Someone asked me why I have so much stuff in neon pink.

My cell phone cover, for example is that color as is some of my other stuff.

He asked me this during crew change activities and I told him to wait a minute and I would show him. We were loading a van with all of out luggage and when we were done I called him over before I shut the door. I pointed.

"Ya see that pile?" I asked. "Where's your stuff?"

"Uhh," then he started looking around and said, "I think that's mine over there."

I pointed at my hot pink backpack and said, "There's mine, and on top of that, everyone knows it. They won't grab it by accident."

A similar thing happens with my cell phone when I put it down. All I have to do to see where it is is glance around and there it is. I feel sorry for the cool kids that have camoflage cell phone covers because it it's good camoflage they will never find it unless it rings.

This is an old trick I have used for decades. When I was a carpenter I would spray my tools with whatever brightly colored paint was laying around. It saved me a lot of aggravation over the years.

That particular backpack cratered a while back and today I decided to snag another one and it took me some time but I was successful. Florescent pink. It's made by Dickies so it should be OK.

I'd like to get a rolling carry-on in that color but have not been able to locate one at a reasonable price. 

Update. At the last minute I held back on the Dickies because I saw it was a little too big to officially call a 'personal item' on an airplane. Instead I found a Jansport advertised as a girl's 80s retro neon pink pack which I ordered that looks like a prefect fit.

Also I was scouting for a decent roller bag and found on interesting one in pink with white polka dots. It's a little on the small side so I passed on it. There's also some nice pink ones with a kitty cat on them but those are for little kids and are not generally made very tough.

I guess for my roller carry on I'm going to stick to buying them at thrift stores for about 8 bucks and just using them until I tear the wheels up and then pitching them. Oil terminals and places like that are hell on plastic wheels. Buying expensive carry on luggage makes about as much sense as buying designer clothes to clean an oil tank with.

When I go to sea I never bring anything that I can't replace for a quarter at a garage sale. The pack I can certainly justify as it won't get too beat up and should last a while.

To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY