A new pet for 2010

My spouse bought me a pet for the new year. I chose it myself. When it gets dirty, I will give it a bath. Here it is (isn't it cute?):

Yes, it is a bag. It is to be my always-carry-bag. I always carry only one bag for almost all occasions. The bag has to have many compartments with zip fasteners. I used my previous bag almost everyday for 10 years until the colour of the leather faded away and the stitches attaching its handles to its body slowly became undone. It was my constant companion and sturdily carried many heavy loads for me. It has even gone through 4 winters with me in UK. That bag was also given to me by my spouse who was my boyfriend then.

In loving memory of my previous bag which has served me well, here are some photos of me and the bag. Photos below (right to left): taken in 1997 when I first visited Tokyo and in 1998 when my employer sent me to Hong Kong to participate in a project meeting.

Photos above (left to right): Bag came along with me to Shanghai in 2003, look at how the colour has faded (at my coursemates graduation in 2006), please don't ask me why I contorted my body that way while hanging onto the bag for dear life at the Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai (2007).

I really have many fond memories of the bag but sad to say although I wanted to keep it for the rest of my life for its sentimental value, I only kept it for another 2 years. I had to throw it away while clearing my things at the end of last year as part of my decluttering exercise.

I hope this bag will serve me for just as long as my previous bag. It does look a bit big on me (middle photo below) but then I like my bag to be able to contain many things. It even has a removable compartment for my netbook.

There are other colour choices as well such as sweet pink or refreshing green but I chose brown for its earth tone. I have started using it on 1 Jan 2010. Let's see whether I am still using it on 1 Jan 2020.