It looks like there are two movie related rummage sales* in Austin this Saturday. I’m not sure if there are bargains or even useful items to be found at these sales, but it’s an interesting coincidence nonetheless.

Up on 51st Street, Austin Studios is having what appears to be a periodic clean-out sale, where shoppers can dig through leftovers from pictures shot there. It looks like the studios is selling furniture and props, which may not be cheap. The blurb says, “These items have been featured in movies such as “Spy Kids”, “Secondhand Lions”, “The Faculty”, “Varsity Blues”, “Beerfest”, “Friday Night Lights”, “Grindhouse”, “Man of the House”, “Perfect Game”, “Sin City”, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “The Hitcher”, “There Will Be Blood”, “Tree of Life”, and Others.”

Down on campus, it looks like an MFA student is scrapping a bunch of stuff from a recently completed movie. If you’ve ever wondered what was inside the ominous Big Black Box on The Drag, here’s your chance to check out the RTF and Journalism studios where I taught for several years. The lockers may be very useful to someone, but, otherwise, I suspect most of the stuff will only be useful to other artists, or, in this day and age, scrap metal vultures.

*I thought I would call these rummage sales both because I’m finding it increasingly charming and neither of these seem to be actually taking place near a garage.

One of the hobbies I’ve developed over the past year is cruising garage sales and swooping up others’ failed purchases. It’s getting a little out of hand, but I think I’ll document my scores here. Here are some highlights from this Saturday’s haul.

• Sony SDM-HS53 Flat-panel monitor: $15. I’ve wanted a second monitor to watch DVDs or internet video while using the computer for a while now, but even a used monitor for $159 at a resale shop seemed like too much of a luxury. Having a second screen for $15 seems entirely reasonable, though. It’s only 1024×768 and the color quality isn’t the best, but the enclosure looks slick, and, hey, it was fifteen bucks.
• Alexander Von Schlippenback: The Living Music: $1: I grabbed this CD purely because it’s on the Chicago label Atavistic which specializes in reissues of classic avant-garde music and contemporary experimental noise rock. I have a hard time spending full-price on Jazz and modernist music because I’m so rarely in the mood to listen to it, but finding LPs and CDs second-hand is almost always rewarding. This is a good listen, with lots of woodwinds in a variety of registers.
• The Flaming Lips: At War With the Mystics: $1: I went to college outside Oklahoma City, so I have a pretty substantial appreciation and sentimental attachment to The Flaming Lips. I’m glad that I only paid $1 to hear this CD.
• Steel Cheese Grater: $1: I’m not happy with my old cheese grater, but I mostly bought this because I enjoyed talking to the young woman who was moving to England for a post-doc in astronomy.
• Bodum French Press: $1: I misplaced my old French press when I moved last August. I didn’t use it much, but I’ve felt some consternation when I’ve wanted to make some yerba mate. Last week, when I wanted to make some, I told myself, “You’ll find a French press at a garage sale soon enough.” I had no idea one would turn up so soon, but this was certainly serendipitous. This one isn’t as nice as the old one – the plastic base has some dishwasher heat damage, but, hey, it was only a buck.

I also got a folding chair for reading by the pool and a stack of books. All in all, it was a good haul.