Friday, August 18, 2006

Yesterday at the Promenade

Steve told me that I am not allowed to finish my act standing on a stool that I had been bringing. This did not make me happy. Lackluster performances from caring too much. Having trouble with that. . . caring too much about whether or not they're having a good time and enjoying themselves. Why should I care, I'm just the living human being, performing for them, because they thought enough of it to stop and watch. Silly me. . . for expecting the time of day, a wink, nod or smile.

In the middle of the cups and balls routine I finally said, "I hope you all have a great time tonight, doing nothing. . . cause I'm done with you. . . goodbye." "And if your interested, there is an advanced level course being taught on audience enthusiasm over there by the Break Dancers".

I hate it when I get that way. I tried to get another show off the ground and change my vibe, but it was not to be. So, on my way home I picked up some steaks to cook and eat with Polly. Somehow I felt like I was getting the last laugh as I enjoyed my dinner; but I don't suppose that was actually the case.

Not a bad view from the parking garage

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LA Bud

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Thursday, August 17, 2006

My Mom • I miss her

Marker - Adrianne Price Matthews

Having Feelings

Like rocks rolling around in my head, thoughts have a way of getting stuck. Bothered lately that I haven't heard from Buster all summer and finding out recently that he's been working on his mom pretty good not to send him here to go to school and let him stay there. Arrrggghh I would feel a lot better just knowing what's going on with him. I miss him and know that we could all have a great life here.

Next week my youngest child Liam will be 5 years old. It breaks my heart that he will grow from being a little kid and not really know me. I'll send him a gift, a letter, put in a call to him and sing him happy birthday. . . what else can I do. It's been years since I have been permitted to see any of them on their birthdays.

Strange Thought

Perhaps the worst part of my tizzy is that without my 4 four kids, I might actually have to look at myself as an individual and evaluate what I see. That's a scary thought.

Strip away all the layers of emotional baggage and peer into the center of my soul.

Fuck that. . . no one is that brave.

I'll give it some thought. . .

Violins, have a way of making you feel your heart.

Years ago I used to start out my act with some Charlie Chaplin Music and do 7 minutes silent as an opener.

Things like a rope routine, torn and restored newspaper, the hot dog routine, serpent silk and others made their way in and out of my repertoire. It's fun to work silent. A skill I honed working the Fenix Underground.

Chaplin wrote the music for all of his films. Besides writing the score, he wrote, directed and starred in his films as well. What a genius.

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I'm sitting here on the front porch, smoking a big cigar, working on Polly's wi-fi laptop. Listening to a disk titled "The music of the films of Charlie Chaplin". I hear this beautiful passage of music and can picture it, plain as day, exactly what movie and scene it is. At the end of City Lights where she touches his hand. . brings a tear to my eye every-time.

It might be time to bring back music to my act. I think on a crowed street the type of music you play, will determine who ultimately will stay and be predisposed to enjoy the entire performance.

Monday, August 14, 2006

I love this town!

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Aaron Fisher

After blowing off work on Sunday to spend the day lounging around the house and watching movies with Polly, At 10PM, we took a short drive to Hollywood to visit Aaron Fisher (who has lived in LA for the last 6 years). Although we don't know each other that well, it feels like we been friends a long long time. Weird huh?

Maybe it was that crazed night in a Hotel Room in Seattle with Lee Asher, Sage and another guy? The 45 minute discussion about the SWE Shift was one of the highlights of the evening for me. Also, talking at length about our love of the Grateful Dead and all that the music is about.

For a long time, even before I had met either of them I had regarded Aaron Fisher and Lee Asher as revolutionary card men. A new generation of thinking with broad sweeping brushstrokes of genius, these mother fuckers have got it going on!

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When Aaron's book, The Paper Engine, came out I remember thinking, wow; this all seems rather new, progressive thinking on the subject of pasteboards. Tension and focus. At the time I was feeling a lot of tension and lacked focus.

Mr. Fisher is a lot more than a magician, he's a bright, young, funny guy who loves to have a good time, laugh and listen to the Dead. His current passion is stand up comedy. It's been fun to chat with him about the structure of comedy, his thoughts of working some of the comedy clubs and mixing up his act with both comedy and magic.

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He's an intellectual, an articulate fellow on a mission. It was fun hanging out with him and his girlfriend. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am so lucky to have met so many talented magicians. . . and then to be able to call them my friends.

Thanks Aaron for a great evening of fun and friendship. . . and thanks for the "coming into town" gift of "The Conjuring Anthology" by Jim Steinmeyer. . . a signed copy no less!!! I am looking forward to reading it!

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Hollywood & Highland

Hollywood & Highland

Worked from 6 to 10PM on Hollywood Blvd. What a ZOO!! A gazillion people; a regular freak fest with lots of Buskers, lots of tourists and lots to compete for your attention. Had a good time.

Met an interesting cat, some guy named Ross Jefferies interesting teacher of NLP and author of a book called Speed Seduction. He invited me to check out some sort of seminare he's giving on Hypno Therapy at the Roosevelt Hotel tomorrow. I might check it out. I knocked him on his ass with my 3 card Mental Problem. He watched several of my shows and gave me a nice tip.