Professor Scratch's Flea Circus

Well, this year my big Christmas Present to myself was my very own Flea Circus!

I've been thinking about this for several years now, ever since I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Katie Kangaroo at an ICBM conference. The idea had appealed to me long before then but Katie told me so much and so I began spending more time with the idea. Katie really inspired me to pursue the idea!

As of this coming New Years Eve I will begin offering my own Flea Circus Entertainment under the name of "Professor Scratch."

I've created a new website and I will be doing my first show New Years Eve! I'm very excited to add this to my show offerings. I've never wanted to do "kids magic shows" but doing "kids shows" is something that I've known I would maybe have to do in order to keep building my entertainment business. I don't view it as a stictly "kids show" offering but I recognize the potential of it in that realm.

It is certainly not going to be a "kids show" on New Years Eve!

As much as I love the coporate gigs and wedding gigs, I go through the occasional dry spell, which I wouldn't have nearly as much if I was willing to take the "kids shows" I usually pass up. I've never wanted to do magic for kids because magic for kids doesn't interest me and so I don't want to work at it very much.

The Flea Circus is a show that interests me and gives me enthusiasm. As such I have the focus I need to produce a worthy and worthwhile show with it and I will be able to offer it to Adults and Kids in the same way that a regular circus is for "children of all ages!"

I'm truly excited about it and I hope you'll all take a peek at what I've got up so far on the web. As you read the site you'll see the kind of humor I am going to inject into the whole thing.

It can be found at:

http://www.fleacircusentertainment.com

I already have a contact set up to see about performing this at Dickens Fair next year and this coming year will be more then enough time for me to develop the show completely for the fair market. It should be excellent.

Thanks all!

Another Look at The Protocols of The Elders of Magic

Well, as predicted there are now people who are selling their copies on eBay as well as people who are raving about how they got ripped off in buying this book.

Perhaps the stupidest argument I've heard is that this was a quick money scheme on the part of Max Maven. Yeah right. This guy is making money hand over fist in seven different countries, appears on Television regularly in those countries, has several other books that he makes a lot of money on because they are regularly selling and many different effects on the market. He gets booked all the time and doesn't need to make 'quick cash.'

This book was limited to 500 copies only and sold for $40.00. It took him three years to compile all the information that went into it. At best that means $2000.00 tops for three years of work. And he's not getting that much money because he's not getting all the money for it.

Do the math people. It doesn't make sense.

No, this book is clearly a labor with a specific purpose and it's going to take someone smarter then most of these people to figure it out.

I know that I've gotten something out of it and I've shared that knowledge with a limited number of people. They all have gotten much the same from this book as I have. Have we gotten what Max intended out of the book?

I don't know.

Next time I see Max I'll ask him.

'Tis the Season

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. It's been busy.

As they say. "'Tis the Season."

Today's musing is more about the general state of the Holidays. Regardless of what belief you hold, this is the season when we all stop to celebrate "Christmas."

I have mixed feelings about that.

If you are a Christian, then "Christmas" is all about the celebration of the birth of Christ.

If you aren't, then what is "Christmas" about? Let's face facts here. There are a lot of people in this country and around the world who aren't Christian, and that's a good thing in my opinion. Diversity is what makes us great.

So "Christmas" is about something else then. It's about the "Spirit of Giving" and "The Joy of Family."

Unless you happen to be a big toy company or some other retail outlet, in which case "Christmas" is all about the "Spirt of Selling" and "The Joy of Making Money."

No, I'm not going to go into a long rant about Commercialism or something like that. I don't think it's necessary. I'm sure you've heard it all before.

Rather, I wanted to take a moment to simply say this...

'Tis the Season. The Season of Caring about something and someone. 'Tis the Season of looking outside yourself and reaching out to everyone in your life who is important. 'Tis the Season to understand one another.

And wouldn't it be nice if that season lasted more then just a month or so each year?

I think that would be a great thing.

'Tis the Season.

Protocols of The Elders of Magic - A Review

If you were not one of the limited 500 people to buy this book, you might be missing out.

On the other hand, I'm willing to bet that there are also a number of people who bought this book who will be disappointed.

I am not one of them.

I won't reveal the contents, but I will tell you about my reactions. Admittedly I have been somewhat excited about seeing this book. The mystery around it's contents, combined with the limited run and the fact that all copies would be autographed made it worth my while to take a gamble and spend the money.

