The Magic is You

Ellen

2011-05-31T17:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who remember Ellen, the elephant at the Little Rock Zoo, here is a true story when Jonathan was only 5 or 6. Patty and I were fortunate enough to see her just 2 weeks before she past away.

Ellen

Jumping the fence, braving the icy wind and certain expulsion, we race to see Ellen. The three of us hand in hand laughing, feeling naughty and excited at this chance opportunity. She meets us at the edge of her confinement. Trunk thrust forward longing for a familiar touch. Not finding one of her own she excepts touches from us. We stand and caress her, attempting to comfort her with words of love and how "we would make her house more natural, with earthen floor and absent walls - oooo if only we could". Her skin is alien to my fingers yet beautiful in their uniqueness. She stands close to the bars now and we touch her massive legs and great body and tell her how much we wish we could take the sores around her feet from her. She takes her trunk and touches the young one on the head. His blond hair is gently tossed by her sensitive nose, and the young one smiles and whispers - "I love you Ellen". We stand in her shadow and give praise for her birth. We have to tear ourselves away but the fear of being seen in a restricted area moves our feet, though not so fast. We walk backwards, talking to her, letting her know that we love her - will not forget her. Her eyes follow us till we are back on the pavement, were we are suppose to be. Ellen slowly turns around as we head down the path and as we turn the corner her eyes disappear.

We take a few steps and then back up to look at her one last time. Mary had also backed up putting her rear on the rusty bars. She scratches her butt then raises her trunk with a loud elephant trumpet sound. We turn and run down the path, laughing and loving.

At Jim's

2011-05-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

Walking in the front door I'm accosted by the proprietor. A middle aged, slightly portly, man with a grin that stretches across his square face. With a laugh and a twinkle in his eye he says, "what are you doing here, we don't want anything from you". I smile in spite of myself. With a warm handshake Jim asks about me, my family and... "the magic".

Jim's place, as we call it in my household, is the local magic store and hang out of magicians, clowns, and other would be entertainers, especially those of us who have a desire to entertain by deception. His place (8912 Stagecoach Rd Little Rock, AR, (501) 455-6242) is a menagerie of gags, gaffs, puppets, posters, pictures, books, magazines, DVDs, videos, tables, boxes and over 10,000 magic tricks. All of this arranged, (mostly), and catalogued in a 3 ring binder, put into glass display cases, twirling wire racks, shelves and peg boards. Mr. Magic is a place of warmth and the love he has for magic is transferred to everyone who walks through the door.

On any given Saturday morning you are apt to find a collection of full time professionals, part time professionsal, amatures in various stages of skill and knowledge, sages of magical history and all of them ready to share their knowedge and expertise with the magician or the public. You will also find Joe public who might be interested in this art or looking for a present or a gag to play on the unsuspected.

If you have ever had an interest in the art of illusion, do yourself a favor, visit Mr. Magic or if you are bored by the mundane, the common and ordinary, spend a Saturday morning at the magic shop. You meet characters at Jim's.

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

2011-04-28T04:56:00.001-07:00

"Maybe 2ft in some places". That's what my good friend Stephen says as he meets me and Nathan on the trail of his sugar bush. Nathan goes to school in Fredericton and picked me up Sat. morning for my first show in Jacksonville. There I met my old friend Rene' and performed for a group of kids that were attending a day camp sponsored by Shiktihawk Bible Camp. (SBC) It was after this show that Nathan and I met Stephen on the trail. "Here are some snow shoes, you might need them". I said thanks but I think I'll manage. I traveled 4 or 5 steps and immediately buried my entire right leg. "Yeah, uh ok, I think I'll wear those snow shoes". It was beautiful among the trees, the snow lying all around. I looked a little like a vagabond with my borrowed coat, paints and boots, all way too big for me, but the beauty of God's world, the sight of friends - Johnny Mac was feeding the evaporator as fast as he could - the smell of cooking sap the taste so sweet and lovely vanished all my sensibilities and self-centeredness. I was at peace and God's sanctuary was all around.That evening was treated to bowling with good friends Ben Kent, his sister Charity, Marlene Craig, Nathan Salmon, and of course Megan Mclean.After this day of solemnity it got busy. 2 shows on the next day, Sunday, and it was busy all week.On the last day I found time to visit 3 more sugar bushes, (maple farms).

