Taking inspiration from Danny’s blog: if I were forced to evacuate my home and had 15 minutes to pack, what would I bring with me?

1. If it seemed at all likely that I would be giving birth while evacuated, I guess I’d bring diapers. The baby won’t need clothes, necessarily; he/she can just hang out in a diaper under my shirt.

2. Shirts, large enough for baby storage. I saw this hilarious ad in a hippie parenting magazine for a tank top that actually contains an inner pouch for a baby, but I’m not finding a picture of it online. I don’t own one, but if I did, I’d bring it.

3. Laptop + charger. I back up most of my stuff online, but I would still want it. Which reminds me, I have some backing up to do.

4. Lip balm. A person’s lips get chapped, and you don’t want to bum that off some stranger you meet in the emergency shelter.

5. Toothbrush, toothpaste, hair comb. No need to have bad breath. The hair comb’s for Denny because he hates having hat head.

6. Blankets and pillows. I like a lot of blankets and pillows, and I’m too picky about them to want to use emergency shelter-issue ones.

7. Scissors. You’d be surprised at how often you need to cut stuff.

8. Comfortable shoes. Any other items of clothing that are durable, practical, and comfortable, like jeans and sweatshirts. This isn’t a fashion show, people.