Ricky D's Magic Essays

Posted a message on my website and thought I would post it here as well. Not that anybody ever visits my journal, but whatever.

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Important Announcement

I appreciate your interest in my magic shows. However, due to family and other obligations, I have made a difficult decision.

As of January 1, 2009, I am taking a hiatus from my magic shows.

I haven't had the time to practice my magic, and instead of giving you a substandard performance, I felt it was necessary to stop performing.

If and when I decide to resume performing, I will post that information here.

If you are still interested in a magic show, please contact me and I can forward your information to some of my colleagues. Or, under special circumstances, I might be able to make an exception for you.

I want to thank everyone for their interest in my shows and for those of you who have used my services in the past. You are a blessing and I will miss this more than you realize.

God bless you all.

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Haven't updated my LJ in forever. Don't know if anybody's reading it or not anyway ... But wanted to post this note, to let everyone know I've made a couple of updates to my website.

May 8, 2006

Updated FCM link on my References page, posted preliminary information on the July meeting of the Gospel Entertainers Club, and uploaded a few more pictures from recent events. (Next time I upload photos, I'll probably split it into multiple pages.)

Updated Pages:
References
Gospel Entertainers Club Page
Photos Page



Well ... That's it for now. Expect something new ... Um, sometime in the future ...

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted anything here.

Well, it's a new month now, so I thought I'd start taking things in another direction. I see this as more of a transitional piece, moving from cards to a broader topic -- "Impromptu" magic.

What is "impromptu" magic? It's magic you can do anywhere, at any time, with anything. Gregory Wilson teaches quite a bit on his Off the Cuff and On the Spot videos, and I know there are others out there.

The point is to be able to do magic at a moment's notice, wherever you are. After a game of Canasta, when the cards have been separated into Reds and Blues, pick up one of the piles and amaze the people you're playing cards with. When you're out at dinner, if someone asks you to do some magic, pick up a sugar packet, salt shaker, or straw and entertain them. If you're in someone's office waiting for a meeting to start and they ask you to do something, pick up a pen, some business cards, or rubber bands and give them a little show. You don't need big props to entertain.

There are a few problems with "impromptu" magic, from a magician's standpoint, and I would like to address them here:

First, some don't think impromptu magic is all that spectacular. "Well, sure you can do some cool stuff with a borrowed business card, but that's not nearly as cool as sawing my assistant in half!" But that's not the point. Impromptu magic isn't supposed to have all the glitz and glamor of a stage show or even the polished edge of a close-up routine. But what it lacks in dazzle it more than makes up for with what it does offer -- the idea that you can do magic anywhere with anything. Some people might think, "Well sure -- if I bought the same props he did, I could do the same tricks." Well, sure. In some cases, that's (partly) true. But if they see you borrow a quarter from them and perform magic with it, they just might realize you can actually do "magic" after all. Is it "powerful"? "magical"? Yes, indeed.

Secondly, some just "can't do" impromptu magic. Those fall into two categories -- those who are so stuck on props and gimmicks that they can't do anything without them, and those who don't work well without a script. For those who can't do anything without a trick deck or other apparatus -- pick out some books and videos that will teach you some other tricks. And then practice it. You'll become more comfortable with this as time goes on. As for those who need a script (I find myself in this category from time to time), I have three pieces of advice. First, practice the individual tricks until you can do them in your sleep. Once you're more comfortable with those, then you'll be more comfortable presenting them. Secondly, there's nothing wrong with designing some "impromptu shows" and practicing them. Make up a "work show" (or "school show" if you're still in school), "restaurant show", and a "card game show". That way, whether you're at the office, at someone's house, or whatever, you know where you start, what trick you'll do next, and where you'll end up. Of course, you'll need to be prepared to change things up a bit, based on circumstances. (Oh, she doesn't have any business cards. DOH -- the sugar here is in a shaker, not in packets! etc.) Which leads me to my last comment. Experience will help out like nothing else will. The more you perform, the more comfortable you'll get with it.

