THE MAGIC ADVOCATE

Reviews Coming Soon...

2005-07-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I just place an order for some new mentalism material and hopefully I will be recieving them shortly. I plan on paging through them and posting some comments and first impressions once I receive them. Here is what is coming:

The Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy
Act Two by Barry Richardson
Some booklet on Equivoque by Jack Dean (I hear it is very good)
Mainly Mental - claims to have some of the classics in here, we'll see...
Psychi Sight by Jack Dean - a treatist on blindfold work

I'll keep you posted.

Simple Design Duplication

2005-07-14T07:16:00.000-05:00

So, here is a very simple design duplication effect that I have been using lately. I am sure it is in print somewhere because it is one of those things that is so simple someone else must have thought of it. That being said, this is something I came up with independantly so I apologize for not citing a proper source.

What you will need:

Index cards - about 15-20
One regular envelope
two notebooks or sheets of paper to draw on
two pens

Here is the very simple set-up: Take the index cards and write down simple objects (e.g. bicycle, house, car, etc...) or you can do what I do and use the ODDS cards sold by Richard Osterlind from his design duplication effect.

Now pick one of the cardsthat you want to force on the spectator and keep that card away from the rest of them.

Have the stack of cards in one pocket and the envelope with the force card underneath it in another pocket. Pull out the stack of cards and show them to the spectator. Hand them to the spectator and have them shuffle the cards up. As they are shuffling, take out the envelope and place it on the table with the force card underneath it - so that the spectators do not see the card.

Now have the spectator table the cards and start dealing the cards into a second pile. Tell them to stop whenever they would like. When they stop ask them to check the time on their watch. As they are disctracted by looking at their watch place the envelope and card on top of the cards the spectator just dealt. When they are done looking at the watch, tell them to take the envelope and write the date and time on that envelope and then have them sign the envelope.

Now have them take the last card they dealt in the second pile (which is really the force card you just placed onto the pile with the envelope unbeknownst to the specator.). Tell them to remember whatever is written on that card and to seal it in the envelope. Then have them give the envelope to someone else to hold. Remember - so far, you have not touched anything except to give the envelope to the specator. This seems incredibly fair.

Now give a notebook and pen to the specator and take one for yourself. Tell him that on the count of three you will both begin to draw a picture. Tell the specator he is to draw whatever it was that he sealed in the envelope and you will draw whatever comes to your mind. Count to three and start drawing. Compare drawings to see that they are the same thing!

Well, that is just a little something I've been working on. It is still a bit rough but so far it is working well. If you try this, let me know how it works for you!

A Bold and Impromptu Approach to Fourth Dimensional Telepathy

2005-06-26T12:02:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick idea:

Hand out slips of paper to you specators to write ANYTHING they want - no forces here. Have them fold the paper as to obscure the wrting inside. Now, casually take the first person's slip of paper and then say, "wait a second. Lets do this another way. Here place your paper inside these envelopes." as you grab the envelops off the table you switch the first person's paper for a dummy. You hand person one the envelope and then the dummy to place in the envelope. This is all done casually as to not raise suspicions. Now hand the other two people the envelopes and tell them to follow suit.

What you have now is two sealed words and one sealed dummy billet. The real billet can be peaked at anytime now to see the word and you are set up for your one-ahead without having forced anything! If you are worried that it may look suspicious tell the spectators to hold onto the envelopes until later. Move onto something else and come back to this for the closer. The time misdirection will make them forget about any funny business plus you get a longer opportunity to peak the stolen billet.

This is particularly useful in impromptu situations when someone asks you to do something amazing and you don't have anything prepared. All you need is three people, a pen, paper, and some envelopes (most people have envelops laying around the house).

This can play strong because they can think of anything they want. Tell them to make it difficult for you by coming up with all kinds of insane things.

With a little bit of thought and planning you can hand the slips out again at the end too!

...and now back to our regularly scheduled program

2005-06-26T11:53:00.000-05:00

Howdy folks,

Well, if you hadn't noticed it has been a while since I have last updated this thing I call my mentalism blog. I apologize for not updating things in a timely manner. Apparantly, I am not psychic enough to update an online blog with only my mind. My day job has been consuming most of my time lately. I've been putting in close to 70 hours per week - a lot of which is traveling time - so I haven't had much free time.

I hope I didn't lose too many readers due to my absence - mostly because I don't think I had that many readers anyway!

If you have stuck around and continue to check this page you will soon see more posts and some new ideas.

Sankey Teaching Creativity?

2005-05-05T09:29:00.000-05:00

So, I am reading a blog put out by Magician X and I see that his current post (as of May 4, 2005) is regarding a new DVD by Sankey. The DVD is called "Create Your Own Magic" Or, as Penguin has cleverly dubbed it, CYOM.

Basically, this DVD is supposed to teach people how to be creative. What a bunch of bullshit. If you need someone to teach you how to be creative then chances are you are NOT a creative person. You cannot teach someone to be creative. The fact is that some people are great thinkers and are very creative by nature. These people are born this way and don't need to watch a DVD to learn how to be creative. Trying to teach someone to be creative is about as effective as Dale Ernhart's seatbelt. Creativity cannot be turned on like a light switch. It cannot be magically bestowed upon you by a $30 DVD put out by Sankey. You are either creative or you are not.

Suppose, for a moment, that you could learn to be creative. It would only be logical that the person teaching this creativity should be a creative person himself. If that is the case, then what in the Hell is Sankey doing releasing this DVD? Albeit, Sankey has created the shit out of a simple color change, a bad shuttlepass, and annoying voices. Perhaps one of Sankey's lessons on being creative is about digging up obscure effects from the past, marketing them to newbies, and "forgetting" to credit the original creators. That seems to be some of the "creativity" we've seen from Sankey in the past.

So, how do you know if you are a creative person or not? Well, take my simple quiz:

Have you ever created anything new or interesting at anytime during the course of your life?
If you answered "Yes" to number 1 go to number 4. If you answered "No" to number 1 go to number 3.
You are NOT creative and probably never will be.
Has anyone other than yourself thought your idea was creative or useful?
If you answered "Yes" to number 4 than you are a creative person - Keep up the good work. If you answered "No" to number 4 go to number 3.

In the meantime, here is an effect I am currently trying to create: A spectator picks any card at "random". The spectator keeps the card. The performer takes out a handgun, places the barrel of the gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger. As the performer's lifeless body falls into a pool of his own blood, the audience notices, splattered in brains and blood on the wall behind the now dead performer, the name of the selected card! I don't recommend using this effect as an opener. Oh, and remember to always wear safety goggles.