Friday was my last day in the area so my good friend Dean Stevenson, who owns a large farm, Stephen and Becky Page and kids and I went to eat breakfast at the Kenneth's sugar bush. This farm is owned by Nathan's family. You remember him, my driver for all of Saturday. I thought it was going to be a nice 15 - 20 minute ride, nope. It was a good 30 minute trek into the guts of New Brunswick where I got to see real snow fall. The breakfast was great, New Brunswick style.

What a trip. I have a vision to be back in NB the summer of 2012 or soon there after. This time I'm driving with the big show.

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

2011-04-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

It was a blinding snow storm. At least it looked blinding to me as blackness was all I saw through the window of the very small prop job that bounced me from Ottawa to Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. But as we descended below the clouds, about 200 ft or so, I could see the ground below and the snow. Snow falling like, well, like it was a blinding snow storm. The plan started to pitch, bounce and yaw, I could see that the nose of the airplane was not pointed in the same direction as I felt the plan was traveling which confirmed the feeling in my stomach that we were flying sideways. All of this concerned me to the point that I thought a crash was imminent, so I assumed the crash position, you know the head down, arms around your knees. I went down quickly and noticed as I did that the man seated next to me did not appear to move. I glanced up at him from my position and sure enough he had not moved. I sat up and said to him that it was going to be a rough landing. He grunted and tried to sit further away from me, which was difficult because the seats were so small and our seat belts were pulled tight. He tried anyway as was evident by his exaggerated leaning into the isle. The landing was in fact the smoothest landing I have ever felt. In all honesty I did not even feel the wheels touch the runway. But this could have also been do to the 12" of snow that had fallen since 1 o'clock that afternoon. Yep, 12" and more in some places.

What a week in New Brunswick, Canada. I will be blogging about this for a time, so if this bores you too terribly just look at the title. I will be using the same title in each blog about Canada.

It was 15 shows in 7 days. I was scheduled for 5 shows on Thursday of last week. It was great, but it has been a long time since I did 5 shows in the same day. 3 were at Woodstock middle school, and then 2 at Cantebury, about 30 minutes outside of Woodstock. I would do it again with out thinking, actually, you have to do something like that without thinking because if you thought about it, you wouldn't do it.

To all my friends in the maritime, I love you and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to come to your beautiful province and grow.

Warm As Toast

2011-01-20T19:35:00.000-08:00

My first magical moment happened when I was four years old. It was a Kansas winter. A winter of snow suits, mittens, and hot chocolate by the fire. My older brother, Gene, was on his way out the door to another adventure. Me and my brother David were not about to miss out so we dashed out the door after him, perhaps not quite as bundled as we should have been. I remember it was cold. Really, really cold. Out the back door, down the hill and there we were, gazing at tree tops, eye level as they rose out of the revine. The trees, growing straight up from the bottom and the edges reminded me of the hair that grew out of old man Smith's ears. That morning me and my older brothers, and not for the first time, ventured to the depths of that ravine. We headed north, walking along the bank and sometimes sliding along the frozen water. After a time Gene found his spot. We stopped and with trowel in hand Gene stuck his arm straight out and started to dig right into the bank. I remember the bank was tall, way above my oldest brother's head. My brother David and I tried to keep warm but after just a little while, the bone chill set in.

We started to complain. And then perhaps complained lot. I remember Gene suddenly stopped what he was doing, turned to us and said - "I can tell you how to be warm if you want." My brother and I, shaking terribly, said "yes, tell us." Gene bent over at the waist so his face was level with ours and said with a grin - "it's a magic word, but it will not work unless you believe." He stood up and looked at us. "What is it", we pleaded. Gene again bent and said - "The magic word is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. If you say this word over and over, and if you believe, it will make you warmer." I was eager to believe anything my older brother said. So I started in. I bent over slightly, cupping my hands to my mouth, blowing hot air into them as I repeated over and over, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - with in seconds, I was getting warmer. I straightened up, started moving around, and felt the warmth of this magic word spread through my body and I felt -warm as toast.

