2009-11 Dennis' Deliberations

am no longer a Ring orphan! I made the short 25 minute drive from Harrisonburg down I-81 to the Fishersville, a small town just east of Staunton, Virginia to the monthly meeting of Ring #320. The ring meets the last Monday of the month in the Switzer building at the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. I average attendance is about 15 people so the ring is about half the size of the Orlando group. I lucked out. This month was “Flea Market” night so most everyone brought stuff they wanted to sell or trade. A dealer from Roanoke also was there. It was a solid two and a half hours of getting to meet people and trading magic stories. Every ring has its characters! It is amazing how similar the personalities of magicians are. Most of the regularly working magicians were from the Charlottesville area which has a bigger population. I saw a cute novelty item that I had never seen before and I believe that it is being made by the Roanoke dealer. It is a magic wand that works like a wilting flower! He held the wand up next to his shoulder and while he was talking the wand “tapped” him on the shoulder. He said, “Who tapped me on the shoulder?” He did it again. I am sure you can see what a screamer this one would be for kids!

I have been digging out my illusions from their crates so I could work on the Christmas shows. I made a Thin-Type Sawing-a-woman-in-half illusion to fit my dear wife Cindy 35 years ago She can still fit in it ! The problem is that getting in and out of the box now takes her about 10 minutes!

Last week, I was trying to put her inside the box to test out the repaired foot gimmick and she was moaning and wincing in pain every time she moved her neck or leg or knee or twisted her body in the box. Suddenly she looked up at me and said, “I wish I could go back to the days when life was only JUST a pain-in-the-ass!”

What a great line! I have to work it into the adult act!

I also dug out my Abbott’s “Ghost Walks” Illusion for my Halloween show in Court Square here in town. I get a lot out of the stunt. I do not know many performers that do!

Basically, you are chained to a large upright board with holes in it by a long continuous chain. The board has a skeleton painted on it. You visibly are able to escape the chains. http://www.abbottmagic.com/Abbotts-Ghost-Walks-ABBcmdyzprchgbg.htm

I hesitate to call it a trick. Like the Strait Jacket, it is more of a stunt. It really does not play well if you do it completely behind a curtain. You really have to do it somewhat like you do a strait jacket with appropriate music, in full view and with a faux struggle.

I have had mine for years. I bought it about 25 years ago when Recil Bordner had a special going on. It uses #2 machine chains. The challenge is to make it interesting when you perform it. One tip is to paint or affix numbers and arrows by the holes in the back so your assistant easily knows the path of the chain.

I have a big “turntable” The board is mounted on the top. It has a motor in it that turns about 1 RPM. (W W Granger) You see me struggle and then I go out of sight as it does its 4 turns around to the back and then rotates back around and I emerge with part of the chains free. Each time it turns I am a little freer of the chains. It tends to add a little more mystery to the action. I will be doing it this Halloween for mostly college students.

Cindy selected this song as the new background track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE (Coldplay) The song is perfect for the mood and the action of the effect! The actual moves I am doing are a bit slower but the same as I used to do for years when I used Sam Cooke’s “Chain gang”, another good song.

At the points of excitement in the song I am making the major releases from the chains.

It tends to match the action very well and the soft ending is where I stumble away and slip exhausted on one knee.

I always ended the bit with the old James Brown shtick of falling on one knee and having an assistant throw a robe/cape over my back.

Lord, what a classic bit from him!

Then you catch your breath bolt up, throw out your chest and throw off the robe! You are really playing with the audience’s emotions.

The track starts again with the instrumental portion of the Coldplay song which makes a great applause cue.

I hope you can use this idea.

Marco Tempest was at “Magic Live!” Stan Allen’s get together in Las Vegas and presented his latest techno-magic marvel, “The Augmented Reality Magic Trick”.

It is enchanting. Grab a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk1xjbA-ISE

It is sort of a “Sam the Bellhop meets Star Trek”…

Is it really coming to the day when we will all have to have a top-of-the-line Mac, a video-cam and $10,000 worth of software to do walk-around card tricks in a restaurant?

Perhaps through volume the prices will fall and you will be able to get all the gear as a package from Hank Lee for $79.95. I can see a 12 year old kid wanting it for Christmas. Jeez! I was happy with Stratospheres. The Augmented Reality version will have those plastic balls changing colors, shapes and blasting off into orbit!

There will be no more scream and yelling, “Turn it around”! All birthday shows will be a 3 camera shoot from all sides? I guess I must just be getting too old.

Canada’s Larry Thornton helped me clarify some of the ideas that follow.

Is this what we face for the future of magic?

The year is 2525:

Two guys (1 and 2) questioning the "magic" on the stage

1) Why is he manipulating all of those decorated pieces of cardboard?

2) They're called playing cards.

1) Playing... what?

2) Playing cards. People played games with them. They gambled with them, and that, more often than not, destroyed lives. But you're watching 'fantasy magic' from a bygone era. We haven't had factory-made, three-ply, air-cushion-finish Bicycles, Aviators, or Bee decks since 2040....

1) What? Played games and gambled with Bicycles, Aviators and Bees? -- What the HECK are you talking about...?

2) *Sigh* You just don't know your magic history, do you?

*****************************************************************

1) That's a fun act, but where did he get all those shiny disks of metal? And that odd-looking bucket?

2) Ah, you're beyond hope. That dude's doing The Miser's Dream, a classic of ancient magic where you pluck money out of the air and toss it into champagne --

1) What? There hasn't been physical "money" since the first Mars colony was established. I read in a history book when they used to use that stuff.

2) Have it your way. The guy is presenting a classic illusion of desire: The ability of a magician to pluck large sums of physical cash out of thin air...

1) Yeah, right. When I want large sums of 'cash' as you call it, all I have to do is plug into the Cloud and Google it. It's only digitized information, after all--

3) Hey buddy, shut up! I'm trying to watch the show!

*****************************************************************

1) Now there's an act you don't see very often. Talk about doing things the hard way!

2) He's called an illusionist. The Zig Zag and the Substitution Trunk haven't been seen for a very long time. Ten thousand hack magicians overworked them and killed those effects for at least a hundred and fifty years --

1) And now they're a novelty again, right? But the "novelty" is not what he's doing, but how he's doing it!