And when I opened it I must admit that the first thought in my head was "where is the signature" followed closely by, "wait a minute... I spent money for this??"

But as I read through it (it took me practically no time at all), I began to realize that Max had a point in putting this material together. Max is to clever by half to have done this as an elaborate prank.

So what am I really supposed to be getting out of this?

Like so many of Max's routines, the outcome depends upon the spectator.

One can choose to see it in a negative light. One can choose to see it in a positive light.

In my case I have decided that not only do I want to see it in a positive light, but I also want to see it as a challenge.

I'd be willing to bet that many of you, magicians who actually care about the "Art of Magic" will decide to see it as a challenge as well.

And that, my friends, is a good thing.

Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Magician Puppies

Recently I've come to realize just how spoiled I am as a magician.

Most of my contact with the magic industry has been through groups and organizations who feel that the first, most important aspect of magic is the theatrical aspect. Knowing how various tricks work is important, but ultimately secondary to a good quality theatrical experience.

I have begun participating in a relatively new magic forum on-line. I won't reveal the name of it, but let me just say that I feel in a very real way that I have stepped back into high school when I read messages there. People are concerned over techniques and tricks and which video to buy and which book to read and they are all trapped in the thinking that there must be some "holy grail" of magic which will make them all stars.

Repeatedly now I have seen posts from one particular individual who keeps asking variations on the question: "What is the best X trick?" where X can be 'cards' or 'coins' or 'rope' or whatever.

Well, I'm here to tell you that there is no "holy grail" of magic. At least not in the sense that these kids (even the ones older then me) think.

No one ever walked into a magic shop and said "Give me the trick that will make me the next David Copperfield" and actually got it!

But I'm realizing that I have both a responsiblity and an opportunity to make a real impact here. Already I have been posting messages in fits of frustration which basically keep saying "who cares what the best X trick is? Work on your character and your presentation and you'll be able to take any trick you want and make it into the best X trick there is!"

But slowly now, my fits of frustration are turning into the light of realization. If I keep putting this message out about being a good theatrical character first then hopefully I'll be able to get through to these kids and make them realize that they could be doing so much more then every effect they learn from the "easy to master X tricks" video library.

Yes, we all seem to start out in the same place, absorbing as much material as we can. When we first get into magic we suddenly realize, like wide eyed kids in a candy shop, that the secrets of the universe are now at our finger tips. We become utterly obsessed with the accumulation of 'secret knowledge' as if we were spelunking the depths of some ancient temple of wisdom.

My own library stands in mute testimony to that beginning stage in my own magical career.

So how do we improve this situation? By turning to the knowledge presented to us by the "old masters." The ones who have "been there and done that."

Then suddenly I find myself in the place of being one of the "old masters." I didn't particularly consider myself to be one of those guys yet. Figured I had a long way to go before I got there. It may just be a symptom of the circumstances. After all, I wandered into this new on-line forum of my own free will and I made the decision to stay instead of turning around and running screaming when I realized what it actually was.

I certainly don't consider myself to be on par with the big name pros, but when you get right down to it, the view is relative and what I see standing in my place on the spectrum is different from what the real "old masters" and the real "young kids" see.

So I guess it's time to flex some of those "old master" muscles and offer my "boundless wisdom" to another generation of wizards.

Hopefully I'll have something more to say to them then "buy magician X's latest video/DVD/book. It's cool."

Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Tapestry

(This article was originally written in 2002 for a column about "Bizarre Magic.")

Have you ever looked at a Tapestry?

They are often very beautiful. Large geometric designs, or complex scenes.

My favorite kind are the ones that have a large central figure surrounded by scenes depicting important events in the life of that central figure.

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with Bizarre Magic?” I can hear you ask.

Hang in there and I’ll tell you.

When most magicians hear the term ‘Bizarre Magic’, they automatically think about those weird guys doing the ‘blood and guts’ type of stuff. That might be what they see on the surface, but there is something far more profound going on there.

You see, Bizarre Magic is not about ‘blood and guts’. It’s about stories. It’s about telling really good stories.

What kind of stories do you tell?

Do you use the ‘patter’ that came with the trick?

Do you make up stories that have nothing to do with anything except the prop?

Or, do you make up a stories that have something more in them?

These are tough questions. They should be.