Unsolicited Endorsment

2005-05-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

Grettings folks,

I am pretty slow on the uptake so this information may not be new to any of you but it was new to me yesterday so I thought I would share. I want to point people in the direction of Lybrary.com. This website is fantastic! They have hundreds of magic titles for instant download at very cheap prices.

Of particular interest to mentalists, Lybrary.com has a pretty good selection of Anneman materials. These are rather old works but the information in them is very interesting and inspiring. The best thing about it is that the prices range from $1.50 to $10.oo! At those prices you can't afford NOT to buy them. Last night I spent a total of $15.00 and received 5 new booklets on mentalism - that is a hell of a deal if you ask me.

Of course, there is more than just mentalism available at the website. Whether its cards, coins, money, paper, ventriliquism, or presentation & patter that interests you, you will find something you like over there. Check it out!

By the way, I am not affiliated with Lybrary.com in any way, shape, or form.

Soon to be Released: "Backdoor Sankey"

2005-05-05T08:57:00.000-05:00

As a followup to one of Sankey's recent releases, Front Row Sankey, Jay is poised to release a new DVD titled "Backdoor Sankey". This new release will teach us all revolutionary techniques to cause magic buyers to bend over and take it up the tail pipe while we recycle and resell our three good ideas over and over and over again on no fewer than ten different DVDs! Then, for inspirational purposes, we will be treated to special bonus footage of Sankey performing live for Real Audiences in an attempt to show that even the creator of the effects cannot get a good reaction when performing!

Sounds to good to be true? Well, wait until you hear the price. How much would you spend for a DVD with the same effects on it as the DVD you bought last month? One hundred dollars? No. Fifty dollars? Not even close. You get all this for only $29.95! As a special bonus you get a second DVD absolutely free!!! That's right, you get a second DVD where you will learn 4,500 boring, uninspired tricks using only a fake accent and the Erdnase Color Change (accent not included).

Final Thoughts on "Bank Night"

2005-04-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to talk a little bit about what to place into the "loser" envelopes during the Bank Night effect. It seems that most modern versions of this effect use lottory tickets. This is a fantastic idea and I use it in my performances. The lotto tickets are cheap and there is a chance that someone could win something off of the ticket. I hope people do win so that they will remember me forever. Lee Earle shows his class by pre-signing the back of each of the lottery tickets so that if the spectator does win big he will need Earle's assistance to cash in the ticket - very classy indeed.

Other things can be used intstead of lottory tickets. In tradeshow performances why not fill the "loser" envelopes with coupons, discounts, or vouchers for the company you are working for? Instead of winning actual money the spectator wins discounts for the company. Working a night club? Why not fill the "losers" with free drink coupons? In a restaurant use coupons for free meals or appetizers insuring that the spectators will return to the restaurant in the future. In other words, fill the "losers" with something appropriate for the venue you are working.

Also, I think the Bank Night Effect gives the performer a perfect opportunity to give out his business card. Take Osterlind's handling for example. In his handling, the last spectator envelope contains four lotto tickets that are handed out to all of the players. The other three spectators only received a blank slip of paper inside their envelopes. Instead of using blank paper, why not throw a business card in there? This way, three of the spectators will walk away with your contact information after just one effect. To me, this is a great way to give out your card. It works well because the spectator still gets a prize, but he also gets your card.

Well, that is enough on Bank Night for a while. There are so many other things to discuss....

A Small Addition to Osterlind's Bank Night Presentation

2005-04-26T08:28:00.000-05:00

I have added a small new addition to Osterlind's handling of "Bank Night". As usual, this description will be vague in order to avoid exposing the method behind Osterlind's effect. However, those of you who own the effect should not have a problem following along. If, for some reason, you need clarification or don't understand my ramblings you can email me and I will be happy to elaborate.

My additional handling comes before the effect truely begins. I like to walk in front of the spectators holding a crisp $100 bill very openly for all to see. I then take out an envelope and clearly and cleanly place the bill inside the envelope and seal it up. Then I take out four other envelopes that have been pre-sealed and I mix them all together so that nobody knows which envelope contains the money. Then I number the envelopes in front of everyone and proceed with the effect as described on Osterlind's "Mind Mysteries" DVD.

At first glance this addition doesn't seem like much, but I think that it adds greatly to the effect. First, I walk in front of the audience holding money. This ALWAYS quiets the crowds and gets everyone's attention. People are drawn to money because deep down we are all greedy sons-of-bitches. Second, the audience sees the money go into the envelope so they know it is a real game. They know they could win real money and they take the game seriously (those greedy bastards). I think that one of the weakness of other Bank Night plots is that the audeince really isn't sure what is at stake. Even if they are told it is money they only half believe it because they have not seen the money. Finally, it builds a great deal of suspense. After all, it was Pavlov who taught us that the dogs don't salavate unless you ring the bell. In this case, the audience won't fully appreciate the stakes or the "real" chance they have at winning the money unless they actually see the cash being placed in an envelope. You cannot get more drama than having the entire audience know that there is real money in one of those envelopes and they will have a free choice to try and win that money.

So how do you accomplish such a feat? Well, Osterlind gives us the method in his DVD by showing us how to reveal the money in the last envelope. In other words, watch the DVD and see how Osterlind removes the 100 dollar bill from his envelope. Now, take that method and reverse it so that instead of removing the bill you are placing it inside the envelope (If that isn't clear email me I will be more specific). This method is simple and clean and VERY convincing - you place the money in the envelope and then show your hand completely empty (implying the bill must be in the envelope) then the envelope is sealed and the game begins.

This little addition has really increased the reactions I have gotten from the effect. Many times I even hand out the money for inspection prior to placing it in the envelope to prove it is real money. Give it a try and see if it makes a difference in your performances.

Bank Night Plots

2005-04-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

Over the years there have been many different varieties of the "Bank Night" theme. There are some really dumb ones (e.g. Dan Harlan's from his "Packs Small, Plays Big Mentalism Show") and there are some great ones. My particular favorite, which I am sure will be a huge suprise to anyone who reads this blog, is from Richard Osterlind.

