Random thoughts from the Ring 17 year end banquet

• The year end comes far too quickly.
• People drive a long distance to come to these events.
• A group of magicians is very good at entertaining themselves and each other during delays.
• The young people today spell llama differently than I was taught.
• The even younger people have a totally different approach to llamas.
• La llama es una quadrupido
                                                 ... but I digress.
• In their show "Sketchy Magic," Chris Mayhew and Chris Westfall give a crazy and high-energy performance as one would expect with individual lecture titles like "Calculated Chaos" and "Mayhew Mayhem."
• Rumour has it that Chris Harvison, Andrew Goss and James Alan are back on the executive next year.  And that Phil Pivnick will be joining them.
• Next season opens with a David Ben lecture.
• Thank you Ring 17 for another great season!

Rounding the Central rings in June 2015

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- TBA
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- TBA
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Year end dinner.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- TBA
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Year end party.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- TBA
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Year end dinner featuring Chris Mayhew and Chris Westfall in "Sketchy Magic"

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Central rings in May 2015

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- Ted Outerbridge - Assistants Auditions & Rehearsals
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- TBA
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Meeting cancelled.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Lecture.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- 4F Convention Sharing by 4F Gang - Memorial Night/Classic Magic.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- TBA
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- David Merry lecture.

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Central rings in April 2015

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- Assistants, auditions and rehearsal. - Stage workers.
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- TBA
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Prop and pocket management.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Magic auction.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Show and tell. - Executive Nominations. - Martin Cox and Will Gray lecture.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- TBA
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Ben Train lecture

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Central rings in March 2015

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- Stage work
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- Members' Favourite
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- TBA
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- a possible exchange night with Hamilton & London Clubs
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Stand-up Magic
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Browser's Den visit

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Central rings in February 2015

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Montreal, QC	Ring 62 (20th Century Ring)	- Stage workers
Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- TBA
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Sponge ball magic.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Impromptu tricks found around the house and in Dollarama
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Member’s Night:  Jean-Luc’s Theme Night “Everything Book Magic” - Literacy Magic - Initiation Shows - Charity Show:  Rehabilitation Hospital Show (Adults)
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Pre-meeting Jam with Rob Powers:  "jam session from 6 till 7 before the meeting. Bring whatever you'd like to jam with but if you use linking rings, ill be jamming with rings so bring them along and we can trade some cool moves" - Members' night - lecture/panel discussion featuring the cast of the movie "A series of unfortunate effects."

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in January 2015

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- Auction Night in Canada
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- n/a
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- A dealer demo
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Member’s Night:  Tenyo Magic Presentation by Pierre B. - Something New - New Member Induction Presentation
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Auction

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in December

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- n/a
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- n/a
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Christmas Dinner.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Michael Close lecture - Christmas Party Pot-luck dinner
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- David Regal workshop - David Regal lecture

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in November

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- David Merry lecture.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Taking the stage.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Magic Movie night.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Joint meeting with the other Ottawa Club - Flea Market - Close-up magic - CHEO Charity Show
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- Joint meeting with the other Ottawa Club
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Dr. Michael Rubinstein lecture and workshop.

 
Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in October

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- n/a
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Corporate strolling.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Shane Cobalt lecture
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- David Kaplan lecture
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- Lecture.
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- David Kaplan lecture

 
Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in September

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- n/a
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- n/a
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- n/a
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- n/a
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	-  Bobby Motta lecture

 
Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Random thoughts about 90th birthday parties

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending two 90th birthday celebrations, both for Toronto's very own Gordon Precious.  Gordon is an absolute gentleman in every sense of the word.  I've known Gordon for close to 20 years and in that time he's been consistently positive, welcoming and encouraging.  He's younger at heart than many people of my generation.  Simply having Gordon in your life, makes you a better person.

First up was the Browser's event:

• The event was extremely well attended.  There were people in attendance that I didn't see that day -- it was that packed.
• It was fabulous showing of friendship from the magic community.  (Folks drove in from Kitchener, Hamilton and Ottawa!)
• No one does the the Vanishing Birdcage like Gordon.
• David Merry did a set that kept everyone in stitches.
• Jeff always throws wonderful celebration parties!
• I am incapable of entering a magic shop without leaving with a purchase.
• Read more about it (and see pictures) at the Browser's Den blog.

