A Present from my school

[Hughesie]

I just got an email from the school that i go to/crew for.

they have said that i had $150 to spend on theatre supplies as a gift after 5 years of long service.

i can spend this money on personal things like belts and multitools and torches.

so guys what do you think i should get. this money is only around untill friday.

let's just say there was some surplus in the budget from last year

[Charc]

Honestly, I think anything you purchase should go back to the dept. Get the thing you've always thought your dept needs most. You can hoard your "gift" for your tenure if you really want to, but at least you leave something behind. It's either "Hughesie, the kid that spent our extra money." or "Hughesie, the nice guy that got us the awesome X."

[Hughesie]

charc please don't guilt trip me, i know your right

i will give the take the money and buy something nice

so i change my question

1. what should it be
2. what should i buy with MY OWN MONEY

[Charc]

Originally Posted by Hughesie89

charc please don't guilt trip me, i know your right
i will give the take the money and buy something nice
so i change my question
1. what should it be
2. what should i buy with MY OWN MONEY

What is your main interest? Lights, Sound, Other? Pick something within your interest, it's your budget.

Where do you spend the most time working, or what common problems do you often encounter? Pick something to make your life easier. In the grand-scheme, 150 isn't that much, so try and isolate some of the smaller holes to patch.

[Hughesie]

sound

i was thinking something to fit on a tool belt

a torch and maybe a multitool

any other ideas

[DaveySimps]

If you do not already have both a multi tool and a good mini flashlight, both would be a great investment. I myself carry a gerber proscout multi tool and a mini mag with and LED conversion in it. I do not, however, wish to turn this into a what is better post about lights and multitools (it has been done). I just think both are great tools for any tech.

Since you are into sound, perhaps a cable tester would be nice to consider. I have the RatPack XLR tester and have always found it useful for trouble shooting. The nice thing about it is that it fits into a pocket, or an extra pouch on your belt pack.

~Dave

[derekleffew]

The Corey Delaney Memorial Shure Beta58 microphone?

[punktech]

repair stuff! get testing equipment and make sure everything is working perfectly! i just did some preventative maintenance on some stuff today and reveled in the glorious thought of saving myself 20 minutes down the road!

[CynicWhisper]

I know that one thing my school is always needing is various sound or lighting adapters. Splitters, male-to-males, rca, dmx. I know I could spend 150 on just adapters and they would all be used within a week.

Or perhaps some new shiny booth speakers? (I know all of ours are somehow yoinked from shanty bedroom boomboxes or computer speakers)

Some tie-line. For some reason none of the high schools I've seen ever have tie-line, and it's just so useful.

As for you, I would definitely second the idea of a nice multi-tool. I fell in love with my gerber years ago and it's still in excellent shape even after all my abuses. Perhaps a maglight too.

Ooh, or buy some fun LED pars. They're so easy to use and we've found so many ways to use them. 150 could probably get one, but methinks that two little lights would be a decent investment.

Or, if you want to have a little fun, glow paint. It's pretty well invisible under normal light. We just hid little notes in the scene shop for when the lights go out.

Have fun!

[avkid]

Adapters you say?
Some friends of mine sell those quite cheaply:
http://www.audiopile.net/products/Ad...Connectors.asp