2011

2011-01-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

It is difficult for me to believe that after almost 25 years I am still performing magic as a career. I, of course, owe this in a very large part to my wonderful wife who has given me moral and emotional support this entire time, not to mention a lot of financial support. She never once in the times of monetary drought asked me to "get a job", or question my passion in magic as a waste of time. So it is to her that I owe so much gratitude for her enduring patience, support and love of me and my chosen profession.

The 2011 year has started with a bang and a lot of work a head for me. I am finishing up an illusion I call Harry's post. It is an adaptation of an idea by Alan Wakeling. The story is of Houdini's challenge to a Ms. Rochelle, a spiritualist who confounded Harry. He told her if she could perform her seance while being shackled to a device of his making, he would declare her "authentic". So it is part seance and part switch. There will be an old lady on stage, "Mom", during the seance helping my assistant Shari. At the end of the routine and when the curtain that surrounds the post is dropped for the last time, I will have vanished. Of course you know what's next. Yes, "Mom" takes off her outfit and it is me. We have some fun ideas for the "seance" portion and I believe this will be exciting to perform.

Harry's post is for my up coming show for Resort's and Bally's casino in Tunica, MS in March. I will also make a CEO vanish during a convention in LR this February. Sean Westbrook, "Stonehenge" and I collaborated on the method over many hours.

Finally, I am still doing a large number of shows for School Partners. A fundraising corporation out of LR. I travel all over the state for them and make frequent trips to OK, MO, TN, and MS.

Thanks to all of you who read this blog and to the one, my old friend Clayton, who has subscribed to it.

Randall

The Ref

2010-12-11T07:21:00.000-08:00

Anthony (Tony) Tadamy is a graduate of Jacksonville High School 1977. Same as me. We actually played football at the same time for opposing teams - in the fifth and sixth grades. Tony has been nominated by footballscoops.com for linebacker coach of the year. Tony is the linebacker coach for the TCU Horned Frogs. It just so happens I have a story involving Tony, football and a ref and I emailed him the story recently. The story follows.

Tony,

I Just voted for you. I bet you don't remember me, but one of my great stories is about playing football against you in the sixth grade. I was fortunate enough to play for the Blue Angles. We won the championship both years I played. I had nothing to do with it of course, I was just lucky to be on the team. They called me rabbit. Well, on the last play of the last game of the regular season before the championship game, coach put me in at linebacker. As the running back on the opposing team you got the pitch to my side. I remember standing firm and was determined to try and tackle you. You were sooooo much bigger than me. At the tallest in my life I have only been 5ft 6inches, now I'm 5ft 5.5inches. In the 6th grade, I may not have been 4ft. Anyway, you were steaming my way and I could tell you were going to steam roll right over me. But as luck would have it one of your team mates came up from behind hit my legs and knocked me on my back. I jumped up and looked at the official waiting for the clipping flag. The ref looked at me and said, "that block just saved your life". HAR! I remember this like it happened today. As I have grown older I realize just how true it was that I was saved by an injustice - and the ref knew it.

Good Luck Tony I hope you win!

Gaelic - The First Installment

2010-11-17T06:03:00.000-08:00

Gaelic -

If you asked him he would say that he was short, pudgy and mildly amusing . If you asked anybody else who knew him they would say he was dynamic and engaging. His heart’s desire was to be the world’s greatest magician. He was actually a very good magician, but the world doesn’t know him. He likes it that way – no – it must be that way for this would-be world famous magician has the power to do what Merlin himself could do. But he realizes to be the world’s greatest magician would bring too much scrutiny to his life.

Chapter 1

If the rain would ever stop, he thinks to himself, I could have unpacked and re-packed this show without getting drenched. Gaelic had just finished loading his props into his Yukon. He was the featured performer at the American Electrical Contractor Association’s annual convention. It was a good show but packing up in the rain always makes him wonder what it would be like to have the money to hire roadies. People who would travel with him, and laugh with him, have a good time with him. Let him know what a great magician he was. People who would do all the heavy lifting while he walked around the auditoriums and made small talk with the people who hired him. He would then introduce his very own roadies, the ones that work for him. He thought all this while he placed his props in the vehicle and closed the hatch. He wanted to slam it, but not wanting to bother Sam, his white dove, he closed it gently, then waded through the water to the driver’s door.

