1. ... things you can't live without. (I am not going to count people as things so none of the usual "friends, family, my boyfriend" crap)

Digital Camera
I get seriously jittery if I don't have one on hand. I regularly carry two (Nikon D40 and Canon SD800IS) with me in my purse.

Cell phone
I have a love/hate relationship with my cellphone and I frequently forget it at home/at the office/at VV's, but I feel super insecure without it.

Smith's Rosebud Salve
Nothing makes my lips feel better than this balm and I go nuts if I don't have any on hand. I have about five tins of this right now in various places (apartment, purse, VV's, office) just in case I forget/lose my tin.

Laptop
Where else would I store all of my digital photos? Built-in SD card reader == awesome. Plus, it's gotten to the point where I can't function properly without a computer. But isn't that the case for most of us?

Tampons
Pads feel like diapers. Yechhhhh.

GOOD TEST RESULTS
Seriously! When I found out that I passed all of my senior year APs (I really thought I was only going to pass English) I was on cloud nine. When I found out a) my junior year PSAT score and b) my first SAT score I was on cloud nine. When I found out that I actually ended up with recognition on one of my Golden States (for some dumb reason they issued that particular test at the beginning of the school year wtf) I was on cloud nine. Seriously.

Moving out of the house...
...and into my apartment. My apartment. It felt good knowing that I could support myself. Living by myself was pretty exhilarating since it was something I'd wanted for so long.

Graduating
From both college and high school. I was counting down the days to both and both times it felt really good.

Living in 1208 Alicante
I could not have asked for better roommates. My living situation those last two years of college were both fun and drama-free (well, none of my drama stemmed from myi living situation that's for sure...) The only thing that tempered my desire for college to be over and done with was that I was supremely happy with where I was living.

Being with the VV
Ugh, cheesy cheesy cheesy I know, but truer than I'd like to admit. He makes me happy and that is all.

Paris Hilton
What a cliche!

Orlando Bloom
He looks like a rodent.

The Jonas Brothers
I have no freaking clue who they are but adolescent girls everywhere are going nuts over them. That makes me feel old.

Mariah Carey
I love her old stuff, but now even looking at her makes me cringe :\

...
It was hard enough coming up with the first four...

Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
Kitchen (Banana Yoshimoto)
Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers (Lois-Ann Yamanaka)
The Color Purple (Alice Walker)
The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster)

5. ... items in your purse/backpack/on your desk. Will try to avoid overlapping w/ question #1)

Fluxx
There in case of emergency I guess? I like the idea of a game that fits in my purse.

iPod Shuffle
A gym staple, although I haven't been to the gym in a while.

iPod Touch
Frequently used in places w/ free wireless. Very handy-dandy.

Satu Eye Kit
Eyeshadow...quint? There are five shades in it. Got it @ Anthropologie for cheap. I meant to take it out of my purse and leave it at VV's but I forgot.

Cruzer Micro 2GB USB stick
It's 2GB! And it's retractable!