And later in the week, a celebration by Ring 17 at their year end banquet:

• The banquet was also very well attended.  (Folks also drove in from Kitchener, Hamilton and Ottawa!)
• Gordon did a wonderful set, entertaining young and old alike!
• There was a Zig-Zag illusion that went off without a hitch.
• I had no idea Gordon could breathe fire.
• Paul Wildbaum and Bill Abbott were entertaining, as always. 
• See photos at the Ring 17 Facebook group.

Wonderful celebrations for a wonderful person!  Happy birthday Gordon!

Rounding the Ontario rings in June

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- n/a
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Dinner and close-up show.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- tbd
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Year End Party Pot-luck / Banquet
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Year end banquet and Gordon Precious' 90th birthday bash!  Happy birthday Gordon!

 

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in May

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- No meeting this month.
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Movie themed magic.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- The Annual Auction. - Robert Barna props and cases to be put up for auction. - Other clubs are welcome to attend.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Business Meeting. - Open Night of Magic.
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Vincent Hedan lecture. - Vincent Hedan workshop.

 

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Toronto: Vincent Hedan workshop

I attended a lecture by Vincent Hedan last Spring.  What a brilliant magician!

From the Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club:

Saturday, May 3, 2014 

The Browser’s Den of Magic

Read more and buy tickets from Ring 17.

[via Magic Information Canada]

Rounding the Ontario rings in April

Updated April 24th to add the following from the Doug Henning Magic Wand Club:

Mark your calendars for next Wed. April 30th. No, it’s not Tax Filing Deadline (CRA  gave a 5 day extension).  It’s the Tri-City Lecture (London,Kitchener & Hamilton Clubs) hosted by Kitchener IBM Ring#235 at 7pm. at

St.Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,54 Queen St.North @ Weber Street, Kitchener N2H 2H2.

Originally our 3 clubs were having Mickael Chatelaine from France lecture, after his appearance at the 4F convention (this weekend in Batavia NY.) Unfortunately, Mickael broke his elbow a few weeks ago and will not be attending the 4F convention.  Our thanks to member Joan Caesar for arranging a substitute lecturer/performer/entertainer & multi award winner Michael Dardant, who coincidently was born in France, but calls his home in the “Big Easy” New Orleans.

Read more.

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- n/a
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Kitchener Club (roadtrip!) - Mickael Chatelain lecture
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Magic Auction
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Literacy Magic - Executive Nominations
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- Chris Westfall lecture
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Kenton Knepper lecture

 

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Random thoughts about Ring 17 Members' Night

• Shout out to everyone who hosted and performed at Members' Night last week! 
• It takes incredible courage for amateurs to perform in front of the club.  Well done everyone who made it up to the front of the room! 
• The presence of a child, whom James Alan referred to as Urchin, allowed all of the women in the room to let out a collective sigh of relief.  (They were spared the fate of "volunteering" for the evening.)
• Urchin was treated very well while volunteering.  Impressive.  I've seen highly respected "legendary" professionals treat children horribly.  Keep up the great work folks!
• There are some very talented magicians in Ring 17.
• Ariel Frailich knows a lot.
• The members behaved very respectfully during situations where life wasn't going quite according to plan.  It's nerve-racking performing in front of talented professionals.  Thanks for being supportive!
• There's truth to the proverb:
  'Tis a lesson you should heed:
  Try, try, try again.
  If at first you don't succeed,
  Try, try, try again.
• Are all magicians from Calgary named Chris as talented as the two we saw last week?
• I finally witnessed a peformance by Mark Lewis with young people in the room.  I'm a fan.  Doubly impressed that he took Urchin aside at the end of the night, to teach an alternate presentation of an effect shared that evening.
• James can tie a perfect bowtie without the aid of a mirror.

Remembering Jack Bateman

On February 19th, I reported on the passing of Jack Bateman.  On March 3rd, Ring 17 sent an e-mail with recollections of Jack by Dick Joiner.  I'm republishing them here, with Dick's permission.

