I saw the most amazing display of magic tonight and it was not performed by a magician. I have an 11 year old autistic stepdaughter that is very functional and accademically at the top of her 5th grade class in all subjects. Tonight, with 100% accuracy, she told us the day of the week for any chosen day and year. We all tried to see if it was a fluke, or mere guessing. After 10-12 tries, we all looked at each other in astonishment. What an amazing display of memory, or math, or whatever she is doing. She doesn't have the vocabulary skills to explain "how" she knows, but there is no doubt, she knows. For dates a long time ago, there is a pause and a blank stare, then she announces it. It gives me chills when I look at my PC calender and see she is right every time. Does anyone know if there is such a formula? It seems to me I saw a kid doing this same thing on TV many many many years ago. The tonight Show? That's Incredible? Well, I'll tell you. It's one thing to see it on TV and to see it happening with a non-stooge in your living room. Tomorrow I'm bringing home a stack of lottery tickets and have her fill them out...

It just amazes me that I spend 1000's of hours and 1000's of dollars to do what she did to me tonight...I am truly amazed!

There is a formula that's easy to learn. However, people with autism have been known to have the ability to do this.

We ALL have strengths and weaknesses.
Some with autism have VERY strong abilities.
It always humbles me to see such feats.
Piers.

Check Corindas 13 steps to mentalism.

Also I was performing on WCKG in Chicago, and the radio host devised his own method. He simply knew what day of the week Dec. 1st 2000 was on and using a rotating formula subtracting leap year, he knew what day of the week you were born on. Dr. Kelly Johnson is his name, he absolutely brilliant!

Muzicman, A child that is functioning in the range of your stepdaughter is classified as having Aspergers which is high functioning Autism.

Regards,
Sebastian Black

When I first met her 6 years ago when she was 5, she did not communicate beyond grunts. She would never look anyone in the eye and only watched TV in reflections in a mirror or the glass on the front door. She would just assume stay in her imaginary world that no one else could enter. She endures 40+ hours a week of therapy just to learn how to be "normal". Her communication skills are still lagging but she can speak in complete sentences, watch TV directly, Is an internet expert, and loves interacting with other people. She has her quirks, and probably always will., Routine is VERY important...do not upset the forces of the universe or she will freak out.

If you are watching a DVD, you cannot turn it off before the last credit rolls off the screen. DO NOT stop the microwave before it's done. She cannot close a browser without clicking the back button all the way back to the home page. The countdown clock at any ball game is a countdown to the end of the world to her. "The world is going to go kaboom in 5 minutes 12 seconds". She starts hitting herself and having what would look like an anxiety attack. Puonding heart, sweating, short breaths.

But last night she fooled the pants off me. I don't believe she has stumbled onto a secret/formula on the internet anywhere. To the best I can tell, she has photocopies of a calender in her mind. Somehow she is able to recall that picture and fool the pants off me.

The NLP'er in me is wondering what your child would make of the TiVo and it's abilitiy to move around, speed up and halt material on TV.

IE let the thing sit on a channel for a while then give the child the remote and see how they react to having more control over the events.

Hmmm ?

What a wonderful and interesting story.Your stepdaughter has apparently made vast improvements in five years.My guess is that you had something to do with that.We, that have an interest in the working of the human mind are inspired by these special children and there talents... that still thrive although many burdens are also present.It just proves once again how little we know,and how much there is to learn. All the best. Rich

Muzicman,
This is, indeed, a wonderful story.
I know that there will be difficulties concerning your daughter, but ow blessed you are to be able to grow with her and learn from her.
People really are magical.
Peace,
Parson

Yeah, great story muzicman. Thanks for sharing.
The interesting thing is that although Philosophry may be correct in his claim that there is a formula for doing this, autistic kids don't recognise it. It seems to be a kind of 'gnosism' in that they simply 'know' what it is.
Fascinating!

Bobser

At school a teacher taught us how to do it and there is a formula. Basically it involves a little memorizing (nothing amazing) and a calculation. However, many people with autism and aspergers have the ability to memorize huge quantities of information. Case studies have shown that autistic children are attracted by ordered lists and rules and can absorb vast quantities of data associated with these rules. These skills have made it possible for some people with autism and aspergers to excell in areas such as mathematics and computer programming.

People are amazing. I recently saw a documentary about a man who could see (not calculate) Pi to 20,000 places in his head.

I'm convinced she's not using any type of math or formula. She's good in math but not that good. Today at school, her aide said she told every student in her class the day they were born on. 26 Students, 26 correct answers. She doesn't even realize what she does is amazing. I'm thinking there is a "Feel Good" story here. The fact that I am a magician, and she is not, makes this a heartwarmer that this world needs. What I do is mere trickery, while what she demonstrates REAL MAGIC that I could never duplicate with her innocence.

"Magicians Austistic Daughter Fools Dad"