For those who don't know Osterlind's version, I will briefly describe the effect. The mentalist comes on stage holding five manilla envelopes clearly marked one through five. He tells the audience that in one of the envelopes there is a 100 dollar bill and that four people in the audience will have an opportunity to win the money. Four spectators are asked to choose one envelope each. The choice is an absolutely free choice - any envelope may be chosen. At the end the menalist is left with one envelope and four spectators each have one envelope. The envelope that contains the money is always the one left in the mentalist's hands at the end of the effect (even after giving an audience member the opportunity to switch envelopes with him). The four audience members are not left empty handed. Instead, they each walk away with a scratch-off lotto ticket for a chance to win even more than the 100 dollars offered by Osterlind. I like this version for 3 main reasons.

First, the audience members that participate are left with something after the effect (the lotto tickets), thus removing the "Sucker" feeling to the routine. I am pretty sure that it is a universal feeling amongst mentalists that we shouldn't present effects as a challenge or that diminish our spectators. This is good advice because without spectators we would have no reason to perform at all. Osterlind does a good job of NOT making his effect a challenge to the audience.

Second, even though the spectators get something, they don't know this fact until the very end of the routine. To me, this adds suspense and excitement to the effect. In other versions, the performer goes out of his way to say that the spectators will all be winners. This hurts the effect. After all, if they are all going to get a prize why have them pick envelopes? Instead, you would just hand them the stuff and be on your way. However, with Osterlind's handling, the spectators only know about the prize money and not the lottery tickets so their thoughts are on picking the envelope with the money rather than just picking an envelope for some door prize. What is more suspenseful and entertaining: Wondering if one of the spectators will win a substantial amount of money by freely choosing any one of five envelopes OR Watching four people select envelopes that they already know are loaded with a prize?

Finally, I like Osterlind's overall handling of the effect. The method is simple and easy, which makes it one of those effects that you can concentrate on your performance rather than moves. You can have a lot of fun with this routine and there is a lot of room for comedy during the presentation.

In comparison, I have just recently watched a version of this effect called "Manilla Miracle" on the "Desert Brainstorm Series Vol. 2" DVD by Lee Earle and it was weak. Earle goes out of his way to tell the spectators that "All of the envelopes have something in them for you but one envelope contains something I don't want you to have" What the hell? Why say that? If you don't want them to have it then don't put it in the damn envelope to begin with. Not to mention the spectators have no idea what it is he has placed in the envelope. That doesn't build suspense, it builds confusion. In the end, all the envelopes are opened to reveal a scratch-off lotto ticket and the envelope not selected contains a lotto ticket and a $50 bill. The revelation is so magical and inspirational that you can almost hear the audience think, "oh, so thats what he didn't want us to have. Why'd he put it in the envelope to begin with then?" On a side note, Earles technical handling and method is pretty good and very interesting. The method and handling alone make the effect worth a look.

Another example of a Bank Night Plot that doesn't make sense to me is Dan Harlan's "Lotto Luck." In this version, four envelopes are used and handed out to four specatators. Then Harlan picks one spectator to be his partner and reassures the new found partner, "Its good that you are my partner because it is a sure thing. I never lose." At the end of this effect, Harlan's aforementioned words make no sense whatsoever. The other three spectators find Lotto Tickets in their envelopes and get to keep the tickets. Meanwhile, the one spectator who is partnered with Harlan opens her envelope to discover....Wait for it....let the suspense build... A one dollar bill! The exact amount it would cost to be buy a lotto ticket. Here is the kicker though, Harlan doesn't let the women keep the buck. So basically, everyone except the winner actually wins something while the actual winner gets nothing - Brilliant! I want to point out that Harlan's method is interesting and can be applied to many different things. It was just the presentation that I really didn't like.

I don't mean to pick on either Earle or Harlan. I like a lot of both of their works. However, I don't think they really put a lot of thought or effort into their Bank Night Routines. Both routines could be made to be much more entertaining with minimal effort.

Recipe: Magic Advocate's Nacho Dip

2005-04-23T09:02:00.002-05:00

Here is the recipe for my soon-to-be-world-famous nacho dip. A few hefty servings of this delightful dish is gauranteed to add unwanted flab to your midsection and narrow your arteries by roughly 75%! It also tastes damn good too.

Ingredients that you'll need:

Two cans of "Cambell's Cheddar Cheese" soup
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning (I prefer the "Ortega Spicey Fajita Seasoning"
1 Small can (sorry I don't remember the exact size, but it is the smallest can available) of diced Jalapeno Peppers
1 bag of your favorite Torilla Chips for dipping

Preparation:

Brown ground beef on stove - drain fat
Add Packet of Taco Seasoning to beef and follow instructions on the seasoning packet
Mix beef, Cheddar Cheese soup, and Jalapeno Peppers together in a crock pot
Cook on low until warm, stirring occasionally (Alternatively, you can mixe everything in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in Microwave until hot, stirring occasionally)
Serve with Tortilla Chips
Enjoy!

It is a very simple recipe and doesn't take long to make. It is quite tasty too. Enjoy!

Change of Mind for the Lazy and Unprepared!

2005-04-10T18:44:00.000-05:00

As I have mentioned before, I love Richard Osterlind (Its not like that, I have a girlfriend). Osterlind's thinking is brilliant and in my opinion he is THE best mind in mentalism these days. No, I am not affilitated with Osterlind on any level other than being a student of his wonderful products and effects. I just like to give praise where it is due.

One of Richard's effects that appears on his "Mind Mysteries" video series is called "Change of Mind". The effect is both simple and amazing. The mentalist predicts what coin spectator is going to select before the spectator selects anything. Not only is the denomiation of the coin predicted but so the date of the coin. It is a beautiful effect and I encourage everyone to pick up the DVD and watch it.

The last prediction in this effect is brilliant. The performer shows a handful of change that is in his pocket. He then makes a prediction. A spectator reaches into the pocket and pulls out one coin and sure as shit the prediction matches. This is a great ending that requires a little prop to be built that is easy to build and compact to carry. However, I am to lazy to do anything these days so I came up with my own handling that I am going to share with you. Of course, I am not going to tip Osterlind's methods so if you already own the effect you will know what I am talking about. If you don't then you should go over to Osterlind's website and buy the product and then you will know what I am talking about.