You see, the Bizarre Magician is telling stories that have something more to them. Very often the stories are scary, but they don’t have to be. They just have to be good stories. The Bizarre Magician understands that good stories help to suspend the audiences disbelief. Good stories help to put the audience in the right mood and make it possible to get away with some amazing effects.

So, okay, your ready to start writing stories for your ‘Hippity Hop Rabbits’, but what kind of stories are there to tell?

That’s where the tapestry comes in.

‘Ah Ha! Now he’s getting to a point!’

Take a look at the tapestry. What do you see?

As I said, I like the ones with the large central figure and all the stuff around them. Who is in the center of that tapestry?

Nope, not you, but your close.

Your character.

Remember that guy, Jean Eugene Robert Houdin? The one who told us all that a magician is an actor playing the part of a magician. Yeah, that guy. He had a point and the best magicians get it.

That tapestry isn’t about Fred the Barber. Nobody cares about Fred the Barber. At least not enough to watch him perform magic.

That tapestry is about Sir Lancelot, Joan of Arc, Albert Einstien or Merlin. Someone who is Heroic, Tragic or Mysterious. In other words, someone interesting.

That’s what the Bizarre Magician knows. The audience doesn’t care about Fred the Barber. They care about The Mysterious Zoltar.

So the first story a good Bizarre Magician writes is the story of him/herself.

What else is on that tapestry?

All the scenes around the central figure of course. In other words, all the bits of background, history, story, heroism, tragedy and mystery that make the central figure interesting to the audience.

Do you have to tell all this to your audience?

Heck no, but think about the vast advantage you would have knowing it all? Suddenly your thrust into a position where you now know more then how to find a missing card. You know why you would want to. You know why you would even have a deck of cards in the first place.

Have you ever been in someplace and found the greatest little knick-knack that you just knew would make a great magic prop, but you didn’t know what you would do with it? If you have spent the time creating your tapestry, you would have a better idea.

That’s what Bizarre Magic is about. Characters and stories.

Now here is the best part.

Every time you perform you get one more scene to add to your tapestry. One more event that adds to the overall image your creating with your magic.

What makes the best magicians memorable? Doing something worth remembering. You can do that with your character and your stories. Magic becomes that much more amazing when the story makes sense and is in context.

Create a whole world that you are the center of.

Create a tapestry about you and with it you will create a whole new level of interest, not just for yourself, but for your audience as well.

Create a tapestry.

Create stories.

Create Magic.

Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

History Speaks

(I wrote this article October 30th, 2002)

As a magician, I have always tried to expand my knowledge, not just of my art, but of the history and mythology of my art as well.

Getting to meet and become friends with highly respected magicians has always been a treat. Magicians who can take the time to lecture at local clubs are always a special occasion and being able to spend even a few moments of private time with them are occasions to be remembered and treasured. They are the precious jewels of a magicians education.

So, it was with a sense of great anticipation that I waited for my friend Eugene Burger. I already had some history with Eugene, being one of those lucky enough to attend The Mystery School.

Eugene greeted me as a good friend and we spent several fun days together, focused on lectures and seminars for magicians in the area.

But as a special treat Eugene took me with him to visit Channing Pollock.

Wow. (For those of you who don't know, Channing pretty much created the modern Dove act. Every magician you've seen working with doves is using Channings creations and innovations.)

First off, Channing lives in a wonderful home on the California Coast where every window is a view on the ocean as it pounds the rocks not ten feet away. A place at least as magical as the person.

So for several hours I sat, saying little but never feeling left out, as Eugene and Channing renewed their friendship of many years and along the way brought me into their circle.

Interestingly enough both Eugene and Channing have a view which seems paradoxical when described but makes perfect sense when discussed. The best way I could describe it is "down to earth spiritualism". Both expressed views of believing in 'something greater' but also not buying the bullshit that seems so omnipresent in many religious and mystical beliefs.

Eugene describes himself as a skeptic, but holds no fear of discussing and questioning the nature of the universe, and as I sat there listening, it was clear that Channing has many of the same questions and just as much joy in exploring them.

So we sat in Channing’s kitchen, surrounded by floor to ceiling windows over looking a storm tossed ocean and discussed magic and philosophy. We told stories, though I had only a few to share while Eugene and Channing told many. I learned the thinking behind some of the more obscure bits of magic lore and the real story of how the vanishing bird cage was created and how Channing developed his dove toss.

