Last week, David Gregory had a story on the Today Show about man purses and what is acceptable for men to carry. It seems there’s concern among some men that a man purse can be too small, so that it’s mistaken for a woman’s purse.

Some men carry a computer bag of some kind and that becomes acceptable for carrying around all the time. Camera bags also work well for man purses. Of course, if you’re a college student, you can simply carry a backpack.

I’ve been thinking for awhile that I need some kind of bag to carry. I don’t have enough pockets in my pants to carry everything I need. I do often wear cargo pants that can hold many items, but I end up with bulging pants pockets. Sometimes my pants get so heavy that I have to tighten my belt another notch.

What would I carry in my bag? First, I have a lot of keys. I’m not sure what they all go to, but I’m afraid if I throw any of them away, I’ll discover they were keys to something I really need. Also, one of my key rings has dozens of little plastic cards that every store requires to qualify for their discounts.

Then I have my cell phone that I carry in my pocket. I hate those belt clip type carriers because they always pop loose and I lose my phone. Along with the phone, I have a digital recorder. They’re an amazing tool of the writing trade, especially since I can’t read my written notes anymore.

Naturally, I have to carry my eyeglasses. Even though I’ve worn contacts for my distant vision for years, I can’t see very well up close and I need glasses for computer usage.

Speaking of contact lenses, it’s nice to carry a small bottle of saline solution in case the lenses dry out and maybe some replacement lenses in case one falls out.

I always have a lot of change. It’s not good for much anymore, except maybe a vending machine.

Naturally, I’d need to carry a billfold in my bag. I don’t usually have much money in it, but I do have a lot of cards.

Sometimes, I like to carry a checkbook although I don’t write many checks anymore. And with a checkbook, I need to carry a pen or two.

Men may not carry makeup around with them as women do, but a few things like breath mints or hand lotion come in handy. It’s also nice to carry some antihistamines for those fall ragweed days.

So you see, I can justify carrying a man purse, and I’m not really concerned what people say about it. The problem is that I don’t think I can adjust to a purse lifestyle.

For one thing, I seem to be getting more forgetful. I sometimes carry an umbrella around on rainy days and I usually end up leaving it somewhere. If I forgot my purse, I’d end up losing all my goodies.

Sooner or later, everybody locks their car when they don’t want to, and with purses, your keys are inside the car. Now if I accidentally lock the keys in my car, I always have a spare key in my pocket.

I’d also worry about theft. Purse snatchers can grab the whole container of important items in one swipe. Pocket pickers can get only one item at a time.

But the real reason I’m not ready to buy a man purse yet is that I’m afraid I can’t find one to match my shoes. After all, I don’t want to be out of style.

Jones is a reporter for the Times-Georgian.