Pic du Jour • Glass Rings

Rings of the glass that hangs magic, originally uploaded by tearoom.

In my "In Box" • a pic from a bud

There's No Business Like Show Business

There's no business like show business like no business I know
Everything about it is appealing, everything that traffic will allow
Nowhere could you get that happy feeling when you are stealing that extra bow

There's no people like show people, they smile when they are low
Even with a turkey that you know will fold, you may be stranded out in the cold
Still you wouldn't change it for a sack of gold, let's go on with the show

The butcher, the baker, the grocer, the clerk
Are secretly unhappy men because
The butcher, the baker, the grocer, the clerk
Get paid for what they do but no applause.
They'd gladly bid their dreary jobs goodbye for anything theatrical and why?

There's no business like show business and I tell you it's so
Traveling through the country is so thrilling, standing out in front on opening nights
Smiling as you watch the theater filling, and there's your billing out there in lights

There's no people like show people, they smile when they are low
Angels come from everywhere with lots of jack, and when you lose it, there's no attack
Where could you get money that you don't give back? Let's go on with the show

(There's no business like show business like no business I know)
You get word before the show has started that your favorite uncle died at dawn
Top of that, your pa and ma have parted, you're broken-hearted, but you go on

(There's no people like show people, they smile when they are low)
Yesterday they told you you would not go far, that night you open and there you are
Next day on your dressing room they've hung a star, let's go on with the show!!

HBO's "Big Love" season 2 Wrapped

Polly is now done with Big Love and didn't waste anytime getting picked up as Department Head on a pilot shooting at Warner Brothers. Today is her first day. I'm very proud of her. It would be great if the show got picked up.

Here is Polly and her good friend and boss, Scott. They both worked on Scrubs together as well as Big Love. There's no business like show business.


This picture was taken on the last day of shooting. . . no wonder they look so fucking happy.

New Street Magic Magazine

Just ordered a copy. Not sure what to expect. I'll let you know. . .



The ULTIMATE magic magazine is here! In the premiere issues of Street Magic Magazine, you’ll find an eclectic mix of modern content that brings magic magazines to an entirely new level. Cyril is featured on the front cover and inside with an eye-popping 12 page interview, another 8 pages are dedicated to the underground legend De’vo—founder of XCM, and this Guinness Book of World Record holder for the coin roll teaches you how to do it his way. You’ll also find the hilarious “terrorister”, what’s hot and what’s not, great reviews on the top products on the market, and some hard hitting articles that will make you seriously think.

Ran across this

Fantasma Magic now operates over 20 magic kiosks around the world. We are now going to be opening up one in Dubai within Toys R Us. This new store will be the second largest Toys R Us in the world. Dubai is an amazing country to live in and Toys R Us is offering a 6 month contract along with room. If anyone knows any magicians that can also demonstrate that is either in Dubai now or wants to live there, please contact me.

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Roger,

My name is Tom Frank and I think I might be the right guy for the job.

I was a magic shop owner for 12 years (Carew Tower Magic Shop in Cincinnati and Seattle Magic in Seattle) Currently I am pitching decks and street performing exclusively at the Universal City Walk in Hollywood, CA.

I started my career in magic demonstrating at Haines House of Cards at the age of 10. For the last 31 years I have mastered the art of getting the crowd, keeping the crowd and getting the money. I owned magic shops and toy stores and consider myself an excellent manager. I can hire, fire and train people to SELL magic. . . not just demonstrate it.

Give me a call to discuss this further.

Sincerely,


Tom Frank
http://www.industrialstrengthmagic.com/
323.683.5844

Video du Jour • John Scarne

Quote du Jour

"If your wife doesn't like the aroma of your cigar - change your wife."

-- Zino Davidoff

Paco's Private Lesson

Last night and tonight rocked at the City Walk. It died early, but I did good for the couple hours a night I worked. Good connection, good crowds, good reactions, good money. It will be nice when the season kicks in.

Yesterday I taught a private lesson in Santa Monica. A young man named Paco from Mexico City wanted to learn some magic. I had met him a few times on the Promenade months back.

I enjoy teaching and think that I am getting good at it. Just when I’m convinced I’m a moron, I see how much information I can effectively convey in an hour.

I asked him what he wanted to learn, he said he wanted to learn some coin tricks and bills.

