Dean Dill's Baby! Wednesday afternoon (into the evening) jam session

Sometimes my life feels like a never ending magic convention. Magic*Con in San Diego one weekend, the Castle a few days later, working Thurs. - Mon. at the CityWalk street performing. Shooting video w/ Sylvester the Jester on Tuesday, Dean Dills on Wednesday and what a time it was!

I'm a lucky guy. I get to hang out with cream of the crop magicians whenever I want. In fact last night I went to a little going away party for Aaron Fisher. Also in attendance was Adam Grace and Billy Goodwin. Not bad company at all. Lucky and blessed am I.

Today at Dean's I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time Carl Williams. 87 year old illusion builder and designer (Has worked for ALL the greats for over half a century!). I've heard his name for years but never thought I'd meet him. We talked for over an hour about the process of restoring Robert Houdin's Light & Heavy Chest for my good friend Ken Klosterman. He also told me some of the work he had done on more than a few pieces in the Copperfield collection. Very cool.

Others in attendance were R Paul Wilson, Alphonso, Pete Biro, Vaclav, and a couple of other cats of obvious stature. I was fooled badly twice, once by R Paul Wilson with an card trick he named after his kids and one by Jim Krenz who did a signed card in box routine (which I wish he hadn't tipped). I love magic and I love magicians. These are my people.

Over the last few years I've gotten to know Mr. Wilson a bit. The more time I spend with him the more I like him. Beyond that, the more I respect his knowledge and talent. Today we talked about the elusive block transfer control in the context of riffle shuffle systems. Paul is BAD ASS. It's hard enough to find someone who can even do it, let alone be able to apply it. Paul did it artfully, without making it look like the chore that it is. Bravo.

Dean did a couple of his signature effects, "Triangle" and "Revelation" both beautifully constructed pieces of magic



One of the things that I love about Dean is that he's always looking for new things to play with. He did this very cool color changing sponge ball thing that messed me up.

Vaclav wowed the gang with a trick where he moves his head in an impossible way. Was fun to hear him and Carl Williams talk about construction.

I was surprised when Alphonso asked me to do my Stripper Deck Pitch. Here I am in a room full of heavy hitters doing a self working deck. BY the end of the session I would also do the Cups and Balls and the Linking Rings.

Lots of magic fun, wherever I go, wherever I am.

It's fun being me.