Good grief posting has been light. I don’t know what the problem is, mostly I just cant think of anything worth writing about. I could tell you how I crashed into lightly tapped the car in front of me the other day. But who wants to hear about how I was holding up a new shirt my mom sent me blocking my view out the front window and not watching what was going on in front of me? I will tell you that my family has very much enjoyed that story though.

I’ll tell you what I do want to talk about though- my fancy schmancy new backpack. Let me just start this story with: The North Face’s customer service sucks. No, its worse than that, it does not exist. So you know, “they appreciate the sacrifices military families make” but could care less that you are waving $ in front of them, begging them for a backpack, and even though they ship via US mail and they ship to PO boxes “their website is not set up to take FPO orders” (me to the manager on the phone “really, that doesn’t seem like a very good PR move that your stance on shipping to military stationed overseas is: eff-you.” manager: “yeah…I guess.” me: “sooo….what are you willing to do?” him: “nothing.” Me: “can you at least waive the shipping fee to ship it to my parents since Im going to have to pay them to have it shipped over here?” him: “nah…I don’t have the authority to do that.” Ok Asswad, FYI- there are free shipping coupons readily available on the internet.) However, I do think they make good stuff and I couldn’t find a good alternative that met all my traveling-with-two requirements.

Behold:

What I like about it- it has a dedicated laptop slot. The last time we flew into/out of the US was the summer of 2007 and Im guessing airport security has not improved much since then. And I remember struggling with a capital S with a carseat, stroller, my backpack, Nathan’s backpack and a small bag for food and then being told I had to take my laptop out of my backpack, and out of its case. With my current backpack that requires me to dig through the carefully packed main compartment to fish out my laptop bag (shit falling out all over the floor in the meantime), people behind me glaring, child being unruly etc. Now, all I’ll have to do is unzip the laptop compartment, pull out my laptop and voila (cue chimes and sparkles), no spillage, no rifling through backpack, children acting like angels, hopefully no dirty looks (BTW — if you see someone such as myself STRUGGLING you might consider offering help.)

There is a small zipper pouch for electronics, such as the iPod touch I want to buy for Nathan but my husband thinks Im crazy and why can’t I just share my phone with him instead even though I told him its only like $100 more than buying a stupid DVD player so whats the big deal? my iPhone.

Its got a nice big zippered section for all my carefully packed outfit changes, diapers, toys, etc. Its got compression straps that Im sure will come in handy if I need to strap an unruly child a sweatshirt to my back. Its got zippered mesh pockets inside and its even idiot proof with little red labels that have a picture of a phone or the symbol for music/sound so when you are dealing on very little sleep you wont be saying “where the HELL did I put my phone?” because fancy backpack has already thought of that for you. There are also lots of little touches like a little pouch on the front strap for, hmm? Maybe some lipgloss? Two little elastic straps, not strong enough to carabine (is that a word? The action of hooking a carabiner to something?) a child to, but probably strong enough to clip Nana to. There is a secret pocket in the bottom as well as another loop (can we call it a tailhook?) to Clip More Shit To. (Can’t you just see me swaggering through the airport with things clipped all over me?)

If our travels across the Pacific are a swimming success I’m sure I’ll have fancy backpack to thank. And then you’ll want one too.

Edit: As I reread that last statement, Im thinking “swimming” success may not be the term I want to use when talking about flying over the Pacific Ocean for 10 hours. How about an OVERWHELMING success.

Filed under: Things I like, This Is My Life, Travel, fancy backpack