Compulsive Uncontrolable Purchasing Syndrome.

Can't find a suitable category? Post it here!!

Moderators: nickj, Lady of Mystery, Mandrake, bananafish, support

MagicWorld Magic Shop for Magic Tricks Visit Magicbox for all the latest and best effects! World-Of-Magic, Suppliers of quality Magic Worldwide Dude That's Cool Magic Best prices around! Best prices around!

Compulsive Uncontrolable Purchasing Syndrome.

Postby bananafish » Jan 27th, '04, 15:29



Compulsive Uncontrolable Purchasing Syndrome.

Compulsive Uncontrolable Purchasing Syndrome (CUPS) is the disorder whereby you just can’t stop yourself from buying any item that has anything whatsoever to do with Magic. It doesn’t matter how big or small it may be, you have to have it. It may be the latest “Steven Gore” trick, a set of 4 Osterlind DVD’s or merely a simple “Sharpie”, but something has to be bought on a regular basis.

This disorder is every bit as disturbing as any other addiction, and in my mind there should be a group to help victims through it. If there was such a group, I would be the first one there. The first one to stand up in front of everybody else and say…

“Hello. My name is Bananafish, and I have C.U.P.S. (and balls to admit it).”

Now, although this post may be considered a little tongue in cheek, Magic is for me becoming a bit of an obsession. I love magic, I want to read about it, I want to get better at it, and I want to own as much of it as possible. I want to understand it, the history of it and the psychology behind it. I want to learn more coin moves, more card sleights. I want to learn how to do a good chop cup routine and a good three shells routine. I want to be an expert at sponge magic, rope magic, magic with miscellaneous objects and mentalist Magic. Above all else, I want to get better at and more confident with performing in the real world.

There are only two problems with this. Time and Money. It’s not only a very expensive hobby, but even worse it can be very time consuming.

I reached a point where I realised that I have been buying faster than I can digest the information. I may be reading more and watching more DVD’s and buying more tricks than ever but this is all at the expense of practicing. The most fundamental use of our allotted “Magic Time”.

So my plan is to stop buying for a while. No new books. No new DVD’s and certainly no new tricks, mind you “On the case” sounds so good, and that Gordon Bean “Monte” routine sounds right up my street. I’ll just get those and then stop…DOH!

“I know. I know. My name is Bananafish, and I have C.U.P.S.”

As a footnote, I have just re-read a fairly recent thread started by “YankeeTom” called “The Blues” and I think that summed it up nicely. One theory that was put forward was by Happy Toad who suggested that one reason for C.U.P.S. is that if [like many of us here] we chiefly perform to friends and family, then it is understandable that we will very quickly run out of tricks to perform. We may well have some amazing tricks in our personal repertoires, but once we have shown it to our limited audience – that’s it. We HAVE to purchase a new trick, because we HAVE to perform.

So here are some basic ideas for all sufferers of C.U.P.S.

Rule 1. No Pooftahs (sorry – old joke. I couldn’t resist)
Rule 2. Remember Loved ones.
Speaking as a recently married man, I would urge everyone to remember that Magic isn’t the be all and end all of life as we know it (that’s what my lovely assistant tells me anyway).

Rule 3. Read the Books, and Watch the DVDs.
Read all the books for cover to cover – making notes if need be of what are the stronger tricks, then repeat this from time to time as by then new skills will have been learnt and there may be a completely different set of strongest tricks. It is unlikely we will ever perform everything off a DVD or in a book, but what we are comfortable learning will change everytime we watch/read them. Also remember that one of the biggest things to learn from a DVD is the “performance” aspect, so re-watch this part of the DVD many times.

Rule 4. Practice, Practice and Practice more.
I have the books and DVD’s now for learning more tricks than I could ever know, so the goal has to be to practice what I have. Then when I have finished go back and practice again.

Rule 5. Try and find a wider audience
Easier said than done, especially if like me the thought of performing to strangers made me want to “cak” my pants. However, I did join a magic society (even though when I was told that I would need to do an audition I nearly never came back). Since then though, I did the audition, I entered a close up competition and have now performed as part of the society to a “real” audience.

And, recently because of all this I have now even started getting a few offers of real paid work. Don’t get me wrong. This still scares the sh*te out of me, but the more I do the easier it gets, and I now KNOW that once I get started I will have fun with it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hhhmmmm. That was a bit more long winded than I meant to be, but if there are any other sufferers of CUPS out there, then I feel we all need to stand together. (Then we can club together and buy a Magic shop!).

User avatar
bananafish
Veteran Member
 
Posts: 5821
Joined: Apr 22nd, '03, 09:43
Location: Simon Shaw. Suffolk, UK (50:SH)

Postby BaBaBoom » Jan 27th, '04, 15:31

LOL
Fantastic post :)
Where do I sign up?

...
User avatar
BaBaBoom
Senior Member
 
Posts: 769
Joined: Oct 28th, '03, 02:11
Location: Manchester, UK (34:In dormancy)

Postby Mandrake » Jan 27th, '04, 16:23

merely a simple “Sharpie”

This year alone: 1 box of 12 black, 2 packets of coloured, 1 packet of Jumbo sized black and a packet of the ones where you get the regular nib at one end and a fine one at the other. I need help guys, I really do!

