Yigal's abridged inventory of the things that should be on a genealogits's desk

Yigal's abridged inventory of the things that should be on a genealogits's desk:

For those who do not have a desk... Get a desk (one caution is to not store your precious documents on the floor where you can spill things on them or mistakenly stomp on them with muddy boots...)
Calculator: to figure ages and estimated date of birth.
Pad of paper: with lines to doodle & note while on the phone.
A phone.
A dedicated phone line: for outgoing calls (so spouse won't bother) and modem.
All the "How to" books they ever bought, just in case - near the desk.
Two pens at all times. The pens should be BLACK, to make copies cleare. For the same reason, highlighter should be light-blue. [Latter added by Dr. William L. Pratt]
Envelopes & return address labels. Large envelope for sending the printouts to the cousin you just interviewed on the phone so they can correct what you got wrong.
Stamps and all other post office accesories such as "Air Mail" stickers, return-receipts forms, express-mail labels.
Empty disks: for quick backups & a disks or tape holder for an organized backup filing-system.
Stapler: to staple together notes from interview but NOT letters & documents!
Special file to put all the hobby-related expenses. These become deductible once you publish your book.
Software manuals: How to export the database to HTML? to MS Word?? As murphy-law says: "If all alternatives fail, consult the manual."
Maps of the area you are searching. An Atlas would do, too. [Added by Jen Godwin]
Business cards. Always a good attachment to letters and "printouts" you send out.

Matches, candles or heaters. These are associated with small house fires.
Water, liquers or food. These bring various distresses to your stored documents.
Pencils. What you'll write in pencil will fade, sometimes after a short period.
Laundry basket, towl hanger. Besides the mess and possible paper that could be laundered, you get higher humidty near towl hangers.