It would take a while for me to lose that sense of awe from being in the presence of such incredible people, but by the time Eugene and I left, I felt that I had made a new friend in the world of magicians.

More recently I had the honor of hosting Lee Grable at my local club’s 5th Anniversary Dinner. As president of the club I felt it was a great honor to have him there. I probably don’t need to say this, but just in case, Lee held the prestigious Mantle of Magic. It is only given to one magician at a time. Dante gave it to Lee. Lee passed it on to Lance Burton.

As part of the festivities Lee got up and told stories of his own experiences in the world of magic. While Lee talked I listened, absorbing all that he had to say. His message was a simple one which can be summed up by saying “It’s not what you do, but who you are that makes you great.”

As Lee spoke I noticed that the younger members of the club fidgeted, anxious to get back to showing each other their latest purchases. It saddened me to think that these young kids were missing out on the wisdom Lee had to share. In the future, if they stick with magic I hope that they will remember that they did at least get to meet such a man.

I found this situation to be a rather powerful one for me. In my life time as a magician I missed out on seeing several great performers. When Doug Henning and Harry Blackstone Jr. passed on I was truly devastated. I never got to see either of these men perform live. So now I take very seriously every chance to watch and learn from those performers who are today’s legends.

I consider myself very fortunate to know the professionals I do now, but that to comes at a cost. I have noticed that when magicians get together sometimes the topic turns to who knows who. Sadly many small time magicians seem to think that who they know somehow makes them better then they are. Yet that kind of thinking never takes into account how good they might already be. As Lee tried to point out they forget that it's who they are, not who or what they know, that makes them special.

This kind of thinking also takes something away from the humanity of these people we hold in such high esteem. They have earned our respect and our admiration. They have earned their place in the pantheon of magic.

We should take advantage of every moment to listen to them and speak with them.

But we should also remember that they are human beings with hopes and dreams, happiness and sadness, and perhaps the greatest thing that we can do is give them their space and make ourselves their friends as much as we are their admirers.



Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Taking a Good Hard Look at Your Magic

Magicians are the only performers I know of who are arrogant enough to think that they can be Director, Producer and Performer all rolled into one.

The problem is this merely promotes one continuous problem -- the blind spot. I know how clever I am. I know how good I am. I know that I'm the best magician around. (Please note the tongue planted firmly in my cheek.)

I also know that if I believe my own hype then I'm likely to fall into the trap that I see so many others fall into. Fortunately for me I have a number of different people, all with different perspectives, that I can turn to, try something out on and generally expect to get good and useful feedback from.

And the beauty part is that with only a couple of exceptions, they are almost all *NOT* magicians.

Why is that the best part? Because they are not concerned with *HOW* something is done. They generally don't care. Over they years they've developed a sense of how I manage some of the things that I do, but that isn't relevant to them. What is relevant is whether or not the performance itself is actually any good.

A good portion of these people are not only *NOT* magicians, but they *ARE* actors! Even better because what they do is all about communicating the performance to the audience. This is something to damn many magicians neglect because they are so busy being their own directors and producers that they forget that they aren't perfect.

The best thing a magician can have going for them is to be able to turn to other performers and get them to take a good hard look at your magic. And even better still is when they won't pull their punches. They have to be able to tell you that something sucks.

I've been trying to get one particular routine to work in my magic career because I like it, and every time I pull it out one of these wonderful people tells me "IT SUCKS!"

Not the actual routine, but the way I perform it. Well, it's starting to suck less and less these days. I only pull it out once in a great while and work on it, but I know someday I'm going to get it to a point where it not only doesn't suck, but will actually be good.

And that will be a happy day.

Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Doing Magic for Kids

I have to have a certain amount of respect for magicians who can do magic for kids. Especially the ones who do kids shows professionally.

I'm not really kid compatible. I have a show this evening for a very small group of teenagers, which is fine (just barely) because I happen to know that they are theater kids and can appreciate a theatrical style show. But if it weren't for that I would have turned it down.

It bugs me a lot that people automatically assume that because I am a magician I must do magic for childrens Birthday parties. No. I don't. I entertain adults in Corporate Events, and Weddings and other large scale formal gatherings. Magic for Kids is not the same as Magic for Adults.

Which is not to say that I'm not developing entertainment projects which are going to be more strongly kid oriented. When I get my flea circus soon I know I'll be getting many more kids shows.