Next, I asked him if he knew any thing about coin magic. He said, all he knew was the french drop, that I taught him months ago as a teaser on the street.

I asked him to do it for me. It was hideous. It never fails to impress me how much a layman can butcher a simple move. I made Paco take notes and I emphasized the importance of knowing what the sleights were called. His limited english made me want to slow down and make sure he knew what I was talking about.

So we spent a good amount of time on the french drop learning the fundamental basics of misdirection. Acting, conviction, framing the action (Henning Nelms kinda stuff). We discussed the importance of finger and coin positioning as well as coin size and thought about that.

Next we covered a few basic palms. The classic palm: finding the sweet spot, exercises to enhance dexterity while palming coins, Tension and Focus (thanks Aaron), Back Palm, Back Clip, Downs Palm; launching into a brief story about T. Nelson Downs and making him write the name down as well as the book title, “The Art of Magic”.

We learned all the moves with both silver dollars and quarters. He got the hang of the downs palm vanish and reproduction nicely.

The second half of the lesson was to teach a trick that used one of the sleights. I taught him Tenkai Pennies (with quarters, just like when Sol Stone taught it to me all those many years ago at Rueben's Deli in New York City, bit I digress) It’s a great trick and forces an understanding of angles. We took a few minutes to talk more about this going back to Downs Palm as an example. Understanding where their eyes line of vision is and so forth.

As an after thought I showed him a nice follow up to Tenkai Pennies using the Gallo Pitch. We went over all the sequences many times.

Then we reviewed everything he learned and went over his notes a bit.

What was supposed to be an hour lesson turned into 90 minutes, but it was a good time. I know I gave him a lot to think about. He said he might want to take another lesson next week.

Watching the wheels • John Lennon

People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin
When I say that Im o.k. well they look at me kind of strange
Surely youre not happy now you no longer play the game

People say I'm lazy, dreaming my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me
When I tell them that Im doing fine, watching shadows on the wall
Don't you miss the big time, boy youre no longer on the ball

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go

Ah, people asking questions lost in confusion
Well I tell them theres no problem, only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind
I tell them theres no hurry
I'm just sitting here doing time

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round

Zoom

Days are flying by, as weeks turn into months.

Day after perfect day, the sun shines in the blue sky and it's usually in the 70's by 10 or 11AM.

Really so much has happened in the last week or so, it's been busy in paradise.

Polly's good friend Dack was here. He was visiting from Northern California. They've been friends for two decades and at one point lived together in Hawaii where they were both hair dressers in a Salon. Polly had to work while Dack was in town, so we got a chance to get to know one and other. Nice guy and strangely familiar. The more we talked, the more things we realized we saw eye to eye. . . . which is strange, cause on some things. . . I'm coming from left field.

So, that was fun.

Polly had a birthday. She was celebrating the 21st Anniversary of her 21st Birthday! Way to go Polly! Happy Birthday Baby!

Other News in Pollywood



She's done with Big Love and not a moment too soon. A show season is a grueling period of time for someone stuck on set or on location for 12-16 hours a day. It's inevitable that by the end of the season people are stripped to the bone and on edge. Tension in the last week made things awkward in a bunch of different departments, both interdepartmentally and across the board. I went out to the Studio in Santa Clarita on the last day of shooting and enjoyed a delicious lunch of prime rib, shrimp and crab. Lots of good grub and a feeling among the cast and crew that it was over for the season.

Show business ROCKS!!! So many different pieces of the puzzle. I feel so lucky to be here.

Pic du Jour • Ed Marlo

Garcia and Grisman - The Thrill is Gone

Ricky Jay appears briefly in this video. I wonder how it was to work with and hang out with Jerry?

Back

My mind wanders. Not really going anywhere.

Inside my head I knock about

like a guy waiting outside a dressing room at a department store for his girl

Feelings and memories

The past and my issues

All sit around the dinner table and play nice

It's a crazy world we live in, with so much at stake

Shattered dreams and plastered smiles

and miles of piles turning into smiles

all the while

after the paper work has been filed

and the party was wild

this writing is mild


INT. Tom's Mind - Dark echo

Coming up through the spinal cord the image rotates as it enters the brain.


What the fuck is all this mess!?

I take a broom and sweep cobwebs out of the corner of darkness

I look for the light switch but there isn't one. It's not totally dark, but not that bright.

