Escaping Parkinson's grand finale

Congratulations again Mark, on a fabulous achievement!

From Mark Correia's Twitter feed:

DAY 14 IS HERE! THE GRAND FINALE OF #ESCAPINGPARKINSONS https://t.co/YRrhul2Q4n
— Mark Correia (@Mark_Correia) October 7, 2014

The importance of magic shops

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of brick and mortar magic shops.  Not only are they the first place many kids get bitten by the magic bug, it's also a place enthusiasts can go for encouragement and coaching by people in the know. A nurturing community is formed in a local shop, which can't be duplicated through the internet.

(You'll notice that two brick and mortar shops are invested in keeping the community of this site alive.  Please remember to thank them, the next time you're there.)

Don't have brick and mortar shop in your area? Consider supporting one through their online shops. (I direct your attention to two of the wonderful sponsors of this blog, Perfect Magic and The Browser's Den of Magic!)

The emphasis in the excerpt below, is mine.

From Perfect Magic:

As many of you know, magic shops are closing all over the place. Many shut down in the U.S.A. and some in Canada as well.  There were not a whole lot to begin with. It’s so easy to look up  what you want on line, find the cheapest price and order.  I can’t say that I blame anyone for doing that. But there may be a cost to the saving of money, especially in magic. 

Click through to read Evelyn's thoughts on the matter.

Report: David Kaplan and Buster Keaton

From Joe Culpepper:

Last night I attended my first magic lecture since moving to Montréal. David Kaplan, also known as The Great Kaplan, shared some tips, tricks, and stunts from his professional repertoire.

Since I’m in this city to research the relationship between magic and other circus disciplines, I enjoyed hearing Kaplan’s thoughts on variety material. He performed a version of the torn and restored newspaper for us that ends with a giant, over-sized newspaper that he gets tangled up in. The inspiration for this piece came from a Buster Keaton film

Read more.

How do you deal with failure?

In his post "Magic Gone Wrong," Lee Asher makes shares some valuable insights on failure.

Leave a comment below to share what you have learned from a time when things didn't go according to plan.

From Lee Asher's Playground:

Have you ever performed magic for a group of people, only to realize the routine isn't going to end as expected? Do you remember the feeling you got when it happened? Terrible! Most magicians can relate, because if you've ever presented magic before, you've probably been in that kind of situation. Maybe even more than once?

As a beginner, for me, it happened a lot. Nonetheless, those initial experiences shaped me into the performer I am today. With time and practice though, I learned to limit my amount of failure.
Currently as a professional, it rarely happens. Though, when stuff goes awry these days, it makes a meaningful, albeit painful, impact on me.

MAGIC GONE WRONG Recently, I was asked to perform at the Atlanta Harvest Magic Convention. It's a wonderful get-together filled with warm & compassionate folk. In one of the rooms, for the formal close-up show with over hundred pairs of eyes watching, I failed miserably with a set I'd been performing for a while.

Read more.

Shawn Farquhar entertains 106-year-old Hilda Baybutt

From the Bournemouth Echo:

THERE was magic in the air at a Bournemouth retirement home as residents marvelled at the antics of a world-renowned magician.

Shawn Farquhar, the international president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, stunned residents at Glenhurst Manor with a series of sleight-of-hand card tricks.

Read more and watch video.