Shwag, eh? Indeed. I am obsessed with 'Schwag'. For 90-ish hours every single week of the year I listen to demos (20,000 and counting so far) from totally unsigned bands spanning the globe. However (drum roll), I received a lot more than just small shiny discs and colorful CD cases in my mailbox. I like to refer to it as 'Schwag'. To be exact, over 8,000 band photographs (some more G rated than others), 2500 stickers, 1000 keychains, 500 food-related-items (clearly I am not as skinny as when I first started), 300 pins/magnets, 100 t-shirts, 70 hats, 50 mouse pads, 40 mugs, 80 calendars, 50 mechanical pencils, 40 rulers, 40 cup holders, 30 coasters, 13 gold balls, 10 bags (mostly tote), 9 skin care products (is the fact that I have little time to shower really that obvious?), and oodles of Star Wars paraphanalia (Luuuuuuke I am your father).
Thank you. I love it all. It keeps me grounded and sane, although my mailman officially despises me.
Most notable were the 8 Hot Wheels cars and trucks, 5 bobblehead dolls, 3 tennis balls, 2 shot glasses, 2 packages of coffee (handy, I might add), a pink high-heeled shoe (thanks Kitty), a sock, and one massive, massive bright-orange construction cone (obviously stolen from the city of L.A.).
Like the Smithsonian, I only discussed 1% of what I actually received from all fifty states and the rest of the world. Alas, as apartment space rapidly dwindled I was finally forced to donate many of the items to various organizations (Goodwill, Salvation Army) and charities.
Of the donated items there is no one that deserves more thanks than the wonderful artists and bands of the world (far and near), and my mailman, for carrying armloads of oddly sized packages to my apartment doorstep every single afternoon. Much luv y'all. |