Finally, there's an ongoing debate -- if you have to carry something with you, is it truly "impromptu"? To paraphrase Gregory Wilson -- I believe there's a difference between "improvised" and "impromptu". I don't think you need to bring along a pocket full of trick decks, four silks, a skein of rope, and a TT. But if you bring along ordinary objects -- coins, rubber bands, dollar bills, a pen -- and you can do magic with them, then you're all set. Why bring things along? Not everyone carries pocket change or pens any more. Ask someone if you can borrow a couple of quarters first. If they don't have any, then volunteer to use your own. I even think it's OK to throw in a gimmick every now and then. (For example, a colleague of mine brings along the "bite-out quarter" everywhere he goes and gets great reactions with it.) But as long as it looks impromptu to the audience, I see nothing wrong with it. Just don't rely too heavily on them. I still think you should be able to do magic with anything (I remember doing a C&R Rope routine with a borrowed piece of ribbon one Christmas), but if you want to throw in a little something for that "extra kick" -- go for it!

Anyway ... Those are my thoughts for now. Kind-of random. Somewhat scattered. But maybe they'll make some sense to you.



Now, for my next trick ... er, um, topic ...

I've seen many discussions on "Which card sleight is the 'best'?" or "Which card sleight is a 'must have' for all magicians?" I've been playing and working with cards for years, and I've done some lectures on card magic as well. And personally, I think there's no one "best" sleight, but there are a couple of things that I think every card magician should have in his or her arsenal. Here's basically an outline for my card lecture:

Card Basics

Marking a Card's Location
For this, I recommend a Key Card. While it may not technically be a "sleight", it's a really useful tool. If you can discover where a spectator's card is (e.g. just below the key card), you have no problems finding it and revealing it. A key card can be anything: a card whose face you know, a card with a marked back, a card with a different back, a short card, or a long card.

Controlling a Card's Location
Why just mark a card's location when you can put it wherever you want it? While there are plenty of false cuts and shuffles that allow you to do this, a more indispensable sleight, in my opinion, is the Palm. Palm a card off the deck, then not only can you have the spectator shuffle and cut the cards (then replace the palmed card on the deck afterwards), you can produce the palmed card from anywhere you like -- inside the card box, from a sealed envelope, even from your shoe!

Discovering a Card's Identity
Even more exciting than finding where a card might be is knowing what the card is. For this, I use another simple sleight -- the Glimpse. You can use this sleight to find out the identity of a Key Card, the spectator's card, or even of a card you're going to force. (More on that in a minute.) In my lecture, I discuss several ways to accomplish this.

Controlling a Card's Identity
Even better than finding out which card a spectator chose is knowing what card they're going to choose up front, before they ever do it! The possibilities of this are almost limitless -- mind-reading, predictions, and a whole host of "impossible" discoveries. Of course, this is also one of the more difficult sleights. I prefer the Backslip/Slip-Cut and the Sliding Key/Spread Cull. However, in my lecture I also mention some more "basic" ones like the Hindu Shuffle and Criss-Cross/Cross-Cut, and I spend a decent amount of time on how to make sure these look more natural.

False Displays
This encompasses quite a few things, including false counts used in packet tricks to "color changes". However, the "false display" I teach is the Double-Lift. It basically allows you to show one card as if it looks like another and can be used in an amazing variety of ways. To be honest, I cringe when I see most people do it (technically, what bugs me is the "Double-Turnover", but almost everyone I know calls this a "Double-Lift"), so I spend a good amount of time working with people on alternate methods to help it look more natural.

The Extra Card
One thing that is often overlooked is what can be accomplished by throwing in one extra card. Whether it's a duplicate card, a card with a different back design, a blank-faced card, double-backed card, double-faced card, or something else. And with the Palm, you can even use one of these cards with a borrowed deck. The possibilities are endless.