Recollections by past president, Dick Joiner:

Jack L. Bateman, 95, of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, died February 17, 2014, in a local hospital. He was a former member of the I.B.M. (1945-1965), and Ring 17 (Toronto).

He became interested in magic as a schoolboy after watching a performance by magician "Laurante," and magic became a passion the rest of his life. He always carried props in his pockets so he could practice wherever he went. In his youth he developed his comedic talents and an illusion show, featuring his own versions of a "sub trunk" and "cut the lady in six." He invented many tricks, some still on the market, such as "Rub-a-dub-dub," featured on a Bill Malone video.

He also was a teacher of magic; one of his pupils was Doug Henning. He was the Technical Supervisor for Outside Broadcasts for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He developed the first mobile television broadcast units for the CBC.

When he died in the hospital, there was a paddle at his bedside, no doubt to entertain the nurses.

[Guest post] An open letter from the president of Ring 17

The following is a guest post from the president of the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club .

--

Dear Canada's Magic readers,

It is my responsibility as the president of the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club  IBM Ring 17 in Toronto, to clarify a point of some controversy based on my comments in the "President's Message" of the March 2014 newsletter.

By way of background, the club hosted a special lecture on Thursday, February 6, 2014 which featured the cast of the Mosquitoes Suck Project  an instructional magic download designed to raise money to fight malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and featuring such notable magicians as Bill Abbott, Jay Sankey, Joshua Jay, Bobby Motta, David Peck, Anthony Lindan, Brian Roberts and James Alan*. In attempt at humour in stark violation of John Cleese's Three rules of comedy** we dubbed the event, "The Lecture That Sucks."

In our March 2004 newsletter, I reported that the lecture was a complete success, citing well known member and terror of the Internets, The Great Mark Lewis who posted on the Facebook that the lecture sucked:

According to Mark Lewis' posting on Facebook, the the lecture sucked so it was, in principle, a complete success. And more importantly, through the evening, we raised $400 for the Mosquitoes Suck Tour, which translates to 40 bed-nets, which will protect up to 200 people for up to five years. So we are extremely grateful for your support.

In point of fact, his full commentary (divided into two posts before and after the event) was:

I am in great dread that it may not just be the mosquitos that suck.  

Only half of it sucked. Naturally I am far too tactful to say which half.

While Mr. Lewis feels that his views were misrepresented in the newsletter, I believe my remarks were faithful to his original sentiment. Of course it is now up to the reader to decided whether this is, in fact, so.
What's really at issue here is the applicability of the term "sucks" in an environment with an abundance of puns and a deficit of a well defined sense of humour in people with (clearly) too much time on their hands. Does the act of sucking blood automatically imply "sucks" in the pejorative schoolyard sense? Does it work the other way as well? 

The Ring 17 Philosopher in Residence and Professor Emeritus of Ring Reportage of the P. Howard Lyons Ring, Dr. Sammy Jakubowicz suggested, when reached for comment, "We might consult the writings of Lewis Carroll here. He may have been right when he wrote, 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.' On the other hand, he may have been wrong. It is difficult to say with certainty. Why are you bothering me with this anyway? I was out of the country and nowhere near the lecture."

It's also clear that the actual quality of the lecture plays no part forming Mr. Lewis' opinions and can safely be set aside for the purpose of this discussion.

If you feel the need to weigh in on the matter, please feel free to contact the Ring 17 Goodwill Ambassador, Matt DiSero with your thoughts.

Thank you very much for your kind attention as we attempt to resolve this misunderstanding. We look forward to seeing our members at the next meeting, Thursday, March 6, 2014.

*Present on the DVD but absent from the lecture were Joshua Jay, who was reportedly in the United States working on his six-pack and Brian Roberts who was alphabetizing his sock drawer. Matthew DiSero did turn up, somewhat against his will.

**No puns, no puns and no puns.


--

Thank you, I think, for guest posting at Canada's Magic!

Rounding the Ontario rings in March

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- n/a
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Dollar store magic.
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Possible exchange night with Hamilton & London Clubs.
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Stand-up Magic
Ottawa, ON	Ottawa / Gatineau magicians	- n/a
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Members' night.

 

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.