A quick response!

Well, I’m gratified to report that unlike the shameful treatment I received at the hands of Jay’s last year, the Slim Jim folks obviously recognize the potential gold mine that has just landed in their laps, as I heard back from Chris the ConagraGuy this morning already.

The slight bad news is that in my rush to start spreading the word about Slim Jims and thus help them get the recognition they deserve as they perfect training/racing fuel.......the person I emailed has nothing to do with product marketing or brand management, but rather is their Legal and Compliance Officer. Oops. Note to my friends: if you stop by, please call ahead of time, as I will probably not be answering my door anytime soon. I’m hoping to avoid getting a cease-and-desist order, one that starts out with “Dear Ms. the Triathlon Goddess: Your unauthorized use of our product pictures on your “blog” have recently come to our attention.....” and so on. Sigh.

On the brighter side, Chris did say that he would forward my missive to their Marketing and Snacks Group, who’ll apparently be in touch “if there is a need.” Hmm. I’m picturing what this conversation might look like:

M&S Group Astute Individual #1: "Hey, look at this goldmine of an opportunity that just dropped into our laps, like manna from heaven!"
M&S Group Astuter Individual #2, who has been struggling for weeks in trying to figure out how to bring the lucrative triathlete demographic into the Slim Jim fold: "Unless what you have somehow ties triathlons and Slim Jims together, I don’t want to hear it. My job is at stake here, dammit!"
M&SGAI #1: "That’s just it! World-renowned blogger Tasha the Triathlon Goddess has chosen US, you and me, our little Slim Jim emporium, to be allowed to sponsor her in her pursuits of triathlon greatness! I....I almost can’t believe my eyes – pinch me, would you? This is a miracle!"
M&SGAI #2: "Wha...? Now, don’t kid around with something like that. Are you serious?"
M&SGAI #1: "Yes, yes, it’s true, the answer to all our prayers! Maybe now the kids of all the Conagra executives won’t have to keep going to bed hungry. We’ve been saved!" (falls to knees, kissing the ground)
M&SGAI #2: "Oh my god....I can’t....I......"(starts weeping). "It’s a dream come true. Imagine, to be able to say that we have Miss Tasha, the triangular-shaped babylunged age grouper, on OUR team, extolling the virtues of OUR products, the goodness of OUR spicy meat snacks as she bumbles her way on her bike across obscure Midwestern states comprised primarily of cornfields.......I’m speechless. The gods have smiled upon us."
M&SGAI #1: "Quick, WHERE’S HER NUMBER? Find it – we need to call her NOW, before those damn Oberto’s dried jerky people try to move in and steal her. HURRY!!"

I expect to hear from them any day now......