Hello, my name is Raymond Kleinschmidt, and I am new to the Magic Café forum. I specialize in close-up magic, and regularly attend a magic camp every year in Bryn Mawr, PA. I try to perform as often as I can, (I've chosen "Raymarkable Magic" as my 'company name'), although it can be difficult to get a gig. For the most part, I'm self-taught, using books or DVDs as resources to learn magic. Unfortunately, the area of NJ where I live doesn't have any nearby magic shops or SYM chapters. Because of this, I use social media to connect with my fellow magicians from camp, and ask for advice. I've used the Magic Café forums for a while to see people's opinions on effects before I buy them. I hope to make some new friends, and continue learning more about magic every day!

Hello Ray. It's good to make your acquaintance. I'm from the Scranton PA area and also fairly new here. Tom's River is neat the Jersey shore isn't it? I'LL bet that's a cool place to perform in the summer. There's a great magic shop in Scranton if you ever get up this way.

Welcome Raymarkable Magic.

Be sure and check out the "Table Hoppers and Party Strollers" forum.

You are in the luckiest time to be "self taught". There are amazing resources for learning Magicians now-a-days.

-Mary Mowder

Hi Ray!

If you've heard someone ask "Where the **** is Bryn Mawr?", imagine how I felt in Paoli! I spent my high school years up the street in Phoenixville...

The only formal education I've ever even heard of is for clowns, where I guess there is a college, or something. Knowing Shriners, they're pretty serious about it (get it?). But for 'other' magic, I'm like you-videos, books & YouTube.

What I'd really like is someone to team up with that is local to me, but now I live in the backwoods of CT, where the only thing we grow are casinos!

Welcome!