Hit play above, smoke some herbs, snort some paint chips or whatever your vice is.  Don’t eat the brown acid though man…it’s not groovy.  Notice the subtle Beatles theme flowing, coincidence…..perhaps not.

Today Aaron Fisher sent this little nugget out.  He wanted feed back, and I’m the gift that keeps on giving.  I’ll only post the second half, being the first part was just about joining Twitter….which blows moose balls and I don’t give a shit what people ate for breakfast.  Besides I don’t think I can ever hold a 140 character limit.

The second subject I want to share with you today is a new approach to teaching card magic. I’d really love to get your thoughts on this.

Problem: In order for students to master the fundamentals of card magic they need focused, personal instruction. But it’s expensive and time consuming to come work with me in person. Plus, you can’t even
bring shampoo in your carry-on baggage.

Solution: Skype video sessions. I’ve achieved truly great results giving one-on-one video lessons over Skype. It’s the perfect tool for tackling specific techniques, such as the Gravity Half Pass. After all, many of you have seen ME execute this challenging technique, but
I’ve never seen YOU.

Video lessons allow me to watch you, and then help you make modifications – simple adjustments that will vastly improve your performance. Most student who’ve read and studied The Paper Engine find that their handling of the Gravity Half Pass finally ‘clicks’ after just a few focused minutes working with me.

First, you’d have to be Skype user (that’s easy) and have a working camera and microphone. Then we’d get together and work on your Gravity Half Pass. I’d watch you do it, assess your current understanding of the sleight, and then work with you to make it perfect. In some instances, a simple shift in your thinking will be enough. In other cases, we’ll do better to start at the beginning.

In either case, at the end of our lesson, you’ll be getting far better results then ever before.

Only persons who’ve studied the description of the Gravity Half Pass in The Paper Engine would qualify for these lessons. They’d be approximately 45 minutes in length. The cost for the program would be somewhere
between $150 and $250 per session.

I’d like to be able to offer this as a service to my readers, but to do that, I’ll need your help and input. Please send me an email and tell me what you think of this idea.

Here are some questions to think about:

*Do you use Skype? Do you know how?
*Would this program be a help to you?
*What questions or concerns do you have?
*Are there any ideas you might share that could make this program more
effective?

This plan is about helping you improve YOUR magic – so hit ‘reply’
now and let me know what you think!

With Thanks,
Aaron

ps -  make sure to join Twitter!

You may think I don’t like Fisher.  That really isn’t true from a stand point of someone that really takes card magic to heart.  None the less as I stated some time ago I think Paper Engine is horribly over rated and my man could use a dose of modesty and stop with the guru mentality.    Still, I like to think the guy means well over all.

What Aaron is talking about here is something I’ve done for over a decade.  You’ll notice a little tab above labeled StickCam.  My list consists of 31 friends.  Some I had met long ago, some casually online.  At any rate all of them are really good people!  Before that we would just use plain jane Microsoft products to do the same.

My brain works in the same manner constantly when I see someone selling something in the magic world.  I translate everything to purchasing more books when anyone sells “something else”.  250 bucks can get you a nice stack of some books that you’ll flip back to the rest of your life.  How can anyone equate that kind of  knowledge to a little session on the bloody half pass.

John Lennon was my first idol growing up and think I read pretty much every book that released pre-mid 90’s.  In a documentary of his life titled “Imagine” there is a scene in which a fan camped in his garden overnight to try and meet John.  Yoko and John confront him in the morning and John near has to plead to the man that he’s just a regular guy that writes songs.  After a little conversation John invites him in for some breakfast (no charge).  Not only does that keep with the Beatles theme, it shows I’m cool as fuck, and super modest at the same time *canned laughter*.  There is more symbolism in simple events than can be put into text of how generous John was, yet always saw himself as the guy next door.

Thus in many respects I wish Aaron well in his persuit of making money on the other side of Skype.  I like money too!  My mind just doesn’t relate in any manner.  Perhaps we all mistake certain magicians to fame or some other omni-preprogrammed instinct we have.  For now, I’ll just enjoy the company and input of others for free.  Anyone can do the same.  You may surprise yourself how accessable many magicians are out there.

As a quick side note, I mentally put a few visuals in my cranuim while writing this.

Hey Denny, mind if we rap a little about some magic I could use a hand with?

You bet!  Just bring the coffee and a box of smokes

Hey Peter Duffie, can you help me with this routine here?

You bet!  Just let me finish this quiz about pop culture first.

You get the point.

If ever something is posted at this blog and was meant to more private than….well on here….PLEASE leave a comment.

I made the mistake of posting one of Paul Cummins routines that I had found on Genii figuring it was open to the genreal public.  Alas, I didn’t realize that area needed a password.  Paul was a true gentleman, and has always been more than generous with his ideas with cards than most.  I felt horrible being Paul is  so accessible to us all and shares great ideas unselfishly.