2) It's a mechanical kind of magic. Not seen since the Alien Invasion of 2180. The unique thing about it, is that there are no electronics, no photonics, no time warps or three-dimensional holograms --

1) Hah! And as the dealers used to say in ancient history, “no threads, no magnets, no trap doors, no mirrors, and your fingers don't leave your hands at any time during the performance!” (laughs).

2) Yeah, we all know the illusions of the past were made obsolete by holography, teleportation, quantum invisibility, and I.M.J. [Internet Mind Jack) so this guy is just giving us a magic tour down memory lane. Just play along with it and pretend you don't know what the heck is going on!

1) Okay. But right about now, I'd rather be out camping on the moons of Saturn with my kids.

2) What? You had kids!? Do the P.C.P. know this? [Population Control Police]

3) That does it!! In about two nanoseconds I'm going to Telethink the theater's Android ushers and have you thrown out of here!

*******************************************************************

I remember the time when it took hours of physical practice to do magic instead of the latest download of prepackaged software.

Learning to play an instrument, faro a deck, juggle balls, dance -- you name it -- involves an initial resistance of a very stubborn brain (what is it - some kind of evolutionary defense mechanism NOT to master new skills??), but then persistent repetition coupled with dogged determination, and the brain eventually "breaks down" and readily absorbs the new skill, which can then be a relatively easy task -- for a lifetime.

I read this once: Some famous classical pianist (forget who) had just done a long and complex recital. A voice in the audience was heard: "Man I'd spend my entire life just to be able to play like piano like that!" To which the pianist responded, "I already have."

One more: A pianist was heard to say, "If I don't practice for a day, I know it! If I don't practice for two days, my agent knows it. And if I don't practice for three days, my audience knows it."

Two magicians are watching a fantastic sleight of hand artist. The magician is effortless ripping through the most complex pieces of Vernon, Marlo, Elmsley and so on. ... After about forty minutes of this, one magician leans over to the other and whispers, "Man, it's hot in here. That guy is great! I'm sweating like a pig. Can't you feel the heat?"

"No," says the second magician calmly, "I just do birthday parties."

Most of you know that I am a professional educator and I spent 22 years as a college professor. The education business has expended an enormous amount of effort in trying to determine how people learn. Much of the progress was made in understanding the process of learning during World War Two when we had to take untrained farm boys and quickly teach them war technology. Out of that effort Benjamin Bloom developed a taxonomy to understand the education process.

If you look at the Psychomotor Domain, I hope it will give you encouragement if you ever try to learn a physical skill such as sleight of hand! It will show that it takes times and goes in stages. http://www.businessballs.com/bloomstaxonomyoflearningdomains.htm

Much of this seems like “Common Sense”. Seventy years ago the humorist Will Rogers said the problem with common sense is that "it ain't so common." Well, it is much less common today than it was then.

I will keep you posted from here in the Shenandoah Valley.

Dennis Phillips

2009-10 Famulus newsletter

Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring

Next general meeting Wednesday, 10/21/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP

Meeting theme: Halloween Magic

I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819

Please join us for dinner beforehand

Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.

Website: http://www.ring170.com/

F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.

2009-10 From the Editor

Halloween is almost upon us, so hopefully our professional and semi-pro members are finding their calendars filling up with gigs. As I write this posting, the weather has turned a little cooler, although it still seems pretty warm for the time of year.

Doc Eason in town, with a show/lecture last week at the Mgaical Arts & Design studio. Wizardz has been going well with varied shows every week, of course Doc this week, but well worth driving to Kissimmee for any of their performers. Congratulations to Eric and Kim for putting this on every Monday.

Your editor

Stefan

2009-10 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring

President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on September 16^th , 2009, and introduced the Ring officers to the 29 members in attendance. He went on to inform the Ring that our past Ring President MJ Emigh recently undergone a surgical procedure but after a brief recovery period he was back on the performing stage. Some Ring members have been attending the noon get-together on Tuesdays at the McDonalds' Bistro on Sand Lake Road. The general membership is invited if they are available during that time.

Dan Stapleton,, James Songster and Joe Vecciarelli will be performing at the Winter Garden Theater over the Halloween weekend – tickets are available now for purchase. Bev Bergeron returned from an appearance in Houston and now is looking forward to lecturing at the Daytona Beach Magic Convection in November. In addition, Bev will also be busy promoting his recently published novel, “The Magic Connection”. Jacki Manna has a performance coming up at the Interlaken Country Club in the area and Dave Koenig also has a mentalism gig scheduled in the near future.

Phil Schwartz was up next with Magic History Chapter #16 and his subject was 'The Card Picker' and he started out demonstrating his 19^th Century Card Star and continuing with varying examples of devices utilized to present selected card choices. The group was shown probably the most popular example of playing card pickers, “Joanne Duck manufactured by Warren Hamilton in Tampa , Florida. He went on to show us Gwendolyn by Chicago's Ireland Company. He also had a 1942 version of Abbott's “Hand of Caliph”. Also from Abbott (1948) was Percy Penguin and Red Man ata Boy by Jack Hughes. From the 1970's he shared other card pickers from his collection, Fifi, Yogi Bear, and Bob Klein's Grave Yard Ghost Picker. He closed his presentation with several other pickers including Oscar Rabbit and Homer Hudson's Golden Magic Wand.

Bev Bergeron continued his impromptu magic teach-in with every day items and routines that he has performed throughout his many years as a performer.

After the break, Chris Dunn emceed the performances of seven of our members. Mark Fitzgerald started out with Tom Craven's “Inside, Outside”. Bev Bergeron performed his “3 Frog Monte” with a volunteer from his audience. Dan Stapleton followed with his rendition of Ron Frost's “Book Test”. James Songster demonstrated an entertaining “Stocastisity” for the membership's pleasure. Marty Bristow entertained with “Cards of Nineteen”. J. C. Hiatt and Tim (Lyndell) Scarborough closed out the evening with two comedy routines: J. C. by means of a Cup and Ball and Lyndell with an unforgettable monologue.

A fine time was had by all.

2009-10 Magician rides his bike around the world

If you think riding the stationary bike at the gym is exhausting, imagine riding your bike 28,000 miles through 37 countries in eight years. Tired yet?