The driving is always more treacherous in the rain, he thinks, as he reaches for his Blue tooth. He knows Floyd is going to call; Floyd always calls after a show booked by him. He books numerous shows for him, but not all. Gaelic secures most bookings on his own. Gaelic touches the side of his Blue tooth after just one ring and says, “Hello Floyd.”

“Gaelic, how are you?”

“Fine ‘n you?”

“Doing great ma man, so how was the show, and don’t leave out any details.”

“Floyd”, Gaelic sighs and tries to smile. “It was a really good show. The lady in charge was formal and crisp, but nice, a right to the point kinda lady. Makes it so much easier on me you know.”

“I know”, says Floyd. “So did anything happen that I should know about. Did any press show up? Did you notice anyone in the audience taping your act or anyone taking an unusual amount of pictures?”

Gaelic sighs again. Not out of exasperation, at least not completely, more out of weariness. Why do so many of these events have to end so late, he thinks to himself. “Floyd, I didn’t notice any press or anyone taking an inordinate amount of pics or vids. Everyone was pleasant and congratulatory afterwards. Several people stayed to help me pack my things.” This was a lie of course, but it made Gaelic feel better and would make Floyd feel better too.

“That’s great,” says Floyd, not hearing Gaelic completely. “Now sit down cause I’ve got some news for you that is going to knock you on your butt.”

“Floyd, I’m driving! Of course I’m on my butt.”

“O yeah. Well… great. OK here it is, I have just booked a 3 week tour for you to Bangladesh!” Floyd said this with enthusiasm and a little bravado, and Gaelic could see Floyd flinging his hands in the air as he said Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh” Gaelic says, not quite screaming but very close. “How did you stumble on to that and what makes you think I would go to Bangladesh?” Gaelic would go to Bangladesh and Floyd knew it. Gaelic loves to travel and he likes to experience new things but Gaelic wonders if his style of entertaining would be accepted among Bangladeshi’s and would he need an interpreter. He doesn’t speak Bengali and wonders how many of the people speak English, and even if they did would they get the nuances of his jokes and stories. His humor is subtle and easy for English speaking countries but things get lost in translation, as he has discovered in the past. (Gaelic has performed in Brazil at the invitation of a Dr. he met in Florence, Alabama.)

Floyd does not seem to be put off by Gaelic’s tone as he enthusiastically says, “O you don’t want to know about the ins and outs of how I book for you. It’s all boring, mundane Internet and phone work.” Gaelic suspects Floyd’s statement is as far from the truth as Gaelic is from Bangladesh right now. His suspicions are correct too as Floyd is a wheeler and dealer the likes that are a true dying breed. Nothing illegal, or immoral, but hard work, nose to the grindstone, with very little Internet work. Floyd believes in getting into people’s faces, shaking hands, buying lunches, sending gifts and helping would be clients pick up their laundry and children from day care. He will spend 10 hours with one client to make $100.00. Floyd is tenacious. Floyd has two close friends and they call him the barracuda.

“Well, how much do I make” Gaelic said.

Floyd answered sheepishly, “Eight grand for the three weeks”

“What! Is that all. How many shows do I do?”

“Eight shows”

“Does the three weeks include travel time.”

“No”

“So really three and a half weeks.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess that’s right.”

Gaelic sighs again. “What are the venues?”

“Well, they vary. Five of the performances are in auditoriums. Three school auditoriums, and two community auditoriums. One show is in a gymnasium, and two of them are out door events.”

“O great” says Gaelic. He hates outdoor events.

Floyd knew what ‘o great’ was about. “Look I told them you had to have good sound and staging for the outdoor events and they had to provide guards to keep people from walking around or on the stage.”

“What about the weather?”

“I let them know that we get paid no matter what, as always! I told them the contract states that if there is inclement weather it’s up to them to have a suitable alternate location. It’s all your standard requirements. We fly to Bangladesh, and we get paid for the entire eight shows regardless of what happens, unless of course you don’t perform or unable to perform.

“Who books the travel? You?”

“They prefer to book the travel. They are confident they can get the best rates.”

“I don’t want to make a zillion connections just to save them a couple-a-hundred dollars!” Gaelic has flashbacks of his trip to Brazil. The doctor that arranged the show for a physician’s convention in Rio de Janeiro also organized his flight. The doctor, though meaning well, sent Gaelic on a trip that took 30 hours.