A sound off in the distance, familiar

I walk towards the music. It's Jim Morrison singing LA Woman. Being played on a cassette in the tape deck of my first car, a 1976 Rally Nova. Puke green with bullet holes in the door. I called it the Funmobile.

I loved to drive fast to that song

The part where he goes

Mr. Mojo Risin'

Got to keep on risin'

that's where I would slowly but steadily start mashing the gas pedal

I'm gone risin', risin'

I gotta risin', risin'

Going faster 80 miles an hour, 90 miles an hour

Well, risin', risin'

I gotta, wooo, yeah, risin'

Woah, ohh yeah

Fucking pedal to the medal, balls to the wall

Speedometer buried as we get to this point in the song

Well, I just got into town about an hour ago
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow
Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows

Venice Beach

lifeguard tower 18 breakwater venice, originally uploaded by venicewow.

In my "In Box" • From my Dad

That smile is after a great ride on a Boss Hoss at Daytona's Bike Week. a Boss Hoss is a bike built around a Chevy V8 350 cu inch eng.

The bike has 512 hp, does 0-60 mph in 2.5 sec., weighs 1350 lbs and is a monster. What a great ride.

Enjoy,
Love, Dad

Huntington Beach • Surf City. . . Dude

Steve Bradford (venue manager and street performer coordinator for the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade) gave me a call recently about a new street performing opportunity in Huntington Beach. He's coordinating street performers for a new thing they're trying on Tuesday nights. I left at 3PM thinking that I could get there by 5PM. Think again. It took me 2 and a half hours to go 60 miles. Jeez! I don't remember it being that far when I lived there 20 years ago.

I finally got there and had a good time making people happy and some cash. We actually lived in Westminster a couple of miles inland from the ocean, but Huntington Beach was the closest beach to our house. Great memories taking cigar walks in the sunset. I did that almost evening.

Two decades have vanished into the past, but here I am again in Huntington Beach performing near Main St. & PCH

Surf City Nights Downtown Street Fair

HUNTINGTON BEACH-On Tuesday, March 6, from 5 – 9 PM, downtown Main Street will come alive with the sounds of live music, street performers, a farmer’s market, activities for the kids, specials from our downtown restaurants and sidewalk sales from our downtown retailers.

It will be the first of twelve Surf City™ Nights. The community-spirited event will continue each Tuesday until May22.

Surf City™ Nights is presented by the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District (HBBID), the City of Huntington Beach and the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. The event takes place in the second and third blocks of Main Street and is designed to attract couples and families from throughout the region to downtown Huntington Beach.

"Surf City Nights will soon become the place to be on Tuesday nights in Orange County," said Huntington Beach Mayor Gil Coerper. "It's good for the city to have more family events downtown. The downtown merchants and city staff have been working hard to make the downtown street fair a success. We hope it will grow and become a Tuesday night tradition."

Surf City Nights is a result of downtown merchants’ and the City Council’s agreement on a proposal for a temporary closure of Main Street. As part of the plan, the Council also agreed to close the streets for five full weekends for major events through 2008. Watch for upcoming dates and announcements on the HBBID website, www.hbdowntown.com or the city website, www.surfcity-hb.org.

Monday

Monday morning brought a new week with it and the promise of even more fun than last week. I had a show at 11 AM for an Adult Daycare. Part of the Jewish Family Services of LA. Another valuable LA Lesson learned, just because the address is Santa Monica Blvd. doesn’t mean it’s ANYWHERE near Santa Monica. I had given myself plenty of time to sit in traffic on the 405 heading into town. I got lost and took a great tour of Beverly Hills. I drove down Rodeo Drive and gawked in store windows. It’’s all so beautiful here.

Got to the gig on time and did a good job for what I was handed. The smell of old people in a long room. They stuck me against the wall at one end with barely enough room to set up my table. They had a mic that sounded horrible, so I took the extra 3 minutes to set up my portable pa. I thought with potential hardness of hearing, that that would be good. It might have been if they spoke english. A lot of old russians. . . hey isn’t that a drink? No, that’s Black Russian. Anyway. . .

It was awkward. Because communication was an issue and the fact that I had very little room to move, I had to eliminate the card portion of my act. So, I put on the Chaplin music I’ve been working with did the majority of my act with out talking. After working that room for 20 minutes or so, I had agreed to go up to the Alzheimer's Unit and do another 10 -15 minutes up there.

