Tuesday, January 25, 2005

My quest for the perfect backpack has come to an end!

Growing up, my aunt worked at a college bookstore and as a result, we always got the coolest Jansport backpacks for school. They lased forEVER and they were simple yet versatile. In fact, just last year I retired the one I had from Jr. High school. Impressive, isn't it?

Anyway, to replace my old backpack, my husband and I went on a quest for the perfect Jansport replacement. I thought I had found it, but after lugging around giant science books (WHY are they always so large? Larger than any other subject?), I've decided that it's better as a backup. A new challenge emerged.

I needed to combine the old with the new in order to make it fit me in the best way possible. I liked the simplicity of the old: one main pocket, one front pocket. I liked the organization of the new: the front pocket had organizers for pens, assignment pads, a mini stapler and other such supplies.

Yesterday, my quest for the "World's Most Perfect Backpack" came to an end. It turns out that Jansport now makes my old backpack with the organization in the front pocket - just like my new backpack, PLUS another small front pocket for my assignment pad. Woo hoo! The best part? It was on sale. I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of my new baby.

This is what happens when you become obsessed with backpacks as a child. It was always about having the best one in grade school, the coolest one in Jr. High, and the most versatile one in High school - if you used one at all. Sometimes I was cool enough to carry just my books. Yes, I'm awesome. Anyway, this has carried through the rest of my life and I'm now a back-pack obsessed 27 year old. Perhaps the only thing good about an otherwise crappy birthday was that I found this little gem. Yay!

Enough backpack rambling. I've got some sauce to make.

5 comments:

Perplexio said...

When Toni & I first started dating, I was a compulsive backpack user. I was still using my backpack that I got my junior year of high school.

And yes... it was/is a Jansport. A few years back it was kind of falling apart, rather than replace it, I sent it into Jansport (they do have a lifetime guarantee on them after all) for repair. While it was away @ Jansport being repaired it sent me a postcard telling me how much fun it was having with all the other backpacks.

About 2 months later I got it back restored to its original glory! I still have and love that backpack, I don't use it as much as I used to. I used to carry my CD player, a few CDs, a journal, and pen in it all the time because I never knew when inspiration would strike (and being a former Boy Scout, I knew it was best to always "Be Prepared")...

Now, I feel like you and I are a reg'lar pair'o'geeks... I mean really we're in our late 20s comparing book bag stories and professing our perpetual love of the Jansport company. If they only knew-- they might have their new spokespeople.

Ms. V said...

Oooooh!! A fellow Jansport lover. I had no idea you could send it back for repairs! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I'm never letting this backpack leave me now! I'll keep my current one for a back up if my new one ever needs to be fixed. :) It's supposed to be here on Monday and it's scarlett red so I'm counting the minutes. I hope I get it in time for my afternoon class.

Yes, I'm a geek, and I'm proud of it.

Now tell me, are you also picky about your pens? I'm super anal about my writing utensils: blue pen, red pen for extra marks in the margin of my blue-pen-written notes. Pencils on all exams. I keep 2 of each in my back pack, along with extra erasers and a pencil sharpener. The pens need to be ballpoint, medium tipped, NON-retractable (meaning: they have a cap). Wow, I'm pathetic.

Perplexio said...

I'm extremely Anal about the pens I use for writing in my paper journal. I have a favorite Parker Fountain Pen which sees more action than any other. Trouble is I only know of one store where I can find the refills for that particular pen so I try to stock up on ink cartridges on the few occassions when I make it to that store.

In a pinch, on rare rare occassions, I'll opt for a felt-tip, usually black ink, occassionally blue. Never ball-point, and only if I'm really extremely desperate do I ever use rolling ball.

For work, I'm not as picky, but I do definitely show a preference towards felt-tip.

Ms. V said...

Felt tip pens are definitely a close runner for second favorite. Roller ball pens need to be put in a pile and burned. I hate them. I hate them as much as I hate fine-point ballpoint. I'm very picky. Some say "obsessive compulsive" but I prefer "particular." :grin:

Perplexio said...

The thing I love about the fountain pens and felt tips is that you barely have to touch the pen to the paper for the ink to come out. The pen glides over the paper and the ink flows as freely as my thoughts and words.

With ballpoint or roller-ball, you tend to have to put so much pressure on the pen to get it to write, you sacrifice writing stamina. They are prone to causing writer's cramp they also write splotchy and messy and lack style.