But I just don't like doing Kids Magic. It doesn't interest me enough to make me work on it, which means I wouldn't give the best show I can give.

Jeff McBride talks about "doing the show you want to do" anyway, but I think I don't entirely agree. I know he basically says to mix in what you want to do with what they expect. Logically I can follow that, but when I start looking at what I want to do I realize that in my case at least, it's not practical.

The stuff I want to do requires a greater attention span then most kids have. So it just doesn't mix well as a result and I'm still looking, in the end, to present a show that is totally appropriate to what they want.

So those magicians who can do a kid show, and do it well, I am impressed by.

There is, however, another class of magician. An evil little jerk who is really screwing things up. And he's screwing it up for both the Kids Show Magicians and us Corporate and Theatrical Guys.

He has no real identity, but you can see from his website or promo materials that he "does magic for any occasion."

Trust me when I say, "No, you can't."

Somehow this guy thinks that "Sponge Bunnies" and "Rubber Ding Dongs" are going to get the same giggles from business suited adults as they do from 5 year olds. And no one is going to save you if you ask Mr. Business Exec to hold up "the clean hand."

So please do me a favor and stay away from my gigs. I'll tell you right now, the magic your doing for little Billy isn't making an impression on the CEO of Widget Tech Industries and the next time his secretary looks to book someone she is going to pass right by me because of the poor job you did.

Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Responsible Readings

One of the services I offer as a magician is that of "Fortune Telling." My typical method of choice is that of Tarot Cards, though I can perform a number of other styles.

However this does bring up a very definite question, that of being responsible for the readings that I give.

I have encountered a number of magicians who have a complete disregard for the person they are giving the reading to. They don't care what they say but instead ramble off a meaningless jumble of platitudes or card descriptions with no connection and expect that they are convincing the sitter of something more profound. Why should the magician care really? He or she is getting paid no matter what, right?

At the other end of the spectrum are those "fortune tellers" who are so overly concerned that they remove all the "bad" cards from a Tarot deck just to make sure that they don't come up, which strikes me as being just as dishonest.

But what honesty is there in "fortune telling" at all really? I know that there are many people out there who believe that "fortune telling" can be very real and I won't presume to make any statements here about what anyone else does, but I can say in all honesty that I know exactly what I am doing when I give a reading and it has nothing to do whatsoever with any kind of "supernatural" power or some "mystical" property of Tarot cards.

When I give a reading I do it with the express understanding that it is purely a form of entertainment and that what I do is something anyone could do. Of course I don't want them to know what I'm doing because that would destroy the nature of the performance they are getting, but I also want them to realize that this isn't anything beyond the normal.

For me that is the secret to doing a responsible reading. A firm explaination that what they are getting is not the result of something "supernatural" but rather the result of a skill I have learned and they to could learn.

Interestingly enough this does not reduce the level of admiration I recieve when I perform a reading. If anything, it seems to enhance it. People view me as having dedicated a part of my life to learning this skill so that others might benefit from it. In a way, they are exactly right because I do want them to benefit from it.

The benefit I want them to get is reminders to think about things they maybe haven't been thinking about, or to see something in their lives from a different perspective. That's all a Tarot card reading, or any form of "fortune telling", really is. A different perspective.

What most people don't realize is that the perspective they are getting is mine and not some other "supernatural" one.

So, as a magician who does responsible readings, should I give them advice? Only so long as that advice doesn't go beyond the bounds of what kind of advice I might give if the cards weren't involved.

For example I'm not going to suggest that someone stop taking their medication because the cards say so. I'm going to suggest that they see their doctor to have their medication reviewed in case it's warranted.

I'm not going to suggest that they invest their money in some kind of scheme they know about. I am going to suggest that they talk to a professional financial advisor about the scheme they know about to get the best possible advice.

You see? It's not that hard to be a magician who is also a responsible reader.

Santiago
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Is every Magician Really Unique?

I was thinking about things to put into my profile and I realized that I started thinking in "market speak." I was going to say something about having spent many years creating a "unique" style all my own, when it really occurred to me that perhaps there is a problem with that statement.

I mean aren't all Magician's Unique?

Now I know that many working professionals will jump up and say "No, not all magicians are unique." What they are thinking about, of course, is the idea that what we see as professionals seems to be the same things over and over again.