Okay, I mentioned I am too lazy to build the overly simple prop that Osterlind's handling requires. Instead, I use a small drawstring bag that can fit in my pocket. Here is what happens. I ask if any spectators have some loose change in thier pockets. When I find a spectator that does have the spare change I hand them the clearly empty draw string bag (it really is empty) and I ask the spectator to pour his change into the bag without showing anyone the amount or types of coins. Then I proceed with Osterlind's method for predicting the spectators coins with the only difference being the spectators choosing the coins from the drawstring bag instead of their pockets. To end, I decide that I should choose a coin too. I write down my prediction and I reach into the bag and pull out a coin (remember, these are the spectator's coins and I never touch the bag until I have to reach in and pull out a coin) and slicker than snot on a door knob my prediction matches the coin I pull out.

Predicting my selection is super simple. I have a coin of my own in finger palm. When I reach into the bag I just pull out my palmed coin. Of course, I have written the information from my palmed coin as my prediction and all ends well.

I truely believe Osterlind's version is better than mine. However, if you are lazy like me and don't want to put together the very simply prop than this will work well. Also, if you ever find yourself without the prop and are asked to perfrom you can use this version to great success. You don't need a drawstring bag. Instead, you can using any non-transparent container (even and envelope) to hold the change. The only real downside is that you will lose money on this effect. After all, it is supposed to be the spectator's money so you have to give it back. But, if you use pennies or nickles it shouldn't bankrupt you.

So there is my slight variation on "Change of Mind" for those of you who are either lazy or find yourself without your prop. I just hope I haven't soiled Osterlind's great thinking too much. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

My "Zen Billet Tear" Routine: Going to the Movies

2005-04-10T08:52:00.000-05:00

I often find myself in a position to do mentalism when I am least prepared. It seems that people are always more interested in metalism and ask to see stuff on days when I am just not carrying anything "amazing". Until I read "Peek Performances" I would use various psychological forces from Banachek's "Psychological Subtleties" - which is a fantastict book that you MUST buy if you like mentalism. However, now that I have the Busch's Zen Billet Tear under my belt I have a three to five minute miracle that I can perform at any time.

If you have read "Peek Performances" and are familiar with the Zen Billet Tear you will know that this tear requires the spectator to draw or write her secret information in a specific area of the the billet. Busch refers to this area as "screens" and gives several examples of different ways to prepare the billet to make sure the written information ends up in the correct place. One of these "Screens" is a drawing of a movie theater where the spectator writes the information on a movie screen (see page 24 if you are following along at home). This is the billet preparation you will need to try out my routine.

Here is the Effect:

Going to the Movies

I begin by removing a folded index card from my pocket as I tell the spectator that we are going to try a small experiment. I comment on how the the human mind can be a very powerful tool and that some its most powerful potential comes from our sense of memory (or some other horse shit mumbo jumbo that comes to mind at the time of performance). Then I ask the spectator if they like going to the movies. Most of the time the spectator will say "yes" and I unfold the billet to show my drawing of a movie theater. I say, "its good that you like movies. You will be perfect for this experiment (coincidently, if they say "no" I respond with, "its good that you don't like movies. You will be perfect for this experiment").

I explain that while my drawing is a crude re-creation of a generic movie theater I want the spectator to imagine it is a specific theater. I ask the spectator to think about their favorite movie theater or to think back to a favorite movie and imagine that they are in the actual theater where they saw that movie. I hand them the billet and turn away then I ask them to imagine the name of their favorite movie printed on the screen. I tell them that once they can see the name clearly on the screen in their mind they should write it down on the drawn screen and fold the card back up.

I take the card from the spectator as I tell them to imagine themselves actually going to that theater. I tell them to imagine the smell of the freshly popped corn. I tell them to imagine the sounds of the corn popping the sounds of the soda fountain pouring icy beverages. The point here is to paint as vivid a picture as I can of a movie theater to get the spectator to actually start thinking of her favorite movie theater. I tell her it is important that she actually puts herself their in her mind. While I say all of this I am maintaining eye contact (although, I am suprised by how often the spectator will close her eyes as she imagines the movie theater) and I am tearing up the billet in the Zen Billet Tear fashion. Then when I am ready for my peak I say, "imagine now that you have your popcorn and soda and you are walking into the theater. Look how dark it is. Look at all the other people sitting there. Notice the sometimes the floor can even be a little bit sticky from a spilled soda or butter from some spilled popcorn". As I say that, I look down towards my feet as if I am pretending to step in something sticky and I take my peek (this isn't necessary as the Zen Tear lends itself nicely to peeking secretly but I think my presentation adds to the mood of the effect). After I get my peek I tear the card a few more times and place the pieces in the spectator's hands and I say, "Now, in your mind, look up at the screen in the theater. Imagine the pre-show trivia questions. The advertisments. The previews of the coming attractions. Now imagine that your movie is starting and the openning credits are starting to scroll across the screen. Imagine now that the title has appeared on the screen. Look at that title. Concentrate on the title. Think about the title." Then I go on to reveal the name of her movie.

Often times, if I am familiar with the movie the spectator has written, I will ask them to imagine the openning scene of the movie. Instead of telling her the title right away I will describe the openning scene she is thinking about. Then I will name an actor in the movie and then I will name the movie. This seems to add more credibility to the effect because I am describing what she is thinking and not just what she had written down earlier.

The whole key to this effect is to really get the spectator thinking of a movie theater. Be very descriptive and vivid. Ask questions during the effect such as, "can you smell the popcorn?" and get the spectator to agree with you. I like to tie this all together by prefacing the effect with something like, "the more you can place yourself in that theater in your mind, the better this experiment will work". This gets the spectator thinking and participating.

Nowadays, I carry one folded billet in my pocket prepared for this effect everyday. I now have a five minute routine at the drop of a hat that can really blow a spectator away. This effect has worked wonders for me so I hope you like it. I should mention that you don't have to use the Zen Billet Tear - any peek or center tear will work. However, I like using the Zen tear because of the Theater Screen concept that fits this presentation so well.

Peek Performances

2005-04-05T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I just finished re-reading "Peek Performances" by Richard Busch. Do I recommend the book? Yes. Is the book the greatest thing since sliced bread like the internet hype makes it out to be? No.

Please do not get me wrong. I enjoyed the book and I have nothing against Mr. Busch. He certainly is more knowledgable than I and his reputation speaks volumes. However, I just didn't think the book lived up to the hype.

First, I should mention that the book is all about gaining secret peeks at information that spectators have written down. The peek then allows the performer to reveal the "secret" information in an apparent display of psychic prowess. The book delivers what it promises by detailing many unique peeks and the psychology behind the moves.