Gimmicked Decks and Packet Tricks
Finally, there are some decks out there that are totally gimmicked, to either do something that can't be accomplished with a standard deck or to make a particular trick/sleight easier. Some of these decks include the Stripper Deck, Svengali Deck, Invisible Deck, Brainwave Deck, Card Toon Deck, Diminishing Returns Deck, and many others. There are also "packet tricks" that are basically small packs of gimmicked cards. Those include Color Monte, Ulti-Monte, Ultra-Monte, N.F.W., Queens Out of Control, and others.


Well, there you have it. A brief overview/annotated outline of what I think are the most important things to learn about card magic. I recommend learning them in the order presented. From there, you can branch out into other areas.

On my website, I'm building a collection of references you can learn from. I may post them here as well.

Next Week's Topic: Still "To be determined ..."



Until then ...

Wanted to post a quick note to let everyone know I've updated my website ...

March 3, 2006

Re-vamped the site, adding a navigation bar over to the side. In so doing, I had to break the main index page into several new pages (though it still has some of the same old information, for now) and rearranged what I did leave on this page. (I also had to correct a JavaScript error that got propagated to nearly every page! DOH!) I changed all of my "e-mail" links to point to a new contact form. Also created a new page listing the types of shows I do. (For some reason, I thought that information was covered somewhere. Obviously, it wasn't.)

On the "Request More Information" page, I added a field, tweaked a few descriptions, and added links to "Show Types" page. On the "References" page, I corrected one link that had changed and removed a couple of dead links. Also made a few more changes on my Bio page, for no good reason.

New Pages:
Gospel Entertainers Club Page -- Contains updated info. on our April meeting
Magic Essays
Links to Other Pages
Types of Shows I Do
Contact Page

Updated Pages:
Request Info. Page
References
Biography Page

Expect little notes like this from time to time when I make an update to my site.

Figured this would be a nice segue from what I'm currently talking about to my next series on Card Magic.

The debate has gone on for a long time. Should a magician do card tricks for children? Would children understand card tricks? Would they enjoy card tricks? The debate has become rather heated in some circles. I don't assume I am going to end this, but I would like to share my thoughts on it, and see what you think about that.

Personally, I have absolutely no problem using cards with children.

I have been playing card games since I could read. From Go Fish and Old Maid to Rummy, Blackjack, and even Poker. (I had an older sister and older cousins who taught me Poker ...) I had absolutely no problem identifying numbers and even the symbols of the cards. (Sure, someone had to tell me at the beginning that the 3-leaf-clover was called a Club and the other black thing was called a Spade. But that's beside the point.) I also knew plenty of other people who were introduced to cards early on. Playing cards are a very common-place item.

I've tested it on audiences from age 4 on up, and when done correctly, cards work great! For the younger crowd (3-year-olds and early 4's) you might want to use Number or Letter cards. However, even at that age they can identify shapes, numbers, and colors well enough to be able to recognize a card. They've also always enjoyed the card tricks I performed.

So what is it about cards that some magicians are so opposed to when it comes to children?

I believe the problem with cards has to do with what tricks are performed and how they are presented. Let me explain ...

While an Ambitious Card Routine, a Triumph effect, and a Torn-and-Restored Card trick work well for older people, children might not follow it. Especially if the trick is drawn out (like most ACR's). Nor do they enjoy "fancy-finger-flicking" (card flourishes). They like simple, direct, and often funny. Put a card in their hand and have it magically change into another card while they're holding it. Have them pick a card and put it back into the deck, and then have a Whispering Queen or Mind-Reading Bunny tell them what the card is. Have them pick a card, tell them you've found it, and show them the wrong card. Then while they're laughing at you, change it into the right card. Whatever you do, keep it simple. If you do ropes, juggling, silks, or other tricks for children, you should have some idea of the type of patter you should use for card tricks.

There are a couple of things to watch out for, though:

• When you invite a spectator up for a card trick, fan the cards face-up briefly, asking, "Do you know the difference between Hearts and Spades, Jacks and Kings" etc. while pointing out examples of each of these cards. Most likely, they will say "Yes". (If not, do a different trick with them and pick another, possibly older child.) This also serves to show that all of the cards are different, to those adults or older brothers and sisters who think they might know what's going on.


• If it's a pick-a-card trick, make sure they show the card to their friends. That way, in case they forget the card, the friends should remember. Also, try to keep the trick short enough to where they won't forget.


• As a follow-up to the above note, when they pick a card, immediately state, "Don't say what it is, but look at it and let your friends see it. And tell them not to say what it is either!" That should help keep anyone from shouting it out, thus "ruining the trick" for some of the audience.


• You might want to consider using Jumbo Cards. These are easier to see, and you can still do some interesting sleights with them.


• Finally, for goodness sake, don't do more than one or two card tricks in a show. Same goes for anything, really. Don't do more than a couple rope tricks, maybe even only one change-bag routine. But especially cards. Adults might like an entire show full of cards, but for children, more than one or two card tricks, and they'll get bored with it.

Well, I hope that's given you some insight into this issue. Feel free to comment and/or complain about it below.


And coming up Next Month ... Card Magic!

So ... You've decided to perform for children. You've looked into some books that will help and found some props that will be useful. You think you're ready to handle children's magic. Maybe you've even done a few shows.

Then, it happens.

Your Aunt Edna calls you up and asks you to perform a show for your 2-year-old cousin and some of his friends from the daycare. Should you even attempt to do magic for someone that young? What about his 4-year-old sister? Where do you draw the line? How young is "too young"?

I find it very hard to draw a line. Children of almost any age can enjoy some sort of magic, even if it's a toddler in the nursery marveling at how you make a toy car appear out of nowhere. And different children develop at different rates. But I feel there are some general guidelines to follow.

If you're entertaining one-on-one, I think it's fine to do a trick or two for a 2-year-old. (Research has shown that Piaget was a bit off -- children learn earlier than he thought that objects don't just disappear when they're out of sight.) Keep it very simple and visual. Also, if you do a vanish, make sure you reproduce it, or you may have an upset child on your hands! While you're "performing" for them, sit on the floor with him/her, or sit him/her in your lap.

If you're planning on doing an actual "show" for several children, I wouldn't perform for anyone under 3. They need to be able to sit relatively still, concentrate, and understand what you're doing. Children at that age recognize colors and shapes, probably some letters and numbers as well. Still, keep everything very visual. Bright colors are great. In fact, get them to tell you what color things are (silks, balls, etc.) when you bring them out or produce them. If you want to use cards, purchase letter or number cards. (You can buy flash cards and things like that from you local Wal-Mart, or you can buy some bridge-sized letter and number cards from Doc Haley's Gospel Magic site.) Also, as much as possible, sit on the floor or kneel down while performing, so you're not towering over them (though you do want everyone to be able to see what you're doing.) Younger children also enjoy silliness. Fall down. Beat yourself up. Make them laugh. If they're laughing, they're having a good time. If they like something, repeat it. Again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And ... well, you get the point. Have fun, and they will, too.

Well. Hope that gives you some ideas on what ages are appropriate. Again, experience is the best teacher, and you may learn from your own experiences that you prefer older children. Just see what works best for you.


By the way ... In addition to my personal experience with children's shows, my research comes from my time working in church nurseries, my dabbling in psychology over the years, information from the American Academy of Pediatrics, David Kaye's book "Kid Show Kliff Notes", and plenty of insight from my wife who majored in psychology and has worked in nurseries and daycares with children from birth through age 5.

Continuing with the theme from last week, let's look more specifically at what kind of props to use in children's shows.

There are several principles I use when selecting a prop for a children's show.

The first is its visual appeal. Children (and adults too, really) love bright, colorful, "flashy" props. Vivid colors, large dots, even tricks that "pop out" like an Appearing Cane are a good thing. Something that catches their attention and draws them in visually.

