Fall is conference season, a busy time of year for speakers and workshop presenters. This list will help me–and other speakers–be ready for every possible speaking contingency.

10. Laptop. If you are a wimp, make it a MacBook Air.

9.  Mac users, be sure to pack the little adapter thingie so you can hook up your laptop to the projector so people can see the Power Point.

8.  Speaking notes. So even if, by some terrible turn of events, the laptop and little adapter thingie don’t get packed, the show will go on.

7.  DeWalt wheeled 15 gallon contractor chest. Filled not with tools, but with books and everything necessary for a book table display.

6.  Composition notebook. To pass around during workshop so people can sign up for a quarterly newsletter. The notebook’s less intimidating than an iPad. And a whole lot cheaper.

5.  Earrings that won’t clink the headset microphone and drive people crazy. Don’t ask how I know this.

4.  Clean underwear. Because nothing spells confidence like c-l-e-a-n u-n-d-e-r-w-e-a-r.

3.  Sensible clothing. The kind that are impossible to accidentally tuck into clean underwear after a quick dash to the bathroom. Because if that happens, the confidence gained in #4 will be gone. Don’t ask how I know this.

2.  Comfortable shoes. If the soles are too slick to stick to the toilet paper on a bathroom floor, that’s an added bonus.

1.  Directions and phone numbers. Just in case there’s car trouble on the way or Garmon pitches a hissy fit. If a speaker can’t get where she’s going, all the clean underwear in the world will be useless.

What would you add to the list? Leave a comment.