Everybody loves free stuff….within reason

Remember last week when I wrote about having a fledgling head cold and what I planned to do about it?  Well, you’ll all be happy to know that I did, in fact, implement my three-point plan to defend my soft, squishy, sensitive sinuses from the onslaught of that coming plague. By the Sunday, all traces of it had been eradicated.  My head is as clear as my dance card was the last time, I, um, was someplace they actually have dance cards.

Okay, so I’ve never seen an actual dance card, I admit it.  The things might as well be leprechauns for all I know.  Maybe they have both at mid-day mixers in Florida retirement communities? Who knows.

The point is, my head is clear; the cold never had a chance to take hold and make this entire week miserable.

And that’s pretty cool, if you ask me.

What’s even cooler?  Apparently, somehow or another, the good people at ZICAM saw my post and were glad that I find their product useful enough to actually say a few kind words about it. So glad, in fact, that they even sent me a hand-written thank you note along with a complimentary sample of their stuff. The image above is the actual box of the samples they sent me. Well, there was a magnetic calendar, too, but it was already on the fridge by the time I got my camera out.  Also, a fraction of a second after the picture was taken, the stuffed Pre-Cold monster was claimed by one of my kids.

Did I mention the note was hand-written? Nobody hand writes and mails notes anymore.  In fact, nobody has done it since, I don’t know, 2000 or something, when my Grandmother still had a collection of pens and decades-old stationary.  It just…isn’t done.  It’s crazy talk.

At any rate, I’m thrilled that the nice ZICAM people appreciated that I find their product useful enough to write about it. That’s not to say I’m going to exhort you to go out and buy some of your own immediately.  I’m not quite ready to consider myself a paid spokesman just because Fed-Ex dropped by today.

That said, it occurred to me that I’ve never really discussed my policy as a blogger regarding complementary care packages from companies.

Probably because before today I’ve never received a complementary care package from a company.

But hey, I dig free stuff, so here’s hoping this becomes a trend.

With that in mind, here are the rules.

If you send me stuff, I will use it. Send me beer? I’ll definitely drink it (I’ll try it, at least). Beef jerky, wine, liquor, anti-aging cream, hormone replacement pills, whatever.  Heck, if you send me a box of free Dora the Explorer bandages, I’ll happily slap one on my boo-boo the next time I catch myself shaving and strut around the office with it like I’m King of the Known Multiverse.

I will not, however, necessarily write a single word about said product. That’s not to say I won’t, of course. I very well might, especially if I like it. Then again, I fully reserve the right to say absolutely nothing in the case that I hate it with every fiber of fast-deteriorating mortal coil and want to dissolve it in a burning vat of my favorite acidic compound. 

Other reasons I might not write anything about your product include:

1. Laziness
2. Time constraints (e.g., I’m trying to get a novel out the door)
3. I forget about it*
4. Other generalized sloth

But! If I do like your thing/beverage/gadget/personal grooming product, odds are good I will want to say something about it. Because when I like things, I enjoy sharing that like with others.  It’s the reason I was happy to call out ZICAM and Stone Ruination by name last week when listing my personal approach to knocking back colds before they sink their sticky tendrils in my fleshy parts.

So, then, that’s the Official Puddintopia Free Products Policy. Do with it what you will. And, if you have questions, ask away.

And, thanks, ZICAM. The free stuff was kinda cool.

Pud’n

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*I have the memory of an aquarium snail. I often forget where my car keys are when my car is running, I can’t possibly remember what tomorrow’s post should be about.