An object that sums you up

My walking boots - both a symbol of my enjoyment of the outdoors and a metaphor for my journey through life.
Not bad for 7.49 am is it?

Well, I am very soft on the outside but hard as steel on the inside.
The closest object I can think of right now is a scotch egg.

Oh Lord, I don't think I'd be able to fit my sofa in my handbag

Joking apart, it could be my phone, because it's important to me to keep in touch with family and friends, some of whom are many miles away and therefore the phone is our main link.

I might have to give this some more thought.....

Well done with the interview Imperfect and good luck for the next one. When I read the header I thought of a book but can't explain why, or if it ought to be a particular one. Or if it should be a notebook rather than a printed book. Both feature heavily in my life but that's not really a good enough reason and wouldn't start a discussion...will have to go away and think some more. Interesting question...it's a bit like choosing something to go into your grave for when a future Time Team digs you up and makes a judgement call about your status based on your grave goods...lol!

jane not bad at all! and I envy you the walks. obieone WHERE do you get your scotch eggs - they sound lethal ha ha! Indinana - I like the phone idea - and it will travel well ... unlike the sofa ... . Mollie oo-er - now you have made me think more (brainache). I was thinking of taking one of the 'Call the Midwife' books just so I could say I love social history and have really enjoyed exploring social context with children when we share books such as 'Anne Frank's Diary' and 'Warhorse'. But then why not take one of those books ... So I need to think more carefully about the book choice.

Oh dear, it sounds dreadfully gimmicky like those magazine articles "My life in 9 objects".
It is interesting to see fads and fashions in interview techniques, in-tray exercises, PowerPoint presentations, sample lessons (performances) .
Whatever hoops will the psychobabblers in the public services come up with next for candidates to jump through?
Forgive my cynicism but DD used to be a director of an international financial recruitment company and being asked for "feedback" after her interview at Birmingham University for her PGDipEd course when she decided to retrain, was also asked for her "professional" assessment of the interview itself.
She was tactful.

PS I wouldn't take a Call The Midwife book, too soon after the TV series. I'd go for "Room" or "The Book Thief" or "The Miniaturist."
Or Roald Dahl -maybe "Matilda"? You could be Miss Honey.

A photograph of my house. It is now the centre of my life. Family visit it, I rarely leave it and every piece of furniture every photo , every ornament tells a story of my journey. I wouldn't get the job,but then I am not looking for one

Thanks Alea - not cynical at all. I have had to interview people before - I can see this for what it is, but therefore want to exploit it! Good call on other book suggestions - I didn't read 'The Book Thief' until last year and would put it on my list of all time favourites. I read all the Call the Midwife series as they came out a few years back and the final one is about 'dying well ' - a really interesting read, but thought that might be a bit heavy.

annsixty, you paint a lovely picture of the home you have made. I am surrounded by my photos too - these treasures are my constants after 9 moves, several not of my own choosing. It's good to be where I am at the moment - been here for 20 months and love it - a new home built with my new DH. xx

I would either have to take the cake tin or my credit card.

You do make me laugh Jingl.
I would probably choose a garden hand fork as my object. If the object can be edible it would be a Mars Bar.
Congrats on your successful interview and good luck for your next one Imp.

My fly rod. I came late to fly fishing but it was something I'd wanted to do all through my life, but time, other commitments and, particularly, money, made it almost impossible. It is not a sport, but an obsession. You get absorbed into the mechanics, the entomology, the psychology of it, and when life is getting on top of me, a few hours on a river or lake - or even just an hour practicing casting a line - can put everything back in perspective for me. And you meet some truly lovely people !

Jings cake tin full (good bribe) or empty??? Mine would probably only have a few crumbs left by Monday ...

Probably my Nursing Registration documents- being a nurse is and has been my identity.

I think that a garden fork is a good idea- you do your thinking time in the garden, it is obviously close to the house which you love and you could be close to family and friends there.

I probably would not be employed to clean the loos!

I would take my journal, which I write up every night, before bed, to record the day just passed. I am 73 this year and have been doing this every night since I was 14 so I have a record of my life which perhaps someone may read and find interesting, long after I am gone. I was inspired to do this by Samuel Pepys.

I might take along a card that I'd made ... I also knit, but card-making is my main enjoyment in the way of hobbies. It also lets me escape upstairs to the attic room when there's football on tv!
Or a photo of our beautiful wee GD who lights up our lives!!!! :-)

My passport. Over the last 4 years since being widowed, it is my lifeline to family. I have travelled thousands of miles to be with them

It's quite difficult to choose isn't it as I think I sum my self up as having a good sense of humour and friends and family are my joy but they are not tangible. I don't think my grandchild would be happy to turn up at a job interview with her Nan.

So apart from photos the only other thing I can think of is a box of 'keep sakes' that belonged to my parents as that would be the first thing I would pick up if my house were on fire. What that would tell them I haven't a clue. It could mean 'she lives in the past', 'she is an emotional person' 'she's an idiot it should be her jewellery box'.

A good question Imperfect .

A dustbin

Probably my cat

That needs an explanation Galen

I hate that sort of a question - somehow I can't think in those terms. I thought it meant "if you weren't you, what object would you be?" or "What object represents you best" (Doormat?, Sharp knife? Brick?)

But, having read everyone else's suggestions, and seeing that you are expected to think of a possession which sums up the way you spend your time, I would probably produce a tuning fork.