ACES 2015

Well, the last post I made here covered us doing some planning for a mini magic convention in Tyler, Texas. Well, that event actually happened!! Yep, we did it! (I'm as amazed as anyone else might be!) It was called the Association of Christian Entertainers Symposium and it was held at Trinity Baptist Church on January 16th and 17th.  Duane Laflin, Steve Varro, Del Wilson and David McCullough lectured, along with Kit Scott and they all taught us some great stuff. Here's a quick photo of the stage, about 3 hours before we started (more photos to follow!):

Gone to the dogs

OK, technically speaking....this isn't exactly related to magic........HOWEVER: last week, I was at a planning meeting at David Gish's house (along with George Garrett and Mark Kilsby) and I just felt the need to take a photo of one of David's dogs.....so here it is! [note Mark Kilsbys' foot in the background]. Planning for a big magic event in Tyler for 2015.

You're getting very sleepy!

This is a GIF I made yesterday. I took these photos at my local IBM Ring meeting over the Summer (June, I think....not sure). The gentleman is Jene Carrol....a nice guy. I think this is funny because the way I took the photos and the way the GIF turns out, it almost looks like he's hypnotized the lady.........but it was just a 'regular' card trick.

I follow, like....a gazillion blogs.....and there's an artsy one called 'Half 'n Half' I sort of like. I was looking at a post over there (from a while back) about this mixed media artist who's a pretty good mask maker and just happened to see that he's made some stuff for a noted magician!  Ironic, huh?  Anyway, here's the link:         A mask maker

Got a dollar??

It's a VERY RARE thing for me to say good things about magic videos found on YouTube......but this is a good one!  Trust me!

Excellent floating dollar trick!

A touch of inspiration

No, it's not exactly magic-related, but when I'm a little dry in the inspiration department, I'll often turn to animated shorts......nice, tight bits of entertainment to awaken (hopefully) the Muse!

You'll like this one, entitled "Writer's Block".


https://vimeo.com/60097083

Recent Ring discussions

Well, my IBM Ring met on Monday night and one of our members brought up something he's hinted at before: us hosting a mini-magic convention in Tyler. I stated openly that I'd volunteer 10 hours to help with the event, but I also expressed that I'm EXTREMELY pessimistic that it'll get off the ground. One or two of our Ring's 'Shadow Leaders' (as I like to call them) will torpedo it, watch and see!  Let me give an example:

Some time back, our officers met with leaders from a local non-profit about hosting a big magic show fundraiser. They'd handle all the publicity, we'd do the show and split everything 50/50.  Well, we met and talked and we met and talked again, and about 40 e-mails flew through the air and different discussions went on and etc. etc.  Things were flowing along swimmingly. Then, one night, at a regular monthly meeting, one of our marginal members (I like the guy and he's a skilled performer, but he's also pretty new to our club) just mentions, "Well, what if something happens and the club gets sued?" Guess what? The ENTIRE PROJECT COLLAPSED right there on the table in a matter of seconds!  That's what I'm talking about.......that's a small reason why I'm growing disillusioned (get it?) with my magic club. Its a lot of talking and not much doing and most of the talking is built around 'Why this wont work out' or 'Why that wont work out'

I think, if done properly, it could make some money.....I really do......we just have to make sure we don't spend too much in an effort to make a little $.

I'll post developments here........and I'll try to keep a positive attitude! Here's hoping for the best!

H.G. Wells in 'da house!!

Not exactly magic related, but I was taking some inpiration over at Bent Objects 'blog 

......I particularly liked his Tri-pod from War of the Worlds!

Sometimes, you just need to "feed" the Muse!

More Ice McDonald pics

Ice!

Last Monday (5-20-2013) Kenrick "Ice" McDonald lectured for IBM Ring 266 in Tyler, Texas. It was terrific!

I would be lying if I didn't say I was excited about this lecture tonight!!! I've wanted to meet Ice McDonald for at least 5 years now!!

Ring Parade notes February 1981

So, I've been saying for a long time I was going to do this.......put some reviews/notes on old Ring Parades from The Linking Ring magazine........so here's my first:


[Page 59]

A Coin Routine: A very involved coin routine using a Boston Box (among other things); quite British in design/timbre. Good fodder for ideas/inspiration.....would take a while to work up.

Four Card Assembly: An assembly routine with some potential.

Marbelized: A mental routine with a bunch of envelopes, colored ribbon, a display board, marbles.......it reads like one of those things that "another" guy could maybe work, but I don't think its right for me. Long editorial at the end suggests it seemed a bit convoluted and wordy......did give a bit of a snippet about working up your own cheap-o clear force bag, though.

The 5040 Prediction: A very promising number card thing that I might consider.

Simplicity one in fifty two card force: An excellent card force, using an easily-gaffed deck.......that one's a keeper!!


(to be continued later...........)