Keiichi "Kei" Iwasaki , 36, of Japan began such an adventure when he grew tired of working at his father's air-conditioning company. ''I thought to myself that 'My life will soon be over before I do what I want to do!' so I decided to start this trip," Iwasaki told the London Telegraph.

Iwasaki left his home in Maebashi, Japan in April 2001 with just 160 yen, around $2, in his pocket with the intention of biking through Japan. He enjoyed the trip so much that he caught a ferry to South Korea. He has since been robbed by pirates and arrested in India, nearly died after being attacked by a rabid dog in Tibet, and narrowly escaped marriage in Nepal.

Iwasaki's bikes (he's on his fifth now; two were stolen and two were broken) have been his main form of transportation throughout the journey. He says he does not want to fly because "I wanted to see and feel everything with my own skin. With bicycle, I can always feel the air and atmosphere of the place.''

According to his blog, other than the occasional ferry, the only time he did not ride his bike or walk was when he used a hand rowboat. He first used a rowboat to travel from the source of the Ganges River in India to the sea, a distance of over 800 miles that took him 35 days. Iwasaki decided to also row the Caspian Sea when he was passing by and "I just wondered 'how big Caspian sea is?' so I tried to [cross] using hand rowing boat again, it takes 25 days," he wrote.

He counts his biggest achievement as climbing Mount Everest from sea level without using any transportation, the first Japanese man to do so. Iwasaki is currently in Switzerland waiting to climb Europe's highest peak, Mont Blanc.

Iwasaki funds his travels by performing magic tricks on the street. He plans to travel to Africa, through the Americas and finally, back to Japan. He believes the rest of the trip will take him five years, after which he wants to write a book about his adventures.

Photo: Above, via SMNS, Map, via The London Telegraph

2009-10 Winter Garden Theatre spectacular

Don't forget to get your tickets for Dan Stapleton's shows at the Winter Garden theatre. The highlight with be on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) when Dan drives down the street in Winter Garden blindfolded. This will take place at 7 p.m., followed by one of his shows at 8 p.m. There is then a mystery show at 10 p.m. - separate tickets required - which should make a fun evening.

2009-10 Dennis' Deliberations

Here is a fall update from Harrisonburg, Virginia, where I am getting settled into the grove. Wow! The leaves here are turning colors and the hills are ablaze with hues of red, orange and gold. We had to turn on the heat. My house has hydronic heat which is an oil fired boiler and room radiators. I have had an education figuring out how all that works. The heating system is very efficient and low cost compared to forced air heat as you have in Florida.

I spent a couple of warm weekends visiting Civil War Battlefields. The Shenandoah Valley was the breadbasket of the Confederacy and fiercely protected by Stonewall Jackson and his Cavalry commander Turner Ashby. Ashby was shot through the heart in 1862 in battle at Harrisonburg and the historic marker is less than one hundred yards from my house. They have a high school named for him close by. The 1862 campaign was a success for the rebels but Union General Phil Sheridan finally captured the Valley in 1864 and burned much of the infrastructure. The result is that many people here still have their old Gray Uniforms in the closet ready to come out again. There are no Left turns allowed in the county and it is against the law to sell anything but Right Wings at local chicken joints. The other day I casually mentioned to one of the locals about Stonewall Jackson being shot at Chancellorsville. They responded with, “Oh my God! He’s dead???”

So, speaking of history and legacy lets move to magic!

How does ANY lifetime list of effects and routines in magic compare to what I found in the new book about Doug Henning?

From the website about the new book on Doug Henning (http://www.doughenningbook.com) I haven’t done anything in comparison to Henning.

I remember Doug well! I remember hanging out with Doug, Dick Oslund and Dennis Loomis at the 1969 Abbott’s Get Together.

The big act on the Saturday Night Show was Ralph Adams. Doug was preppy looking with short hair, buck teeth and always a turtleneck sweater. His was enamored by the work of Guy Jarrett and Andre Kole. He talked about his friend in Chicago, “Jim” who was a genius. (Jim Steinmeyer)

Doug died believing that he could actually levitate telling close friends that he could float. I think his belief had much to do with his religion of Transcendental Meditation.

Larry Thornton and I agree that the one (and only!) thing that bugged us about Doug Henning was his tendency to overstate the importance of a child-like sense of wonder; how the unbounded imagination's ability to enhance and preserve our sense of the magical was somehow superior, even to science. "Never fully grow up! "Henning seemed to be saying, "Keep and nourish that wonderful child within you at all costs!"

In Unweaving the Rainbow, Richard Dawkins addresses the perception that science and art are often taken to be at odds. He wrote this book in response to critics who felt that his two previous books, The Selfish Gene and the Blind Watchmaker, relied far too much on a naturalistic world view. Dawkins felt the need to explain that, as a scientist, he too saw the world as full of wonders and a source of great pleasure; and that his own sense of wonder and enjoyment sprang not from any inexplicable actions of a deity (or any other kind of magic), but rather, the understandable laws of nature. In standard Christian theology, at least since St. Thomas Aquinas, there is an understanding that God is behind the laws of nature.

Perhaps it might have been beneficial to Henning to have met Dawkins or maybe Christian theologian and former scientist, John Pokingham and sat down with him for a conversation on the differences between the wonders of magical deception, and the magic inherent in the true wonders of scientific discovery. The poet John Keat's well-known accusation that Isaac Newton destroyed the beauty of the rainbow by explaining it (a starting point for Unweaving the Rainbow) may have pleased Henning immensely.

Far from being a magician of the skeptical school, Doug's apparent love for fantasy (over reality) may have been the principal driving force that sent him spinning slack-jawed and air-headed down the seductive 'rabbit-hole' of transcendental meditation, with its associated gurus of Eastern mysticism and bliss and finally into the end of his career.

Larry Thornton and I got an idea: Someone should create a (convention) stage act called "The Recession Magic Act" -- and then do about ten minutes of stuff (music only) dressed in obviously tattered tails, while putting on the attitude of a magician of great dignity. You know, a Thomsoni-like persona. Effects could include the Recession Duck Bucket made from a trash pail; an immaculately over acted high-brow Zombie routine with a toilet tank float; card productions with filthy rumpled cards that look as though they'd been through a war; and ... well, it's limited only by a twisted imagination. There must be dozens of gag possibilities. You could have The Miser’s Dream done with pennies. Finally, The Great Government Bailout Bubble where the grand finale is an explosion of phony money. As the act progresses (regresses) the guy's tattered tailcoat begins to slowly disintegrate as he desperately tries to hold it together. The soles on his shoes fall off.

