111: T.A.O.M. 2013 - Day 1

Dateline DALLAS, TX - Aug. 30, 2013 - We make the four and a half hour drive from Houston to Dallas with Jamie Salinas knowing that we will miss the first activity: Allen Okawa (from Hawaii) lecture. I am sorry that we will miss that one. I have used one of Allen's eel skin wallets for decades. I know that Allen was a good friend of the late Roger Klause so I know it will be bittersweet to see Allen at this convention after so many years. Roger was a mainstay at this convention and it was fitting that his death fell on the second day of the T.A.O.M. a few years ago.

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00:00:08 - We are driving from Houston to Dallas for the T.A.O.M. convention and Jamie Salinas is along for the ride. We talk about the upcoming convention, but since Jamie is one of the product reviewers for the M.U.M. magazine, he tells us how he receives the material that he reviews and how he goes about making his judgments and recommendations. He also gives us his top three favorite products from the past 12 months that he has reviewed.

00:19:41 - Bill Irwin (President of next year's T.A.O.M. convention in Ft. Worth) tells us what's in store for next year. Diamond Jim Tyler is in on the conversation and tells us about his global exploits, adventures and travels as he has lectured around the world.

00:33:23 - Bruce Walstad took a few moments away from setting up his side show and Old Time Sideshow of Curiosities, Oddities and Urban Legends to tell us a little about "carnival games you can't win."

00:43:43 - Our friend Fielding West was a popular guest when he spoke on The Magic Word during the I.B.M. convention in Phoenix, Arizona. We caught up with him again and this time he shared some valuable information that might save you hundreds of dollars in private lessons.

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Magic & Martinis Thursday - Aug. 29, 2013

This was a week for recuperating from hand surgery. All went well for my carpal tunnel and I am on the mend and able to do double lifts though I can't do the Erdnase Palm Shift very well. But then again, I never could. :) My doctor was funny. Before I could ask him if I could play the piano after the surgery (you know the old joke), he told me that I could play the piano ONLY if I played it before the surgery. Wise guy. He stole my line. So this past week I have been working on mentalism and performing tricks not requiring much sleight-of-hand.

During this past week, I performed John Archer's "Blank Night" (sold by Vanishing Inc.) to great success plus the Magic Square. If you are considering performing The Magic Square, then you have to buy the Luis DeMatos DVD on The Magic Square Very well done and complete with professional routine and a bonus effect plus stickers for your marking pen. I have also continued to use To-Do VooDoo by Rick Lax. I impressed my doctor as well as our Sunday School teacher. It is a great impromptu trick that can easily be carried in your wallet. I wish I was compensated for mentioning any of these tricks, but just so you know, I paid full price like everyone else for all the products I mention. I only rely on your generosity through PayPal donations (see the upper left hand corner of this blog).

Later this weekend, I will be traveling to Dallas for the Texas Association of Magicians (T.A.O.M.) annual convention. I will be riding with Jamie Salinas who is one of the product reviewers for the M.U.M. magazine. It was Jamie who put me on to To-Do VooDoo. I ran into Rick Lax at the recent MAGIC Live! convention in Las Vegas and showed him a little improvement created by Jamie. I also told him about the presentation that Banachek shared with us. Rick was pleased to hear that we are enjoying his effect so much and thrilled that we are putting a different spin on it.

And speaking of Jamie and mentalism, he will be selling his Lotto Fever at the T.A.O.M. which is a killer effect that plays for audiences both big and small. It is another effect that can be carried in your wallet though you can also use other "sorcerer's sidearms" to aid in the effect, if you wish.

Enough for now. I'm off to see the wizards in Dallas. If we run into each other at the convention, please shake my left hand. :) Be sure to watch and listen for my updates from the T.A.O.M. Cheers!

Martinis aid in the recovery of my hand surgery.

Magic & Martinis Thursday - Aug. 22, 2013

The "after-glow" of MAGIC Live! continued this week as I slowly came back to reality. It really was a fun convention, but like most of these events, it's the friends, both new and old, that make a convention truly magical. I was so pleased and flattered that so many people from around the world listened to my daily podcasts. Steve Bryant gave us a nice "shout out" on his August update of Little Egypt Gazette. And there was some nice "buzz" on the Genii Forum, too. But I was surprised to see the nice link from Hanno Rhomberg from Germany on his Blog. I can't read German, but I think it's complimentary. :) Thanks, guys.

And while we're on compliments, I was blown away by a recent email from John Graybeal. I don't think he would mind me re-posting this:

"My two kids just competed in the Midwest Magic Jubilee in St. Louis this past weekend. My daughter won 3rd place (She is 6) and my son did equally as well (he is 9). Both in stage magic. They were amazing!

"I will tell you this, if it was not for your podcast and information we would have never even thought about going to a convention and competing. After your show about the movie "Make Believe" (which I knew nothing about until then) we watched it and both my kids wanted to get on stage!

"Thanks again!"

First of all, congratulations to John's two children. And secondly...WOW, thanks for the email, John. It is due to comments and encouraging links like these that keep me going with this podcast. Well, that and the Magic & Martinis Thursday :) It was particularly appreciated last night because of their "relaxing quality" that I needed following my hand surgery earlier that morning. I had surgery on my right hand for carpal tunnel syndrome which is why it is taking me longer to type in this week's update because I have to "hunt and peck" on the keyboard.

Anyway, next week we will be packing for the annual Texas Association of Magicians (T.A.O.M.) convention in Dallas. Watch and listen for updates from Dallas next Friday. Until then...Cheers!