Mary, shame on you for thinking your advice was useless! Your insights are highly valued. It was me that didn't get the routine into video shape until just before the competition -- which I use as a forcing mechanism and a deadline on a new routine. I will continue to improve. In fact, I am looking to incorporate one of Jim's ideas on my Red McGinty routine to improve it.

I've never been to a convention. Any one familiar with the MIdwest Magic Jubilee? Timing for SAM and IBM just don't work for me. Is Midwest worth going to?

Thanks!

Hudson

I've never been to that convention but in general I love conventions.

Look for areas where you can sit around a table and show your stuff.

The people who attend a convention are often as much fun as the Starring Acts and much more accessible.

Be prepared to perform something you feel good about even if it's old hat to you. This isn't the place to try something you're iffy or nervous about.
Perform even if you think everyone else is better than you (they may feel the same about you).
People share more if you're willing to do something.

Person to person you can learn a lot at a Convention.
Don't try to retain any effects you don't love. Brain space is at a premium.

Bring your own cards and don't lend them to just anybody. Guys will borrow your deck and crimp the heck out of 'em or lick their fingers as they handle your cards. I bring a Horrible deck and write "loaner" on the side. They knew they were coming to a convention, you are not obligated to give them your deck.

On the other hand if Mike Close or Jeff McBride ask to borrow your deck, hand 'em over. LOL

Don't expect to sleep much. Ditch lectures that don't interest you to get some sleep or share in the coffee shop.

You will have a wonderful time.

-Mary Mowder

Thanks Mary. I'm looking forward to it - sounds like a lot of fun and learning.

Hudson

Yeah, a good convention is way worth going to. I need to look around and find one. Great advice from Mary- wish I had that sooner. Have fun, Hudson!

I have just been gifted a set of Japanese fans.

Ever since seeing "Confessions of a Geisha", I've wanted to play with fan work. I've tried some cheap paper fans, not so good.

About a week ago I decided to make up a mock fan out of foam board and a wand just to get a feel for it.
Two days later the fans came to me through a friend.
It really lets you know that when you are ready for something it will come your way.

I'll probably never do a real fan dancing act since I'm not a pretty little Asian Girl (lumbering might be a good descriptor of my physical style) but I'd like to incorporate some of those moves into some fan Magic. I'm having great fun playing with them anyway.

I'd like to thank Leroy Goodenough for his wonderful and generous gift.

-Mary Mowder

Mary-


If you think YOU are not suited for a fan dance, imagine how it would look on ME...

Jim

LOL!

But I'll try juggling lots of things privately.

I've done some contact juggling with coffee filters ( Tom tried it and got better than me and he barely contact juggles. Grrr). It takes a light touch.

You don't even have to be good at juggling to get a charge when it goes better.

-Mary Mowder

I would love to learn to juggle and I know I just do not have the free time to do it...

Jim, I didn't know you were a fellow pilot! I fly Cessnas and Pipers. I definitely had the same feeling when I was sitting right seat, throttle on the wrong side, no six pack in front of me. Feels a bit foreign. I gate the same feeling when I sit in the passenger seat of a car.

I too wish I could juggle. I've done it with the scarves you can buy but anything heavier and I'm a mess. I wish I could juggle the final loads for my cups and balls routine but I can't so my ending line is always, "and if I could juggle them I would."

No kidding 15 minutes a day and you'll be doing six throws in a row without dropping in a week. After that it is just a matter of keeping your hand in and you will improve.

I don't know if you watch TV but commercial breaks are a great amount of time to practice and come up fairly often. Computer waiting time is good too but step away from the keyboard.

Believe it or not bean bag juggling (best because they don't roll) is much less strenuous than scarf juggling. Throwing a small bean bag is easier than lifting your whole arm to the top of the arc.

As with most things you'll start using more energy than is needed and will spend most of your strength fighting your own muscles. I used the Juggling for the complete Klutz book myself. If you don't have it just start with one and toss it back and forth at about the same height. Once you feel comfortable move on to two, then three.

Just follow this simple rule: Three balls, in you two hands, one at a time,.. a lot. Simple... but not easy. (kind of like me).

Rice or beans tied up in a sock will work fine. Try to size them so you can hold two in one hand fairly easily.

I dare you all to try it for a week.
In a week you'll be a week older and you may or may not know how to juggle.
Personally I'd rather be a week older AND know how to juggle.

The only people who learn to juggle are the ones who are willing to pick up a lot of bean bags. That's not a very high thresh-hold.

Andrew, may I suggest a different ending line?, like TA DAH!

Mary the Proselytizer (read that carefully).

"Ring and Ribbon" and Library Show work and practice lately.

Both seem very satisfying.

-Mary Mowder

Finished my last Library Show on Sunday. It was probably the best one and my nieces and nephews were there as well so, Great Fun!

Making progress with "Ring & Ribbon".

-Mary Mowder

Mary -- glad to hear your show went well and you were able to share it with your family. Sounds like it was lots of fun.

Boy's Town show this weekend. This is an annual event that the Omaha club puts on. I will be doing Coins in the Hat (Ramsey/Carney). I've been working on this one since I attended John Carney's lecture last year. Simple, but at the same time very challenging. Lot's of acting required in this one! The basic slights are not difficult, but to carry them off in front of an audience seems like performing naked!

Then the following weekend I will be performing in the close up competition at the Midwest Magic Jubilee with Red McGinty. Haven't started getting nervous for that yet because I've been worried about Boy's Town! I'm sure next week I won't sleep at all! Anyone else going?

What is everyone else working on? Any new challenges?

Best,

Hudson

Been taking a bit of a hiatus myself while I work on some other stuff for work...just a few regular things at the Castle but no new material. I'll get started back up again in the fall. I miss conjuring!

Just returned from a graduation gift trip with my grandson in NYC. I had planned to try some busking using just rope magic. As luck would have it, the one time I was at liberty to do so, and prepared to begin, it suddenly rained so hard I had to run for cover. Trying not to read too much into this...

OK, Mary, ONE week...

Good to read what is going on with y'all...

Jim

So I finally applied for membership at our local magic club and actually got accepted as a candidate.
For the next meeting in October I have to present some piece of magic and I think I will go for "1234 Ambitious" by Roy Walton.
So the plan is to rehearse this 5 times 30' / week.

Hope you are all progressing nicely with your projects.

Best, markus

So I finally applied for membership at our local magic club and actually got accepted as a candidate.
For the next meeting in October I have to present some piece of magic and I think I will go for "1234 Ambitious" by Roy Walton.
So the plan is to rehearse this 5 times 30' / week.

Hope you are all progressing nicely with your projects.

Best, markus

Hi Markus.

Congratulations on joining your local Magic Club.

I think there is an active thread on that very effect in "The Workers" right now.

Ring and Ribbon are progressing nicely but the more I learn, the more work I can see it needs.

-Mary Mowder

Hey, Markus- good on 'ya!

I am working on the "Stupid Bean Trick" but as yet have not performed it. Now I need to set it aside for awhile in order to get ready for Halloween. Time to get out "Butcher's Blade"- bwaa-ha-ha-ha....

I started working on Dean Dill's "Revelation" after spending Saturday with him at the Magic Castle swap meet and seeing him demo it about a dozen times. I've always loved seeing him do it, and the audience reactions are spectacular, but that was the last straw for me - I had to have it. Just working on the subtleties of it now. Very exciting!