I was 7 years old when my stepfather showed me my first card trick. I was fascinated. For two weeks he refused to tell me how it was done. Finally, he relented and, once I learned the trick, I proceeded to show it to everyone I knew about a dozen times a day.

My mom quickly tired of hearing me say "pick a card" for the same ole trick so, before too long, she took me down to the local public library and helped me check out a couple of magic books. That was the beginning of my magic education. I eventually graduated to the much larger main library branch downtown where I was entrusted with the care of each volume (for a couple of weeks each) of the Tarbell Course in Magic. There was many a night when my mom caught me at 1am in the morning with a flashlight under the covers of my bed, reading Tarbell, when I should have been sleeping!

I've been a semi-serious amateur magician ever since. In my teens and twenties I was more serious but, as I established a career and started having my own family, I made less time for magic. Plus I found I had passion for other hobbyist interests (photography, computers, home theater, and little red Miata sports cars) so magic got less attention. I never abandoned it entirely, I just didn't spend as much time doing it.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when a magician friend invited me to the local IBM Ring 76 swap meet (thank you, Jeff!). As I walked among the tables of magical apparatus and effects for sale, a ton of memories came flooding back. Next thing you know I was making offers to purchase a few effects from my childhood and was as giddy as a schoolboy when I brought them home to show my wife.

I quickly realized the bug has bitten me again, really badly. This isn't like the dozen plus other times I dabbled back into magic over the last 30 years. The last two weeks I've been immersing myself in as much magic as I can get. I've visited our local magic shop twice already. I have orders on the way from Hocus-Pocus, Penguin, Rings N Things and I purchased a previously loved set of 12" linking rings from a fellow forum member. I'm feeling like a teenager again and I'm enjoying the heck out of it!

Hello, my name is Mark Booth and, once again, I'm a magic-holic!

Mark

BTW, my first post in the forum was made just a couple of days ago. To my own amazement, I discovered that I actually registered (but never posted) back in April of 2005. 13 years a lurker (off and on).

Mark

Welcome back Magic Mark,

Let's hope it sticks this time LOL.

Best of fun.

- Mary Mowder

Similar here - been around since 2008 but haven't said much. Though I have been exploring other sections of the Café a bit more (reducing my Latest & Greatest visits some...)

It's amazing how something will get into your system and stay there regardless of whether you indulge in it or not. And then it is there again, fresh as new.

Welcome!

Henry (No Mary, I still have not found a better magic name, though as a musician I have become Henry the Piper!)

Welcome, and be careful, as you gain access to the marketplace here in the Café, you’ll be buying more and more tricks, DVDs, and books...

Thanks. I'm looking forward to marketplace access because it might save me some money compared to how much I've been spending at magic retailers. I've gotten a bit carried away the last month.

Mark

After nearly 40 years, back in the fold again.




Mark

Spooky. This is the first new arrivals thread I viewed since being on here. I'm new to the forum and magic hobby. Also named Marc Booth.