Of particular mention is the Zen Billet Tear. This is by far the best peek in this book in my opinion. I have adapted it to a specific routine that I will dedicate an entire topic on later. The instructions are clear and very easy to follow. You would have to be an idiot to get lost reading the directions. Although, Busch does have a fascination with bold type fonts!

Here is what I do not like about Busch's peeks. First, the majority of them require that the writing be in a specific spot on a card rather than in the middle. This means you have to go out of your way to justify why the spectator cannot just write anywhere or in the middle. Second, one of Busch's main principles (I won't detail it here. If you want specifics buy the book) draws undue attention to the billet. I have always lived by the philosophy that one should minimize the importance of the billet. When thinking back, the spectator should not even remember that a billet was used. Using one of Busch's principles puts the billet in play in ways that I believe lower the impact of the over all effect - although, what the hell do I know? Third, one of the reasons many people seek out Peeks is to get away from doing a center tear. It is becoming more popular among mentalists to use peeks so that the billet may be handed back to the spectator at the end of the effect. Well, the only peek I use from Busch's book requires a tear so I am back to square one anyway.

Aside from billet peeks, Busch details many peeks for playing cards and gives some nice insights on a couple of books tests. I didn't pay too close attention to the playing card peeks because I have my own ways of getting that information. The book tests, on the other hand, were a very interesting read and I really enjoyed them.

Having said all of that, I do recommend the book. I think if you are going to work with billets you should read about all different types of peeks, tears, and other methodologies. There are many good pointers and presentational tips. Overall, it is a good read and you will find something to use in this book.

I know I mentioned above that the book does not live up to all the hype. I still stand by that comment. However, I must say that Busch himself did NOT overhype the book and I do not want to give the impression that he did. It was the usually hype that lingers around the magic cafe whenever someone says they are going to publish something. At any rate, it is definitely worth a read.

Freedom of Speech

2005-04-05T20:15:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I have been reading through many online forums some of which are magic related and some of which are not. Regardless of the forum topic, it is inevitable that someone will shout (or type in BOLD rather) how he/she is being censored and that it is violating his/her freedom of speech. That complaint can be responded to in one word - BULLSHIT!

Here is the real deal about freedom of speech. You DO NOT have the right to say whatever you want in a private forum on the internet. You DO NOT have the right to say whatever you want in a private house, club, bar, restaurant, or any other establishment. You just DO NOT have such a right. If you go to someone elses place of business or home or online forum THEY have the absolute right to modify, censor, delete, or restrict ANYTHING you say.

Oh, but what about the Constitution (that is if you are in the States)? What about the First Amendment? Well, these things mean NOTHING to private citizens and private organizations. The First Amendment (and ALL the other rights included in the Bill of Rights) is meant only to protect you from the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Paraphrasing the Constitution, the First Amendment says that Congress shall pass no law infringing on freedom of speech. All this means is that the government can not pass laws restricting you freedom of speech. Any online forum that is not run the the government can restrict your speech as much as they want regardless of how much you whine.

From now on if you must improperly invoke a right while typing on an online forum please, please invoke your right to remain silent. We would all honor and respect your right to shut the hell up.

Three Person Telepathy

2005-03-19T16:08:00.000-06:00

One of my absolute favorite mentalism effects is Anneman's "Fourth Dimensional Telepathy". However, it seems to me that the effect is too random and has no real focus. In essence, three people think of what appears to be random unrelated thoughts and the mentalist can read their minds/predict what they are thinking.

There are two things that I don't like about the original handling. First, there is no focus or theme to the effect. Each person thinks of something random and unrelated to what the others are thinking. I like my routines to be tightly focused and to have a general theme in order to keep the effect interesting. Second, in the original handling the first "thought" must be some sort of force whether it be a playing card or word from a book or whatever. Meanwhile, the other two "thoughts" can be freely selected. It never made much sense to me to have one person have to look in a book or choose a card while the others didn't have to do anything but think of a word or object. I decided to make my own presentation of this effect where the force make sense and a theme is added to the effect.

Orignally, I toyed with the idea of getting rid of the force all together Well, I guess not getting rid of the force but using a psychological force instead of a book or card or some other physical method. However, in the end I decided to keep in a force and to build my theme around that force. Basically, I have added a deck of special cards to the routine to give it a theme. The rest of the effect is performed exactly as the original so I will leave it to you to look up the original to apply my ideas.

Anyway, I took 25 blank face playing cards (of course, you could use index cards instead) and wrote five different phrases five times each. The words I wrote were these: Holiday, Vacation, Vehicle, Crime, Movie. Then I placed the cards in a repeating stack that I could easily memorize. The cards can now be cut as often as you would like and the stack will not be disturbed. These cards are now the themes of the effect.

I have the first spectator choose a card and show it to the other two spectators. Then the card is replaced in the pack and the pack is put away. Now, the first person has thought of the category. The second person is instructed to think of something specific relating to the category (i.e. if the category is "Vehicle" the second specator thinks of any type of vehicle whether its a car, horse, spaceship or whatever). The third person is asked to think of anything that relates the topic no matter how vague - just as long as it can relate to the category in some way. Then the mentalist (me) gets to reveal each of their thoughts.

The force is very easy. You can use any card force you like if you want the spectator to choose a specific topic. However, I do it a bit different. I have the cards mixed and then I spread out the cards in my hands and have the spectator choose one. I cut the cards where the spectator takes his card. Now, if I glimps the bottom card and I have my stack memorized I immediately know what card the spectator has. I prefer this method because I can offer a card in the fairest way possible and the outcome can be different everytime the effect is performed. I have plenty of time to get my glimps as I turn my back to the spectators as they are looking at the card.

I like this method because it takes the necessary force and turns it into a theme for the effect. I can patter about how its easier to read minds if everyone is thinking about the same topic. I personally believe that this plays better than just naming random things people are thinking. Form a logical standpoint it is probably more impressive to read random, unrelated thoughts of people. However, I think there is more drama and entertaiment if there is a theme.

Basically, my presentation of this effect is the exact same as the original. The only difference being that I introduce my "category cards" for the initial force and build the rest of the effect around whateve category the first person chooses. So, if you want to try my presentation all you need to do is write up the cards (you can use any categories not just the ones I use) and know the workings of "Fourth Dimension Telepathy".

I hope you try this and I hope you like it.

