I had the good fortune, while living in the UK, of discovering Mentalism; finding out that I was rather "good" at it ( a lot better than I was doing,or, rather, attempting card effects when I was a teenager.), and then discovering a local magic club, The Coventry Magic Circle, which, if memory serves me correctly, is one of the, if not the, oldest magic societies in the UK.

I was spoiled, although perhaps at the time, I didn't fully realise it.

We met weekly. There were card workers, childrens magicians, a juggler or two, a few who did mentalism, mixed in with their magic, and a few people who didn't perform, but who enjoyed the company.

We held shows at least three times a year, usually at the local schools, they were 50-50 events, i.e., the gate was split in half. I did a five minute mentalism set at such a place, for that five minutes I included the adults who were overlooked given the age range of the kids.

Once a year they did, and probably still do, a charity show for the Mayor of Nuneaton's Annual Appeal. This is a show that the Circle puts on, they invite a local dance studio to send some dancers over, a local singer provides some music, and the group will perform magic.

In that group, when I was involved, there were a few "Pros" who made their living doing this, Semi-Pros who were being booked, and then there was me, a "Hack". A guy who was just doing maybe 1-2 shows every six months.

10 minutes a piece, and we had filled a 500 seat theatre each of the two years that I was involved.

I learned a lot from the men that I associated with on those week nights.

Now, four years since I've been part of such a group, I'm getting back, or rather, am trying to get back, into the swing of things.

I've had one gig last year, a 10-20 minute gig in a few weeks time.

I've also been shopping around for somewhere to "hang my hat".

I've been to one local magic group here in Orange County California.

I was at an I.B.M. ring lecture last night (I'm still working out how the ring is listed as being a "Long Beach" ring, when it's located in Seal Beach. But then again, the Coventry Magic Circle hasn't met in Coventry in over 20+ years, so I guess things balance out somehow.), and I'm planning on heading to Irvine at the end of the month to attend another ring.

I'm looking for a place that has, to some extent, the same "warmth" that I had in Coventry. The biggest difference is that none of the rings meet more than once a month. A bit of a culture shock for me.

I'm looking for a group that will perhaps do more than just hire "Pros" to lecture. I do enjoy these events, but I'm looking for something more than that. A group of people who may want to perform, or, if they're not good enough, or don't have that interest level, who could provide whatever back up/support for those in the group who do perform, either on a "Pro" level, or on my level. (BTY, my use of the term "Hack" in describing myself should in no way infer that I'm not any good. I've been fortunate to have all of the bookings, with the exception of two, that I've done in the UK, come as a result of word of mouth.)

Sadly, after visiting the ring on the 19th, and one earlier in the week, I suspect that perhaps my experiences in the Coventry Magic Circle were possibly limited to the UK. I hope not. But at the same time I'm loathe to do a drive across Southern California in search of that Holy Grail.

The magic club I went to during the week on kind of reminds me of what the Circle was for me in the UK. Who know where that part of my journey will take me.

Clubs are what you make of it.

I agree.

I'm just hoping that the I.B.M. rings that I do come across will, at some level, be able to help me, and, truth be told, will provide me with what I am looking for, and with what I was used to while in the UK.