User avatar
Mandrake
'
 
Posts: 27494
Joined: Apr 20th, '03, 21:00
Location: UK (74:AH)

Postby taneous » Jan 27th, '04, 16:41

That's one of the most helpful posts I've read for a while. Yep - I fit right in to that category - I bought 3 boxes of elastic bands the other day for CMH :oops: and I'm looking for a new book on the net before that last one i ordered has arrived. Thanks for the encouragement :)

User avatar
taneous
Senior Member
 
Posts: 913
Joined: Jan 14th, '04, 15:53
Location: Cape Town, South Africa (34:SH)

Postby bananafish » Jan 27th, '04, 16:44

I fear coming here for C.U.P.S. is like going to the pub for help with a drinking problem!!!


You're so right. The first review I read after posting that was the "Monsters and Magical Sticks" NPL book.

And I so want it.

And when you mentioned "Temptation" (so aptly named) by Gordon Bean, in the Monte thread, I just knew I had to have it. The saddest thing about that is I only got Skinners Ultimate Monte the other day, and I haven't even performed it yet!!!!!!!!! How sad am I!?

User avatar
bananafish
Veteran Member
 
Posts: 5821
Joined: Apr 22nd, '03, 09:43
Location: Simon Shaw. Suffolk, UK (50:SH)

Postby Jing » Jan 27th, '04, 17:49

I'm actually quite good, i don't spend all my money on magic and i enjoy reading books cover to cover, watching dvds all the way through, However i think it's time i made some more magical purchases and don't try to stop me...

User avatar
Jing
Senior Member
 
Posts: 881
Joined: Nov 27th, '03, 18:20
Location: Staffordshire (28:WP)

Postby Mandrake » Jan 27th, '04, 17:52

Ok but for crying out loud don't tell us what you buy. Unless it's good. Very good. In which case I hafta know!!!

(OK, where's the medication?)

User avatar
Mandrake
'
 
Posts: 27494
Joined: Apr 20th, '03, 21:00
Location: UK (74:AH)

Postby BaBaBoom » Jan 27th, '04, 18:10

OK.
I have invented a special pair of sunglasses, they block out any text with a £ in it
This is achieved using a special lens made out of female intuition, every time you see a £ and your brain thinks of your wallet, a little female arm comes out of the side and slaps you in the eye while saying "and what do you need that for?" in your ear.

These can be purchased from my new site www.iamunabletocontrolmyself.con at only £999.99
I am sure you will agree a worthy purchase and one I expect many orders for.
Form a line on the left, the tills are open :)

...
User avatar
BaBaBoom
Senior Member
 
Posts: 769
Joined: Oct 28th, '03, 02:11
Location: Manchester, UK (34:In dormancy)

Postby Mark Waddington » Jan 27th, '04, 18:28

mandrake wrote:
merely a simple “Sharpie”

This year alone: 1 box of 12 black, 2 packets of coloured, 1 packet of Jumbo sized black and a packet of the ones where you get the regular nib at one end and a fine one at the other. I need help guys, I really do!


where can you buy buck packs of sharpies from?

User avatar
Mark Waddington
Elite Member
 
Posts: 2685
Joined: Aug 2nd, '03, 14:51
Location: Skipton N.Yorks (25) (CP)

Postby bananafish » Jan 27th, '04, 18:50

where can you buy buck packs of sharpies from?


Probably most office stores - but CardCollection (Cards4Magic) do them.

I have invented a special pair of sunglasses, they block out any text with a £ in it
This is achieved using a special lens made out of female intuition, every time you see a £ and your brain thinks of your wallet, a little female arm comes out of the side and slaps you in the eye while saying "and what do you need that for?" in your ear.


I've heard of these - but don't they have that awful side effect whereby you end up buying a pair of ladies shoes instead?

User avatar
bananafish
Veteran Member
 
Posts: 5821
Joined: Apr 22nd, '03, 09:43
Location: Simon Shaw. Suffolk, UK (50:SH)

Postby Mandrake » Jan 27th, '04, 19:28

where can you buy buck (bulk?) packs of sharpies from?

All mine came from our local Staples store and were all genuine Sharpies. Be careful though as Staples also do their own brand versions which look similar but aren't really interchangeable. (Except for marking things when they do just fine!)

User avatar
Mandrake
'
 
Posts: 27494
Joined: Apr 20th, '03, 21:00
Location: UK (74:AH)

Postby nickj » Jan 27th, '04, 20:07

Fortunately I can't afford to have CUPS but I do go slightly lightheaded when it comes to placing new oders at Studio 9. I am also being placed firmly in Tricia's bad books because when she actually comes to make the order she has to remove half the stuff I've put on the list so she can afford it damn her! I really wish we didn't have to cater for people who don't have the same magical tastes as me (anything goes as long as it'll fit in a pocket or small bag).

On completely unrelated subject we had a guy in last week who had clearly never done anymagic before in his life, yet somehow he had secured a job as a magician in Spain. How the f*** did he manage that I want to know? He even mentioned that rather than read the instructions for tricks he bought he would pay me go to his house and teach him how to do them, just to save him from reading!

Cogito, ergo sum.
Cogito sumere potum alterum.
User avatar
nickj
Elite Member
 
Posts: 2870
Joined: Apr 20th, '03, 21:00
Location: Orpington (29:AH)

Next

Return to Miscellaneous

Sorcery Shop - Home of the ITR Aeternum Servare Secreta Playing Cards for Magicians A web site set up to sell my book, THE STRIPPER DECK, and future magical/mentalism titles. Web Design for Magicians Manufacturer of modern & unique magic apparatus! UK's Online Magic Tricks and Jokes Shop offers kids and beginner magic tricks and jokes.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests