My 15 minutes of fame have just begun!

[Don Boyer]

Check this out, folks!

http://blog.ellusionist.com/magician-answers-call-for-service-makes-difference-at-ny-hospital/

Yup, that's me in the article!
I think it's really cool that I got featured in a blogpost at E!

[loldudex2]

Congrats dude! You totally deserve recognition.

[xela]

Very good deeds you're doing for those kids. It may be 15 minutes of fame, but the good feelings you've felt will last you a lifetime.

Now answer me this, what's with the "three" link on the article? Seems very out of place, and in bad taste if it's a marketing tactic.

[Curt]

Congratulations Don,


It is great to hear that you are using your magical talent to help others and making a difference in their lives. It is also very good of Ellusionist to show support for people like yourself and spread the word to the magic community.


Have fun with your 15 minutes!

[Marcus]

Now answer me this, what's with the "three" link on the article? Seems very out of place, and in bad taste if it's a marketing tactic.

That's actually just a Wordpress add-on that is acting up. It automatically links some words, this time it found an old post that it thought was relevant.


Needless to say it's not my favorite add-on.

[Don Boyer]

Everyone, thanks.  I got an email from E early Monday morning.  I think that the "order" that J-Bone is sending might have been bumped up.  Initially I got this email from E generated by the automated order software:
-
---
-
Hello Don Boyer
 
 Thank you for ordering from Ellusionist.com! We are pleased to inform you
 that we have received your order.
 
 
 If you purchased any downloads you can access them by logging into your
 account at https://www.ellusionist.com/customer/account/login/ in the
 downloadable product area.
 
 Order/Shipping ID: [REDACTED]
 Order Date: Friday, November 18, 2011
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Qty  Product Code - Product Name                         Status
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  1    REDARTIFICE - Red Artifice Deck                     pending
  1    GOLDARCANE - Gold Arcane Deck                       pending
  1    INFINITY - Infinity Deck                            pending
  1    VIPERF - Tally-Ho Black Viper Fan                   pending
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Your ORDER ID# is used internally to track your order. Please save your
 Order/Shipping ID:[REDACTED] for future reference.
 
 When your order leaves our warehouse, you'll be notified via email. Any
 tracking numbers that might be available will be sent at that time.
 
 If you have any concerns about the status of your order, please do not
 hesitate to contact us. You can submit a ticket to our eSupport system for
 a quick, friendly response.
 
 eSupport site: http://esupport.ellusionist.com/
 
 Just click on "Send us an email" and we'll get a reply to you within 24
 hours at the very longest
 
 We encourage you to take full advantage of your Ellusionist Membership and
 visit the incredible ellusionist discussion forums:
 http://forums.ellusionist.com/
 
 Thank you for your order!
 
 P.S. All orders that include a presale item will not ship until the
 presale item is in stock.
-
---
-
So, I'd written a follow-up email to him after the phone call Friday which I mentioned in (I think) one of the Infinity deck sub-boards.  I thanked him for the call and the gift (which I didn't even know what it would be at the time) and also asked that if he had any factory-seconds or gently-used decks he'd be willing to donate, send it to the program director at my hospital and I'd be glad to distribute them.  I give out old unused/uncanceled Gemaco casino decks that I got super-cheap on eBay but I know they won't last forever.

I tried to look up the order number, but it doesn't appear in my account - I suppose that has to do with it not being an order I placed.

So then I got this email Monday morning.
-
---
-
We are pleased to inform you that your Ellusionist.com order has been
 shipped.
 
 Shipping ID: [REDACTED]
 Order Date: Friday, November 18, 2011
 Ship Date:   11/21/2011 9:31:00 AM
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Qty  Product Code - Product Name                         Status
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  1    REDARTIFICE - Red Artifice Deck                     shipped
                          Carrier: USPS
                          9405510200828205825114
  1    GOLDARCANE - Gold Arcane Deck                       shipped
                          Carrier: USPS
                          9405510200828205825114
  1    INFINITY - Infinity Deck                            shipped
                          Carrier: USPS
                          9405510200828205825114
  1    VIPERF - Tally-Ho Black Viper Fan                   shipped
                          Carrier: USPS
                          9405510200828205825114
  2    INFINITY - Infinity Deck                            shipped
  11   VIPERF - Tally-Ho Black Viper Fan                   shipped
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Ship To:
 Don Boyer
 PO Box 1076
 Yonkers, NY 10704
 USA
 
 Based on the shipping method and tracking number above you can use the
 following links to see tracking info for your shipment (if available).
 
 USPS (United States Postal Service)
 UPS (United Parcel Service)
 
 In addition to your ORDER ID # you now have a
 SHIPPING ID #[REDACTED] - both are used internally within Ellusionist to track
 your order.
 
 For typical delivery times visit the shipping page on our site
 Ellusionist.com
 
 Please save your Shipping ID [REDACTED] and Order ID  for future reference.
 
 If you have any concerns about the status of your order, please do not
 hesitate to contact us by submitting a ticket to our eSupport system for a
 quick, friendly response.
 
 eSupport site: http://esupport.ellusionist.com/
 
 Just click on "Send us an email" and we'll get a reply to you within 24
 hours at the very longest.
 
 We encourage you to take full advantage of your Ellusionist Membership and
 visit the incredible ellusionist discussion forums:
 
 http://forums.ellusionist.com/
 
 Thank you for your order!-
---
-
Am I mistaken, or does it look like I'm getting three Infinity decks and a brick of Viper Fan Backs?  'Cause I know some kids that would be thrilled to get their hands on some of them, especially if I can get them by my next visit Wednesday afternoon!  My girlfriend wanted me to be home with her because she's off from work, but I told her there's no way I could leave the kids who'll be stuck there for Turkey Day without a little entertainment and cheering up.  I mean, it's a food-related holiday and they're going to be having hospital cuisine!

There's one girl in particular I'd love to give some Vipers to - she's been sort of a regular in the pediatrics unit, with a chronic disease that seems to keep her in the hospital more often than not.  I see her so much that I actually started teaching her a few simple tricks she can do; she's been surprising the nurses with them.  And while almost every kid I meet has at least one family member with them, she never has so far - doesn't mean they don't come, but still.  A deck of new Vipers would light up her eyes, I'm sure.  Maybe I'll give her one of the Infinity decks instead!  I don't know which I'll give her, but either would totally make her day.

If that order was indeed increased, I have a big thank-you note to write to Jason Brumbalow...

[chahung]

That is great to read. I hope you continue to support the kids. I also entertain the disabled, it does wonders for both parties involved.

[Kanped]

Maybe you could give her one of each and teach her some colour change stuff?   The whole story and everyone involved is just amazing, man.  I'm sure you must be very proud.

[MrLukeCarroll]

Great Job, I love hearing stories like this puts a smile on my face

[NathanCanadas]

Reviving an old topic, Don, I admire you for your charitable acts!

[Don Boyer]

Reviving an old topic, Don, I admire you for your charitable acts!

Thanks.  It's great practice, and it's fun watching a kid's eyes light up.  If you aren't doing something similar already, you should try it.  Another good place to volunteer would be a retirement/assisted-living home - you could do a half-hour or an hour of parlor tricks, they'd love it.  Hospitals also use entertainer volunteers in other units, like physical rehabilitation or chemotherapy infusion - the entertainment takes their minds off the pain, and the more they can forget that, the better off they are.

[NathanCanadas]

I have done it a couple times in retirement homes. I am going to do it more often.