At the end the whole act is held together with duck tape.

Okay, it needs work. But you get the idea. If you got a few of your magician pals together to brainstorm this, I think they could come up with a COMEDY WINNER.

Now you know why I'm not a comedy magician...Those of you that have been in the ring for at least 10 years remember “The Amazing Prozac and Bubbles”, my assistant was –Carl Fowler, former Ring President -dressed in drag. I was a bearded, old, over-the-hill magician who seemed oblivious to the audience and to anything that was happening on stage. Everything went wrong but I held out my arms for applause. Think Carl Ballantine stoned. I retired “The Amazing Prozac” after that one show and the quality of all comedy magic went up a level. Maybe I am a better writer-creator than performer? Bev said it all stunk. I think that was the idea, Bev! The problem is that when you do comedy, if it stinks, it has to stink funny. I will leave that to Kohl and Company.

I will keep you posted from here in the Shenandoah Valley. Halloween is around the corner. You should be booking shows.

Dennis

I keep forgetting that this is the Bible Belt.

Some guy up here saw this photo

and thought that I was a Pentecostal Faith Healer!

You will not believe your eyes!

One of America’s foremost Magical Entertainers will delight

and amaze you with dazzling skill and delightful comedy.

Come prepared to have fun!

2009-09 Famulus newsletter

Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring

Next general meeting Wednesday, 9/16/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP

Meeting theme: Fall Magic

I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819

Please join us for dinner beforehand

Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.

Website: http://www.ring170.com/

F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.

2009-09 From the Editor

How time flies, the holiday season is almost upon us again. Hopefully the calendars are filling up for our working members.

Don't forget the Jim Pace lecture, on Tuesday the day before our Ring meeting. And of course Aldo's appearance and lecture at Wizardz.

Did anyone from the Ring attend the Shoot Ogawa lecture? If so, care to share your thoughts with our readers? As ever, please direct your submission to famulus@illusioneer.com.

Thanks To Dennis and his able replacement, Sheldon, for their respective articles. It is nice to hear that our friend seem to be doing well in West Virginia.

I hope to see you all at the lectures and the next meeting

Your editor

Stefan

2009-09 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring

President Craig Fennessy called the meeting to order on August 19^th, 2009, and introduced the Ring officers to the 24 members and guests in attendance. Craig related his recent experience of visiting the Los Angeles area as well as Las Vegas. He was particularly impressed by the entertainment at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and Magic Live in Las Vegas. He informed the members present that Dean Dill was seriously ill with Cancer and that donations were being solicited in his behalf by HOCUS POCUS.

Keith Locke is presenting on the 23^rd of this month(August) a lecture by Shoot Ogawa at Keith's Pine Street facility in Orlando. On September 15^th, Jim Pace will be lecturing our Ring here at the IHOP and there will be no charge for current Ring members. Dan Stapleton announced that he will be doing his show, Abracadabra, It's Magic at the renovated theater in Winter Garden . He assured us there would be “a lot of magic” and everyone was invited to attend. The show will run from October 30^th thru November 1^stand there will be both evening and matinee performances. Dan will also be busy hosting a Circus World Reunion in the Orlando area on February 19^th, 2010. If any readers had any association with the attraction and would like to participate, please get in touch with Dan.

Mark Fitzgerald brought to the membership's attention that the next Phism event will be held in Blackpool, UK, during the Summer of 2012.

Phil Schwartz was up next with Magical History Moment #15. He proudly showed us the silks in his collection that he had acquired in 1984 from the Silk King Studios. The mail order business operated by Harold and Thelma Rice announced in 1979 that they were going out of business and had their inventory up for sale. Phil made his purchase 5 years after the Company stopped the importing of merchandise. Mr Rice passed away in 1989. The next objects of discussion were numerous examples of Tom Seller's Color Changing Handkerchief Box which came on the scene in 1932. The following year, 1933, the Thayer Silk Cabby was brought out and in 1935 the Flipover Box developed by Jack Gwynne enabled the practioner to vanish other objects in addition to silks. Phil was particularly impressed by the workmanship of a similar device which was produced in Tampa by Warren Hamilton in 1960. The audience was appreciative and impressed by the display. Thank you , Phil.

Bev Bergeron announced that he was publishing, a novel titled “The Magic Connection” It's based on a true adventure caper that Bev has been thinking about for many years.

Joe Vecciarelli shared his paper- modeling hobby, collection, with examples of his handiwork that ranged from ducks and rabbits to a detailed grandfather clock. Martin Bristow and Joey Nieves performed card tricks after the intermission and Ravelli contributed to the entertainment with a Silverware Transposition performed to a musical accompaniment. KP Pierce demonstrated his Big Spender Counterfeit Bill Detector, with spectator bills of various denominations that were visibly shredded ( indicating they were bogus) when placed into the device much to the chagrin of the audience.

Will Wortman skillfully changed a ball point pen to a large steel washer in a brief display of manual dexterity leaving his audience clamoring for more..

Tim(Lyndell)Scarborough did a comedy routine that included an electronic dust bunny ionizer, and miser's dream routine all accompanied by a musical narrative performed by Lyndell through his Bubba teeth. The membership was thoroughly entertained.

Mark Fitzgerald performed the 3-card dialogue trick,”Stan, Kate, and Edith” by Kerry Pollack and Charlie Pfrogner finished off the evening with his “Treasure Box” of Tricks producing a rabbit of little dimension.

A fine time was had by all.

2009-09 Magic Jam Session

For those of you who can’t get enough magic each month…. one of our members has a solution.

He has put together “Close Up Magic Mondays” Meeting every 3rd Monday of the month at a private residence. Starting September 21 after 6:30pm. Break up your week with a healthy dose of MAGIC!

Grab your cards and coins and join us for a personal discussion of all the facets of close up magic.