Audiences just LOVE a good story

2005-03-19T16:00:00.000-06:00

It is true, all audiences just love a good story to go along with the magic. In fact, many argue that presentation and storyline are what turns a mere trick into magic. Well, if you are looking for some fantastic deck story routines you MUST check out Andy's thoughts at The Magic Circle Jerk. Of particular mention is the "A night out" I am thinking of using this routine - only without the cards and preferably without a drag queen, but beggers can't be chosers....

Need a Star Wars Fix?

2005-03-11T11:20:00.000-06:00

Well, last night on the O.C. it appeared that Ryan and Marissa may finally get back together....err....so I've been told by my sources. After the O.C., the full length trailer for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was aired for the first time.

Although I don't have a link to new trailer (it will be on Starwars.com on March 11) I do have a link to a terrific Star Wars clip to curb your Star Wars appetite. Click for "Jedi Car Wars"

Confabulation Type Effect

2005-03-10T23:48:00.000-06:00

I have heard a lot about the effect known as Confabulation. I have, unfortunately, not been able to get my hands on any current (or old, for that matter) methods for the effect. Here is the effect:

The performer asks three random spectators to name something and the named items appear written inside the pocket/envelope/wallet of the performer. The illusion is that the prediction was written prior to the effect and that the performer had accurately predicted the the spectator's had call out.

There have been many presentational angles to this effect. Some use the the premise of buying a new dream car where each spectator calls out a feature on their car of their dreams. Others use a dream vacation premise where each spectator calls out something special about their dream vaction. Some use a "Clue" style presentation where the who, what, and where of a murder are described. The presentational ideas are limitless and the effect itself sounds pretty dang good.

Unfortunately, it is a difficult effect to find in print. Although, I hear a version of it appears on Marc Spellman's DVDs. I'll have to check that out one day. Another version I was aware of was called "Fortune & Fate". About a year ago I tried to order it from Hank Lee's (of course it WAS listed in their inventory) but, alas, I get an email saying the product is no longer in print - Don't get me started on Hank Lee's....

I came up with my own version of this effect and I am going to tip the method right here right now ***GASP*** and hopefully the magic world won't come tumbling down because I decided to post my method on a public blog. If the magic world is totally destroyed by this than I apologize ahead of time.

Anyway, I am not going to write out my presentation because coming up with a premise is easy enough for this type of effect. Here is the method:

The main secret to my method is "double writing". I start off with a large notebook, actually a sketch pad, that I am going to write on. I use the sketch pad because I also use it for James Biss's "T&A" effect from his "Messing with Minds" book, which can be found HERE and is a good read.

I hold the pad in one had as I have a pre-folded index card, business card, or slip of paper finger palmed in my other hand. I show the pad to the audience to show it is nothing more than a pad of paper. As I bring the pad back up to face me I place the folded billet on the pad. The pad is held at an angle so that nobody can see the folded billet. As you get the first person to stand and make his/her word selection, you are secretly unfolding the billet. Then you simply double write whatever the spectator says. First, write it on the big pad of paper and then write it on the appropriate place of the billet. Do this repeatedly for all three specators.

Then, as you are recapping what just happend you are secretly refolding the billet on the pad. once you have the the billet folded place it back into finger palm position. Now, you hand the pad to a spectator to verify that the information written on the pad is accurate. You reach into your pocket to reveal your prediction. You can either get one of them there fancy loading wallets or, what I do, is have a sealed pay envelop in my pocket. I pull out the envelop and have the spectator confirm it is sealed. I then open the envelope and I seemingly pull the folded prediction out of the envelope. I then compare the prediction with the writing on the pad and take a bow.

Like I said, I don't have any resources on the Confabulation effect. This was just me shooting from the hip for a possible solution. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions please let me know I would love to discuss it - that is if magic doesn't come compeletly undone for what I have done here today.

Sankey to Release NEW Product Very Soon!!

2005-03-10T22:17:00.000-06:00

Finally it is here. The follow up to Sankey's breakthrough in sponge ball technology! You see, regular sponge balls are just too damn hard to handle. They roll around and they are not natural things to which a spectator can connect. So, Jay invents "EAR PLUGS!". They are a hoot because everybody LOVES ear plugs and they aren't so damn hard to work with as those spongy little balls. After all, most people only become familiar with the concept of a ball at childhood and almost all major sports use some sort of ball. Clearly, not many people will grasp the concept of the spongeball so it only makes sense to ditch the idea and use something more common.

After the success of "Ear Plugs", Sankey still wasn't happy. He needed something made of sponge that people actually used. Something that people could connect with on an intimate level. He searched the depts of his closet and, dare I say, his very soul and was inspired by His favorite Possession for the sponge routine of the next generation!

Imagine, you take out a large sponge Butt Plug and shove it up your spectator's ass. You dramatically say, "hold it...hold it....squeeze.....just a little longer. Do you feel it getting bigger?" and all of a sudden the spectator releases only to find that now there are at least 15 plugs in their ass!!! Or, alternatively, the original plug has somehow transformed into a GIGANTIC plug - maybe it even changes color from the traditional red to a darker color. I wouldn't say you finish clean, but the spectator is left with a great keep sake of their magical moment - something to show the grandchildren.

(I have it on good authority that Steve B...oh wait that is too obvious....lets call him S Brooks personally loves this effect and practices it in the mirror each night. You know, to make sure the all the angles are covered).

What's that? You love the idea but don't know if will fit in your act? Well, how could it not? There is even a version for you Gospel Magicians out there.

Can I get an Amen?

Worst Card Trick Ever

2005-03-10T15:24:00.000-06:00

In the tradition of Ed Marlo and Dai "The Professor" Vernon, Penguin magic has released an very original card effect available for Instant Download. Penguin has taken a unique approach to in this new pasteboard masterpiece - an approach never even thought of by the two card legends mentioned above. Instead of releasing a hard hitting relevant piece of magic, Penguin has released a card effect that has no purpose, no meaning, no relevence, and compelety eliminates any element of mystery and wonder that so often just gets in the way of a good magic effect.

I introduce you to "Dating Service"

This has got to be the most insanely stupid card trick ever. The good news is, the deck has been thoroughly shuffled by the spectator - as mentioned in the video roughly 50 times. But so what? The specator picks the cards face up from the deck!

If anyone out there uses this effect please let me know so that I can kick you square in the ass. Believe me, the people watching you getting beaten will be more entertained by you crying in a puddle of your own piss and blood then if they watched you perform this trick.

Playing with Balls and Twangers...

