The Magic Network Community Blog

I have been performing children's magic for about 7 years.  Most of my performances have been done for free at my old elementary school, but I enjoy it immensely.  This little story is in the forums, but I want to address it specifically here:

Two weeks ago, I was home for spring break from college.  My mom, the kindergarten teacher at my old elementary school, asked me if I wanted to perform for Pre-K, K, 1st, and 2nd Grades.  I had not practiced in awhile, but I said yes.  3 back-to-back-to-back shows were fun (same routine) and I came out with a really important lesson...

During my last performance, I performed a Pom-Pom Stick (Chinese Stick, Do-Nothing Stick, etc.) and after the finale, the kids were going completely nuts.  The teacher wanted them to be respectful and was trying to quiet them down.  I made eye contact with her and gave a little smirk and began to chuckle a bit.  She understood and stopped trying to quiet them.  After another 15-20 seconds the reaction began to die down and I reeled them back in for my closing effect.

The lesson is:

In an attempt to boost my referrals for the contest, I posted my link on The magic cafe, and Theory 11.

The posts were something like this:
Hey guys. There's this magic forum website (a little like *current website I was posting on*) with heaps of features such as reviews, videos, private messaging, blogs. They are running a contest at the moment, and part of the contest involves referrals. The prize is about $180 US worth of magic, and I really want to win this one. You could help me out by using this link: *my referral link*
Thanks guys

My post on The Magic Cafe got a few comments telling me to 'stop spamming' then my post was deleted. My post on T11 has been locked.

Real nice, guys.

I thought back to when I visited my cousins and Grandparents last christmas, and remembered Grandma telling me that my Great Grandfather (her Dad) had been a magician. Why I didn't pursue this, I have no idea. But now I'm interested.

I'm going to have to call my grandma in England and ask her about him, because I really want to know. Damnit, he had to be my great grandfather, didn't he. WHY AREN'T ALIVE TODAY AND LIVING IN NEW ZEALAND AND IMPRESSED WITH ME AND MENTOR ME!

Ok, maybe a little too much to ask...

Anyway, I think that's really cool that my great grandfather was a magician, and I will find out more about him tonight hopefully.

KP

Oh boy, I do love a good rant. And hey, I've got something to rant about.
Let's do it.

Bicycle have a new box design. The back no longer matches the cards back (I must clarify that the box changed, not the deck design). The front is cartoony and childish. And according to others (I haven't tried them out yet) the cards feel thinner, flimsier, and fan less easily.
Bad move, USPCC.

For generations, the standard red or blue bicycle deck has been standard in American homes, and of magicians around the world. Most magicians would say they are the best, and if not, one of. I can not see why the USPCC would change this design to a tacky deck that shamelessly advertises itself on its own back. The only thing I can think of is this.

They want to sell more bikes. I don't see why, but I assume they just want more profit. They want to appeal to the family, parents, and kids more than their loyal fanbase of magicians around the world.

I had surgery the other day. I guess you could call it 'magical'. Haha. See what I did there? Magic... Yeah.

There was something wrong with the blood circulation in my feet. Too much cardistry I guess. But they put me under with some see through liquid, which made me feel floaty and dizzy. I was trying to tell them something, but the words wouldn't come out and I just mumbled 'nehhhhhhh'. Then I went under.

I woke up 3 hours later, and felt the same. I tried to ask for a sandwich but just mumbled, and fell back asleep. I woke up again after 10 minutes, and tried to get out of bed without realizing I had just had surgery on my feet. I had to stay another hour to recover from that.

Well, I've got 4 days at home doing nothing. Perfect timing for the contest, and I think I'll get around to practicing Diplopia.

KP Out

So the new Contest on The Magic Network was published this morning. Aside from the very oddly shaped logo, I'm really looking forward to this one.

So here goes my first blog.

A few things I want to talk about, one being the new Magic shop in Auckland. It's called TRICKS Magic Shop, and its at 35 Albert Street, in Town, Central Auckland. Its quite large compared to the other shops I've been to, and has a good selection of stuff. If you're looking for books or DVDs, don't go their yet. Visit them in a couple of weeks, they're getting an order in. The guy who runs the place is called Robert, he's a nice guy. As far as I know, they don't have any any other staff. Well worth a visit if you're in town.

Second thing, is the convention. This is based in Auckland as well, and organized by the Shore City Magicians Club. There will be Dealer Dens, Food, Performances, Competitions, Lectures, MCs, and much more. Also, included in the ticket, is an international magicians show, with performers such as Paul Daniel, Whit Haydn, John Carney, and others.

