I have a common complaint that DVDs are not organized properly, and often lack a sense of progression. This complaint has been voiced in plenty of my opinions before, but this is a uniquely poor packaging of exceptional knowledge. It really just feels like they sat in a studio and worked off of a quick outline and threw in more stuff whenever it was obvious they forgot something. Fortunately, the stuff got included.

The menus are a good place to start. The top menus are named Index, Index Two, Index Three, and so on. Needless to say, these are really helpful in finding something I am looking for. Inside each index, the menus list the content, but a topic is spread across a couple of indexes. They just basically put six topics per index without any thought to the broader organization of what was being taught.

In a similar manner, the presentations are somewhat low on continuity and context. Tony expertly presents his techniques and methods in a clear and easy to follow way, with lots of repetition to make it easy to follow. The material was recorded in modular pieces, so I would think it would be easy to organize the lessons in post production, but some important lessons are in an illogical place toward the end. Additionally, the material is spread across two DVDs, with no insert to list what is where.

Let’s just say that my hopes for expert material were met, but the packaging makes it hard to access. It was a little like trying to get a shiny new electronic gadget out of it’s welded nest of plastic and cardboard. With a little bit more direction, and some table demo’s of the work in action, I think this could have been much better. I was really hoping to see him at “work” in a game, but maybe that will come on a future DVD.

Now, we live in Ukrainian Village, a neighborhood just West of the Miracle Mile. It has such an exotic name for a reason, just like Greek Town and China Town. I am not sure some of our neighbors can actually speak english, but I do know they are really suprised to learn I speak only English. I guess I look Ukrainian. Who knew?

In the new place, we finally have more modern utilities and a swank kitchen/living room area. Steam heat and window unit air conditioning were charming, but God bless central heat and air. We also have a great balcony off the back, with plenty of room for a gas grill and nice furniture. Plus, the fancy shower and hot tub aren’t too bad either. We are pretty happy.

Now I take the bus to the Blue Line, which goes right to the office. Joel is a stay at home actor. I do work at home three days a week, and Joel is around when he is not in a class, auditioning or rehearsing. It seems that it is my turn to be the stable one. He has always worked long hours in a cubicle and worked endless hours when a deadline was approaching. I have always been the one to set my own hours and be totally flexible. Now, that is his curse.

We take the bus when we can, and I only get the basics at Dominicks. We have a little store nearby for fresh meats and dairy, there is a Russian deli down the street, and all kinds of specialty shops in the nearby environs. There are meat shops, bakeries, cheese and wine shops, and all manner of ethnic supplies. Needless to say, we have almost never eaten the same thing twice. This is especially true since we got the grill.

I think these Southern boys may have adapted just fine to the big city life, but the tale is just starting to be told. Just wait for him to get us into the broadway/musical scene so thick here in the city. Oh, the stories we will tell.

I must admit that some parts of the convention were better than others, but I can confidently say that it was an experience I will likely repeat. If I had to travel by airplane and stay in an expensive hotel for several days, I don’t think it would be worth it. The crowds were fairly manageable, the lectures were great, and the shows had some great magicians scattered throughout. The competitions were what you would expect, and the winners clearly deserved the honor. The dealers in the “magicians french market” were fun and had some good stuff.

I got to meet Eric Jones in the dealer room, and see his incredible coin work. Right next to him was Tony Miller from Channel One fame (or infamy). He and I hit it off, mainly because we have the same sense of humor, which is a dangerous thing. I managed to keep my mouth shut and did not add any fuel, which I would typically do. Several other dealers caught my attention; Mark Mason, the Columbinis, and Andy Greget. Admittedly, there were several others, but I just focus on card stuff. Anyway, I got some good things from Tony and Andy. I have already worked three ideas from Tony’s Parking Space, and have been through Jim Swain’s Miracles With Cards twice. I read a manuscript on Hand Mucking in the hotel room during a break. All of it is fantastic.

