A Biographical Sketch Of Me As A Magician

Anyway, I've been into Magic, Mentalism, and Escapology, for 14 years. I do the ocassional show, but MOSTLY, I'm s "Street Performer". I've done it 9 years now in the same spot, and got my regulars. My specialties, are Cards, and Mentalism. In my younger years, I read on Harry Houdini, (8 Bios), and that's what got me into Magic at about 15 years of age. I was born & raised in Florida. I was big into "Underwater Escapes" in pools 8 feet or deeper. I moved up here in N.H. in 8/94 with my Dad passing away. My parents divorced at age 10, so my Mom, was up here. I moved up here like 5 days shy of my 18th B-Day. I lived with her for 22 months. I was always SAFE doing my Underwater Stuff, as I had two people who would dive in if I wasn't up in two minutes. I had it taped once up here and once down there. I haven't done that in like 9 years now. I've ONLY done it 30 times without incident, but just 4 times since being up here. I used to have security and police handcuff me, or have people tie me up anyway they want with 100 feet of rope, to trees, mummy style, to chairs, or benches. I'm also, into Cards. I love GREAT CARD MAGIC. They say you shouldn't mix mentalism and cards. I do though. I HIGHLY respect Richard Osterlind. He does the same type of stuff. His goal is to create wonder, and "Mind Mysteries".

Some of my FAVORITE Card Men are, Michael Ammar, Bill Malone, Martin Nash, Bill Malone, Jay Sankey, Paul Harris, Allan Ackerman, John Bannon, David Regal, James Swain...Ect...Ect. Some of my favorite "Card Effects" are:
1. Red Hot Mamma, (or a Card Turning into another card between the palms of a spectator.
2. MacDonald's Aces
3. Ambitious Card, to Card to (Mullica) Wallet.
4. My Version of Remember and Forget, and Title Bout with people 10 cards.
5. In a Flash.
6. Brainwave.
7. De Tour De Force.
8. Mind Power Deck.
9. Mental Photography.
10. S.U.M. Deck
I could go on and on. I'd like to get into Strolling, and Table to Table Magic / Mentalism. I have trouble with "Selling Myself". My Self-Esteem, and Confidence could be higher. I usually wind up charging too little. I'm always scared that I'll quote to high, and then get turned down. Like I did, One Hour Luncheon for 60 people (like 10 tables), at this very old / restored, Hotel (Wentworth By The Sea), that's like **** (Four Stars) for Liberty Mutual. I charged $150.00. I just do local stuff, as I've NEVER owned a Car. Since 1998 I've been on Disability for Bipolar (Manic-Depressive), and Panic Attack Disorder. I take my meds as I'm suppose to. My dream is to be "Discovered", or something. I don't want HUGE fame, or MILLIONS of Dollars. Just local fame (which I got some of) would be good. Starting This July (2006) after paying over $500.00 I’ll have a nice Four-Lined add running under “Magicians” for 1 Year. For Shows and Per Hour I charge anywhere from $150.00-$250.00, That’s pretty cheap too for Magicians in my area. I’ll FINALLY be getting TONS of gigs like 5-10 a month maybe more I’m not sure.

. I've really gotten into Mentalism. It's about the ONLY type of Magic that you can do that people can really believe in. I love Card Mentalism, a little Cold Reading, Book Tests, and so on. I'm also into Metal Bending. I do Psychokinetic Silverware, from Banachek. I also like doing Key Bending (The Dennis Mark's Method off of Banachek's PSI SERIES 4) Just so you know what books / videos I have I'll list them just so you know what material I do know a little about. I should say, I'm AGAINST, Stooges, (with T.V. I'm Against Stooges, Editing, Pre-Show Work and Camera tricks), and Pre-Show work, UNLESS like in a Osterlind (volume 4 of Mind Mysteries), you tell the audience what happened. Anyway here if the stuff. DVD'S / Videos.
1. Bob Cassidy's "Mental Miracles"
2. Banachek's "Psychokinetic Silverware".
3. Osterlind's "Mind Mysteries" all 4 volumes.
4. Banachek's "Psi Series", 1,2, and
4. 5. Max Maven's "Videomind" Phases, One & Two.
6. Ted Lesley's "Mentalism Video".
7. Larry Becker's "Mental Miracles".
8. John Tremaine's "Close-Up Mental Act". Again plus MORE.

