The Empty Backpack

I was watching a recent movie called Up in the Air, which is basically about a guy who spends almost every single day of the year traveling, and something in it got me thinking. The main character, played by George Clooney gave a speech in which he compared life to an empty backpack. He talked about imagine putting all the things you own in your backpack. Putting in your knick knacks, your TV, your computer, your books, your couch, and eventually even your house. The idea was that with so much stuff it was impossible to move, that people were rooted in place by what they own. He than said to imagine that you set it on fire, what would you grab? The idea was that people have a huge amount of things that they don't need, and that it keeps them from moving around, it was also a metaphor for the characters incredibly bleak world view. But it got me thinking since I do something pretty much exactly like that. When I came to China I had to fit in everything I wanted to take in two bags. It was really an adventure in seeing what was important to me. It wasn't only the practical things I took either I managed to put my whole huge xbox in those bags. But the other day I was looking around my place here and once again I was struck with just how much stuff I have.

I have all the stuff that I brought with me plus all the stuff people have sent me from the US, plus all the stuff I've bought here. But when I leave once again I'll only be able to bring so much with me. It really raises good questions about what's actually important and what's just taking up space. Even more relevant in some ways is what I take with me when I travel. There I know that I have to carry anything I take quite a bit, and since my plans are always so uncertain I may have to spend a whole day, or several days with my backpack on my back not in some hotel. This makes both weight and space a really precious commodity. I take cloths, but not really that many as they tend to take up the most space. It's really not so bad to wear each shirt and what not for three or four days. Actually seeing the students do it in the best of times makes me less worried about doing it. I also take toiletries, though again I take the smallest toothpaste I can find and while I bring a razor I don't take shaving creme with me. I also usually have to take some cloths for various weather. Even going to always muggy Thailand I'll have jeans and a sweatshirt with me since going through Shanghai in a t-shirt and shorts I might freeze to death. Finally I'll have my electronics. My camera, my kindle, which save a lot of weight in books, and a few chargers for them.

Even with as little as that it still takes up a surprising amount of room but less than what most people use. Even those people with the big travel around Europe size backpacks seem to have to much as they can barley move in those things. But what about you? How much are you really packing and what is really necessary?