Just wandering...

Do you ever look at the copious amounts of magical crap that spews forth every week and wonder who is putting it out to further the art or to see what can be done with it in other hands and who just needs money?

I weep the latter might be the front runner...

It's like Ferngully all over again...

A new vanity deck came out and the ad copy says, "There are a lot of decks out there. Try not to get distracted by the ones that don't make a difference or advance our art." 

What you may not know is that the companies who put out these decks will openly admit that they make more money on these decks of cards than on the magic products they release. Thus the ridiculousness of some of the ads for these decks. No deck of card advances our art. WE advance it by making something new. By stepping outside the lines that have been drawn for our "safety". To even HINT that a deck of cards makes you an artists hurts magic by putting that idiotic thought in your mind. You know who let it get this way? YOU! (and to a much lesser degree, me. I think I have bought two custom decks in my life.)

I understand they are "collectable" to people who do such things. However claiming one is better than another at this point is silly. There's no looking back now tho'. It's just gonna get sillier from here on out.

How many dead trees do you have in a drawer at home?

Piled high...

When I worked at a couple magic shops in the late 90's and early 2000's I thought there was a lot of crap magic being released... but little did I know what was on the horizon. How could I have known that the way to be known in magic was to release a glut of mediocre products? Who could have forseen youtube making it so easy to self publish and sell something you "created" that day without research or real world practice?

It's a brand new world. Material is being released at the speed of thought and it shows no signs of stopping. If you think I am exaggerating, then look at places like the Latest and Greatest section on the Soylent Green or even all of the crap being sold and bought on facebook groups such as Surplus magic Exchange.

It makes the mind wobble.

My smooth brain...

Dear magicians with lots of money and no skill,

Buying your job title is like the people who cheat at online video games to be the "best".

I hope all of you die in a fire.

Sincerely,
The Mngmnt.

Open your presence...

A couple days ago I went and saw some bands I like. One of them puts on a great show by being energetic and just in the moment. Watching them made me very aware of something I already knew but became inspired to write about here...

Stage Presence: Sometimes you're just born with it.

It's not something you can buy or apply. It can be learned to a  point but some people just naturally exude that special something that makes them more interesting than everyone else once they are on some elevated platform.

No amount of sleight of hand, costuming, or money can get it for you. You either have it or you don't. It's a natural talent, plain and simple. It's a mix of confidence, control, ego, and insanity.

You need to WANT to be up there. You HAVE to be into it. You MUST believe it. No amount of words I throw at you will help explain it. You just have to get it...

Get it?

PS: I have another article in the recent Vanish Magazine. Read it yah poozers.

It's an age thing...

Much like how it's very hard to take anyone under the age of, say 40, seriously as a mentalist I think it's very hard for anyone under the age of 25 to really sell themselves as a "corporate" entertainer.

It's not so much the age thing, but there are others who have a hell of a jump on you and you should spend a good deal of your youth perfecting your skills.

Oh and not taking shit so seriously.

Duh'Finger...

Possibly the best D'lite routine ever?
Projection mapping live performance art - The Alchemy of Light by a dandypunk from a dandypunk on Vimeo.