Burning the House Down

Starting today, I am starting something I should have done a long time ago—write every day. This has been a challenge given my job and my shift, and it was a good thing I found The Editors 365 Writing Prompt. This is my response for today’s prompt.

Your home is on fire. Grab five items (assume all people and animals are safe). What would you grab?

Should my home ever catch fire, below are the things I would grab.

Mobile Phone

I am assuming that I do not have anything in my pocket should this happen, and everything I have is all over my room. The very first thing I will grab is my mobile phone. Now, this is not the millennial in me speaking; this is the practical side of me. I am not grabbing my phone so I could tweet about my house burning down or go live on Facebook and/or Instagram; I am grabbing my phone because it is one of the most useful things I have. My phone gives me access to my bank account and my credit card lines. Of course, I will use it to call for help and let my friends and family know about my situation (also call in at work so I can go on an emergency leave).

Laptop

This is one of the very first things, if not the very first, gadget I bought myself using my own income. Aside from the sentimental value, my laptop helps me earn extra money through writing academic papers and blogging. At least with this, I can help myself back on my feet through my writing.

Hard Drive

Despite being useful, I do not really carry this one around. All my files are here; everything that I have ever written, all the photos and videos I took, movies and music I legally (lol) downloaded, and other files I need for my job and other moonlighting activities.

Drawstring Bag

I have the tendency to overpack every time, and my draw string back has almost everything I need: my wallet, my cards, my passport, my journal, a pouch filled with medicine and vitamins, my power bank, Bluetooth speakers and headphones, mobile phone chargers (I have extras just in case), pocket Wi-Fi, and a simple hygiene kit. I never take them out of the bag unless I need them, and I always put them back in after using them. I believe this overpacking tendency will be very useful as I have most of the things I need in my drawstring bag, just a few things that I know will help me survive for a few days of being technically homeless.

A Pair of Shoes

I have quite a few pair of shoes, and I am grabbing one—the one that I think is the most comfortable among them. I know it sound ridiculous, at the same time, it is very difficult for me to find a good pair of shoes for myself. I have small feet, and it takes me a lot of time to find a pair that is both comfortable and of the right size for me. I would be comfortable wearing other people’s clothes, and the idea of wearing someone else’s shoes is just foreign to me. I cannot imagine finding someone with the same shoe size as myself who also shares the same idea of shoe comfort as mine.