Contact Ryan Schlutz – 407-716-6754 (Call if you plan on attending)

Karolyn Parinella – 407-432-5641

Please note that this is not a sponsored IBM Ring 170 event…but it’s magic and I thought you all would like to know.

2009-09 [OT] Do Not Call List for Cellphones

REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.

REMINDER..... all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.

.... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.
It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.

HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON .. It takes about 20 seconds.

2009-09 Another request from Joe

I am looking for a copy of Magic Magazine - V05 N5 January 1996
This is a link to the cover...
http://www.magicmagazine.com/catalog/images/jan96.jpg

Thanks.

Joe Vecciarelli
Coach Coordinator
Cirque du Monde - Orlando
Walt Disney World Boys & Girls Club

2009-09 Dennis' Deliberations

Dennis Deliberations……



My kids in Orlando, my accountant, who lives in College Park, some business friends I left, all tell me things seem to not be getting better in Orlando.

“Destination Tourism” seems to be a fading dream for the middle and upper-middle classes. Here is the Shenandoah Valley, we draw a lot of day-trippers or one-night tourists from the Washington, Baltimore and even Philly and NYC area. People are more ready to drive than fly. Flying is just too much of a hassle unless you have to.

You can leave the NYC area at 6AM and be having lunch here on the mountain top in Massanutten 4-Season Resort at Noon. It is 12 miles from my house

As long as gas prices stay about where they are, this area’s tourism should remain about where it is.

We also have the 2 Universities and 1 college in town. Moreover, agriculture is huge in this area and people always need to eat. As a result our unemployment in town is about 6% whereas Florida is 10.7%. Virginia seems to have it a little more together in terms of taxation. There is a small state income tax but here in Harrisonburg, property taxes are low, car insurance and health insurance are very inexpensive.

In the meantime, I am resurrecting my version of the Vince Carmen school-show-booking-method and that is a lot more promising here in the tall grass than in highly populated Central Florida.

One of my pet peeves is that the media keeps handwringing on and on about the state of the economy: Daily statistics on unemployment, Minute by minute reports on why the stimulus package isn‘t working, Weekly griping about how things are getting worse. Well ENOUGH! 85 to 90% of Americans still have a job and money to spend and the streets are not deserted. People forget that even during the Great Depression fortunes were made and the entertainment business prospered. The key is “Work” and “Creativity”. You need to find a niche market.

Well, with the help of John Abrams who is always thinking of every possible way to keep ahead of this “new economy”, I thought we would give you license to wring your hands. You read that right. I am officially giving you license to wring your hands about the economy. For more ideas see www.rebelentertainers.com.

BUT... you have to meet some qualifications. Here they are:

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve created and implemented a 5 - 10 step email campaign for anybody who visits your website or requests info about your services.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve contacted all CURRENT customers at least 3 times in the last three months by email, mail or phone.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve contacted all PAST and DEAD customers to find out why they left and see if they are in need of your services now.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve created a new show or brand new services that you can present to your current and new customers.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve started an entire new campaign either through direct mail or website or magazine ads or Facebook or Twitter and every other media you can think of to get NEW customers.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve contacted all agents and party-event planners around your area.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve attended every convention and expo within your target market.

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’ve become a member of your local Chamber of Commerce and contacted every business in the Chamber about your services

You wring your hands about the economy if....

You’re blogging regularly to your target market.

OK. If you’ve taken every single one of these actions and you’re still struggling with making money with magic in this economy, then you are officially licensed to wring your hands about the economy.

Dennis

2009-08 Famulus newsletter

Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring

Next general meeting Wednesday, 8/19/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP

Meeting theme: Modern Magic

I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819

Please join us for dinner beforehand

Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.

Website: http://www.ring170.com/

F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.

2009-08 From the Editor

I was very pleased to be able to join many of you again at a Ring meeting, it has been quite a while. As I am still between projects, I have also been able to attend a lecture as well as Tuesday lunches.

We now have a weekly magic show on Orlando (again?), hopefully you will support the venture by attending now and again. I was hoping that someone might send me a description of their opening evening, as they were sold out by the time that I tried to make a reservation.

Also, do not forget to watch America's Got Talent, as our own Drew Thomas has made it through to the semifinals round. As soon as I hear the date of the semifinal broadcast, I will send a message to the members via the mailing list AND our new Facebook group.

As ever special thanks to our , it seems like long-lost, friend in Harrisonburg, Dennis Phillips, who continues to regale us with his trails and tribulations of moving, as well as other magic related stories. And thanks to Sheldon, who has taken over Dennis' role in recording our monthly meetings.

2009-08 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring

President Craig Fennessy called the Ring to order on July 15th, 2009, and introduced the Ring Officers to the 23 members and guests in attendance. Craig mentioned that Aldo Columbini was doing well at home recovering from knee surgery and that Rachel Wild (Columbini) was looking to assemble a history of Aldo's magic career and requested that if any members had photos or memorabilia that pertained to his years in magic, she would appreciate copies. Over the years and numerous relocations he has lost most of what he had accumulated. The members would oblige if they had anything to contribute to the compilation.

Two members of the Ring, Joe Constantine and Drew Thomas have been doing well on TV's America's Got Talent and had been asked to return for a future performance.

Stefan Bartelski will look into getting either a Twitter or Facebook [Editor's note: it is a Facebook group, see elsewhere in this newsletter for details] account for the Ring.

James Songster and Joe Vecciarelli participated at Disney World in June in a successful effort to get into the Guinness Book of Records for “most people on stilts at any one time (1109) at multiple locations “.

Dan Stapleton recommended that our Ring sponsor a member to enter the close-upand/or stage magic competition at the Florida Magicians Association Conference in Daytona Beach this coming November.

Phil Schwartz presented his Magical History Moment No. 14 when he enlightened the membership with seven (7) examples of Thayer tables that he has in his collection. The Thayer Company had a record of producing 23 different types and included both portable side and center tables. He concluded by showing an example of a Barbinger motion machine that was utilized in jewelry shops as an advertising attention getter.

Phil's presentation was followed by Bev Bergeron doing an impromptu magic teach-in which included Bev demonstrating several entertaining effects with everyday objects such as napkins, crayons, soda straws and pencils.

