Performance difficulties

[katterfelt0]

I was performing a routine last night when my essential tremor decided to kick in hard and caused me to mess up a portion of the effect. I knew, however, there was a payoff at the end that would salvage the performance, so I soldiered on and did indeed pull off the finale. Fortunately I had addressed the elephant in the room prior to my performance and explained about my essential tremor, so it kicking in came as no particular surprise to the audience.

Now if I could just figure a way to use my shaky hands to accomplish some cool magic.

[Peter Ross]

I too suffer from essential (or kinetic) tremors in my left hand. For me, it seems to show up when I'm gripping something of a certain weight at a certain angle. When it happens I fear the audience thinks I'm nervous, and I want to say, "I'm not nervous! I just have this little tremor."
You're brave to address it upfront. My 'solution' is to make it part of my character to some extent - the audience sees me smoking a (fake) cigarette before I begin, so maybe they think it's a nicotine thing. I'd rather have them think that rather than I'm nervous, or maybe they think I'm just old, which is also Ok with me

[Richard Kaufman]

I've never heard of an "essential" tremor.

[Peter Ross]

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20350534

[MagicbyAlfred]

It certainly is an odd name for something that's practically the diametric opposite of what would be deemed essential by anyone afflicted by it. An antithetical term, to be sure. It's kind of like saying "indispensable anxiety" or "desirable headache."

But it sounds like you prepared for the onset of it, overcame it, and didn't allow it to prevent you from wowing your audience, Ketterfelt0, so good for you! The love of magic and the will to perform it has the power to overcome obstacles.

[katterfelt0]

You're brave to address it upfront.

I'm not sure where I read or heard the advice, but it has always stayed with me: Address the elephant in the room up front so the audience doesn't get uncomfortable or (heaven forbid) feel pity for you. A good way to do it is with humor, but I haven't come up with a tremor line I like yet.

And I agree with Richard - "essential" tremor is a fairly ridiculous name for it.

[katterfelt0]

It certainly is an odd name for something that's practically the diametric opposite of what would be deemed essential by anyone afflicted by it. An antithetical term, to be sure. It's kind of like saying "indispensable anxiety" or "desirable headache."

But it sounds like you prepared for the onset of it, overcame it, and didn't allow it to prevent you from wowing your audience, Ketterfelt0, so good for you! The love of magic and the will to perform it has the power to overcome obstacles.

A mentor and good friend, Rick Maue, pretty much lost all use of his hands after a drunk driver crashed into him several years ago. He has gone on to create some brilliant mentalism with methods he calls "VdM magic", which is magic so simple in execution Venus de Milo could do it. Whenever I either feel down about my condition or want to discuss ways to get around my issues, I hit up Rick. He's a brilliant man and a great friend.

[MagicbyAlfred]

The indomitable human spirit is what breathes life into the magic.

[katterfelt0]

The indomitable human spirit is what breathes life into the magic.

My human spirit can be pretty... domitable sometimes.

[TerryTerrell]

Jeremy Griffith noted in his Vanishing Inc Expert at the Card Table download that he suffers from hand tremors. He found working with the cards on the table helped to settle the shakiness and let him develop very good chops.

[Richard Kaufman]

It certainly is an odd name for something that's practically the diametric opposite of what would be deemed essential by anyone afflicted by it. An antithetical term, to be sure. It's kind of like saying "indispensable anxiety" or "desirable headache."

But it sounds like you prepared for the onset of it, overcame it, and didn't allow it to prevent you from wowing your audience, Ketterfelt0, so good for you! The love of magic and the will to perform it has the power to overcome obstacles.

A mentor and good friend, Rick Maue, pretty much lost all use of his hands after a drunk driver crashed into him several years ago. He has gone on to create some brilliant mentalism with methods he calls "VdM magic", which is magic so simple in execution Venus de Milo could do it. Whenever I either feel down about my condition or want to discuss ways to get around my issues, I hit up Rick. He's a brilliant man and a great friend.

"Venus de Milo was noted for her charms,
but strictly between us you're cuter than Venus,
and what's more you've got arms ..."

[erdnasephile]

The term "essential tremor" is indeed aggravating in today's English. Originally, the term "essential" was meant to imply "always present" (amongst other implications). We do continue (perhaps wrongly so) to use the word attached to other conditions (e.g., benign essential hypertension).

For reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3461999/

To those in the thread with this condition: I admire you for dealing with and overcoming it. You're rockstars to me!

[katterfelt0]

A mentor and good friend, Rick Maue, pretty much lost all use of his hands after a drunk driver crashed into him several years ago. He has gone on to create some brilliant mentalism with methods he calls "VdM magic", which is magic so simple in execution Venus de Milo could do it. Whenever I either feel down about my condition or want to discuss ways to get around my issues, I hit up Rick. He's a brilliant man and a great friend.

"Venus de Milo was noted for her charms,
but strictly between us you're cuter than Venus,
and what's more you've got arms ..."

Richard, I hadn't seen that poem before. Thanks for the smile it gave me.

[Richard Kaufman]

LOVE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
From the 1934 film "Here Is My Heart." & "Millions in the Air", a 1935 motion picture
Music by Lewis E. Gensler and lyrics by Leo Robin

Performance by Mel Torme here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZMp7zX0vPU

Beautiful miracle, pardon my lyrical rhapsody,
Can't you see? Oh, you have captured me!
Being so glamorous, now can't you be amorous just with me,
Make it soon, Cop a look at that moon.
Love is just around the corner,
Any cozy little corner,
Love is just around the corner,
When I'm around you.
I'm a sentimental mourner,
And I couldn't be forlorner,
When you keep me on that corner,
Just waiting for you.
Venus de Milo was noted for her charms,
But strictly between us,
You are cuter than Venus,
And what's more you've got arms!
Let's go cuddle in a corner,
Any cozy little corner,
Love is just around the corner,
And I'm around you.
Love is just around the corner,
Any cozy corner,
Love is just around the corner,
When I'm around you.
I'm ten times as faithful,
As all your other men,
They all are true to no one but you,
But me I'm true to ten.
Oh, let's go cuddle in a cozy corner,
Any cozy little corner,
Love is just around the corner,
And I'm around you.

[MagicbyAlfred]

The term "essential tremor" is indeed aggravating in today's English. Originally, the term "essential" was meant to imply "always present" (amongst other implications). We do continue (perhaps wrongly so) to use the word attached to other conditions (e.g., benign essential hypertension)...

I realize that these are medical terms, and that it is a jargon that is understood by, and makes perfect sense to healthcare professionals. And I know that the word "benign" is a relative term in this context. (i.e. not good, but better than the alternative.) Still, I find it amusing that, while the word "essential" is already an oxymoron when describing a disease or other malady, adding the word "benign" before it, doubles the anomaly for the uninitiated (e.g. the patient).