Question about membership in Magical Orginazations

[Guest]

Hello All,
I have been an active ametuer magician since I was 9, I am now 41.
I would classify myself as a hobbyist and collector.
I have a small library of books including Tarbell 1-7 and Greater Magic.
I have a 30 minute program of effects such as: linking rings, chinese sticks, square circle, strat-o-sphere, etc. that I perform at birthday partys of friend's children, and I often donate a show as an auction item for local charity fundraisers. I also do close-up magic for adult friends, and recently my wife and I performed Houdini's Metamorphosis (I have a video clip of this performance online at: http://homepage.mac.com/socheltree/Menu3.html )

I just recently subscribed to both Genii and Magic magazines. I have really learned a lot through these publications and websites like this one.
What I am wondering is if joining S.A.M. or I.B.M. would be beneficial to me. I live in an area where I do not have convenient access to magic shops or clubs. I would not be able to attend meetings. So, are the groups publications and other benefits of value? I am curious as to what other people like me who belong to either of these organizations think.

[Guest]

The IBM's publication The Linking Ring is a great resource and helps you keep upto date with the magic comunity, aswell it offers an array of articles, reviews, magic's history and more. It also has a vareity of ads of recently released magic available. Highly recomended even if yo don't belong to an actual Ring.

P.

[Guest]

I'll second Peter Loughran's recommendation -- and not just because I write the Showtime column in the Linking Ring! <G>
SAM's monthly magazine, M-U-M, is also very good, too, and for much the same reasons as Peter lists above.
For years, I was an "isolated" IBM member (no club nearby) and the Linking Ring kept me connected with the magic world.
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com