What's in our bag 🎒

It’s Elliott. In this episode of the life newsletter, we return to summer. Last time I wrote to you, it was about the river and how it feels like a clock. As summer arrives, we are returning to the river:clock. The swims up the river are becoming frequent, the lunches on the dock longer. Occasionally, we leave the studio door open, letting the sounds and the breeze in.

In the spring, a new coffee place and bar opened down the street. The otherwise empty street is now often crowded. Our boat rental neighbors bought a new boat to keep up with demand. A coffee at the fancy café is €4.75. Rent will go up in the coming months. The neighborhood is changing.

Maybe it’s this, or the indecisive summer weather, or the precarious nature of freelance life, or getting old, but many of us have started thinking and planning futures. Emma daydreams about farm life with the 3 sisters. Jack still feels like he might be cheating on UK Jack. Ben daydreams about the Centre for Rural Technology. Kirsten dreams of hybrid artist-designer life between NL and Italy. Elliott dreams about the bay area and climbing in Yosemite. Gijs dreams about the perfect PhD program and has taken up work as a “self” model.

As we all lounge in the sun in the front window, the Rotte sparkling outside, we plan an essay for Are.na’s editorial on the topic of pool. What is the pool, and how real can it be? Should we pool our income? Should it become more of an emotional support pool, communal living, an online network? If we pursue our individual dreams, can we still pool our futures?

It’s Elliott. In this episode of the life newsletter we look behind the curtain a bit. Have you ever wondered who Emma, Jack, Kirsten, Gijs, Ben, Elliott really are? Well in this episode we reveal the contents of their bags, yes their backpacks, totes, and shoulder bags, and reveal some pocket-sized secrets. Stay tuned for the next paragraph.

For someone that struggles with organisation and has lost things continuously throughout their life having this little pouch with my essentials has helped enormously.

Poker Dice
I grew up playing this game, often after dinners especially on Holiday. everyone in my family has a little leather pouch of poker dice. I always have them on me to play with friends out and about.

Notebook Bundle
Quite a recent addition (i usually have big note pads) Kirsten made me this small pouch for a sketchbook I had and I now have several lined and plain small notebook

0.8 Mechanical Pencil + Refills
My favourite pencil for sketching and ideas, sometimes lists, but usually I use my pen for this.

Inhaler
I was diagnosed with Asthma 4 years ago and so now I don't go anywhere without my inhaler which I should take twice in the morning twice in the evening.

Today I embarked on a short trip to Limburg with my dad, so it’s a great moment to write about what’s in my bag – although every day is a good day for that imo. I traveled with my Brompton, a big bag that clicks onto the front block and my backpack with inside a small bag carrying a selection of items I will spill for y’all:

The bag
My current small EDC bag is part of a handlebar set, and as you can see decorated with stickers. I like how I can wear it tight/small/closed or open like a tote. For a while now I’ve been sketching up ideas for a series of bags I would like to make myself, so am very eager to start producing them and replace this one.

Pocket note-bundle
The leather sleeve is collecting scratches and aging beautifully, while the moleskine cahiers (one for quick notes, one for journaling) inside are being replaced every ~6 months. It also holds my mechanical pencil (a perfect gift from my gf’s mom) in a slot that I cut inside the catch-all notebook, my fountain pen for the diary and a string with I Ching coins.

Supernote
Love pen and paper, but love my stack of notes and books in compact e-ink form as well. Bought this in 2023 as a big xmas gift to myself and have been using it for reading and annotating, and as a rough notepad. It’s nice to be able to draw and move things around if needed. Now it also supports Obsidian so it can become a focused writing device.

Olympus Mju ii
This analog camera has been with me since 2016 and truly does my memories justice when it captures them. For some time it’s had some light leaking in unfortunately, so this year I have been filming more with my camcorder than taking photos. Now finally bought a roll again, and will just ducktape the edges to be sure.

Monocular
I don’t usually carry this around; found it yesterday at my dad’s – one of many curious trinkets left by my grandpa. It’s tiny and comes with a leather pouch and a manual (a respect for manuals runs in the family). Using it to admire the view more closely.

Bonus: Funny cycling cap
My dad is a fanatic cyclist, so I gave him this cap a few years ago. It’s a bit small for him, so now I brought it for me to look more legit/ridiculous as I try to keep up with him on my Brompton

Well I’m not going on a holiday any time soon and I also haven’t been on one, this potential farm is blocking any summer plans, however with this stuff in my bag I can turn any work day into a holi-ish-day and vice versa:

bathingsuit
for spontaneous swims in de Rotte or Kralingse Plas

baby piano
works on batteries! I’ve been taking her to the park, to xp, also jamming in bed

lipstick
for free summer nights when I feel flirty and girly

ipad
wherever I go whatever I do I must be ready to work on farm plan at all times

taliswoman
lucky charm with 3-sister-seeds to stay hopeful for said farm plan