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Question:
How much would you spend on a quality backpack that you'd love as if it were your child and you would carry it around everywhere and have lots of adventures with it and love it and love it and never let go?
Seriously, friends.
How much would you pay?
Keeping this question in mind, let's move into the third episode of the viewer favorite:
Today we're all about backpacks.
As some of you know,And as all of you will know after the following sentence,
I am a backpack person.
At the end of junior year,
on Memorial Day in fact,
My sisters and I took a small day trip(per) up to Park City.
As Ingrid looked at snow shoes,
Astrid looked at regular shoes,
And I meandered through the store,
I saw something that would change my life forever.
There, hanging on a hook that was too high for my 5'1 stature to reach, was a salmon-colored Sherpani canvas backpack with a tan trim and lavender detail up the front.
And if that wasn't detailed enough:
I needed it.
I thought of a million reasons to have it.
And so I bought it.
At first, I felt silly switching a regular shoulder bag for a backpack.
I felt childish.
I was chided.
Questioned.
Laughed at.
Alright, I wasn't, but the first time people saw me with the backpack they seemed to cock their head to the side to let the sight sink in.
Eventually, it did.
And eventually I became comfortable with it.
And eventually I loved it.
I carried the backpack everywhere.
It was my bag.
It carried my wallet, my keys, my phone, my iPod, and other oddities.
Throughout my senior year of high school, I bought smaller notebooks and folders to accommodate it.
It was me and my backpack against the world.
My mom will still call me a kangaroo on occasion, commenting the fact that I always have a pack with me.
Either my Sherpani one, or a floral one that my sister bought for me as a graduation present.
Floral with brown straps, I decorated it with a Harry Potter keychain and a plush fox pin, and it became my companion for the summer.
As college approaches, I've only thought of things I will need to buy for my new independent life.
Pots, bedding, avocados.
But I completely forgot about the necessities.
Well, perhaps I didn't forget about them.
I just didn't think the necessities were… necessary.
Which is where our night begins.
I began my research on what backpack I would want.
Do I want another canvas backpack like the ones I’ve been donning?
Perhaps something a bit sturdier, like a rucksack?
Are these practical, due to the heavy lifting I’ll be doing in college?’
Then
I remembered reading about a girl who was a backpack enthusiast.
I looked her up.
This girl
Is awesome.
For several reasons.
She is a very talented artist.
She has mad style.
She is Chris Baio (the bassist for Vampire Weekend)’s sister.
And she introduced me to this bag:
I quickly became obsessed.
This backpack…
This.
Backpack.
Was perfect.
Roomy, sturdy, had plenty of compartments, and had a quirk to it that I absolutely loved.
The problem?
I had no idea what kind of backpack it was.
I searched for hours.
Trying to type keywords into Google.
“Retro backpacks”
“Retro school bags”
“Vintage school backpacks”
“Leather retro backpacks”
Why
Couldn’t
I
Find
This
Bag
?!?!?!!asapgkpeotksh
I stalked Al Baio in every possible way I could, trying to catch her mentioning the name of her bag.
No where.
It was if this backpack didn’t exist.
I looked through the pages of her blog,
10 pages
20 pages
30 pages
40 pages
Looking through picture after picture.
The bag came up several times,
But never was it named.
This bag was an enigma that I couldn’t understand.
A box I couldn’t open.
A club I couldn’t be a member of.
A siren - taunting me with its beauty, but never letting me touch it. Luring me in for the kill.
…
So I loved this bag a lot okay?
I continued to search, getting little hints along the way.
There was a similar version of the backpack distributed by United Colors of Benetton.
They seemed to be incredibly popular in Tokyo.
She said it came with a “raincoat,” which was essentially a large shower cap.
And when she posted a picture of it, the flyer that came with it was in some Asian language.
The only English letters spelling out EVA.
All great hints,
That led me nowhere.
Page 76 out of 77 pages on her blog.
And finally
This picture:
My chest swelled, my breath caught in my throat, I stopped moving for fear that the picture would disappear.
Asics Super Randoseru.
Asics Super Randoseru.
The picture even congratulated me for finally finding its name.
Why thank you, picture.
How kind of you.
After memorizing the picture, I frantically began to Google it to find out more.
Asics Super Randoseru.
Super Randoseru.
And eventually just “randoseru.”
I discovered it is a children’s backpack commonly used in Japan. Parents give their child a randoseru at the beginning of elementary, and they’re to use that backpack for the duration of their childhood education. It’s designed to withstand six years of day-to-day use.
So basically,
It’s awesome.
And also,
Unattainable.
I have no idea where to buy one at a reasonable price.
There are a couple on a sketchy Japanese website,
A few on Amazon,
And a bit more on eBay.
All more expensive than what I would usually spend on a backpack.
But,
I totally think it’s worth it but I might just be love struck that’s totally a possibility shut up.
So,
This is where we complete the circle of life,
Or the life of this post, at least.
And I ask you again:
How much would you spend on a backpack?
A backpack that you would use forever and would absolutely love?
Where do you draw the line?
I am having a very hard time drawing the line with this one.
It’s my money
I’m allowed to do what I want with it right?
Right?
I mean, that’s what adulthood is,
Isn’t it?
Adulthood is all about buying overpriced children’s backpacks.
I think.
I don’t know.
Sigh.
Maybe you should sleep on it, yeah?
Yeah. Go to sleep.
Have pleasant dreams of beautiful randoseru backpacks, my friends.
In the morning I fully expect you to have an answer to my question.
It’s an important one, homezzz.
- Adriana
P.S. Did anyone spot the Beatles easter egg in there? I bet you did, but didn’t understand it was supposed to be a Beatles easter egg until just now.
P.P.S. Lack of sleep does this to me, okay? Don’t judge.
P.P.P.S I love you all.
P.P.P.P.S xoxo, Gossip Girl.
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1 comments:
I seriously hope you have alot of people who follow you because I think you are an amazing adventure writter and freaking hilarious!!! So.... How much is this bag may I ask?
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