Mark Fitzgerald emceed the members' performances after the intermission break. Charlie Pfrogner entertained with his Joanne Duck performance. Kerry Pierce performed the Gang of Four card effect and Will Wortman entertained with his 'rubber card'. Dan Knapp read the mind of a member with ESP cards. Phil Schwartz tried his hand at predicting the roll of the dice in a hand-turned dice box and Dan Stapleton closed the meeting and impressed the membership with a Tom Craven effect called Name & Card.

Sheldon Brook, Acting Recording Secretary, E-mail: mrbrook33@ yahoo.com

2009-08 Ring 170 Facebook group

For Ring members with a Facebook account, please join our Ring 170 group. This will allow the board members to post messages that are distributed even more quickly than our mailing list. To join the group, search for Ring 170, the group will show up. Click join and that is all there is to it.

If you do not have a Facebook account, do take a look at www.Facebook.com. This is one of the most popular 'social networks' and you will find more and more people using it to communicate. It can be used to let your friends know what you are doing, share photographs and other messages. In many cases your phone can be connected to your account, so that you receive text messages when something is posted to your account ('Wall' in Facebook-speak).

2009-08 FISM Updates

Information from Maria Ibâñez

FISM UPDATES

GENI FORUM

Here's a link to the reports at Genii Forum

http://www.geniimagazine.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=199632#Post199632

ANDREW WEBB

Great reports and coverage also available from Andrew Webb at the following:

http://www.magicconventionguide.com/category/fism-2009-beijing/

http://www.magicconventionguide.com/2009/fism-2009-photos/

http://www.magicconventionguide.com

STREET OF CARDS

Here's the link to that site: http://streetofcards.tv/channel/27/jeff-mcbride/

2009-08 Shoot Ogawa lecture at MAD Studios

MAD Magic has good news, when we return from Magic Live! in Las Vegas on August the 25^th, we will have SHOOT OGAWA with us. That’s right, direct from FISM and a Japanese tour SHOOT will be performing and lecturing at MAD STUDIOS ORLANDO. And when we asked if he would stay an extra day and conduct a private workshop he said YES!

SHOOT OGAWA, LIVE AND IN ACTION

SHOW AND LECTURE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25^TH AT 7:30PM

MAD STUDIOS, 1039 PINE ST. ORLANDO, FL 32824

$25.00 ADVANCE, $30.00 AT THE DOOR

LIMITED SEATING, RESERVE NOW!

PLUS, BY SPECIAL ARANGEMENT

SHOOT OGAWA’S PRIVATE WORKSHOP

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26^TH AT 7:30PM

MAD STUDIOS

$60.00 PER PERSON, (no at door sales, must reserve and pay by August 21^st. This is an MODERATE TO ADVANCED LEVEL workshop) VERY LIMITED SPACE, BOOK NOW…

call 407-858-9858

Below I am including information sent to me by Shoot’s management. If you are not aware of Shoot’s fame and talents just ask a magician friend to fill you in. I was speaking with Craig Fennessey about Shoot recently. Craig told me Shoot last visited the Orlando area about three years ago and packed the place. “It was huge,” Craig said. As with McBride, David Williamson, and of course Michael Finney who kicked of our visiting Icon program, I am honored to be able to host Mr. Ogawa. Particularly being able to host the private workshop. It will be an entire night with hands on, one on one, intense discussion and development of close up and parlor style magic. You are encouraged to bring effects and routines you wish you review and develop. Hopefully everyone understands the incredible value this opportunity presents us magicians here in Central Florida.

The show and lecture on Tuesday evening will feature his award winning favorites and new magic fresh out of the brain of this young man. As with all of the magical icons we have had the pleasure to present at MAD, Shoot will be available to answer questions from the attendees. He will openly answer questions about his around the world travels, his experiences in magic from an early age to becoming one of the most recognized performers active today.

2009-08 Charlotte Pendragon Coming to Daytona

This internationally known illusionist is one of the most groundbreaking female magician’s in the world. She has been performing for about 30 years, stunning audiences that have included the President of the United States, the Queen of England, the Prince of Wales and the Royal Family of Monaco, with incredible illusions.

She was included in the 2005, 50th Anniversary edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for a split-second illusion, Metamorphosis. Look her up in the “Magic” category, where her time doing the grand illusion is 2.5 seconds flat. She’s tied in a bag in a box, her partner stands on the box, drops a curtain and voila! They have switched places. It is a wonder to behold, one of the great illusions of stage magic. “They do it so fast, they would have fooled Houdini,” states The Times, London.

Charlotte Pendragon is the most honored woman in the history of the art form. She was voted into England’s famed Inner Magic Circle; amazing because she is an American and no woman had ever received this honor in the 100 plus years of the organization. Charlotte was the first woman to receive “The Magician of the Year Award” from the famed Magic Castle.

Charlotte has entertained audiences in theaters and on television in over 50 countries. She has starred in 14 prime time magic specials on NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, PBS, Disney, Showtime, The Family Channel, VH1, E Entertainment and on CNN’s Showbiz Today. She was part of an act that made more international television appearances than any magicial act in history. On an edition of NBC’s World’s Greatest Magic, this act closed the show by making 25 showgirls vanish on stage at Caesars Palace. She has made several appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Charlotte has performed with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, presenting illusions to classical music. For Universal Studios she was a star in a special nighttime magical illusion spectacular, Illusions of the Night, which played to more than one million people. The special gained the reputation as Universal’s most successful live show ever.

Charlotte will be making her solo debut at the Daytona Festival of Magic. Let’s all show our support for her!

2009-08 FREE Magic Trick

With full permission of Bryan Dean from http://www.LearnEasyMagic.com ...

here is a sample magic trick!

Just click here to get it:

http://www.learneasymagic.com/Amazing_Card_Magic_Sample_Trick.pdf

If you have trouble reading the eBook, you may need the
free Adobe Reader from Acrobat: http://get.adobe.com/reader

2009-08 Dennis' Deliberations

Greetings from the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. This is a magical place. The evenings are cool and the days are mild. This is not the steam bath climate of Central Florida in the summer. My new E-Mail is dphillips2009@comcast.net . Please change your address book.

Congratulations on Phil Schwartz’s excellent article in Magic Magazine on Thayer. I enjoyed reading it. It was good to see that Jon Armstrong is back in town for a lecture. Sheldon is doing a fine job of documenting the ring meetings. I wish I could be there to experience all the details. I miss you folks!