I'm going with MillionaireMike, and it should be awesome.

Hello TMN,
Over the next couple month's I'll be preparing for the adventure of my life, made possible by Vmarra and molsen23 ( Magic-talent.com).

Some of the things I've been doing are. Performing, every single chance I get to perform I do it making mental notes of everything I say and do, watching spec's to see how or where I can change things. I'll even ask the odd spec a couple questions to see where I'm at. ( so far, so good)

Walking almost everywhere I go, build the stamina to be making this journey on time I'll need to cover 200km a day, somedays might be bad so I can make up lost distance on the good days.

Cutting down on meals, I've cut down on eating not cause I want to but if I only make enough money toget from point A to B and a nice place to rest my head at night then thats what is going to have to happen.

Effects, going threw effects like crazy mostly what can I do on the ball right away no question asked just blow some minds.

Do you guys think there is anything else I should be preparing for or studying?
 Anyways thank you for taking the time to read and remember.

The risk is always worth the reward or reaction..

Andrew Rufiange

We'll be announcing this month's contest after the Easter break, on Monday or Tuesday of next week, so stay tuned!

After that, we have a few more contest plans in the works that will be coming shortly after.

We'll also be announcing our first "TMN Challenge" this month, so stay tuned for that as well.

All the best and keep up the magic,

V.

Im coming close to completing my first dvd of street performances, but I wanna add more. I need a little advice to anyone willing to give it. I don't want to just have a video that a couple people get to see, I want to really put some blood, sweet and tears into it. I will always love magic and keep myself in it, but as a family man I need to accomplish something that set's the base of my foundation. My kids, my wife to me deserve nothing but the best of what I can do. I have what it take's to be what I want, I just need to be showin what door togo too, don't even have to open it, i'll get in. Anyways sorry for the rant, but when you know you can do something and you are just stuck. We'll it's like a baby it cry's until it get exactly what it want's. Andrew Rufiange

Hello everyone I recently had it out with an old friend about magic, effects and what it takes to be called a magician. We'll to start off when I first started going to the magic shop I was happy to meet ( Im going to call him bob) Bob, he didn't perform but was good with a deck of cards. Years later when I caught up to him and got to talking about magic he was only doing the next best thing that was out on the market. To me this was a slap in the face, years ago we would sit in the basement until 3:00 in the morning practicing, to this day I am still up practicing. It didn't bother me at first that he only did the next best or what David Blaine was doing It got to me that he did put the time in to give these effects the full respect that they should get. I don't care If your doing a trick that is all self working, we all put our time in doing the same sleight, effect, patter toget it to that point where we can do it with out thinking, then we practice more. I told him not to be a hack, because when you just do a trick, that's all it is, a trick. When you put your time in, practice and then practice some more, then go and perform, You doing magic. Im just saying don't be a Bob, don't be a Blaine, be yourself, practice and keep the magic as magic. Not as a trick.
Andrew Rufiange

First I'd like to thank everyone who has been following me with either this blog or with the video's on Youtube. As you all know I came in second place with my mouthpiece video, I was one point off from winning the contest, which is cool. It let's me know I'm on the right track and that I have fans who like what I'm doing with myself and I thank you all who support and push me forward to be the best that I can be.

I'd like to share some of the comment's that I recived from the contest judges, some of the comments I can't display because they reveal the secret of the trick but none the less they where all fair and gave me the confidence to push forward, create, perform and amaze.

Although Andrew Mayne and Justin Young were two of the judges they didn't seem to give much feedback on my effect, which was a bummer but gave me that little edge to sit back and take the effect apart so the next time they see it, I will have captured them into the effect.

One thing I would like to ask if you like the magic and would like too see more and more from me make a small donation to the cause and see what I can really do when I have the freedome to just do magic.

Thank You to all of you who have watched me either in video or in person, you know what magic means to me and what I put into it.

Andrew Rufiange
All Street
No Stage
Pure Magic

I figured I would let everyone know just where these blog posts are coming from, so you can see them at the source, and as soon as their posted rather then waiting a few days until I get to post them here. 

www.coreymmartin.tumblr.com is my new home on the internet. It contains links to my Facebook and Twitter pages as well as links to other magic sites. I update it as often as possible with stories, interviews, funny links or videos (related to magic or not) and allow for people who want to keep track of my rehearsal process, and upcoming shows to do that as well. So I hope you will take the time to pop over there and have a look. 

Thanks for reading.

Michael Ammar is coming by to see me today.  He is a great guy.  In my area doing some Lectures.