The second is more tactile. Something they can put their hands on, feel, even play with. Anything they can "examine". And it's even better if the magic happens in their own hands! Do a coin trick, sponge ball trick, or even a "dissolving knot" where the magic is literally happening right there in their hands.

They also like tricks where the magician "messes up". Something that will cause them to laugh at the magician, or at least with the magician, up until the last moment of the trick, when it finally "works", at which point they've enjoyed the journey along the way.

They also like animals. Cute, cuddly, furry animals. I have never used live animals. I use stuffed (plush) animals instead. It all started with the apartment I lived in a few years ago -- we weren't allowed to have pets, so I bought some stuffed bunnies and used them in my show instead. Now that we're in a house and could have "pets" if we wanted to, I still used my stuffed animals -- they're easy to work with, never make a mess, don't have to be fed, don't get sick, they're absolutely adorable, and the children love them!

Those comments being made, here are some specific suggestions:

-- Sponge Balls (Magic by Gosh) Do part of the routine with a ball multiplying in a child's hand
-- Color-Changing Ball to Jumbo Square (Magic by Gosh) A colorful, interesting sponge trick
-- What's Next?(Tenyo) Large black dots move around on a white card
-- Cut-and-Restored Rope Start by playing Tug-O-War with the rope before you go into the routine
-- Strat-O-Spheres (Mak Magic) I've had dozens of children telling me how "beautiful", "colorful", and "pretty" this trick was. Really captivates them. See if you can add in juggling as well.
-- Monkey Bar (Trixie Bond) Especially nice if you have a stuffed monkey, rabbit, or something else on the end of it
-- Teddy Bear Painting (Silk) Set (Duane Laflin) Vivid and colorful. You can let them "stir" the paint, and it's cute, too!
-- Appearing Cane (Fantasio) A quick, visual something that can be added as a part of many different routines
-- Silk Production I pick up cheap, thin, brightly-colored scarves from Wal-Mart. That way, you can toss them out into the audience for the kids to play with if you like, and you don't have to worry about them ruining your expensive silks
-- (Plush) Rabbit out of a Hat Cute, furry, and almost expected by everyone I perform for


OK. So what about cards? Can you use cards with children?

While I could write an entire essay just on that topic, I'll just briefly say this: Some card tricks with some children work great. Don't expect an Ambitious Card Routine to totally wow a group of four-year-olds, but simple tricks work well. For example, I do a pick-a-card trick where one of my bunnies reveals which card has been chosen by the spectator. For a little bit older children, I may do one other card trick. Depends on their age level. One thing I make sure to do -- when I start the trick, I fan the cards face-up, point at different ones, and ask them "Do you know the difference between a Club and a Spade, between a Jack and a King?" If so, you're set. If not, then do something else. And you don't necessarily have to use cards with cartoon characters on them or anything like that. Many children recognize "standard" cards.

Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Snide remarks?

Tune in next week for ... How Young is Too Young?

I thought this would be a good topic for my next post ...

I visit various magic forums from time to time, and you would not believe (or maybe you would, actually ...) how many people post something like, "I perform for classmates/co-workers, and now I want to start doing shows for kids. What books/tricks/DVD's do you recommend?"

First thing I would ask -- what's your motivation? Why do you want to do kids shows? Is it because you think you can make money off of it, you've been asked to do it by someone you know, you figure it can't be much different than what you're already doing, or what? Do you really know what you're asking -- what you're getting into?

I think a very important thing is to have a genuine love for children and a genuine desire to perform for them. Kids can tell if you're "faking it". I know a professional magician and magic-shop owner who does children's birthday parties and absolutely hates it. He sees it as a "necessary evil" and believes he has to do it to make ends meet, but if he had his choice he'd never do another children's show. That's just sad. I, on the other hand, absolutely love it. I've worked with children since I was in middle school, and being able to do magic for them is even more fun. I end up sitting on the floor with the children at times, playing with them, interacting with them, and just having a wonderful time, and the kids love it, too.

