Well … as a matter of fact, I do take offense to the person who messaged me about “bats flying out of my b..t” after the last post at PingWi-fi.  But, I am going to keep my head up and move forward.

So, who don’t love them some schwag!?! Call me biased, but my two favorite freebies are still my Boingo blinking luggage tag and of course my PingWi-Fi t-shirt.  (You see, I am a recent escapee from the corporate world, and I have had my fill of meaningless, dry, mundane messages.)  The slogan on the back of the PingWi-Fi shirt is the coming-of-age, cliche’: “I just threw up a little in my mouth.” Yep … that’s my fave, and that’s all I am going to say about my own depravity right now.

I digress …

It’s been said that you can measure the economy on the attendance of a trade show.  I think you can drill down even deeper if you monitor the giveaway items.  So, in my opinion, things are looking up — despite our overwhelmed new Commander-In-Chief.

Here are the PingWi-Fi Top 10 Freebies at SXSW.  (Keep in mind I only have two hands, one bag … and I was thrown out of the hall.):

The Rock ‘n’ Roll bumper sticker — “T…y Bingo”

(I pasted one of these on a UT student’s car, and he has since been elected president of his fraternity.)

Mint Chapstick from ShutterStock

(With success, I have hidden that major league canker sore.)

An Antique!  Reporter’s notepad from City University of New York

(I actually took notes for this post, but some foo done spilt a drink on it.)

Magic 8 Ball from Standard Answer

(Just like someone I used to know … keeps saying “no … no way in …”)

Frisbee from Microsoft Expression

(This will come in handy — over-enthusiastic loaner dog, Bentley, bled all over my last disc.)

Yo … Light-up yo-yo from Google

(Finally, I get to go “around the world” at SXSW)

Pleather drink coaster from Montana Film

(This is quite functional indeed, if you spill artificially flavored drinks.)

“Brain Food” t-shirt from Sapient

(Ha … now when was the last time someone ate anybody’s brain?)

“Mullet” t-shirt from Circus Mashimus

(No-ooo!  I did not model for the caricature artwork.)

Magnet lapel pin with flashy lights from Gooooooooooogle

(Why do I like this?  Search me!)

… And the nerdiest of the nerdy — white tube socks with stripes and a Cloud logo — courtesy of RackSpace

(Wearing them to the gym now, with tight short shorts, wristbands and high-tops!)

Know what I sayin?