Ten things I can’t live without

If you had to choose from all your possessions, what ten would you absolutely need for a year? Normblog asks this question, via the Guardian’s Leo Hickman. Leo’s “rules” are that basic items of clothing – “shirt, a pair of trousers, underwear, T-shirt, coat, pair of shoes” are not included, “nor am I including the basic, shared utensils, furniture, appliances and sundries you would find in most homes – chair, bed, saucepan, knife and fork, towel, loo roll, cooker, fridge etc”.

1. Glasses – I think I could function without these, but not very well. I can read without them but probably wouldn’t be able to read signs, for example. People’s faces, at a distance, might also be problematic.
2. Fountain pen – do I have to pick just one?
3. Bottle of Parker Quink washable blue ink. I’m pretty sure it would last a year.
4. Internet-enabled computer. The Internet isn’t a “possession” I don’t think, but I thought I’d be specific. This week we went one day without net access at home when we switched to ADSL2. It was harrowing. The computer would also give me access to my music.
5. Books – all the ones I have here, over 3000 of them. Feels like I’m cheating a bit. I assume I wouldn’t be buying any new books for a year…
6. Mooncup.
7. Journal – I might have a computer but I still have a need to write things down (see #2 and #3).
8. Mobile phone – I really debated with myself over this one. I wanted to add a digital camera and a radio to the list then realised if I just had my mobile I would have a camera, alarm clock… I’d even have a radio, actually!
9. Sunglasses – prescription ones. Living in sunny Western Australia I like some protection from the glare, and I think sunnies are essential in summer.
10. Tinderbox sandalwood rub on – one might argue that a perfumed unguent is not exactly essential, but my justification is that some little niceties add to life’s enjoyment.

This was quite hard to do and I can’t help but feel that I have probably forgotten something. This list would be quite different if we had to consider the “basic utensils” of life!

What would your ten possessions be?