First thing you need to understand is that performing for children is unlike anything you've ever done. You'll have to throw out your preconceived notions and learn to think like a kid. You need to understand how they think and act. To do that, start out by spending some time with children. If there are children in your immediate or extended family, spend time playing with them. If you attend a church, maybe offer to help once in a while with Children's Church, children's choir, or Vacation Bible School. Become familiar with the shows they watch. Realize that they are not just little adults. They have an awe and wonder many adults have lost. They have wild imaginations. They like to laugh and be involved in what you're doing. At certain ages, different things are funny to them -- getting hit in the head, smelly socks, messing up, etc.

Also, it never hurts to read books on the subject. Some may disagree, but I think David Kaye ("Silly Billy") has some good stuff on performing for children. Trixie Bond also has a wonderful lecture on the subject of children's magic. (I think she might have a book out about it now.) I've also heard that David Ginn has a couple of books on the subject. However, no matter how much you can learn by reading books, nothing can top actually spending time with them.

After doing this, you may decide that you don't want to do children's magic. That's fine, too. Not everyone is cut out for it. Just like I could not do on-the-street magic like David Blaine or escape stunts like Houdini, you may not be cut out for children's shows. That's fine. It's better to recognize that before you dive into it rather than after, but that doesn't always happen.

If you decide that children's magic is something you want to try, then work on is your "persona". How do you want the children to see you? As a clown? As a very serious person who claims to have mystical powers? Somewhere in-between? Work with your personality -- don't try to be something you're not -- but make it "kid-friendly". Mine persona is somewhat silly, with tricks that "go wrong" or that they think they've figured out (Cut and Restored Rope, What's Next, Monkey Bar, etc.) I like to keep them laughing, and amaze them along the way. But that may not be your style. I don't mean be unprofessional. Especially around the parents, you need to present yourself with a decorum and personality that says you know what you're doing, but that you also like to have a good time. Once you've established a rapport with the parents, cut loose with the children.

Then start looking into specific tricks and props you could use. Make sure it fits your persona, but there are some general rules I would adhere to. I would go for things that are colorful (brightly-colored silks, the Strat-O-Spheres, etc.) as well as things that they can get involved in hands-on (sponge balls, Papa Rabbit Goes to Town, certain card tricks.) They also like toys, stuffed (plush) rabbits, and (with parents' permission) candy. (Realize that if you do a candy production and hand out candy to the children, you should save it until the very end. Your show will fall apart after that point, and you may never regain control! :) They (especially younger children) also like oversized or silly props, if that fits with what you're doing.

And once you get to that point, realize the big thing is presentation. Change your patter and presentation to fit into their world. Have a good time. And take them on a journey. Don't just pull a rabbit out of a hat and be done with it. Pull a magic wand out of the hat. Get them to say the magic words along with you. Then produce silks. Have them rolling on the floor laughing before you're done. Maybe put the hat on your head and have the rabbit appear there or something. They don't care as much about the end result as how you got there. Make jokes along the way, and if something is funny, repeat it. Again. And again. And again.

Now, once you try a few shows, you may decide that you're not cut out for children's magic. There's nothing wrong with that. There are so many other avenues even within magic that you should be able to find your niche after a little soul-searching. But if you enjoy it, the children enjoy it, and the parents enjoy it, then you may have found yourself a new part-time (or even full-time) career!

For the first post, I would simply like to introduce myself. Let you get to know me a little bit better, as a magician. A lot of this comes from my site, but it has been updated, tweaked, and otherwise messed with.

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First of all, I am a Christian.

