More thoughts about the convention

Arthur Trace and David Regal on the big stage at the Koger Center



I love magic conventions. You never know who you might see, old pals and acquaintances like Scott Robinson, Hannibal, Paul Cummins, and Steve Beam.

I've been going to magic conventions for 27 years. Part of the convention experience has always been competing in whatever contests I could get in on. I've won some and lost more but always found the experience gratifying and fulfilling. I like performing for my peers. To some extent the pressure is on. Last year I ate it at the World Magic Seminar , I didn't even place. My fate would prove to be different last weekend. I entered both the Close-Up Contest and the Stage Contest and took First Place in both. No one was more surprised the me.

There was one other big surprise at the theater that evening. A large bald man with a goofy smile approached me while we were running though the act. He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him. I kind of pretended to know who he was while my brain was still working. I can't remember if I figured it out or he had to tell me, it was Kenny Jones, another roommate from my 2.5 years in LA in the late 80's. Kenny & Dan grew up in Berlin Center, a rural suburb of Youngstown, OH. We all met as teenagers at a Magi-Fest in Columbus, OH where Dan & I were both competing in the Close-Up Contest.



Kenny now lives in North Carloina with his wife and 3 kids. They made the 4 hour drive down to see Dan's show. It seems like a lifetime ago that we all lived in that house in Cerritos, went to Jon's at 2AM for their $2 steak and eggs special and drove fast no matter where we were going.