I call these good karma gigs. The pay wasn’t much, I was just trying to make a difference in someone’s day. I like to think that I did, I got a lot of wrinkled smiles.

After the gig, I changed out of my suit in the parking lot. It wasn’t even noon, and it was already in the upper 70’s. Yeah, I was ready to put on shorts, a t-shirt, sandals and a buzz. I took surface streets home through Laural Canyon.

The afternoon was spent in pursuit of hedonistic bliss. After lunch I did some nude sunbathing and enjoyed a cigar. This is the life.

I had plans to see a screening later in the evening on the 20th Century Fox Lot. To avaid traffic, I left way early and had a corned beef sandwich at Factor's Famous Deli on Pico. I regularly listen to Creative Screenwriting Magazine’s podcast. The have a screening series and after the film there is a Q & A with the screenwriter. Last night was “I Think I Love My Wife” a new Searchlight picture Co-written, Directed and Staring Chris Rock. Both Chris Rock and his co-writter Lewis C.K. were very funny (both being seasoned stand up comics and funny guys)



View Trailer • Click Here

After the Q & A I saw Glenn Farrington in the audience. We chatted a bit on the way out.

Sunrise in L.A., originally uploaded by AlieN.

Weakend

Orange juice squeezed from the oranges off a tree in the back yard. Banana trees, with their big floppy elephant ear leaves. Hearty plants that regularly bloom in the winter and get scorched in the summer.

Day after beautiful day I do what I want, when I want. I fancy myself a magician, a collage artist, a writer, a director, an actor, a retailer and a manufacturer. . . and I do all of this without even leaving the house. . . isn’t that GREAT!

Last weekend was weak at the City Walk. A large cheerleader conference/competition at the Gibson brought lots of eye candy for dirty old men like me. The girls were very busy going from here to there. While they were spending money, very little of it was coming my way.

I wasn’t on the schedule for the City Walk on Sunday so I decided to try Venice Beach for a change of pace and hang oceanside. Learned a valuable lesson, don’t try and go to the beach on a Sunday at noon and expect to find any parking. Pissed, with time slipping away I went to the City Walk anyway. Strangely, I had the place to myself with good traffic. I did they best I could.

Saw Gary “Mysto the Magician” aka Sonny Bono while working. He’s in town auditioning his Sonny Bono Tribute Act for some TV thing called “Next Best Thing”. He was the last person in the world I expected to look up and see. He witnessed a pretty good show that ended up a $4 hat. Oh well, as I said, it was one of those days.

Greetings From Los Angeles, originally uploaded by Quartz City.

Friday Afternoon Session

I met Mr. Goodwin at the Castle and we walked down to Mel's Drive In near Hollywood and Highland. We called Alfonso and told him where to find us. By the time our food arrived Alfonso had joined us for a little afternoon magic session in Hollywood. Alfonso has been a fixture at the Castle since the old days. We talked about various eras at the Castle that could be dubbed as the "Good Old Days". We remember the era of the mid to late eighties. Hanging out with Dai Vernon and Larry Jennings made for some great memories I'll never forget. To us, those were the gold old days. We discussed the previous era of Vernon, Jennings, Skinner etc. . .

We talked about how the vibe at the Castle has changed. It doesn't have the same electricity that it used to. I don't see groups of guys huddling in the corner with their decks of cards out and sessioning. The dawn of another time I guess.

It was an nice afternoon that ended with the jingle jangle of linking rings in the Castle parking lot. I like these guys an hope to get to know them better. They really are quite good magician's and thinkers. I'm glad to know them. Alfonso lives less than a mile away from where I live. I think Billy lives in Ventura.

Coulda shoulda woulda

Last night at the City Walk sucked. Dead, made $25 in two hours and called it a night. It was cold and lonely. I was supposed to play poker at Joey's house after work, but that petered out.

So I spent some time downloading the demo version of Final Draft (a screen writing program), and playing with that some. It's a different way to write that's for sure. Makes you think more in terms of a 3 dimensional story. Where the shot is coming from? What are the scenes, transitions and action? I thought it might be interesting to define my magic act in the same terms. Look at each trick as a scene and see how it all comes together in the end. Because. . . what's a story without an ending? Who said my act? I heard that.

