just minishorts.

The bag is only half-filled, I've been distracted by too many back-to-back episodes of CSI, CSI! Did you watch the one they had on CSI: Miami last night? I still can't get over names like Horatio in a boss, but nevertheless, Eric Roberts was juicy yummy in the episode. He was pure evil, and till now I can't dispel the images of him whacking that axe into the woman. And after that there was the tale of the thin guy who got crushed to death by the 300 pound woman after sex… by the time I was done with the shows Mum was up and screaming for me to head back to the bed, 'You wanna get well for your trip or not, get up here right now!'

Yes you can be over 21 and still have a mother in her sleeping robes screaming at you for staying up too late. And too late is, apparently, 12 am.

But never mind that, we were talking about my bag, yeah? I've only packed half of it. This is when I really wished I were a guy instead… at least you don't really have to bother about what to bring, that much. For a four-day, three-night stay, guys probably will just bring along about six shirts, and a set of slacks and an extra pair of jeans if necessary, plus boxers/briefs and all, and that's just that. Ok, he'lls need some basic toiletries, but the men I know don't really careless whether the stuff at the hotel/friend's apartment is suitable for their skin or not. Shampoo? Eh it's just shampoo! Soap? Just use the complimentary bar lah. Shaving cream? Take the free one that the hotel provides lah, or borrow from the generous friend. Toothpaste, I'm sure my girlfriend will bring along some.

In the end all the toiletries he'll bring are probably a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, some deodorant and maybe, a shaver. A comb of course, but just in case he forgets he can always count on the girlfriend. SIMPLE.

On the other hand, the girlfriend will bring along a lot of stuff in her bag: the facial cleanser (only this type for her skin, otherwise the pimples will surface), the toner, the mosturizer, the sunblock, the body shampoo, the hair shampoo, the hair conditioner, the hair serum, the body lotion, the toothpaste, the comb, the makeup: foundation, eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, gloss, eyeshadow/blusher, eyelash curler, perfume, the earrings for day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, the necklaces, the bangles, the jeans for day one, the skirt for night one, the pajamas for nights one and two, and then nights three, the cargo pants for day two, the shorts for mid-day two, the slacks for day three, the tops: the lacey one, the ribbon-y one, the spaghetti straps, the bohemian one, the flower-printed one, the shoes for the dinner, the sandals for walking , the slippers for in the bathroom, the walking shoes, the socks for the walking shoes, the sanitary pads, the emergency tampons, the bras, the panties, the boxer shorts, the panty-liners, the shawl, the ribbons for the hair, the pompoms for the ponytail, the bags for day one, day two, day three….

All right, I AM exaggerating. But take away half of the above and you'll still see how much more expensive and heavy it is to be a girl. Even the essentials are extra for women. Men: Shirt, briefs, pants, sandals. Woman: Blouse, Bra, Panties, Skirt, Sandals, and on period days, pads + a very grouchy demeanour.

But this is what happened last night, I told the bf that I won't be able to make it to the gym tonight, because I'd have to stay home and pack my bag.

'What for? I haven't even packed my own bag yet.'
'That's because you're a guy.'

And that makes all the difference.