Mind Freak (or not)

While I've read tons of opinion about this show, I've refrained from voicing my own. In my case, it could be only a matter of bad timing, but I like to think that having a contrast was a good thing in this case. I am talking about the fact that during the time Mindfreak has been airing, I have also been watching episodes of Derren Brown's "Trick of the Mind." Those of you who've heard Mike Close speak about the intelligence of Penn and Teller's magic will understand more clearly, but I'll do my best to get my point across.

My intent is not to do a compare and contrast of the two shows, but merely to show that the Derren Brown offering is intended for a more intelligent audience. For goodness sake, do we really need people on fire here (in the U.S.) in order to feel a sense of drama in a magical performance? Do we really need Criss Angel saying, "Totally impromptu," as he walks to the front of a bus, when we know that his 'card on the windshield' was anything but? Ditto the Frisbee thing, that just seems to hover in place because Criss is 'always thinking' - yeah, right. As we suffer through several false starts, are we in a dramatically better place when Criss FINALLY does get hoisted up in a wine barrel? Did all of the delays make us wonder even more if he would really get out alive? Please understand that none of this is intended as an attack on either Criss or his show, but more that the networks believe their audience to be such mindless idiots that all we want to see is fire and someone's life in danger. As far as the networks are concerned, THAT is real magic.

Derren Brown's show gives us drama, wonderful pacing, and even tension. I have no idea what English audiences think of the show, but I will say this - their Channel 4 at least gives them credit for having a brain in their heads. For goodness sake, Derren even does the blockhead, and it is presented with style! I have tried to pace my way through the shows on the DVD, and it has been difficult doing so, because it is intelligent magic, presented intelligently. He doesn't present himself as being above it all, nor does he present himself as being able to warp the very dimension of space and time like certain boobs with names such as John and Edward. Crossing over indeed! Even his disclaimer allows his audiences to possess a certain amount of intelligence, and in one of his shows Mr. Brown mentions that he prefers working with people of higher intelligence - there are more preconceptions of which to take advantage.

I am happy that we are actually seeing some magic on American television lately, but Alain Nu is much better than the network allowed him to be, and this Mindfreak is being presented as "Magic for emotionally fragile idiots." In both cases, it can be done better, especially with some of the people who have worked on the shows. When you can boast of people like Bob Fitch, Johnny Thompson, and Lance Burton, and Luke Jermay, the magic should be better. I am tired of levitation - show me some magic. I am tired of fire - show me some magic. I am tired of loud commercials with cut-ins that look like they were designed by the same folks who worked on Carnivale - show me some magic.

I have hopes that since the network bigs are turning back on in regard to magic that the quality will get better. I am hoping that at some point, they will hire someone like Derren Brown, or some other top quality magician who will say "No," when the director says, "And then we will set you on fire." There will be a big stand - off, and this talented magician will finally say, "You hired me to give you my best. Get out of the way and let me give it to you." Then, we'll get the magic we should be watching. For now, all I can do is slip in the DVD of Trick of the Mind, and show my*self* some magic. Let me know what you thing, will you?

I Made The Cover!

Okay, I know this is going to sound really self-serving, and I am sorry. For those of you that know me, you know that I'm not tooting my horn, I am just excited. Oh, and one more thing - in the interest of accuracy in reporting, *I* didn't exactly make the cover, but my story did, in the August Magic Magazine. The cover is Armando Lucero, and I wrote most of the cover story. I didn't get a chance to go over the whole thing yet, I was just so excited I wanted to write. So, if you like the article, they left it alone. If you think the cover story stinks, it was edited heavily, and I am really pretty angry about the whole thing '8)

The story has a real story behind it, but I'll just take the high road here, and say that I am happy to have written the story, and I am happy to have had the help of Dan LeFay in doing the writing. I hope he is as pleased with the outcome. I have several more stories in the queue, and I'll have the pleasurable opportunity of introducing the world to the magic of the Pacific Northwest. There will be a several stories upcoming about area magicians, and another cover story, this one on an old master who is WAAY overdue for a cover story. When you see it (or when I finally spill the beans) you'll be amazed that no one has ever done a cover on him before.

I hope you are not too amazed that I am doing no complaining at all this time, but the post is all good. That's the way life feels tonight since I opened the mailbox - all good. Seeing that magazine even took the edge off finding out that I have an appointment to go learn how to use my new CPAP machine (see last post).

Keep that Sense of Humor, It's Imperative

There have been numerous reports that government agencies have no sense of humor. I can attest to the fact that they surely do. Case in point - my 'sleep study' that took up all of my Saturday night last night. Anyone calling that process a 'sleep study' is either under the influence of an intoxicating substance, or has a sense of humor.

