Bill Hegbli This is a great man - I read his thoughts and memories - this is a living legend! We often underestimate what we have, it is a great opportunity to get a free consultation and experience the old times of magic. I hope that you will continue to answer and give advice - but only in the most interesting topics of this forum! Long time to live!

Yes, Bill often came off as a curmudgeon in some of his responses but the knowledge and experience he was willing to share is priceless. If one was willing to make the effort to contact him for advice (and actually listen to it) he was tremendously helpful. I only took advantage of this a couple of times but it was well worth it. Somewhere in those 20000 posts is gold waiting to be discovered by someone needing some insight.
Thanks, Bill, and I hope you come back to contribute again.

Randy

Nicely put Randy.

Randy, that was nicely put. Bill paid his dues to offers his knowledge, like so many, it becomes tiring to try to convince others that have not taken the time to study this craft. Watching a dvd and learning a routine by rote does not make you a magician. It makes you a mimic. Only by reading, researching, yes and even watching dvd's and compiling all of that knowledge into your own routine should any one consider themselves to be a magician.
Thanks again Bill for your friendship, opinions, and observations. I appreciate the thinking though I may have not always have agreed with you.
Richard

Richard, like Bill... Is one of those unsung heroes of this forum. Unfortunately, we only show our appreciation after their absence. Why not acknowledge them while they are still contributing? It truly makes a difference to hear that you are appreciated.

I wrote this in the Little Darlings section some years ago, and I'm going to repost it here. I called it "The Unhelpful Answer":

"There have been a number of threads lately in The Little Darlings that start with a question and once someone answers, the person answering is immediately told by the questioner, "Well, I thought this was supposed to be about magicians helping magicians. If you don't have something positive or helpful to say, please don't answer..."

If you go to any amateur astronomy forum, you'll see the following question: "I want to get into astronomy and I want someone to tell me what telescope I should get. Should I get a big one or a small one?"

Often, this question will receive the following answer, "You shouldn't get a telescope at all yet. Find a pair of binoculars and a good sky chart. With the binoculars and the chart, you'll be able to learn how to navigate the night sky and find all the galaxies, nebulae and stars. If you just get a telescope now, you won't know where to point it and the fact that you can only see a very small portion of the sky through the eyepiece will make it very difficult to guess where to point it. Learn your way around the night sky with the binoculars and then you'll be ready for a telescope."

Is that answer unhelpful or negative? No, it makes good sense. But it also might not be the answer the questioner wanted to hear. They wanted someone to pat them on the head, smile and say, "Don't worry about learning about astronomy, just go out and buy the $2,300 12" Dobsonian with the Rigel Finder and the computerized GOTO system with a built-in CCD camera! It's what everyone is using!"... and some jerk had the gall to suggest that they buy a book and a pair of dumb binoculars and spend who-knows-how-long actually reading and studying and practicing before they even look at any telescopes. Who wants to do all that work?!? I just wanted a telescope!

Just because an answer isn't the answer one wanted to hear, it doesn't mean it was meant to be unhelpful or negative, it was often in fact being given to help the questioner cut their learning curve. Often, this sort of answer is given by a veteran in the field who spent decades honing their craft and is so passionate about sharing their love of magic that they want to make sure the person just starting out understands the importance and advantage of building a solid foundation in the art. And often, the veteran will suggest specific books and techniques that if truly read, studied and applied, will turn the new magician into an excellent performer and entertainer. What the veteran will probably not want to do is say, "Don't bother learning anything about all this, I'll give all the work on my show I've been developing for 40 years and use to make a living and you can buy all the same props and go out next week and perform it." Now, in some rare cases, the veteran will do just that, with some differences; they'll say, "This is my program I've been developing for 40 years. If you spend five years studying and learning and practicing, I'll give you all the work on my show. Then you can take it and at that point, you'll have the foundation and knowledge and experience to use my show as a guide for what works and develop your own unique show.

So, if an answer initially seems unhelpful or negative, think about it; it might actually be some of the best advice you'll ever receive."

Bill is one of the seasoned veterans who have "been there and done that", and speaking personally, the help and advice he's given me over the years has made a huge difference for me, and I really appreciate his kindness in sharing what he knows with me, who he's never even met in person. I can say, he has probably been one of the most helpful people to me since I joined the Café. Thank you, Bill.

Drhackenbush, what you've posted is undoubtedly true. And when reading replies to questions, or any post come to that, the viewpoint you've expressed in your post above is something that would stand us all in good stead to keep in mind.

But lets also not get completely carried away into believing that everyone here on the Café is an angelic herald of pure altruistic intent 100% of the time.

While thankfully the vast majority of posts made are here on the Café are born out of good will, not every post on the Café is made completely free of enmity and self aggrandisement, and none of us are beyond reproach or inculpable for what we write here.

I agree with JNeal, Bill is one of those unsung heroes of the Café. His contributions here were/are enormously helpful to a great many people including me. The vast majority of Bill's posts were made with an unbridled altruistic intent both towards the individuals he was helping and the betterment of the art and craft magic in general. I like to think I always took the time to thank him when he helped me out and let him know I appreciated his input.

But, like all of us, Bill has his personality traits and idiosyncrasies. And to ignore that he could also often, to coin a phrase, 'grind your gears', I think, does him a disservice as that is part of what makes him who he is.

I hope he will continue to post here on the Café, and even occasionally, 'grind my gears'.

This thread reminds me of that old vaudeville song "How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?"

IIRC....That was a Groucho Marx song!

PS....I hope, as do many, that Bill takes a "short break", and, returns.

Bill,

I'm glad you are not gone. You've always had good info.

Now you'll have to go for 30000. ("You'll thank me later"- Mr Monk).

Thank you for all you've already added to the Café. Take some time out if you need and want it.

-Mary Mowder

Agreed... Bill has given me some priceless advice over the years... some directly (as for the Floating Table) and much indirectly (through his postings.) I think of him as a consultant...I like his honesty. We live in an age of sugar coating. Yes, I believe in tact, but I like his "economy of words" and his consideration of my time: I don't want to waste it trying to determine his meanings and points. Keep in touch, Bill!

Well said stempleton. I think that sums up much of what many of us feel. We all like to suppose that we want the history, experience, and wisdom that Bill brings to this forum, but also know that admittance comes with a price. A man who is as passionate about this art doesn't do well with compromise. That can be difficult to deal with at times...most times. But when that beacon is gone, the light is missed.

Well I'm happy to see that Bill is back and posting on the Café off and on. It would have been be a shame to lose such a generous and valuable resource and such a colourful personality.

Welcome back Bill. Here's hoping you stay around a while.

Yes... Bill is back and I'm glad to see his presence with whatever frequency he chooses to post!! He is an asset, a resource, and a friend.

Bill, thank you for all that you do. I myself do not check the Café as much so I know where you are coming from. Your remarks and insight are truly appreciated. Thank you.
Richard