I did meet a local magician here in Harrisonburg that is teaching a magic course for children for the recreation department. He has all the David Ginn material down pat. Another local is doing one night a week restaurant magic on “kid’s night” at a local casual dining place. I am still going through the moving chores of: driver’s license, car tags, telephone set-up, internet set-up, bank account change over, health insurance COBRA- can I spare you all the agony of the problems in moving? In a week or so, I will get into the job search and magic bookings phase.

In the meantime, I did set up my TV and DVD player, even though, as I am writing, Comcast is hooking me up to the Internet. My E-Mail will be at the top means that I am again on Al Gore’s Super-Highway of information driving a “clunker” of a computer. Maybe Obama will let me fill this PC with metal shavings and epoxy and fill the hard drive with viruses and trade it in on a brand new computer. There is something bizarre about trading in your old American car in the “Cash for Clunkers” program and then buying a new foreign made car. I have an idea; can I trade in my old “Super X” levitation for a brand new Vegas Levitation? Let’s have a magic version of the automobile “Cash for Clunkers”.

On a serious note: A magic friend in Florida sent me an instructional DVD by Bob Kohler featuring Steven Spill’s “Needle Trick”. Spill, who toured comedy clubs for years, uses this as his closing act. Let me tell you that there has rarely been an instructional DVD on magic that has impressed me so much! I really think that Dave Williamson (who was at our last banquet) was influenced by this DVD. We all think of the “Swallowing the Needles” trick as a geek trick and old style magic. It is not! Dai Vernon was around when Houdini did his grand illusion show at the New York Hippodrome. Dai was not a big fan of Houdini but he did say that Houdini’s needle trick was the strongest part of his show and he raved about it.

I am sure that all of you enjoyed Dave Williamson’s needle trick even if it was in his typical over-the top comedy style. I am convinced that most magicians do not think about performing the trick because they really do not know how it really works, how to set it up, how to load the needles and how to play it. Steven Spill shows you every detail on making the load, all of the mouth work and stealing and hiding the load. His method of set-up is the most practical that I have seen. He loads the threaded needles while you are looking! The packet from which he pulls the needles has within it a soft magnetic sheet, actually a flexible refrigerator magnet to hold the needles and the load. After “swallowing” two needles he pulls out another 18 but by holding them by the lower-half of the bundle (to conceal the threading) they look loose. This is the load! He has clever lines to excuse this action.

We live in the age of “pack small, play big” and the needle trick fills the bill. Richardi did the “Razor Blades” but who uses those anymore? I am definitely thinking about what I saw. This is not a trick for kid’s shows unless you use the old disclaimer, “Now, don’t try this at home kids unless your Mommy and Daddy are away. If they are, then go for it! Really, do not do this at your home; go to someone else’s home where they have liability insurance”. If you are playing for an adult audience, have the audience assistant look into your mouth and you say, “They all went down my fallopian tube- pause for audience laughter- no, it is really my esophagus. I only said fallopian tube because it sounds sexier!”

On the job front, here in Harrisonburg, I still have applications in at the local colleges as well as Rosetta Stone. Rosetta has a large local operation here and needs a content writer. One afternoon I wanted to take a break from unpacking so I went on a trip around town to find the old TV station that I used to watch in high school in the early 60s when my family lived a few miles north of here. I found it! The actual TV and radio stations moved to new buildings and the old building is a warehouse now.

I went into the new radio station and introduced myself and explained to the receptionist what I was doing and we got into a chat about broadcasting. All of this was overheard by the general manager in an adjacent office. I left the building and as soon as I got into my car, the receptionist came running after me. I rolled down my window and she said, “The manager wanted to know if you had a resume?” In almost forty years of broadcasting work I have never had such a thing happen! Maybe it was a good sign.

Keep me posted on what I happening.

Dennis Phillips

2009-07 Famulus newsletter

Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring

Next general meeting Wednesday, 7/15/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP

Meeting theme: Pot Luck

I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819

Please join us for dinner beforehand

Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.

Website: http://www.ring170.com/

F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.

2009-07 From the editor

A rather short newsletter this month, I expect that everyone is off enjoying vacations or such. However, I am very thankful to Dennis who, while in the throes of moving, has managed to put together another illuminating "Dennis' Deliberations". Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Magic continues to stay alive on TV, with Masters of Illusion, lance Burton and, unfortunately, the Masked magician appearing regularly. And some magicians have made it through to Las Vegas on America's Got Talent. So our art stays in the minds of the general public, especially with tonights release of the next episode of the Harry Potter saga.

Looking forward to seeing some of you at this month's meeting

Your editor

Stefan

2009-07 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring

President Craig Fennessy called the June meeting to order and introduced the Ring officers to the forty-two members and guests in attendance. Craig mentioned that a Broken Wand Ceremony was performed for the late Carol Bristol, a past member of our Ring who passed away in June after a lengthy illness. Bev Bergeron reported that John Calvert was convalescing at his home in Bowling Green, Ky. John was taken ill in New England while on tour.

The Ring has planned several future lectures that will include a former member, Jon Armstrong, who will return home to Orlando and conduct his lecture for the Ring on August 4^th. Jon now makes his home in Los Angeles and is a frequent performer on TV’s ‘Masters Of Illusion”.

Ring volunteers have been performing for the children and their families at the “ Give Kids The World Village” in Kissimmee, Fl. Joe Vecciarelli reported that their efforts have been well received.

Phil Schwartz, our Ring’s historian, presented Magic History Moment #13 - a treatise of Floyd Thayer’s skill as a wood-turner and provided the membership with numerous examples of Ball Vases and Clingo Balls that Mr. Thayer produced in his time.

James Songster emceed an unprecedented number of entertaining presentations by members and guests. Keith Locke (Elliot Hitchcock) presented his “First Kiss” effect developed from “Room for Doubt”. A volunteer selected a vehicle and one of nine locations where he received his first kiss. A miniature Juke box was started and instructions as to moves around the nine cards on the table were followed and the location of the “First Kiss” was ‘divined’.

Guest John Donahue, who attended with his wife, Rhonda, displayed a scale model of his dream “Magic Shop” which he built and was enjoyed and admired by the membership.