Just got off the phone with Bill Goodwin, were gonna get together for a few hours this evening before I work the City Walk and he mans his post as the Castle Librarian. Bills got a great sense of where a trick is heading, I'll have to pick his brain a bit and see what he thinks of dissecting a trick from a story perspective. Not a story trick mind you (however, it could be) but, just any trick. Where does it go, is there a good ending. How did it make you feel.

At some point I'd love to take some classes that might help me in my quest. Time and money, those are the killers. Here's a class I'd like to take but it's on the weekend. I can't see blowing off the only two days that I make good money to do this. Oh well, it sounds interesting.

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WRITING COMEDY with Steve Kaplan
March 2, 2007
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For almost 15 years, Steve Kaplan has been the industry's most sought-after expert on comedy writing and production. In addition to having taught at UCLA, NYU, Yale and other top universities, Steve Kaplan created the HBO Workspace, the HBO New Writers Program and was co-founder and Artistic Director of Manhattan's Punch Line Theatre.

In addition to teaching his class, Kaplan has served as a consultant to such companies as Dreamworks, Disney, HBO and others.

From the industry's top stars like Jack Black, Nathan Lane, Emmy-winning writers Steve Skrovan (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) and David Fury (“24,” “Lost”), Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) and others, to first time comedy writers, producers, directors and performers, Kaplan has worked with and coached the best. His Writing Comedy seminar offers proven and practical methods and principles that help you understand comedy from the inside out: Why is something funny? How do you write funny? How do you make your characters funny? How do you structure a comedy story? How do you think funny so it translates from idea to page to screen?

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Porno Mentalism

Other things on my mind

I've been talking to my first ex-wife Cricket about Buster lately. Things not so good there with bizarre family issues mounting into anger on her and her family's end. Buster has been living at Cricket's mom's house, feeding her whole family the "poor me" riff, and portraying Cricket and me as the worst parents in history. Evidently they're buying it and trying to get temporary custody of him. Cricket will fight it to a point, but we all know, in the end; Buster will have to start making grown up decisions very soon about his future. He will be 17 next month and he's not been in school since moving there. He won't talk to me on the phone and I worry about him. I worry about where his head is at. When he left here, he agreed to see someone to help him work through some of this stuff. To this date, he has not.

I wish he would talk to me.

On a lighter note I did talk to Hope and Liam on Sunday. They sounded good, full of life and youthful energy. Hope had all sorts of questions about Polly. For Christmas Polly had knitted Max, Hope & Liam winter hats with pom poms in the top, ear covers and tie strings. Sounds like the kids liked them.

I think about my kids all the time, however; I have stopped the self loathing. Things are what they are, I have a lot to offer as a parent; maybe someday I'll get to show them. In the desire to move on and end the fight, I put down my sword turned around and walked away. She got everything she wanted. Total control of the kids granting me supervised visitations for only at few hours at her discretion and only after a hair follicle test and a graft of my left testical . They live in Washington State, I live here. . . and no. . of course she wouldn't let them visit me for any amount of time. I'd put three plane tickets on my credit card in a minute to have them for spring break.

It feels good to write these words and not get bummed out. I think that's growth. I have a great life! Polly and I are going on a year at the end of this month. I feel really good inside.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Peace

olam haba, originally uploaded by nice+smooth ultramedia.

Swing Dancing in Burbank

My desire to swing dance, starts a strange series of events that ends with a phone call from Chris Kenner and a hangover.

I don't know how to explain it, so I won't. All I can say is that I had a super time at Joe's All American Bar & Grill in Burbank, Tuesday night. I went after hearing that they they have a bit of a dance scene with live music. Sounded good as I've been wanting to do some dancing. It's always hard for me to go to a new place and ask women I don't know to put up with my lousy dancing. After a few drinks, I asked a woman named Trish to dance. It wasn't so bad. I talked to a fellow named Paul and asked for some advice. He said he was flattered, but he looked pretty good out there.

Dancing is great. Two people close together, in sync with each other. The man gets to be the man and lead. She will go where I lead. I must do this with confidence and stay on the beat. Both women I danced with, were much better dancers than me. Big surprise there. Good women dancers always seem to pick up my slack. If I'm off the beat after the turn, they some how make that half second disappear.

The band was done by midnight. The DJ played on and Trish gave me a little Cha Cha Cha lesson. I'm looking forward to going back next week and doing it again.

The best thing about finding this cool place to dance with a big dance floor and good music is. . . it's only 4 miles away! IN LA, how nice is that?