Showing up at the hospital at 7:00 when they need to see you at 9:30 is the first joke. I suppose they wish to leave one plenty of time to get lost in that vast metropolitan rabbit warren that they call a hospital. Sadly, I was one of those people blessed with enough of a sense of direction to know my right from left. That put me in my hospital room at 7:15 after the usual speedy check-in process. I was informed that I could sit there and read, or 'go wherever' until 9:00, when they would like me to change into my P.J.'s. Fortunately I brought along some great reading material, a couple of manuscripts written by Whit Haydn, and the Ostrich Factor by Gerald Edmundson.

There I was, resplendent in my maroon plaid jammies, awaiting a visit by the resident medical expert. I had to settle for a really happy guy, who hooked me up to the EKG machine, taking no care whatsoever as to how much hair he tucked into those contacts. I was to find out that good news when I got them ripped off this morning - but I'm ahead of myself. He finished by putting an irritating sticky thing on my right fingertip (ensuring that he tucked my fingerpick (fingernail) downward as he did), and another across the front of my face. That one was supposed to measure inhalations through the nose or something. Finally a sticky at the base of my throat, (measures snoring) once again amidst a nice, tender patch of hair. Oh yeah, you might be wondering what he was happy about - his shift was ending - and here I thought I was being charmingly funny. He advised me to hit the sack at around ten, because another sadist, er, therapist would be in at about midnight. "For what?" I asked, and he replied that there was another machine that would figure into my 'sleep study.'

Turns out I wasn't able to sleep, with the EKG paper SLAPPING the floor next to my head every two or three minutes, and the shouting and high fiving among the staff in the hallway. As excited as they sounded, they apparently only see each other once or twice a decade. In any case, my authoritative respiratory therapist arrived at midnight, to do his very official and officious best to piss me off. Oh, I'm sorry, did I type that in? I thought I was just thinking about it. Mr. Authority on all things respiratory hooked me up to this thing that looked like the creature at the beginning of Aliens. remember that thing that was wrapped around the guy's head, and when they tried to cut it off, its blood was acid that burned through several decks of the spaceship? That's what I looked like. I was just about that miserable too, as air was rushing into my nostrils much faster than I knew what to do with it. If I tried to inhale through my nose, and exhale through my mouth (I thought it would work, don't make fun) I found out that the air was still pouring into my nose, blowing me up like a fat, hairy balloon. I managed to snarfle out a question to Mr. Wonderful, who, by the way, wasn't giving up any information without a specific question. I'll paraphrase my question; "Excuse me sir, how do I manage to have this on my face, stay alive, and maintain my sanity without ripping it off and throwing it at you?" He recommended I 'breathe normally' and everything would be Okay. Folks, that is like saying to drink normally while Mr. Torture has a fire hose in your mouth. Finally I was able to elicit the instruction to breath in and out through my nose! Oh, I should do both through my nose, well, that makes it downright comfy. His parting shot, in the event I wasn't miserable enough, was to tell me that he and his minions would be in every thirty minutes throughout the night to turn up the pressure.

They were as good as their promise, and increased the torture through the whole night. I layed there, trying to stay sane, resisting my natural urge to bolt from the bed, running out of the hospital with this creature on my face, and its tail whipping behind me. At six this morning I asked the young lady when I could get the monster off of my face, and she told me that my sentence had been commuted by the governor, and I was being given an early release. As soon as she, with great vigor, divested me of as much bodily hair as possible by ripping off the EKG pads, I donned my clothing and hit the bricks. I wanted so badly to sit in the parking lot and sleep, but the entire family was sixty miles away, and counting on me to get home to take them to church. First stop, Starbucks, second stop, home. We made it to church on time for a change, and I have managed to stay mostly awake all day.

Sleep study - imagine that '8)

The Hits Just Keep On Coming

Happy to report here that although my cover story hasn't yet come out, my curiosity has been answered. I got a call from Mr. Allen, the publisher. He was at the airport, due to board in ten minutes, and called to ask for my next article. He stated that he knew it wouldn't be finished when he returned within the week, but he would like to see it whenever I get it finished. I have to tell you, even at this age it is good to know when one's work is appreciated. This being my first story for him, I wanted so badly to do well, and had been wondering since I submitted it what he thought. I suppose my answer will come in two parts; the first one has already happened, in that he asked for another story. The second will come when I see the story I wrote and find out how heavily it has been edited.