2005-03-09T14:26:00.000-06:00

Apparently, in the 1970's there was a childrens television show called "Rainbow". One particular episode that supposedly aired on televsions contained a clip that was filled with enough sexual innuendo to make Andrew Dice Clay blush.

The show taught children the value of sharing: "Yesterday I played with my balls, today I am going to paly with my friends balls"

CLICK HERE to view the clip.

Stop Procrastinating!

2005-03-09T01:37:00.000-06:00

I have some startling news I would like to share with all of you. I am dying. You are dying. As a matter of fact, we are all dying. Each day that goes by the second hand on the time bomb of life moves closer to detonation. As you can probably guess, I have been thinking about how short life can be. The carpet of life can be pulled out from under us by any number of unforeseeable events. A random shooting in the streets, a disgruntled postal worker, a drunk driver, lightning, or some religious nut with a bomb strapped to his chest could all easily wipe us from existance. In the end, when our corpses are nothing more than dust and history has long forgotten our names the only thing that will remail are our accomplishments and each day that we procrastinate we risk accomplishing nothing.

We should decided what we want out of life and go for it full speed ahead. Where would we be today if Johannas Gutenburg decided to put off inventing the printing press? What if Lincoln decided to put off freeing the slaves? What if Neil Armstrong said, "Screw it, I'll go to the moon some other time?" What if Jack Daniel decided to put off distilling his fine whiskey? What if Chef Boyardee decided to put off canning his delicious pasta recipes?

Luckily for all of us Jack Daniel's whiskey was distilled and the other stuff was done too. The point is that each of the examples above shows people who got off their ass and did something important with their lives. These people could be you or me. With today's technology and educational opportunities we should be just as smart, if not smarter, than the folks in my examples. How come they all acheived great things and most of us have not? It is because they do not procrastinate and we usually do.

With all of this in mind, I am going to take my own advice and drink some Jack Daniel's. I am also going to strive to reach each and every one of my personal goals. These goals range from becoming an excellent mentalist to motivating myself to shower EVERY day. First on my list though is find a day job to support my sorry ass. I am going to push myself to be attentive and serious. I will do all of these things and contribute my fair share to society - starting tomorrow.

Syd Bergson Center Peek

2005-03-08T13:43:00.000-06:00

Billet work is one of the foundations of mentalism. A billet is nothing more than a slip of paper but true to the elitest nature of magic and mentalism we have to call it something special in order for ourselves to feel special. Typically, billets (or slips of paper) are handed to a specatator who, in order to focus his thoughts, writes down some information and the mentalist then somehow (presumably through thought reading) devines what the specator was thinking. This is a very powerful technique and when handled appropriately it slays audiences.

My favorite billet peek has to be Syd Bergson's Center Read. I am sure Bergson has released this in manuscript form at some point but I admit that I have not read the original presentation. In fact, I learned the move from my mentalism hero Richard Osterlind from Volume 1 of his Easy to Master Mental Miracles DVD set - a must have for any aspiring mentalist!

I wanted to share my presentational idea utilizing this peek as I feel it works around some of the precieved downsides of both Osterlind's and Bergman's handling in a rather bold way. I am going to be somewhat vague so that I won't tip the method of this beautiful peek so if you need clarification shoot me an email (magicadvocate@gmail.com).

In Bergson's handling, according to Osterlind in his DVD's, required the billet to be burned thus removing any evidence of the peek. The billet was handed to the mentalist behind his back, the mentalist brings the billet out front and lights it on fire. This is troublesome because most places frown on open flames because it is a health and safety risk so this presentation is no longer viable in most settings.

Osterlind's handling deals with this problem and improves the routine by being subtle in his handling of the billet so that the audience doesn't even realize he brings the billet in front of his body. The billet begins behind his back and ends behind his back and then he can hand the billet back to the spectator at the end and finish totally clean!

I think that Osterlind's handling is terrific and I would never even consider saying that I have improved ANYTHING he touches. However, I was a little skeptical about moving the billet around and putting it back behind my back after it had been it view of the audience. To me it didn't make sense to do it this way so I set out to find a way to present this effect differently.

My handling requires the introduction of one additional prop - an ordinary paperclip. I hand the billet to the spectator and have them write their thoughts. Then I have the spectator place the folded billet in my hand behind my back - so that I cannot possible peek at the writing. While the billet is behind my back I have the spectator think about their word(s) and and take my free hand and remove a paperclip from my pocket. I then bring the folded billet out in front of me and place a paperclip on the billet while pattering about how I want to seal the billet shut. Of course, the work is already done behind my back and when I paperclip the billet the words are easily seen (if you know the move then this should make sense to you. If not, then buy the DVD and learn the move. You won't be sorry).

Here comes the bold part. With the paperclip in place and some strategic finger placement I can openly show the billet on both sides. Then I take the papercliped billet and place it down on the table in full view. Next, I take my whiteboard and Dry Erase marker and write down my impressions of what the person is thinking about (often times I will be off by just a little bit for dramatic effect). I hand my board to the spectator face down so nobody can see my prediction. Then I pick up the tabled billet take off the paperclip and hand it to a spectator and unfold the billet quickly and in such a way as to hide the work that was previously done. It appears to the spectator that I simply unfolded the card to reveal what was written. I confirm that it is the spectator's handwriting and that it was in full view of everyone and sealed tight the entire time. Then I have the spectator turn the white board over to reveal my prediciton and it matches!

The beauty of my version is that the spectators see the billet the whole time. I don't have to burn anything or return anything behind me. My handling of the billet is minimal and I can hand it back to the spectator when I am finished. Also, it is very bold and therefore exciting for me to perform. With the right specator and audience management you can even have the spectator hold the billet after you put on the paperclip - that is if you have the balls to do it.

I hope you like this variation and find a use for it.

Volkswagon Makes A Damn Tough Car

2005-03-08T12:25:00.000-06:00

HERE is one tough little car. Who knew Volkswagon made such a tough Vehicle?

Brilliantly Funny ACR

2005-03-08T11:00:00.000-06:00

Everyone who has ever picked up a deck of cards has fiddled with an Ambitious Card Routine. In fact, if you haven't bored the hell out of someone with an endless, pointless, repetitive ACR then you cannot call yourself a card magician. An ACR is the equivolent of the Native American "Vision Quest". That's right, it is a card magician's spiritual journey into the forest of magic (or is it a magical forest?) in an effort to find themselves - pretty deep stuff.

