Zen in the midst of chaos

It's been said that you've got to be careful what you wish for.
Having had my passport stamped upon arriving in the UK I looked at a few last empty pages and wished to get another stamp or two before the upcoming expiration date. Later in the week I borrowed a book from a friend to take on the road, knowing I wouldn't have time to finish it, but wishing I did.
Well now thanks to all flights in Europe being grounded due to the volcanic ash, I've been frantically journeying from train station to train station, finding plenty of time to finish the book and even earning another stamp upon leaving the UK and going into France. Be careful what you wish for!

It was quite a hectic day and a total thirty hours of straight travel. Dozens of failed calls to the airlines, hundreds of people waiting in line to purchase the few remaining train tickets, running from station to station in London, staying up all night in Paris to be the first to purchase the next connection...it's been insane and adventurous and frustrating and comedic all at the same time. As with all adventures, it's much more entertaining looking back and sharing the story with friends. But when you're in the thick of it, it's tough not to throw your arms in the air and give up all hope. At times like this, you've got to find a little gem of happiness to hang onto.

Luckily, the book - "Magic Matters" by Robert Neale - has been wonderful company. In particular, there was a trick accompanied by a Zen Buddhist tale that I share with you now with pleasure:

Retold from Zen Buddhism, Mount Vernon, NY: Peter Pauper Press, 1959, page 61 and read in Magic Matters, Canada: The Theory and Art of Magic Press, 2009, page 112.

...
A traveler was fleeing a tiger. He ran until he came to the edge of a cliff. There he caught hold of a thick vine and swung himself over the edge.

Above him the tiger snarled. Below him he heard another snarl. He looked down and saw a second tiger peering up at him. The vine suspended him midway between two tigers!

Two mice began to gnaw at the vine. He could see that they would eat through it very quickly. Then in front of him on the cliff side he saw a luscious bunch of grapes. Holding on to the vine with one hand, he reached over and picked a grape with the other.

How delicious!
---

Back on the road...

After an amazing trip to Buenos Aires to meet incredible magicians and perform at a great convention and then an exciting hiking trip to El Calafate, Argentina I've been busy at home with a number of shows. And now it's time to hit the road again. I've updated my tour page for magicians and posted my public appearances on my client website, as well.
Time to pack my bags once more...

What a time!

The past two months have probably been the busiest two months of my life. Between a new weekly dinner show and lots of great corporate events I've got to perform my full evening show two dozen times, finishing up my time here at home with a standing ovation from an incredibly warm crowd of one-hundred-fifty people. I've also started work at several local venues, and although I will be traveling, my friends will continue to perform magic at places like Ceviche, Maggiano's and Melting Pot so anyone who is visiting Orlando or lives in Orlando and is looking for live entertainment...stay tuned, there will be a full schedule and lots of great nightly venues soon!

Check out the new website! ----> www.magicshoworlando.com

Hope to see you in Orlando or somewhere on the road.
Time to pack my bags...

"Evening of Mysteries" Continues in Orlando

Thank you to all those who came to the opening week of the new show, "Evening of Mysteries" at Del Frisco's. Starting tomorrow I get to perform the show weekly here in Orlando in a beautiful dark, Victorian-style room, by candle light. There's only two "card tricks" in the show. The rest can best be labeled as "curious coincidences," and "uncanny oddities." What will happen depends on who shows up. The poster and details are on my website and there will be much more coming in the weeks to come. I'm excited to perform while I am home. In February, I get to perform in Argentina and then the travels begin again. But for now, I'll be glad to be in (oddly chilly) Florida and spend my time doing what I love!

An Evening of Magic - New Dinner Show in Orlando

Hello Friends!

I'm excited to announce a brand new dinner-magic show in Orlando.

"An Evening of Magic - Elegant Dining and Sophisticated Sleight-of-Hand"
will be presented at Del Frisco's - one of the finest steakhouses in the country.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
December 28, 29, 30th - 2009
Dinner and Showtime: 7:00 - 9:30 PM

Purchase Your Tickets Today at KMagic.com
Only 3 Shows & Only 24 Seats per show!

Special VIP Seating for your group of 4 is available.

For more details, check out my entertainment webpage or call: 407-719-9288.

Home, once again...trying to stay here

After another two weeks on the road I have arrived home safely. I did leave a car on the Jersey turnpike. But all the wonderful friends and magicians I got to see along the way in DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Long Island, Goldsboro, Charlotte, and Asheville made it all worth the trip! Thanks to everyone who came out to the lectures, seminars, and workshops. The last three days were spent in Daytona Beach, where I performed and lectured at the Florida State Magic Convention.

If you are a magician, along with picking up the great "Jinx" copy of Genii magazine, pick up the October issue of MAGIC. Inside there you'll find a new "discovery" in card magic that I call "A Curious Case of Murder." It's really just a story...words conjured up from the art printed on playing cards many decades ago. But it's something that took me a decade of looking at playing cards before I noticed it. I'd like to call it an anthropological find, if anything. And it's also a fun effect to present, if you're into that sort of thing.

Thanks again to everyone who came out to the lectures. East, West, Home is best. I'll be in sunny Florida, doing card tricks during this winter season. There are a few one-day corporate events in Dallas and elsewhere, but truly, this is the best time of year to be here in sunny Florida...even if the hurricanes are just around the corner. If you're in the cold parts of the world, come and say hello.

Magic, Neuroscience and the Brain

I just got home from Chicago, where I attended the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting, which opened up with a session on how the art of magic can help scientists make discoveries about the brain. I had the pleasure of watching my friends Eric Mead and Apollo Robbins intrigue and astonish an audience of ten thousand scientists.

Check out the USA Today Article.

I am incredibly excited about these studies and discoveries. I do hope that the researchers and neuro-scientists won't get tripped up by confusing methods for effects and lose sight by focusing too much on the technical "secrets" of magic. There's much more to be explored. Right now neuro-scientists are focusing on the optical. Would they be interested in the psychological or the emotional? I would love to see the effects on the brain of certain magic effects.

There's lots of room for discovery ahead and I am excited to see what comes next.