I had hoped to get over to our big South Center session to start on the aforementioned story this Saturday. The subject of the story is going to be at the session, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a headstart on the story. Sadly, my better half informed me that this Saturday I have been the lucky winner of the medical lottery - I have a sleep study on Saturday night at the hospital. I have been waiting for this study for over two years, and while living in Sacramento I had been on the list for over a year when it was cancelled at the last minute. They continued the standby thing up here in Seattle, and I got in after only six months. I am a typical male when it comes to medical care, so I wasn't really anxious to go. When the Mrs. says, "go," I go. Soon I'll probably be wearing what one of my best friends, Timmo, calls a Snorkle-ator 9000 - a CPAP machine. I have hopes that it won't happen, but my own conduct tells me that I am likely a victim of apnea. My own tipoff is that at certain times of the day, all I have to do is be motionless for a few seconds, and I am out for the count.

In case I've not posted enough magic-related material, here is more. Gosh, there is so much going on between my ears magic - wise, and aside from what I am doing for Magic Magazine, I am also working for Armando Lucero, noted magician and a real artist. He is preparing for a release, and we are currently working on the necessary updates to his website to support the release. He is a wonderful teacher, and though there are but a few who have been fortunate enough to learn from him, hopefully one day there will be more. For those not familiar with Armando, he is an artistic, creative renaissance man, who has such talent and depth. He is a pleasure to have as a friend, and he is constantly bringing more ideas to our conversations. Oh, and by the way, he is the subject of the upcoming cover story. Guess that is all for now, and I'll update with my impressions of the sleep study - that should be a real treat.

This could be the start of....

The August issue of Magic magazine will mark a real step for me. I am happy to say that I authored the cover story! I will be sharing a byline on this one with Dan LeFay, who also worked on the story. The path to this particular destination was a long one, since I nearly missed out on the story altogether. Through a case of mistaken identity, my name was taken out of the running for the article, but some divine intervention put it back on the list. I was fortunate to have met with Mr. Allen at LVMI, and we ironed out the identity thing. I'll go no further on that one to protect the guilty. Know though, that there will be a future post to this blog on first impressions. They are important, they last, and they make a difference, especially when you share a name with someone else.

Some of you reading this have heard of Armando Lucero. You know of his magic. Those who do not, need to know that this cover story is long overdue. Armando has worked in magic since his teen years, and he has taken his magic to a wonderful level. If you have ever read (or had) opinions on whether or not magic is an art, please reserve your ultimate answer until you've seen Armando perform. His choreography, his elegant movement, his music, and his magic, all intertwine to create a beautiful effect. That he is a good friend is a bonus.

What then, is the friendship to which I referred in the title of this post? I am happy to report that I have several more articles in the queue at Magic Magazine! In future months I'll have articles on several personalities, hopefully another cover story, street magic, and pitching magic products. Stay posted for future announcements, for that could indeed be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Anniversary

Today (7/12) was our 19th wedding anniversary. In talking to various friends and family, all seemed to have that feeling that years accelerated when one became older. As we started thinking about this, my wife said, "You know, when I look back on my first 19 years, they went much slower than these have gone. " She's right about that one. I have all of these really vivid memories from childhood, with friends, and trouble, and moving, and stuff. Since we were married though, it seems like a steady, quickening blur. Not a bad blur, a good one.

The day was a mixed bag for us. Before we went out to dinner and a movie to celebrate, we had to spend the afternoon at a memorial service for a dear friend of the famly. She passed from liver cancer, and it was such a quick loss, we're all still numb. The memorial was a celebration of her life, but it soon came to everyone that this was a family who was going to be missing their mother. She was a special lady, and had a wonderful laugh. Not one of those cutesie, girly, "I'm being polite," laughs, hers came from her belly and lit up her eyes first, and then her whole being. Oh, we'll miss her terribly.

Finally, between these events I had to miss tonight's version of the Alki session. A couple of the guys said to stop by, but I didn't want her suit to smell like a cigar. I don't smoke them, but a couple of the guys do, and that smoke permeates everything. It takes most of a week before my deck of cards doesn't smell. If you smoke cigars, or like the smell, I realize that would be just heavenly to you, but I don't smoke, *or* like the smell, so it isn't a treat for me.

Guess that is all that's fit to print from the 12th. Oh - one other thing - Batman Begins is finally the Batman that should have been filmed. It has it all, and it is dark and brooding like the real Batman. (Okay, give me a little slack. It is after three in the morning. I *know* there is no *real* Batman, but this one comes close. ) No glitz and glamour in the Batcave, just drippy walls and bats galore. Just the way it ought to be.