Spring Loaded: A Message from the Editor top of page | cover page

Volume Two of Pezhead Monthly starts off with a bang, due to my recent trip to Cleveland for my second Pez convention, Pezamania 12. It was clearly one of the best times I had since… well, since Pezamania 11. And, as you can see, it has spawned a lot of material for this newsletter.

For example, a brief report of my adventures in Cleveland is featured in this month's issue. To summarize, it was just as much fun this year as it was last year, and in some respects it was even more fun this time around. I managed to come across the star find of my collection, as well as many, many other great finds.

In addition to the Pezamania 12 recap, I have included three songs I wrote while counting down the days to the convention. Also featured is Five Questions with the Cow Pez dispenser, the first vintage dispenser to be interviewed for the newsletter. I believe you will find his observations quite enlightening. And, let's not forget an inspired edition of Pez Poetry and, of course, the Pez Almost-Quote of the Month. Finally, don't forget to check out the supplement of Pezamania 12 songs located in the Fun section.

Also, be sure to check out the new Pezhead Monthly store. It's brand new and only has a few products, but it is up and running, and I plan to expand it and make it a more permanent presence on the site down the road.

So welcome to Year 2 of this little experiment called Pezhead Monthly. I look forward to another great year of Pez-inspired literary adventures, and I hope you do too.

Until next month, keep flipping that Pez, and take care.

Joe Durrant
Editor, Pezhead Monthly
joe@pezheadmonthly.com

Pezamania 12: As The Pez World Turns top of page | cover page

I came again, I saw again, I basked in the warm, sweet glow of Pez again.

The eyes have it, as Pezamania once again takes over Cleveland.

For the second time around, I made the pilgrimage to lovely Cleveland, Ohio for Pezamania 12. This year marked 50 years of Pez in America. Once again I beheld an incredible variety of new and vintage Pez dispensers, and had the chance to meet and interact with many other members of the Pez collecting community. I came across some great deals, along with some great reminders that my collection has plenty of room to grow. Now, I do have to admit here that I didn't think the excitement I experienced last year could be topped or even matched again. I mean, once you've been to one convention, you've been to them all, right? It turns out that this couldn't be farther from the truth. The first time you attend a Pez convention, you are giddy with excitement. After all, where else but at a convention can you see tens, indeed hundreds of vintage dispensers displayed together? And where else but at a convention can you see so many people who enjoy collecting Pez as much as you do? The first time around everyone and everything is new. This, inevitably, leads to lots of money being spent. After all, if all the other Pez in the world were to go away tomorrow, and you didn't have that one star piece in your collection (whatever the cost may be), how could you look

That being said, this time around things were even better. The newness and sheer amazement of the first convention's experience gave way to a familiar and more knowledgeable experience this time around. I knew who some of my fellow collectors were, I knew where to find the best deals, and most importantly I knew how important it is to pace yourself when it comes to buying Pez. After all, you do need to get through three days!

Speaking of finances, this year I fared much better, even if on the whole I may have spent more. Due to the short notice with which I discovered Pezamania 11 last year (roughly 2 weeks), I was unable to pull together a lot of money. As a result, I only spent very little actual money, but instead racked up a lot of credit card debt. This time around, I saved money in preparation. Having that money, as well as carefully monitoring how much I spent on each purchase, clearly made this year better than last.

A few more things made this year more enjoyable. First of all, I got to meet some more collectors. We traveled from room to room, swapping stories about Pez and just about life. We got along very well and are already planning for next year. There was also a party for members and future members of the Pez discussion group, which was a lot of fun. Another great thing this year was a panel discussion about the future of Pez collecting. It was an interesting, interactive session about the Pez company, the collectors, and the direction the hobby is and will be taking. Finally, this time around I had the chance to discuss Pezhead Monthly with many of those who read it every month, as well as to meet Lori Smith and personally thank her for her contributions to the Pez Poetry Slam earlier this year.

And, just like last year, there was all that Pez. Room after room featured great vintage dispensers and interesting Pez items from all over the world.

So I suppose you're wondering, just what did I come across at Pezamania 12 that I just couldn't pass up? Indeed, I had many great Pez finds this year, and I greatly increased my collection in the process. But by far, the best find for me, not only of this convention but also probably of any past or future convention, was the Elvis Presley Pez dispenser. Elvis Pez has always been high on my wish list, and is arguably the most sought after "fantasy" dispenser in the world. (Some of you may recall a piece in the November 2001 Pezhead Monthly about how the life of the real Elvis would have been as a Pez dispenser.) My Elvis Pez was made by a guy named Jay. He did a great job on the dispenser, and he even made a custom card for it. I definitely hope to do business with him again, as he makes a great variety of fantasy dispensers such as Austin Powers, Pee-Wee Herman, and Alfred E. Neumann. In fact, if you supply him with a photo, he will make a fantasy dispenser of you for a modest price. Check out his Web site at www.jayorama.com. Besides Elvis Pez, I also found a great Zorro dispenser (another one of my long-time wants), a Psychedelic Eye dispenser, a Pirate Wacky Wobbler, the new Bob the Builder set, and many other great and unique Pez items; in

It was a royal treat to finally find the legendary Elvis Pez.

In closing, Pezamania 12 was a fantastic experience. It reminded me just how great it is to be a Pez collector. The good times, the friendly people, and the great Pez finds that I came across and added to my collection were well worth it, and I cannot wait for next year's run to Cleveland for Pezamania 13.

Until then, the Pez world keeps a-turnin', and the Elvis Pez keeps a-burnin', burnin', burnin'.

Note: Be sure to check out the Pezamania songs supplement to this article in the Fun section. If you would like this issue in paper copy, the Pezamania songs are included in the issue itself.

Pez Almost-Quote of the Month top of page | cover page

"Do not ask for whom the Pez dispenses; it dispenses for thee."