Moving Monday (Last Week in Michigan)

A question I get a lot as a magician is "how many decks of cards do you own?" Well this last Saturday I spent an hour organizing all my decks of cards for my move, if that gives you any indication! I tried to get all my cards into one dresser instead of having them spread throughout my room. I think I have them all locked up in one dresser now instead of spread across my computer desk, in drawers, and on top of my dressers.

Sean Solak and I are recording a few magic videos this week. Yesterday was our first day and we rehearsed a new routine in his basement in between moments of Nintendo 3DS. We got a late start on recording some test footage, getting out just as the sun was setting. It was a pretty cold day to begin with, but it got aggressively cold after the sun went down. We still managed to bug a group of hacky sack players in the park off of Biddle though. It was definitely an interesting time to record! I would ask someone to pick a card and to put it back as quick as they could so they could get their hands back in their pockets! I even had to cut my routine short in order to get back to the car and warm my fingers up.

Today I am working on Introductions. I never introduce myself, nor do I ask for people's names. I'm looking for things that will put me "in the moment" as well as involve my spectators more and this is a huge next step.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I'm going to get back to organizing things for my move. Look for another video this Friday as well as a few more blogs about my thoughts leading up to the move later this week.

Until next time, may I recommend a song?
http://www.uvumi.com/#finelle/songs/16305

Road Trip

This is a video (stop motion photography) from when my girlfriend Jordan and I drove from Texas to Michigan. It's from a few years ago and was when she was moving here. In a few weeks, I'll be making that drive again, but this time to move to Texas.

Each day I have someone ask if I'm excited. I answer by saying that I've pretty much felt every emotion there is. It's bittersweet to have to leave my home state in order to see the girl I love, but I am also very excited about all the new things I'll experience. I also am not good with change, so I'm a little hesitant and nervous!

I can't wait to get out on the road - one of my favorite things to do. I've never driven this far on my own, so it's going to be an intensely exciting time. I'll be using the internet and my smart phone to keep everyone as current as possible about what I'm doing. It all starts in about two weeks.

Another exciting thing is that I'll be jumping right in to action once I get to Houston. I've already got a show lined up for the day after I arrive. I'm looking to make an immediate impact and to really entertain some people.

I've had a lot of people wish me well and I truly appreciate it. I'll be back in Michigan whenever I'm able and I'll be sure to keep in contact - especially since I have a 30 minute drive to work!

- Steven' A.

Southland Mall Magic - Unscrewed

Where I Stand - hanging out with friends

Here's an "episode" of a talk show some old friends of mine made with me two years ago. I'm hosting a subliminal training magic party at my house later today (Wednesday 3-9-11)with some friends. That is the closest thing to a reason I could think of for uploading this video! Friends

2 Card Transposition

Archived - Rockband Nite

Archived is a section on my website blog @ TheUsedMagician.com where I let my Flip video software make a "magic movie" out of unused video footage. This is from a nite seemingly around June where people secretly recorded others singing and playing

Magic Monday

Here's a video of me performing on the fly at Buffalo Wild Wings back around January.

Please be forewarned that there's some foul language and "honest reactions" to this effect that I was not able to easily edit out. Flip camera software is not easy to navigate and does not give many options for editing.

Unused Footage From December 2009

Brings back some good memories.

Here's some stuff I recorded for my Challenge: One of the Guys videos that I never used (along with some other clips.)

Magic Monday Week 5

Here's a video some of you may not have seen. I did not teach this effect in my magic class, but I did teach a move used in the effect. So, if you remember what you learned in class you are able to do this one. That means you get to learn new things even though the class is over, how cool is that!?

The rest of you can still watch the video recorded last Christmas.

Anyone have some time off this weekend? I'm looking to record for a full day in order to stock pile some future videos and I need a few volunteer camera people. Send me a message on facebook or write a comment below if you're interested.

Steve, The Amazing

Magic Monday Week 4

This is a refresher video of some of the effects we went over in my most recent magic class.

Now this week was about performance. This effect wasn't taught in my class (nor could I truly teach it in one hour, the secret is almost harder than the effect itself.) The idea is disecting performances and seeing what you like and what you feel you could do differently.

We felt pretty lucky to get this strange triangle shaped table; it was perfect for a performance. I began by making a coin appear from nowhere and then impossibly vanish never to be seen again. I think that started the nite on a very strange note. An hour after we ate; the guy in the video came up to me and asked "...where did the coin go?" I've never made someone that on edge about a coin vanish before, but I think it was because the coin wasn't brought back. An old saying goes, if magic where real people wouldn't clap they would scream, and I think I may have danced along a thin line that nite between magic and something more.

Magic Mondays

Here's a quick refresher of some of the things my magic class went over last Wednesday. Each Monday will have a new video through the remainder of the class.