Introduce yourself

[ATFUS]

A little about me:

I've been interested in magic ever since I was around 6. I did the usual kid shows all through grade school. I was the resident magician at Grizzly Bear Pizza in Ogden, Utah during my high school years. (Late 70s)

My brother and I moved to Las Vegas in the early 80s, and I had the honor of hanging out with the magicians at Darwin's Magic Club, at the Colonial House, at that time.

I remember witnessing Jimmy Grippo making objects mystically appear in sealed envelopes. I was privileged to see Michael Skinner in his prime. I also remember seeing Allan Ackerman perform a wonderful version of the cannibal cards.

Because I gave a magic lecture at the club on the effects I put together during that time, Darwin gave me free tickets to see Siegfried and Roy, which I'll never forget.

I'm the "Allan DeGeddes" that Paul Harris credits as being his inspirational source for an effect called Bill Collector, found in Close-up Fantasies Finale'.

Shortly after that, I moved back to Utah to be with my daughter and get a "real job".

I was also a Balloon Artist, a seven-year stint starting in 2007 at Hungry Bear Pizza in Layton, Utah, and ending around 2014. I got rid of all my balloon stuff so I could focus on Tarot and Card Magic.

My first love has always been card magic. I'm a big fan of John Bannon and David Solomon. I've got most of Harry Lorayne's earlier books that I wore the covers out, because they were a constant companion throughout high school, along with the Paul Harris and Dai Vernon books.

Now that I'm pushing 60, I think it's about time I get back into doing what I love. When things get back to a "new normal", I look forward to performing Close-up Magic again!

I also have a collection of approximately 300 decks of cards, as well as a respectable Tarot collection.

My YouTube channel is a collection of my favorite card effects, as well as a few of my own. Credits are in the comments section. (The channel is under my name, Alan Dee Geddes.)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWoI2ErQ5Y6oy-_r7M92DYA

[Don Boyer]

Welcome - it's a pleasure to have you here.

What is it with pizza parlors with "Bear" in the name in Utah?  You have that many bears that dine on pizza? 

We don't have a huge number of magicians here, but we have a few - the 52 Plus Joker Club President, Lee Asher, is one of them, as am I.  I specialize more in gaffing - using some specialized tools to make custom alterations to decks.

When things slow down with COVID-19, I could imagine there'd be a great need for magicians in the places similar to where I used to perform the most.  I was a volunteer at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, back when it had the more humble name of New York Methodist Hospital.  I spent most of my time bouncing between the pediatric unit, the pediatric ICU and the pediatric emergency room.  It was a great way to get a LOT of practice, and I had a very tolerant audience most of the time, eager for any kind of a distraction from their surroundings.  I made it a habit to bring dozens of decks of cards, some of which I bought but most of which were donated by some of the members of this forum - I'd crack open a fresh deck for a patient at their bedside, perform a quick routine, then leave the cards behind as a souvenir as well as something to keep them busy besides the television.  Occasionally, I'd get "repeat customers" - for them, I'd even teach them a trick or two, which they then couldn't wait to show all the nurses!

I say the demand will likely be high because even after the crisis has past and a vaccine is discovered (or we simply reach herd immunity in the interim), for those who survived, there will be lasting effects, particularly in terms of respiratory ailments.  To a lesser degree, there will be some in need of psychiatric help - they're learning that when a patient has to be placed on a respirator, they need to be in an induced coma for several days if not weeks, and the drugs used to do this can leave lingering psychological trauma.  And that, on top of all the already extant things that send people to the hospital every day; hospitals and other care facilities will be feeling the effects of this pandemic for many years to come.

But forgive my darker projections into the future - it's what magic is there for: to lift spirits, create smiles and make people believe in impossible things!  If you ever find yourself in the greater New York area, please look me up.

[ATFUS]

Hello Don-

Thanks for the welcome. Both pizza places are out of business, but I enjoyed being there either twisting balloons or doing card magic. I'm also familiar with Lee Asher. Before the pandemic, I was going to start going to the nursing homes in my area. My mom is in memory care and I have performed magic and gave Tarot readings at her facility. It's something that I'd like to start doing again. Hopefully in the next few months. Not too many magicians here in Utah. I miss the Magic community like in Las Vegas, or other large city. Now that I'm semi-retired, I've got the time to get back into the Magic and Tarot. New York is one of the places like to visit in the future, as well as visiting Las Vegas more. They're still doing the Wednesday magic get together at the Hard Rock Cafe. Allan Ackerman is in charge now. I also like to think that there will be more of a demand in Magic and Tarot. Take care and be safe !

Alan