The Genii Forum

Celebrating the 50th post on my new entertaining and educational magic blog, http://www.zzzauber.com, here’s my take on the BIG QUESTION in a mere 25 lines:

• Buying more tricks doesn’t.
• Watching more videos doesn’t.
• Reading more books and magazines doesn’t.
• Talking more magic with other magicians doesn’t.
• Writing more posts and comments on magic forums or blogs doesn’t.
• Printing more fancy magic business cards doesn’t.
• Practicing the same moves over and over doesn’t.
• Performing the same three tricks over and over doesn’t.
• Fancying yourself a great magician sometime in the future doesn‘t.

But…

• reading, studying and knowing what has been said and done – and why – by the best magicians before you;
• understanding it and applying it diligently and creatively to your own magic concept, persona, tricks and act;
• practicing and rehearsing every nuance meticulously, thoughtfully and tirelessly;
• watching and studying every professional you can, embracing their advice and any other well-intended criticism and showing a persistent willingness to improve, refine and learn;
• seeing the world with open eyes and growing your knowledge on all matters related to life in general and magic in particular, like drama, acting, language, psychology, fine arts, history and politics, science and technology;
• performing well-prepared and well-mannered in a mysterious, meaningful, personal, fresh and entertaining way;
• striving for the best show and greatest performance you can deliver and for uncovering the beauty and art hiding in magic every day of your life –

that does the greatest trick of all.

Any further suggestions or comments?

-Zig Zagger

That was very good but I think you perhaps left out the most important secret of them all. It is not the tricks that are so important as the illusion you create about YOURSELF! You are the magic. They should remember YOU years after the tricks have been forgotten. When that happens on a consistent basis then you know you have achieved greatness as a magician.

Good point! Happy to add that to my list. Thank you, performer!

Very entertaining blog. Thanks. Love the artwork!

Thanks a lot, Jack! I appreciate your kind words.

Zig Zagger wrote:Celebrating the 50th post on my new entertaining and educational magic blog, http://www.zzzauber.com, here’s my take on the BIG QUESTION in a mere 25 lines:

• Buying more tricks doesn’t.
• Watching more videos doesn’t.
• Reading more books and magazines doesn’t.
• Talking more magic with other magicians doesn’t.
• Writing more posts and comments on magic forums or blogs doesn’t.
• Printing more fancy magic business cards doesn’t.
• Practicing the same moves over and over doesn’t.
• Performing the same three tricks over and over doesn’t.
• Fancying yourself a great magician sometime in the future doesn‘t.

Yep. But any and all of these can make you feel good. Or even great.

That's absolutely right, and that's absolutely part of the problem...

Come on, guys - any more comments, please?

There surely must be more out there than what's on my list. (To quote my wife: I may be good but not that good... )

Zig Zagger wrote:Come on, guys - any more comments, please?

The grammar nazi in me cringed so much at your punctuation, I couldn't actually read the content properly.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/bullet-points

I recognise it as the 'William Shatner as Captain Kirk' delivery.

Thanks ZigZagger, a thought-provoking question.

Since you are looking for anything we might add to your already comprehensive and well-thought-out list, I would say VIDEO yourself repeatedly during practice/rehearsal sessions, stop each time, and watch the video. Then do this process again, and again, and again, and again...

With smartphones this is easy to do. Just set your phone on the table propped up against a book or something.

mr_goat wrote:

Zig Zagger wrote:Come on, guys - any more comments, please?

The grammar nazi in me cringed so much at your punctuation, I couldn't actually read the content properly.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/bullet-points

Thank you for the link, mr_goat. There's obviously more to an English bullet-point than I had thought!

If I promise to do better, would you care reading the content then? Your pointed verdict would be much appreciated. (Erroneously, I would have assumed though that you were more concerned with penetration than punctuation in your business.)

However, as a German, I cringe at any thoughtless use of the word "Nazi", especially in a trivial context like this.

MagicbyAlfred wrote:Thanks ZigZagger, a thought-provoking question.

Since you are looking for anything we might add to your already comprehensive and well-thought-out list, I would say VIDEO yourself repeatedly during practice/rehearsal sessions, stop each time, and watch the video. Then do this process again, and again, and again, and again...

With smartphones this is easy to do. Just set your phone on the table propped up against a book or something.

Another valid point!

There's probably a big irony in here: The more magic videos some fellows upload on YouTube, the less likely it seems that they'd ever watch themselves...

Thank you, Alfred!

Zig Zagger wrote:
However, as a German, I cringe at any thoughtless use of the word "Nazi", especially in a trivial context like this.

Grammar Nazi is a very well understood and popular expression in English. Google says there are 1.4m matches for the term. So, it's not 'thoughtless'.

Learn about it here

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/grammar-nazi

HTH.

I'm not so sure that the number of matches Google says there are for a particular expression determines whether or not the usage of the term is thoughtful or thoughtless.

MagicbyAlfred wrote:I'm not so sure that the number of matches Google says there are for a particular expression determines whether or not the usage of the term is thoughtful or thoughtless.

No, true enough. But maybe if the OP needs people to be considerate of his needs because of his country's embarrassing past, he should add:

"please don't mention Nazis"

in his signature or something. Just in case people are unaware of his origin and hang ups about what people did in the past.

Point was meant to be that it is a very popular expression in English. Sorry that wasn't clear.

I have found the vast majority of present day Germans to be VERY anti-Nazi indeed. Oddly enough I suspect the worst place to be a Nazi nowadays apart from Israel is Germany itself.

OK, so its use is not as thoughtless as I thought, but well-backed by The Great Google. Fine. (But this reminds me of the old ironic saying, "Eat s**t! Billions of flies can't be wrong!")

Yet I cringe. And no, I do not expect anyone else to agree, to care, or to understand. It's just my perception.

With this detour being taken, may I suggest to return to the topic of this thread? I'd love to hear some more opinions or suggestions.

Howsabout Grammar Police?
It seems to be more gentle, but ain't really.

Have we lost the word "punctilious"?

There is some dark magic in making the boogie man under the bed, in the closet, on TV with striking art deco background and uniforms. Seems folk want something to point at for reference to "bad". More magic with contamination and influence. The ideas and human nature hiding behind that label though... either way not so useful for here or magic as our work is supposed to stay within the show. Or maybe they do make spoons out of a different metal than knives and forks... who knows for sure?

Perhaps the notion of "brittle" or Obsessive/Compulsive could replace the pWord?

Magic and magicians are made from audience perceptions. Not so much imagined audiences as those who tell their friends and bring others back to see your show.