A vital part of my life, even closer than the relationship with my wife, is my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I grew up in a Baptist church (First Baptist Cayce, later moving to Trinity Baptist) with Christian parents. From the day I was born, I was taken to church and learned about the Bible and about how much God loves us, both from my teachers and from my parents. Around the third grade, during a summer afternoon camp, I gave my life to Jesus. I had realized that I was a sinner -- who wasn't? -- and I needed Someone's help to fix that. That someone was Jesus. He is the only person in the whole world who could pay the price for my sins. All I had to do was accept His free gift of salvation. I did. However, it wasn't until I went off to college that my Christianity became "mine". I had a chance to re-think my convictions, to re-evaulate where I stood with God. And I came away even closer to God than I ever have been before. It was no longer a "religion", but it was a relationship with Jesus. I was actively involved at Southcliff Baptist Church in Fort Worth and am currently a member of Lake Murray Baptist Church in Lexington. I am walking day by day with Jesus Christ, growing closer to Him all of the time.

I believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. I believe the writers, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote exactly what God wanted them to, and that the translations over time were also guided by the Holy Spirit. Every word in the Bible is true and it is still relevant to us in the twenty-first century. I believe God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three facets of the same being. (I like to use the analogy of "sheet music". God is like a song, a concept we have a hard time really getting a hold of because it's not concrete. Jesus is the physical representation of God, much like the sheet music of this "song", showing us in physical form what the song is like. The Holy Spirit is akin to the tune of the song, the "spirit" that speaks to us and works in us.) I believe that there is only ONE WAY to Heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ. There's not a Buddhist way, a Hindu way, or a Moslem way, only ONE way. There is one true God, and there is only one way to get to Him and take care of the sin problem we have, through His Son Jesus. I believe salvation is by faith alone, not by works. Everyone is a sinner, and there's nothing you can do to EARN your way to Heaven, and there's nothing you can do to UN-EARN your way out of Heaven. It's the free gift of God, but you must accept this gift. It's a relationship. "Works" are a result of being in the relationship with God. Much like being married -- I don't do housework or cook to make my wife love me, and she didn't marry me because I said I would do that sort of thing if we were married. We got married because she loved me, and I loved her in return, and we made a committment to one another that we wanted to be joined forever to one another. And since I love my wife, I want to do things for her, out of love and respect. But the love and relationship come first, and the doing things comes only as a result. And finally, I believe that Christians are called to share this love with the world. It's not our place to "bully" people into becoming Christians. We're not really out to take the planet by storm. But if we truly believe that everyone needs a Savior, and that we know the only way to get there, we have an obligation to tell everyone about it. It's up to the individual to decide whether he or she wants to accept it, and we leave that between them and God. But it is our commission to GO and TELL.


I am also a magician.

I've been involved with magic for a long time. My older sister used to do magic tricks (we had a book called Spooky Tricks by Gerald Ames and Rose Wyler, and she liked to do some of the tricks out of it.) And I played card games with her and my cousin ever since I was old enough to read. So that was my first introduction to cards and magic.

What really "inspired" me, though, was a magician that performed at our elementary school. (I really wish I could remember his name!) I only remember a few tricks he did (Milk Pitcher, Wilting Flower, Cut and Restored Rope, and Strat-O-Spheres) but it was enough. (I still perform the same C&R Rope he used and my variation of Strat-O-Spheres in nearly all of my shows.) Then we did a unit on Card Games and Card Tricks in one of my classes. Add on top of that -- around that time, David Copperfield had several TV specials and then I got to see him in person several times. After all of that, I was hooked! I went to the local library and picked up every conceivable book I could find on the subject and read them over and over. I only picked up a few routines out of those, but it was enough to get me going. I later picked up Self-Working Card Tricks by Karl Fulves and became much more comfortable performing card magic. (I've since lost that book, but my loving wife bought me a replacement for Christmas one year.)

The first "magic show" I ever did was for my little brother's birthday party. It was mainly to entertain the guests that were already there while we waited for the last few to show up. They were bored, I was nervous, but I think it went well anyway. I was around 10 or 12 at the time. I then performed off and on sporadically, mainly for friends and family.

Also, some 10-15 years ago, a Christian Magician by the name of Felix Snipes came to our church. I had been doing magic for a few years by then, but I had never seen a magician use magic to spread the Gospel. I thought this was a very interesting idea, and I decided to look into that further.

