Can you make my wife disappear? Somebody asks me this at just about every event I do. If the wife is not present, I usually reply, “Well, I would like to help but she has already paid me to make you disappear.” If his wife is there I say, “I’m not sure. Let me try first on your daughter here.” Can you predict the winning lottery numbers? I rapidly reel off a series of numbers (far too quick for anyone…
Apparently, within one hour, people will have forgotten an average of 50 percent of the information they are given. Within 24 hours, they have forgotten an average of 70 percent of new information. Within a week, an average of 90 percent of it. I have been sharing some ideas on how to improve memory. here’s my latest: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-create-mental-diary-magic-frank
Many people will admit they struggle to remember names. The more we stress about trying to remember a name it seems the more likely we are to forget it. Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People) places great emphasis on using names for establishing positive relationships. Think about it. When someone forgets your name, you are very understanding. We all forget names, including you. So, you don’t take it personally. However, think about the times when your name…
My Memory Is Like A Sieve It’s very common to hear people complain they have a poor memory. Now, with Post it notes and digital devices you might think we don’t really need to memorise much these days. But be honest, don’t you have a sneaking admiration for memory ‘Olympians’ like Dominic O’Brien who once memorised 54 decks of cards just after a single sighting of each card? Or waiters who don’t need to write down orders? Or people who remember names? They…
When I’m performing close-up and chatting with guests, they often ask me questions. The most popular is probably: when did you start doing magic? (about 30 years ago) followed by, are you a member of The Magic Circle? (yes). Another question that pops up is what my favourite trick is. That’s difficult to answer because I like different magic for different occasions and people. I have, for instance, something I do with playing cards that I keep especially for…
There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know. Donald Rumsfold Lots of people had fun at Donald Rumsfold’s expense when he made this pronouncement. As time passed, people reflected on it and thought perhaps there was more to it that initially met the eye.…
Getting Things Done (GTD) is the name of the book and productivity system designed by David Allen. It has a huge following. Over 1.6 million copies save been sold, and there are plenty of websites and You Tube videos devoted to it. It is flexible, based on an approach rather than a rigid system. You can implement it with pen and paper or the latest electronic apparatus. There are Apps. You can integrate it with other approaches such as Bullet…
The attitudes encapsulated in the macho ‘Lunch is for wimps’ attitude of Gordon Gecko are coming rapidly to an end. In business and in our personal lives there is a clear grasp of the need to be a bit kinder to ourselves and to others. Probably the most visible aspect of this change in attitudes is in the growing understanding of the need to take care of our own mental health and that of our family, friends, colleagues and…
As a close up and parlour magician, I don’t need to transport very much to perform…unlike my fellow professionals who need a van for their large-scale illusions. Typically I need to carry a few packs of playing cards ( I give cards away as souvenirs so usually I need to replace packs during the course of the evening); cups and balls; fruit (yes, really); pen-knife, blank playing cards (for your thought of card to appear on); business cards; notepads; coins…
Not Quite What We Expected Based On Your Webpage Choosing the right magician for your event can be quite a challenge. There are so many offering the services. How do you be sure you pick one who can actually deliver? Click HERE to watch this short video for some tips on what to look for.