Common sense goes a long way, and we hate guys like David Castle (random but true).  Unfortunately my ignorance to that area being pass worded was a humble mistake.

It should be somewhat appearent I find random items online once and awhile and put them here simply out of respect of it being a good article and whatnot.  For instance Carney’s superb essay from the Book Of Secrets is straight off his site.  None the less if he doesn’t want it here, it’s down quicker than Bart Sibrel getting popped by Buzz Aldrin.

The following routine was presented totally impromptu for a group of friends using a borrowed deck. The routine comprised of Dai Vernon’s Matching The Cards and the sensational routine “The Hitchcock Travelers” created by my friend Darwin Ortiz.

Tommaso Guglielmi most surely has no respect for others work.  An anonymous sent me the Ebook, and who would I be to not flip through it.  Right from the start it became obvious Tommaso is just taking others folks ideas and rambling through different CAAN plots that are not his own, nor are they anything revolutionary.

I had read 2 of the versions and quickly scrolled to the bottom pondering if there was an area giving credit to the actual innovators, being most of the routines, if not all were 100 percent someone elses from top to bottom.  Not one card man is given credit through out the whole Ebook.

Personally I think giving credit in magic can get out of hand.  None the less just taking others routines and slopping them in a PDF, then putting your hand out for money can only be the work of a fucking scum bag. Some of you may think to yourself “Well shoot, it may be worth the money just to get all these things in a PDF”.  Don’t fool yourself!  For what is being charged for this mess you can buy a good REAL book.  Just search the internet a little bit for some CAAN/ Open Prediction others like.  As far as ACAAN I still stand by the one and only method, the one being those most straight forward and classic.

As a side note can we PLEASE stop calling CAAN, ACAAN.  The difference should be very obvious.  None the less these assholes keep trying to sell basic CAAN structures as ACAAN.

Tell us a little bit about your background (Age, occupation, Family, Where you live etc.)

I am in an advisory capacity at my (investment management) firm, having technically retired a year ago at 65 years of age. I live in a small suburb north of New York City located on the Long Island Sound with my wife. Our three children, two of whom are married, live either in the city itself or in our community.

Do you have any other interests besides Magic?

Mystery/thriller novels, particularly old British ones; sailing; tennis

How long have you been interested in Magic?

For close to sixty years

Who/What has been your biggest influence in Magic?

My father at the outset – he had had an assistant who showed him some basic card stuff that was passed on to me. Creatively, Roy Walton is to me the master of card trick construction.

What type of Magic do you most enjoy watching?

Prestidigitation

What type of Magic do you least enjoy watching?

Magic enveloped in prancing, posturing, and pretentiousness.

Who is your favorite Magician?

Probably the two that my parents took me to see as a child in New York City supper clubs – Galli Galli and Cardini.

What type of Magic do you most enjoy performing?

Card magic (only).

Do you ever perform tricks by, “Other” magicians?

Occasionally, but well personalized. Perhaps the only trick that I still use regularly and perform straight out of the book is “Dr. Daley’s Last Trick.”

What is your favorite trick?

Changes from month to month

Do you prefer Books or Videos as learning tools?

I’ve never watched a video.

How do you decide on what Books or Videos to buy?

By author, occasionally by review or recommendation.

What is your favorite Magic Book?

See list below.

What is your Pet Hate in magic?

The embarrassments that are too frequently evident in most televised shows.

What has been the highlight of your Magical life?

I suppose the publication of my first submitted trick (by Karl Fulves in Epilogue).

Do you have any regrets in Magic?

Originally learning some sleights left-handed and some sleights right-handed.

If someone asked you to recommend 20 Magic Books or Videos, what would they be?

• Expert Card Technique.
• Card Magic (card sections from Greater Magic).
• The Cardician.
• Marlo in Spades.
• Complete Walton.
• Card Manipulation (Hugard – series).
• Bound Ibidem.
• Bound Jinx.
• Bound Phoenix.
• Bound Pabular.
• Bound Epilogue/Pallbearers Review/Chronciles.
• Effective Card Magic (Simon).
• Dai Vernon’s Inner Secrets (series).
• Complete Elmsley.
• Entertaining Card Magic (Ross series).
• Close-Up Card Magic (Lorayne).
• Card Magic of LePaul.
• Andrus Deals You In.
• Secrets of Bro. Hamman.
• and, of course, last and least, Card Craft.

What advice would you give to someone when they are selecting tricks to perform?

Choose logical plots without multi-climaxes that don’t require as the last patter line, “And this is something even I don’t understand…”

What advice would you give to someone just starting in magic?

Don’t follow any advice given by someone under 21.

Do you have any final thoughts or suggestions for the readers?

If the foregoing is of great abiding interest to you, you have reason to worry.

We all love John Carney!  New book is on it’s way October(ish)!  Nuff said!