Rich the Clown

His driver's license might read, George Garrett, but whatever you call him, you'll certainly consider him to be talented! I visited the Tyler Fellowship of Christian Magicians chapter a couple of weeks back, and George did a mini-workshop on gospel clowning. I've never hidden my general disdain for most forms of gospel magic, but his was classy, poignant, well-considered and tasteful all the way around......very nice!! What might you say if I told you this guy designed and built Kirby Van Burch's appearing helicopter?!  ......that's no clowning around, either!

Johnny Magic

Last night, the Tyler magic club had, what started out as a "regular" meeting. We had a couple of past members come, one of whom was Jonathan Havier (aka Johnny Magic). He discussed some of his performing days in great detail.....and led a huge work session on setting up/doing the traditional Anderson Newspaper tear. I took some photos, but I'm not sure I caught any of him! It was a great session.....heck it was worth it just to know how to make the gimmick. I'll post some photos later.

As I like to document the history of magic performance all over Texas, I thought this was proper: in February, our club, IBM Ring 266 in Tyler, awarded a certificate of appreciation to Gene and Neta Colteaux for their many years of service to our magic club. Gene served as our Ring's President for 3 straight years and Neta was our Ring's secretary for more years than anyone can count (about 7, I think, but could be longer!), she also spent the last two years as our Ring's Treasurer. They both were excellent as officers for our Ring! (Far right is our Ring's new President, Jerry Abercrombie.)

Parade (January 2007)

I'd noted some time back that I was going to post some reviews/comments re: some Parades from various issues of The Linking Ring magazine..................so, I just happened to pick up an issue from January 2007. The Parade features The British Ring (Ring 25)...............admittedly, I've not read the whole thing, but heck, it spans over 20 pages! What I've read looks pretty darned good! .....those Brits, they always make for heavy reading.....................but it's good stuff! Some very performable stuff.....there's a little bit that involves a diary and a deck of cards..........worth my time!

Cube-Cube-Cubio!

A few nights ago, about 2 hours before our Ring's November meeting, an idea struck me for a bit using a Tenyo "Cubio".........I'm going to try to throw up a video here soon!

I'm a bit confused, if not annoyed that it's been so long since I last posted here!! Any-hoo, I stumbled upon a truly clever little trick in an old copy of the Linking Ring that I absolutely MUST start performing....uses only an Ali Bongo hat and a deck of large cards!

Gregory Wilson!

Holy Mother Magnus in a buttermilk biscuit........Gregory Wilson is AAAAA-------WWWWWWESOME!!!!!!!

This guy has re-awakened a love for performing magic in me that I just can't describe!! A bunch of us from the Tyler IBM Ring saw him lecture in Longview, Texas a few weeks back........words cannot describe this man's thinking! Absolute brilliance!!

Aldo and Rachel

First things first: Aldo and Rachel Colombini are NOT moving to the UK!!  That was a weird little rumor.....who knows how it got started!!  HOWEVER, this photo was taken when they lectured in Longview, Texas last month..........as a part of their VERY LAST BIG LECTURE TOUR EVER.  They won't do another big tour like this one again.  Yes, the photo's a bit blurry....sorry!  It was, without a doubt, the best magic lecture I've ever attended....and I won a DVD!

Wow!!

I wrote some ad copy for a web site my buddy, Jeff Stone designed (not a magic related site, but a site nonetheless)........and he paid me with product!  A big box of Stone Cold Magic DVD's! Wow! What a guy!  I just like looking at them all stacked up and shrinkwrapped!

Jump over to Jeff's site......he's a real creative guy!

Aldo Colombini

Very very soon......Aldo Colombini is coming to East Texas on his last big US lecture tour.  (I'd wrongly posted that Aldo and his wife were moving back to the UK.......that was false......they're staying in the US!!) [I'm correcting this post on January 19, 2013].

...and a photo to boot!

Check out Nathan Kranzo's site to order this cool DVD on the Mene Tekel deck!!

Mene Tekel

I felt it only right and proper to include a link to Nathan's cool DVD on uses for the Mene Tekel deck:

"Mene Tekel Miracles" by Nathan Kranzo

Kranzilla!!

Nathan Kranzo! Kranzilla!!  That dude is talented!  He lectured for Ring 266 last night in Tyler, Texas....awesome! Cool stuff with a Mene Tekel deck!

In Memoriam:Tim Conover

Although I never saw him in-person, I have seen a few video clips of mentalist Tim Conover online.  Great stage persona!  Fantastic!  Sadly, found out via Carl Jones' send-outs and Genii's forums that he took his own life a few days ago. Profoundly sad.......one great entertainer, man.

I had the great privilege of having dinner a few nights ago with Richard Hatch. He was at Discovery Science Place in Tyler performing and our Ring's V.P. (Mark Kilsby) and I went out to dinner with him and his friend, Joe (from Houston). Richard is a smart guy!  Recently sold H&R Magic Books to a former employee.