Unfortunately, I got out of the magic scene while I was in high school and college, but once I got married and we moved to Fort Worth, TX, I discovered a magic shop within a mile from where we lived. Became good friends with the owner (Bruce Chadwick, also a Gospel Magician) and he helped me get back into magic, and the magic "business" has really picked up over the past several years -- performing at birthday parties, Christmas parties, community events, and church functions.

I decided I wanted to do more than just entertain -- I also wanted to use my magic to share the Gospel! So I started doing Gospel shows in addition to birthday parties. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Felix Snipes again and personally thanking him for the influence he has had on my magic and my life. There have been a few other influences on me, but I believe he has been one of the most important.

I do not do large stage shows. Instead, I focus on what is often called "Parlor Magic", something that could easily be performed in someone's living room or den, but is also appropriate for small stage venues. My specialty is card magic, but you will only see a few card tricks in any given show. I also perform magic with sponge balls, coins, rope, silks (scarves), and larger props (including the Linking Rings and the afore-mentioned Strat-O-Spheres.) I manage to incorporate both juggling and comedy into my shows as well. Some of my routines require audience participation (one or more volunteers from the audience), but I've only recently started doing illusions that require an assistant (my lovely wife.) I've also never performed with animals (though one of my many plush rabbits might make an occasional appearance ...) I also do balloon animals, when asked, as an addition to my shows.

As far as involvement in the magic community -- I am an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Magicians (FCM) and have been for several years. I was also a member of the Texas Association of Magicians (T.A.O.M.) until we moved back to South Carolina. I was the Secretary/Treasurer and an active member of the Alliance of Illusionists (a local magic club that operates as both the DFW FCM Chapter and Chapter 138 of the Society of American Magicians.) I'd been in the A.O.I. since it was founded in October 2002. I am also considering becoming an official member of the Society of American Magicians and/or the International Brotherhood of Magicians but have not pursued this at this time. At the present time, I am working on (with the help of a few magician friends) starting a local chapter of the FCM.

One last thing I feel I should state. It may not make a difference, but it might -- I am a part-time professional magician, not a full-time professional. However, that does not mean my shows are of a lower caliber than others. It does not mean that I don't take magic seriously. It does not mean I am new to magic (I've been doing it for over half my life now!) All it means is that I do not do this for a living, nor do I charge people as if I do. As a part-time professional, I perform on the side because I enjoy it, because I love people, and to maybe make a little extra cash. In some regards, I think this is an advantage. If I was concerned more about the money than the people I'm performing for, we would both lose out. (Take Major League Baseball for example. And compare it to the minors, where you can tell the players are there for the love of the game and for the fans.) If I charge at all for a show, it's mainly to offset my time, gas, and wear-and-tear on equipment, (and to purchase new magic tricks -- so I'm constantly learning, growing, and improving) not to put bread on the table. (That's why I work at a full-time job!) I want my shows to be an enjoyment for the audience, not a burden, and I believe it will if given the chance. I am still learning, but who isn't? I have simply decided to not rely on it for my livelihood, because then I can do magic because I want to, not because I have to.

Well, I guess that's about it. Just wanted to let you know where I'm coming from.

Hope you find my essays both interesting and useful.

Next Topic: Working with Children (Coming Monday, February 6)

Well, here goes nothing ...

I've spent quite a bit of time on-line on message boards and other services, sharing my knowledge of magic and learning from others. However, I feel like I post the same thing in multiple places, and I would like a central "repository" if you will, for all of my thoughts.

While I do post some essays on my website, I would like something that not only caters to both the long and the short essay but would also allow some interaction.

Sure -- who's going to find this page? But it's worth a shot.

And maybe, just maybe, I might share some tricks and routines I've come up with, for those who have shown me that they are in fact involved in magic and aren't just interested in learning how Chris Angel did his levitation or David Copperfield did his appearing car thing. (I would make those posts "Friends Only", to help preserve the secrets of magic.)

So, with that in mind ...

"Expect the first when the bell tolls one!"