Friends were easy to come by as well. I met some cool locals, and there were a few people that came in from Chicago. I am not known for my constant besiegement of card tricks on everyone around me, but I did enjoy watching some cool and funny stunts by people around me, and feeling a little twinge of discomfort when a magical pirate showed up in the bar to the horror of the bartenders and a hapless but hot waitress. That was entertainment enough. Fortunately, lectures from Regal, Mendoza, Columbini, and many others tore me out of the bar fcequently enough that I did not blow my book budget on booze.

Anyway, it was fun, educational, and I will be back.

I recently picked up this little book gem and flipped through it when it arrived. It wasn’t until I started really reading it that I started to realize how well the material is presented. The ideas are sound, the techniques are achievable with practice, and the effects are direct. He has sessioned and developed ideas with all the best, so a good number of his effects are alternate handlings and original approaches to ideas from the likes of Dingle, Marlo, Jennings and others card masters. His original ideas and utilities are well constructed and accomplish their ends cleanly and smoothly.

As always, I want to keep a variety of material at my fingertips. Simple or mystical, standing or tabled, presentational or visual, skillful or suble. I like this book because it has a sampling of them all.

Unfortunately, the modern card table is vastly different from the five-card stud tables of the 70s. The blackjack ideas still apply, but I would love to read Marlo’s ideas on Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow, and Caribbean Stud. The good thing about the stacking, marking, and other game table treatments is that they are still applicable to any modern table. Many people still play five-card poker at home among friends. Tipping your abilities with riffle stacking or a table pass will ensure no money is ever wagered in your home, or you get relegated to bartending and dip duty. Either way, the best advice I can give is to only “play” with games not on the table for the evening.

As far as magical effects go, Marlo had a keen sense of effect development, suprise, and magical appearance. He understood well how the progression of the effect could be carried and amplified without becoming “too good” to be real. He left effects right at the point of magical suprise without going for a “blockbusting, impossible kicker that leaves everyone speechless.” In my estimation, this was his greatest skill. For one trick drive-by magicians, this material is useless. For real workers that use a series of effects and a carefully developed storyline, they can be a captivating climax without needing to have the deck change color.

Granted, he does go to some trouble to develop six or seven related methods of an effect. For some, this is not needed and really just a waste of time to read. Actually, I find the multiple methods key to understanding how far an effect can be flexed before it loses it’s impact. There are plenty of multiple methods in his magazines.

Enough about the magazines. These are truly what I consider the cream of the considerable crop from this fertile genius. Marlo left great ideas and techniques in all manner of magazines and newletters, but the material in these tomes clearly came from years of development, re-development, and further development. I am glad I have them.

We flew up to Ottawa this past weekend to see Mackenzie’s first birthday, and visit with a dear friend we miss terribly. Judith is not technically family, but we consider her our “ma.” We have only seen her grand-daughter and Lani in Little Rock, and we had been meaning to get to Canada for a while. When the opportunity came up to knock out three things on our wish-list, we couldn’t resist.

The first night was just Joel and I, so we took some advice from the concierge to head toward the fashionable Byward Market for dinner. We had asked about indian or mediterranean food, so we were whisked off in a cab to a really nice place. Yea, we wanted a buffet. We walked around a little more, finally coming to a cute japanese place. We sat down and ate our fill of sushi rolls, and then walked all around the market area. It is a really quaint part of town that reminded me of the Little Rock River Market all grown up. There were restaurants lined up, with produce stands hawking spices and goods from all corners of the globe. Most were closed, though. We crashed early and barely wanted to move the next day. The only thing that got us moving was the prospect of a day with Judith.

We met Judith for an official tourist day. We walked up and down the river, seeing the parliment buildings, peace tower, and ending up at the art museum. It was the perfect day for it, and we left echoes of laughter and recounted stories all allong the way. We bought little stuff all along the way, and those small trinkets will remind us of the great time we had together every time they catch our eye.

Then, it was dinnertime with the family. Mark’s parents were in for the festivities, so it was one big family dinner. We listened to childhood stories, drank some wine, and watched Mackenzie play in the yellow icing. She doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, so that was pretty anti-climatic. However, the frosted hair was worth the wait. Then there was Mark and his daughter’s antics. He would snort and strain, and Mackenzie would follow right along with her little puckered lips and wrinkled nose. Too cute not to laugh at.

