Unlike most magicians who started at an early age, I started much later. At the ripe old age of 39, I found myself as the den leader for my youngest son’s Cub Scout den, with no idea what I was doing. The leader manual had many ideas on how to keep boys engaged during meetings, and I stumbled upon the magic effect where a piece of drinking straw moves on its own, just by moving your finger toward it. After doing it for the guys in the den, they asked me to show their parents. When I saw the reactions of the boys and their parents, I was, as they say, “bitten.” That was my first effect.
My favorite effect is one I’ve never done. I was fortunate enough to see Penn and Teller live in Las Vegas, and Teller’s goldfish production is still the most beautiful effect I’ve ever seen. My favorite effect to perform is Henry Evans’ Rising Card. My favorite type of magic is anything that connects with my audience. To me, that connection is infinitely more important than the effect.
I performed mostly at outdoor festivals in Colorado before the pandemic. I also performed behind the bar at the Fort Collins Marriott Hotel weekly for two years. My proudest magic achievement is my 17 years coordinating Magic in the Rockies in Fort Collins. These days I am learning how to do Zoom meetings as President of IBM Ring 250.