latest toys...

[zayit shachor]

Retractable Sharpies are God's gift to stage managers. I use mine for almost everything...and I really hate the times that I can't use it, like for writing blocking, etc.

...If I could live in a Staples, I would.

[PSMAK]

Not a big fan of the retractable sharpies. I think that they dry out faster that the regular ones.

[Psychedelictheatre]

Yeah, I'm not particularly keen on the retractables. The mini ones however...they're like God to me!

I have one on my keyring, and several attached to various belts and lanyards. I use a local stationary store who've got to know me and my 'fetish' for cool stationary, they gave me a discount when I bought a box of Mini-sharpies!!

Also, I bought a Leatherman Wave the other week. Definately a favourite for my belt!

[MarcieA]

I was at Staples yesterday and saw that they now make ultra-fine tip sharpie minis.

It was hard to contain my excitement.

[BeckyGG]

I recently got one of the ultra-fine tip sharpie minis.  It's on my keychain now...and very useful.

I'm not sure about the new mini-highlighters.  I've pondered getting one, but I'm not convinced I would use it. 

[PSMAK]

It's interesting.  I've never seen so many people so excited about Sharpies.

[ChaCha]

yes , do you think the manufacturers of sharpies should give a gobally available discount to members of sm network as their most loyal and vocal fans!!!?

[ljh007]

Now that I've adopted a clear clipboard, I'll never go back.

I keep whatever I'm working on on the clipboard, but a schedule or contact sheet goes at the bottom of the clipped papers so that I can always see it through the back. It's like having two clipboards in one!

And for those of you who work with music stand lights (operas and musicals, usually), check this out:
http://www.kliplite.com/Cordless%20KLIP-LITE.html
These cordless clip lights are awesome, and can even clip on the top of a clipboard. Now I can grab my stand and dash upstage without tripping over or tearing out wires (used to happen often...)

[sailor_sam]

Sharpies are great!
Clear Clipboards rock!

But free stuff?  Now that gets my blood pumping! 
I saw this in TV.  Its for a free "meeting kit"
http://www3.3m.com/qfrm/ShowSurvey?surveyid=JODNKQH0&WT.mc_id=www.post-it.com/easel

[djemily]

I had a stressful day yesterday and went to the office supply store for some therapy. I found these things by "Duck" called Grip-Its. They are little circles that grab your pencils/pens and hold them. They have sticky backs but I'm not sure yet if you can take them off and re-stick them somewhere else. I plan to put one somewhere on my kit box and maybe one on a legal pad depending on the re-stick situation. These definitely helped with my stress.

[stegsx7]

Now that I've adopted a clear clipboard, I'll never go back.

I keep whatever I'm working on on the clipboard, but a schedule or contact sheet goes at the bottom of the clipped papers so that I can always see it through the back. It's like having two clipboards in one!

   when the stage management world gets me down, i look adoringly at my clear clipboard(orange!) and smile.   
  this whole chain of messages really makes me laugh at our collective geekdom. 

[Tempest]

About those Sharpies...

Did you know that green Sharpie residue on skin (as in, marked, and then washed mostly off with soap and water) will glow that sort of sickly firefly yellow-green under blacklight?  More of the coolness (and possiblie toxicity) of Sharpies.  Don't know what you'd get with different colors, though.
(discovered after this SM had experimented with "tattoo" possibilites for her show, and walked through lighting work the next day)
While this is mostly useless trivia, I figured if anyone would ever need it, it would be this group!

[shatbox]

Latest toy is the three watt LED MINI MAGLITE. Looks like the old one, but still takes 2AAs but is a bit longer than the regular one- so it doesn't fit in my NITE IZE leatherman/mag beltclip. It's pretty bright though,  I would suggest it. ~$22 Home Depot.

[birdie4113]

I think I was born to be a stage manager.  For my entire life, I never understood why I had such an obsession with office supplies.  I now understand that I was meant for this job.  I can never go into a store without spending at least a half an hour in the office supply section.

[djemily]

I am the same as birdie!! I've always had a "thing" for post-it notes and pens. And I finally figured out why.