Video du Jour • Tea cups and balls

Pic du Jour • Master Payne at the Venice Carnival

Quote du Jour

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.”

- Bill Cosby

Cribs

Spent the morning cleaning, dusting, sweeping, smoking and feeling good about life. It's been another beautiful day. A bit chilly, but not so much that I couldn't air out the house with the doors and windows open. Cleaning up always feels good. It's nice to be in a clean house.

After dusting the Victrola and applying a nice coat of Murphy's Oil Soap, I decided, what the fuck. . . why not fire up the old boy and give it a listen. I wonder if the phrase "Crank it up" came from the Victrola? I don't know, but that's what I did. I cranked up the handle on the side, put in a new needle and listened to the distinctive sound of recorded music being played on a non electric record player. To make it louder, you just open the doors under the turn table.

I've also been working in the garage. Starting to unpack a bunch of boxes that just got stuck in the back of the garage. Trying to go into clutter reduction mode, I wonder if it's not time to relinquish my coveted cigar box collection. I mean really. . . how many empty cigar boxes does one man need? I used to think about doing decoupage on them, but never got around to it.

I was the lucky one of the kids who ended up with some family heirlooms. The Victrola belonged to my great grandfather Charley Frank. It sat untouched in my Uncle Jimmy's garage in Boston for 40 years! The tall mirrored chair, umbrella stand and hat rack was from my Aunt Marion's home and the bedroom set and china cabinet belonged to my grandmother Florence Frank. It's nice to feel surrounded with some family history. The desk that I'm working on right now, was the vanity (part of the aforementioned bedroom set). One of my fathers interests is genealogy and he's tried to give me a connection to our family's past.





This is a picture of Charey (Shaiya Graubart) Frank. On board are his sons, George (3yrs) and Arthur (my grandfather 2yrs). This picture was taken in 1909, 3 years after the Victrola was manufactured.

Click pics to enlarge.

Nice stoogie. . . A man after my own heart

Thirty minutes and $43.00 later

I left the house at 10:17PM. Lit my cigar and stuck in my earphones. Wasn't sure where I was going, just started to walk. Walked towards the movie theater, thought I might see if there were any 10:30 flicks that I wanted to see. There were a couple of movies, but instead, I decided to enjoy the brisk evening air and walk. I walked at a good pace, all the way to Charlie O's. Here was the club, a little over a mile from the house. The sign outside say "Live Jazz Nightly". I've been wanting to check it out since I moved here. I thought it might be an interesting place to work, maybe during the band breaks.

On the door was a flyer that said "Big Band Night $20 Cover". I had come this far, so I went in, bellied up to the bar and ordered a drink. The Bill Holeman Band was playing, all 17 pieces filled the air in this small club with music of era gone by. I sat at a table in the back of the room and took out my cards. Sipping my drink and shuffling my cards. . . my mind was at ease. Another cocktail saw the end of the bands set. I guess I should have gotten there earlier.

Scene from Swingers

Collage du Jour • A work in progress pt. 2

Detail shot of a section

Jersey Jim at the Universal City Walk Friday Night

SAM KINISON

Crosby Stills & Nash - Teach Your Children

An American in Paris

Running back in my mind to an earlier time, the year 1975. . . I was 10 years old, living in Paris, France. By that time I had spent more than half of my young life in Europe. 2 years in Germany and 4 years in Paris. My father, an I.B.M. executive. . . my mom, mother of 4 kids, trying to keep up with the laundry.

I remember taking magic lessons from J.C. Catiller at the American School of Paris. I must have been 7 or 8. I learned how to make it look like I had a pencil stuck to the ends of my fingers. Strangely at an early age, anyone can tell you. . . I made up my mind, that I wanted to be a magician.

There was this Magic Shop I used to frequent beneath the Champs-Elysées in sort of an underground shopping area with the Metro stops. My father had instilled a good sense of adventure in me and my natural drive for individuality gave me run of one of the most wonderful cities in the world. To be 10 in Paris with a metro card.

I had a friend named Jeff Peppet who was my earliest magic buddy. We put on shows at the school and were probably awful. Occasionally I would perform privately for my family in my bedroom. I would have my table out with my plastic act ready to go. I can recall one such performance where my brother had fiendishly removed all the gimmicks from my tricks. It was during that show that bad comedy magic was thrust on me. . . and I've had a hard time shaking it ever since. . . but I wouldn't trade a day of it.