A new book, video or DVD comes out and suddenly everyone is doing material from it. They are even using the same lines and stories and so in this sense they may very well be copies and not unique. This much is certainly true.

But the perspectives of the average audience is something else isn't it? How many of the people in my audience have ever seen a magician before? When I think about it I do realize that the lions share of them haven't ever seen a magician before in real life and few have seen them on TV.

So to them I am already unique.

Now, does this mean that I shouldn't worry about developing my own style, my own stories and my own presentations?

Not even close. Of course I want to develop my own stuff because then I do set myself an artistic goal and achieve a level of presentation that sets me apart from even the other working professionals. We all want to be different from each other too.

And I think that maybe that is the real heart of it.

I love magic. I love performing it, but I also love watching it. I don't get to watch enough of it I think, and when I go spend an evening in the Magic Castle, I can't get enough of it. It's a wonderful thing for me to forget about how things are done for awhile in favor of just enjoying how someone else does them.

Of course I know how things like The Linking Rings or The Cups and Balls works. It's my job. But that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the differences between the way I do them and the way others do them. That's what I'm looking for, and hopefully when others see me do them, then they will get the same kind of enjoyment as well.

Reflecting on those differences simply means that I have a greater opportunity. An opportunity to not steal material, but rather to make sure that I come up with something different that works for me.

To many magicians watch other magic acts for material to steal and frankly that stinks. There is a difference between stealing material and being inspired to create my own material.

So in that sense, maybe I am Unique?

Santa Cruz Magician

SPAMMER Removed

Wow, not even 24 hours and already people tried to SPAM my Blog.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

So here's the deal, if you want to post here, you have to be a member. If you want to be a member contact me through the appropriate channels. If you SPAM me again I will cast the appropriate magic spell (labeled SPAMCOP.net) and have you shut down.

To anyone else, sorry to have to be so hard nosed about this, but in my world SPAMMERS are lower then telemarketers. If you are a SPAMMER then you are lower then scum and deserve a very long slow and painful torture session at the hands of prison inmates who wish to make you their bitch.

Criss Angel and the Privy of Death

Okay, so what do you think it took for Criss Angel to come up with that one?

"So, I'll do something so stupid that it riles up people," says Criss.

"Riles?" says magic consultant guy.

"Yeah, and they'll chase me and I'll hide in this Port-o-potty...." says Criss.

"Port-o-potty?" says other magic constultant guy with a look of disbelief.

"...and then, then someone runs into it with their old, beat up truck, and when they open it up I won't be there!"

(crickets are heard)

"It will TOTALLY ROCK!"

Yeah, Criss.

Totally.

How long do you think it will be before David Blaine hangs one over a construction site and tests our patience by staying in it for a month?

Why are some magicians like that?

I have a good friend who is a magician as well. He is very dedicated to creating something special and to sharing what he learns with people. I have been very lucky to benefit from his wisdom and his generosity.

Unfortunately not everyone can be so greatful or kind.

He recently contacted a full time professional who needed some serious help with his website. Basically in the area of spelling and grammar. He hasn't told me who this person is, but if it's the one I think it is, well, it needs help. Badly.

My friend was kind and suggested that this person review his site.

The response was full of venom and hate. So much so that my friend has had his own confidence shaken in what he does. This is not good.

Why are some magicians like that?

I have to wonder if there is something about our art that makes people act this way. We are so protective of our secrets that we become overly protective over everything we do.

There isn't anything wrong with this part of things. But some people can't tell the difference between constructive criticism and an attack and for some reason it seems like magicians are particularly susceptible to this.

I won't reveal the names of any of the above people. There is no point.

But I will say this much -- get to know who you are hiring if you can. Because if they are willing to treat others in their art this way you have no idea how they might treat you as a client.

Tim "Santiago" Converse
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
Santiago's Magic

Welcome to Santiago's Magic!

Santiago's Magic is an Entertainment Resource located in Santa Cruz, California.

I have spent many years developing what I hope is a unique set of services for entertaining in the Corporate Environment, at Weddings, Fund Raisers and Private Parties. There are many thoughts and creations which come from Santiago's Magic and I hope to share them with you here.

So if you are interested in the occasional essay, rant or just general thoughts on Entertainment and Magic in general, please feel free to visit here often.

Thank you.

Tim "Santiago" Converse
Enter a World of Elegant Magic
www.santiagosmagic.com