Austin Diary Vol. 2 -- 3.5.08

Greetings LCLs--

Head Cold? 95% wiped out. Feeling good. Ready to rumble.

Since I left you...

Head Shops: Who knew? I've never been more popular. Went to three of them, whipped out the papers and was swarmed by interested parties. We're going to have a very mellow audience for our screenings. I kept mentioning the word "drama" in describing the film, because I don't want people expecting Cheech and Chong. But all in all, hit the jackpot with these places for promotion.

Uncle Billy's: Met up with Tanya, baby Sam, some friends and eventually my Aunt and Uncle for some dinner (BBQ) and beers (delicious). We sat on an amazingly large patio, and dogs are very welcome.

Something about sitting on a patio, listening to everything from Zeppelin to Johnny Cash, drinking beers and eating chips (yes, more queso. And I ate a ton), that just makes you feel like life is pretty good.

Austin Java & Flipnotics: 2 pretty amazing coffee shops right across the street from each other on Lamar Blvd (that reminds me, I drove by our second theater, the Alamo Drafthouse Lamar, much more suburban. Parking should be ample). I find it's easier to strike up conversations with people when I am a customer, and so I buy something at each of these places and speak with the employees and then a few customers. Yesterday, in addition to my two meals, I purchased the following at various restaurants and coffee shops around town while promoting:
1 hot tea.
1 glass, red wine.
1 coffee (I drank none of it. I don't drink coffee).
1 diet coke (I drank it and two refills. I drink lots of diet coke).
1 white chocolate chip cookie (I ate all of it. I eat cookies)
1 sandwich (which I gave to a starving artist on the street after I told him I didn't have time to sit for him to paint my portrait).

All hail per diems.

Election coverage + 9.5 hours sleep:

I got home in time to watch both Democratic victory speeches, the comeback Clinton and the 'no matter what happens tonight we're still ahead in delegates and rhetoric' Obama. For once, I switched from the best political team on TV (CNN) to msNBC with Tim Russert and Keith Olberman (that very well may not be how you spell his name). They went on for a few minutes about the impact SNL had on Clinton's good night, then realized they might be overpromoting their own sister network's influence.

Agenda for the day:

I'm presently holding out leaving the house, hoping a shipment of 8.5 by 10 posters that CD sent will arrive so I can pepper the walls of Austin with them, but I will leave soon regardless. Planning to go downtown and to South Congress Ave, walk and talk and pass out papers and shake hands. Going to pick Danny up at the airport, and then we're going to head to a mixer for other early arriving filmmakers.

More blogs to come.

-D