December 2013
2013 has been a great year! I’ve performed for many old clients and made many new ones. The same goes with friends… hung out with many familiar faces and made lots of new friends.
In 2013 I focused hard on releasing my fourth book Bamboozlers Three. This series is a labor of love that laypersons and magicians enjoy. 2013 saw the reprint of volumes one and two. Plus Bamboozlers has become very popular as columns in VANISH and GAMES magazine. MAGIC magazine did a spread on Bamboozlers as well. The Magic Castle now stocks them in their gift shop. Last, but not least, my buddy Brian Brushwood had me co-star with him on his popular show SCAM SCHOOL to feature many of the effects from my series. For those that are curious I am slowly writing volume four.
I’ve done lots of shows this year. In December alone I did twenty gigs, even with all of the ice that hit the Dallas area. Some of the highlights were performing for Texas Rangers Adrian Beltre’s party and then later for Lance Berkman’s family in a suite at the ballpark. Both players were very cool, down to Earth people, who had childlike hearts who loved magic. Another highlight was returning to California to see friends and play the Magic Castle in Hollywood for the sixth time since 1999. I was one of the headliners at the IBM Convention in Phoenix, the Midwest Magic Jubilee in St. Louis and the IBM convention in Buxton, England.
In September of 2013 I attended the TAOM in Dallas where I had a ball and then left for a month long tour across the United Kingdom. I did 23 gigs in 28 days. Practically every day I was in a different city. I always love returning to the UK to see family and friends.
Once home I began doing restaurant magic again tableside at Boston’s in McKinney on Wednesday and Friday nights. I really missed it. When I don’t have a private gig those nights it’s nice to know I have a place where I can showcase things I’m working on and get real feedback. Plus, it’s great to have a place where people can come and see me again. I’ve reconnected with people there that I haven’t seen in years!
In late 2013 I launched a Facebook fan page . LIKE the page for updates on my gigs and product releases and magic related stories. Plus, I’ve launched my new slick website that you are on now! Any feedback would be appreciated. One of my pointers is yougooglingtwitface.com .
On a personal note my wife and I celebrated 25 years being together and 21 married; we dated for four years before pulling the trigger. I celebrated my 43rd birthday. My wife is 29 again. We remodeled our kitchen again in our home of 12 years. Our iguana Indy had a surgery and did well and now has a bigger living environment. My nephew Lane graduated from High School and my two sisters are engaged.
To celebrate all of our accomplishments for 2013 my wife and I decided to have party recently. Before the party we had all of our kitchen cabinets stained and they were finished the night before the party. After a mad cleaning and putting the kitchen back together we were ready for the party that started at noon the next day. The party lasted twelve hours. We had a margarita machine, tons of food, games, a monkey, my friend Burton Gilliam of Blazing Saddles fame, plus about 60 other guests who came and went. I enjoyed visiting with each and everyone but I always wish I had more time with each of them.
I’m looking forward to all that 2014 has to offer. Seen above is promo pic to a party I’ll be working in February with Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, Coolio and more! Check it out at www.epicpartydallas.com. I’ve got more US tours lined up, fun gigs booked, more projects and releases, more adventures, etc. I’m booking gigs for 2015 already! 🙂
