chicobag can help
I don’t usually review products on this site, but I thought I might offer a last-minute gift idea, at least for my Austin reader. The ChicoBag is a nylon grocery bag with an integrated stuff sack; it folds up like a backpacking rain parka into a compact little package. This thing is great. I have a pretty large gadget bag, but after loading my computer, school papers, a water bottle, and a book, I don’t have a lot of room to spare. Grabbing a few books at the library can present some logistical issues, but not with ChicoBag. With ChicoBag, I can pull it out of my pocket, unstuff the bag at the circ desk, and head to the bus stop in style. Or if I don’t want to shower at the gym, (and who does?) I can put my street clothes in ChicoBag, and walk home in my gym clothes. I bought my ChicoBag for three dollars at Wheatville Co-op, and I’m glad I did.