The next day was all about getting ready for the party. Judith took us to a local icon, Tim Horton’s, for breakfast. It is the Krispy Kreme of Canada, and well worth the wait at the door. Then, off to their place for a quick present exchange, and birthday party setup. Friends arrived right on time, with a few people delayed because their baby was still asleep. That was a day of men in the dining room talking about American sports, and wives and children playing in the living room with the new toys. It was a blur of toddlers, youngsters, cats, and potato chips.

We were the last to leave, but we were leaving for another country. It was so much fun to be there to help out, hear the Canadian accent, and enjoy the local customs that we will certainly want to come back. Just shopping in their grocery stores was too much fun. Mackenzie, maybe we will help you celebrate your 18 month milestone!

Having winter temps set in so soon certainly suprised my Muscadine vines. The trees have lost their leaves, but the vines were still growing strong. I brought them in when the snow started, and I tried to find a good place for them. It looks like I will have to move some stuff around to give them room at a window, but it may be a good idea to do it now before they lose all their leaves. They may just like it inside.

I do hate that the great seasonal vegetables are lost in the big city. We only get the decorative pumpkins that have no meat under the skin, and these multi-colored and warty gourds. Where are the fat acorn, turban, and butternut squash? I really missed the orchard fresh peaches and thick artichokes. The seasons are lost in the grocery stores.

Now that the temperatures are dropping and I have not tried on my winter coat in a few years, it may be a good idea to make sure it still fits. If I am going to be eating potatoes, cherries, grapes, and string beans all year long, I need to be sure I can keep all that goodness wrapped up and warm.

We finally got to the sandy beach after walking along the bank. There was a fenced beach just for dog owners to throw things into the water and have their pets bound off and fetch it back in a splashing frenzy. Looking beyond the froth of woofs and waves, we could see the rest of the beach was filled with people. Oddly, nobody was in the water. The beach was too crowded for it not to spill into the water. We later heard that the water had failed bacterial testing, so swimming was not allowed.

Traffic was just as bad driving away as it was on the way in. Once we broke away from the confines of blocks and traffic lights for the expressway to the ‘burbs, we were ready to get home and just hang out on our own. It sounds like fun to go to glamorous places like the beach on the edge of the city, but it turns into quite another thing when you are circling like buzzards waiting for a parking spot to open up. Don’t get me wrong, we still love it here, but we have a newly found appreciation for the suburban life.

Now that we have gotten settled in, it is time for us to go places. This last weekend was busy for both of us, but we were off in different directions this time. Joel was back in Little Rock for his big conference, trade show, and annual meeting. He was worn thin trying to get all the last minute details in line, but he managed to make everything happen without putting out an eye or having to bury any evidence. He flew down, picked up my car that we had stored with a dear friend, and drove it back up here when the convention ended. Needless to say, he needed a day or two off before driving all the way back, but he made it just fine.

I have been sitting with a Zen group downtown, and they held a short Sesshin (Meditation retreat) up in Evanston. It started Thursday night and went through Sunday morning. Even though it was not particlarly long, the sitting was no less brutal than any other retreat I have taken. They do everything the Japanese way, despite the lack of a single Asian in the group. They also incorporate other practices that I found fascinating. Brush calligraphy (Shodo) is a clear way to demonstrate the focus and naturalness of a mind. Using the same three character phrase for everyone, the brush strokes from each person became something of a signature of the mind. The Roshi described the places where confusion and disorientation in the work were apparent, but he also pointed out where good technique and freedom of movement adds energy to the piece. This feedback is clear and undeniable, and analyzing the works in front of the group permits everyone an opportunity to learn from the examples and mistakes of others. This also made a great souvenir.

Joel is off to work tomorrow for his first day, which will be spent in training. I suppose I will just sit around and eat bon-bons while the soaps and talk shows slowly calcify my brain. Hmmm, still sounds better than working. I need to get tired of this soon, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.