First, an admission: I’m typing this at a desk. It’s not my desk, of course–it’s a desk at a client’s office where I’m busy watching software updates install. Before that, I was at a “desk” that looked remarkably like a table at Starbucks, where I wrote an article and did some research for a project I’m helping another client with. Before that…well, you get the idea.

There are, to be sure, certain consistent features to all my desks. My MacBook Pro computer, my iPhone, my Briggs & Riley bag, and the various little bits and pieces of life that make me feel safe and productive — these go with me pretty much everywhere I work. The surface that the computer rests on, though, changes often. The scenery, too. I like that, and I’m apparently not alone.

I’ve written before about the various tools that i use to keep up with my rather mobile work life. One of the tools I’m falling in love with a bit more each day is Google Voice. One number lets folks reach me wherever I am (without requiring me to give out my cell number), I can change the phones the number forwards to on the fly, and the voice-to-text feature for voice-mail is seriously cool. Once upon a time, we didn’t want anyone to know that we were working from a home office. Now, so many people work from a home office that we don’t really care about that, but I’d just as soon not have to broadcast my location on a moment-to-moment basis. (I’m not that into Twitter…) Google Voice helps me out quite a bit on that score, and it’s got great features, to boot.

With my Bose headphones I can be as separated from my “office mates” as I like, though I’m generally pretty happy to listen to the world around me.

Lately, my portable office includes a small bottle of hand sanitizer, a three-way surge protector, and my trusty HP-11 calculator (since using the calculator app on any computer is a pain).

More on portable apps and offices coming…but tell me about yours. What do you carry in your bag to let you be productive wherever you go?