With the pandemic’s end more mirage than anything, my EDC and Work carry looks quite different this year. At this point, I’m set to work from home indefinitely, and even when the office reopens I intend to remain primarily working from home.
Why do I have any type of EDC if my days are spent in the house? Great question! I certainly don’t need to, but having spent years working and living out of a bag, it’s a routine that both comforts and grounds me.
So, what’s in this security blanket surrogate? Tech. Mostly tech.
2018 iPad Pro 11” with Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard
I have a desk in our converted basement with a PC I built for photo editing, as well as a company-issued laptop. The PC setup is fast and comfortable enough that I’ve done 99% of my work from there. Meanwhile, the iPad has become my preferred personal device for nearly everything else.
Over the last two years I’ve adopted the bullet journal methodology for life and task tracking. In quarantine I finally moved away from an ink and paper journal, and brought all of my life management into Notion. The iPad replaces the notebook that went with me everywhere for updates.
Especially during the earlier days of the pandemic when both my wife and I were on parental leave with the birth of our youngest son, I made personal vlogs of our family excursions around the neighborhood nearly daily. I then ingested the footage and edit on the iPad to be in the same room as my family. With the addition of the Magic Keyboard I now complete all of my non-day job related writing on the iPad as well, from blog posts and D&D session notes to freelance work much for the same reason. Even if the kids are taking a snooze, or my partner is deep into an episode of Love is Blind, being in close proximity to each other is a blessing. Plus, I’ve designated my desk as a capital “W” Workspace, and the rest of the house for family and other pursuits, while this means I’m not playing games on Steam, I’m better able to delineate work and home zones, and have been more focused and efficient for it.
TLDR on the Pencil and Magic Keyboard. The Pencil allows me to draw and continue to practice illustration with no additional prep. The Magic Keyboard is the piece that was missing to complete the iPad experience for me. While the iPad will not replace a traditional computer, it now does 80% of what I require from a computer, plus all of the usual media consumption of a tablet. Since I no longer actively work on photo campaigns, I'd absolutely be comfortable just traveling with the iPad for hobbyist content creation. Including editing stills, video, and audio. The shockingly good keyboard and trackpad experience finally bridged that gap.
Kindle Paperwhite
At the start of 2020 I committed to a 52 book reading challenge. What would be the harm in that? Between audiobooks on my endless commute and 30 minutes to an hour of reading each night I was comfortably finishing at least two books a week. Then Covid, and shortly after that, an infant happened. I’m proud to only be three books off pace as of this writing. The Kindle is my preferred way to read everything but poetry, and I tote it around the house along with the iPad. Lately I’ve been able to squeeze 15-20 minutes in while eating lunch and another hour before bed.
AirPods Pro
These were a very nice Christmas gift from my wife, and I probably use them more than I should, typically for audiobooks or podcasts. Cleaning up the tornado remnants of my son? Headphones in. Folding laundry? Grilling dinner? Going for a stroll with the dog? Headphones in. Typically I have something chattering away. My job is fairly solitary for 4–9 hours a day, and I work best in silence or with ambient music. So, during those times where I don’t need a clear focus, it’s nice to hear the rhythms of another voice.
Sennheiser PXC-550
Noise cancelling headphones I used far more frequently before getting the AirPods. They stay paired with my company Macbook and iPad, and still see a reasonable amount of use, usually during the workday.
iPhone 11
Mostly a picture and video taking device at this point. I also use the Osmo Pocket a ton to capture random footage of the cats and kids, but often the phone is just easier and quality nearly as good (better in low-light). I also don’t literally carry the iPad and Kindle through the house at all times, so those audiobooks and podcasts get streamed from here too. I am actively looking to divorce myself from carrying around my phone in the house. Despite deleting all social media from my phone, I still find myself doomscrolling way too easily.
Fenix E-12, Opinel 08, and Fisher Space Pen Bullet
Flashlight, pocket knife, and pen respectively. All things that I tend to need if I don't have them, and rarely use if I do.
What about the bag?
I collect EDC, camera, and travel bags. The idea for having the perfect carry for the day scratches a raw part of my OCD brain. I mix up the bag, even while in quarantine a fair bit, but have recently been using a Timbuk2 Extra Small Classic Messenger. It holds the above with room to spare, and I bring it between the floors of the house to delineate different segments of the day. Be it work, family, or that rarified personal time.