazine stand), and have squirreled it away until my next trip.

I'm packing up for a sorority conference (hello, Philadelphia!)  And yes, I will have all of the above (except the puzzle book) with me. 

I am reading "When She Woke" by Hillary Jordan. My review will come soon, but already I can tell you it's good. If you like a religious/moral tale and a crime novel - yeah, right, all wrapped in one.  I am carrying two yarn projects.

A crocheted scarf and a knit shawl, both in different variegated pink and green yarns. I'll probably be done the crochet project before the first train stop.  The knit project is my third (?) one and I've finally moved on to a "fancy" stitch - fishnet lace.

As far as I can remember, I’ve always been this way.  I don’t like being empty-handed, twiddling my thumbs.

What do you carry for those slow, quiet, relaxing, or waiting times?  Or are you one of those people who can sit still and enjoy relaxing?