“I told them I had to approve the flights before they booked.”

“Good!”

Floyd knew Gaelic was excited even though he sounded put out. Gaelic just cannot pass up a show. Floyd also has a feeling that something big is going to happen to Gaelic as a result of this trip, and Floyd is literally banking on it.

“So I take it your going on this one with me.”

“Wouldn’t miss it buddy.”

“Good. Cause I’m going to need help. You know how it is flying with the extra bags these days. And o yeah what about the baggage fees? Who’s paying for that?”

“They are”, Floyd lied.

“What about your fees?”

“Paid separately”, he lied again.

“Well email me the particulars and I’ll check my schedule and get back with you.”

“You got it boss. N drive like you have something to live for.”

“I do. I haven’t worked hard enough for you to retirement.”

They both laughed, a little anyway, and hung up. Gaelic was lost in thought as he rounded the corner leading him to the entrance ramp. So lost in thought that he didn’t see the pan handler with the card board, hand written sign that said, please help, in two languages. English and Bengali.

What's Wrong

2010-11-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

I had a nice conversation with my sister the other day. By nice I mean we both agreed with ourselves and each other. Kind-a-like preaching to the choir or having a mutual admiration society. (We love each other.) The conversation was about making mistakes. You know, mistakes made by you, us .... OK me. I take issue with Paul, in that I am, not Paul, the chief of sinners. I freely admit this, mostly because it would be foolish to try and deny it since all of you know it's true. Now what my sister and I agree on is that because of the kind of God He is, we can focus on the future and forget the past. I really believe that we spend way too much time worrying about all the mistakes we've made, and we spend too much time worrying about the mistakes of OTHERS. Interestingly, and after the discussion with my sister, I had a conversation with a friend from Canada. They confided in me about a mistake they had made. This person seemed relieved that I was only concerned with what they learned from the situation, and didn't care about the mistake.

I believe that fear drives us to focus on our mistakes. I'm fairly convinced of this. I am convinced because I need only look at myself to confirm this belief. When I'm worried about my mistakes I'm fearful of a multitude of things. The greatest fear is usually "what will others think". This is not the only one by any means, but it is a major one. [ Maybe because I'm short. :) ]

We conquer our fears by fully trusting God and his words. You know the cliches about not worrying or judging others. Well.... anyway, it's how the fear is conquered.

I'm Amazed....

2010-11-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

that you guys are interested in following this blog. My wife chided me for starting it off in a negative manner. I had no intentions of writing so soon, but I wanted to say thank you. So Renee, Charity, Ben and of course my wife, THANKS.

I had a few other comments from fb friends about the book. I don't want to tip my hand on this so you will just have to read it. Ben - you'll just have to wait and see. (But I Laughed-Out-Loud when I read what your first comment was.)

So you will know, I will use this blog similar to my "Illusions" page on fb, but I'm going to keep "Illusions" more generic. This space will also carry my thoughts and feelings around my Christian faith and how magic relates to & meshes with it.

Now, finally, I ask you to help me with a weird problem I'm having. My computer is talking to me. Yes, it's not the voice in my head, it's in my computer. I can't make out what is being said because it happens so random that I'm never prepared. I have tried shutting down my computer and closing all programs and it still talks to me. It's quite funny actually and makes me smile and laugh, but...it's also a puzzle I would like to solve.

So dear friends, thanks for your time and my next blog will have the first installment of "Gaelic The Magician".

2010-11-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

My first blog. This is an experiment for me and a little nerve wracking as I don't really think I have anything to say that anyone would want to read. That being said, here we go.

I have been very busy from Aug through October. I have a little time off for a couple of weeks then hit it hard again till Christmas. I am working on 4 new illusions, 2 of them inspired by Jim Steinmeyer 1 by Alan Wakeling and 1 is an original idea that I've had for years. Well quite an undertaking but I'm ready. I love performing magic and taking my audiences on a ride of wonder and awe. My wife loves to comment that it is a healing experience for those that I have the honor of performing for.

I will also be posting parts of my book, Gaelik The Magician, from time to time. Hopefully this will keep me writing until the project is finished.

Well, so long for now. My goal is to write twice a week, but we'll see.