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lcwright1964 Special user Toronto 569 Posts 
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I am fifty in a few months and haven't dabbled in magic since I was a boy. I never was that good or patient as pre-teen, but I did learn quite a few self-working tricks. The only SOL card trick I dared try before family was Charles Miller's Dunbury Delusion as described in Expert Card Technique. I find today that I am picking up the card stuff again--my hands are bigger and stronger, I am more patient, I am more flexible with myself, and I have the maturity to understand tricks, whereas as a boy I treated my few magic books like cookbooks that didn't allow for deviation. Also, we have today the glories of the internet, a fabulous way to learn magic and interact with other practitioners at all levels. Also, many people of our vintage have something we didn't have as children--a little more disposable income. This makes things like the great (but not cheap) Card College series more accessible, whereas at twelve it was a big deal for me to splurge on another magic book or a few more decks of cards.
Finally, check out Harry Lorayne. Yeah, I know the Maestro started as a boy, but Wikipedia advises us that he is 87 today and still advising, teaching, writing, and performing. If he is not too old for close-up magic, then you and I sure aren't. Les |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8361 Posts
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Well, I'm 82 and now retired from a lifetime on the road performing in school assemblies. (I did my first show at 13, in 1945.) I AM DEFINITELY NOT A CARDICISN!!!
Most of the routines that I've performed over the years need some sort of manual skills (I'm NOT a "BOX" MAGICIAN!!!). If you can learn to tie your own shoes, you can do most anything that uses ROPE for a prop. CARDS: I learned as a teen to do all the fancy shuffles, fans,etc. --but the card routine runs just TWO minutes in my 45 minute school show. If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you can learn the physical skills to do linking rings! (It aint physical skill, it's PERSONALITY, and PRESENTATION SKILLS ! Hekk, I also do the MUTILATED PARASOL (YES!) --That's the newest trick in the show (it went "in" in '92, and it gets show stop laughs! It runs 2 minutes. I still do all (or mostly) the "classics" because they're practical, and have stood the test of time. Some of the routines that I do "go back" to SCOT'S "DISCOVERY OF WITCHCRAFT" (1500s!!!!!) In the show (for the fancy shuffles) I'm using a deck of deck of AVIATORS (!) that I "broke in" in 1951!--That's THOUSANDS OF SHOWS! I do rope stuff that I learned in Ralph W. Hull's "Fifteen Minutes With A Piece of Rope" (1946) Color change silk and 20th Century Silks, I've been doing since the late '40s. The so called Slydini Silk Knots, I learned in July of 1941 from a side show magician in the Bud E. Anderson Circus. That principle was written up in SCOT'S!!! Today, there is a plethora of DVDs, VHS tapes, and books of every description. When I was 15, a friend loaned me TARBELL. Tarbell is still THE book(a) from which a young guy can build an act. The patter (and some of the presentation's are passe, but the PRINCIPLES A I N T!!! (IT AINT THE PROPS OR SLEIGHTS--IT IS THE PERFORMER AND PRESENTATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!) So, don't worry about double lifts, Ascanios, Elmsleys, buckles!!! They're just some of the tools. Check out some of the KARL Fulves "SELF WORKING" BOOKS. They are cheap, and full of "good stuff"! You will need to learn how to PRESENT the tricks in an ENTERTAINING WAY. WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN, IS HOW TO P R E S E N T, THE TRICKS. BECAUSE MAGIC IS N O T INHERENTLY E N T E R T A I N I N G! So! forget about DOUBLE LIFTS! INVEST in a copy of Ken Weber's "MAXIMUM ENTERTAINMENT"! and learn about presentation! KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM are not the same. Hopefully, at your age, you've acquired, through experience: WISDOM!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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C_Biskit New user United States 82 Posts
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You are never too old to learn magic! Even learning card handling you can do! It is all practice and mind set. If you think you can learn it you will and if you think its too hard or youre too old to do it you are. Learning takes place at all ages (which I'm sure you know, probably still learning new things everyday) and all it takes is time and retention (practice). But even if you can't do card tricks (like others said) there is still other forms of magic (and also mentalism ^.^)
take care and happy learning =] Andy |
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MAV New user 79 Posts
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I turned 66 today (Jan 3rd) and am in the process of taking my passion for magic to the next level. From 1985 to 2000 I was very active in my local magic club, which continues to be a great one. Then, for the past 14 years I put my wand down as my work career was 100% commission so I let making a living get in the way of having fun. But.....I retired last July, have dug out five boxes of magic tricks, books and CD's (we did not have DVD's back then). And I took my cherry wood magic wand out of its velvet case. It's time to start having fun again.
One of the biggest challenges with getting good at magic is having a venue to perform. You can only practice in front of a mirror or in front of family for just so long. So, I am putting together my routine and will be volunteering at my local Vet Hospital and Children's Hospital. As I go room to room and perform the same routines over and over it will build my confidence and allow me to improve and take on the more challenging effects. I will be 100% better today than I was back in the 80's and 90's. The reason is that I can now focus on my magic, and helping others as my top priorities. So is getting older a hinderance......fat chance!!! |
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TheBruceBeat New user 24 Posts
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Good for you MAV!
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Zephury Elite user Hollywood, FL 488 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-10-09 21:48, Dick Oslund wrote: I love that! I'll be telling myself that for as long as I live. |
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guitarmagic Elite user Southern Louisiana 424 Posts
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Quote:
On Jan 3, 2014, Dick Oslund wrote: ONLY THROUGH experience . . . and guys like you . . . I learn WHAT'S IMPORTANT, increase my knowledge and continuously gain increasing WISDOM! Immense and ongoing thanks to you again Dick Oslund!
Why is it that on one side of the world a person looks at a picture of the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks so real." At the same time on the other side of the world a person looks at the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks like a picture."
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challengedmichael New user 52 Posts
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Never To Old! Just gotta make some time to practice, always keep a deck of cards on yourself and when you have a spare moment, shuffle, elmsley count ect. It will take some time but you will get it, I did and I'm 58.
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algebraic Special user 948 Posts
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I'm learning, reading, practicing, etc. more because of health issues. My doctor told me to stop weight training. I'm still allowed to play tennis, but my elbow, hip, knees, big toes, etc. are protesting.
Magic is easy on the body and I can work on it year round. I'm 51 and I enjoy working on magic. No aches or pains yet. |
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Posted: Jan 3, 2014 03:00 am 
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