In Which Two Seemingly Unrelated Topics Are Tied Neatly Together Into One Cool Contest

Here are two seemingly unrelated pieces of information:

(1) I'm going to Las Vegas soon, for a much-needed vacation with my husband and the best man from our wedding, who was actually a woman. She is a fun person; I know we all will have fun - I just hope we all win, too. I can't afford big losses with this economy, so I've set aside an amount of money that I can afford to spend in Vegas. If I lose it all the first day, I'll spend the rest of the trip reading books by the pool or watching television or surfing the 'net... not as much fun as blackjack and craps and slot machines, but still a good time.

(2) I need a tag line. You know, something to write up there under the "LegalMist" blog title. Something clever like Whiskeymarie's "Scaring the Neighbors Since 1971" tag line, or at least reasonably descriptive and interesting, like B.E. Earl's "Life and Decadence" tag line at "The Verdant Dude" blog.

How are these two items related?

By a contest, of course.

I need a tag line. And you guys want to win a contest just as much as I want to win in Vegas. And, I have the coolest swag left over from this year's Arizona Bar Convention. Check it out:



"What is it?" you ask.

Those are chocolate poker chips (much like the chocolate coins often given at Hanukkah, crossed with the poker chips often used in Vegas), and the "dice" are little tins of mints. They were provided by West, which is a publisher of legal materials and is the vendor who traditionally has the coolest swag at the convention (this year was no exception).

The chocolates and mints are yummy - I've sampled a few. But the ones pictured here are unopened and unsampled and have been set aside just for the winner of my tag-line contest.

So, help me out here, dear readers. If you're intrigued by the contest, or just want the chocolate and mints, think of something clever, creative, and/or (accurately) descriptive to add as a tag line for my blog. Submit your suggestions in the comments to this post. Whichever entry is the best (in my subjective and it's-the-only-vote-that-counts opinion) will win a prize: the above swag, plus the honor of having your tag-line posted on my blog for all to read.

You can enter the tag line contest more than once, but remember, quality (not quantity) is what counts here. You won't get "extra credit" for submitting more entries, nor will it necessarily increase your chances to win, unless of course all of your entries are fantabulous covered with awesomesauce.

But wait, there's more! If you want a chance to win a more traditional giveaway, mention this contest in your blog, with a link to this post, and then let me know in the comments that you have done so (along with providing a link to your post). Everyone who does this will be entered in a random drawing for four chocolate poker chips. Your chances of winning depend on the number of entries received. For now, your chances are pretty good because I don't usually have a lot of readers. But if your links generate interest in the contest or giveaway, then the number of readers and potential linkers could go up.

The deadline for blog links is October 21, 2009; the deadline for contest entries is October 22, 2009; and the winners will be announced on October 31, 2009 (Halloween). See below for the "fine print" additional rules. Or not. Your choice, really. But you're bound by the rules whether you read them or not. (Some days I love being a lawyer).

Now go put on your creativity caps and think of something fantastic for my blog!


* * *

The fine print (because I'm a lawyer, that's why):

Contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) will select, using arbitrary, abstract, and ambiguous criteria, a first, second, and third place winner for the tag-line contest. Contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) separately and at a different time will randomly draw - via either a random number generator (if she is able to figure out how to use one) or by putting little pieces of paper with the contestants' names or pseudonyms into a smallish bowl and then mixing them about and then pulling out three of them in order - a first place winner for the giveaway and a first and second runner up, who may win the swag only in the event the first place winner cannot be reached.

The top three winners for the contest will be published here (either by name or by pseudonym, whichever you use to enter the contest). The name or pseudonym of the first place winner of the giveaway will also be published. The first place winner in the contest and in the giveaway will win the swag as described and/or pictured above for the contest and for the giveaway.

Contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) will make a reasonable effort to contact the winners either via a comment on their blogs (if they have one and if LegalMist is able to get to it by clicking on the winner's name in the comment section) or via email (if an email address is provided to LegalMist).

If LegalMist is unsuccessful in contacting the winners via any alternate method, for any reason including complete unexcused failure to attempt such contact, publication on this blog shall be considered sufficient notification of their status as winners.

The first place winners will have three days after publication of the winning entries on this blog to email LegalMist their shipping address (to legalmist at gmail dot com). The publication date is the relevant date for counting the three days, even if the winners learn of their status as winners by some other method. If shipping information is promptly provided, LegalMist will ship the swag soon thereafter.

The three day time limit may be extended for any arbitrary amount of time at the discretion of the contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist), especially if it turns out that she is too busy with work or kids or whatever to chase down winners, but LegalMist is not required to extend a time period for any reason.

If, after reasonable (or unreasonable) attempts to contact the first place winners, contact has not occurred, the swag may be awarded to the second place winner or first runner up, who will then have three days after publication on this blog to contact the contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) with shipping information.

If the second place winner or first runner up does not respond within three days or within whatever arbitary and somewhat longer time limit is set by the contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist), the swag will go to the third place winner / second runner-up by the same method.

After that, if there is no response, contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) will simply eat the stuff herself and call it a day.

The prizes have no cash value, and no prize substitutions are allowed or possible.

Taxes, if any, are the responsibility of the prize recipient.

Shipping Information: Contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) will pack the swag reasonably carefully, will ship the swag via the United States Postal Service's first class or priority mail, and will pay the postage herself. She will not, however, pay for overnight delivery or insurance or certified mail or any other fancy delivery or tracking method. She truly hopes the swag arrives intact. However, contest and giveaway sponsor (LegalMist) is not responsible for any loss or damage that may occur during shipping. So if your chocolate melts or freezes or breaks, or your mint tins get dented, or some other loss or tragedy occurs, LegalMist will extend her heartfelt condolences, but there won't be a replacement.

In a nutshell: this is all for fun. You have no legal rights whatsoever if the swag, the contest, or anything about it fails to live up to your hyper-inflated expectations. Just get over it already.

Are you really still reading this fine print? Congratulations, you are more neurotic than most attorneys I know! Now get back to work already!