We've touched on the earbuds, in connection with various mini-radios, which I've been promoted here as essential in an Urban PSK. It helps a LOT to know which way the riot is going- this is from personal experience of trying to figure out exactly that, just by watching the news choppers overhead. Not fun.

When you say "swiss-army backpacks", do you mean the Victorinox/"Swiss Army" brand, or real Swiss military surplus? I have a Victorinox wheeled travel-pack, and it is very well designed and constructed, seems to be worth the premium price.

Briefcases have been pretty much passe in the business world since the 1980s. I don't even remember the last time I saw anyone I worked with carrying one, and when you do see some poor guy with a suit and a briefcase, everyone just assumes he's a salesman.

That being said, for the years off-and-on when I worked in the city, I carried a shoulder pouch on the subway (everybody carries something for the commute) so I was pretty well prepared then. The problem was that I did not carry it around during the day- meetings in the building and sometimes in other buildings, out to lunch, just walking around the office- unlike in the "campus" environment, that definitely would have been noticed. Nobody carries stuff around with them inside the buildings, so there were significant blocks of time when I was separated from the pouch, which was hammered home once when I got back from lunch and the building had been evacuated for a fire alarm- even my car keys were in there, I couldn't leave.

That's getting to be a problem in my current situation. Some items, like the led flashlight, ferrocerium sparker, and P38 can opener currently live in my leather key case. The problem is, what with that, all the keys, and the bulky car alarm remote, it's very awkward to have them in a pants pocket, so they tend to stay in my desk, or in a jacket pocket all day.. which means they may very well not be where I am if things get dicey fast.

Current worksite is RIGHT under a flight-path to a nearby airport- at times those big jets are wallowing in, low and slow, directly over the parking lot and building. Statistically, that's probably not even a measurable risk, but I can't look at one of those big guys without reflecting that, if it ever does cause a problem, there sure isn't going to be much warning.

In general, I don't think having enough gear at your desk is a big problem in the business world- it's the parts of the day when you are away from both your desk and your car that are a concern.

Good post.