Road Warrior Backpack
Road Warrior Backpack

In earlier posts I gave my “road warrior checklist for the car” and my “road warrior checklist for the techie.”

My backpack is my lifeline when I’m out and about.  Some prefer a laptop case, rolling briefcase/suitcase, suitcase, or purse.  I find that a backpack with a laptop section works best for me.  I can carry a medium file, laptop, and the essentials.

Here’s my road warrior checklist for my backpack:

  • Front flap
    • Notepad
    • Pens
      • 2 blue gel, 1 black pen, 1 red gel pen, 1 permanent ink marker, 1 highlighter
    • Business cards, business card case
    • Eyeglass cloth
  • Front pocket
    • Medication – allergy pills, etc.
    • Granola bar
    • Sticky notes
    • Portable phone charger
    • Breath mints
    • Batteries
  • Side pocket
    • Napkins
  • Main pocket
    • Laptop

What do you take with you?

Nerdy Road Warrior
Nerdy Road Warrior

In an earlier post I gave my “my road warrior checklist for the car.”  Within the last year I occasionally worked as computer tech support and/or mobile techie.

Sometimes I was on location fixing a problem, writing a database program, or doing a small bit of programming on a friend’s larger program.  I enjoyed being a techie, but wouldn’t want to do it for a living.

When I’m a road warrior techie, here’s what I carry with me:

  • Laptop backpack
  • Laptop, extra battery, power cord
  • Portable hard drive, 120 GB (Actually a laptop hard drive in an enclosure)
  • Flash drives (4G, 128meg)
  • CDRW – rewriteable CD’s
  • DVD-RW – rewriteable DVD’s
  • USB hub, 3 ports
  • USB cable, A to B
  • USB cable, A to mini
  • Ethernet cable, 6′
  • Phone cord, 6′

If I had to keep a techi backpack stocked, here’s what else I’d put in it:

  • Zip ties, twist ties, and/or velcro ties
  • Labels
  • Small screwdriver set

What do you take with you?

Update: A (techie) friend suggested the following additions, trunk space permitting:

  • Ethernet cable, wire crimpers
  • Ethernet hub
  • Installation CD’s

I am constantly trying to think of ways in which to improve this website and to make it a better resource for California Workers’ Compensation professionals.  If you’ve got an idea as to how I can improve this site, drop me a line and let me know.

  1. Links to online Medical Provider Network lists of physicians for a lot of different carriers
    • Click on “Medical Provider Network Links”
  2. The ability to search for occupational codes by the occupational title or to search for an occupational title by occupational code
    • Click on “Rating Calculator” and then “Occupation”
  3. Links to free searchable versions of the California Labor Code and California Code of Regulations
    • Click on “Workers’ Compensation Resource Links”
  4. Links to the State of California search pages for medical doctors, chiropractors, osteopaths, podiatrists, accupuncturists, optomotrists, psychologists, and dentists
    • Click on “Physician Search Links”
  5. Downloads for numerous Permanent Disability Rating Schedules1988, 1997, 2005, and the draft for 2009
  6. Combined Values Chart / Multiple Disabilities Table calculators
    • Click on “Rating Calculator” and then “CVC” or “MDT”
  7. A list of Commonly Used Terms in California Workers’ Compensation law

What’s that?  I only promised the top five PDRater.com features?  Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of the first rule of business:  Under promise and over deliver.

Happy Friday!