The Books I got are :
1. 13 Steps to Mentalism (Which I like a little better ther Pratical Mental Effects).
2. Practical Mental Effects.
3. Larry Becker's "World of Super Mentalism".
4. Theater of the Mind "Barry Richardson".
5. Paramiracles "Ted Lesley".
6. Karges Connection "Craig Karges".
7. Prism "Max Maven".
8. You TOO Can Read Minds II "George Anderson". (I didn't like the book, too much with stooges).
9. Tarbel Courses 4 & 6.
10. T.A. Waters "Mind Myth & Magick" (I cannot praise this INCREDIBLE Piece of WORK Enough)!!!
11. A couple of E-Books by Osterlind.
12. Richard Busch's "Peak Performances". So that's some of the stuff I've read. I want to know if anyone has Banachek's "PSI Series 1"? He has THE BEST Peak I use ALL THE TIME, that is easy, like 60% Angle-Proof. He uses it in his Close-Up Picture Duplication. One of my favorite routines if 4th Dimensional Telepathy. I do a book Test with a Two Way (See Through) Change Bag, The Mind Power Deck...ect. I have a few I like. One for Tricks, One for DVD's / VIDEOS, One for BOOKS. Maybe some of you have some of the stuff I have. I just listed more or less the more significant stuff in my ever-growing collection

Thanks Take Care, Ed, (Eddini). Ooooowww !!!

Hi Ed!
Great post! I love reading people's bios. Above all, thanx for the honesty! Too many times people want to extol their great achievements. Keep a journal. Write down feelings, thoughts and encounters in this Magic travelling. This will make it easier to compile the information when your complete bio is ready to write. One day, many people could be reading about you.

I'm returning to magic from a 20 year absence due to my career. And mentalism has captured my fancy for the first time. I'm working on several books and finished a firts run through with Banachek's PSI series. (I loved the Dennis Mark Key bending- this clicked for me.) But unlike you, I'm not performing. I'm still finding my full groove before I take it to the public.

Hopefully, someone else can chime in on the confidence in the performance aspect. All I'm saying is 'Keep up keeping up'. You're doing a good job. (It is amazing how much I empathize with someone after reading a post like this, because we share the same feelings about magic.)
Thanx for sharing!

Thanks, Yes The Dennis Marks Method is "The Best" EVER. I started doing Forks last summer them after watching the Psi Series Psychokinesis Volume, toward the end of the Summer I bent their OWN KEYS, or they would do it depending on how I presented it. YOU ROCK ON, Ed, (Eddini), Ooooowww !!!

Ed,

I admire your enthusiasm and dedication to the craft. I wish you all possible success in your endeavours. It's very obvious that you want to seriously pursue the business side of Magic. I would recommend that you read some good marketing books and develop a detailed business plan and marketing strategy to help keep you focused. These documents tend to be the building blocks of every successful business and they will prove to be as useful to you as any technical sleight or effect.

Kent

Hello Eddini, Great post. You seem to be very much enthused about magic. I would like to offer a bit of advice though. I would charge the going rate for magicians in your area. By undercutting the other magicians you may be setting up a precedent for your future shows. People may get the impression that you are not as good as the others in the magic field and guess that is why you charge less than others. Believe it or not people sometimes associate price with value. The less value the less price. The better the value the higher the price. You may also be painting yourself into a corner. People will come to expect that you will always be cheaper than the others. This may make it harder to raise your prices in the future.

Just my thoughts. I wish you the greatest success in magic and life.

Ed,
In your post for favorite card men you mentioned Bill Malone Twice. Any reason?
Anyway good luck and if you need any advice you know where to ask. I don't know the going rate for magicians in your area but if you have a good show and it sounds like you do you deserve the money so ask for it.

Impresive post Ed !
Just to tell you that I really liked your previous posts too (your DVDs reviews)

Suerte !

Thanks everyone. I LOVE doing reviews. Actually, and BELIEVE ME, I'm not bragging I think I might make a good critic. I'm always one to spot something wrong in something / someone. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and like things "Just Right". I'm one of those that if I'm in a house and see a off balance picture or clock it bugs me. It maybe a good or bad, thing, or both that I'm like that, HOWEVER my weakness in this area, is that I still have TONS more to learn about Magic especially "Illusions", as I while having a "idea" how a illusion is done, I'm almost always usually fried, probably because I do mostly "Close-Up", and also, I may be tempted to be too Sugar coatee, as I'm afraid of hurting people. I love reading Mike Close's reviews and those in Genii.

As far as mentioning Bill Malone that was purely a mistake. Yes I'm pretty open maybe at times too open for my own good. I'm just one of those I can basically tell a bit of my life story to a stranger on the bus...lol. Oh well, Thanks, Ed, (Eddini) ... Ooooowww !!!