Kerry Pierce won the door prize which was a DVD for the performing cabaret magician .

Following an intermission Patrick Oliver, John Donahue, Mike Martin, Mark Fitzgerald, James Songster, JC Hiatt and Bill Wortman performed entertaining and comedic card routines for the membership’s pleasure.

Charlie Pfrogner chipped in with a routine utilizing a large die card that couldn’t quite make up its mind as to how many pips were on either side of the card.

Leo Michaels demonstrated his skill in card handling, which in part won him a junior award at a 2006 IBM competition.

Josh Stenkamp performed a cup and ball effect with a double jigger and olive to the audiences’ delight.

Dan Stapleton closed the entertainment with a Max Maven “Kurotsuke” trick, predicting which one of six participant volunteers had selected the odd “stone”.

The membership was reminded that the Florida State Magic Convention would be held in Daytona Beach, November 6-8, 2009.

2009-07 Dennis' Deliberations

Greetings while in transition from Orlando to Virginia!

Moving a household and large magic show 850 miles is no small task! I am 60 years old and wish I was 30 years younger.

So…What is up with the magic scene in the Shenandoah Valley? There are ski-resorts and summer resorts all over that area. They have a one-night-a-week stage show at the local ski-and 4 Season resort. Jason Bishop’s Illusion show is currently playing there for the summer. There is a downtown theater in Harrisonburg They seem fairly open to co-producing seasonal events. Maybe I can produce a show for Halloween or Christmas? There is one young magician doing table hopping at family restaurants in town and Harrisonburg has a novelty-costume store with a magic counter in the downtown area. Actually two years ago, I stopped by the store during the Christmas Holidays and they were thrilled to have me go behind the magic counter. While my wife and sister-in-law were strolling the downtown shopping area, I sold a couple of hundred dollars of their magic! There are magic hobbyists in town. The owner’s wife wanted Cindy to promise to help them out at Halloween time.

There is an IBM Ring in Stanton, Virginia about 25 miles away. I will check that out in September. I know of no professional magicians in that area of the states of Virginia or West Virginia.

Cindy and I just flew back here to Sanford on Allegiant Airlines on June 22nd after driving a 16 foot Budget Rent-a-Truck with my utility trailer on the back of it to Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was a 15 hour driving marathon. The 16 foot Budget cost $771 to rent one-way and $200 for gas. Harrisonburg is so small that when I turned in the truck at the local rental office, there was a sign in the window that said, “Make sure the truck is full of gas and leave the key in the mailbox at Jay’s Transmissions next door.” The mailbox was not a key drop but a box on the door! Anyone could have gotten the key out of the box and driven away. I called up the next morning and got the Budget Manager’s cell phone and he said he had gone to the location the previous evening and everything was fine. He also ran “Continental Car Rental” and other operations out of that one room. It felt like I was talking to a guy out of Mayberry, the fictional town on the old Andy Griffith Show.

We closed on our new house up there on Friday June 19th and immediately unloaded the truck. It was totally full of magic props. Sadly, that was only half of my magic. Why didn’t I sell my “Backstage with the Magician” while I was here in Florida? Those two crates alone weighed 450 pounds. Of course, I had crammed wardrobe and other smaller props in the empty spaces in the crates. I learned my lesson after Hurricane Charlie and everything loose I now keep in plastic bins. I have at least 25 of those!

My sister-in-law arranged for 3 guys to help us unload. Her neighbor works for an agency that helps refugees. I believe it is through the Mennonite Church (There are lots of Mennonites in Harrisonburg). All 3 guys were refugees from Iraq! They had been in this country less than 3 months and spoke almost no English. I can muddle my way through a limited vocabulary of the Hebrew and Aramaic languages, due to my seminary studies. Arabic is similar. All are Semitic languages. “Mik-ta-ba” –desk, “Kot-ba”- book, “Bet(h)”- House . My verb conjugations created a lot of laughs as did my mangling of masculine and feminine forms. Anyway, “Yannie” saw my Peavey sound amp and speaker system and said that he had sung for Saddam Hussein. I coaxed him to sing a bit and a fine baritone voice emerged with an Iraqi folk melody!

I did have to rent a storage unit in Harrisonburg- 10 X 20 for only $125 a month with every 3rd month free. Such a deal! It will hold the 10 largest crates.

Cindy and I almost fell out of our chairs at the Insurance agent’s office. We went there as recommended by our Florida State Farm agent to insure that house and change our cars to a Virginia address. Can you believe that we are insuring both cars for LESS that HALF what we are paying here? The homeowner’s insurance is ONE-THIRD what it costs here! AND our umbrella liability policy is ONE FOURTH! The dirty secret is that we pay out the kazoo for insurance here in Florida!

We are back in Orlando until July 14th and then we move for good. The major moving load is being handled by ABF freight lines. They will park a 28 foot tractor trailer in front of our house here in Orlando and give us 3 days to load it and then deliver it in front of our house up there for the unloading. The cost will be $2,382. This final time I am letting someone else do the driving! The trailer will be at least one-third full of magic.

We will be back about 4 times a year (by airliner) because our 2 girls are staying in our house here. Consider Allegiant Airlines for your next flight. They serve a number of cities two or three times a week out of Sanford and flights can be less than 30 dollars one way! Cindy and I flew back from Hagerstown, Maryland for less than $100 for both of us.

My gut feeling from talking to people and friends of my relatives is that the area is more open to shows than here in over-crowded Central Florida.

The issue for me will be making a living up there for the next few years. I am sure I will find something in either education (James Madison University- Eastern Mennonite University) or media or show-business. Rosetta Stone Language Learning software has a large operation in Harrisonburg!

My relatives are teasing me about the jobs that are available. That area of the Shenandoah Valley has many chicken and turkey farms owned by big employers such as Perdue Chicken, Tyson Chicken, Cargill and Pilgrim’s Pride. A relative found a job for a “chicken inseminator”. Apparently, that is a real job! My relative advised me that the job was “dirty” and you had to “sweet talk the hens” and tolerate them smoking a cigarette when you are done. My family has a sense of humor!

Right now I am packing the final pieces and preparing for the final load. I will keep let you know how the move progresses with an update the end of July.

Dennis Phillips