Holidays Sans Swag

I was spoiled with holiday swag* at Y&R Chicago. Every December, production companies would send the creative department ridiculously cool gifts. (After receiving several hundred thousands of dollars of business, most editing houses and sound studios will set some aside to reciprocate the holiday love.) Previous gifts have included:

• A first-generation video iPod (thanks, Biscuit)
  
• A limited edition (red) iPod Nano (thanks, Optimus)
  
• The sweetest ski coat I've ever owned (thanks, Elias)
  
• A $100 gift certificate at the Apple Store (thanks, SoundSlave)
  
• A pile of ultra-premium chocolate (thanks, National Parks Conservation Association - a client!)
  
• Enough gift baskets to build a small shelter with (thanks, everyone else)
  

But there were no iPods for me this year in Geneva.

I did receive a very thoughtful Christmas card from Bill Rohlfing, a great voiceover talent I worked with frequently. Bill helped us on a ton of projects in Chicago, and was the main VO on the NPCA spot "Search & Rescue" which shortlisted at Cannes, and can be heard here.

If you're in Chicago (or even if you're not), use Bill Rohlfing. He's very nice. He's very talented. And he sends trans-Atlantic Christmas cards.

* I used the think SWAG stood for "stolen without a gun," but the Urban Dictionary says it primarily means "stuff we all get," as well as "scientific/silly wild ass guess" and "sister with a gun."