i love free stuff

That about says it all.

When I was a kid, I got a Boba Fett action figure. I just had to send in some proofs of purchase, and pay shipping. So, not really free, but I was the only kid I knew that ever got one. It was worth it.

While I was in the Reserve Army and we were on exercise with the Regulars and we had access to the mess hall, I started the practice of "liberating" Tabasco Sauce and Worcester Sauce off the tables to enhance our field rations. Free stuff for the whole Unit, and tasty!

When I was working computer support for an airline, there was a guy who was an inter-office courier for the company. He decided he wanted more in life and quit his job to take Information Technology training. He asked me if there was a derelict computer that could be spared. Well, not really. What I did was build, for the time, a smoking machine for him from spare parts, that were "written off", no longer considered useful. He was ecstatic. He gave me a bottle of, at the time, Wiser's finest Canadian Whisky. It set me down the path of appreciating whiskies other than Scotch.

Scouts Canada used to give little gifts to the Scouters every year as a token of appreciation. I got a couple of folding knives the first couple of years; they were actually not bad quality. Then I got a wash kit, at first I thought it was going to be lame; but it actually was pretty cool. I use it in a go bag to hold all and sundry of small gear. Then, I never got another thing. Oh well.

More recently, I got a free sample of Poly-Grip, I do not have dentures, yet, but when I do: watchout! Actually, it is in one of my go bags. It is handy at times, kind of like Silly Putty.

My latest acquisition is an epi-pen pouch from the manufacturer of said epi-pens. Very stylish. Really, it is. I was wearing it like an ammo bandolier today. The boy laughed at me. What does he know anyway?

Over the years I have been given various pocket knives, both of quality and not, by various friends and acquaintances. I too, have gotten many notebooks. I love notebooks. One can never have enough knives and notebooks.

That being said, free, and nearly free, stuff is awesome. It is like getting presents for no other reason than just being you. In my case, being an ass, that is pretty amazing! blbbl