Most ACRs are boring and derivative. They all have the same patter and boring lines such as, "...and when we snap our fingers, the card JUMPS back to the top!" Every few years something or, in this case, someone comes along to revolutionize the way we bore specatator's with our ACR.

I humbly intorduce you to BerkelyJL of the Magic Cafe! Not only has he come up with a new presentation idea for the ACR by calling it his "Award Winning Trained Deck of Cards" but he also adds a brilliant piece of comedy to the routine by comparing his deck of card to one of two hillarious things:

A Pet Rock!!!
A Talking Iguana that Eats Dancing Mice!!!

Of course, BerkelyJL cannot decided which of the two is more funny (funnier?) so he needs the good folks at the Magic Cafe to help him decide. You can check it out at: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=106389&forum=24&8

I am not a comedian. I don't write comedy for TV or Movies. I am not claiming to be an expert. However, I do know that these two "jokes" are about as effective as Dale Ernhart's seatbelt. In my opinion, comedy and jokes should be funny - but that's just me.

Well, if magic doesn't work out for BerkelyJL he can always become a writer just like THIS guy

At least the the people who responded to this topic at the Cafe were wise enough not to endorse either of these lines.

Sexist or Showmanship?

2005-03-08T10:03:00.000-06:00

In mentalism it is a necessity to have volunteers participate in the action. Of course, we all know that sex sells and keeping with that line of thought I always choose the sexist woman I can find to be an assistant. I never thought of my actions as being sexist but rather practical. I mean, if you ask some nasty looking thing (no offense to nasty looking peoople - I am no Brad Pitt myself) on stage then you risk the rest of the audience tuning out and getting bored - I blame society.

Don't get me wrong, I use other people as volunteers too. However, I always try to pick good looking ones when the volunteer is the main focal point of the effect. For instance, during my version of Fourth Dimensional Telepathy I don't care what the specator's look like. Instead, I just pick people randomly throughout the room. On the flip side, whenever I perform Richard Osterlind's Watch Routine (Mind Mysteries Volume 1) I always choose good looking participants because the audience's attention is directed towards the spectator for a prolonged period of time (while the watch is being randomly set, while the other spectator is thinking of their time, etc.). My thought process is that the good looking participants will hold the attention of the audience.

Usually I don't get any complaints from anyone for choosing sexy volunteers. However, the other day I may have crossed the line between sexism and showmanship in a rather overt fashion. I was doing a show for free (my mentalism is not yet ready for paid performances) and had a crowd of only 15 people. I asked for a volunteer for a center tear type effect so I chose a very good looking lady to assist me. I should mention that my performing "character" is one that is sarcastic and a wise ass; just like my normal character come to think of it. So, I have this sexy assistant and this is what I said, "Do you know why I picked you as my assistant? Well, it is because this part of my show is new and it doesn't always work right. I figured that you should be my assitant so that if anything goes wrong everyone else here will still see something amazing." Implying, of course, that she is amazing to look at because of her good looks.

At the time of delivery, the line got a good laugh from the audience and my lovely assistant didn't seem offended. At the end of the show, I got a good round of applause and I thought things went great. However, a friend of mine told me later that he thought the line I used with the sexy assistant was offensive and sexist and that I should drop it from my shows. Of course, I disagreed with my friend for a couple of reasons. First, the audience laughed. If it was so offensvie shouldn't I have been scolded or walked out on by my audience? Second, the assistant herself didn't seem offended. Well, I didn't get slapped by her anyways. Although, I do agree with my friend that if she were offended she probably wouldn't have said anything since she was in the spotlight and was probably nervous. Finally, I think the line is okay because it fits in with my character. I don't play mister proper and nice when performing so when I use a line like this it isn't a shock to the audience. It is a natural extension of my persona and it is said in a playful way.

Overall, I really do not think that what I did was sexist or offensive. I like the line and I plan on using it again. Maybe I am wrong and just can't see that I am a horrible sexist person. My girlfriend keeps trying to tell me how bad it is, but I can't hear her when she is far away in the kitchen gettin' me another beer.

Kollosal Killer Presentation!

2005-03-08T00:57:00.000-06:00

While looking around at other magic blogs, I came across "Magic Whack" (http://magicwhack.blogspot.com/) and discovered a very clever and new presentational idea for the Kollosal Killer:

"As much as I've picked on Kenton Knepper about some of the crap he's
published, I think he deserves massive respect for one thing. According to
secret sources, he can proudly tell people that he's got a 12 inch cock.
Actually its only 2 inches, but he's written "off by ten" in felt pen on the
tip."

While this approach is certainly interesting, I thought of a better way to present this effect. Instead of writing "off by ten" on the tip, Kenton should only write "off by one". When presenting this effect on stage, the spectator who sees this writing is left to think that "off by one" means that Kenton just forgot to write the number one in front of the two. Meanwhile, the rest of the audience will hear the specator read the words "off by one" and be lead to believe that Kenton's wang is 11 inches. It is a dual reality effect where the participant and the audience both precieve something different yet both are utterly unamazed - just like most of Kenton's stuff!

......eeew....I just thought about the poor spectator who gets called up on stage as a volunteer.

Introducing: The Magic Advocate

2005-03-08T00:07:00.000-06:00

Grettings,

Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself and my blog. My name is Brian and I am a 27 year old, unemployed, attorney in the (great?) state of Minnesota - so if anyone reading this is a hiring partner at a law firm email me, we'll talk. Since I am currently not working I have plenty of time on my hands so I thought I would dive into the blogging world.

Why the "Magic Advocate"? Well, I suppose the "advocate" part is easily decipherable - I am an attorney, which is another term for advocate. As for the "magic" portion, I have been studying and performing magic for many years (roughly 10 years). I have decided to focus my thoughts in this blog on magic and mentalism so I am calling the blog "Magic Advocate."

As mentioned above, this blog will focus on magic and mentalism. Specifically, my interests are in the fields of cards, close-up, billet work, and mental bending. Therefore, I will be posting mostly on those topics. Of course, I will also comment on current events, politics, and the obligatory Steve Brooks jokes.

I thank you for checking out my blog and I hope you will come back often. Please feel free to email me with thoughts, ideas, or questions at magicadvocate@gmail.com. In the meantime, check out www.magicrants.com for great and insightful information pertaining to the world of magic. You will notice that Magic Rants has a HUGE blog roll of other magic related blogs. Of particular mention is the "Magic Mafia" - good stuff there!