We lived in the heart of the city on Rue de Berrie off the Champs-Elysées, not two blocks from the Arc de Triomphe. There was a corner news stand that surprisingly carried a Magic magazine. I eagerly awaited each monthly issue. During that time I saved my allowance and did some mail order, with a company called Haines House Of Cards in Norwood, Ohio. Little did I know, that a few years later I would be working behind the counter and demoing at conventions for Haines House of Cards as a 12 year old.

My child hood memories of Europe are full of adventure, happiness and magic. I can't begin to describe how my exposure to so much history, art and rich experiences helped create the person that I am today. I will always be thankful to my father for providing those memories.

Pic du Jour • Future city

POTD 02/7/07 - Future city, originally uploaded by sparktography.

Vaudevillian Mikael Rudolph in "Swim Home"

Visit with Shawn Greer at the Riverside County Fair

I departed around noon with blue skies and sunshine, palm trees and cigar smoke, blowing in the wind. Off to see my old pal Shawn, with whom I share so many memories that span the course of time and good taste. It's interesting, that after all these years, we sit face to face as grown ups in the real world (whatever that means), discussing things like relationships, our kids, our careers, our dreams and aspirations.



It was a good visit. I watched him do a few shows over the course of a few hours. In between shows we hung out, caught up and talked about magic. Shawn and I grew up together in Cincinnati. We spent our formative years as young magicians getting into as much trouble as we could find. Hell, even when we weren't looking for it . . . it would find us instead.

One thing we both had was a passion for the art of magic. Our mentors Larry Pringle and Paul Swinford taught us from an early age how to approach the art with an academic sensibility.



Later, at different times, we both studied with Cellini, a pivotal experience that would further shape and influence our understanding and performance styles. What a long strange trip it's been. Shawn and I both love the classics.



Here's a bit of Shawn's set list. For a couple of guys he performed Double Dazzling Triumph (an old Daryl routine, if I'm not mistaken). As he continued his crowd gathering he performed some card routines. Opening with a one handed faro and continuing into a peek control and mental revelation followed by an in the hands triumph (with a killer show that the cards are meshed face up into face down). He did an effect where four cards were pushed out by 4 spectators and they turned out to be the 4 aces. It seemed a bit cumbersome to me and I wasn't sure if it really needed all the heavy lifting. After that, he performed the David Williamson Torn and Restored Card. At this point he turned his sound system on and started his "Show" which consisted of The Three Card Monte, Misers Dream and Coin Manipulations into his Finale of the Cups and Balls.



Shawn finished up at 5:30PM as the daredevil motorcycle show was about to start. He packed up his gear and we headed out of the fair to a restaurant across the street. More talk about the past, present, and future. We talked more about the state of our art, in a complex and changing world. We agreed that it was a gift to be able to do what we do. How lucky we were, to have made our livings from this dream for so many years.



After dinner we headed to his Hot Springs Resort a half hour away in the mountains. Stuffed from our dinner we took a nice cigar walk under a toenail sliver moon. After that, we continued our discussion in the sauna and as we soaked in the hot mineral springs. They closed up the hot springs at 10PM. We sessioned till 1AM when I got on the road. Polly would be getting up at 3:30AM for an early call time at the studio and I thought it might be nice to see her before she left for work. It worked out perfect and I finally went to sleep at 4:12AM



To see the rest of the pics I shot of Shawn Click Here

End of a holiday weekend

The Presidents Day Weekend was filled with street shows, movie watching and lovemaking. . . rinse and repeat. All of the above inspired performances worthy of academy consideration. I love this camp!

We watched Blade Runner (the directors cut), A Very Long Engagement, The last Seduction and A Face in the Crowd. Polly and I had a dinner Saturday Night at the Arclight Cinema before watching Children of Men. Good movie.

Had really good sets at the City Walk. Worked pantomime to the Chaplin music I like so well. Did cards, coins and even the cups without ever uttering a word. Working on my reactions to the magic.



It rained over the weekend but cleared up for afternoon busking and deck pitching. I've been finding a good groove lately. It's relaxed, fun and full of love.

Today I'm going to Indio, California, to the Riverside County Fair. My oldest and dearest magic pal, Shawn Greer is performing there. I haven't seen Shawn in a while. I'm really looking forward to seeing him.

Nuff said, guess I'll get on the road