Very rarely do we as human beings experience what we believe to be true magic. Some people believe that magic is something that is felt or experienced. There is one place, one experience that I had as a young kid, that changed my life forever. It has shaped who I am today and has inspired me to share my story with as many people as I can using the art of magic as a medium. I wrote this piece just before taking the stage to perform at the very place in the story. It was here where I first experienced magic…

To those who have been there and know the love and the truly amazing things that have taken place, this is for you. For those who miss it, this is for you. For all those who I have met and grew up with and laughed with, and cried with, this is for you….

Those of you that use the chat bar will notice that there is a little playing card icon now in your private chats.

If you click on this playing card, you will send a game request to the person you are chatting with.  If your chat partner accepts the game request, you will be shown a link to launch the game window.

Now here is the important part:  In this window you will see a bunch of advertisements, and possibly even something that looks like a game.  DON'T click on any of that stuff.

Just click on the button that says "Play Now" or "Play Game"

When you click on that, you will be taken to the actual game that you will be playing with your chat partner.

I feel confortable here at the Magic network to share a story about magic, life and the streets. A couple years ago I was put in a situation where I had to leave the place I was staying at due to some issues. I paid my rent and was throwin out only after a few day of staying there, not having very much stuff I took my back pack full of cloth's and my bag of magic and went to find a place to stay. I could of asked family but I have always been the type of person to not be reliable on anyone else, I came upon a motel that looked alright...No it was a s**t box, I asked for the cheepest room and how much it cost. We'll It wasen't very much but not having any money. I wasen't thinking right, where am I going toget this money, we'll magic. Before this time I only made money with gig's and wasen't to keen on how to do magic and ask for money. Next to the motel was a bar and we'll in that type of place the people are kinda rough, nice people but they have there stories. I went on to the bar and asked the bar tender if I could do some walk around, I started inside a ended up outside not making any money, these people seem like they would break me in half, there were bikers, drinkers and junkies. Let me say one thing it don't matter where you are in life, I have done magic for lawyer's, judge's, doctors and the people that are on the street and live this life style are really good people, nice and always will to listen to what you have to say. All they really ask for is a little respect, sure some of them are criminals, attic's and just bums but they are people and have thought's, feelings and some have family out there.
Anyway's after I made no money I sat down and was stressing how am I going to do this, I was angry, scared and worried. After awhile this biker came in and everyone was telling him about my magic, he looked over at me and gave me a look, (I have nothing against anyone of any life style, origin, religon anything, we are all who we are and as soon as we all realize that the world will get along, no one is wrong, no one is right we are just who we are.) he walked over to me and asked if I was the Magic man, of course I am. He sat down and talked for awhile I ended up telling him what had just happened to me, he did say much and I didn't expect him to he just asked. I proceded to show him a effect by Wayne Houchin. Stigmata. Man I wish I had a camera because his reaction to this effect was funny. He thought of his mother and after her name showed up on my arm, he put his head down with his arm's holding his head and just sat there. I didn't know what to do, do I ask him if he's alright. after what seemed to be an hour he looked up and said that was the greatest thing that he's seen in a long time. I could tell by his eye's that he had a tear or two going on and inside it made me feel bad, but it was an emotion that I brought on by magic. He finished his drink and walked around the bar talking about my effect, by this time I was getting worried that I'm going to be sleeping in the bathroom at a 24 hour resturant. Just as I was ready to leave he came up with 60.00 dollars and said that everyone thought I was amazing. That was magic to me, I walk in the bar with nothing and left with everything. I went and paid for my room which they called the drunk room ( let's say if they wanna offer you the drunk room at a motel pay the extra to stay in a normal room). I went up to my room got settled and thought I don't need gig's to make money, I knew about buskers but they had a set up were they went and had a steady flow of people to perform for.
My next step was toget hands on with the street's and see what I could do and learn.

I started my intrest in magic when I was about 6, since then I have collected many effects and changed my style many times. It's only now that I know what I like to perform and what kind of effects I like to do.
Even though I have effects that I don't do on a regular I still once in awhile brush off the dust and take out something that I used to do. Some of it is kinda....we'll kid magic, not that it's bad. But it's simple, simple hit's hard. As most of you already know.
I'm just trying to say that some of that stuff sitting in the back of your closet collecting dust just might be something your missing out on, even though you haven't done it in a long time. Even after years of not performing it you might be able to add a new spin, move or meathod to that old trick and make it fit your style you run with now. So if your reading this and thinking of all that stuff you have, STOP go check it out you just might find something. Thank you
Andrew Rufiange