Perks of the Job: Free T-Shirts, and a Wee Bit About the Austin Film Society

Working in a non-profit may not come with glamour or high-pay, but one thing I do get plenty of: free t-shirts!  Earlier this week, Jonny Stranger game me this one from the Austin Film Society.  At first, I saw it was a large and was afraid I would swim in it, but to my glee (surprise!?) it fits perfectly.  To my chagrin, upon viewing this photograph, I realize I neglected to consider that using a mirror would result in the words coming out backwards... sigh.

I didn't know this when I first moved to Austin, but it's quite the film hub.  My step-sister's first job interview was with Troublemaker Studios, and then I was informed that all of the celebrities staying in town can be spotted on South Congress because they stay in the Hotel San Jose.  I've never been much of a celeb-spotter, but I did work at the Bunch of Grapes in Martha's Vineyard one summer, and I checked out Spike Lee and Michael J Fox; I certainly felt special at the time. 

I've never been much of a film buff - but I am snob enough to turn my nose up at beloved movies such as Elf, (no matter how much I love Bob Newhart), and my students' first question when I brought in a movie was "Does it have subtitles?" (with a long groan). 

Nonetheless, I regret having missed the Austin Film Festival this year - but it won't happen again.  Until then, I'm happy being a patron of Austin orignals I Luv Video and the Alamo Drafthouse, and now that I'm signed up to follow AFS tweets, maybe I'll be more up to date on screenings and premieres, or accidently swagger into the background of a movie set - seeing as Austin IS a "blockbuster location."

Oh - and I can't forget my hand delivered copy of P.O.V. - I appreciate every little bonus I get.  And I doubly appreciate Jonny's comic on claymation, as he's been working on claymation with my students, and I enjoy his Prometheus reference, being an English teacher at heart.  Bottom line: yay free stuff.  I'll call it my non-profit swag. 

I also get to beam over cool things my kids make with Jonny, like this!  Wish I had this program in Arkansas ten years ago...